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

1Qe messenger.
The next day Mentu was bending over
fresh sheets of papyrus, and when his son
entered and stood beside him he raised his
head defantly.
II have another royal obelisk to deco
rate he said. fixing the young man with
a steady eye, ''of a surety-without doubt
inevitably-for the thing is all but ready
to be set up at On"
Before Kenkenes could ask for enlight-
eminent a female slave bowed in the door
way.
1.-THE Lady Senci sends thee greeting and
would speak with thee. She is at the outer
portal in her curricle,' she said, addressing
Mentu.
The great man sprang to his feet, glanced
| hurriedly at his ink-stained fingers, at his
| robe. and then fed across the court into
the door he had entered to change his
dress the day before
Kenkenes smiled, for Mentu had been a
| widower these ten Nile floods.
The slave still fingered.
also is there messenger for thee
master" she said, bowling again.
so? Let him enter"
The man whom the slave ushered in a
rev minutes later was old. spare and bent.
out he was alert and restless. His eyes
were brilliant and over them arched eye
brows that were almost white. He made a
terky obesance.
Greeting, son Of Mentu. Dost thou re-
member me?"
The young man looked at his visitor for
g. moment.
Il remember" he said, at last Thou
art Ranas. courier to Snofru priest of
On"
Mine errand is urgent am come from
Asar-Mut to thee. He bids thee prepare
for journey before presenting thyseif to
him."
Mine uncle is gracious Salute him for
| me and tell him 1 obey"
The old man withdrew
When kenkenes crossed the court a lit
tie time later he met his father
ne Lady Senci brings me news that
| makes me envious," Mentu began at once,
and shames me because of theer'
kenkenes lifted an expressive brow at
| this unexpected onslaught Nay, now,
what have / done?'
"Nothfng!' Mentu asserted emphatically
and for that reason am wroth. The Lady
Sencfs nephew, Hotep, is the new chief of
| the royal scribes."
II call that good tidings," Kenkenes re-
piled. a cheerful note in his voice, land
worth greeting with health to Hotep."
Inc artist regarded his son scornfully for
a moment.
my holy uncle Asar-Mut. to go a jour
ney, and 1 know not when 1 return" said
KenkeneS.
"Humphv' the elder sculptor remarked.
"Asar-Mut has kingly tastes. The couriers
Of priests are not usually of the nobility.
But get thee gone"
The pair separated and the young man
passed into the house.
When, half an hour later Kenkenes en-
tered a cross avenue leading to a great
square in which the temple stood. he found
the roadway filled with people, crowding
about a group of disheveed women. These
were shrieking, wildly tearing their hair,
beating themselves and throwing dust upon
their heads. Kenkenes Immediately sur
missed that there something more than
the usual death-wail in this.
He touched man near him on the Shout
der.
who may these distracted women be?"
he asked.
1.-The mothers of Khafra and sigur, and
their women
Nay! Are these men dead? 1 knew
them once"
They are by this time. They were to be
hanged in the dungeon of the house OF the
governor of police at this hour" the man
answered with morbid relish in his tone.
Kenkenes looked at him in horror.
What had they done?" he asked: The
man plunged eagerly into the narrative.
"They were tomb robbers and robbed In
dependently of the brotherhood OF thieves
They refused to pay the customary trlpute
from their spoil to the chief or ROBBERS,
and whatsoever booty they got they kept
every jot of 1t. Innumerable mummles were
found rif1ed of their gold and gems, and al
though the chief of robbers and the gov
ernor of police sought and burrowed into
every den in the middle country, they
could not find the missing treasure; Ihen
they knew that the looting was NOT Done py
any of the licensed robbers. SO all the pro-
fessionaI thieves and all the police set them-
selves to seek out the lawless plunderers
'sHumph!" interpolated Kenkenes, ex-
pressively. -,
Ave. And it was not long. with all
these upon the scent, until Khafra ana
Sigur were discovered coming 1orth from
a tomb laden with spoil, and in the strug-
gle which ensued they did murder. But
the constabulary have not found the rest
of the booty. though they made great
search for it, and may have put the thleVes
to torture. Who knows? They do dark
things in the dungeon under the house OF
the governor of police.
Kenkenes stalked off toward the temple,
his shoulders lifted high with disgust
Presently the avenue opened into the
temple square. The shadow of the great
structure darkened its approaches before
it was clearly visible through the grove
The devotee entered long avenue OF
sphinxes-fifty pairs lining broad hlgh-
way paved with polished granite Tagging
Within the overarching portals Ken
kenes was met by novice, a priest OF the
lowest orders to whom he stated his mis-
sion With a sign to the young man to
follow, the priest led the way into the
temple.
In a moment, Asar-Mut, high priest to
Ptah. appeared. He were the priestly
habliments of spotless linen. and. like
loose mantle, a magnificent leopard skin,
which hung by a claw over the right
shoulder, and, passing under the left arm,
was fastened at the breast by medallion
of gold and topaz. He was typical Egyp-
tian, but thinner of lip and severer of
countenance than the laity.
.Kenkenes I would have thee carry
message for the brotherhood. Be thy
journey as quick as thy perception. I ask
thy pardon for laying the work of a temple
courier upon thy shoulders, but the mes
sage Is of such import that / would carry
it myself were I young and unburdened
with duty as thou.
"I am thy servant holy father"
Il know and therefore have I chosen
thee. My trusted courier is dead; the
others are light-minded and Tape is in the
height of festivity They might delay
they might be lured into forgetting duty
and" the pontiff lowered his voice and
drew nearer to Kenkenes, and there are
those that may be watching for this letter
A nobleman would not be thought mes
senger"
Il understand" Kenkenes said
GO, then by private boat at sunset, and
Ptah be with thee" He put a doubly
wrapped scroll into Kenkenes' hands
This is to be delivered to our holy SUI
perior, Loi, priest of Amen
Kenkenes bowed and withdrew.
CHAPTER w.
The Procession of Amen.