H. Bedford-Jones and W. C. Robertson

“ If our force attempts to reach the lake, Esrun will summon her barbarians to overwhelm us in the defile. Therefore, we must leave most of them camped here. Remember, whatever we do will be at once reported to her!”
“I see.” Severn frowned deeply. “If we are to rescue Kilgore, we must take Esrun by surprize. But to surprize her is impossible. She expects Sir Fandi to come alone to the lake, and there she will be prepared to ensnare him. Why, it's absurd—yet true! To think of a blind old leper woman doing this——”
“Nothing is absurd,” said Sheng Wu, and then added, “And nothing is impossible.” ”

“ Under the fine starlight Severn had no difficulty in ascertaining his position perfectly. When the camp was a mile away he drew rein and sent the Manchus onward. He watched them ride from sight toward the temple.
“I hope Sheng Wu can accomplish his part of the work,” he thought. “It's more difficult than mine. I have only to fool a poor blind leper—while he has to deceive both Sir Fandi and the Mongols!”
And he rode toward the defile, trying to assure himself that he would this time be able to shoot down Esrun on sight. ”

“ He had never forgotten the horror that had seized him when, as he thought, he had shot the woman to death—even in the moment when he thought she had murdered Sir Fandi.
After all sometimes these little things count big with the right sort of man. Day could have shot the woman without a scruple. Severn, although he knew that the life of Kilgore might swing in the balance, tried to persuade himself to do it, and could not. ”