mbert and I thought. And Chaldea's reason?"

"She would make trouble," replied Mother Cockleshell mysteriously. "But
Kara does not wish her to love the golden rye--as she still does--since
he would have the child to himself." She turned and spoke rapidly in
Romany to the small man in the faded green coat.

Kara listened with twinkling eyes, and pulling at his heavy beard with
one hand, while he held the neck of his violin with the other. When
Mother Cockleshell ceased he poured out a flood of the kalo jib with
much gesticulation, and in a voice which boomed like a gong. Of course,
Mrs. Lambert did not understand a word of his speech, and looked
inquiringly at Gentilla.

"Kara says," translated the woman hurriedly, "that he is your friend,
since he is glad you are the golden rye's romi. Ever since you left
Lundra the child has set him and others to spy on you. She makes
mischief, does the child in her witchly way."

"Ask him," said Agnes, indicating the dwarf, "if he knows who murdered
my late husband?"

Gentilla asked the question and translated the reply. "He knows nothing,
but the child knows much. I go back to the wood in Hengishire, my dear,
to bring about much that will astonish Chaldea--curses on her evil
heart. Tell the rye to meet me at his old cottage in a week. Then the
wrong will be made right," ended Mother Cockleshell, speaking quite in
the style of Meg Merrilees, and very grandiloquently. "And happiness
will be yours. By this and this I bless you, my precious lady," making
several mystical signs, she turned away, forcing the reluctant Kara to
follow her.

"But, Gentilla?" Agnes hurried in pursuit.

"No! no, my Gorgious. It is not the time. Seven days, and seven hours,
and seven minutes will hear the striking of the moment. Sarishan, my
deary."

Mother Cockleshell hobbled away with surprising alacrity, and Mrs.
Lambert returned thoughtfully to the inn. Evidently the old woman knew
of something which would solve the mystery, else she would scarcely have
asked Noel to meet her in Hengishire. And being an enemy to Chaldea, who
had deposed her, Agnes was quite sure that Gentilla would work her
hardest to thwart the younger gypsy's plans. It flashed across her mind
that Chaldea herself might have murdered Pine. But since his death would
have removed the barrier between Lambert and herself, Agnes could not
believe that Chaldea was guilty. The affair seemed to become more
involved every time it was looke