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"Of course the search has been ongoing" Miss Adler s disappointed "The facts are Miss Corteville left no note or other ht, and there was no evidence of struggle"

"Perhaps she didn&039;t wish to marry Sir Rodney and eloped with someone else He&039;s not at all attractive, and he&039;s ested Miss Stoker

"It&039;s possible Yet, according to her maid, Miss Corteville didn&039;t appear to have packed any personal ite away per, for exaone for more than a brief time," I interjected

"Indeed However, there was one other thing We found this slipped down behind her dressing table and the wall" Our hostess laid an object on the table for both of us to see

"An Egyptian scarab," I said There were countless examples of the beetle-shaped medallions here in the British Museum Miss Adler handed the ite modern that&039;s made to look like one This amulet isn&039;t thousands of years old"

The object was yptian artifact (which would have been crafted of stone), and it was in the shape of a very large beetle that would fit coe as a coin, and a bit heavier

"Scarabs were like talis the coolness of theon it "They were put in Egyptian tombs or used as jewelry or even a token of affection"

"They could also be e a connected society"

The scarab&039;s bottos folded tightly over its doed carvings were filled in with black and green paint I pressed on the wings, the head, and even the edges to see if it ht open like the Royal Medallions When I squeezed the tiny pincers at the head, at last so the scarab to s opened to reveal clock-like inner workings of tiny cogs and gears

I turned it over On the reverse were carvings, and I identified the ie of a half beast, half man "A cartouche? Of a lion-headed pharaoh? Noit&039;s not a pharaoh It&039;s a god" I frowned at Miss Adler "A goddess It&039;s Sekhmet"

She nodded as Miss Stoker spoke up, her voice peremptory: "If you don&039;tthe opportunity to educate her as she exaoddess of war and destruction She has the head of a lion because she&039;s known as a great warrior and ferocious fighter She&039;s also been known as the Lady of Flaend has it that her breath was so hot and powerful it created the desert," Miss Adler said "She is also the goddess of immortality and the underworld"

"You believe this has so to do with Miss Corteville&039;s disappearance?" Miss Stoker ser over the round top of the beetle

"We wouldn&039;t have thought so if there hadn&039;t been another, sis of Miss Allison Martindale"

My new partner&039;s face sobered "Miss Martindale? Didn&039;t she hang herself?"

"Yes It was afrom a tree in Hyde Park The family tried to hush it up, but news does travel"

"Do you mean to say Miss Martindale had a scarab as well?" I asked

"It was found a her personal effects It could be a coincidence, but I don&039;t believe so Two young woe, within the same month One took her own life, and the other disappeared"

"There must be a connection Uncle Sherlock doesn&039;t believe in coincidences"

"Why is Princess Alexandra taking such an interest in so like this?" asked Miss Stoker A crease had appeared between her brows

"Because-" Miss Adler hesitated and looked down at the scarab that had just been handed back to her "Because she is very fond of Lady Fauntley, one of her ladies-in-waiting, and wishes to help find her daughter"

"Is there anything more?" I prompted

"If these two events are connected, the only clues we have are the scarabs The two girls were acquainted, but they weren&039;t particular friends Neither was known to have a deep interest in Egyptology, although they both visited the museum at least once"

Just then, I heard a sound in the distance beyond the door inside a vastof a heavy door closing

Miss Adler stood abruptly as Miss Stoker bolted to her feet I did likewise "Hurry," our hostess said, h which we hadn&039;t entered

The soft hiss of stea into a sh a silent, shadowy corridor that sany floors shone unevenly in the lass cases and over the paneled walls and ht

I strained, listening for sounds of an intruder as we rushed through a back room of shelves, tables, and crates of antiquities

"This way," Miss Adler said

We followed her through a little transept approaching the long, narrow Egyptian gallery where the famous Rosetta Stone was displayed We all stopped beneath the ornate arch I caughtht A large knife glinted in his hand, and he was looking down at a lunize as the dead body of a woman