“Jack!  Jack!” I called again.

Then I heard a stone rattle up above, somewhere, and a sick horror rushed over me, because of the gipsy men coming back with their wicked old mother.

It was only a very dark gray in the cellar, to my unaccustomed eyes, but suddenly it turned black, with purple edges.  I knew then I was going to faint, because I’ve done it once or twice before, and things always began by being black with purple edges.

CHAPTER XV

“For heaven’s sake, wake up—­tell me you’re not hurt!” a familiar voice was saying in my ear, or I was dreaming it.  And because it was such a good dream I was afraid to break it by waking to some horror, so I kept my eyes shut, hoping and hoping for it to come again.

In an instant, it did come.  “Child—­little girl—­wake up!  Can’t you speak to me?”

His hand, holding mine, was warm and extraordinarily comforting.  Suddenly I felt so happy and so perfectly safe that I was paid for everything.  My head was on somebody’s arm, and I knew very well now who the somebody was.  He was real, and not a dream.  I sighed cozily and opened my eyes.  His face was quite close to mine.

“Thank God!” he said.  “Are you all right?”

“Now you’re here,” I answered.  “I thought they were coming to kill me.”

“Who?” he asked, quite fiercely.

“An old gipsy woman and her sons.”

“Those people!” he exclaimed.  “Why, it was they who told me you were in this place.  If it hadn’t been for them I shouldn’t have found you so soon—­though I would have found you.  The wretches!  What made you think—­”

“The old woman was in the room above,” I said, “waiting for her sons; and she begged me to look down here for a rosary she dropped.  She must have known the bottom steps were gone.  She wanted me to fall; and though I called, she didn’t answer, because she’d probably hobbled off to find her sons and bring them back to rob me.  I haven’t hurt myself much, but when I found I couldn’t climb up I was so frightened!  I thought no one would ever come—­except those horrible gipsies.  And when I heard a sound above I was sure they were here.  I felt sick and strange, and I suppose I must have fainted.”

“I heard you call, just as I got into the upper room.  Then, though I answered, everything was still.  Jove!  I had some bad minutes!  But you’re sure you’re all right now?”

“Sure,” I answered, sitting up.  “Did I call you ‘Jack’?  If I did, it was only because one can’t shriek ‘Mister,’ and anyway you told me to.”

“Now I know you’re all right, or you wouldn’t bother about conventionalities.  I wish I had some brandy for you—­”

“I wouldn’t take it if you had.”

“That sounds like you.  That’s encouraging!  Are you strong enough to let me get you up into the light and air?”

“Quite!” I replied briskly, letting him help me to my feet.  “But how are we to get up?”