eces, he sent
for him, and sold to him for the hundred pieces enough of the Pharaoh's
grain already on the plateau to pay me, and lent him the seed to plant
all the land again. But aside from this, the Pharaoh sold not a bag of
wheat, and during the first year all the small stores of grain
throughout Kem were consumed, and the price rose to three times its
former value. Therefore, Hotep consoled himself with the thought that he
could make more out of one crop after a failure than he could have made
out of two crops without it, and he happily sowed his fields anew.

Before the river was due to rise the second time, the poor began to
suffer from the famine. There was no employment for the thousands who
had been attracted to Kem to gather the previous large harvests. Only
those fortunate enough to be slaves enjoyed an assured living, and this
entire class was now dependent upon Hotep, for Pharaoh supported only
his women and his personal servants. Many people desired to deliver
themselves into slavery, but Pharaoh would not accept any, and Hotep
already had more than he could feed. During the Month of Midnight Snows
the entire population of the city watched the river with apprehension,
noting its slightest fluctuation. But day after day the people saw no
change, and idleness fostered grumbling and discontent among them.
Zaphnath and the Pharaoh were privately criticised because they did not
attend or contribute to the sacrifices made to the god of Overflow;
because they hoarded so much grain, and did nothing to alleviate the
distress of the people. And there were many who attributed the unusual
action of the river to the presence upon Ptah of two strangers from the
Blue Star.

When two fruitless months had passed without any rising of the waters,
Hotep lost courage, and was obliged to proclaim that all his men and
beasts must exist upon half-rations. It was then that public suffering
became general. About this time I consulted with the doctor whether to
press Hotep for the second delivery of a hundred thousand cargoes of
wheat.

"Certainly; demand it from him," he answered, greatly to my surprise,
"especially so long as it amounts to squeezing the wheat out of the
Pharaoh. It is certain he will furnish the wheat in exchange for Hotep's
gold, and a few coins are really nothing to him or to you either. As
long as the Pharaoh covets them, make him pay well for them."

"But I expected you would advise leniency, as you have