Eventually, Jagjeet Singh stopped visiting because he was threatened by Akalis who controlled his village. He tried to convince the Muslim villagers to leave, but they said they could not abandon their ancestors’ graves.

Jagjeet Singh, the Sikh religious figure who was friendly with Dost Mohammad and the other Muslims, secretly visited the village several times. They describe terrible things that happened so quickly in Pir Pindo. Lenny begins sleeping in the servant quarters with Ranna and his aunt Noni and uncle Iqbal are. He has been badly hurt and is very unhealthy. She realizes with a shock that it is Ranna. She sees a very skinny boy covered with welts, wounds, and bruises. One day Lenny comes home to realize that Imam Din has guests from Pir Pindo, which is now a part of India. Others don’t like it, but Lenny sees Hamida as a “starved and grounded bird” so she lets her do what she wants. She also reaches out to massage anyone who is around. She is from the village and is scared of electricity. She must be trained to make beds, stack clothes, and do things how Mother likes. Hamida slowly gets used to the household routine. He stares at Lenny sometimes and says bitterly: “Children are the Devil… They only know the truth.”

Sharbat Khan also comes down from the mountains and talks with Imam Din and Yousaf. They have hushed conversations that they hide from the children. Meanwhile, Mother and Electricaunt seem to be searching for Ayah. They call her by her name Hamida because it is too painful to call her Ayah. Lenny thinks there is something shifty about her but she gives rise to intense compassion and guilt in those that look at her. Mother interviews one of them to be Lenny’s new ayah or nanny. They are scared of losing this property in which they are squatting so they hide and try not to stand out. The Hindu doctor’s house itself is occupied by refugees. But the children also see smoke-filled cubicles inside and cots lines up. Village women wash clothes or chaff wheat in the courtyard. Lenny, Cousin, and Adi are able to sneak a peek and assume that it is a women’s jail. The courtyard has been walled off and is guarded by a Sikh. There is something strange happening in the servants’ quarters behind the Hindu doctor’s house that parallels Lenny’s.

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