AT THE SIGN OF THE FOX AT THE SIGN OF THE FOX _A Romance_ BY BARBARA AUTHOR OF “THE GARDEN OF A COMMUTER’S WIFE,” “PEOPLE OF THE WHIRLPOOL,” AND “THE WOMAN ERRANT” NEW YORK HURST & CO. PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published July, 1905. Reprinted August, September, December, 1905; March, 1912. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. This Book is for the Brave [Illustration] PRATE NOT TO ME OF WEAKLINGS, WHO LAMENT THIS LIFE AND NOUGHT ACHIEVE, I HYMN THE VAST AND VALIANT CREW OF THOSE WHO HAVE SCANT TIME TO GRIEVE, FIRM SET THEIR FORTUNES TO RETRIEVE, THEY SING FOR LUCK A LUSTY STAVE, THE WORLD’S STANCH WORKERS, BY YOUR LEAVE— THIS IS THE BALLADE OF THE BRAVE! —RICHARD BURTON. [Illustration] CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE RIVER KINGDOM 1 II. A BELATED FIRST CAUSE 13 III. THE DECISION OF MISS KEITH 25 IV. INTERLUDE 37 V. A PICTURE 49 VI. THE LAWTONS 64 VII. THE DAY AFTER 84 VIII. TRANSITION 101 IX. THE RETURN 125 X. TATTERS TRANSFERS HIMSELF 144 XI. BREAD 170 XII. REVELATION 195 XIII. AT THE SIGN OF THE FOX 219 XIV. THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS 243 XV. A MASQUE OF SPRING 263 XVI. THE WAY THE WIND BLEW 282 XVII. LOCKS AND KEYS 302 XVIII. THE RETURN OF MEMORY 324 XIX. SETTERS OF SNARES 342 XX. FIRE OF LEAVES 362 THE PEOPLE BROOKE LAWTON A Young Woman of To-day, who sees Things as they might be. ADAM LAWTON Her Father, a Country-bred New Yorker of Affairs. PAMELA LAWTON Her Mother, a Brooke of Virginia. ADAM THE CUB Her Brother, at the Difficult Age of Sixteen. KEITH WEST Adam Lawton’s Maternal Cousin, who stayed at Home. LUCY DEAN Brooke’s Friend, who sees Things as they are.