On receiving the other half of the token not restrain an exclamation of astonish-But his retainer Er Chung came pack in ha him to flight for every moment was precious. And took him by the xm and hurried him away The rescued prefect could not but tarn his head-for a moment, but the light had gone, and the door was shut.
Meanwhile Fung-chen returned through the garden, with her heart beating ly. Then all at once she thought not complete the business and save the old man's daughter from the cellar-prison 7" 8a che went there, found a key that Gtred, opened the door, and asked the captive whether there was anyone's house near, where she could hide.
Yer," replied the other, "I have an sunt living not far off." So she let her out of the garden door.
Then she thought over what she had done, and how devoid of protection she herself was in the household of such a villain as Ma Ch'inng.. Until, after much Cogitation, she resolved to enter the cellar-prison herself, and there end her days by suicide, No other course seemed open to her.
Having made up her mind, she entered the loathsome place, undid' her girdle, Bu ended it from a beam, and with ip-knot round her neck, hung there till consciousness became dim. And then, she knew not how, emed to feel herself supported on aman's body. Then, when consciousness returned once more, she seemed to hear a voice saying: "You mean rascal, attacking © man with quarter-stati!" Whereat she was more than puzzled. Shw had certainly hung herself, but whether dead or alive now, she hardly knew.
These strange sensations of hers are to be explained by a strange series of events, To. begin with, one of Ma Ch'iang's disble crew had formed a plan of seizing the daughter of the old man Ts'ui, carrying her off from the cellar-prison, and forcing her to marry him. On arriv ing at the prison, he war surprised to find the door open, and atill more on enter to knock up against a suspended body. But rec: ing from his fright, he stopped its swinging motion, and on listening for a heard the sound of hoarse breathing in the throat. Feeling upwards in the d rk, he untied the knot, and laid the bit' ently down, then taking the left hand an his right, and the right hand in his left, he turned round, lifted the body on to his back, and made for the garden door. He was astonished to find it unfastened, but felt that his present business was not £0 inquire but to flee. So on he ran for over & mile, when he encountered a man who made xt him with a quarter-staff. Bat keeping his wits about him, he dodged the blows, and seizing his opportunity, took hold of the staff, wrenched it out of his opponent's hand, and knocked him down with his own weapon, say mean rascal. attacking a' fellow quarter-staff." Which words were the Grst that Fung-chen happened to hear as conseiousnens returned.
But strange to relate, as the rascal of the the quarter-staff fled, he encountered a stalwart man who stopped him, and demanded to know what he was doing there. Whereupon he immediately knelt and headed for help, saying that a villain armed with a quarter-staff had robbed him of a bundle which he had been carrying.
This third man, who was none other than the Knight of the North, asked at once where the robber was, "Not far off, behind me, yonder," was the reply. And unsheathing his good sword, the knight advanced in the direction indicater, and called to the other to put his booty down, binking that it was an associate of the man who had first attacked him, he pat the maiden down under a tree, and advanced to attack the new-comer with the quarter-stof' he hed wrested from the would-be robber. One cut with the knights good sword staff was sund-ted the sword of Ma Chiang's retainer quickly followed suit. Then the man took to his heels. which, the other advanced, say-Thanks, noble Sir, for your timely help my bundle is under the tree yonder."
"Then come with me and take it," said the knight.
The robber was in hig! a prize so easily. But what was his surprise to see the bundle move! It was alive! At which even the Knight of the North gave a start. Then addressing the figure on the ground he asked an explanation, and x maiden's voice replied: *I am in trouble. One man stole me away on his hack, and was attacked by his other man Obs please," 4 driven to it, id truly.' It is all for the mike of an aged mother over eighty. Let me off, I beseech you.
came this maiden here Answer at once "Tknow nothing about it, indeed 1 do not. Ask her." Which the knight di tightening his grip of the villain mea while.
When she had told all she knew. following her attempted suicide, the good knight was in x dificult xs to how to convey the maiden xt night-time to a place of safety, especially ax he himself was a stranger in these parts, Then all at once he hit upon a plan, and pro-coeded to carry it out; so he said to the robber: You have an aged mother, you say?"
WAT should not dare to deceive you again, Sir."
Where do you live?"
"Not far off. Less than a mile away."
will let you go if you will promise one thing."
"You have only to conimand, Si "Well, carry this maiden home on your back. Then T will decide what to do nest."
The robber was silent.
"Oh! You are unw knight, seizing him with iron "Hai ya! Pin willing! I'll carry hee!" cried the robber.
"Be sure you carry her carefully, and I will reward you; but any tricks, and off comes your head as cleanly as the end of the quatter-staff did just now The man took Fang-chen on his back, and the knight followed hard after. They re-ched the house and knocked at the door, where we must leave them for a moment, in order to explain what bad already happened inside.
To return to the fortunes of the prefect, whom we left hurrying away from Ma Ch'iang's premises along the road to the city, his retainer, the one a! scholar of delicate frame, the other a man of whitening hairs. They were fleeing in the dak, und before a mile had been covered, the young man was out of breath, arid pleased to rest awhile. The old man was fire! too, but said: "IF we rest at all, we must make up for lost time afterwards."
"Yes, yes, but how came she by this jade lotus?"
What jade lotus?" asked the other, with his mind bent only on flight.
"The maiden who rescued us just now said her father was suffering grievous wrong, and, as token of identification, she gave me this white lotus, and as I gazed at it by the Licht of her' lantern, found it e-responded with mine exactly form and colour and lustre, Tans just ko inquiries when you hurtied T feel sorely puzzled about, need to feel thus, surely, Si There are plenty of jade trinkets made of smiler pattern. Bat as to the maiden ho saved she was very and feel sure you will recompense kindness with kindness, and not discrepancies of rank stand in the way.
"Ah me!" sighed the other, "here are we two fleeing for our lives, and you talking of discrepancies of rank!". And hardly bad the words been uttered, when to their alarm, they heard the sounds of galloping in the distance and saw lanterns and torches coming along post haste.
"We are lost exclaimed the old man. "Let me go back and meet them, while you xo on alone. Better one die than two," and of he ran toward the eastwards. But as the distance between him and the pursuers lessened, he saw them suddenly taking a turn toward the north-west. The fact was the pursuers were keeping to the main road, while he and his master had followed a branch roxd by mistake.
"AN!" gasped the old Ah! They are not on our track no: should have been evught if we mistaken the revd." And collecting hi thoughts for a moment, he recae-d his steps, seeking to find his master. He dared not call him by name, and so called, "Companion! Companion! Where are you?"
"Who calls?" replied a voice, but it was the voice of an old "Thave lost my companion in the dark," replied Er Chung.
"Tf that be so, let me help you call him," and the two united their efforts for a long j time, but. could hear no response to their calling, Then Er Chung asked the other where he was going.
"Alas," was the reply, 'a niece of mine named Ts'ui has been stolen.atway from her her's house, und I was going to try and get some news of her, when I heard some one ery out that a men rascal was attack ing him with a quarter-staff. Oh dour! What's to be done "And my companion and I have just barely escaped with our lives, And now hare lost him. And my legs ache, I can go no farther. What are w- to do?"
Then exch asked the other his name, Er Chung gave his name as Li, and the other his real name, Wang Purg-shan, And after d-bating a while, they saw a light in a cottage some distance off. They went up to the door. and -aid they were belated travellers who had encountered a man with a quarter-staff, could they be sheltered there till dawn?
The door was opened by a woman, who motioned them to the bed, and asked' them to sit down there.
"Have yon any hot water you could let us drink asked Er Chung.
"No hot water, but a little rough grain-spirit."
"Then pray warm a little for us, We have had a great fright."
She did so, but as they drank it, both began to feel dizzy. Said Wang, "Everything is turning round." So it is with me," exclaimed Er Chung. And soon after they rolled over on the bed, frothing at the mouth.
"There!" chuckled the woman, "T have attended to your wants. You risked. for warm spirit, and I have provided it. And now, perhaps, you will be good enough to get "ff my bed, and allow me to rest there myself."" And she tumbled them on to the floor, "ud pushed them Underneath the bed, sitting upon it and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.