Produced by Al Haines

THE YOKE

A ROMANCE OF THE DAYS WHEN THE LORD REDEEMED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAELFROM THE BONDAGE OF EGYPT

BY

ELIZABETH MILLER

GROSSET & DUNLAP

Publishers -:- New York

COPYRIGHT, 1904

THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY

JANUARY

TO

PERCY MILLER

MY BROTHER

WHO CONSTRUCTED

THE PLOT

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I CHOOSING THE TENS II UNDER BAN OF THE RITUAL III THE MESSENGER IV THE PROCESSION OF AMEN V THE HEIR TO THE THRONE VI THE LADY MIRIAM VII ATHOR, THE GOLDEN VIII THE PUNISHMENT OF ATSU IX THE COLLAR OF GOLD X THE DEBT OF ISRAEL XI HEBREW CRAFT XII CANAAN XIII THE COMING OF THE PHARAOH XIV THE MARGIN OF THE NILE XV THE GODS OF EGYPT XVI THE ADVICE OF HOTEP XVII THE SON OF THE MURKET XVIII AT MASAARAH XIX IN THE DESERT XX THE TREASURE CAVE XXI ON THE WAY TO THEBES XXII THE FAN-BEARER'S GUEST XXIII THE TOMB OF THE PHARAOH XXIV THE PETITION XXV THE LOVE OF RAMESES XXVI FURTHER DIPLOMACY XXVII THE HEIR INTERVENES XXVIII THE IDOLS CRUMBLE XXIX THE PLAGUES XXX HE HARDENED HIS HEART XXXI THE CONSPIRACY XXXII RACHEL'S REFUGE XXXIII BACK TO MEMPHIS XXXIV NIGHT XXXV LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS XXXVI THE MURKET'S SACRIFICE XXXVII AT THE WELL XXXVIII THE TRAITORS XXXIX BEFORE EGYPT'S THRONE XL THE FIRST-BORN XLI THE ANGEL OF DEATH XLII EXPATRIATION XLIII "THE PHARAOH DREW NIGH" XLIV THE WAY TO THE SEA XLV THROUGH THE RED SEA XLVI WHOM THE LADY MIRIAM SENT XLVII THE PROMISED LAND

THE YOKE

A STORY OF THE EXODUS

CHAPTER I

CHOOSING THE TENS

Near the eastern boundary of that level region of northern Egypt, knownas the Delta, once thridded by seven branches of the sea-hunting Nile,Rameses II, in the fourteenth century B. C., erected the city of Pithomand stored his treasure therein. His riches overtaxed its coffers andhe builded Pa-Ramesu, in part, to hold the overflow. But he diedbefore the work was completed by half, and his fourteenth son andsuccessor, Meneptah, took it up and pushed it with the nomadbond-people that dwelt in the Delta.

The city was laid out near the center of Goshen, a long strip offertile country given over to the Israelites since the days of theHyksos king, Apepa, near the year 1800 B. C.

Morning in the land of the Hebrew dawned over level fields, green withunripe wheat and meadow grass. Wherever the soil was better forgrazing great flocks of sheep moved in compact clouds, with a lank dogand an ancient shepherd following them.

The low, shapeless tents and thatched hovels of the Israelites stood inthe center of gardens of lentils, garlic and lettuce, securely hedgedagainst the inroads of hares and roving cattle. Close to these werecompounds for the flocks and brush inclosures for geese, and cotes forthe pigeons used in sacrifice. Here dwelt the aged in trusteeship overthe land, while the young and sturdy builded Pa-Ramesu.

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