November 2, 1939

That afternoon, John-Boy went by the general store where the carnival rides would be set up. Ike asked him to help with some set-up and he said he would.

Jenny, too was there with the children.

Elizabeth wandered over to the carnival grounds after school.

Ike caught sight of her. He winked at her and waved.

Elizabeth turned around and stared at the Ferris wheel poster nailed to the store building for the longest time.

While Ike spoke with one of the carnival workers about the placement of different rides, John-Boy went over to tend to his little sister.

He smiled at her, but she didn't take her gaze from the poster. She stood, staring, almost stunned by it. Her silence was very chilling for John-Boy.

John-Boy turned to see what Elizabeth was staring at. He realized that the she was staring at a poster. It had a Ferris wheel on it.

Elizabeth stared for several seconds, not even realizing John-Boy was standing next to her.

"Elizabeth," John-Boy said gently at last.

She turned. She forced a smile and hugged her brother. "Hi John-Boy."

"If you'd like to go inside, I'll buy you a candy bar." John-Boy smiled.

Elizabeth hesitated. "Okay." She finally said.

John-Boy took her hand and the two went inside.

When they got inside, Ike was helping the Baldwin sisters.

"Do you really think you need ALL these locks?" Ike chuckled.

John-Boy saw several locks on the counter in front of the elderly sisters.

"We're having them installed on all our outside doors immediately." Miss Mamie informed the storekeeper.

"You see, that carnival will be here this weekend." Miss Emily added.

"Well, Mr. Dawes assures me that all of his employees are absolutely reliable." Ike replied.

"Well, that's what they led us to believe the last time the carnival was here and our very own home was broken into." Miss Mamie recollected the Fall carnival two years ago. The previous year, a snowstorm during the first week of November had prevented the carnival from taking place.

"And Mama's diamond earrings and matching tiara were mysteriously removed." Miss Emily said.

"Never to be seen again." Miss Mamie added.

John-Boy was thumbing through the family's mail when he noticed Elizabeth slowly wander over to the large red coffee grinder in the store. John-Boy couldn't help but notice that the grinder looked like a mini Ferris wheel.

"Papa had presented them to Mama on their wedding day." Mamie Baldwin told Ike.

"I had planned to wear them whenever Ashley Longworth made a proposal of marriage." Miss Emily dreamily stated. She went into describing her long-lost love. "He was a young student at the university, don't you know. And he used to…"

Miss Mamie touched Miss Emily's arm to stop her story.

Ike bagged the ladies' groceries. "Are you absolutely certain that it was an employee of the carnival who broke into your house?"

Miss Mamie was convinced. "Quite sure! Why, the sheriff was about to question one of the carnival workers and then the poor man lost his life in some unfortunate accident."

John-Boy watched his younger sister. The remainder of the Baldwin Sisters' conversation became a blur to him. His focus was on his sister.

She just grinder, over and over and over again, staring at it, studying its every move.

The Baldwin Sisters broke his concentration.

"Goodbye John-Boy." Miss Emily cheerful said to the young man.

He turned and smiled. "Bye ladies."

He went back to watching Elizabeth.

She was still spinning the coffee grinder, giving it her whole attention. Elizabeth suddenly stopped the grinder and stared out into the room.

"Elizabeth," John-Boy said gently. "What kind of candy bar would you like, Honey?"

Elizabeth solemnly picked out a Hershey's bar.

John-Boy paid for the candy and handed it to his sister.

"Bye Ike." John-Boy smiled, waving to the storekeeper.

"Bye John-Boy."

Back home, John and Zeb washed up in the kitchen sink.

"John-Boy says the Baldwin sisters have everything under lock and key and are not coming out of the house until that carnival goes away." Olivia said.

"I'll never forget the day the Baldwin ladies got robbed." Zeb chuckled. "Oh what a dad-doo!"

"I remember it too, but for a different reason." Olivia replied, continuing to cut the loaf of bread into slices. "That was the day Elizabeth wandered off and was gone all morning."

"Found her down by the river." John added. "She never could tell us what happened."

Jenny listened to older adults recall the events. She remembered it too. She was very scared that Elizabeth would get hurt. She was very glad when they found her.

Outside, John-Boy pushed Elizabeth in the swing.

"Elizabeth, do you remember when the carnival was here the last time?" John-Boy asked plainly.

"Some, I was real little." Elizabeth replied.

"Yeah, I know. I remember you got lost one morning. Did you go to the carnival that day?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know. Daddy says I went to the river."

"Well I know what Daddy said. I was just wondering if you knew what happened."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know. I don't wanna think about it."

"Well it just seems kind of strange to me that you could end up down by the river all by yourself, that's all." John-Boy sort of chuckled.

Elizabeth jumped off the swing. "I don't know!" she wailed.

John-Boy's smile disappeared. "Did you go to the carnival that day?"

Jenny stepped out. "John, Elizabeth, your mother says supper is ready."

Elizabeth ran to Jenny and hugged her. "John-Boy, I don't wanna talk about it anymore!"

"Talk about what?" Jenny asked.

"Well I was just asking her what she remembered about the last time the carnival was here, that's all. I didn't mean to upset you, Honey."

Jenny gently stroked Elizabeth's hair. "Well from now on, maybe it's not best to talk about it at all." She suggested. "That sound good for everyone?"

Elizabeth and John-Boy agreed to this plan. Jenny smiled, took Elizabeth's hand, and led her inside.

John-Boy followed slowly.