e soft mellow notes of
the temple bell died away like a lullaby wooing one to sleep, spite of
will and vow.

The warrior, almost without knowing it, grew sleepy and fell into a doze.
He started and woke up. He shook himself, jingled his armor, pinched
himself, and even pulled out his little knife from the wooden scabbard of
his dirk, and pricked his leg with the point of it to keep awake, but all
in vain. Unconsciously overcome, he leaned against the gate-post, and
fell asleep.

This was just what the imp wanted. All the time he had been squatting on
the cross-piece at the top of the gate waiting his opportunity. He now
slid down as softly as a monkey, and with his iron-like claws grabbed
Tsuna by the helmet, and began to drag him into the air.

In an instant Tsuna was awake. Seizing the hairy wrist of the imp with
his left hand, with his right he drew his sword, swept it round his head,
and cut off the demon's arm. The oni, frightened and howling with pain,
leaped up the post and disappeared in the clouds.

Tsuna waited with drawn sword in hand, lest the oni might come again, but
in a few hours morning dawned. The sun rose on the pagodas and gardens
and temples of the capitol and the nine-fold circle of flowery hills.
Everything was beautiful and bright. Tsuna returned to report to his
captain, carrying the oni's arm in triumph. Raiko examined it, and loudly
praised Tsuna for his bravery, and rewarded him with a silken sash.

Now it is said that if an oni's arm be cut off it cannot be made to unite
with the body again, if kept apart for a week. So Raiko warned Tsuna to
lock it up, and watch it night and day, lest it be stolen from him.

So Tsuna went to the stone-cutters who made idols of Buddha, mortars for
pounding rice, and coffers for burying money in to be hidden away in the
ground, and bought a strong box cut out of the solid stone. It had a
heavy lid on it, which slid in a groove and came out only by touching a
secret spring. Then setting it in his bed chamber, he guarded it day and
night, keeping the gate and all his doors locked. He allowed no one who
was a stranger to look at the trophy.

Six days passed by, and Tsuna began to think his prize was sure, for were
not all his doors tight shut? So he set the box out in the middle of the
room, and twisting some rice-straw fringe in token of sure victory and
rejoicing, he sat down in ease before it. He took off his armor and put
on his court robes. During th