Pollard’s Tavern – Chapter 39 Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Martha Ballard stops at Pollard’s Tavern after a long delivery. Moses Pollard serves her a meal and shares news that Joshua Burgess’s home was burned weeks ago, though only recently discovered. He suspects Judge North hid there after the hearing, keeping his dog Cicero in the barn. Martha presses for details about Burgess’s belongings. Moses tells her his father stored them in the shed behind the tavern. Realizing an opportunity, Martha asks for a lantern and visits the shed after dark. Inside, she finds Burgess’s body covered in hay and his saddlebag. The bag contains pistols, a coin purse, a whiskey bottle, three envelopes, and a strip of lace—the same lace Rebecca testified Burgess ripped from her shift. The envelopes are addressed to Colonel Joseph North, the Kennebec Proprietors, and Ephraim Ballard. Before she can open the last letter, Amos Pollard slams the shed door shut, cursing, and locks her inside with the corpse.

Key Events

Martha hears from Moses that Joshua Burgess’s home was burned to the ground, presumably by Judge North to hide evidence.
Moses reveals that North hid at the Burgess homestead for a few days, using the barn to keep his dog Cicero.
Martha learns that Burgess’s belongings, including his saddle and tack, were stored in the Pollard’s shed alongside his body.
She retrieves a lantern and sneaks into the shed after dark.
Martha searches through the hay pile and uncovers Burgess’s saddlebag.
Inside the bag she finds a strip of lace—a trophy from Rebecca’s assault—and three envelopes, one of which is addressed to her husband, Ephraim Ballard.
Before she can read the letter, Amos Pollard locks the shed, trapping her inside.

Character Development

Martha Ballard – Her curiosity and determination push her into risky actions. Despite physical exhaustion and self-consciousness about aging, she pursues the truth about Burgess’s death and its links to Judge North. Her shock at finding a letter to her husband shows that even she is blindsided by the web of connections.

Moses Pollard – He is helpful and gossipy, clearly fond of Martha. His willingness to share information about the Burgess property moves the plot forward, and his blush at mention of Hannah reveals a personal side.

Amos Pollard – Though only heard off-page, his angry cursing and careless locking of the shed add menace and underscore the dangerous position Martha now occupies.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and investigation – Martha’s covert search mirrors the novel’s central tension between hidden truths and public justice. The saddlebag holds secrets that implicate multiple powerful figures.
The lace – A physical symbol of Rebecca’s assault, confirming Burgess’s cruelty and his desire to keep a souvenir. It reinforces the theme of evidence and memory.
Confinement – Martha locked in the shed with a corpse literalizes the suffocating nature of the secrets she uncovers. The darkness and cold evoke isolation and fear.
Family ties – The letter to Ephraim Ballard introduces a personal threat, suggesting that Martha’s own household may be entangled in the corruption she investigates.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter accelerates the mystery by providing tangible evidence—letters connecting Judge North, the Kennebec Proprietors, and Martha’s own husband to the dead man. The lace confirms Burgess’s guilt in Rebecca’s assault, validating her testimony. The cliffhanger ending raises the stakes: Martha is trapped, and the contents of Ephraim’s letter remain unknown. It deepens the tension around who can be trusted and how far the conspiracy extends.

Study Questions

Why does Martha decide to search Burgess’s belongings in the shed at night, rather than waiting for daylight or asking permission? Answer: Martha acts on instinct and the need for secrecy. She recognizes that the information in Burgess’s saddlebag might be crucial to understanding the events surrounding his death and Judge North’s role. Asking permission could alert the Pollards or delay her, and the cover of darkness reduces the chance of being observed.
What does the lace in Burgess’s saddlebag reveal about his character and his connection to Rebecca’s testimony? Answer: The lace matches the strip Rebecca said Burgess tore from her shift during the assault. Keeping it as a souvenir shows Burgess’s cruelty and his desire to relive the crime. For Martha, it confirms that Rebecca told the truth in court, strengthening the case against Burgess even after his death.
How does the discovery of a letter addressed to Ephraim Ballard change the stakes for Martha? Answer: Until now, Martha believed her husband was an innocent bystander in the events surrounding Burgess and North. The letter implies that Ephraim has a direct correspondence with Burgess, raising questions about his knowledge, involvement, or even complicity. Martha’s personal life is now entangled with the mystery, making her investigation more urgent and dangerous.