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THE WRECK

ing; she tottered to a position on the verandah which offered her a clear view of Nalinaksha and sank down there to allow the tumult in her bosom to subside. Her throbbing heart combined with the piercing cold to set her quivering from head to foot.

Nalinaksha sat musing in the circle of light cast by the solitary oil-lamp, while the shivering Kamala gazed intently at him from the darkness of the ve- randah. Tears welled up incessantly, clouding her vision, but she hastily wiped them away. She threw her whole soul into her gaze till it seemed that its magnetic attraction must draw Nalinaksha into the focus of her being. The light shone on his lofty brow and composed features. Every lineament stamped and impressed itself on Kamala's heart till her entire frame grew benumbed and appeared to melt into encircling space. There was nothing before her save his face in the circle of light. All else was unreal, everything around it seemed to fade away and resolve itself into that one countenance.

Kamala fell into a half trance from which she awoke suddenly to find that Nalinaksha had risen to his feet and was conversing with Mukunda Babu. At any moment the two men might move into the verandah and catch her eavesdropping, so she hurried away and took refuge in her kitchen. The kitchen opened on to a small courtyard through which any one leav- ing the house must pass.

Kamala waited with body and brain on fire. How could such a man be husband to a miserable wretch like herself! There was something god-like in the unruffled serenity and gracious beauty of his counte- nance. Conscious that her sufferings had not been in vain she bowed herself again and again in thank- fulness to Heaven.

Steps were heard descending the stairs and Kamala hurried across to the unlighted doorway. Budhiya

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