CHAPTER XIX
STRANGE COMPANIONS
Our hero was not slow in discovering that the native saw something inthe ring he wore which centered his attention and interest. As Davesmiled and looked upon him in a friendly way, the man showed lessstrangeness and timidity.
He touched the ring now and arose to his feet. He again touched the ringand then two of his fingers. Dave fancied that he understood hiscompanion. He believed that the man wished to inform him that there wasanother ring—two rings, both alike.
Then the native again inspected his restored prayer mill. He gazed at itfondly, with a great smile of joy. He pointed at the spear and shudderedand shrank away from it. Then he fairly beamed on the young airman. Hedropped to the ground and placed Dave’s foot on his neck. He acted as ifhe 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 thering. The native made a motion to describe a long flowing beard.Adrianoffski wore such and doubtless his partner did also. Now our herofelt certain that not only was the ring familiar to the native, butlikewise that he was telling that its duplicate belonged to Ben MahanondAdasse, and that he knew the merchant.
“Where?” spoke Dave, and exhausted his pantomimic skill in trying toexpress the word in signs. He pointed first in one direction and then inthe 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 thehorizon. He tried to express distance. The young aviator by signsconveyed the idea that he wished to see the owner of the other ring, theman with long flowing beard.
The native nodded a dozen times with intelligence and satisfaction. Hepromptly took up his knapsack and spear and faced about, posed to assumethe part of a guide.
The pilot of the _Comet_ did not wish to leave his friends withoutapprising them of his intentions. He motioned to the native to remainwhere he was. He then went up the hillside about half way. He knew thathis comrades could now hear him.
Dave in a sing-song voice, so as not to make the native suspect that hewas speaking to anybody, managed to tell Hiram and Elmer as to hisplans. When he came back to the valley the man started away and Davefollowed him.
It was not more than three miles from the hill that they began to near ahigh enclosure. It was formed of high, thick stakes driven closetogether, and was a kind of palisade. The native halted at its rear. Heselected 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 metallatch moving, and a section of the palisade opened. Dave’s guide pulledhim inside a yard. He led the way to a flat, broad building that filledall the front of the place. They entered a room dimly lighted, piledhigh with furs, pelts and wicker boxes of merchandise. It was a greatwarehouse, the young airman surmised, stored with rich silks fromPersia, teas from China, ivory and oils from India, and miner’s suppliesfor the secret, guarded gold mines of Thibet.
When they came to a door with a sash in its upper part, Dave glancedcuriously through this window. The front of the building was open. Uponplatforms there were displayed in great confusion all kinds of goods. Anoisy throng was bartering and bustling about, as if it was some streetfair. 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 toarouse some instinct of caution. He motioned his companion to remainwhere he was, and passed out into the emporium. In a very few minutes hereturned with a long-bearded man. Dave noted his resemblance in featureand 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 farinto 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, hisface 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 comfortableroom. Its owner spoke English quite as well as his partner. He told hisguest that he would get through his trading as quickly as possible, andreturn to entertain him.
This did not occur for nearly an hour. It was dusk by then, lamps werelit, curtains drawn, and two native servants brought in an appetizingmeal.
All this time the native to whom Dave had restored the prayer mill laydown upon a mat in the room. Adasse explained to his guest that the manwas named Faiow. He was a trusted agent, sometimes employed by Adasse inmaking sales to persons in Lhassa.
The young airman found Adasse to be quite as kindly disposed towards himas Adrianoffski had been. Dave inquired closely as to Lhassa and itsmysteries. Finally he made up his mind to implicitly trust his host.
From an inner pocket Dave drew a photograph. It was the one furnished tohim at Washington by Miss Edna Deane. The picture of her missingbrother.
“I have come a long distance to find this man,” said Dave. “He is anexplorer, detained in Lhassa.”
“You expect to find him!” exclaimed Adasse, in a startled tone. “Ah, myfriend, you seek death in even speaking of it, should one of thefaithful hear you. Many rash explorers and adventurers have ventured topass the gates of Lhassa. They have never returned.”
The speaker as well as the young airman started as a voice behind themuttered a sharp intelligent sound. It proceeded from Faiow, who,unheeded by them, had been moving about the room. Looking up, Dave sawthe man with his eyes fixed upon the photograph.
“Speak to him,” said Dave, quickly. “I believe that picture suggestssomething to him.”
Adasse directed some questions in the native tongue to Faiow, and therewas quite a colloquy between them. Then the Russian turned to his guestwith 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 seehim.”
“Take me into Lhassa?” asked Dave, wonderingly.
“Yes. His gratitude towards you is almost fanatical. Let me questionfurther.”
It was at the end of a second conversation with the native that Adasseimparted 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 templeof Oi-Fou-Jan. It is there that he has seen a man, a stranger, the facein that picture. He says there are several of these intruders in thecity. They have been imprisoned in strong dungeons, or given menial workto do for the priests. The grand Llama will not permit them to beexecuted, 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 ourhero.
“Faiow will arrange all that, he says,” replied Adasse. “You wish toknow where your friend is?”
“Yes,” nodded Dave.
“He promises to show you. No outsider is allowed to enter the city gatesunveiled. He says it is better to go now. He will provide you with agarb like his own. Weekly he carries two bags of dates boiled in honeyto the city priest. You will help him, appearing as his servant. Youwill probably pass muster. But, if you are suspected, it will mean suredeath.”
“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 thenative. Each carried a bag, each wore the native costume, and each wasveiled.
The pilot of the _Comet_ knew that his fellow aviators would take goodcare of the biplane. He was anxious primarily to find out where youngDeane was imprisoned. He did not understand the Thibetan tongue, andtherefore could not converse with his g
uide. He felt sure, however, thathe could rely on the fidelity and intelligence of Faiow.
They reached the gates of the city in about two hours. Faiow and hiscompanion were admitted without challenge. Dave was filled with interestat all the strange sights he viewed. Immense temples and queerlyconstructed stores and houses were on every hand. A busy populace filledthe lighted streets. Faiow finally reached a temple, in front of whichwas a great squat idol, its feet alone ten feet across. Its hideous headreached up nearly to the roof of a high, broad, stone pillar-shapedstructure.
In front of it Faiow halted. He touched the arm of his companion toattract his attention, and pointed to the roof of the building. This wasguarded with a sort of railing. At intervals along this lamps wereburning.
Ever and anon a bird resembling a stork would light on the railing. Aman approached them, bearing on the end of a golden rod a fragment offood. He would feed this to a bird, and then go to another of hisfeathery visitors.
The young airman thrilled, as in the full flare of the many lights heclosely studied the face of this strange hermit aloft. Even at thatdistance he was able to observe that the lone roof sentinel was not anative.
“It is my man,” spoke the young pilot of the _Comet_ to himself. “I havefound the missing Morris Deane!”