“Death of the dowager empress!

      “Prohibition! prohibition!”

      Kin-Fo understood. It was a blow that fell directly on him, and he could not restrain an expression of anger.

      Imperial mourning had just been decreed for the death of the widow of the late emperor. During the time appointed by law, every one was forbidden to shave his head, give public fêtes and theatrical performances, and celebrate marriages, and tribunals were not allowed to settle matters of justice.

      Le-ou, who was broken-hearted, but courageous, put on a cheerful face at this misfortune, in order not to increase her fiancé‘s trouble, and, taking her dear Kin-Fo’s hand, said, in a voice which tried not to betray her deep emotion, “Let us wait!”

      The palanquin bore the young woman back to her house in Cha-Coua Avenue; the festivities were postponed, the tables cleared, the orchestra sent off; and the friends of the despairing Kin-Fo took leave, after having offered him their condolences.

      They must, by no means, venture to disobey this imperial decree of prohibition.

      Decidedly ill luck seemed to pursue Kin-Fo. But here was another opportunity granted him to profit by the lessons in philosophy which he had received from his former teacher.

      Kin-Fo remained alone with Craig and Fry in the deserted apartments in the Hotel of Celestial Happiness, whose name now seemed to him a bitter sarcasm. The time of prohibition could be prolonged, according to the good pleasure of the Son of Heaven. And he had expected to return immediately to Shang-hai, to settle his young wife in the sumptuous yamen which had become hers, and begin a new life in these new surroundings.

      An hour later a servant entered, and handed him a letter, which a messenger had just brought. As soon as Kin-Fo saw the writing on the envelope, he recognized it, and could not restrain a cry.

      The letter was from Wang, and this is what it said:—

      “Dear Friend,—I am not dead; but when you receive this letter I shall have ceased to live.

      “I am dying, because I have not the courage to keep my promise. But do not feel disturbed: I have provided for every thing.

      “Lao-Shen, a chief of the Tai-ping, my former companion, has your letter. He will have a steadier hand and heart than I to execute the horrible charge you made me accept. To him, therefore, will come the sum placed on your head; for I have made it over to him, and he will receive it when you are no more.

      “Farewell! I precede you in death. We shall soon meet, dear friend. Farewell!”

      CHAPTER XVI.

       In Which Kin-fo, Who Is Still A Bachelor, Begins To Travel Again In Earnest.

       Table of Contents

      Kin-Fo’s situation was now a thousand times graver than before.

      For Wang, in spite of having given his word, was powerless when it really came to the point of killing his former pupil. He knew nothing of the change in Kin-Fo’s fortune, as the latter did not mention it in his letter. He had charged another with the fulfilment of his own promise,—a Tai-ping, a very formidable man, who would have no scruples about committing a mere murder for which he could not be held responsible; for did not Kin-Fo’s letter assure him immunity? and, by filling Wang’s position, would he not receive fifty thousand dollars?

      “Ah, but I feel as if I were already having enough of it!” cried Kin-Fo, who began to be angry.

      Craig and Fry heard of Wang’s missive, and said to Kin-Fo,—

      “Then your letter does not give the 25th of June as the last date?”

      “Why, no!” he answered. “Wang can not and ought not to date it till the day of my death. Now, this Lao-Shen can act when he pleases, without being limited to time.”

      “Oh,” said Fry-Craig, “it is for his interest to perform the deed without delay!”

      “Why?”

      “That the sum placed on your head may be covered by the policy, and not be lost to him.”

      This argument was unanswerable.

      “Very well,” replied Kin-Fo. “It is still important that I should not lose an hour in getting back my letter, even if I pay the fifty thousand dollars guaranteed to this Lao-Shen.”

      “That is so,” said Craig.

      “That is true,” added Fry.

      “Now I must leave; for we must find this Tai-ping chief, who perhaps will be easier found than Wang.”

      While saying this, Kin-Fo walked up and down, unable to keep still a moment.

      The series of thunderbolts which were hurled at him put him in an unusual state of excitement.

      “I shall start on a journey,” he said; “for I am going to find Lao-Shen. As for you, gentlemen, do whatever pleases you best.”

      “Sir,” answered Fry-Craig, “the interests of the Centenary are in greater danger than ever; and to forsake you in the present circumstances would be failing in our duty. We shall not leave you!”

      There was not an hour to lose. But, before all, it was necessary to know positively who this Lao-Shen was, and the exact place in which he resided; and his notoriety was such, that this was not difficult.

      This former companion of Wang in the insurrection of the Mang-Tchao had retreated to the northern part of China, beyond the Great Wall, in the neighborhood of the Gulf of Leao-Tong, which is an annex of the Gulf of Pe-che-lee. If the imperial government had not yet treated with him, as with several other rebel chiefs whom it could not conquer, it allowed him, at least, to work quietly in those territories beyond the Chinese frontiers, where Lao-Shen, resigning himself to a more modest rôle, followed the profession of highway-man.

      Ah! Wang selected a good man, who had no scruples whatever; and a dagger-thrust more or less would not in the least disturb his conscience.

      Kin-Fo and the two agents succeeded in obtaining full information about the Tai-ping; and, learning that he had been seen lately in the environs of Fou-Ning,—a small port in the Gulf of Leao-Tong,—resolved to go there without longer delay.

      But they first informed Le-ou of all that had happened, which increased her anguish, and her beautiful eyes were dimmed with tears. She tried to dissuade Kin-Fo from going, urging that he would expose himself to inevitable danger, and that it would be better for him go away and hide somewhere,—to even leave the Celestial Empire, if necessary, and take refuge in some part of the world where the ferocious Lao-Shen could not reach him.

      But Kin-Fo told the young woman that he could not endure the prospect of living with death all the time threatening him, and at the mercy of such a rascal, to whom his death would bring a fortune. No: he must end the matter once for all. He and his faithful acolytes would leave that very day, would go to the Tai-ping, and pay for the deplorable letter in gold, and be back in Pekin before the decree of prohibition would be removed.

      “Dear little sister,” said Kin-Fo, “there is less cause to mourn for me now that our marriage is postponed a while; for, if it had taken place, it would have been a sad situation for you.”

      “If

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