“The child.  What child?”

“Chaldea, no less.  She’s raging mad, as the golden rye has made you his romi, my sweet one, and she has set many besides Kara to overlook you.”

“So Mr. Lambert 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 looked into.

However, Mrs. Lambert related to her husband that same evening all that had taken place, and duly delivered the old gypsy’s message.  Noel listened quietly and nodded.  He made up his mind to keep the appointment in Abbot’s Wood the moment he received the intelligence.  “And you can stay here, Agnes,” he said.