Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill; Or, Jasper Parloe's Secret

Ruth Fielding rides the rattling Limited through the rolling hills of upstate New York, eyes fixed on the darkening landscape and the tiny dots of station lights that mark her journey away from the familiar streets of Darrowtown. The train carries more than just her luggage; it bears the weight of recent losses, unanswered letters, and a stubborn promise to herself that she will not let tears derail her resolve. As the evening settles, the excitement of a new home at the mysterious “Red Mill” mingles with the uncertainty of stepping into a world she has only heard of in distant family stories.

A kindly, silver‑haired doctor takes the seat beside her, his eyes sparkling with a gentlest curiosity. He draws Ruth out of her quiet stubbornness, asking why she refuses to cry and listening patiently as she recounts her mother’s death, her father’s passing, and her uncle’s invitation to live with Aunt Alviry in Cheslow. Their conversation hints at hidden ties to the mill’s proprietor and sets the stage for Ruth’s first steps into a place where old secrets and fresh possibilities await.