Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-16

BY S. S. Van Dine
copyright, 1880. By 3. s. Van Dine.

( been brought to this country by DR..
/ Bliss from the ancient metropolis at
| Thebes. In the corner beyond was q
cedarwood statue OF an Astatic found
in Palestine relic of the conquestS
of Thut-mose III. 3,
Near the foot of the stairs on which
I stood doomed the majestic Kha-ef-Re
statue from the fourth dynasty. It was
made OF gray plaster OF paris, var
nished and polished in imitation Of the
/ original diorite. 1t stood nearly feet
high, and its dignity and power and
magistral calm seemed to dominate the
entire museum. (Kha-ef-Re was the
originator of the great Sphinx and also
of one of the three great Gizeh pyra-
mids-Wer Kha-ef-Re (Kha-ef-Re is
nightly known as the Second
| Pyramid.
To the right of the statue and ex-
| tending all the way to the spiral stairs
at the rear was a row of anthropoid
mummy cases, gaudily decorated in gold
and brilliant colors. Above them hung
| two enormously enlarged tinted photo
graphs, one showing the ColosSi Of
Amen-hotpe III, the other depicting
the great Amun Temple at Karnak.
| Around the two supporting columns
| in the center of the museum deep
shelves had been built, and on them re-
posed a fascinating array OF Shawabtis,
beautifully carved and gaylyy painted
wooden figures.
Extending between the two pillars
was a long, low, velvet-covered table,
perhaps IA feet in length, bearing q
beautiful collection of alabaster per-
| fumery and canopic vases, blue lott
form Jars, kofn pots of polished OBJ
! sidian and several cylindrical carved
cosmetic jars of semi and
opaque alabaster. At the rear of the
/ NIL. fx.1A g
4 blue glazed faience, white and red ivory
and black ebony; and beside it stood q
carved chair of state, decorated IN
gesso and gilt, and bearing design Of
| lotus flowers and buds.
Across the front of the room ran o
long glass showcase containing pectoral
collars Of cloisonne, amulets in ma
jolica, shell pendants, girdles~ of gold
cowrieS, rhombic beads of carnelian and
| feldspar, bracelets and anklets and I'm
ger rings, gold and ebony fans and q
collection of scarabs Of most Of the
PharaohS down to Ptolemaic times.
Around the walls, just below the cell
/ ing, ran 5-foot frieze-a sectional
COPY of the famous Rhapsody OF Pen
ta-Weret," commemorative the victory
Of Ramses II over the Hittites at Ks-
desh in Syria.
As soon as Vance had opened the
leaVy CuTIdlIlS VI Lie 1TOllI Wbne0"o AC
and Markham moved toward the rear
of the room. Scarlet and descended
the stairs and followed them. Kyle was
lying on his face. his legs slightly
drawn up under MIN and his arms
reaching out and encircling the feet
of a life-sizel statue in the corner.
had seen reproductions of this statue
many times, but I did not know Its
name
II was Vance who enlightened me.
Tn| stood contemplating the huddled
pbody of the dead man, and slowly his
eyes shifted to the serene sculpture
a brown limestone carving of a man
with jacleal's head holding the scepter.
"Anubis,g he murmured, his face set
tensely. 1.-THE Egyptian god of the un-
derworld. Y know, Markham, Anubis
was the god who prowled about the
tombs of the dead. He guided the dead
through Anentet--the shadowry abode