should be doing there at that hour I
know not. Four or five others are named by priests as having aroused
them; but curiously not one of these is in the temple to-day. I have
received a letter from Ptylus saying that he has been suddenly called
to visit some relations living on the seashore near the mouths of the
Nile. The others sent similar excuses. I have sent to their houses,
but all appear to have left at an early hour this morning. This is
most strange, for none notified to me yesterday that they had occasion
to be absent. What can be their motive in thus running away when
naturally they would obtain praise and honor for having saved the
vessels of the temple? Have you heard anything that would seem to
throw any light upon the subject?"

"I have heard nothing, father; but I can tell you much. I should have
spoken to you the first thing this morning had it not been for the
news about Neco." Chebron then related to Ameres how he and Amuba had
the night before visited the temple, ascended the stairs behind the
image of the god, and overheard a plot to murder some unknown person.

"This is an extraordinary tale, Chebron," Ameres said when he had
brought his story to a conclusion. "You certainly would have been
slain had you been overtaken. How the door that led to the staircase
came to be open I cannot imagine. The place is only used on very rare
occasions, when it is deemed absolutely necessary that we should
influence in one direction or another the course of events. I can only
suppose that when last used, which is now some months since, the door
must have been carelessly fastened, and that it only now opened of
itself. Still, that is a minor matter, and it is fortunate that it
is you who made the discovery. As to this conspiracy you say you
overheard, it is much more serious. To my mind the sudden absence of
Ptylus and the others would seem to show that they were conscious of
guilt. Their presence in the temple so late was in itself singular;
and, as you say, they cannot know how much of their conversation was
overheard. Against whom their plot was directed I can form no idea;
though, doubtless, it was a personage of high importance."

"You do not think, father," Chebron said hesitatingly, "that the plot
could have been to murder Neco? This is what Amuba and I thought when
we talked it over this afternoon."

"I do not think so," Ameres said after a pause. "It is hardly likely
that four or five persons would pl