wisdom on us, for without doubt he
knows the truth."

"Yes, yes," said Abi, "he knows it, he knows everything. Kaku, delay
not, interpret the dream of her Majesty."

"I cannot, I will not," spluttered the old astrologer. "Ask my wife, the
Lady Merytra there, she is wiser than I am."

"My good friend Merytra has already told me her mind," said the Queen,
"now we wait for yours. A prophet must speak when the gods call on him,
or," she added slowly, "he must cease to be a prophet who betrays the
gods by hiding their high counsel."

Now Kaku could find no way of escape, so, since he feared the very name
of Rames, within himself he determined that he would interpret the
dream in the sense that Pharaoh should await the attack of this Rames at
Thebes, and while every ear listened to him, thus began his tale. Yet as
he spoke he felt the glittering eyes of that spirit who was called the
Queen, fix themselves upon him and compel his tongue, so that he said
just what he did not mean to say.

"A light shines in me," he cried, "and I see that the second vision of
her Majesty is the true vision. You must go up with your army to the
Gate of the South, O Pharaoh, and there meet this usurper, Rames, that
these matters may be brought to their appointed end."

"Their appointed end? What appointed end?" shouted Abi.

"Doubtless that which her Majesty dreamed," answered Kaku. "At least,
it is laid upon me to tell you that you must go up to the Gate of the
South."

"Then I wish that the Gate of the South were laid upon you also, O Evil
Prophet," exclaimed Abi. "For two years only have I ruled in Egypt, and
lo! three wars have been my portion, a war against the people of Syria,
a war against the desert men, and a war against the Nine Bow barbarians
that invaded the Low Lands. Must I now, in my age, undertake another war
against the terrible sons of Kesh also? Let this dog, Rames, come, if
come he will, and I will hang him here at the gates of Thebes."

"Nay, nay, O Pharaoh," replied Kaku, "it is laid upon me to tell you
that you must hang him in the desert hundreds of miles away from Thebes.
That is the interpretation of the vision; that is the command of the
gods."

"The gods have spoken by the mouth of their prophet," cried the Queen in
a thrilling, triumphant voice. "Now Pharaoh, Priests, Councillors, and
Captains of Egypt, let us make ready to travel to the Gate of the South,
and there hang the dog Rames in the desert land, t