Summary
A labyrinthine exploration of ancestral guilt and the restorative power of the Ozark wilderness, the narrative follows an enigmatic metropolitan expatriate who seeks sanctuary in the rugged topography of Mutton Hollow. His arrival is a silent penance for the transgressions of his artist son, whose callous abandonment of a local girl—after using her image to achieve fame—left a legacy of bastardy and brokenness. As the 'Shepherd,' this man navigates the volatile tempers of the Matthews clan and the predatory instincts of local moonshiners, eventually acting as the catalyst for a profound spiritual metamorphosis within the community. The story juxtaposes the artifice of urban sophistication, embodied by the vacuous Ollie Stewart, against the raw, rugged authenticity of Young Matt Matthews. It culminates in a cathartic reconciliation within the bowels of a hidden cave, where the sins of the father are finally washed away by the forgiveness of the betrayed.
Synopsis
An old man from the city comes to Mutton Hollow in the Ozarks to make amends for his son, an artist, who deserted the girl who posed for a picture which made him famous, and bore his child after he left. The old man becomes a shepherd for Old Matt Matthews, the girl's father. The shepherd's kindly influence and teachings are appreciated by the mountain folk, who stop moonshiners from killing him. Young Matt loves Samantha "Sammy" Lane, the town's belle, but she is engaged to Ollie Stewart, who has promised to take her to the city when he inherits his uncle's fortune. After Ollie goes there, Sammy has the shepherd teach her to be "a lady" for Ollie, but when Ollie returns, Sammy, now transformed, disapproves of the way he has changed. She sends him away and marries young Matt. Meanwhile, the shepherd finds his son dying in a cave. He had returned and found his lover dead, and stayed to be near his son, Little Pete. The shepherd persuades Old Matt to forgive his son before the son dies.
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