Warren sheaf., 1905-11-02

| "Sirg for us, Kenkenes!"
/ have. exhausted my troye of songs
for this selfsame company, wherefore
they will not listen to reiteration, which
is ever insipid."
Siptah buried his clinched hand in
a cushion on the floor near him.
20 thou paternal prince" he said,
repeat us a prayer Of exorcism as
father should, and rid us. of our fears
Of Moses the Jew"
mine exorcism of the Hebrew sor-
cerer Moses will be harsher than for
mulas. 1 shall not beseech the Israel
ties, and it will avail them naught to
beseech me-"
'Thou art ominous light Of Egypt
Kenkenes commented quickly. wilt
! thou open the heart further and give
us thy meaning?" :, e. i ~
'Hast lived out of the world, O son
Of Mentu? The exorcism will begin ere
long In this l give thee the history
Of Israel for the next few years and
close it. shall not fall heir to the
Hebrews when come to wear the
crown Of Egypt" ..
"Are they to be sent forth?" Kenke-
nes asked in low tone.
Rameses laughed shortly
'"Thou art not versed in the innuen-
does of court talk, my Kenkenes. Nay,
they die in Egypt and fertiliZe the
SOIL"
1T will raise Set-given uproar,
Rameses," Menes broke in, with meek
conviction, land, as thou hast said, to
the king the credit, to his advisers the
blame"
NAY; the process is longer and more
NATURAL" the prince replied carelessly.
1T is but the same method Of the
mines. Who can call death by hard
labor murder?"
The full brutality Of the princes
meaning struck home. Kenkenes grip
ped the arm of Ta-meri's chair with
such power that the sinews stood up
rigid and white above the back of the
brown hand Luckily all Of the guests
were contemplating Rameses with
more or less horror. They did not see
the color recede from the young art
lists face or his eyes ignite danger,
ously
Masanath sat up very straight and
leveled a pair Of eyes shining with ac-
cusation at the prince.
"Of a truth, was thine the fiat?' she
demanded.
Gwen so. thou lovely magistrate"
he answered. with an amused smile.
''Was it not a masterful one?"
Hotep delivered her warning
glance, but she did not heed it. Aus
tere Ma, the defender Of truth, could
have been as easily crushed.
"Masterfulv she cried NAY! Me-
nes, lend me thy word. OF all Set-giv-
en-, pitiless, atrocious edicts that is the
cruelest! Shame on thee!v'
At her first words Rameses raised
himself from his attitude of languor
into an upright and intensely alert po-
sition The company ceased to breathe
but Kenkenes heayed soundless sigh
Of relief. Masanath had uttered his
denunciations for him.
Meanwhile the princes eyes began to
sparkle a rich stain grew in his cheeks,
and when she made an end he was the
picture Of animated delight For the
first time in his life he had been de-.
fed and condemned.
But his gaze did not disturb Masa-
nath. Her eyes dared him to resent
her censure. The prince had no such
purpose in mind.
"Oh, by Besa! Here is what have
sought for so long" he exclaimed at
last. "Hither, thou treasure, thou dear,
defiant little shrew! Thou art more to
me than all the wealth Of Pithom.
Hither, tell thee!'
But she did not move. The company
was breathing with considerable relief
by this time. but not a few Of them
were casting furtive glances at Ia
user.