labor, and he had pitied it, as the humane soul in him had
felt for the overworked draft-oxen or the sacrifices that were led
bleating to the altars. Perhaps he had even casually decried the
policy that sent women into the brick-fields and did men to death in a
year in the mines. But his own conscience had not been hurt, nor had
he taken the misdeed home to himself.

Now his sensations were vastly different. He felt all the guilt of his
nation, and he had nothing to offer as amends but his own humiliation.
Of this he had an overwhelming plenitude and his eloquent face showed
it. With an effort he raised his head and spoke.

"Rachel, if my humiliation will satisfy thee even a little as vengeance
upon Egypt, do thou shame me into the dust if thou wilt."

"I do not understand thee," she said with dignity.

"Believe me. I would help thee in some wise, and alas! there is no
other way by deed or word that I could prove my sorrow."

Tears leaped into her eyes.

"Nay! Nay!" she exclaimed. "Thou dost wrong me, Kenkenes. What
wickedness were mine to make the one contrite, guiltless heart in Egypt
suffer for all the unrepentant and the wrong-doers of the land!"

Once again he took her hand and kissed it, because the act was more
eloquent than words at that moment.

"It is near sunset," she said softly, "give me leave to depart."

"Farewell, and the divine Mother attend thee."

She bowed and left him.

That night in the dim work-room Kenkenes brought forth upon papyrus a
face of Athor, so full of love and yearning that he knew his own heart
had given his fingers direction and inspiration. He sought no further.

To-morrow in the niche in the desert he would carve the want of his own
soul in the countenance of the goddess.

CHAPTER XV

THE GODS OF EGYPT

It was Kenkenes' first love and so was most rapturous, but it did not
cast a glamour over the stern perplexities that it entailed. He knew
the suspense that is immemorial among lovers, and further to trouble
him he had the harsh obstacle of different society. Rachel was a
quarry-slave, a member of the lowest rank in the Egyptian scale of
classes. She was an Israelite, an infidel and a reviler of the gods.

He was a descendant of kings, a devout Osirian and welcomed in Egypt's
high places.

Never could extremes have been greater. But Kenkenes would not have
given any of these obstacles a moment's consideration had not the
weight of their neglect