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de himself fortable。
〃He has eluded us again；〃 I said angrily。 〃How could she have warned him？〃
〃Obviously he was not in residence；〃 Emerson replied。 〃That's all to the good； Peabody； if he wasn't here he can't have seen us。 He will e back eventually … it's a cozy little den； isn't it？ We'll go for the others and stake the place out。 Once I get my hands on that girl I will make certain she cannot warn him。〃 His large square teeth； bared in a snarl； shone white in the torchlight。
〃Let us go；〃 I said uneasily。 〃I am not at all fortable here； Emerson。〃
〃One of your famous premonitions？〃 He chuckled； but perhaps he had one； too； for he added； 〃I'll go first。〃
He waited in the shaft while I crawled through the passage。
The ladder was no longer there。
Before I could stop him； Emerson reached up and gripped the rim of the shaft with both hands。 The muscles on his bare forearms tightened as he prepared to pull himself up。
〃Watch out！〃 I shrieked； an instant too late。 The heavy stick struck Emerson's arm； causing him to loosen his grip and fall down。 I had heard the bone crack。
A trifle unnerved； I took out my pistol and fired twice。 The bullets went ricocheting round the walls。 The only response was a laugh。 I had heard that laugh before； in the Gabbanat el…Qirud。
〃A waste of ammunition；〃 remarked Emerson； who was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall； cradling his left arm with his right。 His face shone with perspiration。
〃Don't move your arm；〃 I ordered； fumbling with the implements hanging from my belt。 〃Confound it！ From now on I will carry some bits of wood with me。 Why did we clear the place so thoroughly？ There is nothing to serve as a splint。 I will go and …〃
〃Don't even think of it； Peabody。 I might be able to lift you up with one arm； but as soon as your head is within range； he'll strike。 He's got us in a pretty pickle； my dear。〃
〃He cannot stay there all day；〃 I said； and ducked my head as a rain of small stones descended。
〃He appears to have another plan in mind；〃 Emerson said coolly。 More rocks fell； including a fist…sized boulder。 It landed on my head； which was quite painful； since I was not wearing my pith helmet。 〃We had better get back into the tunnel；〃 Emerson continued。
I rigged up a rough sling with my shirt； fastening it in place with safety pins from my sewing kit。 It was the best I could do in a hurry。 If we stayed where we were； one of us would be brained by a boulder eventually。 It took Jamil a little while to get his next load of rocks collected； we made it into the passage before another shower descended。
〃Well！〃 I said； drawing a deep breath。 〃Now we have time to think of a plan。〃
〃Go right ahead；〃 said Emerson through tightly set lips。 〃At the moment my mind is a blank。〃
〃And no wonder； my dear。 I am sure you are in considerable pain。 Have a little brandy。〃
〃My disfort is more mental than physical；〃 Emerson muttered； but he accepted the brandy and took a long swallow。 〃Peabody； this is ridiculous。 We've been in uglier places before； with opponents far more dangerous than that miserable boy； and yet he's managed to get us in an exceedingly tight spot。 No one knows where we are 。 。 。 except Jumana。 Have we been so mistaken in her character？ I can't believe she would connive in murder。〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃She wouldn't。〃 The strained voice； the odd； bent walk 。 。 。 〃That wasn't Jumana； Emerson。 It was Jamil。〃
7
FROM MANUSCRIPT H
When the citizens of Deir el Medina abandoned their houses they took their most valued possessions with them … except for the most valuable of all； the goods devoutly deposited with the dead。 Looking for tombs was a gamble； with approximately the same odds as any game of chance。 The great majority of them were empty and vandalized； but every now and then a lucky winner would find a prize； with some of the grave goods still intact； and the grand prize； the unrobbed tomb of a king or king's wife； was a will…o'…the…wisp that tantalized the imagination of every excavator； whether he admitted it or not。 However slim the odds； the temptation to search for treasure was hard to resist； especially when the alternative was a clutter of unimpressive mud…brick walls； or the tedious tasks of measuring and recording。
Jumana was supposed to be helping Bertie and Cyrus finish the surveying； but Ramses wasn't surprised to see her halfway up the hillside； squatting； her head bent； her hands busy。 He let out a shout that made Nefret jump and brought Jumana to her feet。 She waved vigorously and started down。
〃She shouldn't be doing that；〃 he said in exasperation。 〃Look at her； grinning and cavorting。 She knows she is violating orders。〃
〃Don't be too hard on her；〃 Nefret said tolerantly。 〃Mother would be up there too。 She's found something。〃
She was holding a small stela。 It was not an unusual discovery； a good many of them had been found by earlier excavators； in or near the chapels of the tombs。 She offered it to Ramses； raising shining eyes to him。
〃You were told not to remove objects from their place；〃 Ramses said severely。 The way she was looking at him made him nervous。
〃I tagged the place；〃 Jumana protested。 〃As you showed me。 I made the measurements； I know exactly where it should go on the plan。 There is no chapel there； Ramses； it must have fallen from its place and tumbled down the hillside。 See … isn't it pretty？〃
Mollified； and regretting his hard tone； he took the stone from her。 The curved top and straight sides； the rows of hieroglyphs that praised the deities worshiped by the male and female figures； were of a standard type； but the deities were somewhat unusual … two plump cats； facing each other across an offering table。
〃I've seen other stelae from Deir el Medina that depict cats；〃 he said。 〃They were identified with several goddesses； including Amon's wife Mut。〃
〃Not with the Great Cat of Re？〃 Jumana asked。
〃Not these。〃 They were rather charming animals； fatter and less aloof than the usual lean Egyptian cat。 He indicated the appropriate hieroglyphs。 〃 'Giving praise to the good and peaceful cat。' Well； maybe they are at that。 They aren't named。 But the Great Cat of Re wasn't peaceful； was he。〃
〃They're delightful；〃 Nefret said； nodding at Jumana。 She got no response； Jumana was watching Ramses； breathless and expectant； waiting for a word of praise from him。
〃They are；〃 he conceded。 〃Let's take it to Bertie。 Drawing it will be good practice for him。〃
〃I would like to give it to the Little Bird；〃 Jumana said； as they walked toward the shelter。 〃Her cat is getting fat； like these； and we could tell her one of them was the Great Cat of Re。〃
〃We will have to wait for the Antiquities Department to decide which pieces we may keep；〃 Ramses said。 Feeling he had been a trifle harsh； he added； 〃It was kind of you to think of it； Jumana。〃
They greeted Bertie and handed over the stela； and Ramses said； 〃It's rather a charming piece。 Why don't you try your hand at making a copy； Bertie？ Unless you're busy with something else。〃
〃I will do it；〃 Jumana said。 〃I can …〃
〃Yes； I know you can； but I need you elsewhere。〃
Selim had set the men to work。 He hailed Ramses； demanding his opinion of an unusual raised platform in the corner of the house they were excavating； and Ramses lost track of the time。 It wasn't until Cyrus joined them and suggested they stop for luncheon that Ramses realized how late it was。
〃Where're your ma and pa？〃 Cyrus asked with a grin。
〃They haven't e？〃 He knew they hadn't； his father always made his presence known。 〃They went to see Yusuf； he sent a message asking for them。 But they ought to be here by now。〃
Nefret's expressive face reflected his own uneasiness。 〃Were we right after all … about Yusuf and Jamil？ I really didn't believe it； you know。〃
〃Neither did I；〃 Ramses admitted。 He ran his fingers through his hair。
〃Where is your hat？〃 Nefret asked。
〃I don't know。 Never mind my damned hat。 Confound it； they've no business wandering off without informing us。 What are we going to do？〃
〃Have lunch；〃 Nefret said practically。 〃And wait a little longer。〃
Cyrus demanded to know what was going on； and af