MRS. CLIFF'S YACHT

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. ALONE WITH HER WEALTH 1

II. WILLY CROUP DOESN'T KNOW 7

III. MISS NANCY SHOTT 16

IV. A LAUNCH INTO A NEW LIFE 25

V. A FUR-TRIMMED OVERCOAT AND A SILK HAT 36

VI. A TEMPERANCE LARK 45

VII. MR. BURKE ACCEPTS A RESPONSIBILITY 59

VIII. MR. BURKE BEGINS TO MAKE THINGS MOVE IN PLAINTON 68

IX. A MEETING OF HEIRS 80

X. THE INTELLECT OF MISS INCHMAN 92

XI. THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW DINING-ROOM 99

XII. THE THORPEDYKE SISTERS 109

XIII. MONEY HUNGER 114

XIV. WILLY CROUP AS A PHILANTHROPIC DIPLOMATIST 121

XV. MISS NANCY MAKES A CALL 128

XVI. MR. BURKE MAKES A CALL 135

XVII. MRS. CLIFF'S YACHT 147

XVIII. THE DAWN OF THE GROVE OF THE INCAS 156

XIX. THE "SUMMER SHELTER" 162

XX. THE SYNOD 169

XXI. A TELEGRAM FROM CAPTAIN HORN 173

XXII. THE "SUMMER SHELTER" GOES TO SEA 182

XXIII. WILLY CROUP COMES TO THE FRONT 192

XXIV. CHANGES ON THE "SUMMER SHELTER" 203

XXV. A NOTE FOR CAPTAIN BURKE 218

XXVI. "WE'LL STICK TO SHIRLEY!" 228

XXVII. ON BOARD THE "DUNKERY BEACON" 235

XXVIII. THE PEOPLE ON THE "MONTEREY" 247

XXIX. THE "VITTORIO" FROM GENOA 254

XXX. THE BATTLE OF THE MERCHANT SHIPS 264

XXXI. "SHE BACKED!" 273

XXXII. A HEAD ON THE WATER 279

XXXIII. 11° 30' 19" N. LAT. by 56° 10' 19" W. LONG. 286

XXXIV. PLAINTON, MAINE 298

MRS. CLIFF'S YACHT

CHAPTER I

ALONE WITH HER WEALTH

On a beautiful September afternoon in a handsome room of one of the
grand, up-town hotels in New York sat Mrs. Cliff, widow and millionaire.

Widow of a village merchant, mistress of an unpretending house in the
little town of Plainton, Maine, and, by strange vicissitudes of fortune,
the possessor of great wealth, she was on her way from Paris to the
scene of that quiet domestic life to which for nearly thirty years she
had been accustomed.

She was alone in the hotel; her friends, Captain Horn and his wife Edna,
who had crossed the ocean with her, had stayed but a few days in New
York and had left early that afternoon for Niagara, and she was here by
herself in the hotel, waiting until the hour should arrive when she
would start on a night train for her home.

Her position was a peculiar one, altogether new to her. She was
absolutely independent,--not only could she do what she pleased, but
there was no one to tell her what it would be well for her to do, wise
for her to do, or unwise. Everything she could possibly want was within
her reach, and there was no reason why she should not have everything
she wanted.

For many months she had been possessed of enormous wealth, but never
until this moment had she felt herself the absolute, untrammelled
possessor of it. Until now Captain Horn, to whom she owed her gold, and
the power it gave her, had been with her or had exercised an influence
over her. Until the time had come when he could avow the possession of
his vast treasures, it had been impossible for her to make known her
share in them, and even after everything had been settled, and they had
all come home together in the finest state-rooms of a great ocean liner,
she had still felt dependent upon the counsels and judgment of her
friends.

MRS. CLIFF'S YACHT