THE RISING TIDE BY MARGARET DELAND AUTHOR OF _The Iron Woman_, _Dr. Lavendar's People_ ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY F. WALTER TAYLOR "_No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you._" Job xii, 2 [Illustration: Logo] HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON [Illustration: FREDERICA] BOOKS BY MARGARET DELAND THE RISING TIDE. Illustrated. Post 8vo AROUND OLD CHESTER. Illustrated. Post 8vo THE HANDS OF ESAU. Illustrated. Post 8vo OLD CHESTER TALES. Illustrated. Post 8vo AN ENCORE. Illustrated. 8vo DR. LAVENDAR'S PEOPLE. Illustrated. Post 8vo GOOD FOR THE SOUL. 16mo THE AWAKENING OF HELENA RICHIE. Illustrated. Post 8vo PARTNERS. Illustrated. Crown 8vo R. J.'S MOTHER. Illustrated. Post 8vo THE COMMON WAY. 16mo THE IRON WOMAN. Illustrated. Post 8vo THE VOICE. Illustrated. Post 8vo THE WAY TO PEACE. Illustrated. 8vo WHERE THE LABORERS ARE FEW. Ill'd. 8vo HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK THE RISING TIDE Copyright, 1915, 1916, by Harper & Brothers Printed in the United States of America Published August, 1916 TO LORIN DELAND AUGUST 12, 1916 ILLUSTRATIONS FREDERICA _Frontispiece_ "LET ME EXPLAIN IT," FREDERICA'S MAN OF BUSINESS SAID ... AND PROCEEDED TO PUT THE PROJECT INTO WORDS OF THREE LETTERS _Facing p._ 22 HOWARD DID NOT NOTICE HER PREOCCUPATION. HE WAS POURING OUT HIS PLANS, LAURA PUNCTUATING ALL HE SAID WITH CRIES OF ADMIRATION AND ENVY " 108 "DID YOU SEE THAT FISH JUMP?" HE ASKED. FREDERICA GAVE A DISGUSTED GRUNT " 140 THE RISING TIDE CHAPTER I A single car-track ran through Payton Street, and over it, once in a while, a small car jogged along, drawn by two mules. Thirty years ago Payton Street had been shocked by the intrusion upon its gentility of a thing so noisy and vulgar as a street-car; but now, when the rest of the town was shuttled with trolleys and clamorous with speed, it seemed to itself an oasis of silence. Its gentility had ebbed long ago. The big houses, standing a little back from the sidewalk, were given over to lodgers or small businesses. Indeed, the Paytons were the only people left who belonged to Payton Street's past--and there was a barber shop next door to them, and a livery-stable across the street. "Rather different from the time when your dear father brought me here, a bride," Mrs. Payton used to say, sighing. Her daughter agreed, dryly: "I hope so! Certainly nobody would live on Payton Street now, if they could afford to buy a lot in the cemetery."