nd of Lanterns, their daily task, and
the reward each saw beyond. Finally he spoke quite definitely of the
homes awaiting their return, the mulberry-tree about the gate, the
fire then burning on the hearth, the pictures on the walls, the
ancestral tablets, and the voices calling each. And as he spoke and
made an end of speaking the people began silently to melt away, until
none remained but Kiau, Wong Pao and the Emperor and his band.

"Kiau Sun," said the discriminating N'ang Wei, "in memory of this day
the office of Chanter of Congratulatory Odes in the Palace ceremonial
is conferred on you, together with the title 'Leaf-crowned' and the
yearly allowance of five hundred taels and a jar of rice wine. And
Wong Pao," he added thoughtfully--"Wong Pao shall be permitted to
endow the post--also in memory of this day."

CHAPTER V

The Timely Intervention of the Mandarin Shan Tien's Lucky Day

When Kai Lung at length reached the shutter, after the delay caused by
Li-loe's inopportune presence, he found that Hwa-mei was already
standing there beneath the wall.

"Alas!" he exclaimed, in an access of self-reproach, "is it possible
that I have failed to greet your arriving footsteps? Hear the
degrading cause of my--"

"Forbear," interrupted the maiden, with a magnanimous gesture of the
hand that was not engaged in bestowing a gift of fruit. "There is a
time to scatter flowers and a time to prepare the soil. To-morrow a
further trial awaits you, for which we must conspire."

"I am in your large and all-embracing grasp," replied Kai Lung.
"Proceed to spread your golden counsel."

"The implacable Ming-shu has deliberated with himself, and deeming it
unlikely that you should a third time allure the imagination of the
Mandarin Shan Tien by your art, he has ordered that you are again to
be the first led out to judgment. On this occasion, however, he has
prepared a cloud of witnesses who will, once they are given a voice,
quickly overwhelm you in a flood of calumny."

"Even a silver trumpet may not prevail above a score of brazen horns,"
confessed the story-teller doubtfully. "Would it not be well to engage
an even larger company who will outlast the first?"

"The effete Ming-shu has hired all there are," replied Hwa-mei, with a
curbing glance. "Nevertheless, do not despair. At a convenient hour a
trusty hand will let fall a skin of wine at their assembling place.
Their testimony, should