The EAGLE SERIES

STREET & SMITH, Publishers The Pioneer Line of Ten-Cent Novels, and the Leader

RETAIL PRICE, 10c.

This famous line was the original series of ten-cent books. Its success was instantaneous. Millions of copies have been sold, and an increasing demand for the entire series continues. The following titles are in print, and can be supplied by all newsdealers:

224—A Wonderful Woman. By May Agnes Fleming. 223—Leola Dale’s Fortune. By Charles Garvice. 222—The Lily of Mordaunt. By Mrs. George Sheldon. 221—Wedded Yet No Wife. By May Agnes Fleming. 220—A Fatal Past. By Dora Russell. 219—Lost, A Pearle. By Mrs. George Sheldon. 218—A Life for a Love. By Mrs. L. T. Meade. 217—His Noble Wife. By George Manville Fenn. 216—The Lost Bride. By Clara Augusta. 215—Only a Girl’s Love. By Charles Garvice. 214—Olga’s Crime. By Frank Barrett. 213—The Heiress of Egremont. By Mrs. Harriet Lewis. 212—Doubly Wronged. By Adah M. Howard. 211—As We Forgive. By Lurana W. Sheldon. 210—Wild Oats. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 209—She Loved but Left Him. By Julia Edwards. 208—A Chase for a Bride. By St. George Rathborne. 207—Little Golden’s Daughter. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 206—A Daughter of Maryland. By G. Waldo Browne. 205—If Love be Love. By D. Cecil Gibbs. 204—With Heart So True. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 203—Who Was the Heir. By Geraldine Fleming. 202—Marjorie. By Katharine S. MacQuoid.

201—Blind Elsie’s Crime. By Mary Grace Halpine. 200—In God’s Country. By D. Higbee. 199—Geoffrey’s Victory. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 198—Guy Kenmore’s Wife, and The Rose and the Lily. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 197—A Woman Scorned. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 196—A Sailor’s Sweetheart. By the author of Dr. Jack. 195—Her Faithful Knight. By Gertrude Warden. 194—A Sinless Crime. By Geraldine Fleming. 193—A Vagabond’s Honor. By Ernest De Lancey Pierson. 192—An Old Man’s Darling, and Jacquelina. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 191—A Harvest of Thorns. By Mrs. H. C. Hoffman. 190—A Captain of the Kaiser. By St. George Rathborne. 189—Berris. By Katharine S. MacQuoid. 188—Dorothy Arnold’s Escape. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 187—The Black Ball. By Ernest De Lancey Pierson. 186—Beneath a Spell. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 185—The Adventures of Miss Volney. By Ella Wheeler Wilcox. 184—Sunlight and Gloom. By Geraldine Fleming. 183—Quo Vadis. By Henryk Sienkiewicz. 182—A Legal Wreck. By William Gillette.

181—The Baronet’s Bride. By May Agnes Fleming. 180—A Lazy Man’s Work. By Frances Campbell Sparhawk. 179—One Man’s Evil. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 178—A Slave of Circumstances. By Ernest De Lancey Pierson. 177—A True Aristocrat. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 176—Jack Gordon, Knight Errant. By William C. Hudson (Barclay North). 175—For Honor’s Sake. By Laura C. Ford. 174—Wild Margaret. By Geraldine Fleming. 173—A Bar Sinister. By the Author of Dr. Jack. 172—A King and a Coward. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 171—That Dakota Girl. By Stella Gilman. 170—A Little Radical. By Mrs. J. H. Walworth. 169—The Trials of an Actress. By Wenona Gilman. 168—Thrice Lost, Thrice Won. By May Agnes Fleming. 167—The Manhattaners. By Edward S. Van Zile. 166—The Masked Bridal. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 165—The Road of the Rough. By Maurice M. Minton. 164—Couldn’t Say No. By the author of Helen’s Babies. 163—A Splendid Egotist. By Mrs. J. H. Walworth. 162—A Man of the Name of John. By Florence King. 161—Miss Fairfax of Virginia. By the author of Dr. Jack.

160—His Way and Her Will. By Frances Aymar Mathews. 159—A Fair Maid of Marblehead. By Kate Tannatt Woods. 158—Stella, the Star. By Wenona Gilman. 157—Who Wins? By May Agnes Fleming. 156—A Soldier Lover. By Edward S. Brooks. 155—Nameless Dell. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 154—Husband and Foe. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 153—Her Son’s Wife. By Hazel Wood. 152—A Mute Confessor. By Will N. Harben. 151—The Heiress of Glen Gower. By May Agnes Fleming. 150—Sunset Pass. By General Charles King. 149—The Man She Loved. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 148—Will She Win? By Emma Garrison Jones. 147—Under Egyptian Skies. By the author of Dr. Jack. 146—Magdalen’s Vow. By May Agnes Fleming. 145—Country Lanes and City Pavements. By Maurice M. Minton. 144—Dorothy’s Jewels. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 143—A Charity Girl. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 142—Her Rescue from the Turks. By the author of Dr. Jack. 141—Lady Evelyn. By May Agnes Fleming. 140—That Girl of Johnson’s. By Jean Kate Ludlum. 139—Little Lady Charles. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands.

138—A Fatal Wooing. By Laura Jean Libbey. 137—A Wedded Widow. By T. W. Hanshew. 136—The Unseen Bridegroom. By May Agnes Fleming. 135—Cast Up by the Tide. By the author of Half a Truth. 134—Squire John. By the author of Dr. Jack. 133—Max. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 132—Whose Was the Crime? By Gertrude Warden. 131—Nerine’s Second Choice. By Adelaide Stirling. 130—A Bitter Bondage. By Bertha M. Clay. 129—In Sight of St Paul’s. By Sutton Vane. 128—The Scent of the Roses. By the author of Half a Truth. 127—Nobody’s Daughter. By Clara Augusta. 126—The Girl from Hong Kong. By the author of Dr. Jack. 125—Devil’s Island. By A. D. Hall. 124—Prettiest of All. By Julia Edwards. 123—Northern Lights. By A. D. Hall. 122—Grazia’s Mistake. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 121—Cecile’s Marriage. By Lucy Randall Comfort. 120—The White Squadron. By T. C. Harbaugh. 119—An Ideal Love. By Bertha M. Clay. 118—Saved From the Sea. By Richard Duffy. 117—She Loved Him. By Charles Garvice. 116—The Daughter of the Regiment. By Mary A. Denison.

115—A Fair Revolutionist. By the author of Dr. Jack. 114—Half a Truth. By a popular author. 113—A Crushed Lily. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 112—The Cattle King. By A. D. Hall. 111—Faithful Shirley. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 110—Whose Wife Is She? By Annie Lisle. 109—A Heart’s Bitterness. By Bertha M. Clay. 108—A Son of Mars. By the author of Dr. Jack. 107—Carla; or, Married at Sight. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 106—Lilian, My Lilian. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 105—When London Sleeps. By Chas. Darrell. 104—A Proud Dishonor. By Genie Holzmeyer. 103—The Span of Life. By Sutton Vane. 102—Fair But Faithless. By Bertha M. Clay. 101—A Goddess of Africa. By the author of Dr. Jack. 100—Alice Blake. By Francis S. Smith. 99—Audrey’s Recompense. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 98—Claire. By Charles Garvice. 97—The War Reporter. By Warren Edwards. 96—The Little Minister. By J. M. Barrie. 95—’Twixt Love and Hate. By Bertha M. Clay. 94—Darkest Russia. By H. Grattan Donnelly. 93—A Queen of Treachery. By T. W. Hanshew. 92—Humanity. By Sutton Vane.

91—Sweet Violet. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 90—For Fair Virginia. By Russ Whytal. 89—A Gentleman From Gascony. By Bicknell Dudley. 88—Virgie’s Inheritance. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 87—Shenandoah. By J. Perkins Tracy. 86—A Widowed Bride. By Lucy Randall Comfort. 85—Lorrie; or Hollow Gold. By Charles Garvice. 84—Between Two Hearts. By Bertha M. Clay. 83—The Locksmith of Lyons. By Prof. Wm. Henry Peck. 82—Captain Impudence. By Edwin Milton Royle. 81—Wedded For an Hour. By Emma Garrison Jones. 80—The Fair Maid of Fez. By the author of Dr. Jack. 79—Marjorie Deane. By Bertha M. Clay. 78—The Yankee Champion. By Sylvanus Cobb, Jr. 77—Tina. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 76—Mavourneen. From the celebrated play. 75—Under Fire. By T. P. James. 74—The Cotton King. By Sutton Vane. 73—The Marquis. By Charles Garvice. 72—Wilful Winnie. By Harriet Sherburne. 71—The Spider’s Web. By the author of Dr. Jack. 70—In Love’s Crucible. By Bertha M. Clay. 69—His Perfect Trust. By a popular author. 68—The Little Cuban Rebel. By Edna Winfield.

67—Gismonda. By Victorien Sardou. 66—Witch Hazel. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 65—Won By the Sword. By J. Perkins Tracy. 64—Dora Tenney. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 63—Lawyer Bell from Boston. By Robert Lee Tyler. 62—Stella Stirling. By Julia Edwards. 61—La Tosca. By Victorien Sardou. 60—The County Fair. By Neil Burgess. 59—Gladys Greye. By Bertha M. Clay. 58—Major Matterson of Kentucky. By the author of Dr. Jack. 57—Rosamond. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 56—The Dispatch Bearer. By Warren Edwards. 55—Thrice Wedded. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 54—Cleopatra. By Victorien Sardou. 53—The Old Homestead. By Denman Thompson. 52—Woman Against Woman. By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. 51—The Price He Paid. By E. Werner. 50—Her Ransom. By Charles Garvice. 49—None But the Brave. By Robert Lee Tyler. 48—Another Man’s Wife. By Bertha M. Clay. 47—The Colonel By Brevet. By the author of Dr. Jack. 46—Off With the Old Love. By Mrs. M. V. Victor. 45—A Yale Man. By Robert Lee Tyler. 44—That Dowdy. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon.

43—Little Coquette Bonnie. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 42—Another Woman’s Husband. By Bertha M. Clay. 41—Her Heart’s Desire. By Charles Garvice. 40—Monsieur Bob. By the author of Dr. Jack. 39—The Colonel’s Wife. By Warren Edwards. 38—The Nabob of Singapore. By the author of Dr. Jack. 37—The Heart of Virginia. By J. Perkins Tracy. 36—Fedora. By Victorien Sardou. 35—The Great Mogul. By the author of Dr. Jack. 34—Pretty Geraldine. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 33—Mrs. Bob. By the author of Dr. Jack. 32—The Blockade Runner. By J. Perkins Tracy. 31—A Siren’s Love. By Robert Lee Tyler. 30—Baron Sam. By the author of Dr. Jack. 29—Theodora. By Victorien Sardou. 28—Miss Caprice. By the author of Dr. Jack. 27—Estelle’s Millionaire Lover. By Julia Edwards. 26—Captain Tom. By the author of Dr. Jack. 25—Little Southern Beauty. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 24—A Wasted Love. By Charles Garvice. 23—Miss Pauline of New York. By the author of Dr. Jack. 22—Elaine. By Charles Garvice. 21—A Heart’s Idol. By Bertha M. Clay.

20—The Senator’s Bride. By Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 19—Mr. Lake of Chicago. By Harry DuBois Milman. 18—Dr. Jack’s Wife. By the author of Dr. Jack. 17—Leslie’s Loyalty. By Charles Garvice. 16—The Fatal Card. By Haddon Chambers and B. C. Stephenson. 15—Dr. Jack. By St. George Rathborne. 14—Violet Lisle. By Bertha M. Clay. 13—The Little Widow. By Julia Edwards. 12—Edrie’s Legacy. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 11—The Gypsy’s Daughter. By Bertha M. Clay. 10—Little Sunshine. By Francis. S. Smith. 9—The Virginia Heiress. By May Agnes Fleming. 8—Beautiful but Poor. By Julia Edwards. 7—Two Keys. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 6—The Midnight Marriage. By A. M. Douglas. 5—The Senator’s Favorite. Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. 4—For a Woman’s Honor. By Bertha M. Clay. 3—He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. By Julia Edwards. 2—Ruby’s Reward. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. 1—Queen Bess. By Mrs. Georgie Sheldon.

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To the Reader

We trust that you will be thoroughly satisfied with this book. During the long period of time that the publications of Street & Smith have been familiar to the reading classes (somewhat more than half a century) it has always been our aim to give to the public the very best literary products, regardless of the expenditure involved. Our books and periodicals are today read and re-read in a majority of the homes of America, while but few of our original competitors are even known by name to the present generation. No special credit is due for antiquity, but we hold it to be a self-evident fact that long experience, coupled with enterprise and the ability to maintain the front rank for so many years, proves our right to the title of leaders. We solicit your further valued patronage.

STREET & SMITH.

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The Lily of Mordaunt

A NOVEL

BY MRS. GEORGIE SHELDON AUTHOR OF “FAITHFUL SHIRLEY,” “BROWNIE’S TRIUMPH,” “QUEEN BESS,” “LOST, A PEARLE,” “MAX,” ETC.

NEW YORK STREET & SMITH, Publishers 238 William Street

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Copyright, 1884, 1899 and 1901, By STREET & SMITH

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. A PERFECT BEAUTY. CHAPTER II. “WHICH IS THE MORE LOVELY?” CHAPTER III. A FRIEND IN NEED. CHAPTER IV. I WILL WIN YOU YET. CHAPTER V. UNHEEDED FLEW THE HOURS. CHAPTER VI. DISAPPOINTMENT. CHAPTER VII. “I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU.” CHAPTER VIII. BETROTHED LOVERS. CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST WEDDING. CHAPTER X. ARLEY’S VISITOR. CHAPTER XI. I CANNOT GIVE YOU UP. CHAPTER XII. IT SEEMS INCREDIBLE. CHAPTER XIII. THE PORTRAIT. CHAPTER XIV. THE ENGAGEMENT RING. CHAPTER XV. A TEARFUL FAREWELL. CHAPTER XVI. THE DOOR LOCKED UPON HIM. CHAPTER XVII. BAD NEWS. CHAPTER XVIII. ARLEY’S RESOLVE. CHAPTER XIX. JANE COLLINS’ STORY. CHAPTER XX. ARLEY’S ILLNESS. CHAPTER XXI. A WICKED DEED. CHAPTER XXII. SAVED. CHAPTER XXIII. THE LAST APPEAL. CHAPTER XXIV. A FRIEND IN NEED. CHAPTER XXV. PHILIP PAXTON’S RETURN. CHAPTER XXVI. JANE COLLINS AT HOME. CHAPTER XXVII. THE TRUTH TOLD. CHAPTER XXVIII. ADDING INSULT TO INJURY. CHAPTER XXIX. PHILIP PAXTON’S LETTER. CHAPTER XXX. FORTUNE’S WHEEL. CHAPTER XXXI. THE RING. CHAPTER XXXII. MRS. BANCROFT’S NARRATIVE.

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE CRASH ON THE RAILROAD. CHAPTER XXXIV. A “LADY BORN.” CHAPTER XXXV. THE GOOD SAMARITAN. CHAPTER XXXVI. THE STRANGE LETTER. CHAPTER XXXVII. IN A DILEMMA. CHAPTER XXXVIII. ARLEY’S AMAZEMENT. CHAPTER XXXIX. LADY ALICE. CHAPTER XL. ATONEMENT. CHAPTER XLI. I AM HIS WIFE. CHAPTER XLII. WHERE AM I? CHAPTER XLIII. A NOBLE MANHOOD RESTORED. CHAPTER XLIV. PERFECT FAITH. CHAPTER XLV. WIL HAMILTON. CHAPTER XLVI. MIMOSA. CHAPTER XLVII. HOMEWARD BOUND. CHAPTER XLVIII. CAN IT BE TRUE? CHAPTER XLIX. LADY PAXTON.

CHAPTER I. A PERFECT BEAUTY.

Hazelmere, June 30, 18—. Dear Phil—I promised when we were all at home that I would send for you. We are a gay party, I can tell you—five constitute our number, and we need only your own jolly self to complete the sextet. There is pretty Arley Wentworth, my sister’s especial friend and chum; Fred Vane, Annie’s fiancee, and last, but not least, aside from your humble servant, my father’s charming ward, the Lady Elaine Warburton. What shall I say of her?—how give you an idea of her surpassing loveliness? I will say nothing. I can only quote from our poet laureate: “Elaine the fair, Elaine the lovable! Elaine the lily-maid,” not of Astolat, but of the house of Mordaunt, and the daughter not “of a hundred earls,” like the “Lady Clare,” but of the Duke of Mordaunt, who died abroad about five years ago, having first committed his only child to the care of my respected paternal, who was his dearest and most trusted friend. She has been at a convent in France most of the time since her father’s death, and I have scarcely seen her since she

was a little maid in short clothes; consequently, I was wholly unprepared for the vision of loveliness which burst upon my sight, when, on my return from Oxford, I was presented to the peerless Elaine. You perceive, old fellow, how it is with me; I have “gone clean daft.” I see nothing, think of nothing, save a fair, creamy face, with the faintest flush, like that of a sea-shell, on its rounded cheeks, while shining bands of gold span the pure, white brow, beneath which eyes of purple-blue seem to be looking at one through a golden mist. Then those dainty lips! so sweet, so red, that they never part with smile or word but they set my heart on fire. She has a form of faultless symmetry, a hand like a piece of fairest sculptured marble, and a foot which a fairy might envy. I said I would not say anything about her, but I’ve written all this nonsense almost before I knew it. I’m getting decidedly spooney, I’ll own, but you will not wonder when you see my “lily-maid.” Come down right away, and we will have gay times for the next month. You will like Arley Wentworth,

who, by the way, is quite an heiress, and just your style—dark, brilliant, bewitching. You shall be her cavalier on all occasions. You perceive [Pg 6]that I have done the pairing-off; for I warn you beforehand that I shall brook no rival for the affections of my peerless Lily of Mordaunt. I can imagine the curl of amusement, perhaps mingled with something of scorn, on your handsome lips as you read this, mon ami. You will remember how indifferent I have always been to the charms of the gentle sex—you will recall my rank skepticism regarding my ever losing my heart to any woman, however lovely; but I can’t help it—it’s all up with me now, though I doubt if the rack would ever have made me confess as much to any one else. Telegraph when you will be here, and I will meet you at the station. Yours ever, WIL.

Philip Paxton, Esq., a young and rising barrister, sat in his chamber, in Grey’s Inn, one hot, dusty day, when all London seemed gasping for breath, so to speak, and read the above effusion; while his lips did, indeed, curl, but with decided “scorn” rather than with “amusement.”

“I should say he was ‘clean daft,’” he muttered, “poor, foolish Wil!”

“And he will ‘brook no rival for the affections of the fair Elaine!’” he added, a flash of something like defiance for a moment lighting up his dark eyes.

“Bah!” he continued, “the name is enough for me—I never could endure that love-sick tale, where that poor little fool, Elaine, died for love of Lancelot, and the very sound of it is a synonym to me of a sort of milk-and-water beauty, and a weak-minded, silly little girl. Now Arley Wentworth,” he went on, referring to his friend’s letter again, “sounds something like—there is character in it, and, at all events, originality. Let me see, this is Wednesday; I imagine that I can arrange matters and things so that I can run down to Hazelmere on Saturday. I think I’ve earned a rest,” he concluded, with a sigh, while his eyes roved with something of pride over the piles of papers and documents filed so neatly away in the pigeonhole of his great desk, and telling of long days of hard work and well-earned gold.

He took up his pen, and, drawing a sheet of paper toward him, at once wrote a letter of acceptance to the invitation of his friend, and mentioned Saturday afternoon as the time set for his arrival at Hazelmere, the magnificent country seat of Sir Anthony Hamilton, a wealthy baronet, who owned half the township of Horsham, Sussex County, England.

Saturday afternoon, when the half-past four express from London stopped for a moment at the station of Horsham, a tall, well-proportioned young man of about twenty-five, [Pg 7]sprang upon the platform and looked about him as if expecting to see some one whom he knew awaiting him.

There was a stately air about him which at once attracted attention, a certain poise of the handsome head, a look of character and decision about his attractive face, a certain gravity and dignity of manner, and a fire in his dark blue eye which impressed the beholder at once with an idea of superiority and power.

And yet, a closer scrutiny of that face by those who were skillful in reading human nature, always engendered a feeling of distrust, as if underneath all that ability, power and culture there was an element which was liable, under certain circumstances, to work mischief for both himself and others.

His clothing was of the finest texture and most fashionable make, yet there was not the least suspicion of the dandy about him; everything was immaculate, yet in perfect taste.

“Aha! here you are, old boy, and now I am happy,” cried a genial voice near by, and the next moment his hand was eagerly taken and heartily shaken by a young man about his own height, but of slighter build, with a frank, laughing face, clear, honest blue eyes, waving auburn hair, and a voice whose heartiness and cordiality rang out like a rich strain of music on the summer air.