Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-07
CHAPTER I
Peggy Proves a Heroine

..TlEZAH. queen of the Gypscs. tells tho
past, present and future, Have Tirzah
read your fortune in your hand Come gal
lant gentleman! Come. gracious lady. Have
Tirzah, queen OF the Gypsies, reveal to you
all LIES mysteries"
Peggy listened in fascinated interest to
this chant repeated over and over again by
the tall, ncrce-looking gypsy who stood be-
fore the entrance to the Gypsy village at the
county Fair. 1t was very alluring. 40
wonder so many gigglng girls and shcepish-
raced young men were tempted among the
gay-colored tents and gaudy vans to have
their palms read by the dark-cyed gypsy girls
and women.
Peggy didn't believe in fortune-t cling And
as She watched the Gypsies reap their harvest
OF COINS from the fun-seeking crowd, rhe be-
came more and more convinced that they
were Just clever takers. Still there was
something enticlngly mystic about their camp
and about the Gypsies themselves She would
like to study their strange life at close range
ana investigate their claimed power of look
ing into the hidden things of the future.
but Peggy. resting in her uncle's auto
mopiIe while the others in her party looked
at the machinery display, did not dare venture
across the road into the realm Of the Gypsies
She didn't know whether they would really
steal children-as she had heard that some
'ypsieS did-but she wasn't going to take
any chances
ih'Ie were chlldren IN the camp, lots OF
them' ranging all the way from tiny toddlers
TO half grown boys and girls. Some were
playing and some were working at light camp
tasks. Peggy wondered IL there were any of
the stolen children among them They all
looked gay and happy. There was no sign
of the sadness she would expect to find in
little ones taken from their mothers. Be
sides. they were all just brown and wild
looking as the older gypsies.
One little fodder in particular lattracted
Peggy's attention. He was a roly-poly
Gypsy baby as fancifully dressed as a young
prince. He was playing about the special
tent of Trzah, the queen, and every few
minutes he would try to run away, chuckling
loudly as he scampered from the watchfu,
older children. But they never let him get
out of their sight or beyond the bounds OF the
camp.
Suddenly there came a shouting from down
the road. Peggy. from her seat I'm the auto
saw a cloud Of dust rising And beneath the
cloud she made out horses coming on a gal
lop. They were mustangs from a wild west
show at the fair, and apparently they had
escaped from the cowboys in charge. Warned
by the shouting people scattered right and
left
Peggy felt thrill of alarm. but she knew
she was safer in the auto than If she tried
to run away So she sat still and waited for
the horses to sweep past.
When they were only a few wards away
| she heard terrified scream from the Gypsy
camp. CHANGING in that direction, she was
Mortified to see the Gypsy baby toddling
across the road. He right in the path
| of the mustangs and would be crushed be-
| meath their hoofs No one was near to save
him
Peggy never waited to think. She jumped
| from the auto, rushed out into the road
| picked up the toddler, and ran on into the
| Gypsy camp, just the horses thundered
past,
| In a moment Peggy was surrounded by a
| crowd of excited Gypsies-big and little
| Tearing a way through them came a woman.
| hashng-eyed. handsome tigersh. 1t was
| Tirzsh the queen.
Toto. my baby Is he killed." she
screamed, snatching the todder from Peggy's
| arms.
| He is safe. Trzah This brave girl rescued
| him from beneath the horses feet The
| speaker was the tall fierce looking Gypsy
| who had stood at the entrance to the camp.
! Tirzah turned toward Peggy. Her eyes
which had flashed in anxious fear, suddenly
| softened
| "Tirzah thanks you, Princess Peggy" she
| said. You shall come under the Gypsy's
| charm your reward, and taste delights not
| given to ordinary mortals"
I'm tomorroCS chapter PEGGY makes an
| alarming diSCoreryl