O. Henry discusses with his publisher the story of an ancient feud between the Goree and Coltrane families in the town of Bethel. The only two remaining family survivors are determined to end the feud in friendship, but one of them is going to die. Hillbilly Pike Garvey and his ambitious wife come into money and move to Bethel to hopefully gain prestige among the townspeople and fulfill his wife's desire to become "quality folk." Pike buys his way into Goree's half of the feud and plots to shoot Coltrane to collect on his investment.