Chapter 15 of The Tracer of Lost Persons is here in full — 281 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XV
Chapter 15 of The Tracer of Lost Persons is here in full — 281 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash. "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort. "What are you doing in this house?" "Doing? In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
Chapter 15 of The Tracer of Lost Persons is here in full — 281 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/56 · 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.
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading “"Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.”
restrained or managed or kept within certain bounds
From this reading “"W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.”
fall or come down violently
From this reading “"Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.”
the open circular discharging end of a gun
From this reading “In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.”
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading “In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.”
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading “In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.”
subject to change or variation
From this reading “In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.”
indecision in speech or action
From this reading “"W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.”
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 "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
an occurrence of something
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
restrained or managed or kept within certain bounds
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
fall or come down violently
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading "What are you doing in this house?"
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
opinion or judgment
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading "What are you doing in this house?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "What are you doing in this house?"
the open circular discharging end of a gun
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
recurring again and again
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "What are you doing in this house?"
subject to change or variation
From this reading In _this_ house?" he repeated, his eyes protruding in the direction of the unsteady pistol muzzle.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
indecision in speech or action
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are you doing in this house?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Good heavens!" he said, appalled, and dropped his suit case with a crash.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "W-what are you d-doing--" She controlled her voice and the wavering weapon with an effort.
Chapter 15 of The Tracer of Lost Persons by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers holds 281 sentences, grouped into 57 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 15 holds 281 sentences of The Tracer of Lost Persons, unabridged, divided into 57 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 15 of The Tracer of Lost Persons by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 281 sentences, grouped into 57 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 57 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 57 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 15 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 Tracer of Lost Persons by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4027 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13180 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13180, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 335 minutes of reading across 806 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Tracer of Lost Persons section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 23 chapters of The Tracer of Lost Persons 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 Tracer of Lost Persons, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
