ellow
robe under the great outer coat and saw his large knife sheathed in a
green leather scabbard and handled with horn and ivory. The other man
was the host of the yurta, the shepherd of a local prince, Novontziran.
He gave signs of great pleasure at seeing us and receiving us in his
yurta.

"Who was the rider on the bay horse?" we asked.

He dropped his eyes and was silent.

"Tell us," we insisted. "If you do not wish to speak his name, it means
that you are dealing with a bad character."

"No! No!" he remonstrated, flourishing his hands. "He is a good, great
man; but the law does not permit me to speak his name."

We at once understood that the man was either the chief of the shepherd
or some high Lama. Consequently we did not further insist and began
making our sleeping arrangements. Our host set three legs of mutton to
boil for us, skillfully cutting out the bones with his heavy knife. We
chatted and learned that no one had seen Red troops around this region
but in Kobdo and in Ulankom the Chinese soldiers were oppressing the
population, and were beating to death with the bamboo Mongol men who
were defending their women against the ravages of these Chinese troops.
Some of the Mongols had retreated to the mountains to join detachments
under the command of Kaigordoff, an Altai Tartar officer who was
supplying them with weapons.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE MYSTERIOUS LAMA AVENGER

We rested soundly in the yurta after the two days of travel which had
brought us one hundred seventy miles through the snow and sharp cold.
Round the evening meal of juicy mutton we were talking freely and
carelessly when suddenly we heard a low, hoarse voice:

"Sayn--Good evening!"

We turned around from the brazier to the door and saw a medium height,
very heavy set Mongol in deerskin overcoat and cap with side flaps and
the long, wide tying strings of the same material. Under his girdle
lay the same large knife in the green sheath which we had seen on the
departing horseman.

"Amoursayn," we answered.

He quickly untied his girdle and laid aside his overcoat. He stood
before us in a wonderful gown of silk, yellow as beaten gold and girt
with a brilliant blue sash. His cleanly shaven face, short hair, red
coral rosary on the left hand and his yellow garment proved clearly that
before us stood some high Lama Priest,--with a big Colt under his blue
sash!

I turned to my host and Tzeren and read in their faces fear and
venerat