to call on Silver, who is living in my old
cottage. Also I wish to have a conversation with Miss Greeby. In some
way, my dear, I must settle these people, or they will make trouble.
Have you noticed, Agnes, what a number of gypsies seem to cross our
path?"

"Yes; but there are many gypsies in Devonshire."

"No doubt, but many gypsies do not come to this retired spot as a rule,
and yet they seem to swarm. Chaldea is having us watched."

"For what reason?" Agnes opened her astonished eyes.

"I wish to learn. Chaldea is now a queen, and evidently has sent
instructions to her kinsfolk in this county to keep an eye on us."

Agnes ruminated for a few minutes. "I met Mother Cockleshell yesterday,"
she observed; "but I thought nothing of it, as she belongs to
Devonshire."

"I believe Mother Cockleshell is on our side, dear, since she is so
grateful to you for looking after her when she was sick. But Kara has
been hovering about, and we know that he is Chaldea's lover."

"Then," said Mrs. Lambert, rising from the heather on which they had
seated themselves, "it will be best to face Mother Cockleshell and Kara
in order to learn what all this spying means."

Lambert approved of this suggestion, and the two returned to Mrs.
"Anak's" abode to watch for the gypsies. But, although they saw two or
three, or even more during the next few days, they did not set eyes on
the Servian dwarf, or on Gentilla Stanley. Then--since it never rains
but it pours--the two came together to the inn. Agnes saw them through
the sitting-room window, and walked out boldly to confront them. Noel
was absent at the moment, so she had to conduct the examination entirely
alone.

"Gentilla, why are you spying on me and my husband?" asked Agnes
abruptly.

The respectable woman dropped a curtsey and clutched the shoulder of
Kara, who showed a disposition to run away. "I'm no spy, my angel," said
the old creature with a cunning glint in her eyes. "It's this one who
keeps watch."

"For what reason?"

"Bless you, my lady--"

"Don't call me by my title. I've dropped it."

"Only for a time, my dear. I have read your fortune in the stars, my
Gorgio one, and higher you will be with money and rank than ever you
have been in past days. But not with the child's approval."

"The child. What child?"

"Chaldea, no less. She's raging mad, as the golden rye has made you his
romi, my sweet one, and she has set many besides Kara to overlook you."

"So Mr. La