Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net THE VALIANTS OF VIRGINIA   By HALLIE ERMINIE RIVES (MRS. POST WHEELER) Author of “The Kingdom of Slender Swords,” “Satan Sanderson,” etc. With Four Illustrations in Color By ANDR CASTAIGNE   A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York Copyright 1912 The Bobbs-Merrill Company TO THE REAL JOHN “Molly, Molly Bright! Can I get there by candle-light?” “Yes, if your legs are long enough.” CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I The Crash 1 II Vanity Valiant 12 III The Never-Never Land 21 IV The Turn of the Page 29 V The Letter 36 VI A Valiant of Virginia 44 VII On the Red Road 49 VIII Mad Anthony 59 IX Uncle Jefferson 71 X What Happened Thirty Years Ago 80 XI Damory Court 90 XII The Case of Morocco Leather 102 XIII The Hunt 109 XIV Sanctuary 119 XV Mrs. Poly Gifford Pays a Call 124 XVI The Echo 138 XVII The Trespasser 142 XVIII John Valiant Makes a Discovery 152 XIX Under the Hemlocks 163 XX On the Edge of the World 173 XXI After the Storm 179 XXII The Anniversary 188 XXIII Uncle Jefferson’s Story 197 XXIV In Devil-John’s Day 203 XXV John Valiant Asks a Question 219 XXVI The Call of the Rose 223 XXVII Beyond the Box-Hedge 230 XXVIII Night 238 XXIX At the Dome 244 XXX The Gardeners 255 XXXI Tournament Day 267 XXXII A Virginian Runnymede 275 XXXIII The Knight of the Crimson Rose 289 XXXIV Katharine Decides 300 XXXV “When Knighthood Was in Flower” 309 XXXVI By the Sun-Dial 317 XXXVII The Doctor Speaks 328 XXXVIII The Ambush 334 XXXIX What the Cape Jessamines Knew 340 XL The Awakening 346 XLI The Coming of Greef King 359 XLII In the Rain 369 XLIII The Evening of an Old Score 378 XLIV The Major Breaks Silence 386 XLV Renunciation 398 XLVI The Voice From the Past 408 XLVII When the Clock Struck 415 XLVIII The Song of the Nightingale 427 [Pg 1] THE VALIANTS OF VIRGINIA CHAPTER I THE CRASH “ Failed!” ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright. “The Corporation—failed!”