The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-10-14

'eThis Is Con Lexington" he said to
the girl. To Con: MY daughter.
Helen
Her name Ieaped in Cons heart. He
bowed over her hand and found him.
self nuFmuring, Princess" In the
blur OF his inward excitement her voice
was like sunlight as 1t falls rich and
mellow across an oaken staircase. He
was strongly affected by it. There
was an embarrassed moment during
which Con glanced out at the window
at the moving branches Of the white
oaks. Quickly he swung back, to add:
cit Is a great privilege to be sum-
smoned"
Helen said simply: 81 am not sure
how TO speak. never saw a white
man up to this hour
She intended this to be 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.
at is ASIA" she replied and, truly.
he had forgotten that.
There was 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 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 be sOrrOwful." she whisr
pered to her father.
March nodded. Eyes, that is right"
and his face frightened as he regarded
her.
She crossed the room, lightly, a rap
i'd 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 a smooth, soft madness
to Lexington. He was aware that all
the journeys of his life had either end
| ed here or just begun.
All the alluring intimations 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 Crawn him
against the winds Of the Pacific so
long ago, the kingly unrest that had
led him deep into Cathay. beyond the
Tartar wall, to the sands of mystery
and death. Perhaps in some dim way
he had foresensed this daughter Of his
line, with her shining fatal dominion,
princess in the Cobb.
SIT is most -you-cOming
here" she said to Con.
'I think I've always headed this
way" he said. because he believed it.
81 cannot imagine the courage that
brought you" said the princess. "Sha
Mo is very-cOnfusing."
'FYes. 1t might have been simpler If
I had known" replied Lexington. And
March was smiling broadly now.
She had finished rearranging the
tawny lilies on the table and, with a
| courteous Oriental movement of the
arm, she indicated deep chair for her
younger guest. Lexington went to it.
| turned 1t 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.
ST have learned" said Helen. "that
white men are really white. HOWE"
1--WE are a bit tanned" admitted her
father, "but for that matter, SO are
you. White people usually stay under
cover when the sun shines"
'sThat Is a part of tradition I had
not known" she said. 81 shall tell
Chez Ming"
"why troubleq" 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
says tradition Is the treasure of life
Rather an Oriental statement" sug
gested March.
EYES," rejoined Con. 81 could men
ton one or two things to be writer
into his library"
''You are laughing at me-" sait
Helen. sternly.
mot at aIlr replied Con hastily
"OnIy the world is such large place
st understand" said the princess
conciIiated.
ST did not suppose" her father said
that anyone considered Chez Ming a
: seriously as you do"
''Do speak the English?" she asked
: ignoring the words of her father.
'YOu do" assured Lexington. beau
tifully."
Counting the warriors who live be
yond the walls, in the rock, caves {
e the south. as well as the workers /
] the pits eastward. and those who de
e liver the vines of their fruit"-Hele
paused to align her English. then pr'
D ceeded-''west of the city, and tr
$ warriors who dwell within the wall
I the caste of merchants, too, and tn
women of the palace who belong
the monzoul. there are many, man
n souls in the keeping of Chez Ming"
b Including your own?" asked Lee
d ington.