KITSUKI AKANO<br/><br/>An<em>Ise zumi</em>bearing a<em>katana</em>over his shoulder. Doji-san had told me of this, the magistrates had met this man before. But the<em>Ise zumi</em>appeared to be leading us, whether for good or ill was unknowable.<br/><br/>Without addressing any of the group in particular I said in general,<strong>"Is this the person you saw before? If so he is walking backwards along a dock. Unless he has a clever trick at his disposal, we shall have the opportunity to speak with him soon."</strong><br/><br/>I walked out cautiously onto the wooden jetty after the retreating figure in black, attempting to keep him in sight.