Bridgeton pioneer., 1908-05-07

t"hiSht gloOin, Qeep, COOL, I'm
penetrable. Hidden brooks tinkled
over moss and pebbles. Bird songs
sounded through the stiffness as clear
( ~ sweet as silver flutes.
! suddenly a turn of the road brought
s, ene gypsy camp into view. some three
Or Tour tents pitched in n meadow
against background Of birch and fir.
IN the foreground by huge black
caldron sat a weather beaten hag. her
olack mantle falling about her in
wltchlike folds, her piercing eyes gaz-
| Ing out from under shag of grizzly
| locks
other picturesque figures appeared
ut the tent doors-a dark, somber look
Ing man smoking long pipe and two
comely Romany girls tinkling with
metal chains and earrings.
"Fascinating!" whispered Miss Far
| ney.
| The weather beaten crone left her
seat by the fire and hobbled forward
simultaneously Graham and Aldrich
tossed her a coin with which to cross
Miss Farney's hand. She picked up
the money, looked at the givers mar
rowly and then bent to her task.
What a Romany reads had best be
read alone" she muttered, with
| twist of her thin lips.
Aldrich laughed.
Il guess we can take a hint, eh,
Graham?" he cried, and the two men
strolled toward the tents and waited.
1t was as much as five minutes before
Hildegarde and her aunt Joined them,
H1ldegarde quite pale and Miss Norris
with furrow between her brows. 81
have always said there was something
weird about gypsies," said Miss Nor
rfs, "and that old woman's knowledge
is actually uncanny.'
AS to what the fortune teller had
read, Hildegarde would say nothing,
and on the way home she was strange
ly silent. 1t was sunset when the mo-
tor reached her door. The sea was
tinted with rosy light, and gulls were
lowering inland. AS Percy Graham
helped her aunt up the steps with
ostentatious care Hildegarde turned to
Aldrich.
"Bobby," she breathed, forgive me!
There never was and never will be
any one but you."
Aldrich's hand closed over hers hard
"Shall l bring round the car at 81"
said Percy Graham.
''Thanks, no. have another engage
ment" said Hildegarde sweetly.
And the self satisfied owner Of three
millions would have been amazed at
| the glance that flashed between Hide
garde and Robert Aldrich If he had
seen it. He would have been even
more amazed had he watched young
Aldrich next morning riding off to-
ward the gypsy camp at sunrise.
When he reached 1t, the old hag Of
the day before was the first to catch
sight of him. She was busily stuffing
a grizzled wig and long black cloak
into bulging suit case, but she left
off packing and went to meet him,
smoothing the folds of her blue serge
suit
''Well," she questioned, chow did it
come off?'
| ''The best ever" beamed Aldrich. 81
rode over to thank you and bid you
| goodby."
The old character actress laughed.
| Il thought my palm reading would
do the work. Finest part ever play.
ed. Meg Merrilies herself couldn't have
surpassed the dark hints l gave about
| your rival"
"Sir," cried the tragedian, pausing
in his work Of taking down the tents.
"sir, your munifcence will always be
remembered by band of strolling-I
may even say of stranded-players
who, save for it, would be walking
the ties from Brantly"
And he lightly tapped his pocket,
wherein reposed goodly number Of
Aldrich's crisp greenbacks.
AS the latter bowed and smiled and
rode away the little Dresden china
soubrette snapped the last Of her
gypsy bangles into her trunk and
closed the lid.
| "All's fair in love and war;" she
commented tritely. Originality beats
money every time"