But would not the noble Hotep
enter and await him?
The scribe, however, returned to the palace, and put off his visit
until the next day.
The following noon a page brought him a message from his aunt, the Lady
Senci. It was short and distressed.
"Kenkenes has not returned, Hotep, and since he is known to have gone
upon the Nile, we fear that disaster has overtaken him. Come and help
the unhappy murket. His household is so dismayed that it is useless.
Come, and come quickly."
The probability of the young artist's death in the Nile immediately
took second place in the scribe's mind. Kenkenes had displayed to
Hotep the effect of Rameses' savage boast to exterminate the Hebrews.
It was that incident which had convinced the scribe that the Arabian
hills would claim the artist on the morrow. He had not stopped to
surmise the extremes to which Kenkenes would go, but his mysterious
disappearance seemed to suggest that the lover had gone to the
Israelitish camp to remain.
He made ready and repaired to the house of the murket. Mentu met him
in the chamber of guests. By the dress of the great artist it would
seem that he had returned at that moment from the streets.
Hotep sat down beside him, and with tact and well-chosen words told his
story and summarized his narration with a mild statement of his
suspicions.
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