Produced by David Clarke, Meredith Bach and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) THE PANCHRONICON THE PANCHRONICON BY HAROLD STEELE MACKAYE NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1904 COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Published, April, 1904 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE THEORY OF COPERNICUS DROOP 1 II. A VISIT TO THE PANCHRONICON 23 III. A NOCTURNAL EVASION 38 IV. A CHANGE OF PLAN 58 V. DROOP'S THEORY IN PRACTICE 86 VI. SHIPWRECKED ON THE SANDS OF TIME 103 VII. NEW TIES AND OLD RELATIONS 123 VIII. HOW FRANCIS BACON CHEATED THE BAILIFFS 157 IX. PHOEBE AT THE PEACOCK INN 179 X. HOW THE QUEEN READ HER NEWSPAPER 208 XI. THE FAT KNIGHT AT THE BOAR'S HEAD 242 XII. HOW SHAKESPEARE WROTE HIS PLAYS 258 XIII. HOW THE FAT KNIGHT DID HOMAGE 277 XIV. THE FATE OF SIR PERCEVALL'S SUIT 297 XV. HOW REBECCA RETURNED TO NEWINGTON 317 XVI. HOW SIR GUY KEPT HIS TRYST 324 XVII. REBECCA'S TRUMP CARD 340 THE PANCHRONICON CHAPTER I THE THEORY OF COPERNICUS DROOP The two sisters were together in their garden. Rebecca Wise, turned forty and growing slightly gray at the temples, was moving slowly from one of her precious plants to the next, leaning over each to pinch off a dead leaf or count the buds. It was the historic month of May, 1898, and May is the paradise of flower lovers. Phoebe was eighteen years younger than her sister, and the beauty of the village. Indeed, many declared their belief that the whole State of New Hampshire did not contain her equal. She was seated on the steps of the veranda that skirted the little white cottage, and the absent gaze of her frank blue eyes was directed through the gate at the foot of the little path bordered by white rose-bushes. In her lap was a bundle of papers yellowed by age and an ivory miniature, evidently taken from the carved wooden box at her side. Presently Rebecca straightened her back with a slight grimace and looked toward her sister, holding her mold-covered hands and fingers spread away from her. "Well," she inquired, "hev ye found anythin'?" Phoebe brought her gaze back from infinity and replied: