, 1904-07-27
CHAPTER XIX.
TIE RIDE TO SILICON PASS.

0ZEGHb WIN SAAS ~ ~ "a law
& they looked upon as enemies.
yet their chief, Palpak, treated these
men as friends Palpak was a chief who
gave no explanations Of his acts. and
when he demanded horses for himself,
his brothers and his friends they were
at once forthcoming.
Domitan, the brother who had been
SO eager to kill Palpak. was morose
and showed but little favor to the
guests. The latter, confident that their
plans would be successful, treated him
considerably. They thought not of
the risk they ran in going, with rob-
bers for escort, into a country from
which few travellers had ever return
ed. The moving power was love, and
love laughs at danger.
From the village a winding path led
from the low shore land to a distant
range of hills. Along this their prog
ress was rapid; but, arriving at the
hills. they found a rugged, rocky road
over which travelling was slow. The
small horses Of the Zannucks were
sturdy animals and went unshod over
the jagged stones that covered the mar
row path.
The natives stared at them in amaze
ment. A Russian officer in uniform,
accompanying their chief ON terms of
friendship, was a scene they had never
contemplated. Some thought Orskoff
was a prisoner. though he did not act
like one. Harvey seemed actually to be
the leader.
Hidden among great knobs and Sc
questered In fertile valleys were little
villages seemingly devoted to peaceful
pursuits. Flocks of the world famous
sheep, the skins of whose lambs are
n to Persia, where they are made
into garments or cured and sent to
Europe and America, were browsing
on the hillsides.
All the herdsmen bore arms. One
would have a rifle: another wore a belt
In which two or three pistols were
thrust; some carried the old time spear.
Their garb was most picturesque. The
turbaned Turk, the jaunty Circas-
sian, the jacketed Greek, lone of these
could match the gay dress of these hill
men.
tOHo 5At" oa6hC Lin 49,
ticult. They climbed laboriously, stop
ping often to give their horses a breath
ing spell. On either side the Jagged
rocks rose to great heights and the
mountains stood majestically about
them.
mo wonder these people cannot be
subdued," said Harvey. Mature has
built for them a fortress that no guns
can batter down."
1.-THE trouble is" said Orskoff, that
nature does this only where a fortress
is not necessary. When it m to
guarding a city, placing a battlement
upon a passage between two seas, ma
ture may be gracious enough to bestow
a rock or two, but they must be fash
toned by the hand of man to suit the
purpose of defense"
"The reason is not hat nature is
~grudging," said Harvey. at is that
man is so stubborn that he establishes
his cities in places where they can be
established. Natures Notifications are
in places where no one ever wants to
60"
Except ourselves at the present time
Hello! There is a big town.
They had reached a high point in the
road and looked down a sloping stretch
into a valley, where a town was LAID
out that called forth EXPLANATIONS from
both. Amid green and luxurious sur
roundings, IN the banks of a little
river that found its devious way into
the Scythian gulf, this city of the Ian
nucks was laid out with a precision
that would do credit to an English Of
American town. Following the almost
straight line of the river, the mafp
street stretched a half mile. On this
were the principal bazaars and market
places, with drainage directly into the
river. At right angles to this were
other streets, with houses of stone o.
wood, ornamented according to the
taste of the owners, each having a III
tie patch of green and fruit trees aDO
garden.
"Orskoff," said Harvey, pointing 70
an elevation back of the town, "proDa
bly, the only thing this town lacks j
good drinking water. I'd like to pp'
up one of my windmills and a pump
right there. III ask Palpak for a COZ
cession when the other business u
over"