
Preface.
Prologue.
Chapter One. - Two sorts of Slave-Owners.
Chapter Two. - A flat refusal.
Chapter Three. - A Forest Post-Office.
Chapter Four. - Two good girls.
Chapter Five. - A photograph in the forest.
Chapter Six. - A coon-chase interrupted.
Chapter Seven. - Murder without remorse.
Chapter Eight. - The coon-hunter cautious.
A nameless traveler stumbles upon an impossible sight on a wind‑blown prairie: a severed human head, upright and eerily animated, its hair still flowing and its eyes gleaming with a strange, unsettling life. The surrounding wolves and circling vultures hesitate, drawn to the macabre spectacle yet repelled by an unseen force that makes the head speak and snap its teeth, sending shivers through the landscape. As twilight spreads its violet hues, the uncanny scene hints at a deeper mystery that refuses to be ignored.
Beyond the haunting tableau, the tale follows a determined protagonist whose curiosity leads them into a tangled web of danger, love, and redemption. Their quest to unravel the origin of the living head forces them to confront both the brutal realities of the frontier and the lingering shadows of past wounds. The story balances gothic suspense with a tender romance, inviting listeners to linger on the edge of wonder and dread.
Language
en
Duration
~13 hours (759K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
Release date
Oct 21, 2007
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1818–1883
Adventure, war, and the wide-open American frontier shaped the thrilling fiction of this Irish-born author. His popular novels, including The Headless Horseman and The Scalp Hunters, helped define the romantic image of the American West for generations of readers.
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