A ROLLING STONE _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ DIANA BARRINGTON A BIRD OF PASSAGE BEYOND THE PALE HER OWN PEOPLE THE CAT’S-PAW THE COMPANY’S SERVANT KATHERINE THE ARROGANT BABES IN THE WOOD, ETC. A ROLLING STONE BY B. M. CROKER “L’amour est un vrai recommenceur.”--BUSSY-RABUTIN LONDON F. V. WHITE & CO. LTD. 17 BUCKINGHAM STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1911 CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. LADY KESTERS 1 II. BROTHER AND SISTER 12 III. THE LAST WORD GOES BEGGING 29 IV. LEILA’S IDEA 37 V. PLANS AND THREATS 45 VI. FIRST IMPRESSIONS 49 VII. MRS. HOGBEN AT HOME 58 VIII. OTTINGE-IN-THE-MARSH 72 IX. THE NEW CHAUFFEUR 77 X. AS HANDY MAN 86 XI. THE TRIAL TRIP 97 XII. THE DOGS’ HOTEL 107 XIII. THE DRUM AND ITS PATRONS 120 XIV. LIEUTENANT WYNYARD 132 XV. BY WATER 139 XVI. TWO PRISONERS 146 XVII. LADY KESTERS HAS MISGIVINGS 155 XVIII. THE REASON WHY 166 XIX. OWEN THE MATCHMAKER 174 XX. SUDDEN DEATH 184 XXI. BY THE SUNDIAL 200 XXII. AUREA’S REFLECTIONS 209 XXIII. AN HOUR OF LIBERTY 212 XXIV. ON YAMPTON HILL 217 XXV. LADY KESTERS AT THE DRUM 226 XXVI. THE OBSTACLE 234 XXVII. SCANDAL ABOUT MISS SUSAN 243 XXVIII. A NEW SITUATION 251 XXIX. TOTTIE TOYE 261 XXX. MASHAM--THE MOTORIST 267 XXXI. TAKING RISKS 274 XXXII. AN EXPLANATION 284 XXXIII. SITUATION THE FOURTH 289 XXXIV. SIR RICHARD AS CHAPERON 294 XXXV. REINSTATED 300 XXXVI. BY MOONLIGHT 306 A ROLLING STONE A ROLLING STONE CHAPTER I LADY KESTERS After a day of strenuous social activities, Lady Kesters was enjoying a well-earned rest, reposing at full length on a luxurious Chesterfield, with cushions of old brocade piled at her back and a new French novel in her hand. Nevertheless, her attention wandered from Anatole France; every few minutes she raised her head to listen intently, then, as a little silver clock chimed five thin strokes, she rose, went over to a window, and, with an impatient jerk, pulled aside the blind. She was looking down into Mount Street, W., and endeavouring to penetrate the gloom of a raw evening towards the end of March.