The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 8, Episode 9 - The Violated - full transcript

- It doesn't mean your son won't be found.
- I'm beginning to wonder.

It's been two months,
three weeks and five days

since John-Boy was
reported missing in action.

I've known it to take
far longer than that.

I just wish I didn't
feel so helpless.

Mrs. Walton, wait.

Maybe I could get
you to do me a favor.

The Red Cross asked
me to try and talk to you.

Your Frank's been
worried about you.

He wanted them to find out why
you haven't been answering his letters.

It ain't none of your business.
It ain't nobody's business!



Good day, Mrs. Walton.

Let's just stop
waltzing around, huh?

I hope you've been thinking
about some place to live,

'cause you sure as
hell can't stay here.

- You can't run me off.
- I can't, huh?

I'm gonna run you off right now.

You know a man named Son Slater?

Yep. Lives up on Bascomb Ridge.

I want charges
brought against him.

- What for, Mrs. Walton?
- Rape.

- May I come in?
- Mrs. Denman. Yes.

Yes, come in.

Do you have some news?

It's the kind of news that can't
be given over the telephone.



There was hope in the air, that
second autumn after Pearl Harbor.

The Allied forces were
finally on the offensive.

And in Winston
Churchill's words,

"Those who ha d sowed the wind
were now reaping the whirlwind."

But in our home, as in
millions throughout the nation,

there was also anxiety for loved
ones a wa y in military ser vice.

Some of them would never return,

and there were others whose
fate was at that time unknown.

The missing in action.

Liv? Honey, you all right?

It's always the same
thing, over and over.

Planes going
down, trailing smoke.

Honey. You're dreaming, Livie...

I keep seeing
John-Boy in that plane,

wondering what he's thinking
when he knows the plane is falling.

The horror, the panic. I
keep hearing him cry out.

Stop punishing yourself, honey.

It's all right. It's all right.

Where are you going?

I'm going to look
in on my children.

I need to be sure
they're safe in their beds.

I'm hurting too, you know.

I know, John.

We're working on it.

We have our Red Cross search
teams checking all hospitals

and prisoner-of-war camps all
the way across northern Europe.

- But no luck yet?
- It doesn't mean your son won't be found.

I'm beginning to wonder.

It's been two months,
three weeks and five days

since John-Boy was
reported missing in action.

I've known it to take
far longer than that.

There are other
camps, other hospitals.

We haven't
exhausted our sources.

We'll keep coming back
then. Thanks for your help.

I'll call you when I get
our next progress report.

I just wish I didn't
feel so helpless.

Mrs. Walton, wait.

Maybe I can get
you to do me a favor.

We've had a request
from a young GI

who comes from your
area. Frank Thatcher.

Yes. Young Frank, I know him.
He worked for me one summer.

Well, he's being processed to go
overseas and he's worried about his wife.

She stopped writing him
suddenly about a month ago,

and he's asked the Red
Cross to see if she's all right.

I didn't know the Red Cross
dealt with that kind of thing.

You'd be surprised what the Home
Service Division gets involved in.

Missing allotment checks,
emergency leave, pregnant wives,

anything that affects the morale
of our men and their families.

What would I have to do?

Well, we're running short of
personnel and you'd save us a long trip

if you could check up
on Mrs. Thatcher for us.

Find out if there's a problem

and see why she hasn't been
in touch with her husband.

That Thatcher place is
way back in the hills, Liv.

I could go up there
with Mary Ellen.

Our daughter's a county nurse.
She makes lots of calls in that area.

We'd appreciate it.

Most of our work is done by
volunteers, and we're running pretty thin.

Looks like I just volunteered.

- Bye, now.
- Bye.

Please tell me...

- Hey, Ike, Corabeth.
- Hey, Jason.

What can I do for you?

Well, I just thought I'd
have myself a bottle of pop

- while I'm waiting for the bus.
- Okay.

I am deeply grieved,
Cousin Eudora.

What's the matter, Corabeth?

Are you gonna be
home for Thanksgiving?

You bet. It's gonna
take more than the Army

to keep me away from
Mama's turkey and dressing.

- Here you go, Ike.
- Poor dear man.

How were you able
to wrangle a furlough?

I made me a deal with
General Eisenhower.

See, I get Thanksgiving Day off,

and he's free to call on me anytime
he wants, for military advice, you see.

I see. And I suppose you
and the General Eisenhower

are gonna be sitting down and
laying out the second front, huh?

Yeah, yeah, we've
been talking about it, so...

Goodbye, Cousin Eudora.

I'm just so grateful to
you for letting me know.

Corabeth, what's the matter?

Uncle Lucas passed on.

Who was Uncle Lucas?

My late mother's eldest brother.

And he was the kindest,
sweetest man that ever lived.

I cannot believe that he's gone.

I was his favorite niece.

He was just so
vibrant, so enterprising.

In the kindest way, of course.

I'm sorry to hear that, Corabeth.
You have my sympathy.

Uncle Lucas went to California
years ago to seek his fortune.

He built an empire
in land, oil, industry.

But he never let his vast
wealth keep him from his family.

He was always concerned about
the well-being of his loved ones.

You say you were
his favorite niece?

Always.

Did he have any children?

We were his children.

How about a wife?

No, he never married. Poor man.

Mr. Godsey, what
are you suggesting?

Corabeth, don't you understand?

If you were his favorite niece and he
had all the money that you said he had,

we might be rich.

Mr. Godsey, how could you
be so gauche at a time like this?

You must excuse me. I
must retire to my bedroom.

Well, what do you think of that?

I don't think you ought to count
your chickens before they hatch, Ike.

This is not chicken feed, Jase.

This is industry,
real estate, oil...

Yes, sir!

I don't know what Aunt
Rose does to her eggs,

but mine never
turn out like hers.

Seems funny not being
crowded at the table anymore.

The house is so quiet
with those children gone,

it gives me goosebumps.

Do you think they might stay in
Roanoke with Cousin Phoebe?

Cousin Phoebe's got a face like a
sour pickle and a disposition to match.

All right, son.

I expect they'll be
back soon, honey.

I packed a picnic
lunch for us, Mary Ellen.

Then we're all set to go.

I've got all my medical
supplies together.

It'll be fun making
rounds with you, Mama.

As long as I get my
Red Cross chore done.

Last time I saw Darcy Thatcher,

she was trying to get
used to Frank being gone.

Her eyes were
all red from crying.

Corabeth says she hasn't seen
her down at the store in over a month.

She's probably real busy
keeping that little farm going.

She can't be too busy to
write. Must be something else.

You sure you won't come with us?

I can't. I gotta get that order ready,
take it over to Fort Lee in the morning.

Means you'll be gone
overnight. I'll miss you.

- You hurry back, I'll take you with me.
- I'll try.

- I'll go with you, Daddy.
- Me, too.

Would you, really,
and miss school?

- Sure.
- Sure.

No.

- It's a good idea.
- These eggs aren't so bad, Erin.

Very good.

Good morning, Mr. Godsey.

Well, I was beginning to wonder
if you were ever going to get up.

Well, through the years,
I have come to realize

that sleep is the best
remedy for a grieving heart.

Well, I've always been kind of partial
to the Baldwin ladies' Recipe, myself.

I have allowed myself
to face the thought

that I might very well receive
an inheritance from Uncle Lucas.

Good.

I've been hoping that
we could use some of it

for some improvements
here in the store.

No, that would be
out of the question.

Given the size
of the inheritance,

I do believe that we will no
longer be needing the store.

No longer needing the store?
But this store is our whole life!

Your life, Mr. Godsey.

My life is devoted to the pursuit of art,
of culture, of travel. The finer things.

Corabeth, you don't
know what you're saying.

You've been right here
with me for five years.

And I have enjoyed
my time spent here,

but I would have left this
store at the drop of a hat.

It is time now for us to enjoy
life to its fullest advantage.

Well, that's what I mean.

Now that we have a little money,
I mean, we can improve the store.

We can, like, build
all new counters here,

and a completely new
butcher shop back there,

and out front, a shiny
new gasoline pump.

Uncle Lucas would
come back from the grave,

if he realized that his vast
fortune was being squandered

on a second-class
mercantile store

in a remote, poverty-pitched
corner of Jefferson County, Virginia!

Corabeth, how can you say that,
after all the work we've put in here?

This store has provided
us with a roof over our head,

food in our mouth
and scarcely more.

What more could we want?

I do not wish to
discuss it any further.

I can see that our priorities
are in complete opposition.

The inheritance is mine
to do with as I see fit!

If the farm's where I think it is,
it's just around this next bend.

Don't bother getting out of the
truck. I ain't got time for talking.

What's the matter, Darcy?

What do you want?

We just came to visit. This
is my mother, Olivia Walton.

Hi, Darcy.

The Red Cross asked
me to try and talk to you.

Your Frank's been
worried about you.

He wanted them to find out why
you haven't been answering his letters.

It ain't none of your business.
It ain't nobody's business!

Darcy, let us in. She
never acted like this before.

Please, Darcy. We don't
want to make trouble for you.

We just want to talk.

Would it be all right if we
came in for just a minute?

We've come a long way.

Darcy, what's the gun for?

Never know. I might
shoot me an animal.

You're acting awfully
strange, you know that?

You must get kind
of lonely up here.

How long has it been
since you've seen Frank?

A right long spell. I don't
know. I lost track of the time.

He's going overseas, you know.

He wrote me about that.

My husband was in the Army.

Wasn't anything under the sun

that would have kept
me from writing to him.

If there's something wrong,
something he should know...

No! You tell him
you couldn't find me.

He loves you. He thinks
something awful happened...

Just do like I told you. Please.

Darcy, what are you afraid of?

I can't tell you. Ain't
nobody I can tell.

Darcy, I've had a lot of
practice with my daughters.

I know when they're
hurting and they're in trouble.

You can tell me.

About three weeks
ago, a man came along.

I knowed him.

I never did like the
way he looked at me.

He said he wanted to
put in a peach tree for me.

Little clingstone sapling
out of his own orchard.

I told him no need,

but he kept up and he kept up,

and I thought I'd never get rid
of him unless I let him go ahead.

I stood out there watching
him while he planted the tree.

Pretty soon he got to
talking, all familiar-like,

and I got scared,

so I started in the house.

He followed me, he
grabbed hold of me and...

I fought him. I fought him!

But he'd taken me.

Did you tell the sheriff?

The man said he
wouldn't believe me.

The man said that he'd
tell him I asked him in.

- Frank would believe you.
- I can't ever tell him.

Darcy, you didn't do anything
wrong. It's not your fault.

It feels the same as if I did.

I'm just so ashamed I could die.

Who was this man?

I can't tell you that.

I just want to be sure that he
doesn't come around here anymore.

He did, once, but he left
when he seen I had a gun.

- Can't you go to your family?
- I got nobody.

What about Frank's folks?

They was against us getting
married. They'd say it was my fault.

I know they would.

I don't want you staying up here
alone. I want you to come home with us.

No way. No.

If it was some other kind
of trouble, if I was sick

or if I got word something
happened to Frank, I might.

This isn't the kind of hurting
you take to your neighbors.

We won't tell anyone.

I know you all
mean for the best,

but I'd appreciate it if I
could be by myself, now.

We'll come by to
see you again soon.

No need.

I poured lye on it.

Thank you so very much.

I will let you know if I need
another demonstration.

Corabeth, what is all
this? And what is that car?

And what are all these
fancy clothes you're buying?

Mr. Godsey, I am
soon to be an heiress.

I must dress and act the part.

Corabeth...

- You're not gonna buy that car?
- Who knows?

What a beautiful,
beautiful machine.

Such exquisite carpeting and
upholstery and a full-tone radio

and a very powerful engine.

Corabeth, all this money
that you're spending

on the fancy clothes
and fancy hairdos,

this is money you
don't even have yet.

As a matter of fact, you
might not ever even get it.

Mr. Godsey, dearest.

All I want is to simply
take you away from all this.

Corabeth, a letter
came for you today.

I will look at that later.

I have to, now, call
my real estate broker.

I have him scouring the countryside
for suitable residences for us.

Corabeth, the letter is
from your Cousin Eudora.

They've read Uncle Lucas' will.

That's right and you've
been completely disinherited.

I sure hope you can get all your
money back on those fancy duds.

- There's a check in here!
- A check? How much is it for?

$18,000!

Sorry this outing didn't
turn out to be much fun.

I'd like to know the name of the
man that did that to that poor child.

What could you do
about it, if you did?

I don't know.

But for a Christian woman, I'm
thinking some pretty terrible thoughts.

This is my last stop.
Old Joe Bascomb's place.

How you feeling, Mr. Bascomb?

Worse. Only breathing
about that deep.

You're still smoking. That's one
reason you're not feeling better.

Them pills and powders you
left didn't do no good at all.

But that green stuff in
the bottle wasn't bad.

Only, it didn't last.

- This is my mother.
- Hello, Mr. Bascomb.

How do, ma'am?

I'll leave you two bottles.

Doubt if I'll live long
enough to finish them off.

But you might leave
three or four, just in case.

Two should be just
fine until I come back.

Well, if it ain't
Nurse Mary Ellen!

Son Slater, what
are you doing here?

I been helping Mr. Bascomb
out. Checking his traps for him.

Looks like you got
plenty in them sacks, Son.

What is it? Muskrat?

Weren't nary a thing in
them traps of yours, Joe.

But I brung you
something to eat, instead.

You sure you got them
traps set right, Son?

Set and baited, just
like you showed me.

Can't even get out to
work my traps anymore.

Shows you how much good
them pills and powders does.

If it weren't for neighbors
around here, I'd starve to death.

- Lady be your ma?
- Yeah. Mama, this is Son Slater.

I knowed you right off. I
seen you and Mr. Walton once

when I come down for supplies.

Are you related
to Charlie Slater?

Charlie's my uncle.

He's been cutting lumber for my
husband since I don't know when.

Well, I'm right glad to
know you, Mrs. Walton.

Here, take these home with
you. They'd be real good eating,

and I got plenty more for Joe.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Son.

- I'll see you in a week, Mr. Bascomb.
- If I live that long.

You sure you don't want me to
put a change of clothes in for you?

I wouldn't be good company.

I can't get that poor
young girl off my mind.

I don't much like Mary
Ellen working up there.

Not with a man running
around loose like that.

Neither do I. But
you know Mary Ellen.

She insists it's no
more dangerous

than working the night
shift at the hospital.

Just don't let her go alone.

When I get back, I'll
take a look up there.

It tears me apart.

Darcy all alone, grieving,
thinking her life is ruined.

The only one that's gonna convince
her different is Frank, you know.

She doesn't want him to know.

She's not being fair to him.

He's her husband.
He ought to know.

I've heard of husbands leaving
their wives over something like this.

Liv, if he's any kind of a husband at
all, he'll want to give her some comfort.

I don't know what to do.

Maybe you should call Mrs. Denman,
get him an emergency furlough.

Do you think we have the
right to interfere like that?

If this isn't an emergency,
I don't know what is.

I'll call her.

You'd hardly recognize
the Beasley children.

They've been taking their
medicine and playing in the sunshine.

Lady's turned into a regular
tomboy and Sam's grown two inches.

When do I get a
chance to go see them?

Not for a while.
Daddy get off okay?

Sure did.

Looks like he's missing
something special for dinner.

What you making, Elizabeth?

Cindy and I are making
peach pie for dessert.

I didn't know Ike carried
clingstone peaches.

Well, I thought you and
Mary Ellen brought these.

Found them in this
bag on the table.

Are you going to tell Darcy about
trying to get a furlough for Frank?

I'm not sure it's going to come through.
Besides, we don't want to scare her off.

- Morning.
- Darcy, may we come in?

We stopped off at Ike's and
brought you some supplies.

We thought you
might need a few things

since we know you
haven't been getting around.

Much obliged to you.

Set yourselves down.

There's some letters
in here from Frank.

You've sort of been letting
your mail pile up, haven't you?

His handwriting's like a little
boy's. I used to tease him about it.

Maybe you'll feel like
answering him now.

When he first went in the
Army, I wrote him every day.

I can't now. He'd know.

If something terrible happened to
Frank, wouldn't you want to know?

He had influenza once
when we was first married.

Settled in his chest.

I sat up with him all one night
waiting for the cough to ease.

Just sat watching him,
praying for him, loving him.

Sometimes I wish that cough had set
deep so he'd never gone into the Army.

It's wrong to have
them kind of thoughts.

Was it Son Slater who
came up here that day?

No!

Don't make me tell who it was.

I just want him put away where
he can't hurt you or anybody else.

He wouldn't be put
away. He'd tell it his way

and people would believe him.

We believe you. So
would everyone else.

They'll say maybe I
teased him or I led him on.

They'll say I got what
I had coming to me.

I keep asking
myself what did I do?

Was it something I said?

Did I say something he
could have took wrong?

Darcy, no man has the right to lay
hands on a woman against her will,

no matter how she
looks or talks or dresses.

Now, what happened
was not your fault!

I've about pumped that
well dry taking baths.

I still feel dirty. And Son
Slater is walking around proud

like what he done made
him some kind of a real man.

I'll go to the sheriff with you.

No, ma'am. How
much do I owe you?

- Don't worry about it.
- I don't take charity.

We'll put it on our bill at
Ike's and settle with you later.

Don't you never tell Frank
that it was Son Slater!

He'd shoot him for sure.

I don't want
Frank to go to jail.

- You sure you ought to do this, Mama?
- I got to do something.

It seems better than going
after Slater with a rifle.

Well, I gotta go get some medical
supplies. I'll be back in half an hour.

Good luck.

- Good morning, Mrs. Walton.
- Hello, Abe.

You know a man named Son Slater?

Yep. Lives up on Bascomb
Ridge. Charlie Slater's nephew.

I want charges
brought against him.

- What for, Mrs. Walton?
- Rape.

He attacked you?

- No, a young mountain girl.
- Oh.

Why don't she come in and
make the charges herself?

Because she's frightened, alone,
doesn't know which way to turn.

Alone?

Her husband's away in the Army.

Mrs. Walton, just how much do
you know about this young girl?

What's that got to
do with anything?

It's pretty easy for a girl to make
up a story like that about a man.

Why on Earth would she
want to do a thing like that?

Who knows? Maybe she wants
attention. Maybe she was mad at him.

Maybe she gave him a come-hither
look and he turned her down.

Son Slater forced himself on
her, not the other way around.

Now, we have to
make sure of that.

And the law says we have
to know her background.

What kind of reputation she
has, moral character, stuff like that.

I don't see what that
has to do with anything.

It's Son Slater's moral character
we ought to be talking about.

Well, it's gonna be up to her to prove
that she didn't encourage Son's attentions

and that she resisted
every way she could.

Sounds like she'll
be the one on trial.

It's a hard charge to prove.

Hard to prove but not
impossible. You just bring her on in

and we'll have her swear out a complaint
and then we'll see what we can do.

That girl has been hurt enough.

I wouldn't dream of putting her through
the kind of thing you're talking about.

You'd believe Son Slater,

just like all the other fine,
red-blooded citizens like yourself.

The verdict would be in
before the trial even began.

I can see now why she
didn't want to bring charges.

And the worst thing is,

there's a man up in those hills who
thinks he's gotten away with something

and he's right!

There's somebody here to see me?

- What is it, Ike?
- Jason, I'm glad to see you.

They said it was an emergency.

Well, I wanted to talk to your daddy
but he was out of town on business,

and, well, I had to talk to somebody
and... I need some advice about Corabeth.

I got back from an overnight
hike about an hour ago,

and you had them
wake me up for this?

Yeah.

Well, you're the steadiest person
I can think of next to your daddy,

and, well, there was
nobody else I could turn to.

You're asking
the wrong guy, Ike.

When it comes to female
psychology, I flunk out every time.

She's giving me a hard time.

I mean, you know how she
used to be, hard-working,

and now, I mean, she's a
completely changed person.

She gets up at any
hour she wants to

and she's calling her
stock-broker all the time,

she's even taken an ad out
in the paper for a French maid!

There's nothing wrong
with that if you can afford it.

Yeah, but, I need her, the store needs
her and there's no reasoning with her.

- There's only one thing to do then.
- What's that?

Give her what she wants.

Jason, are you crazy?

Sometimes it's the easiest
way to change a woman's mind.

You sure you know
what you're talking about?

No, but it's the best I can
come up with on an hour's sleep.

Anyway, what have you
got to lose? Good luck, Ike.

Good day, Mrs. Walton.

What do you want?

I happened to be in the
neighborhood, thought I'd drop in.

You get out of here.

Somebody's been
spreading lies about me

and I just wondered, could it be
you and that daughter of yours?

I haven't been
spreading any lies.

Maybe it's the truth
you're worried about.

That wife of Frank Thatcher's, seems
like she's just born to make trouble.

And trouble is
something I don't cater to.

Then stay away from places
where you're not wanted,

and stay away from Darcy. And
don't you ever come back here again.

- Now, you listen to me.
- Don't you come one step closer.

You keep spreading lies about me
and I just may see they come true.

You hear what I'm saying?

You turn around
and start walking

and don't you ever
come back here again.

You think you're a big man, but
you and I both know what you are.

You're feisty, ain't you?

- Get out of here.
- I ain't in no hurry.

Well, I am.

Mama, there's a long
distance phone call for you.

- Here, take this.
- Are you all right?

Hello? Yes, Mrs. Denman.

How's the emergency
furlough coming along?

Three days? It's not very long,
but if it's the best we can do...

Tomorrow morning at
10:00? Yeah, I'll meet him.

Does he know?

I see.

Is there any news for us?

Yes, well, we'll keep in touch.

Thank you.

Someone trying to get
an emergency furlough?

You're gonna be late
back to work, Erin.

And lock the car
doors when you go.

I'm going up there.

If I thought you were
going to go up there tonight,

I wouldn't have told you.

Liv, I'm not going
to have some man

coming on my property
and threatening my wife.

He didn't hurt me, John.

Do you want the man
on the loose or don't you?

No, of course I don't but if you go
up there tonight while you're all upset,

- you're not going to settle anything.
- Liv, I...

Please. Please
wait till morning.

Please.

All right, Liv.

Frank Thatcher's emergency
furlough came through.

I'm going to pick him up
at 10:30 in the morning.

- Does he know about Darcy?
- Not yet.

All right. I'll take
care of Slater.

- You think you can handle Frank?
- Looks like I'm going to have to.

Mr. Godsey.

I have never seen anything like
the colors in the woods this year.

It is as if an artist had
flung his palette at the trees.

I doubt if there is
anything to equal it.

You know, there's an ad here.

There's a house for rent on the
beach in Florida for the winter.

Mr. Godsey, who
is minding the store?

Hmm? Elizabeth.

Do you think that Elizabeth is old
enough to be stepping into my shoes?

No. As a matter of fact, I
kind of like the idea of youth.

I mean, I don't think you're
over the hill or anything.

But it's just that Elizabeth
is full of life and energy

and she is willing to
learn and take orders.

Well, I guess you will
be needing someone

now that I'm having to spend so
much time managing my estate.

Yes. As a matter of fact, Elizabeth
came up with a very good idea.

She wants to make an improvement.
She wants to put in a record department.

You know, she knows
all the dance bands.

And that way it'll bring
the kids into the store.

Well, what will it be like for the other
customers when they try placing an order

and have to listen to the Boogie
Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B?

Corabeth, you got to
go along with the times.

Now, Mr. Godsey...

Corabeth, I have
made up my mind.

But, Mr. Godsey, we have
a reputation to maintain.

Elizabeth, have you finished
putting away the produce?

Yes, and I dusted the shelves,
stacked the soap boxes,

filled the candy case and washed
the fingerprints off the front door.

Well, I guess we won't be needing you
anymore today. Thanks a lot, Elizabeth.

All right. Ike, could you make sure
that this gets the proper postage?

Sure.

You still writing to John-Boy.

Sure. That's why when they find
him, they can forward the letters to him.

He'll have all the
news, if they locate him.

When they locate him, Corabeth.

- I'll see you later.
- Okay.

Bye, Elizabeth.

You know, Mr. Godsey,
it has occurred to me

that the purchase of a large automobile
at this time would be most inappropriate.

Yeah, I guess, that's a good idea. Well,
with gasoline rationing and everything.

I think the best investment I could
make at this time would be in war bonds.

Spoken in the
spirit of the times.

Then when the war is over and the seas
are safe, we could take a world cruise.

Yeah. By then Elizabeth will be old enough
to take complete charge of the store.

Well, I would feel
much better about that

if I were given the full
responsibility of her training.

You mean, you'd
like your old job back?

Well, if you don't object to working
with a woman who is not quite so youthful.

There's nothing like
a mature woman.

Uncle Charlie told me
I'd find you up here, Slater.

Who are you?

That's right, I'm John Walton.

Now, look, Mr. Walton, I didn't
say nothing bad to your wife.

You said she lied.
You threatened her.

A man has to protect
his good name.

The deputy came up and he was
nosing around, asking questions.

Suppose you didn't have
any answers for him, did you?

That little Thatcher girl
can say what she likes

but a woman don't get
took unless she wants to.

Slater, you ought to be in jail

and you would be except I don't
want Darcy to have any more pain.

I done her a favor.
She was lonely.

- I just give her a little companionship.
- Let's just stop waltzing around, huh?

I hope you've been thinking
about some place to live,

'cause you sure as
hell can't stay here.

- You can't run me off.
- I can't, huh?

I'm going to run you off right
now. How long it take you to pack?

Now, hold on there. You're
a red-blooded man, John.

Put yourself in my place.

That pretty little girl running
around up there all by herself

in them thin little dresses.

Tell the truth, John. You'd have
done the same thing, wouldn't...

I don't like laying hands on you,
Slater. I hate to think what I might do.

Okay, okay. I've been thinking
about going up north anyway.

You do that, Slater. I don't ever want
to see your face around here again.

- Are you Frank Thatcher?
- Yes, ma'am. You must be Mrs. Walton.

Yes, I am. Let's go. I know you
must be in a hurry to see Darcy.

They didn't tell me nothing
about her except she wasn't sick.

They said you'd tell me.

She is sick, isn't she?

No. She's not sick. Why
don't you get in the car?

And then the CO called me in to
tell me something was wrong at home

and the Army was giving
me an emergency furlough.

The only thing I could figure
was Darcy was sick or hurt herself.

That explains why she
hasn't been writing to me.

Something happened to her. Something
she felt she couldn't talk to you about.

Well, we never had any
secrets from each other.

It must have been pretty bad.

A man came up to the
farm, acting neighborly.

He found her alone and
he took advantage of her.

What do you mean,
"took advantage"?

He forced himself on her.

She was ashamed and frightened.

She had no one to turn to and
she was afraid you'd find out.

I think she was afraid
of what you might do.

And she felt like she'd
been ruined for you.

I wanted you to see her
before you go overseas

because I was afraid she might
not be here when you got back.

Who was he?

Frank!

Why didn't you tell me?

I was too ashamed.

I remember how Son Slater used
to slink around here looking at you,

like he could see right
through what you were wearing.

It was him, wasn't it?

I'm sorry, Frank.

I should have gone
after him before I ever left.

He'll get himself killed!

- No, Darcy.
- Frank, stop! Please!

Now, hold on, son, hold on.

Listen, if you're looking for
Slater, it's too late, he's gone.

I'll find him. Wherever he is.

Wait a minute! The man is
not worth ruining your life over.

Your wife is more important
now. She needs your help.

Listen to her, son.

I love you, Darcy.

You don't think Son Slater will
come back after Frank leaves?

Not a chance,
not to these hills.

I just wish we could have
had him locked up somewhere

so he could have had a nice long
time to think about what he did to Darcy.

I can't believe the law
doesn't make that possible.

Maybe someday.

Hello, Mr. Walton.
May I come in?

Mrs. Denman. Yes. Yes, come in.

Do you have some news?

The kind of news I have
can't be given over the phone.

Your son's been found.
Wounded but alive.

He's being flown back to an Army
hospital outside of Washington.

You'll be able to see him.

How bad is he?

It's very serious.

The conclusion of this episode
will be seen next on The Waltons.

English -SDH