"The folks about here, such as Mr.Joltram, for instance, say he was never born to the gypsy life,--he speaks too well, and knows too much.

Yet he's wild enough--and--yes!--I'm afraid he's bad enough--sometimes--to be anything!" Her meditations were here interrupted by a touch on her arm, and turning, she beheld her round-eyed handmaiden Prue.
"The old man you sez is a gentleman is down, Mis' Tranter!" Miss Tranter at once stepped indoors and confronted Helmsley, who, amazed to find it nearly ten o'clock, now proffered humble excuses to his hostess for his late rising.

She waived these aside with a good-humoured nod and smile.
"That's all right!" she said.

"I wanted you to have a good long rest, and I'm glad you got it.

Were you disturbed at all ?" "Only by kindness," answered Helmsley in a rather tremulous voice.