THE THREE MISS KINGS An Australian Story BY ADA CAMBRIDGE AUTHOR OF MY GUARDIAN NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1891 CONTENTS I. A DISTANT VIEW II. A LONELY EYRIE III. PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT IV. DEPARTURE V. ROCKED IN THE CRADLE OF THE DEEP VI. PAUL VII. A MORNING WALK VIII. AN INTRODUCTION TO MRS. GRUNDY IX. MRS. AARONS X. THE FIRST INVITATION XI. DISAPPOINTMENT XII. TRIUMPH XIII. PATTY IN UNDRESS XIV. IN THE WOMB OF FATE XV. ELIZABETH FINDS A FRIEND XVI. "WE WERE NOT STRANGERS, AS TO US AND ALL IT SEEMED" XVII. AFTERNOON TEA XVIII. THE FAIRY GODMOTHER XIX. A MORNING AT THE EXHIBITION XX. CHINA _v._ THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY XXI. THE "CUP" XXII. CROSS PURPOSES XXIII. MR. YELVERTON'S MISSION XXIV. AN OLD STORY XXV. OUT IN THE COLD XXVI. WHAT PAUL COULD NOT KNOW XXVII. SLIGHTED XXVIII. "WRITE ME AS ONE WHO LOVES HIS FELLOW-MEN" XXIX. PATTY CONFESSES XXX. THE OLD AND THE NEW XXXI. IN RETREAT XXXII. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF XXXIII. THE DRIVE HOME XXXIV. SUSPENSE XXXV. HOW ELIZABETH MADE UP HER MIND XXXVI. INVESTIGATION XXXVII. DISCOVERY XXXVIII. THE TIME FOR ACTION XXXIX. AN ASSIGNATION XL. MRS. DUFF-SCOTT HAS TO BE RECKONED WITH XLI. MR. YELVERTON STATES HIS INTENTIONS XLII. HER LORD AND MASTER XLIII. THE EVENING BEFORE THE WEDDING XLIV. THE WEDDING DAY XLV. IN SILK ATTIRE XLVI. PATTY CHOOSES HER CAREER XLVII. A FAIR FIELD AND NO FAVOUR XLVIII. PROBATION XLIX. YELVERTON L. "THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE" LI. PATIENCE REWARDED LII. CONCLUSION THE THREE MISS KINGS. CHAPTER I. A DISTANT VIEW. On the second of January, in the year 1880, three newly-orphaned sisters, finding themselves left to their own devices, with an income of exactly one hundred pounds a year a-piece, sat down to consult together as to the use they should make of their independence.