t dawned upon him when he had left the
city behind and was dashing at a rapid trot toward the south-east across
the flat, well-watered plain with its wealth of palm-groves.

While forcing his steed to a slower pace as he passed through the streets
of the capital, and the region near the harbor, his mind was so engrossed
by his recent experiences and his anxiety concerning the runaway youth,
that he paid little attention to the throng of vessels lying at anchor,
the motley crowd of ship owners, traders, sailors, and laborers,
representatives of all the nations of Africa and Asia, who sought a
livelihood here, and the officials, soldiers, and petitioners, who had
followed Pharaoh from Thebes to the city of Rameses.

He had even failed to see two men of high rank, though one, Hornecht, the
captain of the archers, had waved his hand to him.

They had retired into the deep gateway formed by the pylons at the
entrance of the temple of Seth, to escape the clouds of dust which the
desert wind was still blowing along the road.

While Hornecht was vainly trying to arrest the horseman's attention, his
companion, Bai, the second prophet of Amon, whispered: "Let him go! He
will learn where his nephew is soon enough."

"As you desire," replied the soldier. Then he eagerly continued the story
he had just begun. "When they brought the lad in, he looked like a piece
of clay in the potter's workshop."

"No wonder," replied the priest; "he had lain long enough in the road in
the dust of Typhon. But what was your steward seeking among the
soldiers?"

"We had heard from my adon, whom I sent to the camp last evening, that
the poor youth was attacked by a severe fever, so Kasana put up some wine
and her nurse's balsam, and dispatched the old creature with them to the
camp."

"To the youth or to Hosea?" asked the prophet with a mischievous smile.

"To the sufferer," replied Hornecht positively, a frown darkening his
brow. But, restraining himself, he added as if apologizing: "Her heart is
as soft as wax, and the Hebrew youth--you saw him yesterday. . . . "

"Is a splendid lad, just fitted to win a woman's heart!" replied the
priest laughing. "Besides, whoever shows kindness to the nephew does not
harm the uncle."

"That was not in her mind," replied Hornecht bluntly. "But the invisible
God of the Hebrews is not less watchful of his children than the
Immortals whom you serve; for he led Hotepu to the youth just as he was
at the poi