“You don’t know the laws of the Medes and Persians.” Her father laughed low. “They alter not and if we had him put in jail, you’d be here until Christmas as a witness.”
“Wise old dad.” She patted him on the back. “But see! Our donkeys are gone!”
“Let them go. I have paid for their use. They’ll find their own way home to their supper. We’ll catch a cab and get out to the airport at once.”
“Why?” The word was on the tip of her tongue but she did not say it.
CHAPTER XII
SEALED ORDERS
Once they were safely stowed away in a cab he pulled the green-wrapped package from his pocket.
“Papyrus,” he said softly, “like our paper of today, has caused a lot of trouble in the world. Today a printing press rattles and bangs for an hour or two and not many weeks later two groups of men, one a band of thugs, the other a squad of officers, shoot it out for possession of that printing press’s work. And all because it says on each slip of paper, ‘Payable to the bearer on demand.’”
“But why would that man risk his life to get that roll of ancient papyrus?” Mary asked.
“That,” said her father, “appears to be something I must find out!”