ARNOLD BENNETT CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne First published 1923 Printed in Great Britain CONTENTS PART I Page 1 Riceyman Steps 1 2 The Customer 4 3 The Bookseller at Home 9 4 Elsie 14 5 The Gift 21 6 Mrs. Arb's Case 26 7 Under an Umbrella 30 8 The Carving-knife 33 9 Sunday Morning 39 10 Riceyman Square 43 11 Elsie's Home 48 12 The Benefactress 54 13 The Passion 58 14 A Man's Private Life 67 PART II 1 The Day Before 77 2 Elsie's Retreat 86 3 Waxworks 90 4 Vacuum 99 5 The Priestess 103 6 The Next Day 114 PART III 1 Early Morning 123 2 After Breakfast 127 3 International 135 4 Afternoon 140 5 Tea 146 6 Evening 155 PART IV 1 At the Window 169 2 Elsie's Motive 176 3 Charity 182 4 No Verdict 191 5 Midnight 197