e was making her way down, with as much caution
as possible, swinging from one ledge to the next, hanging on to a bush
here, and a projecting piece of rock there.

Even an expert climber, equipped with rope and sharp pointed stick,
would have found the descent difficult. And all that enabled Bessie to
succeed was her knowledge that she must.

CHAPTER X

A TERRIBLE SURPRISE

Bessie, though she had to pause more than once in her wild descent of
the rocks, dared not look back to see if the gypsy, Peter, was pursuing
her, or even whether he was looking down after her. She had two reasons.
For one thing, the task was difficult and terrifying enough as it was,
and to know that there was danger from behind, as well as the peril
involved in the descent itself, would, she feared, unnerve her.

And, moreover, even if Peter saw her, he might not, if she paid no
attention to him, suspect that she had anything to do with Dolly, or
that he and his companion had anything to dread from her. Bessie did not
know whether he would recognize her as having been at the gypsy camp
with Dolly, but she felt that it would be as well not to take the
chance. Things were bad enough without running the risk of complicating
them still further.

The descent was a long and hard one, but when she was about half way
down to the comparatively level ground at the foot of the peak, all real
danger of a crippling fall was over, since there a path began. Evidently
some trampers who were fond of climbing had worn it through the rough
surface to a point where a good view was to be had, and had stopped
there, content with the distance they had gone, and not disposed to try
the further ascent. And as soon as Bessie reached that point she was
able to stop and get her breath.

Meanwhile she wondered what had become of Lolla. The gypsy girl, as
Bessie understood thoroughly, was running severe risks. If the two men
knew that she was in league with Dolly's friends they would certainly
take some steps to silence her. But John, Bessie felt sure, did not
believe that Lolla, no matter how jealous she might be, would actually
betray her own people to the hated Americans. He had smiled in a
confident manner while Lolla had made her threats, and Bessie thought he
regarded the girl as a child in a temper, but sure to come to her senses
before she actually put him in danger.

What to do next was a problem. Bessie, when she had followed the rough
path until it