[ Bonus Update Progress: 18/20]
Chapter 32: The Mysterious Woman
Johnny groaned inwardly:
'This Trade Mastery is a nightmare to grind—half a day and I've only pushed the bar ten dollars.'
With two swift strokes he wrote the consignee's name and address perfectly on the paper.
He exhaled, stood, tidied the scattered papers and turned to leave.
A voice stopped him.
'Sir, if I may—please wait. This may seem forward, but let me explain.
A few days ago a lady in a black tail-coat came asking about the hawkeye revolver you bought here last time.
Of course we respected your privacy and told her nothing.
She was persistent, though, and asked us to pass on a message: she'll pay handsomely for the gun.
Fifty dollars, she said, and she's open to negotiation if that doesn't suit.
So, sir—what do you say?'
Johnny frowned, thinking:
Does this woman already know what that Magical Item can do?
But that makes no sense; unless I give it freely, no one else can unlock its hidden perk.
Either she was the original owner wanting it back, or she's a collector with a taste for curiosities.
After a moment he nodded.
'All right. Tell her to write to me—Valentine, Johnny Euler, just like I put on that form.'
He walked out without looking back, leaving the clerk staring after him.
Outside he untied the reins and rode for Riggs Station.
Four days later
The trio reached the long-awaited sanctuary: Valentine. The air reeked of cow, horse and sheep dung, but it was bearable.
After The Great Glacier, you couldn't linger in the outhouse or you'd freeze solid and die the west's most pathetic death.
Sadie and Arthur gawked in every direction, delighted by their new home.
The town was far larger than in the game; a cattle hub with only a handful of shacks and pigpens would have been absurd.
Vast pastures surrounded them, stocked with high-yield local breeds.
Johnny told Sadie and Arthur to find a hotel while he headed for the Stable to buy his 'Ferrari' a bag of fresh carrots.
The owner had never seen a pink turkoman horse; his eyes glazed over.
'Mister, will you sell him? I've spent my life in this business and never seen a coat that rare.
I—I'll pay two hundred dollars for the lad.' He gazed at Johnny, pleading.
(Author-tweaked prices; by contrast the premium Arabian Horse in-game is 157.5 dollars.)
Johnny shook his head without hesitation. He liked the garish colour no better than before,
but had no intention of selling the animal he nicknamed 'Ferrari'.
His pockets already bulged with more than two thousand dollars; a few extra coins meant nothing.
Seeing no sale, the man brightened and suggested:
'How about new stirrups? Those look a mite small for your build.'
He pointed at Johnny's feet.
Won over by the owner's patter, Johnny chose a top-tier hooded stirrup and an oversized saddle-bag.
With the carrots the bill came to twenty dollars.
'Hey, little Johnny! What brings you here?' He turned to see the familiar Uncle, Arthur, and in the wagon the four girls—Mary-Beth, Karen, Tilly and Jenny.
They jumped down and hurried over, greeting him warmly.
Arthur smiled. 'Been hunting a Merchant to buy the leftover Gang horses.
You know how those useless nags eat money and tire the women out.'
'No luck so far, so I'm here to cheer the girls up. Any ideas?'
(Charles and Arthur handle the heavy work; before Kieran joined, the women and the preacher looked after the stock.)
Before Johnny could answer the girls swarmed him, chattering about Blackwater Town and any news of Mac.
Karen burned to ask about Sean yet feared bad tidings,
so shy Tilly did the asking while bold Karen stayed silent.
Uncle rescued him, proposing they find work now and swap stories back at camp.
'Come on, let's see the bright centre of civilisation,' he said, heading into town.
'What are we doing, Uncle?'
'What every self-respecting lunatic does: the women work and shop.
Arthur and young Johnny will help an old man buy tobacco and liquor—my lifeblood, you know.
Ladies, pretend this is Paris. Enjoy yourselves and meet us at the general store.'
They scattered: Karen slipped into an alley; Tilly loitered near the bank;
Jenny headed for the saloon to lift a purse; Mary-Beth visited a nearby house for information or valuables.
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