Ring and Ruth are traveling by foot and are very hungry. They decide to stop at a house and ask for some food. The woman in the house only allows Ruth to come in and eat. Ruth hides some food to take to Ring. The woman does not believe that Ring is Ruth’s husband. She makes judgmental remarks about Ring and their decision to journey by foot. Ruth defends Ring, explaining that he had been sick and couldn’t work because of illness. Ruth tells the woman they are on the journey to visit the grave of their baby, who had gone to live with her sister while Ring was ill. The child had died, and they wanted to see his grave. Ruth leaves the house and takes off with Ring, giving him the food she hid. Ring suggests the woman might have been kinder if she had known where they were headed, not knowing Ruth had told her. Ruth asks how much further they have to walk and how long it will take. Ring says thirty of forty miles, but he isn’t sure how long it will take them to get there. They hope to catch a ride from someone.