A fiercely independent woman who seeks isolation from her daily responsibilities. She rents a cabin on the expansive grounds of a remote mountain orphanage. Highly educated and widely traveled, she values solitude and her work above social expectations. She gradually develops a quiet camaraderie with the young boy who chops her firewood.

A twelve-year-old resident of the mountain orphanage. Though undersized and lacking adequate winter clothing, he proves to be a skilled and steady worker. He possesses an inner quality the narrator identifies as pure integrity. He quietly anticipates the narrator's needs and performs unasked chores around the cabin, eagerly seeking out the quiet companionship of the narrator and her dog.

The narrator's pointer dog. He is a loyal companion who immediately accepts Jerry without hesitation. He provides uncritical affection and comfort, happily spending time dozing by the fireplace with the boy while the narrator works.

The bookkeeper at the orphanage where the narrator rents her cabin. She handles administrative duties and monitors the health and responsibilities of the orphan boys living under the facility's care.

A woman living in the nearby town of Mannville. According to Jerry's accounts to the narrator, she visits him during the summers and sends him Christmas presents, including items like roller skates. Her absence from the orphanage draws the narrator's intense frustration.