d whisper died away with
the last vestige of belief in Ryder's innocence. Apprehensively
McLean glanced about that inner chamber he was entering, dreading to
encounter instant and damning evidence of a girl.

He found himself in the presence of the dead. The chamber was a
small, square, walled-up affair, and at one side stood the three
sarcophagi. The other halls had been in total darkness, but the
blackness of this place appeared something palpable and weighty. And
the air had the dry, acrid tang of dust which has lain waiting for
centuries.

It was hot, whereas the other chambers had been cool--or else
McLean's disturbed blood was pumping too furiously through his
pulses. Instinctively he drew close to Jack, as the party stood
flashing their lights over the bare walls and empty corners, and
then concentrated the pale illumination upon those caskets of the
dead.

"I told you that the place was empty," Ryder said with distinct
impatience in his voice. "And now, if you have satisfied
yourselves--"

"You are in haste, monsieur," said Hamdi Bey's smooth voice. "If you
will permit us to see what is within--"

He approached the first sarcophagus.

The sheik, who appeared to have committed the restoration of his
daughter into the other's hands, remained imperturbably beside the
entrance while the head of the police came forward to assist Hamdi
in raising the painted lid.

"I protest," said Ryder very sharply. He stood upon the other side
of the case, eying them combatively. "It is useless to disturb this
lid--I tell you that the Persians have been considerably before
you."

And indeed the case was empty. Hamdi moved to the next and again
Ryder took up his post opposite.

"Again I protest," he insisted. "The least jar or injury--"

But the men raised the lid, and after the briefest look, moved on.

"And now," Ryder spoke very clearly and authoritatively, addressing
the head of the police, "I must ask you to stop. Even the dust that
you are disturbing is precious. This thing has gone beyond all
reason."

The police official looked as if he agreed with him, but Hamdi Bey
had moved determinedly to the third sarcophagus. The official
hesitated, evidenced discomfort, but moved finally after the bey.

"If there is nothing here," he murmured, "surely you cannot
object--"

"There is precious dust here," Ryder repeated. "You must
understand--"

"We see for ourselves," said Hamdi Bey, and now his voice had a ring