No! No! And I am very lonely. If in the days to
come wind and moon and the call of the wilderness stir my gypsy blood
to rebellion--if I am ever to forget--"
"What must you forget?"
"It was foolish to speak so. I do not know. Then when the call of the
wildwood comes I must have crowded days and fevered gayety to hush it.
And surely this will come to me in the court of Ronador."
The wild moon drifted behind a cloud, the sea darkened, something huge
and shadowy lumbered down to the water and splashed heavily away, the
cat owl hooted. A mist drooped trailing fingers over the water as the
wind died away.
A profoundly dreary setting for a dream of empire!
CHAPTER XXXVI
UNDER THE LIVE OAKS
"See!" said Keela shyly. "It is the camp of my people."
It lay ahead, a fire-blot in the darkling swamp, a primitive mirage of
primitive folk, of palmetto wigwams and log-wheel fires among the live
oaks of a lonely island.
Keela's wagon presently forded a shallow creek and crossed an island
plain. Thence it came by a winding road to the village, where, with
the halting of the wagon, the travelers became the hub of a vast and
friendly wheel of excitement.
Hospitable hands were already leading Keela's horses away when Mr.
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