up rigid and white above the back of the brown hand. Luckily,
all of the guests were contemplating Rameses with more or less horror.
They did not see the color recede from the young artist's face or his
eyes ignite dangerously.

Masanath sat up very straight and leveled a pair of eyes shining with
accusation at the prince.

"Of a truth, was thine the fiat?" she demanded.

"Even so, thou lovely magistrate," he answered with an amused smile.
"Was it not a masterful one?"

Hotep delivered her a warning glance, but she did not heed it. Austere
Ma, the Defender of Truth, could have been as easily crushed.

"Masterful!" she cried. "Nay! Menes, lend me thy word. Of all
Set-given, pitiless, atrocious edicts, that is the cruelest! Shame on
thee!"

At her first words, Rameses raised himself from his attitude of languor
into an upright and intensely alert position. The company ceased to
breathe, but Kenkenes heaved a soundless sigh of relief. Masanath had
uttered his denunciations for him.

Meanwhile the prince's eyes began to sparkle, a rich stain grew in his
cheeks and when she made an end he was the picture of animated delight.
For the first time in his life he had been defied and condemned.

But his gaze did not disturb Masanath. Her eyes dared him to resent
her censure. The prince had no such purpose in mind.

"O by Besa! here is what I have sought for so long," he exclaimed, at
last. "Hither! thou treasure, thou dear, defiant little shrew! Thou
art more to me than all the wealth of Pithom. Hither, I tell thee!"

But she did not move. The company was breathing with considerable
relief by this time, but not a few of them were casting furtive glances
at Ta-user.

"Hither!" Rameses commanded, stamping his foot. "Nay, I had forgot she
defies my power. Behold, then, I come to thee."

Masanath anticipated his intent, and rising with much dignity, she put
the ivory throne between her and the prince. Cool and self-possessed
she gathered up her lotuses, as fresh after an evening in her hand as
they were when the slaves gathered them from the Nile; found her fan
and made other serene preparations to depart. Rameses, fended from her
by the chair, stood before her and watched with a smile in his eyes.

Presently he waved his hand to the other guests.

"Arise; the princess is going," he commanded.

In the stir and rustle, laughter and talk of the guests, getting up at
the prince's sign--for it was custo