Loi entered, bowing and walking with palsied step. At one time the three central figures of the hall had been his pupils. He had taught them from the simplest hieratic catechism to the initiation into the mysteries. As novices they had kissed his hand and borne him reverence. Now as the initiated, exalted through the acquisition of power, it lay with them to reverse conditions if they pleased. But as the old prelate prepared to do obeisance before Meneptah, he was stayed with a gesture, and after a word of greeting was dismissed to his place. Rameses saluted him with a motion of his hand and Har-hat bowed reverently. The pontiff backed away to the great council table set opposite the throne and was met there by a courtier with a chair. At a sign from the king, who had already sunk into his throne, the old man sat. "Thou bringest us tidings, holy Father?" "Even so, O Son of Ptah." "Say on." The priest moved a little uncomfortably and glanced at the ministers grouped in the shadows. "Save for the worthy Har-hat and our prince, O my King, thou hast no need of great council," he said. Meneptah raised his hand and the supernumerary ministers left the chamber. When they were gone, Loi unwrapped the roll Kenkenes had brought and began to read: "To Loi, the most high Servant of Amen, Lord of Tape, the Servant of Ra, at On, sends greeting: "The gods lend me composure to speak calmly with thee, O Brother. And let the dismay which is mine explain the lack of ceremony in this writing. "It is not likely that thou hast forgotten the good Queen Neferari Thermuthis' foster-son--the Hebrew Mesu, whom she found adrift in a basket on Nilus. But lest the years have driven the memory of his misdeeds from thy mind, I tell again the story. Thou knowest he was initiated a priest of Isis, and scarce had the last of the mysteries been disclosed to him, ere it was seen that the brotherhood had taken an apostate unto itself. "By the grace of the gods, he interfered in a brawl at Pithom and killed an Egyptian. Before he could be taken he fled into Midian, and the secrets of our order were safe, for a time. "One by one our fellows have entered Osiris. The young who knew not have filled their places. Thou and I, only, are left--and the Hebrew! "He hath returned! "The gods make strong our hands against him! He went away as a menace, but he returneth as a pestilence. The demons of Amend are with him, and his hour is most propitious. He hath sunk himself in the Israelitish pool here in the north, and he will breathe therefrom such vapors as may destroy Egypt--faith--state--all!