Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net CRUEL AS THE GRAVE A NOVEL. BY MRS. EMMA D. E. N. SOUTHWORTH. AUTHOR OF "SELF-MADE," "ISHMAEL," "SELF-RAISED," "FAIR PLAY," "VIVIA," "MISSING BRIDE," "A BEAUTIFUL FIEND," "CHANGED BRIDES," "RETRIBUTION," "HOW HE WON HER," "A NOBLE LORD," "BRIDE'S FATE," "FALLEN PRIDE," "LADY OF THE ISLE," "THE MAIDEN WIDOW," "ALLWORTH ABBEY," "GYPSY'S PROPHECY," "LOST HEIRESS," "WIDOW'S SON," "INDIA," "THREE BEAUTIES," "BRIDE OF LLEWELLYN," "BRIDAL EVE," "DISCARDED DAUGHTER," "FATAL SECRET," "TWO SISTERS," "CURSE OF CLIFTON," "TRIED FOR HER LIFE," "PHANTOM WEDDING," "LOVE'S LABOR WON," "FORTUNE SEEKER," "FATAL MARRIAGE," "MOTHER-IN-LAW," "CHRISTMAS GUEST," "FAMILY DOOM," "WIFE'S VICTORY." "He to whom I gave my heart, with all its wealth of love, Forsakes me for another."--MEDEA. "And we saw Medea burning At her nature's-planted stake."--BROWNING. NEW YORK: THE F. M. LUPTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, Nos. 72-76 Walker Street. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright, 1888, By T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS. Cruel as the Grave. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS. Chapter Page I.--THE BERNERS OF THE BURNING HEARTS 21 II.--JOHN LYON HOWE 26 III.--SYBIL BERNERS 32 IV.--THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGER 45 V.--THE LANDLORD'S STORY 48 VI.--ROSA BLONDELLE 59 VII.--DOWN IN THE DARK VALE 71 VIII.--BLACK HALL 76 IX.--THE GUEST-CHAMBERS 84 X.--THE JEALOUS BRIDE 91 XI.--LOVE AND JEALOUSY 104 XII.--"CRUEL AS THE GRAVE" 112 XIII.--MORE THAN THE BITTERNESS OF DEATH 126 XIV.--THE FIRST FATAL HALLOW EVE 132 XV.--THE MASQUERADE BALL 142 XVI.--ON THE WATCH 147 XVII.--DRIVEN TO DESPERATION 154 XVIII.--LYING IN WAIT 175