They loosened Yoo Kee's ropes and dragged him to a pole with two cross bars that had been stuck in the ground. One bound his neck to the pole, the other fastened his arms and legs to the bars.

When they were ready the executioner selected a long, thin knife and stood himself in front of Yoo Kee. He looked up at the judge.

Judge Dee gave the sign.

The executioner plunged his knife straight into Yoo Kee's heart. He died without uttering a sound.

Then Yoo Kee's body was sliced to pieces. Mrs. Lee swooned when she saw them start on this horrible process, and several spectators hid their face in their sleeve.

Finally the executioner held the severed head up to the judge who marked the forehead with his vermilion brush. It was thrown into a basket together with the remains of his body.

Mrs. Lee had been revived by burning strong incense under her nose.

The two assistants dragged her in front of the dais and threw her on her knees.

As she saw the executioner approach with the scourge Mrs. Lee burst out in frantic screams. In abject fright she begged him to spare her.

The executioner and his men were accustomed to such scenes, they paid not the slightest attention to her entreaties. One of the assistants loosened her hair. He took the long tresses in his hand and pulled her head forward. The other had ripped off her upper garment and bound her hands behind her back.

The executioner tested the balance of the scourge. This fearful instrument has thongs bristling with iron hooks, it is seen only on the execution ground for no one ever survives its blows.

When Judge Dee had given the sign the executioner raised the scourge. It fell down on Mrs. Lee's bare back with a sickening thud, lacerating the flesh from neck to waist. Mrs. Lee would have fallen on her face by the weight of the blow if the assistant had not taken a firm hold on her hair.

When Mrs. Lee had regained her breath she started screaming at the top of her voice. But the executioner struck again and again. The sixth blow laid the bones bare, blood oozed from the torn flesh. Mrs. Lee lost consciousness.

Judge Dee raised his hand.

It took some time before she had been revived.

Then the executioner raised his sword while his helpers pulled Mrs. Lee up on her knees.

A DEPRAVED CRIMINAL ON THE EXECUTION GROUND

As the judge gave the sign the sword swung down and severed the head from the body in one fearful blow.

Judge Dee marked the head with his vermilion brush. Then the executioner threw it into a basket. Later it would be exposed nailed by the hair to the city gate and remain hanging there for three days.

Judge Dee left the dais and ascended his palanquin. As the bearers hoisted the shafts on their shoulders, the first rays of the sun shone on the helmets of the soldiers.

Judge Dee's palanquin was first carried to the Temple of the City God, the military commander following behind in his open sedan chair.

There the judge reported to the tutelary deity the crimes that had been committed in his city and the capital punishments meted out to the evil-doers. Then the judge and the military commander burned incense and prayed.

They took leave of each other in the temple yard.

Once returned to the tribunal Judge Dee went straight to his private office. After he had drunk a cup of strong tea the judge told Sergeant Hoong that he could go and have his breakfast. Later in the day they would draft the report on the execution for the higher authorities.

Sergeant Hoong found Ma Joong, Chiao Tai and Tao Gan standing talking together in a corner of the main courtyard. As the sergeant joined them he found that Ma Joong was still grumbling about what he insisted on calling Dark Orchid's infidelity.

"I had taken it for granted all along that it was I who should marry that wench!", he said sourly. "She nearly knifed me during that attack on our party in the mountains. I really liked her!"

"Consider yourself lucky, brother!", Chiao Tai said consolingly. "That girl Dark Orchid has a mighty sharp tongue, she would have led you a terrible life!"

Ma Joong clasped his hand to his forehead.

"That reminds me!", he exclaimed, "I'll tell you what I'll do! I shall buy myself that girl Tulbee. That is a fine sturdy young woman, and she can't speak a word of Chinese! Won't that be nice and quiet in the house?"

Tao Gan shook his head. His long face was even more sad than usual when he said darkly:

"Don't you give yourself illusions, my friend! I assure you that in a week or two that woman will be talking your head off, and in fluent Chinese too!"

But Ma Joong was not to be discouraged.

"I'll go there tonight", he said, "and anyone who wants to go with me is welcome. You'll find fine girls there, and they don't conceal their charms either!"

Chiao Tai tightened his belt. He shouted impatiently:

"Can't you fellows talk about something more important than mere women? Come along, let us be off and have a real good breakfast! There is nothing better for an empty stomach than a few cups of warm wine!"

All agreed that those were wise words, they walked together to the main gate.

In the meantime Judge Dee had changed into his hunting dress. He ordered a clerk to have his favourite horse brought from the stables.

The judge swung himself on its back. He pulled his neck cloth up over his mouth and nose. Then he rode out into the street.

The streets were full of people standing about in groups. They were discussing the execution of the two criminals and paid no attention to this solitary horseman.

When the judge rode through the southern gate he spurred on his horse. On the execution ground the constables were still busy clearing away the temporary bench. They had raked clean sand over the blood stains.

Once he was in the fields Judge Dee slowed down. He inhaled the fresh morning air and looked at the peaceful scene. But even in these pleasant surroundings he found no rest for his troubled thoughts.

The scene on the execution ground had as always deeply shocked the judge. He was relentless as long as he was working on a case; but as soon as the criminal had been found and had confessed, Judge Dee always longed to dismiss the case from his thoughts. He hated his duty of supervising the execution with all its horrible, bloody detail.

The plan to resign from official life that had been at the back of the judge's mind ever since his conversation with Master Crane Robe had now developed into a compelling desire. The judge reflected that he was just past forty; it was not too late to begin a new life on the small farm that he possessed in his native province.

What was better than a quiet life in peaceful retirement, devoting himself to reading and writing and giving full attention to the education of his children? What was the use of spending his every waking hour on all the wickedness and the sordid schemes of criminal minds, while life had so many good and beautiful things to offer?

There were countless capable officials to fill his place. And could he not serve the state as well by composing, as he had often planned to do, treatises setting forth in easy language the lofty doctrines of the Classics so that everyone could understand them?

Yet Judge Dee felt doubtful. What would happen to the Empire if all officials took this same aloof attitude? Was it not his duty to give his sons a chance later to enter upon an official career? Could the sheltered life on a small farm prepare those youngsters sufficiently for their future?

As he spurred on his horse Judge Dee shook his head. The answer to his problem lay in that difficult couplet he had seen on the wall of Master Crane Robe's abode: