E-text prepared by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh, Mary Meehan,
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A VANISHED HAND
BY SARAH DOUDNEY
AUTHOR OF "WHERE THE DEW FALLS IN LONDON," ETC. ETC.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
London
JAMES NISBET & CO., LIMITED
21 BERNERS STREET
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press
SHE PUT THE ROLL OF PAPER INTO HIS HAND
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. IN A BACK ROOM
CHAPTER II. WHAT WAS WRITTEN
CHAPTER III. TAKING COUNSEL
CHAPTER IV. MRS. TRYON
CHAPTER V. MRS. BEATON
CHAPTER VI. HAROLD AND META
CHAPTER VII. MRS. PENN
CHAPTER VIII. LOOKING AT PICTURES
CHAPTER IX. MEETINGS
CHAPTER X. LONELINESS
CHAPTER XI. MRS. VERDON
CHAPTER XII. HIS FIRST VISIT
CHAPTER XIII. IN PORTMAN SQUARE
CHAPTER XIV. RUSHBROOK
CHAPTER XV. WAYNE'S COURT
CHAPTER XVI. GOING TO CHURCH
CHAPTER XVII. THE PICNIC
CHAPTER XVIII. THE ISLAND
CHAPTER XIX. CONCLUSION
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
SHE PUT THE ROLL OF PAPER INTO HIS HAND
"IT WAS A GOOD SPOT FOR A REVERIE."
A VANISHED HAND
CHAPTER I
IN A BACK ROOM
One drink life's rue, and one its wine,
And God shall make the balance good."
Elsie Kilner had a battle to fight, and it must be fought after her ownfashion. It was the kind of battle which is fought every day and everyhour; but the battlefield is always a silent place, and there is neitherbroken weapon nor crimson stain to tell us where the strife has been.
Elsie's battle was fought in a back room in All Saints' Street on anafternoon in March. It was not a gloomy room; although the window lookedout upon walls and roofs and