The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE SEARCH FOR MYSA.

  "Perhaps Ruth had gone to tell my mother that Mysa was lost," Chebronsuggested when Jethro had gone so far in his story.

  "That could hardly have been," Jethro replied, "for I should have toldyou that your mother returned early this morning to the house withmany relatives, and that all were weeping and mourning round the bodyof your father. Had Ruth gone to her, she would either have returnedwith her, or Lyptis would have heard where she was."

  "Did you hear how my mother bore her misfortunes, Jethro?"

  "She was overwhelmed with grief, Lyptis said, at your father'sdeath--so overwhelmed that she seemed to have no thought for anythingelse. She had, of course, been told the night before that Mysa wasmissing; but it seemed to make no impression upon her. She only saidthat doubtless friends had carried her off to save her from the dangerthat Chebron's wickedness had brought upon us all. This morning shemade some further inquiries, but did not seem in any serious alarm;but the magistrates, when they came last night to inquire into thewhole matter, took note of Mysa having been carried off, and when ontheir coming again this morning they found that nothing had been heardof her, gave orders that a search should be made for her, and aproclamation was issued this afternoon denouncing punishment on thosewho carried her off, and enjoining all who could give any informationon the subject to present themselves before them immediately.

  "Since I came out from the house I have been wandering about trying tothink what is best to be done, and hoping that something might occurto me which would put me upon the track of the villains who carriedMysa off."

  "You do not think of carrying out our plans for to-morrow, Jethro?"Chebron asked anxiously. "We could never go away from here inignorance of what had become of her."

  "Certainly not, Chebron. I consider it my duty, as well as myinclination, to stay here until she is found. Your father spoke to meof her as well as of you, but as he did not see any way in which wecould aid her he said that she must take her chance--meaning take herchance under the guardianship of your mother to obtain some day ahusband whom she could love. But the present misfortune entirelyalters the case. She has need of our active help, and whatever arethe risks we must postpone our start.

  "Whether you will be able to stay here or not is doubtful. Each daythat passes without news being received of your capture in theprovinces north of us, will increase the belief that you are hidingsomewhere in the neighborhood of the city, and in that case the searchwill become more and more earnest. However, for a day or two we may besafe here. As to that, though, we must abide by Chigron's opinion. Heis running no small risk in concealing us here, and if he considersthe danger is becoming greater than he is willing to run, we mustbetake ourselves to the hills. There are lonely spots there where wecould lie concealed for a long time, or, at least, as long as suchsupplies of food and water as we could carry with us hold out. But, atany rate, we must set aside all thought of flight for the present, anddevote all our energies to the discovery and rescue of Mysa."

  "I do not think we have far to look for the contrivers of theoutrage," Amuba said. "It seems to me that it is of a piece with thewhole of the misfortunes that have befallen us. We know that Ameresrefused the request of Ptylus for Mysa as a wife for his son. Afterthat came the plot which we overheard in the temple for the murder ofsome one. The knowledge that they were overheard put a stop to thatscheme. Then came the stirring up of the people, partly by the storyof that unfortunate cat, partly by whispers that Ameres, although highpriest of Osiris, was yet a scorner of the gods. Then came the attackupon the house, in which, while the main body of the mob attackedAmeres, a chosen band carried off Mysa.

  "This villain, Ptylus, had several motives to spur him on. In thefirst place, there was anger at the rejection of his son's suit; next,that he would, at the death of Ameres, naturally succeed to the highpriesthood; thirdly, he may have thought that if he could obtainpossession of Mysa and marry her to his son, she would bring with herno small portion of her father's lands as a dowry. With the influencewhich he, as high priest, would have with the king and council hecould rely upon her obtaining a share of the estate, especially as thevillain would calculate that Chebron as well as his father would beput out of the way.

  "He has only to keep Mysa immured until his power as high priest isconsolidated, and then if he gain the consent of the king to the matchMysa could not refuse to accept the fate prepared for her."

  "I think that you have accurately reasoned out the case, Amuba, andthat we have penetrated the whole conspiracy. The question is, whatare we to do?"

  "It must not be, Jethro!" Chebron cried excitedly, pacing up and downthe chamber. "Mysa cannot bear Plexo. She spoke of him with somethinglike horror when she heard of the proposal Ptylus made. I do not likehim myself. He is thin lipped and crafty and cruel. Mysa had better bedead than married to him."

  "I think I can promise you, Chebron," Jethro said grimly, "that thatmarriage shall never come about. We may not find Mysa, who may behidden either in Ptylus' house, or in one of the many chambers of thetemple, or in the caves near it; but, at any rate, I can find Plexo,and before we leave Egypt I will slay him as well as his father, whomI regard as the murderer of Ameres. I may not be able to do this andto get away, and in that case you must journey alone; but I am notgoing to quit Egypt and leave them to enjoy the gains of their crime."As he finished speaking Chigron entered.

  "I was coming in to see if Jethro had returned."

  He was told the reasons for his prolonged absence--the abduction ofMysa, and the determination to remain and search for her place ofconcealment. He shook his head.

  "It is a rash resolution. Even were you free to come and go as youchoose, your chance of finding out her hiding-place would be smallindeed--hunted as you yourselves are, your quest seems to be anabsolutely hopeless one. As to your remaining here long, I think itwould be madness.

  "It is not only for myself that I say this, but for you. In the firstplace, there are so many men employed here that your coming in andgoing out would be sure to be noticed by some one; in the secondplace, the cave would scarcely escape search a second time. Were itnot for my workmen I could conceal you in the house; and if I saw menin search of you approaching I could place you in one of the innercasings of the mummies, and put two or three more casings on. Then,lying as you would be among a number of corpses in a similar state ofadvancement toward burial, none would think of opening the cases.

  "But with so many people about it would be well-nigh impossible to dothis without observation--unless, indeed, the search was made at nightor after the workmen had departed, which would hardly be likely tohappen. Therefore I think it impossible for you to stay here more thananother day or two; but there are many caves and burial-places higherup on the hillside where you might be concealed. In many of thesethere are sarcophagi. If we choose one in which there are severalcoffins I can remove the mummies and their casings into another cave,so that should a party of searchers approach the place you can liedown in the sarcophagus and lower the lid down upon you."

  "It would be sacrilege to move the dead," Chebron said with a shudder.

  "It would be sacrilege for others," Chigron replied, "but not to us,whose business and duty it is to handle the dead. I can replace themummies in their cases after you have left, and they will be none theworse for their temporary removal. It will be necessary, of course,that there should be no signs of habitation in the cave--nothing toexcite their suspicions that it has been disturbed."

  "I think that is a very good plan," Jethro said. "We can makesleeping-places in the open air near. We shall sleep in the open airon our journey, and it would be no hardship to begin at once. Ishould think it best to remove to one of these caves at once. There isnever any saying when the searchers may be here again; therefore ifyou will, Chigron, I will at early daybreak go with you, choose acave, and make our arrangements."

  "I think, indeed, that that will be the best plan," the embalmeragre
ed. "I will, of course, take care to bring you up every night astore of provisions. And now I will leave you to sleep."

  It was long, however, before the occupants of the chamber threwthemselves upon their piles of rushes. Sometimes they talked of Mysa,and discussed all possible plans for discovering where she wasconcealed. Then they wondered what had become of Ruth, who would befriendless in the great city, and might not have money sufficient tobuy a meal with her.

  "She had her ornaments," Jethro said; "a silver bracelet that Mysagave her she always wore. She had two silver necklaces and earrings ofher own. I should think they had been handed down to her from hermother; they seemed good and would fetch money. Ruth is a shrewdlittle maid; for though but fifteen years old she has long beenaccustomed to manage a house and look after her grandfather. Why shehas run away I cannot think, except that perhaps from the noise andtumult she thought that all were going to be killed. But even in thatcase she would probably have found her way back by this morning, ifnot sooner."

  "I cannot help thinking myself," Chebron said, "that she has followedMysa. Although she has not been here for many months, I am sure thatshe was very fond of her."

  "That she certainly was," Jethro said. "I often thought when I waswalking behind them that it was pretty to see them together. Mysaknew so much more of everything; and yet it was the Hebrew maid whogave her opinion most decidedly, and Mysa listened to her as shetalked in that grave way of hers as if she had been an elder sister.And you think she might have followed her? I hope that it may havebeen so. But in that case the women must have seen her."

  "The women were scared out of their senses," Chebron said, "and, Ihave no doubt, were screaming and wringing their hands and attendingto nothing else. If I could but be sure that Ruth is with Mysa Ishould feel less anxious, for I am certain she would be a comfort andsupport to her."

  "She would, indeed," Jethro agreed. "And moreover I should havegreater hopes of finding where they are concealed; for if it bepossible to get away and to spread the alarm I am sure that Ruth wouldseize the first opportunity promptly."

  It was but a short time after they lay down that Chigron entered andsaid that morning was beginning to break. They at once rose andfollowed him. He led them along the foot of the hill for somedistance, and then turning began to ascend at a spot where it slopedgradually. They passed many tombs, partly erected with masonry andpartly cut out from the rock behind; and it was not until afterwalking fully half an hour that he stopped before the entrance of oneof them.

  "This is the one that I thought of as being suitable for the purpose,"he said. "It is one of the most lonely, and there is little likelihoodof any chance passer coming near it. In the second place, I know thatthe stone door which rolls across the entrance has not been cementedin its place. I know indeed to whom the tomb belongs. The last mummywas placed here but a short time back; and the son of the man thenburied told me that he should not have it cemented because his wifewas grievously sick, and he feared would shortly follow his father.Therefore there will be no difficulty in effecting an entry. In thesecond place, there is hard by a small tomb that was cut in the rockand then left--the owners changing their minds and having a largertomb made lower down the hill. As nothing beyond the chamber and thenarrow entrance were made, we can there hide the mummies from thischamber and heap stones and earth over the entrance, so that nonewould suspect its existence."

  "Nothing could be better," Jethro said. "Let us set to work andprepare it at once."

  The stone across the entrance to the tomb, which was but three feethigh and of the same width, was pushed back without difficulty andthey entered. Four wooden sarcophagi stood there. Jethro aided Chigronin opening three of these. The mummies in their cases were taken out,the outer cases opened and replaced in the coffins after the mummieswith the inner cases had been removed from them. These were thencarried to the unfinished tomb fifty yards away and there deposited.Stones were then piled together so as to conceal the entrance, and themen returned to the tomb.

  "Here you will be perfectly safe," Chigron said. "You can keep thestone rolled back unless you see any one approaching; and you would besure to make out any considerable number of searchers mounting thehillside long before they reach you. Should you see them, you will ofcourse close the door, enter each of you one of the sarcophagi, liedown in the inner case, close the lid of the sarcophagus, and placethe lid of the inner case over you. I think it unlikely in the extremethat any search will be made for you, or at any rate a search onlyof untenanted tombs. The fact of the stone here being left uncementedis a mere accident probably known only to myself and its owner. It isonly as an extreme resource that you could need to take to thesehiding-places. As far as passers-by are concerned you might remainoutside altogether, but in that case you would run some risk of beingnoticed. You may be sure that the hills will be closely scanned, andif figures were seen moving about here a party might set out to seewhether these were the fugitives so eagerly sought for. Therefore Isay, during the daytime keep yourselves concealed here. As soon as itis dark you can of course issue out and pass the night wherever youmay think fit."

  C. of B. THE HIDING-PLACE OF CHEBRON AND HIS FRIENDS.--Page 252.]

  "We shall certainly follow your advice," Jethro said. "Undoubtedly theplan you propose is by far the safest. I cannot think that there ismuch chance of an earnest search being made among the tombs, thoughlikely enough they may visit those which are open and empty; but asyou say, they would never dream of examining the tombs in use, as theywould naturally suppose that all were securely fastened. In case ofthe very worst, there are the coffins for us to betake ourselves to;and these, assuredly, no one would think of examining."

  "If you will come down," Chigron said, "as soon as it is dark, I willgive you provisions for some days, together with the peasants' dressesI have prepared for you and the money Ameres committed to my charge.It is not likely that anything will occur to decide you to make a movesuddenly, but it is best that you should have everything in readinessfor so doing should the occasion possibly arise. I will come up myselfto-morrow night if all is well, an hour after sunset. I name the timeexactly in order that if you sleep at any distance away you can behere at that hour to meet me; and now I leave you to the protectionof the gods. This evening I shall dismantle the chamber you have usedand remove all signs of its having been inhabited."

  Chebron thanked the embalmer very earnestly for the kindness he hadshown them, the trouble he had taken, and the risk he had run on theirbehalf.

  "I would have done more if I could," Chigron said. "Your father's sonhas the highest claims upon me, and were it to half my fortune I wouldspend it to carry out the last wishes that Ameres expressed to me."

  As soon as the embalmer left them the three friends sat down justwithin the entrance to the tomb, looking out over the quiet city lyingin the plain below them.

  "I wish we had our peasant dresses," Chebron said, "that we might godown with you and join in the search for Mysa."

  "It would be too dangerous," Jethro said decidedly. "Too many haveseen you taking part in the services and procession for you to have achance of passing unnoticed. Amuba is less likely than you to bedetected, and if his skin was stained, his eyebrows blackened, and hishead shaved, he might manage to pass providing he walked with his eyesfixed on the ground; but in that way he would not have much chance ofcoming upon traces of Mysa.

  "Any search you make must be at night. I shall to-day station myselfnear the house of Ptylus. I do not expect to gain any information fromgazing at the high wall which surrounds it, but I will follow, asclosely as I can without attracting observation, all the slaves orservants who may come out, especially if two issue forth together; Imay then catch a few words of their talk, and possibly gather someclew to the mystery. Still I own that the chance is small, and youmust not look forward in any way to my returning with news."

  "I wish, Jethro," Chebron said, "that if possible you would again goto our house, see the old woman, and get
her to bring out to you asuit of my priests' garments; with these I could at night enter thetemple, and wander unquestioned through the chambers and courts. Thenights are dark now, and unless I pass close to a lamp none couldrecognize me. We overheard one conversation of importance there, andit may be that I could overhear another."

  "There would be danger in the attempt," Jethro said doubtfully.

  "That matters not at all!" Chebron exclaimed impetuously. "All thistrouble has come upon us through me, and even should there be someslight risk I would willing face it; but in truth I think there is nochance whatever of my being recognized. See how often Amuba went therewith me, and though the nights were always moonlit we never were onceaddressed, nor was it noticed that Amuba was not one of the regularattendants of the temple, who alone have a right to penetrate beyondthe great courts."

  "So be it, then," Jethro said. "Then you shall explore the temple,Amuba and I will search every cavern in the hills. There are manygreat tombs behind the temple, and just as we have selected such ahiding-place, Ptylus may have chosen one as a place of concealment forMysa. There are many tombs there built by princes, nobles, and wealthypriests for their reception after death which could be turned into acomfortable dwelling. After we have spent some time in searchingthere, we must, if unsuccessful, try further away. Ptylus, no doubt,like Ameres, has farms and country residences, and she may be hiddenin one of these."

  "I believe myself," Amuba said, "that a better plan than yours willbe for us to establish a watch over Plexo. Ptylus has his duties andis no doubt fully occupied in securing his election to the highpriesthood, but Plexo would most probably go sometimes to see Mysa inher place of imprisonment; he will naturally be anxious to conciliateor frighten her into giving her consent to marry him as soon aspossible. Therefore, if we can but watch him sufficiently closely, heis sure to lead us at last to her."

  "That will certainly be the best way, Amuba. I did not think of itbefore, but it is clearly the plan that promises the best chance ofsuccess. We might search the country for years without finding her;and although I wish to keep up your hopes, I really despaired in myown mind. But, as you say, if we follow Plexo, sooner or later he issure to bring us to her. But to do so we shall want many disguises. Iwill think the matter over as I walk to-day, and when I see Chigronthis evening will beg him to get the disguises that seem to him thebest for us to use."

  "As for me, Jethro," Chebron said, "I will visit the temple of anevening, as I said. But long before midnight all will be quiet there;so that will give me plenty of time for sleep, and in the daytime Iwill work with you. Get me the garb of a peasant woman. In such adress and with a female head-covering I could surely get myself up sothat even those who know me best would pass by without suspicion. Manywomen are taller than I am. The disguise would be out of the questionfor Amuba, who is well-nigh as tall as you are, besides being wide andstrong-looking, but for me it would do well."

  "Yes, I think you could pass as a woman," Jethro agreed; "andcertainly the more of us there are to watch this rascal the better.But for myself I think that we are more likely to succeed by nightthan by day. Plexo, too, has his duties in the temple, and would belikely to pay his visits after dark. Then it would be a mere questionof speed of foot, and Amuba and I used to be trained in running, andit will be a swift horse that will outpace us. And now I am going downto the city. I feel more hopeful than I did, lads, and for the firsttime begin to think that we have a chance of discovering where thevillains have carried Mysa."

  The day passed slowly to Chebron and Amuba. They would not showthemselves outside the tomb, as Chigron had earnestly begged them notto do so; besides, there were frequently people about on the hillside,for many came daily to offer prayers at the tombs of their relatives.Still they had much to talk of--the chances of finding Mysa; thequestion with whom she should be placed if recovered; the prospectsof the long and adventurous journey which lay before them. Amubaencouraged talk on all these points, and started the conversationafresh whenever it dropped, for he saw that the excitement concerningMysa had done a great deal for Chebron. It had weaned his thoughtsfrom the death of his father, and the consequences that had arisenfrom his unfortunate shot; it had given him fresh subject for thought,and had revived his spirits and interest in life. Both lads were gladwhen, late in the afternoon, they saw Jethro ascending the hill.

  "I have no news," he said as he came up to them. "I have been all dayin the neighborhood of the house of Ptylus, and have followed all whocame out two together from it. I have overheard many scraps ofconversation, and one and all talked upon the same subject, the deathof Ameres and of the sacred cat, and the want of success in thesearch for you. The fact of Mysa being carried off was spoken of onceor twice; but I was convinced by the manner in which the slaves spoketo each other on the subject that they had not the slightest idea thattheir master was concerned in the matter, and they had assuredly noknowledge whatever of her being in the house.

  "Of course it is possible that she might be there without its beinggenerally known to all the slaves. Still you know how things leak outin a household, and how everything done by the master and mistresssoon becomes public property; and had any one among them heardsomething unusual was going on, it would by this time have been knownto all the servants. I hardly thought that Ptylus would have venturedto have her carried home, for he might suppose that her mother'ssuspicions might be directed toward him just as ours have been, andthat if she made a complaint against him a search of his house mightbe ordered; besides, there are too many servants there for a secret tobe kept. No, if a clew is to be obtained it will be in the temple orby our following Plexo."

  As soon as it was dark they descended the hill together. Chebron hadattired himself in the garments bearing the distinguishing marks ofthe priesthood that Jethro had brought up with him, having obtainedthem from old Lyptis. When near the house of the embalmer the ladstopped, and Jethro went on and returned in half an hour with thevarious disguises he had asked Chigron to obtain for him. All these,with the exception of the scanty attire of two peasants, he hid forthe present in some bushes near the path, then he rubbed Amuba's skinand his own with a fluid he had obtained from Chigron; and afterputting on the peasants' clothes they took their way toward the houseof Ptylus.

  While Chebron went toward the temple, which was but a short distancefrom the house, Jethro and Amuba sat down by the wall close to thegate so that none could leave it without their knowledge. But beyondservants and visitors no one came out. At ten o'clock they heard thebolts of the gates fastened, but remained where they were until nearmidnight, when Chebron joined them. He had spent the time wanderingfrom court to court of the temple, but beyond a solitary priest movinghere and there replenishing the lamps of the altars he had seen noone, and had been himself entirely unnoticed. Amuba and Chebron wereboth inclined to be dispirited at the want of success of theirwatching, but Jethro chid them for their impatience.

  "You do not suppose," he said, "that you are going to find out asecret so well hidden by a few hours' watching. It may be weeks beforewe succeed. To-morrow we will begin our watch two or three hoursbefore sundown. I am better known to the servants at the house ofPtylus than you are, as I have often taken messages there; besides,in my disguise I could not so well loiter about without attractingattention as you could. I will, therefore, content myself withwatching the northern road from the city upon the chance of his takingthat way, while you in your dress as peasants can watch the houseitself. You, Chebron, might sit down by the wall fifty yards from thehouse on the north side, while you, Amuba, had best keep on the otherside of the road and somewhat to the south of the gate. In this wayyou will be in sight of each other and yet not together; solitaryfigures are less likely to attract attention than two together, for itis for two boys that people will be looking. As I should scarcely knowyou myself now that your skins are darkened, there is, I trust, smallfear of others detecting your disguise."

  Accordingly the next day, three hours after noon, Amuba and Che
bron,disguised as peasants, went down to the house of Ptylus and took theirposts as arranged. Late in the afternoon Amuba noticed that one of theslaves from the house of Ptylus suddenly checked his walk as he passedChebron and gazed fixedly at him. Amuba left the spot where he wasstanding and walked quickly in that direction. The slave spoke toChebron, who rose to his feet. A moment later the slave seized him. Asthey were struggling Amuba ran up.

  "Here is a find!" the slave exclaimed. "This is the slayer of thesacred cat. Aid me to drag him into the house of my master."

  But to his surprise Amuba sprang upon him and struck him such a heavyblow in the face that he released his hold of Chebron and staggeredbackward.

  "Run for your life!" Amuba exclaimed to his friend. "I will takeanother route."

  The slave, recovering from his blow, rushed at Amuba, shouting at thetop of his voice:

  "Death to the insulters of the gods! Death to the slayers of thesacred cat!"

  But Amuba, who was now eighteen years of age, was at once stronger andmore active than the slave, whose easy life in the household of thepriest had unfitted him for such a struggle. Springing back to avoidthe grasp of his assailant, Amuba struck him with all his strength inthe face, and as he reeled backward repeated the blow, and the manfell heavily to the ground. But several other people attracted by theconflict and the shouts of the slave, were running up, and Amuba tookto his heels at the top of his speed. As he expected, the passers-bypaused to assist the fallen man and to learn the cause of the fraybefore they took up the pursuit, and he was nearly two hundred yardsaway when he heard the cry again raised, "Death to the slayer of thesacred cat!"

  By this time he was alongside of Chebron, who had paused to see theissue of the contest with the slave.

  "Do you turn off, Chebron, and take a turning or two and concealyourself, and then make your way up to the hill. I will keep straighton for awhile. I have more last than you have and can outrun thesefellows, never fear. Do as I tell you," he said almost angrily as hesaw that Chebron hesitated when they reached the next turning. "If wekeep together they will overtake us both."

  Chebron hesitated no longer, but took the turning indicated. Amubaslackened his speed now, judging correctly that his pursuers if theysaw they gained upon him would not trouble themselves about hiscompanion, of whose identity they were probably still ignorant. When,on looking back, he saw that all had passed the turning, he againquickened his speed. He was not afraid of being overtaken by thosebehind him, but that he might meet other people who, seeing thepursuit, would take him for a fugitive from justice, and endeavor tostop him. One or two did indeed make feeble attempts to do so, but didnot care to grapple in earnest with a powerful young man, evidentlydesperate, and of whose crime they knew nothing.

  As soon as he felt sure that Chebron was quite safe from pursuit, heturned off from the road he was following and struck across thecountry. A quarter of an hour's running took him fairly beyond thevillas and detached houses scattered so thickly round Thebes. Theground here was closely cultivated. It was intersected everywhere bychannels conveying the water needed for the irrigation of the crops.The holdings were small, and in the center of each stood a littlehut.

  Some of these were inhabited, but for the most part the cultivatorslived in the villages, using the huts only when it was necessary toscare away the birds and keep a close watch over their fruit. In someof these patches the fruit trees were thick, and Amuba took advantageof the cover to turn off at right angles to the course he had beenpursuing, and then shaping his course so as to keep in shelter of thetrees, ran until he arrived at a hut whose door stood open. A glancewithin showed that it was not at present used by the owner. He enteredand closed the door behind him, and then climbed up a ladder, andthrew himself down on some boards that lay on the rafters for thestorage of fruit, pulling the ladder up after him.

  The last glimpse he had of his pursuers showed him that they werefully four hundred yards behind him when he turned off from the linehe had been following, and he would have kept on and trusted to hisspeed and endurance to outrun them had he not been sure that many ofthe cultivators whom he had passed in his flight, and who hadcontented themselves with shouting threats at him for crossing theirland, would, on learning from his pursuers the crime with which he wascharged, join in the pursuit. Thus fresh runners would be constantlytaking up the chase, and he would eventually be run down; he thereforethought it best to attempt to conceal himself until night fell.

  Scarcely had he thrown himself down when he heard loud shouts riseclose at hand, and had no doubt that some laborer unobserved by himhad noticed him enter the hut. He sprang down again from the loft, andseizing a stake which with several others was standing in a corner, heagain sallied out. As he did so he was suddenly grasped. Twistinghimself free he saw a powerful Nubian armed with a hoe. Without amoment's hesitation Amuba sprang at him with his stake. The Nubianparried the blow with his hoe, and in turn dealt a sweeping blow atthe lad.

  Amuba sprang back just in time, and before the negro could recover hisguard, struck him a heavy blow on the wrist with his stake. The negrodropped his hoe, uttering a cry of pain and rage. Amuba followed upthe blow on the wrist with one on the ankle, and as the man fell,bounded away again. But the negro's shouts had been heard, and thepursuers were now but fifty yards away. Amuba saw that their numbershad swollen considerably, and a doubt as to his ability to escape themfor the first time entered his mind.

  They were too close for any further attempts at concealment, and hehad now only his speed to rely on. But he had already run nearly threemiles, while many of those behind him were fresh, and he soon foundthat he could not again widen the space between them. For another twomiles he still kept ahead, at first leaping the ditches lightly andwithout a pause, but at last often landing in the middle, andscrambling out with difficulty. He was becoming completely exhaustednow. Those who had at first taken up the chase had long sinceabandoned it; but, as he had feared, fresh men constantly joined theranks of his pursuers. They were but a few paces behind him when hefound himself again on the highroad.

  A few hundred yards away he saw a chariot approaching, and feelingthat further flight was hopeless he turned, stake in hand, to face hispursuers, who were but a few paces behind him. With cries of "Killhim!" "Death to the insulter of the gods!" they rushed at him. Pantingand breathless he defended himself as best he could. But his guardwas beaten down and blows were showered upon him.

  He fell, but with a great effort struggled to his feet again; hissenses were fast deserting him now, but he was conscious that thechariot drew up beside him, scattering his assailants right and left.He heard a voice raised in tones of indignant reproach, and then arenewal of the cries of hatred. He felt strong arms round him; then hewas lifted, and for a time became unconscious.