e.
But she will not speak with so many ears about. It is a woman's whim,
and such the wisest of us must sometimes humour."

The gipsies smiled at the gay wave of his hand with which Cardono
uttered this truism and quickly betook themselves out of earshot in
groups of ten and a dozen. Cards were produced, and in a few minutes
half a score of games were in progress at different points of the
quarry-like cauldron which formed the outlaws' rendezvous.

At once the humour of the child changed.

"They obeyed you," she said; "I like you for that. I mean to have many
men obey me when I grow up. Then I will kill many--thousands and
thousands. Now I can do nothing--only I have it in my head--here!"

The elf tapped her forehead immediately underneath the red sash which
was tied about it. The Sergeant, though eager to hear her story and
marvelling at such sentiments from the lips of a child, successfully
concealed his curiosity, and said gently, "Tell me how you came to think
of to-night----"

"Of what to-night?" asked the girl quickly and suspiciously.

"The deed which is to be done to-night," replied the Sergeant simply, as
though he were acquainted with the whole.

She leaped forward and caught him by the arm.

"You will stay and go with us? You will lead us?" she hissed, her blue
eyes aflame and with trembling accents, "then indeed will I be sure of
my revenge. Then the Italian woman and her devil's brat shall not
escape. Then I shall be sure--sure!"

She repeated the last words with concentrated fury, apparently
impossible to one of her age. The Sergeant smoked quietly and observed
her. She seemed absolutely transfigured.

"Tell me that you will," she cried, low and fierce, so that her voice
should not reach the men around; "these, when they get there, will think
of nothing but plunder. As if rags and diamonds and gold were worth
venturing one's life for. But I desire death--death--death, do you hear?
To see the Italian woman and her paramour pleading for their lives, one
wailing over against the other, on their knees. Oh, I know them and the
brat they call the little Queen! To-night they shall lie dead under my
hands--with this--with this!"

And the girl flashed a razor-keen blade out of her red waistband. She
thrust the hilt forward into the Sergeant's hands as if in token of
fealty.

"See," she said, touching the edge lovingly, "is it not sharp? Will it
not kill surely and swiftly? For months I have sharpened