orrow, and at the same time to break the monster's
rule so that it should cease for ever.

Chiau, who was the more daring of the two whom I the goddess had
deputed to protect Sam-Chung, at length cried out with flashing eyes,
"I will personate the boy, Chu shall act the girl, and together we will
fight the Demon and overthrow and kill him, and so deliver the people
from his dreadful tyranny."

Turning to the old man, he said, "Bring the children here so that we
may see them, and make our plans so perfect that the Demon with all his
cunning will not be able to detect or frustrate them."

In a few moments the little ones were led in by their grandfather. The
boy was seven and the girl was one year older. They were both of them
nervous and shy, and clung timidly to the old man as if for protection.

They were very interesting-looking children. The boy was a proud,
brave-spirited little fellow, as one could see by the poise of his head
as he gazed at the strangers. If anything could be predicted from his
looks, he would one day turn out to be a man of great power, for he had
in his youthful face all the signs which promise a life out of the
common. The girl was a shy little thing, with her hair done up in a
childlike fashion that well became her. She was a dainty little
mortal. Her eyes were almond-shaped, and with the coyness of her sex
she kept shooting out glances from the corners of them at the three men
who were looking at her. Her cheeks were pale, with just a suspicion
of colour painted into them by the deft hand of nature; whilst her lips
had been touched with the faintest dash of carmine, evidently just a
moment ago, before she left her mother's side.

"Now, my boy," said Chiau to the little fellow, "keep your eyes fixed
on me, and never take them from me for a moment; and you, little
sister," addressing the girl, "do the same to the man next to me, and
you will see something that will make you both laugh."

The eyes of them both were at once riveted on the two men, and a look
of amazement slowly crept into their faces. And no wonder, for as they
gazed they saw the two men rapidly changing, and becoming smaller and
smaller, until they were the exact size and image of themselves. In
their features and dress, and in every minute detail they were the
precise pattern of the children, who with staring eyes were held
spellbound by the magic change which had taken place in front of them.

"Now," said Chia