DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Mummy or Mummy-Related subjects in this story! (Well, in my mind I do!!!)

 

 

 

NOTE: If any of you find this plot familiar, you are right. It is borrowed from a book I read a while ago and so yes I admit to that. I figured that some of the events that happened in this particular book would very nicely fit into an O'Connell fanfic! So sorry that it isn't original, but I hope you can see where I'm coming from cause the plot does fit the O'Connell's-er-lifestyle.

 

 

 

Summary: Alex is now 5 years of age. Evie and Rick decided to take him on his first Archeological dig to a place called Dahshoor in Egypt.

 

"Oh, I can't wait. My first pyramid dig site!" Cried Evie the night before the three were to start digging. The family of four (including Jonathan) had retired to the parlor of their make-shift home for the season that they were to spend at Dahshoor. They had also came to possess the right to dig at Mazghunah as well. Mazghunah was a smaller dig site a few kilometers south of Dahshoor. It consisted of mainly Roman and Christian cemeteries. It also had two limestone pyramids. They had been built at a later period of time than the pyramids at Dahshoor. Their inner cores were made up mainly of mud brick the limestone blocks were placed atop the foundation. This caused the pyramids to erode very rapidly. Most of the limestone had been stripped away and the locals used the already made bricks for their own houses.

 

 

The O'Connells had spent a week or so in Cairo two weeks ago. While there they picked up most of what they needed for the trip. They also came upon their old friend Ardeth Bey, of the Med-Jai. He had come to Cairo to get away from his responsibilities of leadership and had left his loyal companion, Abdul, in charge in his absence. It did not take much persuasion for the O'Connells to entice their friend to join them on their dig.

 

Dahshoor was only an hours train ride and a two hour donkey ride from Cairo (in that order)

 

So now the O'Connells and Carnahan sat in the parlor only imagining what they would find. Ardeth had insisted he stayed out at night and kept watch over the Monastery that they inhibited. He was afraid that the place was still infested with Devils. This was a folk tale or a belief that still remained with most of the people of the surrounding villages. They said that all of the monks were murdered in a ceremonial fashion. And so that left the devil to intrude on the property and to haunt it for ever.

 

Evie and Rick had agreed to start with the largest and most extraordinary Pyramid of them all. What was so origional about it was the fact that it was black. It was a Pyramid of the Twelfth Dynasty. No body knew who it had belonged to. When the first archeologist explored it they had found (to their disappointment) that the pyramid had been robbed, probably within years of its making. But the first Archeologist never actually got to get a good search in the pyramid. Evie always believed that there were more chambers to explore. Possibly they hadn't been robbed and the O'Connells could finally come home with treasures of their own choosing.

 

"Mum?" Alex asked his mother.

 

"Yes Alex?" Evie responded to her son as she made last minute notes of what she hoped to find and where she should try to look..

 

"Could I possibly try to dig at my own site?" He asked trying to sound as cute and convincing at the same time.

 

"Well, I don't object to that. Rick?" She asked.

 

"What? Oh, um… sure. That is if you are ever so careful. Bring Ardeth with you alright?" He made sure.

 

"Yes dad." The boy agreed. He sat on the floor petting Cleo his cat. He had brought her with him, actually in his eyes there was no other choice. The feline had grown so attached to him and he to her that if they were separated for more than a day they probably couldn't bear it. Rick and Evelyn knew that as well. So while in Cairo her and Alex took the cat to a leather maker and had a collar and lead made for Cleo. As much as the feline loved Alex they couldn't trust her to remain with him at all times especially in a new and different surrounding.

 

"Oh, and Alex." Evelyn began, "I don't want you to ever go into the pyramid, well any of the pyramids with out me or your father there as well. Alright?"

 

"Yes mum. Are you two going to go into the pyramid tomorrow?" he asked.

 

"Well, it depends. If the pyramid is suitable to go in then yes we will. If not than we will have to arrange for some of our workers to clear out the passageway for us." Evelyn answered not really looking up from her work.

 

"Alex, I believe it is time for you to go to bed now." Rick told the boy.

 

"Yes dad. Good night dad, good night mum." The boy said while getting up and making his way to his room. Cleo followed him. Alex's room was beside Rick and Evie's. Beside Alex's room were other smaller rooms. They were left cleared to stow away the findings (if any) from the pyramid.

 

The next day was very busy. Evelyn had already been to the pyramid by the time Rick was fully up and dressed for the day. When she came back the look on her face told Rick what then had to be done.

 

"I'll arrange some workers to start clearing debris." He informed his wife when she came up to him for a good morning kiss.

 

"Thank you." She said gratefully.

 

Then Alex came walking up with his pith helmet on and his trousers and a shirt and vest on. He also had on a belt equipped with holders for various tools such as picks and hammers.

 

"What are you up to?" Rick asked his son.

 

" 'Member, you and mom said that I could dig at my own site." The boy informed his father.

 

"Ah yes, and where are you planning on digging?" Evelyn asked.

 

"Just to the other side of the Pyramid, the South side. Can I borrow two donkeys, one for Ardeth and I?"

 

"I guess so" Rick said. "Has Ardeth agreed to going with you?"

 

"Yes, he said that he is willing to spend the day with me whenever I asked."

 

"Well then, be back in time for tea at four. I will pack you a luncheon to take with you." Evelyn told Alex.

 

"Thanks mum!" Alex cried out. He then turned and ran over to the stables that were built for the donkeys.

 

The day had been quite a success. Most of the two hundred foot entrance way to the pyramid was cleared. Evelyn already knew that there was a large chamber at the end from her readings.

 

One of the men had already found a mummy that earlier explorers and robbers had missed. There was a large stone erected and suspended in the pathway. It was probably meant to be lowered into pathways, therefore not allowing anyone past. The mummy was lying on top of the large stone. Its bandages were in an intricate formation, at least on the top layer.

 

Evelyn had assumed that the mummy was put there after the initial burial had taken place. Sometimes people of non-wealth would put their family members in other people's pyramids.

 

Although that was the only find for the day, it was still a good one.

 

Later on at about four o-clock when Evie and Rick came inside for tea. Evelyn decided to take out her newest possession and have another look at it. She set it out on the table (against Rick's wishes) and started prying at its bandages.

 

"What I don't get" Evelyn started as she pulled out an amulet from the chest area. "Look, Rick, it's a djed pillar in blue faience. Ah, yes and here is the Heart Scarab. Ah, a very good specimen too. Green feldspar."

 

"What?" Rick asked with a dumb lost look on his face as he looked at his wife's doings.

 

"Well, here is a mummy with all of these very expensive amulets in it. And look at this. Evie pointed to what was to be the mummy's legs and feet. "What do you notice here?" Evelyn asked her spouse.

 

"Um… that she has-er- feet?" He replied still confused.

 

"NO! I mean look at the shape. Its whole lower body… well its legs are rounded. Sort of disfigured." She quizzically told Rick. He just looked at her wide eyed trying to show some interest as if he was following her. "It looks like she has been in a sarcophagus! Right? Like her legs and feet has been squeezed and molded to take the shape of the inside of the mummy case." She exclaimed.

 

"She? How do you know the gander?" Rick asked trying to trail away from the subject.

 

"Well, I deduced that from the way she has been wrapped. And look at her torso. It is clearly one of a female, it's so slender."

 

"Oh, dearest Evelyn. Jumping to conclusions." Rick said as he put an arm around his wife. "Where is Alex, didn't you tell him to be back at this hour?" Rick asked.

 

"Yes, I believe I did." She answered. "I don't know where he could be?"

 

Just then Alex came walking in. He was freshly bathed, which actually alarmed Evelyn. Out of his whole life the boy had never once willingly took a bath by himself.

 

"What have you been up to?" Evelyn snapped out the question as if accusing her son of something.

 

"Nothing mum. Why do you ask?" The boy answered quickly quite alarmed.

 

"Oh, I just… How has your digging gone? Have you found anything?" She changed the subject when she realized that she was accusing her son of something he hadn't done.

 

"Oh, um good." The boy said as he stuffed his face with caked and sandwiches that were on the table beside the mummy. He never once looked up at either of his parents as he did so.

 

"Did you find anything?" She asked again crouching down beside him.

 

"Nothing, nothing." He was quick to reply.

 

"Yes you did. I can see it in your eyes." Evelyn replied with a smirk.

 

"No I didn't." Alex defended.

 

"Maybe he wants to keep it a secret?" Rick suggested as he pulled Evelyn up by the arm. She looked at Rick then back at her son who was still eating.

 

" Oh, well alright. Just tell me if you need any help with your findings." She ensured Alex.

 

"Yes mum. Can I be excused?" He asked.

 

"Well, certainly." Evelyn said astonished that he wanted to leave so early. Usually by now he had a very large appetite and didn't stop eating until the food was taken away from him. Evelyn also didn't know why he hadn't asked her about her findings of the day. The boy had been almost as excited as she.

 

She watched as Alex went into his room and shut the door. He didn't come back out until dinner time that evening. Even then she had to go summon him. Evelyn didn't know why Alex was acting so strange, and quite frankly she was very concerned. Even when she asked Ardeth she couldn't get any straight answers.

 

 

 

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! Tell me what you liked and didn't like and I will fix accordingly. I will try to get more chapters up ASAP!!!

 

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The next morning Evelyn was up early and ready to go. Last night's dinner didn't go by so well, Alex basically shoved all of the food in his mouth and once again promptly asked to be excused. Of course the little boy was in his room when Evelyn finally finished and cleared the table. He didn't come out again that night even when his father offered him a game of chess.

 

But this was a new day and Evelyn felt obliged to see it in its best. The people that they hired to clear away objects in the path were all from the local villages. By the time Evelyn go out of the monastery, the villagers were usually already up and regaling each other with stories and jokes. Only this morning they were all silent.

 

Evelyn made her way to the group, when one of the workers promptly made his way to the front to talk to her.

 

"Sitt Hakim, there is trouble." The man started, Sitt Hakim was Evelyn's given name from the villagers. It meant healer, for when ever in Egypt she always did her best to help locals with their injuries and illnesses.

 

"What sorts of trouble?" Evelyn asked with concern.

 

"One of the storage rooms have been broken into." The man responded.

 

"Take me there, which one." She urgently snapped out.

 

"I take you, but Sitt."

 

"Yes?" She responded

 

"Nothing has been taken, it was an empty room." The man quickly told her looking strait to her.

 

"Oh, well is there much damage?" She asked relieved.

 

"Yes, the thief broke down part of the wall. The bricks still remain on the ground, but I don't think they can be of much use to us anymore." He told her.

 

"Well thank you." She told the man, then she raised her voice to the rest of the men who were clearly eavesdropping trying to her reaction to last night's events. "Now, we would request that the rest of the first passageway be cleared out by this afternoon. I am going to put Abd el Atti in charge." She pointed down to the man who was just speaking to her. "You will listen to everything that he tells you." With that she walked away, almost immediately Abd el Atti began to call out orders to the men in Arabic.

 

"Rick?" Evie called to her sleeping husband. "Wake up, Rick. There has been an attempted burglary last night." That got him up.

 

"What? Where?" He asked already sitting straight up. In one of the empty storage rooms. They have broken down a part of the wall. But did not fully succeed in getting anything, like I said. The storage room was empty."

 

Rick got out of his bed a began for the door.

 

"Rick! Pray you don't forget your trousers!" Evelyn called out. Rick quickly turned around and threw his pants on, he then headed out to the side of the Monastery to see how much damage there was.

 

"It appears that the thief removed the blocks one by one, see how the hole follows the brick pattern?" He inquired. "This shouldn't be hard to patch back up, I'll get one of our men to do it." Rick said with a look of mirth on his face, he liked having the men with him. It allowed him to be in control which he liked.

 

When Rick and Evelyn turned to go back to the front entrance, they saw Alex running up to them.

 

"Mum! Dad! Ardeth and I are leaving now! Can you make us some lunch?" He asked.

 

"Yes, hurry up and get ready, I'll have luncheon packed and on the donkey for you in a couple of minutes." Evelyn told him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later on in the afternoon, nothing had happened. The men were still clearing the last ten feet of the pathway and hadn't found anything yet. Evelyn wanted to stay and be there when they got the last of the rubble cleared, but she knew that in order to do real exploring in the chambers they needed planks of wood and ropes. The Egyptians always tried to make it hard for thieves to get through the pyramids, and so there were usually large holes and deep high fissures to climb up.

 

In this case there were plenty of both, so at about one in the afternoon, Evelyn and Rick set off toward the nearest village, Manawat, to see what they could get.

 

 

 

 

 

"I think that we should try the mayor's home first." Evelyn said as they arrived in the village.

 

"Why?" Asked Rick.

 

"Well because, the town's carpenter is with us, and I already inquired. He said that we should try the mayor. He will be able to find what we need." She answered

 

"OK, well, that is if he likes us Evie. You remember how religious he is from when we last went to see him asking if we could use the Monastery as our home for the season. He practically passed out when we mentioned it, he thinks that there are devils lurking around, he was also skeptical about us digging in the pyramid for the reason we were disturbing the dead." Rick told her.

 

"Oh well, then we will return a favor, any favor that he asks of us." Evelyn responded as she quickened her pace toward the mayor's residence. His house was slightly larger than the other houses of the village. There were children running around in the streets and dogs lying around in the alley ways. A large rock sat in the middle of the court yard and a palm tree rose above the ground about thirty feet.

 

Evelyn knocked on the door, about ten seconds later the mayor came to the door. He was a very short scrawny man.

 

"Ah, the O'Connells what can I do for you? Have you seen any afreets yet? If you are coming to say that you are abandoning the whole exped…" He was cut off by Evelyn.

 

"No, I assure you that we have only come to ask that you help us to get a supply of wooden planks and rope," She said while looking down at him.

 

"Oh, why don't you come in for some tea, I will see what I can do for you." The man solemnly said while looking at the ground. He was easily persuaded to do what you wished, it seemed that the church was higher than the mayor. It was basically the priest that had granted the O'Connells permission to use the Monastery as their home.

 

When Evelyn and Rick walked into the white-washed room they saw a man rise from his seat in a wooden chair to greet them. He was a tall muscular man wearing a dark-blue turban that distinguishes Egyptian Christians. Once a prescribed article of dress for a despised minority, it is now worn as a matter of pride.

 

The Priest launched himself into a speech of greeting in his most impeccable Arabic. Evelyn added a few well-chosen words. A long silence ensued. Then the priest's bearded lips parted and a voice growled a curt "Sabakhum bit-kheir - good afternoon."

 

"Why good afternoon Father Girgis." Evelyn started. "You have been well I assume."

 

"Yes, but where were you last week, I didn't see you at church? Surely with all of the afreets in your new home you would want to come to church and be rid of them?" The man asked with his eyebrows held high. "You are invited to come to my service tomorrow morning? If you wish." The man basically insisted.

 

"Why of course, we will be there." Evelyn said without a thought. "Now " She turned to the mayor. "We have been informed by the carpenter, Abd el Atti, that we should come to you for these matters. We request to purchase some planks of wood and ropes." She asked as Rick stood behind her nearest the door.

 

"Oh, well I will see what I can do. When do you need the,?" The man asked in a quiet voice, he kept on looking from Evelyn and Rick back to Father Girgis.

 

"We would like to have them as soon as possible. By tomorrow maybe?" Evelyn asked.

 

"Yes well I will se what can be done." The man said with his eyes now set on the floor.

 

"Well, we have to be going now." Rick said while inching his way to the door. "Thank you for your hospitality, we will see you later." HE said with a forced smile on his lips.

 

"Can you not stay for tea?" Father Girgis asked.

 

"Sorry, I just remembered that we have to go." Rick said un-convincingly. He grabbed Evelyn's arm and backed out of the house.

 

"I will send someone with the wood and ropes you require." The mayor called out to the two as Evelyn apologized.

 

"Why did you drag us out of there so quickly?" Evelyn asked Rick when they were out of earshot from the house.

 

"Why did you say we'd be attending the church service?" Rick asked, "I thought you wanted to be digging up the pyramid, not singing in church?"

 

"Yes, but you see. By us attending the church service. I just got the priest to allow the mayor to grant us the wood and rope." Evelyn said with her head held high.

 

"What do you mean?" Rick said as he slowed down the pace and turned to her.

 

"Did you not see the mayor looking over at Father Girgis for permission to grant us what we wanted? By us doing what Father Girgis wanted us to do, go to the church, he allowed the mayor to give us the wood and rope." She responded as she looked at him.

 

"Oh, I see." Rick said as Evelyn began to quicken the pace back to the pyramid again.

 

"Anyway" She continued, "I want to observe the Coptic service."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Rick and Evelyn got back to Bahshoor the workers were all out of the pyramid and awaiting further instruction. This was good news for Evelyn, it meant that the pathway had been cleared. She decided to give the workers the rest of the day off. This enabled her to explore the chamber a bit by herself. By three o-clock she came running out of the pyramid with a gleam of success in her eye.

 

"I found something!" She cried out as she approached Rick at a running pace. "I think it might be a Mummy Case. Just the case though. It is very light in weight. I found it in one of the large crevices in the wall of the chamber!"

 

"Where is it?" Rick asked.

 

"I left it there. Will you help me get it out of the pyramid and back to the house?" She asked with her puppy-dog look on her face.

 

"Alright, you know the things I do for you." Rick said trying to make her feel pity on him. Evelyn was too much in her mirth to care. She just danced around her spouse as the two made their way to the large pyramid to collect her prize.

 

At four o-clock Evelyn still had the mummy case on the parlor table and was inspectively looking at the case. She was not able to figure out who the case belonged to.

 

At about twenty after four she saw a figure coming toward the house. She knew that it had to be Alex. When he got closer she realized that his shirt wasn't on, he held it in his hands and there was an object swaddled in its folds. Though what the object was, Evie didn't know. The boy saw his mother's presence and quickly made his way past the Parlor not answering his parents greetings and went into his room quickly shutting the door.

 

He didn't come back out until four thirty. He had changed his clothes, but Evelyn still could smell some pungent smell on him. He quickly ate while looking at the Mummy case that still sat on the table. After a couple minutes Ardeth came into the room. He had bathed changed into another robe.

 

"Alex, your father and I will be going to church tomorrow, are you coming?" Evelyn told her boy.

 

"Umm." He didn't look up from the inscriptions on the case.

 

"I will be going to church as well." Ardeth said as he blew on his cup of tea.

 

"I will go too," said Alex. "I want to see the Coptic service "

 

"Alright," Evelyn said, she was quite pleased that her son wanted to spend some time with his parents. It seemed like since they got to Bahshoor, all Alex has wanted to do is dig at his own site with Ardeth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services at the Coptic Church had already begun by the time the three got there. Jonathan had decided to go back to Cairo that week, and Rick decided that he didn't want to come either. He insisted that someone had to stay behind and guard the pyramid from unsuspected guests.

 

"Mum?" Alex asked, sort of last minute. "May I go with Ardeth?" He didn't take his eyes off of the ground as he asked.

 

"Why yes you can" Evelyn answered, sort of puzzled . She informed the pair that they were to meet at the well in the middle of the village. She them proceed toward the chapel.

 

The interior of the Coptic Church of Sitt Miriam (the virgin, in our terms) was adorned with faded paintings of the lady and various saints. There were no seats of pews; the worshipers walked about chatting freely and appearing to pay no attention to the priest, who stood at the altar reciting prayers. The congregation was to large- twenty or thirty people, perhaps. Evelyn recognized several of the rough-looking men who had appeared to form the priest's entourage sanctimoniously saluting the pictures of the saints.

 

Evelyn took up her place toward the back, near but not within the enclosure where the women were segregated. Her advent had not gone unnoticed. Conversations halted for a moment and then broke out louder than before.. The priest's glowing black eyes fixed themselves on her. He was too experienced a performer to interrupt his praying, but his voice rose in stronger accents. It sounded like a denunciation of something- possibly her- but she could not understand the words. Clearly this part of the service was in the ancient Coptic tongue.

 

Before long the priest switched to Arabic and she recognized that he was reading from one of the Gospels. This went on for an interminable time. Finally he turned from the heikal, or altar, swinging a ceser from which wafted the sickening smell of incense. He began to make his way through the congregation, blessing each individual by placing his hand upon upon his head and threatening them with his censer. Evelyn stood alone, the other worshipers having prudently edged away, and she wondered whether she would be ignored, or whether some particularly insulting snub was in train.

 

Conceive of her surprise, therefore, when having attended to every man present, the priest made his way rapidly toward Evelyn. Placing his hand heavily on her head, he blessed her in the name of Trinity, the mother of God, and assorted saints. She thanked him.

 

When the priest had returned to the heikal she decided she had done her duty and could retire. The interior of the small edifice was foggy with cheap incense and she feared she was about to sneeze.

 

The sun was high in the heavens. She drew deep satisfying breaths of the warm but salubrious air and managed to conquer the sneeze. She then took off her hat and was distressed to find that her foreboding had been correct. Of fine yellow straw, to match her frock, the hat was draped with lace and trimmed with a cluster of yellow roses, loops of yellow ribbon and tow choux of white velvet. Clusters of artificial violets and leaves completed the modest decorations, and the entire ensemble was daintily draped with tulle. It was her favorite hat; it had been very expensive; and it had required a long search to find a hat that was not trimmed with dead birds of ostrich plumes. Evelyn deplored the massacre of animals to feed female vanity.

 

As the priest's hand pressed on her head, Evelyn had heard a crunching sound. Now she saw the bows were crushed, the roses hung drunkenly from the bent stems, and that the mark of a large, dirty hand was printed on the mashed tulle. The only consolation she could derive was that there was also a spot of blood on the tulle. Apparently one of her hat pins had pricked the ecclesiastical palm.

 

There was nothing to be done about the hat so she placed it back on her head and looked about. The small square was deserted except for a pair of dogs and some chickens.

 

The door to the church that Alex and Ardeth had accompanied stood open. From it came music, voices bellowing out what she thought must be a hymn.

 

The music had gone on for quite some time. Then it was finally succeeded by the voice of Brother Ezekiel. Brother Ezekiel was one of the first people who greeted Rick and Evelyn when they first come to the village a couple of weeks ago. He had just recently come to this village and set up a new chapel

 

And already had quite a crown convert to it from the Coptic church.

 

Eventually he stopped praying and the congregation began to emerge.

 

Ardeth came out, his face was pink with the heat of the small chapel. "It was a long service."

 

"So I observed, where is Alex?"

 

"He is somewhere here." Ardeth said as he looked around. Finally Alex came out of the church with a woman at his arm. It was the some lady Evelyn had seen beck in Cairo. Her gown that morning was a bright violet silk in a broche design; the short coat had a cutaway front displaying an enormous white chiffon cravat that protruded a good twelve inches in front of her. The matching hat had not only ribbons and flowers, but an egret plume and a dead bird mounted with wings and tail uppermost, as if in flight.

 

 

The two bore down on Evelyn. Alex greeted her.

 

"Mum, let me present to you the Baroness Hohen… Hohen…" Alex started.

 

The Baroness just smiled. "Baroness Hohensteibauergrunewald. I am a great admirer of you Mrs. O'Connell, and your husband Mr. O'Connell!" She shrieked as she seized Evie's hand and crushed it in hers. "You must me visit! I insist that you are coming. My Dahabeeyah is at Dahshoor; I inspect the pyramids, I entertain the distinguished archaeologists, I gather the antiquities. This evening come you and your husband Mr. O'Connell to dine, night?"

 

"Night," Evelyn said "That is, I thank you Baroness, but I am afraid-"

 

"You have another engagement?" The Baroness's small muddy brown eyes twinkled. She nudged Evelyn familiarly. "No, you have not another engagement. What could you do in this desert? You will come, a dinner party I will have for the famous archeologists. I stay only three days at Dahshoor. I make the Nile cruise. So you come tonight. To you, Mrs. O'Connell, I show my collection of antiquities. I have mummies, scarabs, papyrus, and statuettes. Everything you desire." The Baroness then looked down to Alex who had drawn his attention to a little lizard that was scurrying across the desert floor. "I will the young Alex with me take, he wished to see my Dahabeeyah. Then at night you will come and fetch him. Good!" She cried out.

 

Evelyn gave Alex a searching look. He clasped his hands together. "Oh, mum, may I go with the lady?"

 

"You are too untidy-" Evelyn began.

 

The Baroness guffawed. So a small boy should be, nicht? I will take good care of him. I am a mama, I know a mama's heart." She rumpled his brown curls.

 

She suited the action to the words and dragged Alex off with her.

 

Ardeth had decided to stay back at the mission and talk with the locals. Evelyn came home with the fewest people yet. Rick greeted her at the Monastery entrance with a puzzled look. Evelyn explained the whereabouts of Alex and ardeth. She also persuaded Rick to the social call. He resused to wear proper evening dress, and she did not insist, for she had discovered that her gowns were not suited to riding donkey-back. She put on her best Turkish trousers and they set off .

 

The Baroness's Dahabeeyah rose up and down in the current of the Nile. On the side of the vessel was the name Cleopatra written in fancy large letters. Evelyn and Rick found the Baroness draped across a couch in the drawing room of the ship.

 

After the introductions Rick inquired, "Where is Alex?"

 

"Locked in one of the guest chambers." Came the reply. "Oh, do not concern yourself, Mr. O'Connell; he is happily engaged with one of the papyrus. But it was necessary for me to confine him. Already he has fallen overboard and been bitten by a lion-"

 

"Lion?" Evelyn turned from the granite statue of Isis she had been examining.

 

"My lion cub," The Baroness explained. "I bought the adorable creature from a dealer in Cairo."

 

"Ah," Evelyn enlightened "He was no doubt trying to free the creature. Did he succeed?"

 

"Fortunately we were able to recapture it." The Baroness replied.

 

Evelyn and Rick were sorry to hear that, they knew that the boy would try again.

 

The Baroness ensured the two that the bite was not deep and medical attention had already been promptly applied.

 

"Baroness, if you don't mind me asking. Where did you get these Antiquities?" Evelyn asked.

 

"Dealers in Cairo." Came the reply.

 

A frown spread over Evie's face. "If tourists would stop buying from dealers, they would have to go out of business. The looting of tombs and cemeteries would stop. Look at this," Evelyn pointed an accusing finger to a mummy case. "Who knows what vital evidence the tomb robber lost when he removed this mummy from its resting place?"

 

"Ach!" the Baroness exclaimed. "So much fuss over an ugly mummy! If you feel so strongly, Mrs. O'Connell you may have it. I give it as a gift. "

 

"I thank you, Baroness, but it would be better if you gave it to the Museum." Evelyn replied kindly.

 

"I will consider doing so, if it will win your approval, Mrs. O'Connell" The Baroness said.

 

After a quick meal, Father Girgis arrived at the Dahabeeyah. He and the Baroness went to the bow of the boat to show off her new pet.

 

"Where do you suppose the baroness has stowed poor Alex?" Rick asked.

 

It did not take long to find where the boy was. One of the Baroness's servants stood on guard before the door. When he saw the O'Connells walk up he produced the key.

 

Darkness had fallen but the room was well lit by two lamps that hung on the beams along the roof. There was a table that was well supplied with food and drink, and upon another table that help a papyrus scroll, partialy unrolled. There was no sign of Alex.

 

"Curse it." Rick said furiously. "I'll wager she neglected to nail the pothole shut." He pulled aside the drapery that concealed the aforementioned orifice, and then fell back with a cry. Hanging from the wall, life a stuffed hunting trophy, was a small headless body culminating in shabby brown buttoned boots. The legs were quite limp.

 

Accustomed as Evelyn was to finding Alex in a variety of peculiar positions, this one was sufficiently unusual to induce a momentary constriction of the chest that kept her mute. Before she could recover herself, a far-off, strangely muffled but familiar voice remarked, "Good evening, mum. Good evening, dad. Will you be so kind as to pull me in?"

 

Alex had gotten himself stuck in the porthole because of a bunch of pebbles that were in his pocket. His arms were in such an odd position that he couldn't push himself back in.

 

After the O'Connells had said their good byes and thank you's to the Baroness and Father Girbis, they headed back to the Monastery on donkey-back. Evelyn tried to make conversation with her son, but he refused to answer any of her questions. He just laid back on his mother's side and slipped into sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning the O'Connells were woken up by a messenger from the Baroness. He told them that the Baroness urgently needed their help.

 

Rick and Evie rode over to her Dahabeeyah at about eleven in the morning. When they got there Father Girbis was there as well.

 

"Ah, Mon cher collegue," He said with obviously relief. "At last you have come."

 

"We only just got the message." Rick responded. "What has happened?"

 

"Murder, slaughter! Invasion!" Shrieked the Baroness, throwing herself onto the couch.

 

"Robbery" Father Girbis said succinctly. "Someone broke into the salon last night and stole several of the Baroness's antiquities."

 

Evelyn was quite annoyed at being pulled away from her pyramid to deal with something that someone else could probably deal with instead of her. "Is that all?" She said. "Come on Rick, I think the Baroness can get the officials to look into this."

 

"No, no, no, you must help me!" The Baroness shrieked, "I call upon you, the great solver of mysteries, and the great archeologist! Please help me!" Someone wishes to murder me- assault me-"

 

 

 

"Come, come Baroness, control yourself." Evelyn said.

 

"I bet it was my servants! They were the ones who stole me antiquities!" The Baroness turned to Rick "Oh, Mr. O'Connell! You must stay with me and protect me from those lowly servants! They wish to kill me."

 

Rick gave Evelyn a look as if to say he didn't blame them. Then a voice arose from the four of them. "I will stay with you." It was Father Birgis.

 

"What did they steal." Evelyn interrupted the Baroness who was studying father Birgis as if asking why he would stay with her.

 

"I don't know, do you want to see? I have ordered the servants to leave the room how they fond it." The Baroness brought the group to the salon where the Antiquities were.

 

"Well, it is easy to see how the burglar got into the room." Rick said as he pointed to an open window. The was a couch directly below it and one of the cushions had a large indents in it as if someone stepped on it. "Evie," Rick started as he examined the window. "What is missing." He looked up at his wife. "I believe that you were studying the Antiquities last night, so, what is missing."

 

"It should be obvious," Evie answered "What was the most most conspicuous article in the room? The Mummy Case. There was also a lapis scarab, and a statuette of Isis nursing the infant Horus."

 

"That is all?" The Baroness asked realizing that the matters weren't all that bad.

 

"That is all," Evie added feelingly "They were the finest objects in the collection."

 

Further examination of the room proved nothing of interest. So Rick proceeded to question the servants. The Baroness began shrieking accusations and, as might have been expected, every face looked guilty as Cain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the end of the afternoon, Father Girgis was settled into the Baroness's Dahabeeyah. Everyone had agreed not to call authorities on the servants because their method of interrogation was to beat the confession out of them.

 

As Rick and Evie rode back to Dahshoor, there was little conversation until Rick spoke up.

 

"You forgot to mention one item that was taken. Or perhaps you did not notice that it was missing?"

 

"What are you talking about?" Evelyn asked.

 

"The Lion cub, the cage was empty." He answered.

 

"Empty?" Evelyn asked stupidly.

 

"The door had been shut and the cage pushed aside, but I assure you…"

 

Evie interrupted. "Alex could not have possibly? No, the mummy case was too heavy for his to carry by himself? Right?" She asked her spouse desperately looking for answers.

 

The rest of the ride home was silent.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lion cub was in Alex's room, Alex was on the floor teasing it with a nasty looking piece of raw meat.

 

"You did not knock, mum, dad, you know how I like my privacy." Came Alex's remark.

 

"And what would you have done if we did knock?" Rick asked.

 

"I would have put the lion under the bed." Came the reply. Evelyn couldn't help but smile at his true remark.

 

"Alex!" Evelyn stopped smiling.

 

"Yes, mum?" Alex asked.

 

"I thought I told you not to!" She had to stop there, she hadn't told the boy not to take the lion, and he was too young to know that rescuing it from a small unfit home was bad. "Why did you take the lion?" She finally asked knowing what the answer would be.

 

"To save it from a cruel home. We have a big enough home to accommodate the lion? Don't we?" He asked

 

"We'll talk about it later, consider yourself grounded to you room until further notice." The boy understood and showed this with an agreeing not.

 

 

 

 

 

Rick had built a small cage for the lion with the planks of wood that were finally delivered by the mayor.

 

That night Evelyn was awaken by something at the window, it was a faint scratch.

 

"Ardeth?" Evelyn asked when she opened the window. "Is that you?"

 

"Come out at once, Evelyn. Something is happening."

 

Evelyn grabbed her robe and slippers, put them on and made her way out to the courtyard.

 

"Look there" Ardeth pointed to a fiery blaze out in the middle of the desert.

 

"Quickly," Evelyn said "We must locate the flame before it goes out."

 

"Shouldn't we wake up Rick?" Ardeth asked.

 

"No, he will take too long, the fire will be out before he gets out of bed."

 

The site of the blaze was not as distant as it had appeared, but the flames had died to a sullen glow by the time the two got there. As they stood gazing at the molten remains Ardeth shot a look backwards. Evelyn felt sympathy for the ambience was eerie in the extreme, and the smoldering embers were gruesomely suggestive of the contours of a human form.

 

The sound of heavy breathing and running footsteps made the two start. Ardeth knew Rick's habits as well as Evelyn did; he prudently got behind her, and she was able to prevent Rick from hurling himself at the throat of- as he believed- her abductor. When the situation was explained, Rick shook himself like a large dog "I wish you wouldn't do this to me, Evelyn" he complained "When I reached out for you and found you were gone I feared the worst."

 

As the three carefully looked at the burning smolders Rick exclaimed.

 

"I believe we have found the missing mummy case."

 

"Are you certain?" Evelyn asked.

 

"Yes" Rick answered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning Evelyn and Rick awoke later, for they hadn't gotten that much sleep the night before.

 

There was a note on the parlor table that Alex and Ardeth had already left for their dig site. Evelyn was excited. The men had already put all of the planks and ropes in place.

 

At about twelve noon Evelyn was ready to go to the pyramid and do some exploring. She was walking over bridges and climbing up fissures. She was so into the pyramid that she totally lost track of time. She had one of the workers come with her to help by holding the torch. The man was reluctant to come with her for he still believed in curses.

 

As Evelyn sat there in all her glory with perspiration dripping from her nose. There occurred the most uncanny event of the entire season. The stifling air was suddenly stirred by a breeze, which rose to a gusty wind. It felt cold. The torch flickered wildly and went out.

 

"Oh my god, " Evelyn started "I have read of this phenomenon, but I never thought I would be fortunate enough to experience it myself."

 

The man with the, now unlit, torch started babbling about afreets and devils.

 

"I assure you, this is nothing but the presence of another entrance to the tomb. No devils." Evelyn then reached into her pockets and pulled out a can of water proof matches. She re-lit the torch and they started out of the pyramid.

 

When she got out of the pyramid that the sun was well into the east. She had been in there way too long and knew that she had to get back to the house before they sent search parties.

 

 

 

 

 

The lion and Alex got along very well. There was now the cage set up in Alex's room, and they had made a lead for the little creature. Cleo didn't mind it either. She would just sit and watch the little cub with amazement in her eyes.

 

When Evelyn got back that was what Alex, the lion, and Cleo were engaged in. Alex was playing with the cub and Cleo was watching.

 

"Had fun I assume?" Rick asked when she came back into the parlor with bat droppings all over her and her hair a mess.

 

Evelyn just smiled. She eventually told Rick and Alex about the whole experience.

 

 

 

 

 

Later that night Evelyn lay awake in bed.

 

Far off in the stilly night the lonely howl of a jackal rose like the lament of a wandering spirit.

 

But hark- closer at hand though scarcely louder- another sound! She sat up, pushing her hair back from her face. It came again; a soft scraping, scarcely audible thud- and then- of heavens!- a cacophony of screams scarcely human in their intensity. The were not human. They were cries of a lion.

 

She sprang from bed. Rick was awake and swearing. "Your trousers! Rick!" She shouted "Pray don't forget your trousers!"

 

Since there was only one lion in the premises, it was not difficult for her to deduce whence the sound come. Alex's room was next to Evelyn and Rick's.

 

The room was dark. The light from the window was cut off by a writhing form that filled the entire aperture. Without delaying an instant. Evelyn began beating it with an object she found on the floor. Unfortunately the blows fell upon the wrong end of the intrude, whose head and shoulders were already out of the window. Stimulated, no doubt, by the thrashings, it redoubled its efforts and made good its escape. She would have followed, but at that moment an excruciating pain shot through Evie's ankle and she lost her balance, falling heavily on the floor.

 

Rick then ran in on the scene. Rushing head long into the room, he tripped over Evie's recumbent form and crushed the breath out of her.

 

Next to arrive was Ardeth, lamp in hand. He lit up the scene. The lion cub then realized to whom it was gnawing and stopped.

 

Rick then struggled to his feet "Alex!" He shouted, "Alex! Where are you?"

 

It struck Evelyn then that they hadn't heard from Alex throughout the whole ordeal. His cot was a mass of tumbled blankets, but the boy himself was nowhere to be seen.

 

"A-alex!" Rick shrieked, his face purpling.

 

"I am under the cot." Said a faint voice.

 

Sure enough the boy was there, his sheets were wrapped around him like the effect of a straight jacket. Rick and Evelyn unwrapped him.

 

"Speak to me boy!" Rick cried out.

 

"Are you hurt? What did he do to you?" Evelyn asked.

 

Evelyn then returned the lion to its cage. "Rick, he cannot answer you because you are squeezing the breathe out of him." She said

 

 

Alex explained to the parents that he didn't see who came in. He was wrapped up in the sheet and his mouth was covered so he couldn't cry for help. Fortunately the lion was left out of its cage that night and the little creature had bitten the intruder which caused him to flee.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, more bad news was to come. One of the workers was murdered. His body was found in the desert. It had been half eaten by Jackals, but bore a rope around his neck.

 

Evelyn was able to look at the body, as gruesome as it was she was able to deduce that Hamid had been left out in the desert for a couple of days. Therefore he had been murdered a while ago. No body noticed, though, it turned out that he wasn't very popular with the other workers. He had arrived in the village with Brother David and Brother Ezekiel and never once did he go to the Coptic Church.

 

At about noon, Evelyn saw a procession coming toward their dig site. It was Brother David, Brother Ezekiel and another person, though Evelyn couldn't tell who.

 

When they got closer Evelyn realized that the other person was a woman. Brother David urged his mount to a gallop and was soon before Evelyn. "Is it true?" he asked in agitated tones. "Is brother Hamid…"

 

"dead" Rick said as he approached Evie. "quite dead. Very dead, indeed." Brother David just gave him a menacing look.

 

Soon the other two joined. "Who is this?" Evelyn asked inquiring about the Woman with the two men.

 

"This is Sister Charity" Ezekiel replied.

 

All introductions were made then the five made their way into the parlor.

 

"A fine man" Brother David said.

 

"He will be greatly missed"

 

"One of the elect."

 

"I never liked him."

 

The interruption of the litany by this critical remark was almost as surprising as its source. The words issued from under Charity's black bonnet. Her brother turned a look of outrage astonishment upon her and she went on defiantly. "He was too obsequious, too fawning. And sometimes, when you were not looking at his, he would smile to himself in a sneering way."

 

"Charity, Charity," Brother David said gently. "You are forgetting your name."

 

The girl's slight, dark-robed form turned toward him as a flower seeks the sun. "you are right, Brother David, forgive me."

 

"Only God can do that, my dear."

 

"When did you see the fellow last?" Rick asked.

 

All agreed that Hamid was last seen the night of the robbery at the Baroness's dahabeeyah.

 

Evelyn and Rick couldn't make any further investigations to see whether Hamid was in fact on the Dahabeeyah because the Baroness had already left.

 

Eventually Brother David, Brother Ezekiel and Charity left with Hamid's body. They said that the funeral would be tomorrow and that we were invited to attend.

 

Rick felt pity for Charity's position. She was not allowed to do what she wanted. She was to slave for Brother David and Brother Ezekiel. Even when Evelyn had offered them tea, Brother Ezekiel told her that Charity would be more than willing to make it for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, after the funeral Rick and Evelyn decided to go to the village. When they got there the school classes were already in for the day. There were boys in the school house. Adults were working, little girls were settled outside knitting. And in the middle of it all there was a familiar black cloaked figure sitting on the rock in the court yard. Charity was reading aloud from the bible to some of the older children who sat in front of her.

 

"Ah, here is our chance to talk to the girl alone"

 

Evelyn cleared her throat loudly. There was a serpent in the little paradise after all. The harmless sound made Charity start violently and look around with fear writ large upon her face. I stepped out from the shadow of the palm tree. "It is only I, Miss Charity, and Rick. I beg of you resume your seat and let us have a little chat."

 

She sank back down into the seat from which she had risen "You may go home now, children" Evelyn said "Class is over." The children got up and left. Evelyn took a seat next to Charity "I apologize for startling you."

 

Rick had a look of surprise on his face "What are you afraid of child?" He asked.

 

"I was absorbed in that story, sir, I did not expect anyone-"

 

"Bah!" Rick said out loud "Doesn't your creed tell you that lying is a sin, Miss Charity?"

 

"It was truth sir."

 

"A half truth at best. This village is no longer safe child. Can't you persuade your brother to move else where?" Rick asked. Since Brother David and Brother Ezekiel have moved their church to this village the work men have been talking about getting revenge on the new church that took away from the Coptic.

 

"You see what we are doing here? Can we admit defeat? Can we abandon these helpless infidels?" Charity responded with remorse in her voice.

 

Rick shook his head frowning. "You are in danger, and I believe you know it. Is there no way… What is it Evelyn?"

 

"Someone is watching from the window of the house." Evie said with her eyes fixed on Brother Ezekiel and Brother David's house.

 

"Curse it," Rick said "Don't; get up Miss Charity, listen to me. There may come a time when you need our help. Send to us, at any hour of day or night."

 

With that Rick and Evie got up and quickly made their way through streets and out of the village to stop Brother Ezekiel from coming out and talking to them.

 

"Why is it so dangerous for them to live there?" Evie noticed, she hadn't spent as much time with the workers as Rick did.

 

"The workmen have been threatening to get their comeupins with Brother David and Ezekiel. Surely they'll include Charity as well."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later on that night Evelyn was back at investigating the Mummy, and now the sarcophagus. She had both specimens out on the table.

 

"I don't get this." She said.

 

"Don't get what?" Rick asked.

 

"Well, if you look at the mummy, you can see that it is female, even the amulets are those that belong to a female. But look at this, the mummy case is one of a male. It says so right on it." She said puzzled.

 

"Yeah so.." Rick asked.

 

"Well this mummy fits in this mummy case perfectly, they way it's molded and everything. So why are they of opposite genders? And did you notice that this mummy case looks a lot like the one of the Baroness's? Give or take a few different inscriptions." She took note of.

 

"Alright, so they looked the same, people are usually the same height and the same figure…. What? What is it?" Rick asked his wife.

 

"I've got it!" Evie cried out. "This mummy case is a twin!"

 

"A what?"

 

"A twin, there is another one just like it! You see the baroness had the mummy case of the female and here is the one of the male! It was probably husband and wife! But if they were so wealthy as to have twin coffins what was his doing in the pyramid?"

 

"Maybe someone put it there?" Rick suggested.

 

"Rick O'Connell I think you're right! I think that one of our work men must of put it there, but who?"

 

"Maybe Hamid?"

 

"Could be? Maybe he put it there in hiding so that he could get it to another worker perhaps? Or who ever he was working for?"

 

"Maybe that's why he chose to work with us? He wanted to be closer to the loot?"

 

"Rick, Evelyn" Ardeth came walking into the room.

 

"Yes?" Rick responded.

 

"Here, this came for you." Ardeth said while holding out a folded piece of paper.

 

Evelyn took it. "It is from Charity, your warning was not in vain after all, Rick. She asks for your help.:

 

"When?"

 

"Now. That is, tonight… at midnight" She replied as she ran her eyes across the paper.

 

"Midnight? Why midnight, it's too early to get sleep before hand and too late to-"

 

"Shhh, I don't want anyone to overhear, especially Alex." Evelyn warned.

 

Rick and Evelyn went to put Alex to bed.

 

After that the remaining time passed very slowly. Evelyn ans Rick both were very curious to see what was going on. Finally Rick decided they should leave. Ardeth was asleep, but he woke instantly when they opened the door. Rick explained that they were just going for a stroll and would be back before long.

 

"I wonder why she chose such a remote spot?" Evelyn asked.

 

"She could hardly arrange to meet in the village, and she knows we have been working at the pyramid."

 

Their hearts beat fast as they approached the area, at first there was no sign of anything living. Then something moved. Evelyn caught Rick's arm. "It is she!" I would know that shape anywhere, especially that horrid bonnet."

 

She stood still for a moment, then raised her arm. The form glided away.

 

"She is beckoning for us to follow." Evelyn exclaimed.

 

"So I see"

 

"Where the devil is she going?"

 

"No doubt she will explain when we catch her up."

 

We increased our pace. Yet the distance between them, and the slender form never grew less.

 

"Curse it! Evelyn this is ridiculous. She is going to run us straight to Mazghunah? I will give her a hail."

 

"No! don't do that! Even a low voice will carry a long distance here; a shout would awaken everyone for a mile around."

 

"Well, we have been walking for a mile!"

 

"Hardly that Rick!"

 

Finally after much more walking there was a change. "Ah there, she is changing direction, toward a cultivation."

 

One lone palm, a giant of its kind, had invaded the rim of the waterless desert. The slim shadow vanished into its shade.

 

Rick broke into a trot and Evelyn ran.

 

She was there, she awaited Rick and Evelyn with her head turned.

 

Then the form out of the very ground, or so it seemed, three ghostly forms emerged. Barely visible against the darkness, they moved with the speed and ferocity of the afreets they resembled. Evelyn's hand went up in defense- too late! They were upon them! She heard Rick's shout and smack of his fist on flesh. Rough hands seized her; She was flung to the ground.

 

Evelyn lay on the ground a large foot planted itself on her back to hold her down. While rough hands stuffed a gag in her mouth and rapidly enclosed her body with ropes. Even more distracting that physical discomfort was her apprehension concerning Rick. No longer did the sounds of complaint and struggle reach her ears. The miscreants must have remedered him unconscious - or worse… But no, she would not, she could not, entertain that ghastly thought.

 

 

Note: this last chapter is form Evelyn's point of view I thought this might add a little more umph to the story

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the villains picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. The muscular arm holding my lower limbs warned me of the futility of attempting to escape; I bent all my efforts instead of twisting my neck far enough to get a glimpse of Rick. As my captor set out across the sands, I was finally rewarded in the endeavor, but what I saw was far from reassuring. Close behind came a pair of bare feet and a ragged robe. I could see no more of the second villain than that, owing to my unconventional posture, but behind the feet a lax, limp hand trailed through the sand. They were carrying him. Surely that must mean my dear Rick lived. I clung to that thought while endeavoring to discern some sign of animation, however faint, in the member.

 

I could no more. The discomfort of strained neck muscles forced me to relax. This brought my face in close proximity with the dirty robe covering my captor's body, and I was conscious of a strange odor, even more unpleasant than that of unwashed flesh. I knew that smell. It was the unmistakable stench of bat droppings.

 

I could only see a small expanse of the desert floor, the nature of the debris that, before long, cluttered the surface told me of my location. We were once again approaching the Black Pyramid. My kidnapper came to a stop before a gaping hole in the ground. If I had not been gagged I would have cried out; for that hole had not been in existence earlier. I did not like the look of it. I resumed my struggle. The wretch replied by dropping me onto the ground. Rick lay beside me. His eyes were closed, but he looked quite peaceful. Most marvelous of all was the rise and fall of his chest. He lived! Thank heaven he lived!

 

The man who had been carrying me seized me by the collar and started into the hole, dragging me after him.

 

It was not a grave pit, then, but a structure considerably more extensive. A wild surmise rose and strengthened as we went on into the darkness. I deduced the presence of a flight of steps leading downward, from the impression they made upon my helpless form. At the bottom of the stairs the captor paused to light a candle; then we went on, more rapidly than before, and in the same manner. In justice to the fellow who transported me in such an uncomfortable manner I must admit he had little choice; the ceiling of the passage was so low he had to bend double, and it would have been impossible for him to carry me.

 

The thieves had discovered the interior chambers of the pyramid, which we had sought in vain. Archeologist fever soon came over me, it soon faded, however.

 

The hard stone floor that bruised by back soon turned to sand and disintegrated bat manure. This rose to a cloud as we proceeded and being so low I found it hard to breathe.

 

A twinkle ahead of me proved that there was the presence of others. Were they still carrying my unconscious spouse? Or had they flung his corpse into an empty tomb?

 

Decaying bat droppings aren't exactly poisonous, but they cannot be breathed in too long without giving an ill effect.. My head began to swim. I was barely aware of being raised or flung or dragged throughout the pyramid. I tried to keep track of where we were going but it was too complicated a maze.

 

Finally the villain came to a stop. My eyes were stinging with tears from the irritation of the dusty dung. The man bent over me. I did not want him to think I was weeping from fear or weakness, so I blinked away the tears. An unpleasant smile rose upon his face in the dim light. He held the candle in one hand and in the other, a long knife, polished to razor sharpness. The light ran in glimmering streaks along the blade.

 

Two quick slashes, and a sharp shove… I toppled- tried to cry out- fell, helpless and blind, into impenetrable darkness.

 

An individual who has been kidnapped, bound and gagged, suffocated, and tossed into a seemingly bottomless pit in the heart of an unexplored pyramid is a fool if she is not scared. I am not a fool, I was terrified.

 

My life flashed before my eyes within a few second period. Before I hit the bottom. To my astonishment I found it was covered with water. Under the water was mud and under that was stone. The presence of mud and water broke my fall, though it was hard enough to bruise me and knock the breath clean out of me. It was not until I made some instinctive swimming motions that I noticed that my limbs had been freed. Swimming was unnecessary; the water and underlying slime were scarcely three feet deep. When I gained to my feet my first act was to pluck the gag from my mouth. It was saturated with water and tasted foul, but it had prevented me from swallowing the revolting liquid.

 

Scarcely had I regained my footing into an upright position when I was thrown back into the water by a heavy object that narrowly missed me sending a fountain of spray high up into the air. Without an instant's hesitation I dropped to my knees and started feeling around. My groping hand encountered a substance that felt like the fur of a drowned animal. Slippery with slime and water, but I knew the feel of it, wet or dry, muddy or slimy; thank heavens for Rick's healthy head of hair, I twisted both hands in it and dragged his head up from under the water. The angelic choir will sound no sweeter to me than the sputtering and cursing that told me Rick was alive and conscious. Presumably the water on his face had brought him around.

 

His first act was to aim a blow at my jaw. I had expected this, so I was able to avoid it, while announcing my identity in the loudest possible voice.

 

"Evelyn!" Rick gurgled "Is it you? Thank God! But where are we?"

 

"In the Black Pyramid, well, under it. I am certain of the general direction of the passageway was-"

 

During my reply Rick had located my face by feeling around; he put an end to the speech by placing his mouth firmly over mine. He tasted nasty, but I didn't mind.

 

"Evelyn." Rick said after he stopped kissing me. "Do you know where we are, exactly?"

 

"I hope so, Rick. But this is a very confusing pyramid- a maze one might say. And I was not at my best. The kidnapper dragged me most of the way and my- er- my body kept bumping on the stones and-"

 

"Dragged you, you say? The villain! I will have his kidney for that when we get out of here!"

 

"Thanks you, my dear Rick." I said with considerable emotion. First, though. We need to have a look around."

 

"Well I don't see how we are going to do that, unless you can see in the dark like Cleo… Evelyn!" Rick cried out when I struck a match.

 

"Hold the box" I said "I need both hands for the candle. There that is better is it not? I am happy to find that the manufacturer's claim of the waterproof quality of the tin box was not exaggerated. We must not take chances with our precious matches; close the box carefully, if you please and put it in your shirt pocket.

 

A large object, rising out of the water like an island caught both of our eyes.

 

"It's a royal sarcophagus, curse it! The lid is open! We are not the first to find it!"

 

I sat upon the large wooden box while Rick held the candle up around the four walls that surrounded us. Finally, we were able to locate the one that we were both thrown off of . The problem was that the ledge was seventeen feet high.

 

"Well, you are five feet, one inch. And I am six feet- and the length of your arms." Rick started to calculate.

 

"And subtract the length of my shoulders and head" I burst out laughing.

 

"We may as well try it." Rick said getting poised to lift me up.

 

When I stood on the latter, my fingertips were still a good three feet below the ledge. I reported this to Rick.

 

"Humph" He said thoughtfully "Suppose you were to stand on my head…"

 

"That would only give us another twelve or thirteen inches." I responded.

 

His hands closed over my ankles.

 

"I will lift you up at arms' length, Evelyn. Can you keep your knees rigid and maintain your balance by leaning against the wall?"

 

"Certainly, my dear. Are you sure you can do it?"

 

"You are a mere feather my dear Evelyn." Came his response.

 

"Slowly, please, my dear."

 

"But of course, Evelyn"

 

I was afraid to tilt my head back in order to look up; the slightest movement might destroy the precarious balance Rick and I were maintaining between us. When the upward movement finally ceased, there was nothing under my outstretched hands but the same cold smooth stone. I looked up.

 

"Three inches, Rick can you-"

 

"Ugh" Rick said decidedly.

 

"Lower me then. We shall have to think of something else."

 

"Sit on my shoulders and I will bring you to the sarcophagus." I did so.

 

After he returned me to my seat he hoisted himself up. We sat side by side, our feet dangling until Rick got his breath back.

 

"Have you got the matchbox?"

 

"You may be sure I have" He answered. "That little tin box is more precious to my right now than gold."

 

"Alright, then can we blow out the candle, it's the only one, you see."

 

Rick nodded somberly. The dark closed upon us, but I didn't mind. His arm was around me and my head rested on his shoulder. For some time we didn't speak, then a sepulchral voice remarked, "We will die in one another's arms, Evelyn"

 

He seemed to find his thought consoling. "Nonsense, my dear Rick," I said briskly. "Do not abandon hope we have not yet begun the fight."

 

"We need a box, or a canopic chest or something made of stone or a wooden object that I can stand on to lift you higher." Rick said.

 

I was about to reply when I saw something that made me wonder if my brain was beginning to weaken. It was only the faintest suggestion of light. It came from high in the wall- from the opening of the corridor. I pinched Rick.

 

"Look" I hissed.

 

"I see it," he replied. "Quick, Evelyn, down into the water."

 

We both got down "It could be the villain, do you think?" I asked.

 

"It can be no one else." Came his reply "Quick hide behind the sarcophagus, keep out of sight and don't make a sound."

 

Rick waded toward the wall, I knew without words what he was doing. The villain had to come back to search for us. If he cannot see us he may be enticed to lower a rope or a ladder to look for our bodies. This shone a ray of hope, for Rick stood up against the wall waiting for such a thing to be lowered down.

 

I stood against the sarcophagus with my fingers closed around my knife that I kept in my pocket.

 

Then occurred the most astonishing event of that astonishing evening. A voice spoke- a voice I knew, pronouncing my name only one individual in all the world employs me. So great was my wonderment that I stood erect, banging my head on the rim of the sarcophagus; and in that same moment the light went out, a voice shouted in alarm and horror, and something splashed heavily into the water not far away.

 

My first act was to strike a match and light a candle, for I heard Rick already cursing and splashing around. My searching for the fallen object would only get in the way.

 

Rick rose from the water. In his arms was a muddy, dripping object. It moved; it was living. I groped for appropriate words.

 

"Alex," I said "I thought I told you you were never to go into any more pyramids."

 

"You said I might go in if you and dad were with me" Said Alex.

 

"So I did." We placed Alex on top of the sarcophagus, for if we put him in the water, he would not be able to breathe.

 

The boy just looked down at my, all I could make out was his eyes, slime and muck covered the rest of his face. "As I was saying, Alex, I appreciate your motives on coming to our rescue, as I suppose you intended. But I must point out that jumping into the pit with us was not helping."

 

"I did not jump, mum, I slipped. I brought a rope, though."

 

"My boy, my boy," Rick said mournfully. "I had consoled myself with the expectation that you would carry on the same name of O'Connell to glory and scientific achievement. Now we will all perish in one another's -"

 

"Please, Rick," I said "I don't suppose it occurred to you, Alex, to fetch help instead of rushing in here where angels fear to tread?"

 

"Well, no." The boy started "But I did leave a note." He said cheerfully.

 

"A note? Where?" Rick cried out.

 

"I followed you two out when you left the house, I don't remember you, mum, saying that I could not follow you. So I did. I couldn't leave you when they brought you two into the pyramid. So I quickly made a note and put it on Cleo."

 

"Cleo?" I asked.

 

"Yes, she came with me. So I left the note with her. I couldn't leave it on the ground, mum! I also had to get rope, which I found at the hole."

 

"Why did it take you so long to reach us?" I asked consolingly.

 

"Well, I had to keep away from the villains and so I hid in a crevice. But it collapsed on me, so it took some time digging out," He explained.

 

"My dear child-" Rick began.

 

"You have not heard the worst, dad. I decided to get assistance. When I got to the main entrance, it was blocked. Deliberately, I believe. By removal of the timbers that had supported the stones lining the passage. I had a candle and matches with me, but I fear I lost them when I fell into the pit."

 

"We must get out of here." I insisted.

 

"Why, someone will come for us when Cleo goes back to the house." Rick said.

 

"Yes, but the note might be chewed off or lost." I defended.

 

"Yes, and if you want to capture the villains, they leave tomorrow at dawn. I heard them say so." Alex informed us.

 

"But if the passage is blocked…"

 

"There is another way out, dad."

 

"I beg your pardon?"

 

It leads to a vestibule beside the pyramid containing several members of the royal family."

 

"Alright, now we have to look for an object to stand on." Rick said as he foraged the water's bottom."

 

"No Rick," I said "We have to find the rope that Alex dropped."

 

"But, Evelyn, we aren't tall enough."

 

"We lacked three feet. Here is an object that is three feet long" I pointed to Alex.

 

"Ha! Correct as always my dear Evelyn!" He cried out.

 

Rick soon found the rope, we were able to wipe most of the slime off, slime would only add a disadvantage to our attempts to climb up it.

 

The procedure was almost laughably easy now. Alex swarmed up our bodies with the agility of a monkey. Once his hand enclosed over the rim of the hole. I was able to assist him by pushing on the most conveniently located portion of his anatomy.

 

It was then necessary for us to wait while Alex lit the candle and looked for a protruding stub of stone around which the rope could be tied.

 

Alex finally announced that he had located a protruding stone he considered suitable. "It won't take much strain, mum, so you have to be quick."

 

Breathing a wordless prayer to what ever Deity guides our ends I seized the rope. Rick flung me up as high as he could manage. I felt the line sag ominously; then my foot found a purchase, slight but sufficient.. After a brief but exciting scramble I drew myself into safety.

 

I took the candle from Alex to examine the support he had chosen. It was not an encouraging sight. Several of the stones in the lower portion of the wall had buckled under the pressure the bricks beyond. Around one of the protruding edges Alex had looped the rope- faux do mieux as he might put it. For there was nothing else that would serve. I had depended on the rope as little as possible, but Rick would have to use it for most of his ascent. And his weight was considerably greater.

 

"I am coming up" Rick shouted.

 

"Just a second!" I sat down on the floor with my back against the loosened block and my feet braced against the opposite wall. "Alex" I said "Proceed along the passage, around the next corner."

 

"Very well" He said and left. I waited until he was out of sight, and then called down to Rick to proceed.

 

The ensuing moments were not of the most comfortable I have undergone. As A had feared, Rick's tugging and jerking of the rope had a deleterious effect on the block that held it. And though I pressed against the stone with every ounce of strength I possessed, it out weighted me by some six hundred pounds.

 

It seemed hours before I finally saw his shaggy, slime-smeared head appear at the opening. By that time the pressure of the stone against my back had raised my knees to an acute angle from the floor. We then proceeded to crawl through the passageway. When I rounded the corner and Saw Alex standing there I felt it safe to rest.

 

The ceiling was only four feet tall, even Alex had to bend over. After a few seconds I said "Lead on Alex, that is, are you fully recovered Rick?"

 

"I may never be fully recovered" Came his sad response.

 

The architects had used every trick they could think of to foil grave robbers. From gaping pits in the floor to concealed entrances high in the walls. Fortunately for us, the long-dead thieves had been shrewder than the architects. I never believed I would think kindly of these ghouls who had looted the treasures buried with the pharaohs, foiling modern archeologists in their quests for knowledge. But as I crawled through the narrow tunnel dug by the invaders of the pyramid, I blessed their greedy and ambitious souls.

 

I also blessed Alex's uncanny sense of direction. There were dead ends and corridors that lead everywhere, but he lead us unerringly toward his goal.

 

Alas, we drew up to a long straight passageway that led into a sizable chamber cut into the rock. It too had been robbed. Here we stood upright. And Alex directed Rick to hold the candle up to the ceiling.

 

One of the stones was missing "It is the opening to the shaft" Alex informed us.

 

The depth was not great, about twelve feet. Alex had informed us of his real concern. Him and Ardeth always placed a large stone over the opening to hide the whereabouts of the tomb entrance. It took both of them to place it there.

 

"What do you think?" I asked Rick who was calculating the climb up.

 

"After all we have been through I don't mean to let a mere stone stop me." Came his response.

 

 

The shaft was so narrow he could chimney climb his way up to the top. It was an awkward position in which to exert pressure on a considerable weight. And Rick's grunts and groans testified to the effort he was putting forth.

 

"It is hard to get a grip on the cursed thing- ah there we go."

 

His speech was interrupted by a shower of sand, some of which sprinkled my upturned face. The bulk of it, unfortunately, fell full on Rick's head. I have seldom heard such a rich wealth of invective, even from Rick. "You should have kept your mouth closed, my dear," I said. "____ ____ ____." Said Rick. 

 

 

 

 

"I had to spread sand on the stone," Alex explained, "in order to conceal the location of the-"

 

A positive avalanche put an end to this inapropos remark. Rick continued to curse inventively as he put his back into the task; no doubt the irritable and physical discomfort gave him additional strength. At last the downpour died down to a trickle. "Look out below!" Rick cried grittily. "I am coming down"

 

He descended with a rush and a thud. The candle flame quivered in my hand as I contemplated him. He looked at me. "you first" was his only remark.

 

He lifted me up into the mouth of the shaft. It was not the first time I had ascended a narrow fissure. For a moment I was unable to move. A few feet above me was a square of deep blue velvet strewn with sparkling gems. It looked so close I felt I could touch it. My shaken mind refused to recognize it for what it was- the night sky. Which I had wondered if I could ever see again.

 

I began my final labor. Not until I lay at full length upon the hard desert floor, with night breeze cooking my flushed face did I realize that the whole ordeal was over.

 

I raised my head, not three feet away from me sat a white statue, motionless. Staring at me with slitted eyes. So might the ancient goddess of love and beauty welcome a devotee after hi journey through perilous paths of the underworld.

 

Cleo and I communed in silence. There was considerable criticism in my mind, mild curiosity in hers, to judge by the placidity of her expression. She tilted her head inquiringly I snapped "He will be with you in a moment."

 

Alex soon came out of the hole followed by Rick who shook himself off like a dog. The cat, Cleo, gave up her attempt to clean off Alex.

 

I reached for the cat, a ragged piece of paper was still attached at the collar. Half of the note I still here," I said "It is just as well we did not wait to be rescued." Brisk walking warmed us, as we made our way back to Dahshoor. If it weren't for the villains that I wished to capture I would have suggested that we might prolong the stroll.

 

As we approached the Monastery we were greeted by two yellow squares on the side of the building. "Alex." I asked "Did you leave your bedroom light on?"

 

"No" Came his reply.

 

"Perhaps someone has noted our absence?" I suggested to Rick.

 

"No, where is Ardeth?" He asked.

 

"I see him, there on the left hand side, he appears to be sleeping?"

 

We approached Ardeth on hands and knees. He did not awaken even when Rick shook him.

 

"Drugged, Hashish, from the smell of it he'll be none the worse of it in the morning."

 

Rick then drew out his pistol.

 

"You dare not fire it Rick? The mud has clogged the whole thing up."

 

"I know, I can only bluff, will you stay here?"

 

"No" I replied.

 

"Then Alex will be our look out, right boy?" He asked

 

"Yes dad."

 

"If we don't come out in fifteen minutes send for help." I continued.

 

We set off for Alex's room. "What are they doing there?" I asked

 

"Who knows, looking for something, probably."

 

Well, whatever it was they were still at it when we got there. They had left his door open and the light on. You could even hear everything that they were saying.

 

We could see who was in the room, it was two men, they wore the dark blue turbans that were customary to the village.

 

We watched as one of the men kicked the cage of the lion cub as it growled at them. I ground my teeth, nothing angered me more than cruelty to animals. I had found a parasol with a thick metal shaft. That was our only real weapon because the gun was of no use to us.

 

I whispered into Rick's ear. "There are only two of them, now?"

 

"Now" Rick said.

 

I was sure our attack would have been a success had not Rick gotten in my way. There was confusion in the doorway and by the time both of us got through the doorway and I regained my footing I was distressed to find out that one of the men had his pistol already aimed at us

 

"You are hard to kill Sitt Hakim." Came one of the voices "Shall I see if a bullet can do what burial alive cannot?"

 

Then a voice replied what I figure was a rhetorical question. The voice came from the far end of the room where we had not been able to see. "There will be no killing tonight. Only if the O'Connells leave us no choice. And do not kick the cage. Did not the Prophet cut off his sleeve than disturb his sleeping cat?"

 

The figure stepped forward into the light. It was that of father Girgis. "You are the master criminal?" I asked almost dropping my parasol.

 

"A mellow dramatic term, Mrs. O'Connell, I am but a chairman of the business. With whose operations you and your family have been interfering."

 

"What?" I asked astonished.

 

"You are a pair of busybodies. If you had kept out of my way, you would not be in danger."

 

"Oh, so I suppose that tossing us into the pyramid and sealing the entrance was not dangerous?" I said tartly.

 

"Who murdered Hamid?" I asked accusingly.

 

A park glimmered darkly in the deep-set eyes. "I would have executed the traitor, yes. But I did not. Another's vengeance reached him before mine."

 

"And you expect us to believe that?" I asked outraged.

 

"Oh, Evelyn." Said my husband "there is surely no profit in annoying this- er –gentleman." He looked up and smiled at Father Girbis.

 

"I do not care if Mrs. O'Connell believes me or not. I am here on business. I am looking for a certain artifact." He responded.

 

"The mummy case?" I asked.

 

"No, this." The man said as he drew a bow out of his rode and removed the lid.

 

Lamplight caressed the gleaming gold and the soft glow of the turquoise blue of lapis lazuli, the red-orange of carnelian. I caught my breath. "the Twelfth Dynasty pectoral!"

 

"Another Twelfth Dynasty pectoral." The priest corrected. "With its necklace of gold and carnelian beads, and a set of matching bracelets. The parure of a princess of the middle kingdom, hidden well under the floor of the tomb that it escaped the tomb robbers who looted the mummy. It is the second such cache we have found at Dahshoor, Mrs. O'Connell, and were it not for that interfering brat your son, we would perhaps have found others. He has been digging around all the Dahshoor pyramids for the past week. One of my men was watching when he found the princess's tomb and removed these ornaments, but we refrained form repossessing them because we hoped he would abandon his pursuits and leave us to go on with our work in peace. That hope has not been realized. You spoil your child, Mrs. O'Connell; how many boys of that age are allowed to excavate on their own?"

 

I was about to respond when I saw something that made my blood run cold. It was a face, pressed against one of the barred windows. I almost didn't recognize it but the eyes were a dead give away. Alex!

 

The priest went on. "Such, however, are the unavoidable vicissitudes of my profession. Now I must beg your pardon. I have to notify the men who are searching your room that the objects are found. This, then, is a farewell. I trust we may not meet again."

 

He strode toward he door.

 

His men watched him go, Rick's back was toward the window, I was the only one who could see the framework of wooden bars shiver and give way. Silently it swung out- and then I knew how he had come and gone by night without being noticed.

 

The priest was at the door when my husband shouted to him "Are you leaving us to by slaughtered by your henchmen?"

 

"My dear Mr. O'Connell, not a shed of your blood will be dropped if you accept the inevitable. My men have orders to bind and –"

 

Turning the priest broke off with a gasp.

 

Alex fell into the room. He picked himself off the floor and started forward "Give it back to me!" He said in a growl that was terrifyingly like that of his father's.

 

The priest laughed contemptuously "Imp of Satan! Seize him, Mustafa"

 

With a malevolent grin the man he addressed threw out a careless arm. The blow caught Alex across the midsection and lifted him clean off his feet. His body hit the wall with a horrible crash; he fell in a head and lay motionless.

 

I heard Rick's roar and a crack of a pistol. I saw nothing, inky blackness engulfed me; like a cloud of thick smoke shot with bursts of flame. A great rushing filled my ears, like the thunder of an avalanche…

 

An immeasurable interval I became aware of hands clasping me and a voice calling my name. "Evelyn! Evelyn, for God's sake…"

 

The mists before my eyes cleared. I was still on my feet, parasol in hand, and Rick was shaking me.

 

Alex sat bolt upright, his back against the wall, his hands braced on the floor, his legs sticking straight out. His mouth hung open; his eyes here popping.

 

"You're alive," I said.

 

Alex nodded, for once in his life he seemed incapable of speech.

 

On Rick's face I saw the same expression of incredulous horror. Yet there was no reason for alarm; one villain lay face down on the floor, his arms over his head. The second huddled in a corner, babbling incoherently. The priest was gone.

 

"You seem to have the situation well in hand, Rick" I said, wondering why my voice was so hoarse. "My congratulations!"

 

"I didn't do it," Rick said, "You did it."

 

"What are you saying, Rick?"

 

Rick released me and staggered back. He dropped heavily onto the tumbled blankets. "There is blood on your parasol, Evie."

 

I realized that I was holding the instrument poised, as if to strike. There was certainly some vicious substance on the steel dark tip. A drop formed and fell as I stared.

 

"Berserk…" Rick went on, shaking his head dazedly. "That is the term… A berserker rage. I have heard it described. One could almost believe in the old legends, that the one possessed is impervious to blows, weapons, bullets… The maternal instincts roused in fury- Tigress defends her cub…"

 

I cleared my throat. "Rick, I cannot believe what you are talking about… Now, let us tear up one of the sheets and tie these villains up…"

 

While we were binding the two thugs (who were in a peculiar state of trembling paralysis and gave no trouble.) We realized that Ardeth was gone. He was no longer in his chair in front of the Monastery.

 

 

 

"Where do you suppose they have taken him?" I asked as we headed out the door.

 

"Why are you jumping to that conclusion?" Rick asked.

 

"You said it yourself, he has been drugged, I surely don't think he got up and walked away, this is Ardeth we are talking about. If anything he would have come in to see what was going on." I said matter of factly.

 

"So you have a point." Rick said as he mounted on of the goats and reined it in the direction f the village.

 

"Evelyn?" Rick asked "Did you expect that the priest was the one who has been breaking into our home and the Baroness's Dahabeeyah?"

 

"No, I thought it was Brothers David and Ezekiel, well more Ezekiel." I responded.

 

"Ezekiel? You don't expect him to be in charge of this? Do you? Did you not see the way he treated Charity?" He asked

 

"Well yes I did, but I still feel it was Ezekiel, I have my reasons." I said trying to keep my eyes off of Rick.

 

"Alright, if you believe so, but I believe that Brother David I the one we are after."

 

 

One of our men met us half way.

 

"Oh, Sitt Hakim!" The man addressed me. "Oh thank heaven you are alright!" He explained what had happened in our absence. "I woke up with a gun at my head. When I saw the gun I cried out and woke the others. The man told us not to move, Sitt Hakim, so we did not; it was a Mauser repeating rifle, you understand. Yet we would have come if we had known you were in danger; indeed, we were about to rush the villain, risking our lives in your service, when out of the night a man appeared, waving his arms and crying out…"

 

I knew it must have been the priest from Ali's description. "He had a long black beard, Sitt, and a cross hanging at his waist. There was blood all down his face and he was screaming in a high voice, like a frightened woman. Then they both ran off, Sitt, we could not think of what to do. Daoud said for us to stay incase the man with the gun was hiding and waiting. But Ardeth and I wanted to go save you. Now our honored father, Ardeth, is very drunk on Hashish, Sitt."

 

"Do you know where Ardeth is?" I asked.

 

"No, I went to the village to look for you, he was at the Monastery when I left him, he was already asleep." The man told me.

 

The sun was well above our heads by the time we made it to the village. It usually does not take that long to get there, but we decided to take a longer route to stay out of sight of anyone that may mean to harm us.

 

The village ought to have been teeming with activity, for the working day in such places began at dawn. Not a soul was to be seen. Even the dogs had slunk into hiding. Not until we had reached the well did a timid voice call out to us. Then I realized that behind every window were eyes watching us, and that the doors stood a trifle ajar. One of them opened cautiously and a head appeared. It was that of the shy little sheikh el beled, the mayor. We stopped and waited, and finally he summoned up the courage to emerge.

 

"The peace of god be upon you," He said.

 

"And upon you," Rick said immediately. Then he added, "Curse it, I have no time for this sort of thing. What the devil has happened here?"

 

"I do not know, effendi." Effendi was Rick's given name, how he got it we don't know. "Will you protect us? There was much shouting and shooting in the night."

 

"Oh heavens! Poor Ardeth, I hope he's alright." I said.

 

"He is just making a goo story of it." Rick said he looked grave, "Shooting you honor?"

 

"One shot," The mayor admitted. "One, at least… And when we woke this morning, the priest was gone and all his friends with him; and the sacred vessels are gone too. They were very old and very precious to us. He has taken them to Cairo to be repaired, perhaps? Why did he not tell no one he was going?"

 

"He is half right" Rick said "The sacred vessels are probably on their way to Cairo right now."

 

"I ought to have anticipated this." I said "To be honest I have never seen any particular vessels when I have been here"

 

I looked at the mayor and in my best Arabic I told him, "Be of good cheer your honor, go back to your house and wait. All will be explained later." The man did as I requested with an unsure smile and left.

 

"If we have brought Ardeth to his death I will never forgive myself." Rick started.

 

"Oh, no it is my fault, I let Alex talk him into coming, it is my fault." I said.

 

"Well, let us not borrow trouble, Evelyn" Rick said, squaring his shoulders and exhibiting the dauntless spirit as I expect.

 

We reached the open space before the Brother's house. We were sure that our friend would be here. Since Father Girbis has already fled, who else would have taken him? The small neat buildings looked peaceful enough, but the same brooding silence hung over the place.

 

"Let us hurry" I said. "I can bear the suspense no longer."

 

"Wait," Rick said as he held his arm out in front of me. He then drew me into concealment behind some trees. "If there is one thing we know we will find in there- it is a raving madman. Our theories of that agreed?" He asked while looking at me with convincing eyes.

 

I nodded. "Then it behooves us to behave with extreme circumspection." Rick said "We don't want to push the lunatic into rash act."

 

"I can't wait much longer, Rick" I whispered.

 

"You won't have to, there he is- and unconcerned as if he were not a murderer. Amazing how normal he looks; but that is often true of madmen."

 

He spoke of Brother David. The young man did not appear mad, but neither was he concerned. Rick waited until he got half way across the clearing then he bound out of his concealment.

 

When I reached them, Brother David was flat on his back and Rick was sitting on his chest. "I have him safe" My husband cried. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Evelyn. What have you done with Ardeth?"

 

I said "He can't answer you, Rick you are squeezing the breath out of him, get off of him won't you?"

 

Rick shifted his weight, David took a long shuddering breath. "Mr. O'Connell, is it you?"

 

"Who the devil do you think it was?" Rick asked ill-tempered.

 

"That fiendish priest or one of his adherents- we are beset with enemies, effendi, thank god you are here! I was just going to try to reach you and ask for help."

 

"Ha" Said Rick "What have done with Ardeth?"

 

"Ardeth? Why nothing. Has he disappeared?"

 

No theatricall person could have counterfeited the bewilderment on the young man's face. But Rick is notoriously hard to convince. Once he has set his mind on something. "Of course he has disappeared! He is here- you have kidnapped him, or worse… What of the shots in the night, you wretch?" Seizing David by his collar, he shook him like a mastiff worrying a rat.

 

"For Heaven's sake, stop asking him questions and then preventing him from answering" I exclaimed.

 

Rick let go of David's collar, his head hit the sand with a thud, eyes rolled up in his head. "What was it you asked?… I am not quite myself… Shots in the night. Oh, yes- Brother Ezekiel was forced to fire his revolver at a would-be thief. He fired high, of course, only to frighten the fellow off."

 

"Brother Ezekiel, hmmm. Where is he? He is usually first at a scene."

 

"He is at prayer, in the study. He is asking the Almighty to defend his saints against the enemies that surround them."

 

Rick continued to sit on the man, finally he spoke. "Evelyn, I admit my defeat. This helpless weakling is not a murderer."

 

Rising, he lifted David to his feet. "Brother David, your leader is a dangerous maniac. For his own sake, as well as the sake of others, he must be put under restraint. Follow me."

 

As soon as Rick let go the man scuttled away, the church door opened then banged shut. His pale face watched through the window.

 

"Leave him be, Rick" I said in disgust "If you were mistaken about the creature, so was I. He will only be in our way. Let us smoke the murderer from his layer. Before it is too late."

 

Without further ado we went to the house. The door was still open as David had left it. There was no one in the parlor; it was as barren as one could think, only a table and chair sat in it. "Which one do you think is Ezekiel's study?" Rick asked contemplating the two doors at the back of the room.

 

"There is only one way to find out." I said as I grabbed the knob of the right-hand door. The small chamber within was obviously Charity's bedroom Her bonnet and a gown hung from the pegs on the wall. There was nothing else in the room except a cot as narrow and probably as hard as a plank. A single thin coverlet was thrown back, as of the sleeper had risen in haste.

 

I closed the door "That one," I said, indicating the other door.

 

We spoke softly, but some sound of our presence, by then, must of reached the ears of a listener. I began to wonder of the house were inhibited after all. Or were the occupants of that silent room lying dead in their gore?

 

I drew my pistol. "Stand back, Rick"

 

"Certainly not, Evie! You are going about it the wrong way." He knocked gently at the door.

 

To my astonishment a voice promptly replied. "I told you, Brother David, leave me be, I am speaking with my father."

 

Rick rolled his eyes "It is not Brother David, it is I- O'Connell"

 

"Mr. O'Connell?" There was a pause. "Come in"

 

Rick opened the door.

 

Prepared as I was for any ghastly sight- priding myself as I do on my aplomb under any circumstances- even I was struck dumb by the sight that confronted me. My eyes were first to Ardeth, who sat on the edge of the bed. A bloody bandage encircled his brow, but his eyes were open- staring wildly, in fact- and he did not appear seriously injured. I breathed a sincere but necessarily brief prayer of thanksgiving.

 

One of the two chairs was occupied by Charity. She appeared to be in a trance. Brother Ezekiel sat in the other chair at a table, with an opened book in front of him. He held a pistol, it was pointed to Ardeth.

 

"Come in, brother and sister." He said calmly. "You are just in time. I have been wrestling with the demons that possess that unfortunate man. There wasn't any swine to cast them into, you see. I figure the only way to get rid of them is to shoot him, but first he must acknowledge his savior. I wouldn't want his soul to burn in hell."

 

"That is most considerate of you." Said Rick with equal coolness. "Why don't you fetch a goat- or a dog? You can cast the demons into it."

 

"Afraid that won't do," Said Ezekiel, shaking his head. "See, O'Connell, you have got a few demons in you too. I'll have to deal with them before I let you out of here or they might lead you astray."

 

"Mr. Jones-"

 

"That's not the right way to talk to me, my son. Call me by my right name. For I am the Annointed one, whose coming to redeem Israel was foretold by the prophets."

 

"For Heaven's sake." I said.

 

Rick grimaced at me, and Ezekiel said. "She's got more demons than any of them. Come in, sister, and acknowledge your lord, the Savior."

 

My pistol was in my hand, hidden by the voluminous folds of my trousers, but I never thought of using it. How long had the madness been festering in this poor warped brain? He had maintained a semblance of normalcy until now.

 

Rick edged into the room "That's far enough" said Ezekiel, "Now you, sister, come in."

 

I could not think what to do. The room was so small the madman was bound to hit someone if he pulled the trigger. And he might pull it if he was physically attacked. It seemed equally dangerous and fruitless to reason with him. Then something moved in the open window. Was it rescue- reinforcements? No, I was David, wild eyed and pale with fright. We could not count on assistance from him.

 

Rick saw him too, and with brilliance that always marks his actions, seized the only possible advantage from his presence. "Look there, at the window." He cried as Ezekiel turned, Rick leaped.

 

The gun went off. The bullet struck harmlessly into the ceiling. David shrieked and vanished. Ardeth jumped to his feet then promptly sat down again as his knees gave way. Charity slid fainting from her chair. Rick tossed me the gun and enveloped Brother Ezekiel in a tight embrace. Footsteps sounded in the other room. "What has happened here?" It was the Mayor, behind him was Alex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What was this all about? I do not understand any of this? Master criminals, raving missionaries?" The mayor asked. We were now in our own home, Ezekiel was under guard, and Ardeth was with us, his injury had been attended to.

 

"There were two gangs of criminals at work." I said, "The first was the gang of antiquities thieves. They had discovered the cache of Royal jewelry at Dahshoor and were searching for more. Their leader took the place of the village Priest at Manawat in order to supervise the illicit digging-"

 

"But the thieves fell out, as such a person are wont to do." Rick went on. "Hamid, who was a minor member of the gang, was mot content with his share of the profits. He saw an opportunity to rob the thieves and sell some of his finds himself. The Baroness was obviously holding some of the objects for the gang. Hamid felt that he should take some of the articles off of her Dahabeeyah."

 

"Which, he did not have to do." I cut in. "The mummy case was of no value. Such cartonnage coffins are common; fragments of Greek Manuscripts have been found in some. We should have realized what some of them said. Especially in ours."

 

Rick looked at me puzzled. "What do you mean?" He asked

 

"Well I finally looked at ours, the mummy case obviously belonged to a worshipper of the old gods. It was clearly Roman in date, and Christianity did not become the official religion of the Empire until 330 A.D., under Constantine the Great. Yet the Coptic Church was established in the first century, and Egyptian Christians survived, though subject to cruel persecution. Christian writings of the first and second centuries did not exist, and so it would be natural for a pagan to consider them waste paper, fit to be used in the construction in a coffin.

 

"Alright," said the Mayor "I beg you, what is the business with the twin coffins?"

 

"It is really very simple, I have discovered from Ezekiel's confession that got the Coptic manuscript from Hamid. There must have been a dealer in Cairo who had the twin mummy cases. The wife's coffin may have been damaged to begin with, the dealer realized the papyrus used in its construction contained Coptic writing. Being a shrewd rascal, he understood the nature of his find and looked for a customer who would appreciate its value. Hamid must have bought this manuscript, but being torn off of the coffin, it wasn't worth much to resell. He then learned that the coffin to which the papyrus belonged had been sold to the Baroness as she passed by Cairo toward Dahshoor."

 

"He then came to our dig site to seek work to cover himself while he prepared to steal the mummy case." Rick interrupted me. "The night he came back to the village with the mummy case, he ran into Brother Ezekiel, who caught sight of the manuscript left on the case. Being the religious fanatic he needed to possess these items and rid of them as quickly as possible. So he murdered Hamid, he was to be murdered in a ritual way, but Ezekiel did not seek to actually hang him. Why hang a man who is already dead? Besides, the only place to hang him would be in his own house. So Ezekiel brought the corpse out into the desert and tied a nuse around his neck to indicate he had been hung.

 

"I knew that he had not actually been hung," I interrupted when Rick paused to catch his breath. "there were no bruises on his neck to prove it. Anyway, that fire in the desert the other night was the remains of the papyrus and the mummy case. As for the actual mummy. Hamid could have tossed it into the pyramid on his way home. It was just a heavy inconvenience. Brother Ezekiel knew that he wanted to destroy the mummy case and the manuscript, that was one of the vital clues that we knew that it wasn't the master criminal of illicit antiquity dealing that did this. Why would Father Girgis get his hands on a mummy case just to burn it? There had to of been a motive behind the burning. In Brother Ezekiel's case, his religious beliefs."

 

"Do you know what the manuscript said?" The mayor asked me with interest in his eyes.

 

"Why yes, I have it right here." I responded as I pulled the crumpled papyrus out of a drawer in a chest. "I was able to get the manuscript from Brother Ezekiel today, he hadn't burned or destroyed it yet. He probably wanted to read on some more. I think the manuscript is a copy of the lost Gospel, written by Didymus Thomas, one of the apostles. Now, if you'll look here," I continued as I pointed to the bottom of the fragment. "This may provide an explanation for the madness of Brother Ezekiel. Here are three words, they are 'de son of Jesus'"

 

"Nom de Dieu," The mayor gasped.

 

"You are quick, your honor," I said quite surprised.. "You see the significance of those words."

 

"They may not mean what we think," The Mayor muttered, passing a trembling brow across his brow. "They cannot mean what we think."

 

"But we may reasonably conclude from the actions of Brother Ezekiel that the lost gospel contained matter he would consider blasphemous and heretical- matter that must never come to light. It is not unheard of even for supposedly sane scholars to suppress data that does not agree with their pet theories. Imagine the effect of such information of a man whose brain was already reeling; who suffered from incipent megalomania."

 

"You must be right" The mayor said. "There is no other explanation that fits the facts, you are true heroine, madame; the murderer seized, the thieves routed… I congratulate you from my heart."

 

I stretched an arm out to Rick, "Congratulate us both, your honor, we worked together."

 

With that the Mayor got up and left, he had much work to do, what with the town being locked up in their houses, and all.

 

After a slight silence, Alex came walking in clutching his box that contained his pectoral.

 

"Alex?" I asked, "I have a question, what in the devil induced you to climb into that window?" I thought I told you to go for help?"

 

"The criminal was about to steal my pectoral," Alex replied, "It's MINE I found it!"

 

"But Alex, it was so horribly dangerous." Rick exclaimed. "You cannot go about demanding your rightful property from thieves; they are not amendable to such appeals."

 

"It was not dangerous." Alex said serenely. "I knew you and mum would not allow the men to hurt me."

 

Rick cleared his throat loudly and passed his sleeve across his eyes. Alex and I exchanged a long, steady look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was the lost gospel of Didymus Thomas? We will never know the answer, although I often engage in ribald and unseemly speculations. Does he describe the disciples played on the Romans, to make them believe a man has risen from the dead? Was Jesus married and the father of Children?

 

Brother Ezekiel, who is the only living person to actually read the rest of the lost gospel that was left on the mummy case, is the only person who knows. He will never tell us what it contained. He is a raving lunatic; and I have heard that he wonders the corridors of some Boston, Massachusetts, dressed in a simple homespun robe, blessing his attendants. He calls himself the Messiah. He is tended by his devoted sister and his sorrowing disciples, and I suppose that one day- if it has not already occurred- Charity and Brother David will be wed. They have in common not only their devotion to a madman but their invincible stupidity. Some persons cannot be rescued, even by me.

 

The lion has settled in very well at our friends house in Chalfont. They have suggested we bring back a young female next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AAAAAAAAAAAH! That was the longest story I have ever written!!

 

I hope you guys enjoyed it! PLEASE PLEASE PuhLEASE Review it and tell me what you think!!! You can even e-mail me at [email protected]

 

 

 

Tell me if the whole outcome makes sense, like I said, I got the plot from a book I have read, and I changed a lot to make it shorter. I took out a lot of little details, and such. But some of them might have helped point into the direction of the outcome. If you don't get anything, tell me and leave me your e-mail and I will explain!!

 

 

Thanks,

 

Evie of the Nile

 

 

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