The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-07-11


fresh deeds Of shamc-Cieopatra would
have welded me and broken with the Ro-
man. And indeed, In the issue, /. had been
better for her and Egypt.
! Far into the night we sat, and revealed
to her somewhat of that ancient secret of
the mighty treasure hid beneath the mass
OF Her" Thither, it was agreed, should
we go on the morrow, and the second night
from now attempt it's search. So, early on the
next day, boat was secretly made ready,
and therein did Cleopatra enter, vailed as
an Egyptian lady about to make pilgrim
! age to the Temple Of .Horemlu. And also.
cloaked as pilgrim, entered with her, and
with us ten of her most trusted servants
hidden as sailors. But Charmion entered
not with us. We sailed with a fair wind
from the Canopic mouth of the Nile: and
that night, pushing on with the moon, we
reached Sais at midnight, and there rested
for awhile. At dawn we once more
loosed our craft, and all that day sailed
swiftly till at last, at the third hour from
the sunset, we came in sight of the lights of
the fortress which is called Babylon. Here,
on the opposite bank of the river, we
moored our ship safely in a bed of reeds.
Then, or foot and secretly, we set forth
for the Pyramids, which were at a distance
, of nigh upon fifty stadia (about six mles)-.
Cleopatra, and one trusted eunuch, for the
other servants we left with the boat. Only
for Cleopatra l caught an ass that was
wandering in titled field, and threw a
cloak upon it. Thereon she sat, and led the
ass by paths knew, the eunuch following
after US. And, within little more than
an hour, having gained the great causeway.
we saw the mighty Pyramids towering up
through the moonlit air and aweing us to
silence, On we passed, in utter silence,
through the haunted city of the dead, for
all around us stood the solemn tombs, till
at length we climbed the rocky hill and
stood in the deep shadow of Khufu Khut
(the splendid Throne of Khufu).
"Of a TRUTH" whispered Cleopatra, as she
gazed up the dazzling marble slope above
her. everywhere blazoned DER with mill
ion mystic characters truth, there
were gods ruling in Khem in those DAYS,
and not men. This place is sad as Death
ay, and as mighty and as far from man.
Here must we enters"
may" answered, lit is not here. Pass
on"
led the way through thousand tombs,
till we stood in the shadow of Ur 1.-THE
GreaD, and gazod at his red, heaven
piercing mass.
SIS it here that we must enter!" she
whispered once again.
"Nay," | answered, "it is not here. Pass
ON
And we passed on through mary more
tombs, until we stood in the shadow of
Hers and Cleopatra gazed a3tonished at its
polished beauty, winch for thousands of
years had, night by night, mirrored the
moon, and at the black girdle of Ethiopian
stone that circled its base about For of
all pyramids this is the most beautiful.
SIS it here that we must enterl" she
said.
answered "Yea, it is heren
And we passed round between the temple
of the worship of his divine Majesty,
Menka-ra, the Osirian, and the base of tho
pyramid, till we came to the north side.
Hero in the center is grayed the name Of
Pharaoh Menka-ra, who built the pyramid
to be his tomb, and stored therein his
treasure against the needs of Khem.
'If the treasure still remains | said to
Cleopatra, las in the days of my great
great grandfather, who was priest of this
pyramid before me, it remained, It's hid
*TAe Upper" now known as the Third Pyra-
md.
deep in the womb of the mass before thee,
Cleopatra; nor can it be come by without
toll and danger, and terror of the nlnd.
Art thou prepared to enterl-for thou thy
self must enter and judge
"Canst thou not 90 with the cunuch, Har-
machis, and bring the treasure forh}i she
said, for little her courage began to fail
her
"Nay, Cleopatra" | answered, ''not
even for thee and for the veal of Egypt
can ] do this thing, for of all sins it
would be the greatest sin. But this it is
lawful for me to do. |, as hereditary holder
of the secret, may, upon demand, show TO
the ruling monarch of Kchm the place
where tho treasure lies, and show also the
warning that is written. And if, on seeing
and reading, the Pharaoh do deem that the
need of Khem is so sore and strait that it is
lawful for him to brave the curse of thu
dead and draw the treasure forth, it is welt
for on his head must rest the weight of this
dread deed. Three monarchs, so say the
records that have read, have thus dareG
to enter in the time of need. They wcrf
the divine Queen Ha-ta-su, that wonder
known to the Gods al.ac; her divine orotk
err Men Kheper,ra tThotmes the Great,
and the divine M-amen Ramescs IL. But
of these three majesties, notonc when they
saw dared to touch, for, though sore their
need, it was not great enough to consecrate
the act So, fearing lest the curse should fall
upon them, they went hence sorrowinC"
little she thought, till at last her spirit
ovcrcame her fear.
cat the least / will see with mlne own
eyes" she said.
st Is WELL" answered. Then, stones
having been piled up on certain spot at
the base Of the pyramid TO somewhat more
than the height of a man by me and the
eunuch who was with us, | climbed on
them and searched for the secret mark, no
larger than leaf. And, with some
trouble, for the weather and the rubbing
of the sand had worn even the Ethiopian
stone, found it. Having found it, /, in a
certain fashion, pressed thereon with all
my strength. Even after the lapse OF
years unnumbered the stones swung round,
showing little opening through which a
man might scarcely creep. AS it swung, q
mighty bat, such as | had never seen be-
fore for bigness, for his measure was the
measure of hawk, few forth and for a
moment lowered over Cleopatra, and then
in circles sailed slowly up and up till at the
last he was lost in the bright light of the
moon.
But Cleopatra uttered cry of terror,
anG the eunuch, who was watching, fell
down in fear, believing it to be the guar