easoning perturbation, strove to
greet him composedly. But he could not force himself into
graciousness. The formal obeisance might have been made appropriately
to his bitterest enemy.

"The son of Mentu and I have met before," the fan-bearer declared
laughingly. "But I scarce should have recognized him in this man of
peace had not his stature been impressed upon me in that hour when
first I met him." The fan-bearer paused to enjoy the wonder of his
daughter and the scribe, and the hardening face of Kenkenes.

"But for the agility the gods have seen fit to leave me in mine
advancing years," he continued, "this self-same courteous noble would
have brained me with a boat-hook on an occasion of much merrymaking, a
month agone."

He sat down on the arm of Masanath's chair and shouted with laughter.
With a great effort Kenkenes controlled himself.

"Shall I give the story in full?" he asked with an odd quiet in his
voice.

"Nay! Nay!" Har-hat protested; "I have told the worst I would have
said concerning that defeat of mine." Again he laughed and returned to
the young man's identity once more.

"Aye, I might have known that thou wast somewhat of kin to Mentu. Ye
are as much alike as two owlets--same candid face."

He sauntered away, leaving an awkward silence behind him.

"Sit beside me?" asked Masanath, drawing the folds of her white robes
aside to make room for the scribe. But Hotep did not seem to hear.
Instead, he wandered away for another chair, became interested in a
group of long-eyed beauties near by and apparently forgot Masanath.
Kenkenes did not permit any lapse between the invitation and its
acceptance. He dropped into the place made for Hotep, as if the offer
had been extended to him.

"From Bubastis to Memphis, from Bast to Ptah," he said. "Dost thou
miss the generous levels of the Delta in our crevice between the hills?"

She shook her head. "Memphis is the lure of all Egypt, and he who hath
been transplanted to her would flout the favor of the gods, did he make
homesick moan for his native city."

"And thou hast warmer regard for the stir of Memphis than the quiet of
the north?"

"There is no quiet in the north now."

"So?"

"Nay; hast thou not heard of the Israelitish unrest?"

"Aye, I had heard--but--but hath it become of any import?"

"It is the peril of Egypt that she does not realize her menace in these
Hebrews," the lady answered. "The north knows it, but it has sprung