Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ A WOMAN’S DEBT SUCCESSFUL NOVELS BY WILLIAM LE QUEUX Published by WARD, LOCK & CO., Limited, in various editions. THE LITTLE BLUE GODDESS AS WE FORGIVE THEM THE DAY OF TEMPTATION AN EYE FOR AN EYE GUILTY BONDS THE IDOL OF THE TOWN IF SINNERS ENTICE THEE IN WHITE RAIMENT THE LURE OF LOVE THE MYSTERIOUS THREE NO GREATER LOVE THE PLACE OF DRAGONS THE SIGN OF SILENCE THE TEMPTRESS THE WILES OF THE WICKED THE HOTEL X THE HEART OF A PRINCESS THREE KNOTS THE YOUNG ARCHDUCHESS No. 7 SAVILLE SQUARE THE LADY-IN-WAITING SCRIBES AND PHARISEES THE BRONZE FACE A WOMAN’S DEBT THE SIGN OF THE STRANGER THE BOND OF BLACK THE BROKEN THREAD THE COURT OF HONOUR SINS OF THE CITY THE MARKED MAN WHOSO FINDETH A WIFE A MAKER OF SECRETS THE VALROSE MYSTERY THE BLACK OWL THE SCARLET SIGN THE HOUSE OF EVIL A WOMAN’S DEBT BY WILLIAM LE QUEUX _Author of “The Temptress,” “The Way of Temptation,” “The Hotel X,” “The Bronze Face,” etc._ WARD, LOCK & CO., LIMITED LONDON AND MELBOURNE Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London To RUBY GRAYSON CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I A LUCKY YOUNG FELLOW! 9 II THE RIFLED SAFE 18 III RICHARD IS DISMISSED 25 IV GIDEON LANE TAKES A HAND 34 V ROSABELLE AND LANE CONFER 47 VI LANE ENGAGES AN ASSISTANT 54 VII THE HEAD WAITER 63 VIII MRS. MORRICE’S GIRLHOOD 73 IX IMPORTANT INFORMATION 80 X THE SAFE IS ROBBED AGAIN 89 XI A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS 96 XII SIR GEORGE’S VALET 103 XIII AUNT AND “NEPHEW”! 113 XIV AN ALARMING INTERRUPTION 120 XV THE ANONYMOUS LETTER 130 XVI AT SCOTLAND YARD 141 XVII LANE VISITS RICHARD 146 XVIII MRS. MORRICE’S DRESS 153 XIX MISS ALMA BUCKLEY 161 XX RUPERT MORRICE SENDS FOR LANE 169 XXI ROSABELLE HAS A GRIEVANCE 176 XXII HUSBAND AND WIFE 185