Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-10
CHAPTER Xxx.
pooha1,c Raf,10n


| Rachel stood by the parapet on the top
| of the Memphian house of Har-hat. ABOUT
her were no evidences of her former serf-
| dom She wore an ample robe of white
| linen, with blue selvages heavily fringed-
About her neck was the collar of gold. The
| costume was distinctly Israelitish, elaborat-
| ed somewhat at the suggestion OF Masa-
| nath to whom Rachels golden beauty was
| a never-lessening wonder. Compared 10 th e
| tiny gorgeous lady, Rachel was as TAI
| lily to mimosa.
Masanath was comfortably pillowed on
| cushions close to the Israelite. The rose
| leaf flush on her little face was suDdueu
! and her dark eyes were larger than usual.
! The physical discomforts of the plaques
| had overtaken her; and Rachel, the only
| one of all the household who had passed
| unScathed through the trOubouS time. hau
| been so tender nurse that Masanatn re-
| covered with reluctance.
Deborah had survived the removal to
| comfort in Memphis only a month Inc
| brutal injuries inflicted by the servants OF
| Har-hat had been too severe for her age
/ enfeebled frame to repair. SO she dleo'
| blessing the two young girls VINO had at
tended her, and promising peace ana nap
| piness to come. Then they laid her In a
| new tomb cut in the rock face or the
Libyan hills and wrote on her sarcopha-
| gus:
"She departed out Of the land OF Mlz-
rain before her people.
And this was prophecy.
| So the Nile rose and subsidized, the WIN
! ter came and went, and now 1t was near
| the middle of March, MaSanath 1ofgo'
! Kenkenes and remembered her own sor-
row now that its contamination was sure.
| ly approaching During the hours that
| darkened gradually Rachel was TO her an
ever-responsive comforter.
| So the little Egyptian came to love me
| Israelite with the love that demands rath-
err than gives-the love of chiid Ior tne
| mother, of the benefited for the oeneIactor.
| Stcyht
| trouble in her devotion to Masanath. She
| had no time for her own thoughts. Eacn
| passing day brought the Egyptians mar
| tyrdom nearer, and Rachels uses houriy
| increased. ~,
This day Masanath, who had been ILL.,
was unusually downcast.
"J NAV be- size said with more cheer In
her tones than had been in her previous re-
marks. that l sfall die pe1ore they cai'
we'd me to Rameses.'
Nay, why not say that the LORD COO Will
interfere before that timer
Masanath shook her head and looked
away. From the stairway Mari approached.
"Unas hath come from Tanis, my lady
sic said with suppressed excitement Ma
| sanath sa, up, trembling.
Isis grant he lath net come to take thee
| 10 marriage" the waiting woman breathed.
Rachel laid an Inquiring hand On the Httle
| Egyptians arm.
| .My father's courier" she explained.
| Let him come up, she continued 10 MARI
| Rachel arose and took a place on the
| further side of the hypostyle. with the
! screens of mating between her and Masa-
nath. Sh, still in hiding
The fat Servito came up presently.
Masanath, dredding the news, asked after
it a, once. Men have killed themselves for
| teor of death.
Thou hast ccme to conduct me to
court?''
That is the gracious will of my master
l1asanath half rosa from her seat.
'.When?" she asked almost inaudibly.
'In twenty days; no more. l have a mis-
sen to perforra and shall go hence mme-
6iately But 1 shall return in twenty days,
never fear, my lady
| Masanath saw that he Knocked her Her
wrath was effective counter-irritant for
| her trouble. She was calm again.
Then IL thy message is delivered, :Rn!
He backed out and descended the stair
way.
When she was sure he was gone sh,. flung
herself in a paroxysm of wild grief aid de-
spar, face down on her cushions AZ that
moment cold hand caught her arrf. She
looked uo and saw Rachel. All the blue had
gone from the Is-aelite's eyes, leaving: them
black with dreadful conviction. Thes color
had receded from her cheeks and her figure
was rigid. =
Who was that MANI she demanded in
a voice low with concentrated emotion.
''Unas, icy fathers man. What is am1ss,
Rachel?'
The Israelite stood for moment al
though sce permitted the intelligence to as
semble all the further facts that it entailed.
Then she turned away and walked swiftly
toward tine well # the stair.
Rachel! Thou-what-thou hast not an
swered me-" Masanath called.
There is naught to be said. lit were
best that go to my people now, since thou
goest to marriage was the unready re-
ply.
Thou wilt return to thy people! Rachel.
Nay nay. Thou art all have Come back!
hap or Mas nat a
| her.
Rachel hesitated. trembling with multi
| tude of emotions.
TT were better I should CO." she insisted,
| trying to escape Masanath's clasp IF
| go now l can reach my people and be hid
den safely"
The little Egyptian flung herself upon the
Israelite, weeping.
Thou must fee from sure safety to only
possible security" Masanath demanded
through her tears. IF must wed this ter
rible prince. 1 shall put my misery to some
use | shall ask thy liberty at his hands
| comfort, my one support.
But Israel departeth shortly"
Thou shalt not co. Masanath declared
Historically. Il will not suffer thee! The
doors shall be barred against thy depar-
ture.
SISTER, Rachel cried thou torturest
met On a sudden Masanath raised her
head and gazed at the Israelite.
| Tell me- the Egyptian insisted. There
| is mystery in this. What had my father S
man to do with thy hasty resolution to de-
part?'
II cannot tell thee" Rachel responded
| slowly.
Silence fell, and Masanath spoke at last,
| in a decided voice.
| Thou art within my house, and so under
| nv command. Thou shalt not leave me!
| l have said.' She turned to go back to her
| cushions.
| Rachel grew paler, and she clasped her
hands as though praying for fortitude. At
| last she broke out:
..Masanath! Masanath! That man-that
Unas-attended the noble who halted me on
| the road to the Nile, that morning; he was
the one sent back to Memphis for the docu-
| ment of gift; he pursued me into the hills.
| He - the servant of the man who follows
: met"
| The Egyptian recoied as though she had
! been struck.
NAY, nay" she cried. throwing up her
| hands as though to ward off the convic-
| ton. mot my father! Not he! Thou art
wrong, Rachelr'
would to the Lord God that were, my
| sister, But am not mistaken in that face.
| He was the one that disputed with Ken
| kenes-was the one Kenkenes choked."
Masanath wrung her hands.
Describe the noble to me-
"He was third In the procession and
| drove. black horses"
Holy Mother Isis his horses were black
| The first two would have been the princes