as he puts it."

"Write to-morrow and bring him to town. He can stay at your hotel. I will
not keep him long; just one conversation--no more. Can you or your father
tell me anything else about that sword?"

"I fear not. Admiral Cunningham--"

"I guess I'm the authority there," broke in Winter. "I got to know all
about it from Mr. Okasaki."

"And who, pray, is Mr. Okasaki?"

"A Japanese gentleman, who came to Ipswich to hear the first trial. He was
interested in the case, owing to the curious fact that a murder in a
little English village should be committed with such a weapon, so he came
down to listen to the evidence. And, by the way, he took a barmaid back
with him. There was rather a sensation."

"The Japs are very enterprising. What did he tell you about the sword?"

The detective produced a note-book.

"It is all here," he said, turning over the leaves. "A Japanese Samurai,
or gentleman, in former days carried two swords, one long blade for use
against his enemies, and a shorter one for committing suicide if he was
beaten or disgraced. The sword Mr. Hume gave his cousin was a short one,
and the knife which accompanied it is called the Ko-Katana, or little
sword. As well as I could understand Mr. Okasaki, a Jap uses this as a
pen-knife, and also as a queer sort of visiting-card. If he slays an enemy
he sticks the Ko-Katana between the other fellow's ribs, or into his ear,
and leaves it there."

"A P.P.C. card, in fact!"

"You always have some joke against the P.C.'s," growled the detective. "I
never--"

"You have just made a most excellent one yourself. Please continue,
Winter. Your researches are valuable."

"That is all. Would you like to see the Ko-Katana that killed Sir Alan?"

"Yes. Where is it?"

"In the Black Museum at Scotland Yard. I will take you there."

"Thank you. By the way, concerning this man, Okasaki. Supposing we should
want any further information from him on this curious topic, can you find
him? You say he indulged in some liaison with an Ipswich girl, so I assume
he has not gone back to Japan."

"The last I heard of him was at that time. Some one told me that he was an
independent gentleman, noted for his art tastes. The disappearance of the
girl created a rare old row in Ipswich."

"Make a note of him. We may need his skilled assistance. Was there any
special design on the Ko-Katana?"

"It was ornamented in some way, but I forget the pattern."

"I can help you in that ma