The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-11-06
Facing Death

Facing Death
TEMU steadied his plane and
l. gave it the gun as they headed
north by west. They followed,
roughly. tributary Of the great
river. passing over peaceful mud
brick compounds and villages
until a town of considerable size
appeared, its western portion a
mass Of fame and smoke.
Tennu lifted the speaking tube.
"Howshek, a NJ ANN d n
stronghold" he said. 'They seem
to be cleaning out the people of
different faiths"
Beyond the town on a mighty
plain rose smoke from the ruins
of a score of smouldering villages
The storm was rolling up like an
angry visitation of a horde of ma
ture gods and demons in an at
mosphere strangely hushed and
breathless that changed color as
they watched, from a clear, trans
parent sunlight to menaclng
yellow-green.
The girls saw Temu DARN
shake his head and look down for
a landing place. This was not
storm that could be ridden out.
Heavens" muttered Peggy.
Something tells me should
have gone to Marking with Sam
This storm and the look that one
cared Mongol gave mel Things
are piling up"
Il thought that's what you
wanted" said Lynn. The Mon
gols name is Bula."
Fate needn't overdo things.
One consolation is. that if we
fall among Mohammedans. I'll be
saved while he goes up in flames.
He looks greasy enough to burn
like a torch"
They had been in the air less
than half an hour. As they
lowered over the terrain it proved
deceiving. What had appeared to
be smooth. level plain broke UP
into ridges and flats between in
credibly deep canyons in the fine,
brown soil. On the flat-topped
ridges were crazy-quilt fields of
green in jagged little hollows that
looked like miniature volcanic
craterS.
Temu dropped low, pancaked in
an unexpected air current with
out miShap. and landed near a
dilapidated walled village perched
precariously on the edge of the
canyon. The town had not as
yet been ravaged by fire.
Temu leapea from the plane
Hurry" he urged the girls. tax
ing their hands as they came. one
after the other to break the force
of the jump.
Chan and Mongol had already
seized the luggage. They all raced
towards the village gate. Seeing
they could not make il in time,
Temu shouted an order. Obedient-
ly they threw themselves face
downward in one of the tiny.
green crater fields and dug their
fingers into the soil and chung to
the barley roots as the wind
swooped down. tearing at their
garments and the fiat bulks of
their bodies like hands in a fury
of rage. The plane took run.
rose a bit. and then dived into
the laws of the canyon.
That's that" groaned Temu.
AS the velocity of the wind
lessened a trifle and rain began
to slant down in singing sheets
that quickly cleared the air of
dust. he rose and drew the girls
to their feet The five of them
made their away to the village,
leaning against the wind and
water and breathing when the
storm allowed them to.
Haven
THEY passed through the open
L gate into deserted street and
found refuge in the first court
yard. An old Chinese in pigtail
and ragged. quilted garment led
them to a dark and dingy room
with its inevitable kang, which
was both mud stove and chimney
bed. Straw and animal chips were
at hand to kindle a fire.
Bula drew flint and steel from
the blouse Of his coat and skill
fully made a blaze with little
smoke to blow back into the room
when. the wind took a reverse
motion. The girls dried them
selves as best they could and then
curled up on the kang for warmth.
Chan had secured a saucer Of
sleeps fat containing a string
wick which he lighted and placed
on the little table on the kang
The one small window in the
room was sealed with smoke
grimed paper.
Peggy took a comb from her
purse and began. to draw, il
through her flaming hair. She
glanced round the dark little hole
with its blackened walls and the
peculiarly dry, smoky smell OF
Chinese novels in the cooler lati-
tudes. She shuddered a little
Lynn understood what she felt
though she did not share the emo
ton Of distress.
The suave, neat Chinese boy
was making tea over the fire. The
Mongol, looking like a devil-doc-
tor, squatted in one corner Of the
dirt floor smoking pipe, knitting
and muttering prayers between
puffs.
Tennu came striding in. tall and
dynamic. His brown stronghold
tured face with its striking seal
gave him an appearance Of mar
possessing powers alien 10 the
average experience.
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IN -, rr.....s.s 60