ithout and the peace within, adding, "Lady, if you can protect
your own home, why cannot you protect the innocent people of Egypt?"

"Because I cannot," she answered angrily. "If ever I had such power it
is gone from me, who am now the mother of an Egyptian's child. But I
have none. There in the temple of Amon some Strength worked through me,
that is all, which never will visit me again because of my sin."

"What sin, Lady?"

"The sin of taking the Prince Seti to lord. Now, if any god spoke
through me it would be one of those of the Egyptians, since He of Israel
has cast me out."

Ki started as though some new thought had come to him, and at this
moment she turned and went away.

"Would that she were high-priestess of Isis that she might work for us
and not against us," he said.

Bakenkhonsu shook his head.

"Let that be," he answered. "Be sure that never will an Israelitish
woman offer sacrifice to what she would call the abomination of the
Egyptians."

"If she will not sacrifice to save the people, let her be careful lest
the people sacrifice her to save themselves," said Ki in a cold voice.

Then he too went away.

"I think that if ever that hour comes, then Ki will have his share in
it," laughed Bakenkhonsu. "What is the good of a shepherd who shelters
here in comfort, while outside the sheep are dying, eh, Ana?"

It was after the plague of locusts, which ate all there was left to eat
in Egypt, so that the poor folk who had done no wrong and had naught
to say to the dealings of Pharaoh with the Israelites starved by the
thousand, and during that of the great darkness, that Laban came. Now
this darkness lay upon the land like a thick cloud for three whole days
and nights. Nevertheless, though the shadows were deep, there was no
true darkness over the house of Seti at Memphis, which stood in a funnel
of grey light stretching from earth to sky.

Now the terror was increased tenfold, and it seemed to me that all the
hundreds of thousands of Memphis were gathered outside our walls, so
that they might look upon the light, such as it was, if they could do no
more. Seti would have admitted as many as the place would hold, but Ki
bade him not, saying, that if he did so the darkness would flow in
with them. Only Merapi did admit some of the Israelitish women who were
married to Egyptians in the city, though for her pains they only cursed
her as a witch. For now most of the inhabitants of Memphis were certain
th