Grouped about him were a globe, a map of the stars, a divining-wand, a great Book of Fate, and all sorts of mysterious-looking instruments and paraphernalia. Bats, cut out of paper, swung by invisible threads from the ceiling, and were set fluttering by sly puffs from bellows by the three Fates, who scampered about, on mischief bent. In the white room were several black cats also. These added greatly to the weird effect, and, as they were good-natured old tabbies that Lena had borrowed from neighbors, they just stalked about and lay dozing in the white-draped chairs. The three Fates ushered Betty with great pomp and ceremony to the chair facing the wizard, and begged her to be seated. “What do you most want to know?” droned out the magician, as he gravely wagged his head at her. “Who you are!” said Betty, so suddenly that he fairly jumped. At this the three Fates doubled up in gleeful antics, but the wizard recovered himself, and continued in slow, deep tones: “That you may know sometime, but not now. I will now foretell your fate.” “Do,” said Betty, wondering where she had heard that full, deep voice before. “You have strange adventures awaiting you. You will travel by land and sea, and great good fortune shall be ever yours. In the years to come, you will meet your destiny. The stars ordain that a fitting mate shall claim you, but it will be neither of the two Fates who are now dogging your footsteps.” At this Harry and Ralph gave forth despairing groans and pretended to pommel one another. Betty giggled, but the wizard remained grave. “That you may know your fate,” he went on, “I give you this talisman.” Now, Betty had no mind to be teased as Dorothy had been, and receiving the talisman from the wizard, she slipped it into her pocket. Then, as the wizard dismissed her, she rose to take leave. “Thou mayst not depart until thou shalt exhibit thy talisman,” said Harry Harper, striking a dramatic attitude before the door. “Oh, yes, I mayst,” said Betty. “Avaunt thee, Fate, and let me pass, or I cast o’er thee my magic spell!” “Already hast thou done that,” said Harry, his tone exaggeratedly sentimental. “Let the witch pass!” interrupted Elmer Ellis, and, amid the chuckling exclamations of the three, Betty departed. “What did you get?” “What’s your talisman?” cried those who awaited her. “Let’s see your fate!” But Betty laughingly showed her empty hands, and could not be persuaded to admit that she had received anything. But as soon as she could get a moment unobserved, she took out her talisman to examine it. It was a bright new cent, dated the present year. “Oh,” said Betty to herself, “a penny! Hal Pennington! I _thought_ I had heard that voice before! What a little witch Lena is, to keep it so secret! I never dreamed of his coming.”