CHAPTER VII
THE FORTUNE TELLER
Next morning Patty and Maude had a cosy little breakfast in thelatter’s apartment, and then, arrayed in her riding habit, Patty wentdown, to find Channing waiting for her on the veranda.
“Good morning, M’lle Farini,” he said gaily, “ready for a ride? Comealong with us, won’t you, Maude?”
“No, thank you, Chick. I’m not altogether certain that Patty’s friendswill forgive this performance and I’d be afraid to see them. But, oh, Ican’t tell you both what it has meant to me, and I do hope you’ll haveno cause to regret it.”
“Not a bit of it! I’ll fix it up all right,” and Chick looked very bigand powerful. “If anybody goes for Patty, he’ll hear from me! See?”
“But I do want to see you again, Maude,” said Patty, as they badefarewell. “Shall you be here long?”
“Only two or three days, at most. I have another concert here tomorrownight, but I’m sure of my artists for that. Do ride over again, both ofyou.”
“We will,” promised Channing, and then the two cantered away.
* * * * *
“Here they come!” cried Daisy, as from the porch of Freedom Castle shespied the two equestrians.
Jim Kenerley was at the block to help Patty alight, and as she ran upthe steps, Adele clasped her in a welcoming embrace.
“You dear child!” she said. “What an experience you have had. Sit downhere and tell us all about it.”
So Patty told the whole story, exactly as it had happened, and Channingadded details here and there.
Everybody was interested and asked all sorts of questions.
“Is it a nice hotel?” asked Mona. “Did you have any fun after theconcert?”
“There was dancing,” said Patty, “but I was too scared, when peoplecalled me M’lle Farini, to enjoy it much. I wanted to get away. I’m gladI did it for Miss Kent, but—never again!”
“If she’s the Maude Kent I once knew, you had no business to haveanything to do with her,” put in Farnsworth, in a gruff voice.
“She’s the Miss Kent Chick Channing knows, and that’s enough for me!”retorted Patty, and a little pink spot showed in either cheek, a suresign that she was annoyed.
“Well, shall we go to the hermit’s?” said Elise, anxious to avert theimpending scene. “What _do_ you think, Patty, Kit has a toothache, andcan’t go, after all.”
“Toothache!”
“Yes, a bad ulceration. He sent down word by Bobbink, that pet bellboyof his, that we were to go on without him. The boy will show us theway.”
“How ridiculous! Why not wait till tomorrow?”
“No, Kit says the hermit man expects us and we must go. You’ll go along,won’t you?”
“Yes, of course. Shall I change this rigging,—or go as I am?”
“Go as you are. It’s time we were off. Roger and Mona have gone onahead, but as they went in the opposite direction, I am not sure they’llget there before we do.”
“Those two have a fancy for going in the opposite direction,” laughedPatty; “ever notice it?”
“Not being stone blind, I have,” Elise admitted, and really the interestRoger and Mona had for each other became more apparent each day.
The Kenerleys declined to go on the hermit expedition, saying that theyknew their “fortune,” and had no reason for questioning the future. Sothe others started.
Channing took possession of Patty, and merely saying “which way?” he ledher across the wide lawn to the indicated path through the wood.
Elise followed, with Bob Peyton, who greatly admired the pretty New Yorkgirl. Farnsworth and Daisy Dow brought up the rear of the procession,and Bobbink, the ever useful courier, showed the way.
“Mr. Cameron says for you to do jes’ wot I says,” he announced,evidently greatly pleased at his position of power.
“Go ahead, Bobbink,” said Bill; “show us the way, but don’t talk toomuch.”
“Yassir. Dis way, ladies an’ gempmun.”
It was a beautiful walk, through the Autumn sunshine and forest shade.Now they crossed a tiny brook or paused to admire a misty waterfall, andagain they found a long stretch of good State road.
And sooner than any one expected, they reached the shack.
“Dat’s de place,” announced Bobbink, and stood, pointing to thedilapidated shanty at the side of the road.
“Who’ll go in first?” asked Patty; “I’m scared.”
“I’m not,” and Daisy stepped nearer and peered curiously in at the door.
“Come in, woman!” said a strange, cracked old voice, and there followeda laugh like a cackle. “Come in, each and all.”
Daisy pushed in and Farnsworth stepped in, too, for he didn’t altogetherlike the sound of that laugh. Then they all crowded in and saw the oldhermit, sitting in a hunched-up position on a pile of rugs in the cornerof the hut.
“Which one first?” he muttered; “which pretty lady first? All havefortunes, wonderful fortunes coming to them.”
The old man’s garb was somewhat like that of a monk. A dingy robe wasgirdled with a hempen rope, and a cowl-shaped hood fell well over hisbrow. His face was brown and seamed and wrinkled with age, and he worequeer-looking dark glasses. On his hands were old gloves that had oncebeen white, but were now a dingy grey, and he seemed feeble, and unableto move without difficulty.
But he was alert, doubtless spurred by the hope of getting well paid.
“You go first, Daisy,” said Patty; “then we’ll see how it works.”
“All right, I’m not afraid,” and Daisy extended her palm to the old man.
“Here, wait!” she cried; “don’t touch me with those dirty old gloves!Can’t I wrap my handkerchief round my hand?”
The hermit made no objection, and Daisy wound a fresh handkerchief abouther fingers, leaving the palm exposed for the seer to read.
He began, in a droning voice:
“Pretty lady, your home is far away. You are not of this end of thecountry, but off toward the setting sun. You will return there soon, andthere you will meet your fate. He awaits you there, a man of brain andbrawn,— a man who has ambition to become the mayor of——”
“Hush!” cried Daisy, snatching her hand away from his gloved fingers;“Don’t you say another word! That’s a secret! I don’t want any morefortune! That man’s a wizard!”
Daisy moved across the room, putting all the distance possible betweenher and the seer. With startled eyes, she gazed at him, as at a worldwonder.
“Pooh! That was a chance shot, Daisy,” said Elise. “Let me try, I’ve nosecrets that I’m afraid he’ll reveal.”
Nor was she afraid of the grimy old glove, but put her finger tipscarelessly into the old fellow’s hand.
“Pretty lady heart-whole,” declared the hermit. “Some day pretty ladyfall in love, but not today. Some ’nother day, too! Pretty lady marrytwice, two times! Ha, ha!”
“Silly!” said Elise, blushing a little, as she withdrew her hand. “Ihate fortune telling. Next.”
Patty, a little reluctantly, surrendered her hand to the seer, who tookit lightly in his own. “Pretty lady all upset,” he began. “So manysuitors, all want pretty lady. But the fates have decree! The lady mustmarry with the—” he drew his hand across his eyes,—“I cannot seeclearly! I see a cat! Ha, no! I have it! the pretty lady must marry withthe Kit, ha, yes; the Kit!”
“Good gracious!” exclaimed Patty, laughing, “have I really got to marryKit! Kit who?”
“That the wizard cannot tell. Only can I read the name Kit. It iswritten in the lady’s fate.”
“But s’pose I don’t want to? S’pose I don’t like Kit as much as somebodyelse?”
“That makes nothing! It is fate. It may not be denied.”
“Well, all right. But I don’t care so much about my future husband. He’sa long way off. Tell me what will happen to me before he
arrives.”
“Many adventures. You will today receive a letter——”
“Goodness, I get letters every day! Any particular letter?”
“Yes, a letter from one you love.”
“Ah, Daddy, I expect.”
“Nay, ’tis a younger man than your honourable parent. Then, soon thepretty lady will inherit fortune.”
“Now, that’s more interesting. Big fortune?”
“Oh,—my, yes! Large amount of moneys! And a journey,—a far journey.”
“I don’t care about the journey. Tell me more about the fortune. Whowill leave it to me? Not my father, I hope.”
“Nay, no near relative.”
“That’s good; I don’t want my people to die. Well, anything more, MisterHermit?”
“Beware of a dark lady——”
“Now I know you’re the real thing!” and Patty laughed merrily. “I’vebeen waiting for the ‘dark lady’ and the ‘light-complected gentleman’who always figure in fortunes. Well, what about the dark lady?”
“If the pretty miss makes the fun, there is no more fortune for her,”said the hermit, sulkily.
“I don’t mind, so long as you don’t take the money away.”
“Tell mine, then,” said Channing, as Patty resigned her place.
“You, sir, are an acrobat. You were employed in the Big Circus, theHop—Hippodrome. When they discharged you, it was but temporary. Do notfear, you will regain your position there.”
“Why, you old wiz! How did you know that!” and Channing stared inpretended amazement; “I thought that episode in my career was a deadsecret!”
“No episodes are secrets to me,” declared the hermit. “Shall I tellfurther?”
“No, I guess that will be about all,” and Channing moved quickly awayfrom the strange old man.
Bob Peyton declined to have his past exposed to the public gaze; and hesaid he didn’t care to know what the future held for him, he’d farrather be surprised at his life as it happened. So Bill Farnsworth wasthe next to test the wizard’s powers.
“Big man,” said the hermit, solemnly, as he scanned the broad palm Billoffered for inspection. “Big man, every way; body, heart, soul,—all.”
“Thanks,” said Farnsworth, “for the expansive if ambiguous compliment.Be a little more definite, please. What am I going to have for dinnertoday? Answer me that, and I’ll believe in your wizardry.”
“Big man is pleased to be sarcastic. The hermit does not waste hisoccult powers on foolish questions. In a few hours you will know whatyou will have for dinner. Why learn now?”
“Why, indeed? All right, old chap, tell me something worth while, then.”
“That will I, sir! I’ll tell you your fate in wedlock. You will yet weda lovely lady, who, like your noble self, is of the Western birth. Sheis——”
“Drop it, man! Never mind what she is! Let me tell you what you are!Friends, behold Mr. Kit Cameron!” With a swift movement, Farnsworth drewoff the old gloves from the hand that held his, and exposed theunmistakable slim white hands of the musician, Kit.
“Oh, you fraud!” cried Patty. “I half suspected it all the time!”
“I didn’t,” exclaimed Daisy. “You fooled me completely!”
“Oh, my fortune!” wailed Elise. “Where are those two lovely fates ofmine?”
“And all my money!” groaned Patty. “I feel as if you had misappropriatedmy funds, Kit.”
It had not been necessary further to remove Cameron’s disguise, it wasenough to see his hands, and hear his merry laugh.
“Hist!” cried Peyton, who had looked out along the road. “Here comeRoger and Mona. Let’s give them a song and dance.”
Kit drew on his old gloves again, and huddled into his crouched posture,just as the two came in at the hut’s door.
“Just in time!” said Channing. “We’ve all had our fortunes told and werejust about to go home. Take your turn now.”
“I don’t like to,” said Mona, who was looking very happy and wasblushing a little.
Keen-eyed Kit spied this. “Pretty lady,” he began, in his droning tones,and as he also had a slight knowledge of ventriloquism, he mosteffectually disguised his own voice, “give me your little hand.”
“Go on, Mona, we all did,” said Patty, and wonderingly, Mona held outher hand.
“Never saw I the future so plainly revealed!” declared the seer. “’Tiswritten as in letters of fire! Lady, thy fate is sealed. It is bound upwith that of a true and noble knight, a loving soul, a faithful comrade.I see the blush that mantles your rosy cheek, I see the trembling ofyour lily hand, I see the drooped eyelashes that veil your dancing eyes,and I see, stretching far into the future, years of happiness and joy.”
Kit released Mona’s hand, and the girls crowded round her.
“What does he mean?” Daisy cried; “he spoke so in earnest.”
“Stay!” and the seer raised his hand. “Now will I tell the fortune ofthe noble gentleman who but now arrived. Your hand, fair sir.”
“Rubbish!” said Roger, disinclined for the performance.
“Go on, Farry,” said Farnsworth, smiling. “We all did. Go ahead.”
Roger gave over his hand, and the hermit rocked back and forth in glee.“Another clear writing of the fates!” he exclaimed. “I read of a happyfuture with the loved one. I read that only just now, within the hour,has the Fair said ‘yes’ to repeated pleadings, and the betrothal tookplace,——”
“Oh, I say!” and Roger tried to pull his hand from the hermit’s grasp.
“’Tis a fair tale I read,” went on the wizard, holding fast the hand heread; “two young hearts, made for each other, plighted by the singingbrook—in the balmy sunshine—in a bower of roses by Bendemeer’sstream—oh, hang it, old chap, let me be the first to congratulate you!”
Kit flung off his cowl with one hand, while with the other he grippedRoger’s in a man-to-man grasp, and shook it heartily.
Then there was a small-sized pandemonium! The girls fell on Mona,kissing her and asking questions, while the men joined hands in a sortof war dance round Roger. Then they all made a circle round the engagedpair, and sang “Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grows,” with the zest of acrowd of children.
“Perfectly gorgeous! I think,” cried Patty, as the excitement calmeddown a little. “I sort of hoped it would be so, but I didn’t expect itquite so soon.”
“Neither did I,” said Mona, shyly: “but, you see——”
“Oh, yes, we see,” said Kit. “The picturesque spot,—the murmuringbrook,—the whispering trees,—why, of course, you couldn’t help it!Bless you, my children! and now, I want somebody to go out and getengaged to me. Who will volunteer?”
“Not today, Kit,” said Patty, laughing. “Let troubles come singly foronce. Today for this, tomorrow for yours. Come on, people, I can’t waitto get home and tell Adele!”