Wild Oranges

"Wild Oranges" by Joseph Hergesheimer is a story that takes place in the early 1900s. The book is about John Woolfolk, a tired sailor, meeting Millie Stope, a strange woman who lives away from everyone else. The story talks about running away from problems, love, remembering bad times, and John's own problems as he learns about Millie's secret life. At the beginning, John Woolfolk arrives on his boat, the "Gar," at a quiet bay. While eating dinner, he sees a woman—Millie Stope—swimming, who suddenly vanishes into the night, making him very interested in her. When they talk, she shows that she has problems and difficult family relationships, especially with her weak father, Lichfield Stope, and a man named Nicholas, who has risky intentions for Millie. The first parts of the book are filled with tension and danger, showing Woolfolk's strong feelings as he becomes deeply involved in Millie's unusual story and the hidden dangers around her.