fully."

CHAPTER XI.

DANGERS THICKEN.

When Chebron and Amuba returned to the room set apart for their use
and study their conversation did not turn upon the slaying of the cat
or the danger which threatened them, but upon the wonderful revelation
that Ameres had made. Neither of them thought for a moment of doubting
his words. Their feeling of reverence for his wisdom and learning
would have been sufficient in itself for them to accept without a
question any statement that he made to them. But there was in addition
their own inward conviction of the truth of his theory. It appealed at
once to their heads and hearts. It satisfied all their longing and
annihilated their doubts and difficulties; cleared away at once the
pantheon of strange and fantastic figures that had been a source of
doubting amusement to Amuba, of bewilderment to Chebron.

"The Israelite maid Ruth was right, then," Amuba said. "You know that
she told us that her forefathers who came down into Egypt believed
that there was one God only, and that all the others were false gods.
She said that he could not be seen or pictured; that he was God of all
the heavens, and so infinite that the mind of man could form no idea
of him. Everything she said of him seems to be true, except inasmuch
as she said he cared more for her ancestors than for other men; but of
course each nation and people would think that."

"It is wonderful," Chebron replied as he paced restlessly up and down
the room. "Now that I know the truth it seems impossible I could have
really believed that all the strange images of our temples really
represented gods. It worried me to think of them. I could not see how
they could be, and yet I never doubted their existence. It seems to me
now that all the people of Egypt are living in a sort of nightmare.
Why do those who know so much suffer them to remain in such darkness?"

"I understood your father to say, Chebron, that he himself is only in
favor of the more enlightened and educated people obtaining a glimpse
of the truth. I think I can understand that. Were all the lower class
informed that the gods they worshiped were merely shadows of a great
God and not real living deities, they would either fall upon and rend
those who told them so as impious liars, or, if they could be made to
believe it, they would no longer hold to any religion, and in their
rage might tear down the temples, abolish the order of priesthood
altogether, spre