Chang's older brother is a mem= ber of the Tsangchow 'County Council.' Though the latter's country residence is hho generally 1i the city, ing his considera! property in the Qe, having charge of a number cary of capable subordinate, This
of rifles, legitimately secured by his master from the Magistrate for the protection of his compound against armed marauders, fell an easy victim to the wiles of the bandits, especially as another member of the establish-out was 80 closely associated with them.
The vities were 'a welcome addition to the armoury of the force, which, during the past winter, has committed a series of daring raids fon the unprotected villages of the countryside, They made several rich hauls of Booty and, of course, followed the usual plan of carrying off captives and children, set a heavy ran-gem, Among the motley crowd o fun, fortunate captives (pang piao ti), driven into the County Councillor's quarters in Changchiach'ang after a successful foray, was a man, Lu, formerly employed in the oil shop et Niangniangmino, Lu at once re-recognized several of his captors, in-eluding the rascal, who had once been his shopmate, A stiff price was put on Lu's head, but he advanced the plea of poverty and stated that his family would never be able to pay the ransom. However, as he was something of a writer, with a ready wit, he offered, is services to the band as a secretary and went to Tientsin with a party of them to enjoy the proceeds of their ill-gotten gains.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.