Johnny squinted, trying hard to discern the familiar figure ahead.
As the distance grew shorter, he finally confirmed that he hadn't been mistaken; it was indeed the person he had thought of day and night.
So, he slowly tightened the reins in his hand, signaling the carriage to stop. At this moment, a myriad of words surged in his heart, yet they seemed to congeal in his throat, becoming pale and powerless.
Because no matter how many ornate words he used, it would be difficult to express the deep longing and concern he felt for that person.
At this moment, all those countless words finally condensed into one sentence: I don't often mention him, but I often miss him.
Just then, Jenny, who was sitting beside him, seemed to suddenly come to her senses. Her face filled with excitement and agitation, she loudly called out to the brawny man in front:
"Arthur! Arthur!" As she called out, she vigorously waved her hands, trying to attract his attention.
Meanwhile, Arthur, who had been focused on checking the snow-covered road sign ahead, heard the call from behind and couldn't help but turn his attention backward.
When he saw that familiar smiling face, a look of pleasant surprise instantly bloomed on his own face.
"Little Jenny! Oh, my goodness! I never expected to meet you here. We've been worried that those cunning Pinkerton Detectives had already caught you."
Before Arthur finished speaking, his gaze fell upon the tall figure standing beside Jenny.
The man in front of him was burly, even taller than himself. This was the first time Arthur had seen such a tall person on the land of America.
However, it didn't look like he was kidnapping Jenny; after all, he was driving nothing more than an ordinary cargo wagon, not a Bounty Hunter's carriage specifically used for detaining criminals.
Johnny saw their enthusiastic exchange and couldn't bear to interrupt, so he just watched silently from the side. After they finished speaking, he said to Arthur, "Hello, Mr., my name is Johnny Van der Linde. May I ask if you are Miss Kirk's family?"
Van der Linde? A thousand alpacas flashed through Arthur's mind. Could this really be God sending someone to save their Gang? Their leader was Dutch van der Linde, and when their Gang was in trouble, they met a kind-hearted young man named Johnny Van der Linde.
Many thoughts ran through his mind, but only one sentence came out: "Yes Uh Mr. Van der Linde, my name is Arthur Morgan. Miss Jenny is my family. Thank you for your help."
"Oh, Mr. Morgan, it seems like you're looking for something? Is there anything I can help with?" Johnny asked enthusiastically as he slowly drove the wagon closer to the other party.
Arthur seemed a little unaccustomed to the other party's enthusiasm, but he didn't think much of it and replied:
"My family is stranded here, and it's so cold now, yet we can't find shelter, food, or clothing. Mr. Van der Linde, can you tell me if there are any houses nearby that can protect us from the cold?"
Johnny's face lit up with joy; sure enough, he had made it in time. At this point, Arthur should still be desperately searching for the Clemens Point camp, which means the ODriscoll Gang members at Adler Ranch should be arriving soon. He immediately responded:
"Of course! Mr. Morgan, why not? It's no trouble at all. Drive left at the road sign ahead of you, cross a small stream, and you'll reach an abandoned camp. Members of the Skinners Gang used to live there. Later, for some unknown reason, they left."
(Online, the Clemens Point will have a boss from the Skinners Gang living there, along with maxim machine gun guards.)
Before Arthur could respond, Johnny spoke first, continuing, "It's like this, Mr. Morgan, I received reliable information that a large number of ODriscoll Gang members have arrived at The Great Glacier. My benefactors live on a farm not far to the northwest, and I'm afraid they might rob the farm.
So I must go to Adler Ranch immediately to save them. Can you help me?"
Arthur naturally agreed without hesitation. Why wouldn't he do something that both repaid a favor and struck a blow against the Odriscoll?
However, Arthur told Johnny that he and Jenny would first go back to tell his family where the houses were, and then he would catch up with Johnny.
Johnny, of course, did not doubt his integrity, handed Jenny over to him, and continued towards Adler Ranch.
Before long, he saw Arthur riding his black and white spotted horse quickly catching up from behind. The two rode one after another.
"Mr. Morgan, thank you very much for your help. We'll be there just over that small slope. We need to be vigilant now." Johnny tied his horse to a nearby tree while drawing the lemat revolver from his waist.
Arthur dismounted upon hearing this, tied his horse to a nearby tree, and quickly drew the cowboy revolver from his waist.
Johnny carefully scanned the bottom of the slope and, seeing that the sheep were still in the sheepfold, concluded that the ODriscoll Gang had not yet arrived. He quickly called Arthur and hurried down.
(Adler Ranch couldn't possibly have no livestock; otherwise, what would be the point of running it? Moreover, in the game, the stable only has one tennessee walker. The author is more inclined to believe that horse belongs to the Odriscoll minor leader in the house. After all, farm horses are usually sturdy draft horses.)
Johnny took a deep breath, then pushed open the heavy door with a forceful shove. With a creak, the door slowly opened. At this moment, the scene inside came into view - Sadie and Arthur were quietly sitting at the old wooden table, enjoying their dinner.
Upon hearing the door suddenly being pushed open, Sadie instantly tensed up, her hand unconsciously reaching for the double-barreled shotgun placed nearby. However, when she saw that the person who entered was Johnny, her tense body relaxed slightly.
But just then, Sadie noticed a burly man following behind Johnny. This strong man's eyes were full of danger, giving off a strong sense of oppression.
Sadie couldn't help but frown slightly, looking at Johnny in confusion and asking, "Johnny, why are you back so soon? And... who is this gentleman? Is he your friend?"
Johnny quickly entered the house and closed the door behind him. He first glanced at the burly man beside him, then smiled and explained to Sadie:
"Don't worry, Sadie, he is indeed my friend. I met him by chance on the way back." Then, Johnny paused and continued, "As for coming back so early, it's because I received important intelligence."
Afterward, Johnny recounted the entire sequence of events in detail.
Of course, regarding how he learned about the impending attack by the ODriscoll Gang, he deliberately lied, claiming he overheard it from someone while buying a revolver in the black market.
After speaking, Johnny observed Sadie and Arthur's reactions, secretly praying that they wouldn't notice any flaws in his story.
Mr. and Mrs. Adler were the type to rather believe than not believe such things, as two people who could survive in such a snowy mountain were not ordinary.
(It's just that in the storyline, it should have been a nighttime ambush, coupled with being outnumbered, which led to the subsequent events.)
Mr. and Mrs. Adler were quickly arming themselves with equipment. Arthur, standing beside them, subconsciously swallowed as he looked at the food on the table.
This subtle detail did not escape Johnny's keen eyes. After a brief thought, he quickly reached into his satchel with practiced ease.
Before long, he pulled out two cans of vegetables, a piece of dried salted meat, and a pot full of hot water, handing them all to Arthur.
"Mr. Morgan, you must be exhausted from your journey, right? Originally, I planned to prepare a lavish meal for you to express my gratitude for your righteous assistance.
But we simply don't have that much free time to bother with it right now. So, please accept these things for now and just fill your stomach a bit," Johnny said with a sincere smile.
Arthur, without a word, took the food and devoured it with the speed of a whirlwind. In the blink of an eye, the food was all gone.
Immediately afterward, he wiped his mouth and sat down with Johnny and the other two, discussing the specific strategy for ambushing the ODriscoll Gang.
At this moment, Johnny first re-holstered his pistol, then stood up and walked to the table, stopping. He then extended his right hand and raised an index finger, pointing straight towards the ceiling, and calmly said to the other three:
"Listen, everyone, I have a plan. First, we can find a clothes hanger at the second-floor window and hang it with various clothes, trying to make it look like someone is sitting there quietly reading a book.
As for Sadie, let her ambush near the doorway with that double-barreled shotgun. The moment anyone dares to step through the main door, immediately give them an unexpected 'door kill' without mercy!
Mr. Morgan and I will quietly hide in the nearby cowshed, remaining vigilant at all times, so we can rush out and attack whenever needed.
Finally, we need to trouble Arthur to make some noise inside the house to mislead the enemy into thinking everything is normal, thereby effectively lowering their guard."
Arthur heard him say a lot, but only one sentence remained in his mind: he had a plan. This made Arthur look dazed. However, seeing everyone start to act, he also opened the door and followed Johnny towards the small slope they had just come from.
The two of them together stored the wagon and horses from the slope in the stable to prevent the ODriscoll Gang from noticing any flaws. Then they hid in the cowshed, waiting for the enemy to come to their deaths.
It's worth mentioning that Sadie initially thought they should drive all the cattle and sheep outside into the stable, fearing that the gunfight would harm them. However, Arthur worried that the enemy would notice a flaw, so they didn't do so.