of the _tsujiban_--"Why truss up this man, even though a
tradesman? He has all his own fingers, and the corpse lacks none." He
touched the severed finger with his baton. With this all were dismissed,
and to all seeming the affair was forgotten.

The Tokugawa had their plain-clothes police. One of the most noted was
Magome Yaemon of Hacho[u]bori. His great grandfather had captured
Marubashi Chuya, of note in the rebellion of Yui Shosetsu at the time of
the fourth Shogun Iyetsuna Ko[u]. One day this Magome Dono, in company
with a _yakunin_ (constable) named Kuma, was rummaging the poorer
districts of Shitaya Hiroko[u]ji. The two men were disguised as charcoal
burners, and attracted little attention. All the legitimate profession
in the way of medicine and pharmacy had been ransacked by the magistrate
(_machibugyo[u]_) of the south district. Yaemon felt sure that there
were still some by-ways. "Who's that fellow?" he asked Kuma. The
constable laughed. "He's a _sunekiri_ (shin-cutter). The rascals can be
told by their tough dark blue cotton socks, the coarse straw sandals,
and the banded leggings. Deign to note the long staff he carries. They
peddle plasters--shin plasters, guaranteed to cure any wound, to stop
any flow of blood. A man's arm hangs but by a strip of skin; the blood
flows in torrents. Apply the plaster and the flow ceases at once, the
arm heals. They drive a roaring trade, even among the _bushi_
(_samurai_); selling a shell here, two there. As for their real
usefulness...." He laughed.[12] They followed after the man and soon
came to a guard house. Said Magome San--"Detain that man yonder. He is
to be examined." The ward officer was a little surprised--"Respectfully
heard and understood. It is old Yamabayashi Yo[u]gen." Soon the man
entered the guard house. Said the official drily--"Magome Dono is here
to talk with Yo[u]gen. What has he been up to?" But the old fellow was
confident. "Thanks are felt." With the ease of the righteous and
prosperous he passed into the presence of Yaemon. The latter greeted him
with a non-official genial smile. "Ah! This is Yamabayashi Yo[u]gen, the
head of the _Sunekiri_. And business?"--"Truly this Yo[u]gen is
grateful. Man was born with teeth. Men and women still seek each other's
company. So long as such endures Yo[u]gen finds profit."--"And
plasters?"--"They are the affair of To[u]kichi. Would his worship deign
to examine him ... condescend dismissal. At once he presents hims