His face was almost black; and his eyes were open, and staring horribly up at the sky, as though he saw there some dreadful vision.

He had evidently been strangled; for on looking, I found on his throat the red marks where fingers had pressed.

There seemed so many of these marks that I counted them.

There were seven; and all parallel, except the thumb mark, as though made with one hand.

This thrilled me as I thought of the mummy hand with the seven fingers.
"Even there, in the open desert, it seemed as if there could be enchantments! "In my surprise, as I bent over him, I opened my right hand, which up to now I had held shut with the feeling, instinctive even in sleep, of keeping safe that which it held.