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THE WRECK

Annada Babu. "Very well, do what you think best, but it is a pity all the same. Ramesh was quite well off and he had good brains and education as well as means. Only yesterday we settled that he should go and practise at Etawah after they were married, and look what has happened since!"

Jogendra. "Well, you needn't trouble about that any more, dad. Let Ramesh go and practise at Etawah if he likes. I had better call in Hem at once. There isn't much time to lose."

He went out and returned in a minute or two with Hemnalini. Akshay took cover behind a bookcase in the corner.

"Sit down, Hem," said Jogendra, "we have Some- thing to say to you."

Hem took a chair without a word and resigned her- self to an inquisition.

"Haven't you noticed anything suspicious about Ramesh's behaviour?" began Jogendra by way of breaking the news gently to her.

Hemnalini merely shook her head.

"He had the marriage postponed for a week; what reason could he have had that he could not disclose to us ?"

"There must have been some reason," said Hemna- lini without raising her eyes.

"You're perfectly right; there was a reason, but isn't that suspicious enough in itself?"

Hemnalini signified by a shake of the head that she did not think so.

The implicit faith in Ramesh displayed by his rela- tives irritated Jogendra. He made no further attempt to mince matters but broke out harshly : "You remem- ber when Ramesh went home with his father? We did not hear from him for a long time after that and naturally we thought his conduct strange. You know, too, that in the old days he lived next door to us and

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