A well-dressed man, a master-barber called Mr. Percombe, is walking on a small country road in the South-West of England. He is trying to find his way to a village called Little Hintock. A horse drawn cart, occupied by several women, approaches, and someone offers him a lift. On the way, a woman called Mrs. Dollery talks to Mr. Percombe about Little Hintock. She tells him that a “learned young doctor lives in the place” (8), a doctor who “is in league with the devil” (8). Mr. Percombe gets out of the cart when they arrive at the village and heads towards a cottage, the door of which is ajar.

Inside the cottage is a young woman making wooden rods. Her name is Marty South, and she has hair that is “a rare and beautiful approximation to chestnut” (10). Mr. Percombe has come to purchase her hair to make a wig for a wealthy local lady. He offers Marty a gold sovereign, as much as she would earn in a week, for it, but Marty refuses. Mr. Percombe then offers two sovereigns, leaving them with her. He thus offers her the chance to either return the money when she comes to market the next day or bring her cut hair.