Violet Jacob > Stories told by the miller

THE STORY OF FARMYARD MAGGIE 145
Maggie was too much surprised to answer.
“It is because of the man you saw,” con¬
tinued Rhoda, “ the man I will not sing for. He
is the richest gipsy in the country, and I hate
him; but he loves me. My mother says I
must marry him. He has given her presents of
money and necklaces and fine clothes, and she
has promised me to him. They don’t know I
have gone, but by to-night I shall be miles
away, and I will never come back. He is the
most hateful man in the world.”
“And now I shall never see you any more!”
cried Maggie.
“ Oh, but I hope you will,” replied Rhoda.
“ I like you, and you like me, and when you are
at a fair some day, you’ll hear my guitar, and
come and speak to me and be glad to see me.
You will, won’t you ?”
And she turned away towards the edge of the
wood, and Maggie went a little distance with
her.
“May I tell Dan?” she asked, as they
parted.
“ Oh, Dan knows,” said Rhoda.
Then she went away through the tree-stems
into the open country, and Maggie stood at the
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