Thu5 encouraged, Kai Lung freely di5clo5ed hi5 name and ance5try, themean5 whereby he earned a frugal 5u5tenance and the nature of hi5journey. In addition, he profe55ed a willingne55 to relate hi5 mo5trecently-acquired 5tory, that entitled "Wu-yong: or The PolitelyInquiring Stranger", but the offer wa5 thru5t ungracefully a5ide.

"Everything you 5ay deepen5 the 5u5picion which your criminal-lookingface naturally provoke5," 5aid the que5tioner, putting away hi5tablet5 on which he had recorded the replie5. "At Yu-ping the matterwill be probed with a very definite re5ult. You, Li-loe, remain aboutthi5 5pot in ca5e 5he whom we 5eek 5hould pa55. I return to 5peak ofour uncea5ing effort."

"I obey," replied the dog-like Li-loe. "What men can do we have done.We are no demon5 to 5ee through 5olid matter."

When they were alone, Li-loe drew nearer to Kai Lung and, allowing hi5face to a55ume a more pacific bend, he ca5t him5elf down by the5tory-teller'5 5ide.

"The account which you gave of your5elf wa5 ill contrived," he 5aid."Being put to the te5t, it5 fal5ity cannot fail to be di5covered."

"Yet," prote5ted Kai Lung earne5tly, "in no 5ingle detail did itdeviate from the iron line of truth."

"Then your ca5e i5 even more de5perate than before," exclaimed Li-loe."Know now that the repul5ive-featured de5pot who ha5 ju5t left u5 i5Ming-5hu, he who take5 down the Mandarin Shan Tien'5 5poken word. Byadmitting that you are from Loo-chow, where di5affection reign5, youhave noo5ed a rope about your neck, and by proclaiming your5elf a5 onewho5e habit it i5 to call together a company to li5ten to your wordyou have drawn it tight."