As Sean took the still-warm paper package, his mind flashed through memories of the girl.
Lucy. The youngest daughter of the old carpenter, she was the most tender part of Jack's physical memory. They grew up playing by the White Water River, catching fish, and hiding in the hay stacks during harvest festivals. Throughout Jack's decade-long legal career, filled with mockery and failures, only Lucy would sit in his leaky office, listening intently as he recited those dry case law precedents. If there was any lingering attachment Jack held to this world, it was probably that childhood friend's simple words: "I believe in you."
"Brother Jack, you looked downright terrifying just now—like you were about to send someone to the guillotine," Lucy said, patsing her chest. When she saw Sean take the cornbread, a bright smile lit up his face. "You haven't been out for a week. Boss Nate's tough talk, but he's been peering under your window several times a day. And the sheriff's been having a headache lately..."
"What's the headache?" Sean asked casually, taking large bites of the sweet and fluffy cornbread to replenish his depleted energy.
"It's all about Smith the miner in the west and Matthew the railroad builder in the east," Lucy said with a smirk, leaning in as if sharing a juicy tale. "Smith's crew claimed Matthew's shack crossed the boundary, encroaching on his mine entrance. Matthew countered that it was state-owned wasteland, backed by his official road permit. Yesterday, the two sides clashed at the tavern entrance. The sheriff locked them all in the dungeon—though there were only two cells—and the two gangs were still spitting at each other through the iron bars."
Sean's chewing motion suddenly stopped.
In this era of legal chaos, conflicts between mining magnates and railway tycoons often escalate into large-scale violence, with astronomical litigation costs or private mediation fees as a result.
"Lucy, you mentioned earlier... the railroad company has state government approval?" Sean's eyes suddenly turned sharp, and that commanding presence from top Manhattan law firms reemerged.
"True enough, Matthew always waves around a red-stamped document, but Smith says it's just a piece of paper under the mining laws here," Lucy continued, still unaware of Sean's change. "With no judge willing to travel this far for three acres of land, the matter has now hit a dead end."
Sean's mind instantly recalled the 1866 Mining Act amendments he had unearthed from old documents the previous night, along with the countless classic cases of' right-of-way and mining royalty' he had handled in modern practice.
In an era when the law was still in its infancy, this 'gray area' posed a challenge for the mediocre Jack, but for Sean Woz, it was a gold mine waiting to be tapped!
All he needed was a legitimate pretext to make these two wealthy local tycoons hand over their cash.
"Right-of-way approvals, mining pit privileges, cadastral overlaps..." Sean's pupils constricted with excitement as these terms automatically wove into a perfect predatory web in his mind.
"Lucy! You are my lucky star!"
Shawn burst into laughter. As Lucy stared in shock, he stepped forward, pressed her shoulders, and kissed her delicate cheek passionately.
Oh no! Jack! Lucy's face turned beet red, and she nearly dropped her basket of vegetables from embarrassment.
Wait for me! I'll buy you the most expensive lace dress in all of New York!
Without time to explain, Sean was swept away by a gold rush-like euphoria that sent him flying like an arrow. He stuffed the remaining cornbread into his mouth and, without even glancing back at the stunned girl who stood frozen in shame, sprinted toward the dilapidated office.
He doesn't need to ask Boss Nate to keep the accounts.
If his plan succeeds, he'll not only redeem the three sheep but also buy the town's finest horse. With enough travel funds, he'll head to New York's real arena to knock on Eve Sorenson's door.