Marble Hill press., 1920-05-27


tide. os life were released and set
ia motion. tie ln,i across the lobby
Tor the last time when his sedan VAS
called.
The order was 10 the western gate
~ tho city. and haste Ills runners
started. and Lexington sank hack. very
numb and sick. In hts mind one wori
was cleaning llse an instrument ~
torture. Shan-sun., AMI his insiruc'
iinHs remained unrcud In the black
has
Near the western gate Nrro q cara
vansary and many truNrl.stnrrs. Small
houses w-rr pressed together like
iHfiwooi against river bridge.
They ran ~ on top Of one another, of
Sid down In an aspect - perennial
ruin. IL was dark. IN the turrh'llght
u the allryWays many humans moved
10 ami out They were chilled. and
had NJ curiosity. Every rrot shelter
81 half shop ani half nur~.ry.
business hours were without trunina.
tiou.
Among Tie rel shadows one might
plrrhas" q hundred horses ~ n t-ockrt'
ful ~ chrs,nuts silk. from the South
~ ugurri linen frnm n. North. wine
N stone hasks Grain In leather hugN
salt hay, camcls. drivers themselves.
r"n sought out a native merchant Who
.pnks English Ills purchases wrre
sNift and simple after that
u The swarm - traders and ii'rrs
D" forgot himself. turned his hack
upun everything except his mission,
llr knrW nothing - eamcls hnt 10 felt
'h"m over carefully by turch.lisht 20
discover anN snrvs ~ cracked pads.
The Ensli,h.sp,aklng merchant. q
ar'l.'ri chinese. Watched him soirrly.
AMI later, with f,,',ir protest. acc-pt.
~ certain reward Tor hi. advice
Near niue in the evening". With .
cold wini pressing IN. all vas ready.
AMI L.'lngi"n's private rnn,an moved
fnr'h from the city. passing under the
ancient bricks - the Western arch.
Perhaps :, was imagination only, hot
flr alr felt different uu'sii. the nails:
NJ though TIE sky had r-rci.,i To- iis
normal distance from earth. lsayiug
much clear mir and brrcF" In b-tw,,'n.
The r"ason vas NOR 'ruly that the
fus hsi gone Winter Was down IN
earnest.
II vas late the next DAY when th"y
nnrhAi the inner line ~ the Gr-1i
Wall wherv arrangements Worn mate
20 ipin merchant caravan 90 -
westward Journey Cons wns ''s
sixth outfit IN tine II. head driver
~ me party had half loren Eus.lsh
words. which u PLEASED him Go a..
drrss 20 Lstius'en. Tn" young white
man gave another hnlf-doF"n 90 ,hi.
friend ~ the same time eainins a
valuable d0frn - his ovn. travel.
phrases that e'u'i mean the difference
bsfsr-D fn".i and starvation.
This small village On les. followed
+ the lry river rad and a, Ka's8n
/ pass.i Us. ss,gI !Grysi Wall. Lev
T ir s'pa. swH'I"I In ralleH rnhca q
/ heather viewed 'hc old marvel ul'h
u'xcl feeling. lie vas avcI ry u
AMI Es hated u. fh's pa'rhg 1rk sprawl
. ~ stones ralscl q withstand TIE
Tartar horde. bu, only ut'Ias q Iaf :
shadow across the minds ~ -
builders
Tur nurh"r - tays th"y slIr'ei
'hc masonry h.ynni ~" k.nE lake,.
now f-u,'.I uf'h brown lcc Hesiis
I TIE road in 'hr cracking marsh. one
trader In firearms lost bis fortune
when h.. clmel shIrI Al h's rsr
ri i.rs were sp.lir'i and soaked ani
BIS long Larr,loI rife, rus'ci Tie
eastward The Other. pushed IN
through n, singing cold Cun vas
somehow relieved when the tran lei
away from the sight u that drason
barrier the Wall
Ills student Z English Try and
brown kalka driver. rode every LAY
beside hlm. aud Lexington received
ASSURANCE that shan sung was some
where ahead hu, - far N the trail
that none but madman would wish
to reach Il. l. had never been a point
on the trade routes
Snow blew down. darkcuins the air.
and lining tie camels' eyes with shin.
Ing drops The foolish lips ~ the
beasts we're pcarlrd with ice. Every
length ~ siay.lrathrr crrakei with
cold Cp ahead. the caravan seemed
always moving IN into the Invisible,
IT, fields were white Villages hui.
dle, under thin lines ~ smoke. but ia
certain districts the swIrling snow h'i
every curved roof. and all the mud
was turned 10 stone.