addressing not a tried and friendly public, but an unknown, and, it
may be, less easily pleased and more critical audience. It appears to
me that it would be a simpler thing to write another book; and I would
rather do so. I can only hope that some of the readers of "Peter's
Mother," if she is so happy as to find favour in American eyes, would
rather I did so too; in I which case I shall very joyfully try to
gratify their wishes, and my own.

BETTY DE LA PASTURE.




PETER'S MOTHER




CHAPTER I


Above Youlestone village, overlooking the valley and the river,
and the square-towered church, stood Barracombe House, backed by
Barracombe Woods, and owned by Sir Timothy Crewys, of Barracombe.

From the terrace before his windows Sir Timothy could take a
bird's-eye view of his own property, up the river and down the river;
while he also had the felicity of beholding the estate of his most
important neighbour, Colonel Hewel, of Hewelscourt, mapped out before
his eyes, as plainly visible in detail as land on the opposite side of