E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 25542-h.htm or 25542-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/5/4/25542/25542-h/25542-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/5/4/25542/25542-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Extensive research found no evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. BLACK OXEN by GERTRUDE ATHERTON Author of "_Sisters-in-Law_" The years like Great Black Oxen tread the world And God the herdsman goads them on behind. --_W. B. Yeats._ [Frontispiece: Their tete-e-tete ended, Clavering (Conway Tearle) was about to make his departure when Judge Trent (Tom Guise), who held buried in his mind the secret of the charming Madame Zattiany's (Corinne Griffith), entered. (_Screen version of "The Black Oxen."_)] A. L. Burt Company Publishers -------- New York Published by arrangement with Boni and Liveright Printed in U. S. A. Copyright, 1923, by Gertrude Atherton Printed in the United States of America LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Their tete-e-tete ended, Clavering (Conway Tearle) was about to make his departure when Judge Trent (Tom Guise), who held buried in his mind the secret of the charming Madame Zattiany's (Corinne Griffith), entered. (_Screen version of "The Black Oxen."_) . . . . _Frontispiece_ Returning home one night Clavering (Conway Tearle) found Janet Oglethorpe (Clara Bow), daughter of his old friend, in a semi-intoxicated condition. (_Screen version of "The Black Oxen."_) It took a lot of self possession and grit for Zattiany (Corinne Griffith) and Clavering (Conway Tearle) to hide their feelings when she alighted to go to the ship which was to return her to Europe. (_Screen version of "The Black Oxen."_) At Dinwiddie's mountain lodge Clavering (Conway Tearle) pleaded with Madame Zattiany (Corrine Griffith) to marry him. (_Screen version of "The Black Oxen."_) BLACK OXEN I