The most necessary thing is to gain time." With this in his mind he hastily packed a gladstone bag, changed into tweeds, and told Mrs.Tribb that he was going to London for a day or so.
"I shall get a trap at the inn and drive to the station," he said, as he halted at the door.

"You will receive a wire saying when I shall return," and leaving the dry little woman, open-mouthed at this sudden departure, the young man hastened away.
Instead of going straight to the village, he took a roundabout road to the camp on the verge of Abbot's Wood.

Here he found the vagrants in a state of great excitement, as Lord Garvington had that afternoon sent notice by a gamekeeper that they were to leave his land the next day.
Taken up with his own private troubles, Lambert did not pay much attention to those of the tribe, and looked about for Chaldea.

He finally saw her sitting by one of the fires, in a dejected attitude, and touched her on the shoulder.

At once, like a disturbed animal, she leaped to her feet.
"The rye!" said Chaldea, with a gasp, and a hopeful look on her face.
"Give me three days before you say anything to Pine," said Lambert in a low voice, and a furtive look round.