th heavy weights, was enlarged and ready to burst any moment. His
spleen also was greatly dilated and ready to burst--in fact, it was
not at all clear whether after such a long run--three miles in such
heat--he would not have dropped dead anyway. Such cases were of daily
occurrence, too numerous to mention. The slight blow he had
received--a mere push as defendant had stated under oath--was probably
nothing more than a mere unfortunate coincidence.

Such being the evidence, and the courts being administered by
Europeans, and there being no doubt whatever of the quality of justice
administered by Europeans in their own behalf, it is not surprising
that Rivers was acquitted. The verdict returned was, Accidental death
due to rupture of the spleen, caused by over-exertion. Rivers was a
good deal shaken, however, when he stepped out of the courtroom, into
the hot, bright sunshine, and received the congratulations of his
friends. He had heard so many disgusting medical details of the havoc
caused by rickshaw pulling, that he resolved to be very careful in
future about hitting these impudent, good-for-nothing swine.

Amongst the crowd in the courtroom, but practically unnoticed, sat
Liu, son of the late Kwong. The proceedings being in English, he was
unable to follow them, but he knew enough to realise that the slayer
of his father was being tried. Presumably his life was at stake, as
was befitting under the circumstances. Therefore his surprise was
great when the outcome of the case was explained to him by a Chinese
friend who understood English, and his astonishment, if such it may be
called, was still more intense upon seeing Rivers walk out of the
courtroom receiving congratulatory handshakes as he passed. To the
ignorant mind of the young Chinese, Rivers was being felicitated for
having committed murder. He was unable to draw any fine distinctions,
or to understand that these congratulations were not intended for
Rivers personally, but because his acquittal strengthened established
precedents. Precedents that rendered unassailable the status of the
ruling race. Liu was therefore filled with an overmastering and bitter
hatred of Rivers, and had he realised what the acquittal stood for,
would probably have been filled with an equally intense hatred for the
dominant race in general. Not understanding that, however, he
concentrated his feelings upon Rivers, and resolved to bring him to
account in accord with simpler, less ci