The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-11-25
By JEREMY LANE

y
rfse," she said. ''They will kill you"
eve are ready to receive them. -
ne said. 'sThe miners are not at work,
and are not sleeping. They are wait
ing, armed. The plan is to fall upon
the soldiers if they come into the
Mines" a
You have caused thisT''
Yes" he answered.
For what reason?"
freedom, for your father and my
self; for the four workers who were
taken yesterday; for the whole under
ground city Of miners and for you"
For me? I do not ask it."
You want to be queen?"
yes" And she implied that moth
ing could be so natural. She was sur
prised at the question.
You can be queen In America" he
said, with his soul limping. "And who
will remain here for your rule, when
we have done with your army?'
She did not know whether to smile,
or be terribly displeased. He dared
not be serious, lest his heart break. In
the gray of the morning she was as
lovely as a great moth in an enchanted
garden.
''You would not be interested in rul-
ing here" said her lover, eff you really
belonged here. 1t is your white blood
that gives you this strength. All Asia
is only Suggesting for you. Let me
fight today for you, let me lead IN your
name. Is it so much to be queen of
solitary city where strangers never
come?''
''Never?" she repeated.
After a pause, he asked ''What
brought you out so early this morn
ing?"
Yesterday you were displeased be-
cause I rode in the full sunlight" she
parted him.
He saw at once that he could not
expect to be given any true reason for
her presence here now, unless
81 am thankful did not mis-; you"
he said.
1.-The dawn coIors are full of won
der" she replied. evading again.
''That is true
"Are you afraid to die?" she asked
point-blank.
live. Yesterday I told you why, but
you were asleep"
ST could not respond" said the prin-
cess, glacing away at the dark horizon.
''but heard distinctly-your words"
Levington's cheeks burned suddenly
at the revelation. She continued to look
away from him.
81 meant my words, all OF them"
he said steadily.
Still she did not turn back TO him,
and he asked. ''Why do you allow them
to give you the drug?"
81 am not so lonely when I dream. -
cit places you more securely In the
hands OF Chez Ming. and he is no
mans friend"
"He has been my father, always"
she said.
''This sleep of yellow men is not
life-not rulership-fOr you"
would you give me unhappiness
again?"
Again he felt the tremendous doubt.
that she might be laughing at him
from behind her earnest, lovely eyes.
She looked full in his face for her
answer
81 will not go away without you"
said Lexington.
"You may not go at ALL" said Helen.
THAT is why I came here. 1t was
troublesome to arrange. But wanted
to tell you"
''What?"
eff my soldiers kill you. it is-not
because I hate you
Thanks" murmured Lexington, at
could have died for less"
Come with my father, the way you
came yesterday, and will do what I
can"
you humble me with so much hon
or" said the one who stood below
her, "but 1 expect to be very busy with
the miners"
The copper light touched her face.
The pony blinked at the east, and
far away Con saw the purple mantle
slip from the city, a line OF faint gold
upon the Hottest tiles of the palace.
Sweetly across the empty world came
the voice OF the hour-gong from the
city. The last stars were melting into
q pallid sky that was shot across with
crimson, violet, and russell gold. Lev
ington's heart was full, but all he
longed to say he had told her yester-
day. That intimacy was renewed by
the thought that she had heard and
remembered everything he had said.
He blushed. Something came to him
of her struggle fantastic kingdom
almost within her grasp, a throne from
which every within was law, a city of
weird power and much gold, her OWL
| for the taking; and only one young
white man, almost q stranger, to draw
her away from it all She had been
born to love, yet all her training was
| toward power and Queencraft. And
there was koresh.
'Heleni" he said softly.
'tSpeak."
He could not. The wave on which
he had ridden had passed. The ole
silence was upon him, the .wordless
intensity In the presence OF beauty
timidity before the woman who could
set him free If she would.
A quick sparkle crossed the dead
wilderness to the east Twilight fiet
away, and the world whitened. Still
the princess did not move She to-
was silent. Then from the distan