best man at our
wedding to-morrow."

And Wei was as good as his word. With every regard to ceremony and
ancient usage, the marriage of Tu and Jasmine was celebrated in the
presence of relatives and friends, who, attracted by the novelty of the
antecedent circumstances, came from all parts of the country to witness
the nuptials. By Tu's especial instructions also a prominence was
allowed to Wei, which gratified his vanity and smoothed down the ruffled
feathers of his conceit.

Jasmine thought that no time should be lost in reducing Miss King to the
same spirit of acquiescence to which Wei had been brought, and on the
evening of her wedding-day she broached the subject to Tu.

"I shall not feel, Tu, dear," she said, "that I have gained absolution
for my many deceptions until that very forward Miss King has been talked
over into marrying Wei; and I insist, therefore," she added, with an
amount of hesitancy which reduced the demand to the level of a plaintive
appeal, "that we start to-morrow for Ch'engtu to see the young woman."

"Ho! ho!" replied Tu, intensely amused at her attempted bravado.
"These are brave words, and I suppose that I must humbly register your
decrees."

"O Tu, you know what I mean. You know that, like a child who takes a
delight in conquering toy armies, I love to fancy that I can command so
strong a man as you are. But, Tu, if you knew how absolutely I rely on
your judgment, you would humour my folly and say yes."

There was a subtle incense of love and flattery about this appeal
which, backed as it was by a look of tenderness and beauty, made it
irresistible; and the arrangements for the journey were made in strict
accordance with Jasmine's wishes.

On arriving at the inn which was so full of chastening memories to
Jasmine, Tu sent his card to Mr. King, who, flattered by the attention
paid him by so eminent a scholar, cordially invited Tu to his house.

"To what," he said, as Tu, responding to his invitation, entered
his reception-hall, "am I to attribute the honour of receiving your
illustrious steps in my mean apartments?"

"I have heard," said Tu, "that the beautiful Miss King is your
Excellency's cousin, and having a friend who is desirous of gaining her
hand, I have come to plead on his behalf."

"I regret to say," replied King, "that your Excellency has come too
late, as she has already received an engagement token from a Mr. Wen,
who passed here lately on his way to Peking."

"Mr.