STRANGE COMPANIONS
Our hero was not slow in discovering that the native saw something in
the ring he wore which centered his attention and interest. As Dave
smiled and looked upon him in a friendly way, the man showed less
strangeness and timidity.
He touched the ring now and arose to his feet. He again touched the ring
and then two of his fingers. Dave fancied that he understood his
companion. He believed that the man wished to inform him that there was
another ring—two rings, both alike.
Then the native again inspected his restored prayer mill. He gazed at it
fondly, with a great smile of joy. He pointed at the spear and shuddered
and shrank away from it. Then he fairly beamed on the young airman. He
dropped to the ground and placed Dave’s foot on his neck. He acted as if
he wanted his new friend to know that he was his slave for life.
After the man had gone through all these manœuvers Dave held up the
ring. The native made a motion to describe a long flowing beard.
Adrianoffski wore such and doubtless his partner did also. Now our hero
felt certain that not only was the ring familiar to the native, but
likewise that he was telling that its duplicate belonged to Ben Mahanond
Adasse, and that he knew the merchant.
“Where?” spoke Dave, and exhausted his pantomimic skill in trying to
express the word in signs. He pointed first in one direction and then in
the other. His companion followed every gesture he made intently,
seeming anxious to understand what he meant.
The man pointed to the southwest, and moved his finger along the
horizon. He tried to express distance. The young aviator by signs
conveyed the idea that he wished to see the owner of the other ring, the
man with long flowing beard.
The native nodded a dozen times with intelligence and satisfaction. He
promptly took up his knapsack and spear and faced about, posed to assume
the part of a guide.
The pilot of the _Comet_ did not wish to leave his friends without
apprising them of his intentions. He motioned to the native to remain
where he was. He then went up the hillside about half way. He knew that
his comrades could now hear him.
Dave in a sing-song voice, so as not to make the native suspect that he
was speaking to anybody, managed to tell Hiram and Elmer as to his
plans. When he came back to the valley the man started away and Dave
followed him.
It was not more than three miles from the hill that they began to near a
high enclosure. It was formed of high, thick stakes driven close
together, and was a kind of palisade. The native halted at its rear. He
selected one knotted stake and ran up it with the agility of a monkey.
He disappeared on the other side. Then there was the sound of a metal
latch moving, and a section of the palisade opened. Dave’s guide pulled
him inside a yard. He led the way to a flat, broad building that filled
all the front of the place. They entered a room dimly lighted, piled
high with furs, pelts and wicker boxes of merchandise. It was a great
warehouse, the young airman surmised, stored with rich silks from
Persia, teas from China, ivory and oils from India, and miner’s supplies
for the secret, guarded gold mines of Thibet.
When they came to a door with a sash in its upper part, Dave glanced
curiously through this window. The front of the building was open. Upon
platforms there were displayed in great confusion all kinds of goods. A
noisy throng was bartering and bustling about, as if it was some street
fair. Beyond them were rude wooden wheeled vehicles, and yaks, camels,
and even bison, used as beasts of burden.
Rude and uncultured as the native was, his loyalty to Dave seemed to
arouse some instinct of caution. He motioned his companion to remain
where he was, and passed out into the emporium. In a very few minutes he
returned with a long-bearded man. Dave noted his resemblance in feature
and dress to Adrianoffski.
“It is Mr. Adasse?” spoke Dave.
The merchant bowed assentingly, but stared wonderingly at his visitor.
It appeared that few persons foreign to the country ventured thus far
into Thibet.
“I came from Mr. Adrianoffski,” explained Dave. “He gave me this ring,”
and our hero exhibited the object in question.
“Ah, then, you must be a very good friend,” exclaimed the Russian, his
face brightening into a warm welcome at once. “My poor roof, as was his,
is yours.”
Adasse led Dave to a far end of the house, where there was a comfortable
room. Its owner spoke English quite as well as his partner. He told his
guest that he would get through his trading as quickly as possible, and
return to entertain him.
This did not occur for nearly an hour. It was dusk by then, lamps were
lit, curtains drawn, and two native servants brought in an appetizing
meal.
All this time the native to whom Dave had restored the prayer mill lay
down upon a mat in the room. Adasse explained to his guest that the man
was named Faiow. He was a trusted agent, sometimes employed by Adasse in
making sales to persons in Lhassa.
The young airman found Adasse to be quite as kindly disposed towards him
as Adrianoffski had been. Dave inquired closely as to Lhassa and its
mysteries. Finally he made up his mind to implicitly trust his host.
From an inner pocket Dave drew a photograph. It was the one furnished to
him at Washington by Miss Edna Deane. The picture of her missing
brother.
“I have come a long distance to find this man,” said Dave. “He is an
explorer, detained in Lhassa.”
“You expect to find him!” exclaimed Adasse, in a startled tone. “Ah, my
friend, you seek death in even speaking of it, should one of the
faithful hear you. Many rash explorers and adventurers have ventured to
pass the gates of Lhassa. They have never returned.”
The speaker as well as the young airman started as a voice behind them
uttered a sharp intelligent sound. It proceeded from Faiow, who,
unheeded by them, had been moving about the room. Looking up, Dave saw
the man with his eyes fixed upon the photograph.
“Speak to him,” said Dave, quickly. “I believe that picture suggests
something to him.”
Adasse directed some questions in the native tongue to Faiow, and there
was quite a colloquy between them. Then the Russian turned to his guest
with the words:
“He knows the man. He has seen him.”
“Where? when?” inquired Dave, eagerly.
“He does not tell. He says he will take you where you, too, may see
him.”
“Take me into Lhassa?” asked Dave, wonderingly.
“Yes. His gratitude towards you is almost fanatical. Let me question
further.”
It was at the end of a second conversation with the native that Adasse
imparted some new information to the young aviator.
“Faiow has the right of entry to Lhassa as a trader,” he explained.
“Once a week he carries dates boiled in wild honey to the great temple
of Oi-Fou-Jan. It is there that he has seen a man, a stranger, the face
in that picture. He says there are several of these intruders in the
city. They have been imprisoned in strong dungeons, or given menial work
to do for the priests. The grand Llama will not permit them to be
executed, for the blood of such is believed to profane the sacred city.”
“But how will it be possible for me to visit the city?” inquired our
hero.
“Faiow will arrange all that, he says,” replied Adasse. “You wish to
know where your friend is?”
“Yes,” nodded Dave.
“He promises to show you. No outsider is allowed to enter the city gates
unveiled. He says it is better to go now. He will provide you with a
garb like his own. Weekly he carries two bags of dates boiled in honey
to the city priest. You will help him, appearing as his servant. You
will probably pass muster. But, if you are suspected, it will mean sure
death.”
“I am ready to take the risk,” pronounced the young airman, resolutely.
It was half an hour later when Dave started for the sacred city with the
native. Each carried a bag, each wore the native costume, and each was
veiled.
The pilot of the _Comet_ knew that his fellow aviators would take good
care of the biplane. He was anxious primarily to find out where young
Deane was imprisoned. He did not understand the Thibetan tongue, and
therefore could not converse with his guide. He felt sure, however, that
he could rely on the fidelity and intelligence of Faiow.
They reached the gates of the city in about two hours. Faiow and his
companion were admitted without challenge. Dave was filled with interest
at all the strange sights he viewed. Immense temples and queerly
constructed stores and houses were on every hand. A busy populace filled
the lighted streets. Faiow finally reached a temple, in front of which
was a great squat idol, its feet alone ten feet across. Its hideous head
reached up nearly to the roof of a high, broad, stone pillar-shaped
structure.
In front of it Faiow halted. He touched the arm of his companion to
attract his attention, and pointed to the roof of the building. This was
guarded with a sort of railing. At intervals along this lamps were
burning.
Ever and anon a bird resembling a stork would light on the railing. A
man approached them, bearing on the end of a golden rod a fragment of
food. He would feed this to a bird, and then go to another of his
feathery visitors.
The young airman thrilled, as in the full flare of the many lights he
closely studied the face of this strange hermit aloft. Even at that
distance he was able to observe that the lone roof sentinel was not a
native.
“It is my man,” spoke the young pilot of the _Comet_ to himself. “I have
found the missing Morris Deane!”