The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-10-06
\ CLAlRvOYARGE
! - #
BY ELLIssRoBlNsoN.t

u6u-d tdil SudpSs IllnS, SilLI' CAoS
swathed to match the splendid tall
larkspurs and the nodding Canterbury
bells. A delicaaely pretty" girl, full OF
intangible sub1leties, she could not
get over the surprise of finding her.
self at Barton.
Her hosts, the Barton-Fairs, had sur
prise of another lsort-over her unfiut-
tered acceptancet luxury. They knew |
very well why she was there. They |
had made much money. Money IN
turn had made them socially aspiring
particularly for Tom and Phyllis, |
son and daughter iof the house. Hence,
the transplantatIon of Hilary Fon-
tame from the pznchings of genteel
poverty TO the ease of lavish wealth.
Hilary was gladder for Aunt Pam
than for herself. Unless she, too, had
been asked, Hilary would not have
| thought of going. But the Barton
| Fairs had been anxious to have the
| stately aunt. Aunt, PANS only and be-
loved nephew, not yet thirty, but al
ready man of mark, was coming
home toNvisit his people. Fontaine Dab
ney had the double distinction of be-
ing silver tongued, yet golden wise
for though he stood like lion for
the poor, he had no antipathy for
riches
Mr.. Barton-Fair had known all this
| long before he knew the Fontaines.
He was entirely of his clever wife's
mind, that Providence had made ready
in Aunty PANS young people precise
ly the right mates for Tommy and
Phyllis. He was prouder of his chill
dren even than ofthis fortune.
Aunty Pam liked Phyllis, even ad-
mired her. although by contrast she
did make Hilary'ss April fairness ap-
pear a trifie wan. Tommy had won
the elder Miss ForEtaine's warm heart
earlier than any ofithe others.
You nice boyi Please don't ever
grow up" she had said to him after
, he had inveigied her into long ride
in his cara feat which heretofore
, she had declared impossible. After
ward she had confessed to Hilary that
she should have thenceforth to think
f better of all rich young men.
I Naturally she was very happy at
Barton. She sat in a garden chair
- positively beaming as Tommy and
. Hilary went up and down the long
!. border cutting flowers. Later, when
= the flowers had been properly placed
: a labor of joy for Hilary-she said to
= her niece: Really, Tommy'is one Of a
:. thousand Fontaine even couldn't do
O it better-being so much the host he
h is not bit the gallant. / hope Fon-
tame will like all of them here-they
. will be such good friends to you two
q But there, I won't talk"
. Best not Aunt Pam. Walls have
r ears-how much more piazzas and
o. things" Hilary laughed, moving of
quickly. She knew what it was Aunt
"a Pam limited at-her darling plan tc
match niece and nephew so that wher
h the family glories were again reful
- gent they should be concentrated, not
= diffused.
- Fontaine knew it, too-and both haC
If been acquiescent rather than eager
G Hilary had even fancied she cared fol
"A him, having seen hardly another mar
Of manageable condition.
90 She began now to think of him /
~ great deal If the truth must b.
20 spoken. to keep herself from thinking
4. a good deal oftener Of Tommy. Tn
latter certainly did not show signs o
n being stricken - but somehow, nov
"a and then, something in his eyes-blu
=, and innocent almost as her own
- some note in his voice-although
=, spoke only commonplaces-stir he
" as Fontaine's look and speech ha
never done.
ri Hilary was eager yet reluctant t
ab see her cousin Aunt Pam had let he
nafI hot -hn fnlf
=. cumbent to let the good Barton-F'air
- understand their prospective rels
tionship ct will be more dgnified-
al entire frankness,'' she had sait
n Hilary wanted to protest, to beg fo
=, silence at least, but the habit of OBJ
ba dience was too strong.
no So perhaps she was no more tina
properly sympathetic when, just a
Fontaine was due, Aunt Pam deve
oped a toothache SO violent that
y swelled her face grotesquely and keI
her out of view for full three day
She would see nobody but the maid.
ind When. upon the fourth morning, tt
-er, invalid came down to breakfast CO.
". valescent she found awaiting her tt
. surprise of her life Standing b,
-s stateliest self as she saluted host ar
hostess, she began with an air
I finality that did great credit to h
\ dignity: Let me announce to you Il
betrothal of my niece and my nephew
I "Why, Aunt Pam! Are you a clai
voyant? However did you find it gu
We only knew it ourselves last night
and have just told the authorities
II Fontaine interrupted
S-l ho wi
~ about Phyllis, while Tommy, GRIMM
. like happy gargoyle, gently tweal1
I Hilary's ear. In twinkling, the Be
ton-Fair elders were either side of t
I speechless woman, madam huggi1