And in eloquent silence he turned at last and continued down the valley. There was nothing to be said. His appreciation of his own discomfiture was too large for any expression. In a few steps he met the short captain who governed the quarries. Kenkenes guessed his office by his dress. He was adorned in festal trappings, for he had spent most of the day in revel across the Nile. "Dost thou know Rachel, the Israelitish maiden?" Kenkenes asked, planting himself in the man's way. "The yellow-haired Judahite?" the man inquired, a little surprised. "Even so," was the reply. The soldier nodded. "Look to it that she is put to light labor," the sculptor continued, gazing loftily down into the narrow eyes. The soldier squared off and inspected the nobleman. It did not take him long to acknowledge the young sculptor's right to command. "It does not pay to be tender with an Israelite," the man answered sourly. Kenkenes thrust his hand into the folds of his tunic over his breast and, drawing forth a number of golden rings strung on a cord, jingled them musically. The soldier grinned. "That will coax a man out of his dearest prejudice. I will put her over the children." Kenkenes dropped the money into the man's palm. "I shall have an eye to thee," he said warningly. "Cheat me not." He went his way. The incident restored to him the power of speech. "Now, by Horus," he began, "am I to be denied by an Israelite that which the favoring Hathors designed I should have? Not while the arts of strategy abide within me. The children, I take it, will come here with the water," he cogitated, stamping upon the wet and deserted ledge which he had reached, "and here will she be, also." He raised his eyes to the ragged line of rocks topping the northern wall of the gorge. "I shall perch myself there like a sacred hawk and filch her likeness. Nay, now that I come to ponder on it, it is doubtless better that she know naught about it. She might drop certain things to the Egyptians hereabout that would lead to mine undoing. The gods are with me, of a truth." He descended into the larger valley and went singing toward the Nile. CHAPTER VIII THE PUNISHMENT OF ATSU One late afternoon, in the streets of Pa-Ramesu, a curious new-comer bowed before Atsu, the commander of Israel of the treasure city. The visitor was old and tremulous from fatigue, and the stains of hard travel were evident upon him. "Greeting, Atsu. The peace of the divine Mother attend thee," he said. "Snofru, the beloved of Ra at On, sends thee greeting by his servant, Ranas." "Greeting," the taskmaster replied, after he had inspected the white-browed servant. "The shelter of my roof and the bread of my board are thine;" adding after a little pause, "and in truth thou seemest to need these things." The old man smiled an odd wry smile and followed lamely after the long swinging stride of the commander toward the headquarters on the knoll.