The Key West citizen., 1940-11-11

patrolled by mounted men, the
one piece of artillery trained on
the great iron-studded wooden
| gate in the south wall.
Temu gave the command to fire.
The rumble Of falling brick and
the shrek of splintering wood
| followed the dull roar of the cam
non. An upper corner of the gate
disappeared in a jagged hole and
a part of the tower wall fell
away.
Surprised defenders armed with
ancient f1intlocks swarmed the
walls dismayed at the sight. Dis
mayed-not at the sight of foot
soldiers backed by mounted men
compile tely surrounding the
stronghold, but at the one piece
of artillery that would rip out the
strongest wooden gate and shatter
brick walls.
Temu raised a flag of truce. The
simple but civilized Chinese un-
derStood this kind of warfare de-
spite the strain of fanatical Turk
oman blood in their veins. The
leaders met in the roadway be-
fore the gate and arranged the
terms of surrender. Major Tsin,
with a small detail of soldiers,
would take control of the town.
The people had never known
such a peace. There was no de-
mand that their chiefs be executed
or property be confscated. The
hungry would be fed, the naked
clothed. Disarmed, the inhabitants
might retain their homes and go
about their business. Followed by
a picked guard Of mounted men,
Temu rode into the town.
Rescue
a T the sound of the cannon that
L Hmorning there had been a fight
between dissenting factions. One
group desired the prisoners killed
at once in a frantic, senseleSs feel
ing Of revenge. Another wished
to keep them for bargaining pur-
poses. The latter won in the
Scuff1e that followed and managed
to conduct the captiveS inside the
courtyard and to secure the gate
against the mob crying for their
death.
Peggy began weeping afresh at
the sight of Temu, but the
strange, set silence in Lynn's face
really frightened him. He put an
affectionate arm around the little
Buddha and patted Peggy's shoul-
der, assuring her that everything
was all right now, though his eyes
were all for Lynn. He led them
to a room in the magistrates
house and had servants bring
water for bathing, clean clothing,
and food.
Later Lynn set the breakfast
table. garbed in a rich, blue satin
gown from the wardrobe of the
magistrates number-one wife.
Peggy in green, and little Tsong
in yellow, had somewhat recov-
cred their spirits. Peggy begged
Temu to annihilate the village.
These people are worse than
beasts" she cried vehemently.
They're not fit to live!"
Lynn quietly toyed with her
food. her blue eyes shadowed. her
face colorless, the chill of an in
finite deSolation in her bones.
Watching her, Temu explained to
the other:
81 am a soldier, and in this age.
the work of soldier is to pre-
serve life and protect the people.
l grant you they are beasts-poor.
starving beasts at bay-but you
were protected by powers you do
not comprehend"
Peggy shifted. That's being
sentimental. One would think you
didn't have courage to kill them.
"Courage?" he inquired alb
sently. There are two kinds of
courage. I hope ! have either as
the occasion may require" He
smiled and touched Lynn's arm
to attract her attention, wishing
| to draw her interest away from
that inner obSeSSion that seemed
to possess her. Lynn" he asked,
haven't you seen me display both
the courage of violence and the
courage of perseverance,"
Eyes, Temu," she answered pas
sively.
Then, defend me with Peggy"
She smiled vaguely and said
nothing. He rose and sent the
others away to rest and ordered
the table removed. Then he came
and sat on the. edge of the kdng
beside Lynn. cas
What is it," he asked gently.
She raised her eyelids as if they
were loaded and gave him a half
blind, trance-like stare.
Those pitiful folk" she muir
INJURED. Eating grass and the soil
of the hills. Clawing and fighting
and wailing lest they lose their
pitiful lives"
Go on" he said.
"AsSailed by misery and haunt
ed by visions of madness and
death" She looked down at her
cold hands folded on her lap. Il
joined them last night; ate with
them, felt their sorrow and des-
pair. And somehow, I've lost the
will to live. Something strange
has happened to me. I can't come
back"
A spaSm of fear crossed Temu's
face. He took one of her hands in
his strong, warm clasp.
Listen to me, Lynn. Life and !
claim you. We call you back. You
are tired; you've come through
emotional experiences that would
try people calloGsed and accus-