“Yes. Shall we play it now? You will be Arjuna, and these cushions your horse. Pile them up! Pile them up!” “Yes, and you are Draupadi, there on the divan, and I will ride before you and contend with—with—” “Neila!” cried Ahalya: “Neila! Where are you? There,” as the girl came in at the door, “Neila, if you please, you are all the other princes contending for my hand in the royal games. You are four of the sons of Pandu, and the hundred sons of Hastinapura, and—” “And I am to wrestle with you, and shoot you, and kill all of you, Neila! And it will be splendid!” And, Neila smilingly consenting to the slaughter, the game began. For half an hour the contest raged fiercely; and finally Ahalya herself came down from her throne to be killed by the all-conquering one. But at last, when the little room looked as if a devastating army had passed through it, the sport came to an end, and Ahalya and the little boy sat down together to rest, while the untiring Neila began the task of setting things to rights. It was then that Ahalya’s turn came, and she lost no time in beginning:— “Bhavani, hast seen thy father to-day?” “Yes! Oh, yes! He left the Soma sacrifice to see me ride!” “Was he—was he in a glad humor? Asked he of me?” Neila paused in her labors to hear the answer to this question. “He was very glad and gay. He gave me a piece of silver for sitting straight on my horse. But—dear ’Laha, I think he did not ask for you.” “And said he naught of any one else?” “Of whom? Oh, but he just talked about me, and my riding, and how in a few years I should go to war with him.” Ahalya laughed, but not with her eyes. “Well, I am tired now. I am going to sleep, Bhavani. Therefore run away. See what a mess we have made of the room! Run away.” “But—I may come again soon, to play Arjuna?” “Oh, yes.” “To-morrow?” wistfully. “Yes. But go now, Bhavani.” Obediently and reluctantly, Bhavani went. When he was gone, Neila and Ahalya found themselves looking at each other intently. “He will surely come this evening,” said the slave. “He cannot stay away longer.” Ahalya flushed and frowned. “I do not want him to come,” she said. “I am tired. I am going to sleep now. Do not wake me till the evening meal is ready.” And the Ranee forthwith disappeared into her bedroom, pulling the purple hangings across the doorway behind her so that Neila could not see, as she lay on her bed, whether she slept or not.