onfident; so the chief of the caravan
examined his effects in secret, and found nothing save a medal of the
goddess Astaroth. This medal pricked the heart of the leader of the
caravan: 'How could a Hittite have a Phoenician medal?'

"So when they came to Sidon he reported straightway to the elders, and
thenceforth our secret police kept this Phut in view.

"Meanwhile he is such a sage that when he had remained some days all
came to like him. He prayed and offered sacrifices to the goddess
Astaroth, paid in gold, borrowed no money, associated only with
Phoenicians. And he so befogged all that watchfulness touching him was
weakened, and he went in peace to Memphis.

"In this place again our elders began to watch him, but discovered
nothing; they divined simply that he must be a great lord, not a simple
man of Harran. But Asarhadon discovered by chance, and did not even
discover, he only came on traces, that this pretended Phut passed a
whole night in the ancient temple of Set, which here is greatly
venerated.

"Only high priests enter it for important counsels," interrupted Dagon.

"And that alone would mean nothing," said Hiram. "But one of our
merchants returned a month ago from Babylon with wonderful tidings. In
return for a great present a certain attendant of the Satrap of Babylon
informed him that misfortune was threatening Phoenicia.

"Assyria will take you," said the attendant, "and Egypt will take
Israel. On that business the Chaldean high priest Beroes has gone to
the priests of Thebes, and with them he will make a treaty."

"Ye must know," continued Hiram, "that Chaldean priests consider the
priests in Egypt as their brothers, and that Beroes enjoys great esteem
in the Court of King Assar, so reports concerning that treaty may be
very truthful."

"Why does Assyria want Phoenicia?" inquired Dagon, as he bit his
finger-nails.

"Why does a thief want another man's granary?" replied Hiram.

"What good is a treaty made by Beroes with Egyptian priests?" put in
Rabsun, thinking deeply.

"Thou art dull!" answered Dagon. "Pharaoh does nothing except what the
priests ordain."

"There will be a treaty with the pharaoh, never fear!" interrupted
Hiram. "We know to a certainty in Tyre that the Assyrian ambassador
Sargon is coming to Egypt with gifts and with a great retinue. He
pretends that it is to see Egypt and agree with 'ministers, not to
inscribe in Egyptian acts that Assyria pays tribute to the pharaohs