Evening star., 1934-08-11
CHAPTER XII.

TIME dizzy turning over and over
in that icy blackness, left
bright and unshaken In the
Il minds of Colin Gray and
Diana Lindsay one memory Of
the world they had left. They were
together. II this were death, they
we're sharing It.
Just as the cold chill of the water
had begun to steal into his lungs, the
downward pull slackened, and they
began to mount-up-up-unti they
shot out once more into the blessed
realm of light and air.
They were in the center Of the lake,
which lay about mile from the
Palace of the Mirror.
Dazedly, Gray and Diana struck
out for the shore. As the mans feet
touched bottom, his senses dimmed.
The next thing he knew was that
Limbu and Diana were chafing his
hands as he lay under bush.
Strangely enough, Diana had been
the first to respond to Limbu's rough
but thorough efforts at artificial res
piration.
The Gurkha was little the worse
for his narrowing experience. He had
passed across the same watery
portals Of death as they had, but. be-
ing alone, more quickly.
It was now afternoon and oppres-
siyely hot. Since the night before
none of the three had eaten. But
there was something far more i'm
portant than the finding of food
concealment. Fortunately there was
small patch of scrub close at hand
and into this they crawled, there to
hide until nightfall.
Wen make for the pass tonight,
Limbu!" whispered Gray.
There are double picketS on it,
sahib," answered the Gurkha softly,
whetting the edge of his kukri on
smooth stone.
We've got to get across somehow,
returned Gray tensely. THE miss sa-
hib can't stand much more of this,
Limbu!"
But the Ghurka peered from be-
hind the scrubby bushes at the dis
tant hills.
There are no white birds in this
accursed country, are there, sahib?'
"In the Summer, no, answered
Gray. staring at him curiously
"Why?"
Look, sahibl" he exclaimed. JOY
ously, pointing towards the pass
There, against that black cloud?"
II see a shred of white" answered
Gray, shading his eyes. What of it?'
THE smoke of shrapnel shell. sa'
,! Col. Houghton is the other side
the passl"
A curling white wreath Of smoke
/ had Just broken above the pass anC
was now floating in tiny white cir
Gle against the bank of black cloud
The picketS were being shelled b!
! the mountain guns. The distance
and a faint breeze, accounted for NJ
sound of the explosion reaching TIT
/ fugitives.
I'VE can do nothing yet awhile
sahib," remarked Limbu imperturb
ably. "Sleep, and will watch"
Gray agreed. Unless he slept, n
would almost certainly break down.
| The heavy pail of clouds that hat
hung over the valley since earl,
morning had not moved when Ora,
awoke. 1t was dark and misty. al
though the sun had barely set.
Diana was still asleep. OF Limbu
once more there was no sign.
In a few minutes a rustling in tn
undergrowth caused Gray TO sit UP
But it was Limbu returning from
foraging expedition Without a wor'
he produced six figs and a larg
round fiat cake of unlesvened bread
about half an inch thick.
| Where did you get them?" asket
Gray.
Prom one who is not hungry
any longer" answered the Gurkha
patting his kukri. Il could also hav
brought one Of his goats. but we hav
no FIRE"
Dividing the victuals into three eQua
portions. Gray wakened Diana .
At last the mist and darkness mad
Ii safe to make move.
Cautiously they crept out into tn
open, keeping TO the lowest folds Il
the ground For hour after hou
they plodded. only pauSing for a fey
minutes, every now and then Will
Limbu went ahead 70 reconnoitel
Then they struck into the hills an
hard rough climbing began.
Far above them. to their right
twinkled innumerahle orange points Q
lght-the fires of the Cobrs's men.
"Pssti" called the Gurkha warn
ingly.
Gray and Diana halted. hardl
daring 90 breathe.
A moment later squat form loome'
up out Of the darkness.