Arriving from North Carolina, nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston is overwhelmed by the beauty - and poverty - of Cutter Gap, where she must learn to teach school while learning to live and fit in with the locals.

Rob Allen enters a short story writing contest, but feels remorse for not paying attention to Little Bird, who has suddenly gone missing.

Christy is horrified to learn that Opal's baby has died due to a backwoods superstition, and Tom McHone is accused of reporting the moonshine operation to the authorities.

Christy is introduced to Polly Teague, the cove's oldest resident, and David runs into trouble with Ault Allen.

In hopes of curing Becky O' Teale's trachoma, Dr. MacNeill tries an experiment. Meanwhile, Miss Alice disapproves of Christy's friendship with Neil.

Miss Alice's daughter returns from "the dead" and Theodore S. Harland arrives, apparently to record the folklore of the cove.

David tries to bring a new church bell to town on his own, Christy's father visits and the locals begin to prepare for Thanksgiving. When Christy's father suffers a stroke, her mother informs her that she (Christy) must return home to care for him. Meanwhile, the Cutter Gap men prepare a surprise for the Reverend.

As David's sister prepares for her upcoming wedding, David proposes to Christy. Meanwhile, Christy attempts to help a teenager reconnect with his father.

Christy becomes jealous of David's childhood friend who has arrived for a visit. Sam Houston begins a search for the great white buck.

Rob Allen must pass a test in order to win a college scholarship, and when Christy begins spending so much time tutoring him, Zady Spencer feels left out.

Trouble ensues when Christy and her students try to disprove a superstition. Ruby Mae is excited to learn that she's related to a famous heroine.

A trip to Freedom, Kentucky, is in store for Christy and Miss Alice, and back in Cutter Gap, Neil is shocked to learn of David's proposal to Christy.

When John Spencer becomes smitten with Christy, Bessie Colburn jealously spreads a malicious rumor about her.

After an outbreak of scarlet fever, Dr. MacNeill is forced to put the mission under quarantine.

A man who blames Dr. MacNeill for the death of his wife attempts to get revenge by taking Christy hostage.

Christy finds an abandoned baby in the woods and finds herself reconsidering David's marriage proposal which would allow her to adopt the baby.

All may not be as it seems for the citizens of Cutter Gap when a visiting benefactor for the mission tries to acquire land for his lumber business.

Christy finds herself torn between Neil and David. Meanwhile, Margaret returns to the cove.