Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-05-02

word
The miners were waving torches of
bitumen over their large heads. The
ape-like. They looked to be a race of
Asiatic changelings, their hair coiled
into little caps, one or two showing
queues, and all with the peculiar NAL
formation of spine. Every eye
cleaned upon Lexington.
Friend" replied Con.
''They come for you" said the dark
skinned person who stood before the
crowd.
'Down here?'
eyes. All where"
slide us. Give us protection,
friend"
Eyes. You say you befriend us"
The speaker turned to March, who
answered: Eyes. We will, if you pro-
tect us now. We come from the most
powerful country in the world. Help
us return to it."
mo, nor said the dark-faced man.
81 beg of you!" urged March.
"Gobi too big, too big"
'"Talk of that later. But hide US
away now"
''They see your footprints, and ask
US. What?'
"Say that we were killed and thrown
in the ditches."
eyes," said the speaker of English.
He turned to confer with several
otborc in a roOid YooOOfOOc
Con said to his friend: "What is
hep
"LoOks Arabian" replied March.
The speaker had heard the word,
and he turned sharply, with a smile
parting his lips. From the waist up
he was a handsome man of forty.
Eyes, Arab" ne said. Fifteen, be-,
was, at sea. l know your country -
Saint Lawrence, Buffalo"
niagara Fails" offered Lexington.
"Ah, yes!" exclaimed the sailor from
Araby. He smiled more broadly at the
recollection. Twenty year yes
twenty-thct Does she fall continued"
EYES," replied Con, joining in the
smile. GLOW did you come here?"
Caravan. The sea weary me, fif-
teen years more now. Caravan from
Djarobed. All! She never destina-
ton, never The riders appear one
day at evening-you knOw?"
81 know" assured Lexington.
'They-spoil me-" said the Arab,
glancing down humorously at his
spoiled" legs, and Con WINGED. "But
come, my two friends"
The relief was dreamlike to Con.
He realized that no physical effort on
his own part could help; in fact, he
was perilously near to trusting in God,
and this seafaring Arab, who had fif-
teen years ago answered the call Of
the Sha Mo, was the very hand of
Providence Con wondered how strong
the hand might be. The desert seemed
further away, to be under it. But in
memory he could hear the penetrant
singing Of the hollow brass through
the night. Chez Ming would not give
up easily.
There seemed a limitleSs multitude
of the earth-dwellerS, moving in quiet
disorder through the cavern every
where. Lexington had an uncanny
sense of being under the crust of the
earth. They led him to an adjoining
chamber, as large as the entire palace.
The floor of this second cavern was
riven across, and long greenish line
of flame wavered in the warm air.
Through and between the gently leap
ing blaze, he saw a great host of faces.
The gas Kissed as it was consumed
along the lips of the rock, and cast an
expansive glow upon the high walls,
where were a number of black holes.
In each shadowy pocket were human
beings, looking down upon the stran-
gers. Con distinguished women, who
were gaunt and small but not so bro
ken as their husbands.
In the limited chinese vocabulary
of Andrew March, and the nearly for
gotten English of the Arabian sailor,
assurances were hastily exchanged.
The telling factor was the Arabs high
opinion of Buffalo, the port of grain
and hogs. March agreed to bring five
nunQroQ troopers TO SlOp TIE pIOuuC-
ton of koresh, and so free the work
ers, if they aided him to escape from
Tau Kuan and the Cobb. Remember
ing the wealth of Buffalo, the Arab
interpreter was ready to believe that
this could be done.
"Come," repeated the Arab.
He hobbled on ahead, and many
walked close beside the white men, but
there was no talking. If the miners
were curious, they were silent. If they
were as distrustful as they appea- ed
in glances, they were for the moment
persuaded by the Arab.
Con smelled camelS. There was a
ledge where the walls sloped back to
meet the lowering roof, and in the
wedge-shaped space between, the white
men were permitted to conceal them
selves. Lexington drew his friend
further into the narrowing space, and
at once the torches were gone. Silence
came about the two as they waited.
From beyond a jutting wall the light
from the gas fire family colored the