Chapter I: Front Matter

JENNY

A Village Idyl

BY

M. A. CURTOIS

_Author of ‘Elf-Knights,’ ‘Tracked,’ ‘My Best Pupil,’ &c._

‘Nothing but the Infinite Pity is sufficient for the infinite pathos of human life.’

--John Inglesant.

_London_

EDEN, REMINGTON & CO., PUBLISHERS

HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

1890

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. IN THE TRAIN 1

II. IN THE VILLAGE 8

III. A RANTAN 17

IV. THE HOME THAT WAS RANTANNED 24

V. AN ADVENTURE IN THE NIGHT 31

VI. THE NEXT MORNING 46

VII. TIM 53

VIII. A MORNING CALL 60

IX. AT THE FARM 72

X. AN AFTERNOON VISITOR 84

XI. THE FARMER’S DAUGHTER 103

XII. A CLASS MEETING 111

XIII. THE RETURN OF THE FATHER, AND THE LAST OF THE RANTAN 123

XIV. IN SUMMER DAYS 130

XV. MR JAMES GILLAN MEETS HIS UNCLE 135

XVI. AN OMINOUS CONFLICT AND A FINAL RESOLVE 140

XVII. A PLEASANT EVENING 147

XVIII. A TERRIBLE NIGHT 154

XIX. NAT AND THE SQUIRE 157

XX. A BETRAYAL AND A FALL 165

XXI. LYING ON THE DOOR-STEP 178

XXII. IN THE HOME NEAR THE THACKBUSK 183

XXIII. ALICE AND TIM MAKE RESOLUTIONS 188

XXIV. NAT IN DESPAIR 202

XXV. TIM AND ANNIE 212

XXVI. IN WINTER NIGHTS 218

XXVII. JENNY HEARS STRANGE WORDS IN THE DARKNESS 223

XXVIII. A NIGHT OF DELIRIUM 229

XXIX. THE SQUIRE SENDS FOR NAT 236

XXX. BY THE RIVER IN THE NIGHT 245

XXXI. DRESSING FOR DINNER 252

XXXII. IN THE DRAWING-ROOM OF MR LEE 257

XXXIII. ANNIE SEES A CATASTROPHE 263

XXXIV. A PARTING IN THE STREET 272

XXXV. THE GENERAL CONFESSION AND THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE 280

JENNY