Summary
A young heir, Richard, alights in the gas-lamp hush of Petersham only to discover that his patrimony—stock certificates, deeds, the very parchment of his identity—has been spirited away by his uncle, J.B. Coke, the town’s velvet-gloved despot. Coke’s civic glory rests on a clandestine empire of moonshine stills tucked in the fog-veined hills, an open secret the crusading editor Burnay dares to set in type. Richard, stirred by both justice and the incandescent Emily, Burnay’s daughter, plunges into a nocturnal chessboard of masked riders, torchlight, and river-set death traps. A single slash of Richard’s dagger shears Coke’s coat sleeve, setting off a chain of coded threats, a boy lashed to a drifting raft, and a final siege on the newspaper office where ink, gunpowder, and love all converge. When Coke’s mask is torn away beneath a bruised sky, the town’s mythology collapses: the guardian becomes ghoul, the heir becomes husband, and the printing press—its gears still hot—becomes the true altar of Petersham’s rebirth.
Synopsis
Richard arrives at Petersham to claim his inheritance papers from his guardian and uncle, J.B. Coke, Petersham's leading citizen. He meets Emily Burnay and learns that her father, the editor of the local paper, has many enemies on account of declaring that some of Petersham's prominent residents run an illicit still in the hills. Coke has confiscated Richard's securities and plans to conceal the fact. Richard and Burnay become friends and when the editor is warned to beware of the "Night Riders," Richard decides to stand by his friend. One night Coke steals a box supposed to contain Richard's securities. Richard stabs at him, misses him and cuts off a piece of Coke's sleeve. Coke escapes and Richard goes downstairs, awakens his uncle, who is feigning asleep, and tells him of the occurrence. Burnay is again warned by the "Night Riders." Emily and Richard, now lovers, gain the everlasting gratitude of Job Trainor, the village blacksmith, by caring for his little daughter when she is injured. The "Night Riders" capture Elmer, the editor's son and he recognizes among them a well-known citizen. They bind him and set him adrift on a raft. Richard discovers the boy's plight and rescues him. Bringing him to Burnays office, Richard finds the "Riders" have left a note, threatening to burn the place if another edition of the paper is published. Burnay declares his intention of getting out the next one in spite of their threats. The edition is printed and Richard distributes it. Emily asks Job's assistance and he gets together several friends, all fully armed, bringing them to Burnay's house at night. "The Night Riders," masked in long hoods, and led by Coke, ride up and demand that Burnay give up his press. On being refused, they start to fire the building. Burnay and his men then rush out and after a terrific fight, drive the "Riders" into full retreat. Coke and Richard grapple. The former's mask is torn off and he is about to shoot the astonished Richard when Job grasps his wrists. Later, Richard finds his uncle packing up the dagger-ripped coat. Coke then confesses and telling Richard the estate is now his, departs forever. Richard, tired out, sinks in a chair and dreams of what we all naturally anticipate, his happy marriage to Emily.
