THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES A STORY OF NEW YORK LIFE. BY ANNA KATHARINE GREEN AUTHOR OF “THE LEAVENWORTH CASE,” “A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE,” ETC. NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS 27 & 29 West 23D Street 1881 COPYRIGHT, 1881, BY G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS. TO MY FATHER I DEDICATE THIS BOOK AS EXPRESSING SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE AND MERCY WHICH, BY PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE, HE HAS INSTILLED INTO MY BREAST FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD. NEW YORK, _April, 1881._ “When all else fails love saves” CONTENTS. BOOK I. TWO MEN. I.—A WANDERER II.—A DISCUSSION III.—A MYSTERIOUS SUMMONS IV.—SEARCHINGS V.—THE RUBICON VI.—A HAND CLASP VII.—MRS. SYLVESTER VIII.—SHADOWS OF THE PAST IX.—PAULA X.—THE BARRED DOOR XI.—MISS STUYVESANT XII.—MISS BELINDA MAKES CONDITIONS XIII.—THE END OF MY LADY’S PICTURE BOOK II. LIFE AND DEATH. XIV.—MISS BELINDA HAS A QUESTION TO DECIDE XV.—AN ADVENTURE—OR SOMETHING MORE XVI.—THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES XVII.—GRAVE AND GAY XVIII.—IN THE NIGHT WATCHES XIX.—A DAY AT THE BANK XX.—THE DREGS IN THE CUP XXI.—DEPARTURE XXII.—HOPGOOD BOOK III. THE JAPHA MYSTERY. XXIII.—THE POEM XXIV.—THE JAPHA MANSION XXV.—JACQUELINE XXVI.—A MAN’S JUSTICE AND A WOMAN’S MERCY XXVII.—THE LONE WATCHER XXVIII.—SUNSHINE ON THE HILLS XXIX.—MIST IN THE VALLEY BOOK IV. FROM A. TO Z. XXX.—MISS BELINDA PRESENTS MR. SYLVESTER WITH A CHRISTMAS GIFT XXXI.—A QUESTION XXXII.—FULL TIDE XXXIII.—TWO LETTERS XXXIV.—PAULA MAKES HER CHOICE XXXV.—THE FALLING OF THE SWORD XXXVI.—MORNING XXXVII.—THE OPINION OF A CERTAIN NOTED DETECTIVE XXXVIII.—BLUEBEARD’S CHAMBER XXXIX.—FROM A. TO Z XL.—HALF-PAST SEVEN BOOK V. WOMAN’S LOVE. XLI.—THE WORK OF AN HOUR XLII.—PAULA RELATES A STORY SHE HAS HEARD XLIII.—DETERMINATION XLIV.—IN MR. STUYVESANT’S PARLORS XLV.—“THE HOUR OF SIX IS SACRED!” XLVI.—THE MAN CUMMINS