ieves and marauders were the progenitors of all the British
kings and their attendant nobility.

"I wish I knew that man's real history!" she mused, as he at last
disappeared from her sight. "The folks about here, such as Mr. Joltram,
for instance, say he was never born to the gypsy life,--he speaks too
well, and knows too much. Yet he's wild enough--and--yes!--I'm afraid
he's bad enough--sometimes--to be anything!"

Her meditations were here interrupted by a touch on her arm, and
turning, she beheld her round-eyed handmaiden Prue.

"The old man you sez is a gentleman is down, Mis' Tranter!"

Miss Tranter at once stepped indoors and confronted Helmsley, who,
amazed to find it nearly ten o'clock, now proffered humble excuses to
his hostess for his late rising. She waived these aside with a
good-humoured nod and smile.

"That's all right!" she said. "I wanted you to have a good long rest,
and I'm glad you got it. Were you disturbed at all?"

"Only by kindness," answered Helmsley in a rather tremulous voice. "Some
one came into my room while I was asleep--and--and--I found a 'surprise
packet' on my pillow----"

"Yes, I know all about it," interrupted Miss Tranter, with a touch of
embarrassment--"Tom o' the Gleam did that. He's just gone. He's a rough
chap, but he's got a heart. He thinks you're not strong enough to tramp
it to Cornwall. And all those great babies of men put their heads
together last night after you'd gone upstairs, and clubbed up enough
among them to give you a ride part of the way----"

"They're very good!" murmured Helmsley. "Why should they trouble about
an old fellow like me?"

"Oh well!" said Miss Tranter cheerfully, "it's just because you _are_ an
old fellow, I suppose! You see you might walk to a station to-day, and
take the train as far as Minehead before starting on the road again.
Anyhow you've time to think it over. If you'll step into the room
yonder, I'll send Prue with your breakfast."

She turned her back upon him, and with a shrill call of "Prue! Prue!"
affected to be too busy to continue the conversation. Helmsley,
therefore, went as she bade him into the common room, which at this hour
was quite empty. A neat white cloth was spread at one end of the table,
and on this was set a brown loaf, a pat of butter, a jug of new milk, a
basin of sugar, and a brightly polished china cup and saucer. The window
was open, and the inflow of the pure fresh morning air had done much to
dispers