Chapter I: Front Matter

PLAYING WITH FIRE

_A STORY OF THE SOUDAN WAR_

BY

JAMES GRANT

AUTHOR OF
'THE ROMANCE OF WAR,' 'DULCIE CARLYON,' 'ROYAL
HIGHLANDERS,' ETC.

LONDON
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS, LIMITED
BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL
MANCHESTER AND NEW YORK

1887

JAMES GRANT'S NOVELS.

The Romance of War
The Aide-de-Camp
The Scottish Cavalier
Bothwell
Jane Seton; or, The Queen's Advocate
Philip Rollo
The Black Watch
Mary of Lorraine
Oliver Ellis; or, The Fusileers
Lucy Arden; or, Hollywood Hall
Frank Hilton; or, The Queen's Own
The Yellow Frigate
Harry Ogilvie; or, The Black Dragoons
Arthur Blane
Laura Everingham; or, The Highlanders of Glenora
The Captain of the Guard
Letty Hyde's Lovers
Cavaliers of Fortune
Second to None
The Constable of France
The Phantom Regiment
The King's Own Borderers
The White Cockade
First Love and Last Love
Dick Rodney
The Girl he Married
Lady Wedderburn's Wish
Jack Manly
Only an Ensign
Adventures of Rob Roy
Under the Red Dragon
The Queen's Cadet
Shall I Win Her?
Fairer than a Fairy
One of the Six Hundred
Morley Ashton
Did She Love Him?
The Ross-Shire Buffs
Six Years Ago
Vere of Ours
The Lord Hermitage
The Royal Regiment
Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders
The Cameronians
The Scots Brigade
Violet Jermyn
Miss Cheyne of Essilmont
Jack Chaloner
The Royal Highlanders
Colville of the Guards
Dulcie Carlyon
Playing with Fire
Derval Hampton
Love's Labour Won

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I. MERLWOOD
II. HESTER MAULE
III. KASHGATE--A RETROSPECT
IV. PLAYING WITH FIRE
V. THE COUSINS
VI. ANNOT DRUMMOND
VII. 'IS SHE NOT PASSING FAIR?'
VIII. 'IT WAS NO DREAM'
IX. THE OLD LOVE AND THE NEW
X. ROLAND'S HOME-COMING
XI. A COLD RECEPTION
XII. MAUDE
XIII. ROLAND'S VEXATION
XIV. MAUDE'S SECRET
XV. MR. HAWKEY SHARPE SEEKS COUNSEL
XVI. FOOL'S PARADISE
XVII. AT EARLSHAUGH
XVIII. 'MY LOVE SHE'S BUT A LASSIE YET'
XIX. HESTER RECEIVES A PROPOSAL
XX. MR. SHARPE MAKES A MISTAKE
XXI. MALCOLM SKENE
XXII. A FATAL SHOT
XXIII. THE CITY OF THE CALIPHS--OCTOBER IN THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS!
XXIV. JACK ELLIOT'S PERIL
XXV. THE WILL
XXVI. MOLOCH
XXVII. ANNOT'S MISGIVINGS
XXVIII. THE FIRST OF OCTOBER
XXIX. ALARM AND ANXIETY
XXX. THE KELPIE'S CLEUGH
XXXI. 'ALL OVER NOW!'
XXXII. PELION ON OSSA
XXXIII. A TANGLED SKEIN
XXXIV. THE PRESENTIMENT
XXXV. LOST IN THE DESERT
XXXVI. ALONE!
XXXVII. THE FIRST QUARREL
XXXVIII. THE CRISIS
XXXIX. TURNING THE TABLES
XL. THE NEW POSITION
XLI. THE CAPTIVE
XLII. THE ZEREBA OF SHEIKH MOUSSA
XLIII. A MARRIAGE
XLIV. THE TROOPSHIP
XLV. THE DEATH WRESTLE
XLVI. MAUDE'S VISITOR
XLVII. THE RESULT
XLVIII. 'INFIRM OF PURPOSE!'
XLIX. CHRISTMAS DAY IN CAMP AT KORTI
L. THE START FOR KHARTOUM
LI. THE MARCH IN THE DESERT
LII. THE PRESENTIMENT FULFILLED
LIII. A HOMEWARD GLANCE
LIV. THE LONG-SUSPENDED SWORD
LV. WITH GENERAL EARLE's COLUMN
LVI. THE BATTLE OF KIRBEKAN
LVII. THE SICK CONVOY
LVIII. IN THE SHOUBRAH GARDENS
LIX. CONCLUSION

PLAYING WITH FIRE.