PAUL RALSTON. =A Novel.= BY MRS. MARY J. HOLMES, AUTHOR OF “’LENA RIVERS,” “GRETCHEN,” “MARIAN GREY,” “MEADOW BROOK,” “TEMPEST AND SUNSHINE,” ETC., ETC. [Illustration: [Logo]] NEW YORK: _G. W. Dillingham Co., Publishers_. MDCCCXCVII. COPYRIGHT, 1896 AND 1897, BY MRS. MARY J. HOLMES. [_All rights reserved._] _Paul Ralston._ CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. Miss Phebe Hansford 7 II. Paul Ralston 18 III. Paul’s News 33 IV. The Percys 39 V. Clarice 47 VI. Elithe’s Photograph 51 VII. In Samona 64 VIII. The Stranger at Deep Gulch 69 IX. At “The Samona” 82 X. Miss Hansford’s Letter 89 XI. Getting Ready for Oak City 96 XII. On the Road 101 XIII. On the Boat 107 XIV. In Oak City 118 XV. Miss Hansford and Elithe 122 XVI. The Days which Followed 129 XVII. Getting Acquainted 139 XVIII. Elithe and Clarice 146 XIX. Miss Hansford in Boston 156 XX. At the Tennis Court 164 XXI. News from Jack 169 XXII. The Waltz 176 XXIII. Preparations 183 XXIV. The Shadow Begin to Fall 186 XXV. The Shadow Deepens 193 XXVI. The Tragedy 202 XXVII. Elithe and Jack Percy 210 XXVIII. Poor Jack 218 XXIX. Elithe’s Interview with Clarice 228 XXX. The Funeral 237 XXXI. The Arrest 242 XXXII. In Prison 258 XXXIII. Outside the Prison 270 XXXIV. Ready for the Trial 281 XXXV. The First Day of the Trial 291 XXXVI. The Second Day of the Trial 303 XXXVII. Free 325 XXXVIII. Excitement 332