ow some emotion or feeling. To the astonishment of
all he merely moved his brow and answered,

"In accordance with the will of his holiness, my father, and with the
laws of Egypt, I take possession of government and will conduct it to
the glory of the state and the happiness of the people."

He turned suddenly to Herhor and, looking him sharply in the eyes,
inquired,

"On thy miter, worthiness, I see the golden serpent. Why hast Thou put
that symbol of regal power on thy head?"

A deathlike silence settled on the assembly. The haughtiest man in
Egypt had never dreamed that the young lord would begin rule by putting
a question like that to the most powerful person in the state, more
powerful, perhaps, than the late pharaoh.

But behind the young lord stood a number of generals; in the courtyard
glittered the bronze-covered regiments of the guard; and crossing the
Nile at that moment was an army wild from the triumph at the Soda
Lakes, and enamored of its leader.

The powerful Herhor grew pale as wax, and the voice could not issue
from his straitened throat.

"I ask your worthiness," repeated the pharaoh, calmly, "by what right
is the regal serpent on thy miter?"

"This is the miter of thy grandfather, the holy Amenhotep," answered
Herhor, in a low voice. "The supreme council commanded me to wear it on
occasions."

"My holy grandfather," replied the pharaoh, "was father of the queen,
and in the way of favor he received the right to adorn his miter with
the ureus. But, so far as is known to me, his sacred vestment is
counted among the relics of the temple of Amon."

Herhor had recovered.

"Deign to remember, holiness," explained he, "that for twenty-four
hours Egypt has been deprived of its legal ruler. Meanwhile some one
had to wake and put to sleep the god Osiris, to impart blessings to the
people and render homage to the ancestors of the pharaoh."

"In such a grievous time the supreme council commanded me to wear this
holy relic, so that the order of the state and the service of the gods
might not be neglected. But the moment that we have a lawful and mighty
ruler I set aside the wondrous relic."

Then Herhor took from his head the miter adorned with the ureus, and
gave it to the high priest Mefres.

The threatening face of the pharaoh grew calm, and he turned his steps
toward the throne.

Suddenly the holy Mefres barred the way, and said while bending to the
pavement,

"Deign, holy lord, to hear m