The Jew's Breastplate

           Myparticularfriend,WardMortimer,wasoneofthebestmenofhisdayateverythingconnectedwithOrientalarchaeology.Hehadwrittenlargelyuponthesubject,hehadlivedtwoyearsinatombatThebes,whileheexcavatedintheValleyoftheKings,andfinallyhehadcreatedaconsiderablesensationbyhisexhumationoftheallegedmummyofCleopatraintheinnerroomoftheTempleofHorus,atPhilae.Withsucharecordattheageofthirty-one,itwasfeltthataconsiderablecareerlaybeforehim,andnoonewassurprisedwhenhewaselectedtothecuratorshipoftheBelmoreStreetMuseum,whichcarrieswithitthelectureshipattheOrientalCollege,andanincomewhichhassunkwiththefallinland,butwhichstillremainsatthatidealsumwhichislargeenoughtoencourageaninvestigator,butnotsolargeastoenervatehim.

           TherewasonlyonereasonwhichmadeWardMortimer’spositionalittledifficultattheBelmoreStreetMuseum,andthatwastheextremeeminenceofthemanwhomhehadtosucceed.ProfessorAndreaswasaprofoundscholarandamanofEuropeanreputation.Hislectureswerefrequentedbystudentsfromeverypartoftheworld,andhisadmirablemanagementofthecollectionintrustedtohiscarewasacommonplaceinalllearnedsocieties.Therewas,therefore,considerablesurprisewhen,attheageoffifty-five,hesuddenlyresignedhispositionandretiredfromthosedutieswhichhadbeenbothhislivelihoodandhispleasure.