roccoschili Chapter 114 Wade Thomas Joins the Dutton Family!
Chapter 114 Wade Thomas Joins the Dutton Family!
Chapter 114 Wade and Thomas Join the Dutton Family! (Reposting yesterday's 9 PM draft)
I want to settle down and build a house in Paradise Valley.
The first step is to have land!
The Homestead Act of 1862, signed by Lincoln, presented an opportunity: U.S. citizens aged 21 and over, or eligible foreigners, could apply for 160 acres of land in the West for a mere $10 processing fee. Cultivate it for five years, and the land is yours!
In the Dutton family, only three people meet the criteria: James, Margaret, and Claire.
"Can I apply for land in Galatin County?" Tom asked.
Everyone fell silent for a moment, exchanging glances.
Wade, who was busy with a steaming, freshly roasted beef bone (they were already tired of the bison meat), mumbled incoherently, "Bozeman just became a city, and they have a land office there. As far as I know, Galatin County is under Bozeman's jurisdiction!"
"What!" Tom looked up abruptly; the news was too sudden.
When they left, Postman didn't have this status.
"You mean, to apply for land, you can only go through Postman?"
"Yes, that's the only place!" Wade affirmed, his attention returning to the fragrant beef.
The news was like a stone thrown into water, but it wasn't entirely unacceptable.
Don't forget, Postman also has their "Dutton House" ranch!
Although I entrusted Dan to sell it when I left, I still have to go and check on the situation.
"When do we leave for Bozeman?"
Tom looked at his father, James. Only with the land deed in hand could they build the house with peace of mind; this was the most urgent matter.
"The sooner the better," James said in a deep voice.
"Then tomorrow!" Tom immediately decided.
James nodded in agreement.
Tom turned to Wade and Thomas, "What about you two? What are your plans?"
Wade chuckled, casually wiping his greasy hands on his clothes, and asked, "Tom, what are you planning to do?"
He wanted to weigh Tom's ambitions and see if they were worth betting on.
Tom understood.
These two old cowboys won't get on board easily without revealing their hand.
He raised his hand and pointed forcefully at the fertile valley beneath his feet: "See that? Paradise Valley! It doesn't belong to the Dutton family yet, but I'm telling you, this canyon will belong to the Dutton family in the future!"
His voice rose, his gaze sweeping intently across the distant rolling hills and boundless wilderness: "This is just the beginning! Look around Paradise Valley, how much unclaimed land is there? It will all become the Dutton family's ranch!"
Finally, he spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice low but thunderous, striking everyone's hearts: "We will build Montana's number one ranch!"
In an instant, the area around the campfire fell into dead silence.
James's eyes sharpened, Margaret held her breath, and even Wade, who was gnawing on a bone, stopped.
Everyone was stunned by the undeniable ambition in Tom's words.
The crackling of the campfire was exceptionally clear in the silence.
After a long silence, Tom's gentle voice broke it: "Alright, enough of that. Let's get back to something more immediate," he said, looking around at the vast canyon, "how many cows do you think could graze in such a large place? How many horses could roam freely?"
Before anyone could answer, Tom's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, locked onto Wade and Thomas's faces, his words cutting straight to the point: "We need people! We need real partners to join us in building Dutton's ranch on this land!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority: "And such partners are irreplaceable. Wade, Thomas, would you like to join the Dutton family?"
His gaze, frank and sincere, was like the cloudless sky of Montana, fixed directly on the two of them.
"God is my witness! Tom!" Cook Jonah kicked his chair aside and stood up abruptly, spitting excitedly. "How come I never knew you were such a smooth talker, and so ambitious?! Let's fight! I'll fight you to the end!"
His shout was like a stone thrown into water, instantly breaking the awkward silence between Wade and Thomas.
The two of them breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously.
Wade burst into a hearty laugh, slapping his thigh hard: "Hahaha! Jonah, didn't you bet on Tom eight hundred years ago? You've been sticking with him ever since the migration broke up!"
"And what about you, Wade?" Tom pressed closer, his eyes sharp as knives.
Time waits for no one, and the Dutton family has a mountain of things to do!
The shadow of approaching winter seemed to have already fallen on my heart.
The blizzard that nearly froze people to death last year still sends shivers down my spine when I think about it.
We must build a house that can withstand Montana's frigid cold before the first snow falls! And then there's the well, the livestock shed—the time and money needed to truly establish this new home are terrifying to even think about!
Fortunately, a sense of relief swept through Tom's heart.
They recently received a windfall, allowing them to fully utilize their talents.
"Tom, you know, as a cowboy..."
'
Wade's voice carried a touch of his usual nonchalance and unruliness, but he was interrupted before he could finish speaking.
"A cowboy?" Tom's eyes were sharp as an eagle's, his tone resolute. "You're still young, Wade! Do you really want to spend your whole life as a wandering cowboy, constantly on the lookout for work?"
He leaned forward slightly, his expression more serious than ever before. "And listen to me, the cowboy profession will soon disappear from this wilderness!"
"What!" Not only was Wade so shocked he almost jumped up, but even the silent crowd around him suddenly looked up, their faces full of disbelief.
Tom's words were like a thunderclap, exploding around the campfire.
Tom's voice was deep and powerful, as if declaring a cruel truth: "Look east! Trains carrying loads of cattle can reach Chicago in just a few days. Who needs cowboys driving herds for months? And look at the ranches, with barbed wire around the perimeter, the cattle and horses stay obediently inside the enclosures. There's no need for so many riders patrolling day and night anymore!"
He looked directly into Wade's somewhat wavering eyes and said, word by word, "Wade, times have changed! The old-school cowboy path is coming to an end!"
Wade's nonchalant smirk finally crumbled, and he stiffened his neck, trying to retort, "Well—well, I can always go be a cowboy on another ranch, right?"
Upon hearing this, Tom was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, his laughter carrying a knowing understanding of the world: "Hahaha! Other ranches? Fine! But there," his laughter abruptly stopped, his gaze piercing Wade's heart like a torch.
"Is Ennis, your brother who rolled through mud pits with you in blizzards and saved your life? Are your comrades, who measured the western wilderness with us for half a year with blood and sweat, sharing life and death?"
Silence. Suddenly, time seemed to stand still.
"Hahaha!" Wade's laughter was much heartier this time. He slapped his thigh hard, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes fading, leaving only determination: "You're right! Tom! I'm staying! This godforsaken place, with you guys, is better than anything!"
Upon hearing this answer, Tom's heart finally settled down, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
He went to great lengths to keep Wade, precisely because of the life-and-death experiences they shared over the past six months!
He understood Wade's temperament and knew that in this cruel western wilderness, a trustworthy partner was more precious than gold!
Especially for the Dutton family, who are newcomers and whose foundations are not yet solid, such old friends are truly invaluable foundations!