, 1921-05-26

eHocn-maKlng discovery.
Promptly at the hour set for the
trial, Hung-Ho and l entered the great
courtyard, where the necessary prepa-
rations had been made. In the middle
of a small space stood an altar to IL
An, beside 1t a stand holding a char
coal brazier and the requisite cooking
utensils.
All about in silent group dazzlingly
dressed in many-hued silks and ar
ranged in picturesque order. were the
officials, dignitaries and notables of the
city and province, the priests of the
temple of Zi-An, and the judges.
Strange as it may seem. the cere-
mony about to take place, although mi
nutely described and rigidly ordered
in the sacred books of the cult, had
never before been attempted for the
simple reason that no Chinaman had
ever got to the stage where he dared
offer a suitable iced-hot dish-the pen
atty for failure being death at the
hands of the assemblage. Despite this
lack of experimental knowledge of the
method of procedure, the well-studied
rites moved forward smoothly and
without an error.
speed. mixed the Ingredients for n suit
able cake, / nodded and squeezed a
handful of snow from the far-away
Hung-Shan mountains to the size of an
egg, surrounded II with an insulating
layer OF vegetable asbestos, and at
the proper moment handed it to my
assistant, who In full view of the ex-
pectant assembly dropped 1t into the
~cake-dough and set the sacred copper
basin containing the mixture yer he
brazier's glowing Goals.
Now ensued moments OF anxious
nay, neutrality-suspicious..
Suddenly Hung-Ho seized the cop
per dish, threw up the cover, and
snatched out the golden cake the like
of which I had seen him split in two
n thousand times, always to disclose
a crystal of ice within.
He essayed to break 1t open. when
o quick and horrible flash of fear i'm
PEELED me to strike the cake from his
trembling hands so that the precious
thing fell to the tiles of the court at
the feet OF the spell-bound assemblage.
Astonishment Kissed from the throats
OF the onlookers. At once. with orr
entail intuitiveness. they OWNED the
csuse of my s~acrilegious act. The law,
as all knew, but for the first time fully
realized, made him who opened the
CAKE the master OF the cult!
Crafty Hung-Ho had all but won the
prizel
No sooner had l STAYED off n vi
cious attack han another was deliv-
cred. While the foiled traitor and I
stood glaring at each other, neither
knowing what text to do. a hoary gray
beard among the judges-the most
aged and therefore esteemed the wisest
smong them all-slowly rose, and with
cIasperating moderation pronounced
the dictum that the ~overreaching ras-
cal, Hung-Ho, had forfeited his claim
by his unworthy exhibition of greed
and faithlessness.
Furthermore, according to the tradi-
tons. only n Chinese could contest for
the prize-never n hated foreigner.
l, too, was eliminated.
Hence 1t only remained for the Judge
himself to claim the reward, In the
name of the whole college of judges.
Suiting the action to the word. he
slowly stopped, picked up the still
steaming cake and broke 1t open.
Out popped the nugget Of compressed
snow. which, falling to the pavement.
partially dissolved to its original wa
terry state before the entranced spec
tators recovered from the spell OF
wonder that held them enthralled.
Then up went n shrill, enr-plercing.
Notwithstanding shrek from the SAT-
fron-faced assembly as with one voice
they vented their pent-up Indignation
at the almost successful attempt Of
a hated foreign devil to despoll them
OF their cherished heritage.
In a moment Hung-Ho and / were In
a maelstrom of rushing, clawing Chi
nese. Counter-currents bore us apart.
I crashed down upon the pavement
md lost consciousness.
When I awoke / found myself in the
care OF n good missionary, who had
rescued me in the nick OF time. As
soon as my strength wal sufficiently
regained he hurried me beyond the
borders Of the province OF Shan-Tung.
for which kind act ] was devoutly
thankful.
Hung-Ho probably lost his worthless
life In the maelstrom. / never heard
of him again.
As for the secret OF the iced-hot
dish, you can o o purchase It at ten
cents a boz.
The slow, small. but entirely safe
profts Of trade appeal more strongly
10 me-since my narrow escape in the
thrice-blessed city OF Confucius.