Produced by Al Haines. [Illustration: Cover art] [Illustration: "I THINK YOU HAVE COME TO A VERY SENSIBLE CONCLUSION." (_See page_ 239)] *RALPH SINCLAIR’S ATONEMENT* BY *ANTONY SARGENT* LONDON: ANDREW MELROSE 16 PILGRIM STREET, E.C. 1903 *CONTENTS* CHAP. I. A BOLT FROM THE BLUE II. BROADSTONE III. ANTWERP IV. RAILTON HALL V. VISIONS OF THE KLONDYKE VI. THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS VII. FAR WEST VIII. MONTREAL IX. RANGER’S RANCH X. THE MISSING LINK XI. MANITOBA XII. A DREAM OF GOLD XIII. BROADSTONE LIBERALS XIV. CONVALESCENTS XV. NAT LANGHAM’S XVI. THE WARPLE BAND XVII. A CONFESSION XVIII. A SNAKE IN THE GRASS XIX. HESITATING XX. ON THE TRAIL XXI. JESSIE RUSSELL XXII. "DEAD, BUT IS ALIVE AGAIN" XXIII. THE STORY EVER NEW XXIV. "TWICE BLESSED" XXV. THE BROADSTONE DECISION XXVI. MARY TRUMAN XXVII. BRIGHTENED HOPES XXVIII. CHARLES BARTON XXIX. TO FRESH FIELDS XXX. KINBRAE XXXI. JOHN AND MARY XXXII. PREPARATIONS XXXIII. "TILL DEATH DO US PART" *LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS* "I THINK YOU HAVE COME TO A VERY SENSIBLE CONCLUSION" . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ AT CARDS HE HAD LOST HEAVILY THE ALARM WAS GIVEN, AND THE ENGINES WERE AT ONCE SLOWED DOWN "WE ARE ALREADY IN FULL POSSESSION OF ALL WHICH THAT LETTER REVEALS" MARY WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN, BUT MRS. RANGER CHANCED TO BE STANDING AT THE DOOR *RALPH SINCLAIR’S ATONEMENT* *CHAPTER I.* *A BOLT FROM THE BLUE.* "Better men fared thus before thee."—MATTHEW ARNOLD. "Is Mr. Houghton in?" "Yes, sir. Who shall I say has called?" "Please say that Mr. Johnson, with a letter of introduction from your works at Broadstone, would like to see him." The clerk addressed hastened away to an inner office to convey the message to his principal, returning shortly with a request, "Will you please to walk this way." The office into which he was conducted was a portion of a large and very handsome showroom in the West End of London, screened from general observation by a wood-and-glass erection, which formed a separate room, in which was seated the manager of the firm of H. & E. Quinion, so well known for their famous Metal Works in the Midlands, but whose chief transactions were carried on by means of their London and Sydney houses.