her in a few of the nearby cottagers, of
whom there were many very pleasant samples, and so, when the evening
following the midnight tow arrived, the party from Chelton found
themselves rested and ready for the festivities. As usual, Walter was
devoted to Betty. Jack liked her, Ed admired her, but Walter claimed
her--that was his way. She was a pretty girl of rather an unusual
type, accounted for, her father declared, by the fact that her mother
was an Irish beauty, and gave to Betty that wonderful golden-red hair,
the hazel eyes and the indescribable complexion that is said to come
from generations of buttermilk.

And withal she was such a little flirt! How she did cling to Walter,
make eyes at Ed and defy Jack, giving to each the peculiar attention
that his special case most needed.

Belle and Bess found it necessary to take up with some very pleasant
chaps from a nearby hotel, while Cora and Hazel made themselves
agreeable with two friends of Mr. Rand's--boys from New York, who had
many mutual acquaintances with Chelton folks and, therefore, could talk
of other things than gears and gasoline.

Mr. Rand was on the side porch, and when the drawing-room conversation
waited for the next remark, his voice might be heard in a very animated
discussion. Cora sat near a French window, and she heard:

"But the hat! How did his particular hat get there?"

The answer of his friend was not audible.

"I tell you," went on the gentleman, "this thing has got to be watched.
I don't like it!"

"Oh, Coral" chirped Belle. "Do sing the 'Gypsy's Warning.' We haven't
heard it since the night----"

"Walter fished up a chaperon," added Jack, with a laugh.

"The 'Gypsy's Warning'!" repeated Betty.

"It's a very old song," explained Cora, "but we had to revive
something, so we revived----"

"The gyp," finished Ed, getting up and fetching Cora's guitar from the
tete in the corner. "Do sing it, Cora. This is such a gypsy land out
here."

"Are there?" asked Bess, in sudden alarm.

"There _are_," said Ed mockingly. "There are gypsy land out here!"

"Oh, you know perfectly well what I meant," and Bess pursed her lips
prettily.

"Course I do; if I didn't--land help me--I would need a map and a
horoscope in my pocket every single minute."

"Come on, Cora, sing," pleaded Hazel. "Let them hear about our
Warning."

"I'm afraid it's too late," objected Cora with a sly look at Betty and
Walter. "We should have sent the