Gloria wakes at Mrs. Hamilton’s house to the sound of Miz Lottie arriving in Ole Suzy. Because Mrs. Hamilton has already left for the day, Gloria lets Miz Lottie in at once. Miz Lottie tells Gloria to pack immediately and return with her, confirming that Uncle June cut the hole needed for Robert’s escape. Before leaving, Gloria writes Mrs. Hamilton a thank-you note and feels the weight of saying goodbye to Gracetown, her family history, and the people who have helped them.

As Miz Lottie drives away, Gloria senses something is wrong and presses her for the truth. Miz Lottie explains that a deputy saw Waymon pick up Uncle June near the Reformatory, stopped them, and jailed both men for vagrancy. When Miz Lottie tried to help, Sheriff Posey threatened to lock her up too. Even so, Waymon’s nod and unusual smile convince Miz Lottie that the hole was successfully cut, though Waymon has been beaten.

The arrests shake Gloria because she had counted on Uncle June and Waymon to help at the railroad trestle. She suggests delaying the escape, but Miz Lottie refuses, warning that Robert could be killed if they wait. Miz Lottie then reveals a second painful truth: only Gloria and Miz Lottie will wait for Robert tonight, and only Gloria is meant to take Robert to Chicago. Miz Lottie insists she must stay in Gracetown for Waymon and Uncle June, and because her life belongs there, not in the North.

Gloria breaks down at the thought of leaving without Miz Lottie, but Miz Lottie urges her to cry, then return to the plan. Miz Lottie reassures Gloria that she has filled the truck with gas, showing that she has prepared as well as she can. Back at Miz Lottie’s house, Gloria packs the few clothes available for Robert, including a new traveling suit the Hatchetts sent, and tries to help by doing chores. As the day passes, Gloria watches Miz Lottie cook, memorizes her methods, and treasures the ordinary peace of the kitchen even while both of them wait for the dangerous five o’clock trip to the trestle.