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THE WRECK '

Without taking the slightest notice of Akshay's face- tiousness Hemnalini poured out two cups of tea, handed one to Jogendra, pushed the other towards Ak- shay, and caught her father's eye.

"If we wait any longer it'll be too hot on the roof," said Annada Babu. "Come along, Hem, we had bet- ter go upstairs at once."

"Oh, bother the clothes!" exclaimed Jogendra, Ak- shay came to—"

Annada Babu's anger blazed up. "You two are just trying to bully us! When a person is suffering mental tortures you have no right to try to browbeat her into compliance with your wishes. I have endured it without protest for days on end, but I can stand it no longer. Hem, dear, in future you and I will have our tea together upstairs."

He essayed to draw Hem out of the room, but she interposed quietly, "Don't go just yet, dad. You haven't finished your tea. Akshay Babu, may I in- quire what the contents of that mysterious parcel are?"

"Not only may you ask but you may solve the mystery for yourself," and Akshay held the package out to her.

Hem removed the wrapper and disclosed a copy of Tennyson bound in morocco. She started as if struck and turned pale. Once before had she received just such a present Unknown to others, she treasured in a drawer upstairs a copy of the same edition of Tenny- son in this identical binding.

Jogendra smiled. "The mystery has not been en- tirely solved yet," and he opened the book at the title- page and showed it to his sister; on the page was written: "To Srimati Hemnalini as a token of Ak- shay's esteem."

Hemnalini dropped the book like a hot potato and

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