



Produced by Annie R. McGuire. This book was produced from
scanned images of public domain material from the Google
Print archive.









[Illustration: Book Cover]




THE GIRL NEXT DOOR




[Illustration: Marcia turned to stare out of the window at the house
opposite]




THE GIRL NEXT DOOR


BY
AUGUSTA HUIELL SEAMAN

Author of "The Sapphire Signet," "The
Boarded-Up House," etc.


ILLUSTRATED BY
C. M. RELYEA


[Illustration]


NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.




Copyright, 1917, by
THE CENTURY CO.




TO
HOA-SIAN-SIN-NIU
(Margaret Gillespie Fagg)

AND TO THE MEMORY OF
HOA-SIAN-SIN
(John Gerardus Fagg, D.D.)

THIS BOOK IS
AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE
      I MARCIA'S SECRET                                                3
     II THE FACE BEHIND THE SHUTTER                                   20
    III THE GATE OPENS                                                32
     IV THE BACKWARD GLANCE                                           43
      V THE HANDKERCHIEF IN THE WINDOW                                54
     VI CECILY REVEALS HERSELF                                        62
    VII SURPRISES ALL AROUND                                          72
   VIII AT THE END OF THE STRING                                      81
     IX FOR THE SAKE OF CECILY                                        94
      X THE FILIGREE BRACELET                                        111
     XI THE LIFTED VEIL                                              119
    XII MISS BENEDICT SPEAKS                                         129
   XIII VIA WIRELESS                                                 141
    XIV THE WRITING ON THE BRACELETS                                 149
     XV PUZZLING IT OUT                                              160
    XVI ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED                                        170
   XVII MAJOR GOODRICH ASSISTS                                       183
  XVIII THE MAJOR HAS A FURTHER INSPIRATION                          192
    XIX THE UNEXPECTED                                               206
     XX AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND                                   227
    XXI SIX MONTHS LATER                                             251




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


                                                                    PAGE
  Marcia turned to stare out of the window at the house
      opposite                                            _Frontispiece_
  Cecily Marlowe passed them by without a look                        49
  They heard Cecily's light footsteps                                 83
  "I'm going to ask Miss Benedict if we can't open these
      shutters," cried Janet, suddenly                               105
  In the sudden light of the open door she stood revealed            125
  "Words on two bracelets are identical," replied Lee Ching,
      precisely                                                      157
  "Child, I suppose you wonder very much at this queer life
      I lead"                                                        171
  "Sydney must have come in again; I hear him practising!"           257




THE GIRL NEXT DOOR




CHAPTER I

MARCIA'S SECRET


"Marcia Brett, do you mean to tell me--"

"Tell you--what?"

"That you've had a secret two whole months and never told me about it
yet? And I'm your _best_ friend!"

"I was waiting till you came to the city, Janet. I wanted to _tell_ you;
I didn't want to _write