Plot summary
After Psalms suggests Cullen gets his family out of Cheyenne, Cullen finds the beaten Durant in the latter's railcar. Cullen stitches a laceration on Durant's head, then manages to get his signature on a blank railroad letterhead. Cullen advises Durant to not seek revenge for the beating. Cullen then gets Maggie Palmer to sign off on a loan for a steam shovel by producing Durant's signature for collateral. Durant meets with Campbell, who denies ordering Heckard's attack but says he will put Heckard on the next train out of town.
On the train, Durant sees Abby, who is returning to Boston because she still grieves for her father, Senator Metcalf. Durant lies to her, saying that he caused her father to commit suicide when Metcalf invested all his money in Durant's railroad. Heckard, who was thrown off the train, ostensibly on Durant's orders, is bludgeoned to death by Durant near the side of the tracks. Elam arrives in town, looking to sell the women as slaves. Campbell seeks to have marksmen kill the seemingly crazed Elam, but Cullen asks for some time to reason with his friend.
He reminds Elam of their friendship and history, but nothing can help Elam, not even Eva nor Psalms, neither of whom Elam recognizes. Cullen wrestles with Elam, and is forced to stab and shoot him. Cullen later digs Elam's grave alone, afterwards wailing in grief.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Hell on Wheels season 4. HTML formatting and reference markers removed.