May 2, 1940
Ada Corley was outside her house, sitting by a fire and sipping soup from a tin cup when Aimee and Elizabeth pulled up.
"Let's go home!" whispered Elizabeth to her best friend. Her voice was full of worry.
"She won't hurt you." Aimee replied.
Elizabeth wasn't convinced. But she reluctantly agreed to go along with the plan.
Ada heard the girls talking and stood up, staring straight at them.
"Quick, let's go home!" Exclaimed Elizabeth.
"I'm not afraid of her."
"Well I am. Let's go!"
Aimee was losing patience. "She might be able to help! Isn't it worth trying?"
Ada began to walk towards the girls. Within seconds, she stood right next to the pony cart.
"What do you want here?" she barked.
"Well, um, she…she needs doctoring… ma'am." Aimee stammered. "You… you cured Inner Sypes' daughter."
Ada's harsh mannerism eased a very slight amount. "What's wrong with her?"
"She was in an accident. She can't walk."
Ada grabbed her lantern and used it to get a closer look at Elizabeth's legs.
"The Walton girl." She observed.
"We wondered if you could help." Elizabeth said.
"You got any money?" Ada asked.
"Well…uh, we didn't think about that." Aimee admitted.
"Well I don't do my curin' for free!" snapped Mrs. Corley.
"How much would it cost?" Elizabeth asked.
Ada shrugged. "I usually accept whatever people offer."
"Well, if you can help, I've got three dollars in the bank at home." Aimee offered. "I'll bring it over for you."
"I don't like promises." Mrs. Corley answered.
"Oh Aimee, let's go home!" Elizabeth said.
Ada softened. "If you promise to bring it back here, I'll do what I can."
"What are you gonna do?" Asked Elizabeth.
"First, we're gonna get rid of them things." Mrs. Corley pointed to Elizabeth's braces. "Come on, let's go to the house." Ada turned and went to the house.
Aimee was fearful. She turned to Elizabeth. "What do you want to do?"
"Do you really think she can help?"
"I don't know."
"Well, I suppose she can't hurt my legs no more than they already are."
Aimee sighed and reluctantly pulled the pony cart the rest of the way into the yard.
John and Zeb drove to the store. It was late. John forgot his watch at home, but he was sure that it was between 10:30 and 11.
"Ike!" John called.
Thankfully the wind had died down, so he didn't have that to compete with.
"Ike! It's John. Ike!" John knocked loudly on the door.
Ike came to the door in his bathrobe. He looked concerned. "John, what is it?"
"Are Aimee and Elizabeth here?"
"Well no, Aimee should be at your house."
"Get your clothes, Ike. The girls are gone."
"But, but how could Elizabeth w...?"
He was cut off by Corabeth. "Now what dreadful thing has happened?" she asked aloud as she walked to the door.
"The girls are gone from the Waltons'." Ike relayed the bad news to his wife.
"The pony and the cart are gone too." John added.
"Oh my!" Corabeth racked her brain. "The only possible thing that could have happened would've been they'd gone to Ada Corley's. Aimee heard her talking about her cures."
"Just wait while I change my clothes. I'll be right back with you." Ike said, closing the door and rushing back into the building.