ines,
while the breaches were rapidly repaired, new gates replaced those that
had been destroyed, and Sinching seemed suddenly to regain the
appearance it had presented three months before. Inside the walls a new
spirit prevailed, the courage of the bold commander reanimating his
troops, while the sentinels on the ramparts shouted messages of disdain
to the besieging force.

Indignant at this violation of the terms of the agreement, Chukwoko sent
a flag of truce to the gate, demanding angrily what these proceedings
meant, and if this was Changte's way of keeping his word.

"I am preparing my tomb," replied the bold commander. "I propose to bury
myself under the ruins of Sinching."

The tomb remained untenanted by the daring commandant. The long-delayed
relief appeared, and Chukwoko was obliged to make a hasty retreat, with
the loss of half his army. It is safe to say that in the pursuit Changte
and his faithful three thousand played a leading part.

_FROM THE SHOEMAKER'S BENCH TO THE THRONE._

At the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian era China had
fallen into a state of decrepitude. The second dynasty of the Tsins was
near its end. For a century and a half it had held the imperial power,
but now it had fallen a prey to luxury, one of its latest emperors dying
from prolonged drunkenness, another being smothered in bed by his wife,
whom he had insulted while intoxicated.

The empire which the founder of the dynasty had built up showed signs of
falling to pieces. In the south the daring pirate Sunghen was making the
great rivers the scenes of his merciless activity, spreading terror
along their banks, and extending his desolating raids far over the
surrounding provinces. In the north had arisen a new enemy, the Geougen
Tartars, whose career had begun in the outbreak of a hundred rebels, but
who had now become so powerful that their chief assumed in the year 402
the proud title of Kagan, or Great Lord. Falling upon the northern
boundaries of the empire, these dangerous foes made daring inroads into
the realm. As for the provinces of the empire, many of them were in a
rebellious mood.

At this critical period in Chinese history a child of the people came
forward as the savior of his country. This was a poor boy for whom his
parents had done little more than give him his name of Lieouyu, having
been forced by poverty to desert him to the cold comfort of charity. He
was cared for by a kind woman,