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n the hand of the god！' 〃
Yusuf's funeral took place next day； as Moslem custom decreed。 Naturally we all attended。 When we saw the second shrouded body； Emerson muttered； 〃They wouldn't have the audacity to put him in Abdullah's tomb； would they？ By Gad； the old fellow would rise up and forbid it。〃
I didn't doubt that he would。 Had he not said； 〃Leave him to me〃？ Call it fate； call it accident； yet vicious as the boy had been； I was glad he had not met his death at our hands。
Selim had seen to the arrangements； as he told us later。 Father and son were interred in another of the family sepulchres … an underground chamber where they could sit upright； awaiting the call of the angels of death。 We took our departure before the opening was closed。
Cyrus got all fired up； as he admitted in his quaint American slang； by Jamil's last words。 〃It was there； before our eyes？ In the Cemetery of the Monkeys？ What hand of what god？〃
〃One cannot place much credence in the words of a dying man；〃 I informed him。 〃Especially a man who spent his entire life trying to deceive。〃
So we went back to work at Deir el Medina … all of us except Jumana。 The horrors of that night had been too much。 She took to her bed； and refused to eat or respond to my attempts to reason with her。 The only person who could rouse her was Sennia。 She knew that Jumana had lost both brother and father； though of course we had spared her the dreadful details； and the good little creature spent hours reading to her and talking with her。
It was on the Tuesday； if memory serves； that we received a message from Howard Carter； asking us to join him for dinner that evening at the Winter Palace。
〃So he's back in Luxor；〃 Emerson said。 〃We'll go。 I have a number of questions for him。〃
It was a diversion we all needed； and I must confess that my spirits lifted as I assumed my favorite crimson evening frock and fastened on my diamond earrings。 The pleasure derived from dressing in one's best may be a weakness of women； in my opinion men would be better off if they could indulge in it。
No shadow of foreboding darkened my thoughts as the boat bore us smoothly across the shimmering water。 It ought to have done。 The first person we saw when we entered the elegant lobby of the hotel was the man we had known as 〃Smith〃 … the Honorable Bracegirdle…Boisdragon； who had tried on several occasions to get Ramses back into the intelligence services。
There was no way of avoiding him without downright rudeness。 This consideration might not have deterred Emerson but for the fact that 〃Smith〃 was acpanied by an attractive lady of a certain age； wearing elegant mourning。 Smith introduced her as his sister； Mrs。 Bayes； who was visiting Egypt for the first time； and she immediately burst into raptures about the country； the antiquities； and the great honor of making our acquaintance。 She had heard so much about us。
〃Have you indeed？〃 I said； giving Smith a sharp look。
〃She is reading the Professor's History and has reached Volume Three；〃 said Smith blandly。
〃It was Algie's excitement about Egypt that induced me to e；〃 Mrs。 Bayes explained。 She gave her brother a sickeningly fond look。 She is putting it on； I thought to myself； that cold fish of a man is incapable of inspiring such adoration。
〃It was courageous of you to risk the sea voyage at this time；〃 I said。
The lady's face took on an expression of gentle melancholy。 〃When one has lost that being who is all the world to one； one bees resigned to whatever fate may offer。〃
Emerson let out a loud 〃Hmph；〃 turned it into a cough； and glanced at me。 He objects to my 〃pompous aphorisms；〃 as he terms them； and this was certainly in the same category。 I could have put it better； though。
〃I am very sorry；〃 I said。 〃Was it a recent loss？〃
〃Fairly recent。 But；〃 said Mrs。 Bayes； smiling at her 〃brother；〃 who was patting her hand with a look of concern； 〃I promised Algie not to dwell on that。 I am determined to enjoy these new experiences to the full； and they have been delightful。 Algie has been a splendid guide。 He knows the antiquities so well！〃
〃A sister's fondness exaggerates；〃 said Smith with a modest cough。 〃I may claim； however； to be exceedingly keen。 My interest was aroused during my first visit to Luxor … perhaps you do me the honor of remembering our meeting at that time 。 。 。〃
He transferred his gaze to Ramses and Nefret。
〃Very well；〃 said Ramses。 Nefret； her lips forming a line almost as thin as Smith's； said nothing。
〃We must not keep you from your dinner；〃 I said。 〃It has been a pleasure to meet you； Mrs。 Bayes。 Enjoy the rest of your stay。〃
〃Aren't you dining here？〃 the lady asked innocently。
〃No；〃 I said； and took Emerson's arm。 〃Good night。〃
I led our little party out of the hotel。
〃What about Carter？〃 Ramses asked。
〃I would be very much surprised to find that Howard is here。 Smith sent the message。〃
〃I wonder what he wants；〃 Nefret muttered。 She had very tight hold of Ramses's arm。 〃If he thinks he can …〃
〃Not now； Nefret；〃 I said firmly。
〃Where are we going？〃 Emerson asked。 〃I want my dinner。〃
〃The Luxor will suit； I believe。 We must have a little chat before he tracks us down again。〃
Emerson waved away the carriages that sought our custom。 It is only a short walk from the Winter Palace to the Luxor； and it was a lovely evening； the dark sky star…strewn and the air fresh。 The scent of night…blooming jasmine tried （in vain） to counter the other scents of Luxor； but even these had a certain charm … the smell of cooking fires and camel dung； of unwashed donkeys； camels； and humans。
We were greeted with pleasure and seated at one of the best tables in the dining saloon。 After consulting with Ramses； Emerson ordered a bottle of wine and then shoved his plate aside and planted both elbows on the table； a habit of which I have given up trying to break him。
〃You think he will follow us here； do you？〃 he inquired。
〃Yes。 What other reason could he have for being in Luxor？〃
〃It may be a perfectly innocent reason；〃 Ramses said。 〃Do you suppose the lady is really his sister？〃
〃Possibly；〃 I replied； studying the menu。 〃Men of his sort are not above using personal relationships for their own purposes。 It was only her presence that prevented your father from being rude。 I believe I will start with lentil soup。 They make it very well here。 Nefret？〃
〃I don't care。 Mother； how can you think about food； when you know that bas … … that man is after Ramses again？〃
〃He can't make me do anything I don't want to do；〃 Ramses said； somewhat sharply。 〃You are getting yourself into a rage about nothing； Nefret。 There is no inducement they could offer that would make me change my mind。〃
〃Damn right；〃 said Emerson。 〃Who's he working for anyhow？ I can't get all these departments and bureaus and agencies straight in my mind。 Not that I care to；〃 he added。
〃Nobody's got them straight；〃 Ramses said with a wry smile。 〃At one time there were four separate intelligence groups； and the police。 I believe they've been reorganized； but there is still a certain amount of infighting between the civilian branch； which reports to the high missioner and the Foreign Office； and the military branches； who are under the C…in…C … that's General Murray … in Cairo。 The Admiralty has； or had； its own group。 God knows where Smith fits in。〃
〃I don't give a damn where he fits in；〃 Nefret declared。 〃So long as you aren't in it with him。〃
I was tempted to intervene； for her voice had risen and Ramses's eyes had narrowed … sure signs； in both cases； of rising temper。 Considering the scrapes we often got into … Nefret included … her almost hysterical fear of this particular danger might have seemed exaggerated； but I understood。 In our other adventures we worked as a family。 Well 。 。 。 most of the time。 In these he was alone； with every man's hand against him。 I told myself to leave it to them。 It was not my role to interfere … unless it became necessary。
〃The devil with Smith； eh？〃 said Emerson； whose fond paternal brow had furrowed。 He is such a hopeless sentimentalist； he hates to see the children exchange hard words； whereas I； who understand the human heart better