fatiguing, but an expression strongly like that of real anxiety rested upon his ascetic face.

“If life is dear to you,” he continued, “answer me this, Kernaby Pasha; have you found the ring?”

48

“I have not,” I replied; “my lamp failed me; but I think the ring is gone.”

And now, as I spoke the words, the strangeness of his question came home to me, bringing with it an acute suspicion.

“What do you know of this ring, O my friend?” I asked.

Abû Tabâh shrugged his shoulders.

“I know much that is evil,” he replied; “and because you doubt the purity of my motives, all that I have learned you shall learn also; for Allah the Great, the Merciful, this night has protected you from danger and spared you a frightful death. Follow me, Kernaby Pasha, in order that these things may be made manifest to you.”

IV

A pair of fleet camels were kneeling at the foot of the slope below the entrance to the pyramid, and having recovered somewhat from the effect of the fatiguing climb out from the King’s Chamber—

“It might be desirable,” I said, “that I adopt a more suitable raiment for camel riding?”

Abû Tabâh slowly shook his head in that dignified manner which never deserted him. He had again taken up his ebony walking-stick and was now resting his crossed hands upon it and regarding me with his strange, melancholy eyes.

“To delay would be unwise,” he replied. “You have mercifully been spared a painful and unfortunate end (all praise to Him who averted the49 peril); but the ring, which bears an ancient curse, is gone: for me there is no rest until I have found and destroyed it.”

He spoke with a solemn conviction which bore the seal of verity.

“Your destructive theory may be perfectly sound,” I said; “but as one professionally interested in relics of the past, I feel called upon to protest. Perhaps before we proceed any further you will enlighten me respecting this most obscure matter. Can you inform me, for example, what became of Hassan es-Sugra?”

“He observed my approach from a distance, and 

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