Old and young women formed a small cause court on the _ghats_; to the boys of the place it was cause of great excitement; many of them hoped to escape going to school.
At first Srish Chandra and Kamal Mani comforted Nagendra, saying, "She has never been accustomed to walk; how far can she go?
Half a mile, or a mile at the most; hence she must be sitting somewhere near at hand, we shall find her immediately." But when two or three hours had passed without bringing news of Surja Mukhi, Nagendra himself went forth.

After some stay in the broiling sun he said to himself, "I am looking here, when no doubt she has been found by this time;" and he returned home.

Then finding no news of her he went out again, again to return, and again to go forth.

So the day passed.
In fact, Srish Chandra's words were true--Surja Mukhi had never walked; how far could she go?
About a mile from the house she was lying in a mango garden at the edge of a tank.

A _khansamah_ who was accustomed to serve in the women's apartment came to that place in his search, and recognizing her, said, "Will you not please to come home ?" Surja Mukhi made no answer.
Again he said, "Pray come home, the whole household is anxious." Then, in an angry voice, Surja Mukhi said, "Who are you to take me back ?" The _khansamah_ was frightened; nevertheless he remained standing.
Then Surja Mukhi said, "If you stay there I shall drown myself in the tank." The _khansamah_, finding he was unable to do anything, ran swiftly with the news to Nagendra.