Chapter XII of The Rainbow Feather, “A Startling Piece of Evidence,” is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter XII of The Rainbow Feather, “A Startling Piece of Evidence,” is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?" "Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!" "Why? For what reason?" Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
Chapter XII of The Rainbow Feather, “A Startling Piece of Evidence,” is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
small dark geese that breed in the north and migrate southward
From this reading “Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.”
a river in western Scotland that flows from the southern uplands into the Firth of Clyde; navigable by oceangoing vessels as far as Glasgow
From this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading “Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.”
a person who supplies information
From this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
a narrow way or road
From this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “"Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"”
as might be expected
In this reading “"Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!"”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
small dark geese that breed in the north and migrate southward
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
a river in western Scotland that flows from the southern uplands into the Firth of Clyde; navigable by oceangoing vessels as far as Glasgow
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading "Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!"
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For what reason?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
a person who supplies information
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
a narrow way or road
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
look suggestively or obliquely; look or gaze with a sly, immodest, or malign expression
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!"
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!"
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading For what reason?"
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
term of address for a man
From this reading "Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!"
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
in or at that place or location
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Brent laughed in a coarse manner, and there was a leer on his face as he replied to this question.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Watchin' Miss Lester, of course, sir!"
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why?
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading "Miss Clyde!" said Paul, staring at his informant; "but what was she doing in the Winding Lane at so late an hour?"
Chapter 12 of The Rainbow Feather by Fergus Hume holds 150 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 12 holds 150 sentences of The Rainbow Feather, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of The Rainbow Feather by Fergus Hume exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 sentences, grouped into 30 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Rainbow Feather by Fergus Hume on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4135 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55312 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #55312, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 344 minutes of reading across 827 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Rainbow Feather section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Rainbow Feather to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Rainbow Feather, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
