Category: Novels

Light-Fingered Gentry

I.--A Matrimonial Mistake II.--A Feast and a Fiasco III.--"Only Cousin Neva" IV.--The Fosdick Family V.--Narcisse and Alois VI.--Neva Goes to School VII.--A Woman's Point of View VIII.--In Neva's Studio IX.--Master and Man X.--Amy Sweet and Amy Sour XI.--At Mrs. Trafford's XII...

Chapters

26. Part 26

He talked of the work "they" would do, of the fame "they" would win; she responded with rapidly decreasing enthusiasm, finally listened without comment. Once, when he was expand...

16. Part 16

"I'm making a fool of myself. I'm letting her make a fool of me," he thought angrily, as he stood in the entrance. "I'll not come again." But he had made this same decision each...

27. Part 27

"Each of us," she replied, "can go on without the other. I can paint pictures; you can make money. The question is, what will we mean to each other if we go on together? We aren...

21. Part 21

No reference from Armstrong to the fact that Atwater had planned to destroy him as soon as he had used him to get the O.A.D.; no reference from Atwater, beyond this smiling and...

25. Part 25

The state of Armstrong's mind so preyed upon him that it affected even his giant strength and health, and his friends urged him to take a vacation. He worked only the harder, be...

22. Part 22

"It's nothing in which you could be of the slightest assistance," replied he. "I've got myself in a mess--who was ever in a mess that wasn't of his own making? I jumped in, and...

5. Part 5

"I'll be very glad to take you," Narcisse offered, on impulse. "Perhaps she's really got talent and isn't simply looking for a husband. Usually, when a woman shows signs of indu...

29. Part 29

A few days, and Barry decided that their luck was in the last tailings. Armstrong's final move produced results that made the former tempests seem mere fresh weather. The petty...

10. Part 10

Armstrong, studying Raphael's face, which instantly attracted him, wheeled toward the door at the sound of this name as if he had been shot at from that direction. He might not...

18. Part 18

The body that is molded upon a spirit such as his--or hers--becomes as mobile to its changes as cloud to sun and wind. Boris's good looks always had a suggestion of the superhum...

13. Part 13

"She's wrong," he said to himself. "But she'll not do anything foolish. She's the kind that can go in safety along the wrong road, because they always keep a line of retreat ope...

9. Part 9

As he drew off the coat there floated to him a delightful perfume, a mingling of feminine and flowers, of freshness and delicacy, a stimulating suggestion of the sensuous refine...

11. Part 11

"It does resemble you--here," said he. "And it doesn't suggest a palace or an antique store or a model room in a furniture display, or an auction room.... You work hard?"

12. Part 12

Narcisse gave over trying to make him sensible where Amy was concerned, as soon as she saw upon what he was bent. "He wouldn't think of her seriously if she weren't rich," she s...

1. Part 1

I.--A Matrimonial Mistake II.--A Feast and a Fiasco III.--"Only Cousin Neva" IV.--The Fosdick Family V.--Narcisse and Alois VI.--Neva Goes to School VII.--A Woman's Point of Vie...

17. Part 17

As Armstrong, at Fosdick's house, was waiting in a small reception room just off the front hall, he heard the old man on the stairs, storming as he descended. "It's a conspiracy...

4. Part 4

"Yes," interrupted Fosdick; "it's true, once in a while there's a big enough howl to frighten a few weak brothers. But not Josiah Fosdick, and not the O.A.D. We keep books bette...

15. Part 15

The newspapers were shrieking for a "real cleaning of the Augean stables of finance"; the political figureheads of "the interests" were solemnly and sonorously declaiming that t...

3. Part 3

Saturday afternoon, each debated writing the other, postponing the engagement. Neva had a savage attack of the blues; at such times she shut herself in, certain she could not ge...

23. Part 23

"If I could find some way of detaching Trafford from Atwater," Armstrong had said to her as he was explaining. "But," he had added, "that's hopeless. He's more afraid of Atwater...

19. Part 19

Fosdick stiffened as if an electric shock had passed through him. For the first time he lowered his eyes. Behind that veil, his brain was swiftly restoring order in the wild con...

6. Part 6

"That's better!" exclaimed he, in approval of her docile tone. "And keep on trying till you get it right. You'll know. You've got good taste. If you hadn't, it'd be useless to t...

7. Part 7

"Not at all, my boy," said Fosdick, clapping him on the back. "Our rivals have got up an investigating committee--have set on some of our policy holders to pretend to be dissati...

8. Part 8

"My brother!" Tears glistened in Narcisse's eyes. "Yes--until he becomes some other woman's lover." She embraced Neva, and departed hastily, ashamed of her unwonted show of emot...

2. Part 2

Armstrong straightened himself with a smile that gave his face instantly the look of frankness and of high, dauntless spirit. "No, I've got that down--and mighty short it is," s...

28. Part 28

Within two weeks, Duncan was at the head of an association of agents gathering proxies from the policy holders to oust the Armstrong regime. Duncan and his fellow conspirators s...

20. Part 20

Well as Armstrong knew him, he was for the moment impressed. The only born monsters are the insane criminals; the monstrous among our powerful and eminent and most respectable a...

24. Part 24

Although she had long had ready her answer to that inevitable question, she waited before replying. "Not to pull Atwater's chestnuts out of the fire for him," said she slowly. "...

14. Part 14

"I forgot a little matter," explained Westervelt confusedly. And he went uncertainly into his private office, had his secretary put the three ledgers and account books together...

30. Part 30

Farthest from Drew and facing him sat the chairman of the committee, its youngest member, Roberts of Denver--a slender, tall man, with sinews like steel wires enwrapping his bon...