' s ▁recommendation . ▁The ▁conserv ator ' s ▁ske leton ▁is ▁found ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁desert , ▁without ▁the ▁objects . ▁ ▁These ▁events ▁co inci de ▁with ▁a ▁visit ▁from ▁Em erson ' s ▁brother ▁Walter , ▁his ▁wife ▁Ev ely n , ▁their ▁daughter ▁L ia ▁and ▁her ▁husband ▁David ▁( the ▁Em ers ons ' ▁adopt ive ▁son ), ▁plus ▁their ▁small ▁children . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁Em ers ons ▁meet ▁up ▁with ▁ ▁Justin ▁Fitz roy ce , ▁a ▁young ▁person ▁with ▁a ▁strange ▁mental ▁mal ady , ▁and ▁his ▁companion , ▁François , ▁who ▁quickly ▁develop s ▁a ▁dis like ▁of ▁the ▁family ▁after ▁R ams es ▁mistakes ▁his ▁att ent ions ▁to ▁the ▁boy ▁for ▁physical ▁ab use . ▁ ▁Justin ▁is ▁trav elling ▁with ▁his ▁grand m other , ▁the ▁elder ly , ▁sometimes ▁confused , ▁Mrs ▁Fitz roy ce ; ▁also ▁with ▁them ▁is ▁her ▁companion , ▁who ▁turns ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁Mary am , ▁the ▁te en age ▁daughter ▁of ▁S eth os , ▁fallen ▁on ▁hard ▁times . ▁Am elia ▁tries ▁to ▁be friend ▁Mary am ▁and ▁helps ▁her ▁to ▁re build ▁her ▁relationship ▁with ▁her ▁father ▁when ▁he ▁arriv es ▁to ▁visit . ▁ ▁She ▁also ▁re ass ures ▁Mary am ▁that ▁the ▁Em ers ons ▁were ▁not ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁the ▁girl ' s ▁mother , ▁Ber tha . ▁ ▁Al ong ▁the ▁way , ▁the ▁Em erson ▁family ▁is ▁do gg ed ▁by ▁a ▁series ▁of