Then his wife called were all yone, too, Sa she guessed by what means the prefect had been rescued, Ma Chuang opened the proceedings by friends what his wife had said, and Shen received the message in. silence. a seemed st h Te will never The rest said do to wait till the sok and the talk about resisting to kill the prefect. That will stop his mouth, Then when the soldiers ome to-morcos we can say we know nothing about hi Tf we all swear it with they will have to be us." And besides the way to de.
Roll the whole matter off your shoulders, my_ lord, and shine out 4 very hero, And if you fail, you have us here, united in purpose and Prowess to save you. Then we can all of us xo off to the Prince of Hsiangyang. Is not the whole plan an excellent one While Ma Ch'iang listened to this harangue, his heart began to swell with nvatial dignity and valour, and immediately calling Ma Yung, he ordered him to go to the cellar. n and put an end to the Which done, he was to cast the body into an old well in the back yard.
will xo tov, and help Ma Yung," said Chih Hua.
"All the better if you will," said Ma When they reached the door, Chih Hua said to the sentinels: You go and rest, We have come at the commander's orders to relieve you, If the prisoner escapes again, that is on look-out, not yours." So Ind enough to be responsibility.
Why did you send them away 2" asked Ma Vu "Because the business is secret. Why et every one know it?"
"Who is to go in first 2"
"I will," said Chih Hua, Then when the door was opened, he said, ' Where is the sword 2"
"Here."
"Give it me." And taking it, he swung it round and killed Ma Yung. Then to the prefect, "Stay here awhile, and I will come back and sare you."
He lifted up the corpse, carried it into the back-yard, and threw it into the well. Then he came back in all haste.
And lo and behold! The prefect had disappeared Chih Hun was startled beyond measure. Then he recovered himself, and thought "This is a bit of Shéu's doing.
Thalf guessed that he wanted to save the prefect himself. I must go and see." So he went "hurriedly and softly to the Institute and peeped in, They were all there, Shen included. So he scaled "the wall, got outside, and looked about carefully.
As he did so, he caught sight of a shadow disappearing into a copse. He followed it, and heard a voice saying: "Friend Chih Hus, it is myself." And he recognised the tones to be those of the "Knight of the North, "Good. I have a helper, than.
Where is the prefect?"
There, under that tree Then in consultation with the prefect, it was arranged that Ma Chang should be seized the following night at the beginning [of the second watch; and Chih Hua was to help from within the house. The prefect, however, on adding his thanks, said {that he hnd gon~ through so much during ithe Fast day or so, that she had little strength left to walk to the city. And besides, he did not know the way.
While he was spanking, the sound of horse-hoofs was heard, and anon a voice j said softly: "I have brought the prefect's Just in the nick of time," said Chih Hua to his young hopeful, for it was he.
he horse here,"
Who is that Ind asked the Knight, young pupil of mine, named Ai Hu, a boy with a lot of pluck in him." And to the Iad's great delight, he introduced him to the Knight, of whose doughty deeds he had heard much.
Now go back," said the knight, "for fear of arousing suspicion, I will' see the prefect safely into town,"
Aw the two returned, Chih Hun asked Ai Hu, How did you manage it"
"Oh", said the lad, "I followed you to the prison and saw you kill Ma Yang, so I knew it was all right. But I thought the prefect might be too tired und nervous to walk, 50 I saddled his horse, and waited for you near the copse. But how soon you came "'The prefect was saved by the Knight not by me, aid Chih Hua, "T do wish it had been light enough to have seen him, You have told me so much about him."
"No hurry 1" said Chih Hua, "he will be here again at the second watch,"
The Ind guessed the meaning of that, and enquired no further.
"All right 1" and the Ind was off like breath of wind, and over the wall in an instant. Chih Hua followed at another point pleased at the abilities of his young pupil, and from the direction of the cellar-prison, he entered the Institute saying it was all right, and Ma Yung had thrown the body into the well.
Meanshile, as the Knight accompanied the prefect toward the city, he related how that he had found both Fung Chen and Er Chung. Then, as the city walls appeared before them, the Knight pointed out the yunan, and said that he himself had better not go further for fear of his presence causing talk, but that the chief yamen-runners had better meet him at the appointed time, half a mile feom the villain's house, in the temple of the god of pestilence.
The prefect dismounted and thanked him for his gallant services, and on remounting, his friend had gone, The yamen was reached, the Major Dome hurriedly took the horse in charge, and led his master into the study, where is serving-Ind waited upon him, The lad brought basin and towel, and change of garments, and asked, as the mandarin was sipping his tea, where the joining meal was to be Inid. yet?" asked the prefect. that he had not, said he would await his return before eating. Some light refreshment was brought in, however, which the prefect partook, waiting on and on with growing anxiety.
Ie was noon before Er Chung came back, He was overjoyed to see his master really safe this time. Their meeting was. an affecting one, for though their separation had not been along one as hours go, yet both had escaped from imminent peril, and had much to relate. Er Chung's delay was caused by his first accompanying Fung Chen to the house of old Wang. The other maiden was already there, and her
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.