of the lowering
clouds--were forced to leave their temporary paradise in order to baffle
their enemies. Miss Greeby, Chaldea, Silver, and perhaps Garvington,
were all arrayed against them, so a conflict could not possibly be
avoided.

Agnes took up her abode in the private hotel near the Park which Lambert
had referred to, and was very comfortable, although she did not enjoy
that luxury with which Pine's care had formerly surrounded her. Having
seen that she had all she required, Noel took the train to Wanbury, and
thence drove in a hired fly to Garvington, where he put up at the
village inn. It was late at night when he arrived, so it might have been
expected that few would have noted his coming. This was true, but among
the few was Chaldea, who still camped with her tribe in Abbot's Wood.
Whosoever now owned the property on mortgage, evidently did not desire
to send the gypsies packing, and, of course, Garvington, not having the
power, could not do so.

Thus it happened that while Lambert was breakfasting next morning,
somewhere about ten o'clock, word was brought to him by the landlady
that a gypsy wished to see him. The young man at once thought that
Mother Cockleshell had called to adjust the situation, and gave orders
that she should be admitted. He was startled and ill-pleased when
Chaldea made her appearance. She looked as handsome as ever, but her
face wore a sullen, vicious look, which augured ill for a peaceful
interview.

"So you cheated me after all, rye?" was her greeting, and her eyes
sparkled with anger at the sight of the man she had lost.

"Don't be a fool, girl," said Lambert, purposely rough, for her
persistence irritated him. "You know that I never loved you."

"Am I so ugly then?" demanded the girl bitterly.

"That remark is beside the point," said the man coldly. "And I am not
going to discuss such things with you. But I should like to know why you
set spies on me when I was in Devonshire?"

Chaldea's eyes sparkled still more, and she taunted him. "Oh, the clever
one that you are, to know that I had you watched. Aye, and I did, my
rye. From the time you left the cottage you were under the looks of my
people."

"Why, may I ask?"

"Because I want revenge," cried Chaldea, stepping forward and striking
so hard a blow on the table that the dishes jumped. "You scorned me, and
now you shall pay for that scorn."

"Don't be melodramatic, please. What can you do to harm me, I should
like to kn