"LAUGH IF YOU LIKE; I SHAN'T MIND. THE MORE RIDICULOUS YOU MAKE IT THE SHORTER WORK IT WILL BE."—See page 244

THE BACHELORS

A NOVEL

BY

WILLIAM DANA ORCUTT

AUTHOR OF

"THE MOTH," "THE LEVER," "THE SPELL," ETC.

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

NEW YORK AND LONDON

MCMXV

COPYRIGHT, 1915

BY HARPER & BROTHERS

THE BACHELORS

CONTENTS