This eBook was created by Charles AldarondoThe Works of E P ROEFROM JEST TO EARNESTDEDICATIONThis book is dedicated in fraternal affection to the friend of myyouth and maturer yearsthe REV A MOSS MERWIN who with everyavenue of earthly ambition open to him at home and with everymotive urged upon him to remain at home has been for years andis now a faithful missionary in a foreign landCONTENTSCHAPTER I A PRACTICAL JOKECHAPTER II THE VICTIMCHAPTER III PUZZLED AND INTERESTEDCHAPTER IV A LITTLE PAGANCHAPTER V PLAIN TALKCHAPTER VI A SLEIGHRIDE AND SOMETHING MORECHAPTER VII ANOTHER SPELL THAN BEAUTYSCHAPTER VIII FINDING ONES LEVELCHAPTER IX THE OTHER SETCHAPTER X HUMAN NATURECHAPTER XI A POSSIBLE TRAGEDYCHAPTER XII MISS MARSDEN ASKS SOMBRE QUESTIONSCHAPTER XIII A LOVER QUENCHEDCHAPTER XIV LOTTIE A MYSTERIOUS PROBLEMCHAPTER XV HEMSTEAD SEES OUR SETCHAPTER XVI HOW WOMAN MAKES OR MARSCHAPTER XVII MIDNIGHT VIGILSCHAPTER XVIII HEMSTEADS HEAVY GUN AND ITS RECOILCHAPTER XIX THE PREACHER TAUGHT BY THE PAGANCHAPTER XX THE DAWNING LIGHTCHAPTER XXI MISUNDERSTOODCHAPTER XXII YOU MUST WAIT AND SEECHAPTER XXIII A RATIONALIST OF THE OLD SCHOOLCHAPTER XXIV THE TERROR OF A GREAT FEARCHAPTER XXV A TRUE KNIGHTCHAPTER XXVI ON A CRUMBLING ICEFLOECHAPTER XXVII THE MEETING AND GREETINGCHAPTER XXVIII THE TRIAL OF LOVECHAPTER XXIX HEMSTEADS ADVICE AND LOTTIES COLORSCHAPTER XXX AROUND THE YULELOGCHAPTER XXXI UNDER THE MISTLETOECHAPTER XXXII THE CHRISTMAS SUNDAYCHAPTER XXXIII THE END OF THE JESTCHAPTER XXXIV LOYALCHAPTER XXXV MR DIMMERLY CONCLUDES TO MEDDLECHAPTER XXXVI A NIGHT IN THE SNOWCHAPTER XXXVII IN EARNESTFROM JEST TO EARNESTCHAPTER IA PRACTICAL JOKEOn a cloudy December morning a gentleman two ladies and a boystepped down from the express train at a station just above theHighlands on the Hudson A double sleigh overflowing with luxuriousrobes stood near and a portly coachman with difficulty restrainedhis spirited horses while the little party arranged themselves fora winter ride  Both the ladies were young and the gentlemansanxious and almost tender solicitude for one of them seemed hardlywarranted by her blooming cheeks and sprightly movements  A closeobserver might soon suspect that his assiduous attentions  werecaused by a malady of his own rather than by indisposition on herpartThe other young lady received but scant politeness though seeminglyin greater need of it But the words of Scripture applied toher beautiful companion Whosoever hath to him shall be givenand he shall have more abundance She had been surfeited all herlife with attention and though she would certainly have felt itsabsence as she would the loss of wealth lifelong familiaritywith both led her to place no special value upon themTherefore during the halfhours ride her spirits rose with therapid motion and even the leaden sky and winters bleakness couldnot prevent the shifting landscape from being a source of pleasureto her city eyes while the devotion  of her admirer or lover wasreceived as a matter of courseThe frosty air brought color into her companions usually paleface but not of an attractive kind for the northeast wind thatdeepened the vermilion in the beautys cheek could only tinge thatof the other with a ghastly blue The delicate creature shiveredand sighedI wish we were thereReally Bel I sometimes think your veins are filled with waterinstead of blood Its not cold today is it Mr De ForrestWell all I can say with certainty he replied is that I havebeen in a glow for the last two hours I thought it was chillybefore thatYou are near to glory then cried the boy saucily from hisperch on the drivers boxOf course I am said Mr De Forrest in a low tone and leaningtowards the maidenYou are both nearer being silly she replied pettishly  Danbehave yourself and speak when you are spoken toThe boy announced his independence of sisterly control by beginningto whistle and the young lady addressed as Bel remarked MrDe Forrest is no judge of the weather under the circumstances Hedoubtless regards the day as bright and serene But he was evidentlya correct  judge up to the time he joined you LottieHe joined you as much as he did meO pardon me yes I believe I was presentI hope I have failed in no act of politeness Miss Bel said DeForrest a little stifflyI have no complaints to make Indeed I have fared well consideringthat one is sometimes worse than a crowdNonsense said Lottie petulantly and the young man tried notto appear annoyedThe sleigh now dashed in between rustic gateposts  composed of roughpillars of granite and proceeding along an avenue that sometimesskirted a wooded ravine and again wound through picturesque groupingsof evergreens they soon reached a mansion of considerable sizewhich bore evidence of greater age than is usual with the homes inour new worldThey had hardly crossed the threshold into the hall before theywere hospitably welcomed by a widowed lady whose hair was slightlytinged with gray and by her eldest daughterThe greetings were so cordial as to indicate ties of blood andthe guests were shown to their rooms and told to  prepare for anearly dinnerIn brief Mrs Marchmont the mistress of the mansion had gratifiedher daughters wish as she did all her fancies by permitting herto invite a number of young friends for the Christmas holidaysBoth mother and daughter were fond of society and it required nohospitable effort to  welcome visitors at a season when a majorityof their friends had fled from the dreariness of winter to cityhomes  Indeed they regarded it as almost an honor that so prominenta belle as Charlotte Marsden had consented to spend a few weekswith them at a time when country life is at a large discount withthe fashionable They surmised that the presence of Mr De Forresta distant relative of both Miss Marsden and themselves would beagreeable to all  concerned and were not mistaken and to MissLottie the presence of a few admirersshe would not entertain theidea that they were lovershad become an ordinary necessity  oflife Mr De Forrest was an unusually interesting specimen of thegenushandsome an adept in the mode and etiquette of the hourattentive as her own shadow and quite as subservientHis lovemaking