Produced by Barbara Tozier, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net LEONORE STUBBS BY L. B. WALFORD AUTHOR OF "MR. SMITH," "THE BABY'S GRANDMOTHER," ETC. LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 91 & 93 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK LONDON, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA 1908 CONTENTS I. "SHE HAS NO SETTLEMENT, DAMN IT" II. ON THE STATION PLATFORM III. SPECULATIONS IV. A DULL BREAKFAST-TABLE V. OLD PLAYMATES MEET VI. A REVELATION VII. "I HAVE LOST SOMETHING THAT I NEVER HAD" VIII. A CAT AND MOUSE GAME IX. "I'D LIKE TO HAVE THINGS ON A SOUNDER BASIS" X. THE THIRD CASE XI. DR. CRAIG'S WISDOM XII. THE PHOTOGRAPH AND THE ORIGINAL XIII. "I AM TO GIVE YOU A WIDE BERTH, ALWAYS" XIV. PAUL GOES--AND RETURNS XV. "YOU'VE BROKEN MY HEART, I THINK" XVI. TEMPTATION XVII. A KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE XVIII. "A TURN OF THE WHEEL" XIX. EPILOGUE CHAPTER I. "SHE HAS NO SETTLEMENT, DAMN IT." "She can't come." "But, father----" "She shan't come, then--if you like that better." "But, father----" "Aye, of course, it's 'But father'--I might have known it would be that. However, you may 'But father' me to the end of my time, you don't move me. I tell you, Sukey, you're a fool. You know no more than an unhatched chicken--and if you think I'm going to give in to their imposition--for it's nothing else--you are mistaken." "I was only going to say----" "Say what you will, say what you will; my mind's made up; and the sooner you understand that, and Leonore understands that, the better. You can write and tell her so." "What am I to tell her?" "What I say. That she has made her own bed and must lie upon it." "But you gave your consent to her marriage, and never till now----" "I tell you, girl, you're a fool. Consent? Of course I gave my consent. I was cheated--swindled. I married my daughter to a rich man, and he dies and leaves her a pauper! Never knew such a trick in my life. And you to stand up for it!" General Boldero and his eldest daughter were alone, as may have been gathered, and the latter held in her hand, a black-edged letter at which she glanced from time to time, it being obviously the apple of discord between them. It had come by the afternoon post; and the general, having met the postman in the avenue, and himself relieved him of the old-fashioned leathern postbag with which he was hastening on, and having further, according to established precedent, unlocked the same and distributed the contents, there had been no chance of putting off the present evil hour.