Part 16

“I’m always wondering that one of those clever, handsome American women didn’t steal your heart--if you’ve got one,” said Gwen.

He slowly withdrew his gaze from the peacocks and fixed it upon her with his monocled expression that might mean everything or nothing. She chose to read everything into it and flushed with pleasure. And her left hand, moving nervously among the silver and porcelain, revealed on its third finger a narrow, gold band.

He drew a long, slow breath of lazy content and drawled:

“You’re so _d----n_ comfortable, Gwen!”

THE END

By James Weber Linn

Author of “The Second Generation”

THE CHAMELEON

The author uses as his theme that trait in human nature which leads men and women to seek always the lime light, to endeavor always to be protagonists even at the expense of the truth. His book is a study of that most interesting and pertinent type in modern life, the sentimentalist, the man whose emotions are interesting to him merely as a matter of experience, and shows the development of such a character when he comes into contact with normal people. The action of the novel passes in a college town and the hero comes to his grief through his attempt to increase his appearance of importance by betraying a secret. His love for his wife is, however, his saving sincerity and through it the story is brought to a happy ending.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By Arthur Stanwood Pier

Author of “The Pedagogues”

THE TRIUMPH

The Triumph has fire and pathos and romance and exhilarating humor. It is a capital story that will keep a reader’s interest from the first appearance of its hero, the young doctor Neal Robeson, to his final triumph--his triumph over himself and over the lawless, turbulent oil-drillers, his success in his profession and in his love affair. It displays a delightful appreciation of the essential points of typical American characters, a happy outlook on every-day life, a vigorous story-telling ability working in material that is thrilling in interest, in a setting that is picturesque and unusual. The action takes place in a little western Pennsylvania village at the time of the oil fever, and a better situation can scarcely be found. Mr. Pier’s account of the fight between the outraged villagers and the oil-drillers around a roaring, blazing gas well is a masterpiece of story telling.

_Illustrations by W. D. Stevens_

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By Pauline B. Mackie

Author of “The Washingtonians”

THE VOICE IN THE DESERT

This is a story of subtle attractions and repulsions between men and women; of deep temperamental conflicts, accentuated and made dramatic by the tense atmosphere of the Arizona desert. The action of the story passes in a little Spanish mission town, where the hero, Lispenard, is settled as an Episcopal clergyman, with his wife Adele and their two children. The influence of the spirit of the desert is a leading factor in the story. Upon Lispenard the desert exerts a strange fascination, while upon his wife it has an opposite effect and antagonizes her. As their natures develop under the spell of their environment, they drift apart and the situation is complicated by the influence upon Lispenard of a second woman who seems to typify the spirit of the desert itself. The spiritual situation is delicately suggested and all is done with a rare and true feeling for human nature.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By M. Imlay Taylor

Author of “The House of the Wizard”

THE REBELLION OF THE PRINCESS

A Book that is a story, and never loses the quick, on-rushing, inevitable quality of a story from the first page to the last. Stirring, exciting, romantic, satisfying all the essential requirements of a novel. The scene is laid in Moscow at the time of the election of Peter the Great, when the intrigues of rival parties overturned the existing government, and the meeting of the National Guard made the city the scene of a hideous riot. It resembles in some points Miss Taylor’s successful first story, “On the Red Staircase,” especially in the date, the principal scenes and the fact that the hero is a French nobleman.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By Edith Wyatt

Author of “Every One His Own Way”

TRUE LOVE

A Comedy of the Affections

Here commonplace, every-day, ordinary people tread the boards. The characters whom Miss Wyatt presents are not geniuses, or heroes, or heroines of romance, but commonplace persons with commonplace tricks and commonplace manners and emotions. They do romantic things without a sense of romance in them, but weave their commonplace doings into a story of great human interest that the reader will find far from commonplace. The vein of humorous satire, keen, subtle and refined, permeating the story and the characterization, sets this work of Miss Wyatt’s in a class by itself.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By Shan F. Bullock

Author of “The Barrys,” “Irish Pastorals”

THE SQUIREEN

Mr. Bullock takes us into the North of Ireland among North-of-Ireland people. His story is dominated by one remarkable character, whose progress towards the subjugation of his own temperament we cannot help but watch with interest. He is swept from one thing to another, first by his dare-devil, roistering spirit, then by his mood of deep repentance, through love and marriage, through quarrels and separation from his wife, to a reconciliation at the point of death, to a return to health, and through the domination of the devil in him, finally to death. It is a strong, convincing novel suggesting, somewhat, “The House with the Green Shutters.” What that book did for the Scotland of Ian Maclaren and Barrie, “The Squireen” will do for Ireland.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By Seumas McManus

Author of “Through the Turf Smoke”

“A LAD OF THE O’FRIEL’S”

This is a story of Donegal ways and customs; full of the spirit of Irish life. The main character is a dreaming and poetic boy who takes joy in all the stories and superstitions of his people, and his experience and life are thus made to reflect all the essential qualities of the life of his country. Many characters in the book will make warm places for themselves in the heart of the reader.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By George Douglas

THE HOUSE WITH THE GREEN SHUTTERS

A story remarkable for its power, remarkable for its originality, and remarkable for its success. The unique masterpiece of an unfortunate young author, who died without knowing the unstinted praise his work was to receive. The book portrays with striking realism a phase of Scottish life and character new to most novel-readers. John Gourlay, the chief personage in the drama, inhabitant of the “House With the Green Shutters” and master of the village destinies, looms up as the personification of the brute force that dominates. He stands apart from all characters in fiction. In the broad treatment and the relentless sweep of its tragedy, the book suggests the work of Dumas.

“If a more powerful story than this has been written in recent years we have not seen it. It must take first honors among the novels of the day.” --_Philadelphia Item._

“One of the most powerful books we have seen for a long time, and it marks the advent of a valuable writer.” --_New York Press._

$1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By S. R. Crockett

Author of “The Banner of Blue,” “The Firebrand”

FLOWER O’ THE CORN

Mr. Crockett has made an interesting novel of romance and intrigue. He has chosen a little town in the south of France, high up in the mountains, as the scene for his drama. The plot deals with a group of Calvinists who have been driven from Belgium into southern France, where they are besieged in their mountain fastness by the French troops. A number of historical characters figure in the book, among them Madame de Maintenon.

“Flower o’ the Corn” is probably one of Mr. Crockett’s most delightful women characters. The book is notable for its fine descriptions.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By F. L. Nason

Author of “To the End of the Trail”

THE BLUE GOOSE

The life of the miner, with its hours of wild living above ground, the dominating influence of the greed for gold, and the reckless gambling spirit that is its very basis offers grateful material to the teller of stories. Mr. Nason has taken full advantage of the opportunity and of his intimate knowledge. He has written a tale of cunning and villany thwarted by dogged honesty, in which a mine superintendent is in conflict with his thieving and vicious employees. The sweetness and charm of an unspoiled, winsome girl brighten the story. To her steadfast, romantic love for the superintendent is due his final triumph.

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

By Arnold Bennett

Author of “The Great Babylon Hotel”

ANNA OF THE FIVE TOWNS

Probably no story of the year is so simply and yet so artistically told as this one. It portrays the development of a sweet and natural girl’s character, amid a community of strict Wesleyan Methodists in a Staffordshire town. How her upright nature progresses with constant rebellions against the hypocrisy and cant of the religionists, by whom she is surrounded, is brought out by the author faithfully and with great delicacy of insight. Many will love Anna, and not a few will find something in her to suggest “Tess of the Durbervilles.” The plot is extremely simple, but the reader will find a surprise in the last chapters.

The English letter from W. L. Alden, in the _New York Times Review_ says:

“It will be promptly recognized by the critics whose opinion is worth something _as the most artistic story of the year_.”

Cloth, 12mo $1.50

McClure, Phillips & Co.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.