In the early twentieth century South, Muriel and her little brother George decide to break into a house for their amusement. When they walk in, they are surprised by the friendliness of Walter, a Black servant in the home, who offers the children food. Walter is the sole servant to the author James Richards, who after his wife left, lives alone. Walter introduces the children to Mr. James. Mr. James is ill with malaria, and so he finds the children to be a pleasant distraction from his illness. Mr. James accepts that the children will live in his house, and they quickly fall into a routine. The man gets sicker and sicker. He alternates between delirium and mourning his relationship with his wife. He is at times cruel to George, who attempts to care for him through his illness. He also stops writing, which seems to trouble him. At the same time, Walter has gotten sick, which makes it difficult for him to do much in the way of caring for Mr. James.  The four gather for a Christmas celebration, though Mr. James raves about the ridiculousness of celebrating it. He begins to go on about what he would write to improve the conditions of the world, and eventually realizes he is describing something he had written many years before. In the spring, Walter grows very ill and decides to leave. Mr. James gets sicker, and George regularly tries to get him to go outside for his health. Walter sends postcards back from the places he goes, but Mr. James has forgotten who he is. Soon after, Mr. James dies. Muriel and George bury him in the backyard and return to their home.