CHAPTER XI
“GIRLS AND GIRLS”
A letter from the Cedars, that arrived the next morning, brought strange news to Dorothy and Tavia. It was about Urania.
Mrs. White wrote that the police were looking for the gypsy girl, as well as for the men who had robbed Birchland, and wanted the girl on a charge of robbery!
“I cannot believe it true,” wrote Dorothy’s aunt, “but I imagine it may be a part of the men’s revenge against Urania for giving us back our silver and the birds. By the way, I have to tell you that four of the pigeons died last week, and John declares they were poisoned!”
“There!” exclaimed Dorothy, who had been reading the letter aloud to Tavia, “I know it is all those bad men. They have poisoned our beautiful birds just for spite,” and she stopped to hide her indignation, and to otherwise suppress her feelings.
“Let me read it?” asked Tavia, who was impatient to hear all of the story. She took the missive and continued where Dorothy had stopped.
“They accuse Urania,” she read, “of breaking and entering a house on the outskirts of Fernwood.”
“The idea!” interrupted Dorothy, “How could that little thing ‘break and enter’?”
“Well, she might,” considered Tavia, “but I don’t believe she ever did. But let’s hear it all.” Then she attempted to finish the letter again.
“The people of Ferndale are so wrought up over the affair they have had all the gypsies expelled from this township,” read Tavia, “and if the gypsies find Urania now I am afraid it will go hard with her, for they blame her for all the trouble.