Evening star., 1919-11-30
BY SAX ROHMER

figure into the lSht cast doWnWdIu
from en- antique lamp, foated a beau
tiful spirit shape-that of an Egyp-
t!an priestess. Upon her face was an
expression of intense anger, as, her
fingers crooked in sinister fashion.
she bent over the man at the table.
The mummy and sarcophagus de-
picted on the canvas stood before me
against the wall of the studio. the lid
resting beside the case. 1t was mold
ed, as is sometimes seen, to rep
resent the mace and figure Of the oc-
cupant and was as fine an example OF
the kind as l had met with. The
mummy was that Of priestess and
dancer Of the Great Temple at Philae,
and 1t had been lent by the museum
authorities for the purpose Of Bre-
toms picture.
His enthusiasm at first seeing She
jeret ed-Durr was explainable by the
really uncanny resemblance which the
girl bore to the modelled figure.
Studying her from my seat on the
divan, as she posed IN that gauZy
raiment depicted upon the lid Of the
sarcophagus it seemed indeed that the
form Of Shejeret ed-Durr the ghazi-
yeh. Breton had evidently tabooed
makeup, with the exception Of the
characteristic black bordering to the
eyes (Which appeared in the present.
ment of the servant of Isis) ard seen
now in its natural coloring, the face
OF the dancing girl had undoubted
beauty.
Presently. whilst the model rested,
I informed Breton of my conversation
with Abu Tabah; but, as l had an
ticipated. he was skeptical to the point
Of derision.
MY dear Kernaby." he said, "is 1t
likely that l am going to interrupt
my work now that 1 have found such
an inspiring model, because some RI
diculous darwish disapproves"
1T Is highly unlikely" I admitted;
but do not mistake by treating the
matter lightly. You are right off the
map here, and Cairo is not Paris"
1T Is great deal safer!" he cried
in his boisterous fashion, "and Inn.
nitely more interesting"
But my mind was far from easy;
for in the dark eyes Of the model.
when their glance rested upon Felix
Breton, there was that to have arous-
ed poisonous sentiments in the bosom
Of the Man Of the Glare.
-
During the course Of the following
month I saw Felix Breton two or three
times. and he was enthusiastic about
tho progress Of his picture and the
beauty Of his model. The first hint I
received Of the strange idea which was
to lead to stranger happenings came
one afternoon when he had called upon
me at Shepheard's.
do you believe in reincarnation,
Kernaby?" he asked suddenly.
I stared at him in surprise.
Regardless Of my personal views on
the matter" replied. 'in what way
does the subject interest you?'
Momentarily he hesitated: then:
''The resemblance between Yasmina"
(this was the real name Of Shejeret Cd
Durr) ''and the priestess Of isis" he
said. appears to ME too marked to be
explainable by mere coincidence. II the
mummy were my personal property
ShOui0 unwrap It
"Do you seriously desire me to be-
lieve that you regard Yasmina as a re-
incarnation Of the elder lady?'
THAT or a uneal descendant" he an
swered. 1.-The tribe Of the Ghawazi Is
Of unknown antiquity and may very well
be descended from those temple dancers
Of the days Of the Pnaraohs. II you
have studied the ancient wall paintings
you cannot have failed 10 observe that
the dancing girls represented have en-
tirely different forms from those OF any
other women depicted ana from those Of
the ordinary Egyptian women Of today"
His enthusiasm was tremendous: he
was one Of those uncomfortable fanatics
who will ride a theory to the death.
II cannot say that 1 have noticed IT,"
replied. "Your knowledge Of the
female form divine is doubtless more
extensive than NINE"
MY dear Kernaby," he cried excited
ly. Ito the trained eyes the difference
Is extraordinary. Until saw Yasmina
had believed the peculiar form to
which refer to be extinct like the blue
enamel and the sacred lotus. II II ts not
reincarnation 1t is heredity."
Three days later there was a dra-
matte development. Drifting idly into
Breton's studio one morning l found
him pacing the place In despair and
glaring at his unfinished canvas like