E-text prepared by Quentin Johnson, Suzanne Shell, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/toronto) Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See http://www.archive.org/details/safetymatch00hayiuoft A SAFETY MATCH * * * * * _BY THE SAME AUTHOR._ Crown 8vo, 6s. A MAN'S MAN. Fourth Impression. Crown 8vo, 6s. THE RIGHT STUFF. _Fifth Impression._ Popular Edition, Cloth, 1s. net. Crown 8vo, 6s. PIP. _Fourth Impression._ Popular Edition, Cloth, 1s. net. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS. Edinburgh and London. * * * * * A SAFETY MATCH by IAN HAY Author of 'The Right Stuff,' 'A Man's Man,' 'Pip,' etc. Third Impression William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London 1911 All Rights Reserved _TO H. M. S._ CONTENTS. BOOK ONE. THE STRIKING OF THE MATCH. CHAP. PAGE I. HAPPY FAMILIES 3 II. WANTED, A MAN 23 III. THE WHEELS OF JUGGERNAUT 36 IV. THE DEVIL A MONK WOULD BE 55 V. A SABBATH DAY'S JOURNEY 76 VI. DAPHNE AS MATCHMAKER 94 VII. THE MATCH IS STRUCK 105 VIII. _MORITURA TE SALUTAT_ 115 BOOK TWO. FLICKERINGS. IX. A HORSE TO THE WATER 129 X. A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SOCIAL SUCCESS 145 XI. _DIES IRAE_ 165 XII. CILLY; OR THE WORLD WELL LOST 184 XIII. THE COUNTERSTROKES 197 XIV. INTERVENTION 219 XV. JIM CARTHEW 232 BOOK THREE. THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLE. XVI. SOME ONE TO CONFIDE IN 243 XVII. THE CANDLE LIT 250 XVIII. _ATHANASIUS CONTRA MUNDUM_ 263 XIX. _LABORARE EST ORARE_ 276 XX. BLACK SUNDAY 284 XXI. _VEILLESSE SAIT_ 289 XXII. HOLD THE FORT! 296 XXIII. THE LAST TO LEAVE 308 XXIV. ANOTHER ALIAS 317 BOOK ONE. THE STRIKING OF THE MATCH. CHAPTER ONE. HAPPY FAMILIES. "Nicky, please, have you got Mr Pots the Painter?" "No, Stiffy, but I'll trouble you for Mrs Bones the Butcher's Wife. _Thank_ you. And Daph, have you got Master Bones the Butcher's Son? _Thank_ you. Family! One to me!"