THE CLOVEN FOOT THE CLOVEN FOOT A Novel BY THE AUTHOR OF ‘LADY AUDLEY’S SECRET,’ ‘AURORA FLOYD,’ ETC. Stereotyped Edition. LONDON JOHN AND ROBERT MAXWELL MILTON HOUSE, SHOE LANE, FLEET STREET [_All rights reserved_] CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. The Heir Presumptive 7 II. Jasper Treverton’s Will 19 III. A Mysterious Visitor 24 IV. La Chicot 33 V. A Disappointed Lover 45 VI. La Chicot has her Own Way 51 VII. ‘A Little While such Lips as Thine to Kiss’ 60 VIII. ‘Days that are Over, Dreams that are Done’ 76 IX. ‘And art Thou Come! and art Thou True!’ 86 X. Engaged 94 XI. No Trousseau 102 XII. An Ill-Omened Wedding 107 XIII. The Settlement 117 XIV. ‘You have but to say the Word’ 120 XV. Edward Clare Discovers a Likeness 126 XVI. Shall it be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’? 134 XVII. Murder 140 XVIII. What the Diamonds were Worth 146 XIX. ‘To a Deep Lawny Dell they Came’ 156 XX. The Church near Camelot 163 XXI. Halcyon Days 169 XXII. A Village Iago 174 XXIII. ‘In the Meanwhile the Skies ’gan Rumble Sore’ 183 XXIV. ‘And Purple Light Shone over All’ 188 XXV. The Children’s Party 192 XXVI. A Disinterested Parent 196 XXVII. Desrolles is not Communicative 211 XXVIII. Edward Clare goes on a Voyage of Discovery 217 XXIX. George Gerard 228 XXX. Thou art the Man 233 XXXI. Why don’t You trust Me? 241 XXXII. On His Defence 246