E-text prepared by Darleen Dove, Roger Frank, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) A TOP-FLOOR IDYL BY GEORGE VAN SCHAICK Author of "Sweetapple Cove," "The Son of the Otter," "The Girl at Big Loon Post" ILLUSTRATED BY CHASE EMERSON BOSTON SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1917, BY SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY (INCORPORATED) PRINTERS S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U.S.A. TO MY DEARLY LOVED SISTER ELISE And always she was a friend, nothing but the dear friend. CONTENTS CHAPTER I The Night Alarm CHAPTER II Frieda the Angel CHAPTER III I Watch an Infant CHAPTER IV The Bolt CHAPTER V Gordon Helps CHAPTER VI A Bit of Sunshine CHAPTER VII The Other Woman CHAPTER VIII We Take an Excursion CHAPTER IX I Hear Rumours About Gordon CHAPTER X The Work Lost CHAPTER XI Gordon Vacillates CHAPTER XII Gordon Becomes Engaged CHAPTER XIII Dr. Porter Goes to Work CHAPTER XIV I Begin to Plot CHAPTER XV The Lightning Stroke CHAPTER XVI Frances Reads My Book CHAPTER XVII Miss Van Rossum Calls CHAPTER XVIII Diana Among Mortals CHAPTER XIX Frances Goes To The Country CHAPTER XX Richetti Is Pleased CHAPTER XXI The Concert CHAPTER XXII Gordon Returns CHAPTER XXIII The Repair of a Broken Strand CHAPTER XXIV "The Mother and Child" The Night Alarm Frieda the Angel I Watch an Infant The Bolt