Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-12-17

collision with Chez Ming.
The brown skin was close-furled
around the eyes of Jade. Chez Ming
was inscrutable. He regarded the
American with the usual blank stare.
but honored him with very faiat
bow. The figured folds of his blousy
jacket were damp with the river fog.
Lexington narrowed the freezing
space between them. and peered into
the stony eyes.
''Your little feather-sticker put me
to sleep"
"You have no business in Asia" said
the other, steadily In good English.
"You didn't hesitate to come to
America" remarked the white man.
But we should not quarrel now. As
soon ms the ropes are thrown aboard.
and we get out into the river. l am
going to tell you something. Chee
Ming"
81 have no DESIRE" said the Chinese,
conscious that this white adversary
had now no map and was therefore
helpless.
Eyes. you have. Don't go yet. You
nearly killed me last night"
II would not kill any one. unless he
makes me trouble" said the Oriental
1t pleased Con to have him talk. 1t
was. interesting to watch the thin
brown lips hold stInfly the formation
of the English words. Every syllable
was n struggle for Chez Ming. He
hated Levington-which is a refined
emotion In the East. He had not by
any means forgotten the sickening
twist delivered to his own spine when
he had met this young mountain-lion
In the Wedger pantry.
The boat began to grind internally.
The low wet wharf drew backward. A
space of muddy water widened. The
passage to Peking WAS begun. There
would be a brief stop at the Tien-tsin
front. then on to the Tartar city.
Darkness completely claimed the
river before the boat jolted to stop.
the end of her voyage upstream.
Street lights were hazy around the
quay. Coolies were lined up In order I;
all was different from the port town.
1t was one of the final fogs for Pc
king. and winter was ready to harden
ter weather. This was part of the
plan, for Lexington to traverse the
known lands in the cold season, to be
in readiness at the edge of the desert
for his real travel-task at the first
sign of spring.
Here the streets were lighted, some
of the doorways almost western in ap-
pearance. save for the dim figures
that moved In and out of them. Roofs
were peaked. angular. swooping down
to wide caves. The Peking tenements
were squeezed up on top of the whole
sale houses and native godowns. and
It looked as If only the cobblestones
kept the weight of these from press
ing the sides Of street together.
when 1t would be lost. The lateral
alleys seemed to have nearly grown
shut. Down one Con had a glimpse
of fire, q red flare In the dark, sparks
standing an instant over pitiable house
tops. The notorious hurried on
amongst the darting rickshaws, but
Con could not forget the fire. Its ruddy
wickedness turned loose upon close
knit city of wood and human frailty.
1t was daylight when Lexington slept
1t was still daylight when he awaken
ed. Somehow, the matter of the plain
envelop came to his mind-those in
structions which would bind him If he
read. 1t was as II the thought of this
had wakened him.
The Chinese had torn the covering.
but the contents had not been what
he wanted. Why. then had March
made so much of the matter? Con
wanted to reopen the envelop here and
now. He could not say why thoughts
of the letter possessed him, and he
felt rather ashamed Of himself In
general way.
The closed document haunted him.
He thought of burning 1t, unread, and
then turning himself loose. to drift.
An old boyhood depression was weigh
ing him down, reaching him now
through mere physical weakness and
sense of failure. He felt in a low
moment that March should have told
him everything frankly at the start.
Con wanted to get away. somewhere
free. forgotten, lost. He saw himself
sinking into far dim harbors, an out
cast. He was not aware how elaborate
and unreal his loneliness was
The hum of the Chinese city entered
at the window. like secret invitation.
The lands to the south called him. as
always and the murky seas.
Con was all tangle. pain, confusion.
The inner thing that was himself re-
fused to let this fog close over him.
He arose. rang for brandy, and when
1t came was liberal to himself. He
would not think dared not. He dress
ed. Downstairs. In the BARRIERS chair,
he permitted himself to be shaved and
annointed. In the mirror he glanced