It was his great arms that lifted her feather-weight with
extraordinary sureness and gentleness. (Seepage 165)
JAFFERY
BY
WILLIAM J. LOCKE
F. MATANIA
NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY
1915
Press of
J.J. Little & Ives Company
New York, U.S.A.
TO MY WIFE
This book on which it has pleased you to bestow your especialaffection I dedicate to you with my love. It is a memory of manyhappy hours and many dreams that we have shared.
You remember how it was begun, one spring morning two years ago,with the opening scene of the first chapter gay before my eyes as Iwrote. You remember the excitement of ending it before theChristmas of 1913; so that we could start with free consciences,early in the New Year, on our Egyptian journey.
C'est bien loin, tout cela! War overtook it in its serialcourse; and now, in book form, it must go out to the world as anexpression of the moods and fancies almost of a pastincarnation.
These dream figures with whom we delighted, like children, topeople our home, are now replaced by other guests tragically real,as big-hearted as those most loved of our shadow-folk. Yetsometimes they seem still to live. . . . While correcting the finalproofs we have been tempted to modify the end, to bring the storyof Jaffery more or less up to date; but we have felt that anyaddition would be out of key, so far are we from that happyChristmastide when, in gaiety of heart, I wrote the last words.
Yet we know, you and I, that Jaffery Chayne is even now overthere, across the Channel; no longer writing of war, but doing hissoldier's work in the thick of it, like a gallant gentleman. Anddon't you feel that one day he will come again and we shall hearhis mighty voice thundering across the lawn. . . ?
W.J.L.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXII
...