pointed at his feet.

"What is it, man?" she asked of the head physician, who, by way of
answer, lifted the linen on the bed, and showed her Pharaoh's legs and
feet, white and withered as though with fire.

"What sickness is this?" asked Tua again.

"We know not, O Queen," answered the physician, "for in all our lives
we have never seen its like. The flesh is suddenly wasted, and the limbs
are paralysed."

"But I know," broke in Asti. "This is not sickness, it is sorcery.
Pharaoh has been smitten by some foul spell of the Prince Abi, or of his
wizards. Say, who was with him last?"

"It seems that the Lady of the Footstool, Merytra, sang him to sleep, as
was her custom," answered the physician, "and left him about two hours
ago, so say the guard. When I came in to see how his Majesty rested but
now, I found him thus."

Now Tua lifted up her head and spoke, saying:

"My divine Father is helpless, and therefore again I rule alone in
Egypt. Hear me and obey. Let the Prince Abi be brought from his
prison to the inner hall, for I would question him at once. Let the
waiting-woman, Merytra, be brought also under guard with drawn swords."

The officer of the watch bowed and departed to do the bidding of her
Majesty, while others went to light the hall.

Soon he returned to an outer chamber whither Tua had withdrawn herself
while the physicians examined Pharaoh.

"O Queen," he said, with a frightened face, "be not wrath, but
the Prince Abi has gone. He has escaped out of his prison, and the
waiting-woman, Merytra, is gone also."

"How came this about?" asked Tua in a cold voice.

"O Queen, the small gate was open, for people passed in and out of it
continually, making preparation for to-morrow's march, it seems that
about an hour ago the lady Merytra came to the gate and showed Pharaoh's
signet to the officer, saying that she was on Pharaoh's business. With
her went a fat man dressed in the robe of a master of camels that in the
darkness the officer thought was a certain Arab of the Desert who has
been to and fro about the camels. It is believed that this man was
none other than the Prince Abi, dressed in the Arab's robe, and that he
escaped from his cell by some secret passage which was known to him,
a passage of the old priests. The Arab, whose robes he wore, cannot be
found, but perhaps he is asleep in some corner."

"Bar the gates," said Tua, "and let none pass in or out. Asti, take men
with you, and go search