The year is 1815. Napoleon is on Elba and all Europe begins to breathe easily again. The long French Wars are, it seems, over. But Doctor Robert Shafto has nothing to be happy about. He is sitting, manacled and guarded in a military coach. Since 1803 the doctor has been in Europe. He has been working as an agent of the Emperor Napoleon. Now, with the House of Bourbon restored, he has been handed over to the British. The physician is being taken to London where he is very likely to hang! But then Fate throws Doctor Shafto a life-line. He is rescued by the beautiful widow, Rachel Brydon; he is taken to the Bull and Mouth coaching inn. There, Shafto is made an offer. He will go free if he can discover the identities of the men in the Black Indies of Newcastle who are exporting English gold guineas to exchange for French silver Ecu coins. Shafto takes the stagecoach to the North. Within a few days there are several hideous murders. Mrs. Brydon is kidnapped; he himself is clubbed and sold to the Press-gang. This is a gripping and fast moving yarn.