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bock any nows of her life or death. Enraged at this like a bull at the sight of a red rag, Surasena ruled his subjects with the rod of iron, and believing that his subjects had removed his daughter by night and done her to death, he incarcerated Nayavachana, whom he suspected to have had a hand in the itnagined eritne.
Meanwhile, the distrial tidings of Sundarananda's assassination by the gaolers had embittered the feelings of Satguna and sharpened the rancour of Virendra. The latter sent Tantratihira as ambassador to the court of Surasena. to ask him ho restore to Satguna his kingdom and, in default, to inform him of his readiness to take the field. Before he returned, the intelligence of the sudden disappearance of Rupavati, as if carried away by a goblin, lightered the Borrow-laden hearts of many a comforter of Satguna at Chola's Court. But it could in no degree console Satguna, who was wild with grief. Now Tantradhira returned, severely flogged on his way, an act believed to have been done at the instance of Surasena. This insult to his embassy exasperated Virendra, who with a large force under the command of Sundara and accompanied by Satguna, encamped on the northern bank of the Waigai.
Now, the long-expected messenger returned from Karuvur, Surasina's capital, with the Bad news that, on account of a war raging between Rajopaya, his minister, and Viramartanda, Satguna's father-in-law and King of Thondai Nadu, no army could be forthcoming. This broke down the hopes of Surasena, and he immediately conferred with Suchila and asked him to negotiate terms of peace with Wirendra. Suchila, whose heart was filled to the brim with aversion to the tyrant, and who was desirous of wreaking vengeance on him for his tyranny, bethought himself and proceeded to the camp of Chola and informed Virendra that he had persuaded his monarch to avoid the impending war, as otherwise his already afflicted subjects might fall victims to the engines of war. At this, so strangely surprised was Virendra that he could not believe his own ears and consulted Satguna about the character of Suchila and the object of his visit. Satguna gave a satisfactory account of his former minister and helped him to express his consent to the peace ; but Chola would not agrge to it, for in his heart rankled the insult offered to his embassy. As soon as this secret canker in his mind was disclosed to him, the foreseeing Suchila informed him of Surasena's proclamation to give reward to those who would detect the ruffians that had insulted Tantradhira. When this unction was applied to his cankerous heart, he consented and began to settle the terms of peace. Now Suchila introduced Surasena, accompanied by his body-guards, to Virendra who received them with due respect. Then the terms were given out ; that Surasena must restore his kingdom to Satguna and that he must révert to his own realm. This amicable settlement brought back to the minds of the aggrieved Satguna and Surasena the loss of their only children and brought tears to their eyes. But these tears of sorrow were in the twinkling of an eye changed
