Sheriff Robert Marshall is disturbed by the death of Timothy, a man he served with in the army. He approaches Billy Myers to ask if they found any marks on Timothy’s body, but he doesn’t explain why.
Martha Myers is frustrated with the fact that she can’t find her missing cattle. She confronts Thomas Trafford and his men, but they claim to be following the law. Any unbranded cattle become property of the Stock Growers’ Association.
Trafford advises her to keep a lock on their gun box at home in case Timothy kills his wife, Billy. ..
Meanwhile, the sheriff learns that Mrs. Flynn had cow pox on her hand when she died. And when they dig up one of the bodies, they find it branded with the letter “B.” The sheriff wants to talk again with Billy–but it’s too late. ..
That night, Billy’s son discovers his dad’s body hanging, entrails hanging from his guts. The rider responsible rode away before he could glimpse who it is.
Cornelia arrives in Oklahoma to find a scientist shot. A Native American man tells her he wants nothing to do with her and drags him into his carriage. The man says the scientist encroached on land where he wasn’t supposed to be.
The family of six continues their journey, with a group of bushwhackers watching them from a cliff. They are considering attacking the group, but decide to wait for a better opportunity. ..
John finds a holster for the compass he gave to Cornelia. The Clarkes stole it from the Mennonites. Eli puts together that the Clarkes are hucksters: people who clean up after bushwhackers like Captain Clegg.
John lets other bushwhackers know that Clegg is dead. He is hopeful that he can get Eli to take her out. ..
Eli decides to take Cornelia’s money, leave, and track her down. He tells John he’s done enough to pay off his debt. But Katie disagrees; she shoots him with a dart, and he falls from his horse.
Cornelia returns to the farm earlier than she expected to, and learns about the troublesome nature of the Clarkes. Fearing Eli is in trouble, she rushes back to their farm.
When she returns, Eli is gone. She gets into an altercation with Katie, and ends up stabbing her in the gut. She then threatens John into giving her his money and telling her where Eli is.
Eli approaches a man and demands to know everything he knows about the massacre at Chalk River. Kills on Water introduces himself as a member of the organization and tells Eli that they were responsible for the deaths of many people.
The slow pace and convoluted set-up slightly bog down the drama of this episode, but several layers of intrigue elevate the suspense.
An anonymous battle has been declared in Hoxem. Thomas Trafford, a sly man, is likely the one behind Bill Myers’ death. He doesn’t like homesteaders encroaching on what he perceives as his territory and the entrails cut out of Myers’ stomach recalls the foetuses cut out from Trafford’s own cattle. One has to wonder when Trafford will get what’s coming to him- and whether he is, or is associated with, the Wyoming man responsible for the death of Cornelia’s son. ..
Cornelia is in a difficult position. She has John, but he may not be as loyal to her as she thinks. There are also dangers lurking for a woman alone in this land. ..
