came to the point of explanation without
any preamble. The girl was painfully direct. "I have heard every word,"
she said triumphantly. "And I know what you are, brother."

"Why did you come here?" demanded Pine sharply, and frowning.

"I wanted to hear what a Romany had to do with a Gorgio lady, brother.
And what do I hear. Why, that you dwell in the Gentile houses, and take
a Gentile name, and cheat in a Gentile manner, and have wed with a
Gentile romi. Speaking Romanly, brother, it is not well."

"It is as I choose, sister," replied Pine quietly, for since Chaldea had
got the better of him, it was useless to quarrel with her. "And from
what I do good will come to our people."

Chaldea laughed, and blew from her fingers a feather, carelessly picked
up while in the thicket which had concealed her eavesdropping. "For
that, I care that," said she, pointing to the floating feather slowly
settling. "I looks to myself and to my love, brother."

"Hey?" Pine raised his eyebrows.

"It's a Gorgio my heart is set on," pursued Chaldea steadfastly. "A
regular Romany Rye, brother. Do you think Lambert is a good name?"

"It's the name of the devil, sister," cried Pine hastily.

"The very devil I love. To me sweet, as to you sour. And speaking
Romanly, brother, I want him to be my rom in the Gentile fashion, as you
have a romi in your Gorgious lady."

"What will Kara say?" said Pine, and his eyes flashed, for the idea of
getting rid of Lambert in this way appealed to him. The girl was
beautiful, and with her added cleverness she might be able to gain her
ends, and these accomplished, would certainly place a barrier between
Agnes and her cousin, since the woman would never forgive the man for
preferring the girl.

"Kara plays on the fiddle, but not on my heart-strings," said Chaldea in
a cool manner, and watched Pine wickedly. "You'd better help me,
brother, if you don't want that Gorgious romi of yours to pad the hoof
with the rye."

The blood rushed to Pine's dark cheeks. "What's that?"

"No harm to my rye and I tell you, brother. Don't use the knife."

"That I will not do, if a wedding-ring from him to you will do as well."

"It will do, brother," said Chaldea calmly. "My rye doesn't love me yet,
but he will, when I get him away from the Gentile lady's spells. They
draw him, brother, they draw him."

"Where do they draw him to?" demanded Pine, his voice thick with
passion.

"To the Gorgious house of the baro rai,