The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1920-06-24

| far from cheering to remember that
Andrew March had lost his nerve.
Con looked at himself in the clear
shield, and did not recognize the hard
brown face reflected. The sun that
had darkened his skin had bleached
his soul. The garb of Tartar trans
formed more than mere appearance
white blouse above wide sash, legs
wrapped from hip to knee in white.
He removed the snug turban. and
glanced again, to see If any semblance
remained of himself. He saw In his
own eyes the tension of one who
knows death to be near.
Impatience seized him, and he
crossed the roof to the stairway. No
one prevented his going down. To the
left were a walled garlen. the sing
ing OF bird, and dull rhythmic
sound like pumping. He went to the
| open gate. The garden, close walled,
was rooted with vines, which con-
cealed the bird. A bronzed slave,
nearly naked, lounged against the
arch at the gate. A radiance, soft and
cottony, was reelected upward from
the smooth tagging of the path. Lev
ington did not Immediately understand
the persistent beating.
This garden was green and frag-
| rant stiffness in which rested palan-
quin with curtains parted. Beside
this. on the gray stones, men were
| kneeling, five Of them, old warriors
whose day was nearly done. A second
slave stood near. humping a bone
| drum. The guard at the gateway did
not trouble the white intruder, for his
chin was nodding with the drum.
Again the hidden bird spilled melody
| like Shattering crystal. The robes of
the five who knelt were varicolored
The palanquin was canopied with pur-
| pie and silver and pearls.
| Within 1t. squeezing the cushions, was
a thick, soft bundle of man. The
| bird and the gentle drum had lulled
him. His cheeks were the pallid vel
low of lemons over-rlpe, but his closed
eyes were overcast and gray. He was
| fat and royal. The line of his mus
taches was thin black, and long down,
like dropping floss. His queue was a
| black rope. A hand, wide and pale,
rested limp upon the silken arch of the
abdomen. Something Of ancestral
quality was hid in the fat Of his face
an essence Of dominion and bitter
| Statecraft; narrow regal brow, n
sharp nose, a besotted jowl-all the
| Splendor OF his inheritance now
dimmed under perfumed monotony
He had paid the full tribute to drug
and food and senile pursuits.
Lexington was free to gaze. The at
| tentiOn of all present had vanished
| The drumming possessed their senses
also they were totally unaccustomed tO
strangers. Perhaps they miStook him
for another slave. not regarding hin
directly. There was Il soothing cool
ness in the blOssOmed air, an overmaS
tcrng scent of honey and cinnamon.
One of the robed figures rose slow
| ly and moved to the head of the
drOwsy monarch. From yellow bow
he extended his fingers TO the mon
zoul'S eyes. and caressed the lids witt
reverent, poisoned tips. The other f0u
in the party rubbed their own eyelids
in catlike delectation, then bowed
again Mt his feet The bird heSitatet
in his song, but the sober pulsing of tn,
drum went on and on, until it seemed
part of the planetary life. Con leane'
near the outer guard, who had no
turned. Sunshine trickled through th
matted vines. Cons foot began to pres
the stones in rhythm with the drum.
From screen of flowers appeared
girl, to dance She was 1.-THE and dark
her glistening hair bound up wit
gems. Sun-amber mottled her shoul
ders and body as she swayed befOr
the monarch and the treble of the bir
again colored the air; or at leastsCo
saw ii that way. AS the maide
danced, she touched the yellow bow
with her finger-tips. Her arms wer
shining serpents of grace as she anoint
ed her own eyes with sleep. A sloN
sigh of pleasure fioated up from tn
cushions of the palanquin. There a ia
hand trembled, started, then faile
dreamily. The monzoul was thorough
, ly under.