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102 disappeared altogether.

Succeeding this strange dragon, the pretty, delicate foot of a woman began to take shape in the blue dome of the sky. The foot was bound after the manner of Chinese women. It was very thin and slender, and no more than five inches long. At the end of each gracefully-bent toe, the soft, white flesh showed itself through a delicately pale nail. The memory of this slender foot brought a deep sorrow to the heart of Khashoji. Oh, if he could but touch that delicate foot again! But he knew that such an accomplishment was quite impossible, for a distance of hundreds of miles lay between Khashoji and the place where the foot was seen. Then suddenly the foot became transparent and evaporated into the shadows of the clouds, as all the other visions had done.

It was then that Khashoji felt a strange, lonely feeling in the depths of his heart, a feeling such as he had never experienced before. Above his head the endless blue sky glared dumbly down upon him. Under that self-same sky all the miseries of human existence must continue, and men must accept their destinies whether they liked it or not. They would continue being blown about like helpless leaves which are swept here and there by the winds of heaven. Oh! what great loneliness he felt! And a deep heart-rending sigh escaped his dry lips.

Suddenly between his eyes and the sky there appeared a host of Japanese cavalry. They were charging down upon him at a furious pace. But just as