Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/loveironmonger00randiala Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). LOVE AND THE IRONMONGER by F. J. RANDALL London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company. MCMVIII William Clowes and Sons, Limited, London and Beccles. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. WHAT CAME TO GEORGE EARLY THROUGH A KEYHOLE 9 II. A YOUNG MAN IN SEARCH OF BAD HABITS 20 III. GEORGE EARLY PROVES THAT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER 30 IV. THREE WORMS THAT TURNED 45 V. A NEW LODGER IN LEYTONSTONE 56 VI. LAMB CHOPS AND TOMATO SAUCE 71 VII. AN ERRING HUSBAND IMPROVES AGAINST HIS WILL 86 VIII. GEORGE EARLY HOLDS FORTUNE IN HIS ARMS 97 IX. THE MAN WHO LAUGHED LAST AND LOUDEST 116 X. HERO WORSHIP 126 XI. CUPID TAKES A HAND 135 XII. AN IRONMONGER IN LOVE 144 XIII. A FORTNIGHT'S HOLIDAY 155 XIV. "TOMMY MORGAN" 165 XV. AUNT PHOEBE SURPRISES HER NEPHEW 180 XVI. GEORGE EARLY AND THE GIANT ALCOHOL 193 XVII. ADVICE GRATIS 204 XVIII. THE DISADVANTAGES OF TRYING TO BE GOOD 220 XIX. A SHOT THAT MISSED FIRE 230 XX. A DARK MAN OF FOREIGN APPEARANCE 240 XXI. FOLLOW MY LEADER 248 XXII. BLIND MAN'S BLUFF 265 XXIII. FIRST STOP, HASTINGS 279 XXIV. A STRAWBERRY MARK 299 XXV. NAME O' PHOEBE 307 _LOVE AND THE IRONMONGER_ _A PLAIN TALE OF UPPER THAMES STREET_ CHAPTER I--_What came to George Early through a Keyhole_ The offices of Fairbrother and Co. were in the full swing of business when George Early sauntered in and took his accustomed place at a small desk. "What time do you call this?" asked the head clerk severely, looking up from a ledger. George looked at his watch. "Half-past eight," he said intelligently; "that makes me half an hour late, doesn't it? Matter of fact, old chap, I----" "That'll do," said the head clerk; "just you keep your place. And keep your time, too," he added warningly, "or else there'll be a vacancy in this office."