This novel tells the story of a young woman who becomes the assistant to the enigmatic Dr. Gordon in a small New England town. As she navigates the complexities of her new role, she uncovers secrets about the doctor and the community. Freeman skillfully combines elements of romance and mystery, while exploring themes of personal independence, professional ambition, and moral dilemmas in early 20th-century America. MARY E. WILKINS FREEMAN (1852-1930) was born in Randolph, Massachusetts and died in Metuchen, New Jersey. Among her published regional short fiction and novels are A Humble Romance and Other Stories, A New England Nun and Other Stories, Jane Field, and The Portion of Labor. In 1926 she received the William Dean Howells Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for distinction in fiction. That same year, she and Edith Wharton were among the first women to be elected to membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters.