ou。〃

〃Illustrious　Sir；　you　wished　to　employ　him　and　so　I　sent　for　him。　Now　you　threaten　to　put　him　to　death。　The　two　men　he　slew　were　but　deer　pared　with　such　a　tiger　as　he　is。　When　you　exchange　a　couple　of　deer　for　a　tiger；　you　need　not　plain　of　the　bargain。〃

〃Really　I　like　him；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃I　was　only　joking。　You　can　send　another　messenger　for　him　and　tell　him　to　e　soon。〃

〃May　I　send　Sun　Qian　for　him？〃

〃Certainly。〃

After　Liu　Bei　had　gone；　Jian　Yong　came　in　and　said　to　Yuan　Shao；　〃If　Liu　Bei　goes；　he　will　not　e　back。　I　had　better　go　to　speak　to　Liu　Biao。　And　I　can　keep　a　watch　on　Liu　Bei。〃

Yuan　Shao　agreed　and　issued　orders　for　both　to　go。

On　the　subject　of　the　mission；　Guo　Tu　came　in　to　his　chief　to　dissuade　him。

Said　Guo　Tu；　〃Liu　Bei　went　to　speak　to　Liu　Pi；　but　he　acplished　nothing。　Now　you　are　sending　Jian　Yong　with　him；　and　I　am　sure　neither　will　ever　return。〃

〃Do　not　be　too　suspicious；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃Jian　Yong　is　clever　enough。〃

That　was　the　end　of　the　interview。　Forthwith　Liu　Bei　sent　Sun　Qian　back　to　Guan　Yu　and　then；　with　Jian　Yong；　took　leave　of　Yuan　Shao　and　rode　out　of　the　city；　As　soon　as　they　reached　the　border　line；　they　met　Sun　Qian　and　all　three　rode　off　to　Guan　Ding's　farm　to　meet　Guan　Yu。　He　came　out　to　wele　them；　bowed　and　then　seized　his　brother's　hands　while　tears　streamed　down　his　face。

Presently　the　two　sons　of　their　host　came　to　bow　to　the　visitors。　Liu　Bei　asked　their　names。

〃These　are　of　the　same　name　as　myself；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃The　sons　are　Guan　Neng；　who　is　a　student；　and　Guan　Ping；　who　is　to　be　a　soldier。〃

〃I　have　been　thinking　of　sending　the　younger　in　your　train；　General；〃　said　old　Guan　Ding；　〃Would　you　take　him？〃

〃What　is　his　age？〃　s