Tom Akerley His Adventures in the Tall Timber and at Gaspard's Clearing on the Indian River

"Tom Akerley" by Theodore Goodridge Roberts is a story set in Canada and follows Tom Akerley, a Royal Air Force officer on the run after an incident with his commanding officer. Seeking escape, Akerley flees to the remote wilderness, immediately finding himself entangled in the affairs of an old hermit named Gaspard and his spirited granddaughter, Catherine. Crashing his airplane and stumbling upon Gaspard's homestead, Akerley is confronted with both an inviting peace and an air of puzzling circumstances. The narrative blends adventure and the exploration of human nature as Akerley attempts to build a new life alone in the quiet wilderness while attempting to reconcile with himself and the consequences of his past actions while dealing with the peculiar hermit who believes he has encountered the devil himself.