naked man was hanging.

"What does this mean?" asked the heir, with emotion.

Adjutants ran to the tree, and saw that the hanging man was that old
slave whose canal they had closed in the morning.

"He did right to hang himself!" cried Eunana among the officers. "Could
ye believe it, that wretch dared to seize the feet of his holiness the
minister!"

On hearing this, Ramses reined in his horse, dismounted, and walked up
to the ominous tree.

The slave was hanging with his head stretched forward; his mouth was
opened widely, his hands turned toward the spectators, and terror was
in his eyes. He looked like a man who had wished to say something, but
whose voice had failed him.

"The unfortunate!" sighed Ramses, with compassion.

On returning to the retinue he gave command to relate to him the
history of the man, and then he rode a long time in silence.

Before his eyes was the picture of the suicide, and in his heart was
the feeling that a great wrong had been done, such a wrong that even
he, the son and the heir of the pharaoh, might halt in face of it.

The heat was unendurable, the dust dried up the water and pierced the
eyes of man and beast. The division was detained for a short rest, and
meanwhile Nitager finished his conversation with the minister.

"My officers," said the old commander, "never look under their feet,
but always straight forward."

"That is the reason, perhaps, why no enemy has ever surprised me."

"Your worthiness reminds me, by these words, that I am to pay certain
debts," remarked Herhor; and he commanded the officers and soldiers who
were near by to assemble.

"And now," said the minister, "summon for me Eunana."

The officer covered with amulets was found as quickly as if he had been
waiting for this summons a long time. On his countenance was depicted
delight, which he restrained through humility, but with effort.

Herhor, seeing Eunana before him, began,

"By the will of his holiness, supreme command of the army comes into my
hands again with the ending of the maneuvers."

Those present bowed their heads.

"It is my duty to use this power first of all in meting out justice."

The officers looked at one another.

"Eunana," said the minister, "I know that Thou hast always been one of
the most diligent officers."

"Truth speaks through thy lips, worthy lord," replied Eunana. "As a
palm waits for dew, so do I for the commands of superiors. And when I
do not receive them