he surmised.

"Nay, not yet. But--shall I?" she lifted her face and looked at him,
smiling and bewitchingly beautiful. Her eyes dared him; her lips
invited him; all her charms rose up and besought him. For a moment,
Kenkenes was startled. If he had believed that Ta-meri loved him
never so slightly, his sensations would have been most distressing.
But he knew and was glad to know that he awakened nothing deeper than a
superficial partiality, which lasted only as long as he was in her
sight to please her eye. In spite of his consternation, he could think
intelligently enough to surmise what had inspired her words. The Lady
Senci had guessed the nature of his trouble; even Menes had hinted a
suspicion of the truth in a bantering way. What would prevent the
beauty from seeing it also and preempting to herself the honors of his
disheartenment? But he was in no mood for a coquettish tilt with her.
His sober face was not more serious than his tone when he made answer:

"Do not play with him, Ta-meri. He is worthy and loves thee most
tenderly. Thou lovest him. Be kind to thine own heart and put him to
the rack no more. Thou art sure of him and I doubt not it pleases thee
to tantalize thyself a little while; but Nechutes, who must endure the
lover's doubts, is suffering cruelly. Thou art a good child, Ta-meri;
how canst thou hurt him so?"

He paused, for her eyes, growing remorseful, had wandered away from
him. He knew he had reasoned well. The guests in the banquet-room
began to emerge, talking and laughing. The voice of Nechutes was not
heard among them. Kenkenes glanced toward the group and saw the
cup-bearer a trifle in advance, his sullen face averted.

"He comes yonder," Kenkenes added in a whisper, "poor, moody boy! Go
back to him and take him all the happiness I would to the gods I knew.
Farewell."

He pressed her hand and continued toward the door.

Once again he was hailed, this time by Rameses. He halted, stifling a
groan, and returned to the prince. Nechutes and Ta-meri had
disappeared.

"One other thing, I would tell thee, Kenkenes," the prince said, "and
then thou mayest go. The Pharaoh heard a song to the sunrise on the
Nile some time ago and I identified the voice for him. He would have
thee sing for him, Kenkenes."

"The Pharaoh's wish is law," was the slow answer.

"Oh, it was not a command," Rameses replied affably, for he was still
holding Masanath's hand and therefore in hig