[Illustration: “MURDERER!” I SAID, “MURDERER!”] THE BLACK SPANIEL _And Other Stories_ BY ROBERT HICHENS Author of “The Garden of Allah,” “The Woman With the Fan,” “Felix,” etc. WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY A. FORESTIER [Illustration] NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1905, by ROBERT HICHENS _This edition published in October, 1905_ Presswork by The University Press, Cambridge, U.S.A. CONTENTS PAGE +The Black Spaniel+ 1 +The Mission of Mr. Eustace Greyne+ 147 +Desert Air+ 231 “+Fin Tireur+” 255 +Halima and the Scorpions+ 269 +The Desert Drum+ 287 +The Princess and the Jewel Doctor+ 307 +The Figure in the Mirage+ 321 +Safti’s Summer Day+ 337 +Smaïn+ 343 +The Spinster+ 351 +Pancrazia’s Hair+ 371 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS “Murderer!” I said, “Murderer!” _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE She and her Companions were obviously Italians 4 As I walked back I thought over Vernon’s last words 26 As he vanished, Deeming appeared at the hall-door 63 “That dog there,” said Vernon; “how long have you had him?” 73 “Poor beast! Poor beast!” 90 While I was there Deeming came back unexpectedly 131 I went out into the night carrying it in my arms 145 _PART I—THE DEATH_ I In the big hall of the Grand Hotel at Rome I introduced Peter Deeming to Vernon Kersteven.