Adventure Magazine Cover — page 128: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

118 two turbaned, dignified and bearded coun- selors and guardians, he talked to Dan in excellent English, going at once to the point that interested him. “T have heard the story of your feat in the rock cafion—it was a feat of great courage and strength. You must be very proud. Were you much fatigued by the—what is the word—shock—the terror?”’ “T went to sleep on the rock-shelf, in a second,” said Dan. . ‘And now you have conquered another fear! It is good—is it not?” And they grinned at each other with un- derstanding. “Another thing for your comfort.” The prince turned to say a few words in what Dan called “heathen” to his coun- selors, who at once left them alone—Lu Yan going out with them—before he resumed: ‘“‘Please say nothing in answer to what I tell you—you understand?” Gravely, like a boy repeating a solemn rite, he waited for Dan’s nod and went on: “You will be given the aid of a Power That Acts, and exists only in action. I am told that this is in accord with your nature and your faith, and it is well. Your aid will be in proportion to your merit, your merit measured by your actions and your silence. Raise your right hand.” In a sort of “trance” as Dan termed it, Wheeler raised his hand. The prince placed his own flat against ,it—palm to palm— while he whispered in Dan’s ear three words that nobody else ever heard before or since. That sounds foolish, but they are Wheeler’s exact words—the words he used in telling all that he evercould tell of the incident—andhe added that nobody could ever know or guess them. It was very disappointing as a piece of reportorial work. But thereafter it was noticeable that Dan never alluded to any- thing resembling a secret order—or the Order That Is Not—so it would seem that such descriptive terms come from the mouths of outsiders only. He noted that when the two counselors and Lu Yan returned they preserved the silence of a reverent solemnity. His descrip- tion was: “They acted as if I was being married or buried or something, and I was so tongue- tied myself that when the prince tied one of his counselors to me like a tin can to a dog’s tail for the next day and a half I never even Adventure thought of making a kick. All I knew about it is what I am telling you.”’ And that was that; for the next day one of the prince’s bearded companions hardly let Wheeler out of his sight. He returned with him and Lu Yan to the home of the latter, where he was an honored and self- effacing guest. After the first hour, during which Dan was embarrassed to find the large, dark eyes fixed on him steadily, he got to the point -where he forgot the man’s presence a greater part of the time. Dan always insisted that the dignified Oriental hypnotized him into believing he was not there. One reason for his belief that he was hypnotized was that he was seized that eve- ning by a heavy drowsiness that he did not succeed in shaking off. The strain and loss of sleep on his cafion trip was the real reason, no doubt, together with the suggestive influence of the sympathetic remark of the prince—that he must have been weary from reaction after the shock. Anyhow he became so dull and sleepy early in the evening soon after his return from the call on the prince, that he went to an early bed and slept late into the next forenoon. This, the day just finished was Wednes- day. The day when the Belle of Nippon was to sail, when the jewels were to be delivered to the prince aboard ship—and when Garth had planned to blow up the Lina W.—was the next but one—Friday. The big ball was set for Thursday night. CHAPTER XIV URING his breakfast, which he took with Lu Yan, who had waited for him to wake, Wheeler was informed that a part of his day was disposed of in ad- vance. He was formally invited, requested and ordered to appear at the house oi the Sands. He had not yet set foot therein, and he was threatened by divers penalties if he did not do so at once—and cause the other foot to follow forthwith. The invitation was worded: “Since you have officially, if not publicly, come to life, you are summoned to appear before us, your friends—to be subjected to certain punishments in the form of surprizes, pleasant or otherwise de- ponent saith not.” Signed by Annette Sands. But it was his lordship who met him at the COIN DOOKS ©