Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-15

brought from the mines of Mount Harbal.
Platinum, you call it. The ring had, re-
membered, hollow crystal set in it, in
which some few drops of liquid might be
stored. Now, the secret OF Parmes could
not have to do with the metal alone, for
there were many rings of that metal in
the temple. Was it not more likely that
he had stored his precious poison within
the cavity Of the crystal? | had scarce
come to this conclusion before, in hunt
ing through his papers, came upon one
which told me that it WIS indeed so, and
that there was still some OF the liquid I'M
used.
'But how to find the ring? 1t was not
upon him when he was stripped for the
embalmer OF that am sure. Neither
was it among his private effects. In vain
| searched every room that he had en-
! tered, every box and vase and chattel that
he had owned / sifted the very sand Of
the desert in the places where he had been
wont to walk; but, do what | would, |
could come upon no traces Of the ring Of
Thoth. Yet it may be that my labors
would have overcome all obstacles had it
not been for a new and unlooked-for
misfortune.
"a great war had been waged against
! the Hyksos, and the Captains of the Great
King had been cut off in the desert, with
all their bowmen and hofsemen. The
shepherd tribes were upon US like the To-
Gusts in dry year. From the wilderness
of Shur to the great bitter lake there was
blood by day and fire by night. Abaris
was the bulwark of Egypt, but we could
not keep the savages back The city fell.
The Governor and the soldiers were put
to the sword, and |, with many more, was
led away into captivity.
"For years and years l tended cattle in
the great plains by the Euphrates. My
master died, and his son grew old, but |
was still as far from death as ever. At
last l escaped upon a swift camel, and
made my way back to Egypt. The Hyksos
had settled in the land which they had
conquered, and their own King ruled over
the country. Abaris had been torn down,
the city had been burned, and of the great
temple there was nothing left save an I'M
slightly mound. Everywhere the tombs
stroyed. OF my Ama's grave no sign was
left. 1t was buried in the sands of the
desert, and the palm trees which marked
the spot had long disappeared. The
papers of Parmes and the remains Of the
Temple of Thoth were either destroyed
or scattered far and wide over the deserts
of Syria. All search after them was vain.
"From that time l gave up all hope of
ever finding the ring or discovering the
subtle drug. | set myself TO live as pa
tiently as might be until the effect of the
elixir should wear away. How can you
understand how terrible a thing time is,
you who have experience only of the mar
row course which lies between the cradle
and the gravel | know it 10 my cost, /
who have foated down the whole stream
of history. was old when Hum fell. |
was very old when Herodotus came to
Memphis. l was bowed down with wears
when tie new gospel came upon earth.
Yet you see me much as other men are,
with the cursed elixir still sweetening my
blood, and guarding me against that which
| would court. Now, at last, at last | have
come TO the end of it!
81 have travelled In all lands and | have
dwelt with all nations. Every tongue is
the same to me. l learned them all to help
pass the weary time. l need not tell you
how slowly they drifted by the long dawn
of modern civilization the dreary middle
years, the dark times of barbarism. They
are all behind me now. l have never
looked with the eyes Of love upon another
woman. Alma knows that l have been
constant to her.
at was my custom to read all that the
scholars had to say about ancient Egypt
l have been in many positions, sometimes
atnuent, sometimes poor, but Ihave always
found enough to enable me to buy the
journals which deal with such matters.
Some nine months ago | was in San Fran
cisco, when | read an account of some
discoveries made in the neighborhood of
Abaris. My heart leapt into my mouth
as read it. II said that the exeavator
had busted himself in exploring some
tombs recently unearthed. In one there had
been found an unopened mummy with an
inscription upon the outer case, setting
forth that it contained the body of the
daughter of the Governor of the city in
the DAYS of Tuthmosis. 1t added that on
removing the outer case there had been
exposed large platinum ring, set with a
crystal, which had been laid upon the
breast of the embalmed woman. This,
then, was where Parmes had hid the ring
of Thoth. He might well say that it was
safe, for no Egyptian would ever stain his
soul by moving even the outer case of a
buried friend.
"That very night set off from San Fran
cisco, and in a few weeks / found myself
once more at Abaris, if a few sand heaps
and crumbling walls may retain the name
OF the great city. hurried to the French
men who were digging there and asked
them for the ring. They replied that both
the ring and the mummy had been sent to
tbs Boulak Museum at Cairo. To Boulak |
went, but only to be told that Marietta Bey
had claimed them and had shipped them
to the Louvre. l followed them, and there,
at last, in the Egyptian Chamber, l came,
after close upon four thousand years, upon
the remains of my Alma, and upon the
ring for which had sought SO long.
"But how was to lay hands upon them
How was | to have them for my very own?
1t CHANGED that the Office of attendant was
vacant l went to the Director. | con-
WINGED him that knew much about Egypt.
In my eagerness said too much. He re-
marked that a professors chair would
suit me better than seat in the Concier-
gerie. knew more, ne said, than he did.
1t was only by laundering and letting him
think that he had overestimated my knowl-
edge that l prevailed upon him to let me
move the few effects which l have re-
tanned into this chamber. 1t is my first
and my last night here.
"Such is my story, Mr.. Vansittart Smith.
I need not say more to man of your per-
ceptlon. By strange chance you have
this night looked upon the face of the
woman whom loved in those far-off days.
There were many rings with crystals in
the case, and I had to test for the plati-
mum to be sure of the one which l wanted.
A glance at the crystal has shown me
that the liquid is indeed within it, and
that l shall at last be able to shake