The Washington times., 1905-11-12

ments that dragged us down like lead.
from being sucked beneath the surface.
he succeeded where any
have failed Still, 1 think that we
rent ran like & mill race, had not the
man upon the shore. seeing our plight
and urged thereto By the woman, run
with surprising swiftness in one so
aged, TO point Of rock that jutted
some yards into the stream, past which
we We're being swept. and seating him
self. stretched out his staff toward US.
With a desperate endeavor Leo
grasped it as we went by, rolling over
and over each other, and held on
Round we swung into the eddy. found
our feet, were knocked down again,
rubbed and pounded on the rocks. But
still gripping that staf of salvation, to
his end Of which the old man chung like
a Hmpet to a stone, while the woman
chung to him, we recovered ourselves,
and. sheltered somewhat by the rock.
houndered toward the shore. Lying on
his face-for we were still in great dan
ger-the man extended his arm. We
could not reach It; and worse, suddenly
the staff was torn from him; we were
being swept away.
Then II was that the woman did a
noble thing, for springing into the
water-yes, up to her armpits-and
holding fast TO the old man by her left
hand, with the right she seized Leo's
hair and dragged him shoreward.
Here he found his feet for a moment
and throwing one arm about her slender
form, steadied himself thus, while with
the other he supported me. Now fol-
lowed a long. confused struggle, but
the end of it was that the three Of us.
the old man. Leo. and I. rolled in a heap
upon the bank and lay there gasping
Presently I looked up. The woman
stood over US, water streaming from her
garments, staring Ike one in a dream
at Leo's face. smothered as II was with
blood. from a deep cut in his head
Even then I noticed how stately and
beautiful she was. Now she seemed to
awake, and, glancing at the robes that
clung 20 her splendid shape, said some
thing to her companion. turned and ran
toward the cliff.
As we lay before him, utterly ex-
hausted, the old man contemplated US
solemnly with his dim eyes. He spoke,
but we did not understand. Again he
tried another language and without
success. a third time and our ears
were opened, for the tongue he used was
Greek: yes. there in Central Asia he ad-
dressed us in Greek, not very pure it
is true. but still Greek.
Are you wizards" he said. that you
have lived 70 reach this land?"
Nay" answered IN the same
tongue. though in broken words-since
of Greek I had thought little for many
a year--for then We should have come
/ otherwise" and ] pointed TO our hurts
and the precipice behind US.
They know the ancient speech: IL is
az we were told from the mountain he
! muttered 10 himself Then he asked.
strangers, what seek you?''
Now l grew cunning and did not an
swer. fearing lest, should he learn the
truth. he would thrust US back into. the
river. But Leo had no such caution.
or rather all reason had left him; he
was li@ht-headed-
we seek" ne suffered out-his
Greek. which had always been feeble.
now was simply barbarous and mixed
with various Thibetan dlalects-.'we
seek the land OF the Fire Mountain that
is crowned with the Sign of Life"
The man stared at us. so you
know" he said, then broke of and
added. ''and whom do you seek?"
-9ttlt answered. lECs Wildly me
queen" / think that he meant 10 say
the prlestess. or the goddess, but could
only think OF the Greek for queen, or
rather something resembling it, Or
perhaps it was because the woman who
had gone looked like a queen
OH said the man. you seek a
queen-then you are these for whom We
were hidden to watch. Nay, how can
be sure2''
lis this a time TO put questions?" ]
asked, angrily. But who are you?"
II? Strangers, 1 am the Guardian OF
the Gate, and the lady who was with
me is the Khania of Kaloon."
At this point Leo began to faint.
THAT man is sick, said the guardian,
'snd now that you have got your
/ breath again. and you must have shell
ter. both of you. and at once. Come,
1 help me-"
SO, supporting Leo on either side, we
dragged ourselves away from that ac-
cursed clir and Styx-hke river up a
narrow. winding gorge Presently II
opened out and there, stretching across
the glade, we saw the gate. OF this all
1 observed then. for my memory Of the
details Of this scene and of the CONVEX
sation that passed is very weak and