The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-09
Chapter IL
Trapped

changed. We'll soon be parting
and want you To know that I'm
grateful to you for rescuing me.
"And I'm grateful to you" he
emphasized. Imagine an arch
aeologist seriously married to q
harem beauty" They both
laughed.
"A sharp turn in the road and
they came to- the end of the can
yon and saw before them a great
depression stretching wide and
barren as far as the eye could see.
Under a cliff at the right, beside
spring and poplar tree in full
leaf, was a tent flying the colors
of the Emir ofsYangsar.
The coachman drove up and
stopped.
"Lunch time said Sherwood,
noticing the furnishings of the
tent He looked at the sun, Early
lunch time. 7
The riders followed immediate
ly, Mackey rolled from his kneel-
ing camel and came Gripping
over to the carriage as Sherwood
helped Anne down.
Sweet serpents," he moaned.
"Piloting these ships of the desert
is terrible business. I couldn't
manage her ailerofts or read her
instrument board. She wabbled
all over the map" He looked at
the tent. DO we dine in style!
] guess you were right, Blaze,
when you said that my brains
and your luck and Miss Wizards
charm would get us out of this. !"
Anne laughed lightheartedly
and led the way into the carpeted
tent with lis low tables ana hard
holsters. The cook and his men
served soup made Of rice and all
raonds and camel milk. They
served lamb roasted before the
open fire and with it sour milk
and oaten bread There was lea
and sweet cakes and candied gin
ger.
Anne and Msckey were in par
tieuiarly high spirits all through
the meal - Sherwood laughing
with them but not saying much
of his own accord, At last Maekey
lit his pipe and leaned back on
his bolster pointing to the scene
in front Of the tent
Spread out before us is the
Bekkan Depression. he began
like a professional guide. rs 50
wide that we cannct Sc the
mountains on the farther side. so
Gcd-fbr -saken that even wild
goats shun it. Salt marshes. quick
sands, and miles and miles of yell
low brown clay as barren as the
craters of the moon.
'sI've seen it from the other
side, said Sherwood, turning to
Anne, "a few miles below the
place where your fathers camp
IS established. All that country
including the Bekkan Bula
mountains, is disputed territory.
The Chinese claim it. Shani Lun
claims it. Our host. the Emir of
Yangsar would like to claim it.
ss.Fhe Chinese claim must be
the best" murmured Anne.
There is a detachment of Chin
esa troops protecting our dig.
He glanced at her sharply. rs
that true?
Il thought you knew every
thing" she smiled.
Not quite" he grinned.
She wondered if she'd done
wrorp III making that revelation.
ssWhat are your plans when you
reach Chuka?" she asked Mackey.
MAYBE I'll 90 north and prop
nsition the Chinese Governor for
a pilots job. He hasn't q plane,
but he ought to have one"
why don't you try Sham
I1unpp asked Sherwood.
/ Maekey leaned towards him,
ewes shining. eDo you think
there's a chanee?D he cried.
tWhy not? The Prince is a
white man. He likes to have fell
lows like you around. I'll write
you a note for him now" he took
paper and fountain pen from his
pocket.
Suspicion
A NNE sat watching them, feel
"A ing a trifie lonely and out of
II in the midst Of all this plan
ming. Their lives had been revolv-
ing around hers. and were now
moving away.
aWhat are your plans?" she
asked Blaze. He handed Mackey
the note and put away his pen.
Il have no plans. he smiled
back, remember? / live each day
as it comes"
Anne and Mackey stare d
doubtfully at his lean dark face
with its look of self-discipline be-
low the teasing grey eyes,
THAT rem rked Anne,
sounds like the opposite of
knowing what you want IN life
and going after it or does it?n
.sFrom what have seen most
people get in. their own way by
planning and schefning, I've a
hunch that if a man will be faith
full to his objective life win work
out the plan"
Gle may mean il" she thought.
a bit stirred as always by the
idea.
The men were hitching three
gufgling racing eamels to the
carriage.
saThey must intend to travel
fast from now on" Sherwood re-
marked. Anne and Mackey fol-