man who understood a woman yet."

"I am extremely sorry for Miss King," said Jasmine, trying to suppress a
smile. "As you wisely remark, a young lady is a sealed book to me, but
I have always been told that their fancies are as variable as the shadow
of the bamboo; and probably, therefore, though Miss King's sky may
be overcast just now, the gloom will only make her enjoy to-morrow's
sunshine all the more."

The woman, who was evidently in a hurry to convey the news to her
mistress, returned no answer to this last sally, but, with curtailed
obeisance, took her departure.

Her non-appearance the next morning confirmed Jasmine in the belief
that her bold departure from truth on the previous evening had had
its curative effect. The relief was great, for she had felt that
these complications were becoming too frequent to be pleasant, and,
reprehensible though it may appear, her relief was mingled with no sort
of compassion for Miss King. Hers was not a nature to sympathise with
such sudden and fierce attachments. Her affection for Tu had been the
growth of many months, and she had no feeling in common with a young
lady who could take a violent liking for a young man simply from seeing
him taking his post-prandial ease. It was therefore with complete
satisfaction that she left the inn in the course of the morning to pay
her farewell visits to the governor and the judge of the province, who
had taken an unusual interest in Colonel Wen's case since Jasmine had
become his personal advocate. Both officials had promised to do all they
could for the prisoner, and had loaded Jasmine with tokens of good will
in the shape of strange and rare fruits and culinary delicacies. On this
particular day the governor had invited her to the midday meal, and it
was late in the afternoon before she found her way back to the inn.

The following morning she rose early, intending to start before noon,
and was stepping into the courtyard to give directions to "The Dragon,"
when, to her surprise, she was accosted by Miss King's servant, who,
with a waggish smile and a cunning shake of the head, said:

"How can one so young as your Excellency be such a proficient in the art
of inventing flowers of the imagination?"

"What do you mean?" said Jasmine.

"Why, last night you told me you were married, and my poor young lady
when she heard it was wrung with grief. But, recovering somewhat, she
sent me to ask your servants whether what you had said w