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reed pen； such as the ancients often used。 I must not
forget to mention that in some remote age this
wonderful fragment had been broken in two； and
rejoined by means of cement and eight long rivets。
Also there were numerous inscriptions on the inner
side； but these were of the most erratic character；
and had clearly been made by different hands and in
many different ages； and of them； together with the
writings on the parchments； I shall have to speak
presently。
〃Is there anything more？〃 asked Leo； in a kind of
excited whisper。
I groped about； and produced something hard； done up
in a little linen bag。 Out of the bag we took first a
very beautiful miniature done upon ivory； and；
secondly； a small chocolate colored composition
scarabaeus； marked thus：
＇graphic omitted＇
symbols which； we have since ascertained； mean 〃Suten
se Ra^；〃 which is； being translated； the 〃Royal Son of
Ra^ or the Sun。〃 The miniature was a picture of Leo's
Greek mother； a lovely； dark…eyed creature。 On the
back of it was written in poor Vincey's handwriting；
〃My beloved wife。〃
〃That is all；〃 I said。
〃Very well；〃 answered Leo； putting down the miniature；
at which he had been gazing affectionately； 〃and now
let us read the letter；〃 and without further ado he
broke the seal； and read aloud as follows：
〃MY SON LEOWhen you open this； if you ever live to
do so； you will have attained to manhood； and I shall
have been long enough dead to be absolutely forgotten
by nearly all who knew me。 Yet in reading it remember
that I have been； and for anything you know may still
be； and that in it； through this link of pen and
paper； I stretch out my hand to you across the gulf of
death； and my voice speaks to you from the unutterable
silence of the grave。 Though I am dead； and no memory
of me remains in your mind； yet am I with you in this
hour that you read。 Since your birth to this day I
have scarcely seen your face。 Forgive me this。 Your
life supplanted the life of one whom I loved better
than women are often loved； and the bitterness of it
endureth yet。 Had I lived I should in time have
conquered this foolish feeling； but I am not destined
to live。 My sufferings； physical and mental； are more
than I can bear； and when such small arrangements as I
have to make for your future well…being are completed
it is my intention to put a period to them。 May God
forgive me if I do wrong。 At the best I could not live
more than another year。〃
〃So he killed himself；〃 I exclaimed。 〃I thought so。〃
〃And now；〃 Leo went on； without replying； 〃enough of
myself。 What has to be said belongs to you who live；
not to me； who am dead； and almost as much forgotten
as though I had never been。 Holly； my friend （to whom；
if he will accept the trust； it is my intention to
confide you）； will have told you something of the
extraordinary antiquity of your race。 In the contents
of this casket you will find sufficient to prove it。
The strange legend that you will find inscribed by
your remote ancestress upon the potsherd was
communicated to me by my father on his deathbed； and
took a strong hold upon…my imagination。 When I was
only nineteen years of age I determined； as； to his
misfortune； did one of ancestors about the time of
Elizabeth； to investigate its truth。 Into all that
befell me I cannot enter now。
But this I saw with my own eyes。 On the coast of
Africa； in a hitherto unexplored region； some distance
to the north of where the Zambesi falls into the sea；
there is a headland； at the extremity of which a peak
towers up； shaped like the head of a negro； similar to
that of which the writing speaks。 I landed there； and
learned from a wandering native； who had been cast out
by his people because of some crime which he had
committed； that far inland are great mountains； shaped
like cups； and caves surrounded by measureless swamps。
I learned also that the people there speak a dialect
of Arabic； and are ruled over by a _i_ beautiful white
woman _i_ who is seldom seen by them； but who is
reported to have power over all things living and
dead。 Two days after I had ascertained this the man
died of fever contracted in crossing the swamps； and I
was forced； by want of provisions and by symptoms of
an illness which afterwards prostrated me； to take to
my dhow again。
〃Of the adventures that befell me after this I need
not now speak。 I was wrecked upon the coast of
Madagascar； and rescued some months afterwards by an
English ship that brought me to Aden； whence I started
for England； intending to prosecute my search us soon
as I had made sufficient preparations。 On my way I
stopped in Greece； and there； for ' _i_ Omnia vincit
amor _i_ ；' I met your beloved mother； and married
her； and there you were born and she died。 Then it was
that my last illness seized me； and I returned hither
to die。 But still I hoped against hope； and set myself
to work to learn Arabic； with the intention； should I
ever get better； of returning to the coast of Africa；
and solving the mystery of which the tradition has
lived so many centuries in our family。 But I have not
got better； and； so far as I am concerned； the story
is at an end。
〃For you； however； my son； it is not at an end； and to
you I hand on these the results； of my labor； together
with the hereditary proofs of its origin。 It is my
intention to provide that they shall not be put into
your hands until you have reached an age when you will
be able to judge for yourself whether or not you will
choose to investigate what； if it is true； must be the
greatest mystery in the world； or to put it by as an
idle fable； originating in the first place in a
woman's disordered brain。
〃I do not believe that it is a fable； I believe that
if it can only be rediscovered there is a spot where
the vital forces of the world visibly exist。 Life
exists； why therefore should not the means of
preserving it indefinitely exist also？ But I have no
wish to prejudice your mind about the matter。 Read and
judge for yourself。 If you are inclined to undertake
the search； I have so provided that you will not lack
for means。 If； on the other hand； you are satisfied
that the whole thing is a chimera； then； I adjure you；
destroy the potsherd and the writings； and let a cause
of troubling be removed from our race forever。 Perhaps
that will be wisest。 The unknown is generally taken to
be terrible； not as the proverb would infer； from the
inherent superstition of man； but became it so often
is terrible。 He who would tamper with the vast and
secret forces that animate the world may well fall a
victim to them。 And if the end were attained； if at
last you emerged from the trial ever beautiful and
ever young； defying time and evil； and lifted above
the natural decay of flesh and intellect； who shall
say that the awesome change would prove a happy one？
Choose； my son； and may the Power who rules all
things； and who says 'thus far shalt thou go； and thus
much shalt thou learn'； direct the choice to your own
happiness and the happiness of the world； which； in
the event of your success； you would one day certainly
rule by the pure force of accumulated experience。
Farewell！〃
Thus the letter； which was unsigned and undated；
abruptly ended。
〃What do you make of that； Uncle Holly？〃 said Leo；
with a sort of gasp； as he replaced it on the table。
〃We have been looking for a mystery； and we certainly
seem to have found one。〃
〃What do I make of it？ Why； that your poor dear father
was off his head； of course；〃 I answered； testily。 〃I
guessed as much that night； twenty years ago； when he
came into my room。 You see he evidently hurried his
own end； poor man。 It is absolute balderdash。〃
〃That's it； sir！〃 said Job； solemnly。 Job was a most
matter…of…fact specimen of a matter…of…fact class。
〃Well； let's see what the potsherd has to say； at any
rate；〃 said Leo； taking up the translation in his
father's writing； and commencing to read：
'I； Amenartas； of the Royal House of the Pharaohs of
Egypt； wife of Kallikrates （the Beautiful in
Strength）； a Priest of Isis whom the gods cherish and
the demons obey； being about to die； to my little son
Tisisthenes （the Mighty Avenger）。 I fled with thy
father from Egypt in the days of Nectanebes； causing
him through love to break the vows that he had vowed。
We fled southward； across the waters； and we wandered
for twice twelve moons on the coast of Libya （Africa）
that looks towards the rising sun； where by a river is
a great rock carven like the head of an Ethiopian。
Four days on the water from the mouth of a mighty
river were we cast away； and some were drowned and
some died of sickness。 But us wild men took through
wastes and marshes； where the sea…fowl hid the sky；
bearing us ten days' journey till we came to a hollow
mountain； where a great city had been and fallen； and
where there are caves of which no man hath seen the
end； and they brought us to the Queen of the people
who place pots upon the heads of strangers； who is a
magician having a know