private collection of Egyptian treasures. But he knew, too, that it had
become increasingly difficult to penetrate since Mrs. Athelstone had
been made the subject of some entertaining, but too imaginative, Sunday
specials. Still, now that he had properly magnified the difficulties
of the undertaking to Naylor, that the disgrace of defeat might be
discounted or the glory of achievement enhanced, he believed that he
knew a way to gain access to the hall and perhaps to manage a talk with
Mrs. Athelstone herself. His line of thought started him for Cambridge,
where he had a younger brother whom he was helping through Harvard.

As a result of this fraternal visit, Simpkins minor cut the classes of
Professor Alexander Blackburn, the eminent archæologist, for the next
week, and went to his other lectures by back streets. For the kindly
professor had given him a letter, introducing him to Mrs. Athelstone as
a worthy young student with a laudable thirst for that greater knowledge
of Egyptian archæology, ethnology and epigraphy which was to be gained
by an inspection of her collection. And it was the possession of this
letter which influenced Simpkins major to take the smoking car and to
sit up all night, conning an instructive volume on Ancient Egypt,
thereby acquiring much curious information, and diverting two dollars of
his expense money to the pocket in which he kept his individual cash
balance.

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