Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-01-18
ings Of the good God. !"
CHAPTER XXI.
BACK 70 MEMPHIS.

. 8 III Z
Ia HE valley in which Thebes d.
ospolls was situated was wide,
and the overflow Of the Nile
. did not reach the arabic up
lands near the Arabian bills. Three
thousand years before Menes had es-
tablished system Of irrigation which
had added hundreds Of square miles to
the agricultural area Of Egypt, and ev-
cry monarch after him had unfailing-
~ preserved the institution. From
Syene to Potassium the country was
ramified with canals, and vast sums
and great labor were expended yearly
upon their keeping. II
Since the work was heavy and the
demand for it constant, it became
punitive part Of each homes admins
tration. Therefore the convicts whose
misdeeds We're too serious to be pun
lshed adequately by the bastinado or
the fine and yet not grave enough to
merit sentence to the quarries or the
mines were sent to the canals.
So here in the canals Of the eastern
Thebaid was Kenkenes, a prisoner
known only by number.
Great and sincere and beyond ex-
preston was his amaZement and his
Joy when taskmaster called him
from the canal bed one day and in
formed him that he was free.
His raiment and his money, consci-
entiously preserved for him by the au-
thorities, had been sent to him, and
little way outside the camp he stepped
from the lowest to his rightfr' rank
swifter than he had descended f.om it.
Covering his sun burnt shoulders with
his robes, assuming the circlet once
again, he went toward the distant city
Of Thebes, once more in spirit and
dress the son Of the royal murket.
At the heavy walled prison across the
Nile he asked after the signet. It had
not been returned with the writing
Neither was there any word to him
concerning his prayer to Pharaoh for
the liberty Of Rachel.
Just as he emerged from the impos-
ing doorway Of the house Of the gov
ernor otspolice he was jostled by q
half grown boy. To Kenkenes it seem
ed that the youth had been on the
point Of entering, but instead he apollo
gized inaudibly and walked away.
A great rush Of Impotence, suspense,
eagerness and heart hunger fell on the
young artist the instant he knew his
footsteps were turned toward Mem
phis and Rachel The six days that
must intervene between the present
time and the moment he entered the
old capital seemed insufferable. Once,
some distance away from him, he saw
again the youth whom he had met in
the doorway of the prison.
At a caterers he purchased supplies
for days journey and looked about
him for carrier. Catching the boys
eye, he beckoned him, but the youth
turned on his heel and disappeared
The son Of the merchant offering him.
self, Kenkenes continued rapidly to,
ward the river, where he engaged q
vessel to take him to Memphis.
The passenger and cargo shipped, the
men fell to their oars. AS they cleared
the private passage boat belonging to q
nobleman swept up near to them and,
crossing their track, took the same di-
rection several hundred yards nearer
the Libyan shore. kenkenes noted
that it was a bari Of elegant pattern
and deep draft and more numerously
manned than his. He noted further
that one of the boats crew was the
youth he had met thrice in a short
space at Thebes.
"Small wonder that he was not will
ing to serve me-" he commented to him.
self.
If he observed the companion boat
during the next five days it was to re.