he said. "From everywhere in the world they have come to show their love
for you. You would not have come to them of your own free will, because
a madness 'got hold of you, and so they came to you. You cut yourself
off from them and told yourself you had become a Gorgio. But that was
only your madness; and madness can be cured. We are the Fawes, the
ancient Fawes, who ruled the Romany people before the Druses came to
power. We are of the ancient blood, yet we are faithful to the Druse
that rules over us. His word prevails, although his daughter is mad.
Daughter of the Ry of Rys, you have seen us once again. We have sung to
you; we have spoken to you; we have told you what is in our hearts; we
have shown you how good is the end of those who are faithful, and how
terrible is the end of the traitor. Do not forget it. Speak to us."

Fleda had a fierce desire to spring to her feet and declare to them all
that the sentence of the patrin had been passed upon Jethro Fawe, but she
laid a hand upon herself. She knew they were unaware that the Sentence
had been passed, else they would not have been with Jethro. In that case
none would give him food or shelter or the hand of friendship; none dare
show him any kindness; and it was the law that any one against whom he
committed an offence, however small, might take his life. The Sentence
had been like a cloud upon her mind ever since her father had passed it;
she could not endure the thought of it. She could not bring herself to
speak of it--to denounce him. Sooner or later the Sentence would reach
every Romany everywhere, and Jethro would pass into the darkness of
oblivion, not in his own time nor in the time of Fate. The man was
abhorrent to her, yet his claim was there. Mad and bad as it was, he
made his claim of her upon ancient rights, and she was still enough a
Romany to see his point of view.

Getting to her feet slowly, she ignored Jethro, looked into the face of