very great habit of haste; feverish haste, the books call it. I
believe it is worse for one's complexion than are cigarettes. Let me
begin making a Gypsy of you by teaching you to wait. You have a great
deal to wait for."

Cora glanced around her to avoid the eyes of the speaker. Surely she
did have a great deal to wait for. "Do you stay in doors all the
time?" she asked, glad to think of some leading question. "I should
think that would hurt your complexion."

"We often walk in the grounds. You see, we own almost all the woods,
but I am afraid they will not trust you yet. You will have to promise
me that you will not try to escape if I ask that you be allowed to walk
with me soon," said Helka.

"I could not promise that," Cora replied sadly.

"Oh, I suppose not now. I will not ask you. We will just be good
friends. And I will tell you about David. It is delightful to have
some one whom I can trust to tell about him."

"And I will tell you about my friends! Perhaps I will not be so lonely
if I talk of them."

Cora was now strong enough in nerve and will to observe her
surroundings. The room was very large, and was undoubtedly used
formerly as a billiard parlor, for it was situated in the top of the
big house, and on all sides were windows, even a colored glass skylight
in the roof. The floors were of hardwood and covered partially with
foreign rugs. There were low divans, but no tables nor chairs. The
whole scene was akin to that described as oriental. Lena returned with
the robes for Cora, and laid them on a divan. Then she adjusted a
screen, thus forming a dressing room in one corner. This corner was
hung with an oblong mirror, framed in wonderful ebony. Helka saw that
this attracted Cora's attention.

"You are wondering about my glass? It was a gift from my father to my
mother, and is all I have left of her beautiful things. It has been
very difficult to carry that about the world."

"It is very handsome and very massive," remarked Cora.

"Yes, I love black things; I like ebony. They called my mother Bonnie,
for she had ebony eyes and hair."

"So have you," said Cora.

"I am glad you are dark; it will make it easier, and the tribe will
think you are safer. I really would like to get you back to your
friends, but then I should lose you. And I don't see, either, how it
ever could be managed unless they want to let you go."

Cora sighed heavily. Then she prepared to don the ga