“I was wrong.”
Her throat tightened.
Cobb scoffed.
“Touching.”
Sadie turned back.
“Now railroad.”
Cobb’s mouth hardened.
“What do you want?”
Sadie thought.
All eyes.
This was where everyone expected answer based on anger.
Refuse sale.
Destroy Cobb.
Keep all.
Or sign and save town.
Sadie looked at Clara.
“What happens if I don’t sign?”
Clara answered honestly.
“Cobb’s bank notes likely default.”
“Mill may be seized.”
“Some seed liens affected.”
“Railroad may choose alternate route.”
“Town economy worsens.”
Cobb lifted hands as if vindicated.
Sadie asked:
“If I sign?”
“Right-of-way pays you.”
“Cobb has no automatic claim.”
Sadie looked at railroad representative? We haven't introduced. Could have him there. Perhaps a man near crowd raised hand: Mr. James Rourke from Northern Continental had arrived due dispute. Let's add.
A stranger in city coat stepped forward.
“Mrs. Holt.”
Everyone turned.
“I’m Charles Bell, Northern Continental survey office.”
Cobb paled further.
Bell continued.
“We were told Mayor Cobb represented your estate.”
“He doesn’t.”
“I understand.”
“Our offer remains if title verified.”
Sadie asked:
“Will railroad buy entire land?”
“No.”
“Sixty-foot corridor, grading easements, timber rights adjacent.”
“How much?”
“Twenty-eight thousand five hundred, with additional compensation based on harvested timber.”
Sadie looked around.
Twenty-eight thousand.
Town could change.
Or she could leave and never look back.
Her father wanted options.
Not sacrifice.
Sadie asked:
“Can payment be divided?”
Bell frowned.
“In what way?”
“Part to me.”
“Part directly into independent town relief trust not controlled by mayor.”
Cobb stepped.
“Sadie—”
She raised hand.
He stopped.
Clara smiled slowly.
Bell said:
“Yes.”
“With proper instruments.”
Sadie continued.
“Six thousand to relief trust.”
“Administered by three trustees elected publicly.”
“No Cobb.”
People murmured.
“Two thousand reserved seed and livestock replacement for widows and small farms.”
“Rest to me.”
Cobb stared.
“You’d keep twenty thousand while town starves?”
Sadie turned.
“I am giving eight thousand from land you stole.”
“That is more than anyone here ever gave me.”
Silence.
Then an old farmer shouted:
“She’s right.”
Another voice:
“Cobb said there was only four!”
Crowd turned.
Cobb realized ground gone.
He backed one step.
Sadie looked at Clara.
“Can I require railroad build a depot at Oak Haven?”
Bell immediately said:
“No.”
Sadie smiled.
“Can I require a freight siding?”
He hesitated.
“Possibly.”
Lucien’s mouth twitched.
She saw.
Sadie continued negotiating.
By sunset, not finalized but framework.
Right-of-way.
Freight siding.
Water access protections.
No seizure of spring.
Timber limits.
Relief trust.
Cobb was not part.
The county sheriff arrived from Bitterroot after Clara's telegraph? We can say next day. Cobb was formally investigated for forged deed and estate fraud.