Patty's Fortune

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[Illustration: Patty knew that a momentous decision lay before her (Page 292)]

PATTY’S FORTUNE

by

CAROLYN WELLS

Author of The Patty Books, The Marjorie Books, Two Little Women Series, etc.

Illustrations by E. C. Caswell

[Illustration]

New York Dodd, Mead and Company 1916

Copyright, 1916 By Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I AN INVITATION 9

II THE HOTEL 23

III A MIDNIGHT MESSAGE 37

IV BLUE ROCK LAKE 52

V M’LLE FARINI! 64

VI MAUDE’S CONFIDENCES 78

VII THE FORTUNE TELLER 93

VIII A RIDE TOGETHER 107

IX THE “SHOWER” 123

X GOOD-BYE, SWEETHEART 136

XI A BUBBLE BURST 150

XII MIDDY 166

XIII CHICK’S PLAN 179

XIV A GREAT SUCCESS 193

XV PATTY’S FUTURE 208

XVI THE PROMISE 224

XVII THE CRISIS 237

XVIII PATTY’S FORTUNE 251

XIX A DISTURBING LETTER 265

XX BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE 279

ILLUSTRATIONS

PATTY KNEW THAT A MOMENTOUS Frontispiece DECISION LAY BEFORE HER (Page 292)

A MOMENT PATTY THOUGHT. THEN SHE Facing page 60 SAID, “NO THANK YOU, BILLEE, I DON’T”

PATTY’S SWEET VOICE CHARMED BY ITS “ “ 86 SYMPATHY

“TELL ME IF YOU TOLD AUNTY VAN THAT “ “ 274 YOU WOULD LEARN TO LOVE ME”

CHAPTER I

AN INVITATION

“I think Labour Day is an awfully funny holiday,” remarked Patty. “It doesn’t seem to mean anything. It doesn’t commemorate anybody’s birth or death or heroism.”

“It’s like Bank Holiday in England,” said her father. “Merely to give the poor, tired business man a rest.”

“Well, you don’t specially need one, Daddy; you’ve recreated a lot this summer; and it’s done you good,—you’re looking fine.”

“Isn’t he?” said Nan, smiling at the finely tanned face of her husband.

The Fairfields were down at “The Pebbles,” their summer home at the seashore, and Patty, who had spent much of the season in New England, had come down for a fortnight with her parents. Labour Day was early this year and the warm September sun was more like that of midsummer.

The place was looking lovely, and Patty herself made a pretty picture, as she lounged in a big couch hammock on the wide veranda. She had on a white summer frock and a silk sweater of an exquisite shade of salmon pink. Her silk stockings were of the same shade, and her white pumps were immaculate.

Mr. Fairfield looked at the dainty feet, hanging over the edge of the hammock, and said, teasingly, “I’ve heard, Patty, that there are only two kinds of women: those who have small feet, and those who wear white shoes.”

Patty surveyed the feet in question. “You can’t start anything, Dad,” she said; “as a matter of fact, there’s only one kind of women today for they all wear white shoes. And my feets are small for my age. I wear fours and that’s not much for a great, big girl like me.”

“’Deed it isn’t, Patty,” said Nan; “your feet are very slender and pretty; and your white shoes are always white, which is not a universal condition, by any means.”

“You’re a great comfort, Nan,” and Patty smiled at her stepmother. “Dunno what I’d do without you, when the Governor tries to take a rise out of me.”