The Washington times., 1919-04-20

nave JnelE OeluB, anu LTOm WuOu
they draw their strength. YondeI
his statue sits In the sanctuary Of
his ancient temple. Let your god
stir him from his piace!"
my god has no statues, Princess,
and his place is in the hearts Of
men, or so l have been taught by
his prophets. l have nothing to
bring forward in this war save that
which must be offered in all wars
my life"
what do you mean?" asked seti,
astounded.
81 mean that /, unfriended and
alone, win enter the presence of
Amon-Ra, in his chosen sanctuary,
and In the name of my. God will
challenge him to kill me, if he car" +"
"And il the great god Anon can
not or does not design to kill your
lady, how will that prove that your
god is greater than he?" asked the
Prince.
''ThUs it shall be proved, your
Highness. If naught happens to
me, or If am protected from any
thing that does happen, then l will
dare to call upon my god to work
q sign and a wonder, and to humble
Amon-Ra before your eyes"
"And Il your god should also
smile and let the matter pass, lady,
as he did by me the other day
when his priests called upon him,
what shall we have learned as to
his strength, or as to that Of
Amon-Ra?"
20 Prince, you will have learned
nothing. Yet if I escape the wrath
Of Anon and my God is deaf to my
prayer, then 1 am ready to be de-
livered over into the hands of the
priests Of Anon that they may
aVenge my sacrilege upon me-"
There speaks a great heart"
said Seti; yet / am not minded
that this lady should set her life
upon such an issue. ! do not be-
lieve that either the high god of
Egypt or the god Of the Israelites
will stir, but l am quite sure that
the priests Of Anon will avenge
the sacriIege, and that cruelty
enough. The dice are loaded
against you, lady. You shall not
prove your faith with blood"
"Why not?" asked Userti. What
is this girl to you, Seti, that you
should stand between her and the
fruit of her wickedness, you who
at least in name are the high priest
Of the god whom she blasphemes
and who wear his robes at temple
feasts? She believes in her god,
leave it to her god to help her as
she has dared to say he will"
"You believe in Anon, Userti.
Are you prepared to stake your life
against hers in this contest?"
81 am not so mad and vain, Seti,
as to believe that the god of all the
world will descend from heaven to
save me at my prayer, as this i'm
pious girl pTetends that she be-
lieves."
Your Highness," broke in Mer-
api in her honeyed, pleading voice,
Il pray you to be gracious to me,
and to suffer me to make this trial,
which / have sought, | know not
why. Words such as have spoken
cannot be recalled. Already they
are registered in the books of
eternity, and soon or late, in this
way or in that, must be fulfilled.
My life is staked, and l desire to
learn at once if it be forfeit"
Seti looked at her standing be-
fore him so calmly with bowed
head and hands crossed upon her
breast. Then he looked at Userti,
who wore a mocking smile upon
her face and said:
Have your will, remembering
that if this brave woman fails and
dies, her blood is on your hands,
and that if she triumphs and lives,
| shall hold her to be one of the
noblest Of her sex, and shall make
study of all this matter of religion.
Moon Of Israel, as titular high
priest of Amon-Ra, l accept your
challenge on behalf Of the god,
though whether he will take note
Of it | do not know. The trial
shall be made tomorrow night in
the sanctuary of the temple, at the
hour that will be communicated to
you. Farewell, lady"
II was the hour before the dawn,
just when the night is darkest We
stood in the sanctuary of the an
cient temple of AmOn-Ra, that was
lit with many lamps.
II was an awful place. On either
side the great columns lowered to
the massive roof. At the head of
the sanctuary sat the statue of
Amon-Ra, thrice the size of a man.
On his brow, rising from the crown,
were two tall feathers of stone, and
in his hands he held the Scourge
of Rule and the symbols of Power
and Everlastingness. The lamp
light fiickered upon his stern and
terrible face staring toward the
east.
Gathered there were Seti the
Prince, clothed in a priests white
robe, and wearing a linen head