America 1883: The Western Homeland

Chapter 159 Installment Payments for Selling the Gold Mine in Gold

He first weighed the gold bar in his rough fingers, feeling its heavy weight, and then scratched a clear mark on the touchstone.

Next, he took out several standard gold needles of different purities from another small bottle, drew another line next to them, and dripped acid on them.

He squinted, carefully comparing whether the color changes of the two scratches under the action of acid were consistent.

After confirming that the purity was correct, he placed the gold bars on a precision balance and carefully added or removed weights.

The brass balance eventually reached perfect balance, emitting a barely audible hum.

Thomas took each gold ingot that was being inspected, weighed it a second time on a large scale, and then placed it heavily into the oak safe they had brought with them.

The dull thuds echoed repeatedly in the silent room, striking a chord in everyone's hearts.

Time passed second by second, with only the sounds of metal clashing and people's heavy breathing.

Nick nervously puffed on his cigar, while Tom's gaze remained calm yet sharp.

When the last gold ingot was placed in the box, Zach locked the safe, and the heavy brass latch clicked shut.

He looked up at Tom and uttered two words briefly: "All done."

In an instant, all the tension in the room seemed to ease.

Nick let out a long sigh of relief, and a smile finally appeared on his face, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

Tom then slowly stood up, a polite smile on his face.

He extended his hand and shook hands with Nick.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Nick. Receipt." He tilted his head slightly towards Thomas.

Thomas immediately pulled out a pre-written receipt from his pocket and handed it over.

"Then we won't bother you any longer." Tom put on his hat, the low brim casting a shadow on his face and obscuring his eyes.

There were no small talk, no formalities.

Tom turned around, and behind him, Thomas and Zack, along with their men, carried the two chests containing nine thousand ounces of gold and weighing over five hundred pounds, walking steadily out.

The box was extremely heavy, but their steps did not falter at all.

The office door opened, letting in blinding sunlight.

The cowboys outside silently gathered, forming a tight guard formation, their eyes scanning every corner and window of the street with vigilance.

There were no words, only tacit actions and the restless snorting of the horses.

The box was securely fastened to the carriage.

Tom mounted his horse, glanced back one last time at Nick and his group standing at the warehouse entrance, and gave his horse a gentle kick to the belly.

The caravan began to move, heading out of town with the rolling of its wheels.

They received the money without missing a single penny.

The group steadily walked out of the edge of the Klaus mining town, leaving the noisy crowds and wooden buildings far behind.

The heavy packhorses snorted, and with each step, the two oak chests containing enormous amounts of gold weighed down the axles, causing them to groan under the strain.

Tom rode at the front of the group. He didn't look back, but his vision was spread out, taking in everything around him.

Does the wind carry unnatural bird calls? Are there any unexpected bright spots reflecting light on the distant hillside? Are there any hoofprints behind the sparse bushes by the roadside?

Thomas and Zach flanked the packhorses, while the rest of the cowboys formed a loose protective circle around the gold.

No one spoke; only the sounds of hooves, wheels, and the friction of leather harnesses mingled together, creating a monotonous and oppressive march.

Each person had their Winchester rifle pulled from its holster and laid horizontally on the forechest of the saddle, with their fingers resting on the guard, ensuring they could raise their gun and fire in the next second in any emergency.

This was a route they had planned beforehand, avoiding as many known bandit activity areas and canyon areas where ambushes were likely to occur.

But in this vast and savage land, no road is absolutely safe. Greedy eyes are everywhere.

The sun slowly sank in the west, casting their shadows longer and longer.

The temperature began to drop, and the evening breeze carried a chill, causing people's clothes to flutter.

"Tom, shall we camp on that leeward slope up ahead?" Thomas urged his horse a couple of steps closer and asked in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over a slightly sunken area of ​​terrain sheltered by rocks.

That was one of the few places in this open area that could offer some concealment and defense.

Tom followed his gaze, squinted for a moment to assess the situation, and nodded. "Okay. Arrange four shifts for night watch, two people per shift, with coverage in all directions. No big fires allowed, just some cold jerky will do."

The order was passed on silently.

The team moved with practiced ease, demonstrating a high degree of discipline.

The packhorses were led to a sheltered spot on the rocks to unload their loads, and the cowboys quickly and quietly cleared a small area of ​​camp, without making a sound.

The two men immediately picked up their rifles and climbed to the highest rock, lay down, and warily watched the fields gradually being swallowed by twilight in all directions.

The other two were responsible for taking care of the horses and ensuring they could recover their strength as quickly as possible.

Zack and another man carefully unloaded the two heavy boxes from the wagon and placed them in the very center of the camp, closest to Tom.

It is now the absolute core of the entire camp, and the epicenter of all risks.

Tom leaned against a cold rock, chewing on a piece of beef jerky that was as hard as wood.

His gaze swept over the men who were busy or on guard in the twilight, and finally landed on the box.

$186,030, which is equivalent to 9,000 ounces of gold.

This amount of money is enough to make countless people risk their lives for it.

He knew that Nick's quick payment wasn't necessarily out of good faith; perhaps it was also because he knew that safely bringing such a heavy load of gold out was itself a perilous undertaking.

This might even be part of the deal itself; if the Duttons aren't able to hold onto the gold and it gets stolen, then the next payment might not have to be made.

As night fell completely, the starry sky over the wilderness shone with an almost extravagant brilliance, yet it was also chillingly cold to the bone.

A few wolf howls echoed from afar, adding to the desolate and dangerous atmosphere.

The watchman stared intently, trying to adjust to the darkness, his ears straining for any unusual sound.

Tom wasn't really asleep; he was just dozing off with his eyes closed, his revolver lying beside him.

The night passed peacefully and uneventfully.

There were no robbers, and no accidents.

But as the first rays of dawn illuminated the eastern horizon, and the group silently packed their belongings once more, re-attaching their heavy fortune to the carriages, no one felt any relief.

Because they all know that the most dangerous sections of the road are often the closest to their homes.

The team set off again, more silent and more vigilant than yesterday.

Tom dispatched two of his best horsemen as scouts, who rode a mile ahead of the main force to scout the terrain and provide early warning.

Any suspicious sign would be relayed through gestures or mimicking bird calls.

suddenly!

A short, sharp screech came from the far distance ahead—a warning from the outpost! The sound came from a rocky slope on the right!