dead and my
husband no longer loves me nor comes to me. Take her away and leave me
alone with my sorrow."

The attendants motioned to Surai Bai to come away, and they led her
across the palace to the apartments of Duo.

Here all was bright and joyous. The beautiful Duo lay among the
cushions, smiling to herself and playing with the necklace that hung
about her neck. When she heard that the young woman they had brought
to her was a skilled hairdresser, she sat up and beckoned Surai Bai to
approach.

"Come!" said she. "Let us see how well you can dress my hair. The
Rajah will be here before long, and I must be beautiful for him."

Surai Bai at once came behind Duo and began to arrange her hair. The
child meanwhile kept close by her side. When Surai Bai had almost
finished she managed to loosen the clasp of the necklace so that it
slipped from Duo's neck and fell upon the floor.

This was as the pretended hairdresser had planned, and she had
explained to her son beforehand that when the necklace fell he must
pick it up and hold it tight, and yield it to no one. So now, no
sooner did the necklace slip to the floor, than the child picked it up
and twisted it tight around his fingers.

Duo was frightened. "Give me my necklace," cried she, and reaching
over she tried to take it from the boy, but at this he began to scream
so loudly that it seemed as though the whole palace must be aroused by
his cries.

Duo drew back alarmed and bade the child be quiet. Then she turned to
the pretended hairdresser. "Make him give me the necklace again," she
demanded.

Surai Bai pretended to hesitate. "If I try to take it from him now,"
she said, "he might break it. Have patience, and let him keep it for a
while; he will soon tire of it. Then I can take it from him and bring
it to you."

To this Duo was obliged to agree. It was growing late and she feared
at any moment now the Rajah might come in and that he might notice the
necklace in the child's hands and ask questions about it.

"Very well," she said. "Let him keep it for the present, but bring it
back to me the first thing in the morning. If you neglect to do this
you shall be severely punished,--you and the child also."

The pretended hairdresser made a deep obeisance, and then departed,
carrying the child who still held the necklace tightly clutched in his
hands.

As soon as Surai Bai was outside of the palace she hastened away to
the garden and found Dalim Kumar awaiti