The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Purchase Price, by Emerson Hough

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Title: The Purchase Price

Author: Emerson Hough

Release Date: March 15, 2004 [eBook #11593]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURCHASE PRICE***

E-text prepared by Al Haines

THE PURCHASE PRICE

OR, THE CAUSE OF COMPROMISE

By

EMERSON HOUGH

AUTHOR OF
THE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE
54-40 OR FIGHT

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

M. LEONE BRACKER AND EDMUND FREDERICK

1910

TO

HON. ALBERT J. BEVERIDGE
A PROGRESSIVE IN THE CAUSE OF
ACTUAL FREEDOM

CONTENTS

Chapter
I A LADY IN COMPANY
II THE GATEWAY AND SOME WHO PASSED
III THE QUESTION
IV THE GAME
V SPOLIA OPIMA
VI THE NEW MASTER
VII A CONFUSION IN CHATTELS
VIII THE SHADOW CABINET
IX TALLWOODS
X FREE AND THRALL
XI THE GARMENTS OF ANOTHER
XII THE NIGHT
XIII THE INVASION
XIV THE ARGUMENT
XV THE ARBITRAMENT
XVI THE ADJUDICATION
XVII THE LADY AT TALLWOODS
XVIII ON PAROLE
XIX THE ENEMY
XX THE ART OF DOCTOR JAMIESON
XXI THE PAYMENT
XXII THE WAY OF A MAID
XXIII IN WASHINGTON
XXIV IN THE NAME OF ALTRUISM
XXV THE ARTFUL GENTLEMAN PROM KENTUCKY
XXVI THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK
XXVII A SPLENDID FAILURE
XXVIII IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT
XXIX IN OLD ST. GENEVIEVE
XXX THE TURNCOAT
XXXI THE SPECTER IN THE HOUSE

CHAPTER I

A LADY IN COMPANY

"Madam, you are charming! You have not slept, and yet you smile.
No man could ask a better prisoner."

She turned to him, smiling faintly.

"I thank you. At least we have had breakfast, and for such mercy I
am grateful to my jailer. I admit I was famished. What now?"

With just the turn of a shoulder she indicated the water front,
where, at the end of the dock on which they stood, lay the good
ship, _Mount Vernon_, river packet, the black smoke already pouring
from her stacks. In turn he smiled and also shrugged a shoulder.

"Let us not ask! My dear lady, I could journey on for ever with
one so young and pleasant as yourself. I will give you my promise
in