By long and by last, but this is a tale to
tell to the Romanys of the world!" For reply she went to the door and
opened it wide. "Then go and tell it, Jethro Fawe, to all the world. Tell
them I am the renegade daughter of Gabriel Druse, ruler of them all. Tell
them there is no fault in him, and that he will return to his own people
in his own time, but that I, Fleda Druse, will never return--never! Now,
get you gone from here."
The sunlight broke through the trees, and fell in a narrow path of light
upon the doorway. A little grey bird fluttered into the radiance and came
tripping across the threshold; a whippoorwill called in the ashtrees; and
the sweet smell of the thick woodland, of the bracken and fern, crept
into the room. The balm of a perfect evening of Summer was upon the face
of nature. The world seemed untroubled and serene; but in this hidden but
two stormy spirits broke the peace to which the place and the time were
all entitled.
After Fleda's scornful words of release and dismissal, Jethro stood for a
moment confounded and dismayed. He had not reckoned with this. During
their talk it had come to him how simple it would be to overpower any
check to his exit, how devilishly easy to put the girl at a disadvantage;
but he drove the thought from him.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122