it--and went into her daughter's room.

She was startled at finding it empty, but she was informed that Nefert
had gone earlier than was her wont to the temple, in her litter.

With a heavy sigh she returned to the veranda, and there received
her nephew Paaker, who had come to enquire after the health of his
relatives, followed by a slave, who carried two magnificent bunches of
flowers, and by the great dog which had formerly belonged to his father.
One bouquet he said had been cut for Nefert, and the other for her
mother.

[Pictures on the monuments show that in ancient Egypt, as at the
present time, bouquets of flowers were bestowed as tokens of
friendly feeling.]

Katuti had taken quite a new interest in Paaker since she had heard of
his procuring the philter.

No other young man of the rank to which they belonged, would have
allowed himself to be so mastered by his passion for a woman as this
Paaker was, who went straight to his aim with stubborn determination,
and shunned no means that might lead to it. The pioneer, who had
grown up under her eyes, whose weaknesses she knew, and whom she was
accustomed to look down upon, suddenly appeared to her as a different
man--almost a stranger--as the deliverer of his friends, and the
merciless antagonist of his enemies.

These reflections had passed rapidly through her mind. Now her eyes
rested on the sturdy, strongly-knit figure of her nephew, and it struck
her that he bore no resemblance to his tall, handsome father. Often had
she admired her brother-in-law's slender hand, that nevertheless could
so effectually wield a sword, but that of his son was broad and ignoble
in form.

While Paaker was telling her that he must shortly leave for Syria,
she involuntarily observed the action of this hand, which often went
cautiously to his girdle as if he had something concealed there; this
was the oval phial with the rest of the philter. Katuti observed it, and
her cheeks flushed when it occurred to her to guess what he had there.

The pioneer could not but observe Katuti's agitation, and he said in a
tone of sympathy:

"I perceive that you are in pain, or in trouble. The master of Mena's
stud at Hermonthis has no doubt been with you--No? He came to me
yesterday, and asked me to allow him to join my troops. He is very angry
with you, because he has been obliged to sell some of Mena's gold-bays.
I have bought the finest of them. They are splendid creatures! Now he