Who is Not Without Sin

The poker table at Flatneck Station

At the start of the chapter, at Horseshoe Overlook, Hosea tells Arthur that Swanson has found something at the train station by the lake. Arthur rides to Flatneck Station and opens the door of the main building. Swanson, very drunk, is playing poker with two men. He stands up: "Mr. Morgan. I took your advice, sir, I took your advice." Arthur answers: "Then your God has finally deserted you." Swanson explains that he has "removed" himself "from Morpheus' embrace", puts his hands on Arthur's shoulders and cries that he is free. Arthur tells him: "You don't seem free, friend. You seem drunk."

One of the players tells the reverend to sit down, since the game is not finished. Arthur answers that Swanson can hardly see, let alone reason, and asks the man whether he wants to step outside. Swanson calls the players "children of God", then collapses on the floor. The player suggests that Arthur play in his place.

If Arthur accepts, he sits down and the dealer introduces himself: "I'm Luther, this is Marvin." Marvin mocks the reverend and imitates him at the pulpit: "On the fourth day, he turned water into whiskey and I don't remember much after that." Arthur warns him: "He's a decent feller going through a bad time. Disrespect him again, and you'll find yourself in a bad time too." The game lasts until one of the men is out of money, until five hands have been played, or until Arthur leaves the table. Meanwhile, Swanson crawls out through the open door. If Arthur refuses to play, Swanson slips out in the same way. When Arthur turns to take him home, the reverend is gone.

The search

Arthur goes out and calls for Swanson. Behind the building, he asks two passers-by whether they have seen him; he can question them politely or threaten them. Either way, they point west. Asked politely, one of them says they "saw him... smelt him... and avoided him".

The fight

Swanson calls out: "Mr. Morgan! A hand here, please!" Arthur finds him in a scuffle with a stranger, who pushes the reverend away and turns on Arthur. Arthur tells him Swanson is with him, and the two men fight with their fists. Arthur can knock the man out or kill him.

The witness

A shepherd saw the fight: "Oh, my god. You killed him. I'm gonna get the law on you." He runs down the hill. Arthur chases him and stops him. He tells the man that he is dead if he tells anyone what he saw. The shepherd promises not to "tell a soul", and Arthur sends him away.

Bard's Crossing

Arthur then sees Swanson walking along Bard's Crossing, the railway bridge over the Dakota River. He shouts at him to get off the tracks and climbs up the slope to the bridge. Swanson has caught his foot in the track. Asked what he has done with it, he answers: "It appears to like this place and wants to stay." A train is coming from the west. Arthur tugs at the foot, calls for help, then frees it, and the two men throw themselves to the side just before the train passes.

Off the bridge, Swanson thanks him. Arthur pushes him to the ground. Swanson protests at being thrown off a bridge. Arthur shouts: "THERE WAS A GODDAMN TRAIN YOU CRAZY BASTARD!!!" Swanson breaks down: "Have I been bad again, Mr. Morgan? I'm sorry." He adds: "I wish I was different." Arthur pats him on the back and offers to take him home. Swanson says he could have tea with Margaret. Arthur asks who Margaret is; Swanson passes out before he can answer.

The ride back to camp

Arthur puts him on his horse and rides back to Horseshoe Overlook. On the way, Swanson mumbles: "One for the road?", "A flush of diamonds", "Kippers, please...", "Close the drapes..." and "Margaret...". Arthur tells him to shut up.

At camp, Arthur hitches his horse and carries Swanson to his tent. Molly O'Shea remarks: "I was wondering when he'd show up." If Arthur greets the others on the way, most of them comment. Dutch thanks Arthur and tells him to put "that fool" to bed. Abigail says Arthur has always had a soft spot for "that old fool", John that he is too easy on him, and Karen that the reverend needs to learn to hold his liquor.

Arthur drops Swanson onto his bed. Susan Grimshaw comes over and asks what happened. Arthur answers: "Just... the usual." Susan calls Swanson a "poor bastard", thanks Arthur and says she will keep an eye on him. Arthur walks away: "He was lucky this time. Real lucky."

Deaths

• The stranger who attacks Swanson, only if Arthur kills him.
• The shepherd, only if Arthur kills him after stopping him (see Choices and variants).

Playing poker or not

Arthur can accept or refuse Luther's offer. If he refuses, he says he has things to do and has to get Swanson out of there. If he plays, he can leave the table at any time; when he gets up, Luther calls him "one lucky son of a bitch". A player who runs out of money does not leave the table, as he would outside the mission. If Arthur points a weapon at the two men, they raise their hands and run away.

Asking the passers-by

With "question", Arthur asks politely and gets a mocking but helpful answer. With "demand", he threatens to shoot the man, who points west and calls him an "angry jackass".

The stranger and the shepherd

• If Arthur ignores the stranger, the man beats Swanson to death and the mission fails.
• Killing the stranger costs no honor; killing the shepherd does.
• Attacking the shepherd before, during or just after the fight, before catching him, makes Arthur wanted at once, brings a lawman and fails the mission. He can be killed after Arthur has stopped him.

After A Quiet Time

If A Quiet Time has already been played, Arthur says that seeing Swanson tangled up on the tracks reminds him of a similar drunken night with Lenny, and that he woke up at this same station, provided the player escaped the lawmen in that mission.

The ride back

• If Arthur fires a shot while Swanson is on the back of his horse, the reverend wakes up and asks what is going on.
• With Swanson on his horse, Arthur can ride into and around camp without being told to dismount.

Mission failure

The mission fails if the player:

• assaults, kills or abandons Swanson, or lets him be killed;
• lets the witness escape;
• kills or abandons his horse;
• dies.

• Now firstly, we ain't friends. Don't make no mistake on that subject.

  Arthur, to Luther, at the poker table

• Now reasoning ain't never been one of my strong points neither... but seeing I do just fine.

  Arthur, to Luther, at the poker table

• He can't be no real clergyman... he committed about five cardinal sins just in that chair you're sitting in.

  Marvin, to Arthur, during the game

• Oh, I'm surely a son of a bitch, but lucky? I ain't so sure.

  Arthur, as he leaves the table

• Come on, my friend... It's just a simple mistake... You can... still be... s-saved...

  Arthur, climbing up to the bridge

• Don't remember you ever carrying me home, Morgan.

  Bill Williamson, if Arthur greets him while carrying Swanson

• You better sleep your way to salvation, my friend.

  Arthur, dropping Swanson onto his bed

• In a camp encounter after the mission, Swanson gives Arthur a watch for saving him.
• Ambient challenges can be completed during mission replays: replaying this mission is one way to attempt the last Gambler Challenge, winning three hands of poker in a row.