“No,” interposed Yodogima, complacently.

“Well,” replied Hideyoshi, to the officer, after a moment’s reflection, “as the villain did not utter the speech in my presence you may instead cut off his head.”

“No,” repeated Yodogima, more positively.

“Ah,” ventured Hideyoshi, vainly cogitating some sort of excuse, “seeing he is a samurai, you had better tell him to commit harakiri.”

“No,” commanded Yodogima, now wholly conscious.

“Promote him, then, for having done me a service,” directed he, still set upon some voice in the matter.

“Not you, but me,” retorted Yodogima, now fully determined upon her part.

“Why you; I am master, am I not?”

“Not of me; and, I am going to see that you prove yourself something more than a head-chopper.”

“You have heard?”