The Washington times., 1935-04-16

In proof of it, always the
same old tales were brought
forward; a man living alone in
a remote station carrying on
lively conversation with himself
each evening at dinner; a man
returning after long absence
wearing a sparse muStache, a
few struggling hairs that
dropped to his chest "a China
mans muStache," they said
meaningly. Stephen wondered
at these vagaries.
Days like that brought his de-
sire for Lucy back again to a
gentle thing. He and Lucy 60
ing off into such sweet freedom
as this, walking hand in hand
all day, lying close together
under the hood of the car in
the Enclosure all the night.
The reality of dark inns,
closely shattered through the
night against robbers, did not
enter into his dream. Neither
did the words from his mothers
last letter. She had seen Lucy.
"She has grown up. Are you
growing up, Stephen"
The ruts of the road became
deeper as it led down the one
street of the village, all but
empty now. Men, women, chill.
dren in the harveSt.fields, only
a few old women in the town.
Stopped for Food
Stephen stopped for the noon.
day meal for man and mule.
Almost the stiffness of the
plain lay in the village, broken
only by the pat of wooden pad
dies on wet clothes. and from
the distance, the high-singing
chant of plenty. "Ih bal in
bal erh," one hundred and one,
one hundred and two. the count
of the measure of the harvest,
the hard running of the beans
into the mating grain towers.
Again the long road. Again in
time he and his cart cast accen-
uated shadows. It was far past
the hour when they should have
reached their destination, but
there was still no sign Of the
town rising out of the plain.
Although his feet were sore
from the hot uneven road,
Stephen did not hurry the car
ter.
At last the road curved vest
ward. Dazzling his eyes was the
setting sun. Against its fiery
depths he saw silhouetted the
heavy red-brown heads of the
kaoliang. AS they passed out
of the grain, beyond a field of
beans, he caught sight of the
rounded mud roofs of the vii
lage. He strobe forward. KIM"
he called.
- Kin emerged from the cart,
blinking with the light and his
long sleep. and stood deferen-
TALLY as Stephen hoisted him.
self to the high shaft wriggling
into a half declining position
within. Thus, in accordance
with custom, he would enter the
town not displaying uncouth
energy by walking. 1t pleased
him that in these small matters
he knew the custom.
Through the arched doorway
OF the cart he caught glimpses
of an uncovered tunnel six feet
in depth-the road worn away
by the travel of the centuries
and crowded full of the long
carts" piled high with beans
and kaoliang. The noise rose
to a roar. The blue turbaned
drivers, urging on their animals,
shouted and cursed.
The Six-foot lashes of their
whips SwiShed through the air,
the cart wheels creaked and
above all rose the triumphant
chant of harvest numbers. "Ih
wan, in wan ling ling ill.," ten
thousand, ten thousand and
one.
A thrill of excitement shot
through Stephen as out of his
days of dreams he came thus
suddenly into the hubbub of
the market-place.
The cart stopped. He wrig-
gled out of it, walked along the
shaft, and by resting one hand
on the back of the mule hoiSted
himself to the hard-trodden
earth path above. This the
shop? he asked Kin.
The merchant lifted the reed
curtain which hung before the
doorway of his inner office. So
this was the great oil kings rep
resentative-this boy! And an
albino at that! Heavy boots
like a coolies on his feet!
Quietly he ushered Stephen
within.
ooh, Prior Born" he ad-
dressed him. take the highest
seat which I, the humblest mer.