THE SEARCH FOR MYSA.
“Perhaps Ruth had gone to tell my mother that Mysa was lost,” Chebron
suggested when Jethro had gone so far in his story.
“That could hardly have been,” Jethro replied, “for I should have told
you that your mother returned early this morning to the house with
many relatives, and that all were weeping and mourning round the body
of your father. Had Ruth gone to her, she would either have returned
with 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’s
death--so overwhelmed that she seemed to have no thought for anything
else. She had, of course, been told the night before that Mysa was
missing; but it seemed to make no impression upon her. She only said
that doubtless friends had carried her off to save her from the danger
that Chebron’s wickedness had brought upon us all. This morning she
made some further inquiries, but did not seem in any serious alarm;
but the magistrates, when they came last night to inquire into the
whole matter, took note of Mysa having been carried off, and when on
their coming again this morning they found that nothing had been heard
of her, gave orders that a search should be made for her, and a
proclamation was issued this afternoon denouncing punishment on those
who carried her off, and enjoining all who could give any information
on the subject to present themselves before them immediately.
“Since I came out from the house I have been wandering about trying to
think what is best to be done, and hoping that something might occur
to me which would put me upon the track of the villains who carried
Mysa off.”
“You do not think of carrying out our plans for to-morrow, Jethro?”
Chebron asked anxiously. “We could never go away from here in
ignorance of what had become of her.”
“Certainly not, Chebron. I consider it my duty, as well as my
inclination, to stay here until she is found. Your father spoke to me
of her as well as of you, but as he did not see any way in which we
could aid her he said that she must take her chance--meaning take her
chance under the guardianship of your mother to obtain some day a
husband whom she could love. But the present misfortune entirely
alters the case. She has need of our active help, and whatever are
the risks we must postpone our start.
“Whether you will be able to stay here or not is doubtful. Each day
that passes without news being received of your capture in the
provinces north of us, will increase the belief that you are hiding
somewhere in the neighborhood of the city, and in that case the search
will become more and more earnest. However, for a day or two we may be
safe here. As to that, though, we must abide by Chigron’s opinion. He
is running no small risk in concealing us here, and if he considers
the danger is becoming greater than he is willing to run, we must
betake ourselves to the hills. There are lonely spots there where we
could lie concealed for a long time, or, at least, as long as such
supplies of food and water as we could carry with us hold out. But, at
any rate, we must set aside all thought of flight for the present, and
devote all our energies to the discovery and rescue of Mysa.”
“I do not think we have far to look for the contrivers of the
outrage,” Amuba said. “It seems to me that it is of a piece with the
whole of the misfortunes that have befallen us. We know that Ameres
refused the request of Ptylus for Mysa as a wife for his son. After
that came the plot which we overheard in the temple for the murder of
some one. The knowledge that they were overheard put a stop to that
scheme. Then came the stirring up of the people, partly by the story
of that unfortunate cat, partly by whispers that Ameres, although high
priest of Osiris, was yet a scorner of the gods. Then came the attack
upon the house, in which, while the main body of the mob attacked
Ameres, a chosen band carried off Mysa.
“This villain, Ptylus, had several motives to spur him on. In the
first 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 high
priesthood; thirdly, he may have thought that if he could obtain
possession of Mysa and marry her to his son, she would bring with her
no small portion of her father’s lands as a dowry. With the influence
which he, as high priest, would have with the king and council he
could rely upon her obtaining a share of the estate, especially as the
villain would calculate that Chebron as well as his father would be
put out of the way.
“He has only to keep Mysa immured until his power as high priest is
consolidated, and then if he gain the consent of the king to the match
Mysa could not refuse to accept the fate prepared for her.”
“I think that you have accurately reasoned out the case, Amuba, and
that we have penetrated the whole conspiracy. The question is, what
are we to do?”
“It must not be, Jethro!” Chebron cried excitedly, pacing up and down
the chamber. “Mysa cannot bear Plexo. She spoke of him with something
like horror when she heard of the proposal Ptylus made. I do not like
him myself. He is thin lipped and crafty and cruel. Mysa had better be
dead than married to him.”
“I think I can promise you, Chebron,” Jethro said grimly, “that that
marriage shall never come about. We may not find Mysa, who may be
hidden either in Ptylus’ house, or in one of the many chambers of the
temple, 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, whom
I regard as the murderer of Ameres. I may not be able to do this and
to get away, and in that case you must journey alone; but I am not
going 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 of
Mysa, and the determination to remain and search for her place of
concealment. He shook his head.
“It is a rash resolution. Even were you free to come and go as you
choose, your chance of finding out her hiding-place would be small
indeed--hunted as you yourselves are, your quest seems to be an
absolutely hopeless one. As to your remaining here long, I think it
would be madness.
“It is not only for myself that I say this, but for you. In the first
place, there are so many men employed here that your coming in and
going out would be sure to be noticed by some one; in the second
place, the cave would scarcely escape search a second time. Were it
not for my workmen I could conceal you in the house; and if I saw men
in search of you approaching I could place you in one of the inner
casings 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 of
advancement toward burial, none would think of opening the cases.
“But with so many people about it would be well-nigh impossible to do
this without observation--unless, indeed, the search was made at night
or after the workmen had departed, which would hardly be likely to
happen. Therefore I think it impossible for you to stay here more than
another day or two; but there are many caves and burial-places higher
up on the hillside where you might be concealed. In many of these
there are sarcophagi. If we choose one in which there are several
coffins I can remove the mummies and their casings into another cave,
so that should a party of searchers approach the place you can lie
down 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 the
mummies in their cases after you have left, and they will be none the
worse for their temporary removal. It will be necessary, of course,
that there should be no signs of habitation in the cave--nothing to
excite their suspicions that it has been disturbed.”
“I think that is a very good plan,” Jethro said. “We can make
sleeping-places in the open air near. We shall sleep in the open air
on our journey, and it would be no hardship to begin at once. I
should think it best to remove to one of these caves at once. There is
never any saying when the searchers may be here again; therefore if
you will, Chigron, I will at early daybreak go with you, choose a
cave, and make our arrangements.”
“I think, indeed, that that will be the best plan,” the embalmer
agreed. “I will, of course, take care to bring you up every night a
store of provisions. And now I will leave you to sleep.”
It was long, however, before the occupants of the chamber threw
themselves upon their piles of rushes. Sometimes they talked of Mysa,
and discussed all possible plans for discovering where she was
concealed. Then they wondered what had become of Ruth, who would be
friendless in the great city, and might not have money sufficient to
buy a meal with her.
“She had her ornaments,” Jethro said; “a silver bracelet that Mysa
gave her she always wore. She had two silver necklaces and earrings of
her own. I should think they had been handed down to her from her
mother; they seemed good and would fetch money. Ruth is a shrewd
little maid; for though but fifteen years old she has long been
accustomed to manage a house and look after her grandfather. Why she
has run away I cannot think, except that perhaps from the noise and
tumult she thought that all were going to be killed. But even in that
case she would probably have found her way back by this morning, if
not sooner.”
“I cannot help thinking myself,” Chebron said, “that she has followed
Mysa. Although she has not been here for many months, I am sure that
she was very fond of her.”
“That she certainly was,” Jethro said. “I often thought when I was
walking behind them that it was pretty to see them together. Mysa
knew so much more of everything; and yet it was the Hebrew maid who
gave her opinion most decidedly, and Mysa listened to her as she
talked 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 have
been so. But in that case the women must have seen her.”
“The women were scared out of their senses,” Chebron said, “and, I
have no doubt, were screaming and wringing their hands and attending
to nothing else. If I could but be sure that Ruth is with Mysa I
should feel less anxious, for I am certain she would be a comfort and
support to her.”
“She would, indeed,” Jethro agreed. “And moreover I should have
greater hopes of finding where they are concealed; for if it be
possible to get away and to spread the alarm I am sure that Ruth would
seize the first opportunity promptly.”
It was but a short time after they lay down that Chigron entered and
said that morning was beginning to break. They at once rose and
followed him. He led them along the foot of the hill for some
distance, and then turning began to ascend at a spot where it sloped
gradually. They passed many tombs, partly erected with masonry and
partly cut out from the rock behind; and it was not until after
walking fully half an hour that he stopped before the entrance of one
of 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 likelihood
of any chance passer coming near it. In the second place, I know that
the stone door which rolls across the entrance has not been cemented
in its place. I know indeed to whom the tomb belongs. The last mummy
was placed here but a short time back; and the son of the man then
buried told me that he should not have it cemented because his wife
was grievously sick, and he feared would shortly follow his father.
Therefore there will be no difficulty in effecting an entry. In the
second place, there is hard by a small tomb that was cut in the rock
and then left--the owners changing their minds and having a larger
tomb made lower down the hill. As nothing beyond the chamber and the
narrow entrance were made, we can there hide the mummies from this
chamber and heap stones and earth over the entrance, so that none
would suspect its existence.”
“Nothing could be better,” Jethro said. “Let us set to work and
prepare it at once.”
The stone across the entrance to the tomb, which was but three feet
high and of the same width, was pushed back without difficulty and
they entered. Four wooden sarcophagi stood there. Jethro aided Chigron
in opening three of these. The mummies in their cases were taken out,
the outer cases opened and replaced in the coffins after the mummies
with the inner cases had been removed from them. These were then
carried to the unfinished tomb fifty yards away and there deposited.
Stones were then piled together so as to conceal the entrance, and the
men returned to the tomb.
“Here you will be perfectly safe,” Chigron said. “You can keep the
stone rolled back unless you see any one approaching; and you would be
sure to make out any considerable number of searchers mounting the
hillside long before they reach you. Should you see them, you will of
course close the door, enter each of you one of the sarcophagi, lie
down in the inner case, close the lid of the sarcophagus, and place
the lid of the inner case over you. I think it unlikely in the extreme
that any search will be made for you, or at any rate a search only
of untenanted tombs. The fact of the stone here being left uncemented
is a mere accident probably known only to myself and its owner. It is
only as an extreme resource that you could need to take to these
hiding-places. As far as passers-by are concerned you might remain
outside altogether, but in that case you would run some risk of being
noticed. You may be sure that the hills will be closely scanned, and
if figures were seen moving about here a party might set out to see
whether these were the fugitives so eagerly sought for. Therefore I
say, during the daytime keep yourselves concealed here. As soon as it
is dark you can of course issue out and pass the night wherever you
may think fit.”
[Illustration: C. of B.
THE HIDING-PLACE OF CHEBRON AND HIS FRIENDS.--Page 252.]
“We shall certainly follow your advice,” Jethro said. “Undoubtedly the
plan you propose is by far the safest. I cannot think that there is
much chance of an earnest search being made among the tombs, though
likely enough they may visit those which are open and empty; but as
you say, they would never dream of examining the tombs in use, as they
would naturally suppose that all were securely fastened. In case of
the 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 will
give you provisions for some days, together with the peasants’ dresses
I 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 move
suddenly, but it is best that you should have everything in readiness
for so doing should the occasion possibly arise. I will come up myself
to-morrow night if all is well, an hour after sunset. I name the time
exactly in order that if you sleep at any distance away you can be
here at that hour to meet me; and now I leave you to the protection
of the gods. This evening I shall dismantle the chamber you have used
and remove all signs of its having been inhabited.”
Chebron thanked the embalmer very earnestly for the kindness he had
shown them, the trouble he had taken, and the risk he had run on their
behalf.
“I would have done more if I could,” Chigron said. “Your father’s son
has the highest claims upon me, and were it to half my fortune I would
spend it to carry out the last wishes that Ameres expressed to me.”
As soon as the embalmer left them the three friends sat down just
within the entrance to the tomb, looking out over the quiet city lying
in the plain below them.
“I wish we had our peasant dresses,” Chebron said, “that we might go
down with you and join in the search for Mysa.”
“It would be too dangerous,” Jethro said decidedly. “Too many have
seen you taking part in the services and procession for you to have a
chance of passing unnoticed. Amuba is less likely than you to be
detected, and if his skin was stained, his eyebrows blackened, and his
head shaved, he might manage to pass providing he walked with his eyes
fixed on the ground; but in that way he would not have much chance of
coming upon traces of Mysa.
“Any search you make must be at night. I shall to-day station myself
near the house of Ptylus. I do not expect to gain any information from
gazing at the high wall which surrounds it, but I will follow, as
closely as I can without attracting observation, all the slaves or
servants who may come out, especially if two issue forth together; I
may then catch a few words of their talk, and possibly gather some
clew to the mystery. Still I own that the chance is small, and you
must not look forward in any way to my returning with news.”
“I wish, Jethro,” Chebron said, “that if possible you would again go
to our house, see the old woman, and get her to bring out to you a
suit of my priests’ garments; with these I could at night enter the
temple, and wander unquestioned through the chambers and courts. The
nights are dark now, and unless I pass close to a lamp none could
recognize me. We overheard one conversation of importance there, and
it 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 this
trouble has come upon us through me, and even should there be some
slight risk I would willing face it; but in truth I think there is no
chance whatever of my being recognized. See how often Amuba went there
with me, and though the nights were always moonlit we never were once
addressed, nor was it noticed that Amuba was not one of the regular
attendants of the temple, who alone have a right to penetrate beyond
the 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 many
great tombs behind the temple, and just as we have selected such a
hiding-place, Ptylus may have chosen one as a place of concealment for
Mysa. There are many tombs there built by princes, nobles, and wealthy
priests for their reception after death which could be turned into a
comfortable dwelling. After we have spent some time in searching
there, we must, if unsuccessful, try further away. Ptylus, no doubt,
like Ameres, has farms and country residences, and she may be hidden
in one of these.”
“I believe myself,” Amuba said, “that a better plan than yours will
be for us to establish a watch over Plexo. Ptylus has his duties and
is no doubt fully occupied in securing his election to the high
priesthood, but Plexo would most probably go sometimes to see Mysa in
her place of imprisonment; he will naturally be anxious to conciliate
or frighten her into giving her consent to marry him as soon as
possible. Therefore, if we can but watch him sufficiently closely, he
is sure to lead us at last to her.”
“That will certainly be the best way, Amuba. I did not think of it
before, but it is clearly the plan that promises the best chance of
success. We might search the country for years without finding her;
and although I wish to keep up your hopes, I really despaired in my
own mind. But, as you say, if we follow Plexo, sooner or later he is
sure to bring us to her. But to do so we shall want many disguises. I
will think the matter over as I walk to-day, and when I see Chigron
this evening will beg him to get the disguises that seem to him the
best for us to use.”
“As for me, Jethro,” Chebron said, “I will visit the temple of an
evening, 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 I
will work with you. Get me the garb of a peasant woman. In such a
dress and with a female head-covering I could surely get myself up so
that even those who know me best would pass by without suspicion. Many
women are taller than I am. The disguise would be out of the question
for Amuba, who is well-nigh as tall as you are, besides being wide and
strong-looking, but for me it would do well.”
“Yes, I think you could pass as a woman,” Jethro agreed; “and
certainly 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 night
than by day. Plexo, too, has his duties in the temple, and would be
likely to pay his visits after dark. Then it would be a mere question
of speed of foot, and Amuba and I used to be trained in running, and
it will be a swift horse that will outpace us. And now I am going down
to the city. I feel more hopeful than I did, lads, and for the first
time begin to think that we have a chance of discovering where the
villains have carried Mysa.”
The day passed slowly to Chebron and Amuba. They would not show
themselves outside the tomb, as Chigron had earnestly begged them not
to 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; the
question with whom she should be placed if recovered; the prospects
of the long and adventurous journey which lay before them. Amuba
encouraged talk on all these points, and started the conversation
afresh whenever it dropped, for he saw that the excitement concerning
Mysa had done a great deal for Chebron. It had weaned his thoughts
from the death of his father, and the consequences that had arisen
from his unfortunate shot; it had given him fresh subject for thought,
and had revived his spirits and interest in life. Both lads were glad
when, 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 day
in the neighborhood of the house of Ptylus, and have followed all who
came out two together from it. I have overheard many scraps of
conversation, and one and all talked upon the same subject, the death
of Ameres and of the sacred cat, and the want of success in the
search for you. The fact of Mysa being carried off was spoken of once
or twice; but I was convinced by the manner in which the slaves spoke
to each other on the subject that they had not the slightest idea that
their master was concerned in the matter, and they had assuredly no
knowledge whatever of her being in the house.
“Of course it is possible that she might be there without its being
generally known to all the slaves. Still you know how things leak out
in a household, and how everything done by the master and mistress
soon becomes public property; and had any one among them heard
something unusual was going on, it would by this time have been known
to all the servants. I hardly thought that Ptylus would have ventured
to have her carried home, for he might suppose that her mother’s
suspicions might be directed toward him just as ours have been, and
that if she made a complaint against him a search of his house might
be ordered; besides, there are too many servants there for a secret to
be kept. No, if a clew is to be obtained it will be in the temple or
by our following Plexo.”
As soon as it was dark they descended the hill together. Chebron had
attired himself in the garments bearing the distinguishing marks of
the priesthood that Jethro had brought up with him, having obtained
them from old Lyptis. When near the house of the embalmer the lad
stopped, and Jethro went on and returned in half an hour with the
various disguises he had asked Chigron to obtain for him. All these,
with the exception of the scanty attire of two peasants, he hid for
the present in some bushes near the path, then he rubbed Amuba’s skin
and his own with a fluid he had obtained from Chigron; and after
putting on the peasants’ clothes they took their way toward the house
of Ptylus.
While Chebron went toward the temple, which was but a short distance
from the house, Jethro and Amuba sat down by the wall close to the
gate so that none could leave it without their knowledge. But beyond
servants and visitors no one came out. At ten o’clock they heard the
bolts of the gates fastened, but remained where they were until near
midnight, when Chebron joined them. He had spent the time wandering
from court to court of the temple, but beyond a solitary priest moving
here and there replenishing the lamps of the altars he had seen no
one, and had been himself entirely unnoticed. Amuba and Chebron were
both inclined to be dispirited at the want of success of their
watching, but Jethro chid them for their impatience.
“You do not suppose,” he said, “that you are going to find out a
secret so well hidden by a few hours’ watching. It may be weeks before
we succeed. To-morrow we will begin our watch two or three hours
before sundown. I am better known to the servants at the house of
Ptylus than you are, as I have often taken messages there; besides,
in my disguise I could not so well loiter about without attracting
attention as you could. I will, therefore, content myself with
watching the northern road from the city upon the chance of his taking
that way, while you in your dress as peasants can watch the house
itself. You, Chebron, might sit down by the wall fifty yards from the
house on the north side, while you, Amuba, had best keep on the other
side of the road and somewhat to the south of the gate. In this way
you will be in sight of each other and yet not together; solitary
figures are less likely to attract attention than two together, for it
is for two boys that people will be looking. As I should scarcely know
you myself now that your skins are darkened, there is, I trust, small
fear of others detecting your disguise.”
Accordingly the next day, three hours after noon, Amuba and Chebron,
disguised as peasants, went down to the house of Ptylus and took their
posts as arranged. Late in the afternoon Amuba noticed that one of the
slaves from the house of Ptylus suddenly checked his walk as he passed
Chebron and gazed fixedly at him. Amuba left the spot where he was
standing and walked quickly in that direction. The slave spoke to
Chebron, who rose to his feet. A moment later the slave seized him. As
they were struggling Amuba ran up.
“Here is a find!” the slave exclaimed. “This is the slayer of the
sacred 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 heavy
blow in the face that he released his hold of Chebron and staggered
backward.
“Run for your life!” Amuba exclaimed to his friend. “I will take
another route.”
The slave, recovering from his blow, rushed at Amuba, shouting at the
top of his voice:
“Death to the insulters of the gods! Death to the slayers of the
sacred cat!”
But Amuba, who was now eighteen years of age, was at once stronger and
more active than the slave, whose easy life in the household of the
priest had unfitted him for such a struggle. Springing back to avoid
the grasp of his assailant, Amuba struck him with all his strength in
the face, and as he reeled backward repeated the blow, and the man
fell heavily to the ground. But several other people attracted by the
conflict and the shouts of the slave, were running up, and Amuba took
to his heels at the top of his speed. As he expected, the passers-by
paused to assist the fallen man and to learn the cause of the fray
before they took up the pursuit, and he was nearly two hundred yards
away when he heard the cry again raised, “Death to the slayer of the
sacred cat!”
By this time he was alongside of Chebron, who had paused to see the
issue of the contest with the slave.
“Do you turn off, Chebron, and take a turning or two and conceal
yourself, and then make your way up to the hill. I will keep straight
on for awhile. I have more last than you have and can outrun these
fellows, never fear. Do as I tell you,” he said almost angrily as he
saw that Chebron hesitated when they reached the next turning. “If we
keep together they will overtake us both.”
Chebron hesitated no longer, but took the turning indicated. Amuba
slackened his speed now, judging correctly that his pursuers if they
saw they gained upon him would not trouble themselves about his
companion, of whose identity they were probably still ignorant. When,
on looking back, he saw that all had passed the turning, he again
quickened his speed. He was not afraid of being overtaken by those
behind him, but that he might meet other people who, seeing the
pursuit, would take him for a fugitive from justice, and endeavor to
stop him. One or two did indeed make feeble attempts to do so, but did
not care to grapple in earnest with a powerful young man, evidently
desperate, and of whose crime they knew nothing.
As soon as he felt sure that Chebron was quite safe from pursuit, he
turned off from the road he was following and struck across the
country. A quarter of an hour’s running took him fairly beyond the
villas and detached houses scattered so thickly round Thebes. The
ground here was closely cultivated. It was intersected everywhere by
channels conveying the water needed for the irrigation of the crops.
The holdings were small, and in the center of each stood a little
hut.
Some of these were inhabited, but for the most part the cultivators
lived in the villages, using the huts only when it was necessary to
scare away the birds and keep a close watch over their fruit. In some
of these patches the fruit trees were thick, and Amuba took advantage
of the cover to turn off at right angles to the course he had been
pursuing, and then shaping his course so as to keep in shelter of the
trees, ran until he arrived at a hut whose door stood open. A glance
within showed that it was not at present used by the owner. He entered
and closed the door behind him, and then climbed up a ladder, and
threw himself down on some boards that lay on the rafters for the
storage of fruit, pulling the ladder up after him.
The last glimpse he had of his pursuers showed him that they were
fully four hundred yards behind him when he turned off from the line
he had been following, and he would have kept on and trusted to his
speed and endurance to outrun them had he not been sure that many of
the cultivators whom he had passed in his flight, and who had
contented themselves with shouting threats at him for crossing their
land, would, on learning from his pursuers the crime with which he was
charged, join in the pursuit. Thus fresh runners would be constantly
taking up the chase, and he would eventually be run down; he therefore
thought it best to attempt to conceal himself until night fell.
Scarcely had he thrown himself down when he heard loud shouts rise
close at hand, and had no doubt that some laborer unobserved by him
had noticed him enter the hut. He sprang down again from the loft, and
seizing a stake which with several others was standing in a corner, he
again sallied out. As he did so he was suddenly grasped. Twisting
himself free he saw a powerful Nubian armed with a hoe. Without a
moment’s hesitation Amuba sprang at him with his stake. The Nubian
parried the blow with his hoe, and in turn dealt a sweeping blow at
the lad.
Amuba sprang back just in time, and before the negro could recover his
guard, struck him a heavy blow on the wrist with his stake. The negro
dropped his hoe, uttering a cry of pain and rage. Amuba followed up
the 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 the
pursuers were now but fifty yards away. Amuba saw that their numbers
had swollen considerably, and a doubt as to his ability to escape them
for the first time entered his mind.
They were too close for any further attempts at concealment, and he
had now only his speed to rely on. But he had already run nearly three
miles, while many of those behind him were fresh, and he soon found
that he could not again widen the space between them. For another two
miles he still kept ahead, at first leaping the ditches lightly and
without a pause, but at last often landing in the middle, and
scrambling out with difficulty. He was becoming completely exhausted
now. Those who had at first taken up the chase had long since
abandoned it; but, as he had feared, fresh men constantly joined the
ranks of his pursuers. They were but a few paces behind him when he
found himself again on the highroad.
A few hundred yards away he saw a chariot approaching, and feeling
that further flight was hopeless he turned, stake in hand, to face his
pursuers, who were but a few paces behind him. With cries of “Kill
him!” “Death to the insulter of the gods!” they rushed at him. Panting
and breathless he defended himself as best he could. But his guard
was beaten down and blows were showered upon him.
He fell, but with a great effort struggled to his feet again; his
senses were fast deserting him now, but he was conscious that the
chariot drew up beside him, scattering his assailants right and left.
He heard a voice raised in tones of indignant reproach, and then a
renewal of the cries of hatred. He felt strong arms round him; then he
was lifted, and for a time became unconscious.