The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-10-27


TIL be there. boys. and d-d-don't
you forget 1t. I'll hook him! Never
saw anything 1 couldn't buy II I had a
little of the p-p-proper stuff about
me-"
II say. Doc, that daughter of yours
knows her biz when 1t comes to telling
fortunes" ventured young dandy,
whose head had been turned by Pc
peeta's beauty.
"D-d-daughter!" snapped the quack.
turning sharply upon him; she's not
my daughter, she's my wifel"
In order to comprehend the relation
ship of this strangely mated pair. we
must go back five or six years to a
certain day when this same Doctor
Aesculapius rode slowly down the
main street of small city in Western
Pennsylvania, and then out along q
rugged country highway. A couple of
miles brounght him to the camp Of q
band Of gypsies.
Around campfire was picturesque
group of persons. all of whom. with a
single exception. vanished at the ap-
proach of the stranger. The man who
stood his ground was truly sinister
being. He was TALL thin and angular;
his clothing was scant and ragged.
his face bronzed with exposure to the
sun.
Good morning, Baltasar," said the
visitor.
The gypsy acknowledged his saluta-
tion with a frown.
Il wish 20 sell this horse" the trav-
eler added, without appearing to notice
his cold reception.
The gypsy swept his eye over the
animal and shook his head.
IF you will not buy, perhaps you
will trade" the traveller said.
Come" was the laconic response,
and so saying the gypsy turned to-
wards the forest which lay just beyond
the camp. The doctor" obeyed. A
moment later he found himself in a Sc
questered spot where there was an
improvised stable; and dozen or
more horses glancing up from their
feed whinnied welcome.
A little rivulet lay across their path,
and up from the margin of II where
she had been gathering water crosses
there sprang a young girl, who cast a
startled glance at him, then bounded
swiftly toward a tent and vanished
through the opening This keen ad-
mirer Of horses was equally suscepti-
BILE to the charms of female beauty.
So swift an apparition would have be-
wildered rather than illumined the
mind Of an ordinary man. But the
quack was not an ordinary man. He
was endowed with a certain rude pow
er Of divination which enabled him to
see in single instant, by swift intui-
ton, more than the average man dis
covers by an hour of reasoning. BY
this natural clairvoyance he saw at a
glance that this face of exquisite deli
cacy could no more have been coined
In gypsy camp than a fine cameo
could be cut in an Indian wigwam. He
knew that all gypsies were thieves,
and that these were Spanish gypsies.
What was more natural than that he
should conclude with inevitable logic
that this child had been stolen from
people of good II not of noble blood!
"Baltasar!" he said.
The gypsy turned.
You are girl-thief as we'll as a
horse thief. You stole this girl from
the family of Spanish nobleman.
am the representative of this family
and have followed your trail for years
You thought l had come to get the
horse You were mistaken; 1t was the
grill"
"Perdita!" exclaimed the gypsy,
taken completely off his guard.
Lost indeed" responded the ouack.
scarcely able to conceal his pride In his
An l.
slowly: She must be a burden to you.
Baltasar. You evidently never have
been able or never have dared to take
her back and claim the ransom which
you expected. I will pay you for her
and take her from your hands. It is
the child / want and not vengeance.
What will you take for herr"
The doctor drew a leather wallet
from his pocket and held 1t up tantal-
izingly. Its influence was decisive.
"Pepeetal Pepeeta!" called the gyp-
sy.
Out of the door Of the tent she came.
her eyes fixed upon the ground, and
her fingers picking nervously at the
tinsel strings which fastened her bod
Ice.
"Gif me ze money and take her"
The doctor counted out the gold, and
then approached the child. For the
first time In his life he experienced an
emotion of reverence. There was some-
thing about her beauty, her helpless
ness and his responsibility that made
new appeal to his heart.
Yielding to the gentle pressure Of his
hand, she permitted herself to be led
away. Not goodbye was said. The
doctor lifted the child upon the ..orse's
back and climbed into the saddle. The
beautiful child trembled; she also
wept She was parting from those
whose lives were base and cruel; but
they were the only human beings that
she knew. She was leaving a wagon
and tent but 1t was the only home
that she could remember.
To have fellow-being completely
In our power makes US either utterly
cruel or utterly kind. and all that was
gentle In that great rough nature went
out In rush Of tenderness toward the
little creature who thus suddenly be-
came absolutely dependent upon his
compassion After they had ridden a
little way. he began in his rough fash
ion to try to comfort her.
Don't cry. Pepeeta! You ought to
be thankful that you have got out of
the clutches OF those villains. You
could not have been worse off, and you
may be q great deal betteri THAI