E-text prepared by Suzanne Lybarger, Brian Janes, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net/) THE FOUR FEATHERS by A. E. W. MASON Author of "Miranda of the Balcony," "The Courtship of Morrice Buckler," Etc. New York The MacMillan Company London: MacMillan & Co., Ltd. 1903 All rights reserved Copyright, 1901, By A. E. W. Mason. Copyright, 1902, By The MacMillan Company. Set up and electrotyped October, 1902. Reprinted November, December, 1902; January, 1903; February, March, 1903. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Norwood Mass. U.S.A. To MISS ELSPETH ANGELA CAMPBELL June 19, 1902. CONTENTS I. A Crimean Night II. Captain Trench and a Telegram III. The Last Ride Together IV. The Ball at Lennon House V. The Pariah VI. Harry Feversham's Plan VII. The Last Reconnaissance VIII. Lieutenant Sutch is tempted to lie IX. At Glenalla X. The Wells of Obak XI. Durrance hears News of Feversham XII. Durrance sharpens his Wits XIII. Durrance begins to see XIV. Captain Willoughby reappears XV. The Story of the First Feather XVI. Captain Willoughby retires XVII. The Musoline Overture XVIII. The Answer to the Overture XIX. Mrs. Adair interferes XX. West and East XXI. Ethne makes Another Slip XXII. Durrance lets his Cigar go out XXIII. Mrs. Adair makes her Apology XXIV. On the Nile XXV. Lieutenant Sutch comes off the Half-pay List XXVI. General Feversham's Portraits are appeased XXVII. The House of Stone XXVIII. Plans of Escape XXIX. Colonel Trench assumes a Knowledge of Chemistry XXX. The Last of the Southern Cross XXXI. Feversham returns to Ramelton XXXII. In the Church at Glenalla XXXIII. Ethne again plays the Musoline Overture XXXIV. The End THE FOUR FEATHERS[1] [Footnote 1: The character of Harry Feversham is developed from a short story by the author, originally printed in the _Illustrated London News_, and since republished.] CHAPTER I A CRIMEAN NIGHT Lieutenant Sutch was the first of General Feversham's guests to reach Broad Place. He arrived about five o'clock on an afternoon of sunshine in mid June, and the old red-brick house, lodged on a southern slope of the Surrey hills, was glowing from a dark forest depth of pines with the warmth of a rare jewel. Lieutenant Sutch limped across the hall, where the portraits of the Fevershams rose one above the other to the ceiling, and went out on to the stone-flagged terrace at the back. There he found his host sitting erect like a boy, and gazing southward toward the Sussex Downs.