_The Fiery Cross_
It required all the next day to bring Jimmie by slow stages down the
rough mountain trail to the temple. There they were given a real treat,
some rare vegetable soup, rice bread and such fruit salads as they had
never tasted before.
When Jimmie had been put to rest for the night, Gale and Jan were shown
to their room. There they found comfortable beds and blankets of virgin
wool to keep out the night's chill.
"Golly!" Jan exclaimed. "This is better than army life!"
It was better, Gale admitted that to herself. She was tired too. It
seemed she must fall asleep at once, but she did not. The days that had
just passed had been too exciting for that. Besides, within her being
was a feeling of vague uneasiness. "It's some sort of a forewarning of
evil," she told herself. "I've felt it before when something terrible
threatened." She had learned many strange signs and tokens from the old
black mammy who cared for her as a child.
At last she whispered hoarsely, "Jan! Jan! Are you asleep?"
"No. Of course not," was Jan's reply. "Don't you think I hear you
tumbling about?"
"All right," Gale laughed. "Let's slip into our jackets and slacks and
slip out on the trail. We'll walk off the strong tea we drank."
"Anything you say." Jan tumbled out of bed.
There was a watchman at the main gate, but at the back was a narrow hole
in the wall that was not locked. With a pinpoint light they made their
way through this gate, then along the wall to the main trail.
"Jan," Gale whispered. "I wish the war was over right now."
"Who doesn't?" was the quick reply. "The whole world is waiting."
"But if it was over I'd stay right here for a month," said Gale. "Think
what fun it would be studying the birds, the gorgeous butterflies, the
monkeys and everything!"
"Yes, everything," Jan laughed softly. "Rogue elephants, man-eating
tigers, mad water-buffalo! No! No! Let me out, PDQ."
"Listen," Gale whispered. "I think I hear a plane." By this time they
were some distance from the temple.
"Sure. I suppose a lot of our planes cross over the pass."
"Quiet!" Gale warned. "I do hear planes, more than one, but they are far
away."
For a time they tramped in silence.
"Those planes are coming closer," Gale murmured. "The sound is strange,
not quite like a squadron of our own ships. They--"
"Look!" Jan exclaimed. "Up there ahead in that open space that's like a
clearing! There's a queer light! Come on! Let's have a look!"
Their rubber shoes making no sound, they sped forward to a bend in the
trail. Then they saw it. A figure bending over a long stretch of flames
in the trail.
"It's a woman," Gale whispered excitedly.
"A monk," said Jan.
Woman or monk the figure darted into the brush.
And then the two girls saw it--a large, fiery cross burning in the
trail.
"Some religious fanatic did it," said Jan, "someone who doesn't like the
Buddhists."
"Nothing of the sort!" Gale sprang forward. "It's a signal fire for
those planes. See! The cross points toward the temple. It's the Woman in
Purple!
"Look!" She sprang to one side of the trail where some ancient pine
trees stood. "This mass of moss and pine needles is damp from recent
rains. Grab a big armful and come on! Quick!"
Thirty seconds later they were hovering over the flames, burying them
under sodden masses of debris. "That fire is made of pine cones. How it
burns!" Jan exclaimed.
"It's half out. Bring more!" Gale exploded. "They may come back. I--I'll
stand guard." She drew out her small automatic.
Jan raced away to return again and yet again. The fire was almost out
when Gale heard a sound in the brush. Like a flash she fired a shot.
Jan came running. "Did--did you see someone?" she panted.
"No. But I heard them," was Gale's steady reply. "After I fired there
was a sound like a low cry."
"I'll have a look!" Before Gale could stop her Jan sprang into the
brush.
She was gone a long time. Gale was about to despair when suddenly she
reappeared.
"Didn't find a thing. Got good and scratched by briars," said Jan. "Oh
yes! Just this. That's all." She held out a bit of thin cloth.
"Purple!" Gale whispered.
The planes were close now, circling like wild geese looking for a
landing.
"Looking for the light to guide them," said Gale. "They meant to destroy
the temple." "And us." Jan shuddered.
"Oh, sure! They'd like to get us and Jimmie and they hate the temple
because the monks help to rescue our airmen. But they'll never find the
temple now," Gale added. "On a night like this it cannot be seen from
the sky. The monks should know about this," said Jan.
"That's right," Gale agreed. "You go hurry back and tell them. I'll
stand guard."
"Give me that gun." Jan put out a hand. "I can shoot as straight as you
can. Besides, I could handle that woman and her black dwarf with one
hand."
"Can you?" Gale hesitated. "Don't forget the contents of her toilet
case."
"Oh, oh!" Jan breathed. "A gun and a dagger! All the same, I'm staying!"
"Okay. Here's the gun. I'll be back before you know it." Gale was away.
As Jan stood there in the shadows waiting, listening, she caught all
manner of strange sounds. A bird whistled in its sleep. There came a
chattering. Then came the sound of monkeys racing through trees.
"How you going to know what's going on?" she breathed with a shudder.
"They could spring at you from the dark and you'd never know--you--"
Her thoughts were broken into for from the distance came heavy tramping
footsteps. They sounded louder second by second. Then down the trail a
vast form moved. Jan dived silently into the brush as a huge elephant
went lumbering past.
"I only hope Gale got there," she breathed.
Gale was at the temple. She had roused the head of the household, the
little man with shining eyes.
"I can scarcely believe you," he said when her story was told. "Yet I
must believe. Wait."
He rang a bell. A monk appeared. The Superior said a few words in
Chinese.
"We must send someone to relieve your friend." The Superior rang his
bell three times. Three monks appeared. He spoke to them in Chinese.
They departed on the run.
"We have no guns," said the Superior. "Nevertheless we have our manner
of handling such things," he added in a mysterious whisper. "This will
not happen again."
A moment later the first monk returned to report. When he had finished
the Superior turned again to Gale. "You are right," he said. "A woman
who dresses always in purple has been our guest."
"Aha!" the girl breathed.
"She had a servant, a black dwarf."
"Then--"
The Superior held up a hand. "There is little that we can do now. Their
lodgings are empty. They have departed, taking all their belongings with
them. There are many trails. Should we overtake them, there is nothing
we could do. We are not the law, only humble monks striving to make the
people of this earth a little happier.
"Listen!" He held up a hand. The droning sound of motors was fading
away.
"They are gone," he said. "You have done us a great service. I shall
send a message to the Superior of all temples along the way to treat you
as a sister.
"From now on," he added, "our temple will be guarded at night. Three
brothers will watch this night through. You may sleep in peace."
Gale and Jan did sleep in peace. Early next morning four monks took up
Jimmie's litter and carried him before the girls down the mountain to
their jeep.
There they wove him a hammock of ropes that fitted across the back of
the car. The girls thanked them, bade them goodbye and drove away.
Early that same evening Jimmie found himself in a bed at the hospital
beneath the shadows of the Secret Forest with the gentle doll-like
Mai-da as his nurse.
"We'll have to be off in the morning," said Gale as she sat beside him.
"I'm told that the colonel and his army are half way across Burma."
"Took the Japs by surprise," Jimmie laughed. "That's great. He'll be in
China before we know it."
"That's just it," Gale agreed. "He'll be setting up a more or less
permanent base there, and I must be there to guard him with my radar."
"You and Mac," he teased.
"Yes. Sure," she smiled. "Mac is grand. But Jimmie," her voice dropped,
"there's a one-time flying Tiger who will be in all my dreams."
"That's swell," Jimmie beamed. "But don't forget, that one-timer will be
along before you know it. Then you'll have to keep a date over Tokio."
"Oh, Jimmie!" she breathed. "Do you really believe you can fix it that
way?"
"Wait and see." He shook a finger at her. "I'm the grandest little fixer
you ever met."
And so, next day at dawn, Gale and Jan in their jeep rattled away toward
the battle front and fresh adventure.