The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-01-31

lTeSN air ana eAeTClSe. ihC u
part will be after we reach Boston mar
Dor | shall prepare for a stay OF
twenty-four hours or more at the GUS
tom house by making myself lnsehsI
BILE with opium or some drug, TO while
away the time and prevent feellhs
of cramp from lying in my case.
shall be consigned to Mr.. Essayan. our
fat Armenian friend, and | nave no
doubt that he will consider me 10 De
from Berg his art expert on the other
side and welcome me with open arms.
OF course he will deposit me In MS
museum, where | hope to accomplish |
my undertaking"
But Essayan will recognize the |
statue | objected.
Neither Essayan nor Berg himself
will recognize it," Nikolai answered.
We readily procured mummy in
London, and, on the night before our
return Journey, Nikolai gave me my
final instructions.
"AIl you will have to do" he said,
will be to wait at the back OF the
house with a blanket and catch what |
shall throw out to you. You will have
a pony trap in waiting-or perhaps 1t
would be still better to be In the guise
of the collector of waste from barrels.
In this way you will not be under sus-
picion. You will wait, Of course, I'M
til the Waterman has made his round;
then | shall throw down the statue
We unwrapped the mummy from its
fastenings. l confess 1t was some
what gruesome undertaking, and when
finally we stood looking down upon
the features of that ancient Egyptian,
| detected in 1t an uncanny resem-
blance to Nikolai There was the
same high forehead, the same eagle
nose: moreover, the proportions,
shriveled though they were, were lit
tie short Of Nikolais. He laughed.
"Reincarnation?" he said, smiling
down on the grotesque thing. We'll,
If SO, my worthy ancestor in the flesh,
we shall put you to good purpose
We left the mummy in our rooms
there was no way to dispose of it
and Nikolai got into the box. wrap
ped the windings round him and
placed a pillow beneath his head.
Then, having bored number Of holes
in the case, which rubbed with pig
ment to make them appear as though
they were the product of time, put
on the lid.
How do you feel?" asked.
We'll, but stuffy," came Nikolai's
answer family from within the case.
Then he called to me to raise the lid.
For heavens sake do not forget to
lay by a goodly supply of food for my
use in your stateroom," he said. "As
you may have observed, am great
trencherman. Now shut her down."
He tested the air for half an hour
and found it breathable. Then he
emerged and we made our final dispo-
sitions.
/. On the following day l boarded the
Hispaniola, sailing from Liverpool fol
Boston. The mummy was hoisted on
board, and little while afterward
Nikolai came to life within my state
room. The voyage across the Allan
tic was uneventful, and, although my
4, mummy caused considerable tall
among the stewards, nobody suspected
that 1t contained very much up-to
, date passenger.
I We arrived on Sunday. The cas-
! would be delivered on the followin,
: morning, Nikolai said, and the Gus
q toms officers promised to hurry
!. through. l forget what duty l paid
I it was well worth 1t. On Monda.
= night, about the hour of twelve, Nj
kolai was to emerge from the mum
{ my case, select his statue and throw
= 1t down to me.
I Then l remembered that the hou
I would be too early for the advent o
- the ash-barrel collector. ! hit on
+ new plan. l would drive past tn
d back of the house in sight of tn
d Waterman, in an automobile; woul
;. pretend that the machine had brokel
o down, and would stop in the stree
q for repairs.
This plan carried into effect. Tn
e banker was In the country, ha
l. learned, and the house deserted.
r would be the easiest matter to accom-
i plish my scheme. Soon after mic
e night ! drove up toward Essayan'
o house. l duly stopped the machine
e uttered an exclamation of anger, d.
r scended, and burrowed into the groun
Is beneath it. AS had anticipated, tn
Waterman paused on his round
u Broken DOWN." he inquired syn
e. pathetically.
lie I'm not doing this for fun" I al
II swered, with feisned anger.
He watched me for a while an
m then resumed his patrol of the hous
h The moment that he disappeared
s. sprang from under the machine, seize
ic the blanket had brought, and whis
led twice, the appointed signal. The
,e looking up, | saw Nikolais head a
8 pear from an upper window.
e. Nikolai motioned with his hands:
?" spread the blanket and braced myse
n to receive the weight of the statu
Of To my establishment, however, | r
ceived. not what ! had expected, b
n an oblate sphere. that hurtled heavi
70 through the air and descended in
the receptacle. glanced at it hastil
al It was the fore part of female he,
IN of course in marble.
g. laid it down stupidity and glanc,
n up again. Once more an object d
TO seconded. This time II was a leg