Show 1 f t y u o j jy y L me meby l c o py r rs hi I i u H-f H by Ce ry Co THE FAR CALL Synopsis John a poet visionary and Impractical and Mary Martin the tho daughter of rich and worldly parents hear henr the call of love lovo and unite unito their lives They go to a small Michigan city where John anc finds work In a stove factory and on cn Sundays writes verses The Tho Martins try In vain to get the happy wife to leave her husband Mary begins to breathe for tor two John loses his Job Ho He appeals in vain to tho Martins Mary go goes os to tho the hospital and never returns Thus comes Into the story Cornelius Cornellus The father tather leaves lea town and tho the city farms out cut the child After Atter two years jears the father returns and takes his little son with him on his worldwide worldwide world world- wide wanderings Tho The father becomes becomes be be- comes addicted to a mysterious drug koresh with odors of wine wino and cinnamon and returns with little Con to die on his wife's grave Con Is again farmed out grows up In tho the underworld and Is saved to better things by happy chance S So much by WIl way of Introduction Introduction introduction Intro Intro- to the hero of ot the tho strange adventures of Yellow Men Sleep These begin when Con takes by force a small leather sack from Chee Chec Ming 1 the Chinese butler of ot otan an acquaintance Can you imagine yourself undertaking undertaking undertaking under under- taking such a task as that given Con Levington Levin ton a 1 task from which you would probably never return CHAPTER I II Continued I 3 3 It was Andrew March who had found him running wild one spring night flight In lower Cincinnati with a gun peaking from each hand The riot call was in Andrew March had by hy bythe bythe hythe the grace of God appeared beheld rind find understood The elder man had recognized the equinoctial ma madness ness if nr one who whose e head hend was filled with beauty the heart passionate for life and md more of It the feet rebelling against the ugliness of pavements March had hurried him away awny and amid later at nt his leisure soaked some of or the deviltry out of the young youn frame steaming him clean and reasonable lie ne had needed to be patient with Levington while the rioter found a anew anew anew new sensation called health Presently the car turned in beneath beneatha a vine covered d archway and stopped nt at the door of a great house A lantern lantern lan Inn tern that was mellow and friendly hung at the step There was a n ter- ter garden ardell ridging gently down to toi tola tolt i lt pond far back from the road rondo These terraces terrace with lanes of roses end and Columbine were Lexington's respite from the wine streets that wanted him March's housekeeper Mrs Ames a n cheerfully dazed woman whose narrow hotly lody never ner ne r recovered reco from the exertions exertions exer exer- Hons of yesterday opened the the door to them They went directly to the stairs and ascended to an open door from which firelight danced out into the hallway As they entered a very old man put down his book bool and turned to face them hem There were ere no glasses before his e eyes c and through the pallor of age on his face showed yet a seasoned strength I know It Is early for a fire I 1 Ivas vas v.-as as not cold he said paid smiling but there are certain thoughts one oue cannot think without a bank of coals to look Into And my fire here has hns been out n nearly lly four months Yes and think of the time people who can alwa always s 's get along without an nn open grate rate said Andrew March The very old man had the manner of or one who has bas found a vital peace filled with more than memories His head was strangely long and ana something some some- thing tUng like nobility hovered about the tle wa wasted ted shoulders shoulder He De was the father of Andrew March Now the pray haired son closed the hall door and md brought to his fathers father's chair the tl tiny JY leather packet He said has hos dons done very well The father nodded and the light In his eyes meant long acquaintance with defeat Expectancy cau caught ht his features features fea lea tures lures and turned them almost youth ful full The bit of leather lentner was placed in to his hand and he drew v from tram it a square of white e silk It was WIlS tightly creased of firmest texture Traced In purple upon one side was a line crook crooked eel and trailing It was totted and crinkled fanciful as some river of the moon Along the margin of the silk certain Chinese characters were etched This Is not a n mantra as ns we had bowed At hoped bope At At these words Con felt a rush of ot disappointment But the old It be of voice went on though on though may great tat help to us It Is a map The three men studied the purple line as It tt It veered across the silk but only anly the eldest could read the char char- acter A mantra he lie said would have been your our passport with traders ird it'd thieves and they would try as us always to de deceive e elve you direct you falsely If th they y were content not to murder Whatever their hate of one mother another they league eague against the tray tray- ler eler who would pass their Inner boun boun- lades laries It would have been a bodily protection In the desert tribes If It you had managed to proceed so far But Buton on this silk is the route Itself in intended In- In tended leaded for the tho return Journey of their messenger What are arc the words All signs prayer save one which reads Shan sung You know the Tillage Til lage laJe A Andrew Stephen Marcs s s 's son knew men It bitter bitter- ly Iy Levington was trembling with eagerness Tro Ti-c old man did not glance up from the silken map This begins at sung Shan and runs rung westward Each dot marks a n days day's s travel I suppose suppose sup sup- pose In favorable circumstances No water Is Indicated until this point nearl nearly a month Into the West Th Those These e faint fn Int stars show v the lay Iny of the time hlll hills v as sk Hl d to tell how he secured this treasure treasure You found the man for me replied replied re re- replied plied Con and that was the most difficult part Two nl nights l ts ago I waited waited wait wait- ed eel on the Kitchen roof of the Verifier er house until Chee Wing Ming had finished reading his Chinese newspaper Ills His window opens out upon the roof There are only tree-tops tree and open spaces bt beyond yond and his privacy acy should have been perfect He lie n neglected lert d to draw drU the curtain until after I had seen tl tl tJ bit of leather hanging on his chest m rd d told me to expect something of the sort although he did not raise It to his lips before ing lag Since this this- Is not a mantra concluded con eluded the old man Here flere was the boundary of Levington's Leving- Leving tons ton's knowledge on the subject Chee Chec CheeMing CheeMing Ming had b been en pointed out by Andrew March l and a task assigned Con had v I i V f V ii 1 Si t if 1 b 1 tt I 1 l r d Both Father and Son Regarded the Young Man Before Them reason to trust his new friend even cven If he lie felt that the March Marcum Interests were ele remote and strangely secret The father futher leaned enned back in his chair sighing He looked up at the grave fac of his sot SOP and said It may be bethe bethe bethe the hand of ot God or It may be only the hope of our foolish hearts hearts failure failure that Is never final but final but it seems Andrew Andrew Andrew An An- drew you have fount another beginning begin begin- ning The son bowed his head Stephen March added Levington has hns Indeed done very ery well Both Bath father and son quietly regarded regard regard- ed the young oung man before them It seemed as if they had known knorn him a along along long iong while that he belonged to them They were aware of the quality that had hod been suppressed in a n disastrous childhood hood The old father was always searching for some sign of violence of ot which Andrew had spoken and it seemed to please him to find In Lev Lev- modesty and calmness a n quick glint now and then a lI light ht that touch to ed ed Cons Con's eyes In unexpected moments a far fur line to passion reminiscent of ot satyr and centaur and ond the wine-dim wine slopes of abandon They felt his power and It ltd many dangers to him self Above e all nil they loved a n personal Integrity which they found perfect What further preparations asked Stephen Andrew turned to Levington When will you be ready to co go 01 To The ancient figure In the chair choir looked looked look look- ed thoughtfully into tho the fire His words made fio floating pictures for tor Con tS is If the shadowy golden stories of Chinky Bill were about to continue before before before be be- fore his eyes You seek a country that may never be known Perhaps it is entirely a I rumor a race old fancy and fear You Tou have heard the time tales that are arc told If they be false falso or true and If It the white man has ever passed beyond that land border of af pain no one ha has come back to us with proof I have seen the look on the time faces of those who had attempted the passage and I It was not pleasant my son fion The I centers of tho the world have shifted many times yet et that weird realm of the true half true the real half has gone unchallenged I think Its life goes at nt too swift a pace for us something us dizzy about It Even th the wild beasts avoid those boundaries The air will rise and fall fuJI about you ou like a n living presence your sight Right will be whipped across with bewilderment and pain You have seen that their bravest carry a map by which to return home home homer If r home it be In the silence that followed the theold theold theold old mans man's thoughts seemed to live In J Inthe inthe the air of the room and the glow from the hearth was oddly like desert sunlight sun sun- light CHAPTER III The Far Call Although they supplied him with more mo money ey than an any one needs Levington Levington Lev Lev- ington was not inclined to stack worldly world world- ly y possessions His very humble years ears In In Dowagiac had taught him how little the time human creature requires Somewhere lu a n boyhood of neglect and frn frayed ed edges he Ime ha haO learned how to feel rich without at ac array of trinkets To-nl To night To-night ht his travel bag a ablack ablack black billel slouchy leather affair dear to his heart for having been through a arent great rent deal with him was packed with clean things timings and room at nt the top lie traveled light Th Time The distant draw of the sands was up upon n him now rousing the the old old lonell- lonell loneliness ness that t sometimes made trouble At such times Con thought of his mother TIle The woman next door had hud I told him him enough to identify his fathers father's beloved with the time nameless beauty in I his own wn heart The hurt of this thise loveliness love love- loveliness e liness was often the starting starting point point for fora a rampage In the gutters A sweetness sweetness sweet sweet- ness was forever eluding him It f wept near in the words of Stephen March and at nt last then therm was a guidance guid guld ance upon his energies Their talk talle of danger wits was only a n courtesy courtes as Con regarded re rev It For one who had known the red reel tangles jos of the underworld peril was no more to b be feared than thunder In tI the night Andrew March entered Cons Con's room It might he be better hotter to leave lea a dark house houst he su suggested I l understand replied Lc Ill find a n cab over o at nt the end of the park That ou ought ht to break any con connection on with you here You do not regret your acceptance accept ance Far ar from It declared Con hastily Do you mind going alone No it will do me good I er e everything e to think over o Its It's rather a u strain you ou sec such sec such a novelty novelty- tills tiis strait and narrow They laughed You haven't collapsed un under udder er It said March It Isn't narrow the way youve you've brought it to me I have told you continued the haired gray friend that probably you OU will never return Their glances met and held a moment mo mo- ment mente The Time elder sought a possible trace of fear but did not find It Levington Lev Lev- Ington had the rood taste not to utter brave words He had hod accepted his I mission i There Is used In the Orient a very thin parchment as ns grateful to the tips finger as aa the tho cheek check of a babe baLe smooth as swans swan's down and even more sacred to yellow men Wear Near this Mils over o your heart heart beart said Andrew March arch smiling A small folded folde parchment was as placed In Cons Con's hand It was a duplicate of the time map mop on the stolen square of silk This copy was In a soft leather sack the size of a n visiting card to be secured secured se se- cured about his neck by a leather cord Andrew then gave him a sealed scaled envelope envelope en cn and ond In n regard to it said I haven't 1 l leen een very explicit with you Con There are some things that are not mine to tell you you now you now When you have opened and road rend It you will committed yourself and you must not turn back The breaking of tho the seal is your pledge But Dut until then you are free froe you have no obligations obligations obliga obliga- of any kind to me mo or any one ODe I else You will understand understand-In In Shan Shan- Snag sung r March smiled faintly almost with solemnity bowed accepting accept In ing time tho small sealed packet pocket He lie picked packed It to the bottom of the bag Presently they went to the fathers father's I room The old man stood up tall and steady the light of ot youth in his eyes There was a brief farewell firmly spoken Again In Levington's room Andrew March gripped tho the young YO mans man's hand a little more tensely than usual and the silence between these I two was vital with enduring affection then took his leave it t was not yet midnight Con watt walt e eo 1 In his room while the lights of the March house were dimmed Into a aI anew anew new clarity of ot mind came Images from I his earliest days Shasta days Shasta that that that- beckoned beckon beckon- ed the alley in Memphis ane and one humid evening in the harbor of El Elop op- op urn ura Con wanted his father forgetting forgetting forget forget- ting that he be was twenty five About one o'clock he turned out his own light and left the friendly room passing down the hall the black bag ba with hurl hIm At the door of Andrew March's room he paused an Instant His ben benefactor was sleeping the bedroom door partly open Con had hadnot hadnot hadnot not stopped from sentiment but smut ut In the darkness he caught a curious scent as of cinnamon and musty wine It whisked him back to a kitchen In Dory street and he shuddered shudder d without knowing exactly why It was like his father shadowy father shadowy Intimate heavy fated ns as as If March must share this with John as a personal quality Con almost believed ho he Imagined the perfume It was the very odor of darkness soft and satiny He passed o 0 Ci down through the darkened house and suddenly found himself wishing he had not paused before the open door Precaution In leaving the March house houe was part of Cons Con's Instructions Whatever the Chinese cook might I have told his master and nd young Wed Wed- ger In turn communicated to the police police police po po- po- po lice after the singular occurrences In Inthe Inthe inthe the Weder pantry Levington felt safe for the present He De doubted If Chee Ming Ung would dare give an honest account because of the nature of that which had been taken from him Cecil would be anno annoyed ed puzzled puzzle even angry with his vanished guest Chee Ming would probably obscure the time matter further Con recalled the energy of that slim Oriental body body Con did not go go godown down to the front gate |