"On the day after the nuptials Indrajit installed the princess in a bejewelled and canopied litter and set forth for his country. With dread in his heart, as he remembered the evil planet that threatened mishap to his daughter, the king of Conjeveram laid his right hand on her head and gave her his farewell benediction. The queen could not restrain her tears as she kissed her daughter on the lips. In the temples a thousand priests were repeating incantations to propitiate the evil destiny.
"Conjeveram is far distant from Madura- nearly a month's journey. On the second evening the Rajputs had pitched their tents on the banks of Vetsha river and were preparing for the night's rest when the blaze of torches was descried in the neighboring forest. Indrajit sent a man-at -arms to investigate and he brought back the following report : 'The lights are those of a party like their own returning from a wedding and they are also Rajputs, escorting a bride like themselves to her husband's home. The road was unsafe, so they were craving the Highness's protection and prayed that Indrajit would convey them a part of the way.' The king readily accepted to succor them. So both the parties joined forces and continued the further journey. On the third night they took to rest and ahead lay a range of hills and behind was a thick forest. The weary soldiers were soon deep in repose. "
"Then in an instant, suddenly they found the Madura camp horses were galloping about madly, for some one had cut their picketing ropes. Here and there tents were blazing and people running helter-skelter. A desperate melee followed in darkness. In the darkness it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe and hopeless confusion was the result. Under cover of tumult the brigands sacked the camp and disappeared into the mountains with their booty."
"When the fight was over the princess was nowhere to be seen. She had fled in terror from the camp and had joined a party of fugitives, in the belief that they were her own people. As a matter of fact these fugitives belonged to the other bridal party. The fugitives imagined Chandra was was the bride whom they escorting and marched off with her at top-speed to their own land."
"They belonged to an insignificant tribe of Rajputs living on the Carnatic coast. The princess duly met the chief-his name was Chet Singh- who was the destined husband of the other bride. Chet Singh's mother welcomed the girl and escorted her to her chamber, while the assembled kinsfolk murmured, 'Never have we seen such beauty !' Chet Singh saw that he won a prize, and he worshipped her inwardly, infatuated with her loveliness. Looking on Chet Singh as her lawful husband, Chandra resolved to devote her life to his service."
"In few days the restraint that these two felt in each other's society wore off ; and as they talked, Chet Singh discovered that the girl whom he had taken into his house as his bride was no other than the princess Chandra !"
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