The Green Mummy
an artist and an engaged man I stop in Gartley, otherwise I should clear
out. But I fail to see why a lady of your attractions should--”
“I may have a sentimental reason also,” interrupted the widow, with a
sly glance at the absent-minded Professor, who was drawing hieroglyphics
on the table-cloth with a fork; “also, my cottage is cheap and very
comfortable. The late Mr. Jasher did not leave me sufficient money to
live in London. He was a consul in China, you know, and consuls are
never very well paid. I will come in for a large income, however.”
“Indeed,” said Lucy politely, and wondering why Mrs. Jasher was so
communicative. “Soon I hope.”
“It may be very soon. My brother, you know--a merchant in Pekin. He
has come home to die, and is unmarried. When he does die, I shall go to
London. But,” added the widow, meditatively and glancing again at the
Professor, “I shall be sorry to leave dear Gartley. Still, the memory
of happy hours spent in this house will always remain with me. Ah me! ah
me!” and she put her handkerchief to her eyes.
Lucy telegraphed to Archie that the widow was a humbug, and Archie
telegraphed back that he quite agreed with her. But the Professor, whom
the momentary silence had brought back to the present century, looked up
and asked Lucy if the dinner was finished.
“I have to do some work this evening,” said the Professor.
“Oh, father, when you said that you would take a holiday,” said Lucy
reproachfully.
“I am doing so now. Look at the precious minutes I am wasting in
eating, my dear. Life is short and much remains to be done in the way
of Egyptian exploration. There is the sepulchre of Queen Tahoser. If I
could only enter that,” and he sighed, while helping himself to cream.
“Why don't you?” asked Mrs. Jasher, who was beginning to give up her
pursuit of Braddock, for it was no use wooing a man whose interests
centered entirely in Egyptian tombs.
“I have yet to discover it,” said the Professor simply; then, warming to
the congenial theme, he glanced around and delivered a short historical
lecture. “Tahoser was the chief wife and queen of a famous Pharaoh--the
Pharaoh of the Exodus, in fact.”
“The one who was drowned in the Red Sea?” asked Archie idly.
“Why, yes--but that happened later. Before pursuing the Hebrews,--if
the Mosaic account is to be believed,--this Pharaoh marched far into
the interior of Africa,--the Libya of the ancients,--and conquered the
natives of Upper Ethiopia. Being deeply in love with his queen, he
took her with him on this expedition, and she died before the Pharaoh
returned to Memphis. From records which I discovered in the museum of
Cairo, I have reason to believe that the Pharaoh buried her with much
pomp in Ethiopia, sacrificing, I believe, many prisoners at her gorgeous
funeral rites. From the wealth of that Pharaoh--for wealthy he must have
been on account of his numerous victories--and from the love he bore
this princess, I am confident--confident,” added Braddock, striking the
table vehemently, “that when discovered, her tomb will be filled with
riches, and may also contain documents of incalculable value.”
“And you wish to get the money?” asked Mrs. Jasher, who was rather
bored.
The Professor rose fiercely. “Money! I care nothing for money. I desire
to obtain the funeral jewelry and golden masks, the precious images of
the gods, so as to place them in the British Museum. And the scrolls
of papyrus buried with the mummy of Tahoser may contain an account
of Ethiopian civilization, about which we know nothing. Oh, that
tomb,--that tomb!” Braddock began to walk the room, quite forgetting
that he had not finished his dinner. “I know the mountains whose
entrails were pierced to form the sepulchre. Were I able to go to
Africa, I am certain that I should discover the tomb. Ah, with what
glory would my name be covered, were I so fortunate!”
“Why don't you go to Africa, sir, and try?” asked Hope.
“Fool!” cried the Professor politely. “To fit out an expedition would
take some five thousand pounds, if not more. I would have to penetrate
through a hostile country to reach the chain of mountains I speak of,
where I know this precious tomb is to be found. I need supplies, an
escort, guns, camels, and all the rest of it. A leader must be obtained
to manage the fighting men necessary to pass through this dangerous
zone. It is no easy task to find the tomb of Tahoser. And yet if I
could--if I could only get the money,” and he walked up and down with
his head bent on his breast.
Mrs. Jasher was used to Braddock's vagaries by this time, and merely
continued to fan herself placidly.
“I wish I could help you with the expedition,” she said quietly. “I
should like to have some of that lovely Egyptian jewelry myself. But
I am quite a pauper, until my brother dies, poor man. Then--” She
hesitated.
“What then?” asked Braddock, wheeling.
“I shall aid you with pleasure.”
“It's a bargain!” Braddock stretched out his hand.
“A bargain,” said Mrs. Jasher, accepting the grasp somewhat nervously,
for she had not expected to be taken so readily at her word. A glance at
Lucy revealed her nervousness.
“Do sit down, father, and finish your dinner,” said that young lady. “I
am sure you will have more than enough to do when the mummy arrives.”
“Mummy--what mummy?” murmured Braddock, again beginning to eat.
“The Inca mummy.”
“Of course. The mummy of Inca Caxas, which Sidney is bringing from
Malta. When I strip that corpse of its green bandages I shall find--”
“Find what?” asked Archie, seeing that the Professor hesitated.
Braddock cast a swift look at his questioner.
“I shall find the peculiar mode of Peruvian embalming,” he replied
abruptly, and somehow the way in which he spoke gave Hope the impression
that the answer was an excuse. But before he could formulate the thought
that Braddock was concealing something, Mrs. Jasher spoke frivolously.
“I hope your mummy has jewels,” she said.
“It has not,” replied Braddock sharply. “So far as I know, the Inca race
never buried their dead with jewels.”
“But I have read in Prescott's History that they did,” said Hope.
“Prescott! Prescott!” cried the Professor contemptuously, “a most
unreliable authority. However, I'll promise you one thing, Hope, that if
there are any jewels, or jewelry, you shall have the lot.”
“Give me some, Mr. Hope,” cried the widow.
“I cannot,” laughed Archie; “the green mummy belongs to the Professor.”
“I cannot accept such a gift, Hope. Owing to circumstances I have been
obliged to borrow the money from you; otherwise the mummy would have
been acquired by some one else. But when I find the tomb of Queen
Tahoser, I shall repay the loan.”
“You have repaid it already,” said Hope, looking at Lucy.
Braddock's eyes followed his gaze and his brows contracted. “Humph!” he
muttered, “I don't know if I am right in consenting to Lucy's marriage
with a pauper.”
“Oh, father!” cried the girl, “Archie is not a pauper.”
“I have enough for Lucy and me to live on,” said Hope, although his face
had flushed, “and, had I been a pauper I could not have given you that
thousand pounds.”
“You will be repaid--you will be repaid,” said Braddock, waving his hand
to dismiss the subject. “And now,” he rose with a yawn, “if this tedious
feast is at an end, I shall again seek my work.”
Without a word of apology to the disgusted Mrs. Jasher, he trotted to
the door, and there paused.
“By the way, Lucy,” he said, turning, “I had a letter to-day from
Random. He returns in his yacht to Pierside in two or three days. In
fact, his arrival will coincide with that of The Diver.”
“I don't see what his arrival has to do with me,” said Lucy tartly.
“Oh, nothing at all--nothing at all,” said Braddock airily, “only I
thought--that is, but never mind, never mind. Cockatoo, come down with
me. Good night! Good night!” and he disappeared.
“Well,” said Mrs. Jasher, drawing along breath, “for rudeness and
selfishness, commend me to a scientist. We might be all mud, for what
notice he takes of us.”
“Never mind,” said Miss Kendal, rising, “come to the drawing-room and
have some music. Archie, will you stop here?”
“No. I don't care to sit over my wine alone,” said that young gentleman,
rising. “I shall accompany you and Mrs. Jasher. And Lucy,” he stopped
her at the door, through which the widow had already passed, “what did
your father mean by his hints concerning Random?”
“I think he regrets giving his consent to my marriage with you,” she
whispered back. “Did you not hear him talk about that tomb? He desires
to get money for the expedition.”
“From Random? What rubbish! Sooner than that--if our marriage is stopped
by the beastly business--I'll sell out and--”
“You'll do nothing of the sort,” interrupted the girl imperiously; “we
must live if we marry. You have given my father enough.”
“But if Random lends money for this expedition?”
“He does so at his own risk. I am not going to marry Sir Frank because
of my step-father's requirements. He has no rights over me, and, whether
he consents or not, I marry you.”
“My darling!” and Archie kissed her before they followed Mrs. Jasher
into the drawing-room. All the same, he foresaw trouble.
CHAPTER IV. THE UNEXPECTED
For the next two or three days, Archie felt decidedly, worried over
his projected marriage with Lucy. Certainly he had--to put it
bluntly--purchased Braddock's consent, and that gentleman could scarcely
draw back from his plighted word, which had cost the lover so much.
Nevertheless, Hope did not entirely, trust the Professor, as, from the
few words which he had let drop at the dinner party, it was plain that
he hankered after money with which to fit out the expedition in search
of the mysterious tomb to which he had alluded. Archie knew, as did the
Professor, that he could not supply the necessary five thousand pounds
without practically ruining himself, and already he had crippled his
resources in paying over the price of the green mummy. He had fondly
believed that Braddock would have been satisfied with the relic of
Peruvian humanity; but it seemed that the Professor, having got what he
wanted, now clamored for what was at present beyond his reach. The mummy
was his property, but he desired the contents of Queen Tahoser's tomb
also. This particular moon, which he cried for, was a very expensive
article, and Hope did not see how he could gain it.
Unless--and here came in the cause of Archie's worry--unless the five
thousand pounds was borrowed from Sir Frank Random, the Professor would
have to content himself with the Maltese mummy. But from what the young
man had seen of Braddock's longing for the especial sepulchre, which
he desired to loot, he believed that the scientist would not readily
surrender his whim. Random could easily lend or give the money, since he
was extremely rich, and extremely generous, but it was improbable that
he would aid Braddock without a quid pro quo. As the sole desire of the
baronet's heart was to make Lucy his wife, it could easily be guessed
that he would only assist the Professor to realize his ambition on
condition that the savant used his influence with his step-daughter.
That meant the breaking of the engagement with Hope and the marriage
of the girl to the soldier. Of course such a state of things would make
Lucy unhappy; but Braddock cared very little for that. To gratify his
craze for Egyptian research, he would be willing to sacrifice a dozen
girls like Lucy.
Undoubtedly Lucy would refuse to be passed along from one man to another
like a bale of goods, and Archie knew that, so far as in her lay, she
would keep to her engagement, especially as she denied Braddock's right
to dispose of her hand. All the same, the Professor, in spite of