om the man she loved might willingly lay down his life. That I
loved her with a sincerity and devotion greater than I had ever felt for
any other human being, I was fully aware by this time. If the truth must
be told, I believe I had loved her from the moment I first saw her face.
But was it possible that she could love me?

"I have noticed that you are very thoughtful to-day, Fraeulein," I said,
as the steamer dropped the town behind her and continued her journey up
stream in a somewhat more westerly direction.

"Have I not good reason to be?" she answered. "You must remember I have
made this journey before."

"But why should that produce such an effect upon you?" I asked. "To me
it is a pleasure that has not yet begun to pall, and as you will, I am
sure, admit, Pharos has proved a most thoughtful and charming host."

I said this with intention, for I wanted to see what reply she would
make.

"I have not noticed his behaviour," she answered wearily. "It is always
the same to me. But I _do_ know this, that after each visit to the place
for which we are now bound, great trouble has resulted for some one.
Heaven grant that it may not be so on this occasion!"

"I do not see what trouble _can_ result," I said. "Pharos is simply
going to replace the mummy in the tomb from which it was taken, and
after that I presume we shall return to Cairo, and probably to Europe."

"And then?"

"After that----"

But I could get no further. The knowledge that in all likelihood as soon
as we reached Europe I should have to bid her good-bye and return to
London was too much for me, and for this reason I came within an ace of
blurting out the words that were in my heart. Fortunately, however, I
was able to summon up my presence of mind in time to avert such a
catastrophe, otherwise I can not say what the result would have been.
Had I revealed my love to her and asked her to be my wife, and she had
refused me, our position, boxed up together as we were on board the
steamer, and with no immediate prospect of release, would have been
uncomfortable in the extreme. So I crammed the words back into my heart
and waited for another and more favourable opportunity.

The sun was sinking behind the Arabian hills, in a wealth of gold and
crimson colouring, as we obtained our first glimpse of the mighty ruins
we had come so far to see. Out of a dark green sea of palms to the left,
rose the giant pylons of the Temple of Ammon at Karnak. A few min