Chapter 134: The Light in Arthur’s Eyes
Arthur didn’t really want to mention running into Davey when he got back to camp.
With the Callander brothers gone—and John, Uncle, Abigail, and Little Jackie leaving as well—the atmosphere in the gang had grown… delicate.
“Davey, that traitor—why should we need his approval?”
“Listen, Arthur. Maybe those bonds look like a pile of greenbacks to you, but this is a bank we’re talking about. It’s worth no less than those bonds.”
“We need Davey to sell the bonds, sure—but robbing a bank? We can do that ourselves.”
Bill barked, his voice carrying the frustration he still held over the Callander brothers.
It made sense—back when the Callanders were still around, most of the men in camp had been pushed around by them at least once.
Bill’s outburst drew attention across the camp, and Dutch walked over.
“Oh? What’s this I hear—news about Davey?”
“Did you run into him, Arthur? You never mentioned that to me,” Dutch asked as he approached.
Loyal as ever, Bill immediately relayed everything.
“Dutch, that traitor Davey—he’s in Rhodes right now. Arthur told us.”
“We’re planning to rob the Valentine Bank, and Arthur says we need Davey’s approval. Isn’t that a joke?”
“Maybe before heading to Valentine, we should go pay Davey a visit and see what he’s plotting in Rhodes.”
“What do you think, Dutch?”
Bill was wound up, dredging up memories he’d rather forget.
But Dutch, at this point in time, still had a clear enough head not to let Bill’s words rile him.
“Listen, Bill. Don’t go picking at Davey. He’s my son too.”
“He hasn’t betrayed me, has he? He’s still doing what he can to help—like with those bearer bonds.”
“Maybe you should ask Davey about the Valentine Bank. He’s in Valentine, yes, but the bank doesn’t belong to him.”
Dutch stepped beside Arthur, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“Arthur, my boy, there’s no need to hide things from me. Right?”
“Just like I said before—I don’t hold grudges against Davey, Mac, or John.”
“I know about Abigail. Even Uncle talked to me before he left.”
“Hosea was right. We need to leave ourselves a way out. You understand, Arthur?”
Hearing that, Arthur’s eyes seemed to brighten.
This was the Dutch he believed in. He felt ashamed for ever doubting him.
“Sorry, Dutch. I thought… you’d be upset because of Davey, so…”
Dutch smiled. “It’s alright, Arthur. People make the wrong assumptions sometimes. Even you aren’t exempt, are you?”
“Alright, Bill—enough with the word ‘traitor.’ No one here is a traitor.”
Dutch was radiating confidence. The plan in Rhodes was going smoothly, with even Hosea supporting him fully.
And he knew Arthur’s importance. Right now, Arthur was the gang’s core strength.
As for Davey… Dutch resented him deeply, but he would never show it. There was no point.
And Bill—well, Dutch didn’t have to think too hard about him; Bill’s usefulness had limits.
Arthur was clearly moved. Whatever doubts he’d had about Dutch’s plans evaporated on the spot.
With Dutch’s approval, Arthur saddled up and rode toward Rhodes to find Davey.
...
Back at Dutch’s tent, Micah Bell walked over.
“Dutch, Davey showing up in Rhodes right now—that’s not good news.”
“I’m worried he’ll interfere with our plans. Maybe we should press Arthur harder about why Davey came.”
“He’s too close to the Callander brothers. They could use him without him even realizing it.”
“The Callander brothers aren’t good men. If they hear about the gold in Rhodes, who wouldn’t want a piece of it, Dutch?”
“And from what I hear, they’ve recruited a lot of gunmen. They’re strong now.”
Dutch’s expression darkened. He took a slow drag from his cigar before answering.
“I’ll ask Arthur about Davey, but not now.”
“For the moment, let’s see if Davey opposes or agrees to robbing the Valentine Bank.”
“If he agrees, I’ll have Arthur bring him back to camp. We’ll ask him directly what he’s doing in Rhodes.”
“Don’t worry, Micah. I won’t let anyone ruin my plans—
not even the Callander brothers.”
“For now, we stay quiet. Keep our heads down.”
Despite Micah’s prodding, Dutch was still able to resist being swayed.
Of course, the Callanders’ own strength—and Dutch’s current influence—played a big part.
If Davey really intended to sabotage his plans, it would cause Dutch a lot of trouble.
At least for now, there was no reason to clash openly with Davey and his people.
Author's Note
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