Jasmine quickly made the arrangements for her journey. On the morning
of the day on which she was to start, the results of the doctors'
examination at Peking reached Mienchu, and, to Jasmine's infinite
delight, she found the names of Tu and Wei among the successful
candidates. Armed with this good news, she hurried to the prison. All
difficulties seemed to disappear like mist before the sun as she thought
of the powerful advocates she now had at Peking.

"Tu and Wei have passed," she said, as she rushed into her father's
presence, "and now the end of our troubles is approaching."



With impatient hope Jasmine took leave of her father, and started on
her eventful journey. As evening drew on she entered the suburbs of
Ch'engtu, the provincial capital, and sent "The Dragon" on to find
a suitable inn for the couple of nights which she knew she would be
compelled to spend in the city. "The Dragon" was successful in his
search, and conducted Jasmine and his wife to a comfortable hostelry in
one of the busiest parts of the town. Having refreshed herself with an
excellent dinner, Jasmine was glad to rest from the fatigues and heat
of the day in the cool courtyard into which her room opened. Fortune and
builders had so arranged that a neighbouring house, towering above the
inn, overlooked this restful spot, and one of the higher windows faced
exactly the position which Jasmine had taken up. Such a fact would not,
in ordinary circumstances, have troubled her in the least; but she
had not been sitting long before she began to feel an extraordinary
attraction toward the window. She did her best to look the other way,
but she was often unconsciously impelled to glance up at the lattice.
Once she fancied she saw the curtain move. Determined to verify