Miss Thangue, who had never seen her friend's hand tremble among the teacups before, felt an edge on her mental appetite, stimulating after two monotonous years abroad. It was several minutes, however, before she made any effort to relieve her curiosity, for of all her patron-friends Victoria Gwynne required the most delicate touch. Flora had learned to be audacious without taking a liberty, which, indeed, was one secret of her success; but although she prided herself upon her reading of this enigma, whom even the ancestral dames of Capheaton looked down upon inspectively, she was never quite sure of her ground. She particularly wished to avoid mistakes upon the renewal of an intimacy kept alive by a fitful correspondence during her sojourn on the Continent. Quite apart from self-interest, she liked no one as well, and her curiosity was tempered by a warm sympathy and a genuine interest. It was this capacity for friendship, and her unlimited good-nature, that had saved her, penniless as she was, from the ignominious footing of the social parasite. The daughter of a clergyman in a Yorkshire village, and the playmate in childhood of the little girls of the castle near by, she had realized early in life that although pretty and well-bred, she was not yet sufficiently dowered by either nature or fortune to hope for a brilliant marriage; and she detested poverty. Upon her father's death she must earn her bread, and, reasoning that self-support was merely the marketing of one's essential commodity, and as her plump and indolent body was disinclined to privations of any sort, she elected the rôle of useful friend to fashionable and luxurious women. It was not an exalted niche to fill in life, but at least she had learned to fill it to perfection, and her ambitions were modest. Moreover, a certain integrity of character and girlish enthusiasm had saved her from the more corrosive properties of her anomalous position, and she was not only clever enough to be frankly useful without servility, but she had become so indispensable to certain of her friends, that although still blooming in her early forties, she would no more have deserted them for a mere husband than she would have renounced her comfortable and varied existence for the no less varied uncertainties of matrimony.

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It was at Governor Alvarado's house in Monterey that Chonita first knew of Diego Estenega. I had told him much of her, but had never cared to mention the name of Estenega in the presence of an Iturbi y Moncada. Chonita came to Monterey to stand godmother to the child of Alvarado and of her friend Dona Martina, his wife. She arrived the morning before the christening, and no one thought to tell her that Estenega was to be godfather. The house was full of girls, relatives of the young mother, gathered for the ceremony and subsequent week of festivities. Benicia, my little one, was at the rancho with Ysabel Herrera, and I was staying with the Alvarados. So many were the guests that Chonita and I slept together. We had not seen each other for a year, and had so much to say that we did not sleep at all. She was ten years younger than I, but we were as close friends as she with her alternate frankness and reserve would permit. But I had spent several months of each year since childhood at her home in Santa Barbara, and I knew her better than she knew herself; when, later, I read her journal, I found little in it to surprise me, but much to fill and cover with shapely form the skeleton of the story which passed in greater part before my eyes.

A Mystery Story, first published in 1919

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

Product Description: Gertrude Atherton was a well known American novelist in the early 20th century, and many of her novels depict life in California during the time period. Her best known work, Black Oxen, is still widely read today.

Product Description: This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Product Description: This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

Product Description: Gertrude Atherton was a well known American novelist in the early 20th century, and many of her novels depict life in California during the time period. Her best known work, Black Oxen, is still widely read today.

Product Description: Gertrude Atherton was a well known American novelist in the early 20th century, and many of her novels depict life in California during the time period. Her best known work, Black Oxen, is still widely read today.

Product Description: Mrs. Gertrude Atherton’s treatise, in the form of a novel, on international marriages has been widely and favorably reviewed. The Saturday Review's critic prefaces his praise by recalling the "crude vulgarity of Patience Sparhawk," a work which, he thinks, in no wise indicated the advent of that first-rate woman-novelist which America "has long wanted...read more

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Product Description: S ISTER TERESA had wept bitterly for two days. The vanity for which she did penance whenever her madonna loveliness, consummated by the white robe and veil of her novitiate, tempted her to one of the little mirrors in the pupil's dormitory, was powerless to check the blighting flow...read more

Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton (1857 - 1948) was a feminist American writer. Her husband discouraged her writing and in 1882 when she published her first novel the family was scandalized. Atherton is best remembered for her California series of novels and short stories. Her stories feature strong heroines who pursue independent careers. The Conqueror is a historical novel based on the life of Alexander Hamilton. The sections about his time in the West Indies were written from what little information could be found. The sections about his life in America are based on fact. Hamilton was born on the British West Indian island of Nevis. He became a leading founding father of the United States. He was the first United States Secretary of the Treasury, an economist, and political philosopher. He took part in the Philadelphia Convention, was one of America's first Constitutional lawyers, and co-wrote the Federalist Papers, a primary source for Constitutional interpretation.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Product Description: The scene is laid in Mexico and, as may well be imagined, is full of the passion and unconstraint of that southern clime. Some of the scenes, notably that in the last chapter, are intensely dramatic and forceful. A companion volumes to "The Californians."

Product Description: This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Gertrude Atherton (1857-1948) author of such novels as The Californians, Black Oxen, and The Jealous Gods, in What Dreams May Come tells the story of perilous romance whose effects are felt beyond their time -- and across generations. "My grandmother," she says, unveiling the old painting and fixing Harold with her unsettling gaze. "Daughter of the proudest earl in Wales -- and I am exactly like her, am I not? It is the most remarkable resemblance ever to occur in the family." "Yes," he says, then turns suddenly to the beautiful woman. "I swear I've seen her before. That's why your face was so familiar. I must have seen your grandmother when I was very young!" "But Harold," she says, elevating her brows. "That is impossible. She died when papa was a little boy!"