In which Mr. Winterborne, pondering the precarious nature of his leases and the fate of the properties tied to Mrs. Charmond, embarks upon an endeavour to secure his inheritance while attending to the imminent peril faced by an old man haunted by a towering elm. The intervention of Doctor Fitzpiers leads to the felling of the ominous tree, an act intended to restore peace but instead marking a melancholy turning of events in the quiet village of Little Hintock.