st hand. Thou owest it
to Rachel and to thyself to go forth with the eye of a hawk and the
strength of a young lion."

Because of Rachel's name in her argument he yielded and turned
immediately to the subject of their lonesome residence in the haunted
tomb. "If aught befall me," he said, "for I am in the unknowable hands
of the Hathors, disguise thyself and Rachel. If thou art skilled in
altering thou canst find pigment among the roots of the Nile. Dye her
hair and stain her face, take the boat and go to my father's house in
Memphis. He is Mentu, the murket to the Pharaoh--a patriot and a
friend to the kings. He knows not the Hebrew, but he is generous,
hospitable and kind to the oppressed of whatever blood. Tell him
Rachel's trouble and of me. I am his only child, and my name on thy
lips will win thee the best of his board, the shelter of his roof, the
protection of his right arm. Wait for me, however, in this place till
a month hath elapsed.

"Keep the amphorae filled with water, fresh every day, and preserve a
stock of food within the tomb always to stand you in good stead if
Rachel's enemy discover her hiding-place and besiege it."

His eyes ignited and his face grew white.

"Starve within this cave," he went on intensely, approaching her, "but
deliver her not into his hands, I charge thee, for the welfare of thy
immortal soul. If thou art beset and there is no escape, before she
shall live for the despoiler--take her life!"

Deborah scanned him narrowly, and when he made an end she opened her
lips as though to speak. But something deterred her, and she moved
away from him.

"Come, spread the matting, Rachel," she said. "The master will stay
with us to-night."

Obediently the girl came, still white of face, but composed. She made
a pallet of one roll of the matting, generously sprinkled the floor
about it with oil to keep away the insects, put the lamp behind the
amphora rack, hung her scarf over the frame that the light might not
shine in her guest's eyes, and set the door a little aside to let the
cool night air enter from the river. Having completed her service, she
bade him a soft good-night and disappeared into the inner crypt, where
Deborah had gone before her.

Kenkenes immediately flung himself upon the pallet because Rachel's
hands had made it, and in a moment became acutely conscious of all the
ache of body and the pain of soul the day had brought him. The first
deprived him of co