Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. MISS DEVEREUX, SPINSTER BY AGNES GIBERNE _AUTHOR OF "SUN, MOON AND STARS," "SWEETBRIAR," ETC._ _"Take thou no thought for aught save right and truth,_ _Life holds for finer souls no equal prize."_ L. MORRIS NEW EDITION LONDON JAMES CLARKE & CO., 13 & 14 FLEET STREET [All rights reserved] CONTENTS BOOK I. IN CHILDHOOD'S HOUR. CHAPTER I. A MIDDLE-AGED YOUNG LADY II. TAKING SHAPE III. "DEAR AUNT" IV. SEVERELY SMITTEN V. QUITE TOO UTTERLY VI. AN APPEAL AND ITS RESULTS VII. PREPOSTEROUS BOOK II. AFTER SEVEN YEARS. I. MRS. KENNEDY'S NOTIONS II. MUD AND BRAMBLES III. HUSBAND AND WIFE IV. A STRIFE FOR THE MASTERY V. IN THE GORGE AGAIN VI. FRICTION VII. AN UNWILLING WITNESS VIII. ON THE MARSHES IX. BROUGHT HOME X. THE AFTER SMART XI. NEW GROUND XII. THE WIGGINSES AND MAIDENHAIR BOOK III. ACTION AND REACTION. I. A ROUGH DIAMOND II. OLD FATHER THAMES III. AMATEUR CRITICISM IV. THE PROCESS OF FORMATION V. PROTECTOR AND PROTECTED VI. "NOT IN MY SET" VII. THE SOCIAL BOARD VIII. DARK-EYED EMMIE IX. COMPLEXITIES OF LIFE X. CONFIDENTIAL WITH THE DOCTOR XI. ON THE ROCKS XII. TAKING COUNSEL XIII. BOULEVERSEMENT BOOK IV. THE UPSHOT OF IT ALL. I. DUTTON GOSSIP II. THE "SPANISH GIPSY" III. IF IT WERE TRUE IV. ROUGH WINDS V. SUCCEEDING CALM MISS DEVEREUX, SPINSTER BOOK I. IN CHILDHOOD'S HOUR. "A silent creature, thoughtful, grave, sincere." JEAN INGELOW. CHAPTER I. A MIDDLE-AGED YOUNG LADY. "Sensibility, how charming!" BURNS. "IF only I had some one to tell me what to do!" sighed Miss Devereux, an anxious pucker wrinkling her forehead. It was the first time in Sybella Devereux' life that she had ever had to stand alone. The morning-room which she occupied was better fitted for summer than winter uses. Indian matting covered the floor; Indian drapery clothed the walls; light cane chairs of foreign make were scattered among tables no less fragile. This being June, a fringe of Gloire de Dijon roses peered in at the open French window. Had it been December, the morning-room would have been forsaken.