If this were in the Central Plains, Dutch wouldn't say anything. But this is America; when you buy a ranch, the land is yours to do with as you please. It's a fixed asset, and there's no so-called land tax or property tax, so the bigger and more ranches you buy, the better.
Therefore, Dutch was not prepared to give up these two good locations at this cheapest time.
What's more, his goal was not just to build a ready-to-wear factory; he also planned to create a security company.
So, one ranch for each purpose works perfectly.
Hearing Dutch say he wanted to buy two ranches, Hosea did not object.
Everyone knew that the one hundred and fifty thousand dollars robbed in Blackwater Town had been brought out. It was just two ranches; if Dutch wanted to buy them, let him.
Anyway, these things are fixed assets.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bandel, the bank manager who overheard Dutch's words, was overjoyed.
"Mr. Arthur, dear Mr. Arthur, perhaps I could take you to see the two ranches? How about it?" Bandel's attitude instantly became more respectful than when he faced his own father.
"Alright, Mr. Bandel, let's go take a look then." Dutch nodded, standing up with Hosea.
A carriage hired by a bank specialist, along with a few horses, galloped towards the farms outside the city.
To ensure their safety, Mr. Bandel even brought along several bank security personnel for escort.
The distance between these two farms was not short; although in the game one could traverse the entire New Hanover in a day, in reality, the distance was extremely vast. It took at least a full day for Dutch and Hosea to roughly inspect the two ranches.
The condition of the two ranches was better than Dutch and Hosea had imagined; there were complete houses in the middle of both. Especially Hope's Dream, a medium-sized ranch located between Valentine and Strawberry, which even had a spacious main house, along with an adjacent livestock shed. At the very least, the gang could move in and live there directly now.
And while Dutch and Hosea were looking at the ranches, Arthur's love also reached its first endpoint.
"Sister! Sister!" Jimmy, Mary's younger brother, ran quickly towards Mary.
He had just been lectured by Arthur and was now exceptionally obedient.
"Oh, Jimmy! Jimmy! Come home! Please, your father has been so sad... Oh Arthur, thank you, Arthur! Oh, darling, let's go back!"
Mary happily looked left and right at Jimmy, then repeatedly expressed her gratitude to Arthur.
"It was good to see you, Mary." Arthur seemed a little reluctant to part, but still reached out to take the luggage Mary handed him, and followed them towards the train.
Arthur was anxious inside, looking at Mary's retreating figure, wanting to call out to her, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.
This true man was exceptionally reserved when it came to matters of the heart.
Finally, under Arthur's anxiety and indecision, Mary and Jimmy finally boarded the train.
It wasn't until then that Mary's figure suddenly paused, then she slowly turned around.
Looking at Arthur who was following behind her, Mary hesitated, then opened her mouth and said, "Arthur, you... never mind, you'll never change..."
Arthur felt extremely distressed. Looking at the train about to depart, his inner anxiety and hesitation were finally completely overwhelmed by his urgent feelings.
"Mary, no, no... please be well, okay? Dutch, Dutch said we're changing professions, we're not outlaws anymore, I... I want to ask you, can we still...?
Oh, that person is dead too, you see, I'm single again... Perhaps..." Arthur stammered, becoming more hesitant and timid with each word.
Hearing Arthur's words, Mary's eyes widened sharply.
"Arthur, is what you're saying true?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the train started moving.
Watching the train start, Mary anxiously clung to the edge of the carriage, poking her head out slightly, and hurriedly said, "Oh, Arthur, I need to go back and settle Jimmy first. Shall we keep in touch by letter? Arthur, you know, I also...
Oh, Arthur, please give me a definite answer, okay? I really, really need it!"
Mary's voice faded as the train moved further away, but the urgency and eagerness in her words made Arthur's heart leap.
"Mary, I'll write to you!" Arthur jogged a few steps, shouted twice, then slowly stopped, watching the train disappear into the distance.
But this time, his heart was not as hopeless as it had been in the game.
Instead, a new kind of anticipation arose within him.
Perhaps, perhaps he and Mary really did have a chance!
Arthur's heart was burning, truly burning!
The charm of his first love was driving him crazy.
He slowly calmed his inner fervor, then rode his horse back to the camp.
Dutch had already said they were going to Saint Denis tomorrow, so he couldn't linger outside any longer.
Of course, he also wanted to immediately write to Mary to report that their gang was preparing to change professions.
Perhaps Mary could also participate and become a true family member with everyone...
"Hey... ha..."
Arthur rode his horse, running and laughing, for no apparent reason.
---
It wasn't until past nine in the evening that Dutch and Hosea officially returned to Valentine.
"Mr. Bandel, thank you for your hospitality today. Here are five hundred dollars, which should suffice as our reservation. However, our remaining funds will have to wait until tomorrow to be settled. Of course, Mr. John will also bring our young lady tomorrow to sign the relevant contract. It was a pleasure doing business, Mr. Bandel."
Dutch, on horseback, took off his hat and bowed to Bandel, expressing his gentlemanly thanks.
Bandel was beaming with joy, repeatedly raising his hat and bowing.
"Hahahaha, Mr. Arthur, it was a pleasure doing business, sir! Oh, esteemed sir, I will be waiting for your visit at the bank first thing in the morning!"
"Very good, sir!" Dutch waved his hat in acknowledgment, then rode back towards the camp with Hosea.
They had spent the entire day looking, and now it was time to return to the camp to arrange the next steps.
"Dutch, we haven't secured a source for the machinery our factory needs. Is it really a good idea to go to Saint Denis now? Can those, those feminist ladies really trust us?" Hosea asked with some concern.
"Hosea, you don't need to worry about that, partner. As long as we concede some profit, those feminist ladies will arrange all the connections for us!
The only thing we need to do is, when we meet them tomorrow, use my heartfelt sincerity to move their cold hearts."
"Oh, I hope you don't move the ladies into bed, Dutch. Hahahaha."
"Sh*t! Hosea, you damn bastard, Miss O'Shea will shoot you!"
Their voices faded into the distance, the moonlight stretching long, smoothing out their figures.