“But you don’t believe that Freddy is guilty?” asked Agnes anxiously.

“Oh, no.  Still, he wrote that letter which lured Pine to his death, and if such a mean act became known, he would be disgraced forever.”

“Freddy has such criminal instincts,” said Mrs. Lambert gloomily, “that I am quite sure he will sooner or later stand in the dock.”

“We must keep him out of it as long as we can,” said Noel decisively.  “For that reason I intend to leave you here and go to Garvington.”

“To see Freddy?”

“Yes, and to see Chaldea, and 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.”