Chapter I: Front Matter

SEKHET

SEKHET
BY IRENE MILLER

LONDON JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMXII

THE ANCHOR PRESS, LTD., TIPTREE, ESSEX.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. BORN TO BEAUTY 1

II. A FRIEND IN NEED 6

III. A RICH CASKET FOR A RARE JEWEL 12

IV. THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A MAID 18

V. THE WILES OF THE FOWLER 28

VI. A SOUL'S BATTLE 37

VII. ROSES AND RAPTURES 45

VIII. LUCINDA BELMONT 50

IX. HOW EGYPT WAS RUINED FOR EVARNE 53

X. THE SHRINE OF SEKHET 60

XI. A LOSING STRIFE 66

XII. SEKHET, CRUSHER OF HEARTS 73

XIII. OUT OF THE GILDED CAGE 88

XIV. HELPING HANDS 96

XV. THE PROBLEM OF EXISTENCE 1O4

XVI. EVARNE'S FIRST ENGAGEMENT 117

XVII. A STRANGE INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFESSION 124

XVIII. NEW TRIALS AND TROUBLES 131

XIX. NEW FRIENDS 138

XX. REHEARSALS 146

XXI. The CAREER OF "CALEDONIA'S BARD" 153

XXII. POVERTY MAKES ONE ACQUAINTED WITH STRANGE BEDFELLOWS 163

XXIII. A FRESH TURNING 168

XXIV. "STITCH, STITCH, STITCH!" 173

XXV. HARD LUCK 180

XXVI. EVARNE'S VOCATION 188

XXVII. IN ARTIST-LAND 199

XXVIII. GEOFFREY DANVERS 207

XXIX. SEKHET SMILES 218

XXX. A GREAT RESOLVE 226

XXXI. JOURNEYS END IN LOVERS' MEETINGS 234

XXXII. FRANK'S BRILLIANT IDEA 249

XXXIII. THE SHADOW OF COMING EVENTS 256

XXXIV. SEKHET WHETS HER TEETH 264

XXXV. THE STROKE OF SEKHET 278

XXXVI. A FRESH VOW 286

XXXVII. EVARNE FIGHTS FOR MORE THAN LIFE 297

XXXVIII. CONFIDENCES 318

XXXIX. EVIL, THAT GOOD MAY COME 326

XL. A FRESH COMPLICATION 338

XLI. HOW "LA BELLE DAME" LED JACK ASTRAY 347

XLII. THE COUP DE GRÂCE 357

SEKHET

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

SEKHET: _The Goddess of Ancient Egypt, who
presided over Love and its Cruelty._

HER TOOLS AND HER VICTIMS.

Morris Kenyon. Leopold Stornway (_his college friend_). Evarne (_Stornway's daughter_). Tony Belmont. Lucinda "Belmont." Geoffrey Danvers (_a young artist_). Jack Hardy } Frank Pallister } (_Geoff's studio friends_). Philadelphia Harbert (_an artist's model_). Maudie Meridith and her Auntie. Alexander Punter (_manager of the "Scotia's Bard" Touring Co_.) Mrs. Punter (_authoress of the play_). John Montgomery (_a printer_). } Joe Harold (_a commercial traveller_). } Archie (_a horsey youth_). } (_Members of the_ Harry Douglas (_an ex-prize fighter_). } _"Scotia's Bard"_ Charles Stuart (_a scene-painter_). } _Co._) Jessie Kennedy (_a little pianist_). } Madame Cheape (an "actress"). } Mr. Heathmore (a real actor). } Mrs. Burling } Mrs. Sargeant } (_Landladies_). Miss Brodie } Mrs. Shiells } Jean Brodie (_a seamstress_).

_Many minor characters_.

SCENES.

The depth of the country, London, Italy, Paris, Egypt.

SEKHET