The Great Jekyll Diamond. A romance of two prodigals

Front matter

*> HU MYSTERIOUS WHITE HAND (See pcl>'t' I, THE Great Jekyll Diamond A ROMANCE OF TWO PRODIGALS. BY J. L. OWEN. AUTHOR OF "Piccadilly Poems;" "Street Corner Studies;" " Strange Tenants ; " "A Pellicoaled Politician ; " " The Silvertoivn Sensation ; " " The Dene Hollow Tragedy ; " Etc. THE ROXBURGHE PRESS, FIFTEEN VICTORIA STREET, WESTMINSTER. TO Alderman Sir THOMAS WRIGHT, TWICE MAYOR OF LEICESTER, THIS ROMANCE OF "THE GREAT JEKYLL DIAMOND" (SOME OF THF. SCENES OF WHICH ARE LAID IN THAT PICTURESQUE PORTION OF LEICESTERSHIRE KNOWN AS THE FOREST OF CHARNWOOD, AND ARE THEREFORE FAMILIAR TO HIM), IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, AS A TRIBUTE OF PERSONAL ESTEEM, AND FOR THE SAKE OF "AULD LANG SYNE, ' BY J. LAWTON OWEN.

Preface

. The following story propounds no problems, and makes no pre tensions to be classed with a certain "school " of fin de siccl: fiction. It is simply a romance of the affections, in which the human passions play a part in the old-world fashion. The dramatic episodes of love and adventure are interwoven with a jewel mystery, and the scenes laid in the " forest primeval " of Charnwood (one of the most picturesque districts in the rural heart of England), and the equally primitive Isle of Sark, are faithfully sketched from Nature. At a period when there are signs of a revival in lavour of the purely romantic, in place of the morbid, it is hoped tbat this contrast of town and counlry, or mingling of Arcadian and modern Bohemian life, may interest those who still care for the tales of twenty years ago.

J. I.. O. CONTENTS. FAGE. The Prologue A Mischievous Marriage I The Story — Chapter i. A Warning 10 „ 2. A Golden Bait 18 „ 3. The Mysterious White Hand 26 4- Myra 38 „ 5. A Stolen Meeting 4S 6. Wolfs Crag 55 7. Rivals 68 8. The Great Jekyll Diamond 82 ,, 9. Barton Abbey 95 ,, 10. A Glimpse of Bohemia ... ... ... ... 106 ,, 11. The Ball at Barton 115 ,, 12. Lemuel... ... ... ... ... ... ... 123 ,, 13. A "Star" and Her Satellites 130 ,, 14. The Round House Revelations ... ... ... 138 ,, 15. In Sark... ... ... ... ... ... ... 153 ,, 16. Chainwood — Spring ... ... ... ... ... 162 ,, 17. The Missing Diamond ... ... ... ... 173 ,, 18. A Fearful Struggle 181 ,, 19. The Rescue. The Duel 189 ,, 20. The Leap from the Coupce ... ... ... ... 197 ,, 21. The Return and the Re-union ... ... ... 205 ,, 22.

The Burning of Wolf's Crag ... 210 ,, 23. The Toll-gate Tragedy. The Missing Hand. The Mill Dam Mystery 221 ,, 24. A Maiden Millionaire ... ... ... ... 230 ,, 25. The Sequel — The Prodigal's Return ... ... 242 ,, 26. The Coming of Age ... ... ... ... ... THE GREAT JEKYLL DIAMOND. THE