not know that," said the chief treasurer. "They may not have
found boats at the crossing. There may have been resistance at the
temple."

"But where is that young priest?" asked Hiram on a sudden.

"The priest? The messenger of the late Samentu?" repeated the officials
in concern. "That is true where can he be?"

Men were sent to search the garden. They searched every path, but there
was no priest.

This circumstance made a bad impression on the dignitaries. Each one
sat in silence, sunk in alarming thoughts.

About sundown the pharaoh's chamber servant entered and whispered that
the lady Hebron was very ill, and implored his holiness to visit her.

The officials, knowing the relations between their lord and the
beautiful Hebron, looked at one another. But when the pharaoh announced
his purpose of going into the garden they made no protest. The garden,
thanks to numerous guards, was as safe as the palace. No one considered
it proper to watch over the pharaoh even from a distance, knowing that
Ramses did not wish any one to be occupied with him at certain moments.

When he disappeared, the chief scribe said to the treasurer,

"Time drags on like a chariot in the desert. Perhaps Hebron has some
news from Tutmosis."

"At this moment," answered the treasurer, "his expedition with a few
tens of men to the temple of Ptah seems to me inconceivable madness!"

"But did the pharaoh act more wisely at the Soda Lakes when he chased
all night after Tehenna?" put in Hiram. "Daring means more than
numbers."

"But that young priest?" asked the treasurer.

"He came without our knowledge and went without leave," added Hiram.
"Each one of us acts like a conspirator."

The treasurer shook his head.

Ramses passed the space between his villa and that of Tutmosis quickly.
When he entered her chamber Hebron threw herself on his neck with
weeping.

"I am dying of fear!" cried she.

"Art Thou alarmed for Tutmosis?"

"What is Tutmosis to me?" answered Hebron, with a contemptuous grimace.
"I care for thee only! Of thee only am I thinking, I am alarmed for
thee!"

"Blessed be thy alarm which freed me even for a moment from tedium,"
said the pharaoh, laughing. "O gods! what a day! If Thou hadst heard
our discussions, if Thou hadst seen the faces of our counselors! And in
addition to all, it pleased the worthy queen to honor our assembly with
her presence. Never bad I supposed that the dignity of pharaoh could be
so annoying.