Peter the Brazen: A Mystery Story of Modern China

by George F. Worts

  CHAPTER XIII

  "You are in time!" He gripped Peter by the shoulder.

  "Have you stopped them?" gasped Peter.

  Kahn Meng indulged in a bitter laugh. "Only the wind could overtakethem." He shrugged. "They came--they broke through our lines--andagain they broke through! If they had stopped for battle," he addedgrimly, "there would have been a different tale to tell."

  "And they have taken her to Len Yang?" Peter suddenly recalled thatKahn Meng probably knew nothing of Eileen.

  "The doctor? Yes," assented Kahn Meng sadly. "One of my men was inChing-Fu when the troop drove through. He was looking out for you. Hearrived only a few moments ago. By Buddha, how you have traveled!"

  "I intend to go on."

  Kahn Meng sighed. "It means only death."

  "I am willing."

  "But you cannot catch them with any horse. You would be killed. Wecan arrive in Len Yang sooner," Kahn Meng pleaded. "Everything isready."

  "I'll follow," Peter stated grimly, "on the condition that you answertwo questions. What is your relation to the man at Len Yang----"

  "On my word of honor," Kahn Meng interrupted him with emotion, "I am afriend. Won't that suffice until the morning? If I were an enemy, ifI were on his side----"

  "I realize that," Peter stopped him. "Very well. I'll wait. My otherquestion is this: Why does that beast search the world for beautifulwomen--and consign them to the mines?"

  Kahn Meng was silent. Reluctantly Peter was allowing himself to be ledthrough the darkness over broken ground. A pale dot of light emergedfrom the night.

  "I do not know," said Kahn Meng finally. "It is hideous. I have seenthem. That will be stopped!" he added tensely.

  Under the lantern they paused, and Peter found his strange companion tobe examining his features intently.

  "I can add nothing to what has been said," Kahn Meng went on. "I havemuch to attend to now. We are starting immediately. At present willyou trust me as I trust you?" He extended his right hand, and Peterclasped it silently.

  The ripe old moon of Tibet was creeping from its bed, tipping thepointed tents with a soft glow.

  On such another night as this Peter had first dared to enter the Cityof Stolen Lives, and the faint, mysterious sounds of a caravan at reststirred up old memories.

  The probable treatment of Eileen at the hands of Len Yang's king wastoo terrible for him to contemplate. And he was as helpless at thisinstant as though he were on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

  A hot flood of anger welled up in his breast. His palms began tosweat. Each minute was drawing her closer to the moldy walls.

  He could picture her struggling in the arms of the giant Mongolian. Hecould see the great drawbridge swinging down to the white road in themoonlight or the blistering heat of noonday. And on the hill, like agreedy, white vulture, he could see that solemn palace with minaretsstretching like claws to the sky, crouching upon the red slime vomitedforth by the mines.

  A cool voice startled him. Kahn Meng came out of the darkness.

  "Two hundred men will accompany us. The others will remain here incase an attack is made on our rear. There may be trouble. Of course,I could go, unharmed, into Len Yang by the mountain road; but as soonas I entered I would be helpless--a prisoner forever. He knows I amreturning. He is expecting me. But he does not know that half hisgarrison are loyal to me. The yellow-whiskered one will not be glad tosee me," he added with a malicious grin.

  The night seemed to be filled with silent, wakeful coolies, armed withrifles. The grim and watchful silence of the procession, the blackmystery of the night with the sinking, cold moon aloft, and theuncertainty of the whole affair, set Peter's nerves to tingling; andhis heart was beginning to react to the high excitement of it.

  He was elated, yet anxious. To-night's business was no quest of thegolden fleece. The size of his undertaking, now that he stood, withonly a few miles between, at the threshold of achievement, wasoverwhelming. He had pledged himself.

  How he would proceed if the present venture succeeded was anothermatter. Fate or opportunity would have to shape his next steps.Perhaps in Kahn Meng, the mysterious, might rest the solution. Peterwas an adventurer by choice, and an engineer by profession. Undergiven conditions he knew what to expect of men and machines. Before hehad taken to the seas as a wireless operator he had had some experienceas a railroad builder. He had laid rails in California, and Mexico. Asuccessful career in that profession had been foregone when the warmhand of Romance laid hold of him.

  He wondered how he could adjust himself to the routine of his oldprofession again, if that was the opportunity awaiting him in Len Yang.Governmental problems, he knew, would have to be given to morespecialized men, such perhaps as Kahn Meng.

  He looked behind him, at the long line of men stretched down the narrowravine like the tail of a colossal serpent. Occasionally a stone,dislodged, clattered down into the crevices. Above them the rockstretched and lost itself in the cold purple of the night. The mooncarved out vast shadows, black and threatening.

  They emerged at length into a broader valley, jagged with spiresflashing with gleams of the moon on frequent mirror-like surfaces. Tenthousand men could have been concealed in this desolate cavern. Yet itrang with emptiness as, far arear, a steel prod struck powdery firefrom the flinty path.

  Hours seemed to pass as they advanced, descending constantly. At timesthe granite walls nearly met above them, and then a shaft of moonlightwould cast freakish shapes across their vision.

  Once they paused for rest near a torrential stream. Some lingered todrink. The blackness in the sky was yielding itself to the spectralglow of the new day when Kahn Meng gave the order to halt.

  He took Peter aside and explained his procedure. His plan was to sendfifty men through the tunnel to the main shaft to subdue the guards;the remainder of the armed coolies, numbering about one hundred andfifty, would follow, forming a protective chain to the black door, anunderground entrance.

  "There should be no trouble, no confusion--a bloodless revolution," headded with a nervous, elated laugh. "I will occupy the place--you willfollow. Wait ten minutes."

  Peter nodded.

  "A tunnel, fairly straight, leads from here directly to the black door.Have your revolver in readiness. My men may not make a clean job. Themine guards carry clubs. Each of my coolies has a rifle." Kahn Meng'seyes in the light of a torch were glittering excitedly. He graspedPeter's nearest hand in his enthusiasm.

  "We are so near! Only a step!" He laughed wildly, lifted his voiceecstatically to a sing-song and chanted from Ouan-Oui: "Then----

  "'Let us rejoice together. and fill our porcelain goblets with cool wine!'"