Chapter I: Front Matter

THE REIGNING BELLE.
A SOCIETY NOVEL.

BY MRS. ANN S. STEPHENS.

AUTHOR OF “MABEL’S MISTAKE; OR, THE LOST JEWELS,” “THE WIFE’S SECRET;
OR, GILLIAN,” “LORD HOPE’S CHOICE; OR, MORE SECRETS THAN ONE,” “BERTHA’S
ENGAGEMENT,” “BELLEHOOD AND BONDAGE; OR, BOUGHT WITH A PRICE,” “FASHION
AND FAMINE,” “PALACES AND PRISONS; OR, THE PRISONER OF THE BASTILE,”
“NORSTON’S REST,” “RUBY GRAY’S STRATEGY; OR, MARRIED BY MISTAKE,” “THE
OLD COUNTESS,” “THE HEIRESS; OR, THE GYPSY’S LEGACY,” “THE SOLDIER’S
ORPHANS,” “A NOBLE WOMAN; OR, A GULF BETWEEN THEM,” “MARY DERWENT,”
“DOUBLY FALSE; OR, ALIKE AND NOT ALIKE,” “THE GOLD BRICK,” “CURSE OF
GOLD,” “MARRIED IN HASTE,” “REJECTED WIFE,” “WIVES AND WIDOWS; OR, THE
BROKEN LIFE,” “SILENT STRUGGLES,” “THE OLD HOMESTEAD,” ETC.

“THE REIGNING BELLE,” by Mrs. Ann S. Stephens, is a romantic and
thrilling novel of fashionable society, full of intensely dramatic
scenes and overflowing with absorbing interest. The action goes
straight ahead. So skilfully is the plot framed and handled that the
veil of mystery surrounding Eva Laurence, the beautiful shop-girl,
Mrs. Lambert, the society belle, and Herman Ross, the artist, cannot
be penetrated until the author sees fit to throw it aside. Eva is a
charming heroine, and the hero, Ivon Lambert, is a fine specimen of
American manhood. The love episodes are delightfully depicted. There
is much enjoyable humor in the novel, relieving the numerous exciting
incidents. The scene in the Lambert conservatory between Mrs. Lambert
and Ross, Mrs. Lambert’s jealous espionage of Ross at Mrs. Carter’s
party, the episode in the court-room and the exposure of Miss Spicer
are particularly stirring, but the whole romance is unusually powerful
and effective. Everybody should read “THE REIGNING BELLE” and enjoy a
rich treat. Mrs. Stephens’ novels are among the best and most popular
published, are admired by young and old alike, should be read by all,
and will be found for sale by all Booksellers.

PHILADELPHIA:
T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS;
306 CHESTNUT STREET.

COPYRIGHT:—1885.
T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS.

MRS. ANN S. STEPHENS’ WORKS.

EACH IS COMPLETE IN ONE LARGE DUODECIMO VOLUME.

_BELLEHOOD AND BONDAGE; or, Bought with a Price._
_LORD HOPE’S CHOICE; or, More Secrets Than One._
_THE OLD COUNTESS. Sequel to “Lord Hope’s Choice.”_
_BERTHA’S ENGAGEMENT._
_NORSTON’S REST._
_PALACES AND PRISONS; or, The Prisoner of the Bastile._
_RUBY GRAY’S STRATEGY; or, Married by Mistake._
_A NOBLE WOMAN; or, A Gulf Between Them._
_WIVES AND WIDOWS; or, The Broken Life._
_FASHION AND FAMINE._
_THE CURSE OF GOLD; or, The Bound Girl and Wife’s Trials._
_MABEL’S MISTAKE; or, The Lost Jewels._
_SILENT STRUGGLES. A Tale of Witchcraft._
_THE WIFE’S SECRET; or, Gillian._
_THE HEIRESS; or, The Gypsy’s Legacy._
_THE OLD HOMESTEAD; or, The Pet of the Poor House._
_THE REJECTED WIFE; or, The Ruling Passion._
_DOUBLY FALSE; or, Alike and Not Alike._
_THE REIGNING BELLE._
_MARRIED IN HASTE._
_THE SOLDIER’S ORPHANS._
_MARY DERWENT._
_THE GOLD BRICK._

Above Books are Bound in Morocco Cloth, Gilt. Price $1.50 Each.

☞ _Mrs. Stephens’ works are for sale by all Booksellers, or copies of any one, or more of them, will be sent to any one, postage prepaid, or free of freight, on remitting the price of the ones wanted to the publishers,_

_T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS,
306 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa._

“THE REIGNING BELLE” is one of the most powerful, original and exciting society novels ever published. Though Mrs. Ann S. Stephens, its famous and gifted author, has written many superb romances, she has surpassed herself in this. The scene is laid in New York, and fashionable society is liberally drawn upon, while lowly life also comes in for its share of treatment. The plot is thrilling, intricate and managed with consummate art, the reader being kept in complete ignorance of what the end is to be until it comes. In the web of impenetrable mystery a lost child, Eva Laurence, Herman Ross and Mrs. Lambert are involved, and upon them and their hidden relation to each other the thrilling romance hinges. Eva is a handsome shop-girl, who is adopted by the wife of a shoddy millionaire, Ross an artist with a past full of shadows, and Mrs. Lambert a society belle. Humor is furnished in abundance and stirring episodes come thick and fast. Eva has a devoted admirer in Ivon Lambert, and the love scenes between the pair are natural and delicious. “THE REIGNING BELLE” is certain to find hosts of readers, and it possesses every requisite to delight and fascinate them all. Mrs. Stephens, as a writer, ranks among the best of all American authors, and her novels should be read by every lover of absorbing fiction, for they are among the best and most popular published, and will be found for sale by all Booksellers everywhere, or copies of any or all of them will be sent to any one, to any place, post-paid, on receipt of price by the publishers.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Page
I.— THE SHOPPING PARTY 25
II.— THE GIRL OF THE TIMES 28
III.— A HUMBLE HOME 32
IV.— LITTLE JIMMY GOES AFTER WORK 38
V.— A FEAST AFTER A FAMINE 42
VI.— IN THE MORNING 47
VII.— SUNSHINE 51
VIII.— TRYING THINGS ON 55
IX.— THE LAMBERT MANSION 59
X.— DAWNING PROSPERITY 64
XI.— GOSSIP IN THE BASEMENT 69
XII.— JAMES MAKES AN ACQUAINTANCE 74
XIII.— THE GENTLE INVALID 80
XIV.— THE POLICEMAN’S DEATH 84
XV.— ARTIST SYMPATHY 89
XVI.— MRS. CARTER MAKES A VISIT 92
XVII.— THE FIRST BANK NOTES 97
XVIII.— OLD FRIENDS 101
XIX.— MR. BATTLES IS DISGUSTED 105
XX.— OVER THEIR TEA 108
XXI.— A SLIGHT ALTERCATION 111
XXII.— THE FIRST FRUITS OF GENIUS 115
XXIII.— THE HIDDEN PACKAGE 119
XXIV.— WHICH RIVER 123
XXV.— THE PAWNBROKER 131
XXVI.— THE PAWNBROKER’S OFFICE 135
XXVII.— MRS. CARTER STANDS BY HER OLD FRIENDS 137
XXVIII.— YOUNG LAMBERT SPEAKS OUT 142
XXIX.— MISS SPICER 145
XXX.— OLD MEMORIES AND PRESENT STRUGGLES 149
XXXI.— BITTER JEALOUSY 152
XXXII.— DRESSING FOR THE PARTY 156
XXXIII.— ABOUT THE ROSES AND VIOLETS 159
XXXIV.— MRS. CARTER BECOMES FASHIONABLE 164
XXXV.— A STRANGE PROPOSAL 168
XXXVI.— THE WAY SHE MANAGED HIM 171
XXXVII.— A GLIMPSE OF FAIRY LAND 175
XXXVIII.— FIGHTING ANGUISH 178
XXXIX.— MR. AND MRS. SMITH 181
XL.— OLD LOVERS 184
XLI.— IVON AND EVA 187
XLII.— A WOMAN TRANSFIGURED 190
XLIII.— HERSELF AGAIN 194
XLIV.— CLOSING THE SHUTTERS 198
XLV.— WATCHING FROM THE PAVEMENT 202
XLVI.— AFTER THE PARTY 206
XLVII.— HOW MISS SPICER AND ELLEN POST FRATERNIZE 210
XLVIII.— FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS 213
XLIX.— MR. MAHONE 217
L.— A BARGAIN AT LAST 221
LI.— A BOY IN PRISON 224
LII.— THE SECOND ARREST 228
LIII.— THE WOMAN IN THE LAUNDRY 230
LIV.— PREPARING FOR THE WEDDING 234
LV.— EVA’S TEMPTATION 238
LVI.— MRS. SMITH BRINGS PAINFUL NEWS 242
LVII.— IN HASTE FOR THE WEDDING 246
LVIII.— MOTHER AND SON 253
LIX.— THE EXAMINATION COMPLETED 259
LX.— AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS 264
LXI.— WAITING FOR NEWS 271
LXII.— THE MORTGAGE 276
LXIII.— THE PRICE OF A BRACELET 280
LXIV.— THE ADOPTION 283
LXV.— IN THE PARK 286
LXVI.— THE INDIA SHAWL 292
LXVII.— THE PAWNBROKER GETS HIS PRICE 296
LXVIII.— MISS SPICER RECEIVES HER DISMISSAL 299
LXIX.— THE TRUTH 304
LXX.— OUR CHILD 308
LXXI.— A DOUBLE WEDDING 313

THE REIGNING BELLE.