Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-01-25
CHAPTER xxi.
NIGHT.


III ABOUT aS $$: 1 sst s'.. : xassa. rs,.
at the rivers edge, hauling up an ele-
CANT passage boat. 1t was deep OF
draft and had many sets Of oars. APP
preaching over the sand, hesitatingly
and with timid glances toward the
tomb beyond, We're four others. The
foremost was the youth he had seen in
Thebes. The next wore a striped tunic.
Fourth and last was Unas.
Nov, by my SOUL" Kenkenes ex-
claimed aloud, there is no more mys-
terry concerning the boy" He turned
and took Rachel in his arms.
Nov do thou test the helpfulness
Of thy God! l have been tricked, and
I see no help for us. Enter the tomb
and close the door, and since thou low
be thine escape"
He put his only weapon, his dagger.
into her hands.
For an instant he gazed at her tense,
white face. Then bending over her he
kissed her once and put her behind
him.
"What want ye?" he demanded Of
the men.
~ slave" Unas answered evilly,
stepping to the fore.
"Your authority?" The fat courier
f1ourished a document and held up a
blue jewel, hanging about his neck.
Meneptah had forgotten his promise to
return the lapis lazuli signet to Mentu.
''Thou art undone, knave!' the cou-
rier added, with a short laugh. He
clapped his hands, and the four Nu-
bians advanced rapidly upon Ken
kenes. There was to be no parley.
Kenkenes glanced at the youth. He
was not full grown-spare, light and
small in stature.
Il am sorry for thee, boy" Kenk'-
mes muttered. ''Thy gods Judge be-
tween thee and me!'
The Nubians, two by two, each man
ready to spring, rushed.
With a bound Kenkenes seized the
youth by the ankles and swung him
like an animate bludgeon over his
head. The attacking party was too
precipitate to halt In time, and the
yelling weapon swung round, horizon
tally moving down the foremost pair
Of men like wooden pins. The weight
Of the boy, more than the force of the
blow, jerked him from the sculptor's
hands. Kenkenes recovered himself
and retreated. AS he did so he STUN
bled on a fragment Of rock. He
wrenched it from its bed and balanced
it above his head.
The powerful figure with the primi-
tive weapon was too savage a picture
for the remaining pair to contemplate
at close quarters. Unas had made no
movement to help in the assault. He
had felt the weight Of the sculptor's
hand and had evidently published the
savagery Of the young man to bis as
sistants. They had come prepared to
capture an athletic malefactor, but
here was jungle tiger brought to bay.
They. retired till their fallen fellows
should arise.
The vanquished were struggling to
gain their feet, and Kenkenes noted II
with concern. He was not gaining in
this lull There were other stones
about him. He hurled the fragment
with a sure aim, and Nubian, who
had been overthrown, dropped Imply
and stretched himself on the sand.
With a howl the remaining three
charged. They were too close for the
second missile of Kenkenes to do any
slaughter, and he went down under
the combined attack, fighting insanely
"Slit his throat!' Unas shrieked, tum
bling on the captive, as Kenkenes' su
perhuman struggles threatened to shake
them off. One Of the men raised him
self and made ready to obey. Holding
to Kenkenes with one hand, he drew {
knife from his belt and prepared tx
strike. ~ .s. ..@4.4 -. .. .s..re- &.
At that instant the captive caugh,
sight of pale woman face, the eye:
blazing with vengeance. There was
fash Of a white sleeved arm and til.
thump and jolt Of q dagger driver
strongly through flesh. The murder
GUS Nubian yelled and tumbled, kick
ing, on the sand. He carried knife g.
the juncture Of the neck and shoulder.
Instantly there was chorus Of yells
''she devil! Hyenar'
Unas detached himself from tn,
struggle and plunged after Rachel, nov
in full sight of Kenkenes. He saw
her retreat, warding OF the fat courier
with her hands; ne saw her stumbl,
and fall; he saw Anubis fly, with {
chatter Of rage, in the face Of the cou
rer, and, struggling nightly, he threw
OF his captors and leaped to his feet.
AND THEN THE LIGHT WENT our
IN EGYPT.
Continued next week.)