Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/154

142 "What is it?"

"Binod is coming home."

"Binod! Where from? When will he be here?"

"That he does not say. He telegraphs from Mokameh, and will arrive to-morrow, I should think."

Bijai Hari and Binod Bihari were brothers. They lost their parents when Binod was small. Bijai Hari's wife had reared the boy to manhood. As Binod grew he became unruly and perverse, wrangling perpetually with his brother. Once, blinded by anger, Bijai Hari struck his brother with a shoe. On that day Binod fled from home. One day, two days, a whole week passed, but Binod did not return. Then Bijai Hari began to advertise in the newspapers. He offered a reward of ten rupees, but in vain; he obtained no news of Binod. Months became years, until now three years had gone by. Having no trace of Binod, Bijai Hari was ashamed to meet his friends. And now news had come that this lost brother was coming home. In the joy of their hearts at this news, sweetmeats in abundance were offered by the family that evening on the Tulsi shrine in the courtyard, by which the village