emained unconscious, and took her hand to press his lips to her slender
fingers, but Bent-Anat pushed him gently away; then in low tones that
trembled with emotion he implored her not to send him away, and told her
how dear the girl whose life he had saved in the fight in the Necropolis
had become to him--how, since his departure for Syria, he had never
ceased to think of her night and day, and that he desired to make her
his wife.

Bent-Anat was startled; she reminded her brother of the stain that
lay on the child of the paraschites and through which she herself had
suffered so much; but Rameri answered eagerly:

"In Egypt rank and birth are derived through the mother and Kaschta's
dead wife--"

"I know," interrupted Bent-Anat. "Nebsecht has already told us that she
was a dumb woman, a prisoner of war, and I myself believe that she was
of no mean house, for Uarda is nobly formed in face and figure."

"And her skin is as fine as the petal of a flower," cried Rameri. "Her
voice is like the ring of pure gold, and--Oh! look, she is moving.
Uarda, open your eyes, Uarda! When the sun rises we praise the Gods.
Open your eyes! how thankful, how joyful I shall be if those two suns
only rise again."

Bent-Anat smiled, and drew her brother away from the heavily-breathing
girl, for a leech came into the tent to say that a warm medicated bath
had been prepared and was ready for Uarda. The princess ordered her
waiting-women to help lift the senseless girl, and was preparing to
follow her when a message from her father required her presence in his
tent. She could guess at the significance of this command, and desired
Rameri to leave her that she might dress in festal garments; she could
entrust Uarda to the care of Nefert during her absence.

"She is kind and gentle, and she knows Uarda so well," said the
princess, "and the necessity of caring for this dear little creature
will do her good. Her heart is torn between sorrow for her lost
relations, and joy at being united again to her love. My father has
given Mena leave of absence from his office for several days, and I have
excused her from her attendance on me, for the time during which we
were so necessary to each other really came to an end yesterday. I feel,
Rameri, as if we, after our escape, were like the sacred phoenix which
comes to Heliopolis and burns itself to death only to soar again from
its ashes young and radiant--blessed and blessing!"

When her brother had le