at he incurred some very remote chance of death
by drowning or by fire, recurred to her. Subduing the natural and
pure-minded repulsion which she invariably experienced at the mere
thought of so debased an individual, she sought for him, and discovering
him in the act of constructing cardboard figures of men and animals,
which it was his custom to dispose skilfully in little-frequented paths
for the purpose of enjoying the sudden terror of those who passed by,
she quickly put the matter before him, urging him, by some means, to
prevent the encounter, which must assuredly cost the life of the one
whom he had so often previously obstructed from incurring the slightest
risk.

"By no means," exclaimed Wang, when he at length understood the full
meaning of the project; "it would be a most unpresentable action for
this commonplace person to interfere in so honourable an undertaking.
Had the priceless body of the intrepid Ling been in any danger of
disappearing, as, for example, by drowning or being consumed in fire,
the nature of the circumstance would have been different. As the
matter exists, however, there is every appearance that the far-seeing
Chang-ch'un will soon reap the deserved reward of his somewhat
speculative enterprise, and to that end this person will immediately
procure a wooden barrier and the services of four robust carriers, and
proceed to the scene of the conflict."

Deprived of even this hope of preventing the encounter, Mian betook
herself in extreme dejection to the secret room of the magician, which
had been unopened since the day when the two attendants had searched for
substances to apply to their master, and there she diligently examined
every object in the remote chance of discovering something which might
prove of value in averting the matter in question.

Not anticipating that the true reason of his journey would become known
to Mian, Ling continued on his way without haste, and passing through
Si-chow before the sun had risen, entered upon the great road to Peking.
At a convenient distance from the town he came to a favourable piece of
ground where he decided to await the arrival of Li Keen, spending the
time profitably in polishing his already brilliant sword, and making
observations upon the nature of the spot and the condition of the
surrounding omens, on which the success of his expedition would largely
depend.

As the sun reached the highest point in the open sky the sound of an
approa