Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-19
CHAPTER II.
The Boy in Rags.

The Boy in Rags.
Doggy felt a nervous Jingle run
I up and down her back as the
Gypsies crowded around. They
seemed grateful because OF her res
cue of Toto, the baby, but there was
something about them that she
didn't altogether trust. Behind their
smiles was a slyness that made her
doubt that she was seeing their real
selves.
"Come into my tent" said Tirzah,
the Gypsy queen. There you shall
feel the Gypsys charm"
Peggy held back. She was not a
bit anxious to explore the mysteries
that lay behind the bright colored
draperies. Her hesitancy became
all the stronger when she suddenly
realized that she was all alone
among the Gypsies. The fair visit.
ors, who had been streaming in and
out of the camp all afternoon, were
gone.
Come" said Tirzah again, and
this time she took Peggy firmly by
the hand.
Peggy thought fast. She was, for
the moment at least, in the power
of the Gypsies.. They evidently in
tended no harm, and besides they
had good reason to treat her well.
Possibly if she trusted them they
would reward her az Tirzah had
promised, and then would let her go.
So she started alone with the queen.
But now there pushed into the
crowd of Gypsies swarthy, scowl-
ing older man, who frowned darkly
as he looked down upon Peggy.
"Ha, what's this? A beautiful
white girl? Are her parents rich?
Will they give big ransom for
herr" =.
The other Gypsies shrank back
as the older man shouted out these
questions. Evidently they were
afraid of him. Only the tall, fierce
looking man held his place beside
Tirzah. He answered the older
This girl has done US service,
Viga," he said. mo harm shall come
to her!" -.
"Who dares say to me what shall
or shall not be done?" demanded
Viga.
younger man, doubling up his fists
and facing Viga, who glared angrlly
back at him.
>--,"And l say it with you, Ronald"
spoke Up Queen Tirzah. "She shall
be rewarded by feeling the Gypsy's
charm" y -
"The Gypsy's charm, no, no, hop
laughed Viga. when she feels the
Gypsy's charm she will be ours for
ever" -.
THAT shalt be as Tirzah says"
spoke up Ronald.
"Or perhaps as I say" sneered
Viga. "You grow OVERLOAD, young
Ronald. When we reach the open
road there must come a settlement
between us two"
Viga's words held a threat, which
Peggy could only vaguely under
stand-a threat against her and
against Ronald, who, apparently,
was her friend.
As the two men glared at each
other, Tirzah drew her quickly into
the tent.
1t was dark there, but when Peg
gy's eyes became accustomed to the
gloom she found herself in luxu-
rious, oriental den, with beautiful
hangings on the wall, a rug on the
floor, deeply cushioned couches in
viting repose, and a dinly burning
lamp hanging from above. -
- "Wait here!' said Tirzah, leading
Toto into a rear apartment.
When Peggy found herself alone,
her first impulse was to escape. A
glance outside, however, showed
that the tent was surrounded by
Gypsies. She could not possibly get
away.
A slight noise on the other side of
the curtained wall attracted her at
tention. 1t was like some one
breathing deeply. Then there came
little moan. Peggy stood still,
afraid to stir. Again there came
the little moan.
Perhaps some one was in, dis
tress. Maybe she could help.
Thinking this, Peggy crept to the
draperies and peeked through. On
a couoh in another apartment was
boy sleeping and moaning in his
sleep.
Peggy was about to draw back,
when che made startling discov-