A FOREST HEARTH
[Illustration: Publishers symbol]
[Illustration: "HE PRODUCED A SMALL GOLD WATCH WITH THE WORD 'RITA' ENGRAVED UPON THE CASE."]
A Forest Hearth
A ROMANCE OF INDIANA IN THE THIRTIES
BY
CHARLES MAJOR
AUTHOR OF "DOROTHY VERNON OF HADDON HALL," "THE BEARS OF BLUE RIVER," "WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER," ETC.
_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CLYDE O. DELAND_
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD.
1903
_All rights reserved_
COPYRIGHT, 1903,
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up, electrotyped, and published October, 1903.
Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PAGE
I. ON THE HEART OF THE HEARTH 11
II. THE BACHELOR HEART 27
III. THE SYCAMORE DIVAN 45
IV. THE DEBUTANTE 61
V. UNDER THE ELM CANOPY 87
VI. THE FIGHT BY THE RIVER SIDE 107
VII. THE TRIAL 133
VIII. A CHRISTMAS HEARTH LOG 153
IX. DIC LENDS MONEY GRATIS 179
X. THE TOURNAMENT 203
XI. A KISS AND A DUEL 225
XII. THE LOVE POWDER 259
XIII. THE DIMPLER 281
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Forest Hearth: A Romance of Indiana in the Thirt
- 2: Cannot easily find reason to forgive
- 3: Rita was a babe in arms when her father
- 4: If I catch the odor of locust blossoms
- 5: Diccon where on earth his parents got the name
- 6: Dic had another boy friend an old boy
- 7: The girl was wholly satisfied with Dic
- 8: Rita looked at Dic after she spoke
- 9: Had Dic appeared late that evening
- 10: She went straight to see Sukey
- 11: There's one here from Indianapolis
- 12: I do want to write a letter to Dic
- 13: And you are a Maxwelton's braes um um um um
- 14: And Dic was sure she could not
- 15: Why should he take hold of Sukey
- 16: Leaving Dic and Rita to themselves
- 17: And her dread that Dic would speak of them
- 18: And again made a slight movement toward Dic on the log
- 19: The Sukey Yates road was interesting
- 20: Dic was wise in not pursuing the ebb
- 21: The direct road was becoming too smooth for Rita
- 22: Dic had heard the Cincinnati story many times
- 23: She knew Sukey was pretty enough
- 24: He spoke in mock reproof to Dic
- 25: Dic and Rita went out to the porch
- 26: Wetmore was not an ordained minister
- 27: Who happened to be Sukey Yates
- 28: There's your bom i na bell
- 29: Doug would have you know that Doug would drink
- 30: Dic hesitated to accept Sukey's invitation
- 31: When Dic succeeded Sukey as It
- 32: At that unfortunate moment Sukey
- 33: When Dic caught Rita there was one case
- 34: Almost unconscious that Dic was riding beside her
- 35: How many yeses she had for him that night
- 36: Her tempting was of another sort
- 37: Billy Little gave me the thought
- 38: While waiting for Dic to begin
- 39: He loved Dic and Rita with passionate tenderness
- 40: The Hawkinses always have coonskins
- 41: Having as sweet a wife as Rita
- 42: But it can bring no trouble to Dic and Rita
- 43: The Chief Justice turned upon Rita
- 44: Bays pointed to the door and Rita rose
- 45: Dic soon joined in the sweet refrain
- 46: Dic did not neglect Rita's note
- 47: Then Dic lifted the soft little hand to his lips
- 48: When Dic and Doug fell to the ground
- 49: Doug gave Dic an opportunity to throw him off
- 50: Doug Hill and Patsy Clark came up behind us
- 51: How did Dic happen to shoot him
- 52: B betch yur life it was jes' that a way
- 53: Billy left Doug hovering between life and death
- 54: With Doug Hill and Patsy Clark
- 55: In the presence of the defendant Dic Bright
- 56: And Doug he picks up the knife and st starts for Dic
- 57: Rita blushed and looked toward Dic
- 58: Wealth is greater even than boldness with icy dragonesses
- 59: Dic paid no heed to the coldness
- 60: Dic and Rita went to the house
- 61: Dic completed his arrangements with Sampson
- 62: Dic Thereupon she began to weep
- 63: Billy watched Dic ride eastward on the Michigan road
- 64: Bays as a partner in the Indianapolis store
- 65: Fisher said If you can raise three thousand dollars
- 66: Although Rita knew that his boast was not all vain
- 67: When Doug was lying between life and death
- 68: The purtiest girl in all the world
- 69: Linked with her gentleness and beauty
- 70: And sat by Rita on the rocky bench
- 71: But any other man than Dic was a different proposition
- 72: She did not treat him cordially
- 73: Even if it were not for Dic Dic
- 74: Sukey had ridden over to see Rita
- 75: Dic did not mention these small matters
- 76: Forgetting in her confusion to introduce Dic
- 77: When he reached home he found Sukey
- 78: You said Bob Kaster was coming
- 79: Dic thought he had learned to hate Rita
- 80: Early after supper Dic walked over to see Sukey
- 81: She did not doubt that Dic had loved her
- 82: So Dic and Rita took chairs before the fire
- 83: And now she would ask it of Dic
- 84: Rita and Dic did not disturb Mrs
- 85: Neither have I ever been beholden to any one
- 86: For these reasons Dic was tolerated
- 87: Dic had offered to drive one team
- 88: For the chariot of Phoebus would have been a poor
- 89: But rebelled when Dic was attacked
- 90: Said If Dic goes to the inn
- 91: Tom lied about the Tousy girls
- 92: After supper Dic insisted that Mrs
- 93: Dic saddled his horse and started home
- 94: When persons agree as do Rita and I
- 95: And you released me to another
- 96: He had an office at Indianapolis
- 97: The eldest of the Tousy brood was
- 98: Her heart was full of the spring and Dic
- 99: Returning home from his visits to Sukey
- 100: Your father will soon pay Dic his money
- 101: You should remain away from Sukey
- 102: And Dic did not go to New York
- 103: Rita had treated Williams with quiet civility
- 104: Rita want you of all the world
- 105: She could not think coherently
- 106: Was to tell Dic of the ravaged kiss
- 107: Dic tried to conceal all traces of resentment
- 108: After a few moments of silence Dic said
- 109: But Dic interrupted the proceeding
- 110: Dic was sitting upright where he had fallen
- 111: By the time the tourniquet was adjusted
- 112: She tried no such coquetry with Dic
- 113: Sukey paid a visit to her friend Rita
- 114: And pleasures which would befall Sukey
- 115: Next day Sukey asked Tom to drive her to the gypsy camp
- 116: After a long pause Dic spoke I believe you are right
- 117: But that man Schwitzer was an artist
- 118: World pervading humbugs are masculine
- 119: Dic remained upon his knees by the bedside
- 120: Soon Rita asked that two pillows be placed under her head
- 121: Turning upon Rita with an indignant
- 122: Miss Tousy had noted Dic's qualities on previous occasions
- 123: And Miss Tousy gave him her sympathy
- 124: Brummel's haberdasher Brummel knew the best places
- 125: Dic and Billy walked down to Bays's with Miss Tousy
- 126: Miss Tousy tells me the fever has left her
- 127: When Dic was a boy he lost his father
- 128: Dic rushed upon the terrible little fellow
- 129: The dimpler is trying to take you from Rita
- 130: There was no immodest exposure
- 131: Which kind Miss Tousy delivered
- 132: Sukey is a veritable little Eve
- 133: If you wish to throw Dic over and marry Williams
- 134: And returned to see Miss Tousy
- 135: Miss Tousy whistled in surprise
- 136: Miss Tousy softly kissed her and said Well
- 137: Was clamoring for money to make good the overdraft
- 138: But Williams was staring Rita in the face
- 139: Miss Tousy watched him as he stood before her
- 140: She would go and would never speak to Miss Tousy again
- 141: Breathing heavily and leaning toward Dic
- 142: Miss Tousy laughed and asked Through what
- 143: But she knew the unfortunate girl loved Dic
- 144: Dic told him all that had happened in Miss Tousy's parlor
- 145: And this poor little dimpler I'm sorry
- 146: If Rita wasn't the most selfish
- 147: And Rita feared she had killed her parent
- 148: Rita you know how dearly I love you
- 149: And Rita went into the sitting room
- 150: Con Gagen and Mike Doles got it all
- 151: Has been renewed for sixty days
- 152: So she and Miss Tousy went to Rita's door and knocked
- 153: And the pair started up Blue to awaken Dic
- 154: And shaking hands with Dic and Mrs
- 155: 'The Mettle of the Pasture' is a novel of greatness
- 156: And put to work drawing sledges
- 157: 50This striking title is perfectly descriptive of the book
- 158: 50This is a remarkable group of stories by a new writer
- 159: Meanwhile Arundel is married to Bevill