cHAPTER
Such a consummation as that anticipated at the close of the last chapter, seemed to remain in the immeasurable distance, however, for grave charges had been laid against the prefect Er Chi-tsou by Ma Chiiang's uncle at the capital. To wit, that he had been wandering about in disguise, thus violating the proprieties of office'; that he had oppressed a virtuous and respectable man by means of guile; and that he was in league with o band of robbers who had plundered the said virtuous citizen's goods in a shameless manner. Whereupon an Imperial decree was sent to Hangchow, commanding that Ma Chiang should be brought to the Capital for trial, that the prefect's office should be taken from Er Chi-tsou until the matter was set-tied, and that he should appear at the high court of justice to answer the grave charges made against him. So Er Chi-tsou had to hand his seals of office to another, and xepair to the capital in disgrace.
Moreover, His Excellency Pao, having been Er Chi-tsou's examiner, and having recommended him to office, was legally dis-Talided from judging the cuse, which thus fall into the hands of a. more ordinary judge named Win. The Bla Ch'aarhstens igh in Imperial favour, had come forward as the protector of his oppressed nephew Ma Chiang.
The latter stated his accusations in no measured terms. And Er Chi-tsou related the whole facts of the case, and how that his own life would have been forfeited but for the noble offices of the maiden Li, and Peh-hsia the Knight of the North. After which he was asked to retire.
His Excellency Wen, on weighing matters over, decided that' with such powerful influence at Court as Ma Chiang possessed, it would be well-nigh impossible to bring him to the required confession, which woul legally settle the ease. The only thing, meanwhile, was to search for Peh-hsia, and ness, He accordingly ingulfed of Er Chi-clear up that part of the complicated busi-
tsou as to the character of the person in question, and among other items of information which the ex-prefect was able to give, was the fact of Peh-hsia being a sworn. brothel arms with a certain hero named Chan, who had been ennobled with a knighthood by the Emperor, and who by his association with Peh-hsia was commonly known as the Knight of the South.
That being so, His Excellency arranged to lay the matter before the Emperor, and meanwhile appointed Er Chi-tsou a lodging-place in the temple of the prison-god.
When the Emperor had heard the story, he appointed one of his ennobled knights named Vu-tang to go and find Peh-hsia and bring him fo the capital.
'A farewell feast was held, and Yutfang's companions in Imperial favour and Imightly prowess asked him what his plan of action was. Would ho invite him to the capital as a friend, or was he going to catch him with subtlety and require him to come? They strongly urged the former method.
'But Vu-tang was ever high spirited and wilful, and inwardly resolved neither to take his friends' advice, nor to introduce himself to the local mandarins, but to trust to his own Page? of dexterity and muscular force. To tell the truth, he was jealous of Peh-hsia, and wished to prove his own superior abilities.
Taking a mere lad with him, he went off on horseback to Hangchow. 'The journey was uneventful, and so were his first two or three days' of residence there. His young attendant went hither and thither making inquiries, but without result. So he attired himself in the gorgeous clothing of a dandified scholar, and putting on that coup de grace, a swaggering gait, he went out for a ramble in the country, making inquiries of farmers and pedestrians, but none of them had met any one answering to the description of the Knight of the North, who though unknown to Vu-tang by sight, had such a distinctive face and physique that he was easy of identification.
The pseudo-scholar wandered on as far arden a mile of so from the ci and rested there awhile, when it came on train, Attired as he was, he naturally waited for it to clear up, but the rain inerensed rather than diminished. In a little time the country road-paths would be well nigh impassable for mud, and it was getting late, so with his broad sleeve sheltering his fine hat he hurried back homewards. It was not easy walking and he was getting very wet. So seeing temple by the wayside, he knocked and asked for shelter.
'He was refused under the plea that the place was a nunnery. But his suspicions were aroused by hearing " woman': call out, "Your master is here, my la Andafter th: side door had been shut, he found a lad outside, who had not heard the voice, looking for his master, who had left something behind, and sent him back to it in the porch, mate matters, a bit—as various dark deeds were per petrated upon belated travellers in such as now dark, and by methods in vogue among the knights of that period, had soon sealed the wall, and dropped down into the court-yard, a listener to the conversation going on The Taoist nuns, evidently of evil character, trying to persuade a young sche drink' wive with them, as a_ preliminary to getting him into their power. And being a student with little knowledge of the ways of the world, he was argue with them out of the classies, as though book-phrases had equal force of appeal to them as to himself. He had entered to escape the heavy rain, and now they intended to keep hima prisoner. So much was evident.
After waiting some time, Vu-tang startied the company by entering. and to the great scundalisation of the scholar, seemed ready for any conviviality that the nos had to offer. He drank a proffered cup of wine handed him by each nun, inquired their names, made some witty' remarks upon each, and appealed to the scholar as to whether he had not answered well, taking each nun by the hand as he did so. The other was horrified at his loose ways.
When all at once, the two nuns began to cry out, " Hi You'll kill us! Let 0!" for his g ightened until their hands seemed held in a vice.
And now the real man showed himself, and with well-deserved epithets he recused the nuns of harming many a man, and probably causing the death of others.
They knelt and implored mercy, until the scholar himself began to intercede for them, albeit in book-phrases still. They confessed that there was a young man who had fallen into their toils, lying ill in an apartment behind. And Vu-tang nade them promise to send word to his parents next morning, and have hint fetched home, and he (Vu-tang) would come again ina day or two to see if they had done so. Any trickery, and off they should be sent tothe yamen. Then he ict them go, and with aching hands they creptaway inside.
(To be continued.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.