The trail of the serpent

“No one can be dull who has a novel by Miss Braddon in hand. The most tiresome journey is beguiled, and the most wearisome illness is brightened, by any one of her books.” “Miss Braddon is the Queen of the circulating libraries.” The World. LONDON: SIMPKIN & CO., LIMITED, STATIONERS’ HALL COURT . And at all Railway Bookstalls, Booksellers’, and Libraries. CONTENTS A RESPECTABLE YOUNG MAN. CHAP. PAGE I. THE GOOD SCHOOLMASTER 5 II. GOOD FOR NOTHING 10 III. THE USHER WASHES HIS HANDS 17 IV. RICHARD MARWOOD LIGHTS HIS PIPE 21 V. THE HEALING WATERS 28 VI. TWO CORONER’S INQUESTS 34 VII. THE DUMB DETECTIVE A PHILANTHROPIST 38 VIII. SEVEN LETTERS ON THE DIRTY ALPHABET 43 IX. “MAD, GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY ” 48 A CLEARANCE OF ALL SCORES. I. BLIND PETER 58 II. LIKE AND UNLIKE 63 III. A GOLDEN SECRET 66 IV. JIM LOOKS OVER THE BRINK OF THE TERRIBLE GULF 71 V. MIDNIGHT BY THE SLOPPERTON CLOCKS 78 VI. THE QUIET FIGURE ON THE HEATH 82 VII. THE USHER RESIGNS HIS SITUATION 91 A HOLY INSTITUTION. I. THE VALUE OF AN OPERA-GLASS 95 II. WORKING IN THE DARK 99 III. THE WRONG FOOTSTEP 104 IV. OCULAR DEMONSTRATION 111 V. THE KING OF SPADES 116 VI. A GLASS OF WINE 124 VII. THE LAST ACT OF LUCRETIA BORGIA 129 VIII. BAD DREAMS AND A WORSE WAKING 133 IX. A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE 141 X. ANIMAL MAGNETISM 145 NAPOLEON THE GREAT. I. THE BOY FROM SLOPPERTON 150 II. MR. AUGUSTUS DARLEY AND MR. JOSEPH PETERS GO OUT FISHING 162 III. THE EMPEROR BIDS ADIEU TO ELBA 167 IV. JOY AND HAPPINESS FOR EVERYBODY 177 V. THE CHEROKEES TAKE AN OATH 181 VI. MR. PETERS RELATES HOW HE THOUGHT HE HAD A CLUE, AND HOW HE LOST IT 187 THE DUMB DETECTIVE. I. THE COUNT DE MAROLLES AT HOME 200 II. MR. PETERS SEES A GHOST 205 III. THE CHEROKEES MARK THEIR MAN 212 IV. THE CAPTAIN, THE CHEMIST, AND THE LASCAR 217 V. THE NEW MILKMAN IN PARK LANE 221 VI. SIGNOR MOSQUETTI RELATES AN ADVENTURE 225 VII. THE GOLDEN SECRET IS TOLD, AND THE GOLDEN BOWL IS BROKEN 230 VIII. ONE STEP FURTHER ON THE RIGHT TRACK 235 IX. CAPTAIN LANDSOWN OVERHEARS A CONVERSATION WHICH APPEARS TO INTEREST HIM 241 ON THE TRACK. I. FATHER AND SON 247 II. RAYMOND DE MAROLLES SHOWS HIMSELF BETTER THAN…