R. D. (Richard Doddridge) Blackmore
Cripps, the Carrier: A Woodland Tale
"Cripps, the Carrier: A Woodland Tale" by R. D. Blackmore is a novel published in 1876. Set in 1830s rural Oxfordshire, the story follows Grace Oglander, daughter of a country squire, who is abducted through the schemes of a villainous attorney. Her father receives only a sack of potatoes containing her severed golden hair. As witnesses report a body buried in a ravine, Grace's fate seems sealed—yet the truth is far different, leading to dramatic confrontations and a desperate rescue.