headquarters as false, he was firmly convinced that Gobardhan's magical
rites had saved him from ruin, and presented him with a bonus of
Rs. 50. Nalini Babu was not long in ascertaining how the land lay. He
was exasperated by the sordid wrong-doing which reached his ears and
resolved to report it to the District Magistrate. But in the end he
kept silent, because Sadhu came to him with tearful eyes, saying that
he had already suffered deep humiliation; and if old scandals were
raked up, the community would certainly excommunicate him.



CHAPTER XIV

True to His Salt.

Hiramani did not forget the thrashing given her by Debendra Babu for
failing to cause a rupture between the Basu brothers. She took a vow of
vengeance and laid in wait for an opportunity of fulfilling it. Meeting
him one day in the village street, she asked with an air of mystery:--

"Have you heard the news?"

"What's that?" replied Debendra Babu carelessly.

"It concerns the woman Siráji," she whispered.

All Debendra Babu's fears revived; he exclaimed: "Speak plainly,
what is the matter?"

"The matter stands thus. You know that her case was hushed up by the