But the Gypsy Queen was, as we have seen, a very shrewd student of human nature. She could see just how bad a heart Lou Potter had. Queen Grace possessed no occult power. No so-called fortune-teller has. They are all wicked people, and liars. But she had long made a study of the worst side of human nature.
She saw that Lou Potter was ripe for mischief. She talked to her softly and insinuatingly, putting Jim out of the way. Then she agreed to meet the senior again and learn just what she wished done to Eve Sitz.
For the Gypsy Queen saw a chance to make a few dollars and, as Margit Salgo had said, the woman was very avaricious. She and her husband had been following Eve idly enough. They dared not approach Margit while she was under the protection of Miss Carrington and the police; but they laid to Eve a part of the blame for the Gypsy girl’s escape from their hands before they had made any money out of her.
Lou Potter went away from her conference with the Gypsies very much delighted.
“I guess we’ll show them that the seniors have something to say about athletics at Central High,” she muttered, over and over again. “I reckon I’ve scored one on Miss Eve Sitz, too!”
[CHAPTER XXIII—THE FIELD DAY]
There was a tall, gaunt, gray man who came to the Widow Boyce’s to see Miss Carrington on certain occasions. He always carried a blue bag, stuffed with papers and books, and it was well known by the neighbors that he was Miss Carrington’s lawyer.
There was nothing suggestive of romance about Aaron MacCullough; but like all old attorneys he had dabbled in many, many romances. There were a score of old families of Centerport who had entrusted their cupboard secrets to Mr. MacCullough.
He came in one evening, with his blue bag, and sat down in Gee Gee’s sitting room. The Central High teacher was quite as dry in appearance, and as grim as the lawyer himself. She sat on one side of the table, and he on the other, and the papers which he first examined and read aloud he passed to her, and she scrutinized them through her spectacles.
“So,” she said, at length, “these correspondents of yours in Buda-Pesth seem to know all about Salgo’s affairs, do they?”