BY S. BARING GOULD, M.A.

WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY D. MURRAY SMITH

SECOND EDITION

METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON

Colonial Library

First Published October 1904 Second Edition December 1904

[Illustration: "WHO ARE YOU?"]

PREFACE

Some of the stories in this volume have already appeared in print. "The Red haired Girl" in The Windsor Magazine ; "Colonel Halifax's Ghost Story" in The Illustrated English Magazine ; "Glámr" I told in my Iceland: Its Scenes and Sagas , published in 1863, and long ago out of print. "The Bold Venture" appeared in The Graphic ; "The 9.30 Up train" as long ago as 1853 in Once a Week .

CONTENTS

JEAN BOUCHON

POMPS AND VANITIES

MCALISTER

THE LEADEN RING

THE MOTHER OF PANSIES

THE RED HAIRED GIRL

A PROFESSIONAL SECRET

H. P.

GLÁMR

COLONEL HALIFAX'S GHOST STORY

THE MEREWIGS

THE "BOLD VENTURE"

MUSTAPHA

LITTLE JOE GANDER

A DEAD FINGER

BLACK RAM

A HAPPY RELEASE