Attending to Cy's wound, Doc Cochran chastises him for abrading it. Hearst has breakfast with Jarry. The Langrishe troupe rehashes the Amateur Night talent.

As Alma walks to the bank, a gun shot is fired in her direction. Swearengen and Utter rush to escort her to safety at the Gem. Al orders Utter to wire Bullock (gone to campaign in Sturgis), summons Trixie to watch over Alma, and dispatches Adams to guard the schoolhouse and Dority to fetch Mr. Ellsworth.

As Jarry wonders aloud about a world in which a woman is shot at, Hearst accuses him of hypothesizing about his role in the shooting. Jarry backtracks quickly, turning the conversation to their mutual interests in the upcoming election.

"Elections cannot inconvenience me," Hearst warns. "They ratify my will or I neuter them."

"The troops at Sturgis will await your instructions," Jarry assures him before taking his leave.

After wiring the Sheriff, Utter replaces Adams outside the schoolhouse, as Martha looks curious about the goings on that require her to be guarded.

Richardson comes to Al with a note pinned to him, from EB, asking what is going on. "Tell him nothing's going on." Al replies.

Al figures they'll hunker down 'til matters clarify. They talk at the Gem about options for hiring more guns. When Adams suggests Hawkeye could be trusted to hire more guns and lead them to camp, Al punches him. But knowing he's up against it, he gives in, agreeing, before deciding Mrs. Ellsworth should continue her walk to the bank - to confound Hearst.

Drinking with Trixie to calm her nerves, Alma breaks down. Al arrives with a tray of tea and suggests the shots were meant to frighten her - and incite Mr. Ellsworth or the Sheriff to violent retaliation. With this Alma agrees to complete her walk to the bank alone.

Jane and Joanie relieve Utter in front of the schoolhouse.

Dority finds Ellsworth, knocking him out and tying him up before he fills him in on the circumstances, knowing he'll react rashly.

Langrishe inquires at Shaunessey's for the "woman of exotic appearance" who performed at the Amateur Night. When he finds her, he learns she's followed him to Deadwood, desperate to train in his troupe. He offers to put her up at Shaunessey's, but she refuses, begging instead to be allowed to stay at the theater.

Alma assures Mr. Ellsworth she's alright, and begs him to let her walk to the bank alone. He acquiesces, reluctantly, and Alma ventures out along the thoroughfare. With everyone watching, including Hearst, she proceeds - unscathed - to the bank.

Hearst orders Barrett to read aloud a letter he has written and wants delivered to Swearengen. The note inquires as to whether they'd like Mrs. Ellsworth guarded at the bank in the Sheriff's absence.

Janine, a new girl, applies to Cy, who, being in a bad temperament, barks her welcome to the Bella Union.

Con Stapleton begs Claudia for another tryst. She stalls him, telling him to come back tomorrow.

Barrett delivers Hearst's note to Swearengen, and also confides he's not pleased with what happened to Turner — Hearst ordering Turner to draw out the fight with Dority, thus getting him killed. Al turns on Barrett, kicking and beating him in retaliation for Merrick, Wu, Alma, all of it. Barrett reveals that Hearst has sent for more guns, but the information is not sufficient to prevent his killing, as Al slits his throat.

Langrishe goes to Mary's room at the Grand Central to tell her that the young woman is going to live at the theater and study with the troupe, promising he's laid no carnal hand to her. "What does installing her accomplish, acknowledging me could not?" she retorts. He reminds her he never asked her to wait and she flares, as he departs.

Hearst busts in on Farnum in a rage, "I await an outcome and the readying for it wearies me!"

Al goes out on his balcony, calling out to Hearst on his verandah, wondering why Barrett hasn't returned to Hearst. "Jesus Christ Almighty, where do we find good help?" Al needles Hearst.

Langrishe informs the troupe that the new woman, "Joseanne," will be staying at the theater - as Mary checks out of the Grand Central.

Jane tells Joanie of a dream she had the night before, in which Charlie Utter tries to tell her something about the nights she feels she made mistakes. As Jane dissembles, she tells Joanie she knows she dreamt the dream because it was the night Joanie sent Mose to wake her from her drunken stupor...to walk the children to the new school. And before she went to sleep, Joanie kissed her. Listening to Jane's dream, Joanie kisses her again.

Martha Bullock serves Seth and Sol dinner. But Seth is struggling with his feelings of impotence, having been away on this day, and he struggles to join Sol in normal conversation.