The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 6, Episode 14 - The Rumor - full transcript

John Walton, thank
you for all you have done.

- All right, Willie, I'll see you tomorrow.
- Yeah.

John, there's an awful
lot of people talking

about the help you're giving
that man, and the talk isn't good.

It's been the strangest evening.

First hearing German on the
shortwave, Nazis taking over Europe,

and then that strong German
accent on the front porch.

Gave me the chills.

Well, I hope Elizabeth doesn't
get started on that German stuff.

She'll run it right
into the ground.

You don't have to go to
Europe to find it, you know.



We've got a fifth column
operation right here.

Well, I don't see
it that way at all.

Then look,

start right off with
what you know.

He's German, pure kraut,

he brought his family here, got
himself a job and he's settling right in.

In memory, now, I
think to that time in 1940

when the war was in Europe,

wide miles across the
Atlantic from the Blue Ridge,

a time when its treachery rarely
reached as far as Walton's Mountain.

Still, the seeds of distrust
and suspicion were everywhere.

They were there for m y sister, Elizabeth,
when she began to keep a journal,

such as I ha d done as a boy.

Her imagination, always
vivid, ha d been joined



by a genuine gift
for exaggeration.

So, when the rumor began,

Elizabeth was among
those who passed it along,

bigger than when
she ha d received it.

That pulls in pretty good.

What do you figure it is?

Well, that noise means
there's a station broadcasting.

If I could just
tune it in better...

I like the other noise better.

Nobody said you
had to stay, Ben.

Besides, the only person I promised
I'd tell if I heard anything was Elizabeth.

- She'll be sure to write it down.
- She'll write it down if you sneeze.

"She didn't know her name.

"She was born in a dark
cave at the top of a mountain.

"She never had
parents, or anyone.

"She had to learn to eat
'cause she got hungry.

"She lived off the land..."

I thought John-Boy
had come home.

Grandpa!

Can't you get that any louder?

You can hear it better
when it's not so loud.

- Hey, leave that alone!
- Easy, easy, easy.

But those are words, if
we could only hear them.

German.

- No kidding?
- Listen.

That's German.

- It sure is.
- What do you think he's saying?

Something about the German army.

Wonder where it's coming from.

- Is this Jan Garber?
- No, it's Jan Sabitt.

Are you sure?

- Okay, you ready for a spin?
- Uh-oh, wait a minute, I'm not!

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

I'm not used to this.

I thought... You think I
am? I'm used to following.

What, we got a whole
generation of noise lovers?

Come on, Daddy, dance.

- All right, I'll show you how to dance.
- What is this?

What are you doing? Oh,
you're so old-fashioned.

Wait a minute, wait
a minute, what is this?

I can't follow you.

- Erin, you dance with him.
- Oh, thanks.

Okay.

Dad, you don't
know how to dance.

- Ben, isn't that Jan Sabitt?
- Or is it Jan Garber?

No, it's Guy Lombardo. I
wanna listen to the news.

- No, no, no.
- Oh, Ben, we're dancing, don't touch it.

Radio come in any clearer?

No, just get a few
words now and then.

- Think it might be from a U-boat?
- Could be.

I think it's coming from Canada.

Supposed to be a lot of
German spies up there.

Ben, you don't know that.

All you heard was a few German words.
You don't even know what they mean.

That's right. Don't start
any rumors, Son. Come on.

- Come on, let's dance.
- Can't help wondering, Daddy.

Come on, dance with me.

- Now, watch this, this time.
- I want the news.

- Will someone dance with me?
- Okay.

Forget it.

Oh, look at this!

Look at Daddy make
a spectacle of himself.

Ooh!

Oh! It's 1925.

Why don't we turn
out the lights, huh?

I give up.

We interrupt this program

to bring you the
following news bulletin.

German forces have invaded

the peaceful skies of
Norway and Denmark,

and early reports in Britain suggest
heavy losses for the two neutral nations.

Repeating, German
forces have invaded

the peaceful skies of
Norway and Denmark.

We now return to our
program in progress.

Think I'll put
John Curtis to bed.

- Say good night.
- All right, Son, good night.

- Good night, John Curtis.
- Good night.

- Oh, hello.
- Hello.

We've come a long
way, my family and I.

We are looking for
Flossie Brimmer's house.

I know Mrs. Brimmer. She
lives over yonder, past the store.

We were driving. Your
light was all we saw.

Liv, I'm gonna show these
folks where Mrs. Brimmer lives.

I'll go with you, Daddy.

Oh, thank you.

I am sorry.

He talked sort of
funny, didn't he?

Do you think Mrs. Brimmer's
expecting visitors this time of night?

John'll be there.

Didn't he talk sort of funny?

Well, sure, he had
a German accent.

Oh! That's it.

It's beginning to feel like we're
being surrounded by Germans.

How'd you do today, honey?

Patience is the soul
of virtue, Mr. Godsey.

I haven't finished
the total yet.

- Well, what are you doing here?
- To whom are you referring?

Well, there's a
big old dog here.

Nothing unusual about that. Dogs
roam freely on Walton's Mountain.

Give me a paw, give me a paw.

You know, I think I've seen
this fellow round here before.

Mr. Godsey, I would observe
caution in handling a strange animal.

Hey, what's your name, fella?

Oh, Mr. Godsey, that dog is
not going to tell you his name.

Well, are you hungry?

And I know he's not gonna tell
me whether he's hungry or not.

Tell him to go home.

Okay, you gotta go home. Yeah.

All right, you go on
outside now, go on.

You get outside. Go on.

Bye-bye.

So, how'd we do?

Mr. Godsey, when are we
going to restock those shelves?

First thing in the morning.

Flossie seemed right glad to see
them. You shouldn't be so suspicious.

- I never knew she had a brother-in-law.
- Uh-huh.

Willie Brimmer,
wife named Marta.

Little girl named Katrina.

It's been the strangest evening.

First hearing German on the
shortwave, Nazis taking over Europe,

and then that strong German
accent on our front porch.

Gave me the chills.

Well, I hope Elizabeth doesn't
get started on that German stuff.

She'll run it right
into the ground.

Why don't you
turn off the light?

- Turn off the light.
- Just a minute.

- I'm trying to go to sleep.
- I'm trying to work.

Work!

And now the girl saw new
people moving on the mountain,

people who talked funny
and ma de other people afraid.

We have got a great deal of work piled
up and all of it has got to be done today.

I don't know. I
should never ever...

Oh, Mr. Godsey, will you
please move this pickle barrel?

I have stumbled
over it for the last time.

And, oh, we have got to restock
these shelves again today.

Mr. Godsey, will you please
move the pickle barrel now?

Good morning, dear.

Oh!

Oh, here is this filthy beast.

Now, we do not need
you here. Now, go away!

Now, go on, scat!

- Scat is for cats.
- Scat!

Scat!

I fail to understand why people
cannot keep their animals at home.

That filthy beast lying
around here all night,

moving and scratching,
fleas and ticks.

Why, it just sets
my nerves on edge.

I'm simply a nervous wreck.

And if that weren't bad
enough, that animal keeps...

Hello.

I'll be right with you just as
soon as I get this barrel down.

I'm Flossie Brimmer's
brother-in-law. Willie. Willie Brimmer.

- You don't have to do that.
- Oh, I can help.

No, I got it okay.

- For many years I work hard.
- Well... Right there, right there.

Very strong back.

Well, yeah, it shows, it
shows. And I appreciate it.

- Oh, would you like a pickle?
- No, no, thank you.

I didn't know that Flossie
Brimmer had family around here.

Oh, we just come here.

Now we want to live here
and I want to work here.

Oh, well, jobs aren't the easiest
to find, especially around here.

- You work alone here?
- Oh, yeah, pretty much.

Corabeth helps
me. She's my wife.

As a matter of fact, she's the one that
normally carries down the pickle barrel.

You know, about the only place
that you might be able to get a job

would be over at
John Walton's mill.

He's the only one who's got
a going concern around here.

Oh, I've met John Walton.

Oh, well, then you know
where his mill's located.

I was there last night at his
house but it was dark. I saw no mill.

Oh, well, I can show you that.

Come on right over here.

You go right out the front
door, and you go down

- about a half a mile down the road.
- Yeah.

Then you come to the house, then
you follow the lane around to the left,

- then you see the mill, right there.
- Good.

- Ike, Corabeth here?
- No, she's in the back.

- Buck Vernon, Willie Brimmer.
- Hello.

Mr. Vernon, how do you do?

Corabeth ordered
these, they come to $5.

I also expect a package
to be mailed to me, a box.

Well, I'll keep my eye out for
it, and, listen, good luck to you.

- Hope you get that job, huh?
- Thank you.

Where'd you get him?

He's Flossie Brimmer's
brother-in-law.

- What did Corabeth order?
- I don't know any Flossie Brimmer, do I?

Yeah, you know her.

She runs the boarding
house. You've met her.

- Oh, that Flossie.
- Yeah.

I hope that's worth five bucks.

Worth three times that much
brand new, and she knows it.

I just can't toe that talk.

You mean his accent?

That kraut talk, it
sets my teeth on edge.

This Flossie Brimmer, she...

She reads German
pretty well, doesn't she?

Yeah, she reads German some.

Makes you kinda wonder, doesn't
it, why they're moving in here?

John! John, we can't afford
to turn out many like this.

Just look here.

This wouldn't pass muster
with the Army, for sure.

Pa, the boys got the
dowel ends all wrong.

I tell you, if I'd had them here, I'd
lift one up, knock the others down.

Oh, the boys, just the age, you
know, when they get the work done,

get out the shortwave,
and the music and the girls.

You telling me I was like
them when I was their age?

No, yes, but it wouldn't
do any good. You...

Ah, Mr. John
Walton, good morning.

Mr. Brimmer. Pa, I want you to
meet Willie Brimmer. This is my pa.

Hello. I was at the
store down the road.

- Ike Godsey's.
- Yes.

He says, if there is work, it
must be here, at your mill.

I have been, my whole
life, a good carpenter.

Well, we seldom
employ a carpenter,

but it so happens you've come along
at a most providential, opportune time.

What Pa means is the boys
have been working on these chairs,

and they've been doing
some pretty sloppy work.

Oh, they could be reworked.

I could set them straight.

- Make them right.
- Good.

Let me show you what
else we do around here.

- We make desks for the Army.
- Yeah.

Our standard's higher than that

when we keep our mind to it,
and we usually keep our mind to it.

Ah, it's fine work.

Fine work. I have my own tools.

My hands are used to them.

I need badly, work.

All right, let's give it a try.

I know you will be
glad you have done this.

Good.

I have something
more to ask you.

I need a place to live,

a place for ourselves.

Marta, Katrina and me.

Do you know of a house?

Maybe the Montgomery place.

What do you think, Pa,
anybody staying up there?

Some road workers up
there this past summer.

They've long since gone.

That's probably your best bet.
There's a cabin, Montgomery place,

about halfway up the
mountain, up yonder.

Oh, good!

- You work late?
- Oh, yes.

I can work all
kinds of machines.

Good.

Come on, come on!
Would you hurry up?

Come on.

Did you have a tree house
where you lived before?

My swing hung from a
tree branch, but that is all.

I think you'll like it up here.

Come on.

Look out for that
step, it's a little loose.

I'm okay.

Here.

Here you go. Were you scared?

Yeah, but not now.

It was fun.

You know, you can come
up here any time you want.

And if we get to be
real good friends,

you can even come up
here if I'm not around.

Thank you. It's nice here.

Yeah. Mostly, it's quiet.

I need a place to be alone.

- Suppose you know I'm a writer.
- No.

See, my brother, John-Boy,
he's a real writer in New York.

I'm starting out the same
way he did, with a journal.

- Wanna be in my journal?
- If you don't mind.

Okay. Tell me about yourself.

Well, I wouldn't
know how to do that.

Well, where do you come from?

Pennsylvania.

- You spell it P-E-N-N...
- Oh, don't worry about it.

I'll take care of it later.
That's what writers do.

Oh.

Okay, do you have any
brothers and sisters?

No, I wish I did.

- I suppose you're German.
- Oh, yeah.

You don't talk funny like
your father. Why is that?

He just sounds like Papa to me.

- Is it hard to be German?
- Not for me.

But sometimes, for
Papa, I think it is very hard.

Is that your dog?

No, I've never seen
that dog before.

Hey, you nice old dog!
Where do you come from?

Let's go see him. Come on.

Well, now, look who's here.

Grandpa, do you know him?

This is Judge Frazier's
old dog, Samuel.

Think we should
take him home, huh?

Oh, I doubt that, Elizabeth.
See, Judge Frazier died last week.

You might say Sam here
is his only living relative.

- They were kin to each other?
- You might say so.

20 years of lovin'
care, loyalty,

and devotion and
companionship makes him kin.

Come on down and pet
him. He won't hurt you.

Oh, he's a nice old gentleman.

Grandpa?

If he doesn't have a home or
anyone to belong to, can we keep him?

Well, I don't think he's
really looking for a home.

I think he's just sort
of passing through.

But you could give him something
to eat, though, and some cool water.

Grandpa, this is
Katrina Brimmer.

Katrina Brimmer, well, how do you
do? I just met your daddy over in the mill.

Katrina, wanna help
me give him some water?

Come on, Sam.

Charley, that stuff
stinks. What is it?

All right, all right, that's
enough, that's enough.

- Sheriff.
- Afternoon, Buck.

You headed somewhere, Sheriff?

Yeah, I have to go up to...

Charley, that's not a bad shave,
you ought to do it for a living.

I've been thinking about it.

Yeah, Buck, what's on your mind?

Something that should be of concern
to you and every right-thinking citizen.

Yeah, well, go ahead. Shoot.

Well, I do a little
business with Ike Godsey,

- John Walton, sometimes.
- Yeah.

They got this kraut friend up there
who's bringing in a whole raft of her kind,

and I think somebody
should keep an eye on it.

- Kraut friend?
- You recollect Flossie Brimmer?

- Why, sure. I've known Flossie for years.
- Well, they're her kin,

and they got a regular
foothold up there.

Now, this Willie, I met him.

Now, he talks right out
of a can of sauerkraut.

How many others
did you met, Buck?

Well, he came right into
Ike's store, you know?

And he says, "Let me know when
this box comes that I'm expecting."

- This is this Willie you're talking about?
- Well, that's what he calls himself.

- What do you suppose is in the box?
- Well, do you know?

Well, the way he talks,
it could be anything.

Could be anything in that box!

Now, wait, Buck, look.

You're still talking about one
relative of Flossie Brimmer's, right?

- But that's all it takes. They...
- Isn't that right?

They only need one or two.

The way things are
going in the world today,

they're gonna have a settlement
up there in no time at all.

I am sorry, I can't
go up there and arrest

a man just 'cause he's
got a German accent.

What about that box he's
waiting for at the post office?

There ain't no law
against that, either.

Well, I...

I picked up some
German words on my radio.

I think it was...
Deutsche Wunderkind.

Do you know what that means?

It means, in English,

"German youth."

Very special ones.

Would you come look at
my radio when we get back?

Yes, I will.

You have been kind to us.

Here everyone is kind. Flossie
makes us feel so very welcome.

Yeah, she's a fine lady.

To think, we are now here.
My Willie has found work.

Katrina has new friends.

I have this dream long ago, I
did not think it could be possible.

You cannot know.

In Germantown, it is not a good
place to be a German anymore.

Hard feelings about
the war, I suppose.

Friends for all
our life, neighbors,

would cross the street
not to say hello to us.

Men at work

begin not to talk to
me, not to eat with me.

That is over, Willie,
now we must forget.

Sometimes,

we would go for a beer.

Now, no more.

We become strangers.

But you cannot know
what I'm talking about.

Willie, we begin again.

We cannot everywhere
we look see an enemy.

It is hard to be
looked at and not seen!

Seen and not spoken to.

I want to tell them, I belong
here, too, like everyone!

That I'm an American!

- Papa, please!
- It's all right, Katrina.

- You have not told Mama about the house.
- There is a house, Willie?

The Montgomery cabin.

It's just up on the hill,
it's a really nice spot.

- When we move, will I live near Elizabeth?
- Yeah, it's a short walk.

You will build for Katrina
a treehouse, too, yeah?

Yeah.

- Then I can be a writer, like Elizabeth.
- She is, indeed.

She writes down everything you
say. She has questions all the time.

What questions?

She asked me if it was
hard to be German?

You see? Already it begins.

This is Elizabeth
Walton. Do you read me?

Come in.

Is everything all right?

Okay, Elizabeth,
fun time's over.

- Well, this is my shortwave set.
- Well...

I do not know much about these
things, but it looks very impressive to me.

Well, it takes a
while to warm up.

Now, along about here is
where we begin to hear them.

- Them?
- The German words.

- You have no earphones?
- No, I'm still saving up for them.

Your reception will be much
clearer when you have earphones.

Kilometers

from Oslo...

- Where do you think it's coming from?
- Shh.

Luftwaffe victorious...

I think we have heard
all that there is to hear.

Do you know where
it's coming from?

From the air, from anywhere.

I do not know.

Think it could have
come from a U-boat?

In these days, who can say?

Don't let her bother you. Nobody
pays any attention to her, anyway.

- You are here at the base of the mountain?
- Uh-huh.

High on the mountain,
that is your answer.

If we take your shortwave set up there,
the signals will come in much clearer.

And you will hear maybe
more than you want to hear.

Hmm?

Well, maybe we can get
it clearer on another night.

You're selling those as is?

I'm not selling
them at all, Buck.

They're rejects. You can
have them for half price.

A man'd do you a favor
just hauling them off.

All right, honey, run along. Thank
you for bringing me my lunch.

- Daddy, is Mr. Brimmer here?
- I think he's home for dinner, honey.

I heard you hired that kraut.

- Letting him take dinner at home, are you?
- That's where his food is, Buck.

I'd just soon he wasn't
around where I am.

Why, he do something
to set you off?

Yeah, he came
here and he's a kraut!

Well, come to think of it, I
guess he's not home for dinner.

I think he's up at the
Montgomery cabin with Jim-Bob.

- I suppose he'll settle there.
- He will if he wants to.

You're sure giving
him a free hand here.

A job, the run of the mountain,
and your son to show him around.

Oh, he's helping Jim-Bob
with his shortwave radio.

Well, don't that beat all?

See, the other night,
they got some German.

And Mr. Brimmer says if they
go up high on the mountain,

they'll get some more.

Come on, Sam, food.

- Come on.
- Maybe he's sick.

Come on.

I don't think so,
his nose is cold.

Beep-beep, excuse me.

Where'd he come from?

We just got him down the
road, but Grandpa knows him.

Pretty sad-looking
dog, if you ask me.

You wouldn't like it if
someone said that about you.

Sorry, Elizabeth.

Come on, Sam, come on.

Well, excuse me.
Oh, good for you.

You're feeding Judge
Frazier's old dog, aren't you?

Yeah, but he won't eat, Grandpa.

Nothing like loneliness and old age
to take the pepper out of anybody.

Look, Reckless,
Sam came to visit you.

Oh, look at him.

That's perked the
old gentleman up.

There's nothing like a pretty girl coming
by to make any old gentleman sit up

and take notice, no
matter what his age.

It's very beautiful up here.

It's a long time since
I've climbed such a hill.

It's no hurry, the
cabin will still be here.

- How much farther is it?
- Not much farther.

Somewhere up here will be
very good for your shortwave.

There's a good spot on
the other side of this cabin.

Oh, yes!

Very good!

It's nice up here.
It's not too far, either.

You see? We are
already made welcome.

It is all we need,

Marta, Katrina and me,

for sleeping,

for eating,

for us to live together.

Yeah, Mama always likes it
when somebody moves in up here.

This chimney draws good, too.

When my mama sees smoke coming
out of it, she looks up here and she says,

"Well, that Montgomery
cabin's a home again."

Mama say mushy things
like that all the time.

It will be that, a home again.

Marta will make
everything clean,

I will make everything work,

and Katrina will
make our hearts joyful.

You don't have to go to
Europe to find it, you know.

We've got a fifth column
operation right here.

Well, I don't see
it that way at all.

Then look,

start right off with
what you know.

He's German, pure kraut,

he brought his family here, got
himself a job and he's settling right in.

Well, I don't call
that fifth column.

Add a shortwave station to
the top of Walton Mountain.

Just where did you
get a fool idea like that?

Where'd I get that
idea, little lady?

Well, Mr. Brimmer's helping
Jim-Bob set up his shortwave radio

high up on the mountain.

That's so as they can hear
the German words clearer.

- Oh, come on, now.
- That's what Mr. Brimmer said.

Elizabeth, you see
those boxes over there?

Mmm-hmm.

Would you take those and put them in
the post office, for me, would you do it?

- Sure.
- Thank you.

Now, just what are
you talking about?

I know it, you
don't wanna hear it.

You're one of those that
think it can't happen here.

That's right, I
don't wanna hear it.

And you better get to work on
this before Corabeth eats you alive.

Ike, add this to it.

Every move he makes has
got John Walton's blessing.

You'd just better watch
what you're saying.

He gave him his job,

he moved him into the Montgomery
cabin up on the mountain, and his son,

John's having his son help
that kraut every time he can!

Look what I found.

Right, now, what do
we have here, huh?

Why, it's just mail.

- It's just something Willie is expecting.
- Let me see that, now.

That looks to me like...

Werner Brimmer. That's foreign
writing. Don't tell me it isn't.

Well, yeah, I guess...

Yeah, I guess you could
say it's foreign writing.

Say where it comes from?

- Germantown, Pennsylvania.
- Germantown.

Is that a fact?

"The writing on the box
looked foreign. Both said so.

"Just takes one or two to get
the whole fifth column started.

"Krauts do that in Europe
and now they're doing it here."

I declare, you're almost
as dedicated as John-Boy.

You'd hate it if you
really had to wear those.

Better take them off,
gonna hurt your eyes.

- Mama, what's a kraut?
- Kraut?

Yeah. Mr. Vernon called
Willie Brimmer a "kraut."

It's a bad nickname for Germans.

And I don't want to hear you
using words like that around here.

I didn't, Mr. Vernon did.

You're right, it
is an awful word.

It isn't just "kraut," and it isn't the
fact that she writes everything down,

it's just that she seems to be developing
an ear for only the unpleasant things.

She probably thinks
it's more dramatic.

I guess maybe it is.

I wonder why it is that all
the nice, kind, gentle things

don't have the same appeal.

They sure have their place.

I tell you, though,

that Buck Vernon is building
up quite a case against Willie.

That's what Buck does best.

Oh, he's very
business-like about it.

One step at a time.

First the job, then the home.

But I can't get
anyone to listen.

Then this shortwave
business with the Walton boy.

Well, I don't know
what to do about that.

Well, that bothers me, too.

Likely he's in on it.

Nothing John Walton
does anymore surprises me.

That don't sound
like John to me,

unless he's paying
it no mind at all.

He doesn't want
to hear about it.

He goes a lot on trusting folks,

like the golden rule was
the only rule there was.

He could be getting his orders
straight from Hitler, for all we know,

with that shortwave.

Well, we don't know who
he's getting his orders from,

but we know they're
coming in German.

Well, you were saying that
John's little girl told you that much.

Now, think about this,

he can send messages
out on that shortwave, too.

Sure he can.

Well, we shouldn't be
letting him get away with this.

Now, Charley, we're
not gonna wait too long.

I'm keeping my eye on things,

and when the time
comes to move, well,

it just makes me proud to
know who I can count on.

Well, so much for Sam,
like an old sack of potatoes.

Come on, let's go see him.

Looks like these two
wore themselves out, hmm?

Yeah, but when he first got
here, he wouldn't even move.

Well, if he's as old as you think he
is, Grandpa, he's sure doing good.

Yeah, he'd be well over 100
years old, according to human terms.

Does your heart good
to see him frolic around.

Think of that. Reckless
is just a puppy.

- Oh, you need some rest, Sam.
- Yeah.

Reckless is tired, too.

Yeah, he deserves some
rest, this old gentleman.

Katrina, want to go
up and see the cabin?

I would like to see
where we'll live.

Let's go inside and get
something to eat first.

Yes, sir, this old gentleman
is entitled to some rest.

This is much more
like it, Mr. Vernon.

Better than new.
All nice and broke in.

- You've been paid, of course.
- Mmm-hmm.

Hello?

Oh, I...

I thought I heard the
door. Good morning, sir.

I've come for my package.

A man, Mr. Godsey,

I told him about it.

Oh, well, Mr. Godsey is in
Charlottesville for the day.

Now, let's see, a
package for you.

- I'm Willie Brimmer.
- Oh.

Well, I'm Mrs. Godsey. Mr. Brimmer,
I've heard a great deal about you.

- Hello.
- How do you do?

A package, now, let's see.

- It's a small box.
- Small box.

Very important box.

Mr. Godsey has his own
method of safekeeping.

I'm sorry, I just don't seem
to see a package anywhere.

Sorry.

Your telephone will
call Pennsylvania?

Oh, yes, of course,
just ask the operator.

Fannie Tatum is on
this time of the day.

Fannie Tatum.

- Um...
- Just crank that thing.

Crank?

Oh! Yeah.

Yeah, hello? I
want to make a call

to Germantown, Pennsylvania.

Telephone 2-3-4-6. Yes.

Mr. Godsey's store.

I will pay. How much?

Yeah.

Herr Doktor. Willie
Brimmer here.

Yeah.

Package was mailed
many, many days ago.

- I found it.
- Oh!

I told you Mr. Godsey has
his own method of safekeeping.

- I am sorry.
- Oh, good.

This is telephone.

Thank you.

Au revoir.

I am so relieved
the medicine is here.

When you breathe
easier, I breathe easier, too.

As the doctor says,

if I must climb the mountain,
it must be slowly for a time.

Willie, we will climb the
mountain slowly. There is no hurry.

As the young Walton boy
says, "The cabin will be there."

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Sam.
- Sam.

Sam.

Jim-Bob, have you seen Sam?

He left while you
were in the house.

- Which way did he go?
- He went off that way some place.

We'd better go find him.

Why don't you girls
leave that old dog alone?

Grandpa he's old. He needs
someone to take care of him.

Old Sam knows what he
wants to do better than anybody.

You just leave him alone, now.

- Come on, let's go.
- Where you going?

Oh, we're gonna
go see the cabin.

It's really, really pretty.
I think you'll like it.

It's kind of, I guess,
plain. Yeah, I don't know.

Sam!

What are you doing here?

He can come with
us to the cabin.

We could bring him inside.

Come on.

Sam, come on.

Sam!

You're right sure that was
German he was talking?

- Well, what else is that?
- Say it again.

Herr Doktor.

Oh, that's German right
enough. I mean, I know that much.

It's brazen, too.

Picking up Ike's phone,
calling his messages out,

right in front of you.

That's why he used the
German. Don't you see?

I don't know as I'd
believe it so much myself

if I hadn't heard it
with my own ears.

It's a terrible thing.

Maybe... Maybe we
ought to call the FBI.

Now, we don't need the FBI.

We know how to handle
this ourselves, don't we, huh?

Yeah.

Well, perhaps it was not a
good idea putting the dog inside.

We can't let him out, he'll
wander into the woods,

and he's so old, he can
never find his way back again.

Well, maybe he tries to go home.

No, he's going in the wrong direction.
Judge Frazier's is the other way.

- Ah, there you two are.
- Grandpa, what are you doing up here?

Well, I was just out for a walk,
seeing how the persimmons are doing.

You young ladies, by any chance,

you haven't seen that
old dog Sam, have you?

Oh, he's in the cabin.

He was trying to get away, but we
thought he'd get lost in the woods.

I think we'd best let
the old gentleman go.

- Grandpa!
- Yes.

I think we'd better let
him go on his way. Sam.

- Yeah, but he'll never find his way back.
- I don't think he wants to.

That old dog's life is almost
over, and I think he knows it.

Well, he had so much
fun with Reckless.

Yeah, sort of a last
hurrah, you might say.

Oh, it was.

Him jouncing around there,
playing with our dog Reckless.

But I think all he asks for us now
is some place where he can go

and die in peace and dignity.

- That's where he's going?
- I think that's where he's going.

Well, I think you two
young ladies better go

on home. I think Livie
will be wanting you.

I'm just gonna sit here,

sit here a bit

and rest.

Willie Brimmer?

You stay right there.

We've come for
Willie Brimmer, John.

Come for him? That's
mighty strange talk.

Our trouble's not with you, so just
tell your kraut friend to get out here.

Now, you know better than to order
me around on my own property, Buck.

Send him out here, John.

You're harboring a spy,
and that gives us the right.

He speaks with an
accent, you call him a spy?

There's more to it than that.

He helps my son with a
shortwave radio, and he's a spy?

- Don't try it, Buck!
- You look for me?

Stand back, Willie.
I know these men.

I wish to speak for myself.

- We know all we have to know about you...
- Not you, John.

Herr Willie Brimmer!

You lay a hand on this man,
you're gonna have to answer to me.

This is not new to me.

I had hoped here it
would be different.

But it is never different.

Because I speak a different
language, that makes me an enemy.

You thought this was
a nice place to hide out,

where nobody would catch
on to what you were doing.

Yeah! MAN 2: Yeah!

Like getting Jim-Bob to
put his radio transmitter

up on top of the mountain.

Give you a clear shot to send
your messages to Germany.

Not to send messages!

We got the whole
story from the girl there.

I didn't wanna hurt
anybody. I'm just a writer.

I listen and I write
down what I hear.

Well, then, a lucky
thing you did, little lady.

We got all the evidence we need.

Hold it!

Any problem here, the sheriff
is going to take care of it.

This man is no more a
spy for Hitler than you are.

Besides, my son Jim-Bob
asked him to help with that radio.

He spoke German to somebody
on Ike Godsey's phone!

Yeah, with my dear friend,

my doctor from Pennsylvania.

He had sent me medicine,

which I did not know
if it would arrive.

I speak German to him because

he is a very old man and
he speaks little English.

What about that box?

With the German writing on it.

Yeah, well, what about that box?

My medicine from the doctor.

You know how silly you men look?

Chasing a rumor
started by a little girl,

because she didn't know
what the word "kraut" meant.

Well, these days,
you just don't know.

He's your responsibility, John.

I'll take that responsibility.

Now, I think it's time you
men got on out of here.

I think maybe we ought to go.

Well, I'm keeping my eyes open.

Thank you, John Walton.

Did I cause all that?

No, honey, don't worry about it.

Willie, Marta and
Katrina Brimmer

were accepted as neighbors
and friends in our community.

My parents were able to see
that Elizabeth faced her blame

and learned from it.

And though she set aside
her journal for a while,

she kept forever her
boundless imagination.

- Grandpa?
- Yes, Jim-Bob?

- What kind of a dog was Sam?
- Hard to say.

Best dogs are often mixed breed.

Is Reckless a mixed breed?

Well, she's one part hound
dog and the rest we don't know.

It's too bad Sam was so old.

We could have had some puppies.

Don't start any rumors.

Good night, everybody!

English -SDH