Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1920 — In Spite of the Fortune Teller [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

In Spite of the Fortune Teller

By H. LOUIS RAYBOLD

MA IMA W MvCUu. N«w*rM«r aro<‘«e*e-> WW Betty Peyton consented » Blay the fortune totlor at Mrs. Bwnead »-»>-*■. imul carton fete sho did Bo uoder Bia npposlUoa that It would ba aa easy way st passing the time at aa affair where aha knew nobody aad would, la a way. bo * naan* Bf doing bar hostess a fawr la return for the recent grant klndnero dona l Aa aba regarded heroelf la the mirBar after an hour’s sgpllcelfion of she bad loomed ta the amateur the■trkrta which bad served to pan so many hears of the nunteors spent la CM hl* at Simla, the asourod hemelf Chat bar detract frlted wofild never reoagntae be. An) It weald ham ta deßd bAn Offlroll to detect beneath CM bum umber Complexion, swarthy gaudy turban and oriental creperiea of the Mage which confront •d her tbo Anglo Saxon fa I mean and irboMM charm of Batty Peyton. ! "You’re simply perfect, my dear!" Esmond-Ashley's voice was all admiration. “Your booth Is down by the rhododendrons —and remember you us supposed to be the real article. After advertising that unreliable Hindu woman as my leading card, I not go back on it Incihonestly think you look jßore genuine she does!" During the earlk part of the evening, custom was vtky brisk and Betty had her hands full, literally and figuratively, with palms, both masculine and feminine, demanding ,to be read, Then, as the liquid notes of the Hawaiian quartette floated out on the lantern Illumined air, the guests drifted away to listen, and Betty was left alone, resting a dusky hand and

gazing pensively out Into the sweetscented night as one who peers into a future too dim to decipher. She was wondering why it was that she and Paul Brighton could not have fcnet naturally without being thrown at leach other’s heads since childhood. 1 (Gossip, the length and breadth of [lndia, she told herself bitterly, had [coupled their names together until no [doubt he felt the same aversion to her that she did to him. And all because their fathers, closely associated for (years, had made so evident their wish |to see their children wed one another. ■ It was when she learned that Paul, now Captain Brighton, was to be transferred to the same post as her father, that Betty made up her mind to run kway, and writing to her aunt In America, whom she had never seen, [opened the opportunity for the invitation to spend the summer at the latter’s country home. Suddenly, " breaking in upon her meditations, a tall figure advanced through the shrubbery and, throwing ilmself down on the cushions before ler, silently held out his hand. As he lid so, the swaying lantern above her shone op his lifted face. Thunderstruck, she nearly uttered a cry,,then, with great effort, checked herself. It was Paul. What was he doing here? Would he recognize her? No, that was absurd, and presumably her aunt would not Disclose; her Identity. These thoughts Dashed (through her mind as she bent above his palm. Then she had an inspiration. Of all the people she knew, Captain Brighton, ifter his years In India, might have lome faith in the occult. Slowly she began, In hesitating, broken patois. “The sahib —he sail from Kurachi? Yes —I. seo it here, klso, he must beware ver’ light lady; niist be careful. Light ladles ver* bad 'or this sahib—bring bad luck, bad 'ortune, sickness, death, oh, ev’thbfr. Much better think on dark ladies—wr 1 dark.” She hoped that in the semidarkness ■he did not observe her sudden pause bus phe recalled the fact that her hostess’ daughter, Joan, was of an exfeaedlng darkness, and' Mrs. EdmondUshley mliht natuTallynot wlshtO be fseturfdored maklog a? fbrgb*

tenttoe to her daughter through th# medium of a fortune teller at her own garden party. Bat her patron merely gave a grove, "Thank you." and, rising, went Mi way, leaving Betty wondering how much faith bo bad la her abilities as Hut night Mra Esmond Aahle, coagratalated Betty. "You were • ttA] mondoas hlb-and everybody bo-. Iterod you real. Why, Oapc Paul Brighten, just arrived from India oa a wtntee in which say husband in concerned. says be has seen hundreds Mho you silting «a the read to Delhi. Inctdentafly, he's coming to tea tomorrow, and between yon and me, I believe bo's a bit gone on Joan T The Allowing afternoon Betty, la her own character, met quite informally the man between whom and Bwaeif she bad endeavored to put several coaffionks. They had shaken hands quite rodkally, while bo remarked with rehwsei that be bad knew* bee fee UMuay yearn. Then he had turned to Aaan Md naked if oho Hayed teanlg. Tbo next month for Betty was much like this game which fMlowed. in which sho was quite out of it all, watching the maneuvers of Paul and Joan from the sldetlnee. And little by little she began to regret; first, her impolstve departure, then her prephetie uttera-ncee. which apporeatiy be had taken so seriously. Per, no doubt, he knew she bad gone to avoid his presence at the pest and was reveling in his chance to demonstrate how’Httle her repulses troubled him. Then an odd thing occurred. In Joan’s presence Paul invited her to go with him on a yachting party, and although surprised at herself, Betty heard herself accepting. On the evening of the trip she found Paul had drawn two chairs dose together in a secluded corner of the stern deck. For a while they sat watching the play of moonlight on the scudding foam of the wake. Then, out of a clear sky. Paul turned to her and said: “You see, Betty, I took your advice about dark lad lee!’’ So he had known, after all —probably through her aunt I “Well, Tm sure you found It good!" she managed to answer lightly. “But how did you know It was I?” “Very easily," returned the man. “Once having seen you in a similar character at an amateur performance in Simla, I could not very well forgot your skillful portrayal. Besides, having come several thousand miles in search of you, I was looking for you everywhere, although, feeling myself, as I know you did, that there had been enough outside management in our affairs, I was determined to tell no one my errand.” “But Joan —and • your mission!” stammered Betty. “Joan understands the whole thing and was helping me out —besides, she's engaged, herself!” retorted Paul. “As for the mission, that was a lucky coincidence, Til admit, but, knowing it was to be sent here, I pulled the wires and got myself appointed!” There was a moment’s silence. Then Paul leaned over and helped himself to the slim hand lying so temptingly near his own. “Aren’t you afraid of the fate I foretold?" asked Batty whimsically, but not withdrawing her hand. “If I am,” declared Paul, “I’d rather endure it with you, my darling, than have all the luck in the world without you!” and won for his brave reply the reward it merited.

•The Sahib—He Sail From Kurachi?"