Carol hopes that they will save Fern but when she hears the gossip again at the motion pictures, she doubts the possibility. Nat Hicks stops Kennicott to tell him that Fern drank two quarts of whisky. Before Carol could say anything Kennicott gets her away.

The school board decides to let Fern resign from the post. Sam Clark requests Carol to convey the message to Fern. When Fern leaves the town, Carol goes to see her off. She feels embarrassed by the leering men. Fern takes a train. Carol remembers that Bjornstam also took a train. She wonders about how the people would behave when it is her turn to go away. On her way back home, she hears two men discussing Fern's story. She sees Cy narrating something to a group of grown up men like Nat Hicks. She receives a letter from Fern thanking her for believing in her. She also narrates how her own family members believed that she must have done something wrong. So she had to stay at a boarding house. She could not get a job anywhere and so she had decided to get married to the man who was in love with her even though she considered him to be stupid.

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