Produced by Charles Bowen from page scans provided by Google Books (The New York Public Library) Page Scan Source: Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=DMgdAAAAMAAJ&pg (The New York Public Library) [Illustration: frontcover] THE NETHER MILLSTONE [Illustration: She came slowly down the steps and stood between the two men (Page 32.) _Frontispiece_] THE NETHER MILLSTONE BY FRED M. WHITE AUTHOR OF "THE SLAVE OF SILENCE," "THE CRIMSON BLIND," "THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN," ETC. _ILLUSTRATED_ BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1907 Copyright, 1905, By WARD, LOCK, AND COMPANY. Copyright, 1907, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. --------------------- _All Rights Reserved_ Published September 1907 Printers S. J. Parkhill & Co., Boston, U.S.A. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. "The Caste of Vere de Vere." II. Dashwood Hall. III. Horace Mayfield. IV. A Leaf from the Past. V. The Sacrifice. VI. A Cruel Misunderstanding. VII. The Only Way. VIII. Found! IX. The Parting Guest. X. Skin Deep. XI. The Dowager Lady Dashwood. XII. Lady Dashwood Sees a Ghost. XIII. Desecration! XIV. A Fierce Temptation. XV. Not Quite Too Late. XVI. The Unfinished Word. XVII. Breathing Time. XVIII. A Flaming Sword. XIX. A Guardian Angel. XX. Half Told. XXI. Vincent Dashwood. XXII. Who Did It? XXIII. The Silver Clue. XXIV. A Fresh Calamity. XXV. Pride or Prejudice. XXVI. In Reckless Mood. XXVII. A Warning. XXVIII. Moral Force. XXIX. Strategy. XXX. The Heir of the House. XXXI. Under Which Lord? XXXII. Must This Thing Be? XXXIII. A Rebel Against Fate. XXXIV. Mistress Of Herself. XXXV. A Friend in Need. XXXVI. Connie Colam. XXXVII. The Unexpected Happens. XXXVIII. The Mystery Deepens. XXXIX. Homeless. XL. In Peril. XLI. The Lesson of Adversity. XLII. The Courage of Despair. XLIII. Getting Nearer. XLIV. The Dreary Way. XLV. The Walls of Pride. XLVI. The Head of the House. XLVII. "How Long, How Long!" XLVIII. Face To Face! XLIX. A Bolt From the Blue. L. Hard Put To It. LI. Cold Comfort. LII. The Spider's Web. LIII. The Web Tightens. LIV. "Eyes Clearer Grown----" LV. Not Dead. LVI. Found! LVII. A Clean Breast Of It. LVIII. "The King is Dead--" LIX. "Long Live the King!" LX. Open Confession. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _Page_ 32 (_Frontispiece_). "She came slowly down the steps and stood between the two men." _Page_ 15. "She playfully asked him not to be too long." _Page_ 272. "Under the shade of a tree Mary laid down and closed her weary eyes." _Page_ 397. "He had Mary's hand in his." THE NETHER MILLSTONE CHAPTER I. "THE CASTE OF VERE DE VERE"