At length it came, and they went on again, on and on over the
endless lands, till on a certain night they pitched their tent upon a
hill.
At the first brightening of the dawn Tua and Asti went out, and there,
beneath them, near to the banks of a great river, which they knew for
the Nile, they saw the pyramids and the temples of Napata the Golden,
the southern city of Amen, and thanked the gods who had brought them
here in safety.
While they still gazed upon its glories in the red light of the rising
sun the captain of the desert men appeared, and bowed before them.
"Divine Lady," he said, "woman or goddess, whichever you may be, we have
fulfilled the command given to us by Kepher, the ancient King of the
Wilderness. Beneath you lies Napata whither we have journeyed through
so many weary months, but we would draw no nearer to its walls, who from
generation to generation are sworn not to enter any city save in war.
Lady, our task is done, and our men murmur to be led back to their own
place, where their wives and children await them, ere, thinking that we
are enemies, the people of Napata sally forth to attack us.
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