Greg and Charles call a meeting at White Cross, of representatives from neighbouring communities. They try to persuade them to make an inventory of weapons and supplies at each community - they have prepared one for White Cross which they circulate.
Most of the attendees are skeptical about this, and are also unwilling to supply labour to get Greg's proposed telephone system up and running. One of the representatives, called Boult, is particularly obstructive, and clashes with Greg. He also suggests each community should have only one representative at such meetings, resenting the fact that both Greg and Charles are there from White Cross and are running the meeting.Jen interrupts the meeting
with bad news for one of the representatives - his young wife has been shot and killed, the murderer just taking a little food after the shooting. One of the other men tells of a story he'd heard of a young woman being killed at another community.
Greg and Charles take the man back to his community the following day. They work out where the shot must have come from, and on searching the area find a spent rifle cartridge and some tracks. It is
obvious from the tracks that the killer limps badly.
News filters through of eight such shootings in recent months - all of young women, away from the main part of their settlements, shot just before dusk. The killings appear to be following the route of a Roman road which passes near White Cross. Jenny wonders whether the killer could be Vic Thatcher - if he'd survived the fire and been abandoned for a second time - the others think it unlikely.
They
decide to keep a close watch on the hills surrounding the settlement, and ring a curfew bell before dark to call the women indoors. They also lay sand traps along the route of the Roman road, in the hope that the killer will leave tracks in them.
While on watch, Hubert spots someone in the woods - it is not the sniper, but an Italian woman named Daniella - she'd lived in England at the time of the death. As they take her back to White Cross, they
are watched by the killer from among the trees.
The next morning, Charles finds prints so they assume the killer has been nearby. Long discussions take place on how to deal with this new threat. Greg is convinced that they have the sniper at large, but most of them feel they have to prove that the killer is there before they hunt or shoot him out of hand.
Arthur suggests setting a trap, by picking a suitable spot which is easily monitored, and using one of
the women as bait. Only Jen and Pet are suitable, they agree to take turns as the bait, starting with Jen.
That evening, Jenny goes out in a flowery dress and pretends to mend a fence in a field close to the woods. The rest closely watch the obvious ambush spots. The killer takes the bait, and is spotted lining up his rifle on Jenny. Greg quickly shows himself and walks between the woods and Jenny, so the killer does not get chance to shoot. He
flees into the woods.
Now they know that the killer is there, they decide to hunt him down. Charles and Arthur set out for neighbouring communities overnight to get help. Their response is disappointing, seeing it as someone else's problem (Greg having made an unfavourable impression at their meeting). Only Boult is willing to help, bringing several men with him.
At dawn the hunters form a line across the wood and move forward, making plenty of noise to
drive their prey towards an ambush. The killer is awoken and flees. However Hubert spots a fox who has been worrying his flock and takes the opportunity to shoot it. At the sound of the shot the line breaks, and the killer manages to elude them. They find his camp however, and finding a full canteen of water, realise they have only just missed their prey.
They decide to lay an ambush at the pond near the settlement. Greg is convinced the killer will
not move on, and will have to come and drink. They wait for 2 nights. Eventually the sniper comes to drink, but spots the ambush, and a shootout begins. Greg attempts to work his way behind the sniper, under covering fire from Charles.
While this is going on, the John and Lizzie have a confession to make to Jen and Arthur. They had been playing with the unloaded shotgun, and the firing pin had fallen out. They weren't sure what it was, but on
learning that Greg and Charles are out 'hunting' they feel they have to confess.
Jen immediately runs to warn Greg that his shotgun will not fire. The kids, reasoning that they might not get into as much trouble if they deliver the news themselves also set off for the pond.
Meanwhile, Greg works himself into a position behind the killer, but his gun does not go off. The click of the mechanism warns the sniper however. To add to the confusion, the kids
and Jenny arrive, attracting the snipers attention. Charles risks breaking cover to warn them away. While the killer is deciding who to shoot first, Greg leaps from behind and attempts to throttle him with a piece of snare wire. In the struggle the sniper is shot and killed by his own gun.
John makes the startling discovery that the killer is a woman.
