The Little Blue Devil

THE

LITTLE BLUE DEVIL


BY

DOROTHEA MACKELLAR

AND

RUTH BEDFORD



LONDON: ALSTON RIVERS, LTD.

BROOKE STREET, HOLBORN BARS, E.C.

1912

First Published March 27th, 1912

Reprinted May 9th, 1912

“THE LITTLE BLUE DEVIL

“The wind went down with the sunset,
The fog came up with the tide,
When the Witch of the North took an egg-shell
With a little Blue Devil inside.
‘Sink,’ she said, ‘or swim,’ she said,
‘It’s all you will get from me.
And that is the finish of him,’ she said.
And the egg-shell went to sea.

“The wind came up with the morning,
The fog blew off with the rain
When the Witch of the North saw the egg-shell
And the little Blue Devil again.
‘Did you swim?’ she said; ‘Did you sink?’ she said,
And the little Blue Devil replied,
‘For myself, I swam, but I think,’ he said,
‘There’s somebody sinking outside.’”

Rudyard Kipling.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. Antoine's Father 1
II. On the Deux-Fréres-Chambasse 8
III. Driftwood 16
IV. Boots at the Lafayette 23
V. To New Zealand 30
VI. Baldwin Forgets the Stirrup-Iron 37
VII. Tony Learns Things 50
VIII. Alison Spreads Her Net 58
IX. The Capitulation of Tony 69
X. Alison's Victory 80
XI. Time for the Road 92
XII. Pamela 98
XIII. Wayfaring 106
XIV. Old Scenes 116
XV. Liane 122
XVI. The Hero is Ashamed of Himself 134
XVII. Archie's Side of London 144
XVIII. The Unfortunate Subject 154
XIX. Tony Hears Some News 160
XX. Pamela Goes Her Own Way 170
XXI. Pamela Experiences a Shock 181
XXII. Alison Hits on a Plan 189
XXIII. Tony Hits on Another 201
XXIV. Tony Makes a Start 209
XXV. Uncle Roger's Brother 219
XXVI. Alick Power's Mistake 230
XXVII. Pamela Sees the Township 243
XXVIII. Lord Trent's Death-Scheme 253
XXIX. The Seige of Pamela 266
XXX. Flight 278
XXXI. Alison's Plan Works Out 290
XXXII. Alison Receives a Cablegram 306
XXXIII. The Bosom of the Family 316
XXXIV. A Castle in Spain 323