Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/142

130 "But this is absurd! It must be somewhere" exclaimed Maloti in trembling voice and ransacked every box over and over again—examining every fold of the clothes even—but with no better result.

Then at last she sat on the floor—broken down—to give vent to her feelings. She wept like a child and tears flowed down her cheeks unceasingly.

It was some time before her husband came home. Seeing Maloti in this predicament he whispered—"What is this?"

She then related the disaster to him in words constantly broken with sobs.

Girindra sank into a chair. "Have you searched well?"—said he.

"I have."

"When did you see it last?"

"I remember having putting the jewel case inside the black trunk at Dinapur yesterday."

"Did you open the trunk while in the train—just to take out something or other you know?"

"Yes, I did once. I was feeling chilly and opened it to take out a shawl."

"You must have taken out the jewel case also and forgotten to put it back again."

"Oh, no"—said Maloti confidently. "The shawl was lying just at the top of everything else