As they head back to Porter, Hoby and Doc Calhoun go past the Hawkins farm. Calhoun says that he wants to stop in and see how Mrs. Hawkins is doing after she gave birth a couple of weeks ago. Nobody answers the door, and Calhoun goes in. He then comes back out and tells Hoby that the three Hawkins family members are dead. The doctor warns Hoby that if he comes in then he has a chance of dying as well: the Hawkins died of typhoid fever.
Once Hoby and Calhoun bury the bodies, Calhoun says a few words. Back in town, the two men arrive at Calhoun's office and Annabelle Winters tells Calhoun that Mrs. Turner is suffering from rheumatism. She says that the family is real sick, and Calhoun says that he'll take care of it. Once Annabelle leaves, Calhoun says that he'll see Turner before making a decision.
When Adam Turner returns home, he finds Calhoun and Hob there. Calhoun finishes examining the family and tells Adam that his wife and children have typhoid fever. Hoby restrains him so that he doesn't go up to see them and break quarantine, and Calhoun offers Adam his place to stay. The doctor asks Hoby to round up all of the people in Porter that had typhoid because they're immune, but tells them not to say anything about the people who are sick. Calhoun explains that the Hawkins had typhoid, and Hoby leads Adam out.
Hoby canvasses the town but everyone refuses to help him. One woman, Emily Monroe, agrees to help. Later, Calhoun returns to his office and finds Hoby asleep on the couch. The doctor pours himself a drink and Hoby wakes up. He says that Adam is at the Buckhorn drinking and they both go to get some drink.
At the Buckhorn, Tenner and Emily's husband Tom see Adam drinking and suggests that he go home. Adam finally says that his family has typhoid and he can't go home. He tells them to get out of town before they catch it as well and then passes out.
The next day, Hoby puts up quarantine signs. Men congregate on the streets forming committees to stop the plague. A week goes by and Hoby continues patrolling the town to find the source of the infection. Tom sees an infection sign on his house, and Emily comes out. She tells her husband that the children are sick but all right, and he can't come in. Tom insists on going in, but Emily tells him that Calhoun and Hoby have ordered against it.
At the doctor's office, Calhoun analyzes all of the water that Hoby has brought him and declares it uncontaminated. Hoby complains that he has a headache and is tired, and Calhoun warns that those are the first symptoms. As he takes Hoby's temperature, he warns that they're close to the point where they can't stop the fever from spreading. Calhoun warns that there's a typhoid carrier in Porter.
At the Buckhorn, Tom addresses the townspeople and says that he's seen a plague before. He says that they know who is spreading it and calls on them to do what they have to so that they can stop the plague. Tom puts it to a vote and everyone votes with him except for Tenner. Hoby comes in and reminds Tom about the judge's ruling against public hearings. He tells the others to go home while he arrests Tom, but they ignore him. Tom shoves Hoby off and Hoby tells him that he'll forget it. The man says that the fever started with the Hawkins and then Hoby caught it there and spread it. They give Hoby one hour to get out of town and take Calhoun with him. Hoby warns that if they get rid of Calhoun then they're signing their death warrant. Tom insists and Hoby has no choice but to leave.
As Hoby walks out, Tenner goes after him and says that he's not on the committee. Hoby thanks him for his support, and Tenner warns that if Hoby leaves then the town will blow sky-high. Hoby figures that it will happen no matter what he does and goes to the doctor's office. Calhoun is sleeping and Hoby wakes him up, and then tells him that they've been ordered out of town. The Ranger explains how they reached their conclusion, and Calhoun wonders how the Hawkins got it. He admits that he's tempted to go, but he'll stay and Hoby goes to break up the meeting. Calhoun advises against it, saying that the more they talk the more panicky they'll get and that's good for them.
Fifty-five minutes later, Tom says that it's about time. They go to the doctor's office and throw a rock through the window. Tom calls them out and one man hits Calhoun with a rock. Hoby draws a gun on them and tells them to let Calhoun speak. When Tom objects, Hoby points out that he's overdue for jail and threatens to shoot him. Tom figures that Hoby wouldn't shoot him, and Hoby punches him unconscious. When the other townspeople surge forward, Tenner joins Hoby with a shotgun and says that he figures that they owe Calhoun money for everything he's done for them.
Calhoun tells them that they've got a typhoid carrier among them and they don't know who it is... but he does. However, he refuses to tell them because they'll kill the carrier. Calhoun says that he's the only one who knows how the fever came to Porter, and if they kill him then they'll never know. He tells the guilty party to come to his office once they've all cleaned out. Calhoun goes inside and after a moment, the townspeople go home.
Hoby joins Calhoun and asks who the carrier is. Calhoun explains that he checked the medical journals. Before he can continue, Annabelle comes in and Calhoun says that there are deaths attributes to her along the East Coast. She doesn't believe it but Calhoun says that she was arrested twice but released on the condition that she never work in any capacity that would let her pass on the typhoid germs. Annabelle helped deliver the Hawkins baby, and Calhoun suggests that Hoby return Annabelle to the East. Hoby leads Annabelle away and sends her to Boston, where she was confined for the rest of her life as a menace to society.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 26, 2017