Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/341

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308
Winter.

Upon closer examination I was shocked to discover that one hand of the beautiful mummy had been severed at the wrist, probably for the purpose of more easily obtaining the bracelet that had once encircled the arm. Pulling aside some of the bundled bandages, I discovered the little delicate, shapely hand. A terrific yell from the Arab above startled me so that I dropped the light, which was instantly extinguished, leaving me in total darkness. Thrusting the mummy hand into an inside pocket I groped my way out to the ledge, shouting help! murder! fire! at the top of my voice; in fact, so loud did I yell that the swarthy son of the desert ceased his shouting, and as he reached the ledge upon which I stood held his light aloft, and discovering me, with no light, standing upon the brink of the dark abyss, his villainous features relaxed into a smile, and, motioning me to proceed, he followed me up the ladder. After I had returned to my stopping-place and taken counsel with some friends, in spite of their advice I dispatched a messenger to Amed al Hamu, proposing to purchase some of the treasures that I knew were hidden in the but half-explored cave. The only answer I received was a message from the sheik, or chief of the village, stating that I had in some way 'incurred the ill will and animosity of the populace,' and had better therefore absent myself immediately, as he, the sheik, 'was powerless to protect.' It is hardly necessary for me to state that I acted upon this hint and left; I am free to acknowledge that I think more of my own body than any mummy that was ever embalmed. The beautifully shaped hand I still have as evidence of my adventure, and if you will kindly pass it to one another under the table each may feel its peculiar texture."

The tourist then takes from a basket at his side a kid glove, previously prepared by stuffing it with damp sand and allowing it to rest on ice for an hour or so. The guests should be repeatedly cautioned about dropping the specimen, otherwise the

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