The Key West citizen., 1940-11-18
re Rad 70 SIAM LON
b. ERa NehGsx tiAnson
Chapter 80
Struggle By Night W

with the extra horses. Iemu
paid for them and for the hospi-
tality they had received, and
shortly afterwards, led the way
across the Snow-clad plain under
threatening sky.
We'll save time by crossing the
mountains here" he said.
DO you know where we are?"
Lynn asked, gratefully tucking
her hands in the long sleeves of
her Mongol coat and letting her
pony have his head. The horses
kept side by side at steady pace.
We're directly east of the bor-
der town of Dorchi."
She looked at him curiously.
''Do you realize that when we ar
rive there, we'll probably find that
Dick and the Duke of Sachto have
taken over the government of
Shani Lun?"
That's on the knees of the
gods" he said shortly and urged
his horse ahead. He did not seem
to want to talk about it.
They began a climb through a
rocky gorge that looked like the
dumping ground the contractors
had used when they were finish
ing the mountain peaks for the
Creator. The trail wound inter
minably hour after hour through
the waste. They stopped a few
minutes at noon for a bowl of hot
tea and then pressed on into a
rough plateau, thinly covered with
snow in the places where dry
grass lay abundantly around the
rocky outcrops.
Temu saw that Lynn was be-
coming tired and cold. We'll soon
reach a stone hut" he promised.
Cant we sleep out?" she asked,
drowSy and a bit breathleSs from
the high altitude.
TOO cold with snow on the
ground" He urged the horse for
ward at a faster pace, crossed an
other divide, and followed a
stream around a mountain peak to
an alpine VALLEY where the hut
with few stone cattlepenS stood
on a shelf above perpendicular
canyon wall. Tethered near the
hut were three saddle horses.
Temu stopped. Someone else
is here tonight" he aid in a
troubled voice. 'T don't like it."
"Why?" asked Lynn, halting her
horse beside his.
''The place has a reputation Of
being a robbers rendezvous"
He sat thinking a moment be-
fore dismounting. "Stay here" he
said and disappeared into the hut
through a low door, across which
hung a camel skin. Lynn's pony
sighed YEARLY and cooked an in
quiring ear back at her.
"You don't feel any worse than
/ do" she answered him and
looked up at the sky. Low, threat
ening clouds were smoothing
themselves out in preparation for
another snowfall.
Temu ireappeared. Three of
them" he said, leading the horses
into one of the stone-fenced cor
rails. They're none too prepos-
seSsing but we'd better stay. One
giant of a fellow looks as if he
might be a renegade professional
wrestler from some Princes ret
inue."
Lynn slid down into the snow.
"Wait until I can go in with
you" he advised, giving the horses
their nosebags of grain and loos-
ening the saddles. He concealed
his field-glasseS and electric torch
in a saddle-bag. Then he turned
to Lynn and began unWinding the
sash from about her waist He
spoke crisply.
Keep on the fur cap, pulled
low. Do not look the men in the
face; they'll consider it an invi-
tation.' He thrust a small pistol
into her hand.
Its loaded and on safety" He
showed her how to handle the
weapon. Hide it in your blouse
and do not use it unless l give the
word. Do you understand"
She nodded, unable to speak.
''Then put your saddle on your
shoulder and follow me-"
Lynn drew back. IF it's that
bad. can't we 60 on?"
Were between the devil and
the deep blue sea. Keep up your
courage. Well come through all
right"
Alone with Death
I .YNN followed him, stiff and
IL white with apprehension. The
inside of the small hut was bare
except for the accoutrementS and
packs that the men had brought
in. A small argol fire burned in
the center of the room under a
smoke hole in the sod roof. The
floor was a bed of animal chips.
Temu stacked the saddles and sad
die bags IN a pile and spread a
robe for her.
The three men watched them in
silent inhoSpitality sizing them
both up and their few belongings.
Later, in the blacklist part of the
night just before dawn, Temu'S
senses were brought alert by the
pressure of Lynn'S hand on his
shoulder. He turned over and her
fingers explored his face and tilted
it so that she could put her lips
to his ear. His arm went around
her, outside the robe, drawing her
close. They lay for a while in
tense silence.
Suddenly he made a spring and
gave a twist to the stealthy arm
that had been searching in the
dark. A man half groaned, half
screamed. A bullet from one of
his comrades sang not far above
Temu's head.
He snatched the electric torch
and turned it on. Never having
seen such a light before, the two
on the opposite side of the fire
dropped their weapons and fell
= A. L i