The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-11-08
Chapter 25
Strange Blessing
YNN turned to Temu.

OtEduse DiessInS
I YNN turned to Temu.
IL do you expect to walk Peg
gy and me all the way to Delun?"
He had relieved Chan of some of
his burden.
Il hope 1 won't walk you all
the distance. Your friend is leav-
ing the first chance have to send
her back"
Lynn's shoulders squared. I'D
like to see you send her and keep
me without unpleasant conse-
quenceS to your government.
notice you don't always secure
your own way"
He agreed. 'If l had my way
now, we wouldn't be here. But.
since we are here" He looked
at her and smiled. She under
stood; he intended to make the
best of it.
Peggy caught up with them in
her absurd moccasinS- and hung
to Temu's arm for a while. They
passed a woman and her old
mother. the latter mincing along
on little 9oatIike feet which were
bound in remembrance of the
good old days" They carried
their possessions in bundles on
their backs. and herded ahead of
them a blind girl carrying a
younger child pick-a-back.
After crossing the wide plateau
- rpT6 -
hills. Temu stopped tall. red
robed lama riding tiny donkey.
The priest lowered his feet. per-
hitting the little animal to walk
from under him and begin CROP
ping the short green grass at the
edge of the trail.
The lama explained that his
monastery was located up a side
canyon a bit and insisted that
Temu and his party take refuge
within the religious enclosure.
The monks were Mongols and
TibetanS, good fighters when they
needed to fight and respected for
the fact by the Moslems, who
were inclined to leave them alone.
They could send fast mesSen-
ger on to the Chinese military
stronghold at Tusin with the tels-
grams Temu wished to dispatch:
the monastery would be blessed
by their presence.
Lynn suspected that Temu did
not translate everything that had
passed between them. He looked
at the two weary girls and ac-
cepted the invitation. The monk,
turning to Lynn, bowed deeply
and brought her his donkey to
ride. It did not seem incredible to
him, evidently, that a goddess
should be met on the highway
fleeing before the revolution.
The gesture touched an d
warmed her heart. Her thoughts
few to a woman in Palestine who
had ridden donkey. and sus-
pecting a certain state of affairs,
she gave the animal to Peggy
Temu helped her mount, and
giving the little donkey a slap,
sent him jogging up the path he
had just come.
"You need the lift as much as
your friend" he said mildly But
since you are a goddess. / suppose
you can do as you please"
Lynn told him she was glad he
had learned one thing about her.
"As you please within limits, I"
he Smilingly amended.
The monastery houses. with
their fiat roofs and ladders for
mounting to them. climbed the
canyon she IN a way that re-
minded Lynn vaguely of Pueblo
village, except for the surround
ing wall.
They were taken to an apart
ment in the grand lama's house
near the upper wall, overlooking
the rest of the incloSure The
several rooms opening into each
other were clean and bare except
for the stove, with its usual short
legged table, and the altar inches
with their images and offering
vessels.
In the largest room was a table
set with food. The grand lama
served them with tea. Chinese
cakes. picked bean pods. and
dates. As he left, he knelt before
Lynn and asked if she would bless
him.
Touch him with something"
Temu suggested.
Happiness
CHE picked up Peggy's parasol
- and touched him lightly. The
simple, devout. old fellow turned
and went out. his face shining
with an inner light as if indeed
he had been blessed.
Temu watched Lynn's eyes fol-
low him, a strangely gentle ex-
preston on her face. you see
what it means to be the Tara"
he said in a low voice. ITO be
loved by an untold number of
people and remembered in their
prayers, never criticized, never
questioned, never thought of ex-
cept in love and devotion"
1T is wonderful" she admitted
softly. But / am quite sure that
7 am not worthy of anything like
that"
You are not the Judge"
Chan came in from the meal he
and Bula had eaten in their own
room and set about heating a
basinrof water. Bula followed, and
in a corner brought out his knit
ting. The head lama returned with
living Buddha, boy of seven or
eight who had a boil on his wrist.
Temu lanced the infection and
bandaged it.
He was born my cousin" the