Ruth said nothing, but shook her head.
"You know the excuse the sheriff and that Constable Peck, at Severn Corners, gave?"
"Yes," nodded Ruth.
"If you had come right up to the village that night, when Roberto brought you to the farmhouse, and told where the camp was, they'd have nabbed the whole crowd, before they could have gotten over the state line."
"I know," murmured Ruth.
She was remembering Roberto's words as he left her that stormy night in sight of her refuge. He had asked not to be too hard on the Gypsies; therefore, she had not hurried to lodge information against Queen Zelaya and her tribe.
But if she had only known about this pearl necklace! Nettie Parsons had described the jewel so clearly that the girl of the Red Mill could not for a moment doubt that the necklace in Zelaya's possession was the one for which the reward was offered.
"I tell you what I'll do, if you say the word," Helen said at last, seeing that her friend was really so much troubled about the affair.
"What's that, dear?"
"I'll write to father. Let me tell him all about you seeing the old woman handling the pearls, and then about this necklace that was lost by Nettie's aunt. He can advise you, at any rate."