hatred they bore to our house. Tell me of that, I pray. Might it
have somewhat to do with the stealing of the treasure?"

"That is what some have thought, though with what truth none can
say. The story of that is soon told. Many long years agone now, the
Trevlyn whose portrait hangs below in the hall--our great
grandfather--gave sentence upon an old gipsy woman that she should
be burnt as a witch. Men said of her that she had overlooked their
children and their cattle: that the former had become sick or
silly, and that the latter had incontinently died of diseases none
had heard of before. There was such a hue and cry about her, and so
many witnesses to testify the harm she had done, that all men held
the case proven, and she was burnt in the sight of all the village
out upon the common yonder by order of our forefather, whose office
it was to see the law enforced. There were then many of these gipsy
folk scattered about the common and forest, and this old witch
belonged to them. They mustered strong upon the heath, and it was
said that if the villagers had not been too strong for them they
would have rescued the witch as she was led out to die. But the
Trevlyns, when a thing has to be done, are wont to carry it
through; and your grandfather, Cuthbert, was prepared against any
such attempt, and the thing was done as had been decreed. The old
woman went bravely to her death, but she turned as she passed Sir
Richard and cursed him with a terrible curse. Later on some rude
verses were found fastened to the wall of the church, and it was
said by those who had heard the curse that these verses contained
the same words. The paper was burnt by the haughty knight; but my
grandam remembered some of the lines--she had got a sight of the
paper--and used to tell them to us. I cannot recall them to memory
now, but there was something about loss of gold and coming woe,
years of strife and vengeful foe. And when years after the Trevlyn
treasure was lost, there were many who vowed that it had been the
work of the gipsy tribe, who had never forgotten or forgiven, and
who had been waiting their turn to take vengeance upon the
descendants of their old enemy."

"It seems not unlike," said Cuthbert, thoughtfully; "and if that be
so, the treasure will most like be dissipated to the four winds by
now. It would be divided amongst the tribe, and never be seen
within the walls of Trevlyn again."

"That I know not," answered Kate, and she dre