Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations in color. See 62036-h.htm or 62036-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62036/62036-h/62036-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62036/62036-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/unforgivingoffen00scotiala THE UNFORGIVING OFFENDER * * * * * * JOHN REED SCOTT'S Previous Fiction Successes The First Hurdle and Others The Last Try In Her Own Right The Impostor The Woman in Question The Princess Dehra Beatrix of Clare The Colonel of the Red Huzzars * * * * * * [Illustration: PENDLETON PUT HIS ARM THROUGH HIS BRIDLE-REIN AND CAME FORWARD _Page 105_] THE UNFORGIVING OFFENDER by JOHN REED SCOTT Author of "The Colonel of the Red Huzzars," "The Last Try," "The Woman in Question," "The First Hurdle," etc. With Illustrations in Color by Clarence F. Underwood [Illustration: Logo] Philadelphia and London J. B. Lippincott Company 1913 Copyright, 1913, by John Reed Scott Published April, 1913 Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company at the Washington Square Press Philadelphia, U. S. A. TO THE KNOCKERS WITH WHOM I USED TO LUNCH AT THE PITTSBURGH CLUB THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE ONE WHO NEVER KNOCKED CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I.--MONTAGUE PENDLETON AND SOME OTHERS 11 II.--THE RETURN OF THE OFFENDER 35 III.--THE VACILLATOR 50 IV.--A QUESTION OF FRIENDS 61 V.--THE CUT OF ONE'S CLOTHES 73 VI.--ON THE BRIDLE-PATH 92 VII.--AN OFFER AND AN ANSWER 112 VIII.--THE SUMMONS 124 IX.--HOPELESSNESS AND THREATS 142 X.--AT CRISS-CROSS 159 XI.--THE OVERTON MEADOW 173 XII.--A MATTER OF LIGHT 190 XIII.--THE UNPOPULAR GUEST 219 XIV.--NOBLESSE OBLIGE 250 XV.--IN THE CONSERVATORY 266 XVI.--THE UNANIMOUS OPINION 278 XVII.--DOLITTLE'S TALE 302 XVIII.--THE TRUTH BY PERSUASION 320 XIX.--THE ARREST 334 XX.--THE TURN OF THINGS 343 XXI.--OBSESSED 361 XXII.--THE SILVER CANDLESTICK 373 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE PENDLETON PUT HIS ARM THROUGH HIS BRIDLE-REIN AND CAME FORWARD _Frontispiece_ THE OFFENDER 62 THEY STOOD LEANING ON THE STONE BALUSTRADE 238 THE UNFORGIVING OFFENDER I MONTAGUE PENDLETON AND SOME OTHERS