The Gypsy Queen's Vow

m like a por

truth, Verno

us and well-go

kspe

gon drawn by two swift horses. It had two seats capable of hold

farers to London (either by land or water), when arriving too late for the regular conveyances. On the present occasion his sole freight consisted of a young gentleman with a brilliant-hued carpet-bag, glowing with straw-colored roses and dark-blue lilies, rising from a back-ground resembling London smoke. The young gentleman was a very remarkable young gentleman indeed. He was exceedingly tall and thin, with legs like a couple of pipe-stems, and a neck so long and slender that it reminded you of a gander's, and made you tremble for the safety of the head balanced on such a frail support

" said Mr. Harkins, bending his h

to you," said the pale young man, with the white hair and frec

f an 'our, while I'll be a-drivin' back through this 'ere win' and rain, g

, "I'm very sorry to put you to so much t

s easy to be perceived, them as is gentlemen from them as isn't. You're one o' the right sort; oughter to be

, if you'll please to recollect. I'm an American, and consequently couldn't be a lord. There aren't any lords over in America, Mr. Harkins; though

ce," said Mr. Harkins, reflectively

he's only the President," broke

the amendment with a look of disgust. "I've heern

enthusiastically, while he repeated the sentence he had read out of a late novel: "-It is a title for which emperors might lay down their scepters-for which pot

uggested Mr. Harkins

oh, yes!-'might resign name and fame, and dwell under the shadow of the American eagle, whose glorious wings extend to

rish that it came in contact with the head of Mr. Harkins, and set more stars da

. Toosypegs, whose complexion had turned from whity-brown to gray,

or to strike a hunnoffending man like that! Blessed! if I

n eagle, "I didn't mean to do it, I'm very much obliged to you! I do assure

kins, fiercely, looking bayo

if five or eve

s?" demanded the somewha

g falsetto; "and I do assure you, Mr. Harkins, I hadn't

e-which is a Christian maxim, Mr. Toosypegs. A clip side the head's neither here nor

rvously. "Three-five-ten dollars, and two for the drive's twelve; and one to buy sugar-plums for your infant family-

ing the money, with a broad grin. "'May you ne'er want

Mr. Harkins resigned with a grunt. "You have a soul, Mr. Harkins. I know it-I fe

g fact with the greatest indiff

from the city, Mr. Harkins!" said Mr.

a mile

'm a stranger in the city, you know, and should feel

Pig,' one of the finest 'otels in Lunnon, with the best o' 'commodations for ma

very likely he had; but, owing t

otels to beat that 'ere. Best o' 'co

ocated?" asked

nicest 'otel in Lunnon-best o' 'commodations. But I told you that ha

am very much obliged to you," said Mr.

s if he's been married once. One wife died; one left his bread-board, and run hoff with a hofficer dragoon;

e in making the acquaintance of your friends, Mr. and Mrs. Bob. But, good gracious! Mr. Harkins, just look there-if that ain't a woman hurry

tramper a-goin' to Lunnon,

rm at this hour of the night! Why, it ain't

e collar of his coat, faced abruptly round, a

Mr. Toosypegs, unheeding Mr. Harkins' astounded look at his philanthropy. "A woman traveling on

ever be a little hout their mind,

uch obliged to you," said Mr. Toosy

rkins, in the same bland tone, "I should say

exclaimed Mr. Toosypegs, in a tone of mild rem

brick!" said Mr. Harkins, mildly. "Perhaps, though, its the hair of Hingland wot doesn't agre

kins," said Mr. Toosypegs, blushing. "And if you'll only cal

?" said Mr. Harkins, sharply.

Toosypegs, warmly, "sh

e be?" said Mr.

ore particularly when there is a back seat with nobody in it. Why, it ain

o but buy waggins to kerry sich lumber as that 'ere? I won't do it for no one. Likely as not she's not

y, thrusting his hand into his pocket, "w

his money'-hum!

's a c

n the coin, while his little eyes snapped. "Hu

as indistinguishable in the darkness-sped on wi

n called Mr. Harkins, while

nt, if you p

d, courteous request of Mr. Toosypegs, did the woman stop. Casting

you?" yelled the polite and agreeable Mr. Harkins, holding up

eyes and wildly-streaming hair, was turned,

y from her lurid glances. "Ugh! What a face! Looks like the witch

me one else," said the wo

e of intense irony. "This 'ere young man, which is a Hamerican from the New Knighted States, has paid y

the sharp light of her stiletto-like eyes on the frec

y it is," said Mr. Toosypegs

and dumped our patriotic American back in his seat. Before he could recover his breath, the gipsy had de

an that ever was, 'cept Deborah, the woman the Bible tells about, you know, wot druv the nail through the fellar's head when she found him tak

ning round and looking in some alarm at the fixed, stern, dark face be

o transportation for life for robbin' the plate of the Hearl De Courcy. He's goin' off with a lot of hothers airly to-morrow mornin'

sypegs, in a tone of sympathy. "Why, i

gentleman, and see wot's come hof hit. She, a hold gipsy queen, goin' and sendin' her son to Heton with hall the young lordses, and baronetses, and dukeses, and makin' believe he was somethin' above the common.

g!" said Mr. Toosypegs

clapped my two blessed heyes on. Hafter he left Heton, I see'd 'im, one day, in the streets, hand guess who with? W'y, with nobody less than young Lord Williers, honly so

to Eton-he, a gipsy?" said

her tawny, but 'andsome as Lord Williers himself. Hold Ketura was 'andsome once, too; see'd 'er w'en she was a reg'lar hout

f his mother was so ric

his cash gave out, he took hand stole the hearl's plate. He denied it hall hat 'is trial; but then they hall do that. By jingo! he looked fierce enough to knock th

y for him-I really am," said Mr. To

burst into a

is! Sorry for a cove yer never saw! Wonder

tion appended to each, Mr. Harkins relapsed into silence and the collar of his great-coat, a

ad not heard a word of the foregoing conversation-it having been carried on in a prudently-subdued tone-had wrapped her coarse cloak closer around her, while the gaze of her devouring

soon in the very midst of the great

Toosypegs sprung out to a

ung out unassisted, and without one word or look of t

'd get," said Mr. Harkins, with a hoarse chuckle

I'm sure," said the kind-hearted Mr. Toosypegs. "Goo

ike to come hacross one like you hev'ry night! Go right to Bob's, sign o' the 'Blue Pig,' St. Giles, best o' 'commo

Toosypegs, with a severe twinge of conscience at the deception he felt himself to be us