Appletons’ Town and Country Library No. 291 A PRIVATE CHIVALRY PRIVATE CHIVALRY _A NOVEL_ BY FRANCIS LYNDE AUTHOR OF A ROMANCE IN TRANSIT, THE HELPERS, ETC. Acts more dangerous, but less famous because they were but private chivalries. SIR PHILIP SIDNEY [Illustration] NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1900 COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. _All rights reserved._ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I.--THE WOMAN ... WHOSE HANDS ARE AS BANDS 1 II.--THE VINTAGE OF ABI-EZER 13 III.--“THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS” 23 IV.--THE MIGRANTS 33 V.--THE SCALE ASCENDING 44 VI.--A MOLEHILL LEVELLED 49 VII.--AND A MOUNTAIN UPREARED 55 VIII.--A BLOW IN THE DARK 64 IX.--THE EYE TO THE STRING 72 X.--THE STRING TO THE SHAFT 78 XI.--AND THE SHAFT TO THE MARK 85 XII.--THE WAY OF A MAID WITH A MAN 88 XIII.--“THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY” 99 XIV.--THE ANCHOR COMES HOME 107 XV.--WHEN HATE AND FEAR STRIKE HANDS 118 XVI.--THE GOODLY COMPANY OF MISERY 125 XVII.--“AS APPLES OF GOLD IN PICTURES OF SILVER” 131 XVIII.--“LET THE RIGHTEOUS SMITE ME FRIENDLY” 139 XIX.--THE LEADING OF THE BLIND 149 XX.--THE DEMONIAC 159 XXI.--“A ROD FOR THE FOOL’S BACK” 166 XXII.--HOW THE SMOKING FLAX WAS QUENCHED 177 XXIII.--HOW DOROTHY BLEW THE EMBERS ALIVE 190 XXIV.--“WHOSO DIGGETH A PIT SHALL FALL THEREIN” 201 XXV.--“SILENCE IS AN ANSWER TO A WISE MAN” 213 XXVI.--IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW 221 XXVII.--SHOWING HOW FAITH MAY OUT-BUFFET A FACT 234 XXVIII.--HOW THE JUDGE GAVE OF HIS BEST 243 XXIX.--IN WHICH A WILFUL MAN HAS HIS WAY 255 XXX.--HOW LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP THREW A MAIN 260 XXXI.--A FEAST OF MINGLED CUPS 266 XXXII.--SUCH FRIENDS ARE EXULTATION’S AGONY 276 XXXIII.--TE MORITURI SALUTAMUS 281 XXXIV.--THE WING-BEAT OF AZRAEL 290 XXXV.--THE WISDOM OF MANY AND THE WIT OF ONE 297 XXXVI.--IN WHICH A FOX DOUBLES ONCE TOO OFTEN 310 XXXVII.--THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS 321 XXXVIII.--IN WHICH DARTS ARE COUNTED AS STUBBLE 326 A PRIVATE CHIVALRY CHAPTER I