𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲 ↝ 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯

VIII

  Arthur's heavy boots are planted back onto the soil as he dismounts from his Missouri Fox Trotter, he hitches the mare up to the wooden hitching post right outside of camp. Arthur begins walking slowly up towards camp, beginning to smell what he hopes not to be dinner.

  Arthur takes out his cigarettes, lights one between his lips, and begins to smoke the tobacco as he strides towards the collection box. Arthur lifts up the tin lid, placing the few dollars he had taken from the general store's register along with an old silver pocket watch he had lifted from a gentleman's pocket. 

  The young man closes the lid back before making his way towards his tent.

  "Arthur," Dutch's voice calls, making Arthur turn to see Dutch sitting on a log just a little ways out of camp grounds. Dutch waves Arthur over once he sees he has the young man's attention.

  Arthur sighs slightly and makes his way towards Dutch. Pebbles crunch under Arthur's boots as he walks over a dry patch in the ground.

  "Productive day?" Dutch asks once Arthur is standing next to him.

Arthur places his foot on top of the log and rests his forearms on his knee before answering Dutch's question with a simple,  "Sure."

  "Any new leads?"

  "No, been a goddamn grocer boy past few days, remember?"

  Dutch slouches over, resting his elbow on his knee while he holds his cigar. Dutch brings the cigar to his lips inhaling the Cuban tobacco. 

  "Dutch, I been tellin' you from the beginnin' that this town's a waste of time."

  "And I'm starting to believe it... but I sent Daniel into town to do his own digging," Dutch's words make Arthur chuckle as Dutch continues, "Someone might be more keen on giving someone like him information instead of... well, you know."

  "Yeah, you might have sent him to town but he went straight to the bar lookin' for good comp'ny."

  "As long as he gets the job done, which, he always has... I could care less how he does it."

  Arthur shakes his head and throws his cigarette butt to the ground. It sometimes saddened Arthur of how differently he thought of Daniel now after everything they have been through together. Daniel was like a big annoying brother who always knew that he was better than everyone, which he was. Truth be told, Daniel was one of the smartest and sharpest men Arthur knew. If it wasn't for Daniel, Arthur would have surely been dead all those years ago... but sometimes it seems Arthur forgets that or just simply doesn't care.

  "You put a lot of faith into him."

  "You don't?"

  Arthur scoffs and begins to lightly laugh at Dutch's response. 

  "Well seein' how well Arizona went, no, I don't."

  "Isn't it about time you just learn to let it go?"

"Let it go? You saw what he did, Dutch... killin' Graham in the middle of the goddamn street without even givin' a reason, then them lawmen... he dragged every single one of us down with him."

"Arthur," Dutch starts and stands to his feet, he places a firm hand on Arthur's shoulder while his other hand holds his cigar, "There is gonna be some things that you won't understand. Now, what happened to Graham was unfortunate, but if Daniel thought for a split second he'd be putting anyone here at risk, he'd leave on his own terms."

  Arthur knew that Dutch was right. Anyone could say any bad rumor about Daniel and it would most likely be true, but nobody could ever say he didn't love each and every person in the gang.