FIRST THE BLADE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO · DALLAS ATLANTA · SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FIRST THE BLADE A COMEDY OF GROWTH BY CLEMENCE DANE Author of “Regiment of Women” First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. St. Mark 4.28 New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1918 All rights reserved ------------------------------------------------------------------------ COPYRIGHT, 1918 BY CLEMENCE DANE ───── Set up and electrotyped. Published, March, 1918 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Each man to himself and each woman to herself, is the word of the past and present, and the true word of immortality; No one can acquire for another—not one, Not one can grow for another—not one. The song is to the singer, and comes back most to him, The teaching is to the teacher, and comes back most to him, The love is to the lover, and comes back most to him, The gift is to the giver, and comes back most to him—it cannot fail, ───────────────────── And no man understands any greatness or goodness but his own, or the indication of his own. WALT WHITMAN. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FIRST THE BLADE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FIRST THE BLADE CHAPTER I