Romantic tragedy. Honest Katie Norman falls in love with the scholarly gentlemanly local curate, Andrew Wood, but he falls for the beautiful visiting society lady Olive Ainslie. Olive is tempted by love for him but returns to her society fiancee and the living death of a 'perfect match' while the curate dies of a broken heart. Katie marries a worthy farmer, their love deepened by her grief. Olive mourns for Wood after his death. (PB)