he labyrinth landed also, but they were preceded by
their rivals.

And a race began which was unique in its kind: Lykon was hurling toward
the palace, like a swift runner; after him were the three unknown men,
and the three overseers of the labyrinth.

A few hundred steps from the garden the pursuing groups came together.
It was night then, but clear.

"Who are ye?" asked one of the labyrinth men of the others.

"I am the chief of police in Pi-Bast, and, with my centurions, am
pursuing a great criminal," answered one of them.

"We are overseers of the labyrinth and are following the same person."

The groups looked at each other with hands on their swords or knives.

"What will ye do with him?" asked the chief of police.

"We have a sentence against the man."

"But will ye leave the body?"

"With all that is on it," replied the elder overseer.

The police whispered among themselves.

"If ye tell the truth," said the chief at last, "we shall not hinder
you. On the contrary, we will lend him to you for a while, as he will
fall into our hands later."

"Do ye swear?"

"We swear."

"Then we may go together."

So they joined forces, but the Greek had vanished.

"Curses on him!" cried the chief of police. "He has escaped again!"

"He will be found," answered the overseer of the labyrinth, "or perhaps
even he will return."

"Why should he go to the pharaoh's garden?" asked the chief of police.

"The high priests are using him for some purpose of their own, but he
will return to the temple."

They decided to wait and act in common.

"We are spending the third night for nothing," said one of the
policemen, yawning.

They wrapped themselves in their cloaks and lay on the grass.

Immediately after the departure of Tutmosis, the worthy lady Niort's,
in silence, with lips tightly closed from anger, left the chamber of
her son, and when Ramses wished to calm her, she interrupted him
sharply,

"I take leave of the pharaoh, and pray the gods to permit me to see him
to-morrow as pharaoh."

"Dost Thou doubt that, mother?"

"It is possible to doubt everything in presence of one who listens to
madmen and traitors."

They parted in anger.

Soon his holiness recovered good-humor and conversed joyously with the
officials. But about six o'clock alarm began to torment him.

"Tutmosis ought to send us a courier," said he. "For I am certain that
the affair is already settled in one or another way."

"I do