An artist from Atlanta goes to the coast of Maine to paint the landscapes and seascapes. The local bartender tells him about an island about two miles offshore where there is an old deserted mansion. He explains that no one ever goes to the island because everyone believes it is cursed and haunted by the ghost of the original owner. That's when he tells of the legend of the island.
After several visits to the island and starting a painting of the mansion, he begins to have dreams about the original owner, who is the ghost that inhabits the house. In the dreams, the ghost shows him the secret of the house. He doesn't realize it but finding and understanding the secret reveals the true history of the house and it completely changes his life.