looking round and admiring the scenery, he noticed a tiny house on one of the hills quite near, and then he distinctly heard a beautiful clear voice reading aloud. seized with curiosity as to who could be studying so diligently in such a lonely spot, he dismounted, and leaving his horse to his groom, he walked up the hillside and approached the cottage. as he drew nearer his surprise increased, for he could see that the reader was a beautiful girl. the cottage was wide open and she was sitting facing the view. listening attentively, he heard her reading the buddhist scriptures with great devotion. more and more curious, he hurried on to the tiny gate and entered the little garden, and looking up beheld his lost daughter hase-hime. she was so intent on what she was saying that she neither heard nor saw her father till he spoke.