But the first winter-snow came on with a great storm of wind from the
north-east, so that no man stirred abroad who was not compelled
thereto, and those who went abroad risked life and limb thereby.
Next morning all was calm again, and the snow was deep, but it did
not endure long, for the wind shifted to the southwest and the thaw
came, and three days after, when folk could fare easily again up and
down the Dale, came tidings to Burgstead and the Alderman from the
Lower Dale, how a house called Greentofts had been ransacked there,
and none knew by whom. Now the goodman of Greentofts was little
loved of the neighbours: he was grasping and overbearing, and had
often cowed others out of their due: he was very cross-grained, both
at home and abroad: his wife had fled from his hand, neither did his
sons find it good to abide with him: therewithal he was wealthy of
goods, a strong man and a deft man-at-arms. When his sons and his
wife departed from him, and none other of the Dalesmen cared to abide
with him, he went down into the Plain, and got thence men to be with
him for hire, men who were not well seen to in their own land.
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