Transcriber's Notes: 1. Page scan source the Web Archive: https://archive.org/details/cihm_75374 (University of Alberta) THE COIL OF CARNE BY JOHN OXENHAM AUTHOR OF "THE LONG ROAD" TORONTO THE COPP, CLARK CO. LIMITED 1911 TO RODERIC DUNKERLEY, B.A., B.D. "_And what are you eager for, Mr. Eager?_" "_Men, women, and children--bodies and souls_." _Intra, page_ 53. "_By God's help we will make men of them, the rest we must trust to Providence_." _Intra, page_ 66. "_Catch them young!_" _Intra, page_ 67. "_No man is past mending till he's dead, perhaps not then_." _Intra, page_ 82. CONTENTS BOOK I CHAP. I. THE HOUSE OF CARNE II. THE STAR IN THE DUST III. THE FIRST OF THE COIL IV. THE COIL COMPLETE V. IN THE COIL BOOK II VI. FREEMEN OF THE FLATS VII. EAGER HEART VIII. SIR DENZIL'S VIEWS IX. MORE OF SIR DENZIL'S VIEWS X. GROWING FREEMEN XI. THE LITTLE LADY XII. MANY MEANS XIII. MOUNTING XIV. WIDENING WAYS XV. DIVERGING LINES XVI. A CUT AT THE COIL XVII. ALMOST SOLVED XVIII. ALMOST SOLVED AGAIN XIX. WHERE'S JIM? XX. A NARROW SQUEAK XXI. A WARM WELCOME XXII. WHERE'S JACK? BOOK III XXIII. BREAKING IN XXIV. AN UNEXPECTED GUEST XXV. REVELATION AND SPECULATION XXVI. JIM'S TIGHT PLACE XXVII. TWO TO ONE XXVIII. THE LINE OF CLEAVAGE XXIX. GRACIE'S DILEMMA XXX. NEVER THE SAME AGAIN XXXI. DESERET XXXII. THE LADY WITH THE FAN XXXIII. A STIRRING OF MUD XXXIV. THE BOYS IN THE MUD XXXV. EXPLANATIONS XXXVI. JIM'S WAY XXXVII. A HOPELESS QUEST XXXVIII. LORD DESERET HELPS XXXIX. OLD SETH GOES HOME XL. OUT OF THE NIGHT XLI. HORSE AND FOOT XLII. DUE EAST XLIII. JIM TO THE FORE XLIV. JIM'S LUCK XLV. MORE REVELATIONS XLVI. THE BLACK LANDING XLVII. ALMA XLVIII. JIM'S RIDE XLIX. AMONG THE BULL-PUPS L. RED-TAPE LI. THE VALLEY OF DEATH LII. PATCHING UP LIII. THE FIGHT IN THE FOG LIV. AN ALLY OF PROVIDENCE LV. RETRIBUTION LVI. DULL DAYS LVII. HOT OVENS LVIII. CHILL NEWS LIX. TOUCH AND GO FOR THE COIL LX. INSIDE THE FIERY RING LXI. WEARY WAITING LXII. FROM ONE TO MANY LXIII. EAGER ON THE SCENT LXIV. THE LONG SLOW SIEGE LXV. THE CUTTING OF THE COIL LXVI. PURGATORY LXVII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END LXVIII. HOME AGAIN LXIX. "THE RIGHT ONE" LXX. ALL'S WELL THE COIL OF CARNE BOOK I CHAPTER I THE HOUSE OF CARNE