Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-01-22

any one IN freemantle. especially the
young men, would have scoffed at the
idea of Eve Langham being in love
with Professor Fenton-Eve Langham.
who was the prettiest girl in the town
and who could have had her pick of
the eligible beaus. But it is a fact
that Ewes eyes suddenly filled with
tears and that she turned and fed
down a side aisle to the cloakroom.
Standing in the doorway she shook
her fist at the collection of Egyptian
relics-at the mummy cases ranged
against the walls, at the ancient tomb
furniture in the glass cases, at the cab
inets of scarabs and Egyptian jewelry.
Ugh. How | hate every one of
yeur" sobbed Eve in sudden fury.
The sun was streaming through the
~delicately tinted glass of the window
beside which stood the beautifully
painted mummy case of King AIKEN
tolem.
Professor Fenton had arrived early
at the museum and busted himself
with preparations for the removal of
the ~wrappings with which the mummy
was eneased. He was In a slight
tremor of excitement. anxious to begin
the task that promised so much from
a scientific point of view. What would
his Investigations disclose? Might not
he make a discovery that would throw
light on the mysteries of bygone ages
and perhaps win fame in the eyes of
science? So he unused as he waited
the coming of his assistant. Miss Lang
ham.
Andrew. the porter, brought two
benches. and with Professor Fenton's
help he lifted the heavy case and laid
it on the benches and removed the
cover.
Within that were folds of yellowed
cere cloths, and when these had been
removed there was disclosed the
shrunken form of the king who 5000
years before had ruled over the land
of Egypt.
Eve appeared in the alcove. beautiful.
clear eyed, white robed.
Good morning." she smiled.
Good morning, Miss Langham; you
are just in time,'' greeted the profess
scr delightedly. 1T is my intention, of
course, merely to examine the hands
of the king. l would not do this, you
understand, if | had not myself dis
covered the mummy and were not
about to present it to the museum. l
don't want any doubt concerning the
identity of my gift"
"Of course not. | hope you don't
want me to touch any of the-the
gummy cloths" She ~shuddered a little
as the professor gently touched the
left hand of the mummy.
"Of course not-of course not. /
merely want you to be here to sort of
share my enthusiasm. / should lose
zest in the discovery If you were not
here. The very instant l discovered
the secret of the Cheve papyrus you
will recollect that l called you by tele-
phone at nee to rejoice with me!'
Eve laughed. 81 remember; it was
after midnight and mother believed
that 1t was to nou bad news. 1t
gave us quite a scare"
"Very in~considerate of me- murmur-
ed Professor Fenton, still busted over
his task of removing the wrappings.
Eve leaned against the wall and
watched his handsome intellectual face
bending over the mummy case. He
was barely thirty-eight. and his hair
was CRAVING at the temples, but his
eyes were dark blue and very bright.
and a closely cropped dark mustache
broke the severity of his classic fea-
lures. He was big and broad shout
dered and very lovable in a big, blum
dering, self absorbed sort of way.
"Har he said suddenly, and Eve
leaned oyer the case. There came up
a sweet. spicy fragrance of benzoin
and myrrh and cedar.
what have you discovered?" breath
ed Eve.
1.-THE ring is there-see the lump un-
der the bandage?"
The professor continued to unwind
the linen. and Eve, forgetful of the
grewsomeness of the task, watched
him eagerly At last the ring was dis
closed on the shriveled digit-fourth fin
ger of the left hand, counting the thumb
the Finger of the heart" as 1t has
been called-a furnished silver setting,
rich with heavy carving, and sunk
within the shank a large greenish stone
whose coloring was blurred through
contact with the gummy bandages;
the two onlookers. the clever sci
enlist and the girl who had tried to
become a scientist and had only sue
ceeded in being a very sweet and love
able girl.
''Three thousand years ago." muir
INJURED the professor In an awed tone.
He slipped the ring from the finger and
held it in his palm. "The pledge of
their mutual love- he went on, turn
ing to Eve. 'sThe story of their love
has quite outlived any great deeds he
ever accomplished. History has not