Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-05-01

ssIt Is too late to ponder,n she answered,
lifting her white and beauteous face and
fixing her blue eyes, all big with terror,
upon mine own. She took the dagger, and
with set teeth the Queen Of this day plunged
It into the dead breast Of the Pharaoh Of
three thousand years ago. Andeven as she
did DO, from the opening Of the shaft
where we had left the eunuch there came
a groaning soundi We leaped to our feet,
but heard no more, and through the OPEN
ing the lamp-light still streamed down.
tIt is naught," said. LET us make an
end"
Then with much toll we hacked and rent
heard the knife-point CRATE upon tho gems
within.
Cleopatra plunged her hand into the dead
breast and drew forth somewhat. She held
it to the light, and gave q little cry, for
from the darkness of Pharaoh's heart there
flashed into light and life the most beau
teous emerald that ever man beheld. Per-
feet it was in color, very large, without q
flaw, and fashioned to scarabBus form,
and on the under side was the oval, In
scribed with the divine name OF Menka-ra,
Son of the Sun.
Again, again, and yet again she plunged in
her hand and drew from Phara0h's breast
great emeralds bedded there in spices.
Some were fashioned and some were not;
but all were perfect in color, without q
flaw, and In value priceless. Again and
again she plunged her white hand into that
dread breast, till at length all were found,
and there were one hundred and forty and
eight Of such gems as are not known in
the world. And the last time that she
searched she brought forth not emeralds.
indeed, but two great pearls, wrapped in
linen, such as never have been seen And
of these pearls more hereafter.
So it was done, and all the mighty treas
ure lay glittering in a heap before us. There
the spiced and sickly scented wralpings,
and the torn body of white-haired Pharaoh
Menka-ra, the Osirian, the everything in
Ameuti.
We rose, and great awe fell upon US,
now that the deed was done and our hearts
were no more upborne by the rage Of eager
search-so great an awe, indeed, that we
could not speak. 1 made q sign to Cleo
patra. She grasped the head Of Pharaoh
and grasped his feet, and together we
lifted him, climbed the sphinx, and placed
him once more within his coffin. On him
! piled the torn mummy cloths, and on them
laid the lid OF the coffin.
And now we gathered up the great gems,
and such of the ornaments as might with
could, within the folds OF my robe. And
those that were left did Cleopatra hide upon
her breast. Heavily laden with priceless
treasure, we gave one last look at the
dreadful, solemn place, at the great sar-
cophagus, and the sphinx whereon it rested,
whose face of awful calm seemed to mock
us with its everlasting smile of wisdom.
Then we turned and went from the tomb.
At the shaft we halted. called to the
,bn or Lob OH
that faint hooking laugh answered me.
Too smitten with terror to call again, and
fearing that, should we delay, Cleopatra
would surely swoon, seized the rope, and,
beng strong and quick, mounted by it and
gained the passage. There burnt the lamp,
but the eunuch saw not. Thinking surely
that he was little way down the passage
and slept-as, in truth, he did babe Cleo
patra make fast the rope about her middle,
and with much labor drew her up. Then,
having rested awhile, we moved on with
the lamps to seek the eunuch.
'sHe hath been stricken with terror, and,
leaving the lamp, hath fed" said Cleo
patra. ''Oh, We Gods! who is that seated
there2"
I pesred into the darkness, thrusting out
the lamps, and this is what their light fell
on-this, at the very dream whereof my
soul sickens! There, facing US, his back
resting against the rock, and on either side
his hands splayed upon the floor, sat the
eunuch-dead! His eyes and mouth were
open, his fat cheeks dropped down, his thin
hair yet seemed to bristle, and on his coun-
| tenance was frozen such stamp of hideous
terror as well might turn the beholders'
brain. And 10! fixed by its hinder claws,
| even to his chin, hung that mighty bat
which, flying forth when we entered the
pyramid, vanished in the sky, but which,
returning, had followed US to It's depths
There it hung upon the dead mans chin,
slowly rocking itself to and fro and we
| could see the fiery eyes shining in its evil
head. via -.
Aghast, utterly aghast, we stood and
stared at the hateful sight; till presently
| the bat spread his huge wings, and, loosing
his hold, sailed to US. Now he lowered be-
| fore Cleopatra's face, tanning her with his
wings. Then with a scream, like woman's
shrek Of fury, seeking his violated tomb,
the accursed Thing fitted on and van
| ished down the well into the sepulchers. I
fell against the wall But Cleopatra sank
| in heap upon the floor, and, covering her
head with her arms, she shrieked till the
hollow passages rang with the echoes Of her
| cries, that seemed to grow and double and
rush along in volumes of shrill sound.
s'Riser' cried, ''rise and let us hence
| ere the Spirit shall return to haunt usl II
thou dost suffer thyself to be overwhelmed
here in this place, lost art thou forever"
She staggered to her feet, and never may
forget the look upon her ashy face or in
her glowing eyes. Selling lamps. with q
| rush we passed the dead eunuch.s horrid
| form, I holding her by the hand We gained
| the great chamber, where was the sarS
| cophagus of the Queen OF Menka-ra, and
| traversed its length. We fed along the
passage. What if the Thing had closed
the three mighty doorsa No. they were
| open, and we sped through them; the last
only did I stay to close. I touched the
| stone, as knew low, and the great door
| crashed down, shutting US OF from the
presence of the dead eunuch and the Hor-
! ror that had hung upon the eunuch's chin.
| Now we were in the white chamber with
| the sculptured panels, and now we faced
! the last steep ascent. Oh, that last ascent !
Twice Cleopatra slipped and fell upon the
| polished floor. The second time-'twas
when half the distance had been done-she
| let fall her lamp, and would, indeed, have
rolled down the slide had 1 not saved her.
But, in doing thus, /, too, let fall my lamp,
1 ,10lo ir<< ohoA n,