GILEAD BALM KNIGHT ERRANT _His Adventures in Search of the Truth_ BY BERNARD CAPES WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY CYRUS CUNEO TORONTO THE COPP CLARK COMPANY, LIMITED 1911 [COPYRIGHT] [_All Rights Reserved_] CONTENTS Prologue I. The Quest of the Sleeping Beauty II. The Quest of the Sleeping Beauty (_continued_) III. The Quest of the Empty House IV. The Quest of the Dog V. The Quest of the Marble Statuette VI. The Quest of the Rose-Ring VII. The Quest of the Wax Hand VIII. The Quest of the Red-Morocco Handbag IX. The Quest of the Registered Parcel X. The Quest of the Shadow XI. The Quest of the Veiled Woman XII. The Quest of the Obese Gentleman XIII. The Quest of the Obese Gentleman (_continued and concluded_) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS “A Little Old Man, shrewd and withered,” “A Soft, Seal-Like Head was seen driving across the shining Flood,” “He dabbed at the Reply Form, fuming and sputtering,” “‘I desire to be put into communication with this,’” “‘This is a Pleasantry, Mr Balm,’ he said,” “A Little Monkey-Like Figure of a Man balancing on a Window-sill,” “The Young Lady gave a scream which ‘shivered to the Stars,’” “‘Look, Sir,’ he said, ‘Them Cushions where She sat!’” GILEAD BALM PROLOGUE Gilead Balm had most things to recommend him--youth, comeliness, a bright intelligence, an excellent heart, a flawless digestion; best of all, an indestructible capacity for interesting himself in the affairs of the world into which he was born. He was fresh, fair, shapely, and of that graceful height which, as representing the classic perfection of symmetry, disposes the vision at the most reasonable level for contemplating the true stature of things, and their relative, mundane, proportions. His eyes were calm and fearless, his voice soft, his courtesy unimpeachable. If he had a weakness, it was for seeing two sides to a question, one or the other of which was apt to tickle his sense of humour. But humour, after all, is the saving grace of mankind, and, without it, there may be much achievement but little charity.