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Updated: June 11, 2025
The hag laughed again, although she was not looking at them. Surely she could not hear the girls' whispers, yet her cackling laugh sent a shiver over both girls. It was just as though Queen Zelaya, as she called herself, could read what was in their minds. "Yes, yes!" whispered Helen, with sudden eagerness in her voice. "You are right. We will go."
This was what Zelaya had been waiting for. Silently the old woman arose and turned up the lampwick a little. She knelt down before one of the padlocked boxes and unlocked it softly. Then she rummaged in the box seemingly beneath a lot of rubbish that filled it, and drew forth a japanned box like a cashbox. This was locked, too, and Zelaya wore the key of it on a string about her neck.
Then the queen waved her hand and the door was closed. "You remain with me to-night, little ladies. Oh! Zelaya would let nothing trouble you no, no!" Helen burst into wild sobs at this, and threw herself upon the floor of the van. Ruth faced the old woman with wrathful sparks in her brown eyes. "You are acting very foolishly, indeed, whoever you are.
And now tell me, my little birds, tell me of your riches, and your great houses, and all the wealth your parents have. I love to hear of such things even I, poor Zelaya, who have nothing after a long, long life of toil." Ruth remembered what Roberto had said about his miserly grandmother.
"It is not believed that she actually stole the pearl necklace, but it is plain she shared in the proceeds of all the Gypsies' plundering, and in this case she took the giant's portion. "We could not prove robbery upon her, but she can be transported, and she shall be," concluded Mr. Cameron, firmly. This was what finally happened to Queen Zelaya.
President Diaz of Mexico was friendly to Zelaya and informed the United States that he did not care to take any further action. This brought to an end the coöperative efforts of the two governments and thereafter the United States had to act alone. Nothing was done, however, until two Americans were executed by Zelaya's order in November, 1909.
All these activities Ruth Fielding could see through the tiny windows of the queen's van, in which she and Helen Cameron were imprisoned. Her chum roused, too, but was half tempted to cry, when she remembered their circumstances. Queen Zelaya had gone out. "Come on!" exclaimed Ruth. "We've got to make the best of it. Get on your dress and shoes, and perhaps they will let us out, too."
Only, in this case, Queen Zelaya sent the squint-eyed man and the ruffian who had so frightened Ruth to either shore of the island to keep watch. Tents were set up, fires kindled, a great supper begun, and the poultry was set loose to roam at will. Somewhere the Gypsy children had picked up a kid and a little calf.
Cameron when the boy fell out of the tree. They did not dream that the victim of the accident had any possible connection with the pearl necklace that Nettie Parsons' aunt had lost! Helen kept her father informed of the progress of Roberto's case, and in return he wrote Helen that the detectives were confident of reaching old Queen Zelaya and her tribe.
Instantly one of the men halted her, swung her about, clapped a palm over her mouth, and she saw him staring balefully down into her face. "You do that ageen I keel you!" he hissed. It was the evil-eyed man who had spied upon Queen Zelaya, as she had worshipped the pearl necklace in the van the evening before. Ruth was stricken dumb and motionless.
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