to be signed; the treaty itself was to be drawn up
after the articles had been carefully considered, and to be signed in
the city of Rameses called Tanis--or, by the numerous settlers in its
neighborhood, Zoan. The Asiatic princes were to dine as guests with the
king; but they sat at a separate table, as the Egyptians would have been
defiled by sitting at the same table with strangers.

Rameses was not perfectly satisfied. If the Danaids went away without
concluding a treaty with him, it was to be expected that the peace which
he was so earnestly striving for would before long be again disturbed;
and he nevertheless felt that, out of regard for the other conquered
princes, he could not forego any jot of the humiliation which he
had required of their king, and which he believed to be due to
himself--though he had been greatly impressed by his dignified manliness
and by the bravery of the troops that had followed him into the field.

The sun was sinking when Mena, who that day had leave of absence from
the king, came in great excitement up to the table where the princes
were sitting and craved the king's permission to make an important
communication. Rameses signed consent; the charioteer went close up to
him, and they held a short but eager conversation in a low voice.

Presently the king stood up and said, speaking to his daughter:

"This day which began so horribly will end joyfully. The fair child who
saved you to-day, but who so nearly fell a victim to the flames, is of
noble origin."

"She cones of a royal house," said Rameri, disrespectfully interrupting
his father. Rameses looked at him reprovingly. "My sons are silent," he
said, "till I ask them to speak."

The prince colored and looked down; the king signed to Bent-Anat and
Pentaur, begged his guests to excuse him for a short time, and was about
to leave the tent; but Bent-Anat went up to him, and whispered a few
words to him with reference to her brother. Not in vain: the king
paused, and reflected for a few moments; then he looked at Rameri, who
stood abashed, and as if rooted to the spot where he stood. The king
called his name, and beckoned him to follow him.

CHAPTER XLV.

Rameri had rushed off to summon the physicians, while Bent-Anat was
endeavoring to restore the rescued Uarda to consciousness, and he
followed them into his sister's tent. He gazed with tender anxiety
into the face of the half suffocated girl, who, though uninjured, still
r