Ch. 4: Through the Fire - Page 2

and Suket Singh's wife went to live with her mother and took away the
children. 'That's all right,' said Athira; and Suket Singh said, 'Yes,
that's all right.'

So there was only Madu left in the hut that looks across the valley to
Donga Pa; and, since the beginning of time, no one has had any sympathy
for husbands so unfortunate as Madu.

He went to Juseen Daze, the wizard-man who keeps the Talking Monkey's
Head.

'Get me back my wife,' said Madu.

'I can't,' said Juseen Daze, 'until you have made the Sutlej in the
valley run up the Donga Pa.'

'No riddles,' said Madu, and he shook his hatchet above Juseen Daze's
white head.

'Give all your money to the headmen of the village,' said Juseen Daze;
'and they will hold a communal Council, and the Council will send a
message that your wife must come back.'

So Madu gave up all his worldly wealth, amounting to twenty-seven
rupees, eight annas, three pice, and a silver chain, to the Council of
Kodru. And it fell as Juseen Daze foretold.

They sent Athira's brother down into Suket Singh's regiment to call
Athira home. Suket Singh kicked him once round the Lines, and then
handed him over to the Havildar, who beat him with a belt.

'Come back,' yelled Athira's brother.

'Where to?' said Athira.

'To Madu,' said he.

'Never,' said she.

'Then Juseen Daze will send a curse, and you will wither away like a
barked tree in the springtime,' said Athira's brother. Athira slept over
these things.

Next morning she had rheumatism. 'I am beginning to wither away like a
barked tree in the springtime,' she said. 'That is the curse of Juseen
Daze.'

And she really began to wither away because her heart was dried up with
fear, and those who believe in curses die from curses. Suket Singh, too,
was afraid because he loved Athira better than his very life. Two months
passed, and Athira's brother stood outside the regimental Lines again
and yelped, 'Aha! You are withering away. Come back.'

'I will come back,' said Athira.

'Say rather that WE will come back,' said Suket Singh.

'Ai; but when?' said Athira's brother.

'Upon a day very early in the morning,' said Suket Singh; and he tramped
off to apply to the Colonel Sahib Bahadur for one week's leave.

'I am withering away like a barked tree in the spring,' moaned Athira.

'You will be better soon,' said Suket Singh; and he told her what was in
his heart, and the two laughed together softly, for they loved each
other. But Athira grew better from that hour.

They went away together, travelling third-class by train as the
regulations provided, and then in a cart to the low hills, and on foot
to the high