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114 "Have we not our families there?"

"Yes—but then mine must not know that they live with—"

"Peace!" exclaimed the sardar, interrupting him authoritatively, "If you want to join us you can easily send off your sister and her children to her husband,—poor husband or rich husband, it is no look-out of yours; and as to your aunt, she is the aunt of many others like yourself and can shift for herself."

Rajmohan still hesitated. A long debate ensued, but the threats of the sardar joined to his own wish to leave the neighbourhood of Madhav Ghose for ever, at length prevailed on Rajmohan, and he consented.

It was yet wanting to noon when Rajmohan returned home to bathe himself and break his fast.

The first person who met his eyes was his sister Kishori.

"Kishori," he said to her, "tell the wretched woman to come before me. I shall teach her how to run away again from my house."

"Whom do you mean, brother?" enquired Kishori.

"Whom? why, your sister-in-law," exclaimed Rajmohan, irritated at the question. "Where can your senses be gone?"

"My sister-in-law is not here, you know," replied Kishori.

"Not here!" ejaculated Rajmohan in surprise. "Has she not returned in the morning?"

"You said you would send her here from the