Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) VISION HOUSE By C. N. & A. M. WILLIAMSON Author of "_The Lion's Mouse_," "_The Second Latchkey_," "_Everyman's Land_," etc. A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York Published by arrangement with George H. Doran Company COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE GRAND CANYON AND ARIZONA CONTENTS I ENTER MISS SOREL II EXIT THE BLIGHTER III A CABIN WINDOW IV REPRISALS--ET CETERA V ANONYMOUS VI ON SUNDAY AT THREE VII SAMSON AGONISTES VIII WHAT THE STAR SAID IX SOMETHING OUT OF ANCIENT ROME X THE THING SHE COULD NOT EXPLAIN XI EVERY MAN HAS HIS PRICE XII "HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO!" XIII "CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?" XIV MARISE PUTS ON BLACK XV THE CHURCH DOOR XVI FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE XVII THE SPEAKING-TUBE XVIII AU REVOIR--TILL SOMETIME! XIX WHY THE BARGAIN WAS OFF XX THE BRIDAL SUITE XXI KEEPING UP APPEARANCES XXII A SHOCK AND A SNUB OR TWO XXIII THE DREAM XXIV ACCORDING TO MUMS XXV "SOME DAY--SOME WAY--SOMEHOW!" XXVI THE END OF THE JOURNEY XXVII SECOND FIDDLE XXVIII MOTHEREEN XXIX THE WHITE DOVE XXX THE VIGIL LIGHT XXXI THE ALBUM XXXII THE BEREAVED ONE XXXIII THE VISITORS' BOOK XXXIV THE TERRACE XXXV STRAIGHT TALK XXXVI STUMBLING IN THE DARK XXXVII ZÉLIE GETS EVEN XXXVIII WHEN SEVERANCE THREW DOWN THE KEY VISION HOUSE CHAPTER I ENTER MISS SOREL It was the third day out from Liverpool on the way to New York, and people were just beginning to take an interest in each other's names and looks. The passenger list of the _Britannia_ was posted up close to the lift on B deck, but the weather had not encouraged curious groups to study and inwardly digest its items. In fact, digestion of all sorts had been difficult. To-day, however, the huge ship had ceased to step on and stumble over monster waves, and had slipped into a sea of silken blue. Bad sailors and lazy ones were on deck staring at their fellows as at unearthly creatures who had dropped on board since the vessel sailed, miraculously like manna from heaven. The news had flown round, as news flies in an Eastern bazaar, that there were three names of conspicuous interest on the hitherto neglected list, and that now was the moment for "spotting" their owners.