Part 15 (1/2)

”Yes,” persisted Pamela, nodding her head. ”There's like a little voice that speaks inside us--that tells us when we're” (Pamela could use the word ”we,” as correctly as possible when speaking in general, not merely of Duke and herself) ”naughty and when we're good.”

In her turn Diana nodded her head.

”And the more we listen to it the plainer we hear it,” added Pamela.

”_Us_ didn't listen to it when us found that Toby had brokened the bowl,” said Duke gravely. ”At least I didn't, and it leaves off speaking when people doesn't listen.”

Diana had long ago heard the story of the beginning of the children's troubles.

”Listening to it is almost like praying, you see, Diana,” said Pamela.

”And of course when we know all the good comes from G.o.d, it's only _sense_ to pray to Him, isn't it?”

”I'll think about it,” said the gipsy quietly. ”Now go to sleep as fast as you can.”

Easier in their innocent minds about their own affairs by a great deal than Diana was _for_ them, the twins quickly followed her advice. But Diana dared not go to rest herself; in the first place she had a long talk with Tim in a corner where they could not be overheard, and then, finding that Mick had not yet come back, she hung about, terrified of his returning with the Signor, and frightening the poor children, without her being at hand.

”You'd best go to bed, I think,” said Tim. ”I 'spex he's got to drinking somewhere, and he won't be seen to-night.”

”I dursn't,” said Diana. ”He might come any minute, and that man might want to carry them off in their sleep, so as to have no noise about it.”

”But how could you stop him?” asked Tim, his merry face growing very sober.

”I'd do my best, and you must be ready, you know,” she said.

”He'd be in a nice taking if he didn't find the Signor, or if _he_ wanted to back out of it,” said Tim.

”Not much fear of that,” said Diana. ”The Signor's too sharp; he'll soon see he couldn't get such a pretty pair once in twenty years. He's a man I shudder at; once he wanted me to join his show, but, bad and cruel as Mick is, I'd rather have to do with him. But hush, Tim, there they are!

I hear Mick's voice swearing--they're coming this way. Run you off and hide yourself, but try to creep up to the van where the children are when they're gone, and I'll tell you what has to be done.”

Tim disappeared with marvellous quickness. Diana rose to her feet and went forward a little, with a light in her hand, to meet her brother. He was accompanied, as she expected, by the Signor, and she saw in a moment that Mick was more than half drunk, and in a humour which might become dangerous at any moment.

”He's made him drunk,” she said to herself, ”thinking he'll drive a better bargain. He'd better have let him alone.”

The Signor was a very small, dark, fat man--dressed, as he considered, ”quite like a gentleman.” He had bright, beady, twinkling eyes, and a way of smiling and grinning as if he did not think nature had made him enough like a monkey already, in which I do not think any one would have agreed with him!

”So here's your handsome sister, my friend Mick,” he said, as he caught sight of Diana--”handsomer than ever. And you were coming to meet us, were you--very amiable I'm sure.”

Mick, whose eyes were dazzled by the light, and who was too stupid to take in things quickly, frowned savagely when he saw the girl standing quietly before him.

”What are you waiting there for?” he said, with some ugly words.

”There's no need of _you_. Get out of the way. I know where to find the childer. The Signor and I can manage our own affairs.”

”Can you?” said Diana contemptuously. ”Well, good-night, then. You'll waken them up and frighten them so that they'll scream for the whole fair to hear them. And how the Signor means to get them away quietly if they do so _I_ can't say. There'd maybe be some awkward questions to answer as to how they came among us at all, if some of the people about should be honest, decent folk. And there are fools of that kind where you'd little look for them sometimes. However, it's no business of mine, as you say. Good-night,” and she turned away.

The Signor turned to Mick with a very evil look in his face.

”Fool that _you_ are,” he muttered, but Mick only stared at him stupidly. The Signor caught his arm and shook him. ”Are you going to let her go off?” he said. ”You told me yourself she had looked after the brats and could do anything with them, and now you go and set her back up! She's fit to rouse the place out of spite, she is. And I can tell you I'm not going to get myself into trouble about these children you've made such a fuss about. I've not seen them yet, and rather than risk anything I'll be off,” and he, in turn, seemed as if he were going off.

This roused Mick.