Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team Html version by Chuck Greif [Illustration: IMAGE OF THE BOOK'S COVER] [Illustration: ON THE INSTANT HE RECOGNIZED THAT NO COMMON INTERVIEW LAY BEFORE HIM (Page 61)] DARK HOLLOW By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN Author of "The House of the Whispering Pines," "Initials Only," "That Affair Next Door," Etc. With Four Illustrations By THOMAS FOGARTY [Illustration: COLOPHON] NEW YORK DODD, MEAD & COMPANY 1914 CONTENTS BOOK I THE WOMAN IN PURPLE I WHERE IS BELA? II WAS HE LIVING--WAS HE DEAD? III BELA THE REDOUBTABLE IV "AND WHERE WAS I WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED?" V "SHE WORE PURPLE" VI ACROSS THE BRIDGE VII WITH HER VEIL DOWN VIII WITH HER VEIL LIFTED IX EXCERPTS X THE SHADOW XI "I WILL THINK ABOUT IT" XII SOUNDS IN THE NIGHT BOOK II THE HOUSE AND THE ROOM XIII A BIT OF STEEL XIV ALL IS CLEAR XV THE PICTURE XVI "DON'T! DON'T!" XVII UNWELCOME TRUTHS XVIII REFLECTIONS XIX ALANSON BLACK XX WHAT HAD MADE THE CHANGE? XXI IN THE COURT ROOM XXII BEFORE THE GATES XXIII THE MISFORTUNES OF MY HOUSE XXIV ONE SECRET LESS XXV "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW?" XXVI THE TELEGRAM BOOK III THE DOOR OF MYSTERY XXVII HE MUST BE FOUND XXVIII THE FIRST EFFORT XXIX "THERE IS BUT ONE THING TO DO" XXX TEMPEST LODGE XXXI ESCAPE XXXII THE VIGIL XXXIII THE CURTAIN LIFTED XXXIV DARK HOLLOW XXXV SUNSET ILLUSTRATIONS On the instant he recognised that no common interview lay before him After one look he assumed some show of his old commanding presence and advanced bravely down the steps Silence! Not even Heaven spoke "Tell me what this means," said he, but he did not turn his head as he made this request BOOK I THE WOMAN IN PURPLE I WHERE IS BELA? A high and narrow gate of carefully joined boards, standing ajar in a fence of the same construction! What is there in this to rouse a whole neighbourhood and collect before it a group of eager, anxious, hesitating people? I will tell you.