"It has been successful," Kanamaro answered, "at a very great cost." "At a very great cost?" "Yes--I did not expect to have to do what I have done--I should once not have believed it possible that I _could_ do it. But"--Kanamaro checked himself hastily and resumed his grave reserve--"but that is private beesness, and not for me to disturb you with." Mr. Colson had the tact to leave that line of fishing alone for a little. He walked a few yards in silence, and then asked, with his eyes furtively fixed on the face of the Japanese, "Do you know of the god Hachiman?" "It is Hachiman the warrior; him of eight flags," Kanamaro replied. "Yes, I know, of course." He spoke as though he would banish the subject. But Mr. Colson went on-- "Did he preside over the forging of ancient sword-blades in Japan?" he asked. "I do not know of preside--that is a new word. But the great workers of the steel, those who made the _katana_ in the times of Yoshitsuné and Taiko-Sama, they hung curtains and made offerings to Hachiman when they forged a blade--yes. The great Muramasa and the great Masamuné and Sanénori--they forged their blades at the foot of Hachiman. And it is believed that the god Inari came unseen with his hammer and forged the steel too. Though Hachiman is Buddhist and Inari is Shinto. But these are not things to talk about. There is one religion, which is yours, and there is another religion, which is mine, and it is not good that we talk together of them. There are things that people call superstition when they are of another religion, though they may be very true." They walked a little farther, and then Mr. Colson, determined to penetrate Kanamaro's mask of indifference, observed-- "It's a very sad thing this about Mr. Deacon." "What is that?" asked Kanamaro, stolidly. "Why, it is in all the newspapers!" "The newspapers I do not read at all." "Mr. Deacon has been killed--murdered in his rooms! He was found lying dead at the feet of Hachiman the god." "Indeed!" Kanamaro answered politely, but with something rather like stolid indifference. "That is very sad. I am sorry. I did not know he had a Hachiman." "And they say," Mr. Colson pursued, "that _something_ has been taken!" "Ah, yes," Kanamaro answered, just as coolly; "there were many things of much value in the rooms." And after a little while he added, "I see it is a little late. You will excuse me, for I must go to lunch at my lodgings. Good-day." He bowed, shook hands, and hailed a cab. Mr. Colson heard him direct the cabman to his lodgings, and then, in another cab, Mr. Colson made for Dorrington's office.