



Produced by Al Haines










[Illustration: Cover art]




[Frontispiece: "She was aware instantly that the strangers were
speaking of her"]




THE LADY EVELYN

_A Story of To-day_



By

MAX PEMBERTON

_Author of "The Hundred Days," "Doctor Xavier," "A Gentleman's
Gentleman," "A Puritan's Wife," Etc._



New York

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY

Publishers




_Copyright 1906 by Max Pemberton_

_Entered at Stationers' Hall_

_All rights reserved_




CONTENTS


BOOK I.--THE ESCAPADE.

CHAPTER

  Prologue. The Face in the River
         I. A Telegram to Bukharest
        II. Etta Romney is Presented
       III. Success and Afterwards
        IV. Two Personalities
         V. The Letter
        VI. Strangers in the House
       VII. The Nonagenarian
      VIII. Lady Evelyn Returns
        IX. The Third Earl of Melbourne
         X. The Accident Upon the Road
        XI. A Race for Life
       XII. The Unspoken Accusation
      XIII. The Interview
       XIV. Inheritance
        XV. The Price of Salvation
       XVI. A Game of Golf


BOOK II.--THE ENGLISHMAN.

      XVII. Gavin Ord Begins His Work
     XVIII. A Duel over the Teacups
       XIX. From the Belfry Tower
        XX. Lovers
       XXI. Zallony's Son
      XXII. A Spy from Bukharest


BOOK III.--THE LIGHT.

     XXIII. Bukharest
      XXIV. The Price Of Wisdom
       XXV. The House Above the Torrent
      XXVI. Through a Woman's Heart
     XXVII. Etta Romney's Return
    XXVIII. The Impresario's Prayer
      XXIX. The Prisoners at Setchevo
       XXX. There is no News of Gavin Ord
      XXXI. The House at Hampstead
     XXXII. A Shot in the Hills
    XXXIII. Djala
     XXXIV. The Shadow of the River
  Epilogue. The Doctor Drinks a Toast




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


"She was aware instantly that the strangers were
  speaking of her" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _Frontispiece_

"Oh, please let me go; your hands hurt me"

"As you came in folly, so shall you go----"

"Evelyn, beloved, I am here as you wish"




[Illustration: (Facsimile Page of Manuscript from THE LADY EVELYN)]




THE LADY EVELYN


PROLOGUE

THE FACE IN THE RIVER

The porter did not know; the station-master was not sure; but both were
agreed that it was a "good step to the 'all"--by which they signified
the Derbyshire mansion of the third Earl of Melbourne.

"Might be you'd get a cab, might be you wouldn't," said the porter
somewhat loftily--for here was a passenger who had spoken of walking
over: "that'll depend on Jacob Price and the beer he's drunk this
night.  Some nights he can drive a man and some nights he can't.  I'm
not here to speak for him more than any other."

The station-master, who had been giving the whole weight of his
intelligence to a brown paper parcel with no address upon it, here
chimed in to ask a question in that patronizing manner peculiar to
station-masters.

"Did his lordship expect you, sir?" he asked with some emphasis; as
though, had it been the case, he certainly should have been informed of
it.  The reply found him all civility.

"I should have been here by the train arriving at half-past six," said
Gavin Ord, the passenger in question--"it is my fault, certainly.  No
doubt, they sent to meet me----"

"The brown shay and a pair of 'osses stood in the yard more'n an hour,"
exclaimed the porter with just reproach.  "I'll tell Mr. Jacob.  He
knows his betters when he sees him, drunk or sober----"

"Thank you," said Gavin quietly, "but I will not put his knowledge to
the proof.  After all, it's only five miles, you say----"

"And a public-house at Moretown if the dust sticks in your throat.
You'll do better walking than up alongside old Jacob at this time of
night, sir----"

"Had we known that his lordship expected a guest, we'd have answered
for a carriage," added the station-master, still apologetically.

The tall, fair-haired Englishman perplexed him.  He hardly knew whether
he addressed a Duke or a commoner.  The voice and manner suggested the
former; the intention to walk spoke of a vulgar habit rather befitting
his lordship's curate than the honored guest of Melbourne Hall.  Gavin
Ord, upon his part, perhaps, delighted in perplexing people.  He quite
understood the kind of curiosity he had aroused; and, refusing to
gratify it, he snatched up a light dressing bag; and leaving directions
for his heavier luggage to be