E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Carol Brown, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) THE SOUL OF SUSAN YELLAM by HORACE ANNESLEY VACHELL Author of Some Happenings, Quinneys, Blinds Down, Loot, etc. [Illustration: printer's decoration] New York Grosset & Dunlap Publishers Copyright, 1918, By George H. Doran Company Printed in the United States of America TO THE MEMORY OF MY SON RICHARD TANFIELD VACHELL CAPTAIN, FIFTH FUSILIERS CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I MOTHER AND SON 11 II FANCY BROOMFIELD 27 III INTRODUCING MRS. MUCKLOW 42 IV LE PAYS DU TENDRE 57 V UNCLE 70 VI FIRST IMPRESSIONS 86 VII SECOND IMPRESSIONS 101 VIII RECRUITING 116 IX PARSON'S METHODS 130 X FANCY'S ORDEAL 144 XI THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS 160 XII THE EMPTY PEW 174 XIII FANCY CONSULTS THE CARDS 190 XIV HYMENEAL 203 XV LEANNESS OF SOUL 217 XVI SAINT WILLUM 234 XVII FOOL-WISDOM 248 XVIII MISSING! 263 XIX SUSPENSE 279 XX THE TRAVELLER RETURNS 294 THE SOUL OF SUSAN YELLAM THE SOUL OF SUSAN YELLAM CHAPTER I MOTHER AND SON The village church at Nether-Applewhite has been described as an interesting chapter in ecclesiastical architecture. It stands a little apart from the cottages upon a hill which presents something of the appearance of a tumulus. Part of the church is Norman, but to the uninstructed the outside has been mellowed by time and weather into a charming homogeneity. It was embellished early in the eighteenth century by the addition of a brick tower. The inside is likely to challenge even the uncritical eye. The transept is as long as the nave, and two large galleries arrest attention in the west end. Overlooking the chancel is the Squire's pew, a sort of royal opera-box, provided with chairs, a table, and a fireplace, not to mention a private entrance. Opposite to this, across the chancel, stands a three-decker pulpit of seventeenth-century woodwork, with a fine hexagonal canopy. On the north side of the steps to the chancel is a mutilated fifteenth-century screen. Squire and parson can see every member of the congregation.