A Pagan of the Hills

Winter floods threaten a timber deal in the Kentucky mountains, where Brent, a buyer from the city, joins Aaron McGivins in a desperate effort to save his logs. The sale matters because McGivins has a heavy mortgage on his land. Neighbors lend their labor, but the returning drinking habits of Bud Sellers put their cooperation at risk. Meanwhile, Brent hears about Alexander, McGivins's daughter, whose unusual name and upbringing have made her a local figure of interest.

Charles Neville Buck builds this mountain novel around dangerous terrain, financial pressure and the uncertain strength of personal loyalties. Conversations in regional dialect set the city visitor beside people whose customs he is still learning. A creek crossing under rifle fire later tests Brent's confidence in Sellers. Readers interested in Kentucky fiction will find detailed scenes of timber work, sudden thaws and travel through steep country, alongside a story of trust under strain.