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CHAPTER XXXVII

"Aren't you going to your bungalow?" asked Saila next day in an attempt to rouse Kamala from the dumps.

"No, there's nothing left to do."

Saila, "Are all the rooms ready?"

Kamala. "Yes, I've finished with them"

Saila was soon back "What will you give me if I give you something?" she asked.

"I've nothing to give you, didi' (elder sister) , said Kamala.

Saila. "Nothing at all?"

Kamala. "Nothing at all."

Saila flicked her on the cheek. "So that's how it is! You've given all you possess to a certain person to keep, have you? What do you call this?" and she took a letter out of the fold of her dress.

Kamala turned pale when she saw Ramesh's hand- writing on the envelope and she half turned away.

"Now then," said Saila, "you've given a sufficient exhibition of that pride of yours. Drop it now. I know you're itching to snatch this letter from me, but I shan't give it to you at all till you ask for it nicely. We'll see how long you can keep it up."

Just then Umi burst into the room with a shout of "Auntie! auntie!" dragging a soap-box behind her by a string.

Kamala snatched her up and bore her off, smoth- ering her with kisses. Umi set up a howl of protest at being separated from her toy-cart but Kamala would not be denied. She carried the child into her

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