help, for, in a few minutes, she had somewhat recovered, and was able to
tell him what had passed.

'When I got to the camp,' she said, 'there did not seem to be a soul
about, I went into the centre and stood there. Suddenly a tall woman
stood beside me. "Something told me I was wanted!" she said. I held out
my hand and laid a piece of silver on it. She took from her neck a small
golden trinket and laid it there also; and then, seizing the two, threw
them into the stream that ran by. Then she took my hand in hers and
spoke: "Naught but blood in this guilty place," and turned away. I
caught hold of her and asked her to tell me more. After some hesitation,
she said: "Alas! alas! I see you lying at your husband's feet, and his
hands are red with blood".'

Gerald did not feel at all at ease, and tried to laugh it off. 'Surely,'
he said, 'this woman has a craze about murder.'

'Do not laugh,' said Mary, 'I cannot bear it,' and then, as if with a
sudden impulse, she left the room.

Not long after Joshua returned, bright and cheery, and as hungry as a
hunter after his long drive. His presence cheered his wife, who seemed
much brighter, but she did not mention the episode of the visit to the
gipsy camp, so Gerald did not mention it either. As if by tacit consent
the subject was not alluded to during the evening. But there was a
strange, settled look on Mary's face, which Gerald could not but
observe.

In the morning Joshua came down to breakfast later than usual. Mary had
been up and about the house from an early hour; but as the time drew on