[Illustration: EMILY.] A WOMAN VENTURES _A NOVEL_ BY DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS AUTHOR OF THE FASHIONABLE ADVENTURES OF JOSHUA CRAIG, THE HUSBAND’S STORY, ETC. WITH FRONTISPIECE BY WILLIAM JAMES HURLBUT [Illustration] GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS : : NEW YORK COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. THE SHIPWRECK 1 II. THE DESERT ISLAND 8 III. SAIL--HO! 16 IV. A BLACK FLAG 23 V. THE PENITENT PIRATE 31 VI. A CHANGED CRUSOE 39 VII. BACK TO THE MAINLAND 45 VIII. AMONG A STRANGE PEOPLE 57 IX. AN ORCHID HUNTER 67 X. FURTHER EXPLORATION 79 XI. SEEN FROM A BARRICADED WINDOW 93 XII. A RISE AND A FALL 101 XIII. A COMPROMISE WITH CONVENTIONALITY 112 XIV. “EVERYTHING AWAITS MADAME” 120 XV. A FLICKERING FIRE 126 XVI. EMBERS 138 XVII. ASHES 152 XVIII. “THE REAL TRAGEDY OF LIFE” 167 XIX. EMILY REFUSES CONSOLATION 176 XX. BACHELOR GIRLS 185 XXI. A “MARRIED MAN” 199 XXII. A PRECIPICE 213 XXIII. A “BETTER SELF” 225 XXIV. TO THE TEST 238 XXV. MR. GAMMELL PRESUMES 248 XXVI. THE TRUTH ABOUT A ROMANCE 257 XXVII. “IN MANY MOODS” 269 XXVIII. A FORCED ADVANCE 278 XXIX. A MAN AND A “PAST” 288 XXX. TWO AND A TRIUMPH 299 XXXI. WHERE PAIN IS PLEASURE 308 XXXII. THE HIGHWAY OF HAPPINESS 313 XXXIII. LIGHT 324 A Woman Ventures. CHAPTER I. THE SHIPWRECK. WENTWORTH Bromfield was mourned by his widow and daughter with a depth that would have amazed him.