The Washington times., 1919-05-04
Continued from Page 8.

curse. II return to Goshen, In
this way or in that soon shall die" )"
"Ana says that your uncle Jabez
declares that the mad fellow who
tried to murder you had no author
ity to curse and much less to kill
you. You must ask him to tell you
all"
"Yet the curse will cling and
crush me at the last. How can i,
one lonely woman, stand against
the might Of the people OF Israel
and their priests!
"Are you then lonely?"
"How can it be otherwise with
an outcast, PrinceF
"No,. II cannot be otherwise. l
know II whom am also an Outcast.
eat least there is her Highness,
your wife, who doubtless will come
20 comfort you" she said, looking
down.
"Her Highness will not come. II
Won had seen Ana, he would per
hans have told you that she has
sworn not to look upon my face
again, unless above it shines a
crown.
"Ohi how can a woman be so
cruel? Surely, Prince, such stab
must cut you to the heart" she ex'
claimed, with a little cry of pity.
FsHef Hdghness is not only 9
woman; she is a Princess Of Egypt
which Is different For the rest, it
does cut me to the heart that my
ROYAL sister should have deserted
me. for that which she loves bet
ter-power and pomp. But so it
Is. unless Ana dreams. It seems,
therefore. that we are in the same
case, both outcasts, you and lis
it not sol"
She made no answer, but con-
t;nued to look upon the ground,
and he went on very slowly.
"A thought comes into my mind
on which would ask your judg-
ment. II two who are forlorn came
together they would be less for
lorn by half, would they not?"
cit would seem so, Prince-that
Is. IL they remained forlorn at all.
But / do not understand the nd
de"
"Yet you have answered 1t. II
YOU are lonely and l am lonely
apart, we should, you say, be less
lonely together"
prince" she murmured, shrink
ing away from him, Il spoke no
such words"
enc, I spoke them for you.
Hearken to me, Merapi. They think
me a strange man in Egypt be-
cause I have held no woman dear,
never having seen one whom
could hold dear" Here she looked
at him searchingly, and he went on.
"A while ago. before I visited your
land Of Goshen-Ana can tell you
about the matter, for / think he
wrote e dOWn-Ki and old Baken-
khonsu came to see me. Now, as
you know, Ki is without doubt
great magician, though 1t would
seem not 50 great as some Of your
prophets. He told me that he and
others had been searching out my
future, and that In Goshen should
ind a woman whom it was fated
must love. He added that this
woman would bring me much joy"
Here Seti paused, doubtless remem-
oering this was not all that Ki had
aid, or Jabez either. xxi told me
llso," he went on slowly. that /
lad already known this woman for
thousands Of years"
She started and a strange look
;ame into her face.
How can that be, Prince?"
THAT is what / asked him and
rot no good answer. Still, he said
{, not only of the woman, but Of
ny friend Ana as well, which, in
Iced, would explain much, and it
would appear that the other ma
icians said it also. Then l went
o the land Of Goshen, and there I
aW a WOMAN
For the first time, Prince?"
"No, for the third time"
Here she. sank upon the bench
nd covered her eyes with her
ands.
-"and loved her, and felt as
bought had loved her for thou
ands Of years."
at is not true. You mock me:
. is not true" she whispered.
'sIt is true, for IL / did not know
then, knew it afterward, though
ever perhaps completely until to-
ay, when I learned that Userti
ad deserted me indeed. Moon Of
yrael, you are that woman. | will
OF tell you" he went on, passion
tely, that you are fairer than all
ther women, or sweeteT, or more
Use, though these things you seem
} me. l will only tell you that
we you, yes, love you. whatever
on may be. cannot offer you the
lrone Of Egypt, even IL the law
ould suffer 1t, but 1 can offer you
le throne Of this heart of mine.
CIV, Lady Merapi, what have you
} say? Before you speak, re-
ember that although you seem to
: my prisoner here at Memphis.
Du have naught to fear from me.
Whatever you answer, such
lelter and such friendship as l
IN give will be yours while live,
I'd never shall / attempt to force
yseh upon you, however much It
ay pain me to pass you by. !
low not the future. It may hap
n that l shall give you great