her eyes were attracted by a hawk which flew past and
alighted on a tree beyond the boundary-wall, and in front of the study
she had lately left. In a restless and thoughtless mood, she took up her
bow and arrow, and with unerring aim compassed the death of her victim.
No sooner, however, had the hawk fallen, carrying the arrow with it,
than she remembered that her name was inscribed on the shaft, and
fearing lest it should be found by either Wei or Tu, she hurried round
in the hope of recovering it. But she was too late. On approaching
the study, she found Tu in the garden in front, examining the bird and
arrow.

"Look," he said, as he saw her coming, "what a good shot some one has
made! and whoever it is, he has a due appreciation of his own skill.
Listen to these lines which are scraped on the arrow:

'Do not lightly draw your bow;
But if you must, bring down your foe.'"

Jasmine was glad enough to find that he had not discovered her name,
and eagerly exchanged banter with him on the conceit of the owner of the
arrow. But before she could recover it, Wei, who had heard the talking
and laughter, joined them, and took the arrow out of Tu's hand to
examine it. Just at that moment a messenger came to summon Tu to his
father's presence, and he had no sooner gone than Wei exclaimed:

"But see, here is the name of the mysterious owner of the arrow, and, as
I live, it is a girl's name--Jasmine! Who, among the goddesses of heaven
can Jasmine be?"

"Oh, I will take the arrow then," said Jasmine. "It must belong to my
sister. That is her name."

"I did not know that you had a sister," said Wei.

"Oh yes, I have," answered Jasmine, quite forgetful of the celebrated
dictum of Confucius: "Be truthful." "She is just one year younger than I
am," she added, thinking it well to be circumstantial.

"Why have you never mentioned her?" asked Wei, with animation. "What is
she like? Is she anything like you?"

"She is the very image of me."

"What! In height and features and ways?"

"The very image, so that people have often said that if we changed
clothes each might pass for the other."

"What a good-looking girl she must be!" said Wei, laughing. "But,
seriously, I have not, as you know, yet set up a household; and if your
sister has not received bridal presents, I would beg to be allowed to
invite her to enter my lowly habitation. What does my elder brother say
to my proposal?"

"I don't know what my sister wou