The Aftermath 5/5

The town meeting is still sitting in silence as Broder walks up and down the aisles. He asks if anyone has anything to say, but Doc Baker just hands him the newspaper. Reverend Alden asks if Broder's question has been answered. Broder calls the House of God a "house of liars". Reverend Alden seems unfazed by this, but Mr. Ford is about to crack. Jonathan notices this. When Mr. Ford stands up to tell Broder the truth, Garvey punches him out and says that he will claim the reward. Doc Baker tries to interject, but Garvey tells him to butt out. Jonathan tells Broder that they have Mary as a hostage, but Broder says that he'll do what he can. I think Broder has a glass eye.

Broder rings the church bell and assembles the posse. Jonathan tells Broder that the horses won't be necessary, but the leader tells him to shut up and take them to the hideout. Jonathan leads them over a hill to the old Taylor place. The posse moves their horses to the hill crest before dismounting. The posse surrounds the house and aim. Broder yells out a warning to the James boys that they need to come out of the house now or they will fire. Nice that they are trying to protect Mary. Just think of those savings, taxpayers! Meanwhile, Jonathan is shooing the horses away. Jonathan rejoins the men-folk and tells them that the horses are spooked and they need to get the posse wagons out of town. After a few moments, the shooting stops and the posse investigates the house. They quickly discover that this house was not the hideout. Wah wah.

Over at the actual hideout, Jonathan arrives with two horses for the James brothers. Jesse apologizes to Mary but she is unresponsive. Jonathan suggests that the boys leave town while the posse is preoccupied. They take his advice and leave. Charles thanks Jonathan.

Back in town, the posse is still trying to track down their horses. Jonathan walks into town with a horse and Broder is not amused. He pulls out a revolver and tells Jonathan that he "has plenty to answer for." Garvey, is all "what, me?" and tells Broder that he was chasing down the horses because they were spooked by the gunfire from earlier. Charles vouches for Jonathan. You know, it's a good thing Broder didn't ask why Mary was with Charles because that might have tipped him off that someone was at the hideout. As Broder mounts his horse and begins to depart, Jonathan asks if he caught the James brothers. Broder just gives him an icy stare and then the posse leaves.

At the next church service, Reverend Alden gives a sermon recapping the recent events. He meditates a bit on the blurred line of right and wrong and ultimately it is up to everyone to individually make peace with their conscience. We can see Mary contemplate this before she looks over at Bobby. She then voices over that, while the James brothers escaped that day never to be seen in Walnut Grove again, Bobby Ford met up with Jesse six years later. Jesse did not survive that encounter.