The Washington herald., 1920-02-24
YeHow Men Sleep
CHAPTER 1s-continued.
BY JEREMY LANE,
tcopyrieht. 1919. By Ths Century Col

the weapon from him. He was
screaming and stamping. Upon his
shoulders clung small white-faced
monkey. his teeth holding deep. eyes
staring out at n6thing. The in
furiated black would summon the
entire palace with his how1s. Con
drove the dagger twice below the
ribs. and the giant toppled into
silence, while the little beast bit
and bit. doubtless repaying black
cruelty and white friendship at the
same time. Besur turned induiring
eyes up to Lexington. who had no
time to express thanks. Retaining
the Nubian's weapon. he fled past
the gagged and fright ridden Flu All.
and out of the apartment. lodging
down the corridor. There were rum
ming shuffles behind him. He gain
ed the door to the stairway, and
stumbled down.
Deep in the room of devotions,
the remaining Chinese had come to
life. He grew blank with fear and
amazement as Lexington entered
and crossed the room. One weak
tittering cry issued from his dead
lungs. the peep of a dreaming bird
The white man laughed at him,
laughed at his futility. yet more
because of the moments upstairs.
He had known the binding Joy of
her presence, had held her in his
arms. The trouble with the Nubian
had meant only a brief interruption,
Besur's animal gratitude but a
smaller star in a night of beauty.
The palace was in a hubbub. This
stricken Chinese alone would suf-
fice when at length he could get his
speech. babbling his tale of horror
the white stranger who burst
through the sanctum and climbed
the wall. passing thereover into the
oblivion OF the mines. But Leving-
ton could laugh. the harsh-throated
uttersnce that comes of deep drink
ing.
Having entered the passage from
a known direction, Con had no dim
Guilty in continuing eastward. toward
the location OF the airshafts. His
thoughts were a riot of things, De-
ginning with their talk in the open
near her mothers grave. Almost
before he expected. he saw Andrew
March, who was searching for him.
Many were with the elder American,
including the Interpreter.
How far did you go?"
Far enough to hear the oak
leaves blowing outside her window"
You crOss-no?" Queried the
Arabian.
Yes"
He recounted their morning meet
Ing; his return to the mines; the
strange. silent malice OF the dwarfs
who had allowed him TO 20 on into
the fumes from the devotional:
what he had seen over the rim of
the wall; the blackness that had
fallen. and then the events beyond
the stairs.
You have profaned the holy of
holies." said March. They have no
higher religion. There is no end
to your crimes" March was smiling
gravely. Oddly. IL did not seem to
Lexington that he was talking to
the father Of his princess. March
seemed to forward no such parental
claim.
What arrangement have you
made here"
For today we are secure. After
that. it depends upon what dispo-
sition is made OF the four who were
taken away this morning on our
account"
1T is a gift" said the sailor.
He means our lives" explained
March. He cannot always influence
his men to think as he does. They
are not inclined to make much of
American aid"
Con.
To-day no." replied the Arabian.
grinning in the 'torchlight
To Con, in his present mood. to-
day was forever. In his health. and
the power of new love. he could not
think Of life coming to an end. ever.
He felt 'invincible. To March he
said:
To-day we not only escaped from
their big walls but fooled their
wise serpent. and even returned to
the palace, to the apartment of their
princess"
THE same boy" unused March.
with something like despair in his
voice. That's the spirit that
brought you up the cut in the road
when the riders were coming down
on us; and you were going like that.
one night in Cincinnati"
Things are just beginning" said
Con, rather absently, as he walked
abreast of his friend. while the
Arabian with the torch followed.
with his hobbling workers. The
latter were talking softly.
What is it they say?" Con had
turned sharply.
The Arab eN-sailor smirked un-
easily, then said: They want their
four brothers."
Where are they?"
In the city. perhaps to-die. be-
cause you"
There was a murmur from the
background. as IL the broken bodied
human creatures knew the meaning
of the English words. Lexington
saw that they could scarcely be eN-
pected to sacrifice four of their own
to save two fugitive strangers.
You have more men here under
ground than they number in the
city" said Con to the foreman.
Yes
Then say to your men that to-
morrow We will go and get their
four brothers"
mo-" cried the Arab.
Yes. said Lexington. with as
surance. The seaman turned to his
men with the word.
My God" said Andrew March.