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unsuccessful.
    And complaining about Sekhmet had enabled him to avoid answering Emerson's question.
    I could not remember that he had made a promise to Enid. I was surprised that she had remembered. Ramses had been only seven or eight years old at the time. She had had a wholly unaccountable fondness for him, though, and he had been quite attached to her, probably because she had listened with a well-bred pretense of interest to his interminable lectures on Egyptology.
    Matters were becoming interesting. Threats, or warnings, from some unknown party, an unspecified peril awaiting us in tomb Twenty-A, and an old friend in distress. Naturally I intended to deal with Enid's little trouble myself. A child's promise, however well meant, was of no importance. There was nothing Ramses could do for Enid that I could not do better.

Chapter Two
    There is nothing like continued proximity to strip away the veils of romance.
    At breakfast the following morning I informed Ramses I had written Enid inviting her, and of course her husband, to take tea with us at Shepheard's that day.
    His dark brows drew together. "Why not here? I had intended-"
    "That is just why I took it upon myself to respond," I explained in a kindly manner. "You have a great deal to learn about the subtleties of social intercourse, Ramses. Inviting them here would indicate a degree of intimacy we may not wish to encourage."
    "But-"
    "We have not seen them for years, Ramses, and the initial acquaintanceship was based on circumstances of an extraordinary nature which are not likely to recur."
    "I should hope not," Emerson grunted. "See here, Amelia, if you allow this young woman to drag you into another criminal investigation-or, even worse, romantic entanglement-"
    "My dear, that is precisely what I am trying to avoid," I said soothingly. "Not that I have any reason to suppose either of those difficulties has arisen." "Hmph," said Emerson. "No doubt you are right, Mother," Ramses said. "You always are." After we had crossed the Kasr en Nil Bridge we separated in order to pursue our various errands. The shopping was of course left to me. Having permitted themselves to be measured for various articles of attire, neither of the lads saw any reason to return to the establishments in question, and when I mentioned items such as handkerchiefs and stockings they informed me that they had got everything they needed, and that if I felt anything else were necessary, I was at liberty to supply it. Emerson's vigorous nod indicated that he was in complete agreement with this statement.
    This suited me quite well, for I do not particularly enjoy being accompanied into shops by bored male persons who keep looking at their watches and inquiring how much longer I will be. Emerson and the boys went on to the museum, where we were all to meet later, and Nefret and I proceeded to the Shari'a Kamel and the Muski, where many of the establishments carrying European goods are located. I had found a shop that would make parasols to my specifications, with a strong steel shaft and a somewhat pointed tip, and had ordered two new ones. Stout as they were, my parasols tended to wear out rather quickly; I had to purchase at least one every year.
    I was pleased to find the parasols ready, and after brandishing them experimentally in order to test the weight, I told the shop-keeper (after he had come out from under the counter) to send them to the dahabeeyah. Nefret had declined a parasol; while admitting its all-round usefulness, she preferred to carry a knife. We selected a new one of good Sheffield steel, and after completing the remainder of our shopping, we proceeded to the museum.
    The previous year the antiquities collections had been moved from the old palace of Gizeh to a new building in the Isma'iliyeh district It was a handsome structure of yellow stucco in the Graeco-Roman style, with a pillared porch in front and in front of that a bare space that would one day be a garden. At the moment