As Martha prepares to ride after Lidia North, John Cowan pounds on her door with an urgent summons from the Clarks’ forge. Baby Mary Clark has been having repeated fits. Ephraim has already brought Brutus for Martha, but he remains distant after their earlier disagreement, and Martha rides out troubled by that strain as well as by her unresolved conscience about Lidia.

At the Clarks’ cabin, Betsy and Charles describe Mary’s episodes, which began the previous day and worsened that morning. Martha examines the baby carefully for bruises, swelling, or signs of a fall, and she questions the parents about whether Mary might have been dropped. During the examination, Mary has another seizure in Martha’s lap. Because the fit does not seem to be caused by injury and Martha fears a disease she has never treated, she decides she needs help beyond her own knowledge.

Martha sends John Cowan on Brutus to fetch Doctor from Burnt Hill, asking him to say that Martha herself begs Doctor to come. While they wait, Charles paces helplessly and even tries to pay Martha the overdue birth fee, but Martha refuses and tells him to save the money for Doctor. When Doctor arrives, she examines Mary with calm precision, asks Betsy’s permission before touching the child, and observes another seizure while counting its length. She tells Betsy to nurse the baby if possible but to pull away if another episode starts.

Outside in the rain, Doctor tells Martha that Mary likely has the falling sickness, epilepsia, or epilepsy. Doctor explains that such seizures can come in clusters, may fade for long stretches, and sometimes disappear after childhood, but they can also be deadly. Although certain herbs are used for older patients, Doctor says Mary is too young for them and that treatment might do more harm than good.

The conversation underscores Martha’s limits as a healer and Doctor’s respect for her. Doctor remarks that some townspeople go to her only when they want to avoid Martha’s judgment, and she briefly asks after Rebecca Foster, reminding Martha of the larger troubles still pressing on her. With hail starting to fall, Martha realizes that naming the illness does not make it easier and returns to the cabin to tell Betsy and Charles that their daughter has epilepsy.