Page:Indira and Other Stories.pdf/94

 comely form, she asked herself, could this be the benefactor of her childhood? Curiosity overcame her maidenly modesty, and it was in an eager voice that she asked,

"Are you, sir, by any chance Rukmini Kumar Babu?"

The stranger replied, "Madam, no!"

On hearing this unexpected reply, the girl moved slowly to a seat. She felt unable to continue standing—she was the prey of surprising, of conflicting emotions.

"No," the visitor repeated, "if I had been Rukmini Kumar, your guardian would not have issued this advertisement, for I was well known to him. But when I saw it in the newspaper, I carefully put it aside for future use."

"If, Sir," said the heiress, "this advertisement has no reference to you, why did you preserve it, may I ask?"

"Why? For a joke, I think. Some eight or ten years ago, it was my whim to wander about on foot in search of foolish adventures. I was afraid of becoming the laughing stock of my