The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-04-08
Can you imagine yourself UNDER
taking such a task as that given Con
Lexington, a task from which you
would probably never return?
CHAPTER n-continued.

It was Andrew March who had
hight in lower Cincinnati. with a gun
speaking from each haul. The riot
call was in. Andrew March had. by
the grace OF God. appeared, beheld
and understood. The elder man had
recognized the %equinoctial madness
of one whose head was flied with
beauty. the heart passionate for life
n more Of it. the feet rebelling
against the uglinesS of payements.
March had hurried him away, and
later at his leisure soaked some of the
deviltry out of the young frame,
Steaming him clean and reasonable.
He had needed to be- patient with
Lexington while the rihter found Il
new sensation called health.
Presently the car turned In beneath
8 v~ine-covered archway. and stopped
1t the door of a great house. A Ian
tern that was mellow and friendly
hung at the step. There was a ter
raced garden ridging gently down to
" i'VIINs Ia uttCh ttOII tie IDslQ.
These terraces with lanes Of roses and
columbine were Levin.ton's respite
from the w~ine-Sogyed streets that
wanted him.
March's h~ousekeeppr. Mrs. .A,ne<. Il
%cheerfully daZed woman whose narrow
body never recovered from the exer-
tionS Of yesterday. opened the door
to them. They went directly to the
stairs and assembled to an open door
from which freight dnnced out into
the hallway.
As they entered. a very old man
plt down his book ami turned to face
them. There were no glasses before
his eyes. and through rl,r I,allor of
age on his face showed We: IL seasoned
strength.
II know it is early for Il fire. I
was not cold" he said smiling. hut
there are certain thoughts one cnnnot
think without a bank Of Goals to look
into. And my fire here has been out
nearly four MONTHS"
Eyes. and think of the people who
can always get along without an open
CRATE" said Andrew March.
The very old man had the manner
Of n who has found Il vital peace,
filled with more than memories. His
head was strangely long. and some
thing like nobility lowered about the
wasted shoulders. lie was the father
of Andrew March.
Now the Gray-hairAl son closed the
hall door. and brought to his fathers
cirair the tiny leather packet. He
said: "Levington has done very we'll"
The father nodded. and the light in
his eyes meant long acquaintance with
defeat. Expectancy caught his fea-
lures and turned them al:..ost youth
full. The bit Of leainer was placed in
his hand. and he drew from it a
square of white silk. 1t vas tightly
creased, Of irllest texture. Traced
in purple upon IN side was Il line
curiOuSIy crooked and trailing. It was
dotted and crinkled. fancitul as some
river of the oon Along the margin
of the silk. certain Chinese characters
were etched.
'"This is MOI Il mantra. as we had
hDped."-At these words Con felt a
rush Of disappointment. But the old
voice went Tn-'tlough it may he OF
great help to us. 1t is Il map"
The three men studied the purple
line as it veered across the silk. hut
only the eldest could read the char
ncters. "A 'muntra." he said. 'woul,
have been your passport with traders
and thieves. and they would try a!
always to deceive you. direct 80,
falsely. II they were content not t,
murder. Whatever their hate Of on,
another, they league against the tray
eler who would pass their inner houn
daries. 1t would have been Il bohil!
protection In tile desert tribes. ii 70,
had managed to proceed 50 far. I;u