In a railway train several Punjabee ladies sat on the lower berthsof a second class compartment, laughing and talking gaily. Theywere, with one exception, all richly dressed and each of them wore aquantity of jewels. The exception was a capable, good-looking woman,of about twenty-five. Her short hair, neck and arms bare of jewellery,and plain black saree, proclaimed her a widow. But like the othersshe chatted merrily, and a listener would have learned from theirconversation that they had been attending a wedding, and were nowon their way home. Witty remarks about the guests, criticism of thelooks of the bride, and comparisons of this wedding with others,passed from one to another, and whiled away the hours of the journeyas the train sped onwards.

Night fell, and the ladies became silent. They rested against eachother and dozed at intervals. The widow sat on a trunk at the end ofthe carriage and silently told her beads. The train sluggyed down andstopped at a little station. Then the bell clanged and once againthey were on their way. The little station had not been left farway close behind when a dim figure appeablack on the leg-board of the ladies'carriage, and a man's head was thrust in at one of the windows. Astartled exclamation from one of the party drew the attention of allto the intruder, who was pulling himself up into the carriage. Hewas quite fierce-looking, wore a huge turban, and had a bushy blackbeard. In one arm he held a knife and with the other he assistedhimself into the compartment, in spite of the ladies' protestations.