"And the message?" the old man persisted.

Horemheb surveyed him with increasing astonishment.

"Where hast thou these tidings?" he demanded. "They are scarce three
hours old. Who reached thee with them before me?"

Atsu interposed and explained the interchange of letters.

"Oh," said Horemheb. "So the correct message came to thee,
nevertheless, good Atsu. But I can not tell thee aught of the other.
It is lost."

"Lost!" Ranas shrieked.

"Gods! old man. It was only pigment and papyrus, not gold or jewels.
A kindly disposed Hebrew came to our help with some of his people, and
we put the Bedouins to flight. But after the struggle, search as we
might with torches which the Hebrew brought, the message was not to be
found. A Bedouin made off with it, I doubt not."

Ranas stood speechless for an instant, and then he rushed up to the new
taskmaster.

"His name?" he demanded fiercely. "The Hebrew! What was he like?
Where does he dwell?"

"A murrain on the maniac!" Horemheb exploded.