t coloured lights, shaded and dim. Coming from
the bright outer sunlight, the place in its shadowed state seemed
half-sepulchral.

When the Coroner, Orlando, the Young Doctor and the others had
accustomed themselves to the dimness, they saw at the end of the
chamber--for such, in effect, it had been made with its trappings and
decorations--a figure seated upon the ground. Near by the figure,
on either hand, there were standards bearing banners, and the staffs
holding the banners were, bound in white silk, with long streamers
hanging down. Half enclosing the banners were fanlike screens. Along the
walls also were flags with toothed edges. The figure was seated on a mat
of fine bamboo in the midst of this strange scheme of decoration. Behind
him, and drawn straight across the chamber, was a sheet of fine white
cloth, embroidered with strange designs. He was clothed in a rich jacket
of blue, and a pair of sandal-like shoes was placed neatly in front of
the bamboo mat. On either side and in front of all, raised a little from
the ground, were bowls or calabashes containing fruit, grain and dried
and pickled meats. It was all orderly, circumspect, weird, and even
stately though the place was small. Finally, in front of the motionless
figure was a tiny brazier in which was a small fire.

Before the spectators had taken in the whole picture, the Chinaman who
had entered with them came and stood on the right of the space occupied
by the mat, near to the banners and the screens, and under a yellow
light which hung from the vaulted roof.

The figure on the fine bamboo mat was Li Choo, but not the Li Choo
which Tralee and Askatoon had known. He was seated with legs crossed
in Oriental fashion and with head slightly bowed. His face was calm and
dignified. It had an impassiveness which made an interminable distance
between him and those who had till now looked upon him as a poor
Chinky, doing a roustabout's work on a ranch, the handy-man, the
Jack-of-all-trades. Yet in spite of the menial work which he had done,
it was now to be seen that the despised Li Choo had still lived his
own life, removed by centuries and innumerable leagues from his daily
slavery.

As they looked at him, brooding, immobile, strange, he lifted his head,
and the excessive brightness of his black eyes struck with a sense of
awe all who saw. It was absurd that Li Choo, the hireling, "Yellowphiz,"
as he had also been called, should here command a situation wi