This he knew, but he only reddened because the doctor had implied an offensive thing in a woman's presence,
"You forget yourself, doctor," he said sharply.
"Send some one in your place," advised the doctor, who liked the little minister.
"He must come himself and alone," said the Egyptian. "You must both give me your promise not to mention who is Nanny's friend, and she must promise too."
"Well," said the doctor, buttoning up his coat, "I cannot keep my horse freezing any longer. Remember, Mr. Dishart, you take the sole responsibility of this."
"I do," said Gavin, "and with the utmost confidence."
"Give him the ring then, lassie," said McQueen.
She handed the minister the ring, but he would not take it.
"I have your word," he said; "that is sufficient."
Then the Egyptian gave him the first look that he could think of afterwards without misgivings.
"So be it," said the doctor. "Get the money, and I will say nothing about it, unless I have reason to think that it has been dishonestly come by. Don't look so frightened at me, Nanny. I hope for your sake that her stocking-foot is full of gold."
"Surely it's worth risking," Nanny said, not very brightly, "when the minister's on her side."
"Ay, but on whose side, Nanny?" asked the doctor. "Lassie, I bear you no grudge; will you not tell me who you are?"
"Only a puir gypsy, your honour," said the girl, becoming mischievous now that she had gained her point; "only a wandering hallen-shaker, and will I tell you your fortune, my pretty gentleman?"
"No, you shan't," replied the doctor, plunging his hands so hastily into his pockets that Gavin laughed.
"I don't need to look at your hand," said the gypsy, "I can read your fortune in your face."
She looked at him fixedly, so that he fidgeted.
"I see you," said the Egyptian in a sepulchral voice, and speaking slowly, "become very frail. Your eyesight has almost gone. You are sitting alone in a cauld room, cooking your ain dinner ower a feeble fire. The soot is falling down the lum. Your bearish manners towards women have driven the servant lassie frae your house, and your wife beats you."
"Ay, you spoil your prophecy there," the doctor said, considerably relieved, "for I'm not married; my pipe's the only wife I ever had."
"You will be married by that time," continued the Egyptian, frowning at this interruption, "for I see your wife. She is a shrew. She marries you in your dotage. She lauchs at you in company. She doesna allow you to smoke."
"Away with you, you jade," cried the doctor in a fury, and feeling nervously for his pipe, "Mr. Dishart, you had better stay and arrange this matter as you choose, but I want a word with you outside."
"And you're no angry wi' me, doctor, are you?" asked Nanny wistfully. "You've been richt good to me, but I canna thole the thocht o' that place. And, oh, doctor, you winna tell naebody that I was so near taen to it?"
In the garden McQueen said to Gavin:--
"You may be right, Mr. Dishart, in this matter, for there is this in our favour, that the woman can gain nothing by tricking us. She did seem to feel for Nanny. But who can she be? You saw she could put on and off the Scotch tongue as easily as if it were a cap."
"She is as much a mystery to me as to you," Gavin answered, "but she will give me the money, and that is all I ask of her."
"Ay, that remains to be seen. But take care of yourself; a man's second childhood begins when a woman gets hold of him."
"Don't alarm yourself about me, doctor. I daresay she is only one of those gypsies from the South. They are said to be wealthy, many of them, and even, when they like, to have a grand manner. The Thrums people had no doubt but that she was what she seemed to be."
"Ay, but what does she seem to be? Even that puzzles me. And then there is this mystery about her which she admits herself, though perhaps only to play with us."
"Perhaps," said Gavin, "she is only taking precautions against her discovery by the police. You must remember her part in the riots."
"Yes, but we never learned how she was able to play that part. Besides, there is no fear in her, or she would not have ventured back to Thrums.