The local jeweler had pronounced the bracelet of considerable value because of its workmanship. It did not seem possible that the Gypsy women could have dropped the bracelet into the basket they had sold the smaller Corner House girls and then forgotten all about it.
“It is not reasonable,” Ruth Kenway declared firmly, “that it could just be a mistake. That basket is worth two dollars at least; and they sold it to the children for forty-five cents. It is mysterious.”
“They seemed to like Tess and me a whole lot,” Dot said complacently. “That is why they gave it to us so cheap.”
“And that is the very reason I am worried,” Ruth added.
“Why don’t you report it to the police?” croaked Aunt Sarah Maltby. “Maybe they’ll try to rob the house.”
“O-oh,” gasped Dot, round-eyed.
“Who? The police?” giggled Agnes in Ruth’s ear.
“Maybe we ought to look again for those Gypsy ladies,” Tess said. “But the bracelet is awful pretty.”
“I tell you! Let’s ask June Wildwood. She knows all about Gypsies,” cried Agnes. “She used to travel with them. Don’t you remember, Ruth? They called her Queen Zaliska, and she made believe tell fortunes. Of course, not being a real Gypsy she could not tell them very well.”
“Crickey!” ejaculated Neale O’Neil, who was present. “You don’t believe in that stuff, do you, Aggie?”