CHAPTER XI.
THE DREAM OF ABI On the night of the drawing-forth of the Ka of Neter-Tua, Kaku the wizard, and Merytra the spy, she who had been Lady of the Footstool to Pharaoh, sat together in that high chamber where Merytra had vowed her vow, and received the magic image.
"Why do you look so disturbed ?" asked the astrologer of his accomplice who glanced continually over her shoulder, and seemed very ill at ease.
"All has gone well.

If Set himself had fashioned that image, it could not have done its work more thoroughly." "Thoroughly, indeed," broke in Merytra in an angry voice.

"You have tricked me, Wizard, I promised to help you to lame Pharaoh, not to murder him!" "Hush! Beloved," said Kaku nervously, "murder is an ugly word, and murderers come to ugly ends--sometimes.

Is it your fault if an accursed fool of a priest chose to burn the mannikin upon an altar, and thus bring this god to his lamented end ?" "No," answered Merytra, "not mine, or the priest's, but yours, and that hog, Abi's; and Set's the master of both of you.

But I shall get the blame of it, for the Queen and Asti know the truth, and soon or late it will come out, and they will burn me as a sorceress, sending me to the Underworld with the blood of Pharaoh upon my hands.