mbled their father, Meneptah.

"Greeting, Sister," he said, eyeing her with a smile in which I caught a
gleam of mockery. "Purple-bordered robes, emerald necklace and enamelled
crown of gold, rings and pectoral, everything except a sceptre--why are
you so royally arrayed to visit one so humble as your loving brother?
You come like sunlight into the darkness of the hermit's cell and dazzle
the poor hermit, or rather hermits," and he pointed to me.

"Cease your jests, Seti," she replied in a full, strong voice. "I wear
these ornaments because they please me. Also I have supped with our
father, and those who sit at Pharaoh's table must be suitably arrayed,
though I have noted that sometimes you think otherwise."

"Indeed. I trust that the good god, our divine parent, is well to-night
as you leave him so early."

"I leave him because he sent me with a message to you." She paused,
looking at me sharply, then asked, "Who is that man? I do not know him."

"It is your misfortune, Userti, but one which can be mended. He is named
Ana the Scribe, who writes strange stories of great interest which you
would do well to read who dwell too much upon the outside of life. He
is from Memphis and his father's name was--I forget what. Ana, what was
your father's name?"

"One too humble for royal ears, Prince," I answered, "but my grandfather
was Pentaur the poet who wrote of the deeds of the mighty Rameses."

"Is it so? Why did you not tell me that before? The descent should earn
you a pension from the Court if you can extract it from Nehesi. Well,
Userti, his grandfather's name was Pentaur whose immortal verses you
have doubtless read upon temple walls, where our grandfather was careful
to publish them."

"I have--to my sorrow--and thought them poor, boastful stuff," she
answered coldly.

"To be honest, if Ana will forgive me, so do I. I can assure you that
his stories are a great improvement on them. Friend Ana, this is my
sister, Userti, my father's daughter though our mothers were not the
same."

"I pray you, Seti, to be so good as to give me my rightful titles in
speaking of me to scribes and other of your servants."

"Your pardon, Userti. This, Ana, is the first Lady of Egypt, the Royal
Heiress, the Princess of the Two Lands, the High-priestess of Amon,
the Cherished of the Gods, the half-sister of the Heir-apparent, the
Daughter of Hathor, the Lotus Bloom of Love, the Queen to be of--Userti,
whose queen will you be? Hav