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Episode 23

Lars Wolf
May 25, 2021
4 min read

Updated: Jul 29, 2021

Millville, Arizona Territory

After his second bar incident in Watervale, Fancy Finley had a short conversation with the Trambley brothers who are looking for work. They are from Winnipeg and traveled to Arizona because the oldest of these three brothers, Ethan, had the opionion, it would be an area with a lot of undiscovered gold and silver ores. He read tons of articles and reports about the Comstock Lode in Viginia City and was totally obsessed with the idea of finding silver or gold.

It didn't work out. They didn't find anything and gave up pretty early.

The three brothers witnessed the bar fight between Spencer Price and Fancy Finley. They knew that they had to talk to Randolph McLaren, the owner of the the McLaren Mining company. They wanted to work for him and already knew, Finley is someone who has something to say.

When they talked in Watervale, Finley told them: "I got a job for you. Forget about mining. What we do, is bringing a lot of more money!"

Noah and Joshua, the other two brothers, would rather go back to Canada to their dad's farm and actually never really wanted to be here, but Ethan is their leader and they just did everything together.

Fancy Finley is now riding to Millville to meet Reason Bowers. Bowers is one of these guys, who are working for McLaren in his Black Diamond Mine. Finley wants to tell him, that the Trambley brothers participate. In addition to that, Finley is going to talk about his plans regarding Molinette's Poker tournament.

Vicente Cárdeñas is riding to Millville to meet Hanson and Oury there.

Together they want to ride to Benson. There will be a gathering of pretty much all important people of Cochise County.

The annual Poker tournament in Benson is calling. This is a festival and an opportunity for all participations with a lot of influence to talk about business interests and in general everything, what is going on in the county.

Mr. Molinette is inviding them in his Molinette Hotel. He is a pretty old and wealthy man, who never appeared personally during his famous Poker tournament, but he is always paying all the bills for everyone, who is on the guest list and, of course, he is going to pay out the prize.

John Hanson and Francis Oury left Charleston and now they arriving Millville, which is just on the other side of San Pedro River. They were talking to Charles Gifford, Bisbee's Major. He told Oury that he is on his side and so he will support him and whenever Oury needs help, he is welcome to contact Gifford.

Gifford told Oury to come to his ranch whenever he wants to and his friend Henry Chadwick, who has the biggest ranch in the county, is inviting Oury too.

Oury was hoping for support and he really felt, that he can trust Gifford and both are chasing the same thing: They wanna know what is happened during this stagecoach robbery.

Both riders are looking for Vicente Cárdeñas, who was not welcome at Giffords ranch, because he is Mexican.

They had to split the group and so Cárdeñas spent some time in Contention and tried to avaoid to generate buzz. Ulysses Stockwell has also been in Contention, Indian Charlie has been in Bisbee, Nigel Winterburn had a stay in Tombstone and was following Spencer Price to Watervale to protect him. They all want to meet in Benson and Auguste Deleacroix, who went to Willcox by train, will join the group later.

Cárdeñas did arrive in Millville and brought his horse to McKinney's stables.

Reason Bowers is also arriving. Oury is wondering why he is carrying an axe. His whole appereance makes him wonder, who this guy is.

Cárdeñas and Oury are happy to see each other again. Hanson is intruduced by Oury and Cárdeñas welcomes him. Oury and Hanson are telling the Mexican all details about their trip to Charles Gifford. The Mexican is pretty interested in all these news. He was not able to take part in it, because Gifford just don't want to talk to Mexicans, but Cárdeñas is proud, that Bisbee's major had some good words about him.

Hanson is going to follow Oury and Cárdeñas to Benson. They are going to stay over night in Millville and continue their ride tomorrow.

Reason Bowers is welcomed by Fancy Finley. Bowers is wondering, where the Trambley Brothers are. Finley recently told him, the Canadian brothers will be part of their group. Finley started to talk about a plan he created. A plan who has something to do with the poker tournament in Benson. What is included in his plan, Finley wanted to tell him in a more expanded way, so that Bowers had to come to Millville.

"The Trambley brothers are not ready yet, I guess." Finley is telling Bowers. "These are stupid idiots, but their appeareance is frighening for these folks, we attack. But in Benson we can't make misstakes. I wanna attack the money transport when it is picking up the money from the Colton & Pritley bank. There is not only the prize money Molinette is giving to the winner. He is making so much more money who he is getting from sponsors. This money is brought to Prescott by train. But I don't want to attack the train or rob it at the station! I want to humiliate these bastards. I want to do it directly in front of the street!"

Meanwhile Cárdeñas is still talking to Hanson and Oury., who continued to sit on their horses while the sun is setting.

The next moring. Hanson and Oury are sleeping in a bunk bed and going to wake up soon.

Bowers and Finley are leaving Millville. Finley saw Cárdeñas' horse at McKinney's stables and just took it to ride away.

A few moments later, Oury and Hanson are ready to start to ride to Benson. When they are leaving the Winter Wren Saloon, they see how Cárdeñas is having a discussion with Marshall Ned Bravin. The Mexiancan is angry, because his horse has been stolen.

Charlie McKinney is giving Cárdeñas a new horse and is telling him, that he doesn't have to pay for, but when he doesn't need it anymore, he want to have it back. "It is my best horse and I know you are going to need it. Take good care of it!", McKinney is telling Cárdeñas.