The two "TTR Y- continued. characte' "men, each now satisfied as to the obeisy Of the other, made their mutual for neces and sat down to consult other. When, all at once, the "oer-blind moved, and in walked a stalwart suum and the scholar's little serving-lad. Mutual explanations followed between the lad and his master, and as the rain had ceased, the two went out together on their homeward way.
Vu-tang and the latest arrival remained awhile and exchanged notes as to name and status. When to Vu-t'ang's surprise and ignominy he discovered that he himself had been shadowed by the very man he had hoped to catch, that the whole of the recent conversation with the nuns had been overheard from the roof above, and that the listener who had let in the lad at the front door, and now sat beside him was none other than the Knight of the North. For one who prided himself on his detective ability and dexterity in general, this was anything but a flattering state of po "How is that?" the other enquired. And Piet related How that both the prefecband Ma Ch'iang were being tried at the Supreme Court, and that Peh-hsia's own presence was required fo clear up one point of the case.
The worthy knight was not pleased at this turn of events, but at o13ce apologised for not having paid his companion the and asked in what inanner- he had been see pect due to an Imperial Commissioner, ordered to bring him to the capital.
Yurt'ang invited him to als lodgings, as it was time they were clea r of the nuns' temple, and private conver sation was dif cult there. The knight consented, and they made their exit by the same means as they had entered.
Then Vu-tang pretend' ing to give way to his friend," stumble d ayainst him violently. But it might have been a fly colliding against a stone} jiller. He stood the shock without mov ing, then turner round and with one har id released him se' if from the grip of the " ther, who had "to own that his streng' gh had not be on exaggerated.
Then the Knight of the North asked the other on what honourable business he had come to visit Hangchow.
"On your behalf." invite the other to accompery him And flow was Vu-t'ang's opportunity to related here in det all. But from the meeting in the our ing, there entry seat of the brothers arose a whole train of conse+ quences, se"
ne of them of a most startling Para ® ad of these the reader must be capacity of a friend, but having previously th 2 made up his mind, he answered sharply' rer, fine country seat had been the That is the Emperor's business, and og wre "lezvous where the Knight had arrange have met, you will do. tall oran one o must his friends in the me without wasting words over the matter The other replied, with a sarcastic sin' that he was nota particularly rile. fellow, and it would hardly be see _~bject him to follow the other to the -™ly for tame a fashion. But although ital in too trace of irritation in his te there was a was made mainly to cal ®, the remark worthy of a gentlow: forth some reply replied sharply: 7" _-"m. "But Vu-tang to you, you'd xe? - [were to speak mildly better set for use to come, We had and if T cor -ud see who is the strong:
blu pel you to come after that, await good," replied the other, "I your admonitions in the noble art of defence." And the two adjusted their garments and prepared for action. At first it was merely'.y, sturing, but at last Vu-tang made at his "pnent's face with the palm of his hand. Tien the other dodged the blow, and with two fingers in Vu-tang's doubled hin: up completely. He lay lik "wood-carved mud-moulded" image, while "the golden stars rolled before his eyes," and his ears were filled with rumblings. Then Peh-hsia apologised for his roughness, but Vu-tang without a word in reply. made his way to his lodgings, and being too ashamed to enter the front door in his present condition, managed to scale the wall, His serving-lad was more than astonished to see his master thus downcast, and brought in a cup of tea, But he was ordered to go to the front and have some freshly brewed.
When the lad was out of the way, Yutang went into his bedroom sighing, "Enough Enough I can never have the face to return to my brothers at the capital after disregarding: all their advice girdle, mounted. a chair, tied the girdle to And the headstrong yours man undid his
a beam, and was adjusting the noose in the datk—when the girdle fell from the beam. He tied it again, and again it fell. He did so the third tine, but with the same result.
"The thing is bewitched he exclaimed "Tt seems that I am not rated you are much too hasty," beside hi ud, for the voice was the voice of the Knight of the North. Recognising which he just sank down upon a chair without speaking.
What is your plan, my brother asked the other. Surely you are never yoing to die for a trifling matter like thi do, 1, will too. How could I fi fried sat the capital if you perished for any fault of mine? Who would have thor ight that you valued your life so lightly, and. mine too? If you wanted me to wit h you, why not have consulted with mr, frankly? Did you not just consi jer your own face and forget mine?
ives not the Sage say: & What you do not cant done to.yourself, do not do to others?"
you would not be willing to he treated this, would others he likely to be willing 7"
"What do you propose, then?" asked Vu-tang.
The plan (related at length in the Chinese) was for Vu-tang to go to a mutual friend's house, where lived the brothers Ting, and there enquire for Peh-hsia, who could thus be invited de-noro, and. who would then go to the capital asa friend, and not as captive. In this way there would be no loss of face on either side.
This proposal of the Knight of the North was accordingly carried out, and need not be episode—Chih-h ud his clever pupil, had arrived, had quiries, had confessed tie ssu. enor prowess and sterling worth of Peh-hsia; the latter had come forward most cheerfully; the two had started for the capital, and Chih-bux and the broth 5 were sitting together oppressed with melancholy. Here magistrate of the kind that the ed, who, venturing to unearth " tampa the binations" of ranean' bullydom, had been deprived of his office, and ordered to the capital in disgrace; and their noble friend the Knizht of the North was also implicated, Then Ma Ch'iang's uncle was known to be unfaithful to his Emperor, and was at the present moment shielding his rascally nephew in defiance of all justice, at the expense.of the oppressed populace and the wronged magistrate who Ind dared to do right.
"Te only the power of Ma, Ch*ao-hsien™ could be broken, it would Ie easy to deal with Ma Ch'iang," said Chih-hua, not entrap them both in one one of the brothers Ting.
"IE we are to attempt that," replied Chih-hua, deep stratagem and deception re the only feasible means. It will involve ing Ma Ch*so-hsien a criminal in a ter in which ho cannot clear hiniself, and serve him right for he is a criminal on like matters in secret. Thave a phu, but the task of carrying it out is altogether too great. We cannot manage it."
"Why not tell us," said the elder Ting, "then we can see whether it is workable or no "Well," replied Chih-hua, from the time that I joined the band of retainers onder, T saw that Ma Ch'iang was plot.
reason in company with the prince of Hsiangyang, and that his uncle at Court was lending' his support to everything that Ma Ch'iang did. And now that his affairs have reached this crisis, the plan would be to make his treason apparent in such a way as would not only convict him and his but clip the wings of the treasonous.
ince of Hsiangyang.
"But marder to carry out the plan four essentials must be procured, all of them attended with difficulty. The first is a certain important item from the Imperial palace, though I could manage that iayself. The second is an old man and child, best a little girl, who would be my accomplices in securing this treasure. They will have to be courageous, and able to suffer hardship. The third essential is that. having secured the said treasure, it must be secreted in Ma Chtiang's house though he had stolen it."
"As tw the third matter," interrupted the younger Ting, "I can manage that. What is the fourth?
"Ay, the fourth is the real difficulty. The fourth essential is aman with all his wits about him, who will come forward and accuse Ma Ch'iang, and carry the case through in the presence of the undeceivable, Judge Pao at the Supreme Court. Everything hangs on thi To fail in this is to fail in the whole scheme. And where is such a man to be found?"
"What about myself?" asked the lad Ai-hu.
"You!" exclaimed Chih-hua, staring at him in astonishment. " What do you know, a child like you? How could you undertake " tremendous enterprise like this?"
As far as I sec," replied the lad, "there is nobody else to be got, and if"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.