In the mid-1800s, a successful artist named William Henry Teale buys the Osgood property. He arrives in the winter to oversee the house’s renovation, while his wife and three children remain in Boston for six months until repairs are complete. Teale’s story is told through the letters he sends to his friend, Erasmus Nash. Nash is a famous author who has been described as the “American Goethe.” Teale speaks of the home’s woeful state of neglect. He finds and dons a high-crowned beaver hat, which must have belonged to Phelan, the bounty hunter. Teale speculates about what might have happened to the Osgood sisters. They disappeared without a trace, leaving their clothing behind. He’s bemused by pictures on the wall that display apples rather than humans.

As winter melts into spring, Teale becomes enchanted with the landscape of the north woods. He tries to capture the area by painting it during multiple seasons and under various light conditions. In his letters to Nash, he recalls their European travels together and hints at the close bond of affection they share with one another. A worker draws Teale’s attention to the original cabin that preceded the farmhouse, and Teale speculates about who might have built it.