MEANWHILE, with Kichijiro far away, Kanshichi pestered Ima month after month without success, until one day he tried to abduct her. Hachiyemon was glad to dismiss him; but in his madness, Kanshichi set the shop ablaze and completely gutted it. Kanshichi was arrested, and executed; but Hachiyemon and Ima were ruined.

Four years had passed since Kichijiro left, and working for his uncle in Kyoto he had become wealthy. Remembering his promise to Hachiyemon, he returned to Maizuru to ask for Ima’s hand, only to find the business boarded up, Hachiyemon dead from grief and Ima blinded forever, the victim of an eye infection.

Poor Ima hardly dared hope that Kichijiro would still care for her; yet he married her at once, and moved to Maizuru to reopen Hachiyemon’s business. He erected a memorial to her father on a little eminence in the garden of their house. He built another to Kashichi, for he bore him no ill-will; but he put it at the foot of the hill. Evil-doers should not expect high places.