t.

"What is that?" inquired the prince.

"The wretch Musawasa is fleeing!" said Patrokles, and he almost fell to
the ground.

The blood rushed to Ramses' head.

Then Musawasa was here and escaped?

"Hei! whoso has the best horse, follow me!"

"Well," said Patrokles, laughing, "that sheep-stealer himself will
bleat now!"

Pentuer stopped the way to the prince.

"It is not for thee to hunt fugitives, worthiness."

"What?" cried the heir. "During this whole battle I did not raise a
hand on any man, and now I am to give up the Libyan leader? What would
be said by the warriors whom I have sent out under spears and axes?"

"The army cannot remain without a leader."

"But are not Patrokles, Tutmosis, and finally Mentezufis, here? For
what purpose am I commander if I cannot hunt the enemy? They are a few
hundred yards from us and have tired horses."

"We will come back in an hour with him. He is only an arm's length from
us!" whispered some Asiatic.

"Patrokles, Tutmosis, I leave the army to you!" cried the heir. "Rest.
I will come back immediately."

He put spurs to his horse and advanced at a trot, sinking in the sand,
and behind him about twenty horsemen, with Pentuer.

"Why art Thou here, O prophet?" asked Ramses. "Better sleep today Thou
hast rendered good service."

"I may be of use yet," added Pentuer.

"But remain I command thee!"

"The supreme council commands me not to go one step from thee,
worthiness."

Ramses shook himself angrily.

"But if we fall into an ambush?"

"I will not leave thee in ambush," answered the priest.

CHAPTER XLIV

THERE was in his voice so much kindliness that the astonished prince
was silent and let him go.

They were in the desert; a couple of hundred yards behind them was an
army; in front were fugitives several hundred yards in advance. But
though they beat and urged on their horses, the fleeing, as well as the
pursuers, advanced with great difficulty. The sun poured from above
dreadful heat on them, the fine but sharp dust pushed itself into their
mouths, into their nostrils, into their eyes above all; under their
horses' feet the burning sand gave way at every step. In the air
reigned a deathlike silence.

"But it will not continue like this," said Ramses.

"It will be worse and worse," answered Pentuer. "Dost Thou see,
worthiness," he indicated the fugitives, "their horses are in sand to
their knees?"

The prince laughed, for at that moment the