"But if she will not?"
"Then I will not hear it."
"There may be trouble."
"I have my laws."
The girl left the room, evidently not satisfied.
Presently there was a shuffling of aged feet in the big, bare outside hall. Helka turned, and her eyes flashed angrily.
"Go behind the screen," she said to Cora. "If she wants to see you, she must have my permission."
At that the door opened, and the old gypsy woman entered.
"I told you not to come," said Helka.
"But I had to. It is----"
She stopped and looked over the room carefully.
"Oh, she is here," said the queen, "but you are not to see her."
"Why?"
"Because I have said so. You know my laws."
The old woman looked as if she would like to have struck down the daring young queen. But her clinched fist was hidden in her ap.r.o.n.
"Helka, if they take this house they take you."
"Who is going to take it now?"
"The new tribe. They have sent word. We must give in or they govern."
The new tribe! That might mean more freedom for Helka. But she must be cautious--this old woman was the backbone of all the tribes, and every word she spoke might mean good or evil to all the American gypsies. She was all-powerful, in spite of Helka"s pretended power.
"They cannot take my house," said Helka finally. "I have the oath of ownership."
The woman shook her head. All the while her eyes were searching for Cora, and she knew very well that the stolen girl was back of that screen. She wanted to see her, to know what she looked like in daylight; also to know how she was behaving.
"What did she say about Salvo?" hissed the woman.
"She says nothing of him. Why should she? Salvo did wrong. He should be sent to jail."
This was a daring remark, and Helka almost wished she had not made it.
The eyes of the old woman fairly blazed with anger.
"You--you dare--to speak that way!"
Helka nodded her head with apparent unconcern.
"Why not?"
"There is always--revenge. I might take your girl friend farther into the mountains. That would leave you time to behave."
"Have we so many houses?" almost sneered the younger woman.
"There are holes, and caves and rivers," answered the woman, with the plain intention of frightening the disloyal one into submission.
"We left off that sort of thing when we came to America," replied Helka undaunted. "I will take care of this prisoner. I have agreed to."
The old woman shuffled up nearer to the screen. Cora felt as if she must cry out or faint, but Helka spoke quickly.
"Don"t you dare to step one inch nearer," she said, a.s.suming a voice of power. "I have told you to go!"
A dog was barking fiercely under the window.
"They will watch," said the old woman, meaning that the dogs would stay on guard if Cora should attempt escape.
"Oh, I know that," answered Helka. "But I have told you to go!"
Cora was trembling. She remembered the voice, although she was too deeply under the effects of the chloroform when in the wagon to recall more of this woman.
"I only came to warn you," said the woman.
"You are always warning," and Helka laughed. "I am afraid, Mother Hull, that we will begin to doubt your warnings. This young girl makes an admirable gypsy, yet you warned me so much before she came."
The woman stooped over and whispered into Helka"s ear. "And I warn you now," she said, "that if she gets away I will not save you from Sam.
_You_ will _marry_ him."
"Go away instantly," commanded the queen, springing up like an infuriated animal. "I have told you that before I will marry Sam I will--I will---- He sent you to threaten me! I----"
"Helka! Helka!" soothed the woman, "be careful--what you say."
"You leave me! I could throw myself from this window," and she went toward the open cas.e.m.e.nt.
"There now, girl! Mother Hull was always good to you-----"
"Go!"
The hag shuffled to the door. Turning, she watched Helka and looked toward the screen. Helka never moved, but stood like a tragedy queen, her finger pointing to the door.
It was exactly like a scene in a play. Cora was very frightened, for she could see plainly through the hinge s.p.a.ces of her hiding place.
When there was no longer a step to be heard in the hall, Helka sank down on the floor and laughed as merrily as if she had been playing some absurd game.
Cora was amazed to hear that girl laugh.