Another of her haunts was Norwood Common, which, every
one knows, is near London, and there was a sort of head-quarters of the
gang, though, as was their custom, they seldom committed depredations
near their quarters. She said, that, one day being on the common, she
came in front of an old, black and white house, (which was taken down
not many years afterwards;) in the front thereof was a garden, and a
green lawn carefully trimmed, and in that garden on a seat sat an old
lady, a tall and comely dame, she said, and she was playing with a
little child, who might have been a year and-a-half old. The gipsy, it
seems, had asked charity through the open iron railing of the garden;
and the lady had risen and approached the railing, bringing the child
with her, and putting the money into the infant's hand to pass it
through the railing. The vagrant had then observed the dress and
ornaments of the child, that she had a necklace of coral, clasped with
some sparkling stone, golden clasps in her shoes, much rich lace about
her cap, and above all, golden bracelets of curious workmanship on
her wrists.
"She had not," said Rebecca; "she never wore those ornaments excepting
on festival days."
The vagrant took no notice of this remark of Rebecca's; but Shanty gave
the old servant a piercing look, whilst all others present, with the
exception of Salmon, felt almost fainting with impatience; but Salmon's
mind seemed for the moment in such a state of obtuseness, as disabled
him from catching hold of the link which was leading to that which was
to interest him as much as, or even more than, any one present.
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