She began to mutter again , and to fling out her arms , upon which the bangles jangled .sx Evidently she thought she was being led to some sick or some lovelorn person who required her services .sx She would stop and search the landscape for a house , and then she would look angrily at Shindillar , who merely pointed ahead and waved her on .sx They came at twilight into a little village between two woods , and the witch stopped dead like a stubborn horse .sx Shindillar wrung his hands , and acted despair , and waved her on .sx But she would not budge .sx More money changed hands , and she wavered .sx After she had stood motionless , looking sulkily at the two men for some minutes , she suddenly swung forward again .sx " When we stop to sleep , " said Shindillar , " we shall have to take it in turns to watch her .sx I wouldn't trust her for a second .sx For all I know , she may think we are disguised policemen who have been sent to arrest her .sx She will take any opportunity she can to get away with the money .sx " " The whole thing , " said Hawkes , " is so damnably senseless that it tires me out .sx Whoever heard of a gypsy being dragged across the country in this way ?sx And what the devil will you do with her if we ever get her to Constantinople ?sx " " She will be La Something-or-Other , the greatest fortune-teller in Europe , the heiress of the ages , the friend of the stars , the reader of all dark secrets .sx Money will pour in , and that will attach her to us .sx " " And then ?sx " " Who knows ?sx Sufficient for the day is the fun thereof , Hawkes .sx Don't worry so much .sx If you live to be a hundred .sx years old , you will never have another adventure like this .sx " When darkness had fallen they sat down in a wood and shared the last of the bread and wine , and Shindillar tried to convey to the witch , by resting his head on his hand , that they proposed to sleep in this wood , and continue the journey in the morning .sx When she understood this she became very angry and kept on pointing back in the direction from which they had come .sx And she repeated many times the word " ganatho " for what it was worth .sx Shindillar merely smiled at her , and gave her some more money .sx But she stood leaning against a tree when Hawkes lay down , saying as plainly as words that it was her intention to escape the moment they were asleep .sx At first Shindillar lay down and pretended to sleep , but he was so tired that he had to get up again to keep awake .sx " We'll have to go on , " he said to Hawkes .sx " We must tire her out somehow .sx " So up jumped Hawkes once more , and the weird procession fell in and started off again .sx They had come down out of the mountains by now , and were on a road that ran up and down hill through wooded country .sx The witch muttered no more , but strode along beside them .sx Once they passed through a village where all the lights were out , and a dog in a field behind a house howled at them .sx " Give it the evil eye , " said Shindillar to the witch .sx Hawkes's eyes kept on closing , and he was sick for a good meal and a bed .sx Presently the woods ended and they emerged on to a plain .sx The witch stopped and turned round .sx They thought she was going to make a bolt for it , but she only looked at them in a more surly fashion than before and said , in a questioning voice :sx " Suelfat ?sx " To which there appeared to be no adequate reply .sx It must have been but even if it was not , nobody will be any the worse off it may have been , then , about two o'clock in the morning when the dark blur of a shed stood up before them in the starlight , and beyond that something gleamed like steel .sx Well it might , for steel it was .sx Shindillar was the first to realise that they had lost the road to Cernauti , and had stumbled upon a railway ; perhaps only a little local railway , but a railway , for all that .sx It was a siding , and there was a string of cattle-trucks .sx Without a moment's hesitation , Hawkes clambered into one of them and lay down on a thin layer of dirty straw , determined that nothing should shift him until he had slaked his fatigue .sx Casting delicacy to the winds , Shindillar signed to the witch to follow Hawkes .sx She swung herself up with great agility and sat down with her back propped against the side of the truck .sx Shindillar followed , and lay down in such a position that he could watch her .sx He saw that her eyes were shut , but there was nothing to tell him whether she slept or not .sx The snores of Hawkes were the only sound .sx The night was oppressively hot , with no breath of wind .sx Shindillar felt himself dozing , but every time his head sagged he forced himself to open his eyes .sx The witch never moved .sx Her head did not fall forward , and there was no change in her position .sx She might have been dead .sx Once he woke with a start , and banged his head against the side of the truck .sx He realised that he had been asleep and at once strained his eyes in the darkness .sx At first it seemed that she .sx was not there , but by bending forward he could see the outline of her body .sx She had not moved .sx He fumbled in his sack , and took out two empty bottles .sx He leaned forward and put one of them on each side of her , so that if she moved she would be likely to knock one or both of them over .sx Then he leaned back and abandoned the struggle against sleep .sx He awoke suddenly , feeling chilled .sx His hip came in contact with one of the bottles which had rolled over on to its side .sx He sat up , forcing his eyes open and expecting to find her gone .sx But she was there in the same position , looking more repulsive than ever in the ghostly grey light of dawn .sx The other bottle was rolling about the floor , and there was a rattling and jolting which at first puzzled him .sx Then , as he became fully awake , he realised that they were moving .sx The smoke from an engine streamed overhead .sx He got up and looked over the edge of the truck .sx The landscape was mountainous and thickly wooded , and the train was going very slowly up an incline .sx The string of six or seven trucks lurched and thudded along under a clouded sky .sx A flock of birds flew across a gap between two woods .sx There was a wavering ribbon of blue smoke rising from the chimney of a cottage near the line , and a young girl came out of the door with a pail in her hand .sx Ahead the sky was shot with delicate and ill-defined colours which blended as he watched , until the horizon was a great wild rose , and even the edges of the cold clouds caught the warmth and glowed .sx When he turned back into the truck the witch was awake .sx There had been no shifting of position , but her small dark eyes were open , and were fixed upon him .sx " I hope you slept well , madam , " said Shindillar , with a bow .sx The witch blinked her eyes .sx " It looks like being a very nice breakfast , " said Shindillar , conscious of a belly as empty as the Pit of Mauclaire .sx His voice roused Hawkes , who had cramp in one leg , and groaned with the misery of his awakening .sx He was too weary even to remark on the fact that the trucks were in motion , but rubbed his eyes , and passed his tongue over his dry lips .sx Then he looked at Shindillar and said listlessly :sx " Where are we going ?sx " " Do you think , " asked Shindillar , " that this is a personally conducted tour ?sx Do you think I arranged this surprise , and am about to drag you round picture-galleries and museums , to show you monuments and to tell you long historical lies ?sx But why complain ?sx Here we are being transported somewhere , with a carriage all to ourselves , and in the company of a girl who , if silent , is at any rate an ornament and a source of delight .sx " There was a little bread left in the sacks , but nothing to drink .sx They ate the bread , giving the witch her portion .sx But they could see no trace of emotion on that great square face .sx The light grew , making her yet more hideous , and Hawkes more disconsolate .sx He had a feeling that they were going in the wrong direction and would find themselves in Poland before the day was out , or in Czechoslovakia .sx He was feeding on his gloomy thoughts when the train slowed down , and stopped with a series of shudders and bumps , throwing the witch off her balance , so that one long , thick leg shot into the air .sx She looked like a comedienne in a pantomime .sx Shindillar .sx stood up and gazed over the edge of the truck .sx " It's no good getting out , " he said , " until we know where we are .sx " The train crept on again , but after a few hundred yards joggled into a small station .sx Shindillar whipped out his map and unfolded it .sx Written in uneven letters on the blistered blue paint of the shed which formed the station building was the word " Hadicfalva .sx " After a moment Shindillar uttered a shout .sx " We're in luck , " he said .sx " We seem to be on the main line from Cernauti .sx We've got a devil of a way to go , but we're pointing in the right direction .sx " Hawkes was on his feet , all his gloom and apathy dispelled .sx " Let's get out quickly , " he said , " and wait for a train .sx " I think that's the best plan , " said Shindillar .sx Meanwhile their voices had attracted the dilapidated man who appeared to be in charge of the station .sx He swung himself up , and began to talk rapidly and ferociously .sx Both men looked at the witch .sx She evidently understood and spoke Rumanian , for she answered the official , but when he questioned her she only shrugged her shoulders .sx " Kustenje , " said Hawkes .sx The man repeated the name of the port as though he were dealing with madmen .sx Then he beckoned to them , and they clambered out of the truck .sx As though he imagined that they really understood him , and were only pretending not to be able to , he went on talking to them .sx The witch took no notice .sx She seemed to have resigned herself to whatever strange fate awaited her .sx She sat down on the ground .sx When the official had said " Roman " about forty times , Shindillar realised that it was the name of a place .sx He found it on his map , and nodded to the man .sx " Can't we get a car from somewhere ?sx " said Hawkes .sx " We haven't enough money left , " said Shindillar .sx " We're a long way off , and we may have to start bribing the witch again if she gets unruly .sx " " Of course we have to take her with us , " said Hawkes sarcastically .sx " No decent man , " replied Shindillar , " would leave a young girl in the lurch in a place like this .sx Besides , Mac and Virginia will be so glad to see her .sx She's not very gay , is she ?sx " The official presently returned to where they lay sprawled against the outside wall of the shed , and handed them a little piece of mouldy chocolate in a thin bit of newspaper .sx With true gallantry they handed it to the lady , who smeared her large , loose mouth with it , but gave no sign of thanks .sx Hawkes fell into an uncomfortable doze , from which he was jerked by Shindillar .sx Opening his eyes he saw a train crawling along towards the station .sx It had to stop outside , as the cattle-trucks were still barring the way .sx After a quarter of an hour they pulled out , and the other train was able to approach .sx