Chapter I: Front Matter

THE TALLANTS OF BARTON.

A Tale of Fortune and Finance.

BY

JOSEPH HATTON,

Author of “Bitter Sweets: a Love Story;” “Against the Stream,”
etc., etc.

“The wheel of Fortune turns incessantly round, and who can say within
himself, I shall to-day be uppermost?”--_Confucius._

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:
TINSLEY BROTHERS, 18, CATHERINE ST., STRAND.
1867.
[_The Right of Translation is reserved._]

LONDON:
BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

I.--IN THE SHADOW OF BERNE HILLS 1

II.--INTRODUCES THE READER TO THE MERCHANT’S
SON AND DAUGHTER 13

III.--BRINGS US TO THE HALL FARM, WHERE THE
READER MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE
SOMERTONS AND A CERTAIN LANDSCAPE
PAINTER 22

IV.--THE METER IRON WORKS COMPANY 36

V.--THE DIBBLES AND THEIR NEW LODGER 49

VI.--THE TWO FRIENDS AND THE TWO VIGNETTES 61

VII.--IS A SENTIMENTAL CHAPTER, CONTAINING A
FEW MORAL REFLECTIONS BY THE WAY 77

VIII.--IN WHICH PAUL SOMERTON ENTERS UPON A
DELICATE, DIFFICULT, AND DANGEROUS TASK 84

IX.--WHICH INTRODUCES THE READER TO THE
SUMMER-HOUSE ON BERNE HILLS, AND ILLUSTRATES
THE TRUTH OF AN OLD PROVERB
ABOUT EAVES-DROPPERS 95

X.--MR. RICHARD TALLANT INTERRUPTS A CHARMING
TÊTE-À-TÊTE 107

XI.--ANOTHER UNEXPECTED VISITOR APPEARS AT
BARTON HALL 119

XII.--BENEATH THE GOWN 132

XIII.--DESCRIBES A GREAT FINANCIAL STORM AND EXHIBITS
THOMAS DIBBLE IN A NEW CHARACTER 143

XIV.--ARTHUR PHILLIPS AT WORK 155

XV.--RETURNS TO AVONWORTH VALLEY, AND GLANCES
AT MRS. SOMERTON’S SECRET 169

XVI.--MAY BE SAID TO INAUGURATE A SERIES OF IMPORTANT
CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF SEVERAL
NOTABLE PERSONS IN THIS HISTORY 179

XVII.--CHIEFLY CONCERNS THE FORTUNES OF PAUL
SOMERTON 190

XVIII.--RETURNS TO THE MEETING AT THE LONDON
TAVERN 199

XIX.--OF CERTAIN REPORTS IN THE NEWSPAPERS 210

XX.--SHOWS HOW THE PURSE FOUND ITS WAY INTO
PAUL SOMERTON’S BOX 224

XXI.--WHEREIN THOMAS DIBBLE “RUNS AWAY,” AND
MEETS WITH A VERY REMARKABLE COMPANION 236

XXII.--IN WHICH THOMAS DIBBLE CONTINUES TO “RUN
AWAY” 246

XXIII.--IS OF A MISCELLANEOUS AND DISCURSIVE CHARACTER,
BUT ESSENTIAL TO THE NARRATIVE 261

XXIV.--CHRISTABEL TAKES DIBBLE INTO HER CONFIDENCE 278