The Price

In Short

Set in the early 20th century, this novel explores the life of a man who attempts to shed his identity and past after committing a serious crime. Through a series of chance encounters, he finds refuge and romance, yet he remains trapped by the moral implications of his actions. It is a character-driven study of redemption, the heavy burden of guilt, and the complex, often contradictory nature of human integrity. The book endures for its atmospheric depiction of turn-of-the-century American life and its nuanced, psychologically grounded look at a man struggling to reconcile his fallen state with the love of a woman who believes in his inherent goodness.

The Story

Kenneth Griswold begins his journey in the dingy cafes of New Orleans, a broken man facing total professional and personal failure. His circumstances lead him to a desperate act: the robbery of the Bayou State Security bank. To evade capture, he adopts a new persona, discarding his former life for the rough attire of a transient. He manages to escape the city, but the shadow of the law follows him in the form of Broffin, a dogged investigator who specializes in tracking down fugitives.

Griswold eventually makes his way to Wahaska, a small town where he hopes to disappear. He falls ill and is nursed back to health by Margery Grierson, the daughter of a powerful local banker. Margery, a woman of sharp intelligence and sophisticated charm, becomes fascinated by the mysterious, ailing stranger. As Griswold recovers, he finds himself drawn to her, yet he is tormented by the fact that his presence in her life is built upon a foundation of deceit. He remains a "felon" in his own eyes, a man who has crossed the line into the criminal world and can never truly return to the ranks of the "conventionally righteous."

Meanwhile, Broffin continues his hunt across the country, meticulously checking leads and names, growing increasingly frustrated as he misses his quarry by mere margins. His investigation eventually brings him to Wahaska. He suspects that the local elite—including Margery and her influential father—are shielding the man he seeks. He attempts to use intimidation and threats to force a confession, but he finds himself outmaneuvered by the people of the town, who protect Griswold either out of genuine affection or their own complex motives.

As Griswold begins to integrate into Wahaska society, he struggles with the "gaping wound" of his own conscience. He realizes that his relationship with Margery places him in a position of immense responsibility; if he chooses to be "mean and sneaky," she will follow, but if he aims higher, she will support him. He ultimately rejects the path of total atonement, choosing instead to stay with Margery and accept the life he has forged. He concludes that the price of complete honesty is too high and that he must live with the consequences of his actions. The story ends not with his capture or a dramatic reversal of fortune, but with his acceptance of a flawed life, anchored by a love that is willing to overlook the past. He remains free, but forever marked by the reality of his crime and the moral compromise he has chosen to maintain his happiness.

How It Unfolds

A desperate act Griswold, facing extreme poverty in New Orleans, decides to rob the Bayou State Security bank. He successfully disguises himself as a drifter to escape the city and avoid immediate identification by the authorities.

The hunt begins The detective Broffin takes up the case, treating the robbery as a personal challenge. He travels across the country, hunting down potential suspects and slowly narrowing his list of leads as he moves toward the Midwest.

A chance sanctuary Exhausted and ill, Griswold arrives in Wahaska and is taken in by Margery Grierson. Her care saves his life, and he begins to recover while keeping his true identity carefully hidden from his benefactors.

The walls close in Broffin arrives in Wahaska, convinced that the town is hiding the thief. He tries to pressure the citizens into revealing the truth, but his efforts are thwarted by their loyalty and the secret knowledge held by those close to Griswold.

The final reckoning Griswold reflects on his past and his future, realizing that he cannot escape the moral weight of his crime. He decides to stay in Wahaska and commit himself to his new life, accepting the ambiguity of his position.

The People

Kenneth Griswold is the protagonist, a man whose artistic and professional failures lead him to a criminal act that permanently alters his moral trajectory. He is intelligent and deeply introspective, constantly grappling with the disparity between his self-image and his reality as a felon.

Margery Grierson serves as the moral center of the book. She is a woman of wealth and social status who is surprisingly non-judgmental and fiercely loyal. She wants to believe in the best of those around her, and her love for Griswold acts as both his salvation and his greatest temptation.

Broffin is the relentless antagonist, a man whose identity is entirely wrapped up in his profession. He is suspicious, hard-headed, and driven by a desire for professional vindication. He serves as a mirror to Griswold, representing the unforgiving, objective eye of the law.

Charlotte Farnham is a secondary character whose initial moral stance on the "barbarous" nature of cash rewards for criminals contrasts with the society around her. She plays a pivotal role in the early stages of the investigation and serves as an early example of the ethical tension surrounding Griswold’s flight.

In Its Own Voice

"The breakfast, he remembered, had been garnished with certain green sprigs of hope; but at the supper-table he ate like a barbarian in arrears to his appetite and the garnishings were the bitter herbs of humiliation and defeat."

Griswold reflects on the stark difference between his arrival in New Orleans and his final, desperate meal before the robbery.

"That is something that always seems so dreadfully barbarous; to set a money price on the head of a human being."

Charlotte Farnham expresses her ethical discomfort with the bounty system, highlighting the human cost of the law.

"The price was too great; the upward path too steep; the self-denial it entailed too sacrificial."

Griswold ultimately decides to prioritize his happiness and his relationship with Margery over the difficult, lonely path of true redemption.

What It's Really About

The book is a meditation on the nature of identity and the "price" of living a lie. It asks whether a person can ever truly leave their past behind, or if the act of committing a crime permanently changes the soul. The novel suggests that morality is not a simple binary of good and evil but a complex landscape navigated by personal relationships and the need for connection. It questions the legitimacy of legal systems that rely on cupidity—such as bounty hunting—and contrasts them with the more forgiving, albeit subjective, ethics of personal love. Ultimately, it argues that humans are defined by the choices they make when forced into a corner, and that some people choose to live with their secrets rather than pay the cost of exposing them.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy character-driven dramas that focus on psychology rather than mere action will find much to admire here. The prose is warm and precise, capturing the atmosphere of early 20th-century American towns and cities with a keen eye for detail. The book does not shy away from the complexities of its lead character; it asks the reader to sympathize with a man who is, by any legal definition, a criminal.

The writing feels grounded in a specific era, and readers should be prepared for some of the period-specific attitudes, including occasional displays of social elitism and the casual, sometimes harsh, language of the characters. While the pacing is deliberate, those who appreciate a slow-burn narrative that lingers on the emotional states of its cast will find the journey rewarding. The central question—what constitutes a life well-lived after a moral failure—remains as relevant now as it was when the book was written. It is a story that stays with you, not because of its plot twists, but because of the haunting, unresolved tension in Griswold’s final decision. It is an honest, unvarnished look at a human heart caught between the desire for goodness and the reality of its own flaws.