The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-03-31

the March house. He risked the pos |
sible suspicion of his commissioner
that the wilds of Asia had touched him
somewhat. He wanted to ask Helen
II she had enjoyed her dinner.
At the March house, the hail door
was open, so he did not ring. He en-
tered and snapped on the light, which
should have been burning. He stun
bled across the body OF old Flu All.
The Chinese was dead, the body still
warm. Lexington leapt up the stairs,
madly fearing. In the upper hall.
about to enter at Helen's door, was n
familiar figure. like a faded ghost OF
the empire Of the Yellow Sun. Chez
Ming.
Con was upon him. but he made no
resistance.
"What do you wantf"
"A word"
"Why did you kill Flu Ah?'
"He himself obliged me to do So"
said Chez Ming.
"Come downstairs" said Lexington,
letting &C.
Silently they drew apart. Chez
Ming was not armed. His robes were
much the worse for wear. There was
something greatly altered about him.
He descended ahead of Lexington, who
was by no means calm.
"Go I'm there"
The vizlr obeyed, and Con shut him
self into the library with the old ORR
entail. He turned on the light.
"Slt down and let's have your
word"
Chce Ming sank into a great padded
chair and seemed lost I'm II, his body
as frail as a chlld's. For a moment
longer he did not speak, but seemed
to be assembling his energies for the
task. Lexington stood near. staring
at his strange visitor.
"In n moment, they will find Flu
Abs body. Then what?"
Chez Ming raised his hand. "You
do not understand" he said with eff
fort, the familiar twisting Of his lips
again a fascination to the white man.
"Did you come a%lcne?"
Tire yellow man nodded. Preveri-
cation was not one Of Chez Ming's
shortcomings.
81 suppose you stabbed Fansa. too
and who else?' The vizir shook his
head slowly, and a light was coming
Into his stony eyes. "And you were
looking for your princess"
Yes. I would have speech with her
also. i do not come with a sword.
come without pride. Flu All foolishly
would not let me pass, or It would not
have been necessary to release him.
The voice, too. had undergone a
change.
"How did you get away from Tau
Euanf"
THAT Is of no importance" said
the Chinese. at Is no longer the
Realm of Yellow Gods. II has be,
come a war; IN of madness, a sty, q
by-word along the roads OF heaven
1t Is gone, and the hope of the world
Is destroyed. My work Is ended, YET
II is never complete. There is non,
to continue. My riders have formed
a new camp In the South, and Their.
will be wars. I shall never return e
Asia, our mother. / have not far t.
go. My word Is but the wish OF M
enemy whose power you have
humbled."
=, "What is 1T"
? "Do not betray the tradition Of beau
! ty and holiness into which you forcet
your way!"
/, "Betray?"
"Do not make public your knowl
, edge. 1t is a sacred realm you hav'
. entered. Was 1t not enough for yo'
to destroy 1t, to carry away its fu
ture, and wreck the present, withou
throwing into shame the great pas
Of the empiref"
. II see what you mean" said Cor
!, thinking OF the report he had turne
. I'm thirty minutes since.
: sand can you not be Of large hearth
= Lexington was silent. He though
!, Of the fanaticlsm, the drugs, the SUI
:, prising cruelty of that fallen emplr,
= and the justice of his own mission
and was not sorry. Yet Chez Min
= had come to the end, and there Is
courtesy due the humbled foe. A
= most inaudibly the old voice went on
y "You come of a race of merchant
:, a race of hlrelings, having no tradition
desiring none. You lifted your min
higher than their mer You dare
. strange things, and brought them I
pass. You have defeated me, as non
"a of them could imagine. Do not te
them. II is the soul Of my fathers,
e my kings, you would betray. DO no
IL l beg"
D, The ancient lined face was gny. III
It neck very thin, the shoulders p~-essin
l. sharply through the faded robe. Saw
e for the expanse of brow, and the dee
e torture In his eyes, Chez Ming mlgi
n have been a beggar from the gates {