“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 ones. 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.”
“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. “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, reloading the gun.