the peasantry on the murket's lands. My father lost an
all-powerful signet in the tomb of the Incomparable Pharaoh at Tape,
and did not search for it because he believed that Rameses had taken it
away from him. The king will honor it and grant whatever petition I
make to him. If ye are unafraid to abide in this tomb for the few
remaining hours of this night I shall take you to Nehapehu at dawn.
There ye can abide till I go to Tape and return. What sayest thou?"

The old woman looked at him quietly for a moment.

"Is this place safe?" she asked.

"The forty-two demons of Amenti could not drive an Egyptian into this
tomb."

"How comes it that thou art not afraid?"

"I have no belief in spirits."

"Nor have we. Why need we go hence? We shall abide here till thou
shalt return."

"In this place!" Kenkenes exclaimed, recoiling. "Nay! I shall be gone
sixteen days at least."

"We shall not fear to live in a tomb, we who have defied untombed death
daily. We shall remain here."

"This hole--this cave of death!"

"We have shelter, and by thine own words, none will molest us here. We
are not spoiled with soft living, nor would we take peril to any.
Without are fowls, herbs, roots, water--within, security, meat and
wine. We shall not fear the dead whom, living, Joseph rebuked. We
shall be content and well housed."

"But thou art wounded," he essayed.

She scouted his words with heroic scorn. "Nay, let us have no more.
If thou canst accomplish this thing for Rachel, do it with a light
heart, for we shall be safe. If thou art successful, Israel will rise
up and call thee blessed; if thou failest, the sons of Abraham will
still remember thee with respect."

No humility, no cringing gratitude in this. Queen Hatasu, talking with
her favorite general, could not have commended him in a more queenly
way.

To Kenkenes it seemed that their positions had been reversed. He
craved to serve them and they suffered him.

"I shall go then to-night," he said simply.

"Nay, bide with us to-night, for thou art weary. There is no need for
such haste."

He opened his lips to protest, his objections manifesting themselves in
his manner. But she waved them aside.

"Thou hast the marks of hard usage upon thee," she said; "thou hast
slaved for us since midday, and now the night is far spent. Thine eyes
are heavy for sleep, thy face is weary. And before thee is a task
which will require thy keenest wit, thy steadie