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.
"He called himself Aaron!"
Ranas staggered against the wall for support and beat the air with his arms.
"Aaron, the brother of Mesu! O ye inscrutable Hathors!" he babbled.
"A Bedouin made off with it! Oh! Oh! What idiocy!"