OYLE 99

THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT. BY M. E. BRADDON 109

THE HOUSE OF ELMORE. BY F. W. ROBINSON 123

DAWN. BY H. RIDER HAGGARD 135

HUDSON'S BAY. BY R. M. BALLANTYNE 151

THE PREMIER AND THE PAINTER. BY I. ZANGWILL 163

THE WESTERN AVERNUS. BY MORLEY ROBERTS 181

A LIFE'S ATONEMENT. BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY 193

A ROMANCE OF TWO WORLDS. BY MARIE CORELLI 206

ON THE STAGE AND OFF. BY JEROME K. JEROME 221

CAVALRY LIFE. By 'JOHN STRANGE WINTER' (MRS. ARTHUR
STANNARD) 239

CALIFORNIAN VERSE. BY BRET HARTE 257

DEAD MAN'S ROCK. BY 'Q.' 269

UNDERTONES AND IDYLS AND LEGENDS OF INVERBURN.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN 283

TREASURE ISLAND. BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON 297

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

JEROME K. JEROME _Frontispiece_

WALTER BESANT 2

JAMES RICE 5

JULIA 7

MR. BESANT'S STUDY 9

THE OYSTER SHOP 12

A BOOK PLATE 13

A WICKED SISTER 16

JAMES PAYN 17

IT 'TOOK OFF' FROM HIS SHOULDER 18

MR. PAYN'S STUDY 19

COUNT GOTSUCHAKOFF 21

'WOULD YOU MIND JUST READING A BIT OF IT?' 22

THE SERVANT CAME TO PUT COALS ON THE FIRE 23

MR. PAYN'S OFFICE AT WATERLOO PLACE 24

KILLED BY LIONS