JANUARY - JUNE 1968
Using threats and attacking her self-esteem, Harry forced Julie to feign interest in Orin. However, in time, Julie really began to fall in love with him. Orin hired Julie to play piano at Steve and Liz's wedding which irked Liz. Julie's presence stunned everyone at the wedding when she glided down the stairs in one of Laura's gowns. Liz and Steve were married in an elaborate ceremony. Steve refused Orin's offer to live at Claybank, and the couple moved into a tiny garage apartment at Orchard Hill, the Grimsley estate.

Jealous of her attention to Orin, Lloyd fought violently with Julie who was knocked unconscious. Bart walked in on Lloyd's attack on Julie, then Harry watched as Bart bludgeoned Lloyd to death with a nautical billy-club. When Julie awakened, Harry and Bart convinced her that she had killed Lloyd before passing out. Harry dumped Lloyd's body into the Monticello River. Thinking he had fallen in a drunken stupor and hit his head, the police ruled Lloyd's death as an accidental drowning.

Julie's guilt about Lloyd's death showed in her face, but Harry's threats against Orin kept her under control. On Valentine's Day, Orin and Julie eloped. Julie convinced Orin to keep their marriage a secret until Liz could accept it, but she privately feared Harry's reaction.

Harry and Ruth Tuttle fell into a stormy love affair, while husband Ernie was clueless. Adam dated Lt. Paul Carey's sister Roxanne. Carey warned Roxanne about Adam's reputation as a playboy and womanizer. Phoebe left Monticello to attend school in Europe.

Orin hired Adam to investigate Julie's past in Tennessee. Adam discovered that Julie and Laura Hillyer were twin sisters, but Julie had been given up for adoption as a baby. Julie had her hair cut and dyed to look like Laura. Julie's makeover unnerved Orin, who convinced her that he loved her for herself, not because she reminds him of his late wife.

Liz returned to Claybank after arguing with Steve about his involvement with Harry Constable and refusal to accept her father's help. Liz flipped when she discovered Julie's negligee in Orin's room and realized they were married. Harry dropped by the Hillyer home unannounced and spotted Julie's wedding ring. Orin learned why Harry was blackmailing Julie and went to confront him. Julie found Harry, who had been stabbed to death with a letter opener. Fearing Orin's guilt, Julie removed the weapon and cleaned it of fingerprints. Orin spotted Julie standing over Harry's body with the bloody letter opener in her hand.

JUNE - JULY 1968
Julie was arrested for Harry Constable's murder, but fled town while on bail. A distraught Orin recalled Laura's death and vowed he wouldn't let the same thing happen to Julie. Frank Loomis took Harry's place in the Leroy County numbers racket. Julie was taken in by Lolly and Sandy Buchanan. Sandy recognized Julie from the Riverboat and told Loomis, who instructed him to keep Julie under wraps. Loomis plotted to hold Julie hostage and collect an enormous ransom from Orin.

Orin was tormented by dreams of Laura and went into a catatonic state. Adam searched for Julie. Bart Fletcher learned of Julie's kidnapping and feared for her safety. Fletcher's softness for Julie prompted Loomis to order her death. Liz blamed Julie for Orin's mental breakdown, but Dr. Lovell insisted Julie's safe return might be Orin's only cure.

Adam tracked down Julie, who had been given a fatal drug overdose. The Buchanans were arrested, while Julie recovered from the overdose. Orin came out of his catatonic state.

AUGUST - DECEMBER 1968
Before moving permanently to Peru with Lee, Gerry sold McGrath's boutique to Nicole Travis. Nicole was attracted to Mike, who worked with Nicole's father Senator Ben Travis. Nancy feared the worst when Doug Hastings arrived to involve Mike in the Crime Commission's investigation of a nationwide loan-sharking ring. Cookie fell into a whirlwind romance with handsome PR man Ron Christopher.

Adam represented Julie as she went on trial for Harry Constable's murder. A despondent Julie felt guilty about Lloyd's death and decided she deserved to be punished. Lt. Carey's personal feelings about Adam came out on the witness stand when Carey made Julie sound like a scheming, cold-blooded murderess. Loomis forced Bart Fletcher to testify that Julie plotted Lloyd's murder so that she'd be free to marry Orin and bilk him out of a fortune. Prison matron Eleanor Marchek testified Julie talked in her sleep and confessed to "killing him." Peter Quinn suggested Julie meant Harry Constable, but she insisted she had referred to Lloyd's death, not Harry's.

Sara-Louise Capice returned from a Swiss boarding school and decided to stay in Monticello. Sara and Laurie Karr became fast friends.

Nicole schemed to break up Mike and Nancy's marriage, which was strained by Mike's decision to help the Crime Commission bust the loan-sharking ring. Cookie became engaged to Ron Christopher. Ron's boss Eric Barrington was revealed to be part of the loan-sharking ring. Barrington concealed a coded ledger which contained the names of nationwide "loan shark doctors." Ron accidentally stumbled across the ledger in Barrington's humidor.

Fletcher was wracked with guilt over Julie's predicament and considered recanting his testimony. Loomis hired hitman Johnnie to ensure Fletcher's silence. Johnnie shot Fletcher in the back, but failed to kill him. On his deathbed, Fletcher confessed to Julie that he killed Lloyd Hubbard and framed her for the crime. Julie forgave Fletcher, holding his hand as he died.

Ron told Mike about Barrington's involvement in the loan sharking ring and agreed to help. Mike also recruited Phil Capice to help bust the loan shark ring, but a casual remark from Ron tipped off Barrington. Phil was beaten to a pulp by Barrington's men and lapsed into a coma. Dr. Lacey informed the Grimsley family that Phil might suffer permanent brain damage. An enraged Louise blamed Mike for Phil's condition. The friendship between the Karrs and Capices was strained to the breaking point. Winston and Mattie failed to change Louise's feelings about Mike.

On the witness stand, Adam brutally raked Steve over the coals about his and Ruth's involvement with Harry Constable. A furious Steve argued violently with Liz, then abandoned her for parts unknown. Realizing how much her stepmother really loved Orin, Liz visited Julie in prison and begged for her forgiveness. Julie and Liz had a tearful reconciliation, and Liz vowed to stand by her side. Later, Julie was found guilty of Harry's murder and received the death penalty. Adam scrambled to find the real killer as Julie's execution date approached.

Ron worked with Mike to find Barrington's boss, the true head of the loan sharking ring. Ron's double life with Barrington and the Crime Commission threatened his impending marriage to Cookie.

Going over transcripts of the trial, Adam realized who really killed Harry Constable. Adam leaked a story to the press that Harry had been having an elicit affair and evidence onboard the Riverboat would prove his theory. Adam went to the riverboat and awaited Constable's killer. Roxanne's appearance surprised Adam, but she was only worried about his safety. Later, Ernie Tuttle arrived and confessed that he had killed Harry in a jealous rage after learning about his affair with Ruth. Ernie struggled with Adam then fell to his death on the paddle wheel of the riverboat during a shootout.

Liz and Orin were inconsolable about Julie's fate. Alone in her prison cell, Julie prayed for Orin. Adam arrived at Redstone Prison with news of her exoneration, just as Julie was led to gallows to be hanged.

Orin and Liz cried with delight when Julie appeared at Claybank on Christmas morning. Orin presented Julie with a globe for Christmas, then explained that he was giving her the world -- a well-deserved trip around the world, far away form Monticello. On New Year's Eve, family and friends gathered at Claybank to wish the Hillyers a fond farewell.