Evening star., 1937-07-18
Magazine Seetio"


came point of focus for the confusion
in his mind. The mist of days cleared
away. The thinly-veiled animosity be-
tween Mrs. Bynne and Tracy dwindled
to nothing but in sharp contrast, all
that concerned Bynne became mag
ni6ed. Bynne. guarding his secret.
travelling by the fastest route. con-
tinuously tortured by suspense with
Chang Kaishek. the master pivot on
which revolved all his ambitions, kid
naped, deliberately reported murdered
by the Japanese. Then Chang freed
by the roar Of the united heart of
China and Bynne elated. humanized.
Chang stronger than anyone had
dreamed. Bynne at the threshold of a
stupendous undertaking destined to
help turn the tide in the East and set
it for thousand years. Bynne dead.
How? Why? While those two ques-
tions were still detonating in his brain.
Tracy made an impulsive dash toward
the door and her own room. Wong
thrust out quick hand. seized her
arm and whirled her around. Quicker
than thought Longs fist Travelled from
the level Of his hip to the Chinaman's
chin. Wong sank to the floor like a
suddenly emptied sack. Aldyreff and
the manager rushed to pick him up.
Red stood staring for a moment,
aghast at his own action, then came
to his senses. Slipping an arm around
Tracy he half carried her to the door,
unlocked it, thrust her into the hall,
turned and locked the door again.
They stared at each other. breath
less. little frightened. They were
young and far away, cut off from
every familiar source of help. An hour
ago the road of life had stretched wide
and straight before them: now strange
ness and disaster walled them in. He
saw her with new eyes. Her face, pro-
foundly stirred by emotion. was alive.
open like book. Deep in her startled
gaze he read an appeal for help and
promptly surge of tenderness gave
him back his strength. He straight
ened: he had been right to strike that
blow for her and stood ready to strike
another. He urged her into her room
across the hall and shut the door after
them. She threw out both hands in an
uncertain gesture. "Oh. Red. you
shouldn't have done it,
mo. ! suppose not" His brows
gathered in a tight frown. But I'm
not so sure. Perhaps it will give me the
time l need
What for?'
1--WE got hunch and I'm going to
follow it up. I'm going to get out
before they telephone the Office to
stop me at the door, but I'll be back.
There's something I've got to get
straight in my mind"
RED. take me with you"
II can't. Tracy. Don't worry" He
put his hands on her shoulders and
looked steadily into the troubled blue
of her eyes. "You and haven't done
anything" he said comfortingly.
She sank against him and the
warmth of her body stole into his
veins with no sense of shock; quite
simply her blood was his blood, and
the realization held him spellbound.
Yet he was under no illusion - this
yielding was as unrelated to surrender
as night to day. More than once she
had made him feel small, half-grown;
now her con6ding trust merely ac-
cepted him as man. He stood quite
still. holding her close. vaguely wish
ing this moment might never end.
Her head stirred against his cheek.
'Red," she said.
"What?"
Thank you for what you did. Of
course you were right. But what's go
ing to happen to US now?"
Nothing. Why should it? What
have you done? hit Wong for laying
hands on you. but you - you haven't
done thing"
"Neither had Major Rvnne"