"It may be easy for you to get them," I replied, "but it is no
small task for me."

"If you want some," he volunteered, "I'll get some for you."

"That would be very kind of you," I answered, "but how would you
undertake to get them?"

"Oh, I would just steal a few and bring them over to you."

It is hardly necessary to assure my readers as I did him that I
could not approve of this method of obtaining paintings from the
Lady Miao's brush. However he must have told the Princess of my
desire, for the next time Mrs. Headland called at the palace the
Princess entertained her by showing her a number of paintings by
the Lady Miao, together with others from the brush of the Empress
Dowager.

"And these are really the work of Her Majesty?" said Mrs.
Headland with a rising inflection.

"Yes, indeed," replied the Princess. "I watched her at work on
them. They are genuine."

It was some weeks thereafter that Mrs. Headland was again invited
to call and see the Princess, and to her surprise she was
introduced to the Lady Miao, with whom and the Princess she spent
a very pleasant social hour or two. When she was about to leave,
the Princess, who is the youngest sister of the Empress Yehonala,
brought out a picture of a cock about to catch a beetle, which