After a full hour at New Austin, John returns to Bonnie's ranch to see what else Bonnie had in stores for him. He paid the stagecoach driver a few bucks after using it as transport to get back here. He strolled to the house and sees Bonnie sitting on a chair in her porch, reading a newspaper and looks up to see John as he walked towards her.
"Mr. Milton," Bonnie greeted and stood up from her seat. "I've been hearing about your plans."
That fact that Bonnie and everyone else called me Mr. Milton strongly reminded me a lot about that late Agent Moron, John thought.
"Have you, Miss MacFarlane?" John asked her.
"Yes," Bonnie replied. "From Leigh Johnson. To settle here and build a life for yourself."
"I'm afraid those aren't my plans," John told her. "You see, I already have a life. Well. I had one, and I tried to reclaim it. Or maybe, what you could say is that I had two and I'm trying to end one of them so the other can survive."
"You do so love to talking riddles, Mr. Milton," Bonnie said. "Do you do that… as a substitute for having anything interesting to say?"
"Probably, Miss Macfarlane," John answered.
Bonnie groaned and waves her arms up and sat back to her chair. "Call me Bonnie, you fool. Call me, Bonnie."
Sense that Bonnie has a thing for John ever since she met him; John decided that he should tell her that he can't be hers since he already has Abigail and his son, Jack.
"Miss Macfarlane," John told her. "I'm married. I have a son. I had a daughter but she died a long time ago. Years during that I rode with the gang. We robbed banks, trains, held people ransom. We killed people we didn't like. Bill Williamson is in that gang. Now, if I don't capture my former brother in arms, great harm will befall my family. Now I don't suppose any of this is interesting to you but, I hope it explains why I wasn't so eager to talk about it.
"No, I do understand," Bonnie replied, standing up from her chair. "I had no idea. You a poor man,"
"Even in this new country," John told her. "memories don't really fade, after my pa died, I was taken under a feller called Dutch and Hosea, unlike my real pa, they treated me as if they was raising me, they thought me things to survive the west, I met this feller who's been so close to me and when our gang was facing its final moments, he…. Died because of tuberculosis…I even took vengeance to some feller who was main parasite of the gang but unfortunately, that's what led me to the situation I was in right now. People don't forget. Nothing is forgiven."
"That's true," Bonnie replied. "Especially when it comes to accepting the fact that times are changing. And you know even now, after all his labors, my father's debts are still terrible. I worry everyday about us losing the ranch. It would kill him."
"My father died when I was 8," John continued. "His eyes were… well, let's just say he was blinded in a barfight south of Chicago. My mother died during childbirth. She was a prostitute and he was her, well I don't know what he was. Then I was sent off to an orphanage and ran away fell into the gang."
"My word," Bonnie replied. "What a difficult life you lived."
"Dutch, the leader of the gang taught me how to read," John continued explaining. "Taught me how to see all the good in the world. He was a great man. But also insane when he grows paranoid as time passes by."
"But you killed people?" Bonnie asked him.
"Sure and I've suffered for it," John responded. "And that's the life I left, or tried to leave. I've said too much, Bonnie. I'm an uneducated killer sent here to do all I can well, kill a man cold blooded so that another man may do his part to cut crime in an area, and rich man can be elected governor on the back these promises."
"Civilization is a truly beautiful thing, Mr. Milton," Bonnie told him. "Listen, can you help me?"
"Well, I can try," John replied. "What do you need? Money?"
"No," Bonnie protested. "Nothing so complicated, I need an extra hand to take the herd out to pasture."
"Sure," John agreed. "point me to the direction,"
Bonnie pointed to where the direction was as John comply and went to the horses.
And Arthur says I can't herd, John thought. He went to the horse and mounts the one on the left.
"Right," Bonnie said. "Are you ready to learn how to herd some cows?" Then Bonnie went to her horse and mount as they strolled through the ranch. "Thank you for tell me all back there. It must have been hard for you."
"I hope you understand now why I've been playing cards somewhat close to my chest," John replied as they passed by the general store.
"I didn't know you had a wife and two kids." Bonnie said. "Then again, I don't think I ever asked. They're lucky to have a man like you."
"I ain't so sure about that," John told her. "But thank you."
They drive to where all the cows holed up as one of the fellers opened up the gate for them.
"Howdy, Miss Macfarlane," One of them greeted her.
After gathering the cows, Bonnie leads them away as John stayed behind.
"Get behind the herd," Bonnie instructed. "That should get them started in the right direction, assuming they aren't put off by your smell!"
John carefully leads the herd on the way to the pen. Despite that he owns a ranch of his own, John was sloppy with herding since he never done herd in his whole life as Arthur said. But that doesn't mean he was discouraged though. As they get out, the cows scattered around the place.
"Drive them down the road, Mr. Milton," Bonnie ordered. "This way! We need to take them out of the pasture!"
"You got it, Bonnie," John replied.
Then John herd each and every one of the cows towards the pasture. Even though he has low experiences with herding, John had to be wised about and even made a mental note that he should learn how to herd. After herding them, the cows were rejoined together and out of the pasture.
"Get right of them, Mr. Milton, this way!" Bonnie told him and lead the cows to where's going.
John stayed behind to ensure the cows were following Bonnie on the way to the pasture. After leading them there, the cows scattered again.
"Alright," Bonnie told him. "let's move this large herd out of the pasture."
Then they both herd the cows on the way to the old rake tree.
"Sweep back and forth behind them," Bonnie ordered him. "Keep them nice and tight."
After a while, the cows were at the old rake tree as were moving around the area.
"You're not bad with the herd," Bonnie said amused. "Ranching might be your true calling, Mr. Milton. Either that or you were a cow in a past life."
"Thank you, Bonnie," John thanked.
"I'll see you later, I have work to do back at the ranch."
Then Bonnie took off with her horse and go back to her ranch. John looked back to the cows, still roaming around the area. He had learned on how herd after spending most of his time riding with Dutch back in the old days. So what John had to do is to take ride around New Austin and then later when back to her ranch for more work needed to be done.
Oh and by the way, if you're wondering why I didn't change the dialogue when John said he had a daughter is because she's already in it in, Red Dead Redemption 2 rewrite. So I want you all to stay tuned and stick around if you're looking forward to it.