E-text prepared by Al Haines
Transcriber's note:
The name "Lena" appears several times in this book.
In the original book, the "e" in "Lena" was e-macron.
THE PATH TO HONOUR
by
SYDNEY C. GRIER
Author of
'The Power of the Keys,' 'A Young Man Married,'
Etc., Etc.
William Blackwood and SonsEdinburgh and London1909
* * * * * *
NOVELS by SYDNEY C. GRIER
Modern East Series.
The Advanced Guard
His Excellency's English Governess
Peace with Honour
The Warden of the Marches
Balkan Series.
An Uncrowned King
A Crowned Queen
The Kings of the East
The Prince of Captivity
Indian Historical Series.
In Furthest Ind
Like Another Helen
The Great Proconsul
Balkan Series. II.
The Heir
The Heritage
The Power of the Keys
A Young Man Married
Edited by Sydney C. Grier
The Letters of Warren Hastings to his Wife.
* * * * * *
CONTENTS.
CHAP.
I. "IF IT BE A SIN TO COVET HONOUR——" II. HER SIDE OF THE CASE III. THE OLD ORDER AND THE NEW IV. "A-HUNTING WE WILL GO" V. GERRARD FINDS FAVOUR VI. THE CROWNING PROOF VII. ON GUARD VIII. THE SUPERFLUOUS CHARTERIS IX. IN SLIPPERY PLACES X. THE DOOR IS SHUT XI. MURDER MOST FOUL XII. THE ONE WHO WAS TAKEN XIII. THE ONE WHO WAS LEFT XIV. THE IDEAL AND THE REAL XV. MUTTERINGS OF THE STORM XVI. THE MILD CONCERNS OF ORDINARY LIFE XVII. THE ISSUES OF AN AWFUL MOMENT XVIII. THE CAMPAIGN OF VENGEANCE XIX. AS OTHERS SEE US XX. A DAY OF VICTORY XXI. FAINT HEART AND FAIR LADY XXII. THE TRIUMPH OF THE DEAD XXIII. RUN TO EARTH XXIV. HONOUR AND HONOURS
THE PATH TO HONOUR.
CHAPTER I.
"IF IT BE A SIN TO COVET HONOUR——"
The time was towards the close of the 'forties of the nineteenthcentury, and the place the city of Ranjitgarh, capital of the greatnative state of Granthistan, which was not yet a British possession,but well on the way to becoming one. This ultimate destiny wasentirely undesired by the powers that were, who had just appointedColonel Edmund Antony—a fanatical upholder of native rights, accordingto his enemies—as British Resident and protector of the infant princeoccupying the uneasy throne. The task of regenerating Granthi societyfrom the top, much against its will, and welding its discordantelements into a peaceful, prosperous, and contented buffer state (thething was known, though not as yet the name) against encroachingEthiopia on the north, promised to be no easy one, but Colonel Antonywas undertaking it confidently, with the support of two or three of hisbrothers and a picked band of assistants drawn from the army and CivilService. That moral suasion might be duly backed up by physical force,ten thousand B