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

/ out"
"The devils own scheme" said Con.
There are pure Japanese here, pure
| different elements not desired for the
purposes of empire"
"But how did you begin to persuade
them?"
II thought of their grievances and
made the most of that. 1t appears that
they have at different times cherished
| the idea of a revolution; our Arabian
| friend was one of the candidates for
I leadership, years ago. he says, but his
legs were too bad. They had to give
it ub. Isn't that the bitterest humor!"
81 won't go anywhere again without
learning the language" said Con.
''It was almost as if they had been
| looking for u.s." added March.
81 hope we can make good your
promises"
81 hope they can protect u.s."
Curious game, isn't it?" unused Lev
ington. He was thinking now of
Princess Helen.
you're not much elated over our
deliverance," objected the elder COM
| rade.
"Walt Whitman said that if a thou
sand perfect men were to appear be-
fore him he wouldn't be surprised"
us that the way you feel?" laughed
March.
Eyes. That's one book Helen ought
to have Walt could show her what's
the matter with Tau Kuan."
"You might do that yourself" said
the father, and the conversation
lapsed.
Distantly Lexington heard the
miners rousing the camels for another
days work.
cit must be almost daylight" said
March.
"All the same down here, but I sup
pose they can track us in the day
time"
"Back at my desk, in the days be-
fore I found Chez Ming" said March,
II was depressed because l felt l
should never reach the heart of the
Cobb. 1t had become the same as
heaven to me, and all my dream lad
ders had failed, toppled down. But
even in my younger days, 1 never
imagined a world like this"
"That first big surprise stretched
me-" said Con, "when we ran into the
green valley. The palace made me
numb, and the apartment of your little
princess finished me-victrolas, apes
and almanacs. If l had not seen my
own father go down under koresh, l
wouldn't believe that, either. But as
it is, / think nothing on Gods Foot
stool will ever startle me again"
The white men lay for more than an
hour talking in whispers and peering
out into the great dim cave. No day
light could enter here, only the noise
less dance Of orange-tinted shadows
upon the further wall At moments
they could hear something of the ac-
tivity of the miners, in another section
of the subterranean passages. Then,
abruptly, the arch at the left was
darkened by large familiar forms, the
soldiers.
There was score of them, with
smoking torches. A long limp bag was
dragged upon the floor. The first
glance about this part of the caverns
was a disappointment to the big
framed warriors; but they had Lot
completed their search. Swords
clanked down against the rock floor as
they opened one end of the sack. A
black serpent slipped out at their feet.
From the elevation, Lexington saw
the snake lift it's head and rapidly
tongue the leggings Of the nearest,
who showed it away with the blunt of
his sword. The other soldiers stood
still. It's small eyes were like jewels.
A leather thong was fastened in ring
just back of it's head. Holding their
torches high, the soldiers waited, and
as the snake seemed disinclined to
act, one huge rider caught it's black
length upon his scabbard and lifted it
upon the ledge as high as his head.
The serpent might go where they could
not see. 1t remained still in the new
position, in rather an angry mood, and
lnSu SJdfCGU upWdIus II ulu uOL COIuO
toward the white fugitives, but mount
ed the uneven walls opposite, until
the leathern rope in the hands of the
man below was nearly played out.
Presently the serpent had circled
the cavern and was nearing the Amer
leans. Silently it progressed, from one
shadow to the next. When the thong
caught on a rocky point, the warrior
below would whirl his end of it, and
the tether would go free. The snake
paused with trembling rage at the dis
turbance, then went on.
Lexington had drawn his turban
down over his neck, with face pressed
to the rocks. But he could not with
hold a glance at the approaching
snake, and his heart beat heavily with
terror. He steeled himself to hold per-
fectly still. The eyes of the reptile
were upon him, now within two yards
of his head. The long, silent body
slid up to him. Under it's dusky skin
were golden markings, like sunlight on