Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. WHAT'S BRED IN THE BONE. L1000 PRIZE NOVEL. By GRANT ALLEN CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. ELMA'S STRANGER II. TWO'S COMPANY III. CYRIL WARING'S BROTHER IV. INSIDE THE TUNNEL V. GRATITUDE VI. TWO STRANGE MEETINGS VII. KELMSCOTT OF TILGATE VIII. ELMA BREAKS OUT IX. AND AFTER? X. COLONEL KELMSCOTT'S REPENTANCE XI. A FAMILY JAR XII. IN SILENCE AND TEARS XIII. BUSINESS FIRST XIV. MUSIC HATH POWER XV. THE PATH OF DUTY XVI. STRUGGLE AND VICTORY XVII. VISIONS OF WEALTH XVIII. GENTLE WOOER XIX. SELF OR BEARER XX. MONTAGUE NEVITT FINESSES XXI. COLONEL KELMSCOTT'S PUNISHMENT XXII. CROSS PURPOSES XXIII. GUY IN LUCK XXIV. A SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING XXV. LEAD TRUMPS XXVI. A CHANCE MEETING XXVII. SOMETHING TO THEIR ADVANTAGE XXVIII. MISTAKEN IDENTITY XXIX. WOMAN'S INTUITION XXX. FRESH DISCOVERIES XXXI. "GOLDEN JOYS" XXXII. A NEW DEPARTURE XXXIII. TIME FLIES XXXIV. A STROKE FOR FREEDOM XXXV. PERILS BY THE WAY XXXVI. DESERTED XXXVII. AUX ARMES! XXXVIII. NEWS FROM THE CAPE XXXIX. A GLEAM OF LIGHT XL. THE BOLT FALLS XLI. WHAT JUDGE? XLII. UNEXPECTED EVIDENCE XLIII. SIR GILBERT'S TEMPTATION XLIV. AT BAY XLV. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL CHAPTER I. ELMA'S STRANGER. It was late when Elma reached the station. Her pony had jibbed on the way downhill, and the train was just on the point of moving off as she hurried upon the platform. Old Matthews, the stout and chubby-cheeked station-master, seized her most unceremoniously by the left arm, and bundled her into a carriage. He had known her from a child, so he could venture upon such liberties. "Second class, miss? Yes, miss. Here y'are. Look sharp, please. Any more goin' on? All right, Tom! Go ahead there!" And lifting his left hand, he whistled a shrill signal to the guard to start her. As for Elma, somewhat hot in the face with the wild rush for her ticket, and grasping her uncounted change, pence and all, in her little gloved hand, she found herself thrust, hap-hazard, at the very last moment, into the last compartment of the last carriage--alone--with an artist.