The girls were dumb with surprise, and gazed at one another with parted lips. They had all heard of "the other Isa," and had seen her little head-stone in the graveyard.
"You have one brother," continued the gypsy; "light hair; name begins with a T."
"Thomas," cried the girls in a breath.
"Where could she have heard of Tommy?" cried Grace.
"Where, to be sure, miss?" was the tart reply. "Never heard of him till he looked up at me out of the cards."
By this time five pairs of eyes had grown very large, and five little hearts were throbbing high with awe and curiosity. How could these children know that the gypsy was acquainted with the history of her landlord's family? How were they to imagine that she purposely told Isa's fortune first in order to excite their wonder?
"I see here," said the gypsy, fumbling at the cards mysteriously, as if she could pierce quite through them with her sharp eyes, "I see a present for you: it's worth a power of money. I see a journey for you: it's across the waters. Here is a great nobleman; and O, how rich! He rolls in gold! He'll set great store by you, miss, and when you grow up you'll marry him, and you'll roll in gold, too."
Isa smiled; and it is worthy of notice that she did not wonder at all at this future husband, though, according to her promise to the Ruby Seal Society, she could no more think of marrying than a veiled nun.
"Such a lady as you'll be. You know of girls now that are pretty thin with you. You wish yourself as rich and grand. But never mind. The day'll come when they'll be glad of a smile from you."
The wicked woman continued this harangue for some time, painting in gorgeous colors the splendor which was to shine upon the happy Isa one of these days; while Isa sat listening to the romance in a tumult of delight. "What girls were those who felt themselves better? That must mean Grace Clifford, if anybody. She would come humbly to Isa Harrington, begging for a smile. Cassy Hallock would then have sunk into a nobody. O, how exquisite! Grace was cool and indifferent now—was she? Ah, well! the tables were about to be turned, and then maybe somebody else would know how to be cool and indifferent too."