Produced by Al Haines THE BEAUTIFUL WRETCH BY WILLIAM BLACK AUTHOR OF 'MACLEOD OF DARE,' 'SUNRISE,' ETC. NEW EDITION LONDON MACMILLAN AND CO. 1882 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Singing Sal II. In Brunswick Terrace III. A First Ball IV. The Same V. The Same VI. First Impressions VII. Auf Der Reise VIII. Snow and Mist and Sunlight IX. The Serenata X. Jinny XI. Transformation XII. New Possibilities XIII. Ormuzd and Ahriman XIV. At Home XV. A Message XVI. Reveries XVII. The Accepted Suitor XVIII. A White World XIX. Breaking Down XX. The Shadow XXI. Danger Ahead XXII. A Catastrophe XXIII. At Last XXIV. 'Bring Home the Bride so Fair!' THE BEAUTIFUL WRETCH. CHAPTER I. SINGING SAL. On a certain golden afternoon in August, when the sea was as still and radiant as the vaulted blue overhead, and when the earth was lying so hushed and silent that you would have thought it was listening for the chirp of the small birds among the gorse, a young girl of about seventeen or so was walking over the downs that undulate, wave on wave, from Newhaven all along the coast to Brighton. This young lady was tall for her age; slim of form; and she had a graceful carriage; her face was fair and markedly freckled; her nose was piquant rather than classical; her hair, which was of a ruddy gold hue, was rebellious, and strayed about her ears and neck in accidental wisps and rings: her grayish or gray-blue eyes were reserved and thoughtful rather than shrewd and observant. No, she was not beautiful; but she had a face that attracted interest; and though her look was timid and retiring, nevertheless her eyes could, on occasion, light up with a sudden humour that was inclined to be sarcastic. So busy, indeed, was she generally, on these solitary wanderings of hers, with her own thoughts and fancies, that sometimes she laughed to herself--a low, quiet little laugh that none but herself could hear.