Little House on the Prairie season 1, episode 4 begins with flashes of the final moments from episode 3 replaying as we see Caroline lying down, sleeping. To our surprise, when Caroline comes to, she’s with Eliza, who helps her up and then begins to make some tea. After Caroline asks what she’s doing here, Eliza remarks that she finally came to her senses as Caroline comes to from the dream she was in.
It seems Caroline has also come down with the fever as Charles helps her with some water. Mary is still down as well, with chills and a scratchy throat.
In town, Caleb is working to tie up a package as Dr. Tann arrives and comes to check to see if the quinine has come in; sadly, it has not. Dr. Tann admits he’s never seen a fever this bad, and the medicine is their best chance. Emily recalls Jemma ordering a shipment some time ago and suggests he speak with her as she sends him off and tells him to take care, as the town can’t do without him.
Back at the Ingalls', Charles offers Laura a cup of coffee, and he assures her fevers always run their course. He promises her to get Dr. Tann if their conditions worsen as he sends her down to the river to get water.
The Ingalls family falls ill one by one
As Charles stands outside the door, he begins to hear his fiddle and enters the home to find his brother George inside, clearly indicating that Charles has come down with the fever as well. Laura returns to find him in a haze and recognizes that he’s not doing well either as he settles into bed to rest a minute.
In town, Dr. Tann goes to see Jemma to inquire about her stock of quinine, but she makes it clear the medicine is for family emergencies. He offers to buy the medicine off her and assures her when the next shipment arrives, he’ll replace her stock, but she refuses. As she goes to close the door, he blocks it with his foot and makes it clear that people will die without the medication, to which she coldly remarks how she won’t have her family be on that list and sends him away.
Back on the farm, Laura occupies her time working on chores and feeds the horses as she hears her mom calling out her and Mary’s names.
We cut to Caroline, who is having another fever dream. She’s back at her old home, looking for the girls when she finds Eliza, who is going through their closets and throwing out their worn dresses as she puts Charles down. Eliza tells Caroline this is for the best as she hands her an old dress worn to a wedding where she met a rich suitor. As she reaches out, Caroline awakens from her dream as Laura hands her water to drink and promises not to overdo it.
After Jemma denied Dr. Tann the quinine from her home, he begins to try searching for alternatives just as Lacey arrives. She mentions having a stock of quinine, which he can have, and they head out to gather it.
Back at the Ingalls’, things are going from bad to worse. Caroline and Charles are both getting sicker and are now refusing to drink. Knowing her parents need Dr. Tann’s help, Laura sets out with the intention of riding into town, but their family horses have fled, as she failed to secure the gate when feeding them earlier.
We enter a fever dream of Charles’ as he comes across a man in the woods who is working on the fence. It quickly becomes clear the man is Charles’ father as Charles informs him about being unable to take George with him. Charles suggests that George has not been himself since the war and needs help. He’s found a place in Pennsylvania where he can get treatment, but his father refuses to hear Charles out.
As Charles yells about George being broken and needing help putting himself back together, Charles notices George out of the corner of his eye. George races off, and Charles gives chase, but he’s unable to find him.
Laura discovers the Mitchell family also stricken by illness
Laura makes her way to the Mitchells’ house, but when no one answers the door she heads inside hoping to find them. Laura heads further into the house as she hears a voice calling out for a Julia. Laura finds White Sun and Good Eagle in bed, clearly suffering from the fever as well. She asks for William’s help, but White Sun reveals he’s gone out of town for work. Laura assures her she’ll get help for them as White Sun gives her directions and instructs her not to leave the road under any circumstances. She says a prayer with Laura before Laura heads out.
Back at the General Store, Caleb prepares to head out to check on the Ingalls as they haven’t come to gather their packages. Emily stops him and encourages him to have some faith, reminding him they can’t help them without the quinine and she doesn’t want to risk him getting the fever.
Laura sets off down the road and comes across a woman in the distance. When she reaches her, she finds that it’s her grandma, indicating to us that Laura has come down with the fever as well. Laura takes her grandma’s hand and begins to walk off as Jack barks for her as the camera pans out to find Laura passed out in the field.
Mary comes to at home and finds her mom asleep in bed and goes outside searching for her father, who we see walking through the field ahead. We return to Charles' fever dream as he comes to a river and finds George’s uniform by the water as his dad comes out and tells him he’ll never forgive him for not leaving well enough alone. Charles begins to follow after his dad before coming to when Mary finds him in the field and awakens him from his fever dream. Dr. Tann and Lacey arrive with the quinine and quickly give the pair the medication as Mary asks if Laura sent them, as she set out hours ago to find them.
We return to the field where Jack is frantically trying to awaken Laura. She comes to as Caleb arrives and helps give Laura some water to drink. He helps her to her feet and onto his back as he begins carrying her through the field, determined to get her to safety.
Dr. Tann reaches the Ingalls and Mitchells before it's too late
Caroline is once again faced with a vision of Eliza, who tells her that she still has a chance at a better life with Robert, the rich suitor she could have pursued. Caroline notes that Charles might be overly optimistic and naive; he’s also brilliant and has a sense of adventure, which she always wanted for her life. He makes her feel whole and like herself. Eliza asks if an uncertain life is really what she wants, as Caroline remarks an uncertain life is a life full of possibilities, and she wants a life full of possibilities.
When she comes to, Lacey is by her side and brings her up to speed on everything as she offers her some broth. Caroline asks about John, and Lacey admits that it was John who purchased the quinine, as he had a sense it could be needed, and he hates to see people hurting.
Charles tells Caroline about his dreams of George and his father. She assures him he was trying to help as he notes that he’s afraid she’ll never forgive him either. He asks about the letter and what she meant about having a way out, as Caroline notes it doesn’t matter. She asks him to trust her moving forward and know she’s strong and capable, that she’s in this with him. He promises her he’ll keep no more secrets as the pair embrace.
Laura comes to at the Mitchell home and hears singing outside. She finds White Sun outside singing by the water, and she goes outside to sit and listen. White Sun comes to sit alongside her on the porch and tells her the song is a morning prayer, one she hasn’t done in a long time, as she lost her daughter, Julia, a year ago. Laura confides that Good Eagle must miss her as she never mentions her, and White Sun admits that’s her fault, but that she’s felt her spirit lately again, especially in seeing the girls playing together.
Caroline arrives to gather Laura and take her home as she thanks White Sun for taking care of her. As they wait for the girls to return, White Sun admits she’s not a very patient teacher and that she thinks it would be good for Good Eagle to be able to learn alongside Laura and Mary if Caroline were to have her.
Back at the Ingalls’ home, Caleb arrives to check on Mary and see how they’re all doing. Mary thanks him for saving her sister as he reminds her friends to look out for each other. As night falls, Charles praises Laura for her bravery and assures her the horses will come back. Laura recalls seeing her grandma in her dream and admits she misses her. Laura points out how everyone came to help them just like back in the Big Woods as Mary joins them and Charles plays grandpa’s favorite hymn on his fiddle.
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