At this moment I for my part felt we had heard too much. I blushed up to my eyes at the thought that we should have unwittingly played the spy upon these two innocent young people. I was just going to call out and rush down the little path to them; but as I made a slight movement forward, Marian held my wrist with an imploring gesture, and earnestly put her finger on my lips. I was overborne, and I regret to say I stopped and listened. Marian did not utter a word, but speaking rapidly on her fingers, as we all had learnt to do for poor Tom, she said impressively, "For God's sake, not a sound. This is serious. We must and ought to hear it out." Marian is a very clever woman in these matters; and when she thinks anything a point of duty to poor Tom's girl, I always give way to her implicitly. But I confess I didn't like it. "Only----?" Effie had said. "Only I felt compelled to now. I could not leave without telling you how deeply I had appreciated all your kindness." "But, Mr. Chung, tell me one thing," she asked earnestly; "why have they recalled you to Pekin?" "I had rather not tell you." "I insist." "Because they are displeased with my foreign tastes and habits, which have been reported to them by some of my fellow-_attaches_." "But, Mr. Chung, Uncle says there is no knowing what they will do to you. They may kill you on some absurd charge or other of witchcraft or something equally meaningless." "I am afraid," he answered imperturbably, "that may be the case. I don't mind at all on my own account--we Chinese are an apathetic race, you know--but I should be sorry to be a cause of grief to any of the dear friends I have made in England." "Mr. Chung!" This time the tone was one of unspeakable horror. "Don't speak like that," Chung said quickly. "There is no use in taking trouble at interest. I may come to no harm; at any rate, it will not matter much to any one but myself. Now let us go back to the house. I ought not to have stopped here with you so long, and it is nearly dinner time." "No," said Effie firmly; "we will not go back. I must understand more about this. There is plenty of time before dinner: and if not, dinner must wait." "But, Miss Walters, I don't think I ought to have brought you out here, and I am quite sure I ought not to stay any longer. Do return. Your Aunt will be annoyed." "Bother Aunt! She is the best woman in the world, but I must hear all about this. Mr. Chung, why don't you say you won't go, and stay in England in spite of them?" Nobody ever disobeys Effie, and so Chung wavered visibly. "I will tell you why," he answered slowly; "because I cannot. I am a servant of the Chinese Government, and if they choose to recall me, I must go." "But they couldn't enforce their demand." "Yes, they could. Your Government would give me up." "But Mr. Chung, couldn't you run away and hide for a while, and then come out again, and live like an Englishman?"