The Washington times., 1919-06-01


IRE. which blackened for q little
and burned bright again.
Then it was that Merapi strug-
gled to rise and cried In q ring.
ing voice those very words which
the Prince and ! had seemed
to hear her speak far away by the
Sea Of Reeds--ohl help me my
lord Seti! Help me, my lord Seti!"
Yes, the same words which had
echoed in our ears days before they
passed her lips, or so we believed.
Now all this while our chariOts
had been forcing their way foot by
foot through the wall OF the watch
ing croWo, perhaps while q man
might count a hundred, no more.
AS the echoes Of her cry died away
at length we were through and
leaping to the ground.
The witch calls on one who sups
tonight at the board Of Osiris with
Pharaoh and his host" sneered Ki.
well, let her go to seek him there
II the guardian gods win suffer It"
and again he made a sign to the
black slaves.
But Merapi had seen or felt Ssti
advancing from the shadows and
seeing flung herself upon his breast.
He kissed her on the brow before
them all, then babe me hold her up
and turned to face the people.
Bow down. Bow down. Bow
down." cried the deep voice q
Bakenkhonsu. Life! Bloodl
Strength! Pharaohl Pharaohl
Pharaoh and what he said the
escort echoed.
Then Of a sudden the multitude
understood. To their knees they
fell, and from every side rose the
ancient SANITATION. Seti held I'd
his hand and blessed them. Watch
ing, I saw ri slip towards the
darkness. and whispered q word to
the guards, who sprang upon him
and brought him back
Then the Prince spoke
"Ye name me Pharaoh people Of
Memphis, and Pharaoh fear am
by descent Of blood to-day. though
whether I win consent to bear the
burdens OF government, should
Egypt wish it Of me. as yet 1 know
not. Still he who wore the double
crown Is. believe, dead in the
midst Of the sea: at the least I saw
the waters oVerWbelm him and his
army. Therefore, Il only for an
hour, viii be Pharaoh, that as
Pharaoh I may judge Of certain
matters. Lady Merapi. tell me, :
pray you. how came you to this
pass?"
my lord" she answered, in a
low voice. after you had gone to
warn the army Of Pharaoh because
Of that dream I dreamed, XII, who
departed on the same day, returned
again. Through one Of the women
Of the household, over whom he
had power. or so I think, he OBJ
tanned access to me when I was
alone in my chamber. There he
made me this offer:
"'Give me- he said, the secret
Of your magic that may be aven-
ged upon the wizards Of the He
brews who have brought about my
downfall. and upon the Hebrews
themselves, and also upon all my
other enemies, and thus once more
become the greatest man in Egypt.
In turn I will fulfill all your desires,
and make you, and no other, Queen
of Egypt, and be your faithful SER
want, and that Of your lord Seti
who shall be Pharaoh, until the end
OF your lives. Refuse, and will
stir up the people against you, and
before ever the Prince returns, if
he returns at all. they who believe
you to be an evil sorceress shall
mete out to you the fate of a sor-
ceress.'
MY lord, l answered to XII what
| have often told him before, that
| had no magic to reveal to him. I
who knew nothing of the black arts
of sorcery, seeing that it was not I
who destroyed the statue of Anon
in the temple of Tanis, but that
same power which since then has
brought all the plaques on Egypt.
said, too, that l cared nothing for
The gifts he offered to me. as / had
no wish to be Queen of Egypt. Ny
ord, he laughed in my face. saying
should find that he was one i'll to
mock, as others had found before
ne. Then he pointed at me with