Works of Robert W. Chambers

  The Common Law
  The Adventures of a Modest Man
  Ailsa Paige
  The Danger Mark
  Special Messenger
  The Firing Line
  The Younger Set
  The Fighting Chance
  Some Ladies in Haste
  The Tree of Heaven
  The Tracer of Lost Persons
  A Young Man in a Hurry
  Lorraine
  Maids of Paradise
  Ashes of Empire
  The Red Republic
  Outsiders
  The Green Mouse
  Iole
  The Reckoning
  The Maid-at-Arms
  Cardigan
  The Haunts of Men
  The Mystery of Choice
  The Cambric Mask
  The Maker of Moons
  The King in Yellow
  In Search of the Unknown
  The Conspirators
  A King and a Few Dukes
  In the Quarter

For Children

  Garden-Land
  Forest-Land
  River-Land
  Mountain-Land
  Orchard-Land
  Outdoor-Land
  Hide and Seek in Forest-Land

The

COMMON LAW

BY

ROBERT W. CHAMBERS

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

CHARLES DANA GIBSON

NEW YORK AND LONDON D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1911

[Illustration:  “She sat at the piano, running her fingers lightly over the keyboard.” [Page 48.]]

TO CHARLES DANA GIBSON

A FRIEND OF MANY YEARS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

“She sat at the piano, running her fingers lightly over the keyboard” Frontispiece

“There was a long, brisk, decisive ring at the door” 3

“‘Now, Miss West,’ he said decisively” 13

“’I know perfectly well that this isn’t right,’she said” 31

“‘What’s the matter with it, then?’” 40

“For a long while she sat, her cheek resting on one palm, looking fixedly into space” 65

“Neville stood stock-still before the canvas” 81

“When he first tried to ring her up the wire was busy” 83

“‘Kelly, dear, are you unhappy?’” 90

“He picked up a bit of white chalk ... and traced on the floor the outline of her shoes” 93

“‘I will call you a god if I like!’” 96

“‘If she’s as much of a winner as all that,’ began Cameron with decision, ‘I want to meet her immediately—­’” 109

“‘Come on, Alice, if you’re going to scrub before luncheon’” 116

“‘I know it is you.  Is it?’ 125

“A smartly dressed and very confident drummer” 136

“Valerie sat cross-legged on the grass ... scribbling away” 145

“‘How well you look!’ He exclaimed” 149

“Querida had laughed ... and returned compliment for compliment” 175