CONTENTS
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I. | IN WHICH INMAN ENTERS MAWM | [7] |
| II. | INMAN RECEIVES A COLD RECEPTION AND SOME INFORMATION | [17] |
| III. | MANIWEL DRAKE MAKES A SUGGESTION | [27] |
| IV. | THE WOMAN ENTERS WITH THE SERPENT | [37] |
| V. | JAGGER DRAKE SETS HIS TEETH | [48] |
| VI. | BALDWIN’S SCAFFOLDING GIVES WAY AND ALSO HIS RESERVE | [60] |
| VII. | NANCY SPEAKS HER MIND | [69] |
| VIII. | NANCY QUESTIONS HER HEART AND MANIWEL QUESTIONS HIS SON | [80] |
| IX. | ONE LOVER WALKS OUT AND ANOTHER WALKS IN | [91] |
| X. | THE COMPANY AT THE “PACKHORSE” IS INVITED TO DRINK A HEALTH | [101] |
| XI. | THE CONDITIONS ARE WINTRY | [110] |
| XII. | BALDWIN’S SKY BECOMES SLIGHTLY OVERCAST | [121] |
| XIII. | INMAN PROVES HIMSELF COMPETENT | [131] |
| XIV. | JOHN CLEGG IS “WANTED” AND MANIWEL ISN’T | [141] |
| XV. | THE VILLAGERS DISCUSS THE DISASTER | [150] |
| XVI. | INMAN SHOWS THE SUBTLETY OF A VERY VENOMOUS SERPENT | [160] |
| XVII. | NANCY’S BABY IS BORN AND JAGGER LOSES HIS TEMPER | [170] |
| XVIII. | BALDWIN ALLOWS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SLIP | [179] |
| XIX. | THE BILL OF SALE IS COMPLETED | [190] |
| XX. | THERE IS A SENSATIONAL ROBBERY | [202] |
| XXI. | IN WHICH EVENTS MOVE QUICKLY | [210] |
| XXII. | BALDWIN FINDS NEW LODGINGS | [221] |
| XXIII. | NANCY IS OVERWHELMED | [231] |
| XXIV. | INMAN’S POPULARITY IS SEEN TO WAVER | [241] |
| XXV. | NANCY DISCUSSES THE SITUATION WITH JAGGER | [250] |
| XXVI. | MANIWEL LETS JAGGER INTO A SECRET | [260] |
| XXVII. | NANCY PLAYS THE PART OF DETECTIVE | [269] |
| XXVIII. | MANIWEL AND JAGGER JOIN IN THE GAME | [280] |
| XXIX. | THE TABLES ARE TURNED MORE THAN ONCE | [290] |
| XXX. | SWITHIN TELLS HIS STORY | [300] |
| XXXI. | WE TAKE LEAVE OF THE MEN OF MAWM | [309] |
MEN OF MAWM
CHAPTER I
IN WHICH JAMES INMAN ENTERS MAWM AND IS
FAVOURED BY FORTUNE
TO one who had no love for them the Yorkshire moors could hardly have been less attractive than on this bleak, damp afternoon in early November, when the air was moist though no rain had fallen, and a mist that was too thin to hide more than the smaller details of the landscape made the distant hills a grey shadow against the lighter grey of the sky.
There was snow on the mountains, but only on their crowns; only there, and in the deeper fissures that faced north and so paid no toll to the sun. The nearer mountains were almost black, like the moor that stretched its weary length to the sky-line; like the dry walls, that divided the lower slopes of the moor into curiously-shaped allotments.
The road was little better than a track, but it was just distinguishable, for which mercy James Inman was thanking the gods as he strode along. He had not found much to thank them for after leaving the village of Scaleber, and his acknowledgements were not too cordial.
His one anxiety was to reach the hamlet of Mawm before darkness set in, and to find there at least warmth and possibly good fortune.