house of the murket. Mentu met him
in the chamber of guests. By the dress of the great artist it would
seem that he had returned at that moment from the streets.

Hotep sat down beside him, and with tact and well-chosen words told his
story and summarized his narration with a mild statement of his
suspicions.

There was no outbreak on the part of Mentu. But his broad chest heaved
once, as though it had thrown off a great weight.

"But Kenkenes has been a dutiful son," he said after a silence, "I can
not think he would use me so cruelly--no word of his intent or his
whereabouts."

The objection was plausible.

"Then, let us go to Masaarah and discover of a surety," the scribe
suggested.

When Atsu emerged from the mouth of the little valley into the quarries
some time after the midday meal, he was confronted by the murket and
the royal scribe. Neither of the men was unknown to him.

Hotep halted him.

"Was there a guest with the fair-haired Israelite maiden last night?"
the scribe asked.

Atsu's face, pinched and darker than usual, blazed wrathfully.

"Have ye also joined yourselves with Har-hat to run that hard-pressed
child to earth?" he exclaimed. "Do ye call yourselves men?"

"The gods forbid!" Hotep protested. "We do not concern ourselves with
the maiden. It is the man who may be with her that we seek."

The taskmaster made an angry gesture, and Hotep interrupted again.

"I do not question her decorum, and the man of whom I speak is of
spotless character. He is lost and we seek him."

"I can not help you; my wits are taxed in another search."

Hotep's face showed light at the taskmaster's words.

"Is she also gone?" he asked mildly. "Then let me give you my word,
that the discovery of one will also find the other."

Atsu gazed with growing hope at the scribe.

"How is he favored?" he asked at last.

"He is tall, half a palm taller than his fellows; comely of
countenance; young; in manner, amiable and courteous--."

Atsu interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "I saw him once--good
three months agone, but not since."

The reply baffled Hotep for a moment. He realized that to find
Kenkenes he must begin a search for Rachel.

"Good Atsu, he whom we seek is a friend to the maiden. He is much
beloved by me--by us. Whomsoever he befriendeth we shall befriend.
Wilt thou tell us when and from whom the maiden fled?"

Atsu had become willing by this time. This amiable young noble m