The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-10-24
Chapter II
Duchess With Horns

THEY arrived with the rising
l. sun at the extensive camel
camp belonging to the Prince of
Shani Lun on the edge of the
desert Of yellow sand.
Lynn saw that the Duchess had
fulfilled Temu's request. She
stood waiting to welcome them on
a fine Ningsia rug in front of her
blue travelling tent. A long, en-
broidered robe of the brightest
blue hung from her plump little
shoulders to her plump little feet.
But the remarkable, the unbe-
lievable, the extraordinary thing
about her was her hat. Over a sill
yer cap foundation SCARED a pair
of large, curving, corrug at e
horns.
And from the tips of the horns
hung long braids of hair reaching
to her elbows. Perched between
the horns was a jaunty little dec
Grafton shaped like an angel-fOod
tin, the cone supporting a blob of
something that from distance
suggested strawberry ice cream.
Temu grinned at the look in
Lynn'S eyes. He explained, Ger
sing inherited that hat from her
mother, a girl who came to Shani
Lun many years ago from the re-
gion Of Urga."
Horns" urmured Lynn
family, ''hornsl Wait till Ameri-
can milliners see a picture of
this"
They must be about ripe for
horns" said Temu, stepping out
of the car and fastening to greet
the Duchess.
Bula took out his knitting and
set to work while the French me-
chanic opened the car door for
Lynn. She had hastily extracted
a small automatic from the built
in case, and though suspecting
that he had seen her, dropped it
into her purse. She watched him
anxiously as he lowered his eye
lid and stepped back smartly to
let her pass. Evidently she had
found friend.
Help me-" she whispered in
French. His lips barely moved tut
she caught the words in English
"At the well, Midnight"
Lynn's color was high as she
watched Temu greet the Duches:
affectionately and stoop to press
his cheek to hers before he intro
duced the women to each other.
Gersing could speak a bit Of
English. She reminded Lynn of q
Shrewd and kindly little Navajo
lady she had known in California
They felt an instant liking fol
each other and stood for a mo-
ment, hands claSped looking into
each others eyes. Then the Mon
gel woman reached up anc
pressed her palms to Lynn.
cheeks and drew her hands over
the girls body and said some
thing swiftly in her own language
to Temu.
What is it," Lynn asked.
He hesitated a moment. Ger
sing thinks in terms of horse flesh
She says you're a fine, upstand-
ing filly."
Lynn laughed. "She's a sturdy
little pony herself"
Temu translated and the Ouch.
ess chuckled merrily and drew
Lynn into the tent. It was fur.
nished with gorgeous rugs anC
chests and two touchdown pal.
lets. Temu asked to be excused Il
set up the radio and get in touch
with Delun.
Tell the Prince what / think
of him." Lynn advised.
He smiled and shook his head
''The poor fellows ears are no
enough as it is. He has Other
troubles"
Hell have more before he get
through with me-"
At that moment Little Bamboo
came in and greeted Lynn saying
she had arrived the night before
with the motor caravan. She anC
Gersing then conducted Lynn tC
an adjoining tent where a port
able bathtub of English make
contained warm and fragrant wa
ter.
1.-THE Prince knows how to take
care of his guests" Lynn thought
aloud.
Little Bamboo bowed and gig
gled. ''Temu DARN say you like
much water. You ALA Samee pink
lotus"
Lynn kicked off her oxfords
ME ALA Samee Sardine," she re-
torted disguStedly.
Little Bamboo didn't know
what sardine meant but she
thought it was an extremely
funny-sounding word.
Inspection
7 YNN breakfaSted in spacious
l. dining tent The Duchess haC
removed her head dress and robe
and donned a sturdy leather over
garment opened up the sides fo1
ease in riding. Later she tocs
Lynn for a trip about the camp
exhibiting the fine, fat-humpeC
Bactrian carnels. of which there
we're more than two hundred anC
fifty. and the ponies and donkeyS
On this tour of inspection they
rode horse b a k. Lynn sooI
learned that Mongols are will
horses as American high schoo
boys are with automobiles. They
viii not walk ten feet if they cal
ride.
It seemed the camelS were be-
ing starved for several days t.
get their stomachs tucked up
for the arduous journey ahead o
them. This process was supposed
to lessen the danger of chilling Of