"Hey! Am I not a free Roman, brother? You have not yet caught the bird.
It still sings on the bough. If I kiss him I suck gold from his lips. If
I put fond arms around his neck I but gather wealth for us both. Can you
snare a mouse without cheese, brother?"

Kara looked at her steadily, and then lifted his green coat to show
the gleam of a butcher knife. "Should you go too far," he said
significantly; and touched the blade.

Chaldea bent swiftly, and snatching the weapon from his belt, flung it
into the coarse grass under the trees. "So I fling you away," said she,
and stamped with rage. "Truly, brother, speaking Romanly, you are a fool
of fools, and take cheating for honesty. I lure the Gorgio at my will,
and says you whimpering-like, 'She's my romi,' the which is a lie. Bless
your wisdom for a hairy toad, and good-bye, for I go to my own people
near Lundra, and never will he who doubted my honesty see me more."

She turned away, and Kara limped after her to implore forgiveness. He
assured her that he trusted her fully, and that whatever tricks she
played the Gentile would not be taken seriously by himself. "Poison him
I would," grumbled the little gnome in his beard. "For his golden talk
makes you smile sweetly upon him. But for the gold--"

"Yes, for the gold we must play the fox. Well, brother, now that you
talk so, wait until the moon is up, then hide in the woods round the
cottage dell with your violin to your chin. I lure the rabbit from its
hole, and then you play the dance that delights the Gorgios. But what I
do, with kisses or arm-loving, my brother," she added shaking her
finger, "is but the play of the wind to shake the leaves. Believe me
honest and my rom you shall be--some day!" and she went away laughing,