Evening star., 1908-01-12

what contrary opinion, Miss Fenshawe" said Roy
son. Your grandfa ther did not hesitate to
counter to the Baron wishes day, for instance"
Oh, that is nothing. Of course with his expe-
rence of Egypt he takes the lead in such matters.
What l want you to believe is this Mrs Haxton
and not Won kerber found that papyrus, or it came
OF the scheme She sought to be included in
friends party at Glengarloch with the set object
of meeting granddad whose interest in archaeology
is known to all the world She did not come across
Won kerber by accident but produced him at the
right moment. He is not casual friend, met in
Cairo, as she pretends, but a man whom she has
known for years. And last in list of guessings
which know to be true, they both fear some dscov-
cry, interruption. danger not revealed to us,
they hope to gain. They desperately poor, Mr..
Royson. They have mortgaged their credit to its
utmost extent to enable them to keep up appear
ances. and they dread some catastrophe which will
interfere with search though the only authority
have for the existence of the Roman legion's
loot is scrap of scarcely decipherable writing,
which, though genuine enough, may be nothing
better than a madmans dream
Have you told Mr. Fenshawe these things?"
asked Dick. His pledged word to Won Kerber inter
posed awkward barrier against that complete
confidence which he would gladly have given to
who had SO curiously amplifed his own doubts.
Yes everything: but he only laughs, and bids
that there stranger things buried beneath the
dust of Egypt than all the learned societies have
succeeded in revealing He is quite content that
the cruise of the Aphrodite should be wild goose
chase, long the evidence of the papyrus is
proved to be false And that is my chief stumbling
block. Perhaps you do not realize that to an anti
quarian the search yields keen pleasure the
find. The cost of this expedition is matter of
consequence to my grandfather: and l repeat that
under other conditions should regard it most
enjoyable and memorable excursion. But these
two people have made me nervous. and that is why
l was determined they should not get rid of you at
Suez, because felt that could trust you with my
doubts and fears. and look to you for help should
emergency arise. Otherwise Mr.. Fenshawe and
l would be at their mercy.
You can count on to the end, said Royson
earnestly; but would ask you not to forget that
the officers and all Engllshmen and, from
what have of them, they would never lend
themselves to any undertaking which meant actual
treachery to their employers"
That of course, is excellent far it goes,'
the tart response; but | am also aware that
of you to secrecy and exacted promise of faith
fulness to his interests The result is that not
you, Mr.. Royson, told me anything about the attack
made on him at MarselleS
This counter stroke was unexpected, and RoySon
glanced at her with some degree of embarrassment
He persuaded that if the incident came to your
knowledge it might alarm you needleSsly, he broke
in, and that sounded quite reasonab BILE.
Exactly You are beginning to appreciate the
pitfalls which awaited me when tried to convince
my grandfather that he should not credit every
statement made to him. Baron Kerber is the
most plausible of men. He never tells downright
untruth. Indeed he speaks the absolute truth; but
only part of it. Fortunately, my maid heard of
your prowess in routing the Barons assailants.
You at once became hero among the sailors;
which, by the way was only mt and proper, you are
destined to fill the role played by your distinguished
ancestor
A quiet little smile chased the shadows from her
face, and Dick flushed as he recalled the wild words
of that wonderful night in the canal
"Tagg must have been talking, he managed to
say. PLEASE tell what you have heard, Miss
Fenshawe
Nothing beyond the fact that our Austrian
friend was set upon by some highway robbers while
driving from the station to the ship at late hour,
and that you and Mr.. Tagg happened to be near.
your bond permit you to carry the story further?
What did really ha1ren ~