Chapter Twenty-two
YOUNG MRS.CHIEN sat on the steps of the house and held her head in her hands.It was as though she could not remember clearly what had happened a few hours before.As she tried to remember she stammered，“He went out to buy something to eat — ”
“Then what？Speak.” Wang the Third was becoming impatient.
“Went out — and for a long time did not come back.”
“Why did you let him go out alone？”
She did not want to argue.“I thought he was playing and eating inside the gate.After a while I began to worry and went to see.He was not there.I went to the street to look for him.I looked — I called — ” Again she bent her head.
Wang the Third also sat down on the steps.He controlled his anger and tried to think.He thought a long time and then began to tell his daughter the events of the last few days，hoping that possibly among these events，they could find some hint of the cause for the loss of the child.
When she had heard her father's story young Mrs.Chien stood up.“The child has been stolen by the Japanese.”
“Japanese？”
“They have arrested my father-in-law and stolen my child.With the child beside him — even with a heart of iron — the old man would have to say whatever they wanted him to say.They might even torture my child to death.You are good — for those three houses of yours you have wiped out the Chien family！”
Wang the Third was unable to say a word.Exhaustion，anger，shame，made him stare stupidly at the wall of the compound.
Sergeant Pai came the next day.He told Wang the Third that Mr.Chien was indeed in prison but had not been tortured.
This news he had learned from the fortune papers in the little temple.On the fortune papers were other messages but he could not tell Wang the Third of these.
“Oh — he hasn't been tortured.” Wang the Third smiled.
“Hum — the Japanese will soon be defeated，they dare not strike.His mother's — ！A herd of Things that bully the weak and flee from the tough！”
“But my grandson is lost.” Wang the Third stopped smiling.
“Lost？” Sergeant Pai stood still.
“Lost.”
“Also the Japanese？”
Wang the Third could not answer.He wanted only to slap his own face but his arm was too heavy to lift.After sitting silent a long time he asked，“Could you make inquiries？”
Sergeant Pai knew that he could not but he was unwilling to refuse and leave Wang the Third without hope.“I'll try.I'll do the best I can.”
Sergeant Pai took his leave.He knew that the trouble in the Wang family was very serious but there was nothing he could do.He had his own work.Rey Shuan and he had deciphered the message on the fortune paper：
1.Mr.Chien is in prison but has not been tortured because the Japanese hope to persuade him to join them.
2.The monk，Clear Moon，for the time being cannot be active.Spies follow him constantly.
3.Rey Tang's work takes him more and more outside the city and he cannot come often to Peiping.
4.Rey Shuan should take over Mr.Chien's work as editor of the underground paper and find ways to send the script outside the city.A smart man who can use his legs is required.
Rey Shuan was willing to be the editor.Sergeant Pai was willing to be the messenger.They both knew that the work might cost them their heads，but both，without the slightest hesitation，decided to accept the assignment.The two of them looked with complete absorption at the fortune paper，and then looked at each other and smiled as if to say，“If one must die it is happier and simpler to die in this way.”
Sergeant Pai had to go every day outside the city with the script and bring back the news.Every day he had to change his route and every day he had to change his make-up.He had a small peddling business for camouflage.
He came often to the Little Sheep Fold but not to see Rey Shuan.He and Rey Shuan had already planned not to meet in the neighborhood of the Little Sheep Fold.He came to visit John Ting.He told John Ting all about his business，his difficulties，and other little matters，so that John Ting should not suspect him.If only John Ting did not suspect him there was no other person in the Little Sheep Fold who would start rumors about him.
Young Mrs.Chien went on the streets every day hunting for her son.Her life was divided into separate halves — one half dead and the other half alive.She was dead to food and drink and her housework，but she lived when she walked and shouted as she went to all parts of the city to look for her child.She went up and down the streets， looking to the east and to the west.Whenever she saw a boy about the size of her son she would go over quickly，and often frightened the child.When she saw that he was not her son she would not cry out nor would she say anything，but would pat the child very lightly on the head.
After a day of searching she would go home as if by instinct.She would not say a word to her father — it was as if he were no longer her father.In the night she would kneel in the courtyard and murmur，“Father of my child，protect your son.”She could say only this one sentence，and would repeat it over and over.
Wang the Third clenched his big fists often until the bones ground.He hired people to help him look for the child.Those he hired — beating brass gongs — went into all the residence streets and shouted.He also asked people to write many posters which he put up in all parts of the city.
The Japanese told him that Mr.Chien was in prison and being treated well，and told him not to worry.The best way，the Japanese said，would be for him and his daughter to write a letter to Mr.Chien urging him not to be so stubborn.If Mr.Chien would co-operate with them，not only would Mr.Chien have a high official position but it would also be advantageous to Wang the Third.
Wang the Third inquired about his grandson.The Japanese only smiled slightly and said nothing，and so he knew that — nine chances out of ten — the child had been stolen by them，and that if Mr.Chien were determined not to co-operate then would then deal with the child.Wang the Third could only promise to write to Mr.Chien.If the letter had any effect perhaps the child would not suffer for the time being.He asked a friend to write the letter and gave it to the Japanese.
When he had delivered the letter he regretted it.He knew the disposition of his relative — how strong and stubborn it was.Suppose that seeing his letter Mr.Chien was even more determined not to co-operate with the Japanese，would Wang the Third not have killed the child？
He went again to plead with the Japanese to let him go and see Mr.Chien.He thought that if once he could see his relative he could explain everything，and be forgiven；but the Japanese shook their heads.