bt," interrupted Seti, "yet one of a sort that kings might
pardon."

"Thirdly," I went on as though I had heard neither of them, "if this
girl were what she declares, she would not be wandering alone in the
desert at night, seeing that I have heard among the Arabs that Merapi,
daughter of Nathan the Levite, is a lady of no mean blood among the
Hebrews and that her family has wealth. Still, however much she lies, we
can see for ourselves that she is beautiful."

"Yes, Brother, in that we are fortunate, since without doubt she will
sell for a high price among the slave traders beyond the desert."

"Oh! Sir," cried Merapi seizing the hem of his robe, "surely you who
I feel, I know not why, are no evil thief, you who have a mother and,
perchance, sisters, would not doom a maiden to such a fate. Misjudge me
not because I am alone. Pharaoh has commanded that we must find straw
for the making of bricks. This morning I came far to search for it on
behalf of a neighbour whose wife is ill in childbed. But towards sundown
I slipped and cut myself upon the edge of a sharp stone. See," and
holding up her foot she showed a wound beneath the instep from which the
blood still dropped, a sight that moved both of us not a little, "and
now I cannot walk and carry this heavy straw which I have been at such
pains to gather."

"Perchance she speaks truth, Brother," said the Prince, "and if we took
her home we might earn no small reward from Jabez the Levite. But first
tell me, Maiden, what was that prayer which you made to the moon, that
Hathor should help your heart?"

"Sir," she answered, "only the idolatrous Egyptians pray to Hathor, the
Lady of Love."

"I thought that all the world prayed to the Lady of Love, Maiden. But
what of the prayer? Is there some man whom you desire?"

"None," she answered angrily.

"Then why does your heart need so much help that you ask it of the air?
Is there perchance someone whom you do _not_ desire?"

She hung her head and made no answer.

"Come, Brother," said the Prince, "this lady is weary of us, and I
think that if she were a true woman she would answer our questions more
readily. Let us go and leave her. As she cannot walk we can take her
later if we wish."

"Sirs," she said, "I am glad that you are going, since the hyenas will
be safer company than two men who can threaten to sell a helpless
woman into slavery. Yet as we part to meet no more I will answer your
question. In the prayer to