Chapter 79: Arthur's Reflections
After a period of discussion, the meeting with Uncle was scheduled for noon the next day.
Arthur looked at the group with a face full of shock, thinking that the world must have gone crazy.
When Johnny and the other two left the hotel to head for the camp, Arthur mentioned he was going to the general store to buy a new set of clothes.
He told Kieran and Johnny to head back first.
Watching the two figures ride away, Arthur fell into deep thought.
"Could it be that my previous approach was truly wrong?"
"Is it really possible to solve the Gang's needs without needing to resort to violence?"
What he saw and heard today gave Arthur's heart a bit of a shock; he realized for the first time that using one's brains could actually solve many things he previously thought impossible.
On the other side, Kieran and Johnny were traveling along the road when they suddenly saw a gunfight happening ahead.
They saw three members of the ODriscoll Gang wearing green neckerchiefs attacking a Prison Wagon on horseback.
Just as Johnny was preparing to give them a quick end, something unexpected happened.
A young man was charging toward the two of them on a black Arabian Horse, shouting things about justice.
Johnny realized this was the same person he had seen in Valentine before.
Unlike before, this time he hadn't brought any Bodyguards, just a lone man and horse shouting at the front.
He hadn't expected the wealthy young master to have a side that sought to act as a hero.
Johnny watched everything unfolding before him with great interest, as if watching a play.
Suddenly,
An accident occurred; the Arabian Horse began to buck violently after hearing the gunshots, throwing the poor young master off hard.
This scene made Johnny think of something unpleasant.
But there was no time for much thought, because the young master's boot was caught in the stirrup; if he didn't get it out in time, he would be dragged to death by the horse.
Johnny signaled Kieran to dismount, then spurred his horse into a sudden burst of speed, charging forward.
After adjusting his angle, he focused and activated Dead Eye, firing two shots that snapped the stirrup straps, successfully rescuing the young master.
Meanwhile, the three ODriscolls, after killing one of the lawmen, began to taunt the last one.
When they saw gunshots coming from behind, they turned around, intending to silence the newcomers.
Seeing this, Kieran quickly drew his gun, found cover, and started shooting.
However, his terrible marksmanship meant the bullets flew off to who-knows-where almost immediately.
Johnny found a suitable angle and took all three down with headshots in three rounds.
He then loaded five fresh rounds into his revolver and slid it back into its holster.
Johnny signaled Kieran to check on the wealthy young master, then rode over to the Prison Wagon to see if the Lawman was still alive.
"You son of a bitch, why did you have to show up now!"
"You'd better lock me up for life, or I'll definitely come for you!"
The prisoner inside the wagon cursed Johnny incessantly, but Johnny didn't even look him in the eye.
Instead, he walked to the front of the wagon to check the Lawman's injuries.
Fortunately, only one Lawman had been killed, while the other had sustained only minor injuries.
Upon seeing that the newcomer was Johnny, who had made quite a name for himself that morning, the Lawman breathed a sigh of relief and quickly thanked him for saving his life.
After talking for a while, the man said he needed to return to Valentine first to report the death of his colleague.
So, with Johnny's help, he calmed the two Draft Horses, turned the wagon around, and headed back.
As he left, he mentioned that the next time they met, he would definitely treat Johnny to a grand meal.
Johnny agreed with a chuckle, then stood up to begin looting his spoils.
"Sir, are you the legendary American Gunslinger?"
The speaker was very excited, as if a modern-day fan seeing their idol.
Johnny signaled Kieran to go calm the horses of the three ODriscolls, then turned back and said:
"Me? No. In fact, among the many gunmen I know, my skills are just barely above the bottom. Not much better than that!"
Realizing he had finally found the target he was looking for, the man paused, stood up, and spoke with great passion:
"Hello, sir. Thank you very much for saving my life just now. Let me introduce myself: my name is Oliver Ogilvie, and I'm from England."
"My family sent our branch to America to develop business, but I'm not interested in that. I admire Robin Hood; I want to be someone who acts for justice like him!"
"I'm sure you must be such a person. Could we get to know each other?"
Johnny smiled, seeing how the man was stammering from nervousness. He responded calmly:
"Of course. But I'm just a passing Bounty Hunter. I'm usually very busy and likely won't have the time to live a Robin Hood-style life with you."
Johnny continued looting the spoils from the ground, ignoring the man for the moment.
He was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the three was quite well-dressed, wearing a brand-new yellow jacket.
It just had some blood splattered on it, but it should be wearable after a good cleaning.
So, he happily stripped the garment off.
To his even greater surprise, this seemed to be a minor leader of the ODriscoll Gang; he had a full eighty dollars on him, along with some valuable Belt Buckles, a Pocket Watch, and other items.
Tucked into his waist was a brand-new Schofield Revolver.
"All the gear and no idea!"
Johnny didn't hesitate to take everything he could carry, though he left the old clothes behind.
After all, he had a bit of money now and didn't need that many winter clothes.
Seeing this, Oliver's eyes darted around as he thought of something.
He immediately stepped forward and stated that if Johnny let him follow along for a few days to experience this kind of life, he would provide a generous reward.
The man reached into his suit and pulled out a bulging wallet.
He took out a business card and a photograph, then handed the entire remaining wallet to Johnny, saying:
"This is my reward for saving my life. I don't know what you like, but I think this money should be enough for you to buy whatever you'd like."
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