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The George Barr McCutcheon Megapack: 25 Classic Novels and Stories
The George Barr McCutcheon Megapack: 25 Classic Novels and Stories Read online
Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT INFO
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON BIBLIOGRAPHY
ABOUT THE MEGAPACK SERIES
THE MEGAPACK SERIES
BREWSTER’S MILLIONS (1902)
GRAUSTARK (1901)
BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK (1904)
TRUXTON KING (1909)
THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK (1914)
CASTLE CRANEYCROW (1902)
THE DAY OF THE DOG (1904)
THE PURPLE PARASOL (1905)
NEDRA (1905)
THE FLYERS (1907)
THE HUSBANDS OF EDITH (1908)
THE ALTERNATIVE (1909)
WHAT’S-HIS-NAME (1910)
A FOOL AND HIS MONEY (1913)
ANDERSON CROW, DETECTIVE (1918)
A NIGHT TO BE REMEMBERED
“YOU ARE INVITED TO BE PRESENT”
THE PERFECT END OF A DAY
THE BEST MAN WINS!
VICIOUS LUCIUS
THE VEILED LADY AND THE SHADOW
THE ASTONISHING ACTS OF ANNA
NO QUESTIONS ANSWERED
SHADES OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN!
“JAKE MILLER HANGS HIMSELF”
THE DAUGHTER OF ANDERSON CROW (1907)
The George Barr McCutcheon Megapack
Version 1.0.0
COPYRIGHT INFO
The George Barr McCutcheon Megapack is copyright © 2013 by Wildside Press LLC. All rights reserved. For more information, contact the publisher.
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
George Barr McCutcheon is a favorite writer of mine for his Graustark novels—adventures set in an imaginary Eastern European country called Graustark. These are stories of court intrigue, royal disguise, and romance similar to Anthony Hope’s 1894 novel, The Prisoner of Zenda, and its sequels. They were popular best-sellers at the time they were published, and they helped create a new genre of novels called Ruritanian romance (from Hope’s work) or Graustarkian romance (from McCutcheon’s).
George Barr McCutcheon (1866–1928) was an American novelist and playwright.
Born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, McCutcheon’s father, despite not receiving formal education, stressed the value of literature and encouraged his sons to write. During McCutcheon’s childhood, his father had a number of jobs that required travel around the county in Indiana. McCutcheon studied at Purdue University and was a roommate of future humorist George Ade. During his college years, he was editor of the Lafayette Daily Courier and wrote a serial novel of satire about Wabash River life.
Although McCutcheon became famous for the Graustark series (the first novel was published in 1901), he hated the characterization of being a Romantic and preferred to be identified with his playwriting.
He was the older brother of noted cartoonist John T. McCutcheon and died in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
McCutcheon, along with a number of other Indiana writers of the same period, is considered to be part of the Golden Age of Indiana Literature.
—John Betancourt
Publisher, Wildside Press LLC
www.wildsidepress.com
GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON BIBLIOGRAPHY
GRAUSTARK NOVELS
Graustark: The Story of a Love Behind a Throne (1901)
Beverly of Graustark (1904)
Truxton King: A Story of Graustark (1909)
The Prince of Graustark (1914)
East of the Setting Sun (1924)
The Inn of the Hawk and the Raven (1927)
OTHER NOVELS
Brewster’s Millions (1902)
Castle Craneycrow (1902)
The Sherrods (1903)
The Day of the Dog (1904)
The Purple Parasol (1905)
Nedra (1905)
Jane Cable (1906)
Cowardice Court (1906)
The Flyers (1907)
The Daughter of Anderson Crow (1907)
The Husbands of Edith (1908)
The Man from Brodney’s (1908)
The Alternative (1909)
The Butterfly Man (1910)
The Rose in the Ring (1910)
Mary Midthorne (1911)
What’s-His-Name (1911)
The Hollow of Her Hand (1912)
A Fool and His Money (1913)
Black is White (1914)
Her Weight in Gold (1914)
Mr. Bingle (1915)
From the Housetops (1916)
The Light that Lies (1916)
Green Fancy (1917)
Shot with Crimson (1918)
The City of Masks (1918)
Sherry (1919)
West Wind Drift (1920)
Quill’s Window 1921
Viola Gwyn (1922)
Yollop (1922)
Oliver October (1923)
Romeo in Moon Village (1925)
Kindling and Ashes (1926)
Blades (1928)
The Merivales (1929)
PLAYS
Brood House (1910)
Mary Midthorne (1911)
Anderson Crow, Detective (1920)
ABOUT THE MEGAPACK SERIES
Over the last few years, our “Megapack” series of ebook anthologies has proved to be one of our most popular endeavors. (Maybe it helps that we sometimes offer them as premiums to our mailing list!) One question we keep getting asked is, “Who’s the editor?”
The Megapacks (except where specifically credited) are a group effort. Everyone at Wildside works on them. This includes John Betancourt, Carla Coupe, Steve Coupe, Bonner Menking, Colin Azariah-Kribbs, A.E. Warren, and many of Wildside’s authors…who often suggest stories to include (and not just their own!).
A NOTE FOR KINDLE READERS
The Kindle versions of our Megapacks employ active tables of contents for easy navigation…please look for one before writing reviews on Amazon that complain about the lack! (They are sometimes at the ends of ebooks, depending on your reader.)
RECOMMEND A FAVORITE STORY?
Do you know a great classic science fiction story, or have a favorite author whom you believe is perfect for the Megapack series? We’d love your suggestions! You can post them on our message board at http://movies.ning.com/forum (there is an area for Wildside Press comments).
Note: we only consider stories that have already been professionally published. This is not a market for new works.
TYPOS
Unfortunately, as hard as we try, a few typos do slip through. We update our ebooks periodically, so make sure you have the current version (or download a fresh copy if it’s been sitting in your ebook reader for months.) It may have already been updated.
If you spot a new typo, please let us know. We’ll fix it for everyone. You can email the publisher at [email protected] or use the message boards above.
THE MEGAPACK SERIES
MYSTERY
The Achmed Abdullah Megapack
The Charlie Chan Megapack
The Craig Kennedy Scientific Detective Megapack
The Detective Megapack
The Father Brown Megapack
The Jacques Futrelle Megapack
The Anna Katharine Green Mystery Megapack
The First Mystery Megapack
The Penny Parker Megapack
The Pulp Fiction Megapack
The Raffles Megapack
The Victorian Mystery Megapack
The Wilkie Collins Megapack
GENERAL INTEREST
The Adventure Megapack
The Baseball Megapack
The Cat Megapack
The Second Cat Megapack
The Christmas Megapack
The Second Christmas Megapack
The Classic American Short Stories Megapack, Vol. 1.
The Classic Humor Megapack
The Dog Megapack
The Military Megapack
SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY
The Edward Bellamy Megapack
The First Reginald Bretnor Megapack
The Philip K. Dick Megapack
The Randall Garrett Megapack
The Second Randall Garrett Megapack
The Murray Leinster Megapack
The Second Murray Leinster Megapack
The Martian Megapack
The Andre Norton Megapack
The H. Beam Piper Megapack
The Pulp Fiction Megapack
The Mack Reynolds Megapack
The First Science Fiction Megapack
The Second Science Fiction Megapack
The Third Science Fiction Megapack
The Fourth Science Fiction Megapack
The Fifth Science Fiction Megapack
The Sixth Science Fiction Megapack
The Robert Sheckley Megapack
The Steampunk Megapack
The Time Travel Megapack
The Wizard of Oz Megapack
HORROR
The Achmed Abdullah Megapack
The E.F. Benson Megapack
The Second E.F. Benson Megapack
The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack
The Ghost Story Megapack
The Second Ghost Story Megapack
The Third Ghost Story Megapack
The Horror Megapack
The M.R. James Megapack
The Macabre Megapack
The Second Macabre Megapack
The Mummy Megapack
The Vampire Megapack
The Werewolf Megapack
WESTERNS
The B.M. Bower Megapack
The Max Brand Megapack
The Buffalo Bill Megapack
The Cowboy Megapack
The Zane Grey Megapack
The Western Megapack
The Second Western Megapack
The Wizard of Oz Megapack
YOUNG ADULT
The Boys’ Adventure Megapack
The Dan Carter, Cub Scout Megapack
The G.A. Henty Megapack
The Penny Parker Megapack
The Pinocchio Megapack
The Rover Boys Megapack
The Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Megapack
The Tom Swift Megapack
AUTHOR MEGAPACKS
The Achmed Abdullah Megapack
The Edward Bellamy Megapack
The B.M. Bower Megapack
The E.F. Benson Megapack
The Second E.F. Benson Megapack
The Max Brand Megapack
The First Reginald Bretnor Megapack
The Wilkie Collins Megapack
The Guy de Maupassant Megapack
The Philip K. Dick Megapack
The Jacques Futrelle Megapack
The Randall Garrett Megapack
The Second Randall Garrett Megapack
The Anna Katharine Green Megapack
The Zane Grey Megapack
The Dashiell Hammett Megapack
The M.R. James Megapack
The Murray Leinster Megapack
The Second Murray Leinster Megapack
The Andre Norton Megapack
The H. Beam Piper Megapack
The Mack Reynolds Megapack
The Rafael Sabatini Megapack
The Saki Megapack
The Robert Sheckley Megapack
OTHER COLLECTIONS YOU MAY ENJOY
The Great Book of Wonder, by Lord Dunsany (it should have been called “The Lord Dunsany Megapack”)
The Wildside Book of Fantasy
The Wildside Book of Science Fiction
Yondering: The First Borgo Press Book of Science Fiction Stories
To the Stars—And Beyond! The Second Borgo Press Book of Science Fiction Stories
Once Upon a Future: The Third Borgo Press Book of Science Fiction Stories
Whodunit?—The First Borgo Press Book of Crime and Mystery Stories
More Whodunits—The Second Borgo Press Book of Crime and Mystery Stories
X is for Xmas: Christmas Mysteries
BREWSTER’S MILLIONS (1902)
CHAPTER I
A BIRTHDAY DINNER
“The Little Sons of the Rich” were gathered about the long table in Pettingill’s studio. There were nine of them present, besides Brewster. They were all young, more or less enterprising, hopeful, and reasonably sure of better things to come. Most of them bore names that meant something in the story of New York. Indeed, one of them had remarked, “A man is known by the street that’s named after him,” and as he was a new member, they called him “Subway.”
The most popular man in the company was young “Monty” Brewster. He was tall and straight and smooth-shaven. People called him “clean-looking.” Older women were interested in him because his father and mother had made a romantic runaway match, which was the talk of the town in the seventies, and had never been forgiven. Worldly women were interested in him because he was the only grandson of Edwin Peter Brewster, who was many times a millionaire, and Monty was fairly certain to be his heir—barring an absent-minded gift to charity. Younger women were interested for a much more obvious and simple reason: they liked him. Men also took to Monty because he was a good sportsman, a man among men, because he had a decent respect for himself and no great aversion to work.
His father and mother had both died while he was still a child, and, as if to make up for his long relentlessness, the grandfather had taken the boy to his own house and had cared for him with what he called affection. After college and some months on the continent, however, Monty had preferred to be independent. Old Mr. Brewster had found him a place in the bank, but beyond this and occasional dinners, Monty asked for and received no favors. It was a question of work, and hard work, and small pay. He lived on his salary because he had to, but he did not resent his grandfather’s attitude. He was better satisfied to spend his “weakly salary,” as he called it, in his own way than to earn more by dining seven nights a week with an old man who had forgotten he was ever young. It was less wearing, he said.
Among the “Little Sons of the Rich,” birthdays were always occasions for feasting. The table was covered with dishes sent up from the French restaurant in the basement. The chairs were pushed back, cigarettes were lighted, men had their knees crossed. Then Pettingill got up.
“Gentlemen,” he began, “we are here to celebrate the twenty-fifth birthday of Mr. Montgomery Brewster. I ask you all to join me in drinking to his long life and happiness.”
“No heel taps!” some one shouted. “Brewster! Brewster!” all called at once.
“For he’s a jolly good fellow,
For he’s a jolly good fellow!”
The sudden ringing of an electric bell cut off this flow of sentiment, and so unusual was the interruption that the ten members straightened up as if jerked into position by a string.
“The police!” some one suggested. All faces were turned toward the door. A waiter stood there, uncertain whether to turn the knob or push the bolt.
“Damned nuisance!” said Richard Van Winkle. “I want to hear Brewster’s speech.”
“Speech! Speech!” echoed everywhere. Men settled into their places.
“Mr. Montgomery Brewster,” Pettingill introduced.
Again the bell rang—long and loud.
“Reinforcements. I’ll bet there’s a patrol in the street,” remarked Oliver Harrison.
“If it’s only the police, let them in,” said Pettingill. “I thought it was a creditor.”
The waiter opened the door.
“Some one to see Mr. Brewster, sir,” he announced.
“Is she pretty, waiter?” called McCloud.
“He says he is El
lis, from your grandfather’s, sir!”
“My compliments to Ellis, and ask him to inform my grandfather that it’s after banking hours. I’ll see him in the morning,” said Mr. Brewster, who had reddened under the jests of his companions.
“Grandpa doesn’t want his Monty to stay out after dark,” chuckled Subway Smith.
“It was most thoughtful of the old gentleman to have the man call for you with the perambulator,” shouted Pettingill above the laughter. “Tell him you’ve already had your bottle,” added McCloud.
“Waiter, tell Ellis I’m too busy to be seen,” commanded Brewster, and as Ellis went down in the elevator a roar followed him.
“Now, for Brewster’s speech!—Brewster!”
Monty rose.
“Gentlemen, you seem to have forgotten for the moment that I am twenty-five years old this day, and that your remarks have been childish and wholly unbecoming the dignity of my age. That I have arrived at a period of discretion is evident from my choice of friends; that I am entitled to your respect is evident from my grandfather’s notorious wealth. You have done me the honor to drink my health and to reassure me as to the inoffensiveness of approaching senility. Now I ask you all to rise and drink to ‘The Little Sons of the Rich.’ May the Lord love us!”
An hour later “Rip” Van Winkle and Subway Smith were singing “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden,” to the uncertain accompaniment of Pettingill’s violin, when the electric bell again disturbed the company.
“For Heaven’s sake!” shouted Harrison, who had been singing “With All Thy Faults I Love Thee Still,” to Pettingill’s lay figure.
“Come home with me, grandson, come home with me now,” suggested Subway Smith.
“Tell Ellis to go to Halifax,” commanded Montgomery, and again Ellis took the elevator downward. His usually impassive face now wore a look of anxiety, and twice he started to return to the top floor, shaking his head dubiously. At last he climbed into a hansom and reluctantly left the revelers behind. He knew it was a birthday celebration, and it was only half-past twelve in the morning.
At three o’clock the elevator made another trip to the top floor and Ellis rushed over to the unfriendly doorbell. This time there was stubborn determination in his face. The singing ceased and a roar of laughter followed the hush of a moment or two.
“Come in!” called a hearty voice, and Ellis strode firmly into the studio.
“You are just in time for a ‘night-cap,’ Ellis,” cried Harrison, rushing to the footman’s side. Ellis, stolidly facing the young man, lifted his hand.