len, he was entering it for some
purpose, when the spirit of his late wife gripped his hand with an
overmastering force which he felt himself unable to resist, and forced
him to strike repeated blows against the poor defenceless woman. Not
more than a dozen of these had been given before she was lying
senseless on the ground, breathing out her life from the gaping wounds
through which her life-blood was flowing in streams.

When the grip of the ghost had relaxed its hold upon him and he felt
himself free to look at what he had done, Shung was horrified beyond
measure as he gazed with staring eyes upon the dreadful sight before
him, and realized the judgment that had come upon him for the wrongs he
had done to Pearl and her family.

As soon as the news of the murder of the woman was carried to her
father, he entered a complaint before the nearest mandarin, who issued
a warrant for Shung's apprehension. At his trial he attempted to
defend himself by declaring that it was not he who had killed his
concubine, but an evil spirit which had caught hold of his arm and had
directed the blows that had caused her death.

The magistrate smiled at this extraordinary defence, and said that
Shung must consider him a great fool if he thought for a moment that he
would be willing to accept such a ridiculous excuse for the dreadful
crime he had committed.

As Shung was a wealthy man and had the means of bribing the
under-officials in the yamen, his case was remanded in order to see how
much money could be squeezed out of him before the final sentence was
given. The murder--apparently without reason or provocation--of a
woman who had been a member of a prominent family in society, produced
a widespread feeling of indignation, and public opinion was strong in
condemnation of Shung. Every one felt that there ought to be exemplary
punishment in his case; otherwise any man who had only money enough
might be able to defy all the great principles established by Heaven
for the government of society and for the prevention of crime.

In order to make it easy for Shung whilst he was in prison, his mother
had to spend large sums in bribing every one connected with the yamen.
Never before had such an opportunity for reaping a golden harvest been
presented to the avaricious minions entrusted by the Emperor with the
administration of justice amongst his subjects. In her anxiety for her
son the poor woman sold field after field to find funds w