there, and drew near to watch and listen. She could not see them, she
could not hear them, yet she knew that they were there and was able to
count their number--thirty and two in all--while within herself rose
a picture of them, each differing from the other, but all white,
expectant, solemn.

Now Tua heard Asti murmuring secret invocations that she did not
understand. In that place and silence they sounded weird and dreadful,
and as she hearkened to them, for the first time fear crept over her.
Kneeling there upon her knees she bent her head almost to the dust
and put up prayers to Amen that he might be pleased to hear her and to
satisfy the longings of her heart. She prayed and prayed till she grew
faint and weary, while always Asti uttered her invocations. But no
answer came, no deity appeared, no voice spoke. At length Asti rose, and
coming to her, whispered in her ear:

"Let us depart ere the watching spirits, whose rest we have broken, grow
wrath with us. The god has shut his ears."

So Tua rose, clinging to Asti, for now, she knew not why, her fear grew
and deepened. For a moment she stood upon her feet, then sank to her
knees again, for there at the far end of the great tomb, near to the
door by which they had entered, appeared a glow upon the darkness.
Slowly it took form, the form of a woman clad in the royal robes of
Egypt, and bearing in its hand a sceptre. The figure of light advanced
towards them, so that presently they saw its face. Tua did not know the
face, though it seemed to her to be like her own, but Asti knew it, and
at the sight sank to the ground.

Now the figure stood in front of them, a thing of light framed in the