uth, and would fain that I should hear from your lips
and repeat to him all that you can tell me relating to this God whom
you worship."

"That will I with gladness, my young lord. The story is easily told,
for it is simple, and not like that of your religion with its many
deities."

Chebron took a seat upon a pile of rushes and prepared to listen to
the old man's story of the God of the Israelites.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CONSPIRACY IN THE TEMPLE.

For two days longer the party lingered by the side of the lake fishing
and fowling, and then returned across the desert to the headquarters
of Ameres. Two months were spent in examining canals and water
courses, seeing that the dykes were strengthened where needed, and
that the gates and channels were in good repair. Levels were taken for
the construction of several fresh branches, which would considerably
extend the margin of cultivation. The natives were called upon to
furnish a supply of labor for their formation; but the quota was
not furnished without considerable grumbling on the part of the
Israelites, although Ameres announced that payment would be given them
for their work. At last, having seen that everything was in train,
Ameres left one of his subordinates to carry out the work, and then
started with his son for Thebes.

A fortnight after his return home he was informed that a young female,
who said her name was Ruth, wished to see him. He bade the servant
conduct her to him, and at the same time summon Chebron from his
studies. The lad arrived first, and as Ruth entered presented her to
his father.

"Welcome, child, to this house," the high priest said. "I suppose by
your coming that the old man, your great-grandfather, of whom my son
has spoken to me, is no more?"

"He died a month since, my lord," Ruth replied; "but it was two weeks
before I could find a passage in a boat coming hither."

"Chebron, tell Mysa to come here," Ameres said, and the lad at once
fetched Mysa, who had already heard that an Israelite girl was coming
to be her special attendant, and had been much interested in Chebron's
account of her and her rescue from the crocodile.

"This is Ruth, Mysa," Ameres said when she entered, "who has come to
be with you. She has lost her last friend, and I need not tell you, my
child, to be kind and considerate with her. You know what you would
suffer were you to be placed among strangers, and how lonely you would
be at first. She will be