MR. WADDY’S RETURN BY THEODORE WINTHROP Author of “Cecil Dreeme,” etc. EDITED BY BURTON E. STEVENSON [Illustration] NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 1904 Copyright, 1904 By HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY _Published October, 1904_ THE MERSHON COMPANY PRESS RAHWAY, N. J. PUBLISHERS’ NOTE The author did not live to revise the original draft of “Mr. Waddy’s Return,” and therefore, when his other novels were published, shortly after his death, this one was not included. On looking it over again, after the lapse of years, it seemed to his sister, Miss Elizabeth W. Winthrop, too good to let die; and it was placed in the hands of Mr. Stevenson to give it such revision and condensation as it may be presumed that the author, had he lived, would have given it himself. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. A REMARKABLE EPISODE, HITHERTO UNRECORDED, IN THE VOYAGE OF THE “MAYFLOWER” 1 II. THE WADDYS OF DULLISH COURT, FROM WHITEGIFT TO OUR HERO 6 III. IN WHICH MR. WADDY REACHES HALIFAX AND MEETS WITH A MISADVENTURE 13 IV. A GENTLE LADY OF FORTUNE DECIDES TO FACE A STORM 24 V. A WRECK AND A RESCUE 30 VI. IN WHICH MISS SULLIVAN FINDS MANY REASONS FOR DEPARTURE 40 VII. A PEPPERY INVALID WHO DREAMS DREAMS AND BRINGS BAD NEWS 50 VIII. MR. WADDY MUSES UPON FATE AND UNDERTAKES A COMMISSION 58 IX. THE NABOB RE-ENTERS CIVILISATION 65 X. OUR HERO RENEWS HIS YOUTH IN THE WARMTH OF AN OLD FRIENDSHIP 73 XI. IN WHICH THE READER IS ALLOWED TO WORSHIP AT THE SHRINE 88 XII. THE PARABLE OF A HUMBLE BEAST OF BURDEN AND OF LILIES THAT TOIL NOT 97 XIII. THE READER IS PRESENTED TO TWO CHARMING GIRLS, AND SO IS MAJOR GRANBY 107 XIV. PROTECTIVE SCANDALS AND OTHER DIVERTING HUMOURS OF A FASHIONABLE WATERING-PLACE 126 XV. MR. WADDY RECEIVES A LETTER AND GETS OUT HIS PISTOLS 148 XVI. IN WHICH MR. HORACE BELDEN PROSPERS CERTAIN PLANS 163 XVII. MR. BELDEN CONTEMPLATES VILLAINIES NEW AND OLD 177 XVIII. THE BRAVE PREPARE FOR A RACE, THE FAIR FOR A PICNIC 184 XIX. MISS CENTER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AND WHAT OCCURRED THEREAT 196 XX. CHIN CHIN AND PETER SKERRETT SEIZE THE FORELOCK OF OPPORTUNITY 220