The Brightener

								


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                            THE BRIGHTENER



                      BY C. N. & A. M. WILLIAMSON



                    FRONTISPIECE BY WALTER DE MARIS

GARDEN CITY, N. Y., AND TORONTO
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
1921
COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY
C. N. & A. M. WILLIAMSON
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION
INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN
COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY AINSLEE's MAGAZINE CO., NEW YORK AND GREAT BRITAIN.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PREFACE
To the Kind People Who Read Our Books:

I want to explain to you, in case it may interest you a little, why it
is that I want to keep the "firm name" (as we used to call it) of "C. N.
& A. M. Williamson," although my husband has gone out of this world.
It is because I feel very strongly that he helps me with the work even
more than he was able to do in this world. I always had his advice, and
when we took motor tours he gave me his notes to use as well as my own.
But now there is far more help than that. I cannot explain in words: I
can only feel. And because of that feeling, I could not bear to have the
"C. N." disappear from the title page.
Dear People who may read this, I hope that you will wish to see the
initials "C. N." with those of
A. M. WILLIAMSON

CONTENTS

BOOK I. THE YACHT



       I. DOWN AND OUT



      II. UP AND IN



     III. THUNDERBOLT SIX



      IV. THE BLACK THING IN THE SEA



       V. WHAT I FOUND IN MY CABIN



      VI. THE WOMAN OF THE PAST



     VII. THE SECRET BEHIND THE SILENCE



    VIII. THE GREAT SURPRISE



      IX. THE GAME OF BLUFF

BOOK II. THE HOUSE WITH THE TWISTED CHIMNEY



       I. THE SHELL-SHOCK MAN



      II. THE ADVERTISEMENT



     III. THE LETTER WITH THE PURPLE SEAL



      IV. THE TANGLED WEB



       V. THE KNITTING WOMAN OF DUN MOAT



      VI. THE LIGHTNING STROKE



     VII. THE RED BAIZE DOOR



    VIII. "WHEN IN DOUBT, PLAY A TRUMP"



      IX. THE RAT TRAP

BOOK III. THE DARK VEIL



       I. THE GIRL WITH THE LETTER



      II. THE HERMIT



     III. THE CHAIR AT THE SAVOY



      IV. THE SPIRIT OF JUNE



       V. THE BARGAIN



      VI. THE LAST SÉANCE

BOOK IV. THE MYSTERY OF MRS. BRANDRETH



       I. THE MAN IN THE CUSHIONED CHAIR



      II. MRS. BRANDRETH



     III. THE CONDITION SHE MADE



      IV. THE OLD LOVE STORY



       V. THE MAN WITH THE BRILLIANT EYES



      VI. THE PICTURES



     VII. SIR BEVERLEY'S IMPRESSIONS



    VIII. WHILE WE WAITED



      IX. THE GOOD NEWS



       X. THE CLIMAX



      XI. WHAT GABY TOLD



     XII. THE WOMAN IN THE THEATRE



    XIII. MRS. BRANDRETH'S STORY