f ill. And
scarce a bite of dinner have you touched," she went on, looking at the
bits of meat reposing beside the overturned plate.

Pamela lifted up her tear-swollen face and drew herself out of Duke's
arms, to fling herself into Diana's.

"If us is going to die, it's no good eating," she said.

"Who said you was a-going to die?" exclaimed the gipsy girl.

"Duke and I was talking, and us thought p'raps heaven was the nice place
you said us'd go to if us was good," replied Pamela.

Diana gave a little laugh, half sad and half bitter.

"It isn't here you'll learn much about going to _that_ place," she said.
"But that wasn't what I meant. Listen, master and missy; but, mind you,
never you say one word,--now hush and listen," and in a very low voice
she went on: "To-night we'll get to a big town where there's a fair.
Mick's got it all settled to give you to a--a gentleman there, who'd
dress you up fine and teach you to sing and to dance."

"Would he be kind to us?" asked both children eagerly. Diana shook her
head.

"Maybe, and maybe not. That's just why I cannot stand by and see you
given to him," said Diana, half as if speaking to herself. "It was a bad
day's work when he took them," she went on. Then suddenly rousing
herself: "Listen children, again," she said. "If that man as I'm
speaking of comes to see you to-night, as he most likely will, you must,
for my sake and your own, speak very pretty, and try to laugh and look
happy and answer all he says. It's only for once. For to-morrow--I can't
say for sure to-morrow--but I think it will be, and I can't say the
time--I'm going to do my best to get you sent back to where you should
never have been taken from." She stopped a moment as if to judge of the
effect of her words. For an instant the children did not speak; they
just stared at her with their blue eyes opened to their widest extent,
their little white faces looking whiter than before, till gradually a
rush of rosy colour spread over them, the blue eyes filled with tears,
and both Duke and Pamela flung themselves into the gipsy girl's arms.

"_Home_, do you mean, Diana?" they said. "Home to our own dear Grandpapa
and Grandmamma?"

"And Toby," added Duke.

"And Toby," echoed Pam.

Diana clasped them tight; her eyes, that for many a day had not shed a
tear, were running over.

"Yes, home, my blessed darlings," she said.

"But you'll come with us" was the next idea. "You've been so good to us.
Grandp