A TRAITOR'S WOOING
By
HEADON HILL
_Author of "Her Splendid Sin," "The Hidden Victim," "A Race with Ruin," etc. etc._
ILLUSTRATED
LONDON
WARD LOCK & CO. LTD
1909
[Illustration: "'Is that all you have to say to me?' asked Violet quietly."
(Page 168)
_A Traitor's Wooing_] [_Frontispiece_]
_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._
THE AVENGERS.
THE TRIBUNE.--Mr. Headon Hill's new book, "The Avengers," has not a dull line, and one's pulse is kept on the jig all the time. He deserves the highest admiration for the consistent way in which he has avoided the slightest suspicion of probability.
THE LIVERPOOL COURIER.--We can strongly recommend the story. It is one of the best things Mr. Hill has done.
THE DUNDEE ADVERTISER.--"The Avengers" maintains the highest reputation of Mr. Headon Hill as a novelist. The story is crowded with incident, and, unlike many novels of its class, commands the closest interest of the reader from start to finish.
MILLIONS OF MISCHIEF.
THE GLOBE.--Ingenuity could no further go; and besides its ingenuity the story can boast of some clever and effective writing.
THE STAGE.--Not even the late Guy Boothby imagined anything more magnificently preposterous than the motive of Mr. Headon Hill's "Millions of Mischief."
MORNING LEADER.--Mr. Hill has woven a clever and dramatic plot. He has seldom put greater finish into his work, and the result is a striking and vigorous book.
HER SPLENDID SIN.
THE PERTHSHIRE COURIER.--Headon Hill is a master hand at devising and unravelling mysteries. He always gives us good reading with plenty of thrilling incident. He has never told an intensely absorbing story with more dramatic directness than this one. The story is admirably written, the interest never flagging.
THE NORTHERN WHIG.--Her Splendid Sin stands for sensationalism of a decidedly striking sort. The novel is written with vigour and is based on ideas which go to the making of a rattling good story.
THE DUNDEE COURIER.--The reader is hurried breathless from one exciting situation to another, till in the end the nefarious schemes of a syndicate of villains are checkmated, and virtue is rewarded. The book is written in the author's best style.
UNMASKED AT LAST.
THE MORNING LEADER.--Mr. Headon Hill is a past master of thrills and, like Mr. Holmes, causes us almost to believe that the most innocent professions are really dangerous.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLD.--The various sensations are very cleverly devised and Mr. Headon Hill knows how to hold one's attention. The motor car race, which is the closing episode of a well conceived plot, is full of sport, from start to finish.
THE LIVERPOOL COURIER.--The Author has never told an intensely absorbing story with more dramatic directness, and none who once dip into its pages can lay it down willingly until the last chapter has been read.
A RACE WITH RUIN.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Traitor's Wooing by Headon Hill
- 2: A fine story of blackmail and plotting
- 3: Travers Nugent whispered to his companion
- 4: Travers Nugent lived upon his wits
- 5: But that brandy has steadied me for a better way
- 6: Now the project which the Maharajah of Sindkhote
- 7: You are sure of this fellow Chermside
- 8: I can understand his annoyance
- 9: Demanded Reggie Beauchamp with persistent interest
- 10: Leslie Chermside made no reply
- 11: Chermside had set out on his despicable mission
- 12: The genial peer who had recently inherited the Manor
- 13: Chermside raised his hat as he drew near
- 14: Maynard was at the hall door in the act of welcoming Nugent
- 15: And Chermside drew Nugent aside
- 16: The onion seller is a compatriot of his inamorata
- 17: I thoroughly understand Miss Dymmock
- 18: Were proud of their Travers Nugent
- 19: Inquire for a man named Pierre Legros
- 20: Only don't relax your efforts with Chermside
- 21: Travers Nugent vouchsafed in reply
- 22: Enid followed the direction of his pointing finger
- 23: Replied Reggie Beauchamp carelessly
- 24: He seemed a decent sort of chap
- 25: Mallory is prejudiced against Chermside
- 26: Then I presume that you found Levison amenable to reason
- 27: Stealing a glance at Leslie Chermside
- 28: By the advice and introduction of Travers Nugent
- 29: Annexed Enid Mallory as his partner for the afternoon
- 30: Asked Reggie as the train disappeared round a curve
- 31: Mallory pottered about by himself
- 32: Mallory's eyes sought and found Leslie Chermside
- 33: It is on that point that I want Beauchamp to corroborate me
- 34: By Jove But Reggie pulled himself up all short
- 35: Levison had held out glittering prospects
- 36: The fair Louise lifted her hands in genuine horror
- 37: Will you favour me with a description of Pierre Legros
- 38: The widow of the late Admiral Beauchamp
- 39: Reggie had not invited Enid into the house
- 40: She had played tennis with Leslie Chermside
- 41: Leslie Chermside was then called and sworn
- 42: The foreman wagged a minatory finger at Reggie Beauchamp
- 43: Turned with an engaging smile to the coroner
- 44: Leslie knocked the ashes out of his pipe
- 45: Leslie suffered the most exquisite torture
- 46: Who had admitted having business relations with Levi Levison
- 47: It is not Pierre Legros that I suspect
- 48: Is in love with my with Miss Maynard
- 49: Chermside has the command of vast resources
- 50: And coming back to where Legros was standing
- 51: He replied as he joined Nugent
- 52: Nugent observed with cynical satisfaction
- 53: But Nugent evidently knew his man
- 54: Exclaimed Travers Nugent fervently
- 55: Nugent must be given to exaggeration
- 56: Maynard and Violet into the hall to speed the parting guest
- 57: Why are you unworthy to marry my niece
- 58: And he meekly followed Nugent into the club
- 59: But Nugent had been shaken in that belief
- 60: If she had been confided in by Levison
- 61: Travers Nugent rose with a sigh of unaffected relief
- 62: Mallory was bending over the table
- 63: And it is my belief that Chermside
- 64: And the disclosure of Chermside by the searchlight
- 65: Be he Chermside or any one else
- 66: Violet with difficulty repressed a smile
- 67: Nugent should not have interfered
- 68: Nugent and Chermside arrived together
- 69: I was not charging Chermside with murder
- 70: And have advised her to rectify the omission without delay
- 71: I had an appointment to meet Levison
- 72: At dinner Chermside was silent and preoccupied
- 73: When Enid came opposite this gate
- 74: Travers Nugent was beautifully kept
- 75: Miss Dymmock is in the drawing room
- 76: That ineffable idiot Chermside had
- 77: Violet made a hopeless gesture
- 78: CHAPTER XIXTHE SLEEPING SNAKE Captain Brant
- 79: Cheeseman hastened to assure him
- 80: Brant tore it into little pieces
- 81: You don't mean to put me ashore
- 82: Brant bowed with a mock solemnity
- 83: Write Miss Maynard a letter if you like
- 84: Why did you blurt that out before Chermside
- 85: And Nugent returned to the library
- 86: The teuf teuf of a motor car was heard
- 87: But to merely leave it on latch
- 88: Nugent demanded of him angrily
- 89: Nugent turned impetuously to Violet
- 90: Tuke taking the path to the lower end of the town
- 91: Brant met him as he stepped aboard
- 92: Miss Nettle Jimpson uttered a short laugh
- 93: That's what gave me the elopement notion
- 94: For it was the voice of Violet Maynard
- 95: Running the whole breadth of the grotto
- 96: Enid shrank back a little as the figure rose slowly
- 97: Legros became more intelligible
- 98: Legros peered up at the little window
- 99: Enid prepared to mount the kegs
- 100: Violet heard him mutter under his breath
- 101: This yacht is the property of the Maharajah of Sindkhote
- 102: Chermside who attacked the crew of the launch just now
- 103: Brant had referred to him as a turncoat
- 104: Miss Jimpson refused to be drawn at present
- 105: Chermside was only stunned and that he was coming to
- 106: Nettle Jimpson's presence of mind
- 107: In the grey of dawn Nettle went out on to the upper deck
- 108: Mallory had no great liking for the dismal Lazarus
- 109: Mallory could not resist the interruption
- 110: Mallory contrived to keep the curb on himself
- 111: Mallory came to a halt under a street lamp
- 112: You old silly Enid Mallory at Ottermouth
- 113: Allowing for Enid's fondness for exaggerated phrasing
- 114: Or clout the helmsman over the head
- 115: The fact that she was being pursued by the destroyer
- 116: That's Nettle Jimpson all over
- 117: In either case he meant to throw the blame on Tuke
- 118: And Sinnett were his accomplices rather than his tools
- 119: Using Chermside in some unexplained manner
- 120: Round the corner of the screen came Pierre Legros
- 121: And Pierre Legros is not cruel
- 122: For in less than three minutes Sinnett reappeared
- 123: Brant and Cheeseman are tearing their hair with rage
- 124: Find a pistol and shoot Brant and the mate
- 125: The skylight over the engine room
- 126: And at the foot of the bridge stairs met Cheeseman
- 127: Legros and myself the other night
- 128: All that transpired at the adjourned inquest on Levison
- 129: As well as finishing up Levison
- 130: 'sPOPULAR FICTION STANLEY WEYMANMY LADY ROTHA
- 131: Written with cleverness and charm
- 132: PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM continued
- 133: PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM continued
- 134: One of the best novels of the season
- 135: HAROLD BINDLOSSTHE LIBERATIONIST 6s
- 136: Adventure and hairbreadth escapes abound
- 137: Boothby may be said to have topped popularity's pole
- 138: Boothby is not excelled by any novelist of the day
- 139: Marchmont is at his best in this tale
- 140: Hocking of a considerable gift of humour
- 141: Miss Moberly interests us so much in heroine
- 142: Marie connor leightonsealed lips
