The Project Gutenberg EBook of Septimus, by William J. Locke

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Title: Septimus

Author: William J. Locke

Release Date: December 20, 2004 [EBook #14395]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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SEPTIMUS

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

IDOLS
JAFFERY
VIVIETTE
SEPTIMUS
DERELICTS
THE USURPER
STELLA MARIS
WHERE LOVE IS
THE ROUGH ROAD
THE MOUNTEBANK
THE RED PLANET
THE WHITE DOVE
FAR-AWAY STORIES
THE GREAT PANDOLFO
SIMON THE JESTER
THE COMING OF AMOS
THE TALE OF TRIONA
A STUDY IN SHADOWS
A CHRISTMAS MYSTERY
THE WONDERFUL YEAR
THE HOUSE OF BALTAZAR
THE FORTUNATE YOUTH
THE BELOVED VAGABOND
AT THE GATE OF SAMARIA
THE GLORY OF CLEMENTINA
THE MORALS OF MARCUS ORDEYNE
THE DEMAGOGUE AND LADY PHAYRE
THE JOYOUS ADVENTURES OF ARISTIDE PUJOL

SEPTIMUS

BY
WILLIAM J. LOCKE

NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
1931

Copyright, 1908
By The Phillips Publishing Company

Copyright, 1909
By Dodd, Mead & Company

Printed in U.S.A.

The Vail-Ballou Press
Binghamton and New York

RUTGER BLEECKER JEWETT

CARO SEPTIMI
AUCTORISQUE AMICO HIC LIBER
SEPTIMI INSCRIBITUR

SEPTIMUS

CHAPTER I

"I love Nunsmere," said the Literary Man from London. "It is a spot where
faded lives are laid away in lavender."

"I'm not a faded life, and I'm not going to be laid away in lavender,"
retorted Zora Middlemist.

She turned from him and handed cakes to the Vicar. She had no desire to pet
the Vicar, but he was less unbearable than the Literary Man from London
whom he had brought to call on his parishioners. Zora disliked to be called
a parishioner. She disliked many things in Nunsmere. Her mother, Mrs.
Oldrieve, however, loved Nunsmere, adored the Vicar, and found
awe-inspiring in his cleverness the Literary Man from London.

Nunsmere lies hidden among the oaks of Surrey, far from the busy ways of
men. It is heaven knows how many miles from a highroad. You have to drive
through lanes and climb right over a hill to get to it. Two old Georgian
houses covered wit