THE GOVERNORS By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM Author of "A Maker of History," "The Long Arm of Mannister," "The Missioner," etc. 1909 ILLUSTRATED BY WILL GREFÉ AND HOWARD SOMERVILLE CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAPTER I. MR. PHINEAS DUGE II. COUSIN STELLA III. STORM CLOUDS IV. A MEETING OF GIANTS V. TREACHERY VI. MR. WEISS IN A HURRY VII. A PROFESSIONAL BURGLAR VIII. FIREARMS IX. CONSPIRATORS X. MR. NORRIS VINE XI. MR. LITTLESON, FLATTERER XII. STELLA SUCCEEDS XIII. BEARDING THE LION XIV. STELLA PROVES OBSTINATE XV. THE WARNING XVI. A TRUCE BOOK II. I. MY NAME IS MILDMAY II. REFLECTIONS III. "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" IV. THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR V. A QUESTION OF COURAGE VI. MR. MILDMAY AGAIN VII. AN APPOINTMENT VIII. DEFEATED IX. INGRATITUDE X. A NEW VENTURE XI. CONSCIENCE XII. DUKE OF MOWBRAY XIII. AN INTRODUCTION XIV. ANOTHER DISAPPEARANCE XV. MR. DUGE THREATENS XVI. TRAPPED XVII. MR. DUGE FAILS XVIII. ADVICE FOR MR. VINE XIX. THE CRISIS XX. BEWITCHED XXI. A LESSON LEARNED XXII. A SURPRISE XXIII. A DINNER PARTY LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS VIRGINIA "AS I DARESAY YOU KNOW, I AM NOT ON SPEAKING TERMS WITH MY FATHER!" ONE OF THE BLOCKS SPRANG UP A LITTLE WAY AND WAS EASILY REMOVED A BULLET WHISTLED ONLY A FEW INCHES FROM HIS HEAD PHINEAS DUGE DROPPED HIS CIGARETTE, AND FELL ON HIS KNEES BY HER SIDE "FOR GOD'S SAKE, TELL ME WHO HAS IT, MISS DUGE!" HE IMPLORED "ISN'T IT THE BUSINESS OF ANY MAN TO LOOK AFTER A CHILD LIKE YOU?" VIRGINIA, WITH A LITTLE MURMUR OF DELIGHT, RECOGNIZED MR. MILDMAY STANDING BEFORE HER SIMULTANEOUSLY SHE HEARD A STEALTHY MOVEMENT OUTSIDE THEN HE CAME SLOWLY BACK, AND PUTTING HIS ARM AROUND VIRGINIA'S WAIST, KISSED HER SHE THOUGHT NOTHING OF THE MOTIVE OF HER COMING, ONLY TO PLACE THE DOOR BETWEEN HER AND THIS! HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OF WATCHING A SEARCH CONDUCTED UPON SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES THEN IN THE MIDST OF HER WONDERING CAME THE ELUCIDATION OF THESE THINGS HE WAS ONLY JUST IN TIME TO SAVE HER FROM FALLING THE GOVERNORS BOOK I CHAPTER I MR. PHINEAS DUGE