Part 5 (1/2)

”It is so,” echoed a hundred other voices

”Then,” went on the young king, turning to Menes, ”I ask of your Majesty whether there is no ed on those who do us this foul wrong”

”Let him who has wisdoe, short in stature and of a thoughtful broho held in his hand a wand and wore the feathers and insignia of the heir to the throne of Egypt and of a high priest of Amen, moved to the steps Smith knew him at once from his statues He was Khaeician that ever was in Egypt, who of his oithdrew himself from earth before the time came that he should sit upon the throne

”I have wisdom, your Majesties, and I will answer,” he said ”The time draws on when, in the land of Death which is Life, the land that we call As as to this ed On this night of the year also, e resueance, or rather of executing justice But our time is short, and there is much to say and do before the sun-God Ra arises and we depart each to his place Therefore it seems best that we should leave these wicked ones in their wickedness till we meet them face to face beyond the world”

S the words of Khaemuas with the closest attention and considerable anxiety, breathed again, thanking Heaven that the engage Still, as a ar-box which contained Ma-Mee's hand from his pocket, and pushed it as far away froar-box grated on the floor, or perhaps the fact of his touching the relic put him into psychic communication with all these spirits At any rate, he becaician were fixed upon hi the search of a Rontgen ray than he of hiding hilare

”As it happens, however,” went on Khaemuas, in a cold voice, ”I now perceive that there is hidden in this place, and spying on us, one of the worst of these vile thieves I say to your Majesties that I see hie, and that he has with him at this moment the hand of one of your Majesties, stolen by him from her tomb at Thebes”

Now every queen in the co Ma-Mee, saw her hold up her hands and look at theers and exclaiether, in a voice that rolled round the hall like thunder:

”Let hi it towards the boat where S with thee that thou hast stolen”

Smith tried hard to reainst the floor As the reader knows, he was always shy and retiring by disposition, and never had these weaknesses oppressed hihtmare had been that the foreuilty of some dreadful but unstated crihtmare foreshadowed He was about to be convicted in a court of which all the kings and queens of Egypt were the jury, Menes was Chief Justice, and the ician Khaemuas played the _role_ of Attorney-General

In vain did he sit down and hold fast Some power took possession of him which forced hiar-box containing the hand of Ma-Mee, and next drew him from the friendly shelter of the deal boards that were about the boat

Noas on his feet and walking down the flight of steps opposite to those on which Menes stood far away Noas ahosts, which parted to let hi eyes They were very one by since they laid down their sceptres had taken nothing fronity Moreover, save one, none of theht She was a little princess who stood by her mother, that same little princess whose mummy he had seen and pitied in the Director's rooes As he passed Shtened Be brave, Vile One!”

Sentleman of the modern world, would not show the white feather before a crowd of ancient Egyptian ghosts Turning to the child, he sht and walked on quietly Here it may be stated that Sood-looking, straight and spare in frame, with dark, pleasant eyes and a little black beard

”At least he is a well-favoured thief,” said one of the queens to another

”Yes,” answered she who had been addressed ”I wonder that agraves and stealing the offerings of the dead,” words that gave Sht He had never considered the ht

Now he came to the place where Ma-Mee stood, the black-browed Pharaoh who had been her husband at her side On his left hand which held the cigar-box was the gold Bes ring, and that box he felt constrained to carry pressed against him just over his heart

As he went by he turned his head, and his eyes met those of Ma-Mee She started violently Then she saw the ring upon his hand and again started still more violently

”What ails your Majesty?” asked the Pharaoh

”Oh, naught,” she answered ”Yet does this earth-dweller remind you of anyone?”

”Yes, he does,” answered the Pharaoh ”He reminds me very much of that accursed sculptor about e had words”

”Do you e that was buried with me, and whom you sent to carve your statues in the deserts of Kush, until he died of fevers--or was it poison?”

”Aye; Horu and no other, rowled the Pharaoh