The Magnificent Adventure Read online

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  THE

  MAGNIFICENT

  ADVENTURE

  _Being the Story of the World's Greatest Exploration and the Romance of a Very Gallant Gentleman._

  A NOVEL

  BY EMERSON HOUGH

  AUTHOR OF

  THE COVERED WAGON, NORTH OF 36, ETC.

  ILLUSTRATED BY ARTHUR I. KELLER

  NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS

  Made in the United States of America

  COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY EMERSON HOUGH

  COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY THE FRANK A. MUNSEY COMPANY

  Printed in the United States of America

  "'Him Ro'shones,' replied the girl" [PAGE 219]]

  TO ROBERT H. DAVIS GOOD FRIEND INVALUABLE COLLABORATOR

  CONTENTS

  PART I

  CHAPTER PAGE

  I. MOTHER AND SON 3

  II. MERIWETHER AND THEODOSIA 15

  III. MR. BURR AND MR. MERRY 30

  IV. PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY 36

  V. THE PELL-MELL AND SOME CONSEQUENCES 47

  VI. THE GREAT CONSPIRACY 71

  VII. COLONEL BURR AND HIS DAUGHTER 86

  VIII. THE PARTING 94

  IX. MR. THOMAS JEFFERSON 105

  X. THE THRESHOLD OF THE WEST 117

  XI. THE TAMING OF PATRICK GASS 128

  XII. CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK 137

  XIII. UNDER THREE FLAGS 143

  XIV. THE RENT IN THE ARMOR 153

  PART II

  I. UNDER ONE FLAG 167

  II. THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER 182

  III. THE DAY'S WORK 191

  IV. THE CROSSROADS OF THE WEST 199

  V. THE APPEAL 208

  VI. WHICH WAY? 218

  VII. THE MOUNTAINS 230

  VIII. TRAIL'S END 241

  IX. THE SUMMONS 250

  X. THE ABYSS 256

  XI. THE BEE 272

  XII. WHAT VOICE HAD CALLED? 280

  XIII. THE NEWS 292

  XIV. THE GUESTS OF A NATION 300

  XV. MR. JEFFERSON'S ADVICE 308

  XVI. THE QUALITY OF MERCY 316

  XVII. THE FRIENDS 328

  XVIII. THE WILDERNESS 336

  XIX. DOWN TO THE SEA 351

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  "'Him Ro'shones,' replied the girl" _Frontispiece_

  FACING PAGE

  "'Mistah Thomas Jeffahson!' was his sole announcement" 50

  "'Oh, Theo, what have I done?'" 162

  "Her face indeed!" 252

  THE MAGNIFICENT ADVENTURE