E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Project Gutenberg Beginners Projects,

Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

THE KNAVE OF DIAMONDS

By ETHEL M. DELL

Author of "The Way Of An Eagle"

1912

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY FRIEND AND SISTER IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OFHER SYMPATHY AND HELP

O Charity, all patiently
    Abiding wrack and scaith!
O Faith that meets ten thousand cheats
    Yet drops no jot of faith!
Devil and brute Thou dost transmute
    To higher, lordlier show,
Who art in sooth that lovely Truth
    The careless angels know!

To the True Romance.

RUDYARD KIPLING

CONTENTS

PART I

CHAPTER

I.—THE MISSING HEART

II.—THE QUEEN'S JESTER

III.—THE CHARIOT OF THE GODS

IV.—CAKE MORNING

V.—THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

VI.—AT THE MEET

VII.—THE FALL

VIII.—THE RIDE HOME

IX.—THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE

X.—THE HAND OF A FRIEND

XI.—THE STING OF A SCORPION

XII.—BROTHERS

XIII.—THE JESTER'S INFERNO

XIV.—A BIG THING

XV.—THE CHAMPION

XVI.—THE MASQUERADE

XVII.—THE SLAVE OF GOODNESS

XVIII.—THE DESCENT FROM OLYMPUS

XIX.—VENGEANCE

XX.—THE VISION

XXI.—AT THE MERCY OF A DEMON

XXII.—THE CITY OF REFUGE

PART II

I.—THE JESTER'S RETURN

II.—THE KERNEL OF THE DIFFICULTY

III.—THE FIRST ORDEAL

IV.—THE FATAL STREAK

V.—THE TOKEN

VI.—THE BURIAL OF A HATCHET

VII.—A QUESTION OF TRUST

VIII.—A SUDDEN BLOW

IX.—THE BOON

X.—A DAY IN PARADISE

XI.—THE RETURN TO EARTH

XII.—IN THE FACE OF THE GODS

XIII.—AN APPEAL AND ITS ANSWER

XIV.—THE IRRESISTIBLE

XV.—ON THE EDGE OF THE PIT

XVI.—DELIVERANCE

PART III

I.—THE POWER DIVINE

II.—THE WORKER OF MIRACLES

III.—THE WOMAN'S PART

IV.—THE MESSAGE

V.—THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND

VI.—A VOICE THAT CALLED

VII.—THE UNINVITED GUEST

VIII.—THE HEART OF A SAVAGE

IX.—THE DIVINE SPARK

X.—THE QUEEN'S PARDON

XI.—SOMETHING GREAT

XII.—A FRIENDLY UNDERSTANDING

XIII.—THE FINAL DEFEAT

XIV.—AT THE GATE OF DEATH

XV.—THE KING'S DECREE

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