Bub Dolliver was home to stay. He had fled five years before, a hot-headed rebellious youth, a town terror who had won the cold hatred of the townspeople, a bitter lad who did not care if he ever saw Minot Harbor again. He returned, stubbornly determined to erase his past from the long memory of the villagers and make them accept him as a responsible, honest, hard-working member of the community. His reception was as cold as his worst fears-with one exception. The moment that Lou Jellison first saw him her faith and loyalty kindled then burst into steady flame. Her family, however, had quite another reaction, and eligible, respectable Joe Pettigrew has always taken it for granted that Lou was his. Besides, the people of Minot Harbor had rarely found it to their advantage to change their minds about anything, and were as unyielding as the coast from which they made their meager living. And then Bub’s trifling younger brother took advantage of his return, shrewdly aware of where the blame for his actions would fall… Source for the film noir Tarnished (Republic Pictures, 1950) directed by Harry Keller, starring Dorothy Patrick and Arthur Franz.
Eleanor Mayo (1920–1981) was an American novelist, photographer, and public servant active in the mid twentieth century. She was raised in Southwest Harbor, Maine and spent most of her life on Mount Desert Island. She was the life companion of the well-known Maine novelist Ruth Moore. Mayo published five novels during her life and a posthumously issued short story collection. Mayo’s novel Turn Home was made into the 1950 film Tarnished. Mayo was active in local politics holding several elected positions in Tremont, Maine. She was elected the town’s first female selectman and later served many years as the town’s tax assessor.
