Sections 1-2
- We check back in on Martin and Leora, who are settling into life in the small town of Wheatsylvania, South Dakota.
- As you might expect, Leora's family hasn't gotten any less meddling since we last saw them. They insist on Martin opening up his medical practice in the family barn. Yuck: that doesn't sound sanitary.
- But Martin wants some distance from the family. He wants his own building where he and Leora can live.
- Eventually, Leora pressures her father to lend Martin a thousand dollars to get his practice started. It's only when she threatens to leave with Martin forever that the man gives in.
- Leora's dad arranges to buy the building of two old grocers who are thinking of selling. But the grocers drag their feet for so long that Martin gets impatient and instead buys a cottage from some other guy.
- Leora's parents are frustrated, as are the two grocers who thought they were going to sell their place.
- Unfortunately for Martin, these grocers have a lot of sway over public opinion in town, and they're going to make it hard for Martin to find patients.
- But that doesn't matter to Martin, because he's just happy to finally live with Leora on his own and not be under the constant watch of Leora's family.