In which the quiet arts of milking and butter-making lead Una to a curious acquaintance in Philadelphia, the spirited and responsible daughter of the local squire, who recounts her adventures with a Witchmaster and a delicate French prisoner among the woods and halls of Marklake. Amidst tales of charms, quarrels, and unexpected dinners, the mingling of old village beliefs and genteel manners paints a vivid picture of life touched by both the ordinary and the mysterious.