"Maybe so. But I still wish you would get rid of him. That he should represent all you want to accept from the West is pitiful. I can't imagine a man like you rejecting Doctor Strike and accepting Mr. Shultz. Doctor Strike also has courage, and he also is loyal----" "But not to me," the General interrupted. "Doctor Strike's first loyalty would always be elsewhere. He would probably say to his God. And a man who has dedicated himself to the service of any god is unreliable as a friend." "Mr. Shultz seems to me to be dedicated to himself, first, last and always." "That is just it. That is why he is loyal to me. He is a thoroughly reasonable man. I am his best chance. My interests are his interests. As long as that remains so I can count on him absolutely." "But you yourself told me it did not occur to Doctor Strike to betray you to the authorities to get his safe-conduct pass." "The motive was not strong enough. He would betray me to please his God any time. The difference is I can control the loyalty of Shultz. I can make it always to his advantage to serve me. When I cannot do that any longer I can expect to lose him. But how can I possibly foresee what Doctor Strike will do! On one occasion he actually tried to persuade me to save a young man's life, at the expense of my own. When I would not do so he turned against me. No, no, Shultz has all I want of the West. Doctor Strike has nothing." The finality of these words silenced Megan. The General sat looking at her, and Megan, who was never self-conscious, looked back at him, thinking not of him but of the Jesuit church in the Chinese city, of the first attempt, simple, gracious and even courtly, to bring the word of God. Yet after several hundred years during which the attempt had increased in volume and complicated itself immeasurably, China, which had accepted so many other things, still felt no need of the Word. It accepted Mr. Shultz. It rejected Doctor Strike. Megan sighed as if she herself had partaken in the long struggle. She looked at her watch. It was eleven-thirty. "I must be going. I want to say just one more thing. You won't be hard on little Mah-li, will you? Whatever Captain Li has done I am sure she is quite innocent. I am going to return these rings to her to-morrow. Unless you would return them yourself?" She held them out tentatively but the General did not answer. "Well, then I will. Good night, General Yen." The General stood up and bowed as she passed him. "Good night, Miss Davis." [Illustration: Chapter XVII headpiece] CHAPTER XVII