THE ARM-CHAIR AT THE INN [Illustration: Mignon] THE ARM-CHAIR AT THE INN BY F. HOPKINSON SMITH WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY A. I. KELLER, HERBERT WARD AND THE AUTHOR [Illustration] NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1912 COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Published August, 1912 AUTHOR'S PREFACE [Illustration] If I have dared to veil under a thin disguise some of the men whose talk and adventures fill these pages it is because of my profound belief that truth is infinitely more strange and infinitely more interesting than fiction. The characters around the table are all my personal friends; the incidents, each and every one, absolutely true, and the setting of the Marmouset, as well as the Inn itself, has been known to many hundreds of my readers, who have enjoyed for years the rare hospitality of its quaint and accomplished landlord. F. H. S. November, 1911 [Illustration] CONTENTS [Illustration] CHAPTER PAGE I. THE MARMOUSET 3 II. THE WOOD FIRE AND ITS FRIENDS 18 III. WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO A CERTAIN COLONY OF PENGUINS 34 IV. THE ARRIVAL OF A LADY OF QUALITY 60 V. IN WHICH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CANNIBAL AND A FREEBOOTER IS CLEARLY SET FORTH 95 VI. PROVING THAT THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH 120 VII. IN WHICH OUR LANDLORD BECOMES BOTH ENTERTAINING AND INSTRUCTIVE 144 VIII. CONTAINING SEVERAL EXPERIENCES AND ADVENTURES SHOWING THE WIDE CONTRASTS IN LIFE 163 IX. IN WHICH MADAME LA MARQUISE BINDS UP BROKEN HEADS AND BLEEDING HEARTS 182 X. IN WHICH WE ENTERTAIN A JAIL-BIRD 211 XI. IN WHICH THE HABITS OF CERTAIN GHOSTS, GOBLINS, BANDITS, AND OTHER OBJECTIONABLE PERSONS ARE DULY SET FORTH 240 XII. WHY MIGNON WENT TO MARKET 267 XIII. WITH A DISSERTATION ON ROUND PEGS AND SQUARE HOLES 280 XIV. A WOMAN'S WAY 304 XV. APPLE-BLOSSOMS AND WHITE MUSLIN 335 ILLUSTRATIONS [Illustration] Mignon _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE Howls of derision welcomed him 30 Flooding the garden, the flowers, and the roofs 60 As her boy's sagging, insensible body was brought clear of the wreck 132