Produced by D Alexander, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) REELS AND SPINDLES _A Story of Mill Life_ BY EVELYN RAYMOND AUTHOR OF "A DAUGHTER OF THE WEST," "A LITTLE LADY OF THE HORSE," ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY FRANK T. MERRILL [Illustration: Logo] BOSTON AND CHICAGO W. A. WILDE COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY W. A. WILDE COMPANY. _All rights reserved._ REELS AND SPINDLES. [Illustration: "SHE PULLED A BOOK FROM HER POCKET AND BEGAN TO READ."] PREFACE. It was love for others which made Amy Kaye make use of the first opportunity which offered, even though it was an humble one and she was handicapped by ignorance. But having once decided what course was right for her, she followed it with a singleness of purpose and a thoroughness of effort which brought a prompt success. The help she was to others was no small part of this success. For in an age of shams and low ideals the influence of even one sincere girl is far-reaching; and when to that sincerity she adds the sympathy which makes another's interests as vital to her as her own, this influence becomes incalculable for good. It is the author's hope that the story of "Reels and Spindles" may aid some young readers to comprehend and make their own this beauty of simplicity and this charm of sympathy which are the outcome of unselfishness. E. R. BALTIMORE, April 3, 1900. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. A BYWAY OF THE ARDSLEY 11 II. THE MILL IN THE GLEN 23 III. FAIRACRES 33 IV. HALLAM 47 V. A KINSMAN OF THE HOUSE 60 VI. SETTLEMENTS 70 VII. THE "SPITE HOUSE" OF BAREACRE 82 VIII. NEEDS AND HELPERS 93 IX. THE WATERLOO OF BONAPARTE LAFAYETTE 105 X. HOME-MAKING 117 XI. THE YOUNG OLD MAN AND OLD YOUNG GIRL 130 XII. BAD NEWS FROM BURNSIDE 142 XIII. AMY PAYS A BUSINESS CALL 154 XIV. PEPITA FINDS A NEW HOME 167 XV. FACING HARD FACTS 181 XVI. AMY BEGINS TO SPIN 192 XVII. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BALAAM 210 XVIII. THE FASCINATION OF INDUSTRY 224 XIX. MOTIVES AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS 236 XX. IN THE OLD HOME 248 XXI. A PECULIAR INVITATION 264 XXII. TWO WANDERERS RETURN 279 XXIII. FREDERIC KAYE'S WELCOME HOME 292 XXIV. FAIRACRES IS CLOSED 304 XXV. MYSTERIES AND MASTERIES 315