The Washington times., 1911-08-17

SOiNlIlCCl Jul lIdI III
Varney girls were still in the lamasery
we brought the air-ship to the groun
again.
Next day Gwynne took the boys for
walk. ! agreed not to go, as he said h
was to make the effort of his life to Wi
knowledge of the Bod-skad was no
empowering, he said, and he coul'
think better alone. His crudity Of ex
preston and paucity of words wouldn,
matter in the role of sorcerer: indeed
1t might be impressive. He was goini
in the fullest glory of war-paint am
| feathers, with the highest decoration
of CountenanCe He would bribe, threat
en-, punish-anythIng. but he wouit
have his way. He would get word e
the Varney girls, if he had to blow VI
| the lamaSery.
He was gone for an hour-possibl1
two. There was a twinkle In his eye
when l caught sight OF him struggling
up the hill. and / had a vague sort Of
feeling that he had conquered. The boys
had left him at the mani wall. Perhap:
| this was to escape the notice OF the
| lamas.
doubt about that" began.
"Something-yes," he answered very
slowly and deliberately; ''and we've
| both got to do something more soon.
What do you mean?"
Got fight Cn hand"
with the lamas?'
NO, with the EngKshmen."
Il don't understand"
Listen, and I'll tell you, but let's gc
to our room first. We can talk better
over a pipe"
And 50 we struggled up over stone.
and steps, through the courtyard, thC
great hall, and on still higher TO the
place we slept in.
Gwynne threw himself upon the skins
hunched my back up against the wall
hay fhA "a - N1kr l,nA aNNN
ciently cleared our brains Roedler pro-
Ceeded:
The boys lied and told the truth
both. They lied when they told us al
first that the girls were not here. They
spoke true words when they said the
course, there's no proving anything
but to the best of my knowledge and
belief. that's about the way of it,
How in thunder did the Englishmer
get them? And how do you account fol
| the red light?"
There are two ways TO account for
the light" he answered. First, that
the girls are still here; second, that
they left the light burning behind them,
with a good lot of butter in the bowl. u
But what do you believer
That the Englishmen took them"
"Why?'
Simply because there's more evi-
dence that way than the other. The
boys have been fairly frank. They We
told me the whole story, giving a full
description of Fenchurch and the other
chap, fitted the right name to each, and
have stuck TO it. They admitted that
they were afraid to tell before; that one
of the chedas was imprisoned and Sc
verely beaten for speaking the name
of Narney N the presence Of strang-
er; and-that-well, ] don't know that
blame them. l think l should have lied
myself under the circumstances"
But where does the fight come in?''
Here. And II is this that makes me
think the ge-tsuls told the truth the
second time. / showed them the air
ship, and explained it's wonderful pow
ers. No harm in doing 50 now, especial
ly when I'm claiming kinship with the
devil. They looked, wondered, and ad-
nired Both Za-look and kuh want TO
get away from here, but are bound for
a term Of years to the abbot. They are
familiar with the trail which the Eng
lishmen took, and promised to guide me
If would take them with me. We can
overtake them in a day-two at most
they declare; and, Peter, II we do, we
must fight"
OF course. but surely Jack and jill
can choose for themselves. l mean.
whether they'll go with us or the othr
fellows"
If they have a chance, yes; but its
not so sure that they will. In the first
place, If / take off the magicians robe
the chedas won't know US; in the sec
ond place. IL l keep it on, the girls
won't"
DO BOTH" 1 suggested. Keep on
the magic outfit till we overhaul the
women. then drop it so that the girls
will know you"
But it can't be done in an instant.
This paint won't come off without
scrubbing."
"There'm be time enough when we
catch sight of them"
There were still difficulties, but
Gwynne thought the idea good enough
to try. In fact. there seemed nothing
else to do. We were ignorant of the
trail-a guide was imperative, and the
boys offered their services. True, they
might betray us, but that couldn't be
helped. The appearances were that the
offer was genuine.
Fenchurch and Chumley had reached
the lamasery during our absence in the
cave, but that they had actually car
ried off the girls was the thing that
puzzled us. Especially did this seem
improbable, with the red light still in
evidence, and the fact that we had
been unable TO communicate with them.
But it was the next step in order. They
could not have got far, and If we
failed to overhaul them in a rea-
lamasery. This the boys fully under
stood, as they also realized the punish
ment that awaited them should they
play us false.
After all there's nothing to prevenc
our coming back" said Gwynne. 'or
thrashing those young scounirels
soundly if they deceive us, and they
fully realize IT,"
They'll get double beating II we
carry them back to the lamasery," I OBJ
served.
Yes, and they know that, too
What sort of bargain cid you make?
Where are we to leave them?"
For the services of guide we are to
take them with us all the way to Cal
cutta, II the airship-will stand the
strain Of SO many after taking on the
Varney girls. II not. we are TO leave
them at the nearest giachug, with money
enough to pursue their journey alone.
Six human beings are trifle heavier
load than the vessel was built to carry,
but the boys are light, and so are the
girls OF course, If we don't find them.
the boys go back to the lamasery alon2
with uS. It looks square enough, but
who can tell' It's the best we can do"
ind so. Za-look and Kqh were taker
into our confidence. as we into theirs.
Preparations were made to start in pur-
suit of the Earney girls and their
captors little after midnight Of the
following day.
A Continuation of This Story VIII
Be Found In TOmOrrOw's
Issue of The Times.