eard aught of what is passing in the city?" Amuba asked
him.

"Yes," Chigron answered; "naught else is talked about. Many of those
concerned in the deed escaped either by the entrance before the
soldiers arrived there, or over the walls; but many were seized, and
are now in prison for their sacrilegious deed in raising their hand
against the person of the high priest of Osiris. There were tumults in
the city during the night, many maintaining that the deed was well
done, others the contrary.

"Those who had been taken all declared that they had been informed by
one who said he knew it for certain that the cat was buried in the
inclosure, and that it had been slain by you and my young lord here,
as you had been seen going with your bows and arrows to the inclosure
and were there for some time, after which the cat was never seen
again. The general opinion is that though the prisoners taken will be
punished--some with flogging, some with death--your lives are also
assuredly forfeited, and that even the friendship of the king for your
father would not avail to protect you, for that he, like others, must
obey the law, and that the law of Egypt is that whomsoever shall take
the life of a cat shall be slain."

"I am perfectly willing to die," Chebron said; "and my greatest regret
now is that I did not follow my first impulse and denounce myself as
the accidental killer of the cat. No blame could have then been
attached to my father or to any but myself."

"The disgrace would have fallen upon your whole family," the embalmer
said; "for those nearly related to one who performed an impious action
must needs suffer with him. Not that I blame you, Chebron; for I know
that your father did not do so. He told me when he arranged that I
should, if needs be, furnish you with a hiding-place, that although
you might need a refuge it would be for no fault of your own. I do not
understand how he could have said so, seeing the terrible guilt of
even accidentally taking the life of a cat, and specially of this cat,
which was sacred above all others in the land. Still I know your
father's wisdom equaled his goodness; and although I own that I cannot
understand his saying, I am content to accept it, and will do all in
my power to save you. Doubtless the search after you will be a hot
one, but we must hope for the best."

"I will go out and see what is doing," Jethro said. "It may be that it
will be more safe to move away at once than to r