ear　the　water。〃
  As　he　said　this；　he　made　his　legs　bare　to　the　knee；　and　waded　through　the　oozing　mud　towards　the　tree。
  The　moment　Raicharan　had　gone；　his　little　Master　went　off　at　racing　speed　to　the　forbidden　water。　　The　baby　saw　the　river　rushing　by；　splashing　and　gurgling　as　it　went。　　It　seemed　as　though　the　disobedient　wavelets　themselves　were　running　away　from　some　greater　Raicharan　with　the　laughter　of　a　thousand　children。　　At　the　sight　of　their　mischief；　the　heart　of　the　human　child　grew　excited　and　restless。　　He　got　down　stealthily　from　the　go…cart　and　toddled　off　towards　the　river。　　On　his　way　he　picked　up　a　small　stick；　and　leant　over　the　bank　of　the　stream　pretending　to　fish。　　The　mischievous　fairies　of　the　river　with　their　mysterious　voices　seemed　inviting　him　into　their　play…house。
  Raicharan　had　plucked　a　handful　of　flowers　from　the　tree；　and　was　carrying　them　back　in　the　end　of　his　cloth；　with　his　face　wreathed　in　smiles。　　But　when　he　reached　the　go…cart；　there　was　no　one　there。　　He　looked　on　all　sides　and　there　was　no　one　there。　　He　looked　back　at　the　cart　and　there　was　no　one　there。
  In　that　first　terrible　moment　his　blood　froze　within　him。　　Before　his　eyes　the　whole　universe　swam　round　like　a　dark　mist。　　From　the　depth　of　his　broken　heart　he　gave　one　piercing　cry；　〃Master；　Master；　little　Master。〃
  But　no　voice　answered　〃Chan…na。〃　　No　child　laughed　mischievously　back；　no　scream　of　baby　delight　welcomed　his　return。　　Only　the　river　ran　on；　with　its　splashing；　gurgling　noise　as　before；as　though　it　knew　nothing　at　all；　and　had　no　time　to　attend　to　such　a　tiny　human　event　as　the　death　of　a　child。
  As　the　evening　passed　by　Raicharan's　mistress　became　very　anxious。　　She　sent　men　out　on　all　sides　to　search。　　They　went　with　lanterns　in　their　hands；　and　reached　at　last　the　banks　of　the　Padma。　　There　they　found　Raicharan　rushing　up　and　down　the　fields；　like　a　stormy　wind；　shouting　the　cry　of　despair：　〃Master；　Master；　little　Master！〃
  When　they　got　Raicharan　home　at　last；　he　fell　prostrate　at　his　mistress's　feet。　　They　shook　him；　and　questioned　him；　and　asked　him　repeatedly　where　he　had　left　the　child；　but　all　he　could　say　was；　that　he　knew　nothing。
  Though　every　one　held　the　opinion　that　the　Padma　had　swallowed　the　child；　there　was　a　lurking　doubt　left　in　the　mind。　　For　a　band　of　gipsies　had　been　noticed　outside　the　village　that　afternoon；　and　some　suspicion　rested　on　them。　　The　mother　went　so　far　in　her　wild　grief　as　to　think　it　possible　that　Raicharan　himself　had　stolen　the　child。　　She　called　him　aside　with　piteous　entreaty　and　said：　〃Raicharan；　give　me　back　my　baby。　　Oh　！　　give　me　back　my　child。　　Take　from　me　any　money　you　ask；　but　give　me　back　my　child！〃
  Raicharan　only　beat　his　forehead　in　reply。　　His　mistress　ordered　him　out　of　the　house。
  Artukul　tried　to　reason　his　wife　out　of　this　wholly　unjust　suspicion：　〃Why　on　earth；〃　he　said；　〃should　he　commit　such　a　crime　as　that？〃
  The　mother　only　replied：　〃The　baby　had　gold　ornaments　on　his　body。　　Who　knows？〃
  It　was　impossible　to　reason　with　her　after　that。
  II
  Raicharan　went　back　to　his　own　village。　　Up　to　this　time　he　had　had　no　son；　and　there　was　no　hope　that　any　child　would　now　be　born　to　him。　　But　it　came　about　before　the　end　of　a　year　that　his　wife　gave　birth　to　a　son　and　died。
  All　overwhelming　resentment　at　first　grew　up　in　Raicharan's　heart　at　the　sight　of　this　new　baby。　　At　the　back　of　his　mind　was　resentful　suspicion　that　it　had　come　as　a　usurper　in　place　of　the　little　Master。　　He　also　thought　it　would　be　a　grave　offence　to　be　happy　with　a　son　of　his　own　after　what　had　happened　to　his　master's　little　child。　　Indeed；　if　it　had　not　been　for　a　widowed　sister；　who　mothered　the　new　baby；　it　would　not　have　lived　long。
  But　a　change　gradually　came　over　Raicharan's　mind。　　A　wonderful　thing　happened。　　This　new　baby　in　turn　began　to　crawl　about；　and　cross　the　doorway　with　mischief　in　its　face。　　It　also　showed　an　amusing　cleverness　in　making　its　escape　to　safety。　　Its　voice；　its　sounds　of　laughter　and　tears；　its　gestures；　were　those　of　the　little　Master。　　On　some　days；　when　　Raicharan　listened　to　its　crying；　his　heart　suddenly　began　thumping　wildly　against　his　ribs；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　former　little　Master　was　crying　somewhere　in　the　unknown　land　of　death　because　he　had　lost　his　Chan…na。
  Phailna　（for　that　was　the　name　Raicharan's　sister　gave　to　the　new　baby）　soon　began　to　talk。　　It　learnt　to　say　Ba…ba　and　Ma…ma　with　a　baby　accent。　　When　Raicharan　heard　those　familiar　sounds　the　mystery　suddenly　became　clear。　　The　little　Master　could　not　cast　off　the　spell　of　his　Chan…na；　and　therefore　he　had　been　reborn　in　his　own　house。
  The　arguments　in　favour　of　this　were；　to　Raicharan；　altogether　beyond　dispute：
  （i。）　The　new　baby　was　born　soon　after　his　little　master's　death。
  （ii。）　His　wife　could　never　have　accumulated　such　merit　as　to　give　birth　to　a　son　in　middle　age。
  （iii。）　　The　new　baby　walked　with　a　toddle　and　called　out　Ba…ba　and　Ma…　ma。　　There　was　no　sign　lacking　which　marked　out　the　future　judge。
  Then　suddenly　Raicharan　remembered　that　terrible　accusation　of　the　mother。　〃Ah；〃　he　said　to　himself　with　amazement；　〃the　mother's　heart　was　right。　　She　knew　I　had　stolen　her　child。〃　　When　once　he　had　come　to　this　conclusion；　he　was　filled　with　remorse　for　his　past　neglect。　　He　now　gave　himself　over；　body　and　soul；　to　the　new　baby；　and　became　its　devoted　attendant。　　He　began　to　bring　it　up；　as　if　it　were　the　son　of　a　rich　man。　　He　bought　a　go…cart；　a　yellow　satin　waistcoat；　and　a　gold…　embroidered　cap。　　He　melted　down　the　ornaments　of　his　dead　wife；　and　made　gold　bangles　and　anklets。　　He　refused　to　let　the　little　child　play　with　any　one　of　the　neighbourhood；　and　became　himself　its　sole　companion　day　and　night。　　As　the　baby　grew　up　to　boyhood；　he　was　so　petted　and　spoilt　and　clad　in　such　finery　that　the　village　children　would　call　him　〃Your　Lordship；〃　and　jeer　at　him；　and　older　people　regarded　Raicharan　as　unaccountably　crazy　about　the　child。
  At　last　the　time　came　for　the　boy　to　go　to　school。　　Raicharan　sold　his　small　piece　of　land；　and　went　to　Calcutta。　　There　he　got　employment　with　great　difficulty　as　a　servant；　and　sent　Phailna　to　school。　　He　spared　no　pains　to　give　him　the　best　education；　the　best　clothes；　the　best　food。　Meanwhile　he　lived　himself　on　a　mere　handful　of　rice；　and　would　say　in　secret：　〃Ah！　　my　little　Master；　my　dear　little　Master；　you　loved　me　so　much　that　you　came　back　to　my　house。　　You　shall　never　suffer　from　any　neglect　of　mine。〃
  Twelve　years　passed　away　in　this　manner。　　The　boy　was　able　to　read　and　write　well。　　He　was　bright　and　healthy　and　good…looking。　　He　paid　a　great　deal　of　attention　to　his　personal　appearance；　and　was　specially　careful　in　parting　his　hair。　　He　was　inclined　to　extravagance　and　finery；　and　spent　money　freely。　　He　could　never　quite　look　on　Raicharan　as　a　father；　because；　though　fatherly　in　affection；　he　had　the　manner　of　a　servant。　　A　further　fault　was　this；　that　Raicharan　kept　secret　from　every　one　that　himself　was　the　father　of　the　child。
  The　students　of　the　hostel；　where　Phailna　was　a　boarder；　were　greatly　amused　by　Raicharan's　country　manners；　and　I　have　to　confess　that　behind　his　father's　back　Phailna　joined　in　their　fun。　　But；　in　the　bottom　of　their　hearts；　all　the　students　loved　the　　innocent　　and　　tender…hearted　old　　man；　　and　Phailna　was　very　fond　of　him　also。　　But；　as　I　have　said　before；　　he　loved　him　with　a　kind　of　condescension。
  Raicharan　grew　older　and　older；　and　his　employer　was　continually　finding　fault　with　him　for　his　incompetent　work。　　He　had　been　starving　himself　for　the　boy's　sake。　　So　he　had　grown　physically　weak；　and　no　longer　up　to　his　work。　　He　would　forget　things；　and　his　mind　became　dull　and　stupid。　　But　his　employer　expected　a　full　servant's　work　out　of　him；　and　would　not　brook　excuses。　　The　money　that　Raicharan　had　brought　with　him　from　the　sale　of　his　land　was　exhausted。　　The　boy　was　continually　grumbling　about　his　clothes；　and　asking　for　more　money。
  Raicharan　made　up　his　mind。　　He　gave　up　the　situation　where　he　was　working　as　a　servant；　and　left　some　money　with　Phailna　and　said：　〃I　have　some　business　to　do　at　home　in　my　village；　and　shall　be　back　soon。〃
  He　went　off　at　once　to　Baraset　where　Anukul　was　magistrate。　　Anukul's　wife　was　still　broken　down　with　grief。　　She　had　had　no　other　child。
  One　day　Anukul　was　resting　after　a　long　and　weary　day　in　court。　　His　wife　was　buying；　at　an　exorbitant　price；　a　herb　from　a　mendicant　quack；　which　was　said　to　ensure　the　birth　of　a　child。　　A　voice　of　　greeting　was　heard　　in　the　　courtyard。　　Anukul　went　out　to　see　who　was　there。　　It　was　Raicharan。　　Anukul's　heart　was　softened　when　he　saw　his　old　servant。　　He　asked　him　many　questions；　and　offered　to　take　him　back　into　service。
  Raicharan　smiled　faintly；　and　said　in　reply；　〃I　want　to　make　obeisance　to　my　mistress。〃
  Anukul　went　with　Raicharan　into　the　house；　where　the　mistress　did　not　receive　him　as　warmly　as　his　old　master。　　Raicharan　took　no　notice　of　this；　but　folded　his　hands；　and　said：　〃It　was　not　the　Padma　that　stole　your　baby。　　It　was　I。〃
  Anukul　exclaimed：　〃Great　God！　　Eh！　　What！　　Where　is　he　？　〃Raicharan　replied：　〃He　is　with　me；　　I　will　bring　him　th