The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-09-13
CHAPTER XIV.
AFTER THE CONQUEST.

NS<'SS~'
The palace at Quiental stood at the
northern end of the city. Therefore
it stood at the most northerly point of
Talmooch, for Qulental was the north
ern extremity of the island. The
palace was not quite up to the modern
idea of what a palace should be, but
it was strongly built, and, in its way,
imposing. 1t was solid, square and
strong. It had towers and turrets.
It was surrounded by large park.
That end Of the castle facing the
street was, of course, the front, but
the facade of the opposite end was
precisely similar, and faced the sea.
From this end the ground sloped away
to tho frowning battlements that rem
dered Quiental wonderfully we'll for
tilted city.
The streets of Quiental were mar
row. The more pretentious houses
were Of stone. There were bazars,
coffee-houses, gambling places, tea
drinking rooms and all other places
generally to be found in o Chinese
city. ,
[ had little to do with the formal
taking of Quiental. I left to Garu-
saak the duty Of proclaiming the gov.
ernment of Hen-Ko-Hi at an end as
we'll as of securing Hen-Ko-Hi and
all those who were close to him in his
tyrannical despotism. Just what to
do with the monster did not know,
and ordered him placed in dungeon
until I had come to some decision as
to his fate.
Accompanied by Oso-Bark I went
to the palace and awaited the arrival
of Mr.. Avery and Miss Arnold.
sincerely regret that 1 cannot DO
Justice to the meeting between Han
iannan and her son Gorgret. I did
not even linger to gaze upon them IN
their mutual embraces. There was
something sacred in that never-dying
love that bade me leave them to them
selves.
Wandered through the wide halls
of the palace, and found curious
commin Cling of national arts. The stone
castle had been built years before,
by the Kaleks. The architecture, the
workmanship and the inside holdings
and carvings were distinctly theirs,
but the furniture and equipments were
Chinese. The combination was not
unpleasing, and the change from the
dark underground home I had known
30 long was very grateful. The only
unpleasant feature about the palace
was the painfully apparent evidences
Of opium. Everything, was redolent
Of the drug.
When Mr.. Avery and Miss Arnold
joined me, I had explored nearly every
department in the palace, and l es.
corted each of them to the rooms l
had selected for them. Miss Arnold,
still accompanied by her faithful
Jumar woman, was shown into a suite
of rooms the equal in comfort and .ele-
gance to any in Pekin.
Gorgret initiated his mother into
the mysteries of the palace kitchen,
and under her experienced manage
ment the place was made more habit
able by the production of good sup
per, after which we went out on a
broad balcony to listen to the shouts
of the multitude who had not re-
covered from the excitement of victory,
and were making things very lively in
Quiental.
Beacon fires blazed on the noun
tains and in the valley. From Quien-
tai to Galenor the sky was lighted by
these flaming tokens of regained su-
premacy OF the people. Everywhere
we could hear my name. Even now
the exultant Talmoochiaus gave me all
the credit for the victory.
Glow does it feel to be king?"
asked Mr.. Avery. II never was on
such intimate terms with one be-
FORE"
"Now," I replied, ''it is time to
drop all such nonsense. I am not a
king. I don't want to be king. All
I want now is to get Miss Arnold,
you and myself away from here, find
Miss Arnold's father and then COM
municate with my friends, Langston
and Ralston, who are now without
doubt in San Francisco"
rro mn 1oNn,~rrn 1