ed in warfare, and also in the art of stratagem, by
which a skilful leader is often enabled to conquer when opposed to an
otherwise overwhelming multitude. In all these accomplishments Quang
excelled to an exceptional degree; for although unprepossessing in
appearance he united matchless strength to an untiring subtlety. No
other person in the entire Province of Kiang-si could hurl a javelin so
unerringly while uttering sounds of terrifying menace, or could cause
his sword to revolve around him so rapidly, while his face looked
out from the glittering circles with an expression of ill-intentioned
malignity that never failed to inspire his adversary with irrepressible
emotions of alarm. No other person could so successfully feign to
be devoid of life for almost any length of time, or by his manner of
behaving create the fixed impression that he was one of insufficient
understanding, and therefore harmless. It was for these reasons that
Quang was chosen as the instructor of Yin by Yat Huang, who, without
possessing any official degree, was a person to whom marks of obeisance
were paid not only within his own town, but for a distance of many li
around it.

At length the time arrived when Yin would in the ordinary course of
events pass from the instructorship of Quang in order to devote himself
to the commerce in which his father was engaged, and from time to time
the unavoidable thought arose persistently within his mind that although
Yat Huang doubtless knew better than he did what the circumstances of
the future required, yet his manner of life for the past years was not
such that he could contemplate engaging in the occupation of buying and
selling porcelain clay with feelings of an overwhelming interest. Quang,
however, maintained with every manifestation of inspired assurance that
Yat Huang was to be commended down to the smallest detail, inasmuch
as proficiency in the use of both blunt and sharp-edged weapons, and a
faculty for passing undetected through the midst of an encamped body
of foemen, fitted a person for the every-day affairs of life above all
other accomplishments.

"Without doubt the very accomplished Yat Huan is well advised on this
point," continued Quang, "for even this mentally short-sighted person
can call up within his understanding numerous specific incidents in the
ordinary career of one engaged in the commerce of porcelain clay when
such attainments would be of great remunerative benefit. Does t