The Key West citizen., 1940-11-21
Chapter So
The Lilac Tree

CnapLer 30
The Lilac Tree
T YNN stared at him. 'HThe
Il Prince still rules?"
He bowed. Long live the
Prince"
Then I have stepped into a
trap" she said slowly to Temu.
There is no trap"
''You let yourself be bound and
held prisoner to deceive me there
in the gorge"
mot to deceive you, Lynn" His
voice was troubled. How can !
explain? It seemed important to
you to enter Delun of your own
free will. I wished to give you
that-privilege."
She stood there looking at him
helpleSsly, awed and overcome
before such colossal singleneSs of
purpose, and wondering if, per-
haps, she had been wrong in re-
Sisting this thing that obseSSed
him so completely. His voice
der tone.
Il wished to show, in the only
way permissible, my love for
you"
At his words, a strange thing
happened to Lynn. A light seemed
to shine from within her, illumi-
mating both her mind and her
surroundings as if she had come
into new and uneXplored world
Of human experience. She lifted
her face in enchantment, feeling
that sense of utter abandon which
is liberation. At that moment, if
never before, she knew what it
was to be a goddess incarnate.
"You win, Temu, l surrender.
don't understandable this thing
is too much for me. Your wish is
my wish, your loyalty, my loyal
ty. Lead me to your Prince"
He had drawn closer to her, his
eyes luminous. She wished he
would take her hands and hold
them tight. He did so, his own
hands trembling. She felt the re-
straint he clamped down on him.
self to keep from taking her into
his arms. It was a moment before
he could speak and then he said:
Lynn Gear, this thing is bigger
than either of U.s." He lifted her
hands and kissed the palms, first
one and then the other. She stared
at them perplexedly.
'Temu! Such an odd pain run
ming through my hands," She
paused. "And through my heartl
What does it mean?"
you are ready to meet the
Prince?"
8! am ready" she agreed. He
hesitated.
There is something else to tell
you, Lynn. You have gone
through part of the Chinese wed
ding ceremony. You have pre-
sented the apple, symbol of peace.
You have passed the orchid door
But unless you join in the cup
ceremony the marriage will not
be completed. The choice is yours.
The Prince is waiting. Come with
me-"
New Life
LIE TURNED and opened a door
H and she preceded him. Time
had strangely changed its swing.
She lived each moment as a life
time of exquisite feeling and
awareneSS - alert to her unity
with Temu and all his meanings
his country, his people, his duties.
They walked slowly through
several spacious rooms furnished
in the American style. In one
chamber Lynn's white velvet
dress lay spread on a bed beside
a table containing a white jade
bowl of violets.
I'm case you wish to wear il
this evening" Temu said, and
opened a door into long arcaded
balcony overlooking the palace
grounds.
As they walked along she sud-
denly stopped and stared down
into the garden below. "Sher-
dock!" she exclaimed in a star
tied voice. Sherlock Fuyeh sat on
a marble bench beside willow
pool telling his beads. Then he
did not die on the desert"
NO." said Temu, ''he did not
die on the desert. That ceremony
was his way of escaping from
your brother. Chin PAX helped
him carry it out"
After a moment Lynn laughed
softly. "The gay old deceiver! He
even invited me to be his mother
in his next incarnation.
They entered a large sun room
in one of the towers of the palace.
Lynn paused and gazed about her.
1t looks familiar" she said wor-
deringly, "aS if I'd been here be-
fore. Is it the replica of some IA
nous room ! might have visited?"
There is no other room like it. .
She walked across to one of the