Warren sheaf., 1906-02-22

Most Of the physicians bent over her.
Her women, chiefly the wives OF the
ministers, were hysterical and helpless.
But But it was Meneptah who froze the
hearts OF his courtiers with horror.
Because of his obstinacy Egypt had
gone down into famine, pestilence and
destruction. Without more than or
binary concern he had watched the
hand Of the scourge pursue it into ruin
till what time he should relent, and he
had not relented.
But now that dread hand had enter
ed within the boundaries Of his loves
and had smitten Rameses, his heir, his
idol!
The effect upon him was terrible.
The death chamber rang like tor
ture dungeon. Nechutes and Menes
by united efforts barely prevented him
from doing self murder The earnest
attempts Of the priest to quiet him
were totally useless. Nothing could
have been more shocking.
The violent scene wrought Masa-
mathis already overstrained nerves to
the highest pitch of distress. The blood
CONCEALED in her veins and her steps
Jagged, but Har-hat, for some purpose
not apparent to any who looked upon
his daughters anguish, drew her to the
very side Of the couch. The leeches,
who had been vainly seeking for some
flicker Of life, stepped aside, ard the
eyes Of the covering girl fell on the
prince.
Rameses had seen the hand that
smote him. (,
The look on the frozen features COM
pleted the undoing of Masanath's self
control and she collapsed beside the
bed, utterly Frustrated
Hotep entered with Seti. The boy
princes face was lnfamed with much
weeping. and he flung himself upon the
cold clay Of Rameses, forgetting Who'll
~ that the older brother had urged
the passage of harsh sentence upon
his young head.
The courtiers. who had stoically wit
messed Meneptah's frantic grief, turned
now and hid their blinded eyes. Hotep
went to the Pharaoh and laid his hand
on the monarch's shoulder The action
commanded. Exhausted by his frenzy,
Meneptah leaned against his SCRIBE
The cup bearer and the captain re-
leased him, and Hotep spoke quietly.
"Seest thou, o my king. the sorrow
OF thy people? Behold thy young son
and pity him. Look upon thy queen
and comfort her. If thou, their staff,
are broken, who shall bear them up
In their sorrow? Break not. Be thou
as the strong father Of thy great son,
so that from the bosom Of Osiris he
may look upon Egypt and sleep well,
seeing that in his loss his kingdom
lost not her prop and stay, her king
also"
The scanty manhood Of the monarch,
thus ably invoked, responded some
what. He raised himself and permit
ted Hotep to conduct him to the side
Of the boy prince. Seti fell down at
his fathers feet, and Hotep took Me-
neptah's hand and laid it on the bowed
head
''Thou dost pardon him, O son Of
Ptah." the scribe said in the same quiet
voice. The king nodded weakly, and
wept afresh. After the prince had
clasped his fathers knees and covered
the hand with kisses he obeyed the
scribe's sign and went away to his
mothers side Again Hotep, compel
ling by his low voice, spoke to the king
and the assembly listened
S"ThQ ODDS havo NOT l;r,ito1 tbo Il -
of affliction to thee, O son of Ptah!
Rameses journeyed not alone into
Amenti. He took kingdom with him.
Behold, the Hebrew hath loosed his
direst plague upon Egypt, and by the
lips of an Israelite in the streets every
home Of his father this nighty'
The entire assembly cried out, and
most of them ran sobbing and pray
ing from the chamber. Instantly the
outcry and clamor in the palace broke
forth again, for the inhabitants knew:
that the blow which had smitten Ram
eses had fallen on one Of their own.
Meneptah staggered away from Ho-
tep, his frenzy upon him again. .
"Send them hither!' he cried hoarse-
ly, waving his arms toward white
faced courtier that had stood his
ground. "Send them hither-the He
brews, Moses and Aaron! Israel shall
depart before they make me sink the
world! For they have sent madness
upon me! I condemned my gentle son,
I punished those who gave me wise
counsel, have ruined Egypt, I have
slain mine heir, and now the blood Of
the firstborn of all my kingdom is
upon my head!' His voice rose to a
shrek, and Hotep, putting an arm
about him, hushed him with gentle
authority and signed the courtier to
obey. s.g,....
The physicians lifted the queen and
bore her away. Seti stopped at Ma
sanath's side and looked at her with
compassion in his eyes.
Another tumult had arisen in the
great corridor, an uproar Of another
nature that advanced from the en-
trance hall Of the palace. There were
cries Of supplication, persuasion, urg-
ing, that were frantic In their earnest