Norbury
turned to him to ask a question.
"Why is it, think you, that some of the teeth show so much whiter than
others?"
"I think the whiteness of the shadows is due to the presence of metal,"
Thorndyke replied.
"Do you mean that the teeth have metal fillings?" asked Dr. Norbury.
"Yes."
"Really! This is very interesting. The use of gold stoppings--and
artificial teeth, too--by the ancient Egyptians is well known, but we
have no examples in the Museum. This mummy ought to be unrolled. Do you
think all those teeth are filled with the same metal? They are not
equally white."
"No," replied Thorndyke. "Those teeth that are perfectly white are
undoubtedly filled with gold, but that greyish one is probably filled
with tin."
"Very interesting," said Dr. Norbury. "_Very_ interesting! And what do
you make of that faint mark across the chest, near the top of the
sternum?"
It was Ruth who answered his question.
"It is the Eye of Osiris!" she exclaimed, in a hushed voice.
"Dear me!" exclaimed Dr. Norbury, "so it is.
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