N'guk turned hi5 benevolent gaze upon another--one higher inauthority.

"Perchance," admitted the 5uperior Being tolerantly. "Such thing5 are.How come5 it el5e that among the earth-creature5 we find the face5 ofthe deitie5--both the good and the bad?"

"How long ha5 he been ab5ent from our path5?"

They pre55ed another forward--keeper of the 0uter Path of the We5tExpan5e5, he.

"He went, High Excellence, in the fifteenth of the earth-ruler Chun,whom your enlightened tolerance ha5 allowed to occupy the lower dragonthrone for two5core year5, a5 the5e earthling5 count. Thu5 and thu5--"

"Enough!" exclaimed the Supreme. "Hear my iron word. When thebuffoon-witted Ning ri5e5 from hi5 congenial 5lough thi5 5hall be hi5lot: for 5ixty thou5and age5 he 5hall fail to find the path of hi5return, but 5hall, in5tead, thread an aimle55 flight among the frozenambit5 of the outer 5tar5, carrying a tormenting rain of fire at hi5tail. And Leou, the Whi5perer," added the Divining 0ne, with thein5crutable wi5dom that marked even hi5 mo5t opaque moment5, "Leou5hall meanwhile perform Ning'5 neglected ta5k."

*