she now shrieked loudly for aid. At the first sound of her voice Ram
dropped the sword and fled from the room. His wife's piercing screams
of "Murder! Help!" woke the zemindar, but by the time he understood
what had taken place Ram had let himself out of the house and was gone.

When morning came the police were informed and the zemindar offered a
handsome reward for the arrest of Ram; but though the police hunted
in Lucknow and elsewhere and also searched the village where Ram's
relatives lived, no one knew anything of him and he was never again
heard of in Lucknow.

Some years after, the old zemindar died and one of the last remarks he
made was: "I should like to know what has happened to poor Ram." He
had never forgotten his affection for his old protege, and had quite
forgiven him for his ungratefulness.



PART II

Tiger Stories


The Bearer's Fate

Mr. Gupta, a Bengali gentleman, was a skilled engineer. The Government
thought highly of him and whenever any work of special difficulty
had to be undertaken, always chose him.

At one time he was stationed at Hazaribagh. This district is even