hy womanly compassion?"

She smiled and extended her hand. Kenkenes took it and felt it relax
and lie willingly in his palm.

"Nay, do not go," she pleaded softly.

"Give me leave to come again instead."

"To-morrow," she said, half questioning, half commanding. He did not
promise, but as he bent over to kiss her hand, he said in a low tone:

"Hast thou forgotten that Nechutes leaves Memphis with the going of the
king?"

The lady started and flung a conscience-stricken glance at the scowling
cup-bearer. And while her face was turned, Kenkenes departed like a
shadow. But the portals of the nomarch's house had hardly closed
behind him before he demanded of himself, impatiently, why he had made
Nechutes' peace, why he kept the cup-bearer for ever between himself
and Ta-meri. And as if to evade this catechism something arose in him
and asked him why he should not.

And to this he could give no answer.

[1] Mohar--The king's pioneer, an office that might be defined as
minister of war.

CHAPTER X

THE DEBT OF ISRAEL

For an instant after the sculptor had put the collar about her throat,
Rachel stood motionless, her face flushing and whitening with
conflicting emotions.

But her indecision was only momentary. Rebellion was in the ascendant.

She thrust her fingers under the band and essayed to wrench off the
offending necklace, but the stout fastening held and the flexible braid
printed its woof on the back of the soft neck. Almost in tears she
undid the clasp and flung the collar away.

It struck the earth with a musical ring, and the green of the wheat hid
all but a faint ray of the red metal.

The rout of children descended on her, each clamoring a story of the
accident. But without a word she marshaled them and turned once again
toward the river to refill the hides. At the water's edge she kept her
eyes resolutely from the broad dimpling breast of the Nile toward the
south. She feared that she might see the light bari that was driving
back to Memphis against that slow but mighty current as easily as if
wind and water went with it.

But even before she turned again toward Masaarah, her better nature
began to chide her. She remembered her impetuous act with a flush of
shame.

"His peace-offering--a proof of his good will, and thou didst mistreat
it, as if he had meant it for a purchase or a fee. The indignity thou
hast petulantly fancied, Rachel."

After a time another thought c