We open on the main street of town, a group of riders coming in. We see our guys prepared, Vin, with a rifle, up on a railing by the false front of the roof of the feed store, Buck on a roof across the street. As the riders get closer, Chris walks to the middle of the street in front of them, pulls his coat away from his pistol. Josiah, Ezra and JD ride in behind the men. Nathan walks out on the boardwalk near Chris. The riders stop in front of Chris, the leader draws on him, Chris beats him, all the guys open fire. Vin shoots down the banner over the street to get two of them, Josiah runs one into a porch pole, taking down the wooden awning, JD dismounts to run after one guy, jumping and tackling him off his horse, Nathan runs up against one who has a knife, so he holsters his gun to show off his knife throwing, Vin swings down on a rope, collapsing another wooden awning on a bad guy, Ezra does a snazzy dismount to get one with the gun in his left hand and take out another one with his derringer, Buck jumps off his roof onto an escaping bad guy, then gets another who is trying to get out using Millie as a shield. All our guys are fine, many bad guys are dead, many are also alive and put into jail.
As they're gathered up, an army sergeant is yelling at the bad guys, telling them they picked the wrong town to pick on, that these guys killed his driver, left him for dead and took off with his artillery wagon. He wants to know where his wagon is. Vin says an artillery wagon should be easy tracking, sergeant asks if he's volunteering, Vin asks if he's paying. Sergeant offers five dollars, Vin says he'll get his wagon back. Sergeant says he'll get a unit together to haul away the bad guys. One of the store owners comes out and bemoans the damage to his awning.
Mary comes out of the newspaper office as we hear the call of a coach coming in. Billy comes running out, looking for Chris, runs to him in the street. As the coach comes in and stops, a man gets out, it's Travis and Billy goes running to see his grandpa. Mary comes up and says they weren't expecting him, Travis says he's got a trial over in Watsonville, he's got to leave in a few hours. Behind Travis, another man gets out, he's dressed in a brown suit and wearing a badge. He looks around, our guys are lounging outside the jail, Vin and Buck leaning against opposite sides of a post. Travis asks what the hell happened here, Vin says it's all taken care of.
The brown suit man is now standing in the street, his hands on his hips. Once he has their attention, he tells them he has a long standing policy, no firearms within city limits, he'll have their guns, please. The guys look at each other unbelieving, JD asks who the hell is this. Travis says this is federal marshal Walter Bryce, the new law in town.
Roll opening credits.
Buck tells Bryce he better be prepared to fight for the guns, that's the only way he's going to get them. Bryce says, if it comes to that, so be it. Chris tells him he doesn't want it to. Nathan says without them, he's got no back up, Josiah says except for the good lord, and he's got lousy aim. Bryce looks at Josiah and says he must be the defrocked priest. He knows about him, all of them, and he knows about their arrangement with the judge. Buck says then, he guesses he knows what he can do with his policy. Bryce says he knows it's all rather abrupt, but he's a reasonable man, he's going to give them twenty-four hours to comply, after which they leave town, check their guns or go to jail. Ezra comments how very reasonable. Bryce says meanwhile he has work to do, and walks into the jail.
The judge sits down on the jail steps and Vin asks if he'd care to explain this to them. Travis says the railroad's been pressuring people back in Washington, they're going to be laying tracks through there and they want it to be safe. Mary says to tell them they're already in good hands. Buck says the cattle ranchers are on the run and they've got new settlers coming in all the time. Travis says he already told them all that, but the railroads want to be sure they have a badge out there, someone official. Nathan says a lot of good official will do when all those bullets start flying everywhere. Travis says the marshal's been doing things his way for a lot of years, has a rock solid reputation for cleaning out a lot of rough towns back in Kansas. Vin says this isn't Kansas. Travis says time was he might have stopped this, but now with the railroads pulling all the strings, and a mess like he arrived to see doesn't help any. Chris has heard enough, turns and walks away. Travis gets up, says he has to catch that stagecoach, wants time to have a visit with his grandson. There isn't any more he can do, he's sorry. JD says to him that he pays them to protect this town, how are they supposed to do it without guns? Travis says he doesn't, they're relieved of their duties as of now.
The guys look at each other and JD says we're not going to take this, are we? One by one they walk away, going different directions. JD asks where Chris went, no one answers. We see the back of Chris as he's walking to the livery. As he passes one evil looking man, Evil Man grins.
Inside the livery, Chris is saddling his horse, Mary comes in after him, says it seems Bryce is here to stay, that a town can't have too many peacekeepers. Chris says he doesn't think Bryce would agree with her. Mary says Bryce may not want them here, but the people of the town do. Chris grins at her, not buying it. She says alright, maybe not everybody. Chris says he's been there long enough as it is. Mary asks what he'll do now. He says he's got some unfinished business he's been putting off, he'll take care of that. She tells him Billy will miss him, and turns to leave the livery. He calls to her, asks her to say goodbye for him.
In the saloon, JD is trying to rally the troops, asks Nathan if he's staying. Nathan says he's all this town's got in the way of a doctor, may be no guns, but there'll be plenty of other ways for people to get hurt. JD goes to the bar, asks Buck if he's thinking about sticking around. Buck says he couldn't drag him out with an eight horse team. JD says so he's going to go head to head with Bryce on this gun thing? Buck asks if JD sees that little filly sitting in the corner, that's the only person he plans on going head to head with. JD says that Buck's been working on Millie for three months. Buck says exactly, and in a few minutes, all that hard work's going to pay off. Buck wanders back to Millie with two beers. JD now goes to the table where Vin and Ezra are sitting, asks if they're sticking around. Ezra says, for himself, he's a few well played poker games away from owning this saloon, and with no guns in town, there should be fewer ways for disgruntled losers to seek reprisal. Vin says there's always tar and feathers. Ezra grins at that. JD asks Vin what he's going to do. Vin says it's a matter of time before that new marshal finds his name on a wanted poster. JD says to tell him he was framed, it's about time he cleared that up. Vin says he's going to, right after he tracks down the artillery wagon. Artillery wagon, JD says, maybe he'll go with Vin. Ezra tells him he doesn't believe he was invited.
The pounding of a hammer interrupts them all, it's Bryce putting up a notice on the saloon wall. JD goes over to look at it, Ezra asks him what oracle of wisdom the new marshal has revealed. JD reads the notice, by order of the marshal a curfew shall be enforced as of 11:00 PM, after which time there shall be no loitering, no imbibing of alcohol, no gambling, effective immediately. Ezra drops his whiskey glass and we hear it shatter on the floor.
Out on the street, there's another notice being read by the townspeople. No spitting, no open fires, no open liquor bottles. The man reading says it's about time. Mrs. Potter says no seven men to watch over them. The reader says good riddance, they're going into a modern age, what do they need with a bunch of gunslingers.
JD is sitting on the edge of a water trough and Casey comes up, whapping him gently with a leather strap, sits down and says some show this morning, of course his riding got a little clumsy. He turns to her and says if she's going to start all that better than him junk, he's not in the mood. She asks if it's true, the seven of them are breaking up? JD says they're not breaking up, just doing something different for a while. She asks what he's going to do. He says he could find work as a hired gun, there's plenty of that around, but he's thinking of heading to Texas, join the rangers. Casey says, so he wants to leave? He says he didn't say that. She says, so he wants to stay. He says he didn't say that either. She says if he does, there's plenty of stuff he could do around there. Like what, he asks. She says he could get a job. He laughs at that, a job? Now she punches him in the stomach, says no one cares if he goes or stays anyway, and she storms off. He watches her go, says the day just keeps getting worse.
Now we're out at the James ranch, James is shooting at a bottle held out in the hand of one of his Mexican servants. He misses the first three shots, yells at her to hold that bottle up, he finally hits it. She's got her face covered with her other arm and is terrified, he's laughing at her as she runs away. Riders come in, it's Guy Royal and Evil Man from town. James greets him, says the last time Royal was there, he tried to buy the place, it's still not for sale. Royal says it might be soon if he can't get his cattle to market. James says not to count him out, he always gets them through. Evil Man asks how many homesteads and fences he has to ride around and how much meat's left on their bones once they get there and how much good grazing land he's got left to fatten them up in the first place. James asks who the hell Evil Man is, Royal says it's Earl, a new hire. What Earl means to say is that the town's growing and the number of settlers is growing with it, time they put their foot down. James says we? Royal says the ranchers start working together instead of against each other, that might be a damn powerful force, turn that place into a ghost town. Earl says no town, no settlers, no fences. Royal says once that railroad starts coming through, they might have control of some mighty valuable land. James says that town's got those seven men watching out for it, Royal went up against them once, so did James, except James isn't in a hurry to do it again. Earl laughs, says he guesses James hasn't heard.
In town, Bryce is taking down a sign that says "Bones Set, Wounds Healed." Nathan comes out of his place, asks if he can help Bryce. Bryce says he hears that Nathan is the doctor in town. Nathan says he just heals folks as best he can, but he's no doctor. Bryce says that's what he wants to discuss. He's been doing this job a long time and he's seen a lot of snake oil sold off the back of wagons. Nathan interrupts him, snake oil? He calls sewing up gun shot wounds and setting broken bones snake oil? Bryce says no, he calls it practicing medicine without a license, and from this point on, Nathan is out of business. Bryce shoves the sign into Nathan's hands and walks away.
Buck and Millie are coming out of the saloon, Millie is giggling, wondering how Buck can drink so much beer and not feel it, she's only had one and my, my. Buck says she's a delicate flower and some smoky saloon is no place for her. Buck is also looking like he's got to go something awful. But he stays, tells her how about they find a nice soft haystack to watch the sunset from. She says she knows what goes on on haystacks. He says he'd never take advantage of her. She's disappointed. He says that sometimes his darker side does get the best of him, now would she excuse him for one minute because nature is screaming out his name. He backs away from her to the corner of the saloon and into the alley behind a storage box where he relieves himself. While he's standing there, Bryce comes to the opening of the alley and tells him he's under arrest. Buck says if he hadn't just gone, Bryce would have scared it out of him. Buck buttons up and heads past Bryce and back to Millie, only to be caught by Bryce and handcuffed. Buck asks what he's doing, Bryce tells him he's under arrest for public indecency. Buck says Bryce is going to regret this, he knows he will. As they pass Millie, Buck says he'll be right back.
JD sees Josiah leading his horse, says so he decided to go. Josiah says fate decided, he's just following, he was just passing through anyway. JD says the town is going to be a preacher's dream, no drinking, no gambling. Josiah says not much for an old reformer like him to do, besides if God is everywhere, best to start looking sooner than later. We hear Nathan laugh, he says that means he's going to find a burning bush to talk to. Nathan is also leading is horse. JD confronts him, says he thought Nathan said he was staying. Nathan says not where he's not needed, the folks at the reservation might appreciate his help more.
Chris is mounting up, asks Vin if he got a fix on the artillery wagon. Vin says he found tracks headed east, which way is Chris going. Chris says he's heading south, Purgatory. Vin tells him to watch his backside. Ezra rides up, suggests they leave before the cold shroud of Puritanism smothers them all. In the background we can hear Buck shouting that he's a resident, he demands a trial. Chris grins and laughs, says that Buck always lands on his feet. The five nod to each other, head out their different ways, say goodbye to JD. Josiah asks if he's coming, JD says no, he's going to wait for Buck. Bryce comes out to where JD is standing, says the time is up, he knows the law, hand over his firearms. Earl is in the background, has watched the five leave and now watches JD give up his guns. JD unbuckles his guns, hands them to Bryce who says well done.
Later, JD is walking down the boardwalk toward the newspaper office. Billy greets him, in turn he greets him and Mary. We also catch a glimpse of Casey ducking down the alley by the office. Mary stops the work she's doing, putting nails in a board at her doorway, says she's been looking for JD. JD says did she hear that Buck's got to stay in there for two more days, two more days, Bryce has got his head up his --. He stops, apologizes to Billy. Mary asks if JD would be interested in working for her. Casey can be seen at the edge of the building. JD says a job, here at the paper, why him. Billy says because Casey asked his ma to ask him. Casey ducks away as JD turns to look, JD looks back, asks Billy what else she said. Mary says Casey might have said a little something, but she does need the help, her printing press has a mind of its own, and would JD just think about it. He's not paying attention, says think about what, she says the job. He says yeah, he'll give it some thought, thanks for the offer. As he walks away, Mary tells Billy that was supposed to be a secret.
Mary goes back to her hammering, hits her finger, Bryce comes up and offers to help her, takes the hammer, asks Billy for a nail. As he goes to pound it in, Mary says she's glad he stopped by, she wonders if he'd consent to an interview for her paper, perhaps talk about his plans for the town. He says how charming of her to ask. She says quite frankly, the town is concerned, people are worried that some of his methods might not work there. He says, people, well, let's dispel their rumors, shall they talk over dinner tonight? She says that's fine. Billy breaks the mood, asking Mary when Chris is coming back.
Purgatory. Chris is sitting outside the cantina, staring at the street, a saloon girl comes out, they make eye contact. In a room, private, she says so, cowboy, what can she do for him. He says she can start by not calling him cowboy, his name's Chris, what's hers. She says Amora. He says no, her real name. She says Maria. He says well, Maria, what he wants her to do, she might not never done before. She says he'd be surprised. He says it could be dangerous. She says she likes him, keep talking. He stands up, says that six months ago he killed a man that used to spend a lot of time at the cantina, name of Cletus Fowler, does she know him? She asks why he's so interested in a dead man. He says he wants to find the man who hired him to kill his wife and son. She looks more serious, asks if he'll pay her to do this. He holds up coins, we hear them clink into her hand. She says she'll ask for him. As he goes to leave, she stops him, asks if he's sure there's nothing else she can do for him, and he grins at her.
At the James ranch, they're sitting down to a meal on the veranda, Royal is talking, saying that fires happen all the time in this area, if that town burns down, Main street turn back into a cattle trail. James says if they get caught with a match in their hand, it'll bring the Army down on them. Royal says that's why Earl will see it all through, they don't touch a stick, their names are never mentioned. James says he doesn't fancy the blood of women and children on his hands. Earl says they'll herd them all out of town before they torch it, unless they give them grief, job like this calls for a lot of hired guns, they don't come cheap. James asks if he thinks he can pull it off. Earl asks if he's heard of a town called Whitcoff, James says no, Earl says exactly, that was his last job, nice little town, once.
The artillery wagon. The thief is leaning against a wagon wheel, asleep. Stones drop on his hat, waking him, when he looks up, there's Vin, sitting and grinning at him, saying howdy. Thief picks up his rifle, cocks it. Vin asks him if he's looking for these, meaning the shells in his hand, which he drops on the ground. Getting down to stand in front of the thief, Vin says the sergeant needs his wagon back, why doesn't he make it easy on the both of them and -- but the man turns and runs. Vin starts after him, says aw, hell, so much for easy.
In town, Mary and Bryce are in the saloon, seated at a table. She tells him it seems his methods are very thorough, please go on. He says he likes to learn as much about a place as he can before he arrives, for instance, her. He knows all about her and her husband, it must have been very hard losing him at such a young age and in such a violent manner. She says it was, on both Billy and her. He says that Billy seems to be coming out of it all right, he's a bright boy. Mary thanks him, he goes on, he's always thought that motherhood was the most important job a woman could do, it's unfortunate that some, such as she, are forced to do a man's work. She says she enjoys working. He says that's the spirit, and it's good to keep her hands busy till she remarries. Remarry, she says. He knew several widows back east who did the same thing by joining the temperance league, a righteous cause, although sometimes their activism went to their heads. Mary is looking at him more and more incredulously as he talks. He says he even heard one of them equate the issue of temperance with women's votes, which he finds terribly amusing. Really, Mary says, so let's see if she understands him, he doesn't think women should work, vote or drink. He says it's a matter of priorities. She stops the bartender, who is just walking by carrying a whiskey bottle. She grabs the bottle, tells Bryce here's what she thinks of his priorities and she takes a drink straight from the bottle, then stares at him. He gets the point and stands up to leave.
At the James ranch, Royal is telling James that they've got 25 men and 100 guns
Buck comes rushing out of the jail, calls to JD, says they should get the hell out of this town and away from him. JD says he's with Buck, just give him a minute to tell Mary he's quitting. Buck grabs the newspaperman's hat off JD's head, tells him to get rid of the hat and hurry back because he's not waiting. As Buck turns to walk away, Millie grabs him by the coat lapels, pulls him into the alley, slams him up against the wall, peels back his jacked, his suspenders, starts on his shirt buttons, telling him how foolish she's been saving herself, life is so fleeting, at any moment so much can be taken away. He says doesn't she think they should go somewhere and talk about it, she says now, Buck, launches herself at him, he says wait, wait, okay, they move toward the ground, and of course Bryce comes to the corner just as this happens.
Buck is thrown in jail again, protesting that you just don't do that to a man, dammit. JD gives up on Buck, jumps on his horse, says see you to Mary. She says it's a great job, just give it some time. He sighs, says he's a gunslinger, not an inkslinger. He looks at the sun, around the town, asks her can she tell him which way is Texas. She points east out of town, he says he'll see her.
As JD rides out, Earl and his gang ride in from the other direction. She heads into the jail, tells Bryce there's trouble, about 20 gunmen coming into town. He picks up a shotgun, she says one shotgun isn't going to stop them. He says he doesn't have any choice. Buck calls to Bryce to let him help, Bryce ignores him, Buck tells him he's in the west now, those men will shoot him where he stands, now give himself half a chance and let Buck back him up. Bryce says that giving a prisoner a gun is not only against the law, it's against his principles.
Bryce walks out to the middle of the street, shotgun in hand, facing the incoming riders. He tells them he's got a longstanding policy, no guns within city limits, he'll have their guns, please.
Inside, Buck is asking Mary what Bryce is doing, telling her to keep looking for the keys at the same time. She can't find the keys, says Bryce must have them. Buck paces the jail, says Bryce is a stupid fool.
Outside, Bryce tells the gunmen they have twenty-four hours to comply. Earl says how about they just give him the bullets, pulls his gun and shoots Bryce. As falls, Bryce gets off his shots, manages to get one of the gunmen. Earl shouts out that they're going to burn the town to the ground, and everybody should get out, every man, woman and child, and they have twenty-four hours to comply.
The town is a madhouse, glass breaking, shots heard, Earl is shouting to his men to take what they want, it all gets torched at sunrise. Mary is walking down the street as people rush to load wagons. She goes into the jail.
Inside, Bryce is still alive, on a cot in one of the cells. Buck is still locked up, asks what's going on out there. Mary says there's more coming every hour, they've even cut the telegraph wires, they have until morning before they burn the whole town. Buck says they're probably working for the cattle ranchers, the only ones with reason to see this place gone. Mary asks where the keys are. Buck says they took them, plus all the guns when they brought Bryce in there. Bryce rasps out to Mary that she should leave. Mary says she's not going to leave the two of them there. Buck says no offense, but she can't help them, and the last thing they need is her and Billy getting caught in a crossfire. She says Billy's with Mrs. Potter, they already left. She says they've got to find Chris, he went to Purgatory, right? Buck says they should have just named it hell and been over with it, she's not going to find anyone willing to ride in there. He can see she's made a decision, tries to call her back as she leaves the jail.
In Purgatory, Chris is sitting on a bench in front of the cantina. Maria comes up, sits in the chair across from him, tells him sorry, she's asked about the man, no one knows anything or maybe they won't say, either way, he's wasted his money. She gives him back the coins. He puts them back in her hands, tells her to keep it, she earned it. She kisses him, gets up and moves away. Coming down the street, we see Mary on a horse, accosted by locals. Chris sees this, gets up and goes to her, pushing them away. He asks her what she's doing there. She says help her down, she's shaking so bad she can't move. He does, she tells him he's got to come back, all hell's broken loose. He nods.
In town, people are still loading frantically. In the jail, Bryce is still alive, says Mary was right, he's a fool. Buck says he's got more guts than they can pin on a fence, and they're probably going to pin a medal on him. We hear JD at the cell window, calling to Buck. Buck tells Bryce to hold on. He climbs on the cot to look out the window, sees JD in a big sombrero, says he's never been so happy to see anyone in his life. JD says he got halfway out of town and he heard all the gunfire. Buck tells him he's got to go find the others, got to bring them back now. JD says he ain't no kid has to run for his big brothers, he can handle this, wait there. Buck tells him not to be a hero, but JD has that cocky look about him. Bryce chooses that moment to expire.
Vin is next to the wagon, Chris and Mary come riding up, Chris says he's been looking for him, there's bad trouble in town. Vin asks how bad, Chris says him and Vin won't be enough. Mary says she'll stay with the wagon, Vin asks if she's sure, she says she'll be fine. Vin and Chris ride off.
At the reservation, Chris and Vin come in, find Nathan in the process of pulling a tooth. He says he doesn't suppose they came to get a tooth pulled. Chris says the town's in trouble. Nathan asks if this is the same town that's got Bryce. Vin says and a whole lot of other people who need their help. Nathan says it's always good to be needed. Vin asks where Josiah is. Nathan points up a hill, says somewhere up yonder. Chris points as he sees him.
Josiah is sitting on a rock, praying, come on Lord, know you're out there, give me a sign now, talk to me. A dog barks as Nathan, Chris and Vin ride up on Josiah. Josiah looks at the dog, then back at the sky, bet you thought that was funny. The dog jumps up on the rock next to Josiah, he asks what kind of a sign this is. Chris tells Josiah they need his help. Nathan says he thought he came up here to talk to God, not a dog. Vin asks any idea where Ezra slithered off to, Nathan says probably the nearest gambling hall, Chris says let's go get him. Josiah is strapping on his gun, looks at the dog, says God, dog, lord loves a riddle.
The four ride into the nearest town, only to see Ezra heading their way out of town, chased by a bunch of angry looking men on foot. Chris asks him where he's headed. Ezra says to look for them, of course. Nathan asks if that's tar on his face. Ezra says they really need to leave that municipality, now. Vin grins, asks if he made some new friends back there. Ezra says he neglected to abide by a fundamental tenet in his line of work: never gamble with an entire clan. The five turn and ride away, leaving the angry people behind.
It's night, and on the trail out of town, Mary is walking along against the direction of travel, asking about Billy. The wagon she was guarding for Vin is on that road, so the outbound towns folk pass her. The five ride up, Chris tells them to stay and get the guns unloaded, takes Vin with him into town. Nathan asks if the crates are full of guns, Ezra is opening one, says courtesy of the U.S. Army.
In town, Earl is yelling out that if folks are there when the sun rises, they'll burn down with the town, so let's get a move on. One of Earl's men is walking around carrying the ring of keys from the jail. He walks down an alley toward JD, who is wearing the big sombrero and a serape. JD calls to the man to help him with the barrel he's ostensibly loading. The man goes close, JD drops him with an uppercut, grabs the keys. As he starts out of the alley, two more of Earl's men come in, asking what's going on. They have their guns drawn. JD shows his guns, tells them they can put their guns down or he can put them in a pine box. As he draws, Chris and Vin cold cock the two gunmen from behind. JD looks mighty relieved as he thanks them. He pushes off the sombrero, his own bowler is underneath it. They peer out from the alley, Vin says they're outgunned at least five to one, JD says Buck's still in jail, they've got to get him out. Vin says let's go get him, they stand up, carry their guns and walk out as if they belong there.
In the jail, JD has the keys, goes to Buck's cell, tells him his hero has returned. Buck admonishes him, what did he tell him he almost got his fool head blown off. When Vin goes to unlock Bryce's cell, Buck stops him, tells him he's gone. They get their horses and ride back to where the artillery wagon and the towns folk are.
More crates are being opened, Nathan is saying all of them are the same, no guns, just a bunch of uniforms and this old cannon. Chris asks if there are any cannon balls, Ezra is playing with one, says that's it, just the one. They're all looking discouraged, JD asks Chris what they're going to do now, what the heck they're supposed to do with a bunch of uniforms. Nathan suggests using them for bandages. Josiah looks skyward and says that sense of humor again, and puts on one of the uniform caps. Chris looks at Josiah wearing the cap, then gets a big grin on his face. Grabs a uniform, throws it at JD, tells him to put it on. Throws uniforms at all of them, says to get the town folks into them, too. Buck and Vin start passing out uniforms, telling everybody to get into them. Ezra looks at his, says he never thought he'd wear the union blue, but he did always fancy being a colonel. Mary puts a cap on Billy, Buck helps Millie into a uniform, JD takes the officer hat away from Casey and gives her a cap.
In town, if possible, things are more frantic. A rider in sombrero and serape gallops through shouting 'hay viene los soldados, el ejercito, the army is coming' as he rides from one end of town to the other. Earl hears, shouts to his men to get the town burning now, get their torches, they move to comply. At the end of town, the alarm rider stops, pulls off sombrero and serape and it's Ezra with his union uniform underneath. Earl's men have lighted torches, are breaking windows and throwing the lit torches into buildings.
At the top of the ridge above town, our guys line up on horseback, wearing the uniforms. JD asks if they're going to buy this army thing, Josiah says he doubts it, Chris just yells let's ride. They head down the hill and toward town, Ezra meeting up with them on the road.
One of Earl's men is acting as lookout on the church, sees the people marching in, yells that the army's coming, many of Earl's men ride out, saying they didn't sign on to fight the army. Our guys ride in in a column of two, Chris calls a halt, and they spread out, seven abreast to face Earl and the remaining men. Earl looks at them for a long moment, says they aren't army. Guns are drawn, firefight ensues, our guys acquit themselves well, take cover in the right places, people grab buckets to put out the fires, most of Earl's men take cover in the bank. Ezra and Nathan aim the canon, Nathan asks if he's ever worked one of those before, Ezra says just swing it around. They get the cannon loaded, Ezra lights the fuse, shouts fire in the hole, the shot goes right into the bank with a much bigger explosion that one small cannonball should have provided.
Chris and Vin check the store, they got them, except for one last one that Vin shoots.
Later, as the towns people are cleaning things up, the grumpy shop keeper from early in the episode is thanking Chris and Vin, saying he's glad they were there, gives them cigars. Buck and Nathan are carrying lumber, Millie runs up to Buck, says that since they're all packed, her daddy decided they're moving back to Kansas. Buck drops his end of the lumber, she tells him she's going to miss him so much, and they kiss. As they keep kissing, Nathan gives up holding his end of the lumber, drops it too, and walks away.
Travis is back in town, meets Chris and Vin on the boardwalk, tells them all they'd say was that Earl hired them, might be all they know. Chris says he's got a hunch who's behind Earl. Travis says hunches don't get convictions in a court of law, it doesn't sit well with him either. He turns to watch them loading Bryce's coffin into a wagon. Too bad about marshal Bryce. JD asks if they're taking him home. Buck says he can't say much for his ways, but the man did have some grit. JD asks when they're going to send up another marshal. Travis says they're not. Ezra asks if they may assume he had something to do with that. Travis says damn right, he wired the railroad bureaucrats and told them he was done in the west, also told them he hired seven lawmen to look after their interests. Chris says he isn't working for the railroad. Buck says he's not wearing a badge, either. Travis says they don't have to, it's unofficial, the town needs them, just a little while longer. Ezra says perhaps if some sort of bonus was offered. Travis grins at that, says dollar a day plus room and board, same as before. Chris says well boys, what you say we head over to the saloon and ponder the judge's proposal. He grins at them all. Ezra says wonderful idea, Vin reckons he could use some pondering. They all get up and head over together, walking into camera as we...
...fade to black and roll closing credits.