Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-01-14
vas. and If they would be able to -

tit ioiioWcu uU through UItu nhtt-
way. where the scufrle OF many slip
pers was echoing. and the soft chink
OF bangles. moving always Inward
along dim. dusky corridors. Standing
AT intersections were bowls OF ala
hasier. each with a swimming. flaming
wick In oil. Mnny other figures In the
semi-'iarkness appeared TO he going
In the same direction. Racial char
acteristics puzzled him.
He found himself In great vaulted
chamber inside lofty pyramid OF
glass The gray slave made ahase-
ment previous TO entry. repeating the
gesture every five PAGES. All others
of inferior cast did likewise as they
proceeded deeper Into the room.
Huge sllken curtains were swaying
In the breeze. The lower walls were
indlstinct with rich. deep tapestry
covering bare rock. He heard a purr-
Ing like rhe echo of many distant bells.
wind-borne. A hundred censers of
jade We're clouding the royal twilight.
Human figures, grouped In back
ground along further side. seemed
insignificant. I.evlngtons boyhood
dreams were freshened before his eyes.
He forgot he was prisoner His at
tendant guided him around the border
of a dragon.rug toward the waiting
group OF men. He saw that they were
warriors In council.
They had forsaken the leathery gear
of the desert, and were cleanly np-
pareled In sIlken tunIcs. hui they re-
taned their swords. He glanced in
stinctively In the direction In which
all eyes were turned. and noted large
dais. Its canopy reaching out above.
He was standing before a throne.
Three heavy chairs were upon 1t,
narrow and high-backed. with carven
dra -nns for their arms. The central
throne was vacant. human form oc-
cupied the place OF state on each side.
The one, a prince. sat motioniess,
his black hair woven with strands of
silver. a green dIadem upon his fore
head, from which jewels shone like a
far cluster of stars. His face was
narrow. yellow as wax, and blank.
Long. taperlng hands rested upon the
dragon-heads. His robe was worked
with silver and emeralds. and the
royal sandals were bright upon mat
OF raw silk.
But Lexington was looking at the
other figure, princess. who likewise
waited very quietly upon her throne
with hands folded In her lap. The
brown tresses that yesterday had
streamed down the gray cloak of the
supposed sentinel were now bound
high and stuck with jeweled pins. Her
throat was closely wound with dla-
monds. The body OF the princess was
small. Upon her oountenance was an
expression of untrled powers. or so
Lexington imagined, for he could not
look away from her face which was
dark but not yellow. Her eyes. which
seemed all the while to study the rug.
had no upward line. although her
brows slanted delicntely. She was
very unlike the prince-unlike any one
else. The white prisoner was troubled.
He had an impulse to cross the marble
tagging. and kneel at her feet.
From further portal Andrew
March was brought in, and halted
near his companion. The group OF
warriors stood behind the prisoners,
who had no opportunity for exchange
| Of words. Then stiff sudden whisper
passed over their heads. followed by
sharp silence. Chee Ming had entered
the room.
In his pearl-broidered robe. which
was more voluminous than that OF any
other person in audience. he carried
himself with solemnIty before the
assembly. bowed with feeling at the
foot of the dais. until. at the faint
stirring OF the princes hand. he
Strengthened himself, mounted the first
level of the dais. and began to speak.
He disregarded the princess. LevIng.
ton thought of the night Chez Ming
had served the coffee In the wedger
dining room. and of his first impres.
sion of that small head. stony face,
and lean. everlasting body. Cecil
Wedger. In his gold-tlpped ignorance,
had seen nothing more than a Chinese
coolie who could cook. Now the same
thin arms were gesturing before roy
atty. and seemed much more at home.
The talk was meaningless to Leving
ton. although II bore upon his fate.
for the speakers glance turned again
and again to the slender. dark prin.
cess. Once-or was II only trick
of his sun-rncked vision ?-she lifted
her eyes to meet his. and her lips
moved silently. 1t was done too quick.
ly for him to be certain. He trembled.
Chez Ming was making speech OF
some length. with his little back
toward the assembly.
Before 1t was finished. the princess
arose and. with stir among her
retinue, stepped down from the dais.
Her feet were small and perfect. her
ankles bound with gray ribbons.
Through the haze In the room her
| iexYels RleaInnd and tho ,.IInrar ~