and rode beside her; Unas, her Memphian train, and the
riderless horses were left to bring up the rear, and Masanath continued
to the capital.

"Perchance, thou hast been famished these fourteen days in the matter of
court-gossip," the captain said. "Wherefore I am come as thy informant
with such news as thou shouldst know. For, being ignorant of the
infelicities in the household of the king, it may be that thou wouldst
ask after the little prince, Seti, and wherefore the queen appears no
more at the side of the Pharaoh, nor speaks with thy lord nor sees thy
noble father; and furthermore, where Ta-user hath taken herself and other
things which would embarrass thee to hear answered openly."

Masanath roused herself and prepared to listen. Serious words from the
lips of the light-hearted captain were not common, and when he spoke in
that manner it was time to take heed.

"I had heard of the little prince's misfortune and of the treason of
Ta-user and her party, and the placing of a price upon her head; but
nothing more hath come to mine ears. Is there more, of a truth?"

"Remember, I pray thee," the captain replied, riding near to her, "that I
bring thee this for thine own sake--not for the love of tale-bearing. On
the counsel of Rameses, this day the Pharaoh sentenced Seti to banishment
for a year to the mines of Libya--"

"To the mines!" Masanath cried in horror.

"Not as a laborer. Nay, the sentence was not so harsh. But as a scribe
to the governor over them."

"It matters little!" she declared indignantly. "The boy-prince--the
poor, misguided young brother sent to a year of banishment--a lifelong
humiliation! Libya, the death-country! Now, was anything more brutal?
Nay, it is like Rameses!"

"Aye," the captain replied quickly, leaning over her with a cautioning
motion of his hand. "Aye, and it is like thee to say it. But hear me
yet further. The queen and the Son of Ptah have quarreled, violently,
over Seti," he continued in a low tone. "The little prince merited thy
father's disfavor, because Seti espoused the cause of Ta-user in thy
place, though he loves thee, and for that--we can find no other
reason--the noble Har-hat also urged the king into the harsh sentence of
the little prince. For this the queen hath publicly turned her back upon
the crown prince and the fan-bearer, and the atmosphere of the palace is
most unhappy."

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Hotep championed Seti,--for t