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John Archibald, a weary painter fleeing the bustle of New York and a tangled romance, seeks refuge in a solitary shack on the edge of a quiet valley. His isolated routine is interrupted when a tiny, earnest girl named Pegeen O’Neill appears, offering to clean his kitchen with an unexpected efficiency that both bemuses and unsettles him. Their brief, oddly formal exchange hints at a deeper purpose for her visit and sets the tone for an uneasy partnership.
The remote cabin, rented from a nearby Shaker community, becomes a canvas for John’s attempts to rebuild a life of outdoor solitude, with a fireplace, a willow chair, and an easel framing the valley’s light. Yet the peace he craves is constantly shadowed by memories of the city and the lingering ghosts of past loves. As the seasons turn, listeners are invited to share his gentle struggle between artistic ambition, the demands of an unexpected helper, and the quiet mystery that the valley holds.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (284K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Marcia Brooks, Al Haines, Alex White & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net
Release date
2019-07-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1868–1942
Known for lively early-20th-century fiction centered on spirited young women, this American novelist also saw several of her stories adapted for silent films. Her work blends romance, humor, and an easy sense of adventure.
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