made up his mind to remain where he was. At that moment, several
gorgeous litters of the belated wealthy rammed a path to the very front
and were set down before the rabble. Kenkenes seized upon their
advance to proceed also, and, dropping between the first and second
litter, made his way with little difficulty to the front. With the
complacency of a man that has rank and authority on his side he turned
up the roadway and continued toward the temple. He was halted before
he had proceeded ten steps. A litter richly gilded and borne by four
men, came pushing through the crowd and was deposited directly in his
path.

But for the unusual appearance of the bearers, Kenkenes might have
passed around the conveyance and continued. Instead, he caught the
contagious curiosity of the crowd and stood to marvel. The men were
stalwart, black-bearded and strong of feature, and robed in no Egyptian
garb. They were draped voluminously in long habits of brown linen,
fringed at the hem, belted by a yellow cord with tasseled ends. The
sleeves were wide and showed the wristbands of a white under-garment.
The head-dress was a brown kerchief bound about the brow with a cord,
also yellow.

While Kenkenes examined them in detail, a long, in-drawn breath of
wonder from the circle of spectators caused him to look at the
alighting owner of the litter.

He took a backward step and halted, amazed.

Before him was a woman of heroic proportions, taller, with the
exception of himself, than any man in the crowd. Upon her, at first
glance, was to be discerned the stamp of great age, yet she was as