"That's right, I saw you," agreed Remo.
Pullyang fell to his knees. "Not I! Not I! I have been with my grandchildren all day," Pullyang cried.
Chiun looked down upon the pitiful figure, but no pity crossed his wrinkled countenance.
"If my words are not true," Chiun intoned, "you must call me a liar, and my adopted son a liar too, before the village. Will you do this?"
"Not I. I cannot call you a liar, but neither would I lie to you."
"You lied about the purple herons," Chiun said.
"I saw them!"
"And I saw you at the shore," said Chiun distantly. "Arise, Pullyang, faithful caretaker, and see to your grandchildren. "
Remo asked Chiun, "If the murderer is here, he could look like anyone. How are we going to tell him from the others?"
"We will find a way. This crime will be punished."
"Just remember," said Remo, "who's going to do the punishing. "
"We will see. It is against Sinanju law for a Master to harm a villager, no matter the reason."
"Try to stop me," said Remo, looking at the blank faces watching him fearfully.
"I may do that," Chiun said softly, stepping around the clot of villagers, his hands clasped behind his back like a general reviewing troops.
"You, Pak," said Chiun, pointing at a young man. "Name your father."
"Hui, O Master."
"Good. Go stand beside the Gong of Judgment. I will ask each of you a question. My question will be easy. Those who answer correctly will stand with Pak. And woe to him whose face is not known to me."
For an hour the Master of Sinanju inquired of each villager, from the oldest man to the youngest speaking child, a question of family tradition or Sinanju history. All answered correctly. And all went to stand with Pak until the village square was empty of all but the blowing plum-tree leaves.
"He's not here," said Remo impatiently. "He got away."
"All my villagers are accounted for," admitted Chiun. "Let's leave them here and search the entire village."
"Agreed," said Chiun. "But beware, my son. We may be facing sorcery. Our abilities are not always proof against such things. "
"I don't believe in that crap," said Remo, stalking off.
Chiun followed him. "You saw that crap with your own eyes, heard the words with your own ears. Was that not Pullyang's voice you heard coming from a mouth that looked like Pullyang's?"
"It wasn't black magic."
"What it was we have yet to discover. But it was. You know that as well as I. Come, let us speak with Jilda."
"Why?"
"Did you test her to see if she was truly who she seemed?"
"I know Jilda when I see her."
"And I have known Pullyang since I was a child. We shall see."
The door to the House of the Masters was closed, but not locked. Chiun's sharp vision told him that much even from a distance.
"I thought you locked the door," he said, picking up his pace.
"I did," Remo replied sullenly.
"It is not locked now."
Remo broke into a run. He went through the door like a thunderbolt.
"Jilda!" Remo's cry was strangled with anguish.
The Master of Sinanju swept into the throne room, taking in the treasure with a glance. Satisfied that it was undisturbed, he joined Remo in the guestroom. Remo was trying to shake Jilda awake.
"Remo," she said thickly, stirring from a sitting mat.
"What happened?" Remo asked.
Jilda of Lakluun looked around dazedly. Her eyes were a milky, confused gray.
"I do not recall. Was I asleep?"
"Yeah," said Remo. "Don't you remember?"
"I waited here as you bade me to do. Freya wanted to play with the other children. She grew cranky. The last thing I recall is telling her to mind her manners. There my memory stops." As she looked around the room and saw only Remo and Chiun, Jilda's voice shrank. "Freya . . ."
"Check the other rooms," Remo said.
The Master of Sinanju disappeared like steam from an open valve. When he returned, his cold expression had melted into the frightened face of a grandparent.
"Remo! She is gone!"
Jilda of Lakluun drew her cloak around her as if the room's temperature had dropped. She said nothing, her eyes growing reflective.
"Come on, Chiun," Remo said. "We're going to find her. "
"Remo!" Jilda called suddenly. Remo paused at the door. "My Freya is a guest of your village. If anything has happened to her, it will be upon your head."
Remo said nothing, and then he was gone. Outside, it had grown dark.