was absolutely essential that as little time as possible should
elapse between the opening of the tomb and the arrival of the
photographer and the Chief Inspector. Things which have remained
intact for thousands of years in the even, dry temperature of an
Egyptian tomb, crumble and fade away like the fabric of our dreams when
they are exposed to the open air.

It might be that there would be nothing inside it worth all the trouble
and the arrangements which had to be made; on the other hand, the Arab
seer's vision might be verified. So far, no trace of burglars, either
ancient or modern, had been discovered. Not infrequently the finding
of an Arab copper coin, or some disk made of modern metal, an amulet
similar to those worn by the ancients, but made of a composition
unknown to them, will indicate to an excavator that the tomb has been
visited, and probably violated, by modern thieves.

Everything when speaking of time in Egypt is comparative. These
intruders may have dropped the metal talisman or coin centuries and
centuries ago, soon after the Arab invasion.

Michael had done all his business and was well-content to spend the
remainder of his day in mediaeval Cairo. He shunned the European
quarter, with its expensive hotels and hybrid Western civilization. He
preferred the narrow dark streets of the poor natives. In the East
poverty has at least its picturesque side; in the East, as in Italy,
Our Lady of Poverty has her shrines, not her hovels. In London, he
asked himself, could Browning have sung "God's in His heaven--All's
right with the world!"?

In London so much is wrong with the world that the true meaning of
Christ's words, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for the rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,"
seems obvious. To Michael Amory the world was beautiful; its systems
of laws and customs were all wrong. The misunderstanding of countless
human beings, one with another, through their lack of Love, through
their obliviousness of God, made a whirlpool of his reasoning powers.

Mike had talked matters over with Michael Ireton, who had allowed him
to unburden his full heart. His ideas and plans were quite unformed.
All that he was now certain of was the fact that he would never settle
down to any profession or career which would mean only the furthering
of his own worldly interests.

"The clear voice prevents me," he said. "And the fact is, I don't care
a