The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-07
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as if to return it to its hiding place
in the compartments under the table
aft thou deniest me, there IS none to
carry the warning. and thou thyself
hast undone the Pharaoh"
The sorcerer showed no sign Of sof
tening
Wilt thou swear fidelity by the holy
name?'
AYE, and by that holier name Of Je-
hovah also
The sorcerer brought forth falchion
Of that wondrous metal that could carve
syenite granite and bite into porphyry,
also pair of horsehide sandals and
fat water bottle
"Put on these"
The priest Informed him of the situa-
ton he might expect to find at the end
Of his journey.
1.-The Israelites departed in the early
hours Of this morning, taking the
Wady Toomilat east, toward the gates
of the Rameside wall 1t was the going
forth Of multitude-the exodus Of a
nation-and they will travel at the pace
Of their slowest lambs. Thus Menep-
tab can gather his legions and make
ready to pursue ere they have reached
the wall" The priest had begun calm
ly, but the thought of pursuit excited
him. !. -.
HE must not follow" he continued.
'1They are unarmed, but the Pharaoh
deals with a wizard and strange god
no common foe-and if these We're all
who have evil intent against him,
but there-is .another-another.'
He came to the young mans side,
saying in an excited whisper:
There is another, say, within the
kings affections-a scorpion cherished
in his bosom!''
The old mans +ehemence and his
words fired Kenkenes.> he arose and
faced Jambres with kindling eyes. The
sorcerer went on with increasing e1-
citement.
Better that his slaves depart In
creased, enriched threefold by Egypt,
better that never again one stone be
laid upon another, nor monument bear
the kings name, than that Meneptah
should leave the precincts Of shelter,
for his enemy would lead him outside
the pale Of protection and there put
him to death, and wear his crown after
him."
Thou hast not named him in the
writing?"
The priest shook his head
. Then" said the young man firmly,
'tthen will I name him to the Phara
OH"
Silent the priest led ttc wy agaiI
into fha sanctuary. Taxing the sccoll
frc-n its h;a:as place once more. be
sa:l as ae gave II into t1e masseE-
gers hands go fist to Taais, aad 2
Chou fnaest rot the king il his eaQi9sl.
seek until thou dost find him. And
have a care to thyself."
Without the dwarf pylonS, kenkenes
bent for the old mans blessing and
turned away Walking rapidly to the
northern limits Of the town, he took
the dusty highway again and struck
into an easy run
] He entered Tanis in the middle Of
the third watch, and there he learned
that the Pharaoh had departed, but
whittier the solemn, haggard citizens
he met could not tell. Kenkenes, hum
bled, sorrowful and helpless, hurried
to the palace.
There he found that the queen and
Seti, with all the queens retinue, had
departed on a pilgrimage to the tenn
pie of the sacred ram at Mendes for
the welfare Of the soul of Rameses.
Masanath was in Pelusium mourning
for her sister who died with the first
born. The others-Har-hat, Hotep,
Nechutes, Menes, Seneferu, kephren
the mohar-all except the palace at
tendants, had accompanied the king.
The great house Of the Pharaoh was
empty, solitary and haunted.
Avowedly it was Meneptah's intent
to overtake the Hebrews, turn them
back or destroy them He could not
accomplish that thing with a score of
ministers and sixteen picked chariots.
1t was evident that he meant to col
lect an army near the track of the He
brews and that he had departed for
the rendezvous.
If the Israelites Travelled but two
miles an hour they could cover the
distance between Pa-Ramesu and the
Rameside wall by the sunset of this
the second day after the death Of the
frstborn 1t would have been the first
act of the Pharaoh to close the gates
of the wall against them. The army
of the north could gather from the re-
motest homes by the close of this day
also. Therefore tie hour to proceed
against the Israelites was not far
away. Kenkenes knew that he might
not delay, even for short sleep, in
TaniS
lie fixed upon Pithom as the chosen
spot for the rendezvous, since it was
Situated on the Wadv TOomilat