u do not wish to become
a surly fellow like the pioneer Paaker; and that seems far from likely
with a gay, reckless temper like yours. Now shake hands with each
other."

The young princes went up to each other, and Rameri fell on his
brother's neck and kissed him. The king stroked their heads. "Now go
in peace," he said, "and to-morrow you shall both strive to win a fresh
mark of honor."

When his sons had left the tent, Rameses turned to his charioteer and
said: "I have to speak to you too before the battle. I can read your
soul through your eyes, and it seems to me that things have gone wrong
with you since the keeper of your stud arrived here. What has happened
in Thebes?" Mena looked frankly, but sadly at the king:

"My mother-in-law Katuti," he said, "is managing my estate very badly,
pledging the land, and selling the cattle."

"That can be remedied," said Rameses kindly. "You know I promised to
grant you the fulfilment of a wish, if Nefert trusted you as perfectly
as you believe. But it appears to me as if something more nearly
concerning you than this were wrong, for I never knew you anxious about
money and lands. Speak openly! you know I am your father, and the heart
and the eye of the man who guides my horses in battle, must be open
without reserve to my gaze."

Mena kissed the king's robe; then he said:

"Nefert has left Katuti's house, and as thou knowest has followed thy
daughter, Bent-Anat, to the sacred mountain, and to Megiddo."

"I thought the change was a good one," replied Rameses. "I leave
Bent-Anat in the care of Bent-Anat, for she needs no other guardianship,
and your wife can have no better protector than Bent-Anat."

"Certainly not!" exclaimed Mena with sincere emphasis. "But before they
started, miserable things occurred. Thou knowest that before she married
me she was betrothed to her cousin, the pioneer Paaker, and he, during
his stay in Thebes, has gone in and out of my house, has helped Katuti
with an enormous sum to pay the debts of my wild brother-in-law, and-as
my stud-keeper saw with his own eyes-has made presents of flowers to
Nefert."

The king smiled, laid his hand on Mena's shoulder, and said, as he
looked in his face: "Your wife will trust you, although you take a
strange woman into your tent, and you allow yourself to doubt her
because her cousin gives her some flowers! Is that wise or just? I
believe you are jealous of the broad-shouldered ruffian that some
spiteful Wi