Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-05-23

Oh IL InaJ happened TO SIP INTO con'
seriousness quickened his pain like
cold knife-the flight from Tau kuan,
across the oil marshes, the desert of
serpents and decayed rocks, the cool
ing rise to the pass, Helen growing
more and more i'll with each days
travel, and his own blindness concern
ing her needs. Then the fortnight
with the forest tribe in Gughal pass,
the rising power of her will, the
squalid passage on rails into Russia
heat, dust, vulgarity, and one treasure.
The steamship to America had been
terrible for Helen. She had whispered
to him once: Like a big bad camel
and the saddle slipping loose" Only
the perfect indignation of courage,
that priceless gift from her mother
Eithna, had sustained her, together
with the frightened attentions of old
FanSa. In certain hours of rough
weather, Lexington had stood beside
her, encouraging, pleading, not for
himself, but to empower her will to
hold on and on. He had almost lived
for her. Flu All and Fansa were per-
mitted to anoint her eyes, slightly,
when his compromise with a deStruc-
tive principle seemed necessary.
The clangor of America had merci-
fully passed over her head. horesh
kept her sleeping, on train and ferry,
and, at length, in the March motor.
Thus, when the transported princess
wakened on this fourth night in her
own house, she looked up at Leving.
ton and smiled
81 am strong enough to go on she
said.
Tears sprang to his eyes. God bless
you'll" he cried, there is no more go
ing on. You have arrived homer
1.-The house-Of my father?"
'Yes. And this is your fathers ia,
Their, who loves you very much"
Her eyes were steady upon Stephen
March, and he waited reverently, his
white head slightly bowed, until she
should speak.
Mother told me-" said Helen. "You
you are She faltered. The old
hands moved to touch her own, as
the grandfather bent over the bed.
She smiled uncertainty. Il do not
know the words, but it pleases me-"
Her slender fingers were carried to
the aged lips, and the ascension of
thrones might have been transmitted
by that kiss.
'The honor is upon me-" murmured
Stephen March.
Sleep drifted over her again, and
her eyes closed. Lexington was for
the first time satisfied and at peace.
He left the room.
Peace had also been negotiated be-
tween the nervous hOuSekeeper, Mrs.
AmeS, and the crOSS-Scarred Flu All
and Fansa. The latter were assigned
duties nearly corresponding to those
of butler and linen-maid. Fansa, once
inclined to be buXOm and strong
tongued, had grown quite pale. The
world was a twisty puzzle. She had
lest her appetite. With Flu All, how
ever, life promised to bloom again,
since his mistress was out of danger.
In Mrs Ames eyes an incalculable
scorn appeared whenever she caught
him shuffling down the hallway MUIR
muring his sOngful prayers. Heather!
The same fourth evening, Con set
his report. He was careful to omit
any details that could have thrown
governmental suspicion upon Andrew
March and his association with the
drug. Perhaps they knew this, but it
was better not to refer to it. Also,
Lexington did not wish his document
to appear fantastic. His commission
er would be satisfied if practical &C
count of the source of the drug were
set down. Con did not speculate upon
the origin of the seeds, cast down so
far below the sprOuting-levels. He left
all that for the technical persons who
would no doubt accompany the next
and larger expedition into the Cobb.
A strangely persistent feeling urged
him to make haste. He could find
no reason for this, yet he decided to
go at once to the house of the COM
missioner. And, having delivered his
packet, and with the promise to re-
turn tomorrow, Con drew away from
the volleys of praise and queries, and
babe his driver make haste toward
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
if she had enjoyed her dinner.
At the March house, the hall door
was open, so he did not ring. He en-
tered and snapped OF 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
familiar figure, like a faded ghost of
the empire of the Yellow Sun, Chez
Ming.
Con was upon him, but he made no