Produced by Al Haines

[Illustration: Cover art]

[Frontispiece: "Debora! What is it? What hath come to thee?"]

[Illustration: title page art]

A MAID

OF

MANY

MOODS

_By_ VIRNA SHEARD

Toronto, THE COPP, CLARK COMPANY, Ltd. MCMII

Copyright, 1902, By James Pott & Co.

Entered at Stationers' Hall, London

_First Impression, September, 1902_

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"Debora! What is it? What hath come to thee?" . . . _Frontispiece_

"Thou'lt light no more"

She followed the tragedy intensely

"I liked thee as a girl, Deb; but I love thee as a lad"

"It breaks my heart to see thee here, Nick"

Darby went lightly from one London topic to another

CHAPTER I

[Illustration: Chapter I headpiece]

I

It was Christmas Eve, and all the small diamond window panes of One Tree Inn, the half-way house upon the road from Stratford to Shottery, were aglitter with light from the great fire in the front room chimney-place and from the many candles Mistress Debora had set in their brass candlesticks and started a-burning herself. The place, usually so dark and quiet at this time of night, seemed to have gone off in a whirligig of gaiety to celebrate the Noel-tide.

In vain had old Marjorie, the housekeeper, scolded. In vain had Master Thornbury, who was of a thrifty and saving nature, followed his daughter about and expostulated. She only laughed and waved the lighted end of the long spill around his broad red face and bright flowered jerkin.

"Nay, Dad!" she had cried, teasing him thus, "I'll help thee save thy pennies to-morrow, but to-night I'm of another mind, and will have such a lighting up in One Tree Inn the rustics will come running from Coventry to see if it be really ablaze. There'll not be a candle in any room whatever without its own little feather of fire, not a dip in the kitchen left dark! So just save thy breath to blow them out later."

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A Maid of Many Moods by Virna Sheard
• 2: John Sevenoakes and old Ned Saddler
• 3: Sevenoakes just where he be now
• 4: I sent quickly for Mother Durley
• 5: 'Twas like Thornbury to grandfather a stray infant now
• 6: Thornbury bent his head to listen
• 7: Breaking away from Debora and Berwick
• 8: Neither is old Ned Saddler or dear John Sevenoakes
• 9: Thou had'st best stick to caudles an' small beer
• 10: That they fell to talking of London
• 11: An' did'st keep pace with Darby page for page
• 12: For he was sorely spoilt by Debora
• 13: At least that was the way it felt to Debora Thornbury
• 14: Hast forgotten Nonsuch House on London Bridge
• 15: An' Dick Burbage himself hath the leading part
• 16: Darby knit his brows and answered nothing
• 17: We have a Romeo who might turn any maid's heart and head
• 18: Darby doth lose himself in it as if 'twere a maze
• 19: And Debora was waiting for Darby
• 20: But 'twas the only way Darby would hear of
• 21: 'twill do Thornbury no harm to find thee gone
• 22: One of which was anger against Darby
• 23: Debora went up the narrow stairs with eyes ashine
• 24: Debora took no heed but stared ahead with wide
• 25: And 'twas sweet and peaceful away there in Shottery
• 26: CHAPTER VI VIWhen Debora awoke
• 27: In her own room Debora made quick work of changing her dress
• 28: But where gottest thou the beefsteak
• 29: Shortly Mistress Blossom came bustling in
• 30: I would have thee go with me to Blackfriars
• 31: Debora would have had a physician
• 32: Blackfriars was filled that March afternoon
• 33: Debora must have changed her costume swiftly
• 34: Debora shook her head in a wilful fashion of her own
• 35: Debora fixed her eyes on him soberly
• 36: Don Sherwood is probably one Dorien Sherwood North
• 37: He lov'th me but he lov'th Darby Thornbury better
• 38: Debora gave a little laugh short and hard
• 39: I will serve thee in any way thou dost desire
• 40: 'Twas the players' night at 'The Mermaid
• 41: And struck Berwick full i' the throat
• 42: That thou wilt return on the morrow to Shottery
• 43: He hath brought his cousin Dorien North with him
• 44: But last night Nicholas Berwick was sorely wounded by thee
• 45: Then Don Sherwood drew Debora to him
• 46: And doth lead Deb into half her pranks
• 47: Dorien Peace and goodwill to men