eath the
tread. Dust and litter covered the entire floor, but having cleared
the top of this particular stone, a ring was discovered, lying flat in
a circular groove cut to receive it. The blade of a penknife served to
raise it from its resting place, and Dr. Cairn, standing astride
across the trap, tugged at the ring, and, without great difficulty,
raised the stone block from its place.

A square hole was revealed. There were irregular stone steps leading
down into the blackness. A piece of candle, stuck in a crude wooden
holder, lay upon the topmost. Dr. Cairn, taking a box of matches from
his pocket, very quickly lighted the candle, and with it held in his
left hand began to descend. His head was not yet below the level of
the upper apartment when he paused.

"You have your revolver?" he said.

Robert nodded grimly, and took his revolver from his pocket.

A singular and most disagreeable smell was arising from the trap which
they had opened; but ignoring this they descended, and presently stood
side by side in a low cellar. Here the odour was almost insupportable;
it had in it something menacing, something definitely repellent; and
at the foot of the steps they stood hesitating.

Dr. Cairn slowly moved the candle, throwing the light along the floor,
where it picked out strips of wood and broken cases, straw packing and
kindred litter--until it impinged upon a brightly painted slab.
Further, he moved it, and higher, and the end of a sarcophagus came
into view. He drew a quick, hissing breath, and bending forward,
directed the light into the interior of the ancient coffin. Then, he
had need of all his iron nerve to choke down the cry that rose to his
lips.

"By God! _Look_!" whispered his son.

Swathed in white wrappings, Antony Ferrara lay motionless before them.

The seconds passed one by one, until a whole minute was told, and
still the two remained inert and the cold light shone fully upon that
ivory face.

"Is he dead?"

Robert Cairn spoke huskily, grasping his father's shoulder.

"I think not," was the equally hoarse reply. "He is in the state of
trance mentioned in--certain ancient writings; he is absorbing evil
force from the sarcophagus of the Witch-Queen...."[A]

[Footnote A: _Note_.--"It seems exceedingly probable that ... the
mummy-case (sarcophagus), with its painted presentment of the living
person, was the material basis for the preservation of the ... _Khu_
(magical powers) of a fully-eq