Why do you prate of deceit? Had
we found the treasure, you must have seen everything. I only meant to
hold you to your bond and demand my third share. _Lieber Gott!_ if you
were not a stiff-necked Englishman you would now, even at the twelfth
hour, force these Italian hirelings to disgorge."
"Meaning that you advise a surprise march on Suleiman's Well, and the
massacre of every person who resists as?" inquired Mr. Fenshawe, acidly
impatient.
"Better that than turn back at the very threshold."
"Excellent! The voyage of the _Aphrodite_ would then achieve an
international fame which would survive the ages."
The blank despair in von Kerber's face won Royson's pity. He could not
help sympathizing with him. And there was something to be said for his
point of view. If Mrs. Haxton had given the true version of the finding
of the papyrus, the Austrian's methods were comprehensible. Seldom has
poverty been tempted by a vision of such enormous wealth.
"May I make a suggestion, sir?" he asked, seeing that no one was
willing to resume a somewhat acrid conversation.
Pages:
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339