The Setons   By: O. Douglas (1877-1948)

By

O. DOUGLAS

Author of "Olivia in India," "Penny Plain," etc.

HODDER AND STOUGHTON LIMITED

LONDON

First Edition Published October 1917 Reprinted December 1917 " March 1918 " August 1918 " February 1919 " November 1919 " August 1920 " October 1920 " January 1921 " April 1921 " January 1922 " February 1922 " June 1922 " September 1922 " January 1923 " June 1923 " November 1923 " January 1924 " September 1924 " May 1925 " February 1926 " July 1926 " March 1927 " July 1927 " June 1928 " September 1928

Made and Printed in Great Britain for Hodder & Stoughton, Limited, by C. Tinling & Co., Ltd., Liverpool, London and Prescot.

NOVELS BY O. DOUGLAS

Penny Plain The Setons Olivia in India Ann and Her Mother Pink Sugar The Proper Place Eliza for Common

HODDER AND STOUGHTON LTD., LONDON.

TO

MY MOTHER

IN MEMORY OF

HER TWO SONS

They sought the glory of their country they see the glory of God

CHAPTER I

"Look to the bakemeats, good Angelica, Spare not for cost." Romeo and Juliet.

A November night in Glasgow.

Mr. Thomson got out of the electric tram which every evening brought him from business, walked briskly down the road until he came to a neat villa with Jeanieville cut in the pillar, almost trotted up the gravelled path, let himself in with his latchkey, shut the door behind him, and cried, "Are ye there, Mamma? Mamma, are ye there?"

After four and twenty years of matrimony John Thomson still cried for Jeanie his wife the moment he entered the house.

Mrs. Thomson came out of the dining room and helped her husband to take off his coat.

"You're home, Papa," she said, "and in nice time, too. Now we'll all get our tea comfortable in the parlour before we change our clothes. (Jessie tell Annie Papa's in.) Your things are all laid out on the bed, John, and I've put your gold studs in a dress shirt but whit's that you're carrying, John?"

John Thomson regarded his parcel rather shame facedly. "It's a pine apple for your party, Mamma. I was lookin' in a fruit shop when I was waitin' for ma car and I just took a notion to get it. Not," he added, "but what I prefer tinned ones maself."

Mrs. Thomson patted her husband's arm approvingly. "Well, that was real mindful of you, Papa. It'll look well on the table. Jessie," to her daughter, who at that moment came into the lobby from the kitchen, "get down another fruit dish. Here's Papa brought home a pine apple for your party."

"Tea's in, Mamma," said Jessie; then she took the parcel from her father, and holding his arm drew him into the dining room, talking all the time. "Come on, Papa, and see the table. It looks fine, and the pine apple'll give it a finish. We've got a trifle from Skinner's, and we're having meringues and an apricot souffle and "

"Now, Jessie," Mrs. Thomson broke in, "don't keep Papa, or the sausages'll get cold. Where's Rubbert and Alick? We'll niver be ready at eight o'clock at this rate."

As she spoke, Alick, her younger son, pranced into the room, and pretended to stand awestruck at the display.