Produced by Robert Cicconetti, S.D., and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) JAN AND HER JOB [Illustration: "But surely," said Peter, "I _am_ your job--part of it, anyway."] JAN AND HER JOB BY L. ALLEN HARKER AUTHOR OF "A ROMANCE OF THE NURSERY"; "MISS ESPERANCE AND MR. WYCHERLY"; "MR. WYCHERLY'S WARDS"; "THE FFOLLIOTS OF REDMARLEY," ETC. ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1917 Copyright, 1917, by Charles Scribner's Sons *** Published March, 1917 TO F. R. P. "_Chary of praise and prodigal of counsel-- Who but thou?_" R. L. S. _CONTENTS_ CHAPTER PAGE I. JAN 1 II. JAN'S MAIL 13 III. BOMBAY 19 IV. THE BEGINNING OF THE JOB 39 V. THE CHILDREN 52 VI. THE SHADOW BEFORE 62 VII. THE HUMAN TOUCH 78 VIII. THE END OF THE DREAM 91 IX. MEG 97 X. PLANS 124 XI. THE STATE OF PETER 139 XII. "THE BEST-LAID SCHEMES" 149 XIII. THE WHEELS OF CHANCE 162 XIV. PERPLEXITIES 173 XV. WREN'S END 184 XVI. "THE BLUDGEONINGS OF CHANCE" 201 XVII. "THOUGH AN HOST SHOULD ENCAMP AGAINST ME" 212 XVIII. MEG AND CAPTAIN MIDDLETON 220 XIX. THE YOUNG IDEA 240 XX. "ONE WAY OF LOVE" 252 XXI. ANOTHER WAY OF LOVE 261 XXII. THE ENCAMPMENT 276 XXIII. TACTICS 287 XXIV. "THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A MAID" 303 XXV. A DEMONSTRATION IN FORCE 325 XXVI. IN WHICH SEVERAL PEOPLE SPEAK THEIR MINDS 339 XXVII. AUGUST, 1914 351 _ILLUSTRATIONS_ "But surely," said Peter, "I _am_ your job--part of it, anyway" _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE "It would make it easier for both of us if you'd face it, my dear" 66