The next day, Arthur was working hard lately. He done all of the chores, hunt deers and rabbits for Pearson, and bring in a decent amount of money in the money box outside of Dutch's tent. As he was resting near the campfire with John and Uncle, Susan walks up to him and Arthur noticed her approaching.
"Mr. Morgan," Susan told him. "Mr. Matthews gave me a message for you. He said whenever it's convenient, head on to Emerald Ranch. He'll find something too, he always does. Now you be well now, Mr. Morgan."
As she walks away, Arthur quickly stood up and walk up to the horses, Marcella was hitched next to Old Boy, he untethered her and mount up, and ride through the trees and into the wide-open area of New Hanover.
He eventually made it to Emerald Ranch, he saw Hosea talking to someone who he assumed to be the owner of the ranch, so he rides up to the nearby hitching post, hitches Marcella besides Silver Dollar. He walks over to them as they see Arthur walking by.
"Arthur," Hosea called him. "This is Seamus, he's our new partner."
Seamus is old, he wears a white shirt, black gloves, black pants, and dark shoes. And he is not the ranch's owner, just one of the ranch hands.
"I ain't no such thing," Seamus protested.
"Prospective new partner," Hosea corrected. "if he likes us."
"Liking ain't the problem," Seamus told him. "trusting is as I said, keep your voices down," Seamus whispered at the last sentence and stood up, making sure no one else overhears them. "I don't want my boss to hearing. This is a sideline."
"Course," Hosea agreed. "Look at us, honest as the day is long."
"Exactly," Seamus replied.
"I'll tell you what," Hosea told him. "let us prove ourselves."
But Arthur on the other hand was against this, he couldn't understand why Hosea would trust someone like Seamus. Risk of getting traced, let alone a witness.
"Prove ourselves?" Arthur complained pointing at Seamus. "To this clown? What you talking about?"
"Good day, Hosea, good luck with your business dealings," Seamus said.
As he was about to walk away, Hosea stopped him and proceeds to talk him out of it while Arthur took a seat on a bench and smoke a cigarette.
"Listen," Hosea convinced him. "he's rough and ready and quick with his tongue but I swear, you can trust him, and trust me."
"I'm an old man," Seamus whispered to him.
"You're not old, Seamus," Hosea tells him.
"I'm old enough," Seamus said. "and you why I ain't dead?" he asked him.
"You don't trust idiots," Hosea answered.
"Exactly," Seamus replied.
"We're not idiots," Hosea told him. "let us prove it to you."
Seamus was reluctant at first, but after a few seconds, he finally vented.
"Okay, I tell you what," Seamus answered.
"Arthur!" Hosea called him as Arthur dropped his cigarette and walk back to them to listen to Seamus.
"Old Bob Crawford and his boys just bought a beautiful stolen stagecoach from upstate," Seamus explained to them. "It's in their barn. Now you go get that," he paused and quickly huddled up with them both to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "and then we can work together."
"Who's old Bob Crawford?" Hosea asked him.
"An acquaintance of mine," Seamus replied.
"So you want us to take out your competition?" Hosea asked him.
"Well, he's not just an acquaintance," Seamus continued. "but a cousin, by marriage. I also want to see if you boys got what it takes. Now, you survive that."
"Where is he?" Hosea asked again.
"He's in a farmhouse just northwest of here, called Carmody Dell," Seamus explained to them. "It's just up the train tracks as you're heading up towards Fort Wallace. There's also some money in that house but that's your business, not mine but don't kill nobody. Folks know we ain't intimate no more and they'll know it was me."
"But, you're fine with us robbing your cousin?" Hosea questioned him.
"By marriage," Seamus corrected whispering. "and yes, I'd love it."
"You heard the man," Hosea told Arthur as they walk to their horses." let's go rob his cousin."
"By marriage," Seamus corrected again.
The two of them mount up their horses and proceed to ride away from Emerald Ranch.
"Lead the way," Hosea told him. "He said the place is just northwest of here."
"Me?" Arthur asked him.
"You're the one who's been out gallivanting around here," Hosea told him.
"That's what you called it," Arthur replied. "clearly you've recovered from your bear encounter."
So the two of them made their way to Carmody Dell, the wide-open space in New Hanover is beautiful scenery, it reminds them of New Austin. Oh, if only they can get past the Pinkertons, Blackwater and to the desert, they can feel the paradise laying on the desert once more. But thanks to their exposed scam and affiliations with Dutch, they're also Wanted for dead at New Austin. No point in going back there.
"Could have played that better, couldn't you?" Hosea told him, referring to his behavior to Seamus earlier.
"I thought you wanted me here to show some strong arm?" Arthur replied. "That's usually how it goes."
"Yes, but... you know how it this works," Hosea told him.
"Cmon, Hosea," Arthur complained. "that feller's a joke."
"And that's why he's perfect!" Hosea explained. "He won't cause us any problems. A safe spot to fence wagons and coaches, that's easy money for us."
"I guess you're right," Arthur replied dryly.
"Come on," Hosea told him. "It's not like he's asking us to rob a bank. If the two of us can't steal a stagecoach from Seamus' old crooked cousin by marriage, we should hang up our hats now."
So as they continued, riding their way to Carmody Dell, Arthur wanted to learn more about Emerald Ranch. Hosea explained the owner is nasty, Seamus and the other ranch hands were scared of him, the owner has a daughter and how they used to see her every day and now she never leaves the house. The ranch was once a saloon and a general store but it was closed and they all seemed to have a lot of money. Arthur kept this in mind if he ever decides to look into it more.
They eventually arrived after crossing the train tracks, they turned left to the grassy surface and into the trees, they stopped and dismount the horse.
"That must be the place up ahead. We should go on foot from here." Hosea told him.
So they slowly crouch to the big rock, providing cover from the house.
"There's the house," Hosea pointed out. "I see a barn at the back, stagecoach has to be in there."
After they approached the rock, they pull out their binoculars and survey the whole place. They zoomed in the windows to see if anyone's in there or not.
"Anyone around?" Arthur asked as he zooms in a little bit more.
"Yes," Hosea answered. After zooming in, he felt like it's time to make a play here now.
"Okay... I reckon we can do it now," Hosea said. "I'll head over, distract 'em by putting on a little show while you sneak into the house, find what you can, and get the stagecoach."
"Fair enough," Arthur replied as they put their binoculars down.
"Or wait until nightfall," Hosea continued. "Sneak in, then I'll get the coach. What do you think?"
Arthur thought for a moment, it wouldn't be wise to rob a house in broad daylight, so, blending in the dark works best.
He pulled out two cigarettes," Let's wait," he decided, giving one to Hosea.
So the both of them smoke their cigarettes while waiting for the right time to strike. Hopefully, Seamus was patient enough to see them back with the stagecoach no matter how long they took.
"Okay, let's go," Hosea told him, waking him up, seeing that it's already midnight.
"Sure," Arthur replied as they stood up and look at the house again, making sure if anyone there was asleep.
"You go into the house," Hosea ordered him. "I'll go find this wagon."
So as Hosea head into the barn, Arthur silently approached the house, as he stepped on the porch, he slowly opens the door, not surprised they didn't bother to lock them. He silently but quickly grabbed what he can find, he found an apple and carrot on the sink, a whiskey on the table, a cigarette card by the window. He opened a chest which is a clip of money which is $15 and jewelry.
He slowly opened the door to a bedroom where someone was asleep, he opened the chest by the bed, he got another piece of jewelry and some money over ten dollars. He opened up the drawers and found worth of pocket watches and more cigarettes. He opened up a cabinet and found Snake Oil, he slowly went out of the room and saw a chimney. He knew exactly where they hide a huge amount of money. He searched for something in the chimney and bring out a sack of over 100 dollars.
Damn, that clown ain't kidding, Arthur thought.
He slowly crept upstairs to another bedroom and found another man sleeping peacefully. He could have been Seamus' cousin by marriage.
So, this must be Old Bob Crawford, Arthur thought.
Not wanting to waste his time, Arthur checked the closet and the drawers for more money and pieces of jewelry. He opened the chest just by his bed and found another pile of cash. He checked the drawers to find a Gold Pocket Watch.
With the house looted, it was time to leave. Arthur silently sneaks his out of the house and once outside, he found Hosea waiting for him and the stagecoach was there as well.
"Get on dear boy," Hosea told him.
Arthur climbs up the coach and takes the reins, they ride away from the house, and the horses following them close behind.
"Nicely done, we got everything we needed," Hosea said.
"And I'm pretty sure they never knew I was there," Arthur added.
"Best way," Hosea agreed. "less problems the better now. Just need to get this back to Seamus in one piece and it's a good night's work."
After a minute, they finally returned to Emerald Ranch, Seamus opened up the barn, leading them in.
"Hello Seamus," Hosea greeted. "We met your cousins?"
"How was it?" Seamus asked him.
"Fine... nice people," Hosea replied.
They parked the stagecoach into the barn and hop out and exit the barn.
"Nice work, Hosea," Seamus told him.
"It was mostly Arthur," Hosea replied. "Like I said, course, but competent."
"Here," Seamus said, giving them the money. "If you find any other coaches that need selling, I'll see what I can offer you for them. But discreet, you know?"
"Of course," Hosea answered.
"Goodbye gentlemen," Seamus said, closing the barn doors.
"I'm heading back to camp, I think. You coming?" Hosea asked him.
Arthur quickly obliged so they mount up Marcella and Silver Dollar and ride their way back to camp.
They eventually made it back with John taking guard, Hosea telling him to go to sleep as they dismount and hitch their horses near the hitching post. Pearson has already cooked stew, so they each took a bowl of one and enjoyed their meal and after an hour listening to stories with the others near the campfire, they decided to call it a day and head to their respective tents.
As Arthur removed his boots and lay down on his bed, tomorrow is a new day, the money may be decent but they still need more for a fresh new start. So Arthur slowly closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.