d the man. "But I'm one of
the forest rangers and I keep pretty close to my post at this time of
the season, watching for fires. There are so many young folks camping
and reckless with matches. Is there no trace of her? The missing girl
from the hotel, is the one you mean, isn't it?"

Then he was not a gypsy! The forest ranger!

"No, I am sorry to say we have not yet discovered her," went on Mr.
Rand. "But you being here in the very depths of the woods would likely
know of any gypsy camps about, I believe."

"There are no camps in the woods this year," the man assured him. "We
have kept them out of this particular clearing by law. There are a lot
of them scattered about in the mountains, but as far as I could find
there is no camp deep in the woods. You see every summer someone gets
lost in these woods, and we don't like the gypsies to have the first
chance of finding them. But sit down," and he cleared the bench of the
water pail. "You must have had a weary search."

Everyone sighed. They were still without a possible clew.

"We will rest for a minute or two," said Mr. Rand, "but we must still
cover a lot of road tonight. We are out to find her if she is on the
White Mountains."

And so after some conversation and advice from the forest ranger the
searching party again pressed on.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE CALL OF THE HEART

"I am not the least bit afraid; in fact, I think I shall just sing to
show them I feel secure," and Cora snatched up the guitar. She
fingered it tenderly, then let it rest for a moment in her arms. "Did
Lena say it was all right?"

"The dogs are drugged. I didn't have the heart to kill the brutes,
ugly as they are. They will not awaken."

"Good! Then everything else will be all right. Oh, Helka, can you
imagine we are so near freedom?"

"I never was frightened before. Whether it is the thought of meeting
David, or whether it is the thought of leaving them all, I cannot say,
but I am shaking from head to foot," said the queen.

"That is natural. You have been with them almost all your life. But I
shall show you what real life is. This is slavery."

Helka looked about her uneasily. "What shall we do first?"

"When it is very dark, and all are in bed, I will fasten the rope to
the big nail that Lena fetched. Then I shall try it from this side,
and if it holds me I will slip down. Then I shall run. When you no
longer hear the leaves rustle, or if you can he