s time," grumbled a veteran officer.

The space between the dust cloud around the Egyptians and that on the
Libyan side decreased every minute, but the barbarians, halting, stood
motionless, and behind their line a second cloud made its appearance.
Evidently some reserve was strengthening the central column, which was
threatened by the wildest of onsets.

The heir ran down from his eminence and mounted; the last Egyptian
reserves poured out of the ravines, fixed themselves in ranks, and
waited for the order. Behind the infantry pushed out some hundreds of
Asiatic horsemen on small but enduring horses.

The prince hurried after the columns advancing to attack, and when he
had gone a hundred yards he found a new eminence, not high, but from
which he could see the whole field of battle. The retinue, the Asiatic
cavalry, and the reserve column hurried after him.

The prince looked impatiently toward the left wing whence

Mentezufis had to come, but he was not coming. The Libyans stood
immovable, the situation seemed more and more serious.

The viceroy's division was the stronger, but against it were arrayed
almost all the Libyan forces. The two sides were equal as to numbers;
the prince had no doubt of victory, but he dreaded the immense loss
since his opponent was so manful.

Besides, battle has caprices.

Over men who have gone to attack, the leader's influence has ceased, he
controls them no longer; Ramses has only a regiment of reserves, and a
handful of cavalry. If one of the Egyptian columns is beaten, or if
reinforcements come to the foe unexpectedly!

The prince rubbed his forehead at this thought. He felt all the
responsibility of a leader. He was like a dice thrower who has staked
all he owns, cast his dice, and asks, "How will they come out?"

The Egyptians are a few tens of yards from the Libyan columns. The
command, the trumpets, the drums sound hurriedly, and the troops move
at a run: one two three! one two three! But on the side of the enemy
also a trumpet is heard, two ranks of spears are lowered, drums beat.
At a run! New rolls of dust rise, then they unite in one immense cloud.
The roar of human voices, the rattle of spears, the biting of scythes,
then a shrill groan which is soon lost in one general uproar.

Along the whole line of battle neither men, nor weapons, nor even
columns are visible, nothing but a line of yellow, dust stretching
along like a giant serpent. The denser cloud signifies