The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-12-12


say.
l knew there would he Il sarcopha-
gus, with its lid firmly ccmented and
nothing TO be seen, but l squeezed my
way past the broken gate and descend
ed the steps. At the bottom of these
steps was great accumulation Of
leaves and dirt, blown in by the winds
of centuries and as | climbed over the
heap struck a match TO look around.
There was the sarcophagu in the cen
ter of the vault. but before the match
went out | had seen that it had no
cover. | must have Il peep into it, and
SO | struck another match and adj
Nancrd. An instant after the flame
appeared ! heard movement in the
vault. L. WAS midnight darkness down
there unless one faced the gate. The
flame of the match did not show even
the farther wall. My heart lcaped as
the noise reached my ear. and for an
instant | thought of some evil minded
person lying there in wait. Then |
laughed at the idea. Those old vaults
were the hCme of rats and bats. and it
was one of those creatures heard
moving about. | stepped forward to
look into the sarcophagus. but as
reached it my second match burned
out. | had third in my fingers when
/ received Il blow on the head and
went down in a heap or the floor.
When | came 10 it was night. and l
found myself lying among bushes and
clocks of stone. | was weak and
daZed. and it seemed as If my head
would split open with the pain. No
doubt it was full hour before |
crawled out and staggered toward the
lights of the city. | had been conveyed
distance of almost a mile from the
cemetery, and daylight came as l rat
GSwn OH the steps of Il house to hold
my aching head in my hands and Try
to reason out the situation. | heard
the voice of Il native saying that | had
been assaulted. \ crowd gathered;
some one brought Il doctor, and pres
emily | recovered sufficiently to give
the name of my hotel and ask that a
carriage he called. | had received Il
smart rap, but a bad scalp wound WIS
the only result. After two days in bed
| was all right. | had not told my
story, and the landlord. the doctor and
others simply looked upon it as a case
of assault while | was prowling about
the streets at midnight. The fact that
| had been robbed down to the last
coin was corrobOrative evidence. and
| received many words IF caution about
American rcckleSsnrss. l did not give
up my story until | was able 10 visit
the chief Of police in person. When |
told him what had happened, he
laughed and said:
"Ah. you foreigners you must al
ways have a story TO account for
everything. but in this case, why need
you tell one? There is 10 wife To be
deceived
"Then you don't believe what say"
asked.
You went wandering about the
streets at night. You may have had Il
love adventure You followed it up too
sharply. and the result was a broken
head. Perhaps the woman WAS de-
coy. You are old enough to know what
these things may lead to-"
But am no fool. | tell you | was
struck down in the tomb of Ayun Mu-
sa, and it must have taken two men ia
carry me away. What We're they do
ing in that place? Why did they as
sault me? If | had been assaulted
elsewhere or i'll any other manner,
there is no reason why | should not
say So
"WeIl?" answered the chief.
well. why not have the vault
searched?"
"For what reason?
"To discover who is lurking there, of
course"
But why SHOULD care who is Turk
ing there:"
Don't you care anything about
catching criminals in this part of the
world:'
I'VE catch hundreds. but we do not
look for them in the cities of the dead.
l wish you good morning, sir
The official took it that | was either
a fool or liar. and was mad about
it. However. as | could TO nothing
without him. | had about decided TO
let the matter drop when l ran across
an American from Chicago. When |
told him the yarn. he offered to accom-
pany me to the tomb. Aiming our
selves and taking candles, we set out
for the cemetery. 1t will still he re-
mcmbcred in Alexandria what we dis
cnyprp1 thprp There WAS Il man asleep
on the floor who proved to I've II noto-
rious and much wanted rObbrr. and
that sarcOphagrS wIS full to the hrim
of spoilS. He had robbed pedestrians,
houses. stores and even churches, and
most of the stuff WAS right there. My
watch, pin. rim. and $500 in cash were
only Il small bit of the plumber. That
tomb WAS his hiding place and his home,
and lie had depended upon superstition
to keep intrudcrs away. We marched
him out as Il prisoner and gave him up
to the authorities. | was at first in
clined to rub it I'm on the chief of po-
lice. He twiggcd the fact and with
very sober countenance turned on me
with:
"Yes, you were telling me n straight
story, as it appears, and you have made
a capture for which | thank you, but
don't get too fresh over it. Under the
laws of Egypt l can have you sent to
prison for ten years for entering a
vault of the dead without official per
mission. Do you see:'
saw and had nothing more to say.