The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-14
CHAPTER XVII.

made ready to take up his
search again. he was weary,
isstless and sore, but his mission urged
a.n as n death threatened him.
At sunset he was again upon the
wy, taking the level highway Of the
s ady Toomilat for mile toward the
gaat and turning south after that dis
Gsace.
he road was good, and he ran with
o;a time ease. At midnight he came
IRON the spot where the army had
casnped. but the Pharaoh had already
sscred against Israel He had left his
ack. The great belt Of disturbed
earth wheeled to the south, and as far
as Eeaseaes could see there was the
sas5e luminous veil Of dust overhsng-
ac It that he had noted over the path
8 os Israel
In the early hour Of the morning
genkenes emerged from high walled
Salley with battlemented SUBMITS. Be
Sore him was the army encamped.
Kenkenes approached it, dropping with
.Seariness, and after time was pass
81 through the lines and conducted to
+as headquarters Of the king. About
Eaa royal pavilion in triple Gordon
psced the noble bodyguard OF the Pha-
-aoh.
R one OF these Kenkenes asked that
8 personal attendant Of the king be
sent TO him.
n little while some one emerged
from the Pharaoh's tent and came
ta1ough the guard line to the messen-
gar. It was Nechutes.
Nechutes,. Kenkenes said In a
sa-ained voice, .'thou and are friends.
E.ead me to the king, pray thee"
To the k,ng?" the cupbearer repeat
s doabSuEy. 'sThe king sleeps VIII
tasna interests 90 to wreck il thou bid
est III dawn z?
az carry him message" Kenkenes
explained, Hand hither torch"
IL the wavering light Of the fam
seaG Nechutes read the address on the
Enaa scroll.
The king could not read by the night
agAts' he said after a little.
here is Har.hatT
.Ia his tent yonder,' pointing to q
party colored pavilion.
Let the unhappy King sleep, then.
..,u,..,ites. Far be It from ne 70 bring
biz back to the memory Of his ser
rogs. Lead me to thy shelter, is thou
wilt
satisfaction IN his manner
NseBates conducted his guest into q
confortably furnished tent and showed
Bin 4 mattress everlaid with sheeting
Of G1e linen.
II the first glimmerings Of the dawn
tae nselcly of many winded trumpets
arose over the encampment Of the
Egyptians. Now the notes were near
a9d clear, now afar and tremulous;
as3iR deep aad sonorous, now full
ard rich, ard yet again fine and sweet
H7.ile the army broke It's fast and
T,svi ayed to move the king stood in
rae a,en space before his tent with his
ecss on the east The Red sea lay
t1aece beyond the uplifted line Of desert
s&nd, and it was the birthplace Of
1.aaE mists and unpropitious signs.
would the sun look upon the king
Ugh veil or openly: Would he
sss5e upon the purposes Of the Pha-
rSaa1
aere were situations, watery and
cosos ass, in the lower slopes Of the
a5o,1.ng sky, and these We're taking on
aa ght of dawn without its hues.
Ts0a- wind blown streaks crossed the
ze,..,h from east to west and the set
frs stars were blurred. The moon
5 yorn narrowing circlet in the
lsats5l Meneptah shook his head.
So ienly some in the ranks Of the
r guard exclaimed to mate:
ok! Look to the southeast"
e4eptah turned his eyes in that di-
4. as though he had been com
ed. There, above the spot Where
* / guessed the Israelites to be, a
1t and mighty column Of vapor
csa led up, up into the smoky blue
SKY. Tba tortuous shapes Of the
ons across the zenith indicated
:.e.s here was great wind at rat
Aae but the column did not movt c:-
<!s; its form. It was further dis
he'd from the clouds over the
s,s,s by a fine amber light upon it,
ing to gold in its shadows-so
xxi he tint that steady contempla-
ta1 as. necessary to assure the be-
aa!a. that it was not fire climbing in
9at of the pillars Leart- EgyDt's
S.5 ere rarely clouded and never By
s formation as this.
fese ptah turned his troubled eyes
auEelly toward the east He must
g the sunrise. at that moment.
aaae5z ded, the disk OF the sun shot
-ssa he horizon as if blown from 4
@r4 OF the underworl6-bl'.lred
zas!sy s7hite, without warmth.
rned away and faced Nechutes,
..,..,.sgfGe before him; behind the cup
i5earer J. stately tranger-henkenes.