New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-28
yasartas was no longer n possession of the BLUSH


was not alarmed, though he could not y eu S,y
for certain if it only mere cold My menWyT NJ
reverted TO those words in the postscript VI emo
Blake's letter "Please see her and make suIs
that she is well" Had Mr.. Blake any reason ioo
saying this? No, assuredly. not How cou ldi ~
know that his daughter would catch cold nea aaoe
month after he wrote? 1t was mere concldenot,
and yet he had said plainly enough that LhIi"
life was in danger because Vasartas was III hi th7c
land. The construction l had put upon Pon Amen
himself in all probability had vowed vengtnntl
if the mummy not returned to us rlgho ena
poSseSsors. Lloras cold could not have any lie"
nection with the matter. Nevertheless, pneu
Miss Russell with my fictitious aunt ana cous "a
and extracted from her promise to wire me uu
ngs of Lora to Gibraltar or for Llora
sake, though for Lora's sake l would IAN nave
remained in England. 49,, ..
At Gibraltar | was terribly disappointed 10
find no news awaiting me from Miss Russell, though
flattered myself into the belief that no news W..
good news We all of us, even pessimlsts ID spl.e
of themselves believe what peases us mosy
without lnese self-deceptions indeed. life woulu |
be unbearabe. Pandora's box is the common
Inheritance of everybody. l told myself there
was no need for anxiety on Lora's account; pc
sides if the presence of Vasartas had really any
baneful influence on her. that influence was nov
at an end. Then | fell TO wondering what Mri
Blake meant to do with Vasartas now thaI
had brought her back to him. -
When the mails were brought on board on
Alexandria telegram was handed TO me. HaS-
tily | tore il open and read the fatal words
NO hope OF Llora."
| sank down on deck chair and all power
of thought or action seemed 10 leave me. l wa wa
like a man in dream. People with whom had
been on friendly terms during the voyage Went
to and fro and addressed me, but | heard not
what they, said. The hurry and bustle, OF ge.,
ting into the boats passed by me unheeded. HOW
long | might have remained thus, with senses
dulled to everything save the reality OF Lo IRA
danger, | cannot tel, had not n hand been hlu
on my shOu lder and voice said:
" Mr. Montague
looked up The man who addressed me was
"A
solicitor and general legal adviser to the English
residents in Cairo and Alexandria.
Mr. Montague he repeated -" had instruc,
tions 10 deliver this into your hands so soon as
you landed, and as | afraid / might miss
you on the quay, / came on board +
Mr. Blake Is not here :? L guerled ;ogt i
" Thank Cod l exclaimed, shall not have
MIR Blake is-dead,' said Mr.. Frampton,
"Mr, Blake dead? impossible and LlOra
dying" -. 49,. ..u,,n,oa
Mr. Frampton. On the march inland with
the expedition the party stopped to shoot some
elephants. Mr. Blake was good shot: I've been
great bull elephant from the open and missed, or
at any rate the shot only grazed the beasts ear
:" He fired again and missed, and before he had
time 10 get to shelter the Infatuated animal was
on him, and he was literally trampled to death
They buried him on the spot, poor fellow, and
one of the party came back TO Cairo with the sad
news"
The horror of the thing took from me all power
of expression, and the lawyer went on,
" About three days after the expedition started
a messenger returned and brought me this pack
age from Mr.. Blake. | think the same messenger
had a letter to you also. Mr. Blake sent instruc
tiOns that | to deliver this into your hand i'm
mediately your return from England in case
through delay accident he might not be in
Alexandria to meet you himself. How little he
thought when he wrote 10 me that death would
prevent the meeting!'
| took the packet and opened il mechanically.
First | came letter to myself in Blake's
handwriting. Trembling, | tore it open and read
q" My dear Harry: As may not have returned
from the expedition when you arrive with
NaSartas, must tell You the terrible secret which
has been revealed TO me by Ahmed Ben Amen the
seer. Had il concerned only myself II would be
of small account all men must die, and have
lived into middle life, and thank God my life has
been happy one, therefore it IS not for me to muir
muir at what must be- But il concerns also my
LlOra, whom by this time you have seen. She is
beautiful, she is young-tOo young 10 die-and for
her sake / implOre you 10 carry out this trust If
aught should occur TO prevent my meeting you
when you come with Nasartas. on will see in the
translation Of the parchment, which, with the
original, | send you. that the curse my children
only lasts until NaSartas is laid once more In the
! tomb. This ] implOre you 10 do. first replacing
The original parchment wherr found II. Then
! shall the curse pass from Llora and alone shall
suffer for what did, Heaven knows unwttingly.
" If il should De that | may not see you or
l-lora again, tell her that thought of her always,
! but keep secret from her the story of Vasartas.
In after years watch kindly that young life
which / ask you now 10 save We may meet
again, but ! cannot tell for life seems now II thing
of the past to your true friend, JOHN BLAKE"
Hastily l Withdrew the paper enclosing the
/ parchment. attached TO which was the translation
III Mr.. Blakes writing At the top of the sheet
! Oh which il written ! read:
- AHMED BEN ANEN'S TRANSLATION"
Then came The terrible words:
Na>artas Of ten kings Of the Royal House Of
Namoth.
Cursed he the man that Shall disturb the tomb
of me NaSarlaS: To him shall death come with
violence and his bones shall be scattered with
| the winds. Also his children shall be cut of
from life until l. Na>artas, be laid To rest and
10 more seen.
Nasartas of mighty king, have spoken
The curse had fallen on Blake And LlOrd
Was there Vet time 10 save her. she by this
cut OIL from hfe? The telegram stated that she
was dying. While there is life there is hope. 50
| explained 10 Mr.. Frampton the necessity for
haste, and he undertook 10 assist in the reburinl
| of NaSartas
II was night when we reached the site Of the
| tomb underneath the wall of rock from which
| Blake had removed the Sarcoplagus in such
| triumph only few weeks before. Unfortunately,
a great pile Of sand had collected where the hol-
low had been, and it took dozen men about an
! hour 30 dig down 10 the stone slab which closed
| the opening 10 the subterranean cavern. Once
more removed it and LET the sarcopha gus down
| by means of ropes Scarcely had we got it into
position when one of our party called out:
Heres Sand>torm coming up. Quick! Fet
10 the other side of this wall, you're all dead
men,
lelter-sl,eltcr we clnmbered out Of the vault,
not even waiting 10 replace the stone, and took
refuge behind the old wall that had withst0od
the storms Of thousands Of years: and not u
| minute too soon were we, for the great binding
Sand-clOud was Al one moment thought
that even with the protection of the wall we were
done for, rs over the top of il came great ava
anche of sand, burying some of rs up TO our
waists Then as the air cleared, the
daTlI-moving mass in front of us rolling away out
of sight, and we knew that the danger past.
We helped each other 10 scramble out of the
loose sand, and having shaken out our clothing as
best we could, we went round 10 the other side
of the wall But there no wall 10 be seen
for there y.pS great bank of sand right up 10 the
top of it, The tomb Of VaSartaS was well hidden,
and as il was open when fled round the wall,
the sand must have completely flied the cavern