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36     Abbott's Monthly

[[image]]
[[caption]] "Gradually the hands moved upwards, and, searching the throat, the fingers began to remove the bandages. Then I beheld a glimmer of skin, skin as pale as beautiful marble. The nose then was unveiled, the upper lip, exquisitely and delicately cut--then the teeth," [[/caption]]

grief, each night black with sorrow. One day my dear friend, Dennis Brenner, came to see me.

"'Richard, my father has been commissioned by the British Museum to excavate the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Ombos, which it is said, contained great gold and silver mines. You know you have always expressed the wish to join an archaeological expedition. I believe that your wish can be gratified. I have persuaded my father to ask you to join the expedition. We start Saturday, and by that time, I think, you will have had ample time to arrange all your affairs.'

"When Saturday came we embarked with hearts high in excitement furor prospective life in ancient city hunting. After an uneventful voyage we safely arrived in Egypt. Within several days we were comfortably established in a little village about ten miles to the south of Thebes. The work of excavation was begun immediately, and I was recruited into the rank of a supervisor.

"Engrossed deeply in this new and fascinating work, I had succeeded splendidly within several days of completely forgetting my sorrow. My health had returned in considerable measure and my mentality sharpened. I hand time to mouseover bygone briefs, for my entire day was devoted to my work, and my entire night, in pleasant and refreshing sleep. Things went on in this fashion for several weeks; I was living life anew, and I was content and happy.

"One day the heat had been particularly fierce, and I was indisposed to join the ranks of the excavators. Moreover, I was seized with a slight fever which confined me to my bed. That day as I lay abed, in the silence of the little room, old thoughts and memories began to come back. Oh, how hard I tried to drive those thoughts away; how hard I tried to drive those maddening visions from my brain. But it was all a futile business.

"That night my old sadness returned to me. I tried hard to sleep, but I could not, my depression was too great. I became restless and yearned to be about, to walk and breathe in the cool night air. With an impatient jump, I got out of bed, and, donning my clothes, I wen tout into the silent night. From out of the mysterious depths of the Nile, in the cool, purpose distance, the moon was slowly rising. A heavy and impressive silence lay throughout the lang. Towards the north reposed

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A true short story of a man who used his wits to save his life--and his money

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[[caption]] "Come on, Dress Suit," he snarled, "hands up!" [[/caption]]

Illustrated by Edgar Riley

Dress Suit
By Will H. Hendrickson

The window opened noiselessly and a figure in black vaulted in with the expertness of the trained athlete. He unbuttoned his coat and turned down the collar, revealing as he did so an expanse of immaculate, starched shirt front. To his surprise there was a man crouched at the safe in the corner. The crochet one spotted the intruder with his flashlight.

"Come on, Dress Suit," he snarled, "hands up!"

"All right," said Dress Suit good-naturedly, drawling the "all."  "This is certainly a waste of effort--two good men on one job. We burglars should get together and apportion territory."

"Baloney," came from the peaked cap between the flashlight and the automatic. "You ain't no burglar!"

"My entrance by way of the window is not good form except in the profession," said Dress Suit airily. "And I might remind you that by your own statement you admit that I'm a burglar--two negatives you know occurring in the same sentence have the force of an affirmative."

"Huh?" said Peaked Cap. He thought a moment. "Anyhow can that stuff. If you belong, help me open this tin."

"What terms?" asked Dress Suit.

"Fifty-fifty," said Peaked Cap grudgingly.

The flashlight was turned again to the safe. The polished surface reflected the light below his mask. He decided the man was a yellow double-crosser, and somehow, he thought, "rat" seemed to sum him up so neatly. If he helped to open the safe, Peaked Cap would undoubtedly back up on his fifty-fifty proposal. He

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