+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber’s note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+ A PERFECT FOOL. A Novel, BY FLORENCE WARDEN, AUTHOR OF “A WILD WOOING,” “A WITCH OF THE HILLS,” “THE HOUSE ON THE MARSH,” ETC. _IN ONE VOLUME._ LONDON: F. V. WHITE & CO., 14, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1896. PRINTED BY KELLY AND CO. LIMITED, 182, 183 AND 184, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C., AND KINGSTON-ON-THAMES. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I.--THE GREAT MAN OF A LITTLE TOWN 1 II.--THE GREAT MAN’S HOUSE 13 III.--THE GREAT MAN’S SMILE 23 IV.--THE GREAT MAN FROWNS 30 V.--MASTER AND MAN 35 VI.--MUSIC HATH CHARMS 44 VII.--A PORTRAIT 52 VIII.--THE STRANGE FACE IN THE EAST WING 61 IX.--MR. BRADFIELD’S “SMART” RELATIONS 73 X.--MRS. GRAHAM-SHUTE’S MANŒUVRES 81 XI.--AMATEUR CHARITY 90 XII.--AN ALARM 97 XIII.--MR. RICHARD SURPRISES CHRIS 108 XIV.--STELFOX IS RETICENT 117 XV.--THE HANDSOME STRANGER 129 XVI.--MR. RICHARD’S MANIA 138 XVII.--A STRANGE MANIA 144 XVIII.--THE BALL 151 XIX.--MR. BRADFIELD RECEIVES A SHOCK 162 XX.--MR. BRADFIELD WELCOMES AN OLD FRIEND 168 XXI.--MR. MARRABLE’S MERRY CHRISTMAS 175 XXII.--LEFT OUT IN THE COLD 186 XXIII.--AN AWKWARD QUESTION 193 XXIV.--A LUNATIC’S LETTER 204 XXV.--AN APPEAL 211 XXVI.--A SECRET CORRESPONDENCE 217 XXVII.--A HOUSE-WARMING 223 XXVIII.--NIGHT ALARMS 233 XXIX.--A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE 240 XXX.--MR. MARRABLE AGAIN 248 XXXI.--BLACK-MAIL 256 XXXII.--A RESURRECTION 263 XXXIII.--A LOVE-SCENE 273 XXXIV.--MASTER OF THE SITUATION 283 XXXV.--STELFOX IS RETICENT NO LONGER 289 XXXVI.--VICTORY 295 A PERFECT FOOL. CHAPTER I. THE GREAT MAN OF A LITTLE TOWN.