The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-10-22

q ScAAOSIOuC OO04QGE VIII emu
DARN sponging her forehead and
temples with a wet handkerchief.
She pushed his hand away and
sat up.
Better now?" he asked, offer
ing her drink Of water from a
brass bowl.
She drank, then brushed
wrist across her eyes and looked
hastily at his hand on which she
had seen the blood. No trace was
visible. She drew back the cuff
of his coat sleeve hardly knowing
what she did.
only a scratch on the upper
arm" he said in answer to her
quest. He reached out as if to pat
her hand then drew back.
How about the gunner" she
asked, resting her head against
the boulder.
He hesitated for a moment.
Dead. poor fellow. Everything
will be taken care of. I'm sorry
you had to be let in on this"
Lynn looked around; there was
no sign of carnage in sight.
Temu's men were working over
the automobile engine. She felt
an odd shame and bewilderment
about her part in the affair. still
shaken by the memory of the
urge that had possessed her to
kill a man.
Still, it was not as man that
she had regarded him, but as
menace to Tenu Darin's life. And
the idea that Temu Darin's life
should seem dear to her was like
wise inexplicable. She inquired
about the man she had shot at.
He got away. don't believe
you had any luck"
Thank heaven" She pressed
her handkerchief to her lips and
rested bit. a
Were you trying to save my
life when you joined the battle?"
Ten1u asked. If there was amuse-
ment in his voice, there was also
gentlenesS.
She Strengthened and stared at
him, her eyes hostile and defiant.
He had asked the question she
had been asking herself. Now the
answer came to her.
Il had to choose between BAN
dts"
"And so you chose me-" he said
whimsically, refusing to take Of
Tense.
you speak English; l don't
know about the other fellow"
He laughed amusedly. 81 have
other virtues, too, that l hope you
will learn in time. l wonder il
you know that in China the saw
ing of mans life puts one under
obligations to him. You have be-
come responsible for my welfare"
Somehow, this gentle teasing
quoted her nerves.
A Slave Herself?
WHEN he opened lunch basket
w before her she turned pale at
the thought of food.
THE kitten is hungry" he
said.
Lynn took a chicken sandwich
and fed the little animal flakes
OF neat. and presently found that
81 was eating a few morsels her
self. As he ate his own lunch,
Temu poured her a bowl of tea
from vacuum bottle.
They were camped on an emf
hence that must command a view
of all northern China, it seemed
to Lynn, if one had the eyes to
scan it. She lifted pair of field
glasses lying near. Below them
spread great plain sloping down
to the Yellow River, its banks
lined with farms and villages and
strips of waste land. To the east,
huddled the walled town of Pal
Shu. and bit beyond, she knew,
lay the lama temple-monastery
where her misfortunes had be-
gun.
Somewhere out there in the
haze, she thought. lies Peiping-
with Americans and Europeans
walking the streets free and un-.
moleSted. If they knew my
plight Dick-what is he doing at
this minute-what is he thinking
what is he feeling?" Her mind
wandered on to the little slave
maid following them somewhere
in one of the trucks.
DO you know how it happened
that Little Bamboo was sold to
the Princess Mother?" she asked
Temu DARN.
He pondered a moment, setting
down his dish of tea.
'The girls father sold her dur
ing famine in China, / presume.
That's the way it usually is. If
remember correctly, she was
bought by agents for the Princess
in LenSuh."
Lynn spoke sadly. 81 feel as if
Dick had sold me-"
Temu's face darkened with un-
expected color.
The girl stared, surprised. Sud
denly galvanized, she crouched
before him. Have l guessed the
truth?" she demanded.
"Of course not" he disclaimed.
'The Prince would not be a party
to such a deal. He does not desire
slave. You are free?" and COM
batting the disbelief in her eyes,
he repeated, you are free, I tell
you You'll come nearer being
worshipped in Shani Lun than
being enslaved. You're a goddess
to the people"
Il am not a goddess to the
Prince and his family" she re-
torted.
"You are held in very high es-
TEEN by everyone. There is moth
ing more / can say. You must wait
and prove my words"
She sank back and he began re-
packing the elaborate English
lunch harlnf prarontir A..