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THE SCARLET FEATHER




[Illustration: THERE WAS SOMETHING MAGNETIC ABOUT THIS MAN WHOM SHE
FEARED AND TRIED TO HATE.--Page 201]




  THE SCARLET FEATHER

  BY
  HOUGHTON TOWNLEY

  Author of
  "The Bishop's Emeralds"

  ILLUSTRATIONS BY
  WILL GREFE

  NEW YORK
  GROSSET & DUNLAP
  PUBLISHERS




  COPYRIGHT, 1909 BY
  W. J. WATT & COMPANY

  _Published June, 1909_




CONTENTS

  CHAPTER                                         PAGE
        I  The Sheriff's Writ                        9
       II  The Check                                21
      III  The Dinner at the Club                   33
       IV  Dora Dundas                              39
        V  Debts                                    50
       VI  A Kinship Something Less Than Kind       66
      VII  Good-bye                                 82
     VIII  A Tiresome Patient                       89
       IX  Herresford is Told                       93
        X  Hearts Ache and Ache Yet Do Not Break   102
       XI  A House of Sorrow                       117
      XII  A Difficult Position                    125
     XIII  Dick's Heroism                          135
      XIV  Mrs. Swinton Confesses                  147
       XV  Colonel Dundas Speaks His Mind          168
      XVI  Mr. Trimmer Comes Home                  173
     XVII  Mrs. Swinton Goes Home                  190
    XVIII  A Second Proposal                       195
      XIX  An Unexpected Telegram                  204
       XX  The Wedding Day Arranged                221
      XXI  Dick's Return                           226
     XXII  The Blight of Fear                      237
    XXIII  Dora Sees Herresford                    249
     XXIV  Dick Explains to Dora                   262
      XXV  Tracked                                 280
     XXVI  Mrs. Swinton Hears the Truth            288
    XXVII  Ormsby Refuses                          297
   XXVIII  The Will                                307
     XXIX  A Public Confession                     320
      XXX  Flight                                  333
     XXXI  Dora Decides                            340
    XXXII  Home Again                              348
   XXXIII  The Scarlet Feather                     353




THE SCARLET FEATHER




THE SCARLET FEATHER


CHAPTER I

THE SHERIFF'S WRIT


The residence of the Reverend John Swinton was on Riverside Drive,
although the parish of which he was the rector lay miles away, down in
the heart of the East Side. It was thus that he compromised between his
own burning desire to aid in the cleansing of the city's slums and the
social aspirations of his wife. The house stood on a corner, within
grounds of its own, at the back of which were the stables and the
carriage-house. A driveway and a spacious walk led to the front of the
mansion; from the side street, a narrow path reached to the rear
entrance.

A visitor to-night chose this latter humble manner of approach, for the
simple reason that this part of the grounds lay unlighted, and he hoped,
therefore, to pass unobserved through the shadows. The warm, red light
that streamed from an uncurtained French window on the ground floor only
deepened the uncertainty of everything. The man stepped warily, closing
the gate behind him with stealthy care, and crept forward on tiptoe to
lessen the sound of the crunching gravel beneath his heavy shoes. It was
an undignified entry for an officer of the law who carried his
authorization in his hand; but courage was not this man's strong point.
His fear was lest he should meet tall, stalwart Dick Swinton, who, on a
previous occasion of a similar character, had forcibly resented what he
deemed an unwarrantable intrusion on the part of a shabby rascal. The
uncurtained window now attracted the attention of the sheriff's officer,
and he peered in. It was the rector's study.

The rector himself was seated with his back toward the window, at his
desk, upon which were piled account-books and papers in hopeless
confusion. A shaded lamp stood upon the centre of the table, and threw a
circle of light which included the clergyman's silver-gray hair, his
books, and a figure by the fireside--a handsome woman resplendent in
jewels and wearing a low-cut, white evening gown--Mary Swinton, the
rector's wife. The room was paneled, and the shadows were deep, relieved
by the glint of gilt on the bindings of the books that filled the shelves
on the three sides. The fireplace was surmounted by a carved mantel, upon
which stood two gilt candelabra and a black statuette. The walls were
burdened by scarce a single picture, and the red curtains at the windows
were only half-drawn. On looking in, the impression given was one of
luxury and of artistic refinement, an ideal room for a winter's night, a
place for retirement, peace and repose.

Mrs. Swinton sat in her own particular chair by the fireside--a most
comfortable tub of a chair--and reclined with her feet outstretched upon
a stool, smoking a cigarette. Her graceful head was thrown back, and, as
she toyed with the cigarette, displaying the arm of a girl and a figure
slim and youthful, it was difficult to believe that this woman could be
the mother of a grown son and daughter. Her brown hair, which had a glint
of gold in it, was carefully dressed, and crowned with a thin circlet of
diamonds. Her sh