THE PUBLIC SQUARE THE PUBLIC SQUARE BY WILL LEVINGTON COMFORT AUTHOR OF “ROUTLEDGE RIDES ALONE,” ETC. [Illustration] D. APPLETON AND COMPANY NEW YORK :: :: MCMXXIII COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY WILL LEVINGTON COMFORT PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO DOROTHY MOSHER CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. 54 HARROW STREET 1 II. THE COLORED MAN 10 III. A FISH OMELET 17 IV. LAMBILL KNOCKS 23 V. LUNCHEON AT SHARPE’S 31 VI. ENTER, FANNY GALLUP 36 VII. “THE FREEDOM OF IGNORANCE” 47 VIII. SOMEBODY’S SHOULDER 52 IX. “YOU BOTH HAVE KEYS” 61 X. APRIL BREATHES AGAIN 69 XI. THE BABY CARRIAGE 75 XII. UNDER THE SAME LAMP 81 XIII. “MOTHER” 87 XIV. ISOLATION 93 XV. THE COBDEN INTERIOR 99 XVI. DICKY FEELS A SLUMP 109 XVII. NEW LODGERS FOR HARROW STREET 113 XVIII. AN OUTER CHANGE 118 XIX. FANNY DRIES HER TEARS 120 XX. THEY WALK IN CIRCLES 124 XXI. THE DINNER COAT 129 XXII. A LETTER FROM PIDGE 136 XXIII. THE RED ROOM 143 XXIV. MISS CLAES SPEAKS 149 XXV. “BE IT EVER SO HUMBLE” 154 XXVI. THE HANGING SOCK 161 XXVII. THE MAHATMA AND THE MIRACLE 167 XXVIII. THE RACK OF SEX 175 XXIX. RUFUS’ PLAY DAY 180 XXX. THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE 190 XXXI. TWO LETTERS FROM INDIA 194 XXXII. FRANCE, 1918. THE YANK 197 XXXIII. PARIS, 1918--HADDON AND AMES 202 XXXIV. THE HOUSE OF DUCIER 207 XXXV. FANNY HEARS THE DRUM 214 XXXVI. RUFE HURRIES HOME 218 XXXVII. JOHN HIGGINS’ CODE 219 XXXVIII. AN OFFICE OF THE WORLD 225 XXXIX. SEVEN FLAWLESS DAYS 229 XL. THE YANK DEVELOPED 239 XLI. UNDER THE MANGOES OF CAWNPORE 246 XLII. LALA RELU RAM 249 XLIII. HATHIS LAMENTS 257 XLIV. THE SLATE AND THE SPONGE 263 XLV. AMRITSAR, APRIL 13, 1919 268 XLVI. THE HOOKED MAN 277 XLVII. IN THE WARM DARK 281 XLVIII. “INDIA’S MESSENGER” 288 XLIX. PIDGE TRIES GRAMERCY PARK 292 L. DICKY’S IDEA WORKS 298