Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-05-14


always torn. She didn't do the muir
der. 1t did her. was small then.
remember the broken plaster that
came down upon the beds, which were
gray and active, jumpy-dlshes unoer
the stove and under the tabie-Ihe
cats whose fur was stiff with garbage
and the grasshoppers that hung on the
parlor curtains. Well, in that house.
there drifted this same cold, poisonous
SMELL"
Andrew March was very grave now.
II do not doubt that, either" he SAID.
Lexington worked his way further
out OF the crevice. to position better
for breathing, although still In the
shadow. He rolled over upon MS
back, and drew up his knees, with a
deep sigh.
"That house would be proud OF me
II they knew, and II / was able to
bring back straight story of this
country, the source of the worlds
koresh."
"Yes, that house, and many others.
I am glad you feel as you do"
II suppose our government would
ask the Chinese government to coop
crate In reaching and controlling Tau
Kuan."
"And the Russian" added March.
"They are badly HIT"
do you think 1t is possible?" asked
Con.
After silence, the elder comrade
said slowly: "To be frank, have
had faith and lost 1t, and regained and
lost 1t 80 many times that I cannot
say 1t Is my duty to try, but / can't
say any more than that"
Lexington felt the curious depres-
sion again In his friend an alarming
weight.
The Arabian sailor appeared below
them, grinning.
"You hold still?"
Like stone" said Con.
"She do not strike you at ALL?
Passed both of u.s." said March.
"You are cherished of Allah" de-
clared the sailor. 'They have taken
away four of u.s."
He grunted world Of meaning. The
sailors were furnishing the miners for
completely. Perhaps the tale of the
white mems murder" did not impress
the searching party.
what viii they do to the fourY"
Break Leg" said the Arab. Maybe
starve"
Andrew March shuddered, and the
strange one below volunteered: "My
men do not like"
Lexington saw that two white
strangers causing great trouble for
the miners could not become very
popular. March also understood. He
said simply: "Take me before your
men,"
rs there anything you can say?"
asked Con.
only what | fold them before" re-
Piled March. ave represent nation
that IS as eager to punish Tau Kuan
as these workers can be, if we can get
PACK there to tell the story. can
make that clear, at least"
They may not be in a mood 70 lis
ten."
March smiled sadly. Moods" he
began, but shook his head
The three men passed info tho Iorcer
portion of the cavern, where the red
dish roof was marked with the fare
from the burning gas below. Several
women cried out sharply at sight Of
the white men and fled like timid AMI
mails to their rock-pockets m the
walls. Their skirts were brief and
ugly. Several very young children
darted after their mothers to the safe
ty OF dark familiar haunts-too Young
to have been Spoiled" 1t was only a
period of months before they would he
taken into the city, to be nodded into
slaves In the houses of the soldiers.
the circulation of their blood retarded.
their very souls distorted. Returning to
the mines year or more after. thew
would be lost and strange and as IL
orphaned, among their own kin. Their
family life did not receive sanction of
the state.
The frightened women left food be-
hind them. Jars stood close to the fls-
sure from which came the fire. The
contents had been prepared for bak.
ing. Con bent down to sniff at the
open Jars. March and the Arab passed
on together, and Lexington waited
feeling himself useless In such con-
ference. He was more interested In
finding an exit.
To the left was the passage leading
to the foot of the slanting shaft. He
noted long vine that came down over
the loose gravel like guide-rope. Con
climbed into the enlarging daylight to-
ward the top. Sunlight, the old enemy.
was beguiling. He was thinking that In
Tau Kuan they have either too much
sunshine or too little. The pale
haunted faces of the children below
troubled him. An intense light was
binding him from above. A flash of
desert days came over him oddly,
swift Renaissance of pain and thirst
gone In the space of one upward step,
yet leaving dryness In the throat.
Con realized that the only trees within
a thousand miles were the half-grown
oaks outside the easements of the prln.