er, for the story of her
beauty and obedience had spread, but her father guarded his treasure
zealously, and it was not until an offer came, suiting his former rank
and condition, that he gave his consent.

Now, when he saw the happy light in the eyes of his child, and saw the
color come into her cheeks, he laid his hands upon her head and
blessed her. When Yuki San was by herself she clapped her hands
joyfully. "I make happy like 'Merican," she whispered. "Hooray,
hooray! now my troublesome make absence," and she hurried away to put
a thank-offering before the household god.

Having arranged all preliminaries and instructed the mother to sell
every household treasure that his child's clothes might do honor to
the rich man's house, the father went back once more to his pipe and
his dreams.

Yuki San and her mother were up with the sun, sewing and embroidering,
and going about their daily task with zest and song. The past trials
were forgotten and the future not considered.

One morning, not many weeks after the marriage had been arranged, Yuki
San heard the call of the _Yubin_ San, and running out to meet him,
received a strange-looking letter. The envelope was white and square,
and straight across the middle, in very plain English, was her name
and address. Puzzled, she turned it over and over, then broke the
seal.

The picture of the big hotel at the top of the sheet was so
distracting that for a time she could get no further, but a word here
and there and the signature at the end finally made her cry out with
delight and surprise.

"Oh! it's from that funny lil' boy what gave spank to my hands long
time ago. He want to come to my house for stay. Listen."

There was no one to listen but her own happy self, and lying flat upon
the floor she propped her glowing face between her palms, while she
read aloud from the letter spread before her:

YOKOHAMA.

Miss YUKI INOUYE--

_Dear Miss Inouye_: I wonder if you remember an American boy with whom
you had an encounter in your very early days, because he dared to
thwart your plans concerning a cat? I remember it very well, and the
jolly picnics and excursions that you and my mother and I took
together afterward.

I hope you have not forgotten me, for I am going to claim the
privilege of the conqueror in that old battle and ask a favor of you.
My Government has sent me out to your country on some important
business, and finding there was no hotel close to my work