Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN

by

FRED. M. WHITE

Author of "Tregarthen's Wife" "The Robe of Lucifer" "The Crimson Blind" etc.

Illustrated

R. F. Fenno & Company, _Publishers_ 18 East Seventeenth Street, New York City

Ward Lock & Co. Limited: London 1906

Copyright 1904. By Transatlantic Press, Ltd.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
I WITHOUT A FRIEND 7
II A DESPERATE VENTURE 18
III ON GUARD 30
IV THE WARNING LIGHT 36
V DEEPER STILL 43
VI THE PERIL SPEAKS 49
VII "UNEASY LIES THE HEAD" 55
VIII THE VERY MAN 61
IX "PONGO" 72
X A FRIEND AT COURT 78
XI IN THE GARDEN 84
XII A PRODIGAL SON 90
XIII THE MODERN JOURNALIST 96
XIV BAFFLED! 102
XV THE SEARCH 108
XVI WAS IT RUSSIA? 114
XVII A BOW AT A VENTURE 120
XVIII WATCHING 126
XIX THE QUEST OF THE PAPERS 132
XX A SPECIAL EFFORT 138
XXI "FOREWARNED, FOREARMED" 144
XXII THE TRAIL GROWS 150
XXIII GENERAL MAXGREGOR 156
XXIV AT THE WINDOW 162
XXV AN UNEXPECTED HONOUR 168
XXVI LOYAL SILENCE 174
XXVII LECHMERE TO THE RESCUE 180
XXVIII THE POWER OF THE PRESS 186
XXIX IN MAXGREGOR'S CHAMBERS 192
XXX HER FRIEND, THE QUEEN 198
XXXI A SURPRISE FOR JESSIE 204
XXXII NO TIME TO LOSE 210
XXXIII THE FISH ON THE LINE 216
XXXIV A ROYAL ACTOR 222
XXXV A RACE FOR A THRONE 228
XXXVI ANNETTE TELLS A STORY 234
XXXVII CROSS PURPOSES 240
XXXVIII ON BROKEN GROUND 246
XXXIX IN THE CAMP OF THE FOE 252
XL THIN ICE 258
XLI ANNETTE AT BAY 264
XLII THE COUNTESS RETURNS 271
XLIII IN SEARCH OF THE KING 277
XLIV DEAD! 283
XLV CHECK! 289
XLVI MATE IN TWO MOVES 295
XLVII THE SITUATION IS SAVED 301
XLVIII THE PAPERS AT LAST 307
XLIX LOVE AND ROSES 313

THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN