Chapter I: Front Matter

+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber’s note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+

A PERFECT FOOL.

A Novel,

BY

FLORENCE WARDEN,

AUTHOR OF

“A WILD WOOING,” “A WITCH OF THE HILLS,” “THE HOUSE ON THE MARSH,” ETC.

_IN ONE VOLUME._

LONDON: F. V. WHITE & CO., 14, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1896.

PRINTED BY KELLY AND CO. LIMITED, 182, 183 AND 184, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C., AND KINGSTON-ON-THAMES.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE
I.--THE GREAT MAN OF A LITTLE TOWN 1

II.--THE GREAT MAN’S HOUSE 13

III.--THE GREAT MAN’S SMILE 23

IV.--THE GREAT MAN FROWNS 30

V.--MASTER AND MAN 35

VI.--MUSIC HATH CHARMS 44

VII.--A PORTRAIT 52

VIII.--THE STRANGE FACE IN THE EAST WING 61

IX.--MR. BRADFIELD’S “SMART” RELATIONS 73

X.--MRS. GRAHAM-SHUTE’S MANŒUVRES 81

XI.--AMATEUR CHARITY 90

XII.--AN ALARM 97

XIII.--MR. RICHARD SURPRISES CHRIS 108

XIV.--STELFOX IS RETICENT 117

XV.--THE HANDSOME STRANGER 129

XVI.--MR. RICHARD’S MANIA 138

XVII.--A STRANGE MANIA 144

XVIII.--THE BALL 151

XIX.--MR. BRADFIELD RECEIVES A SHOCK 162

XX.--MR. BRADFIELD WELCOMES AN OLD FRIEND 168

XXI.--MR. MARRABLE’S MERRY CHRISTMAS 175

XXII.--LEFT OUT IN THE COLD 186

XXIII.--AN AWKWARD QUESTION 193

XXIV.--A LUNATIC’S LETTER 204

XXV.--AN APPEAL 211

XXVI.--A SECRET CORRESPONDENCE 217

XXVII.--A HOUSE-WARMING 223

XXVIII.--NIGHT ALARMS 233

XXIX.--A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE 240

XXX.--MR. MARRABLE AGAIN 248

XXXI.--BLACK-MAIL 256

XXXII.--A RESURRECTION 263

XXXIII.--A LOVE-SCENE 273

XXXIV.--MASTER OF THE SITUATION 283

XXXV.--STELFOX IS RETICENT NO LONGER 289

XXXVI.--VICTORY 295

A PERFECT FOOL.