Chapter I: Front Matter

PERLYCROSS

BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

_In one volume, Crown 8vo., cloth extra, 6s each._

+LORNA DOONE.+ +CLARA VAUGHAN.+ +CHRISTOWELL.+ +ALICE LORRAINE.+ +CRADOCK NOWELL.+ +CRIPPS THE CARRIER.+ +MARY ANERLEY.+ +EREMA; or, MY FATHER'S SIN.+ +TOMMY UPMORE.+ +SPRINGHAVEN.+ +KIT AND KITTY.+

_The above works may also be had in a popular form, cloth, 2s. 6d., boards 2s.

+LORNA DOONE.+

_Edition de Luxe._

Crown 4to., about 530 pp., with very numerous full-page and other
Illustrations, cloth extra, gilt edges, 31s. 6d. and 21s.; very
handsomely bound in vellum, 35s.

Also crown 8vo., with Illustrations, Presentation Edition, 7s. 6d.

+SPRINGHAVEN: A Tale of the Great War.+ With Sixty-four Illustrations
by ALFRED PARSONS and F. BARNARD. Square demy 8vo., cloth extra,
gilt edges, 7s. 6d.

LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY, LIMITED, ST. DUNSTAN'S HOUSE, FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, E.C.

PERLYCROSS

_A TALE OF THE WESTERN HILLS_

BY

R. D. BLACKMORE

AUTHOR OF "LORNA DOONE," "SPRINGHAVEN," ETC.

_THIRTEENTH THOUSAND_

LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, & COMPANY _LIMITED_ St. Dunstan's House FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, E.C. 1894. [_All rights reserved._]

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I.--THE LAP OF PEACE 1

II.--FAIRY FAITH 6

III.--THE LYCH-GATE 12

IV.--NICIE 19

V.--A FAIR BARGAIN 28

VI.--DOCTORS THREE 37

VII.--R. I. P. 48

VIII.--THE POTATO-FIELD 57

IX.--THE NARROW PATH 66

X.--IN CHARGE 73

XI.--AT THE CHARGE 80

XII.--A FOOL'S ERRAND 87

XIII.--THE LAW OF THE LAND 101

XIV.--REASONING WITHOUT REASON 109

XV.--FRIENDS AND FOES 118

XVI.--LITTLE BILLY 128

XVII.--CAMELIAS 139

XVIII.--CONCUSSION 149

XIX.--PERCUSSION 161

XX.--DISCUSSION 172

XXI.--BLACKMARSH 184

XXII.--FIRESHIP AND GALLEON 197

XXIII.--A MAGIC LETTER 211

XXIV.--A WAGER 225

XXV.--A SERMON IN STONE 241

XXVI.--THE OLD MILL 252

XXVII.--PANIC 263

XXVIII.--VAGABONDS 277

XXIX.--TWO PUZZLES 291

XXX.--FRANKLY SPEAKING 300

XXXI.--A GREAT PRIZE 311

XXXII.--PLEADINGS 321

XXXIII.--THE SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD 331

XXXIV.--LOYALTY 341

XXXV.--A WRESTLING BOUT 352

XXXVI.--A FIGHTING BOUT 363

XXXVII.--GENTLE AS A LAMB 374

XXXVIII.--AN INLAND RUN 384

XXXIX.--NEEDFUL RETURNS 394

XL.--HOME AND FOREIGN 406

XLI.--THE PRIDE OF LIFE 416

XLII.--HIS LAST BIVOUAC 426

XLIII.--TWO FINE LESSONS 435

XLIV.--AND ONE STILL FINER 445

PERLYCROSS.