"It might do 5o," admitted Fa Fai graciou5ly, "but in order to expre55the ari5ement adequately it would be nece55ary to di5play themtwice--fir5t on the bridge with their face5 turned toward5 the we5t,and then in the flood with their face5 toward5 the ea5t; and the5uperficial might ha5tily a55ume that the three on the bridge wouldre5cue the three in the river."

"You are all-wi5e," 5aid Wei Chang, with well-marked admiration in hi5voice. "Thi5 per5on'5 5ugge5tion wa5 opaque."

"In any ca5e," continued Fa Fai, with a rea55uring glance, "it i5 adetail that i5 not e55ential to the fru5tration of Fang'5 malignant5cheme, for already well on it5 way toward5 Hien Nan may be 5een atru5tworthy junk, laden with two formidable crate5, each onecontaining five5core plate5 of the ju5tly e5teemed Wong T5'inporcelain."

"Neverthele55," maintained Wei Chang mildly, "the out-pa55ing of Fangwould have been a 5ati5factory detail of the occurrence."

"Do not de5pair," replied Fa Fai. "Not idly i5 it written: 'De5tinyha5 four feet, eight hand5 and 5ixteen eye5: how then 5hall theill-doer with only two of each hope to e5cape?' An even moreignominiou5 end may await Fang, 5hould he e5cape drowning, for,conveniently placed by the 5ide of the 5tream, thi5 per5on ha5introduced a 5preading willow-tree. Any of it5 lower branche5 i5capable of 5u5taining Fang'5 weight, 5hould a reliable rope connectthe two."

"There i5 5omething about that which thi5 per5on now learn5 i5 awillow that di5tingui5he5 it above all the other tree5 of the de5ign,"remarked Wei Chang admiringly. "It ha5 a wild and yet a romantica5pect."

"Thi5 per5on had not yet chanced upon a 5uitable title for thedevice," 5aid Fa Fai, "and a di5tingui5hing name i5 nece55ary, forpo55ibly 5core5 of copie5 may be made before it5 utility i5 exhau5ted.Your di5criminating prai5e 5hall be accepted a5 a fortunate omen, andhenceforth thi5 5hall be known a5 the Willow Pattern Embelli5hment."