The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-06-03

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Lexington DOWeu. struggling with an
inner tidal wave. Andrew March
seized the girls hands. and she turned
to- him frankly. He was saying: "Rut
II little mother-I!ithna-" He kissed
her hair, and she placed her hnnd upon
his arm as If to ease his pain. She was
frail beside the veteran of the sands.
She did not embrace him. and March
seemed not to expect any demmstra-
tion of sentiment. He regainef self
control and faced Con with an effort to
smile.
This is Con Lexington" he said to
the girl. To Con: "My daughter,
Helen"
Her name ieaped In Cons heart. flc
bowed owe her hand and found him
self murmuring. Princess" In the
blur Of his inward excitement her voice
was like sunlight as it falls rich and
mellow across an oaken staircase. He
was strongly affected by it. There
was an embarrassed moment during
which Con glanced nj ut the window
mt the moving branches Of the white
oaks. Quickly he swung back. to add:
ut is II great privilege to be sum-
! moned."
Helen said simply: II am not sure
how to speak. I'VE saw Il white
man up to this hour"
She intended this to he a compli-
ment, for she was smiling: yet he
could not forget the fact that she was
the royal creature who had glanced
across the thrOne-rOOm Yesterday.
"Why have they been so extremely
careful to keep us away?" he wondered
aloud.
ut is ASIA" She replied and, truly,
he had forgotten that.
There vas no mistaking the grand
child of the aged Stephen March. She
was the embodiment Of all that men
hold dear. Her eyes made bold to tell
all that in another would have been
held secret. 1t was the old story OF
Asia. Perhaps her days in this desert
fastness had been 81 monotony Of inno-
cence, but they had not made her smile
a blank. Con could not estimate any
|. thing beyond the fact that when she
swayed slightly beside her father.
deeply searching for the. right word.
her young grace was matchleSs.
"Do not he sorrowful." she wills
pered to her father.
March nodded. "Yes. that is right
and his face Frightened as he regarded
her.
She crossed the room. lightly, a rap
id fitting gait that somehow expressed
the far Eastern feminine. Yet the
clean whip of. the West was there also.
and through her personality these
qualities were 81 smooth. soft madness
to Lexington. He was aware that all
the journeys of his life had either end
ell here or just begun.
All the allur:ng intimntions that had
troubled the lad Stephen March, when
he had crossed America before the
days of railroads, were ensOuled in
Helen, the same that had drawn him
against the winds of the Pacific so
long ago. the kingly unrest that had
led him deep into Cathuy. beyond the
Tartar wall, to the sands of mystery
and death. Perhaps in some dim way
he had f~Oresensed this daughter of his
line, with her shining fatal dominion,
Il princess in the Cobb.
ut is most MISUNDERSTANDING
here" she said to Con.
II think I've always headed this
| way" he said. because he believed it.
II cannot imagine the courage that
brought you" said the princess. ".Sha
Nc is very-cOnfusing."
"Yes, 1t might have been simpler IL
had known" replied Lexington. And
March was smiling broadly now.
She had finished %rearrangins the
tawny lilies on the table and. with a
courteous Oriental oveme Of the
arm, she indicated a deep chair for her
younger guest. Lexington went to it,
turned it from the window and offered
1t to her. He felt nearly royal himself
as she accepted. Andrew March sat in
the windOw-seat and Lexington con-
tented himself with the leather sofa
that had been brought in pieces; like
the mission furniture, from Grand Rap
ids. Michigan. The college pennant
was over his head.
II have learned" said Helen. shat
white me- are really white. HOw?"
1--WE are a bit tanned" admitted her
father, shut for that matter, so are
you. White people usually stay under
v when the sun Shines"
THAT is a part of tradition had
not known" she Snid. 81 shall toll
Chez Ming"
"Why %trouble7" asked Lexington.
'He knows"
"But 1t is not written, and all the
tradition of the world is written here,
since the days of the Tower of Folly.
You Know that Tau Kuan is to be the
school for the perfect age. Chez Ming
say tradition is the treasure of life"
Rather an Oriental statement" sug-
gested March.
YES" rejoined Con. Il could men
ton n or two things to be written
into his library"
You are laughing at me-" said