The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1905-07-21

When he uttered the name Of Ki-
Tsang Faruskiar knit his brows and his
eyes flashed. Then, with 4 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, it takes 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 it 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 l 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. l leave this
discussion to the exegetists of the pro-
fession- After a stop of six hours our
train started off again at 8 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 so, the
three second-class travellers, who were
also Mongols7 Was his imagination
working with the same activity as mine?
And was he taking seriously what was
only joke on my part?
As for me, I had soon forgotten all
about the Mongol for the man in the
case. If I get chance to visit him
tonight I will.
1t was about half past eleven when l
decided to open the door Of the van,
which shut behind me.
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. It is as we'll that
my No. II should not be surprised by
too sudden an apparition. He is doubt
less asleep. I will give two little knocks
on the panel; I will awake him, and we
will explain matters before he can move.
feel as l go. My hand touches the
case; l place my ear against the panel
and listen. There is It a stir, not
breath! Is my man no. here? Has he
got away1 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, I know,
md h. ~.
l then give 4 gentle knock on the
panel. There IL no reply. knock more
loudly.
This time it is followed by an invol-
untary movement of surprise and fright
open, open!" l say In Russian. 1T
is a friend who speaks. You have moth
ing to fearr'
If the panel Is not lowered as had
hoped, there is the crack Of q match be-
ing lighted and feeble light appears in
the case.
l look at the prisoner through tho
holes In the side. There is 4 look Of
alarm on his face: his eyes arc haggard.
he does net know whether he Is asleep
or awake.
''Open, my friend, I say: open and
AoVC COAuu0lACos HdV0 ul0COvOIeU your
secret. l shall say nothing about It. On
tho other hand, may be Of use to you.
You are a Roumanian, think, and am
a Frenchman."
"Frenchman? You are a Frenchman? 2"
And this reply was given in my own
language, with a foreign accent. One
more bond between us. The panel slips
along its groove, and by the light of a
little lamp can examine my No. II.
mo one can see US nor hear us7" he
asked In a half-stifled voice.
mo one"
'"The guardT'
Asleep"
My new friend takes my hands; he
clasps them. feel that he seeks a
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 l, journalist"
"You are journalism
"Claudius Bombarnac, special CORE
spondent Of the Twentieth Century"
And you are going to Pekin? p
Through to Pekin."
"Ah. Monsieur Bombarnac, Providence
has sent you on to my road"
Anything l can do for you l will.
| What is your nameY'
"Kinko"
you are a Roumanian, are you not p
| "Roumanian, of Bucharest"
| But you have lived in France"
| -Four years in Paris, where l was
apprentice to an upholsterer in the Eau
| bourg Saint Antoine"
"And you went back to Bucharest p
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? Why"
''To marry!
ITO marry Mademoiselle Zinca Klork
Avenue Cha-Coua, Pekin, China"
You know|'
Certainly. The address is on the
box"
"She is a young Roumanian. I knew
her In Paris, where she was learning