The Bowbells tribune., 1905-01-13
CHAPTER VI.
Lydia Tells Fortunes.

Lydia Tells Fortunes.
Grace opened her eyes upon Gu
rious scenc-curious, that is, after the
first moment or two. For it happened
that the first thing she saw was the
! professor suuatting upon his launches
with his huge head on one side gazing
at her with much concern. Her head
lay upon the ample. kindly bosom of
Mrs. Tapney, and the arms of that
lady were about her. Standing up
right, in the light of fire upon the
folded, looking from under his shaggy
eyebrows down at her.
The curious scene upon which
Grace's eyes were fixed when she
came TO consciousness was behind
| the professor. First, fire made upon
! the bare ground. with great pot
| slung over it on a tripod of three
| sticks; beyond that the dark outline
of some rudely fashioned tents; and
beyond those again caravan or two
lighted up circle in the heart of the
night. and beyond that circle were to
| be seen the shadowy forms of trees,
gradually merging into the darkness.
"Ah,!" exclaimed the professor with
sigh of satisfaction, as Grace opened
| her eyes Never have l seen a lady
smile upon me--if Mrs. Tapney will
excuse the eXpression-with so much
pleasure as at this moment. Do not
move: the breast against which you
| lean has ever been a refuge for those
, in sorrow or in need. Let me assure
you further that you are with friends;
| and that you arc. furthermore, in the
great and splendid Republic of Bo-
heniu.''
1T might be better. Daniel. if you
didn't exercise your brain so much
! when anybody is in weak state of
health" suggested Mrs. Tapney.
"Your words always seem to want a
lot OF digesting. somehow, my dear
It's all right" she added to Grace:
"hc's not anything like so wicked as
he looks in this light; he's the mildest
Of men. Rather lucky we found you,
| wasn't it??'
II must have fainted.' said Grace
ut has been long, long way, and the
road seemed endless. Where are
! we?"
"ln the most romantic fashion, my
dear young lady" broke in the pro-
fessor, eve have dropped into the
| heart. as il were. of a gypsy e:camp-
ment. | was ON the point of observ-
| ing to Mrs. Tapney--that is Mrs. Tap
ney against whom you are leaning: a
woman in a thOusand--I was Just OBJ
serving. or about to observe, to Mrs.
Tapney that We must be prepared to
lie down. locked in each others arms,
| by the roadside. to wait with child
/ like faitl, until those birds which re-
f. fuse to be stuffed should cover us
with leaves, in a sudden accession of
! very unbirdlike renlOrse, when we
! found yon. and found this place. Here
are people, he added. who have ap-
! pareatly taken a short lease of the
! establishment. for day or two. who
I, will explain more fully where you are
and who they are. and all about it,
Out from the ShawodS group OF
figures was advancing-a picturesque
enough group, in the. nickerng light
of 1be fire. First came a tall. elderly
woman. clad in black. and with a
brightculOred handkerchief drapcd
about her throat, and with her fine
gray head bare to the night. Walk
ing beside her Was a tall man---elderly
like herself. and with u face that
would have been handsome but that
tho eyes were deep set and were ratll-
cr too close to long. thin nose,
which came down TOO far over 4
straight mouth. with thin. bloodless
lips. The face itself ended in a weak,
undetermined cnin. For the rest, the
man was tall and strongly built, and
Of that swarthy complexion which
showed clearly enough the race to
which he belonged
Out of the rest of the group might
be singled two other figures; that Of q
young girl with dark hair. massed
about a low. broad. white forehead, and
with dark eyes shining out from a
face which, in that uncertain light
might have been the face of a tabled
wood-nymph. so wild and strange, and
yet SO delicate was it. The other fig.
ure was that of young man-scarce-
ly more than boy-whose dark eyes