Books Should Be Free Loyal Books Free Public Domain Audiobooks & eBook Downloads |
|
The Opal Serpent By: Fergus Hume (1859-1932) |
---|
![]()
By Fergus Hume AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "THE RAINBOW FEATHER,"
"A COIN OF EDWARD VII.," "THE PAGAN'S CUP,"
"THE SECRET PASSAGE," "THE RED WINDOW,"
"THE MANDARIN'S FAN," ETC. G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY
G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY. Issued July, 1905.
[Illustration: "LOOK! LOOK!" CRIED SYLVIA, GASPING "THE MOUTH!"]
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE I. DON QUIXOTE IN LONDON 7 II. DEBORAH JUNK, DUENNA 19 III. DULCINEA OF GWYNNE STREET 32 IV. THE UNFORESEEN 44 V. TROUBLE 56 VI. A NOISE IN THE NIGHT 68 VII. A TERRIBLE NIGHT 80 VIII. THE VERDICT OF THE JURY 91 IX. CASTLES IN THE AIR 103 X. A BOLT FROM THE BLUE 115 XI. A CUCKOO IN THE NEST 126 XII. THE NEW LIFE 137 XIII. THE DETECTIVE'S VIEWS 148 XIV. MR. HAY'S LITTLE DINNER 161 XV. A NEW CLUE 172 XVI. SYLVIA'S THEORY 185 XVII. HURD'S INFORMATION 196 XVIII. AT CHRISTCHURCH, HANTS 208 XIX. CAPTAIN JESSOP 219 XX. PART OF THE TRUTH 228 XXI. MISS QIAN'S PARTY 241 XXII. FURTHER EVIDENCE 254 XXIII. WHAT PASH SAID 266 XXIV. MRS. KRILL AT BAY 278 XXV. A CRUEL WOMAN 291 XXVI. A FINAL EXPLANATION 306
CHAPTER I DON QUIXOTE IN LONDON
Simon Beecot was a country gentleman with a small income, a small estate
and a mind considerably smaller than either. He dwelt at Wargrove in
Essex and spent his idle hours of which he possessed a daily and
nightly twenty four in snarling at his faded wife and in snapping
between whiles at his son. Mrs. Beecot, having been bullied into old age
long before her time, accepted sour looks and hard words as necessary to
God's providence, but Paul, a fiery youth, resented useless nagging. He
owned more brain power than his progenitor, and to this favoring of
Nature paterfamilias naturally objected. Paul also desired fame, which
was likewise a crime in the fire side tyrant's eyes. As there were no other children Paul was heir to the Beecot acres,
therefore their present proprietor suggested that his son should wait
with idle hands for the falling in of the heritage. In plain words, Mr.
Beecot, coming of a long line of middle class loafers, wished his son to
be a loafer also. Again, when Mrs. Beecot retired to a tearful rest, her
bully found Paul a useful person on whom to expend his spleen. Should
this whipping boy leave, Mr. Beecot would have to forego this enjoyment,
as servants object to being sworn at without cause. For years Mr.
Beecot indulged in bouts of bad temper, till Paul, finding twenty five
too dignified an age to tolerate abuse, announced his intention of
storming London as a scribbler... Continue reading book >>
|
Genres for this book |
---|
Fiction |
Mystery |
eBook links |
---|
Wikipedia – Fergus Hume |
Wikipedia – The Opal Serpent |
eBook Downloads | |
---|---|
ePUB eBook • iBooks for iPhone and iPad • Nook • Sony Reader |
Kindle eBook • Mobi file format for Kindle |
Read eBook • Load eBook in browser |
Text File eBook • Computers • Windows • Mac |
Review this book |
---|