The age-herald., 1901-12-22
VIII.
AL cHINpus, THE PRlEsT.

perienee in my life, but that was e ter rihle one. which I am never likely to TOT get. It came about in this way;
 went on political business to Cairo with orders to obtain, at any cost the embalmed body of Al Chindus, priest or ancient Egypt. Some papers of th7 great est importance had been deposited in his sarcophagus by a powerful official who had given us a great deal of trouble. After considerable difficulty the sarcophagus was handed over to me. Nothing had been said ahout the documents 1t contained; l was left to discover them for myself--if could. No doubt the hiding place had heen' considered a perfectly safe one at the time and 1t was only by chance that we had heard of it.
 had hoped to have found the papers in some receptacle in the walls of the sarco- tha gus. but after a close search l could discover nothing from the outside. must open the coffin. With great difficult tv I at length succeeded in raising the lid. I removed the wrappings with rev erent hands. but as the form within was revealed I started back with hoarse cry.
 Dead! This man dead! Why, it was as though he slept l touched the flesh fear fully; it was soft as the flesh of a living creature, and had the look and color or life, Never had I realized that body could be preserved in so marvellous manner On a closer examination l found that, Iunlike most of the Egyptian mum mies.i the body had not been dishgured in any way. It was intact as 1t had been in life.
 I was alone. with the exception of ser wants, in a little house on the borders of the desert. and it was late at night Darkness and mystery seemed to wrap me round, and I felt an unusual sensa- ton of fear and trembling expectation. would have rushed away from 1t all if could, but it was too late. l must go through with it now.
 Nerving myself to the effort, searched for the papers, and drew forth at last, not only the modern documents of which I was in search, and which had evident- ly been slipped just under the lid, but an ancient papyrus as well, that lay un- der the dead mans hand, and which l examined eagerly. It was written in bold Hleratic writing and was of considerable length. but I had no time then to read more than the first few paragraphs.
 Tt is a matter of established faith with us that an undecayed body will be re-ani- mated after 5000 years. I am going to put this belief to the test in my own person, therefore my body will not be embalmed after the ordinary manner of the Egyptians
 I had read thus far when my attention was attracted to the, hieroglyphic legends painted on the coffin, which set forth that Al Chindus, was learned and noble Egyptian priest, and giving the date of his death with other particulars. l made a rapid calculation, and discovered that this night would complete the three thousand years since he had died! started back in a sudden access of fear and horror, but the next moment l was ready to despise myself for being moved by such an old superstition. The day of miracles was over. Who had ever heard of such a thing coming to pass? I was unnerved by my strange surroundings the mysterious atmosphere of this old land had affected me and made me, for z moment. think all things possible. I must remember that nowadays we believe in nothing that we cannot understand.
 I looked again at the recumbent figure lying in solemn state. This man had beer a power in the land in his day and even death could not rob him of his dignity The Egyptian priests were divided into four classes, and Al Chindus must have belonged to the Nowto for he still wore the sign of his order-the fiat ring oi plate of gold.
 My travelling clock chimed the hour oi midnight, and, as the last blow fell q culver passed over the motionless form before me and slowly-slowly the eyelids were raised. I met the full gaze of his eyes and stopped short, as though 6 hand had pressed me back trembling with a sudden, unknown fear. e For an instant I tried n meet tbOsA a xx- full eyes, while the blood grew cold round my heart and my breath came in heavy 1 gasps between my parted lips. as though 1 had been running hard. Then, unable | to bear the terrible look, I sank to the floor with a low moan and covered my face with my hands. 4 l s All that I had heard and read of the power of the Evil Eye was now brought home to me for the first time. realized that glance may strike like a blow. may 1 penetrate to the heart of ones being like a virulent poison, robbing one of all | strength to resist. I grew sick with fear, l who was no tyro In the world of evil, and trembled like a child.Al Chindus had the fatal double pupil which from time immemorial has been recognized as giv- Ing a baleful power to the eye and in his life he must have cultivated this pow CT until 1t had become a deadly weapon IL. It was the essence of evil and could strike with more fatal effect than any weapon made by man. A weaker nature than mine would have hopelessly succumbed. but 1 was protected to a certain extent by the life I had led
 Presently a voice sounded in the si- lence. a voice that seemed to come from my own lips and yet whose every tone was unfamiliar to me. and 1t spoke of things of which I knew naught.
 T have become power in the land, all the more powerful, because secret. Few see In me anything more than Al Chin dus the priest, who is devoted to the ser vice of the gods and rarely ventures out into the world. But the king consults me on every occasion, and my knowledge grows day by day. The spirit that hold at my command is as wise as it is dan gerous, but I can control 1t and why should 1 fear? Without its aid I could have achieved little. But it grows too eager for reward. These constant sac rifces will attract attention in time and may, besides, give strength greater than I could desire.
 "I had thought myself proof against all human emotions except ambition, and yet the sight of Nephthys is beginning to trouble me When serve in the tenn pie; when, alone at night I make my experiments; when, weary and exhausted, I throw myself down on my bed. her face comes between me and my deyo- tions, between me and my art. between me and my rest It is always before me. that sweet pure face, with the deep dark eyes-like black pools on which the sun