By this time a good many eyes in the audience had turned on the clean-shaven, curiously-dressed figure of the Egyptian Priest.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” said Mr Devant, rising to the occasion, “this is a trick I have never before performed. The empty seat, third from the end, second row, gallery—you will now find occupied by an Ancient Egyptian, warranted genuine.”
He little knew how true his words were.
And now all eyes were turned on the Priest and the children, and the whole audience, after a moment’s breathless surprise, shouted applause. Only the lady on the other side of Rekh-marā drew back a little. She knew no one had passed her, and, as she said later, over tea and cold tongue, “it was that sudden it made her flesh creep.”
Rekh-marā seemed very much annoyed at the notice he was exciting.
“Come out of this crowd,” he whispered to Robert. “I must talk with you apart.”
“Oh, no,” Jane whispered. “I did so want to see the Mascot Moth, and the Ventriloquist.”
“How did you get here?” was Robert’s return whisper.
“How did you get to Egypt and to Tyre?” retorted Rekh-marā. “Come, let us leave this crowd.”
“There’s no help for it, I suppose,” Robert shrugged angrily. But they all got up.