by nods and nudges, with now and then one word whispered. After
a little while Maga whispered in Will's ear, and he went below with
her. All the gipsies promptly followed. Otherwise in the darkness
we might not have noticed where Will went.

"That proves she is no gipsy!" vowed Rustum Khan, standing between
Fred and me. "They, would have trusted one of their own kind."

"They call her Maga Jhaere," said I. "The attaman's name is Jhaere.
Don't you suppose he's her father?"

"If he were her father he would have no fear," the Rajput answered.
"All gipsies are alike. Their women will dance the nautch, and promise
unchastity as if that were a little matter. But when it comes to
performance of promises the gitana* is true to the Rom.** It is
because she is no gipsy that they follow her now to watch. And it
is because men say that Americans are Mormons and polygamous, and
very swift in the use of revolvers, that all follow instead of one
or two!"

--------------
* Gitana, gipsy young woman.
** Rom--Gipsy husband, or family man.
--------------

"Go down then, and make sure they don't murder him!" commanded Monty,
and Rustum Khan turned to obey with rather ill grace. He contrived
to convey by his manner that he would do anything for Monty, even
to the extent of saving the life of a man he disliked. At the moment
when he turned there came the sound of a troop of horses galloping