Then her
frightened eyes turned to her lover; he read some appeal in them.
He held out his hand, and caught hers and pressed it for one short
second to his lips.
The door burst open, and the girl who had been singing came in; her
black hair was all blown back, the great black eyes staring out of the
small dark face. She drew her scanty cloak round her and laughed a
shrill laugh.
"Will you have your fortunes told, my good gentleman? my pretty lady?"
she cried. "Cross little Nora's palm with a silver sixpence then."
"No, no, we have had enough of that. Come, dear madam, we must be
going," said Johnstone, and he conducted Betty to the place where
Reuben, faithful to his trust, held the rein of her horse.
"Do not be so long without coming to see me again, dear heart," cried
Rachel Ray, standing outside her door.
"No, no, I will come soon," answered Betty. Johnstone placed her in the
saddle.
"A good gallop over the downs will bring back the colour to your cheek,"
he said softly. "You are so white and cold."
"There is something ill-omened in all here," said Betty with a slight
shiver.
"Here, Nora," cried Johnstone, flinging her a piece of gold. "This is to
make up for the loss of that silver sixpence."
The girl laughed loud and shrilly. "Ah! ah!" she cried after them. "The
good gentleman! the brave fellow! For this I would follow you! aye!
follow you, my lad, from Belton to Tyburn Hill!"
CHAPTER IV.
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