THE TWENTY-FOURTH OF JUNE Midsummer's Day by GRACE S RICHMOND 1914 CONTENTS CHAPTER I. The Curtain Rises on a Home II. Richard Changes His Plans III. While It Rains IV. Pictures V. Richard Pricks His Fingers VI. Unsustained Application VII. A Traitorous Proceeding VIII. Roses Red IX. Mr. Kendrick Entertains X. Opinions and Theories XI. "The Taming of the Shrew" XII. Blankets XIII. Lavender Linen XIV. Rapid Fire XV. Making Men XVI. Encounters XVII. Intrigue XVIII. The Nailing of a Flag XIX. In the Morning XX. Side Lights XXI. Portraits XXII. Roberta Wakes Early XXIII. Richard Has Waked Earlier XXIV. The Pillars of Home XXV. A Stout Little Cabin CHAPTER I THE CURTAIN RISES ON A HOME None of it might ever have happened, if Richard Kendrick had gone into the house of Mr. Robert Gray, on that first night, by the front door. For, if he had made his first entrance by that front door, if he had been admitted by the maidservant in proper fashion and conducted into Judge Calvin Gray's presence in the library, if he had delivered his message, from old Matthew Kendrick, his grandfather, and had come away again, ushered out of that same front door, the chances are that he never would have gone again. In which case there would have been no story to tell. It all came about--or so it seems--from its being a very rainy night in late October, and from young Kendrick's wearing an all-concealing motoring rain-coat and cap. He had been for a long drive into the country, and had just returned, mud-splashed, when his grandfather, having taken it into his head that a message must be delivered at once, requested his grandson to act as his messenger. So the young man had impatiently bolted out with the message, had sent his car rushing through the city streets, and had become a still muddier and wetter figure than before when he stood upon the porch of the old Gray homestead, well out in the edge of the city, and put thumb to the bell. His hand was stayed by the shrill call of a small boy who dashed up on the porch out of the dusk. "You can't get in that way," young Ted Gray cried. "Something's happened to the lock--they've sent for a man to fix it. Come round to the back with me--I'll show you." So this was why Richard Kendrick came to be conducted by way of the tall-pillared rear porch into the house through the rear door of the wide, central hall. There was no light at this end of the hall, and the old-fashioned, high-backed settee which stood there was in shadow. With a glance at the caller's muddy condition the young son of the house decided it the part of prudence to assign him this waiting-place, while he himself should go in search of his uncle. The lad had seen the big motor-car at the gate; quite naturally he took its driver for a chauffeur.