"No one ever had such a good brother! To-day he is being good to the poor unhappy Dorama; but I am forbidden to say anything about it; so if your excellency would know what he is doing you must wait till he returns." "How soon will that be?" "Perhaps in another hour. They had to walk until they found the carriage that was to take Dorama away." "Where was she going?" "Ah, that I must not tell; but think how pleased her husband will be when he sees her!" "Is he waiting on the road?" "I think not, most honourable lady, because he is safe somewhere with the missionary; but where I may not say." "Do you know the place?" "No, excellent mother, not yet. My brother will tell me this evening when he comes back." "He is coming here?" "To take me home. I hope he will be in before it is dark. I should not like to stay in this ugly little room at night. This was the place where they beat Ananda. The market women say that he was nearly killed; and that his new God must have come Himself and carried him away; he was hurt so that he could not stand. Ah, bah, that Sooba Iyer is a bad man, the market women say! I love listening to the market news. When I am strong and big I shall ask them to let me go as a coolie to carry one of the baskets. Then I shall hear of all the deaths and weddings and births and beatings and accidents and scoldings and widowings." "Go on with your play, child. I will see your brother when he comes for you," said Gunga. Mayita had another hour to wait before she heard his call. As she came out of the yard she caught sight of the tall stern woman going across the compound to meet him. She stopped at the entrance till the interview was over, the timidity of the widow and her fear of giving offence holding her back. "I want to ask you if you know anything of my son," said Gunga going straight to the point. "He is staying with Mr. Alderbury, the English missionary." "And his wife?" "She has joined him with my assistance. After all that has happened I felt that I must lend her the help of a friend, whether I gave offence to your honourable husband or not." "It will not be regarded as an offence. Why did they leave home in this secret manner?" "Can you ask, most excellent lady? The treatment they both received from their uncle was sufficient to drive them to the other end of the earth. I wonder they lived through it." Gunga's lips closed tightly, and her eye burned with the fire of the tiger who sees her cubs ill-treated. There was a pause and she asked: "Is he well?" "He has nearly recovered from his injuries." "I want to see him!"