Chapter 16

"I told him he little suspected who I was," said Madeleine, with what might have been termed a giggle in one less highly placed; "but these confident Scots think they know everything. Indeed, it is all your own fault, father, in keeping me practically a prisoner, when the whole castle is throbbing with joy and festivity." Then the irrepressible princess buried her flushed face in her hands, and laughed and laughed, as if this were the most irresistible comedy in the world, instead of a grave affair of state, until at last the two monarchs were forced to laugh in sympathy.

"I could not wish her a braver husband," said Francis at last. "I see she has bewitched you as is her habit with all of us."

And thus it came about that James the Fifth of Scotland married the fair Madeleine of France.

THE END

By A. Conan Doyle

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

A Sherlock Holmes Novel

Illustrated by Sidney Paget

_The London Chronicle_, in a review headed

"THE ZENITH OF SHERLOCK HOLMES,"

says:

"We should like to pay Dr. Doyle the highest compliment at our command. It is not simply that this book is superior in originality and construction to the earlier adventures of the great detective. Dr. Doyle has provided a criminal who, as Mr. Holmes admits, is indeed a foeman worthy of his steel.[A] Hitherto he has found it comparatively easy to unmask his antagonists. But in the present case he finds himself checkmated again and again. There is pitted against him a skill nearly equal to his own, and he wins the game almost by a hair."

[Footnote A: "I tell you, Watson, this time we have a foeman who is worthy of our steel."--_Sherlock Holmes._]

$1.25

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By George Douglas

THE HOUSE WITH THE GREEN SHUTTERS

The first novel of a new master. The work has gained wide-spread recognition on both sides of the water. Three of the most conservative and authoritative publications in England include it among the first twelve of the year. In this country _Harper's Weekly_ gives it as one of the two most interesting novels of the year.

_The critics differ as to with what other master George Douglas should be compared:_

_The London Times_ says: "Worthy of the hand that drew 'Weir of Hermiston,'" and that "Balzac and Flaubert, had they been Scotch, would have written such a book."

_The Spectator:_ "His masters are Zola and Balzac, but there are few traces of the novice and none of the imitator."

_Vanity Fair:_ "It moves to its end with all the terrible unity of an Æschylean tragedy."

_Harper's Weekly:_ "If Thomas Hardy had written of Scotland, instead of Wessex, it would have been something like 'The House with the Green Shutters'.... If any man is his (Douglas') master it is Thomas Hardy."

Hardy, Stevenson, Zola, Flaubert, Balzac, and Æschylus.

Eighth Edition. $1.50.

McClure, Phillips & Co.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors; otherwise, every effort has been made to remain true to the author's words and intent.