Ultimately he succeeded in making her understand that she had slept, magically, for a very long time; that Thebes (which she knew apparently as Amen) had altered beyond recognition; and that they wanted her to become accustomed to strange changes before taking her there. Once having conquered her first natural terror, the girl accepted her situation with astonishing philosophy. A reaction came. Perhaps she had grasped the fact that a new lease of life had been granted to her--and that life was sweet. At any rate, she developed a strain of childish mischief at once delightful and disturbing. For Danbazzar’s orders she had little respect, apparently; but that diplomat was quick to learn that for Barry she would do anything. “I trust,” said the Professor, nervously glancing at his watch, “that the young lady from Unu will subdue her high spirits while Mr. Tawwab is in camp.” “I’m going to send Barry along to keep her quiet,” replied Danbazzar. Whereupon Barry felt a hot flush rising to his cheeks and hastily stooped to load a pipe. “A duty by no means irksome,” the Professor murmured. “I confess that a woman of more than sixty is no longer attractive in the amorous sense. I had never imagined that one over three thousand could be. But I was mistaken. Indeed, all my life has been lived in error.” “In another three days,” said Danbazzar, flashing a triumphant glance around the table, “we’ll be through! All the stuff is where Mr. Tawwab will never see it. The photographs are finished. My drawings I can complete when I like. It’s just a matter of building up the opening, now, and striking the screen.” “My notes are fairly up to date, also,” John Cumberland added. “I have material for a book that publishers would fight to get.” “Quite, quite,” remarked the Professor. “But except as a work of fiction you cannot publish it.” “I shall write it, nevertheless,” the other assured him. “It will be in three volumes. The first volume will deal, exhaustively, with the history of the papyrus and the formula. It will bring the account up to the time of our arrival here. The second volume will be compiled from notes made on the spot. It will deal with the excavation and end with the discovery of Zalithea. The third volume will contain the story of her life during the reign of Seti.” “Admirable,” the Professor agreed. “I shall be obligated, however, if you will refer to me in your _magnum opus_ as Doctor X.” And now, a slender, mysterious, black-robed figure, Hassan es-Sugra bowed in the tent opening. “Your pardon, sirs,” he said in his gentle way, “but Mr. Tawwab comes. He will shortly be here.” “I vote we _all_ see him!” cried Barry. “Why should we study his feelings? He’s just a common grafter.” “In studying the sensibilities of Mr. Tawwab,” remarked Professor Blackwell, “one would be studying the non-existent; a paradox. But our own position is not too secure.”