at you like," retorted Lambert tartly. "Come on.
I can't wait here all day listening to the rubbish you talk."

The gypsy followed him sullenly enough, being overborne by his
peremptory manner, and anxious, if possible, to bring home the crime to
him. What she could not understand, for all her cleverness, was, why he
should be so eager to condemn himself, and so went to The Manor on the
lookout for treachery. Chaldea always judged other people by herself,
and looked upon treachery as quite necessary on certain occasions. Had
she guessed the kind of trap which Lambert was laying for her, it is
questionable if she would have fallen into it so easily. And Lambert,
even at this late hour, could not be certain if she really regarded him
as guilty, or if she was only bluffing in order to gain her ends.

Needless to say, Garvington did not welcome his cousin enthusiastically
when he entered the library to find him waiting with Chaldea beside him.
The fat little man rushed in like a whirlwind, and, ignoring his own
shady behavior, heaped reproaches on Lambert's head.

"I wonder you have the cheek to come here," he raged. "You and this
beast of a girl. I want no gypsies in my house, I can tell you. And
you've lost me a fortune by your selfish behavior."

"I don't think we need talk of selfishness when you are present,
Garvington."

"Why not? By marrying Agnes you have made her give up the money."

"She wished to give it up to punish you," said Lambert rebukingly.

"To punish me!" Garvington's gooseberry eyes nearly fell out of his
head. "And what have I done?"

Lambert laughed and shrugged his shoulders. In the face of this dense
egotism, it was impossible to argue in any way. He dismissed the subject
and got to business, as he did not wish to remain longer in Garvington's
society than was absolutely necessary.

"This girl," he said abruptly, indicating Chaldea, who stood passively
at his elbow, "has found the bullet with which Pine was shot."

"Kara found it, my boro rye," put in the gypsy quickly, and addressing
Lord Garvington, who gurgled out his surprises, "in the tree-trunk."

"Ah, yes," interrupted the other. "The elm which is near the shrubbery.
Then why didn't you give the bullet to the police?"

"Do you ask that, Garvington?" inquired Lambert meaningly, and the
little man whirled round to answer with an expression of innocent
surprise.

"Of course I do," he vociferated, growing purple with resentment. "Yo