Chapter 5 Summary

The Luthers discover that wildcrafting is more difficult than they had thought. The mountains are filled with dangerous terrain, with chasms and sharp boulders. They come across a timber rattlesnake one day and are chased away from the plants they were gathering by a swarm of yellow jackets on another. One day, they think they find ginseng, but it turns out to be goldenseal, which is still desirable but worth less. They daydream about what they will buy with the money they earn. Ima Dean wants a car. Devola changes her mind from wanting yellow shoes to wanting a present for Roy Luther. Romey wants a book. They carefully begin drying the goldenseal, turning it every four hours even though the book does not say this is necessary.

That night, Mary Call goes to see Roy Luther. He looks at her with his...