er Nile embraced it in its two arms.
It was said that after Egypt this country was the richest in the whole
world, for there gold was so plentiful that men thought it of less value
than copper and iron; also there were mines in which beautiful stones
were found, and the soil grew corn in abundance.

Moreover, once in the far past, a race of Pharaohs sprung from this city
of Napata, had sat on the throne of Egypt, until at length the people of
Egypt, headed by the priests, had risen and overthrown them because
they were foreigners and had introduced Nubian customs into the land.
Therefore it was decreed by an unalterable law that none of their race
should ever again wear the Double Crown. Of the descendants of these
Pharaohs, Rames, Tua's playmate, was the last lawful child.

But although the Egyptians had cast them down, at heart they always
grieved over the rich territory of Napata, which was lost to them, for
when those Pharaohs fell Kesh declared itself independent and set up
another dynasty to rule over it, of which dynasty Amathel Prince of Kesh
was the heir.

Therefore they hoped that it might come back to them by marriage between
Amathel and the young Queen Neter-Tua. Ever since she was born the great
lords and councillors of Egypt, yes, and Pharaoh himself, seeing that he
had no son to whom he might marry her after the fashion of the country,
had been working to this end. It was by secret treaty that the Prince
Amathel was present at the crowning of the Queen, of whose hand he had
been assured on the sole condition that he came to dwell with her at
Thebes. It is true that there were other suitors, but these, as all of
them knew well, were but pawns in a game played to amuse the people.

The king destined to take the great queen captive was Amathel and no
other. Tua knew it, for had not Asti told her, and was it not because of
her fear of this man and her love for Rames that she had dared to commit
the sacrilege of attempting to summon Amen from the skies? Still, as
yet, the Pharaoh had not spoken to her of Amathel, nor had she met him.
It was said that he had been present at her crowning in disguise, for
this proud prince gave out that were she ten times Queen of Egypt,
he would not pledge himself to wed as his royal wife, one who was
displeasing to him, and that therefore he must see her before he pressed
his suit.

Now that he had seen her in her loveliness and glory, he announced that
he was well satisfi