sins, fearing nothing, expecting nothing, since all things are appointed
and cannot be changed."

"I hear," he answered humbly, "and I will not forget. Whether I succeed
or fail you shall not be ashamed for me."

Now his mother turned to go also, but paused and said:

"I have a gift for you, Rames, from one whose name may not be spoken."

"Give it to me," he said eagerly, "I feared that it was all but a
dream."

"Oh!" replied Asti scanning his face, "so there was a dream, was
there? Did it fall upon you last night when the daughter of Amen, my
foster-child, instructed you in secret?"

"The gift," said Rames, stretching out his hand.

Then, smiling in her quiet fashion, his mother drew from the bosom
of her robe some object that was wrapped in linen and, touching her
forehead with the royal seal that fastened it, gave it to Rames. With
trembling fingers he broke the seal and there within the linen lay a
ring which for some years, as Rames knew, Tua had worn upon the first
finger of her right hand. It was massive and of plain gold, and upon the
bezel of it was cut the symbol of the sun, on either side of which knelt
a man and a woman crowned with the double crown of Egypt, and holding
in their right hands the looped Sign of Life which they stretched up
towards the glory of the sun.