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〃If you want to reach home before dark； we had best be getting on；〃 he said。
I patted my damp face daintily with my handkerchief。 〃There are still several hours of daylight left。 Where are we？〃
〃A mile or so from Medinet Habu。〃 He gestured。 〃I thought we might go home by way of Deir el Medina； have a look round； see what …〃
〃Not today； Emerson。〃 I knew Emerson's little 〃look round〃 and 〃mile or so。〃 The first could take up to three hours； the second might be two miles or more。 I continued somewhat acrimoniously； 〃Why didn't we take this path when we went out？ We could have brought the horses as far as Medinet Habu at least。〃
〃Faster the other way。〃 Emerson rubbed his chin and gave me a puzzled look。 〃You aren't tired； are you？〃
〃Good gracious； no；〃 I said； with a hollow laugh。
I must give Emerson credit； his mile or so was in fact only a little more than a mile。 The path soon widened into a fairly well trafficked road and before long I saw the towering pylons of the temple of Ramses III。 We were passing the gateway when a man emerged。 He gave a start of surprise and came toward us。
〃Stop； Emerson；〃 I ordered。 〃There is Cyrus。〃
Emerson had seen him； of course。 He had hoped he would not； but he was fairly caught。 As Cyrus came hurrying up； Emerson burst into speech。
〃Still here？ I was under the impression you left off at midday。 I mend your ambition。 I … er …〃
〃I took your little lecture to heart；〃 Cyrus said。 His voice had its usual soft drawl； but his expression was neither soft nor weling。 〃Gol…durn you； Emerson； where've you been？ Not at Deir el Medina； where you're supposed to be； you're ing from the wrong direction。 Did you have the consarned audacity to warn me away from those queens' tombs and then go looking for them yourself； behind my back？〃
The rest of the men had e straggling out of the temple； followed by Abu and Bertie。 The latter immediately hastened toward us。 Abu took one look at the flushed countenance of Emerson and the scowling countenance of his employer； and discreetly vanished。
〃Good evening；〃 Bertie said； removing his pith helmet。 In the heat of exasperation Cyrus had； for once； neglected to do this。 He remedied the omission at once and gave me a rather sheepish look。
〃I beg your pardon； Amelia； and yours； Nefret。 Guess I shouldn't have got so riled up。〃
〃Riled up？〃 Bertie repeated。 The Americanism sounded odd in his diffident； educated English voice。 〃What about？ Is something the matter？〃
〃No；〃 Ramses said； as Nefret acknowledged Cyrus's apology with a smile。 〃Two such old friends as Cyrus and my father would never have a serious falling…out about a trivial matter。〃
Emerson grinned and fumbled in his pockets。 Any other man would have been searching for a handkerchief； to wipe the perspiration from his face； but Emerson never feels the heat and he can never find his handkerchief anyhow。 Taking out his pipe； he studied it with great satisfaction and began another search for his tobacco pouch。
〃Don't do that now； Emerson；〃 I ordered。 〃We must be getting home。〃
〃May as well have the matter out；〃 Emerson said。 〃Vandergelt has some justice on his side。 Perhaps I should explain that we were not looking for new tombs； only investigating that of the princesses。〃
It wasn't much of an apology； but； as Cyrus knew； it was a considerable concession for Emerson。
〃So what did you find？〃 he demanded。
〃You'll never guess；〃 said Emerson； his keen blue eyes twinkling。
〃Now stop it this minute； Emerson；〃 I exclaimed。 〃We will tell you all about it； Cyrus； but can't we converse as we walk … or； even better； wait until we get home； where we can be fortable？〃
Cyrus insisted I ride his mare； Queenie； and Bertie offered his mount to Nefret。 She declined； but Jumana； who had had very little to say since the discovery of the body； was persuaded to accept。 Cyrus and Emerson walked along beside me； and Emerson gave Cyrus a condensed version of our activities。 I regret to say that Cyrus's first reaction was one of amusement。
〃Every year another dead body； as Abdullah used to say；〃 he remarked with a chuckle。
〃Your frivolous attitude does not bee you； Cyrus；〃 I chided。 〃A man is dead … horribly murdered。〃
〃You don't know that；〃 Emerson growled。 〃And even if he was； he probably had it ing to him。 Let us have no more of your imaginative speculations； Amelia。 Wait until the others can join in before we discuss the matter further。〃
Since I had been forbidden to talk； I proceeded to speculate。
By the time we reached the house； I had my conclusions well organized and was ready to express them； but Sennia was on the veranda； vocally annoyed because she had been left 〃alone〃 all day with 〃nothing to do。〃 Clearly we could not discuss a grisly corpse； or the unpleasant speculations it aroused； in her presence。
〃Why don't you wash your face and hands and put on one of your good frocks？〃 I suggested。 〃You see Bertie and Mr。 Vandergelt are here； we will have a little party。 Jumana； please tell Fatima we have guests and … er … tidy yourself a bit。〃
I knew it would take Sennia at least a quarter of an hour to primp； she was a vain little creature and loved parties。 My excuse for dismissing Jumana was less convincing。 The rest of us were as much in need of tidying as she； but my inventiveness had given out； and I did not want her present when we discussed the possibility of her brother's being a murderer。
Selim was no fool。 His eyes followed the girl's slim form as she retreated into the house。 Then he looked at me。 〃Why did you send her away？〃
〃Her brother is in Luxor；〃 I said。 〃Jamil。〃
〃Is it so？〃 Selim's eyes widened。
I repeated what Jumana had told us。 〃We intended to inform you … all of you … in due course； but in my opinion there was no reason to take his threats seriously。 Our discovery today casts a different light on the matter。 Selim； you said you know who the corpse might be … er … might have been？〃
Selim was slow to answer。 He appeared to be brooding about something。 〃The wife of Abdul Hassan has been looking for him。 He was one of the men who found the princesses' tomb。〃 Then he burst out； 〃Why did you not tell me that Jumana had seen Jamil and spoken with him？〃
〃We didn't find out until yesterday。〃 Emerson does not like to be put on the defensive。 He came back with a question of his own。 〃How is it that you had not heard of his return； you； who are respected by all in Gurneh？〃
〃Not by tomb robbers and thieves。 There were rumors 。 。 。〃 Selim looked up； his jaw set。 〃I thought they were lies； or not important。 I was wrong。 I ask your pardon。〃
〃Now； now； Selim； no one is blaming you；〃 I said soothingly。 〃Let us return to the point。 I sent Jumana away because in my opinion she is not yet ready to accept the possibility that her brother is a thoroughgoing villain and possibly a murderer。 If he were directly accused by one of us； she might try to steal out of the house in order to warn him。〃
〃I say；〃 Bertie interrupted。 〃Here； I say 。 。 。〃 But he didn't； indignation had rendered him incapable of reasoned speech。
〃No one is accusing her of anything except misplaced loyalty；〃 I informed him。 〃Our principal concern is for her； Bertie； but we cannot dismiss the possibility that Jamil is capable of violence against others … including us。〃
〃That's right。〃 Cyrus； who had listened interestedly； lit one of his cheroots。 〃But； Amelia； I think you've gone a little overboard。 Jamil never amounted to much。 I feel sorry for him if he's fool enough to face the whole lot of us； not to mention Daoud。〃
We were indeed an impressive group。 My eyes followed those of Cyrus； from Emerson's stalwart form to that of Ramses； who was leaning on the back of Nefret's chair； lean and lithe as a panther。 Either of them would have been more than a match for Jamil。 And so would I。
〃I believe we have covered the main points；〃 I said。 〃Selim； you will speak with your kin and your friends in Gurneh； perhaps some of them will respond to direct threats … questions； I mean to say。 It only remains to inform Gargery of what is going on。〃
〃Good Gad；〃 said Emerson； his brow furrowing。 〃You don't suppose there is any danger to Sennia； do you？〃
〃I don't know；