Produced by Janet Kegg, Jeannie Howse and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net). SLIPPY McGEE SOMETIMES KNOWN AS THE BUTTERFLY MAN BY MARIE CONWAY OEMLER NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. 1920 1917, by THE CENTURY CO. Published, April, 1917. Reprinted, August, 1917; February, 1918; August, 1918; March, 1919; August, 1919; November, 1919; February, 1920. TO ELIZABETH AND ALAN OEMLER FOREWORD I have known life and love, I have known death and disaster; Foregathered with fools, succumbed to sin, been not unacquainted with shame; Doubted, and yet held fast to a faith no doubt could o'ermaster. Won and lost:--and I know it was all a part of the Game. Youth and the dreams of youth, hope, and the triumph of sorrow: I took as they came, I played them all; and I trumped the trick when I could. And now, O Mover of Men, let the end be to-day or to-morrow-- I have staked and played for Myself, and You and the Game were good! CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I APPLEBORO 3 II THE COMING OF SLIPPY McGEE 19 III NEIGHBORS 37 IV UNDERWINGS 48 V ENTER KERRY 65 VI "THY SERVANT WILL GO AND FIGHT WITH THIS PHILISTINE." 1 SAM. 17-32 94 VII THE GOING OF SLIPPY McGEE 111 VIII THE BUTTERFLY MAN 131 IX NESTS 145 X THE BLUEJAY 172 XI A LITTLE GIRL GROWN UP 189 XII JOHN FLINT, GENTLEMAN 203 XIII "EACH IN HIS OWN COIN" 226 XIV THE WISHING CURL 258 XV IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT 283 XVI "WILL YOU WALK INTO MY PARLOR" 302 XVII "--SAID THE SPIDER TO THE FLY--" 319 XVIII ST. STANISLAUS CROOKS HIS ELBOW 343 XIX THE I O U OF SLIPPY McGEE 364 XX BETWEEN A BUTTERFLY'S WINGS 382 SLIPPY McGEE CHARACTERS