and happy. Her look was sad, and often she
stole away from Dalim Kumar to weep in secret.

The Prince was greatly troubled by this. At first he forbore to
question her, but one day he followed her and finding her in tears, he
said, "Tell me, why are you sad and downcast? Have you wearied of this
garden, and are you lonely here; or is it that you no longer love me?"

"Dalim Kumar," answered the girl, "I love you as dearly as ever, and I
am never lonely with you. As long as we had no child I was content to
stay here in the garden and see no one. But now that we have a son I
wish him to be seen by your people, and I wish them to know that he is
the heir to the kingdom."

At this Dalim Kumar became very thoughtful. "My dear wife," said he,
"you are right. Our son should be known as my heir; but every one
believes I died long ago when I was a child. If you went out among
them with the boy and told them he was my son, they would laugh at
you, and either think you were an impostor or that you were crazy. If
we could but gain possession of the necklace, then I could go out from
the garden with you, and if I showed myself to my people they would be
obliged to believe."

"That is what I have thought also," said Surai Bai, "and it has been
in my mind to ask you to give me permission to leave the garden for a
while. If you will do this I will try to gain entrance to the palace
and the apartments of Duo. Then possibly I can find where she keeps
the necklace at night, and I may be able to get possession of it."

Dalim Kumar eagerly agreed to this plan, and the very next day, while
he lay unconscious in the temple, Surai Bai took the child and managed
to steal out through one of the gates without being seen by any of the
gardeners.

She at once sought out a shop in the city and bought for herself the
dress of a hairdresser; then, leading the child by the hand she made
her way to the palace. She told the attendants there that she was very
skillful in dressing the hair, and if they would take her to the
Ranees she was sure she could please them.

After some hesitation the attendants agreed to do this, and led the
way first to the apartments of Suo. When Surai Bai entered the room
and saw her husband's mother sitting there thin and pale and
grief-stricken, her heart yearned over her. But Suo would not so much
as look at the pretended hairdresser. "Why do you bring her here?" she
asked. "I have no wish to look beautiful. My son is