The Interloper _New 6s. Novels_ THE ISLAND PHARISEES By JOHN GALSWORTHY THE MAGNETIC NORTH By ELIZABETH ROBINS URIAH THE HITTITE By WOLF WYLLARDE THE MONEY GOD By J. P. BLAKE LOVE THE FIDDLER By LLOYD OSBOURNE THE STORY OF SUSAN By MRS. HENRY DUDENEY THE RELENTLESS CITY By E. F. BENSON THE MASTERFOLK By HALDANE MACFALL THE JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS By BRAM STOKER THE EVIL EYE By DANIEL WOODROFFE THE WEB By FREDERICK TREVOR HILL LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN, 20 and 21 BEDFORD STREET, W.C. The Interloper By Violet Jacob (Mrs. Arthur Jacob) Author of ‘The Sheep-Stealers’ London William Heinemann 1904 This Edition enjoys copyright in all countries signatory to the Berne Treaty, and is not to be imported into the United States of America TO AN UNDYING MEMORY AUTHOR’S NOTE BEFORE proceeding with this story I must apologize for a striking inaccuracy which it contains. I have represented the educated characters as speaking, but for certain turns of phrase, the ordinary English which is now universal. But, in Scotland, in the very early nineteenth century, gentle and simple alike kept a national distinction of language, and remnants of it lingered in the conversation, as I remember it, of the two venerable and unique old ladies from whom the characters of Miss Hersey Robertson and her sister are taken. They called it ‘Court Scots.’ For the assistance of that tender person, the General Reader, I have ignored it. V. J. 1903 CONTENTS BOOK I CHAPTER PAGE I. THE HEIR 1 II. AT GARVIEKIRK 14 III. FRIENDSHIP 24 IV. JIMMY 36 V. THE STRIFE OF TONGUES 49 VI. THE DOVECOTE OF MORPHIE 59 VII. THE LOOKING-GLASS 73 VIII. THE HOUSE IN THE CLOSE 81 IX. ON FOOT AND ON WHEELS 91 X. KING COPHETUA’S CORRESPONDENCE 101 XI. THE MOUSE AND THE LION 111 XII. GRANNIE TAKES A STRONG ATTITUDE 117 XIII. PLAIN SPEAKING 127 XIV. STORM AND BROWN SILK 140 XV. THE THIRD VOICE 150 XVI. BETWEEN LADY ELIZA AND CECILIA 160 XVII. CECILIA PAYS HER DEBTS 168 XVIII. THE BOX WITH THE LAUREL-WREATH 177 BOOK II XIX. SIX MONTHS 186 XX. ROCKET 194 XXI. THE BROKEN LINK 205 XXII. CECILIA SEES THE WILD GEESE 215