ed, "Is your life safe with those people?"

"Life and death," rejoined Maini, "are in Allah's hands. It is his
will that we should fulfil our destinies, and mine is to cling to
my husband. I would not change him for Hatim Tai (a legendary hero,
very rich and generous) himself!" Then nestling closer to Ramzan, she
pleaded in a voice of music, "Surely you don't want to get rid of me?"

He was quite overcome and burst into tears.

"No," he sobbed, "I will never separate from my treasure. Come back to
me, and you need not fear my mother's tongue. She has left my house
for good, and I swear by Allah, in the presence of all these people,
that she shall not live with us again. You, Maini, shall be sole
mistress of my house."

Maini was overjoyed by this decision. She clapped her hands twice,
and then, picking up the bag of money, said to the crestfallen Esaf,
"Take back your rupees; I am going home with my husband".

So speaking, she took Ramzan's hand and led him out of the house,
while a great silence fell on the crowd, broken at length by many
exclamations and a buzz of loud talk. My readers who know Maini's
sweet nature will not be surprised to learn that her happiness was
thenceforward without a single cloud.

THE END

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