TWENTY-FOUR HOURS: A NOVEL OF TO-DAY. London: F. V. White & Co., Limited, 1911. Octavo, pp. [i-iv] v [vi-viii] 1-308, original blue cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold. First edition. Melodramatic shop girl romance set in London in 1899, incorrectly classified as a juvenile by OCLC. Barbara Rashleigh, the eighteen year old daughter of a wealthy stock broker is given twenty-four hours to accept an offer of marriage from Julius Hillyard, her father's villainous business rival, or Mr. Rashleigh will be ruined by a bad investment. Barbara's true love is Jim Havergal, a family friend favored by Mr. Rashleigh. Barbara refuses to marry Hillyard. Her father is ruined and dies of a heart attack. Barbara's brother, Dunstan, a scoundrel and thief, avoids exposure and prison by agreeing to work for Hillyard and to convince Barbara to marry the evil financier. Barbara marries Hillyard and leads a miserable life as his wife. Julius is shot dead, for which Jim goes to prison. "As a widow, Barbara tries to do good by helping other people. Eventually, it turns out the Jim had not fired the fatal shot but had taken the blame upon himself because he thought that Barbara had killed her husband. He is freed from prison and Barbara and Jim marry" (Loeber and Loeber S 408). Hubin (1994), p. 566. A fine copy. OCLC reports 5 copies, three in America and two in the UK, NLS and Cambridge. JISC (COPAC) adds Oxford and BL. (#164422).
Price: $350.00
No statement of printing.