hen, quite by chance and
in a most circuitous fashion, I discovered that it was your father who
had found it, and that at his death it had passed on to you. I visited
England immediately, obtained an introduction to you, and the rest you
know."

"And where is the mummy now?" I inquired.

"In Naples," he replied. "To-morrow I start with it for Egypt, to return
it to the place whence your father took it."

"But allow me to remark that it is not your property, Monsieur Pharos,"
I replied; "and even taking into consideration the circumstances you
relate, you must see yourself that you have no right to act as you
propose doing."

"And pray by what right did your father rifle the dead man's tomb?"
said Pharos quietly. "And since you are such a stickler for what is
equitable, perhaps you will show me his justification for carrying away
the body from the country in which it had been laid to rest and
conveying it to England to be stared at in the light of a curiosity. No,
Mr. Forrester, your argument is a poor one, and I should combat it to
the last. I am prepared, however, to make a bargain with you."

"And what is that bargain?" I inquired.

"It is as follows," he replied. "Our interest in the dead man shall be
equal. Since it was your father who stole the mummy from its
resting-place, let it be the descendant of the dead Ptahmes who restores
it. As you will yourself see, and as I think you must in common honesty
admit, what I am doing in this matter can in no way advance my own
personal interests. If I have taken from you a possession which you
valued so highly, set your own figure upon it, and double what you ask I
will pay. Can I say anything fairer?"

I did not know what answer to make. If the man were what he said, the
veritable descendant of the king's magician, then it was only natural he
should be willing to sacrifice anything to obtain possession of the body
of his three-thousand-years-old ancestor. On my part the sentiment was
undoubtedly a much weaker one. The mummy had been left me, among other
items of his collection, by my father, and, when that has been said, my
interest in the matter lapsed. There was, however, a weightier issue to
be decided before I could do him the favour he asked.

"So much for the mummy incident," I said. "What you have to do now is to
clear yourself of the more serious suspicion that exists against you. I
refer to the murder of the curiosity dealer."

"But surely, Mr. Forrester