THE TOMB OF KORAH
The Tomb of Korah! They had their at last! The boys at the of what might have passed in that thousands of years before.
“You go first, Jez-Riah,” said Alan at last, and slowly, the two boys her in. The natural light had and allowed them to see the the was to unfold. They it to be a yards square. The rose above them a hundred feet, and was marked by a deep, line across it from one to the other. It was like a scar!
“Dez,” said Alan suddenly, “is that where the earth originally opened, when it deposited Korah and the other Israelites its bowels?”
“If so we ought to be in the of Palestine,” Desmond.
The had no outlet, and on the of every and colour;—diamonds, rubies, pearls, emeralds, sapphires—as large as Barcelona nuts—lay about in quantities. In one of the were the of and goods, mostly away and by worms; and with the were bones—human in such that it was to avoid on them. Here was a bone, there a hand or a skull. Everywhere the of men and together in a mass.
Quietly, slowly they a of the place, 116There were of horses, and together in a corner, and on top of each other in such a way as proved it had been done by the agency, were the of little children.
Skeletons of with the of on their bones, with of gold and set with gems, were everywhere, and the whole was like a wonder of the East. They their way through a of to where they saw something shining.
Alan it up. “A censer,” said he, “one of the most I have seen,” And it was of workmanship. Even their little knowledge told them it was of pure gold; it was most to on the one a cherub—a so perfect that the were represented, and on the other, of and leaves—symbols of the promised land.
Precious everywhere, and the from which the were with diamonds. They to put it down, but at it with its beauty. Every moment they in it some glory.
“I have nothing modern this,” said Alan at last. “Why, it is exquisite—think of its value!”
“Its history alone would it priceless,” said Desmond, “apart from its metal and workmanship.”
“Yes, but of what use is it to us here?” questioned Alan. “And if we do out, who will our story?”
“I wonder where we shall ourselves if we do a way out,” said Desmond. “We have all of direction here—of and of time. Why, we haven’t any idea of how we have walked since we left the people—how do you think, Alan?”
Alan his head. “It’s to say, Dez. How many times have we slept? We three hundred times and then forgot—three hundred times is a long while, old boy. We must have walked at 117least fifteen miles each ‘day’ we have been on the march—perhaps more—so we have done a distance.”
“Then where shall we ourselves? Africa? America? Asia?”
“Well, we shall not be when we do to the world again,” and Alan pointed at the of at their feet.
“It is those that make me we shall out,” said Desmond despondently.
“Why?”
“Because it is only in books of that such an as ours would successfully, and it would only be in a Romance of Romances that would come from the very centre of the earth, with such wealth!”
“Don’t be so depressing, Dez,” laughed Alan.
“But it’s true, Lanny. With like this in our hands we the of the entire world. Why, with this we wheat—corner cotton—corner themselves—if we were permitted to use it.”
“Why permitted?”
“Well, it on the government of the country we land in; they will want their share. If it’s France we may one half—if it’s Spain an eighth—Russia?—well, nothing at all and the salt into the bargain.”
“You are very cheerful,” laughed Alan, “but as a of fact, I’ve been what I to do with my if we do out.”
Jez-Riah had been to the two boys speaking and deeply. They were talking in their own language and had all about their companion.
“What will to her if we do the upper world?” said Desmond suddenly.
Alan looked at the little who had so into their lives, who had been so useful to them, who had almost a friend. They her as they would some great, who was to them alone. She 118was like a animal in her to them, and would have her very life for her friends.
“She’ll have no easy time, thing,” said Alan, “but I’ll use every of my energy to prevent an Earl’s Court Exhibition for her.”
Again Jez-Riah and a tear rolled her cheek.
“What thee?” asked Alan in her own language.
“I am sad and sorrowful, O Ar-lane,” she replied. “The memory of a has come to me. I shall see the of Heaven—the Sun in the Sky—but with pain alone will such come to me.”
“We’ll keep pain from you,” said Alan kindly. “If you are to see the stars, then that means we shall all a way out from here.”
The boys set to work to try and Korah’s and an to the world above. Many times they slept, and their last was—“Shall we a way out to-morrow?” They the and them in one corner. They the of twenty-two women, forty-nine men and about thirty children, some of appeared to be but newly born.
They the stones, and a in a Jez-Riah had out of the of the mautzer—her were the whole time they were the and its contents.
She had a for the censer, and that had been put aside. The and was all valueless. It to pieces at a touch and only small of tinder-like material to prove the of the that had been with the Israelites of old. Harness of leather, and with gold on the ground mixed up with the of the animals they had adorned; among the wreckage, and the whole was one of and carnage.
“Do you know of a way out?” asked Alan of Jez-Riah over and over again, and always she answered 119“I have you in safety to the of Korah, O my friends. Further the way is from me. Now I trust to you.”
There was no from the cavern, and the boys for any record that might have been left by Korah or his company. “I want a proof of our statements,” said Alan. “When we to the upper world we shall be looked upon as if we are unable to our story.”
But Jez-Riah would say, “Give up for records of my forefathers, I you, and turn your to a way to the sun—”
Alan was on the they were in, when his were by the on the roof. “I wonder,” said he suddenly, “I wonder if there is a way out—there.”
“Where?” asked Desmond.
Alan his in the direction of the scar. “It would be to try and out,” said he. “The of are not to one—don’t think of your life in such a adventure.”
And it almost impossible. The of the were and rough, and in many places in a manner. To climb to the would have an Alpine think twice he it, and to one in such it like death.
“You wouldn’t try,” Desmond urged. He Alan of old, and for him.
Alan laughed. “Is it likely?” was all he said. But all the same the in his mind, and his brain was working.
It was time to go to sleep. They had off the of mautzer, and had the liquid from the of the elers, and refreshed. Jez-Riah was already softly, and Desmond was talking in with between. Of the three, Alan alone was wide awake. He answered Desmond quietly, and he at last off to sleep too. For some time Alan quiet, 120a movement of his might either of his companions. Then Jez-Riah’s came in deep, sighs, and Desmond with one hand over his and his apart. Alan looked at them closely—they were fast asleep.
Stealthily he rose and past the through the low way into the Tomb of Korah. He moved with purpose, for his plans were all out. High up in the roof, at the right hand corner, the its widest. Quickly he walked toward it, and without a a long, and climb. The were slippery, and the almost nothing, yet with he on until his were and his ached. Pulling himself up by the pieces of rock, he came closer to the roof. Once only he looked below, and his and his as he saw the beneath. After that he his upward, and he did not stop until he touch the itself. There was a little ledge, three from the top, which was big for him to on comfortably, and his came in hard as he rested.
Then, as his came to him, he put his hand the fissure. A moved, and as he his hand, it into the beneath, and the him tremble. He the of waters. Gradually he his way until he was seated in the itself, and looked on a river twenty him. It was very swift—he not tell its depth, neither he to it—for the water had neither bank to upon. High on either of the water as it on its journey. He the depths. The at times his face, and him. The water was of a different colour from the in Kalvar—it looked cleaner, fresher. “I wonder it leads,” he muttered, and then he his position.
He was the on a three wide. There was a into the 121below of twenty feet. There was no other at all. If they were to it would have to be by the water. It was to go back. Then a plan came to him. “If we had the pluck,” said he to himself, “Well, it will be do or die.” and slowly he his attention to the descent.
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