Weymouth nodded thoughtfully.
"Leaving out for the moment the circum- stances of Sir Lionel's death," said he, "how long a time elapsed between your finding him in his tent and the removal of his body to this hut? "
"Roughly, two hours," I replied after a few moments' thought.
"During those two hours someone was always in sight of the tent? "
"Certainly. "
"When was it decided he should be moved? "
"When I made up my mind to go to Cairo. I gave instructions for his body to be placed in this hut... I am second in command, you know. Forester agreed, although he swore that life was extinct. I personally super- intended the job. I locked the hut, handed the keys to Forester, and turned in, hoping for some sleep before starting for Luxor. "
"Did you sleep? "
"No; I lay awake right up to the time I had to set out. "
"Did anything unusual occur during the night?"
I thought hard, and then: "Yes," I replied; "there was a queer howling of dogs. Ali Mahmoud turned out. He said the sound had not been made by dogs; but of course he was rather strung up. We all were. We searched but found nothing. "
"H'm! What time was this? "
"I am afraid I can't tell you; but some time before dawn.
"Did you open this hut? "
"No. "
"Ah!" said Weymouth meditatively. "That was a pity. And now, Mr. Greville, there's another point I'm not clear about. You spoke of Sir Lionel's niece. Where is she, and where was she at the time of the tragedy?"
I had expected the question, of course. Nevertheless I didn't quite know how to meet it. I saw Dr. Petrie regarding me curiously, and at last:
"I don't know where she is!" I replied-- and recognized how strange the words must sound.
"What!" Weymouth exclaimed. "But I thought she was official photographer? "
"She is; but... Well! we had a quarrel. She went across to Luxor on Tuesday at midday. I haven't seen her since! "
"Oh, I see," said Weymouth. "Forgive me. I hadn't grasped the position. Sir Lionel knew of her absence? "
"He treated it as a joke. That was his way. She often stayed in Luxor and worked here during the day. "
"Did he approve of the--understanding? "
"Yes; at least I think so. "
"I suppose, as she hasn't come back, that she doesn't know what's happened? "
"I suppose so; but I am very anxious.... "
"Naturally." Weymouth looked suddenly grave; and then:
"Perhaps, Mr. Greville," he said, "you would ask Forester to come in?"
I opened the door and walked out in the dense shadow of the wadi. A new atmosphere invested it, an atmosphere to which, even mentally, I didn't like to give a name, but which nevertheless was an atmosphere of terror.
What was the meaning of the disappear- ance of Sir Lionel's body? Whom could it benefit? Most damnable mystery of all-- what was the information clearly shared by Weymouth and Petrie which they were suppressing?
So my thoughts ran as I walked through the shadows. The moon was out of sight from the wadi, but the stars were wonderful; and suddenly the natural law of things had its way. I began to think ofRima, to the exclu- sion of everything else.
Her empty tent--the tent which she occu- pied when she spent the night in camp--was on the slope directly ahead. Moonlight touched it at one point, but the front was in shadow.
"If I am in the way," I seemed to hear her voice saying again, "I can go--"
If she was in the way! What had she meant? I had had no chance to find out. She had gone. Undoubtedly she was labouring under some strange delusion. But where was she-- and did she know what had happened?
I was abreast of her tent, now, and some- thing--an empty longing, no doubt-- prompted me to peep inside. As I did so, an incredible thing happened--or, rather, two incredible things.
The mournful howling of a dog arose, apparently quite close to the camp. And in the darkness of the tent something stirred! I suppressed a cry, bent forward with outstretched arms... and found a slim soft body in my embrace!
Even then, I couldn't believe what was true, couldn't appreciate the nature of my capture, unticlass="underline" "Shan! Shan!" came a stifled cry. "You're hurting me dreadfully! "
"Rima!" I exclaimed--and wondered if my heart or hers throbbed the more wildly.
I said not another word. Stooping, I kissed her with a desperation which probably sprang from a submerged fear that she would never give me an opportunity of kissing her again.
But, thank heaven, that doubt was groundless. She threw her arms around my neck, as the mournful howling died away, and:
"Shan," she said, "I'm terrified, Shan dear!"
But her kisses had given me the right to console her, and when we presently reverted to sanity; "When did you arrive, darling?" I asked.
"I came back with Alt. He told me-- everything about it. So, of course, I had to come. "
"But what made you go?"
She nestled her adorable little tousled head against me.
"I won't be scolded," she said--"although I am to blame! No, please, Shan. I truly meant what I said. I did really think I was in the way. "
"In whose way? "
"If you talk to me like that I won't answer. Besides, there isn't time now. I should have come back to-night even if I had had to come alone. I have something most extraordinary to tell you...."
But now came the sound of voices.
"I tell you it wasn't a dog," I heard Forester say.
"It wasn't either!" Rima whispered. "But you must go, Shan. I'm all right, now. Who is in the big hut? "
"Dr. Petrie and Superintendent Weymouth-- "
"They were old friends... weren't they-- "
"Yes, darling. Don't despair. It sounds absurd to say so, but they have a theory that the chief-- "
"Please tell me. "
"It's hardly fair, Rima. I don't believe it, myself. But they think he may be alive!"
She clung to me very tightly, and then: "But I think so, too!" she whispered.
3
"Do you know, Greville," said Forester. "I never liked this job. Lafleur's Tomb has a bad name."
We were walking back to the hut.
"What do you mean? "
"Well, you know as much as I do. Nobody has tackled it since Lafleur's time. But old Zeitland was planning to come out. "
"He died recently in London. "
"I know! And what about the Frenchman-- "
"Do you mean Lafleur? "
"Yes, somewhere in 1908--or 1909, wasn't it? Well, I may be wrong"--Forester halted just as we reached the hut--"but didn't Lafleur disappear?"
I racked my memory for some moments. Lafleur was before my time and the facts were hazy. But at last:
"Yes," I replied slowly. "I believe there was some mystery, Forester. Though oddly enough it had never occurred to me before. "
"It never occurred to me until we made that astounding discovery to-night. Why should it? But in view of what's happened, it's more than odd, don't you think?"
"We must tell Weymouth."
We went into the hut. Weymouth was sitting where I had left him, his brows still Wrinkled in thought.... Dr. Petrie was pacing slowly up and down. As we entered, Weymouth raised his kindly blue eyes to Forester, and:
"Did you catch that dog?" he asked.
"No," said Forester, staring hard. "Did it sound like a dog to you? "
"It wasn't a dog," Weymouth replied simply. "This camp is being watched! Has anything occurred which might account for this signalling? "
"Yes," I broke in; "Alt Mahmoud has returned--and Rima Barton is with him. "
"Ah!" Weymouth murmured. "I am glad to hear it.... "
"Greville and I have been thinking--" Forester began, when: "One moment!" Weymouth raised his hand. "We shall get muddled. You can help me most. Forester, by letting me plod through the inquiry in my own way. I have the facts up to the time Mr. Greville left last night; now I want to know what happened afterwards. "