
The story opens on a sun‑kissed summer day in the Rockies, where the Old Stone Mill stands beside a glittering pond, surrounded by fields, orchards, and a patchwork of woods. The narrator paints the landscape in vivid detail, inviting listeners to feel the gentle rustle of hazel and the distant hum of the mill’s machinery. In the midst of this tranquil haven, a striking Highland woman pauses, her dark eyes reflecting both the beauty of the valley and a lingering melancholy.
She enters the mill’s modest house and encounters her cheerful husband, a sprightly fellow with a violin that fills the air with lively tunes. Their banter, tinged with affection and a hint of tension, hints at deeper concerns that go beyond the everyday grind of the mill. As the music swells and the couple’s conversation turns to matters of the heart and home, listeners are drawn into a world where love, duty, and the rugged landscape intertwine, promising a tale that unfolds with both warmth and mystery.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (526K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger
Release date
2006-06-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1860–1937
A bestselling Canadian novelist and Presbyterian minister, he turned frontier life, faith, and moral struggle into vivid popular fiction that reached readers around the world. Writing as Ralph Connor, he became especially known for stories set in the Canadian West.
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