The Money Moon: A Romance Read online

  Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ginny Brewer and PG DistributedProofreaders

  THE MONEY MOON

  A Romance

  By

  JEFFERY FARNOL

  Author of "The Broad Highway," etc.

  Frontispiece by A.I. KELLER

  1911

  To "JENNIFER"

  The One and Only

  Whose unswerving FAITH was an InspirationWhose GENEROSITY is a bye-word;This book is dedicated as a mark of GRATITUDE and AFFECTION

  Jeffery Farnol Feb. 10, 1910

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER

  I WHICH, BEING THE FIRST, IS, VERY PROPERLY, THE SHORTEST CHAPTER IN THE BOOK

  II HOW GEORGE BELLEW SOUGHT COUNSEL OF HIS VALET

  III WHICH CONCERNS ITSELF WITH A HAYCART, AND A BELLIGERENT WAGGONER

  IV HOW SMALL PORGES IN LOOKING FOR A FORTUNE FOR ANOTHER, FOUND AN UNCLE FOR HIMSELF INSTEAD

  V HOW BELLEW CAME TO ARCADIA

  VI OF THE SAD CONDITION OF THE HAUNTING SPECTRE OF THE MIGHT HAVE BEEN

  VII WHICH CONCERNS ITSELF AMONG OTHER MATTERS, WITH "THE OLD ADAM"

  VIII WHICH TELLS OF MISS PRISCILLA, OF PEACHES, AND OF SERGEANT APPLEBY LATE OF THE 19TH HUSSARS

  IX IN WHICH MAY BE FOUND SOME DESCRIPTION OF ARCADIA, AND GOOSEBERRIES

  X HOW BELLEW AND ADAM ENTERED INTO A SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT

  XI OF THE "MAN WITH THE TIGER MARK"

  XII IN WHICH MAY BE FOUND A FULL, TRUE, AND PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE SALE

  XIII HOW ANTHEA CAME HOME

  XIV WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HAS TO DO WITH SHRIMPS, MUFFINS, AND TIN WHISTLES

  XV IN WHICH ADAM EXPLAINS

  XVI IN WHICH ADAM PROPOSES A GAME

  XVII HOW BELLEW BEGAN THE GAME

  XVIII HOW THE SERGEANT WENT UPON HIS GUARD

  XIX IN WHICH PORGES BIG, AND PORGES SMALL DISCUSS THE SUBJECT OF MATRIMONY

  XX WHICH RELATES A MOST EXTRAORDINARY CONVERSATION

  XXI OF SHOES, AND SHIPS, AND SEALING WAX, AND THE THIRD FINGER OF THE LEFT HAND

  XXII COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEFORE

  XXIII HOW SMALL PORGES, IN HIS HOUR OF NEED, WAS DESERTED BY HIS UNCLE

  XXIV IN WHICH SHALL BE FOUND MENTION OF A CERTAIN BLACK BAG

  XXV THE CONSPIRATORS

  XXVI HOW THE MONEY MOON ROSE

  XXVII IN WHICH IS VERIFIED THE ADAGE OF THE CUP AND THE LIP

  XXVIII WHICH TELLS HOW BELLEW LEFT DAPPLEMERE IN THE DAWN

  XXIX OF THE MOON'S MESSAGE TO SMALL PORGES, AND HOW HE TOLD IT TO BELLEW--IN A WHISPER

  XXX HOW ANTHEA GAVE HER PROMISE

  XXXI WHICH, BEING THE LAST, IS, VERY PROPERLY, THE LONGEST, IN THE BOOK

  CHAPTER I

  _Which, being the first, is, very properly, the shortest chapter in thebook_

  When Sylvia Marchmont went to Europe, George Bellew being, at the sametime, desirous of testing his newest acquired yacht, followed her, andmutual friends in New York, Newport, and elsewhere, confidently awaitednews of their engagement. Great, therefore, was their surprise when theylearnt of her approaching marriage to the Duke of Ryde.

  Bellew, being young and rich, had many friends, very naturally, who,while they sympathized with his loss, yet agreed among themselves, that,despite Bellew's millions, Sylvia had done vastly well for herself,seeing that a duke is always a duke,--especially in America.

  There were, also, divers ladies in New York, Newport, and elsewhere, andcelebrated for their palatial homes, their jewels, and their daughters,who were anxious to know how Bellew would comport himself under hisdisappointment. Some leaned to the idea that he would immediately blowhis brains out; others opined that he would promptly set off on anotherof his exploring expeditions, and get himself torn to pieces by lionsand tigers, or devoured by alligators; while others again feared greatlythat, in a fit of pique, he would marry some "young person" unknown, andtherefore, of course, utterly unworthy.

  How far these worthy ladies were right, or wrong in their surmises, theywho take the trouble to turn the following pages, shall find out.