being displayed in capitals that are on
that page at the end of the menu.

Personally I do not think that as a whole this book is equal to "The
Young Visiters." Only once in a decade or so is it vouchsafed the
writing craft that one among us shall create a masterpiece, destined in
time to become a classic and a thing immortal. Only once in an eon or so
is it vouchsafed a writer to write a masterpiece at the age of nine
years. Very few among us ever produce a second perfect work on top of a
first one. But this I will say--every line in this book is worthy to
have been written by the same hand that wrote "The Young Visiters" and
that, I think, is praise enough for any writer.

_New York, April, 1920._

AUTHOR'S FOREWORD

The publication of these stories gives me an opportunity of expressing
my thanks for the very cordial reception which was given to "The Young
Visiters." I only hope that those who have been amused at the adventures
of Ethel and Mr. Salteena will not be disappointed in those of Helen
Winston, Leslie Woodcock, and the others whose histories now appear.

"A Short Story of Love and Marriage," I wrote at eight years old. It was
dictated to my father, who took it down faithfully word for word. My
very first story, "Mr. Chapmer's Bride," which was also dictated, is
among those that have been lost. "The True History of Leslie Woodcock"
was a later production, and was written at about the age of eleven as a
surprise for my mother on her birthday--it was originally entitled "The
Q. I. B." (our family word for a secret)--but after the secret was out I
changed the title. "Where Love Lies Deepest" was written when I was
twelve, and dedicated to our governess of whom I was very fond.

"The Hangman's Daughter," started at the age of about thirteen and
finished the following year, I always consider the greatest literary
achievement of my youth, for the reason that I put so much more effort
into it than any of the others. By this time I had really determined to
become an authoress (an ambition which entirely left me after my school
days), and I put solid work into "The Hangman's Daughter" and really
tried to write well. I shall never forget my feeling of shock when I
read it aloud to my brothers and they laughed at the trial scene! A
great friend of mine whose Christian name was Helen, was the heroine
(Helen Winston) of this story. She was really a little younger than I
was, but was far more "grown-up" in