Return to the marshes, mansion houses, and crossroads taverns of the Delmarva Peninsula in this complete, unabridged edition of George Alfred Townsend's sweeping 1884 historical novel. At its center stands Patty Cannon—one of American history's most chilling figures—whose gang terrorized the region by kidnapping free Black men, women, and children for sale to Southern plantations. Around this dark historical core, Townsend builds a rich tapestry of romance, family legacy, and the 'entailed hat' of inheritance that binds generations together. A journalist's eye for detail and a native son's intimate knowledge of Delaware and Maryland infuse every chapter with authentic local color, from the Nanticoke wetlands to the dueling grounds. This edition reproduces the full original text, accompanied by a new introduction and reader's notes illuminating the history behind the fiction. Part of The Founding Texts Library.