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92 the reins of their horses, and turned the heads of the animals towards the road taken by her guests, telling her sons in the meantime of the mustard seeds that they would surely find on the way. They took the road pointed out to them and, overtaking the fugitives, made a fierce attack upon them, but such was the princess's dexterity in using the sword, that she cut off the heads of six of them. The remaining dacoit, the youngest of the brothers, with a dried bit of straw which he found lying on the way between his teeth, implored her to spare his life, on condition that he would ever remain her slave in return. The kotál's son recommended the bestowal of this favour, saying that it could not do any harm. But the princess said, "My dear, remember that the sages have said that to leave unpaid the least portion of a debt, not to extinguish the last spark of a fire, to spare an inveterate enemy even when he is at his last gasp, are as foolish as for a person to approach blindfolded a yawning abyss. Do not tell me to spare the fellow." Her lover, in spite of the warning, persisted in his recommendation, saying that even granting that the robber's penitence was all pretence, he singly could not injure them when they were two together, and Pushpamala at last relented. They then rode forward with the robber as their groom, and finding a large piece of open ground with a beautiful tank, and an attractive orchard, the kotál's son suggested that they should take a bath, and satisfy the cravings of hunger by eating some fruit. The princess yielded, though unwillingly, and they both got down into the tank, leaving their horses and swords on the bank in charge of the groom. This ruffian, taking advantage of their temporary inattention, took up one of the swords and cut off at one stroke the head of Pushpamala's lover. The murderer, having by some means seen through her disguise, cast in her teeth the fate of him for whom she had left all, and asked her to be his. The girl, knowing her danger, controlled her grief, and pretended to be glad at the request. The robber then took his seat on the horse of the deceased and invited her to do the same. But she said it did not look well for her to be on the