Captain Desmond, V.C.   By: Maud Diver (1867-1945)

All inconsistent, unusual and unorthodox spelling has been left as as it was in the original book.

CAPTAIN DESMOND, V.C.

by

MAUD DIVER

Author of 'The Great Amulet,' 'Candles in the Wind,' Etc.

"One who never turned his back, but marched breast forward, Never doubted clouds would break; Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph; Held, we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better, Sleep to wake." ROBERT BROWNING.

Revised Edition, in Large Part Rewritten

William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London MCMXVII

All Rights reserved

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY SON CYRIL, AND TO Mrs ALAN BATTEN IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ALL THAT IT OWES TO HER GENEROUS HELP AND INTEREST. M. D.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

In revising and partially rewriting my novel, 'Captain Desmond, V.C.,' I have been glad to make good the opportunity afforded me of bringing the Aftermath nearer to my original conception than it was in its first form. The three short chapters now substituted for the one final scene are therefore, in essence, no innovation. They represent more or less what I conceived at the time, but suppressed through fear of making my book too long; and thereby risked upsetting the balance of sympathy, which I hope the fresh chapters may tend to restore.

M. D.

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.

CHAP. PAGE

I. JUDGE FOR YOURSELF 3

II. I WANT TO BE FIRST 13

III. THE BIG CHAPS 21

IV. ESPECIALLY WOMEN 30

V. AN EXPURGATED EDITION 39

VI. GENIUS OF CHARACTER 46

VII. BRIGHT EYES OF DANGER 55

VIII. STICK TO THE FRONTIER 66

IX. WE'LL JUST FORGET 80

X. A SQUARE BARGAIN 94

XI. YOU DON'T KNOW DESMOND 108

XII. NOW IT'S DIFFERENT 119

XIII. IT ISN'T FAIR 129

XIV. I SIMPLY INSIST 140

XV. GOOD ENOUGH, ISN'T IT? 151

XVI. SIGNED AND SEALED 156

BOOK II.

XVII. YOU WANT TO GO! 167

XVIII. LOVE THAT IS LIFE! 177

XIX. IT'S NOT MAJOR WYNDHAM 182

XX. THE DEVIL'S PECULIARITY? 196

XXI. I AM YOURS 207

XXII. THE CHEAPER MAN 213

XXIII. YOU GO ALONE 228

XXIV. I WANT LADYBIRD 234

XXV. THE MOONLIGHT SONATA 242

XXVI. STAND TO YOUR GUNS 249

XXVII. THE EXECRABLE UNKNOWN 259

XXVIII. YOU SHALL NOT ! 265

XXIX. THE UTTERMOST FARTHING 274

XXX. SHE SHALL UNDERSTAND 285

XXXI. THE LOSS OF ALL 298

XXXII. EVEN TO THE UTMOST 303

XXXIII. THE ONE BIG THING 313

XXXIV. C'ÉTAIT MA VIE 319

AFTERMATH 323

BOOK I.

"If we impinge, never so lightly, on the life of a fellow mortal, the touch of our personality, like the ripple of a stone cast into a pond, widens and widens, in unending circles, through the æons, till the far off gods themselves cannot tell where action ceases." KIPLING.

Captain Desmond, V.C.

CHAPTER I.

JUDGE FOR YOURSELF.

"Do we move ourselves, or are moved by an Unseen Hand at a game?" TENNYSON.