Edinburgh:
Printed by W. & R. Chambers, Limited.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTERPAGE
I.WHAT BEGAN IT[1]
II.AN INVITATION[11]
III.GOING TO LONDON[19]
IV.THE CHRISTMAS TREE[29]
V.A FALSE STEP[40]
VI.A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK[54]
VII.ANOTHER INVITATION[70]
VIII.THE BROKEN WINDOWS[80]
IX.THE MAN IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE[92]
X.BURGLARS[103]
XI.THE DOCTOR’S VISIT[121]
XII.THE DARK SHADOW[135]
XIII.A DREARY HOMECOMING[156]
XIV.VIVIAN CONQUERS[166]
XV.ANOTHER MYSTERY[179]
XVI.A VAIN SEARCH[193]
XVII.MADAME GENVIÈVE[203]
XVIII.RUNNING AWAY[214]
XIX.THE JOURNEY[223]
XX.MONSIEUR THE VICOMTE DE CHOISIGNY[236]
XXI.THE OPINION OF DR JULES[245]
XXII.MR MAXWELL FINDS OUT THE TRUTH[254]
XXIII.A HAPPY MEETING[265]
XXIV.A FRESH BEGINNING[277]
XXV.WESTWARD HO![285]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
They made such a pretty picture that there was quite a burst of applause[Frontispiece].
They were a merry party as they walked across the snowy meadow to church[17]
The children set to work and transformed the hall into a perfect bower[29]
‘But what is that bundle of rags for?’ went on Vivian, putting up his hand to pull them down[59]
Isobel lay down with a story-book on the schoolroom sofa, and soon fell into a heavy sleep[64]
There, to his horror, looking through the gap, was a rough-looking man, with a stubbly beard, and a dirty white muffler twisted loosely round his neck[92]
At last a tiny red speck appeared under the yellow lamp, and began to move slowly up the road[162]
‘Thou lazy dreamer!’ she said, pulling him to his feet by the collar of his blue cotton blouse[205]
He sank gratefully into the soft bed of straw which the kind countryman made up for him, and had fallen into a feverish sleep[231]
‘Mother, oh mother!’ he cried. . . . ‘Can you forgive me?’[266]