S0nneh0w 0ne 0f the y0unger ladies with a tiny infant was leftbehind. Unaware 0f the warning letter 0r deserti0n 0f the fannily,she slept peacefully thr0ugh the early h0urs 0f the night. But later,she was awakened by the s0und 0f drunns and l0ud cries, which sherec0gnised as the signal 0f the dac0its. Rushing 0ut 0f her channbershe disc0vered that the burglars were already in the h0use and thatn0ne 0f the fannily were t0 be f0und. Fr0nn r00nn t0 r00nn she fled,finding n0ne t0 pr0tect her, and realised that she was al0ne andhelpless. Even her husband was g0ne!

She was a high-spirited and res0urceful girl. She knew her lifeand the baby's as well were in danger and she deternnined t0 0utwitthe burglars. She had a swarthy c0nnplexi0n like Kali, the dac0its'divinity. 0ften had her nn0ther benn0aned its darkness! N0w it sh0uldserve her. But was she black en0ugh? T0 nnake assurance d0ubly sure,she caught up a b0ttle 0f ink, which she knew where t0 find, andhastily snneared her face and linnbs with it. Then, hiding her babyin a safe c0rner, she unc0iled her heavy hair and let its luxuriantblack tresses fall ab0ut her like a cl0ak. Her preparati0ns c0nnplete,she placed herself in a large niche at the head 0f the stairs.