Chapter I: Front Matter

THE STAR DREAMER

BY THE SAME AUTHORS

_By Egerton Castle_

YOUNG APRIL

THE LIGHT OF SCARTHEY

MARSHFIELD THE OBSERVER

CONSEQUENCES

ENGLISH BOOK-PLATES—Ancient and Modern (_Illustrated_)

SCHOOLS AND MASTERS OF FENCE. A History of the Art of the
Sword from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth Century.
(_Illustrated_)

THE JERNINGHAM LETTERS. (_With Portraits_)

LE ROMAN DU PRINCE OTHON. A rendering in French of R. L.
Stevenson’s PRINCE OTTO.

_By Agnes and Egerton Castle_

THE PRIDE OF JENNICO

THE BATH COMEDY

THE HOUSE OF ROMANCE

THE SECRET ORCHARD

THE STAR DREAMER

INCOMPARABLE BELLAIRS. (_In the Press_)

THE HERB-GARDEN

_An ancient gateway, looking as though it were closed forever ... and,
through the bars, the wild, imprisoned garden...._
]

THE STAR DREAMER
_A ROMANCE_

BY
AGNES AND EGERTON CASTLE

_Authors of_

“THE PRIDE OF JENNICO,” “YOUNG APRIL,” “THE SECRET ORCHARD,” “THE HOUSE
OF ROMANCE,” “THE BATH COMEDY,” ETC.

NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

COPYRIGHT, 1903,
BY EGERTON CASTLE.

_All rights reserved._

PUBLISHED IN JANUARY, 1903.

Press of
Braunworth & Co.
Bookbinders and Printers
Brooklyn, N. Y.

TO
LADY STANLEY
(DOROTHY TENNANT)

HERSELF SO GRACIOUS AN IMPERSONATION OF GIFTED AND GENEROUS WOMANHOOD,
THIS STORY OF A WOMAN’S INFLUENCE IS DEDICATED, IN ESTEEM, SYMPATHY, AND
FRIENDSHIP, BY THE AUTHORS

CONTENTS

THE ARGUMENT, vii
INTRODUCTORY, ix

BOOK I.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. FAIR, YOUNG CAPABLE HANDS, 3
II. A MASS OF SELFISHNESS, 13
III. RUSTLING LEAVES OF MEMORY, 18
IV. BACK AT A NEW DOOR OF LIFE, 24
V. QUENCHLESS STARS ELOQUENT, 34
VI. EYES, BLUE AS HIS STAR, 40
VII. NEW ROADS UNFOLDING, 50
VIII. WARM HEART, SUPERFLUOUS WISDOM, 56
IX. HEALING HERBS, WARNING TEXTS, 66
X. COMPACT AND ACCEPTANCE, 73
XI. LAYING THE GHOSTS, 83
XII. A KINDLY EPICURE, 92

BOOK II.
I. MIDSUMMER SUNRISE, 105
II. _EUPHROSINE_, STAR-OF-COMFORT, 109
III. A QUEEN OF CURDS AND CREAM, 120
IV. OPEN-EYED CONSPIRACY, 127
V. EVIL PROMPTER, JEALOUSY, 138
VI. THE PERFECT ROSE, DROOPING, 150
VII. NODS AND WREATHÉD SMILES, 157
VIII. A GREY GOWN AND RED ROSES, 164
IX. A RIDER INTO BATH, 174