Dorothy Harcourt's secret

As soon as the three alighted, a man from the livery stable, who had been engaged to meet them at that hour, mounted the box to take the conveyance home; but not before he had r...

The earth was as heavily burdened with sorrow that night as all nights. There were men and women and children starving, freezing, perishing, in garrets, in cellars, and in the s...

“Well, then, the fact that I hinted as to knowing something more about the death of that scoundrel, Yelverton, than the coroner’s Dogberries ever suspected. I never mentioned th...

“I am going away for a few days, Mrs. Moss, to see my mother. Before I say good-by let me thank you again for all your great kindness to me,” he said.

It was but eight o’clock, yet it was quite dark, and the station was deserted by all except the ticket clerk and the night porter. There was not a vehicle of any kind on the spo...

The profound quiet of the little vale, the soothing tinkle of the little stream, lulled the wearied traveler into a slumber so deep and prolonged that the sun was high above bef...

It was a large, square, low-ceiled, but light and cheerful room, with two north windows looking out upon a green and shaded lawn, now just beginning to spring and bud with grass...

When gray-haired Amos Merritt burst in upon Roma Fronde on that early April day, and, with almost boyish exultation, exclaimed, “I have good news for you! Will Harcourt is found...

Little Owlet, though a young child, was an old traveler. Before she met her benefactress the days of her life that had not been spent in hotels and theaters had been passed in s...

In New York yachting circles there had been much wonder and speculation as to the whereabouts of William Hanson’s fine, fast-sailing cutter, the _Roma_, for nothing authentic ha...

Naturally inferring that Amos Merritt, her late guardian, and her counsel, would be the most likely to know Roma’s present abode, Hanson only took time to engage a room at an Ea...

She could not concentrate her thoughts sufficiently to enable her to read or write, and to attempt to knit or to sew was to leave her mind too free to fly to themes which to dwe...

Early the next morning, when Owlet was taking her usual run in the garden before breakfast, she found the little black child in the gooseberry walk, sitting down by the chicken...

Calling all self-controlling powers to her aid, Miss Fronde started up, ran down to the lawn, took the children each by a hand, hurried them into the house, and shut and locked...

Roma sank into deep and troubled thought. The appearance of Hanson in her neighborhood was annoying and embarrassing in the extreme. He had not the shadow of a shade of any sort...

“Order a carriage, though it will be of little or no use, so far as the recovery of the child is concerned, if she has been carried off by the person whom I suspect,” Roma said,...

“Take de chill offen de ’a’, young mist’ess. Moughty onsartain dese Ap’il days an’ nights—moughty. Yere dis mornin’ so hot in de sun you’d ’a’ sought it mought be July ’stead ob...

After Hanson had carried off Owlet in the manner so incoherently announced by Ducky Darling, and more intelligibly related by the hack driver and the railway officials; after he...

It was late in the morning when Hanson awoke—awoke to find the child still worse than on the preceding night. Her whole face was scarlet, her eyes now flared open, wild and bloo...

“W’at be yer sniffing at, young un?” demanded the horrible creature, as she drew the child along, hurrying as fast as she could down a narrow, crowded street leading out of East...

When Will Harcourt had answered Roma Fronde’s confiding and affectionate note by a letter of vague confession and final renunciation, he looked upon his own life as “done and fi...

“And she talks of Roma, and Mr. Merritt, and Dr. Shaw! It is very strange. I cannot comprehend it all. But I will appeal to Annie. Annie will be able to learn more from her than...

“I wonder now what place this is, and what that thumper-bumpering is, too,” were the words that greeted the seamstress at last, and informed her that her charge was awake.

Harcourt did not go to bed that night. He sat by the back window, with his head bowed upon his hands, or he rose and walked up and down the door of his room.

The car was not more than half full, but just as it started Harcourt heard a man come into the seat behind them, drop down in his place, and deposit a heavy bag beside him; and...

He determined to utilize this time by calling at the chambers of Mr. Amos Merritt to ascertain from him the present address of Roma Fronde, the probabilities of her receiving ag...

“It fills me with despair to think of my little Owlet in the power of that man—that man who deserted his young wife and child when the child was but three months old—that man wh...

Roma Fronde arose very early the next morning, to be ready to secure her train. She spent but little time over her breakfast and her leave taking, and a little after five o’cloc...

“Owlet! Why, Owlet! Darling! Mr. Merritt—what does all this mean?” demanded Miss Fronde, in supreme astonishment, as she returned the child’s caresses, and raised her eyes to th...

When they arose from bed, Roma would have begun to wash and dress little Owlet, just from the impulse of passionate affection, intensified by the startling loss and sudden recov...