Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-22

sH to light the secret you have here hiddenl"
H Then taking up the tablet and placing it
59 against her forehead, she bowed herself
aJ to the earth.
s1 BE CAREFUL" cried Shori-san "You
VI are wetting the painting with your tears;
E3 you will inure it."
E9 She took the tablet from Kos unre-
sisting hands and looked carefully at the
spots made by the tears they fell.
Fortunately they had not fallen upon
the pictured side of the tablet. At that
moment bright ray of sunshine darting
through the blossoms of the cherry tree overhead
shone down upon the paper surface of the tablet
where the tear drops had rendered it transparent
Shor-san uttered exclamation of astonish-
ment; for she discovered that these transparent
looked like characters written the under side of
the paper covering the back of the tablet.
II thought at first that this was merely the por-
mistaken Is ' The tablet thick it is composed Of
several sheets folded and is backed with the sort of
paper which properly prepared is used in Windows
than before. The shape Of this is peculiar"
murmured shori-san thoughtfully. Where have
1 seen one like it? Eil Eli Ell a light breaks in
she cried exultantly The priest! The temple
Yes, and the vases before the sacred mirror in the
temple! Have not seen them often enough! What,
oh my honorable husband, do these vases contain?"
They contain the five sacred elements" said
Nama-gika, the Discerning Magistrate.
And my honorable husband, pray you to tell
right in it?''
Nama-gika checked off the vases. and their con-
tents upon his fingers. That one" she said, con
tains sesame OIL Let proceed to the temple, and
make an offering of mllet cakes and sesame oil to
the goddess, who will without doubt instruct u.s.
But Shor-san raised her pretty brows and one
small hand in protest. Unless you insist upon it,
honored husband she said, it will not be necessary
to trouble the goddess, who is already, so over
wheled with the affairs of her petitioners that she
cannot find time to attend to a large majority of
the prayers offered up at her shrine With your
august permission we shall first try hsh oil, and, II
that does not answer, adopt your suggestion.
Fish oil having been applied, the paper became
entirely transparent and lines of characters the
under side could be read through it. In pursuance of
instructions written there this outside paper
moved disclosing document of thin tissue which
proved be the lastw and testament the deceased
counsellor confirming the disposal of property made
fund largely exceeding in value all which had been lett
to Muscabora had been secretly deposited beneath
the floor of the building in the temple grounds
which Ro the counsellor had given to his wife.
Suggestions were also inclosed with regard to the
methods to be- used in obtaining undsturbed pos
session of the treasure.
The document ended with express command
that from the treasure whose hiding place was
revealed five hundred argos of silver should be paid
to the magistrate employed, and q like sum given
to the priest Yo-fu, the successful termination
of their labors in securing the hidden deposit for
Ko and her children, to be paid to them after his
wife and his two sons, together with their inheri-
lance, had been secretly and safely conveyed to
a neighboring province, where Ro had previously
made arrangement with a friendly Daimio to
take them under his protection
How could have imagined this old
to be sily?" soloquized Shori-san, when this last
Truly" said the Discerning Magistrate, I'VE
should never have discovered the meaning of the
mysterious picture h ad the goddess not inspired
me to make the widow shed tears