"No; I have no one to speak to." "Tim said ye met her at the Gates of Dawn." "Oh, the lady of your prophecy," said Dan, lightly. "Yes, I certainly did meet her; but I can hardly ask a young lady like Miss Merle to visit me." "Ho!" croaked Mother Jericho, maliciously, "ye'll have enough of her some day." "Pish! I don't believe in your prophecy. I choose my wife for myself, not at your bidding." "Fate is stronger than either of us, rye! I read your fortune in your hand, in the stars, and by the cards----" "Well?" said Dan, seeing she had not completed the sentence. "Well," echoed the old woman, "they all agree. Two women shall love ye, and ye shall love one--the first you met." "That means Meg! She is beautiful enough to make any man love her, but as yet my heart is untouched." "Ho, ho, young man! I'm not blind." Not caring to argue the question, Dan shifted his ground. "Who is the other woman?" "You'll meet her at the hour. She ain't far off. Fire and flame and brave deeds," continued she, dreamily. "A fine skein Fate reels off for ye, my son." "You seem to have arranged everything ahead," said Dan, pointedly. "No, dearie, no! It is written." "Indeed! Then what has Dr. Merle to do with it?" The question evidently took the old creature somewhat aback, for she did not answer immediately. When she again took part in the conversation, it was to feign a stupidity for the purpose of evading a direct reply. "Dearie me! How my head do swim! Was it Dr. Merle ye talked of just now, young man?" "Yes. Do you know him?" "Bless ye, child, what would I do running arter a Gentile doctor? When I aches or pains, I brew my own drinks from herb and root." "You must have seen him, at all events," persisted Dan, taking no notice of her evasion. "Oh yes, I've seen him. He is only a child. D'ye call him a man?" "No, I don't. He is a slave to his vice." "Fond of drinking, ain't he, dearie?" croaked Mother Jericho; "and it ain't whisky, nor gin, nor rum. No, no! I've heard of those brews which lift the soul from the body, and set it floatin' on golden seas. Bless ye, dearie, I have juice of a plant which can make you dream yourself into a kingdom. Ay, ay! 'Beasts of the field are ye,' say the Gentiles; but Mother Jericho and her Romany children know secrets of great power." There was evidently nothing to be learned from this cunning old woman, who maundered on about magic ceremonies and subtle arts without again touching on the subject of Merle. Vexed by his ill success, Dan clapped his hands smartly together to rouse her from such dreams, and spoke sharply and to the point. "Listen to me, mother. You and Tim and Dr. Merle have some scheme in your heads which concerns me." "May I die, young man, if I ever set eyes on you afore you came to Farbis." "That is not the question. For purposes of your own, you wish me to marry this Meg Merle." "Not I, dearie, nor Tim, nor the Gorgio. It's Fate, my rover." "I don't believe in Fate."