Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-22
l 4


of water for the beau-tee-ful Princessa My Lord
will surely buy cup of water for the Princessa!
evident understanding of the state of his heart and
Mary bushed furiousy as she felt the party amused
glances upon her.
of the Kings Tombs turned embarrassing atten-
ton away from them. The gorge through which the
party had ridden now narrowed to an opening be-
tween bare yellow rock into the famous site of the
Pharaohs' tombs This long, narrow desert
valley shut in every side by tall forbidding rock
cliffs. No sign of vegetation or life in the whole
valley; an uncanny solitude brooded the spot
that Egypts ancient Kings had chosen for their
guarded slumber through the ages In the naked
glowered the tomb entrances. like yawning black
mouths to caverns. deathlike fearful quiet rested
on the barren, burning, rock inclosed valley.
So impressed Mary with the gruesome air OF
the place that she shuddered nvoluntarily when she
saw human beings emerge from the black openings
in the cliff walls She felt if she had strayed near
the exit of Tartarus and if the underworld was
giving up its prisoners before her very eyes.
MRS. KENDALL'S party. leaving their donkeys
w at the entrance to the valley, followed Moham
med into the imposing tomb of Set |. Going down a
flight of steps hewn in the rock, they entered into
broad corridor and the darkness of the underworld.
BY the light of candles they studied the carvings
the long line of corridors and pared chambers that
had been the midnight palace where Sets royal
mummy lay in hidden state On the walls OF this
temporary refuge of Sets spirit pictorial repre-
sensations of the voyage he must make and the dam
gers he undergo until he should pass all the bar
riers,-until he should overcome.
By the glimmering light of the candles Mary fol-
lowed the pictorial story of Ra s. the sun god voy'
age with Seti through that which is in the under
world. She the god Ra and Set in the boat
of the sun, floating on the River of Night On the
banks of the stream thronged spectral demons and
monsters. Set had need of the Light. Massive
gates guarded by gods and fire splitting snakes barred
the way. Each gate bore name known to the sun
god which Set had also to learn to know if he would
pass through the gate
WHEN the party had inspected Others of the
:" larger tombs Mrs. Kendall assembled them in
the cool shadow of tall rock for the picnic luncheon
she had brought. Mary the donkey boys cus
tered together the animals. Missing Abdul, she
glanced down the valley and saw him sitting on the
sand by the Egyptian water girl. Her water jar was
forgotten beside her; he seemed unconscious that
Rameses roaming at will. When Abdul led
Rameses around to Mary as she mounting for the
return to Luxor, the pretty little water girl came
shyly with him.
Sit induce you Zainab from my village. Zainab
and Abdul promised to one anuzzer. We marry
bime by
knew that marriage between such youthful couples
was nothing uncommon in Egypt. AS she galloped
along with the Others, Marys thoughts dwelt on the
little desert romance she had just discovered. Sud-
denly she remembered Zainab's words to Hamilton.
Had Abdul even noticed Had Abdul told Zainab
that Mary blushed at the very thought.
Hamilton the sudden surge of crimson across
her cheeks and wondered.
A half-hour's ride from the Tombs of the Kings
brought the party TO Der-e barn. the temple erected
by woman and called by the old Egyptians Most
splendid of all. And even in ruins Queen Makeres
temple had the delicate beauty and grace with which
a woman adorns her work Against the golden col
ored rocky wall Der-el- Bahri shone dazzlingly
white raised high aoft upon its three terraces the
mountainside
After having stroled over Der-el- Bahri, Mrs. Ken
das party renounted their donkeys and rode to the
next temple on their way, the Ramesseum dedicated
by Rameses ii. to the Theban god Ammon 1t was
nearing sunset when they left the Ramesseum and
started homeward The suns rays which had been
burning at the Valley of Tombs and Der-el- Bahr