Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/602

Rh whole story, beginning with his misfortunes in Osaka, and ending with his arrest on that morning. Through the whole of the recital Oka, as was his custom, had watched him keenly with half-shut eyes, apparently almost asleep; and by the time the unfortunate man had ended, the master of human nature had made up his mind that Hikobei was innocent. To save him, however, seemed quite impos sible. The circumstances were completely against Hikobei; not one jot of evidence, except his character, appeared in his favor; and the relatives of the dead woman were clamor ing for his death. The custom of the times, however, required that no one should be put to death before confessing, and Oka ordered Hikobei to be put to the torture. Innocence was no proof against torture, and it ended by a full confession of guilt by Hikobei. Sentence of execution was passed; he was beheaded in the prison, and his head was ex posed on a pole at the usual place, Suzukamori. Singularly enough, the face of the dead man had been disfigured by the removal of the skin.

III.

Meantime there was great grief in Osaka. The last letter of Hikobei had told of his hopes for their reunion, and news of the arrangements was daily expected. But for many weeks no news came, and at last, worse than no news, came the rumor of the father's trial and execution. But the faithful wife never believed it; and the elder boy, Hikosaburo, a brave lad, at last resolved to go to Yedo and seek out his father. Entreaties and tears of the mother availed nothing, and the middle of January found him in Yedo. He first went to the execution place to see if his father's head was there, but the flaying of the face made recognition impossible. Lingering there till dusk, he heard footsteps approaching, and fearing to be questioned by some chance policeman as to his errand there, he crouched behind a tree and saw two figures pass him. They were laborers, judging from their dress; and one was saying, "What a pity that was about Hikobei! He never deserved death." " No, you are right; he was innocent," said the other. Hikosaburo started. Surely these men could enlighten him as to his father's fate. He followed them to their house, and told them his name and his story, and begged them to disclose all they knew. The honest fellows, Sukeju and Gonzo by name, were much touched by the young lad's tale, and their information was soon put at his service. It seemed that on the night of November 17, the night of the old lady's death, as they were returning home very late, they saw in the moonlight a young man of the neighbor hood named Kantaro washing a sword in a fire-bucket near the gate. The* air was chill, and they passed by rapidly; but it seemed a strange business for Kantaro to be about at midnight, and, as they went out in the morning, they looked into the fire-bucket, and saw that the water was of a blood-red tinge. They thought that it was some quarrel which Kantaro had perhaps been en gaged in; until at the bath-house, shortly afterwards, they heard the news of the old lady's murder and of Hikobei's arrest. They never spoke to outsiders of what they saw, but the private conviction had always re mained with them that Hikobei was innocent, and Kantaro the murderer. The laborers proved good friends to the Osaka youth, and in a short time the matter was again laid before Oka. The police were sent to arrest Kantaro; but when the fellow was brought into court and questioned, he denied all knowledge of the crime. His wife, however, finally disclosed such damaging evidence of his guilt, that he broke down completely, and confessed to the killing. When passing along the street he had seen the old lady showing the money to Hikobei, and he had then entered during the night and killed her, for money which he never got. The real culprit discovered, it only re mained to announce the news to the other parties interested. Two days later the judge