JOINED TOGETHER
Not till evening was setting in was it possible for any to cross the
gulf and reach the subsided portion. The chasm itself was some three
hundred and sixty feet across, and into this all the tract between the
lips had gone down at various inclinations. Beyond that to the sea
something like four hundred and forty yards had slipped away in an
incline, much dislocated, but with an abrupt face forming one side of
the great chasm.
It was of imperious necessity to get to the cottage that could be seen,
not ruined, still standing, but leaning to one side, that search might
be made for Jane Marley.
It was only made possible by the efforts of Jack Rattenbury, assisted
by some of the Bindon labourers placed at his disposal by Mrs. Jose. By
his direction a pathway was cut down the face of the chalk precipice on
the land side at a point where the ravine was choked with accumulations
that had fallen in, and by means of planks and ropes the chasm was
passed and the farther side ascended, and then Winefred, followed by
her father and Mrs. Jose, was enabled, with the assistance of Jack, and
walking with wariness, to arrive at the cottage.
It was locked, but when Winefred called, she heard a muffled voice
reply from within.
The front door was too stout to be easily broken open, but that at the
back yielded and the rescue party entered.
They found Mrs. Marley on the floor. She was in a sitting posture, her
hands still bound behind her, her hair dishevelled, but the blood from
the wound in her head was staunched. She had succeeded, by some means,
in freeing her mouth from the gags. Her eyes were dull. The colour
had died from her face, the fire from her heart. She breathed, looked
dazedly before her, and seemed listless when her daughter, Mr. Holwood,
and the rest entered.
Winefred pulled back what of the curtain remained obscuring the
chamber. Through the back door that faced west a stronger light entered
and penetrated to the room where Jane crouched. Jack Rattenbury had
at once cut the bands that confined her hands, and although the woman
was able to bring her arms forward, they were stiff, and her hands
frightfully swollen.
Mrs. Jose had run for water, but the spring that had supplied the
cottage was dried up. There remained, however, a little in a vessel
in the back kitchen, and with this Jane's face was bathed as Winefred
rested her mother's head on her bosom. The cuts in her head were not
serious. The girl hasted to tie up the draggled hair.
The men who had assisted to make a path had been relegated to the
outside. It was probable, if Jane Marley were unable to walk, that they
would be required to carry her. Mr. Holwood remained looking at her
intently, his weak lower lip fallen. She did not notice him. Her eyes
were for her daughter only, who bowed over her, kissed her repeatedly,
and whose tears dripped upon her face.
'Are you better now, mother darling? Do you think you could rise?'
Winefred supporting her on one side, Jack on the other, the woman
staggered to her feet, and at once recovered self-possession. She
raised her head, looked at the wrists and swollen fingers and passed
her hands over her eyes.
'It has been a dream, a nightmare,' she said. And then asked, 'Where is
Olver Dench?'
'O mother, do not ask.'
'But I desire to know. He has robbed me.'
'He is gone to his account.'
Jane was silent for a while.
Presently she said, 'He carried off everything in a carpet-bag.'
'That,' said Winefred, 'will never be recovered. It has gone down along
with him.'
'Gone down!' repeated Mrs. Marley, with trouble in her eyes.
'Yes, mother, ask no further. It shall be explained later. If Olver
Dench has wronged you――and that he did so I know――God has judged him.
Whatsoever of yours he had in that bag is lost, never to be recovered.'
Jane turned her eyes slowly to Jack and said, 'It was your father's
savings, hundreds of pounds of gold. I had kept it. I did wrong. I am
punished.'
'Mother, are you better?' asked Winefred. 'Can you see who is before
you?'
'Yes, you are here.'
'Not I alone. Here is father.'
Jane looked at Mr. Holwood. Perhaps she was too shaken, too exhausted
to manifest the resentment that had possessed her. She looked at him
steadily, without hate, but also without affection in her eyes.
'Jane, my wife,' said he in a faltering voice, 'I also have done
wrong, and like you I acknowledge it openly. But not all the wrong
you suppose. I have sent every quarter a liberal share of money to
you through Dench, which he retained for himself, and I――I have often
had an ache of heart and yearning after you, but have been prevented
from coming to see you by the reports of what you were and what you
did――slanderous and wicked reports――sent me by that infamous man. I
believed him.'
'Then you never knew me,' said Jane slowly, 'or you would not, you
could not have believed him.'
'I never knew your worth, Jane,' said he, 'because I had not that worth
in me which could appreciate how noble and how good you were. Can you
forgive me?'
'I do not know,' she said slowly――dreamily. 'It is a long story.
Nineteen years of desolation and heart-break; nineteen years is a long
time, and in that chain each day is a link, and each link is full of
pain.'
'Jane,' said Mr. Holwood, 'here is your ring, that you threw on the
floor in the Assembly Rooms at Bath. Will you not take it again?'
'I do not know.' She looked at her hand. 'My fingers are so swelled.'
'Jane,' he went on――and Winefred, holding her mother, looked earnestly
into her face, so changed from what it had been.
'Jane,' pursued Mr. Holwood, 'I have come here as a suppliant. I am
smitten with an incurable disease――perhaps the most terrible and
painful that can afflict man. How rapidly it will act I cannot say――but
in a year at the outside all will be over. In a little while I shall
not be able to speak, for it will begin from my tongue――the tongue you
cursed. Jane, Jane! May I not die in your arms?'
Then a shudder ran through the woman; she shook herself free from
Winefred, stretched her purple hands towards him, and in thrilling
tones said: 'O Jos! my own Jos! Come to my heart once more.'
Thereat Mrs. Jose took Winefred by the arm and drew her into the back
kitchen; thither Jack had already withdrawn, and then the good woman
wiped her eyes and kissed Winefred――thrust her towards Jack, and said:
'You, boy――kiss her too.'
Next moment Jane called them.
'I want you here,' she said. Once more her voice had acquired some
of its firmness and imperiousness. And they saw her――she was herself
again, nay other――younger, with a tender look in her face and love in
her eyes.
'I want you here,' she said. 'I desire you to hear me ask for pardon of
Jack Rattenbury. I have done you a great wrong, Jack, for which I can
make no amends. Can you forgive me?'
'No, no,' answered the young man. 'You have done me no wrong. Whatever
it was that my father saved could not have been better expended than in
the purchase of this house, and in the education of Winefred. Give her
to me as the balance.'
'You must ask him,' said Jane, indicating Mr. Holwood.
'If Winefred has her mother's strong will, as I do not doubt she has,
Jane, you and I can but accept her selection.'
'In a year,' said Jack, 'I shall be in a position to support a wife.'
'About that do not concern yourself,' said Mr. Holwood. 'I am well off,
and all I have shall be hers.'
'Nevertheless, I will work,' said Jack. 'If at some future time I
get something with her, I daresay Captain Ford will take me into
partnership, and we can set up machinery and make of the Beer quarries
something great.'
'I had a cow, once on a time――――' began Mrs. Jose.
'Never mind about the cow now, you dear thing,' interrupted Winefred.
'We positively must get back to the mainland whilst there is light, and
at Bindon we will hear the cow story from beginning to end, and will
not interrupt.'
'But the cow had a calf――――'
'And we will listen also to the history of the calf.'
'Well, well,' said Mrs. Jose. 'You and Winefred go on, and Mr. Holwood
and I will follow with your mother. What a day this has been for
rending asunder――and for joining together.'
THE END
L. C. Page and Company's
Announcement of
List of New Fiction.
=Philip Winwood.= (35th thousand.) A SKETCH OF THE DOMESTIC HISTORY OF
AN AMERICAN CAPTAIN IN THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, EMBRACING EVENTS THAT
OCCURRED BETWEEN AND DURING THE YEARS 1763 AND 1785 IN NEW YORK AND
LONDON. WRITTEN BY HIS ENEMY IN WAR, HERBERT RUSSELL, LIEUTENANT IN
THE LOYALIST FORCES. Presented anew by ROBERT NEILSON STEPHENS, author
of "A Gentleman Player," "An Enemy to the King," etc.
With six full-page illustrations by E. W. D. Hamilton.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 400 pages $1.50
"One of the most stirring and remarkable romances that has been
published in a long while, and its episodes, incidents, and actions
are as interesting and agreeable as they are vivid and dramatic....
The print, illustrations, binding, etc., are worthy of the tale, and
the author and his publishers are to be congratulated on a literary
work of fiction which is as wholesome as it is winsome, as fresh and
artistic as it is interesting and entertaining from first to last
paragraph."――_Boston Times._
=Breaking the Shackles.= By FRANK BARRETT.
Author of "A Set of Rogues."
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 350 pages $1.50
"The story opens well, and maintains its excellence throughout.... The
author's triumph is the greater in the unquestionable interest and
novelty which he achieves. The pictures of prison life are most vivid,
and the story of the escape most thrilling."――_The Freeman's Journal,
London._
=The Progress of Pauline Kessler.= By FREDERIC CARREL.
Author of "Adventures of John Johns."
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 350 pages $1.50
A novel that will be widely read and much discussed. A powerful sketch
of an adventuress who has much of the Becky Sharpe in her. The story is
crisply written and told with directness and insight into the ways of
social and political life. The characters are strong types of the class
to which they belong.
=Ada Vernham, Actress.= By RICHARD MARSH.
Author of "Frivolities," "Tom Ossington's Ghost," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 300 pages $1.50
This is a new book by the author of "Frivolities," which was extremely
well received last season. It deals with the inside life of the London
stage, and is of absorbing interest.
=The Wallet of Kai Lung.= By ERNEST BRAMAH.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 350 pages $1.50
This is the first book of a new writer, and is exceedingly well done.
It deals with the fortunes of a Chinese professional story-teller, who
meets with many surprising adventures. The style suggests somewhat the
rich Oriental coloring of the Arabian Nights.
=Edward Barry=: SOUTH SEA PEARLER. By LOUIS BECKE.
Author of "By Reef and Palm," "Ridan, the Devil," etc.
With four full-page illustrations by H. C. Edwards.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 300 pages $1.50
An exceedingly interesting story of sea life and adventure, the scene
of which is laid in the Lagoon Islands of the Pacific.
This is the first complete novel from the pen of Mr. Becke, and readers
of his collections of short stories will quickly recognize that the
author can write a novel that will grip the reader. Strong, and even
tragic, as is his novel in the main, "Edward Barry" has a happy ending,
and woman's love and devotion are strongly portrayed.
=Unto the Heights of Simplicity.= By JOHANNES REIMERS.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
We take pleasure in introducing to the reading public a writer of
unique charm and individuality. His style is notable for its quaint
poetic idiom and subtle imaginative flavor. In the present story, he
treats with strength and reticence of the relation of the sexes and
the problem of marriage. Certain social abuses and false standards of
morality are attacked with great vigor, yet the plot is so interesting
for its own sake that the book gives no suspicion of being a problem
novel. The descriptions of natural scenery are idyllic in their charm,
and form a fitting background for the love story.
=The Black Terror.= A ROMANCE OF RUSSIA. By JOHN K. LEYS.
With frontispiece by Victor A. Searles.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 350 pages $1.50
A stirring tale of the present day, presenting in a new light the aims
and objects of the Nihilists. The story is so vivid and true to life
that it might easily be considered a history of political intrigue
in Russia, disguised as a novel, while its startling incidents and
strange dénouement would only confirm the old adage that "truth is
stranger than fiction," and that great historical events may be traced
to apparently insignificant causes. The hero of the story is a young
Englishman, whose startling resemblance to the Czar is taken advantage
of by the Nihilists for the furtherance of their plans.
=The Baron's Sons.= By MAURUS JOKAI.
Author of "Black Diamonds," "The Green Book," "Pretty Michal," etc.
Translated by Percy F. Bicknell.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, with photogravure portrait of the
author, 350 pages $1.50
An exceedingly interesting romance of the revolution of 1848, the scene
of which is laid at the courts of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Vienna,
and in the armies of the Austrians and Hungarians. It follows the
fortunes of three young Hungarian noblemen, whose careers are involved
in the historical incidents of the time. The story is told with all of
Jokai's dash and vigor, and is exceedingly interesting. This romance
has been translated for us directly from the Hungarian, and never has
been issued hitherto in English.
=Slaves of Chance.= By FERRIER LANGWORTHY.
With five portraits of the heroines, from original drawings by Hiel.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 350 pages $1.50
As a study of some of the realities of London life, this novel is one
of notable merit. The slaves of chance, and, it might be added, of
temptation, are five pretty girls, the daughters of a pretty widow,
whose means are scarcely sufficient, even living as they do, in a quiet
way and in a quiet London street, to make both ends meet. Dealing, as
he does, with many sides of London life, the writer sketches varied
types of character, and his creations are cleverly defined. He tells an
interesting tale with delicacy and in a fresh, attractive style.
=Her Boston Experiences.= By MARGARET ALLSTON (nom de plume).
With eighteen full-page illustrations from drawings by Frank O. Small,
and from photographs taken especially for the book.
Small 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 225 pages $1.25
A most interesting and vivacious tale, dealing with society life at the
Hub, with perhaps a tinge of the flavor of Vagabondia. The story has
appeared serially in _The Ladies' Home Journal_, where it was received
with marked success. We are not as yet at liberty to give the true name
of the author, who hides her identity under the pen name, Margaret
Allston, but she is well known in literature.
=Memory Street.= By MARTHA BAKER DUNN.
Author of "The Sleeping Beauty," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
An exceedingly beautiful story, delineating New England life and
character. The style and interest will compare favorably with the work
of such writers as Mary E. Wilkins, Kate Douglas Wiggin, and Sarah
Orne Jewett. The author has been a constant contributor to the leading
magazines, and the interest of her previous work will assure welcome
for her first novel.
=Winefred.= A STORY OF THE CHALK CLIFFS. By S. BARING GOULD.
Author of "Mehala," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 350 pages $1.50
A striking novel of English life in the eighteenth century by this well
known writer. The scene is laid partly in rural Devonshire, and partly
in aristocratic London circles.
=At the Court of the King=: BEING ROMANCES OF FRANCE. By G. HEMBERT
WESTLEY, editor of "For Love's Sweet Sake."
With a photogravure frontispiece from an original drawing.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
Despite the prophecies of some literary experts, the historical romance
is still on the high tide of popular favor, as exemplified by many
recent successes. We feel justified, consequently, in issuing these
stirring romances of intrigue and adventure, love and war, at the
Courts of the French Kings.
=God's Rebel.= By HULBERT FULLER.
Author of "Vivian of Virginia."
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 375 pages $1.25
A powerful story of sociological questions. The scene is laid in
Chicago, the hero being a professor in "Rockland University," whose
protest against the unequal distribution of wealth and the wretched
condition of workmen gains for him the enmity of the "Savior Oil
Company," through whose influence he loses his position. His after
career as a leader of laborers who are fighting to obtain their rights
is described with great earnestness. The character drawing is vigorous
and varied, and the romantic plot holds the interest throughout. _The
Albany Journal_ is right in pronouncing this novel "an unusually strong
story." It can hardly fail to command an immense reading public.
=A Georgian Actress.= By PAULINE BRADFORD MACKIE.
Author of "Mademoiselle de Berny," "Ye Lyttle Salem Maide," etc.
With four full-page illustrations from drawings by E. W. D. Hamilton.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 300 pages $1.50
An interesting romance of the days of George III., dealing with the
life and adventures of a fair and talented young play-actress, the
scene of which is laid in England and America. The success of Miss
Mackie's previous books will justify our prediction that a new volume
will receive an instant welcome.
=God――The King――My Brother.= A ROMANCE. By MARY F. NIXON.
Author of "With a Pessimist in Spain," "A Harp of Many Chords," etc.
With a frontispiece by H. C. Edwards.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
An historical tale, dealing with the romantic period of Edward the
Black Prince. The scene is laid for the most part in the sunny land
of Spain, during the reign of Pedro the Cruel――the ally in war of the
Black Prince. The well-told story records the adventures of two young
English knight-errants, twin brothers, whose family motto gives the
title to the book. The Spanish maid, the heroine of the romance, is a
delightful characterization, and the love story, with its surprising
yet logical dénouement, is enthralling.
=Punchinello.= By FLORENCE STUART.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 325 pages $1.50
A love story of intense power and pathos. The hero is a hunch-back
(Punchinello), who wins the love of a beautiful young girl. Her sudden
death, due indirectly to his jealousy, and the discovery that she had
never faltered in her love for him, combine to unbalance his mind.
The poetic style relieves the sadness of the story, and the reader is
impressed with the power and brilliancy of its conception, as well as
with the beauty and grace of the execution.
=The Golden Fleece.= Translated from the French of Amédée Achard,
author of "The Huguenot's Love," etc.
Illustrated by Victor A. Searles.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 450 pages $1.50
Amédée Achard was a contemporary writer of Dumas, and his romances
are very similar to those of that great writer. "The Golden Fleece"
compares favorably with "The Three Musketeers" and the other D'Artagnan
romances. The story relates the adventures of a young Gascon gentleman,
an officer in the army sent by Louis XIV. to assist the Austrians in
repelling the Turkish Invasion under the celebrated Achmet Kiuperli.
=The Good Ship _York_.= By W. CLARK RUSSELL.
Author of "The Wreck of the _Grosvenor_," "A Sailor's Sweetheart," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 350 pages $1.50
A romantic and exciting sea tale, equal to the best work of this famous
writer, relating the momentous voyage of the clipper ship _York_, and
the adventures that befell Julia Armstrong, a passenger, and George
Hardy, the chief mate.
"Mr. Russell has no rival in the line of marine fiction."――_Mail and
Express._
=Tom Ossington's Ghost.= By RICHARD MARSH.
Author of "Frivolities," "Ada Vernham, Actress," etc. Illustrated by
Harold Pifford.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 325 pages $1.50
"I read 'Tom Ossington's Ghost' the other night, and was afraid to go
up-stairs in the dark after it."――_Truth._
"An entrancing book, but people with weak nerves had better not read
it at night."――_To-day._
"Mr. Marsh has been inspired by an entirely original idea, and has
worked it out with great ingenuity. We like the weird but _not_
repulsive story better than anything he has ever done."――_World._
=The Glory and Sorrow of Norwich.= By M. M. BLAKE.
Author of "The Blues and the Brigands," etc., etc., with twelve
full-page illustrations.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 315 pages $1.50
The hero of this romance, Sir John de Reppes, is an actual personage,
and throughout the characters and incidents are instinct with the
spirit of the age, as related in the chronicles of Froissart. Its main
claim for attention, however, is in the graphic representation of the
age of chivalry which it gives, forming a series of brilliant and
fascinating pictures of mediæval England, its habits of thought and
manner of life, which live in the mind for many a day after perusal,
and assist to a clearer conception of what is one of the most charming
and picturesque epochs of history.
=The Mistress of Maidenwood.= By HULBERT FULLER.
Author of "Vivian of Virginia," "God's Rebel," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 350 pages $1.50
A stirring historical romance of the American Revolution, the scene of
which for the most part being laid in and about the debatable ground in
the vicinity of New York City.
=Dauntless.= A TALE OF A LOST CAUSE. By CAPTAIN EWAN MARTIN.
Author of "The Knight of King's Guard."
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 400 pages, illustrated $1.50
A stirring romance of the days of Charles I. and Cromwell in England
and Ireland. In its general character the book invites comparison with
Scott's "Waverley." It well sustains the reputation gained by Captain
Martin from "The Knight of King's Guard."
=The Flame of Life.= (IL FUOCO.) Translated from the Italian of
Gabriel D'Annunzio, author of "Triumph of Death," etc., by KASSANDRA
VIVARIA, author of "Via Lucis."
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 350 pages $1.50
This is the first volume in the Third Trilogy, "The Romances of the
Pomegranate," of the three announced by the great Italian writer. We
were fortunate in securing the book, and also in securing the services
as translator of the talented author of "Via Lucis," herself an Italian
by birth.
Selections from
L. C. Page and Company's
List of Fiction.
=An Enemy to the King.= (_Thirtieth Thousand._) FROM THE RECENTLY
DISCOVERED MEMOIRS OF THE SIEUR DE LA TOURNOIRE. By ROBERT NEILSON
STEPHENS.
Illustrated by H. De M. Young.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, 460 pages $1.50
"Brilliant as a play; it is equally brilliant as a romantic
novel."――_Philadelphia Press._
"Those who love chivalry, fighting, and intrigue will find it, and of
good quality, in this book."――_New York Critic._
=The Continental Dragoon.= (_Eighteenth Thousand._) A ROMANCE OF
PHILIPSE MANOR HOUSE, IN 1778. By ROBERT NEILSON STEPHENS.
Author of "An Enemy to the King."
Illustrated by H. C. Edwards.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.50
"It has the sterling qualities of strong dramatic writing, and ranks
among the most spirited and ably written historical romances of the
season. An impulsive appreciation of a soldier who is a soldier, a man
who is a man, a hero who is a hero, is one of the most captivating of
Mr. Stephens's charms of manner and style."――_Boston Herald._
=The Road to Paris.= (_Sixteenth Thousand._) By ROBERT NEILSON
STEPHENS.
Author of "An Enemy to the King," "The Continental Dragoon," etc.
Illustrated by H. C. Edwards.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 500 pages $1.50
"Vivid and picturesque in style, well conceived and full of action,
the novel is absorbing from cover to cover."――_Philadelphia Public
Ledger._
"In the line of historical romance, few books of the season will
equal Robert Neilson Stephens's 'The Road to Paris.'"――_Cincinnati
Times-Star._
=A Gentleman Player.= (_Thirty-fifth Thousand._) HIS ADVENTURES ON A
SECRET MISSION FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH. By ROBERT NEILSON STEPHENS.
Author of "An Enemy to the King," "The Continental Dragoon," "The Road
to Paris," etc.
Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 450 pages $1.50
"A thrilling historical romance.... It is a well-told tale of mingled
romance and history, and the reader throughout unconsciously joins
in the flight and thrills with the excitement of the dangers and
adventures that befall the fugitives."――_Chicago Tribune._
"'A Gentleman Player' is well conceived and well told."――_Boston
Journal._
=Rose à Charlitte.= (_Eighth Thousand._) AN ACADIEN ROMANCE. By
MARSHALL SAUNDERS.
Author of "Beautiful Joe," etc.
Illustrated by H. De M. Young.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 500 pages $1.50
"A very fine novel we unhesitatingly pronounce it ... one of the books
that stamp themselves at once upon the imagination and remain imbedded
in the memory long after the covers are closed."――_Literary World,
Boston._
=Deficient Saints.= A TALE OF MAINE. By MARSHALL SAUNDERS.
Author of "Rose à Charlitte," "Beautiful Joe," etc.
Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 400 pages $1.50
"The tale is altogether delightful; it is vitally charming and
expresses a quiet power that sparkles with all sorts of versatile
beauty."――_Boston Ideas._
=Her Sailor.= A NOVEL. By MARSHALL SAUNDERS.
Author of "Rose à Charlitte," "Beautiful Joe," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 325 pages $1.25
A story of modern life of great charm and pathos, dealing with the love
affairs of an American girl and a naval officer.
"A love story, refreshing and sweet."――_Utica Herald._
"The wayward petulance of the maiden, who half-resents the
matter-of-course wooing and wedding, her graceful coquetry, and final
capitulation are prettily told, making a fine character sketch and an
entertaining story."――_Bookseller, Chicago._
=Pretty Michal.= A ROMANCE OF HUNGARY. By MAURUS JOKAI.
Author of "Black Diamonds," "The Green Book," "Midst the Wild
Carpathians," etc.
Authorized translation by R. Nisbet Bain.
Illustrated with a photogravure frontispiece of the great Magyar
writer.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 325 pages $1.50
"It is at once a spirited tale of 'border chivalry,' a charming
love story full of genuine poetry, and a graphic picture of
life in a country and at a period both equally new to English
readers."――_Literary World, London._
=Midst the Wild Carpathians.= By MAURUS JOKAI.
Author of "Black Diamonds," "The Lion of Janina," etc.
Authorized translation by R. Nisbet Bain.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
"The story is absorbingly interesting and displays all the virility
of Jokai's powers, his genius of description, his keenness of
characterization, his subtlety of humor, and his consummate art
in the progression of the novel from one apparent climax to
another."――_Chicago Evening Post._
=In Kings' Houses.= A ROMANCE OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE. By JULIA C.
R. DORR.
Author of "A Cathedral Pilgrimage," etc.
Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 400 pages $1.50
"We close the book with a wish that the author may write more romances
of the history of England which she knows so well."――_Bookman, New
York._
"A fine strong story which is a relief to come upon. Related with
charming, simple art."――_Philadelphia Public Ledger._
=Omar the Tentmaker.= A ROMANCE OF OLD PERSIA. By NATHAN HASKELL DOLE.
Illustrated by F. T. Merrill.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 350 pages $1.50
"The story itself is beautiful and it is beautifully written. It
possesses the true spirit of romance, and is almost poetical in form.
The author has undoubtedly been inspired by his admiration for the
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam to write this story of which Omar is the
hero."――_Troy Times._
"Mr. Dole has built a delightful romance."――_Chicago Chronicle._
"It is a strong and vividly written story, full of the life and spirit
of romance."――_New Orleans Picayune._
=Manders.= A TALE OF PARIS. By ELWYN BARRON.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 350 pages $1.50
"Bright descriptions of student life in Paris, sympathetic views
of human frailty, and a dash of dramatic force, combine to form an
attractive story. The book contains some very strong scenes, plenty
of life and color, and a pleasant tinge of humor.... It has grip,
picturesqueness, and vivacity."――_The Speaker, London._
"A study of deep human interest, in which pathos and humor both
play their parts. The descriptions of life in the Quartier Latin
are distinguished for their freshness and liveliness."――_St. James
Gazette, London._
"A romance sweet as violets."――_Town Topics, New York._
=In Old New York.= A ROMANCE. By WILSON BARRETT, author of "The Sign
of the Cross," etc., and ELWYN BARRON, author of "Manders."
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 350 pages $1.50
"A novel of great interest and vigor."――_Philadelphia Inquirer._
"'In Old New York' is worthy of its distinguished authors."――_Chicago
Times-Herald._
"Intensely interesting. It has an historical flavor that gives it a
substantial value."――_Boston Globe._
=The Golden Dog.= A ROMANCE OF QUEBEC. By WILLIAM KIRBY.
New authorized edition.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 620 pages $1.25
"A powerful romance of love, intrigue, and adventure in the time of
Louis XV. and Mme. de Pompadour, when the French colonies were making
their great struggle to retain for an ungrateful court the fairest
jewels in the colonial diadem of France."――_New York Herald._
=The Knight of King's Guard.= A ROMANCE OF THE DAYS OF THE BLACK
PRINCE. By EWAN MARTIN.
Illustrated by Gilbert James.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.50
An exceedingly well written romance, dealing with the romantic period
chronicled so admirably by Froissart. The scene is laid at a border
castle between England and Scotland, the city of London, and on the
French battle-fields of Cressy and Poitiers. Edward the Third, Queen
Philippa, the Black Prince, Bertrand du Guesclin, are all historical
characters, accurate reproductions of which give life and vitality to
the romance. The character of the hero is especially well drawn.
=The Making of a Saint.= By W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM.
Illustrated by Gilbert James.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 350 pages $1.50
"An exceedingly strong story of original motive and design.... The
scenes are imbued with a spirit of frankness ... and in addition there
is a strong dramatic flavor."――_Philadelphia Press._
"A sprightly tale abounding in adventures, and redolent of the spirit
of mediæval Italy."――_Brooklyn Times._
=Friendship and Folly.= A NOVEL. By MARIA LOUISE POOL.
Author of "Dally," "A Redbridge Neighborhood," "In a Dike Shanty," etc.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
"The author handles her elements with skilful fingers――fingers
that feel their way most truthfully among the actual emotions and
occurrences of nineteenth century romance. Hers is a frank, sensitive
touch, and the result is both complete and full of interest."――_Boston
Ideas._
"The story will rank with the best previous work of this
author."――_Indianapolis News._
=The Rejuvenation of Miss Semaphore.= A FARCICAL NOVEL. By HAL GODFREY.
Illustrated by Etheldred B. Barry.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.25
"A fanciful, laughable tale of two maiden sisters of uncertain age who
are induced, by their natural longing for a return to youth and its
blessings, to pay a large sum for a mystical water which possesses the
value of setting backwards the hands of time. No more delightfully
fresh and original book has appeared since 'Vice Versa' charmed an
amused world. It is well written, drawn to the life, and full of the
most enjoyable humor."――_Boston Beacon._
=The Paths of the Prudent.= By J. S. FLETCHER.
Author of "When Charles I. Was King," "Mistress Spitfire," etc.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.50
"The story has a curious fascination for the reader, and the theme and
characters are handled with rare ability."――_Scotsman._
"Dorinthia is charming. The story is told with great humor."――_Pall
Mall Gazette._
"An excellently well told story, and the reader's interest is
perfectly sustained to the very end."――_Punch._
=Cross Trails.= By VICTOR WAITE.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 450 pages $1.50
"A Spanish-American novel of unusual interest, a brilliant, dashing,
and stirring story, teeming with humanity and life. Mr. Waite is
to be congratulated upon the strength with which he has drawn his
characters."――_San Francisco Chronicle._
"Every page is enthralling."――_Academy._
"Full of strength and reality."――_Athenæum._
"The book is exceedingly powerful."――_Glasgow Herald._
=Bijli the Dancer.= By JAMES BLYTHE PATTON.
Illustrated by Horace Van Rinth.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 350 pages $1.50
"A novel of Modern India.... The fortunes of the heroine, an Indian
nautch-girl, are told with a vigor, pathos, and a wealth of poetic
sympathy that makes the book admirable from first to last."――_Detroit
Free Press._
"A remarkable book."――_Bookman._
"Powerful and fascinating."――_Pall Mall Gazette._
"A vivid picture of Indian life."――_Academy, London._
=Drives and Puts.= A BOOK OF GOLF STORIES. By WALTER CAMP and LILIAN
BROOKS.
Small 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 250 pages $1.25
"It will be heartily relished by all readers, whether golfers or
not."――_Boston Ideas._
"Decidedly the best golf stories I have read."――_Milwaukee Journal._
"Thoroughly entertaining and interesting in every page, and is
gotten out with care and judgment that indicate rare taste in
bookmaking."――_Chicago Saturday Evening Herald._
=Via Lucis.= By KASSANDRA VIVARIA.
With portrait of the author.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 480 pages $1.50
"'Via Lucis' is――we say it unhesitatingly――a striking and interesting
production."――_London Athenæum._
"Without doubt the most notable novel of the summer is this strong
story of Italian life, so full of local color one can almost see the
cool, shaded patios and the flame of the pomegranate blossom, and
smell the perfume of the grapes growing on the hillsides. It is a
story of deep and passionate heart interests, of fierce loves and
fiercer hates, of undisciplined natures that work out their own bitter
destiny of woe. There has hardly been a finer piece of portraiture
than that of the child Arduina,――the child of a sickly and unloved
mother and a cruel and vindictive father,――a morbid, queer, lonely
little creature, who is left to grow up without love or training of
any kind."――_New Orleans Picayune._
"=To Arms!=" BEING SOME PASSAGES FROM THE EARLY LIFE OF ALLAN
OLIPHANT, CHIRURGEON, WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, AND NOW SET FORTH FOR THE
FIRST TIME. By ANDREW BALFOUR.
Illustrated by F. W. Glover.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 575 pages $1.50
"A tale of 'Bonnie Tweedside,' and St. Dynans and Auld Reekie,――a fair
picture of the country under misrule and usurpation and all kinds of
vicissitudes. Allan Oliphant is a great hero."――_Chicago Times-Herald._
"A recital of thrilling interest, told with unflagging
vigor."――_Globe._
"An unusually excellent example of a semi-historic romance."――_World._
=The River of Pearls=; OR, THE RED SPIDER. A CHINESE ROMANCE. By RENÉ
DE PONT-JEST.
With sixty illustrations from original drawings by Felix Régamey.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 300 pages $1.50
Close acquaintance with the manners and customs of the Chinese has
enabled the author to write a story which is instructive as well as
interesting. The book, as a whole, shows the writer to be possessed
of a strong descriptive faculty, as well as keen insight into the
characters of the people of whom he is writing. The plot is cleverly
conceived and well worked out, and the story abounds with incidents of
the most exciting and sensational character. Enjoyment of its perusal
is increased by the powerful illustrations of Felix Régamey.
The book may be read with profit by any one who wishes to realize the
actual condition of native life in China.
=Lally of the Brigade.= A ROMANCE OF THE IRISH BRIGADE IN FRANCE
DURING THE TIME OF LOUIS THE FOURTEENTH. By L. MCMANUS.
Author of "The Silk of the Kine," "The Red Star," etc.
Illustrated.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 250 pages $1.25
The scene of this romance is partly at the siege of Crimona (held by
the troops of Louis XIV.) by the Austrian forces under Prince Eugene.
During the siege the famous Irish Brigade renders valiant service, and
the hero――a dashing young Irishman――is in the thick of the fighting.
He is also able to give efficient service in unravelling a political
intrigue, in which the love affairs of the hero and the heroine are
interwoven.
=Frivolities.= ESPECIALLY ADDRESSED TO THOSE WHO ARE TIRED OF BEING
SERIOUS. By RICHARD MARSH.
Author of "Tom Ossington's Ghost," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 340 pages $1.50
A dozen stories in an entirely new vein for Mr. Marsh. The humor is
irresistible, and carries the reader on breathlessly from one laugh
to another. The style, though appealing to a totally different side
of complex human nature, is as strong and effective as the author's
intense and dramatic work in "Tom Ossington's Ghost."
=Sons Of Adversity.= A ROMANCE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH'S TIME. By L. COPE
CORNFORD.
Author of "Captain Jacobus," etc.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 325 pages $1.25
"A tale of adventure on land and sea at the time when Protestant
England and Catholic Spain were struggling for naval supremacy.
Spanish conspiracies against the peace of good Queen Bess, a vivid
description of the raise of the Spanish siege of Leyden by the
combined Dutch and English forces, sea fights, the recovery of stolen
treasure, are all skilfully woven elements in a plot of unusual
strength."――_Pittsburg Bulletin._
=The Count of Nideck.= FROM THE FRENCH OF ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN,
TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED BY RALPH BROWNING FISKE.
Illustrated by Victor A. Searles.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 375 pages $1.25
"'The Count of Nideck,' adapted from the French of Erckmann-Chatrian
by Ralph Browning Fiske, is a most interesting tale, simply told, and
moving with direct force to the end in view."――_Minneapolis Times._
"Rapid in movement, it abounds in dramatic incident, furnishes graphic
descriptions of the locality, and is enlivened with a very pretty love
story."――_Troy Budget._
=Muriella=; OR, LE SELVE. By OUIDA.
Illustrated by M. B. Prendergast.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 250 pages $1.25
"Ouida's literary style is almost perfect in 'Muriella.'"――_Chicago
Times-Herald._
"'Muriella' is an admirable example of the author's best
work."――_Brooklyn Times._
"It dwells in the memory, and bears the dramatic force, tragic
interest, and skilfulness of treatment that mark the work of Ouida
when at her best."――_Pittsburg Bulletin._
=The Archbishop's Unguarded Moment.= By OSCAR FAY ADAMS.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, 300 pages $1.25
"A very captivating volume."――_Evening Wisconsin._
"Brimming over with humor."――_Chicago Chronicle._
"He who cares to pass a few hours in quiet enjoyment and subdued
laughter will do well to become the possessor of this clever
volume."――_American_, Philadelphia.
_The Works of Gabriel d'Annunzio._
=The Triumph of Death.=
=The Intruder.=
=The Maidens of the Rocks.=
=The Child of Pleasure.=
Each, 1 vol., library 12mo, cloth decorative $1.50
"The writer of the greatest promise to-day in Italy, and perhaps one
of the most unique figures in contemporary literature, is Gabriel
d'Annunzio, the poet-novelist."――_The Bookman._
"This book is realistic. Some say that it is brutally so. But the
realism is that of Flaubert and not of Zola. There is no plain
speaking for the sake of plain speaking. Every detail is justified
in the fact that it illuminates either the motives or the actions of
the man and woman who here stand revealed. It is deadly true. The
author holds the mirror up to nature, and the reader, as he sees his
own experiences duplicated in passage after passage, has something of
the same sensation as all of us know on the first reading of George
Meredith's 'Egoist.' Reading these pages is like being out in the
country on a dark night in a storm. Suddenly a flash of lightning
comes and every detail of your surroundings is revealed."――_Review of
the Triumph of Death, in the New York Evening Sun._
=Ye Lyttle Salem Maide.= A STORY OF WITCHCRAFT. By PAULINE BRADFORD
MACKIE.
With four full-page photogravures from drawings by E. W. D. Hamilton.
Printed on deckle-edged paper, with gilt top, and bound in cloth
decorative, 321 pages $1.50
A tale of the days of the reign of superstition in New England, and
of a brave "lyttle maide" of Salem Town, whose faith and hope and
unyielding adherence to her word of honor form the basis of a most
attractive story. Several historical characters are introduced,
including the Rev. Cotton Mather and Governor and Lady Phipps, and a
very convincing picture is drawn of Puritan life during the latter
part of the seventeenth century. An especial interest is added to the
book by the illustrations, reproduced by the photogravure process from
originals by E. W. D. Hamilton.
=Mademoiselle de Berny.= A STORY OF VALLEY FORGE. By PAULINE BRADFORD
MACKIE.
With five full-page photogravures from drawings by Frank T. Merrill.
Printed on deckle-edged paper, with gilt top, and bound in cloth
decorative, 272 pages $1.50
"The charm of 'Mademoiselle de Berny' lies in its singular
sweetness."――_Boston Herald._
"One of the very few choice American historical stories."――_Boston
Transcript._
"Real romance ... admirably written."――_Washington Post._
"A stirring romance, full of life and action from start to
finish."――_Toledo Daily Blade._
"Of the many romances in which Washington is made to figure, this is
one of the most fascinating, one of the best."――_Boston Courier._
=Captain Fracasse.= TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF GAUTIER. By ELLEN
MURRAY BEAM.
Illustrated by Victor A. Searles.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, 575 pages $1.25
"The story is one of the best in romantic fiction, for upon it Gautier
lavished his rare knowledge of the twelfth century."――_San Francisco
Chronicle._
"One of those rare stories in which vitality is abundant."――_New York
Herald._
=In Guiana Wilds.= A STUDY OF TWO WOMEN. By JAMES RODWAY.
Author of "In the Guiana Forest," etc.
Library 12mo, cloth, decorative, illustrated, 250 pages $1.25
"In Guiana Wilds" may be described as an ethnological romance. A
typical young Scotchman becomes, by the force of circumstances,
decivilized, and mates with a native woman.
It is a psychological study of great power and ability.
=The Gray House of the Quarries.= By MARY HARRIOTT NORRIS.
With a frontispiece etching by Edmund H. Garrett.
8vo, cloth decorative, 500 pages $1.50
"The peculiar genre, for which, in a literary sense, all must
acknowledge obligation to the author of a new type, is the
Dutch-American species. The church-goings, the courtings, the
pleasures and sorrows of a primitive people, their lives and deaths,
weddings, suicides, births, and burials, are Rembrandt and Rubens
pictures on a fresh canvas."――_Boston Transcript._
"The fine ideal of womanhood in a person never once physically
described will gratify the highest tone of the period, and is an
ennobling conception."――_Time and the Hour, Boston._
=Vivian of Virginia.= BEING THE MEMOIRS OF OUR FIRST REBELLION, BY
JOHN VIVIAN, ESQ., OF MIDDLE PLANTATION, VIRGINIA. By HULBERT FULLER.
With ten full-page illustrations by Frank T. Merrill.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, deckle-edge paper, 375 pages
$1.50
"A stirring and accurate account of the famous Bacon rebellion."――_Los
Angeles Sunday Times._
"We shall have to search far to find a better colonial story than
this."――_Denver Republican._
"A well-conceived, well-plotted romance, full of life and
adventure."――_Chicago Inter-Ocean._
"A story abounding in exciting incidents and well-told
conversations."――_Boston Journal._
"Mr. Fuller will find a large circle of readers for his romance who
will not be disappointed in their pleasant expectations."――_Boston
Transcript._
"Instead of using history as a background for the exploits of
the hero, the author used the hero to bring out history and
the interesting events of those early days in Virginia. The
author has preserved the language and customs of the times
admirably."――_Philadelphia Telegram._
=A Man=at=Arms.= A ROMANCE OF ITALY IN THE DAYS OF GIAN GALEAZZO
VISCONTI, THE GREAT VIPER. By CLINTON SCOLLARD.
Author of "Skenandoa," etc.
With six full-page illustrations and title-page by E. W. D. Hamilton.
Library 12mo, cloth decorative, gilt top, deckle-edge paper, 360 pages
$1.50
"The style is admirable, simple, direct, fluent, and sometimes
eloquent; and the story moves with rapidity from start to
finish."――_The Bookman._
"A good story."――_N. Y. Commercial Advertiser._
"It is a triumph in style."――_Utica Herald._
=Bobbie McDuff.= By CLINTON ROSS, AUTHOR OF "THE SCARLET COAT,"
"ZULEIKA," ETC.
Illustrated by B. West Clinedinst.
Large 16mo, cloth decorative, 260 pages $1.00
"'Bobbie McDuff,' by Clinton Ross, is a healthy romance, tersely and
vigorously told."――_Louisville Courier-Journal._
"It is full of mystery and as fascinating as a fairy tale."――_San
Francisco Chronicle._
"It is a well-written story, full of surprises and abounding in vivid
interest."――_The Congregationalist, Boston._
=A Hypocritical Romance= AND OTHER STORIES. By CAROLINE TICKNOR.
Illustrated by J. W. Kennedy.
Large 16mo, cloth decorative $1.00
Miss Ticknor, well known as one of the most promising of the younger
school of American writers, has never done better work than in the
majority of these clever stories, written in a delightful comedy vein.
=A Mad Madonna= AND OTHER STORIES. By L. CLARKSON WHITELOCK.
With eight half-tone illustrations.
1 vol., large 16mo, cloth decorative $1.00
A half dozen remarkable psychological stories, delicate in color and
conception. Each of the six has a touch of the supernatural, a quick
suggestion, a vivid intensity, and a dreamy realism that is matchless
in its forceful execution.
=On the Point.= A SUMMER IDYL. By NATHAN HASKELL DOLE.
Author of "Not Angels Quite," with dainty half-tone illustrations as
chapter headings.
1 vol., large 16mo, cloth decorative $1.00
A bright and clever story of a summer on the coast of Maine, fresh,
breezy, and readable from the first to the last page. The narrative
describes the summer outing of a Mr. Merrithew and his family. The
characters are all honest, pleasant people, whom we are glad to know.
We part from them with the same regret with which we leave a congenial
party of friends.
=Cyrano de Bergerac.= A HEROIC COMEDY FROM THE FRENCH OF EDWARD
ROSTAND, AS ACCEPTED AND PLAYED BY RICHARD MANSFIELD. TRANSLATED BY
HOWARD THAYER KINGSBURY.
1 vol., cloth decorative, with a photogravure frontispiece $1.00
1 vol., paper boards .50
The immediate and prolonged success of "Cyrano de Bergerac," in Paris,
has been paralleled by Mr. Mansfield's success with an English version,
dating from its first night at the Garden Theatre, New York, October 3,
1898.
As a literary work, the original form of Rostand took high rank; and
the preference of Mr. Mansfield for Mr. Kingsbury's new translation
implies its superior merit.
* * * * *
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
Punctuation has been standardized. Missing punctuation (mostly
quotation marks) has been added. Some alternate spellings have been
retained.
p. 8: "sand stone" and "sand-stone" changed to "sandstone" for
consistency (the blood-red sandstone) (dusky sandstone underneath)
p. 15: "needle-work" changed to "needlework" for consistency (a framed
piece of needlework)
p. 28: "aud" changed to "and" (and is not caught slinking)
p. 32: "Peacock" changed to "Paycock" (the Paycock was often in their
mouths)
p. 41: "breast-pin" changed to "breastpin" for consistency (pulled out
his breastpin)
p. 57: "Terra del Fuego" changed to "Tierra del Fuego" (gone to Tierra
del Fuego) (they call it Tierra del Fuego)
p. 104: "coast-guard" changed to "coastguard" (run into the arms of the
coastguard); "Chessil" changed to "Chesil" (opposite the Chesil Bank)
p. 112: "layer" changed to "lair" (a woman made her lair); "bnt"
changed to "but" (but she did not allow)
p. 132: "Terra del Fuego" changed to "Tierra del Fuego" (He is in
Tierra del Fuego)
p. 137: "Peacock" changed to "Paycock" (the Peacock, a study in wools)
p. 143: "cha ed" changed to "chafed" (she winced and chafed); "Terra
del Fuego" changed to "Tierra del Fuego" (a place called Tierra del
Fuego)
p. 148: Character name "Oliver" corrected to "Olver" (Olver Dench's
offer to lodge)
p. 173: Character name "David Nuttall" corrected to "Nutall" (above
all, David Nutall)
p. 174: "Chessil" changed to "Chesil" (resolutely at the Chesil Bank)
p. 186: "eye-glasses" changed to "eyeglasses" for consistency (the
gold-framed eyeglasses)
p. 189: "Terra del Fuego" changed to "Tierra del Fuego" (a place called
Tierra del Fuego)
p. 191: "under-lip" changed to "underlip" for consistency (the hanging
underlip)
p. 206: "overhead" changed to "overheard" (we are not overheard)
p. 208: "mo her" changed to "mother" (my mother is thought)
p. 216: "Tomkins-Jones" changed to "Tomkin-Jones" (Mrs. Tomkin-Jones
descended)
p. 217: "Tomkins-Jones" changed to "Tomkin-Jones" (Mrs. Tomkin-Jones
frowned)
p. 267: "if" changed to "it" (it would have been his own doing)
p. 271: "Chesill" changed to "Chesil" (flints on the Chesil Bank)
p. 279: "Tompkins-Jones" changed to "Tomkin-Jones" (exclaimed Mrs.
Tomkin-Jones)
p. 285: "Abernethy's" changed to "Abernethies" (Of Abernethies I have
always been fond)
p. 286: "Terra del Fuego" changed to "Tierra del Fuego"
(Governor-General of Tierra del Fuego)
p. 303: "skrieking" changed to "shrieking" (shrieking like a woman)
New Fiction addendum: Title of this book is listed, spelled
incorrectly. Corrected "Winifred" to "Winefred".
List of Fiction addendum: corrected "highess" to "highest".