Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-20

u
| Gypsy baby from under the feet Of run
away horses. Tirzah, queen Of the -Gypsies
takes her to a tent, where Peggy Is as
tonished to find Billy Belgium, disguised
as Gypsy.
CHAPTER III.
Under the Spell.
D EGGY, startled as she was tc
L find Billy Belgium in the
Gypsy camp, was glad to see that
he was not in actual pain, his moan.
ing evidently coming only from
troubled dreams.
BILLY! Wake up!'sshe whispered
Billy was very sound asleep and
only grunted. Creeping into the
compartment, Peggy shook him by
the shoulder.
With snort Billy sat UP and
looked wildly at her.
ITS only me! Peggyp she whis-
pered, noticing the glare in his eyes.
"PeggyI he murmured. Princess
Peggy, beautiful, wonderful, glori-
! Gus ruler of Birdland. Have you
come to journey with me in this
marvellous kingdom of enchant-
ment?"
1--we come to try to save you,"
answered Peggy wondering if he
had fever and was delirious, he
talked SO queerly: What are you
doing here?"
Il am living the life of the free, I
am walking the paths of delight"
was the strange reply.
You, too, Princess Peggy, shall
live the life of the free; you, too.
shall walk the paths of delight"
said a voice behind her.
Peggy turned quickly to find that
a curtain had been drawn back, re-
vealing another compartment in the
tent, where sat Tirzah, the Gypsy
queen, facing her across small ia
bic. On the table stood a large
crystal globe, which glowed with
changing colors. Peggy felt her
eyes drawn to the globe with fas-
cination she could not resist.
Look deep, deep into the crystal"
came the voice of Tirzah, in sooth-
ing tones. There you shall find
the Gypsy charm. There you shall
come under the sway of the spirit
of romance-romance which gilds
the world, and turns dull existence
into mad whirl of excited JOY"
Peggy could see no harm in look
ing into the pretty globe, and so let
her gaze remain fixed on it. But
soon she felt that she was coming
under a spell. Her mind was no
longer free to do what she wished.
She couldn't turn her eyes from the
mystic crystal. She was a prisoner
"a prisoner, not alone in body, but
also in thought and will. Her body
felt numb and her head whirled.
Then abruptly this feeling passed.
Her mind cleared, her body seemed
electrified with fresh snap and vigor,
and she felt free-freer than she had
ever been all her life; free of all re-
straints, free of all duties, free to
just laugh and sing and play, re-
CARELESS Of anything save her own
selfish pleasure.
Drink deep of care-free joy"
softly spoke Tirzah, smiling at her.
Drink deep, now, for tomorrow
holds pain and sorrow and death"
Come with me, we will see to-
gether the wonders of this realm of
enchantment." 1t was Billy Bel
GUM who spoke. He took Peggy
by the hand, and out they raced into
the open air.
Peggy's heart seemed on fire with
happiness. Her spirits rose high
bursting forth in laughter she could
not control. She wanted to run and
to frolic.
And the Gypsy camp seemed
transformed. Where only all hour
before the tents had been splotchy
daubs of color and the vans were
overgaudy, now they assumed the
richness 81 a kings royal equip
ment. The tents were pavilions of
silk. The vans were gorgeous
chariots.
And the Gypsies themselves were
changed. Where they had appeared
swarthy and even dirty crew, clad
in shoddy, flashy clothes, now they
were bronzed and handsome knights
and ladies CARRIED in satin and furs.
Billy Belgum's rags had become
princely raiment.
Even the half-naked children had
turned into splendid young nymphs
with rich but scafity raiment. And
they played With wild zest that
was contagious. In moment Peggy
found herself swept with Billy into
a dance so frenzied that It would
have frightened her had the strange
Gypsy charm not so completely
freed her of fear. She knew she was
under a mad SPELL but a strange eff