THE MAGNIFICENT ADVENTURE _Being the Story of the World's Greatest Exploration and the Romance of a Very Gallant Gentleman._ A NOVEL BY EMERSON HOUGH AUTHOR OF THE COVERED WAGON, NORTH OF 36, ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY ARTHUR I. KELLER NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS Made in the United States of America COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY EMERSON HOUGH COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY THE FRANK A. MUNSEY COMPANY Printed in the United States of America [Illustration: "'Him Ro'shones,' replied the girl" [PAGE 219]] TO ROBERT H. DAVIS GOOD FRIEND INVALUABLE COLLABORATOR CONTENTS PART I CHAPTER PAGE I. MOTHER AND SON 3 II. MERIWETHER AND THEODOSIA 15 III. MR. BURR AND MR. MERRY 30 IV. PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY 36 V. THE PELL-MELL AND SOME CONSEQUENCES 47 VI. THE GREAT CONSPIRACY 71 VII. COLONEL BURR AND HIS DAUGHTER 86 VIII. THE PARTING 94 IX. MR. THOMAS JEFFERSON 105 X. THE THRESHOLD OF THE WEST 117 XI. THE TAMING OF PATRICK GASS 128 XII. CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK 137 XIII. UNDER THREE FLAGS 143 XIV. THE RENT IN THE ARMOR 153 PART II I. UNDER ONE FLAG 167 II. THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER 182 III. THE DAY'S WORK 191 IV. THE CROSSROADS OF THE WEST 199 V. THE APPEAL 208 VI. WHICH WAY? 218 VII. THE MOUNTAINS 230 VIII. TRAIL'S END 241 IX. THE SUMMONS 250 X. THE ABYSS 256 XI. THE BEE 272 XII. WHAT VOICE HAD CALLED? 280 XIII. THE NEWS 292 XIV. THE GUESTS OF A NATION 300 XV. MR. JEFFERSON'S ADVICE 308 XVI. THE QUALITY OF MERCY 316 XVII. THE FRIENDS 328 XVIII. THE WILDERNESS 336 XIX. DOWN TO THE SEA 351 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "'Him Ro'shones,' replied the girl" _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE