New Britain herald., 1930-10-03

speckled purple vault. The one shadows was a small table, ap- pointed in Western style, about which lowered several servants, whom Chang waved away as he seated Dagger opposite his own place. ..
 He seemed to have forgotten the recent incident. The conversation he started as the first course was seryc ed led to political subjects, the roles the Western powers had played in China. the undermining of the En- pire by the opium war and the Tai-ping Rebellion two generations since, climaxed by the Boxer up- rising.
 He spoke of the impetus to Chi nese liberalism which had been ap- piled by the students sent to Amer ica through the repayment of the Boxer indemnity; and the conse- quent intoXication of people who still dwelt mentally in the Middle Ages, and whose traditional philos- ophy and folk-ways must be com- pletely amended before they could distinguish between the good and the bad in Western civilization. It was as absorbing to Dagger as all her recent experiences, and she threw out frequent comments, which brought grim mods of approval or curt: You see it, Mrs. Vaneering!" "Yes, but not many foreigners have the patience to weigh that" Finally, she interjected:
 But didn't Blaine-Mr. Howard -ympathize with all your ambitions. General?"
 Chang drowned over her shoulder in the odd, blank way that was one of his characteristics. More than any Westerner who has tried to understand us. But we will come to that. First, I have something to say to you" And the cold, nerve-tw twisting hand of drama clamped down upon Dag gers heart.
 
 l ally
 His eyes settled upon hers, pos 1 sessive, dominating.
 'All this is mine" he continued, waving his arm, with it's silver tip ped fingers, to include the surround | ing darkness. "Sung-fu is but the l beginning, 100000 square miles, 30,000000 people. But-the beginning. | Someday, if I live, I will rule all China. will be Emperor, Constitu- tional Emperor. I do not believe in ] your democracy any more than I believe in a Divine Son of Heaven" :"
 He stopped, and his eyes bored | harder into hers.
 "A man such as I am must have a woman to keep pace with him. I did not know that until recently. l thought women were toys to amuse a mans ease. But that is one thing you Westerners have discovered. Now and then. very rarely, there are women a man may treat as an equal. You are that kind of wom- an."
 Another pause, and Dagger resist l ed by a conscious effort the con- manding influence of those narrow, jetty eyes. "You have seen my wives" he said bluntly. T will put them all away. l have a palace in the hills where they can be comfortable grow old quarreling together" he added cynically. You are different. You are my equal. Will you. as you Westerners say, marry me? l do not 1 know what that means, but I will accept whatever terms you make" He leaned closer toward her. "1 want you for my Empress. Together we will make China over."
 Dagger shut her eyes to keep out sation of numbness. How ridiculous! How flattering. How preposterous, How just plain silly! She was be- ing proposed to by a Chinaman How Uncle Jim would rave if he knew it! And Blaine-her head cledTed one reopeneu ner eyes, ana met Chang's fearlessly, level brow ed.
 T know you offer me a great honor." she said. But I belong tc another man-who was y1ul | friend.'
 Chang frowned.
 ITO man you must think of as dead?" he asked.
 "Yes, although I never belonged to him living"
 The frown left the Tu-chun's face
 More than ever I see you were meant to be my Empress" he said But such loyalty is not to be de.