Beneath the rust on the blade he thought he could distinguish some Japanese characters in the quaint pictorial script adapted by that singular people from the Chinese system of writing.
He brought the knife nearer to the window and carefully focussed it.

Then he produced a note-book and made a pencil drawing of the following inscription: [Illustration] Winter watched him with quiet agony.

He had never noticed the signs before.
"Mr.Okasaki did not tell you what these scratches meant ?" inquired the barrister.
"No.

He did not see them." "Sure ?" "Quite positive.

Of course, it is very smart on your part to hit upon them so quickly, but what possible purpose can it serve to find out the meaning of something carved in Japan more than fifty years ago, at the very least ?" "I do not know.