The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-04
do bu. to strive to appear calm. and if

do but to strive to appear calm. and if
possible quiet him.
$50 you really think this must be the
elixir of life?" inquired calmly.
''Of course it is, - he cried. DO you sup
pose il will restore life to that carrion
there after thirty centuries or more aid
not prolong the life of one already hvlngY
Yet, it is the true elixir, the true founta n
of YOUTH Here his rawlings became il
coherent, and so continued for some time.
well, it may be as you say, doctor" |
said at length. But let US first get this
fellow fully resuscitated and get out 81
here as soon as we can. Heavens thlr
what fame will be ours when We introduce
to the world living priest of the Eigl-
teenth dynasty"
aResuscitate that dogp' he screamed
"Waste on him any more of the precious
fluid which means thousands of years Of
lite 10 usi No, no. Let him sleep as he
has slept. All that a man has will he give
for his life. and here is life lifel life -
thousands of years OF IT,
'Why should you have any of it?" he
continued, casting look of deep maIignity
upon me. why should you enjoy what
you did not discover? You would never
have suspected the true nature of tie
liquor. You would have wasted it all en-
that carcass there. No, no. You have TO
right 10 it. 1t is all mine. Millions Of
years of life, and all minel"
You are welcome to it all, doctor, if
you wish it, | managed to say. Il an
not enamored with life enough to desire 20
prolong it indefinitely. l am satisfied
with nv allotted length of days. But now
let US get out of here if you do not wish 10
carry our experiment further"
"Verv well, then" he cried. ut is all
mine. Eternity is minel l must begin
upon it now. before am a moment older.
From this moment become as one of the
gods. l drink, +" he said, lifting the flask
to his lips, "to immortality" A bright
green glare shot from the vase as he held
it aloft.
Forgetful of danger sprang forward TO
inherent his draught, fully believing that
a medicine so powerful as We had found
this TO be would be fatal TO living man,
and determined to save my friends life ut
ward, snatched the flask from his hands
and flung it far down one of the une:.-
plored corridors. For an instant he stood
as if thunderstruck.
Then, with incredible quickness, and
without uttering a word, he drew stiletto
from his breast, plunged it into my bosom
and darted down the corridor. I fell
fainting to the floor, but before lost con-
seriousness / heard a long, blood-curdlir Q
scream, followed by deathly silence, and
/ knew no more.
returned to consciousness in the hum
bic hut of fellah near the scene of nv
explorations, whittier / had been convened
by my men, who had found me insensib e
in the thick darkness of the vaulted cham
Der. had lowered for weeks between Ii e
and death, but the anxious care of phy-
stefan, whom the Scientific Society had
sent me on hearing of my wound, finally
restored me to consciousness and life. No
tidings of Dr. Batesi had been received.
As soon as | was able | revisited III q
sxof tres
remained. The wretched fellahin, who
are not permitted to sell any of the treas
ures of antiquity which they may dis
cover had taken all away to dismembur
them at their leisure, in order to sell the
fragments surreptitiously to tourists. TIE
body of the priest had disappeared with
the other contents of the tomb.
Feebly and dIsconsolately 1 crawled
along one of the corridors, which seemed
to me to be the one down which had
thrown the crystal vase. Suddenly nv
torchbearer, who was in advance, started
back with a cry of horror. Advancing
cautiously, found myself looking down
into wide pit which was sunk perpendic-
ularly in the center of the passage. I
threw a pebble down it, but no sound of
its fall returned to my ears from the thick
blackness below.
As turned, weary and sick at heart, nv
foot struck a soft object. 1t was light
felt hat l knew it, and its owners fate
The next day found me on my way 10
the diabeah which was to take me down
the Nile. After my litter had been placed
on board, looking up at the bank CHANGED
to see a tall. majestic figure, richly clad in
garments of strange and ancient fashion.
gazing intently upon the boat, and as t
seemed, at me.
'Who is that man ?'' asked my servant.
"He is stranger, Excellency. A new
conner. They call him Neffar. He is very
wise. they say. Very wise and very rich,
but he talks little. Some say he has the
evil eye, but / do not know"
The diabeah cast off from the shore. and
with a favoring breeze shot swiftly down
the stream. As We swept downward |
kept my eyes on the grand, imposing fig-
ure of the stranger as his gaze followed
the boat, until a bend in the river shut
him from view
STRANGE" I said to the doctor at my
side, what Authorizations sick men NAV
have. Now 1 almost thought that -
eyes, they are strange" he replied
FRANK NJ. EASTMAN.