After trout fishing, Rolfe gets lost in the mountains of Virginia and stumbles upon a small cabin with his horse. Knowing that the day is coming to an end, he decides to approach the cabin and ask if he can stay the night and get directions in the morning. He is greeted by a man with a shotgun in the doorway. He explains to the man his trouble and the man agrees to let him stay the night. He directs Rolfe to sit down at a table outside and calls his son, Bud, to take care of Rolfe’s horse. Rolfe asks Bud their last name and Bud says it’s Larkin. A young girl comes out to set the table and Rolfe asks how many are in their family. She says that there are five and that four are dead. Suddenly, Rolfe remembers the name Larkin as a family that had been responsible for the deaths in another mountain family who they had a conflict with. Rolfe wants to leave but he realizes that it's getting late and he isn’t sure where to go. The whole family comes out, and they all eat together at the outside table. Rolfe is partially introduced to another son, Steve, and Mr. Larkin’s wife, though no one talks during dinner. After dinner, Rolfe begins to smoke and Steve and Mr. Larkin walk into the forest with their shotguns. Rolfe drifts off under a hemlock tree by the outside table and is awoken by sobs. He wants to investigate and ask where he will be sleeping for the night, but the little girl comes out and whispers to Rolfe, asking him if Bud can take his horse. He is confused and she says that Bud has been accused of stealing from the family and that they are going to punish him. She explains that Rolfe can say Bud stole the horse so that he can run away from his father’s wrath. Rolfe agrees and the girl thanks him, but he sees no movement from the house. He considers taking the horse himself into the night, but decides against it. Eventually Mr. Larkin and Steve return and they call Bud outside. The three of them walk into the forest and the girl comes back to Rolfe and tells him that Bud couldn’t leave and that Rolfe should say nothing about it. He hears loud sounds from the forest and he thinks they’re gunshots, but the girl tells him that they sometimes cut trees at night time. A little later Mr. Larkin and Steve return and usher Rolfe into the house. He wants to question where Bud is, but sees the girl’s warning eyes. He asks where he will be sleeping and Mr. Larkin says he will sleep in Bud’s bed because he won’t be returning that night.