



Produced by Darleen Dove, Shannon Barker, Matthew Wheaton
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    A MERE CHANCE.

    A NOVEL.

    BY ADA CAMBRIDGE,


    AUTHOR OF "IN TWO YEARS TIME," &c.

    IN THREE VOLUMES.

    VOL. II.


    LONDON:
    RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON,
    Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen,
    NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
    1882.
    _Right of Translation Reserved._




    CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.


    CHAPTER

       I.--Another Rash Promise
      II.--The Beginning of Troubles
     III.--"Where there was never Need of Vows."
      IV.--After the Ball
       V.--Rachel's First Visit in Melbourne
      VI.--In Mrs. Hardy's Store-room
     VII.--"He Has Come Back"
    VIII.--"The Light that never was on Sea or Land"
      IX.--Eleven p.m.
       X.--Mrs. Reade's Advice
      XI.--Until Christmas
     XII.--"The Ground-Whirl of the Perished Leaves of Hope"
    XIII.--Rachel on the Philosophy of Marriage




A MERE CHANCE.




CHAPTER I.

ANOTHER RASH PROMISE.


Mr. Kingston, as soon as he received Mrs. Thornley's invitation, sent a
telegram to her nearest post-town, to tell her he would start for
Adelonga on the following day, and await at the inn where he left the
railway the buggy she was kind enough to say should be sent to meet him.

There was much amusement at Adelonga over this unwonted promptitude on
the part of an idle and self-indulgent man, who had never been known to
hurry himself