The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-09-21
The Pharaoh's
Coffin
N~~~~~~~~~>S~>~~~~~~~,
BY ANTHONY REIMERT

THEY had found it--Hal Ewing and
- Briggs; not in Upper or Lower
Egypt, but In an oasis surrounded by
200 miles Of bowling desert.
yIt,was surmised that the Pharaoh
had fled to the oasis from his enemies
and died there. Reports Of the sep
ulchre had long been In circulation.
And they had not erred, for 1t was
find that would remake knowledge
Of ancient Egypt. The gold about the
body alone was worth fortune. The
art objects were Of inestimable value.
Hawkins had known of It, too--big
Hawkins, Of the London museum, and
sworn to be the first In the field. Thus
far, however, his expedition had NOT
been sighted. And Ewing and Briggs
had their find and we're nn their way
east with 1t, east into Egypt, out Of
that goddess wilderness.
hundred miles to water. They
staggered on, their two camels-all
they could afford-panting under the
grilling sun beneath their load. They
were bearing literally the last straw
the one the few Indispensable articles
Of kit and waterbags, with some of the
smaller trophies-the other Pharaoh's
coffin.
Look, Halw
A body lying in the sand among the
rolling dunes attracted their attention.
They hastened UP, with their camp
leader.
A girl.
She was alive.
"Who is she? How came she here?"
Bakrash explained In Arabic. 1t was
tribe to expose members of 1t who had
offended against the tribal code, water
less in the desert, until they died Of
thirst.
She was not pretty. She had negro
blood in her. A little drabbled Arab
girl, family moaning. Water was
poured down her throat. She began
to revive. When Bakrash questioned
her she admitted the truth of what he
had said.
Briggs and Ewing looked at each
other. 1t was human life against
Pharaohs cofiini
"We've got to take her." 1t was i'm
possible for her to walk, so swollen
were her feet
Cursing, the two explorers deposited
the priceless royal coffin in the sand.
They buried 1t, safe from the prying
eyes Of Hawkins, In case he passed
that way. They took the tent pole
and set 1t up to mark the spot.
They would have to return for II.
They would have to take the girl as
far as the nearest Nile village and
then begin that grilling Journey all
over again.
They cursed their fate loud and
deep. But what else could they do?
An explorer Is bound by the most rigid
of codes, and the chief item in II is
that human life comes first-always
first.
Slowly the procession took up Its
route again. They Travelled all day.
At night they camped under the stars.
When all were asleep the girl slipped
softly from her place, crept between
the two grunting camels and disap-
peared into the desert westward.
At dawn, when they arose. she was
nowhere to be seen.
"She must have got frightened and
wandered out into the DESERT" said
Briggs.
Briggs and Ewing spent the whole
day beating about for her. Only Bak-
rash grlnned. He knew. He was in
Hawkins pay.
"Well, we can't find her, so we'd
better go back and get the coffin,"
said Ewing, "lf our wnter will hold
out"
They ordered Bakrash to make
camp there, and departed.
On the way they encountered cara !
van of dozen camels, laden with |
trophies. Atop the foremost camel, |
perched, smoking cigarette lazily, |
was Hawkins
Athwart the second was the royal |
coffin.
Hello, friendsw Hawkins saluted |
them. Had any luck? / found the |
coffin. Where do you suppose? Right |
out in the desert, buried In the sand"
He gave them an affable grin.
Better hurry back, old man, unless
you want that man of yours to break !
camp and run off with the rest Of your
stuff," Hawkins advised them.
you blackguard, you planted that
girl on usw
y "What, herr She Isn't grill She's
my head camel-man, Mustapha r. re-
piled Hawkins, indicating the grinning
Arab who salaamed before them.