THE TALLANTS OF BARTON. A Tale of Fortune and Finance. BY JOSEPH HATTON, Author of “Bitter Sweets: a Love Story;” “Against the Stream,” etc., etc. “The wheel of Fortune turns incessantly round, and who can say within himself, I shall to-day be uppermost?”--_Confucius._ IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: TINSLEY BROTHERS, 18, CATHERINE ST., STRAND. 1867. [_The Right of Translation is reserved._] LONDON: BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I.--IN THE SHADOW OF BERNE HILLS 1 II.--INTRODUCES THE READER TO THE MERCHANT’S SON AND DAUGHTER 13 III.--BRINGS US TO THE HALL FARM, WHERE THE READER MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE SOMERTONS AND A CERTAIN LANDSCAPE PAINTER 22 IV.--THE METER IRON WORKS COMPANY 36 V.--THE DIBBLES AND THEIR NEW LODGER 49 VI.--THE TWO FRIENDS AND THE TWO VIGNETTES 61 VII.--IS A SENTIMENTAL CHAPTER, CONTAINING A FEW MORAL REFLECTIONS BY THE WAY 77 VIII.--IN WHICH PAUL SOMERTON ENTERS UPON A DELICATE, DIFFICULT, AND DANGEROUS TASK 84 IX.--WHICH INTRODUCES THE READER TO THE SUMMER-HOUSE ON BERNE HILLS, AND ILLUSTRATES THE TRUTH OF AN OLD PROVERB ABOUT EAVES-DROPPERS 95 X.--MR. RICHARD TALLANT INTERRUPTS A CHARMING TÊTE-À-TÊTE 107 XI.--ANOTHER UNEXPECTED VISITOR APPEARS AT BARTON HALL 119 XII.--BENEATH THE GOWN 132 XIII.--DESCRIBES A GREAT FINANCIAL STORM AND EXHIBITS THOMAS DIBBLE IN A NEW CHARACTER 143 XIV.--ARTHUR PHILLIPS AT WORK 155 XV.--RETURNS TO AVONWORTH VALLEY, AND GLANCES AT MRS. SOMERTON’S SECRET 169 XVI.--MAY BE SAID TO INAUGURATE A SERIES OF IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF SEVERAL NOTABLE PERSONS IN THIS HISTORY 179 XVII.--CHIEFLY CONCERNS THE FORTUNES OF PAUL SOMERTON 190