under the unextinguished reed light,
greeted the new-comer with an exclamation of concern. The man was
covered with dust, his dress was torn and bloody, his right hand
swathed in cloths, and his lip, right cheek and eye were swollen and
discolored.

"By Horus, friend, thou lookest ill-used," the taskmaster exclaimed.
"What has befallen thee?"

"Naught--naught of any lasting hurt," the newcomer replied carelessly.
"We were set upon by a troop of murdering Bedouins this side of
Bubastis and had a pretty fight."

"Aye, thou hast the stamp of its beauty upon thy face. A slave, here,
with some balsam," Atsu continued, addressing the sentry, "and a
captain of the constabulary next. We will cure these Bedouins and
their hurt at once."

"Nay," the visitor protested. "It is only a spear-slit in my hand, and
a flying stirrup marred my face. I am well. Look to the Bedouins,
however; they ran our messenger through--Set consume them!"

"Doubt not, we shall look to them. They grow strangely insolent of
late."

"Small wonder," the other responded heartily. "Is not the whole north
a seething pot of lawlessness; and by the demons of Amenti, is not the
Israelite the fire under the caldron? Nay, but I shall have especial
joy in damping him!"

The man laughed and dropped into the chair Atsu had offered him.

"Then thou art Horemheb, the new taskmaster over Pa-Ramesu?"

"So! has my news outridden me?" the man exclaimed in very evident
amazement.

Ranas, indifferently clad in a hastily donned kamis, at this moment
parted the curtains of his retreat and came forth with an apologetic
courtesy.

"And thy messenger, sir? What of him?" he asked eagerly.

"Dead, and left at a wayside house."

"And the message?" the old man persisted.

Horemheb surveyed him with increasing astonishment.

"Where hast thou these tidings?" he demanded. "They are scarce three
hours old. Who reached thee with them before me?"

Atsu interposed and explained the interchange of letters.

"Oh," said Horemheb. "So the correct message came to thee,
nevertheless, good Atsu. But I can not tell thee aught of the other.
It is lost."

"Lost!" Ranas shrieked.

"Gods! old man. It was only pigment and papyrus, not gold or jewels.
A kindly disposed Hebrew came to our help with some of his people, and
we put the Bedouins to flight. But after the struggle, search as we
might with torches which the Hebrew brought, the message was not to be
found