E-text prepared by Ted Garvin, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg
Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Midsummer's Day
by
1914
I. The Curtain Rises on a Home
II. Richard Changes His Plans
III. While It Rains
IV. Pictures
V. Richard Pricks His Fingers
VI. Unsustained Application
VII. A Traitorous Proceeding
VIII. Roses Red
IX. Mr. Kendrick Entertains
X. Opinions and Theories
XI. "The Taming of the Shrew"
XII. Blankets
XIII. Lavender Linen
XIV. Rapid Fire
XV. Making Men
XVI. Encounters
XVII. Intrigue
XVIII. The Nailing of a Flag
XIX. In the Morning
XX. Side Lights
XXI. Portraits
XXII. Roberta Wakes Early
XXIII. Richard Has Waked Earlier
XXIV. The Pillars of Home
XXV. A Stout Little Cabin
None of it might ever have happened, if Richard Kendrick had gone intothe house of Mr. Robert Gray, on that first night, by the front door.For, if he had made his first entrance by that front door, if he hadbeen admitted by the maidservant in proper fashion and conducted intoJudge Calvin Gray's presence in the library, if he had delivered hismessage, from old Matthew Kendrick, his grandfather, and had come awayagain, ushered out of that same front door, the chances are that henever would have gone again. In which case there would have been nostory to tell.
It all came about—or so it seems—from its being a very rainy night inlate October, and from young Kendrick's wearing an all-concealingmotoring rain-coat and cap. He had been for a long drive into thecountry, and had just returned, mud-splashed, when his grandfather,having taken it into his head that a message must be delivered at once,requested his grandson to act as his messenger.
So the young man had impatiently bolted out with the message, had senthis car rushing through the city streets, and had become a still muddierand wetter figure than before when he stood upon the porch of the oldGray homestead, well out in the edge of the city, and put thumb to thebell.
His hand was stayed by the shrill call of a small boy who dashed up onthe porch out of the dusk. "You can't get in that way," young Ted Graycried. "Something's happened to the lock—they've sent for a man to fixit. Come round to the back with me—I'll show you."
So this was why Richard Kendrick came to be conducted by way of thetall-pillared rear porch into the house through the rear door of thewide, central hall. There was no light at this end of the hall, and theold-fashioned, high-backed settee which stood there was in shadow.
With a glance at the caller's muddy condition the young son of the housedecided it the part of prudence to assign him this waiting-place, whilehe himself should go