The San Francisco call., 1904-04-10

though the long service had lasted t
near the days end, when General Linz
came to me.
For some reason l had felt in NJ
hurry to begin the nights work, for |
strange quiet had come over me, in
tensified fourfold by the service t
which / had altogether given mysel
up. After three days of intense menta
and physical activity, ] was enjoying
a reaction and recuperation. Not tha
my fears were dead, or my anxietie:
forgotten. but from the moment ] me
General Ling. 1 felt new confidence ir
myself and in those about me. He had
suffered suspicious for four morta
years-suspicions of every one, inciud
ing myself. Beside him, and he a hea
then and an idolater, 1 was coward
His pitiful words respecting his trus'
in me-tThere is nothing else to uo"-
rang in my ears. How nearly they CO.
incided with my own reluctancy ir
trusting Colonel Lii And 1 have ever
remembered this valuable lesson-to
trust those whom 1 must trust as
trust myself
Upon this motto Il had acted since
awoke that morning on the Dulcette.
Ling and Ii had done everything The
sarcCphagus was as good as on the Dull
cette. My Cossacks were no longer
needed, and were spelling to return to
Keinning. Consequently / had written
to Colonel Oranoff, and stationed them
to await my flaming signal to be off. l
was particularly glad to be able to dis
pense with their presence as the secret
of Lynx Island was confined to so
many less tongues-and soldiers
tongues are lose at both ends. as all
the world knows.
AT the conclusion of the final cere-
mony the priests had been taken to an
inner room, where Colonel Ii i'm
parted to them the nature OF the King s
orders touching the immediate remov-
al of the sacred treasure of the temple
and the utter destruction of the temple
itself. The astonishment of the priests
can be imagined, but not the scene
which followed. Old men, whose lives
had been spent at Ching-ling, came out
weeping and moaning, and here and
there they leaned against the walls as if
to embrace them for last time, Some
crowded about the image on their knees
and prayed with quaking voices; others,
liiOSl VI luCiil DCSdA
about like frightened deer, while some
fell into groups in the corners, whis-
pering to each other in their haste.
Evidently fearing that all control
over his men might be lost, Colonel Ii
hastened to read yet another decree
from the King, which detailed each
priest to service in other temples. and
gave to each sum of money from the
royal treasury. This had the desired
effect over the younger and more rest
less of the men, who otherwise were
quite beside themselves with disap-
pointment, but many Of the older men
failed to be reconciled by pecuniary re-
ward. Young men came to older ones,
who, sobbng by the wall or praying by
the image, seemed to heed only the first
decree.
Have cheer, father" said a son to an
old man by the wall near me; you and
1 are to- go to Wun Lung, where King
Charming is buried. Have cheer
BE silent, son." sharply cried the ell
der, turning his wet face upon the
hopeful youth. You remember the
grave of Chan ming, and forget that of
your mother on Lynx Island. What if
that is plundered and we become in
sane? 1t would be just reward"
The old mans face went back again
into his sleeve, and by the shaking of
his shoulders 1 could see he was weep
ing anew.
Some there were among the soldier
priests whom the second announcement
did not quiet, the reason being, l SUI
posed. that the destruction of Ching
ling meant they were to go lack into
the dreary barracks.
Orders were given for the priests to
collect their personal effects immediate
ly, and to be ready in an hour to assist
in the work of removing the sacred
treasure. This necessitated great tu-
mutt and confusion, particularly in the
mud huts; and. though it seemed to me
hasty business to ask men to prepare
within an hour to leave homes in which
they had lived lifetime. yet the need
of having the destruction of the tenn
pie seem to be a religious observance
land thus less likely to be attributed to
the passing of the island into Russian
possession) rendered such course ne
cessary, however rummary it might
seem.
was in readiness; and save for the ex-
treme foresight of General Ling, all
would not have been ready then. The
storm had swept furiously upon us,
and torrents of rain fell, to counteract
which General Ling had oil in readiness
to smear the temple and the straw
thatched roofs, and other combustible
material was piled against the temple.
Within the audience room had been
stripped of all decorations save the
heavy curtain which hid the inner
court from view, from which the image
Of Gautama was brought into the GER
ter of the temple.
"a hot Nirvana for him." thought I,
as / paced restlessly by amid the con-
fusion, thinking Of the end that was
approaching it.
After long wait the priests from the
farther building came in body, and a
more frightened crowd of men / hope l
may never see. Those in the front rank
were bold, even surly, but behind them
were those who crineed and shrapk