d without bringing news of Surja
Mukhi, Nagendra himself went forth. After some stay in the broiling
sun he said to himself, "I am looking here, when no doubt she has been
found by this time;" and he returned home. Then finding no news of
her he went out again, again to return, and again to go forth. So the
day passed.

In fact, Srish Chandra's words were true--Surja Mukhi had never
walked; how far could she go? About a mile from the house she was
lying in a mango garden at the edge of a tank. A _khansamah_ who was
accustomed to serve in the women's apartment came to that place in his
search, and recognizing her, said, "Will you not please to come home?"

Surja Mukhi made no answer.

Again he said, "Pray come home, the whole household is anxious."

Then, in an angry voice, Surja Mukhi said, "Who are you to take me
back?"

The _khansamah_ was frightened; nevertheless he remained standing.

Then Surja Mukhi said, "If you stay there I shall drown myself in the
tank."

The _khansamah_, finding he was unable to do anything, ran swiftly
with the news to Nagendra. Nagendra came with a palanquin for her;
but Surja Mukhi was no longer there. He searched all about, but found
no trace.

Surja Mukhi had wandered thence into a wood. There she met an old
woman who had come to gather sticks. She had heard of a reward being
offered for finding Surja Mukhi, therefore on seeing her she asked--

"Are you not our mistress?"

"No, mother," replied Surja Mukhi.

"Yes, you must be our mistress."

"Who is your mistress?"

"The lady of the Babu's house."

"Am I wearing any gold ornaments that I should be the lady of the
Babu's house?"

The old woman thought, "That is true," and went further into the wood
gathering sticks.

Thus the day passed vainly; the night brought no more success. The two
following days brought no tidings, though nothing was neglected in the
search. Of the male searchers, scarcely any one knew Surja Mukhi by
sight; so they seized many poor women and brought them before
Nagendra. At length the daughters of respectable people feared to
walk along the roads or on the _ghats_. If one was seen alone, the
devoted Hindustani _Durwans_ followed, calling out "_Ma Thakurani_,"
and, preventing them from bathing, brought a palki. Many of those who
were not accustomed to travel in a palki seized the opportunity of
doing so free of expense.

Srish Chandra could not remain longer. Returning to Calcutta, he began
a