Kamla was now convinced that someone had deceived and abducted Kishori. She did not linger long in that garden; already equipped with her ayyari tools, she took a lantern in her hand and set out from there. Exiting the garden, she began to circle around, searching for any sign that might reveal what conveyance had carried Kishori away. But until she reached the mango orchard, she found no trace on the ground save for footprints.

It was the rainy season, and the earth was thoroughly damp. Thus, by carefully searching the mango orchard, Kamla discovered that Kishori had departed in a chariot, accompanied by several riders. The double track of the chariot wheels and the hoofprints of the oxen were clearly visible on the ground, as were the marks of horses' hooves.

Kamla followed the tracks for several steps in the direction the chariot had gone, and very soon she was able to determine which way those who had taken Kishori had gone. After this, she turned back and went straight to the stables, where she ordered a swift horse to be saddled and readied at once.

Kamla's command was not one to be refused. The horse was quickly prepared, and Kamla mounted it, setting off at speed in the direction she was now certain Kishori had been taken by chariot.

After traveling for about five kos, Kamla reached a crossroads. The road to the left led to Chunar, the road to the right passed through Rewa and reached Garyaji, and the road straight ahead plunged into a fearsome forest, branching off in several directions.

At this four-way junction, Kamla halted and began to ponder: Which way should I go? If those from Chunar had taken Kishori, they would have gone by the left road. And if her enemy Madhavi had ensnared her, then the chariot would have gone right, toward Garyaji. No one would likely take the road straight ahead, for it was a treacherous, rocky path through the jungle.

The moon had risen, and its light now spread brightly over the land. Kamla dismounted and began to search the ground to the right for the imprint of the chariot wheels, but...

She could not make out anything; helpless, she mounted her horse, pondering which way to go, what to do.

As we have written earlier, when Kishori realized, while riding in the chariot, that she had been deceived, several words escaped her lips which, upon hearing, made the fake Kamla alert. She leapt from the chariot, mounted a horse, and rode back the way she had come.

The returning fake Kamla, galloping her horse, reached that very crossroads at the precise moment when the real Kamla, having arrived there, was wondering which way to go, what to do.

The real Kamla, seeing a rider approaching swiftly from the front, called out for her to halt, but why would she stop? The fake Kamla needed to turn onto the road to the right of the real Kamla, so she