E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Project Gutenberg Beginners Projects,

Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

The Bars of Iron

By Ethel M. Dell

1916

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY BROTHER REGINALD WITH MY LOVE

"He hath broken the gates of brass:
And smitten the bars of iron in sunder."
Psalm cvii., 16.

"I saw heaven opened."
Revelation xix., II.

PROLOGUE

PART I

THE GATES OF BRASS

CHAPTER

I. A JUG OF WATER

II. CONCERNING FOOLS

III. DISCIPLINE

IV. THE MOTHER'S HELP

V. LIFE ON A CHAIN

VI. THE RACE

VII. A FRIEND IN NEED

VIII. A TALK BY THE FIRE

IX. THE TICKET OF LEAVE

X. SPORT

XI. THE STAR OF HOPE

XII. A PAIR OF GLOVES

XIII. THE VISION

XIV. A MAN'S CONFIDENCE

XV. THE SCHEME

XVI. THE WARNING

XVII. THE PLACE OF TORMENT

XVIII. HORNS AND HOOFS

XIX. THE DAY OF TROUBLE

XX. THE STRAIGHT TRUTH

XXI. THE ENCHANTED LAND

XXII. THE COMING OF A FRIEND

XXIII. A FRIEND'S COUNSEL

XXIV. THE PROMISE

XXV. DROSS

XXVI. SUBSTANCE

XXVII. SHADOW

XXVIII. THE EVESHAM DEVIL

XXIX. A WATCH IN THE NIGHT

XXX. THE CONFLICT

XXXI. THE RETURN

XXXII. THE DECISION

XXXIII. THE LAST DEBT

XXXIV. THE MESSAGE

XXXV. THE DARK HOUR

XXXVI. THE SUMMONS

XXXVII. "LA GRANDE PASSION"

XXXVIII. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES

PART II

THE PLACE OF TORMENT

I. DEAD SEA FRUIT

II. THAT WHICH IS HOLY

III. THE FIRST GUEST

IV. THE PRISONER IN THE DUNGEON

V. THE SWORD FALLS

VI. THE MASK

VII. THE GATES OF HELL

VIII. A FRIEND IN NEED

IX. THE GREAT GULF

X. SANCTUARY

XI. THE FALLING NIGHT

XII. THE DREAM

XIII. THE HAND OF THE SCULPTOR

PART III

THE OPEN HEAVEN

I. THE VERDICT

II. THE TIDE COMES BACK

III. THE GAME

IV. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

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