Page:Broken Ties and Other Stories.pdf/24

Rh It gave him a peculiar pleasure to know that his uncle must be execrating him for the noise raised every morning and every evening by the sacred conches and prayer gongs.

In order to maintain himself, Satish secured a post as a private tutor. Jagamohan obtained an appointment as head master of a high school. And it became a religious duty with Harimohan and Purandar to persuade parents and guardians to take away their boys from the malign influence of the atheist Jagamohan.

One day, after a very long interval of absence, Satish came to Jagamohan. These two had given up the usual form of greeting which passes between elder and younger.

Jagamohan embraced Satish, led him to a chair, and asked him for the news.

There was news indeed!

A girl named Nonibala had taken shelter with her widowed mother in the house of the mother’s brother. So long as her mother lived, there was no trouble. But a short time ago her mother had died. Her cousins were rascals. One of their