The novel follows the story of two young lovers, John and Mary, who are separated by a misunderstanding. John is a young man from a wealthy family, while Mary is a poor girl from a small town. When John's father refuses to allow him to marry Mary, John leaves home and takes a job as a clerk in a large city. Meanwhile, Mary is left behind in her small town, where she is courted by a wealthy suitor. When John returns to his hometown, he discovers that Mary is engaged to the suitor. He is heartbroken and decides to leave town again. On his way out of town, John stops at a train station and discovers that the train is forty minutes late. He decides to wait for the train, and while he is waiting, he meets a young woman named Alice. Alice is also waiting for the train, and the two become friends. John and Alice eventually fall in love, and John decides to stay in town and marry Alice. However, when Mary discovers that John is still in town, she realizes that she still loves him and decides to break off her engagement. John and Mary are reunited, and the novel ends with the two of them happily married.
By Francis Hopkinson Smith · First published 1909 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction