Sax Rohmer

“ Mystery is woman's supreme charm. It is the mystery of dark eyes peeping from a mushrebiyeh lattice that constitutes the love lure of the East. Mme. de Medicis was utterly mysterious—tempting, taunting, unfathomable—at once a Sibyl and a Cleopatra.
Who was she, and from whence did she come? She was steeped in mysticism, spoke intimately of the strange writings of Elphas Levi, and quoted Pythagoras and Zarathustra with the same facility wherewith Desmond, of catholic literary sympathies, quoted Kipling and Yeats. She had tremendous intellectual fascination. ”

“ Under her curved black lashes her eyes turned momentarily, glancing at Desmond. Those eyes were such as have never been bestowed by the gods upon woman save as a scourge to man. They possessed the hue seen in the eyes of a tigress, yet they could be as voluptuously soft as the shadows of some dim lagoon. ”

“ Ali Mahmoud saluted with graceful dignity, turned, and walked away.
For a long time Desmond stood looking after the headman, his mind filled with misgivings. From what he had overheard of the men's conversation he had been forced to conclude that superstition was working among them like a virus. The source of the strange rumors passing from man to man he had been unable to trace. He wondered if definite human enmity might not be at the bottom of the trouble. The desertion of the official watchman of the temple was significant. ”

“ Desmond clenched his fists, and for many moments was silent.
“You and I, Ali Mahmoud,” he said at length, “will do the work ourselves!”
“It is agreed,” the Egyptian replied; “but upon the condition, Desmond Effendi, that neither you nor I shall remain here to-night.”
“What?”
Desmond glared angrily, but Ali remained unmoved.
“I am a man of few words,” he said, in his simple, direct fashion; “but that which I saw last night was no fit thing for a man to see. To-night I go. You, too, effendi, will leave the temple.” ”

“ Across the waters of the river of romance there came, faintly, magically, the sound of a throbbing darabukkeh and the wail of a reed pipe—that ancient music which the ages have not changed, and which accompanied the gliding of Cleopatra's golden barge down the mystic Nile to meet the great Roman soldier.
A man's voice—a light barytone, possessing in a marked degree the wild, yearning note peculiar to oriental vocalists—rose upon the night's silence. ”

“ It is subsidized by a millionaire collector, and if the jewels were found by Van Kuyper they would mysteriously disappear—and reappear in New York. It's a scandal! Such things belong neither to the Egyptian government nor to any purse-proud collector rich enough to pay to have them stolen. They belong to the world.”
His enthusiasm was infectious. Covertly, Mme. de Medicis watched him; and in the dusk the man's strong, rugged profile resembled that of the carven Rameses who holds eternal court amid the ruins of his great temple-palace. ”

“ Once let the idea that a place is haunted take root in the Arab mind, and, short of employing shackles, nothing could persuade a native to remain in that spot after sunset. Thus, at Karnak, the Bab el Abid, or Gate of the Slaves, a supposed secret apartment in the Temple of Mentu, is said to be watched over by a gigantic black afreet. No Egyptian would willingly remain alone in the vicinity of that gate by night.
Desmond entered his tent, trimmed and lighted the lamp, and wrote a note excusing himself and explaining his reasons. Sadi, the Persian poet, sings that love can conquer all ”

“ Desmond answered dreamily, “under the floor of what is sometimes called the Treasure Room.”
“You know that the Egyptian government expedition, under Van Kuyper, is similarly engaged at Biban el Muluk?”
“Van Kuyper is wrong,” snapped Desmond, with sudden animation; for the enthusiast within him was awakened by the challenge in her words. “He confuses the princess with the queen, whereas they belonged to different families. I am glad he is wrong. He deserves to fail.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because,” said Desmond grimly, “Van Kuyper is no true Egyptologist. ”

“ Music aroused him—a dim chanting. Wearily he opened his eyes. Reflection was difficult, memory defied him; but he seemed to recall that at some time he had returned to the tent.
Yet he found himself in the temple!
That it was the Temple of Medinet Habu in which he stood, he was assured, although, magically, its character had changed. Yes—this was the Treasure Room, the scene of his excavation; but it was intact! The roof had been replaced. The apartment was filled with ancient Egyptian furniture. The air was heavy with a strange scent. ”

“ It was not a conscious pose; yet he knew a certain sense of pagan triumph as he came out from the Winter Palace, past the bench upon which were seated the picturesque dragomans, and so on into the shadowed part of the street between the hotel entrance and the arcade of shops.
Beside him walked the most beautiful and elegant woman of all that gay gathering. An old roué whose name may be found in Debrett bowed to madame in mid-Victorian fashion, and eyed her cavalier unkindly. ”

“ Some of the Arabs in these parts regard the ruins of Medinet Habu as haunted, I am aware; but if one listened to natives, one could not avoid the conclusion that the whole of Egypt is haunted. My headman and several others come from Suefee, in the Fayum, and are of different mettle.”
“And so they camp in the temple?”
“Well,” Desmond admitted, “not exactly. They sleep in the village, as a matter of fact—or have been doing so for some little time past.”
“And you sleep in Luxor?” ”

“ Ali Mahmoud shook his head doubtfully.
“I thought,” he answered slowly, “not always on four legs. I thought, sometimes on two. So I challenged. When it did not answer, I fired.”
“Well?”
Ali Mahmoud repeated the gesture.
“Nothing,” he explained simply. “All the men say they have seen this unknown thing. I am glad you have returned, Desmond Effendi!”
IV
In the morning Desmond awakened early. ”

“ Shortly afterward, Desmond succumbed to the drug, and Hassan came to fetch me.”
“So?” madame murmured, dropping her half smoked cigarette into the little brass tray.
Van Kuyper glanced at her uneasily, but proceeded:
“We opened the door. It was stiff work; but what we found, you know. I merely peeped at the contents of the casket, but, madame”—he seized and kissed her hand—“the check for a thousand pounds which reached you recently was not too much! Sail for Cairo in the morning. There will certainly be the usual official inquiry. ”

“ Ali Mahmoud, having performed his duty of awakening his chief, did not retire at once, but stood in the door of the tent, a tall, imposing figure, regarding Desmond strangely.
“Well?” Desmond asked.
“There is more trouble,” the Egyptian answered simply. “Follow me, effendi, and you shall see!”
Desmond leaped out of bed immediately and followed the man to the excavation. The site was deserted. Not a laborer was there.
“Where are the men—” he began. ”

“ Languidly Mme. de Medicis swept her black lashes upward, and languidly lowered them again, veiling the amber eyes.
“Ah!” Van Kuyper laughed. “But we understand each other! We are old allies, is it not so? When I learned from Abdul, who had been watching Desmond's camp since the work began, that the shaft was an old one, I followed the arranged plan. On Tuesday night he was nearly shot by Ali Mahmoud, Desmond's headman ”