The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-07-01
Copyright by the Century Coz
CHAPTER xI-Continued.

IT is pleasant 10 Cream. lave you
found it SOL"
He thought carefully. eyes, I've al
ways dreamed. 1t runs in your fam
lily, and in mine."
II come here every day." said
Helen.
"The sun must be very hot"
II am accustomed to it. I do not
resist it. There is great life in it."
ut has made you lovely" he said.
"But it was unkind to you," she re-
piled. And a faint, cool smile touched
her lips.
Innocence or utter sophistication-
from an ultimate degree of one of
these opposites she was regarding him.
1t was a helpless moment for the
young man behind the rock. He gazed
out for relief over the singing white
sand, where all Of yesterday is sacri-
feed in the drift Of today. One horse
man dotted out there, not far from
the city, a pair of keen eyes that
might be able to see through stone.
81 had arranged with Chez Ming"
said the girl, "for you and my father
to live in peace with us. Now that
cannot be, for you have tried to run
away. You have wounded his emo
tions."
"Your father and I expect to get
away, hut we are coming back soon."
"No," she said. "No man goes from
here to tell the world what he has
seen. Chez Ming only, Of all men,
goes and comes. and he tells nothing.
The empire must fail when it's Sc
crecy is gone"
Con felt the chill Of a stone wall.
you are deeply interested in the en-
pire of the yellow Sum-" he. said duly.
ut is to bear a wonderful fruit"
said the princess.
ut is very cruel" said Lexington.
II do not agree with Chez Ming
about everything"
you have a merciful heart, a heart
that would be Mt home in America,
where this idea Of racial fusion, the
blending of all into one, has borne
good fruit for two centuries"
II have learned but little of Ameri-
ca, except concerning the red men,"
said Helen.
"Chee Ming has been careful. The
red men are gone. It is the New
World. I'll tell you all about it. You
would not be satisfied with the OPP
preston and thievery of Tau Kuan, if
you knew the ways of America"
Mother used to talk like that"
"You belong in America said Lev
fngton, scarcely aware of how much
he dared in making the statement.
my father mentioned that yester-
day. He is a good man."
YES, I love him, too"
"He needs you" said the girl.
Gle needs you," returned Con.
"America would be a splendid place
for you. There are dreams there, too,
If you like"
II am not interested. Here is the
heart of the world. This is the center
of power, the light of ages to come.
Here my will is obeyed, and all the
good things of earth are brought be-
fore me-"
"Most of them from America" add
ed Con. But he was hurt deep. He
felt the snare of dominion around her
heart. Perhaps she was without a
heart. But that did not correspond
to her innate kindness. She did not
agree with the policy Of state.
Il am needed here" said the prin-
cess. rather YEARLY. "There IS work,
endless work. The desert is a league
Of cities that have fallen, and those
cities must be made to bloom again."
"Why do you plant seeds of poison? 2"
"Yon do not understand dreaming.
1t Is unbearable without a dream. Il
have not your courage"
"Are you happy?"
Il am not happy as a child is"
"And you love power?"
"That is part of my destiny"
Cruelty, sterility, poison-that is
Tau Kuan," said Lexington, watching
her closely.
1T need not be So" said Helen, re-
ferring to her coming regency.
"Then you are satisfied, happy?"
"Sometimes. but"
"What is it?"
II cannot say. Why do you ques-
ton me? Oh, I seem to miss some
thing I have never seen, something
that cannot be in the world! In the
evening, I think that in the west where
the sun goes may be what I want.
But then in the morning, I do not be-
lieve it,"
might it not be worth while to fol-
low the sun westward, n see for
yourself?"
mo n departs from here" she
said quietly. Sand I have seen the
1aaps. and I am not very much
drawn"
Chez Ming had planted this preju-
dice in perfect soil.
But what is it you want?"
"Do not question me. I do not
know. Chez Ming says I am too young
TO know. I believe my mother knew
when she a eighteen. I am afraid
] shall not learn until too late"