Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-24

Kanark to Luxor and. turning in a vast
loop at the Nile front, countermarched
over the dromos and ended at the tremen-
dous white-walled temple OF Amen. Be
tween the double ranks of sightseers there
was but chariot ROOM The side Kenkenes
approached sloped sharply from the dromos
toward the river. and. the rearmost specta-
tors had small opportunity to behold tho
pageant. The multitude here was less dense
~ packed. kenkenes Joined the crowd at
this point.
Here was the canaille of Thebes
kenkenes slackened his pace when ne rec
ognized the character of these spectators.
ana after hesftating moment. he hung the
nat wallet containing the message around
his neck inside his kamis and pushed on.
Every foot of progress he essayed was
snarlingly disputed until the rank of the
aggressive stranger was guessed by his SUI
perior dress, when he was given a moody
and ungrac ious path. But he finally met
an immovable obstacle in the shape of a
quarrel.
The stage of hostilities was sufficiently
advanced to be menacing, and the young
sculptor hesitated to ponder on the adj
visibility of pressing on. While he waited
several deputies or the constabuIary. me-
thodcally silencing the crowd came upon
these belligerents in turn and bella bored the
foremost into silence. The act decided the
young man. The feelings of the rabbie
were now in state sufficiently warlike TO
make them forget their ancient respect for
class and turn savagely upon him should
he show any desire to force his way
through their lines. Therefore he gave up
his attempt to reach the temple and made
up his mind to remain where he was. At
that moment several gorgeous filters of the
belated wealthy rammed a path to the very
front and were set down before the rabble.
Kenkenes seized upon their advance to pro-
coed also, and, dropping between the first
and second litter, made his way with little
difficulty to the front. With the COM
placency of a man that has rank and au-
thority on his side he turned up the road
way and continued toward the temple. He
was halted before he had proceeded ten
steps A litter richly giided and borne by
four men came pushing through the crowd
and was deposited directly in his path.
But for the unusual appearance of the
bearers kenkenes might have passed
around the conveyance and continued. In
stead, he caught the contagious curiosity
of the crowd and stood to marvel The
men were staIwart. black-bearded and
strong of feature, and robed in no Egyp-
tan garb. They were draped voluminously
in long habits of brown linen, fringed at
the hem, beited by a yellow cord with tas-
seled ends. The sleeves were wide and
showed the wristbands of a white under
garment. The head-dress was a brown
kerchief bound about the brow with cord.
also yellow.
While Kenkenes examined them In detail
a long, indrawn breath of wonder from the
circle of spectators caused him to look at
the alighting owner of the litter.
He took a backward step and halted,
amazed.
Before him was a woman of heroic pro-
portions, taller. with the exception of him.
self, than any man in the crowd. Upon her,
at first glance was to be discerned the
stamp Of great age, yet she was as straight
a column and her hair was heavy and
nidnight-black. Hers was the Semitic cast
of countenance, the features sharply CHS
eled but without that aggressiveness that
emphasizes the outline of withered face.
Every passing year had left its mark on
her, but she had grown old not as others
do. Here was flesh compromising with
age-accepting its majesty, defying its de-
cay-a sublunar assumption of immortality.
There was no longer any suggestion of
femininity; the idea was dread power and
unearthly grace. OF such nature might
the sexless archangels partake.
Holy, amen one of the awed bystand-
ers exclaimed in whisper to his neighbor.
who is thiS?'
"A princess from Punt" the neighbor
surmised
"A priestess from Babylon" another haz-
arded.
Nay, we are all wrong" quavered an
old man who had been looking at the new
corners. under the elbows of the crowd.
She is an Israelite'
Thou hast a cataract, old man." was
the scornful reply from some one near by.
"She is no slave"
Aye" went on the unsteady voice. IT
know her. She was the favorite woman OF
been out of the delta where her people
live since the good queen died. forty years
ago. She must be well-nigh a hundred
years old: Aye. l should know her by her
stature. 1t is of truth the Lady Miriam"
At the sound of his mistress name one
of the bearers turned and shot a sharp
glance at the speaker. Instantly the old
man fell back. saying as a sheer of con-
tempt ran through the rabble at the intelli-
gence his words conveyed: Anger them
not. They have the evil eye"
kenkenes had guessed the nationality of
the strangers Immediately, but had doubted
the correctness of his surmise because of
their noble mien. If he suffered any disap-
pointment In hearing proof of their identity
1t was Immediately nullifed by the 10Y his
artist soul took In the stately Hebrew wo-
man. He forgot the mission that urged
him to the temple, and permitting tne
shiftlng, restless crowd to surround him.
ne fingered, thinking. This proud disdain
must mark his goddess of stone in the
arabian hills this majesty and power; but
t tis must be youth and fire in the place of
A porter that stood beside him. embolden-
ed by barley beer and the growing disap-
prevail among the onlookers. cried:
ma! py the rags of my fathers, she out
SHINES her masters, the brick-making hagr'
kenkenes, who lowered over the ruffian
became possessed of a sudden and uncon-
trollable Indignation. He pecked the man
on the mead with the knuckle of his fore
finger saying in colloquial Egyptian:
Hold thy tongue, brawler nor presume
to fiout thy bettersr'
The stately Israelite, who had taken no
IoliCe VI any WORD against her, turned
her head toward Kenkenes and slowly in
spected him. He had no opportunity to
guess whether her gaze was approving for
the crowd about him, grown weary of wait
ing. had become quarrelsome and was loud
ly resenting his defense of the Hebrews
The porter, supported by several of his
brethren was already menacing the young
sculptor when some one shouted that the
procession was in sight.
KenkeneS once more turned toward the
temple, walking between the crowds and
the marching soldiers Indifferent to the
shouts of the spectators-lost in contempla-
ton. But the procession moved more
swiftly than he and the last rank passed
him with half his journey yet to complete.
Instantly the vast throng poured out into
the way behind the rearmost soldier and
swallowed up the sculptor in a shifting
multitude. For an hour he was hurried and
halted and pushed, progressing little and
moving much. Before he could eXtricate
himself, the runners preceding the pageant
returning the great gods to his shrine, beat
once again kenkenes was imprisoned by
the hosts. And once again after the pro-
cession had passed, he did fruitess battle
with tossing human sea. But when the
street had become freer he stood before the
closed portal of the great temple. The sol
emn porter scrutiniZed the young sculptor
sharply but the display of the linen-wrap-
ped roll was efficient passport. In a little
space he was conducted across the ringing
Movements under the yaulted shadows