The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-11-25

menu 1urtn9r.
every we'll, then," he cried. "It is
all mine Eternity is mine. must be- |
gin upon it now, before I am moment |
older From this moment become as
one Of the gods. drink" he said,
lifting tho flask to his lips, "to immor-
talityl" A bright green glare shot from
tho vase as he held it aloft.
Forgetful Of danger sprang forward
to intercept his draft, fully believing
that a medicine SO powerful rs we had
found this to be would be fatal to llV-
ing man, and, determined to save my
friond's lifo at whatever risk to my
own, I lcapcd forward, snatchcd the
flask from his hands and flung 1t far
down ono of the unexplorcd corridors.
For an instant no stood rs If thunder
struck.
Then with incredible quickness and
without uttering word he drew
stiletto from his breast, plunged 1t into
my bosom and dartcd down the corrl-
dor. fell fainting to the floor, but be-
fore lost consciousness l heard q long,
blood curdling scream, followed by a
deathly silence, and | knew no more.
1 returned to consciousness in the
humble hue Of fellah near the scene
Of my explorations, wha~her had been
conveyed by my men, who had found
mo insensible in tho thick darkness Of
the vaulted chamber. l had lowered for
weeks between life and death, but tho
anxious care Of q physician whom the
Scientific society had sent mo on hear
ing of my wound finally restored me to
consciousness and life. No tidings Of
DR.. Batesi had been received
AS soon as l was able l revisited tho
tomb. OF its former treasures not an
atom remained. The wrctchcd fellahs,
who arc not permitted to sell any of the
treasures Of antiquity which they may
discover, had taken all away to dis
member them at their leisure, in order
to sell the fragments surreptitiously to
tourists. The body Of the priest had
disappeared with tho other contents of
the tomb.
Fecbly and disconsolately crawled
along one of tho corridors which seemed
to me to be the one down which had
thrown the crystal vase. Suddenly my
torchbearer, who was i'll advance, start
ed back with cry Of horror. Advance
ing cautiously, l found myself looking
down into wide pit which was sunk
perpendicularly in the center Of tho
passage. | threw a pebble down it, but
no sound of its fall returned to my ears
from the thick blackncss below.
AS turned, weary and sick at heart,
my foot struck a soft object. 1t was a
light felt hat l knew it and it's own
er's fate.
The next day found me on my way to
the dahabeah which was to take me down
tho Nile. After my litter had been
placed on board, looking up at tho bank
chanccd to sec tall, majestic figure.
richly clad in garments of strange and
ancient fashion, gazing intently upon
the boat, and, as it seemed, at me-
"Who is that man?' l asked my
servant.
"He is a stranger, exccllcncy, a
newcomer. They call him Nctlar. 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 dahabcah cast off from the shore
and with favoring breeze shot swiftly
down the stream. AS wc swept down
ward | kept my eyes on the grand, i'm
posing figure of the stranger as his gaze
followed the boat until bend in the
river shut him from view.
| "Strango, sal: to the doctor at my
! side, "what hallucinations sick men
have. Now | almost thought that
eyes, they are strange" he replied.