Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16

wholly discredited 1t was exceedingly prob
able that the first march of the return journey
to Pajura would be ordered forthwith In
deed, Fenshawe rose to his feet, meaning to
bid Abdur kad'r prepare to strike camp after
the evening meal; when Mrs. Haxton, divin
| ing his intent, cried shrilly:
MAY | ask what circumstance has
brought about this remarkable change In
your plans MIR Fenshawe! 1t Is true that we
have been favored by an extraordinary vision
of an Italian expedition at great distance
from own; but what proof have we that
it is successful, or even engaged on an errand
similar to ours"
The mere fact that extensive research Is
being carried on is sufficiently convincing.
Italian soldiers and Arabs do not form huge
earthworks in the desert for amusement
said Fenshawe.
They may be trying a last desperate
chance, she retorted.
You forget that they have the same in
formation ourselves There IS no trouble
in deciphering denote Greek, and the hero
glyph numerals are quite simple Once the
papyrus left Baron Won Kerbers possession,
our exclusive right to it vanished, and you
can hardly expect me to engage in an armed
attack on the military forces OF a friendly
nation
50 far as the papyrus goes, it is utterly use
less to anyone broke IN Won kerber sud-
denly.
Fenshawe was stirred out of his studied
calm by the seeming absurdity of the inter
ruption. "Useless!" he exclaimed. and his
brow scanned with anger. That is strange
word to apply to the only evidence of your
story that you have ever produced
Il always feared Alferi" said the other.
throwing out his hands as if pushing away a
threatening phantom He was spiteful and
jealous, and he knew enough to drive him
to interfere with me, yes When l was sure
of my ground, when had secured TRANSACTIONS
of each piece of the papyrus altered it
Altered it,"
1ncredulity and hope were oddly mixed in
the cry which came simultaneously from the
lips of two of his hearers Even Irene and
Dick. less wrapped up in the dream Of finding
the Sabean hoard. awaited Won kerber's next
utterance with bated breath The man was
too unnerved to feel any triumph at the SEN
sation he had created
Yes" he said, sinking YEARLY into chair,
though his. voice almost cracked with excite
ment, Il changed the distances in every in
stance permitted by the text As it stands
for the best, yes! A secret known to more
than one ceases to be secret. But am tired
of pretense, and you shall have the truth
though it carries with it a confession OF CHASTITY
failure. l do not know what good fortune
Alferi has blundered into at Suleiman's Well,
and admit that the place offered my own last
chance Yet, if he has found the treasure, it
was not because of the papyrus, but despite 1T
Here are photographs OF every section In their
present form" and he produced some prints
from pocketbook You were taught some
Greek at school. Mr. Royson? Very well.
Look at the passages which are family under
lined. and you will see where l have altered
whole phrases, converted tens of miles into
hundreds, and hundreds of PAGES into thou
sands And that is the document which Alheri
obtained at Marseilles He would recognize
it as the original. though it is now quite mis-
leading If he is digging at the right place by
reason of the directions given there. it is some
thing beyond belief, yes!"
You speak of Alfieri recognizing the
papyrus. Evidently. then, he had seen it
earlier In what manner was he connected
with its discovery"
Fenshawes coldly direct question came in
sharp contrast with the Austrian's impassioned
outburst. Won Kerber did not reply. With
his elbows resting on his knees, and supporting
his chin between clenched fists. he looked
through the open door of the tent with eyes
that stared into vacancy The man was in
frenzy of despair. He saw the chance of his
life slipping away from him; but he could urge
no plea in his own behalf
1t was Mrs Haxton who answered, and her
composure was oddly at variance with Won
Kerber's distress 'Alferi was assistant cura-
tor of a museum at Naples when the Italian
occupation of Eritrea led to his appointment
as Government archeologist in this territory"
she said my husband was in charge of the
Red Sea cable at that time, and Signor Giu-