Marble Hill press., 1920-07-01
was, and u they would be abl. 10 .


way. where the scurle ~ many slip
pcrs was echolng. and the soft chint
~ bangles, moving always inward
along dim, dusky corridors. Standing
at intersections we're bowls of ala.
haster each with n swimming. flaming
wick In oil, Many other hgurrs In the
semi-darkness Appeared TO he going
| m the same direction, Racial char.
ac'erist'c- pussi~d min.
lie found himself In q great vsuited
chamber inside q lofty pyramid %
glass. The gray slav. made abase
mcnt previous to entry. repeating the
gesture every i've pacesl All Others
~ Inferior cast did likewise m they
proceeded deeper into the room.
Huge silkrn curtains were Swaylng
Ia the breeze. The lower walls were
Iudlstinct with rich. deep tapestry
covering har" rock lie heard a purr.
lne like the echo ~ many distant bells.
wind.hornc. hundred cen~crS ~
iahe were cloudlng the royal twilight
Human figures, grouped In back.
ground along further side. seemed
Insignificant i."Vingtou's hoyhood
1r'ams we're fr''sh-nci before bis ewes.
llr forgot he was prisoner. His at.
I"niani guided him aruuud the border
- = dragon rus toward tho waiting
group ~ men. lie saw that they were
warriors In oouncll
They had fofsak.n the leather, gear
~ the desert ana Nrr. cl.nnly ap
UHr''rd ~ silkrn iuuicS hu' they ~
tanned their swords Tie glnucrd ln.
st.uctiNrly In the direction In which
nh eyes were turned and nots,i large
tais. lts canopy reaching ont above.
li- WHs standing before throne.
Tbrrr heavy chairs wsrr upon IL.
narrow aud hlsh backed. With car,en
dragons for their arms. n. crutrai
throne was ,BSut. 4 human form nc.
Cgp."i the place ~ state nn zach side.
Tie one, priucr. at m"iioulesS.
Dis black huir woven With strands %
silver, a green dIadym upon hls FORE
bead. from which icscl, shouc Ike
'1r cluster - stars Ills f1rr vas
narrow. yellow - wax. ami rauk.
lnHE. tapcriug hands rested upon tie
1-zun-hcads liis rul,, Was worked
With silver aud rmcAiis. and the
rnlal sandals Wsre bright upon a mat
90 raw sIk
nut Lexington was hooking ~ the
other ngurr . princess. who likewise
waited very quietly upon her throne
with hands folded In her lap. The
brown trrss's that yesterday had
>'rcamcd down the gruy cloak ~ the
supposed sentinel we're now bound
OIL .h and stuck win jrWrlei pins Her
throat VAS closely wound with dia.
m"nds. The body ~ the princ-ss was
small Upon her ,ountcnanor was Au
expression - uutrist Powers. ~ -
Lexington Imagined. Tor b.. could not
look away fum rer face. which was
dark bu, not yellow. Her eyes. which
s'rmed all The while o. study the r7ir.
bad no upward line. although h~t
hrows slant-i drlIcatcly 50. Was
very unlike the prInr,s-uullks any one
ri>e. The white prisoner was troubled.
lie had an Impulse to cruss the marble
hagEinc, and kneci % her feet.
From further portal Nrir~v
March was brought IN, and halted
near his companion TIE group ~
warriors s'eei behind the prisoners.
Nho had ~ opportunity fnr exchange
= words Then a siiT sudden whisper
na sSed over their heads fulluW,,i by
'harp silence. Chrr Ming had entered
he room.
In his peRrl-hro'Aercd robe. which
sss more volumiuous than that NJ any
''her person IN audience. he carried
himself With soicmniiy before the
assembly. bowed with feeling at ne
DOT of the daiS until at the faint
itlrring ~ the princes hand. b.
himself mounted the 1rSt
cvel of the dais and began to speak.
ie disregHrdcd the princess Lcvlng.
'nd served the coffee in the wrdgrr
lining room, aud of his first imprrs.
ion of that small head stony face.
md lean, everlasting body. Cecil
Nedger. in his gold.tippcd ignorance.
'ad seen nothing more than n Chinese
ooIie who could cook. Now the same
hin arms were ccsjuring before roy
lty. and seemed much more at home.
The talk was meaningless 10 Ieying.
on, although II bore upon his fate
or the speakers glance turned again
nd again 10 the slender. dark prin.
ess. once--or was Il only trick
4 his sun.racked vision she lfted
er eyes 10 meet his. and her nps
moved sileAtly. II was done too qrlck.
y for him 10 he certain. lie trrinhlei
nee Ming was making a speech "
ONE length. with his little hack
oward the assembly.
Before Il was finished the princess
rose and. with stir among her
etinue, stepped down from the dnis. .
Ter feet were small and perfect, her ,
nkles bound with gray ribbons. =,