The Red Wolf ~ A Red Dead Redemption story

Chapter 46: Hosea Matthews

March 20th 1894

Many weeks had passed since Robert and John had their fight and like Mac had said. Things had changed a lot. The mood in camps whenever the pair were in camp was happier and calmer. In that time Hosea and Dutch were able to calm the pair down and they somewhat have ended the animosity between one another. Though no apology was made to one another, but that was better than one of them admitting their fault.

That was best to everyone as things were quiet from then on. Aside from when the Callander Boys and Bill had gotten into a drunk charade in town, whining up Miss Grimshaw. Dutch had his eyes on the railroad contract scam he was working with Arthur, John and Trelawny about it. Hosea meanwhile had a scam of his own with the mayor of city somewhere. Though he seemed to be working alone on it as everyone else had plans of their own.

Mary-Beth had even helped to calm the pair down as she helped each one to reveal their hostilities towards each other. Though the pair didn't talk once to each other unless it was about guard duty or bringing money in. Their face's had healed from all the bruising they gave each other with the help of Miss Grimshaw.

Today though, after he had finished chopping wood he decided to play some of his violin by the camps main fire. Using it he struck the bow over the violin gently as he played the tune of Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens.

Since Dutch was outside camp, he didn't have his usual gramophone playing so his violin wasn't drowning the mood. Everyone in camp seemed to be enjoying the music as he played the violin. He had an audience of the girls who were listening to the music as they sowed the clothes.

Abigail had seemed latched on him for a while. After the fight she had given him the cold shoulder though after she was filled in, she apologised and offered her "services" to him .Though as he knew her to had a few nights with John, Arthur, Dutch, Davey and Bill. He respectfully declined her offers, even though she had been very persuasive.

The girls and Copper enjoyed it as they sowed seemed in trance of the music as he continued to play. Soon as he had finished he had received a few claps from the girls

"Hmm, that rivals many choirs in Vienna Herr Reznov." An Austrian voice called.

"Thank you Herr Strauss, it was an Austrian musician in New York who got me into playing it. All credit goes to your people." Robert replied as he sat down and began to use his rosin on the strings on his instrument. Though as he was cleaning the strings Strauss just continued to talk pridefully.

"Yes, I assume that it's Mozart that took the inspiration. He was a magnificent musician for his time."

A pause in Strauss's speech made Robert look up as he saw Strauss holding a large note book. "So are you interested in any work?"

"Excuse me?" Robert asked, completely dumbfounded at that question. "Do you have any idea who your talking to?"

When Robert spent his first few days in the gang he was told of the people in the gang and when he heard of who Strauss was and what he did. He was distraught that the Gang was using a loan shark for making money. He remembered every time he had delivered money to the O'Driscolls and hated being looked down upon, disrespected and threatened into doing their dirty work.

Strauss seemed to quiver a bit as he shivered waving his hand out as he spluttered. "Yes, yes. I wasn't making a mockery of you sir. I can sincerely assure you of that. But even so, we need the money to keep us all fed Mister Reznov. Your hunting isn't gonna keep us going in the long run." He explained.

But Robert just scoffed, he knew he could survive without sharking. For he felt it was just an excuse to make money. And now he wondered why a man like him was in Dutch's gang, given that their morals were to help the poor and unfortunate, and yet they have a loan shark who preys on such people for business.