[Illustration] The Witch’s Head by H. Rider Haggard AUTHOR OF “DAWN,” “MR. MEESON’S WILL,” “ALLAN’S WIFE,” “KING SOLOMON’S MINES,” “SHE,” “JESS,” ETC. ETC. WITH SIXTEEN FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARLES KERR, REPRODUCED BY BOUSSOD, VALADON ET CIE, OF PARIS TWENTY-SIXTH THOUSAND LONDON SPENCER BLACKETT MILTON HOUSE, 35 ST. BRIDE STREET, LUDGATE CIRCUS [_All rights reserved_] Contents BOOK I. CHAPTER I. ERNEST’S APPEARANCE CHAPTER II. REGINALD CARDUS, ESQ., MISANTHROPE CHAPTER III. OLD DUM’S NESS CHAPTER IV. BOYS TOGETHER CHAPTER V. EVA’S PROMISE CHAPTER VI. JEREMY FALLS IN LOVE CHAPTER VII. ERNEST IS INDISCREET CHAPTER VIII. A GARDEN IDYL CHAPTER IX. EVA FINDS SOMETHING CHAPTER X. WHAT EVA FOUND CHAPTER XI. DEEP WATERS CHAPTER XII. DEEPER YET CHAPTER XIII. MR. CARDUS UNFOLDS HIS PLANS CHAPTER XIV. GOOD-BYE CHAPTER XV. ERNEST GETS INTO TROUBLE CHAPTER XVI. MADAME’S WORK BOOK II. CHAPTER I. MY POOR EVA CHAPTER II. THE LOCUM TENENS CHAPTER III. EVA TAKES A DISTRICT CHAPTER IV. JEREMY’S IDEA OF A SHAKING CHAPTER V. FLORENCE ON MARRIAGE CHAPTER VI. MR. PLOWDEN GOES A-WOOING CHAPTER VII. OVER THE WATER CHAPTER VIII. A HOMERIC COMBAT CHAPTER IX. ERNEST’S LOVE-LETTER CHAPTER X. A WAY OF ESCAPE CHAPTER XI. FOUND WANTING CHAPTER XII. ERNEST RUNS AWAY CHAPTER XIII. MR. PLOWDEN ASSERTS HIS RIGHTS CHAPTER XIV. THE VIRGIN MARTYR CHAPTER XV. HANS’S CITY OF REST CHAPTER XVI. ERNEST ACCEPTS A COMMISSION CHAPTER XVII. HANS PROPHESIES EVIL CHAPTER XVIII. MR. ALSTON’S VIEWS CHAPTER XIX. ISANDHLWANA CHAPTER XX. THE END OF ALSTON’S HORSE BOOK III. CHAPTER I. THE CLIFFS OF OLD ENGLAND CHAPTER II. ERNEST’S EVIL DESTINY CHAPTER III. INTROSPECTIVE CHAPTER IV. AFTER MANY DAYS CHAPTER V. HOME AGAIN CHAPTER VI. HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT CHAPTER VII. MAZOOKU’S FAREWELL CHAPTER VIII. R. CARDUS ACCOMPLISHES HIS REVENGE CHAPTER IX. MAD ATTERLEIGH’S LAST RIDE CHAPTER X. DOROTHY’S TRIUMPH “Swell out, sad harmonies, From the slow cadence of the gathering years; For Life is bitter-sweet, yet bounds the flood Of human fears. A death-crowned queen, from her hid throne she scatters Smiles and tears Until Time turn aside, And we slip past him towards the wide increase Of all things beautiful, then finding there Our rest and peace; The mournful strain is ended. Sorrow and song Together cease.” A. M. BARBER. ILLUSTRATIONS THE WITCH’S HEAD HE CLENCHED HIS FISTS AND SHOOK THEM TOWARDS THE DOOR “_BY GEORGE!_” “O, RADIANT-WINGED HOUR!” HUGH KERSHAW FLUNG UP HIS ARMS, WILDLY A SHAPELY KAFIR GIRL THE RESULT WAS STARTLING THIS WAS INDEED A DAVID HE SLOWLY LIFTED THE PISTOL TOWARDS HIS HEAD MR. PLOWDEN LEFT THE HOUSE, WHITE WITH FURY ERNEST DID A BRAVE THING THE LAST CHARGE OF ALSTON’S HORSE HE FOUND HIM LYING ON THE GROUND, WHITE AND STILL AFTER MANY DAYS MAZOOKU’S FAREWELL MAD ATTERLEIGH’S LAST RIDE [Illustration: The Witch’s Head] THE WITCH’S HEAD BOOK I. CHAPTER I. ERNEST’S APPEARANCE