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thus begun. His new friend was the aunt of a certain Ichiyemon, of the Yone House,1 but lived alone, with only a maid-servant. She belonged, like Hikobei, to the class of tradespeople; but she had managed to save a small sum which, with what her husband had left, gave her a comfortable subsistence. But her years were failing, and she had al ready laid aside the contribution to her family temple which should secure a mass for her soul after her death. On the day abovementioned Hikobei needed money. He had in sight an excellent investment. In fact, he had agreed to buy the object (on which he hoped to double the sum laid out), and had paid 10 ryo as bargain money. He needed 90 ryo more, and it was due that night, but as yet he had not been able to raise so large a sum.2 Determining finally to avail him self of the friendship of the old lady, he asked her for the loan. She shook her head regret fully, and told him that she had no ready money of such an amount. But as Hikobei sadly turned to leave, his visions of profit now melting into air, the generous woman's heart was moved. She called him back, and, going to her cupboard, she took out her massmoney, carefully wrapped in a cloth, and laid it before him. " I was keeping this," she said, " to buy masses for my soul; but you have been my good friend, and since you need it, you shall have it, and shall pay me when you can." That Hikobei overflowed with thanks is to describe his feelings in adequately. The money was taken to the place of his purchase, and the transaction speedily consummated. II. That night the old lady's maid-servant spent with a friend in the nephew's house. When she returned next morning, she found that 1 Every commercial business of any consequence had a firm or house name, such as Ise House, Echigo House. 2 A ryo could then buy what ^yen (or dollars) will buy now; and if we make the allowance for the difference in prices between Japan and America, we may say roughly that 90 ryo represented what S2000 would to us.

the door was open, and going in hastily there met her sight the body of her mistress, covered with blood and lying motionless on the bed. The neighbors were soon alarmed by her cries, the nephew Ichiyemon arrived, and they found that life was indeed extinct. The murder was apparently the work of a robber; for when the nephew looked eagerly for the mass-money, it was not to be found. "Who knew of this money, outside of the family? " asked Ichiyemon of the maid. " No one, I think," she answered; " unless it be Hikobei, who came last night, by the way, to borrow some money from your aunt." Jealousy, perhaps, aided Ichiyemon in coming without further hesitation to the conviction that Hikobei was the murderer; and he took himself forthwith to Oka, Lord of Echizen, then judge of the City Court, and laid the whole story before him. Nor did he fail to name Hikobei as the undoubted criminal. Thus it happened that as Hikobei was re turning that morning, full of pleasure at his investment, and of speculations upon its profit, his dreams were rudely interrupted by two policemen who had been sent by Oka to arrest him; and in spite of protestations he was speedily taken, without any word of ex planation, before the famous judge whom all knaves feared and all honest men trusted. Hikobei found in the court-room the nephew Ichiyemon, the maid-servant, and some of the neighbors. Ichiyemon first told his story again, and ended with accusing Hikobei as the guilty one. " But," said Oka, " Hikobei and your aunt were, it seems, the best of friends. It is a most unlikely thing that he should repay such trust and such bene factions with murder. Is there no one else on whom your suspicions fall? " Ichiyemon answered in the negative, and again de manded, with some vehemence, the death of Hikobei. Oka turned to Hikobei and said, "How could you do such a brutal act as to kill your benefactress? " Hikobei declared, by all that was sacred, that he was innocent. "Is it true that you visited her yesterday?" asked Oka. Then Hikobei told him the