The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-11-18

held the calm of that shadow OF sable
wings. Con knew the satiny black be-
meath her eyes. In fact, the yellow
bowl had been left here within her
reach when she wakened. He bent over
and stared into her face.
'1Helen,' he whispered "Helen
wake up! They are giving you death.
1 do not mean to make you unhappy.
Do not sleep. it is poison. you must
not! I want you to live. Oh, princess,
there is America
He did not know what he was say
ing to her. Her arms and shoulders
were limp as he touched her, lifted her
little from the cOlored cushions.
Without opening her eyes, she smiled
family, and it maddened him to think
that she was pleased with some phan-
tasm in a subtler world, perhaps en-
tirely unaware of his own presence.
The deep shadows about her eyes
seemed to stab him. He raised her
closer to him. He was pleading. He
smoOthed her temples. His hands
shook. as he breathed the full story Of
his heart. The universe was only this
that she lay faint In his arms, that
her white beauty possessed him, that
he could not reach her, a web always
between, delicate yet unbreakable. She
sighed, as a child who enters new
depth of rest, and 1t punished him.
She had not opened her eyes.
The leaves rustled outside the case
ment. From a silver vase on a taboret
white rose petals drifted down to the
rug. Curtains swayed gently in the
movement of the air. Afternoon sun
light crossed golden through the oaks.
Out of the age-Old secrets of the heart
Lexington knew the mystery OF high
DESIRE as If a race of men, stalwart,
tender, true, had gone before him, lived
and loved and persisted, that he might
breathe the same air with his princess
in this hour, might feel the softly rush
ing storm within himself, and pledge
his all to the beauty OF one who did
not speak.
Again he leaned over her. and wills
pered rapidly-only the great hazards
mattered nOw-'Tell me, tell me-
Helen's throat trembled, beneath the
smooth skin a ripple OF effort, but she
his eyes with his arm.
he heard footsteps, great Ieaping falls.
He turned, crouching. A Nubian a
giant, passed, his dagger steady as
bronze, his eyes red. He rushed, and
Lexington stepped aside. The fray
must be led away from Helen. The
negro also reckOned on this. Con made
sure of the knife he had taken from
the servant, Flu All, who was still
tightly bandaged. lying near the door.
They faced each other. The great
black rushed again. Lexington Crap
pied, parried, and they swung around.
He could do nothing with his knife
Another wild down thrust from the
Nubian, a lunge with lion power in it.
Gray foam stood out upon the negrO's
lips. A mighty hinge Of ebony was clos
ing upon. Lexington, who felt his legs
giving way, and the borrowed knife
pried steadily out of his hand. His
head was gradually being forced back
ward. Catlike. he writhed loose his
right arm, and flashed a blow to the
black neck, hut it was like hitting a
rug. The African was mouthing hot
". For all that life meant, Con chung
to the dagger-arm. He was lifted clesr
Of the floor, to enable the black to ad-
just him at his leisure for the final
stroke All the agony Of LIES untast-
ed cup came to Lexington as he
thought of Helen. He could see her.
Suddenly the Nubian cried out and
seemed to lose control. He dropped
Lexington, who snatehed the weapon
from him. He was screaming and
stamping. Upon his shoulders chung
a small white-faced monkey, his teeth
holding deep, eyes staring out at moth
ing. The Infatuated black would sum-
mon the entire palace with his bowls.
Con drove the dagger twice below the
ribs, and the giant toppled into silence,
while the little beast bit and bit. doubt
less repaying black cruelty and white
friendship at the same time. Besur
turned inquiring eyes up to Lexington.
who had no time to express thanks.
Retaining the Nubian's weapon, he fed
past the gagged and fright-ridden Flu
An, and out OF the apartment, lodging
down the corridor There were run
ming shuffles behind him. He gained
he door to the stairway and stumbled
down.
Having entered the passage from a
known direction, Con had no difficulty
in continuing eastward, toward the
location OF the air shafts. His thoughts
were riot Of things, beginning with
their talk in the open near her moth
er's grave. Almost before he expect
ed, he. saw Andrew March, who was
searching for him. Many were with
the elder American, including the in
terpreter.
'How far did you goP
Ear enough to hear the oak leaves
blowing outside her window
''You cross-no2'' queried the Ara
bian.
"Yes."
He recounted their morning meeting;
his return to the mines; the strange,
silent malice OF the dwaffs who had
allowed him TO go on into the fumes
from the devotional; what he had
seen over the rim OF the wall; the
bIaekness that had fallen, and then
the events beyond the stairs.
sYou have profaned the holy Of
holes. said. March. They have no
higher religion. There is no end to
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