The Washington herald., 1920-01-27
Yellow Men Sleep
sYNoPsIs on PREcEpING INsrLLMENrs.
By Jeremy Lane.
Copyright. 1910. by the Century c,

SYNOPSIS or PRECEDING INsrLLMES1s.
Con Lexington. at the age Of 8. ends
himself an orphan In Dowssisc. Mich.
laced By the city council In the care of an
humble family. His motheS had married O
poet against the wishes Of her family, who
had disinherited her. His father. srived
By the death OF his wife upon Cons birth,
is a world-wandefer with his son up to the
time Of the elders death. hastened By
opiates.
Leyington's deatiny begins at a fate laden
dinner years later. At this dinner he finds
| thee Ming. then a Chinese servant. whom
! he cleverly overpowers and dispossesses Of u
tiny packet OF leather which he had won
| about his neck. Lexington Immediately re-
ports to Andrew March and his father.
stephen March. who reveal to him that the
tiny packet bears map to q hidden empire.
They select him to take the packet and find
this mysterious desert land under sealed
CHAPTER II.-CoNT1NUED.
There is used In the Orient q
very thin parchment. as grateful ia
the finger-tips as the cheek Of a
babe, smooth as swan's-down, and
even more sacred to yellow men.
Wear this over your heart said
Andrew March. smiling.
A small folded parchment wa.
placed in Cons hand. 1t was a du-
plicate of the map on the stolen
square of silk This copy was in q
soft leather sack. the size of a visit
ing card. to be secured about his
neck by a leather cord. Andrew
then gave him a sealed enveiop, and
in regard to 1t said
II haven't been very explicit with
you. Con. There are some things
that are not mine to tell you-now
When you have reached Shan-sung
by following Fathers directions
and il all Is well. you will find your
further instructions in this envelop
When you have opened and read II
you will have committed yourself
and you must not turn back. The
breaking of the seal is your pledge
But until then. you are free. you
have no obligations OF any kind. to
me or anyone else. You will under.
stand-in Shan-sung."
March smiled family. almost with
/ solemnity. Lexington bowed, ac-
cepting the small sealed packet. He
packed it in the bottom Of the bag
/ Presently they went to the faith.
er's room. The old man stood up
tall and steady. the light of youth
in his eyes. There was a brief fare.
well. firmly spoken. Again in Lev.
ington's room, Andrew March grip.
ped the young mans hand. a little
more tensely than usual, and the
silence between these two was vital
with enduring affection. March
then took his leave.
1t was not yet midnight. Cor
waited in his room, while the light.
of the March house were dimmed
Into a new clarity OF mind came
| images from his earliest days
Shasta that beckoned. the alley in
Memphis. and one humid evening in
the harbor OF Elopura. Con wanted
his father. forgetting that he wa.
twenty-five.
About one o'clock he turned ou,
his own light and left the friendly
room. passing down the hall, the
black bag with him. at the door OF
Andrew March's room he paused ar
instant.
His benefactor was sleeping. the
bedroom door partly open. Con had
not stopped from sentiment, but in
the darkness he caught a curious
scent, as of cinnamon and musty
wine. 1t whisked him back to a
kitchen in Dory Street, and he shud
dered without knowing exactly
why. 1t was like his father
shadowy. intimate, heavy fated-a.
If March must share this with John
Lexington as personal quality
| Con almost believed he imagined
the perfume. 1t was the very odor
| of darkness, soft and satiny. lie
passed on. down through the dark.
ened house. and suddenly found
himself wishing he had not paused
before the open door.
Precaution in leaving the March
house was part of Cons instruc-
tions. Whatever the Chinese cook
might have told his master, and
young Wedger in turn communicat-
/ ed to the police after the sinyulaI
occurrences in the Wedger pantry
Lexington felt safe at present. He
: doubted If Chee Ming would dary
give an honest account. because OF
the nature of that which had beer
taken from him. Cecil would be an
noyed. puzzled. even angry with hi:
vanished guest. Chez Ming would
probably obscure the matter fur.
| ther. Con recalled the energy @,
that slim Oriental body-panther.
like, not a brawny strength, for tn.
chinese was beyond an age for mus
cles. but a silent writhing power
nerve-driven.
Con did not go down to the from
gate. but turned, along the garder
path, across thesfragrant terraces
Even the roses, late blossoming. die
not clear his nostriIs of that splc,
in the open doorway upstairs. TIL,
shock OF that was just reaching
him. He had an impulse to turr
back and sniff again. to prove tC
himself that he had fancied tn,
familiar odor. Then he laughed a
himself and began to ride down hi.
fear. He passed around the nttI,
pond. where autumn had touches
the shrubbery and given driel
music to its rustlinG. Beyond thi.
was a barred gate in the wall. Lev.
inEton drew IL back. glanced once
at the dark house on the hill, anc
emerged upon the street.
! More than three score years he.
fore. Stephen March had faced tn,
West. A boy of seventeen, he hat
taken the prairie-wagon trails Il
, San Francisco. and here he hac
heard strange stories. Seamen blew