The herald., 1893-08-06


after me-"
For that day the young plebeian wa
given the name of Yomei (yo-may)
which means one day spending, ant
through all of the ceremonies and observ
ances of rank he conducted himself will
such modest dignity that all of the cour
officials were filled with wonder ant
whispered among themselves, He i!
born to high position"
That night he was given the duca
sleeping apartment.
After the castle was still and dark h,
cautiously arose, and lighting a candle
prepared to examine the wonders and
beauties of the room. Hanging in tn,
toko-mono (shallow alcove) he found {
bow of ancient workmanshipand sheai
of arrows such as the old heroes one.
used. Fitting one to the bow, he gavei,
backward pull, when to his dismay il
slipped frem his grasp and went whi7
zing through the rich and painted made
Qnner sliding walls).
He heard a low cry, followed by the
thud of falling body, and then all waa
again silence.
ssUnhappy wretch" he cried to him.
self. "My day of triumph has ended in
murder. have killed some one with my
ignorant stupidity, and in the morning
shall be beheaded."
He blew out the candle and went ts
bed, where he lay shivering and trens
bling until the day broke.
Then the sound of the moving servants
came to him, and the coldness of despair
filed his heart, for he knew that the dis
covery of his deed might come with ev'
cry second.
Presently he heard a cry of alarm, and
then indeed did he give himself up fol
lost.
'sHere is a dead manl' exclaimed one
in frightened tones.
ssWhere is he?" "Who is it?" "Who
KILLED himf" came mingling of voises
Is other servants ran crowding in.
"Why, it is the traitor Gujiwa, wha
has thrice attempted to kill our master.
sob, blessed deed!' "What beautiful
shot. The arrow has pierced his left eye
to the skull" ''It is an ancient arrow
from the dukes chamber"
1.-THE young stranger sleeps there to-
night. He must have sent the deadly
shaft" "Ah A hole in the madoi He
must have shot through the mado." /"
"What skill! What wonderful power,
to shoot an enemy without seeing hilnv'
Wonderful He has saved the masters
ife."
Yomei, listening to all this, became al
most crazed with delight.
The sudden transition from despair to
hope intoxicated him like strong wine.
He threw his rich kimono (robe) about
him. pushed aside the pierced mado and
strobe toward the servants.
"Have you found the traitor Gujiwa,
whom I slew last night?" he asked
haughtily. "Cut off his head and carry
it to your master with my compliments
suspected that this attempt would be
made and obtained an entrance to the
castle by Disgusting myself as laborer." !"
The servants groveled at his feet.
''But, honorable lord" implored one,
an old man who had been in the family
for half a century. chow could you take
such aim when the mado was closed"
"Tutr" said the young man, with a
gesture of contempt. 81 do not need
both sight and hearing to take good aim.
l can shoot any portion of the body by
hearing alone. This time selected the
villains left eye, just as he was winking
wonderful wonderfulHaythey bt y. whis-
pered in awestruck tones, and be walked
through their covering ranks with the
air of a conqueror. tsA'.A
The gratitude and admiration of the
duke knew no bounds. Indeedso pleased
wes he with the beauty, skin and cour-
age of his young protege that he took
measures to formally adopt him. So
Yomei was raised from the. rank of a
bamboo cutter to that of son and heir to
one of the most powerful daimio Of the
empire.
He led life Of ease and luxury and
improved from day to day, so that his
fame went abroad to other cities, and his
adopted father grew to love him deeply.
But no life can be all happiness, and
so for Yomei there was the thorn, the
one dark spot.
This was in the person Of his adopted
mother, the dukes wife, who from the
first had been his bitter enemy. Having
no children of her own she was ungener-
GUS enough to hate the innocent adopted
son, who by his very presence reminded
her that she had given no heir to the
duke. She also suspected that his skill
in staying the robber was not entirely
genuine, and she had learned beyond all
doubt that his antecedents were Of the
humblest. At first she tried in every
way to turn her husband against him,
but finding this impossible she set to
work to find other means of deposing
him.
Soon there came rumor of band OF
robbers who infested a hill in the sub
urbs of Toxic and were SO fierce that
even the soldiers dared not attack them.
The mikado had offered title and great
wealth to any one brave enough to at
tempt their capture, but up to this time
none had been found.
The evil stepmother, without consult
ing her husband, sent a letter to the
court saying that her noble son Yomei
was thirsting for the opportunity to dis
play his skill and courage and declared
that he was able to vanquish the band
single handed.
The mikado, highly pleased with so
much bravery, Immediately dispatched