The Washington herald., 1920-02-17
YeHou, Men Sleep
By JEREMY LANE,
sYPorsIs OF PRECEDING
INsrALLMENrs.
Icopyrsht. 1912. " Tne Century Col

tfny packet OF leatherl which he had worn
about his neck. Lexington immediately re-
ports to Andrew March and his father.
stephen March, who rcveai 20 him that the
tiny packet bears : map TO hidden empire:
They select him ~ take the packet and nna
this mysterious aesert land under scaled
orders" lie accepts.
Levington Is told OF .wo unspccesssul
quests for the mysterious Iobi Empire ey
stephen March and his son, Andrew. he 10
deeply impressed by the fact that the YOUNGER
March, on one of these trips. when near bis
goal. ''the strange riders came and robbed
him OF his wife. Eithna. and his BABY girL
Lexington meets Chez Ming on the ship
sailing for the Orient and later in the
Desert. He is surprised. the latter tine. to
md Ckee Ming accompanied by Andrew
Empire ahead Of Lexington and March,
who are gradually making their way By
means of a map tatooed on M.rch's foot.
After days Of tedious travelling they arrive
at the hidden empire. Warn discovers bis
lost daughter Helen and introduces her 20
Con Lexington. Helen speaks, English, and
has uncanny confidence In Chez Ming.
CHAPTER 15--Continued.
= what did you saye" inquired Con,
81 reminded them that they have
no more love for the city than we,
and that our enemy is their ehemy."
WHAT Hduc you bhihh Vi thoes
They are slaves, worse"
This was cut short as the work.
ers let go Cons wrists. and he
pitched feet FIRST into perfect black
ness. The fall was giddy; then
scramble down ian incline Of loose
earth. Choking with the dust, he
could not guess to what depth he
was sliding. Something came down
upon his head. and this was Andrew
March.
"Yous asked them to take us iny'
Yes. 1t occurred to me that they
do not love their masters. IIeferr-
ed to that, and promised everything
I could think of. IL they would not
turn US over to the horsemen."
The center of the world gave forth
a speck of light that was a torcn.
The party that had come up at the
summons of the distant gong was
close about the white men again at
the base of the shaft, which seemed
endlessly large: and other torches
were coming nearer out of black
ness. Still II was not clear to Con
why the miners did not take them
to the city. The hovering figures
in the cavern seemed half afraid.
half spiteful. March was doing his
best in Chinese.
The torches threw a serried glare
on the rock walls of the under
ground passage. II was low but
very wide. In another chamber. to
which the prisoners were led, the
roof was higher. of ragged sand
stone. and the floor had been swept.
Here was the settlement of work
ers. every one deformed below the
shoulders.
Out of the red-lighted press of
these came a figure but slightly
more erect than his fellows. He
was dark Of skin, but his eyes were
full and did not slant or pinch. His
barred throat was significant of
ancestry. but his knees locked and
Jointed pitifully. as from some ca
lamitous accident.
Friend" he said" in a low voice.
1t was music to hear the English
word.
The miners were waving torches
of bitumen over their large heads.
The length and agility of their arms
was apelike. They looked to be a
race of Asiatic changelings, their
hair coiled into little caps, one or
80 showing queues, and all with
the peculiar malformation of spine.
Every eye cleaned upon Lexington
Friend" replied Con.
They come for you" said the
dark-skinned person who stood be-
fore the crowd.
Down here?"
Yes. ALI where"
Hide us. Give us protection.
friend"
Yes. You say you befriend us"
Tho
who answered: YES. We will, IL
you protect US now. We come from
the most powerful country in the
world. Help us return to it,
No, no." said the dark-faced man.
"I beg of your urged March.
Cobb too big. too big"
Talk OF that later. But hide US
away now
They see your footprints, and
ask US. what?"
Say that we were killed and
thrown in the bitches"
Yes said the speaker of Eng
lish.
He turned to confer with several
others. in rapid monotone.
Con said to his friend: What Is
hep
Looks Arabian" replied March.
The speaker had heard the word.
and he turned sharply. with a smile
parting his lips. Prom the waist
up he was a handsome man of forty.
Yes, Arab" he said. "Fifteen,l
big, I was, at sea. I know your
country-Saint Lawrence, Buffalo"
Niagara. Falls" offered Leving-
ton.
"Ah yes!" exclaimed the sailor
from Araby. He smiled more broad
ly~ at the recollection. Twenty
year-yes-twenty-that Does she
fall continue?'
Yes" replied Con, joining in the
smile. How did you come here?"
caravan. The sea weary me. fif-
teen years more now. Caravan from
Djarobed. All! She never destina-
tion, never. The Ifiders appear one
day at evening-you know?"
II know" assured Lexington.
They-spoil me-" said the Arab.
glancing down humorously at his
spoiled" legs, and Con WINGED. But
come, my two friends"
The relief was dreamlike to Con.
He realized that no physical effort
on his own part could help; in fact,
ne was perilously near to trusting
In God, and this seafaring Arab,
who had fifteen years ago answered
the call of the Sha Mo, was the
very hand Of Providence. Con won
dered how strong the hand might
be- The desert seemed furtneI
away, to be under il. But in mexn-
ory he could hear the penetr4ht
singing of the hollow brass through
the night. Chez Ming would not
give up easily.
There seemed limitless multi |
tude OF the earth-dwellers, moving |
In quiet disorder through the cav /