The Washington times., 1911-08-05

Tad-sa-fuh can only be reached from
where we are by crossing dozen OF
the most terrible mountain ranges on
earth. OF course, there must be passes
but how to find them?"
That's why l say We are check.
mated. -
Gwynne laughed out aloud.
Nonsense! It's they who are check
mated! We shall be at the lamasery OF
Tad-sa-fuh long before they are oveJ
the first pass, and days before their feet
shall have touched the highest ground. D
And without a guide?''
Gwynne tapped his pocket.
Guides in here!'
He referred to his compass.
But, my dear fellow" I began, dc
you mean to say that you intend to
crawl like a fly over these barriers, and
through these regions of the upper air,
by glaciers. pitfalls, precipices, deserts
Of eternal ice and
Il shall travel straight as bullet
from the mouth of a rife. l shan
bother with guides, trails, or noun
tain passes. I'm going TO Tad-sa-fun,
direct-at once. No power on earth
shall stop me. Do you understand
Peter"
He was walking the floor impatiently.
when do you intend to start?" l
asked.
Now"
And how do you expect to perform
this miracle?
ewes upon me. There was something OF
the daredevil in them as he answered:
Have you forGotten the atrship?
AS matter of fact, l had often
of a toy. and of no practical value. ]
replied that l recalled his experiment In
London with interest, but couldn't eX-
actly see how he was going to use II
here.
IT'S an airship." said; mot noun
tain climber"
Gwynne pulled down his eyelid.
You'll think it's both before we get
there" was all he said.
The idea OF crossing the Himalayas
in an airship was so preposterous that
I had scarcely given 1t a thought. OF
course, l knew that the thing, in a
knocked-do condition, was a part OF
our luggage. and l thought probably
GwYnne intended to make some eXperl,
ments with It at a suitable time and
place, and ! had sometimes 1oked MIN
bout not using II.
knowing, as 1 did, that the fellow was
an inventive genius and always at WorB
upon something, l looked upon the air
ship as a freak, a kind of fanaticism ne
would probably outgrow when con.
vinced that II wouldn't work outside OF
a London garret-or, at most, in a met
ropOlitan fog. 1t was a trick, tancN
a fad, though doubtless a clever one
and l could not doubt 1t would cease tc
amuse when the inventor was convinced
of its worthlessness. ! stared at him 1ol
a minute, scarcely believing my ears.
"Gwynne. are you losing your MIND?
! said at last.
I've already lost it. It's in the air
ship, where yours will be too before
very long"
He was walking the floor again. Sud
denly he pulled out his watch.
Half after eleven. We must walt un'
til the place is quiet
There were faint sounds, as OF welro
chorus, somewhere in the distance: The
monks were chanting their midnight
hymn, and at stated intervals there rose
upon the air the strange, almost un'
canny words-Om Mani Padme Hum, II
was like music from another world
from the land of dreams. Gwynne helC
up a warning finger.
Hush! Not a word" he whispered
Presently the music stopped. There
was the distant tramping OF many rect
then all was still -,
"A minute more, and the bell VII
ring" said Roedler softly. Then lights
out and the lamas tumble into bed. An,
other hour, and the place will be qule'
as a haunted graveyard!
And it was so.
I'VE will now sleep for a couple o.
hours: at least you may, II you wish
for my part, shall lie awake"
Gwynne looked apprehensively at th'
door as he said this.
What them" l asked wonderlngly'
"Tad-sa-fuh"
A Continuation of This story VIII
Be Found In TOmOrrow's
IsSue of The Times.