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(This book was first published pseudonymously in February, 1911)
1910, 1914.
_This book, representing the writer's first effort at a long story, hassomething of a story of its own. First planned in 1900 or 1901, it wasbegun in 1905, and finished at length, in a version, three years later.Through the two years succeeding it underwent various adventures,including, if memory serves, two complete overhauling. Having thusreached by stages something like its present form, it was, in August,1910, favorably reported on by the publishers; but yet another rewritingpreceded its final acceptance, a few weeks later. Meanwhile, I hadturned to fresh work; and, as it chanced, "Queed" was both begun andfinished in the interval while "Captivating Mary Carstairs" was takingher last journeys abroad. Turned away by two publishers, the newermanuscript shortly found welcome from a third. So it befell that I, asyet more experienced in rejections, suddenly found myself with twobooks, of widely different sorts and intentions, scheduled forpublication by different publishers, almost simultaneously. As thisseemed to be more books than society required from an unknown writer, itwas decided to put out the present story—which is a "story," as Iconceive the terms, and not a novel—over a pen name.
At that time, be it said, with an optimism that now has its humorousside, I viewed myself prospectively as a ready and fertile writer,producing a steady flow of books of very various sorts. Hence itoccurred to me that a pseudonym might have a permament serviceability.So far from these anticipations proving justified, I am now moved toabandon the pseudonym in the only instance I have had occasion to useit. Writers have sometimes been charged with seeking to capitalize theirown good fortune. My motive, in authorizing the republication of thisstory over my name, is not that. The fact is only that experience hastaught me not to like pseudonymity: my feeling being that those who takean interest in my work are entitled, if they so desire, to see it as awhole_.
Charleston, West Virginia, 16 March, 1914
I The Chief Conspirator Secures a Pal
II They Embark upon a Crime
III They Arrive in Hunston and Fall in with a Stranger
IV Which Concerns Politics and other Local Matters
V Introduces Mary Carstairs and Another
VI The Hero Talks with a Lady in the Dark
VII In which Mary Carstairs is Invited to the Yacht "Cypriani"
VIII Concerning Mr. Ferris Stanhope, the Popular Novelist; also Peter,the Quiet Onlooker
IX Varney Meets with a Galling Rebuff, while Peter Goes Marching On
X The Editor of the Gazette Plays a Card from His Sleeve
XI Which Shows the Hero a Fugitive
XII A Yellow Journalist Secures a Scoop but Fails to Get Away with it
XIII Varney Meets His Enemy and is Disarmed<