CHAPTER VII

A THIEF IN THE NIGHT


The glare of the explosion lasted for only a moment. Dolly's eyes were
fixed on the camera, as she bent her head down, and Bessie realized,
thankfully, that she had not seen the evil face of the gypsy. As for the
man, he cried out once, but the sound of his voice was drowned by the
noise of the explosion. And then, as soon as the flashlight powder had
burned out, the light was succeeded by a darkness so black that no one
could have seen anything, so great was the contrast between it and the
preceding illumination.

"Come, Dolly! Quick! Don't stop to argue! Run!" urged Bessie.

She seized Dolly's hand in hers, and made off, running down by the lake,
and, for a few steps, actually through the water. Her one object was to
get back to the camp as quickly as possible. She thought, and the event
proved that she was right, the gypsy, if he saw them nearing the camp
fire, which was still burning brightly, would not dare to follow them
very closely.

He had no means of knowing that there were no men in the camp, and,
while he might not have been afraid to follow them right into camp had
he known that, Bessie judged correctly that he would take no more
chances than were necessary.