along. But his mother! My patience, his mother!
And she's behaving like a cat about the whole affair. Just as if
Marcia's mother were not enough! Oh," in a burst of impatience, "why
do not things ever arrange themselves properly?"

He laughed, Kitty always made him laugh; but his curiosity was
aroused sufficiently to ask: "Have I ever in my remote past met this
paragon of a fairy princess?"

"No-o, no, I don't believe you have. Her mother took her to Europe
when she was quite young and she has lived over there most of her
life."

"What is her name?" he asked idly.

"Marcia, Marcia Oldham."

"But Oldham," with more show of interest. "Oldham! I seem to remember
that. Isn't her father an old curmudgeon of a millionaire?"

"He was before he went to smash and died," she returned briefly. "He
left a wife and one daughter."

"And the daughter is the fairy princess," he was evidently amused at
Kitty's match-making proclivities. "But, Kitten, unless I am assured
that she is under an enchantment, she will not do."

Again his cousin looked at him with that untranslatable expression in
her eyes, a little, half-bitter smile on her lips. "I'm only too
afraid we shall be able to satisfy you in that regard," she stared
before her with somber eyes. "Marcia is very lovely and very gifted.
She paints wonderfully well. I have some of her water colors. You
must see them." She spoke with a complete change of tone, evidently
not caring to discuss her friends' distresses whatever they might be.
"By the way, Bobby, don't you want to dine with me this evening? I'll
be all alone. Warren is still in the West, you know. Dine with me,
and we will go on to Bea Habersham's afterward."

"Thank you, Kitty dear, but I'm going to see Mary Garden in _Thais_,
this evening, so I'll be dining early. But why won't you take tea
with me somewhere this afternoon, or else give me a cup or so?"

"No. Can not." She shook her head decisively.

"Bridge?" he asked whimsically.

"For a wonder, no. Something far more interesting. I'm taking two
women to a wonderful fortune-teller. Quite the most remarkable
creature you ever heard of. Why, Bea Habersham lost a big sapphire
ring last week and this woman told her exactly where to find it, and
Bea went right home and laid her hands on it."

"What's her name? Where is she?" Hayden asked, with mock eagerness.
"Perhaps she will find the fairy princess for me."

They had reached Mrs. Hampton's home by this tim