rs,
as they themselves were withdrawing until the morrow, no longer rang
through the narrow ways of Ching-fow, all those persons who had pledged
themselves by name and seal went forth silently, and came together at
the place whereof Tung Fel had secretly conveyed them knowledge. There
Tung Fel, standing somewhat apart, placed all the folded papers in the
form of a circle, and having performed over them certain observances
designed to insure a just decision and to keep away evil influences,
submitted the selection to the discriminating choice of the Sacred
Flat and Round Sticks. Having in this manner secured the name of
the appointed person who should carry out the act of justice and
retribution, Tung Fel unfolded the paper, inscribed certain words upon
it, and replaced it among the others.

"The moment before great deeds," began Tung Fel, stepping forward and
addressing himself to the expectant ones who were gathered round, "is
not the time for light speech, nor, indeed, for sentences of dignified
length, no matter how pleasantly turned to the ear they may be. Before
this person stand many who are undoubtedly illustrious in various
arts and virtues, yet one among them is pre-eminently marked out for
distinction in that his name shall be handed down in imperishable
history as that of a patriot of a pure-minded and uncompromising degree.
With him there is no need of further speech, and to this end I have
inscribed certain words upon his namepaper. To everyone this person will
now return the paper which has been entrusted to him, folded so that
the nature of its contents shall be an unwritten leaf to all others. Nor
shall the papers be unfolded by any until he is within his own chamber,
with barred doors, where all, save the one who shall find the message,
shall remain, not venturing forth until daybreak. I, Tung Fel, have
spoken, and assuredly I shall not eat my word, which is that a certain
and most degrading death awaits any who transgress these commands."

It was with the short and sudden breath of the cowering antelope when
the stealthy tread of the pitiless tiger approaches its lair, that Yang
Hu opened his paper in the seclusion of his own cave; for his mind was
darkened with an inspired inside emotion that he, the one doubting among
the eagerly proffering and destructively inclined multitude, would
be chosen to accomplish the high aim for which, indeed, he felt
exceptionally unworthy. The written sentence which he