E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 17495-h.htm or 17495-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/9/17495/17495-h/17495-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/9/17495/17495-h.zip) THE STOLEN SINGER by MARTHA BELLINGER With Illustrations by Arthur William Brown [Frontispiece: Miss Redmond detected a passage of glances between them.] Indianapolis The Bobbs-Merrill Company Publishers Copyright 1911 The Bobbs-Merrill Company TO MY HUSBAND CONTENTS CHAPTER I TWILIGHT IN THE PARK II HAMBLETON OF LYNN III MIDSUMMER MADNESS IV MR. VAN CAMP MAKES A CALL V MELANIE'S DREAMS VI ON BOARD THE JEANNE D'ARC VII THE ROPE LADDER VIII ON THE BREAST OF THE SEA IX THE CAMP ON THE BEACH X THE HEART OF YOUTH XI THE HOME PORT XII SEEING THE RAINBOW XIII ALECK SEES A GHOST XIV SUSAN STODDARD'S PRAYER XV ECHOES FROM THE CITY XVI A FIGHTING CHANCE XVII THE TURN OF THE TIDE XVIII THE SPIRIT OF THE ANCIENT WOOD XIX MR. CHAMBERLAIN, SLEUTH XX MONSIEUR CHATELARD TAKES THE WHEEL XXI JIMMY REDIVIVUS XXII A MAN OF NO PRINCIPLE XXIII JIMMY MUFFS THE BALL XXIV AFTER YOU, MONSIEUR! EPILOGUE ILLUSTRATIONS Miss Redmond detected a passage of glances between them . . . . . . (Frontispiece) "That depends upon whether you are going to marry me." "It _does_ make one feel queer, you know." She stood over him looking down tenderly. "You shall not turn me down like this." THE STOLEN SINGER CHAPTER I TWILIGHT IN THE PARK "You may wait, Renaud." The voice was firm, but the lady herself hesitated as she stepped from the tonneau. There was no answer. Holding the flapping ends of her veil away from her face, she turned and looked fairly at the driver of the machine. He seemed a businesslike, capable man, though certain minor details of his chauffeur's rig were a bit unusual, and now that he had been obliged, by some discomfort, to remove his goggles, his face appeared pleasant and quite untanned. His passenger noted these things, remarking: "Oh, it isn't Renaud!" "No, Mademoiselle; Renaud hadn't showed up at the office when you telephoned, so they put me on in his place." "Ah, I see." Accent seemed to imply, however, that she was not quite pleased. "The manager sent you. And your name is--?" "My name--rather odd name--Hand." The face half hidden behind the veil remained impassive. A moment's hesitation, and then the lady turned away with a short, "You will wait?" "As mademoiselle wishes. Or shall I perhaps follow slowly along the drive?" "No, wait here. I shall return--soon."