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THE WR£CK 191

"The room's very dark, dad; I must fetch a light," and she brought a hand-lamp from the adjoining room. "We've been so upset the last few days that you haven't had the newspaper read to you in the evenings. Shall I read it now?"

Annada got up. "All right, dear; just wait a minute: you'll read to me when I come back," and he returned to Jogendra. What he intended to say was: "I couldn't mention it to-day; we had better wait till to-morrow;" but when Jogendra burst out:

"Well, dad, what happened? Did you speak to her about getting married ?" he hastened to reply : " Ye$, I've spoken to her ;" he was afraid that otherwise Jo- gendra would renew the attack on Hemnalini.

"She consented of course?"

"Yes, in a way."

"Well, I'll go and tell Akshay," cried Jogendra.

"No, no, don't say anything to Akshay yet!" said his father hurriedly. "You know you'll spoil every- thing, Jogen, if you're so precipitate. You needn't tell any one yet; it'll be better to postpone the final ar- rangements till we return from up-country,"

Jogendra went off without any reply. He threw a shawl round his shoulders and made straight for Ak- shay's house, where he found his friend immersed in an English work on book-keeping. Jogendra flung the book aside. "Never mind that just now; we have to fix a day for your wedding."

"Good Lord!" exclaimed Akshay.

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