. Very likely you
may be so fortunate as to find your sister, for a crafty woman succeeds
in many things which are too difficult for a wise man. Go on, and if
they seek for you old Krates will not betray you."

He nodded kindly at Klea, and had already half turned his back on her
when he once more looked round, and called out to her:

"Wait a minute, girl--you can do me a little service. I have just
fitted a new lock to the door of the Apis-tomb down there. It answers
admirably, but the one key to it which I have made is not enough; we
require four, and you shall order them for me of the locksmith Heri,
to be sent the day after to-morrow; he lives opposite the gate of
Sokari--to the left, next the bridge over the canal--you cannot miss it.
I hate repeating and copying as much as I like inventing and making new
things, and Heri can work from a pattern just as well as I can. If it
were not for my legs I would give the man my commission myself, for he
who speaks by the lips of a go-between is often misunderstood or not
understood at all."

"I will gladly save you the walk," replied Klea, while the Smith sat
down on the pedestal of one of the Sphinxes, and opening the leather
wallet which hung by his side shook out the contents. A few files,
chisels, and nails fell out into his lap; then the key, and finally a
sharp, pointed knife with which Krates had cut out the hollow in the
door for the insertion of the lock; Krates touched up the pattern-key
for the smith in Memphis with a few strokes of the file, and then,
muttering thoughtfully and shaking his head doubtfully from side to
side, he exclaimed:

"You still must come with me once more to the door, for I require
accurate workmanship from other people, and so I must be severe upon my
own."

"But I want so much to reach Memphis before dark," besought Klea.

"The whole thing will not take a minute, and if you will give me your
arm I shall go twice as fast. There are the files, there is the knife."

"Give it me," Klea requested. "This blade is sharp and bright, and as
soon as I saw it I felt as if it bid me take it with me. Very likely I
may have to come through the desert alone at night."

"Aye," said the smith, "and even the weakest feels stronger when he has
a weapon. Hide the knife somewhere about you, my child, only take care
not to hurt yourself with it. Now let me take your arm, and on we will
go--but not quite so fast."

Klea led the smith to the door he in