nobleman. I am the representative of this family and have followed your
trail for years. You thought I had come to get the horse. You were
mistaken; it was the girl!"

"Perdita!" exclaimed the gypsy, taken completely off his guard.

"Lost indeed," responded the quack, scarcely able to conceal his pride
in his own astuteness. And then he added slowly: "She must be a burden
to you, Baltasar. You evidently never have been able or never have dared
to take her back and claim the ransom which you expected. I will pay you
for her and take her from your hands. It is the child I want and not
vengeance."

"Ze Caballero muz be a Duquende (spirit)," gasped the gypsy.

"At any rate I want the child. You were reasonable about the horse. Be
reasonable about her, and all will be well."

"Ze Caballero muz be made of gol'."

The horseman drew a silver coin from his pocket and flipped it into the
waters of the brook.

The gypsy's face gleamed with avarice and springing into the water he
began to scrape among the stones where it had fallen.

The stranger watched him for awhile with an expression of mingled
amusement and contempt, and finally said: "Baltasar, I am in haste. You
can search for that trifle after I am gone. Let us finish our business.
What will you take for the girl?"