must have smelled the dead cat and
scratched the earth from over it. Then I heard a voice cry above the
rest, 'See! even now the wounds are manifest; it has been pierced by
an arrow, even as I told you. The sacred cat has been slain!' Then the
crowd turned. 'Fly, Jethro,' Ameres said. 'It is my last command.'

"But even then I could not obey him. There was death in the eyes of
those who were rushing toward him shouting 'Down with the despiser of
the gods! Down with the slayer of the sacred cat!' and seeing that, I
rushed at them. After that all was confusion. I had caught up a staff
from the portico as I passed, and with it I struck right and left.
Many fell, I know, before they closed with me. Blows were showered
upon me, and the staff then fell from my hands, but I fought with my
naked fists. Several times I was beaten down, but each time I rose
again. Then, as in a dream, I seemed to hear your father's command, 'I
commit Chebron to your care,' and I burst my way through them and
threw myself upon a group standing further on, but I saw as I broke
through them that I could do nothing there.

"Your father lay on the ground looking as calm and peaceful as when he
had spoken to me but five minutes before; but his white garments were
stained with blood, and the half of a dagger stood up just over his
heart. There was no time to see more. His last command was to be
obeyed, and shaking off those who tried to hold me, and evading the
blows aimed at me with their knives, I fled. As I rushed out through
the gate I saw the troops I had sent for coming toward the house. But
they were too late now; besides, some of my pursuers were close
behind me, and so without a pause I took the road to the farm. I think
that is all I have to tell you."

Chebron was weeping bitterly, and Amuba, who was himself deeply
affected, went over to him.

"Console yourself, Chebron. I know what you are feeling now, but do
not blame yourself too greatly for this calamity. You know what your
father said--that it was but an accident, and that it was doubtless
the will of the great God that your arrow should fly as it did; and he
himself declared that he believed that all this was but the result of
conspiracy, and that, as we heard in the temple, there were men
determined to take his life."

A few minutes later the embalmer entered bringing them food. He saw at
once that Chebron had been informed of the fate that had befallen his
father.

"Have you h