ful one."

"A God or an army?" asked Ani.

"Something between the two," she replied. "Paaker, the king's chief
pioneer, has joined us;" and she briefly related to Ani the history of
her nephew's love and hatred.

Ani listened in silence; then he said with an expression of much
disquiet and anxiety:

"This man is a follower of Rameses, and must shortly return to him. Many
may guess at our projects, but every additional person who knows them
may be come a traitor. You are urging me, forcing me, forward too
soon. A thousand well-prepared enemies are less dangerous than one
untrustworthy ally--"

"Paaker is secured to us," replied Katuti positively. "Who will answer
for him?" asked Ani.

"His life shall be in your hand," replied Katuti gravely. "My shrewd
little dwarf Nemu knows that he has committed some secret crime, which
the law punishes by death."

The Regent's countenance cleared.

"That alters the matter," he said with satisfaction. "Has he committed a
murder?"

"No," said Katuti, "but Nemu has sworn to reveal to you alone all that
he knows. He is wholly devoted to us."

"Well and good," said Ani thoughtfully, "but he too is imprudent--much
too imprudent. You are like a rider, who to win a wager urges his horse
to leap over spears. If he falls on the points, it is he that suffers;
you let him lie there, and go on your way."

"Or are impaled at the same time as the noble horse," said Katuti
gravely. "You have more to win, and at the same time more to lose than
we; but the meanest clings to life; and I must tell you, Ani, that I
work for you, not to win any thing through your success, but because you
are as dear to me as a brother, and because I see in you the embodiment
of my father's claims which have been trampled on."

Ani gave her his hand and asked:

"Did you also as my friend speak to Bent-Anat? Do I interpret your
silence rightly?"

Katuti sadly shook her head; but Ani went on: "Yesterday that would have
decided me to give her up; but to-day my courage has risen, and if the
Hathors be my friends I may yet win her."

With these words he went in advance of the widow into the hall, where
Paaker was still walking uneasily up and down.

The pioneer bowed low before the Regent, who returned the greeting with
a half-haughty, half-familiar wave of the hand, and when he had seated
himself in an arm-chair politely addressed Paaker as the son of a
friend, and a relation of his family.

"All the wor