The Delta independent., 1911-01-06

pon 'eiy oeSiet service. II Is nOt
responsible to the government 1t is
compose of mobiles who for many ano
many a generation have boAnd them.
selves by a strong oatn to do patriotic
service which the government itself
might be too embarrassed to under
take. II they are oblige to use ex
treme measures. and are arrested be-
cf~ Sc OF what they have done. they
calmly accept the punishment Of the
law without explaining their actions
Sons OF noble houses have been exc
cuted for assassinating secret enc
mics of Nippon. and they have met
this fate as their. oath demanded.
Members of this secret service
knew about this letter of the Chinese
spy. They knew. also. that 1t had
been lost, and before long they
learned that Kimaga had picked 1t up.
How they learned all this does not
matter. But they also knew that the
relations between Nippon and China
at the time were OF such a strain that
their government, not wishing to give
cause of war. would hesitate to pun
ish the Chinese spy.
In the meantime KimaRa had be-
come SO enamor of the letter that
he could not bear to let 1t go out of
his possession. When he was alone
he would feast his eyes upon the
beautiful writing. But it was not
long before he discovered that men
were watching him, aro ne became
filled with fear. Why should he be
watched? Had he done a gull y
thing?
so greatly did the fear swell in
him that he decided to take the letter
back to the place where he had found
it, and drop it again in the road
But when he got to the place and
looked for a last time at the writing,
1t give him such longing to keep it
that he thrust it into his breast again
and hurried back to his shop.
, That night a man came to see
Kimaga.
Are you Kimaga, the maker Of
vases?' he said.
"Kimaga, all trembling. replied that
he was.
Then said the man, 4 have come
to you with high purpose You have
letter which does not belong to
you. Give 1t to me-
Does 1t belong to your askec
Kimaga, his desire putting armor on
his fear.
THAT IL not to be asked replied
the man. I am samurai For the
glory Of Nippon you mus give me the
letter
But Kimaga did not wish to LEI
the letter go. How do you know that
i have it?' he said. You have not
seen IT.
at is enough that / know said
the man. Three days l allow you. II
by then the letter has not been placed
on the altar Of the war-god. in the
shrine Of Samiya, then you will be as
sassinated.'
with that the man went away
"Kimaga was now almos' dead with
fright For the nrst day he did moth
ing but weep. The second day he put
on mourning and set his affairs in
order. The third day he held the let
ter in his hand for many hours and
filled his mind with the beauty Of the
writing. He could not give It up.
Rather would he die. And at last he
placed 1t in a lacquer box and buried
1t deep at the foot of the largest cher.
~ tree in his garden.
He arose to go back into his
house. an his head was bowed over
with terror. You see. he felt that
many eyes were watching him from
the nearby walls. an he thought he
heard breathings and the whispers OF
strangers. What should he do now
He dare not advance; he dare not
stay where he was. So exceeding af.
frighted was he that he groaned
aloud. From all about him came
groans that answered his. Once more
he groaned, and once more his ears
were filled with the answers.
Then he took one step toward his
house. Nothing happened. He took
another step. an his knees they shook
like the palsy. The breathings an
whisperings seem. oh. SO much nearer
now. But he muster all his strength
an put out his foot for the third step
1t did not reach the ground before the
vengeance struck him.
THE next morning his wife found
him dead. His head had been severed
from his body"
The minister stopped and sat back
In his chair.
How awful" exclaimed the WON.
an who had asked for a story.
Not So" said the minister affably
"In serving my country, such thingE
mus be done. Kimaga should have
given the letter. Don't you think So
| Mr. Orme?"
The parable was quite clear to
| Orme. He understood the threat
I'm America" he said, drily. "wo
do not worship penmanship"
But an American might for othet
rnagopo Eoan laftar That Ji,l n1t ba.