Mrs. Bonnell was sure something was wrong in the Gypsy camp. So were the girls. So much so that none of them listened with much attention to the jargon poured fourth by the various fortune tellers.

There was the usual talk about how each one had had trouble—which was true enough—and that each one was to have more which, perhaps, in the nature of events, was still more true. But “all would come out well in the end;” and then, too, was talk of dark-haired strangers—and light-haired ones—of the male variety—who would play more or less havoc with hearts and minds.

But through it all the girls felt sure there was an undercurrent of worriment in the camp. At times some of the men would get up and move off, accompanied by a dog or two.

Some took horses with them, sitting lazily on the bare backs of the nags, cross-fashion, too slovenly, it seemed to ride astraddle, or even to throw on a sack for a saddle. Whether they rode out to do some trading, or on another errand was not disclosed.

Then, too, when Mrs. Bonnell had finished with her fortune, in which, truth to tell, she was not much interested, a young man, handsome enough in his Gypsy fashion, hurried into the camp. He strode into the tent of Neezar, the Queen, before Mrs. Bonnell had fished the change out of her net purse, and began an excited utterance in some unknown tongue—probably the Gypsy argot—which sounded like Bohemian.

“Cha!” was the only word the old Gypsy uttered, but it was enough and sent the abashed young man out of the tent in a hurry, his flow of talk ceasing.

“Their everlasting quarrels—what have I to do with them? They are ever at me to settle their disputes!” exclaimed Neezar. “I will have none of it,” and she looked at Mrs. Bonnell shrewdly. “It was about a horse,” she needlessly explained. “The young men are much trouble.”

“And you rule over them also,” asked the Guardian.

“Yes, over all.”

“And did Hadee dispute your authority?”

It was a shrewd guess Mrs. Bonnell thought, for the aged Gypsy looked at her suspiciously.

“What do you know of Hadee?” came the quick question.

“Very little. She told the fortune of a friend of mine, and I thought I should like to have her tell my own.”

“Perhaps she will—when she comes back,” replied the Queen, and Mrs. Bonnell thought there was a twinkle in the deep-set eyes. “Hadee told fortunes very well.”

“Would hers be any different from the one you have told me?”

“How could it—your fortune is your fortune—always the same. No one can change it, though one person might reveal more than another—perhaps reveal more than would be good for you. You have suffered—I can see it. You have had a loss.”

That was evident, for Mrs. Bonnell, in spite of the fact that she had laid aside black for the attire of the Camp Fire Girls, while in the woods, still kept her jet earrings and the simple little black pin at her throat. It needed no prophetess to tell that she had suffered.

“When do you think Hadee will come back?” asked the Guardian.

“How can we tell? We Gypsies are not like you white folks, lady. We do strange things. We were born to wander and we wander. Doubtless Hadee will come back—when she chooses.”

“Are her parents here?”

“They are dead. Now I beg your pardon, but I must see to my camp. There is much to do, though we lead a simple life. Ah! the others have had their fortunes told,” and she opened the tent for her visitor who saw Natalie and the other girls emerging from the other little canvas houses, gaudily decorated, and painted with the various names of the “Princesses” who deigned, for a small piece of silver, to tear aside the curtain of the future.

Mrs. Bonnell saw Neezar hurry over to the young man who had shown such excitement, and then the Guardian went up to Natalie, about whom the other girls clustered.

“Tell us what she said, Nat,” urged Mabel.

“It wasn’t anything—really.”

“Did she tell you how soon you were going to get married?”

“I never am!”

“Oh!” came in a chorus of protest, and Natalie blushed.

Then they told each other snatches of what had been revealed to them. They all agreed it was not at all like the fortunes Hadee had told them the time the diamond ring was missed. Then, as they walked through the camp, on the way to where they had left their lunch-baskets, they became aware that the excitement was increasing, though the Gypsies did their best to make it seem of little moment.

Several men leaped on horses and rode off down the road, and one of the young “Princesses” started off on foot at a rapid pace in the opposite direction.

“What could have happened?” asked Marie.

“Maybe they’ve got word that they are going to be arrested,” suggested Mabel.

“No, I think it can’t be that,” said Mrs. Bonnell.

“They’d all be leaving if they were going to be raided,” said Natalie.

“Well, we’ll tell that constable, who nearly arrested you, Nat, where to find the camp,” suggested Alice. “He may be able to get back Mrs. Anderson&rsquo............