Arthur's Redemption [Red Dead Redemption 2]

Chapter Six: Wagons and Trains

I don't know if I've helped anyone yet. Well, maybe in small ways. I gave Thomas Downes some money. I don't know exactly when Herr Strauss lent him cash, but now he should be able to pay him back or avoid a loan altogether.

Visited Rains Fall, too. Let him know that Cornwall was making a bid for his land. Let him know a lot, actually. I trust that he can keep what I said a secret, and perhaps help his people, too.

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The letter was waiting for him when he got back to camp, and he almost threw it away. Oh, Mary Linton. They were both such fools.

But he refused to let her brother Jaime hang around with a bunch of crazies, so he went. He rode into Valentine, and knocked on the door of Chadwick Farm.

Before, when he was still in love, before she wrote to him and said it was all over, he had been too blind to care that she was only using him.

"Why did you write, Mary?" he asked, after she talked about her husband's death, and there's the request. To go save her brother.

"So, I'm too rough to marry into your family, but it's okay to as me to help in saving your family," he said bitterly. It didn't matter that they loved each other, or that she still claimed to care for him. She shut that door the day she mailed him the ring back. And now, talking to Mary once again, Arthur could see that day coming.

Despite his best efforts, the kid still tried to run again. He knew he should have borrowed a faster horse. Dakota was strong, but didn't win too many races. Still, knowing what the kid was going to do helped him prepare, and he shot the gun out of Jaime's hand.

"Are you and Mary sweet on each other again?" the kid asked, but Arthur brushed the question off.

"Listen kid, your father is a coward, and a bully. You go make a life for yourself, figure out what makes you happy. Just steer clear of the turtles! You are better than that, kid!"

Mary shouted and hugged Jaime as soon as they arrived at the station, and he made a decision.

"Thank you, Arthur," she said, and she heads towards the train.

"Mary, wait," he said. He sighed, wondering if this was for the best, but in the end, it probably was. If he didn't do this now, she eventually would. "It was good seeing you, but… well, I think its about time we parted ways for good."

"Arthur-" she started, but he shook his head.

"It would never work, Mary. You don't want to be part of the life I lead, and I'm never going to happy in the one you want. In fact, as soon as I can, I plan to head back west. It's best we just say our goodbyes now."

Tears were forming in the corner of Mary's eyes, but she didn't deny the truth of his words. In fact, she reached into her bag and pulled out a small object, handing it to him. "Here," she said. "I suppose you should have this back, now." It was the ring he had given her. He never knew she had carried it on her person all these years.

"Goodbye, Mary," he said, for the last time.

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"What if we could force a train to stop," John said.

John did have a pretty good idea, Arthur thought. The train did stop, and they made off with a decent amount of money. A pity that the law showed up, and he never did learn how they knew about it.