2
E TEMPERAMENT OF AN ARTIST 26
V "ALCIDE" 31
VI A QUESTION OF IDENTIFICATION 36
VII MISS PELLISSIER'S SUSPICIONS 41
VIII "WHITE'S" 45
IX BRENDON'S LUCK 54
X THE TRAGEDY OF AN APPETITE 61
XI THE PUZZLEMENT OF NIGEL ENNISON 66
XII THE POSTER OF "ALCIDE" 70
XIII "HE WILL NOT FORGET!" 76
XIV "THIS IS MY WIFE" 81
XV A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE 89
XVI THE DISCOMFITURE OF SIR JOHN 96
XVII THE CHANGE IN "ALCIDE" 103
XVIII ANNABEL AND "ALCIDE" 109
XIX "THIS IS NOT THE END" 115
XX ANNA'S SURRENDER 121
XXI HER SISTER'S SECRET 126
XXII AN OLD FOOL 134
XXIII MONTAGUE HILL SEES LIGHT AT LAST 138
XXIV A CASE FOR THE POLICE 144
XXV THE STEEL EDGE OF THE TRUTH 150
XXVI ANNABEL IS WARNED 156
XXVII JOHN FERRINGHAM, GENTLEMAN 162
XXVIII THE HISSING OF "ALCIDE" 169
XXIX MONTAGUE HILL PLAYS THE GAME 174
XXX SIR JOHN'S NECKTIE 178
XXXI ANNA'S TEA PARTY 183
XXXII SIX MONTHS AFTER 188
ANNA THE ADVENTURESS
Chapter I
THE CARPET-KNIGHT AND THE LADY
The girl paused and steadied herself for a moment against a field gate. Her breath came fast in little sobbing pants. Her dainty shoes were soiled with dust and there was a great tear in her skirt. Very slowly, very fearfully, she turned her head. Her cheeks were the colour of chalk, her eyes were filled with terror. If a cart were coming, or those labourers in the field had heard, escape was impossible.
The terror faded from her eyes. A faint gleam of returning colour gave her at once a more natural appearance. So far as the eye could reach, the white level road, with its fringe of elm-trees, was empty. Away off in the fields the blue-smocked peasants bent still at their toil. They had heard nothing, seen nothing. A few more minutes, and she was safe.
Yet before she turned once more to resume her flight she schooled herself with an effort to look wh