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Updated: May 21, 2025
'We must wait till the moon rises. When the moon rose, Athira knelt upon the pile. 'If it were only a Government Snider, said Suket Singh ruefully, squinting down the wire- bound barrel of the Forest Ranger's gun. 'Be quick, said Athira; and Suket Singh was quick; but Athira was quick no longer. Then he lit the pile at the four corners and climbed on to it, re-loading the gun.
'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.
'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.
Athira sniffed the scent of the pines of her own hills, the wet Himalayan hills. 'It is good to be alive, said Athira. 'Hah! said Suket Singh. 'Where is the Kodru road and where is the Forest Ranger's house?... 'It cost forty rupees twelve years ago, said the Forest Ranger, handing the gun. 'Here are twenty, said Suket Singh, 'and you must give me the best bullets.
'Never mind, said Athira, 'stay with me, and, if Madu tries to beat me, you beat him. 'Very good, said Suket Singh; and he beat Madu severely, to the delight of all the charcoal-burners of Kodru. 'That is enough, said Suket Singh, as he rolled Madu down the hillside. 'Now we shall have peace. But Madu crawled up the grass slope again, and hovered round his hut with angry eyes.
'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.
It must have been a great fire when at full height. Men had seen it at Donga Pa across the valley winking and blazing through the night, and said that the charcoal-burners of Kodru were getting drunk. But it was only Suket Singh, Sepoy of the load Punjab Native Infantry, and Athira, a woman, burning burning burning. This was how things befell; and the Policeman's Diary will bear me out.
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.
'It is very good to be alive, said Athira wistfully, sniffing the scent of the pine-mould; and they waited till the night had fallen upon Kodru and the Donga Pa. Madu had stacked the dry wood for the next day's charcoal-burning on the spur above his house. 'It is courteous in Madu to save us this trouble, said Suket Singh as he stumbled on the pile, which was twelve foot square and four high.
'He'll kill me dead, said Athira to Suket Singh. 'You must take me away. 'There'll be a trouble in the Lines. My wife will pull out my beard; but never mind, said Suket Singh, 'I will take you. There was loud trouble in the Lines, and Suket Singh's beard was pulled, and Suket Singh's wife went to live with her mother and took away the children.
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