The book contains a collection of ten stories ranging from historical fiction, to fantasy, to romance.

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"The Story of Ulla": Ulla is an old Viking looking back to his youth and to the unbridled romance that stripped him of his power.

"The Vengeance of Dungarvan": the story takes place in 17th Century Ireland and tells of a villain's revenge on a town that tried to hang him.

"A Dreadful Night": a hunter in Colorado falls through a hole and is trapped in a hidden cavern filled with the bones of those who preceded him.

"Rutherford the Twice-Born": a tale of reincarnation.

"A Stranger Woman": two brothers fight over a woman, only to meet a tragic end.

"A Narrow Escape": a contest between two towns, one uncivilized, the other refined, results in many of the citizens inadvertently marrying to each other.

"That Babe of Meg's": a young wife almost abandons her husband for a rich man.

"A Fair Puritan": a young girl follows the orders of her father and marries a man she does not love.

"Meg of the Braids": Meg spurns her boyfriend who goes to sea before she realizes her mistake. When he returns, she is the only one who can save him from a terrible death.

"Margaret Spens": a young girl agrees to marry a man she does not love. Her fiancé vanishes at sea before her wedding and come back after fifteen years.

 

This version includes the full text of the 1895 edition, a short biography of the author and the complete bibliography of Arnold’s fictional and non-fictional works.