H Rider Haggard

Smith and the Pharaohs, and other tales H Rider Haggard

Book Excerpt: ...e the last resting-place of the royal dead for ever."Perhaps queen all right inside," he went on, receiving no answer to his remark."Perhaps," replied Smith, briefly. "Dig, man, dig! Don't waste time in talking."So they dug on furiously till at length Smith saw something which caused him to groan aloud. There was a hole in the masonry--the tomb had been broken into. Mahomet saw it too, and examined the top of the aperture with his skilled eye."Very old thief," he said. "Look, he try build up wall again, but run away before he have time finish." And he pointed to certain flat stones which had been roughly and hurriedly replaced."Dig--dig!" said Smith. Ten minutes more and the aperture was cleared. It was only just big enough to admit the body of a man. By now the sun was setting. Swiftly, swiftly it seemed to tumble down the sky. One minute it was above the rough crests of the western hills behind them; the next, a great ball of glowing fire, it rested on t...