"He not come you; you come him. He gleat man. He speak all--come. I
show where."

"Where is he?" asked the Coroner.

The Chinaman did not reply for a moment. Then he said: "He sacrifice
before you take him. He gleat man--come." He slip-slopped towards the
door as though confident he would be followed.

Two minutes afterwards the Coroner, Orlando, the Young Doctor, Nolan
Doyle and the rest stood at the low doorway of what looked like a great
grave. It was, however, a big root-house used for storing vegetables in
the winter-time. It had not been used since Mazarine arrived at Tralee.
Into this place, nor far from the house, Li Choo and his two fellow
countrymen had gone the day before, when Mazarine, in his rage, had come
forth with the horsewhip to punish the "Chinky," as Li Choo was
familiarly known on the ranch.

As they arrived at the vault-like place in the ground, which would hold
many tons of roots, another Chinaman came to the doorway. He was one of
the two who, in their sudden coming and going, had seemed like magic
people to Mazarine the day before. He made upward and downward motions
of respect with clasped hands in the blue sleeves, and presently, in
perfect English, he said:

"In one minute Li Choo will receive you. It is the moment of sacrifice.
You wish him to die for the death of Mazarine. So be it. It is right
for him to die. You will hang him; that is your law. He will not
prevent you. He has told the truth, but he is making the sacrifice.
When that is done you will enter and take him to prison."