The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-11-07

tiS OoOy AAObAASA oA4lOt46 ShS III
habitants who were already
evacuating the village. They could
find no woman who had mislaid a
baby.
Bula returned with them. Not
content, it seemed, with seeing the
enemy retreat, he alone had
chased them into the canyon and
secured certain information for
Temu.
"Just a line on the insurrec-
tionists," evasively ans wered
Temu to Lynn's inquiry.
After a hasty breakfast they
began their trek with the last Of
the villagers along the northern
trail. Somewhere Chan, the re-
sourceful, secured a shoulder
yoke, and swinging their luggage,
started of on his tireless. cheer
full trot.
Bula carried the rifles and am
munition slung across his back
and a mammoth sword he had
taken from one of the enemy
dead. Unused to being afoot. he
walked awkwardly in huge Mon
gol boots.
There was no one with whom
to leave the baby. Temu, carrying
the infant amused Lynn inor-
dinately.
"It's like seeing an eagle turned
into nursemaid," she chuckled.
Eagles have babies" he re-
minded her.
Peggy. mincing along on ex-
tremely high heels and using her
red parasol as a cane caught his
free arm. You'll have two to car
~ pretty soon," she predicted.
my feet are beginning to hurt al
ready"
He looked down anxiously at
her thin, expensive slippers. and
when they caught up with an old
man and his young wife trundling
along. all their worldly goods
piled high on a wheelbarrow.
Temu asked if they had an extra
pair of shoes to sell.
'He seems determined not to
carry me-" Peggy told the world
at large.
you wouldn't feel very COM
Portable flung across my shoulder.
which is the only way ! carry a
damsel when she's reached your
age" he assured her, handing the
baby to Lynn while he examined
a peculiar pair of Greeklike bus
kins occasionally seen in western
China. Peggy put them on and
Lynn laughed.
Looks as though you're wear
ing Sugar-cured hams. If Sam
could see you now"
81 wish TO goodness were with
SAM" walled Peggy.
Then this little adventure has
done some good" smiled Temu.
"It's reconciled you to your hus-
band"
He wouldn't be walking me
along the edge of the jumping-of
place in shoes full of fieas while
he carried a fat. Chinese baby
that belonged to Lynn" she re-
torted.
Temu grinned but said nothing.
No Sale
CTRUCK by an idea, Lynn
- turned sharply and put the
baby in the little wife's arms.
"You wantee baby?" she asked.
"Can have" And she made signs
that they could keep the child.
The young woman looked at the
infant, shook her head, and she
and her husband both broke into
an excited chatter.
Laughingly, Temu took back
the child. They are expecting a
son of their own"
We'll" Lynn sighed. at was a
good idea while it lasted. They
were the first Chinese family /
ever saw without any children"
why didn't you put it in her
arms and RUM" Peggy demanded.
That's the way you got it. !"
Their queer procession started
on its way again, Chan leading,
and the one-eared Mongol on his
tender feet, with their ball-and-
chain gait, bringing up the rear.
Temu urged them along as fast as
he could, asking each group of
refugees they passed if the baby
he carried belonged to them.
Finally a woman informed him
that she knew the child; that his
mother was among the dead of
the assaulted village. No, she did
not want the infant at any price.
There were times when silver was
worthless. Though he was a boy,
why not lay him down by the
roadside as il he were a girl and
let nature take its course? There
was no way to feed such a tiny
baby without its mother.
Lynn overcame that difficulty
temporarily by dissolving lump
sugar in sun-warmed water and
giving it to the infant with a
spoon. The trail soon left the top
of the ridge and wandered down
into a canyon beside a tumbling
river. only to climb out again to
a wide tableland.
They approached a kigh-walled
farmstead, which at a distance in
the clear. exhilarating sunlight,
looked as romantic as a medieval
castle. But when they gained adj
mittance to the compound it ex-
hibited the usual, dull misery of
toil-driven people. The farmers
intended to stay to the death
rather than fee before the scourge
Of revolution.
A young matron of the family
nursed, with her baby girl, the
hungry mite Temu had carried
all morning. This family was glad
to keep the child since he was a
boy. Temu added silver to the
gift.
AT least, we've given him a
continuation of life" sighed Lynn.
They were sitting outside in the