Terence O'Rourke
Gentleman Adventurer
By
Louis Joseph Vance
Author of "The Brass Bowl," etc.
New York
Grosset & Dunlap
Publishers
Copyright 1904
Ainslee Magazine Company
Copyright 1905
A. Wessels Company
Copyright assigned
The Bobbs-Merrill Company
August, 1907
Preface
AS originally compiled, this history appeared serially under the titles of "O'Rourke, Gentleman Adventurer," and "The Further Adventures of O'Rourke," in The Popular Magazine, New York: to Messrs. Street and Smith, the owners and publishers of which, thanks are due for their courtesy in permitting this reproduction.
In welding together the many adventures in the career of this Irish gentleman, with a view to their appearance in this present form, the author found both convenient and advisable the omission of certain passages, the addition of some new material, as well as other minor changes in the text. It is hoped that these alterations will meet with the approval of the friends of Colonel O'Rourke: to whom his biographer wishes to offer his gratitude for their appreciation.
L. J. V.
- New York, April, 1905.
Contents
PART FIRST
The Empire of Illusion
chapter page I He is Roweled of the Spur of Necessity 1 II He is "Chez Paz" 10 III He Decides that Beggars Should Ride 18 IV He Does Ride; and with his Fate 26 V He Engages both his Word and Sword 33 VI He Draws one Card 43 VII He Considers the Great Scheme 53 VIII He Comes upon the Red-headed One 65 IX He Demonstrates the Uses of Discipline 69 X He Takes Command 82 XI He Saves that which he Loves the Best 94 XII He Respects a Flag of Truce 105 XIII He Proves Himself Master of Men 114 XIV He Acts by the Code 127 XV He is Astonished 137 XVI He Races with Death 151 XVII He has Won the Race 161 XVIII He Finds Himself in Deep Waters 170
Contents
PART SECOND
The Long Trail
I The Café de la Paix 187 II The Inn of the Winged God 199 III The Night of Madness 219 IV The Rat Trap 228 V The Open Road 242 VI The Goddess of Egyptian Night 247 VII The Russ Incognito 255 VIII The Words of Delilah 262 IX The Palace of Dust 269 X The Hand 285 XI The Conspirators 291 XII The Consul-General 305 XIII The Voices of the Night 316 XIV The Captain of Villainy 329 XV The Homeward-bound 342 XVI The Two Messages 349 XVII The Road to Paradise 355 XVIII The Devil in the Duke 366 XIX The Door to Eternity 375 XX The End of the Quest 388
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1927.
The author died in 1933, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.