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.”