Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-06-19

and Fan Ch0O nad salu that the Toau
was not 80 safe rs 1t might be beyond
the Turkestan frontier, as. In fact, Major
Noltitz had told me. l was then led
to ask IL he had ever heard OF the
famous Ki-Tsang before his departure
from Europe.
"Often," he said. "for Ki-Tsang was
then In the Yunnan provinces. ! hope
we shall not meet him on our road"
When he uttered the name Of XII
Tsang Faruskiar knit his brows and his
eyes flashed. Then. with a look at his
companion. he resumed his habitual In
difference to all that was being said
around him.
CHAPTER XII.
The train Is running at high speed. In
the ordinary service, when 1t stops at the
eleven stations between Bokhara and
Samarkand, 1t takes a whole day over
the distance. This time it took but three
hours to cover the two hundred kilo-
meters which separate the two towns.
and at 2 o'clock in the afternoon 1t en-
tered the illustrious city Of Tamerlane.
Samarkand is situated in the rich oasis
watered by the Zarafchane in the valley
of Sogd. A small pamphlet I bought
at the railway station informs me that
this great city Is one Of the four sites
In which geographers "agree" to place
the terrestrial paradise. leave this
discussion to the exegetists of the pro-
fession. After a stop of six hours our
train started off again at o'clock.
During dinner l noticed that Major
Noltitz continued to keep his eye on his
lordship Faruskair. Had he begun to
suspect him? Was it Of any Importance
in his opinion that this Mongol seemed
to know, without appearing to do 80, the
three second-class travellers, who We're
also Mongols? Was his Imagination
working with the same activity as mine?
And was he taking seriously what was
only a joke on my part?
AS for me, l had soon forgotten all
about the Mongol for the man in the
tonight l will.
! 1t was about half past eleven when
decided to open the door of the van,
which 1 shut behind me.
l knew that the young Roumanian was
not always shut up in his box. and the
fancy might just have taken him to
stretch his limbs by walking from one
end to the other of the van. The dark
ness is complete No jet of light filters
through the holes of the case. That seems
all the better for me. 1t is as well that
my No. II should not be surprised by
too sudden an apparition. He is doubt
less asleep. l will give two little knocks
on the panel; l will awake him, and we
will explain matters before he can move.
| l feel as l so. My hand touches the
case; l place my ear against the panel
and I listen. There Is J. 1t a STIR not a
breath. IL my man no. here? Has he
got away? Has he slipped out at one
OF the stations without my seeing him
l am just going to knock, when the
locomotives whistle emits its strident
crow as we pass through a station. But
the train is not going to stop, l know,
and wait until the whistling has ceased.
| I then give a gentle knock on the
panel. There is no reply. l knock more
loudly.
This time 1t is followed by an invol-
untary movement Of surprise and fright.
"Open. open" say in Russian. ut
IL a friend who speaks. You have moth
ing to fear"
If the panel IL not lowered as l had
hoped, there Is the crack Of a match be-
ing lighted and Il feeble light appears in
| the case.
look at the prisoner through the
holes in the side. There Is a look Of
alarm on his face; his eyes are haggard.
He does not know whether he is asleep
or awake.
"Open. my friend. say; open and
have confidence. l have discovered your
secret. shall say nothing about 1t. On
the other hand, may be Of use to you.
You are a Roumanian. think, and l am
Il Frenchman."
"Frenchman? You are Frenchman?
And this reply was given in my own
language. with a foreign accent. One
more bond between lis. The panel slips
along its groove. and by the light of a
little lamp can examine my No. IL.
mo one can see us nor hear usY" he
asked in a half-stifed voice.
mo one" -.
"The guardT'
Asleep"
My new friend takes my hands; he
clasps them. l feel that he seeks n
support. He understands he can depend
on me, and he murmurs:
"Do not betray me-do not betray
me-"
"Betray you. my boy? Can you be-
lpieve that I, a journalist-"
"You are journalism
"Claudius Bombarnac, special CORE
spondent Of the Twentieth Century"
And you are going to Pekin?'
Through to Pekin."
"Ah! Monsieur Bomba rnac. Providence
has sent you OH to my road"
Anything l can do for you l will.
What is your name?
"Kinko."
"You are Roumanian, are you not?'
"Roumanian. of Bucharest"
But you have lived In Franco"
-Four years In Paris. where l was
apprentice to an upholsterer in the Eau
bourg Saint Antoine"
And you went back to BucharestT'
Eyes, to work at my trade there until
the day came when It was impossible
for me to resist the desire to Leave
ITO leave? WhyT
"To marry"
ITO marry Madenoiselle Zinca Klork,
Avenue Cha .Coua, Pekin. China"
you know"
Certainly. The address 10 on the
box"