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months she had been accredited as a war correspondent and was in France。 You also tried to get information about him from the War Office … without success； as you ought to have anticipated。 Why won't you admit that you care about the man？ After all； he is …〃
〃Mother； please！〃 Nefret said。 〃You are being heated。 And so are you； Father。 Perhaps you might allow someone else to offer an opinion。〃
〃Well？〃 Emerson demanded of his daughter。 〃What have you to say？〃
〃Nothing； really。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Emerson。 〃Ramses？〃
He had remained silent； only smiling faintly as he looked from one speaker （Emerson） to the other （me）。 Now he shrugged。 〃Speculation about the motives of my uncle are surely a waste of time。 One never knows what he will do until he does it。〃 Reddening； Emerson started to speak。 Ramses raised his voice a trifle。 〃Thus far； all he has done is greet you。 An encounter of that sort would appeal to his peculiar sense of humor； and he couldn't risk a face…to…face meeting； not if he is still working undercover。〃
〃I don't give a curse about that；〃 Emerson declared forcibly； if not entirely accurately。 〃What I want to know is whether he is still in the antiquities game。 Ramses； supposing you and I make the rounds of the cafés tonight and interrogate the dealers。 If 'the Master' is back in business …〃
〃They won't tell you；〃 I said。
〃No；〃 Nefret agreed。 After the waiter had removed the plates without incident （Emerson's attention being otherwise engaged）； she planted her elbows on the table and leaned forward； her blue eyes sparkling。 〃Your methods are too direct； Father。 Do you remember Ali the Rat and his … er … young friend？〃
Emerson choked on a sip of wine； and I said uneasily； 〃Ramses can't be Ali the Rat again； Nefret。 His masquerade was discovered。〃
〃But the people who knew of it are dead；〃 Nefret argued。 〃And I made a very pretty boy； didn't I； Ramses？〃
She turned to look him squarely in the eyes。 He did not respond at once。 Then he said equably； 〃Very pretty。 I'd prefer not to risk Ali； in case some of the old crowd are still hanging about； but we might try a variation of the same thing。〃
I had been afraid of this； though I had not expected matters would e to a head quite so soon。 Nefret was as courageous and capable as any man； and utterly devoted to her husband。 He was equally devoted to her； and I could only imagine what a struggle it must have been for him to admit she had the right to share his adventures and his danger。 Naturally I was in full agreement with her demand for equality； had I not demanded and （more or less） received the same from Emerson？ That did not mean I liked Nefret's doing it。 Principles do not hold up well when they are challenged by personal affection。
To my relief； Ramses went on； 〃Not tonight； though。 It will take me a while to collect the appropriate disguises。〃
〃Certainly not tonight；〃 I said。 〃It has been a long day。 We should retire early。〃
〃An excellent suggestion；〃 said Emerson； cheering up。
〃Yes； Mother；〃 said Ramses。
We had a little private conversation； Emerson and I； sitting cozily side by side before the dying fire in the sitting room and sipping a last whiskey and soda。 I summed it up by saying； 〃So it is agreed that we leave Cairo as soon as possible？〃
Emerson nodded emphatic agreement。 〃It is worrisome enough having Ramses prowling the suks and the coffeeshops looking for criminals； without her going with him。〃
〃Not so worrisome as having him take on another filthy job from the War Office。 Smith's presence this evening was highly suspicious； Emerson。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Emerson。 〃However 。 。 。 Good Gad； what with the intelligence services and my devious brother； Cairo is no place for a family of harmless archaeologists。 But you are worrying unnecessarily； my love。 There is no way on earth Ramses could be persuaded to take on another assignment。〃
Emerson's tender affection did not miss the slight shiver that ran through my limbs。 〃Damnation； Peabody；〃 he snarled； 〃if you are having one of your famous forebodings； I don't want to hear about it！ e to bed at once。〃
While we breakfasted in our rooms； Emerson looked through the post （distractions of various kinds having prevented him from doing so earlier） and came upon a letter from Cyrus Vandergelt that aroused such indignation he leaped to his feet； rushed to the door； and would have bolted out in his dressing gown had I not caught hold of him。
〃For pity's sake； Emerson； where are you going？〃
Emerson waved the close…written pages at me。 〃They're at it again。 Another tomb。 Looted。 The artifacts already at the Luxor dealers。 Damnation！ Ramses …〃
〃If you want to share this with Ramses；〃 I said； interpreting his incoherent ments with the skill of long experience； 〃I will send the sufragi to invite him and Nefret to join us。 Sit down； Emerson； or； if you prefer； put on your clothes。 A few more minutes' delay cannot worsen a situation which …〃
〃Curse it；〃 said Emerson； heading for the dressing room。 He took the letter with him。 Being accustomed to my husband's impetuous behavior； I dispatched the sufragi on his errand and went on with my breakfast。
The children must have been already up and dressed； for they came almost at once。 〃Is something wrong？〃 Ramses asked。
〃Why should you suppose that？〃 I replied； over the cries of outrage from the adjoining room。 Some of them had to do with his inability to find his shirts； whose location （in the second drawer of the bureau） I had pointed out to him the previous night。
〃A summons at such an early hour …〃
Emerson came charging out of the dressing room； attired in trousers and shirt。 〃Ah； there you are。 Good。 Just listen to this。〃
〃Finish your breakfast； Emerson；〃 I said； deftly removing the crumpled pages from his clenched fist and handing them to Ramses。
I will summarize the account； which Ramses； at my request； read aloud。
A few months earlier； rumors had spread that a hitherto unknown tomb had been discovered by the indefatigable thieves of Luxor。 It had contained objects of rare value and distinction： royal diadems； vessels of stone and precious metal； and jewelry of all kinds。 For once； the rumors were correct。 Cyrus； who had heard the tales shortly after he arrived on the scene in November； had gone straight to the shop of our old acquaintance Mohammed Mohassib； who had been dealing in antiquities for thirty years。 The canny old scoundrel； looking as pious as only a Luxor dealer can； had denied any knowledge of the reputed treasure。 He always did； though it was well known that he had handled many of the big finds。 There was nothing anybody could do about it； since he never kept the valuables in his own house； but distributed them among his various relations； and when he was in the process of marketing the goods he conducted private negotiations with interested parties who were not inclined to turn him in because they wanted the artifacts themselves。
Knowing this habit of dear old Mohassib's； Cyrus had persisted until Mohassib finally remarked that he had just happened to have acquired an interesting object … not from a tomb robber； of course！ It proved to be a heavy gold bar approximately two inche