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THE WRECK

227

Umesh, "Mother wouldn't let me stay with her. When we got to the bungalow she packed me off to Sidhu Babu's to see the play."

Saila. "You're a fine fellow! Where was Bishan?"

Umesh. "Bishan knows nothing at all. He drank too much toddy last night."

Saila "Call my husband then, and be quick about it"

"I say!" she exclaimed when Bipin appeared, a terrible thing has happened !" Bipin turned pale. "Why, what is it?" he exclaimed anxiously.

Saila. "Kamala went to her bungalow yesterday but they can't find her there now!"

Bipin, "Didn't she come here last night?"

Saila. "Of course not ! I thought of sending for her when Umi was taken ill but I couldn't spare any one to fetch her. Has Ramesh Babu come here?"

Bipin. "I suppose when he couldn't find her there he assumed she had come here. Yes, he's in the house."

Saila. "Go off with him at once and look for her! Umi's asleep, she's all right now."

Bipin and Ramesh drove straight to the bungalow in Ramesh's carriage and tackled Bishan again. By their united efforts they succeeded at last in eliciting from him the following meagre details:

Late in the afternoon Kamala had started off alone towards the river. Bishan had offered to accompany her but she had declined his escort and had given him a rupee. He had then taken his post at the gate to guard the bungalow and while he was there a toddy- tapper had come along carrying a pot of fresh-drawn toddy, frothing and bubbling over. As to what hap- pened after that Bishan had no clear recollection!

He pointed out the path which Kamala had taken on her way towards the Ganges.

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