The Bars of Iron By Ethel M. Dell 1916 I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY BROTHER REGINALD WITH MY LOVE "He hath broken the gates of brass: And smitten the bars of iron in sunder." Psalm cvii., 16. "I saw heaven opened." Revelation xix., II. PROLOGUE PART I THE GATES OF BRASS CHAPTER I. A JUG OF WATER II. CONCERNING FOOLS III. DISCIPLINE IV. THE MOTHER'S HELP V. LIFE ON A CHAIN VI. THE RACE VII. A FRIEND IN NEED VIII. A TALK BY THE FIRE IX. THE TICKET OF LEAVE X. SPORT XI. THE STAR OF HOPE XII. A PAIR OF GLOVES XIII. THE VISION XIV. A MAN'S CONFIDENCE XV. THE SCHEME XVI. THE WARNING XVII. THE PLACE OF TORMENT XVIII. HORNS AND HOOFS XIX. THE DAY OF TROUBLE XX. THE STRAIGHT TRUTH XXI. THE ENCHANTED LAND XXII. THE COMING OF A FRIEND XXIII. A FRIEND'S COUNSEL XXIV. THE PROMISE XXV. DROSS XXVI. SUBSTANCE XXVII. SHADOW XXVIII. THE EVESHAM DEVIL XXIX. A WATCH IN THE NIGHT XXX. THE CONFLICT XXXI. THE RETURN XXXII. THE DECISION XXXIII. THE LAST DEBT XXXIV. THE MESSAGE XXXV. THE DARK HOUR XXXVI. THE SUMMONS XXXVII. "LA GRANDE PASSION" XXXVIII. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES PART II THE PLACE OF TORMENT I. DEAD SEA FRUIT II. THAT WHICH IS HOLY III. THE FIRST GUEST IV. THE PRISONER IN THE DUNGEON V. THE SWORD FALLS VI. THE MASK VII. THE GATES OF HELL VIII. A FRIEND IN NEED IX. THE GREAT GULF X. SANCTUARY XI. THE FALLING NIGHT XII. THE DREAM XIII. THE HAND OF THE SCULPTOR PART III THE OPEN HEAVEN I. THE VERDICT II. THE TIDE COMES BACK III. THE GAME IV. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN V. THE DESERT ROAD VI. THE ENCOUNTER VII. THE PLACE OF REPENTANCE VIII. THE RELEASE OF THE PRISONER IX. HOLY GROUND EPILOGUE The Bars of Iron PROLOGUE "Fight? I'll fight you with pleasure, but I shall probably kill you if I do. Do you want to be killed?" Brief and contemptuous the question fell. The speaker was a mere lad. He could not have been more than nineteen. But he held himself with the superb British assurance that has its root in the British public school and which, once planted, in certain soils is wholly ineradicable. The man he faced was considerably his superior in height and build. He also was British, but he had none of the other's careless ease of bearing. He stood like an angry bull, with glaring, bloodshot eyes. He swore a terrific oath in answer to the scornful enquiry. "I'll break every bone in your body!" he vowed. "You little, sneering bantam, I'll smash your face in! I'll thrash you to a pulp!"