dge. I could fix something. Do you know
anything about poisons?"

"Not much," replied Cora, "but I suppose if we got anything sure to be
poison it would do." Hope sprang into her heart. "How did you get me
indoors?"

"They carried you. The air was too strong for you after such close
confinement."

"No, it was that automobile on the road. The sight of it simply
overpowered me. Oh, how I wanted to call to those in it!"

"Poor girl! Since you came I, too, have wanted to be free, and I am
not as much afraid as I used to be."

"We are in America, and have no right to fear." Cora thought at the
same time that probably her own fearlessness accounted for her present
plight.

"If we could poison the dogs, and then slide down from one of these
windows in the dark, perhaps we could get away," said Helka. "But what
would happen when we found ourselves out in the dark woods? If they
found us----"

"There must be no 'if.' They must not find us. I am afraid of nothing
but of this imprisonment."

"Well, we will see. To-morrow I will get Lena to go to town for me,
and perhaps we may be able to arrange something."

"And you will not write to your David?"

"Don't you think that dangerous?"

"The very safest thing, for he is a man, and how could they injure him?"

"And so handsome and so strong! He is like some grand old prince--his
hair is like corn-silk and his eyes are like the blue sky," and Helka,
as she reclined, with her chin in her hands, upon her couch, almost
forgot that Cora was with her.

"Then you will write to-morrow? Tell him to come to the end of the
path at the west road by ten to-morrow night, and if we are not there
we will leave a note so that he will see it."

"How quickly you plan! What about the dogs?"

"Lena will fetch the stuff to-morrow morning, and they will be dead by
night. Then we will tie a rope to the window-sill or some strong
place, and we will slip down. Oh, Helka, I will go down first, and go
out first, and if they do not miss me, they will not miss you. It will
be safe to follow me as quickly as you see I am off!"

Cora threw her arms about the gypsy queen. As she spoke it seemed as
if they were already free!

"And when we meet David! Oh, my dear Cora, now you have made me--mad!
Now I, too, will risk life to get away! I must go out into your
world--David's world!"

"Then we must both sleep, and be strong. Tomorrow we will be very good
to every one. I wil