CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

Esther the Queen

I.

A Life's History

II.

The Game Begins

III.

Out of the Game

IV.

Timothy Wiggett

V.

The Old Love

VI.

The Inevitable

VII.

A Respite

VIII.

An Unexpected Guest

IX.

Likes and Dislikes

X.

A Morning Adventure

XI.

An Evening at Home

XII.

The Truth Comes Out

XIII.

Father and Daughter

XIV.

Third Class

XV.

Connie's Friend

XVI.

At Home

XVII.

Vigils

XVIII.

Philip-Evangelist

XIX.

Struck Down

XX.

The Broken Ladder

XXI.

Prudence and Flirtation

XXII.

Night Watches

XXIII.

Philip's Story

XXIV.

A Defeated Life

XXV.

A Consoler

XXVI.

Esther's Choice

XXVII.

Settled

XXVIII.

Re-considered

XXIX.

The Friends

XXX.

Esther Dropped

XXXI.

The Years

XXXII.

At Home

XXXIII.

A Bad Business

XXXIV.

Street Lamps

XXXV.

An Accident

XXXVI.

Philip's Hurt

XXXVII.

In the Hospital

XXXVIII.

Timothy's Trouble

XXXIX.

A Discussion

XL.

Tactics Triumphant

XLI.

Snowdrops

XLII.

Drifting Apart

XLIII.

Separation

XLIV.

The Meaning of Poverty

XLV.

March Buds

XLVI.

No Answer

XLVII.

To Gravesend

XLVIII.

The Guide-book

XLIX.

Too Late

L.

Bad Tidings

LI.

Love and Loss

LII.

Turned Back

LIII.

Peace after Storm

LIV.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

TO FACE
PAGE

POLLY

TITLE

"THEY SAT IN THE SUNSHINE, WITH A BACKGROUND OF ROSES"

16

"HER LONG, FREE, HAPPY GIRLHOOD WAS OVER"

113

"THERE WAS A GREAT BUYING OF LACE FOR THE BRIDES"

200

"KATE HAD SOFTENED EVEN TO TEARS OVER HER LITTLE NEPHEW"

228

"I ONLY SAID THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT IN THE WAY"

306

"THEY WERE LOOKING OUT TO SEA"

340

"THE SOUND THAT GREETED HER WAS AN UNMISTAKEABLE SOB"

365