PHEMIE KELLER. A Novel. BY F. G. TRAFFORD, AUTHOR OF “GEORGE GEITH,” “CITY AND SUBURB,” “MAXWELL DREWITT,” “TOO MUCH ALONE,” “WORLD AND THE CHURCH,” “RACE FOR WEALTH.” IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: TINSLEY BROTHERS, 18, CATHERINE ST., STRAND. 1866. [_The Right of Translation and Reproduction is reserved._] LONDON: BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I.— SORROWFUL TIDINGS 1 II.— WIDOWED 24 III.— THE LETTER 35 IV.— MEETING 62 V.— RECONCILED 96 VI.— THE LAST ENEMY 119 VII.— OLD FRIENDS AND OLD PLACES 141 VIII.— PHEMIE’S JOURNEY 175 IX.— THE RETURN 201 X.— BASIL’S COMFORTER 217 XI.— CONFESSIONS 230 XII.— PHEMIE EXPRESSES HER OPINIONS 265 XIII.— CONCLUSION 287 PHEMIE KELLER. CHAPTER I. SORROWFUL TIDINGS. It was drawing towards the close of the year 1856 (there may be some among my readers who can recollect what a dull, foggy, cheerless ending that year had), when one morning the post to Marshlands brought with it an Indian letter for Captain Stondon. The post often brought Indian letters there—long letters (for though the writer addressed his epistles to Captain Stondon, he knew they would be read by Phemie), full of descriptions of the country, of his occupations, of his prospects, of his hopes.