The first edition of this book is dated 1907. The edition used is dated 1907. The publisher was The RTS Office, 4 Bouverie Street, London EC4 The number of pages is 410.

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General information

Old Mr. Bernard Farrell is known to be immensely rich. No one in his family has seen him for ages. Suddenly he turns up, and is invited to stay for a few days, as he isn’t very well. His proposition is, that he would like various of his nephews and nieces to come and stay with him for quite a long time, so that he might gauge which of them should receive the greater part of his wealth after he dies.

The house-party duly convenes, and they don’t find him a very agreeable host, but for the most part they persevere. He has made a preliminary will “in case of accident”. He is trying to keep this will secret, and of course the young people are all agog to know what is in it. One day he accidentally leaves his desk open, and realises that someone has been at his desk, and has read the will. He calls all the young people to his bed, and asks them point-blank who it was. Of course he gets various kinds of answer, from the offended, to the frightened and cowed. But by chance he finds out exactly who had peeked into his desk and read the will. We won’t spoil the story for you, but would say this: that it is as good a Horne Vaizey story as any, even the earlier Pixie books.

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Contents

Chapter I.
From Pretence to Reality.

Chapter II.
An Evening at Home.

Chapter III.
A Proposal and a Refusal.

Chapter IV.
A Meeting.

Chapter V.
An Invitation.

Chapter VI.
At the Court.

Chapter VII.
Mr. Farrell’s Plan.

Chapter VIII.
Speculations.

Chapter IX.
Mr. Jack Melland.

Chapter X.
Introductions.

Chapter XI.
An Early Decision.

Chapter XII.
A Novel Experience.

Chapter XIII.
Learning to Ride.

Chapter XIV.
Mollie Defends her Uncle.

Chapter XV.
In the Village Church.

Chapter XVI.
Kismet.

Chapter XVII.
New Experiences.

Chapter XVIII.
Mollie’s Revenge.

Chapter XIX.
“The Ogre.“

Chapter XX.
Receiving and Paying Calls.

Chapter XXI.
Preparing for the Garden-Party.

Chapter XXII.
Mr. Farrell Makes his Will.

Chapter XXIII.
Hard at Work.

Chapter XXIV.
The Day of the Party.

Chapter XXV.
Confidences.

Chapter XXVI.
A Shattered Ideal.

Chapter XXVII.
Jack Melland’s Secret.

Chapter XXVIII.
Mrs. Wolff.

Chapter XXIX.
An Unpleasant Interview.

Chapter XXX.
Fresh Trials for Ruth and Mollie.

Chapter XXXI.
A Fateful Decision.

Chapter XXXII.
Leaving the Court.

Chapter XXXIII.
Back to Poverty.

Chapter XXXIV.
The Silver Lining.

Chapter XXXV.
Love’s Conquest.

Chapter XXXVI.
Margot’s Answer.

Chapter XXXVII.
Bernard Farrell’s Heir.

Chapter XXXVIII.
Conclusion.

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