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" 'You do not understand what has happened in our kingdom,' he whispered 'You must come and see with your own eyes ' He stopped then because there was more, much more, that he wanted to tell us, and he was afraid Bitterly he said, 'You !'

"Ah, but we could not undo it That was the horror And even then we knew it; we sensed it We re at the tiny wounds on her hand

"Mekare threw back her head now and called to Amel, the evil one, to coue, the twin tongue, she screa and Queen of Kemet and come to me, Amel Bon before my will You did this not by my command '

"It seemed all the spirits of the world listened in silence; this was the cry of a powerful witch; but there was no answer; and then we felt it-a great recoiling of e and beyond their acceptance had suddenly been revealed It see back, sad and undecided; seeking our love, yet repelled

" 'But what is it?' Mekare screamed 'What is it!' She called to the spirits who hovered near her, her chosen ones And then in the stillness, as the shepherds waited in fear, and the soldiers stood in anticipation, and Khaylazed eyes, we heard the answer It came in wonder and uncertainty

" 'Amel has nohat he has alanted; Amel has the flesh But Amel is no more '

"What could it mean?

"We could not fathoain, Mekare demanded of the spirits that they answer, but it see to fear

" 'Tell me what has happened!' Mekare said 'Make known to me what you know!' It was an old coe which is yours to give '

"And again the spirits answered in uncertainty:

" ' Amel is in the flesh; and Amel is not Amel; he cannot answer now '

" 'Youand Queen would have you come!"

"Mutely, and seeirl and gave her to the shepherd women ould care for her as their own And then Mekare and I gave ourselves up to him; but this time we did not weep It was as if all our tears had been shed Our brief year of happiness with the birth of Miriaypt was reaching out to engulf us once more

Maharet closed her eyes for a ers, and then looked up at the others, as they waited, each in his or he? own thoughts and considerations, each reluctant for the narrative to be broken, though they all knew that it must

The young ones were drawn and weary; Daniel's rapt expression had changed little Louis was gaunt, and the need for blood was hurting hih he paid it no mind "I can tell you noones o down to the earth I have to prepare the way for them