Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net ENGLEFIELD GRANGE OR, _MARY ARMSTRONG'S TROUBLES_ BY MRS. H. B. PAULL AUTHOR OF "EVELYN-HOWARD," "STRAIGHT PATHS AND CROOKED WAYS" Warne's Star Series "The love of money is the root of all evil."--1 Tim. vi. 10 LONDON: FREDERICK WARNE AND CO. AND NEW YORK CONTENTS. I. BY THE SEA II. WHO SAVED HER? III. A SOCIAL DILEMMA IV. DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME V. AT THE REVIEW VI. BUCEPHALUS VII. FREDDY'S NEW SCHOOL VIII. ENGLEFIELD GRANGE IX. LOOKING BACK X. HENRY HALFORD'S NEW STUDY XI. OUR ANTIPODES XII. FIRST IMPRESSIONS XIII. A CHANGE OF OPINION XIV. AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY XV. A VISIT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES XVI. THE COMMEMORATION WEEK XVII. CHRISTCHURCH MEADOWS XVIII. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER XIX. HENRY HALFORD WRITES A LETTER XX. HUSBAND AND WIFE XXI. MOTHER AND SON XXII. PARK LANE IN JUNE XXIII. A DISCOVERY AND ITS RESULT XXIV. NEW ARRIVALS XXV. COUNTRY COUSINS XXVI. AT THE STATION XXVII. TEMPTED XXVIII. COUSIN SARAH XXIX. CONSCIENCE XXX. UNCONSCIOUS RIVALS XXXI. THE NEW CURATE XXXII. AT GUY'S HOSPITAL XXXIII. CHARLES HERBERT GIVES HIS OPINION XXXIV. REPENTANCE XXXV. A PANIC IN THE CITY XXXVI. GIPSY DORA XXXVII. AT MEADOW FARM XXXVIII. THE NEW RECTOR OF BRIARSLEIGH ENGLEFIELD GRANGE CHAPTER I. BY THE SEA. The afternoon sun of early summer shone brightly on the arm of the sea which joins the Solent at West Cowes, in the Isle of Wight. A few boats were moored alongside the landing-place, but as the season had not yet commenced, the boatmen were standing about idle, scarcely hoping for a fare. Presently three ladies and a little boy were observed descending the steps, and one of the men, with whom the ladies seemed acquainted, hastily advanced, and touching his cap, exclaimed-- "Want a boat, ma'am, to-day? splendid tide!" The lady was about to reply, when her youngest daughter, a beautiful girl of about eighteen, touched her on the arm, and exclaimed-- "Oh, mamma, look at the waves; is not the sea very rough to-day?" "Lor', no, Miss," replied the man, "that's only a little ripple, caused by the fresh breeze; the boat 'ill sail beautiful if you're going up the Solent, for she'll have wind and tide in her favour." Maria St. Clair looked above and around her as the man spoke, and truly the sea presented a charming aspect of crested, tiny waves, rippling in the breeze, and sparkling beneath the sun, shining in a sky of brilliant blue. Her fears almost gave way at the sight, yet her sister's remark, although it shamed her into silence, did not complete the cure. "Why, Maria, how can you be so foolish? If you had sailed to India and back, as I have done, you would laugh at your fears of a sea like this."