Chapter I: Front Matter

BY BESSIE MARCHANT

“Bessie Marchant is the girls’ ‘Henty’, and a writer
of genuine tales of adventure with a dash and vigour
quite exceptional.”—Daily Chronicle.
Sally Makes Good: A Story of Tasmania.
A Transport Girl in France: A Story of the Adventures of a
W.A.A.C.
Norah to the Rescue: A Story of the Philippines.
Cynthia Wins: A Tale of the Rocky Mountains.
The Gold-marked Charm: A Story of the Blue Nile Country.
A Canadian Farm Mystery: or, Pam the Pioneer.
Joyce Harrington’s Trust: An Argentine Mystery.
A Mysterious Inheritance: British Columbia.
The Heroine of the Ranch: Tierra del Fuego.
A Girl of Distinction: A Tale of the Karroo.
A Countess from Canada: Life in the Backwoods.
Daughters of the Dominion: The Canadian Frontier.
Sisters of Silver Creek: A Story of Western Canada.
A Dangerous Mission: A Tale of Russia in Revolution.
Lois in Charge: or, A Girl of Grit.
A Girl Munition Worker: A Story of the Great War.
A Girl and a Caravan: A Story of Persia.
Helen of the Black Mountain: Montenegro.
The Loyalty of Hester Hope: British Columbia.
A Princess of Servia: A Story of To-day.
The Ferry House Girls: An Australian Story.
Greta’s Domain: A Tale of Chiloé.
A Courageous Girl: A Story of Uruguay.
No Ordinary Girl: A Story of Central America.
A Heroine of the Sea: A Story of Vancouver Island.
A V.A.D. in Salonika: A Tale of the Great War.
Molly Angel’s Adventures: A Story of Belgium under German
Occupation.
Denvers Wilson’s Double: A Story of New Mexico.
The Adventurous Seven.
The Girl Captives: A Story of the Indian Frontier.
Three Girls on a Ranch: A Story of New Mexico.
LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LTD., 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.

The Youngest Sister

A Tale of Manitoba

BY

BESSIE MARCHANT

Author of “A Girl of Distinction” “The Ferry House Girls”
“A Countess from Canada” “Greta’s Domain”
“Daughters of the Dominion” &c.

_ILLUSTRATED BY WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I._

BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED

LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY

Contents

Chap. Page
I. THE WONDER OF IT 9
II. CONCERNING THE DOYNES 18
III. TREMULOUS BEGINNINGS 27
IV. A SERIES OF SHOCKS 36
V. AGAINST HER WILL 45
VI. A WILD JOURNEY 55
VII. WORSE THAN HER FEARS 65
VIII. GREAT EXPECTATIONS 73
IX. A DREADFUL BLOW 81
X. THE WORST 92
XI. A WILD REVOLT 100
XII. THE GLORY OF THE WHEAT 108
XIII. A TRICK OF MEMORY 120
XIV. IN THE RUSH 130
XV. TEMPTATION 140
XVI. A BLOW OF FATE 151
XVII. BLACK RUIN 162
XVIII. STANDING IN THE BREACH 173
XIX. A DISQUIETING RUMOUR 184
XX. AN IMPOSSIBLE FAVOUR 194
XXI. OUT OF THE SILENCE 205
XXII. THE ERRAND IS DONE 215
XXIII. SOMETHING OF A MISTAKE 225
XXIV. A REVELATION FOR BERTHA 235
XXV. DISAPPOINTMENT 245
XXVI. EN ROUTE 258
XXVII. A WEIRD NIGHT 268
XXVIII. CONSTERNATION 281
XXIX. A GREAT EMBARRASSMENT 289
XXX. BAD NEWS 301
XXXI. THE TIDINGS CONFIRMED 312
XXXII. THE MAN AT LAST 323
XXXIII. THE MYSTERY CLEARS 331
XXXIV. THE END 344

Illustrations

“SHE HAD REACHED THE BOAT”
GRACE MEETS WITH AN ACCIDENT
“SHE WAS MAKING NO HEADWAY”
“THERE WAS A MAN LYING UNDERNEATH”

The Youngest Sister