IV
The case was duly sent up and the District Magistrate made it over to Babu Nagendra Nath for trial.
It was evening. The Deputy Babu came home from the cutcherry and finishing his tea, was sitting on a verandah of the inner apartments, leisurely pulling at his hooka.
His wife, Charusila, a young lady of twenty summers, came and sat by him. Observing that her husband was rather taciturn that evening, she enquired—"You look sad. Is there anything wrong? Has anything happened?"
"No, nothing in particular."
But the lady was not satisfied with this reply. She began pressing him to tell her what was passing in his mind.
At last the Deputy Babu said—"You have heard of the students' case, haven't you? There are so many other Deputy Magistrates; it is very annoying that the case should have been made over to me for trial."
"You will try it? I am so glad. I was rather anxious on that score."
"Why anxious?"
"I apprehended that the case might be made over to somebody who would unjustly send the
