WINSOME WINNIE

AND OTHER NEW NONSENSE NOVELS

BY STEPHEN LEACOCK

LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMXXI

Printed in Great Britain by R. Clay & Sons, Ltd., London and Bungay

CONTENTS

Chap.Page

I. WINSOME WINNIE; OR, TRIAL AND TEMPTATION 7

I. Thrown on the World 9 II. A Rencounter 14 III. Friends in Distress 18 IV. A Gambling Party in St. James's Close 24 V. The Abduction 28 VI. The Unknown 33 VII. The Proposal 36 VIII. Wedded at Last 42

II. JOHN AND I; OR, HOW I NEARLY LOST MY HUSBAND 43

III. THE SPLIT IN THE CABINET; OR, THE FATE OF ENGLAND 65

IV. WHO DO YOU THINK DID IT? OR, THE MIXED-UP MURDER MYSTERY 95

I. He Dined with Me Last Night 97 II. I must save her Life 100 III. I must buy a Book on Billiards 108 IV. That is not Billiard Chalk 112 V. Has anybody here seen Kelly? 113 VI. Show me the Man who wore those Boots 119 VII. Oh, Mr. Kent, save me! 123 VIII. You are Peter Kelly 127 IX. Let me tell you the Story of my Life 132 X. So do I 139

V. BROKEN BARRIERS; OR, RED LOVE ON A BLUE ISLAND 143

VI. THE KIDNAPPED PLUMBER: A TALE OF THE NEW TIME 177

VII. THE BLUE AND THE GREY: A PRE-WAR WAR STORY 205

VIII. BUGGAM GRANGE: A GOOD OLD GHOST STORY 225