The Summons   By: A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason (1865-1948)

BY A.E.W. MASON

AUTHOR OF "THE FOUR FEATHERS," "THE TURNSTILE," ETC.

NEW YORK

GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1920. BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TO THOSE WHO SERVED WITH ME ABROAD THROUGH THE FOUR YEARS

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I THE OLYMPIC GAMES 11

II AN ANTHEM INTERVENES 18

III MARIO ESCOBAR 28

IV THE SECRET OF HARRY LUTTRELL 35

V HILLYARD'S MESSENGER 47

VI THE HONORARY MEMBER 55

VII IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN 65

VIII HILLYARD HEARS NEWS OF AN OLD FRIEND 70

IX ENTER THE HEROINE IN ANYTHING BUT WHITE SATIN 80

X THE SUMMONS 91

XI STELLA RUNS TO EARTH 100

XII IN BARCELONA 111

XIII OLD ACQUAINTANCE 121

XIV "TOUCHING THE MATTER OF THOSE SHIPS" 135

XV IN A SLEEPING CAR 144

XVI TRICKS OF THE TRADE 155

XVII ON A CAPE OF SPAIN 163

XVIII THE USES OF SCIENCE 173

XIX UNDER GREY SKIES AGAIN 183

XX LADY SPLAY'S PREOCCUPATIONS 193

XXI THE MAGNOLIA FLOWERS 208

XXII JENNY PRASK 219

XXIII PLANS FOR THE EVENING 227

XXIV JENNY PRASK IS INTERESTED 235

XXV IN A LIBRARY 238

XXVI A FATAL KINDNESS 248

XXVII THE RANK AND FILE 257

XXVIII THE LONG SLEEP 263

XXIX JENNY PUTS UP HER FIGHT 273

XXX A REVOLUTION IN SIR CHICHESTER 287

XXXI JENNY AND MILLIE SPLAY 298

XXXII "BUT STILL A RUBY KINDLES IN THE VINE" 306

THE SUMMONS

CHAPTER I

THE OLYMPIC GAMES

"Luttrell! Luttrell!"

Sir Charles Hardiman stood in the corridor of his steam yacht and bawled the name through a closed door. But no answer was returned from the other side of the door. He turned the handle and went in. The night was falling, but the cabin windows looked towards the north and the room was full of light and of a low and pleasant music. For the tide tinkled and chattered against the ship's planks and, in the gardens of the town across the harbour, bands were playing. The town was Stockholm in the year nineteen hundred and twelve, and on this afternoon, the Olympic games, that unfortunate effort to promote goodwill amongst the nations, which did little but increase rancours and disclose hatreds, had ended, never, it is to be hoped, to be resumed.

"Luttrell," cried Hardiman again, but this time with perplexity in his voice. For Luttrell was there in the cabin in front of him, but sunk in so deep a contemplation of memories and prospects that the cabin might just as well have been empty. Sir Charles Hardiman touched him on the shoulder.

"Wake up, old man!"

"That's what I am doing waking up," said Luttrell, turning without any start. He was seated in front of the writing desk, a young man, as the world went before the war, a few months short of twenty eight.

"The launch is waiting and everybody's on deck," continued Hardiman. "We shall lose our table at Hasselbacken if we don't get off."

Then he caught sight of a telegram lying upon the writing table.