ts, leglets, earrings and beads that seemed to be cut
from precious stones, piles of ring money, and a hundred other things
such as have been prized by mankind since the beginning of civilization.

"You understand," said Maqueda, as we stared, open-mouthed at this awful
and marvellous sight, "he in the chair was the king. Those about him
were his officers, guards, and women. When he was buried they brought
his household here, bearing his wealth, sat them down about him, and
killed them. Blow away the dust, and you will see that the rock beneath
is still stained with their blood; also, there are the sword-marks on
their skulls, and neckbones."

Quick, who was of an inquiring mind, stepped forward and verified these
statements.

"Golly!" he said, throwing down the skull of a man over whom the tired
executioners had evidently bungled badly, "I'm glad I didn't serve the
old kings of Mur. But the same game goes on in a small way to-day in
Africa, for when I was campaigning on the West Coast I came across
it not a fortnight old, only there they had buried the poor beggars
living."

"Perhaps," said Maqueda, when the Sergeant's remarks had been translated
to her. "Yet I do not think the custom is one that my people would
love," and she laughed a little, then added, "forward, friends, there
are many more of these kings and oil does not burn for ever."

So we moved on, and at a distance of some twenty paces found another
chair with scattered bones on and about the seat, lying where each
had fallen as the dead man decayed. Round it were the skeletons of the
unfortunates who had been doomed to accompany him upon his last journey,
every one of them behind his tray of golden objects, or of simple
treasure. In front of this king's chair also were the bones of a dog
with a jewelled collar.

Again we proceeded to a third mortuary, if it may so be called, and here
Maqueda pointed out the skeleton of a man, in front of which stood a
tray piled up with what evidently had been the medicine bottles of the
period and among them a number of rude surgical instruments.

"Say, O Physician Adams," she remarked with a smile, "would you have
wished to be court doctor to the kings of Mur, if indeed that was then
their city's name?"

"No, Lady," I answered; "but I do wish to examine his instruments if
I have your leave," and while she hurried forward I stooped down and
filled my pockets. Here I may remark, that upon subsequent inspection
I f