Subject:  Adam and Leah have to work out their differences, and there are those who want to make trouble for them as well as for the whole family. The trouble escalates with one problem after another.

rating = T   WC = 19,639

Leah Series:

One Step at a Time
One Step Back
One Plus One
Guilt Trap

One Step Back

Chapter 1

New Orleans, 1842:

“Adam, I don’t like this place. It’s too hot. Sometimes it’s even hard to breathe. I want to go home.”

“Pa said we’d be going home soon. He said that he’s gotten done what he set out to do and a few things more.”

“I want ta go home now.”

“Hoss, you have to be patient. I can’t take us home. Pa has to do that.”

“Those boys are mean to us here. I’m tired of sitting in the room all the time. Why can’t we go with Pa?”

Traveling with his two young sons, Ben Cartwright had gone to New Orleans to inform the widow of one of his hands of the man’s demise. The bounty of furs they had trapped that previous winter had been the other reason to come so far. Adam didn’t know what had happened, but instead of selling their furs and completing that errand so they could go home, they had stayed much longer than expected. He knew if they didn’t leave soon, they would have trouble getting home before the winter snows hit. There was still quite a bit of work to do on their new house, and he didn’t trust that the men they had hired would be satisfied to wait to see if they would return with money to pay the wages. They might just take the stock as payment and leave.

The other major problems as far as Adam was concerned was that they were forced to spend almost all of their time in the rooms their father had rented. For some reason, the boys who lived next door to the boardinghouse had taken a strong dislike to the two Cartwright boys. The bullies were older and there were three of them. Adam might have held his own against any one of them, but in protecting Hoss and taking on three of them, he had taken a few beatings. They weren’t serious except he was lectured by his father for fighting and threatened with punishment if it continued. The only solution left was to stay in their rooms whenever those boys were around. That was most of the time. Adam was told not to fight, but their father had come back on more than one occasion looking like he had been in some kind of altercation. He also smelled like a woman’s perfume sometimes. Adam wondered about that. His father had criticized the men who frequented the saloons at home and spent time with the women there. Adam wondered if, so far from home, his father had thought to do the same thing though.

Then one day, their father had brought them new clothes and had them clean up and dress as if for a formal occasion. Hoss had complained about the stiff new clothes and how uncomfortable they were. He calmed down though when their father had said it was only for that day because they were heading home as soon as he completed one thing. They packed their belongings and took them outside to a waiting carriage. It was only an hour later that they were introduced to Marie who was to be their new ‘mother’ according to their father. Hoss was happy because he was going home, and because he thought Marie was the reason for it, he instantly liked her. Adam was leery. It all seemed very strange to him, and because he had been working like a man for several years already, he didn’t think he needed a mother. He thought their family was fine as it was. It would take some time for him to accept Marie into the family.

As Ben left the city with his family and headed to Nevada, the father of the boys who had been tormenting Adam and Hoss was losing his job. He had been instructed by Marie’s former mother-in-law to harass the Cartwrights and get them to leave town. Now they were leaving but Marie was going with them to the safe haven of Nevada. The man lost his job, and with a bad reputation, lost any chance of getting another one in that city. He and his sons had to leave on foot slogging their way west and taking any job they could get so they could eat. The man imprinted on his sons the memories he had that said that all of his misfortune and theirs were the fault of Ben Cartwright and his sons. When he died, he did so with a curse on those three. His sons pledged then to exact revenge, but had no idea how they were going to do that, and in fact, had no idea where the Cartwrights were. They did manage to hook up with Quantrill’s Raiders in the War and learned a lot about raiding, killing, assaulting, bushwhacking, and committing mayhem. Escaping justice by fleeing west after the War, they continued to do what they found exciting and made a living doing what they had done for the Confederacy during the War.

Nevada, 1866:

“Adam, we’ve been at this for over an hour. You still think you can do it today? You’re just going to get a very sore arm.”

“Joe, I did it once. I can do it again.”

Suffering a traumatic brain injury nearly a year earlier, Adam had been lucky to get almost everything back although some things had taken a long time. It had been over six months before he could speak, and even then, it had been hesitant and with a stutter whenever he tried to talk fast. The one thing that was still a problem was his right arm and hand. He could write, ride, and shoot, but he could do nothing fast with that right hand. He practiced his draw and shooting almost every day much to his wife’s dismay. Leah was not comfortable with him wearing a pistol especially with his skills so diminished. His brothers and his father tried to get him to not wear his pistol when he was in town. Hoss was the most vehement about it.

“Adam, people knew how you could shoot. They were afraid of it, and there were never many who were willing to challenge you if it came to a gunfight. Some are bound to be thinking that maybe now that you can’t draw fast, maybe they could get even for grudges they still hold against ya.”

“I can still defend myself.”

“Maybe. You ain’t gonna know until you try. You can’t outdraw Joe now. Maybe you can’t even outdraw me or Pa. What if you can’t? How’s that gonna be for your wife? You think about that at all?”

“What’s it going to be like for her to have a husband who has to run from every challenge because he’s afraid?”

“Ain’t nothing wrong with being afraid when there’s a good reason to be. You ain’t got the fastdraw to back it up no more. And we’re not sure you could even hold your own in a fistfight. What if you’re too slow bringing up that fist? You think about that? You’re pretty darn good with words. Seems to me you oughta be thinking more on how you could use them better.”

Leah had been trying to convince him of the same but without luck. “How do you think it makes me feel to see you ride to town wearing that gunbelt like a gunfighter. It would be bad enough if you could still shoot like one, but you can’t.”

“I can still hit any target, moving or not.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve heard what Hoss and Joe have said to you. You are still a great shot and can hit any target you want, but your speed in doing that is very slow. Why are you still trying to be something you aren’t?”

Adam had no answer for her. He knew in his heart that he was trying to accept the change, but it was difficult to admit that he wasn’t the man he once had been. He didn’t know how to cope with that change, and everyone pressuring him to change only made him more stubborn about not changing. He had always been a man who could use intimidation when he needed it. There were few who would ever challenge him with a pistol, and only a few more willing to take a chance on his fists. Now he knew he had neither. That was an important part of himself that he had lost, but he felt that no one seemed to understand his loss. So he was still stubbornly trying to hang onto what he had lost. Leah had told him there was some hope that he could gradually regain his speed of movement but after so many months, he wasn’t sure that was true.

For Adam, there was another problem. He had promised Leah that she could continue her work after their marriage, and he had even encouraged it. But she had taken on a patient who had lost the use of his left arm in the War. He was staying at the ranch in the bunkhouse, and every day, Leah worked with him to try to get motion in his arm. She said that there was no reason for him not to gain full use of his arm, and that it was only inactivity that had created the problem.

“You had that arm in a sling for far too long.”

“Ma’am, that arm was swollen and blue after I got shot. My brothers found a doc who got the bullet out, but it hurt something fierce to move it.”

“Yes, I understand that, but by not using it, the muscles atrophied.”

“Huh?”

“The muscles got small and weak. Now we have to work them to make them stronger. When that happens, you will see progress happening faster and faster. It probably will be uncomfortable for a time, but there will be no real pain, just soreness.”

So everyday, in the morning and in the afternoon, Leah massaged the man’s arm and shoulder and stretched the muscles out and worked them. Adam found himself being very jealous of the attention the man got from his wife, and the physical nature of that attention. Each night in bed, he did his best to please his wife and reaffirm his love for her. Her willingness to reciprocate reassured him more than anything else that she loved him and no one else. The only time he was shaken a little was after two weeks of working with the man, Leah said she was so tired that she only wanted to sleep. Adam had said yes but snuggled into her back and wrapped his arm around her as he buried his face in her hair inhaling her scent. His body pressed up against hers and his arm wrapped around her was too much for Leah even though she was exhausted. She had turned to him and kissed him. That was all the invitation he needed. Reaching down, he had slid his hand beneath her gown and tugged it up until she helped remove it. He had kissed and touched her with all the gentleness he possessed although what he wanted most was to unleash his passions. Instead, they made slow, sensual love and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Both of them had learned not to discuss serious matters in bed. Time in bed was when they got to show love and affection to cement their relationship. However once they were out of bed and going about their day, there were a number of serious conversations between the two. They were doing what most couples did in that first year of marriage and learned about what the other wanted and needed. Then they had to find ways to work out compromises when those things were in conflict. One morning in early spring, Adam and Leah took a ride to check on possible sites for a home. They agreed on a site, but there were those two touchy topics that were the subject of most of their time to talk.

“I’m sorry. I guess when I thought of you continuing your work, I didn’t think about you rubbing your hands over another man.”

“You knew that almost all of my patients had been men. What did you think I would do?”

“Somehow I was thinking that you would work with women and children. Besides, I don’t like him. There’s something wrong about him, and he seems to stare at me every time he sees me.”

“It’s probably because you look at him like you would like to shoot him. Now, I could work with women and children but none have come to me for help. This man heard about my work when he was in town, and he came to see if I could help him. I can, so I am.”

Conceding that he didn’t have a very plausible reason to object, Adam accepted that she would continue to work with the man. “When will you be able to release him?”

“Soon. His arm is responding very well. It’s been over a year since he was hurt, but the muscles can still be manipulated. If he had waited another year, that arm might have been beyond my ability to help.”

“I’ve never been introduced to him. What’s his name?”

“He says his name is Jack, but I think that may be an alias. He has a bit of an unusual accent that I can’t place. Lots of men came out of the War with secrets. I think he has one, but as long as he behaves himself here, I see no reason to object.”

“He seems familiar to me like I should know him for some reason. Maybe that’s why I feel so unfriendly toward him. My memory is trying to warn me about him, but I can’t remember him or what he may have done.”

“Are you sure that’s it, or is it the animosity you have because I touch him twice a day?”

“I may be jealous, but that doesn’t affect my memory. Something is not right with that situation. That’s all I’m trying to say to you.”

“He said his brothers would be in town soon, and that they would have money to pay for his care. That should be within a few days. There are exercises he could do on his own. I could release him then if that made you feel better.”

“It would. Thank you.”

“Now, how about you telling me that you won’t wear your pistol to town.”

“I can’t do that.” Seeing the look of profound disappointment on Leah with that answer, Adam tried to come up with a way to have her accept him wearing the pistol whenever he was outside of the house. “I will try to figure out a way to be safer without giving it up entirely. Maybe if I wore it higher like Pa and Hoss it would be a signal that I don’t intend to get in a fight.”

“I’m scared seeing you go to town with that pistol. I’ve heard stories about the gunfights you’ve been in. What if someone challenges you now? You won’t be able to win. You could be killed. I don’t know what I would do if that happened.”

Stepping close to Leah as they stood on the site where their new home would be built, Adam pulled her into an embrace. “I won’t get killed. How about if I promise not to go to town alone? If Hoss goes with me, he won’t let me do anything stupid.”

“I’m not sure anyone could stop you if you decided to do something stupid.”

With a frown, Adam leaned back, and as he looked at her, he realized she was serious. “I promise to try not to do anything ‘stupid’ then.”

Leah knew those were the best promises that she could wrest from him. She had to be satisfied with them even if she wasn’t. She hoped that if they continued to have these discussions that eventually he would see the logic of her argument. She also knew though that being able to intimidate was part of Adam’s personality. He would have to find a different way of doing that before he would give up wearing his pistol rig to town. She hugged him and reluctantly told him that his promises were enough for the time being. She was fairly quiet as they rode back to the ranch house as she thought about how her life had changed and how her happiness was now inexorably bound up with Adam’s happiness and his life.

Chapter 2

The next morning, Hoss and Adam were hitching up the buckboard for a ride to town. They needed some supplies, and there were several errands they needed to do. Leah came out to say goodbye and was upset to see Adam wearing his gunbelt as he always had.

“You said that you would wear it higher so people would know you had no intention of using it.”

“It feels weird and wrong. I can try wearing it a bit higher, but not as high as Hoss or Pa. It’s just too strange.”

“Adam, I think you oughta do what you promised your wife. Sis, here, has a real good idea, and I’m guessing there might already be people in town who know you can’t draw like you used to.”

“Hoss, how would they know?”

“Cause you been practicing quite a bit, and anybody who’s watched you would know you ain’t fast like you used to be. In a saloon over a few drinks ifn somebody asks how you’re doing, it could come up with any one of the hands.”

“Well then I guess it’s up to you to make sure I don’t have to prove it to anyone.”

“Adam, that’s not being fair to Hoss. You’re trying to make him responsible for your behavior. It would be a lot better if you simply did as you promised you would.”

“I am. I promised not to go to town alone. I’m going with Hoss who is the best person to be with me. I promised not to do anything ‘stupid’ and will do my best to honor that promise. As for the gunbelt, I only said maybe. There was no promise involved.”

“That’s really going by the letter of our conversation and not the spirit of it.”

“I am a man of my word. I will do what I said I would do. Don’t try to make me feel guilty for not doing what you want me to do.” Leah turned and headed to the house with her back rigid and her walk stiff showing her displeasure. Adam watched her go but didn’t know what to say to improve the situation. All he could think to say was only going to make it worse.

“Older brother, I don’t think that was a smart way to handle that.”

“She’ll get over it.”

“Seems to me I heard you say that once before at least where a woman was concerned. Didn’t work out for you that time either.”

Adam frowned but said nothing. The two brothers worked silently then as Hoss let Adam have time to stew over what had happened. He hoped Adam would make that concession to Leah about the gunbelt. He did. As they were preparing to climb into the wagon for the ride to town, Adam pulled the gunbelt up higher on his hip and tightened it to keep it there. Hoss slapped him on the back before circling around to climb into the wagon on the other side. As they drove out of the yard, Adam looked at Hoss and spoke quietly.

“I’ll try it your way, but I’m making no promises.”

“Right. You just keep it that way for the rest of the day, and you’ll get used to it and have a lot friendlier reception when you go to bed tonight.”

“That’s not why I’m doing it.”

“Isn’t it?” Hoss looked at him with a grin.

Adam couldn’t help it. He grinned back. “Well, maybe a little.”

As the two brothers rode to town, they saw Jack riding in ahead of them. He must have taken a route going cross-country and got on the road ahead of them even though he had to have left after them. Both men watched him ride out of sight before saying anything.

“Adam, dontcha think there’s something familiar about that Jack?”

Surprised, Adam looked at Hoss. “I thought it was only me. I asked Pa, and he said Jack looked like any other drifter that we’ve seen since the War ended, but he looked familiar to me like I should know him.”

“Yeah, me too. I wonder where the two of us seen him before cause I’m sure I seen him before. He stares at me sometimes too like he’s trying to remember me. It ain’t a friendly look either. Wherever and whenever we seen him, I’d bet money that he was up to no good.”

“I have had the same impression. I try to remember, but nothing comes to mind. It must have been a long time ago. The name Jack doesn’t seem familiar though, but even Leah thinks his name is an alias. She thought he seemed nervous when he told her his name.”

“Lots of men are nervous around Leah. She’s a strong woman.”

“That’s true, but she’s used to that happening. For her to notice, it had to be unusual in her experience. Something isn’t right about the whole situation, but he’s going to be gone soon. Leah said that within a few days, he will probably be able to do the rest of the recovery on his own. Apparently he has brothers coming to town, and they will have the money to pay for his treatment. I don’t really care about the money. I would simply like to see him gone.”

“Leah needs to get paid though. People need to see her as a professional.”

“I know. I wish that wasn’t true, but it is. When we build a house, I’m thinking of building an extra building where she could have patients stay, and she could do her work with them there. That way we could keep our home and her work separate.”

“Yeah, it does seem odd to have Jack in the house every morning and afternoon. I could see where that would be extra odd ifn it was my wife who was seeing him there too.”

“She’s not ‘seeing him’. She’s treating him.”

“Sorry. I’ll be more careful what I say. I didn’t know you were so prickly about it. You jealous some?”

The refusal to answer was answer enough. Hoss talked about other things for the rest of the trip to town and then as they rode back home trying to keep the conversation light and to let Adam think through the things that were on his mind. While they were in town though, they had been the subject of conversation among Jack and his two brothers who had arrived in town.

“Orly, Tip, you see what I mean, don’t you. That’s the two who was in that boardinghouse in New Orleans. This has got to be the same family. I didn’t remember the names after all this time except for the last name, but when I was in the house one day, I saw these pictures on the old man’s desk, and I swear one of them was that witch who cost Pappy everything.”

“Jack, you mean the one who got Pappy fired and all?”

“Yes, and that Adam is that older one we called a mulatto because he was so dark, and that other one is the cochon all grown up and still so big.”

“What can we do about them?”

“For now, nothing. The mulatto’s wife is the one helping me with my arm. In a few days, she will be done or so she has told me. Then we can come up with a plan. First we will rob the bank as we planned, and then we will have money to do more. They are rich now so there will be much we can consider. We will talk more in the saloon. I am a thirsty man. But first, I will buy a gift for the woman. It will make the mulatto angry. An angry enemy is one who is not thinking well.”

The three brothers went to the saloon then and had some beer talking in French at times when they did not want to be overheard. By the end of the hours they spent together, they had the outlines of their plan and several days to think about it and work out the details. Late in the afternoon, Jack rode home knowing Leah would be upset that he missed his afternoon session, but he would be very apologetic and present her with the music box as a thank you as well as a token of his regret at having disappointed her.

It worked very much as Jack had predicted. Leah was upset that Jack had missed his scheduled afternoon session, but he had apologized saying he was sorry but had spent time with his brothers whom he had not seen for some time. Then he presented Leah with the music box. She said it was too much, but Jack could tell that she liked it and wanted to accept it. Adam had intervened then obviously jealous of Jack and the gesture. He told Jack that payment in money was preferred, and that Jack should give the music box to his girlfriend and not another man’s wife. Jack apologized again for causing trouble and left the couple to work things out between them knowing it would likely be an argument instead. It was.

“Adam, why shouldn’t I accept a gift from the man? He is grateful for my help and only wanted to acknowledge that.”

“Leah, that gift was inappropriate. A music box is the type of gift that a man gives to a woman he loves.”

“You’ve never given me a music box.”

Exasperated by that comment, Adam fumed for a moment. “You complain when I buy you things like that. You tell me not to be so extravagant, and that you prefer gifts that are more practical. Then this stranger gives you a music box, and that you think is appropriate and not extravagant. That’s a kick in the teeth to me.”

That made Leah pause. He was correct. She had wanted to accept a gift from Jack that she would have told Adam was extravagant. “I’m sorry. You were right. It was not a good idea for me to accept that gift, and it was inappropriate to accept such a gift from a patient. I should know better. I guess I’m glad you didn’t let me. It would have possibly given Jack the wrong idea.”

“You guess you are glad?”

“I am glad. Thank you. Is that enough, or do I have to apologize more.”

“Leah, no, I’m sorry. I guess my feelings were hurt, and I let that come out and shouldn’t have. Can we spend the rest of the evening pleasantly? I’ll be nice.”

“Oh, I have some idea of how you want to be nice.” She tried to look serious but couldn’t, and the grin won out. “I love you, and yes, let’s be ‘nice’ to each other. I won’t complain about any gift you give me now. I shouldn’t have ever done that. I guess it’s because it’s difficult for me to accept that I have so much now. A year ago, I was a struggling nurse hoping to find a way to make a living doing what I loved. Now I have a wonderful husband, a loving family, and I live in this big house. It’s difficult to get used to having so much when I never had enough before.”

Adam and Leah excelled at makeup lovemaking, but didn’t get the chance that night. About eight, there was a knock on the door and one of their neighbors was there asking for help.

“My boy hurt his leg something awful. Doc ain’t in town, and the note on his door says he ain’t likely back before tomorrow. My woman says you know how to do that doctoring stuff. Can you help us?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll follow you to your place as soon as I get my things together and someone gets the carriage hitched up for me to use.”

Adam stepped forward. “Sweetheart, I’ll do it. You get what you need, and I’ll meet you outside.”

“Adam, you don’t have to come with me.”

“It’s nearly dark, and you’re not familiar with all the roads around here. Besides, it’s night and you need someone along to protect you if there’s trouble.”

“Who’s going to bother me when I’m going to a neighbor, and with him no less?”

“Maybe not who but what. Wolves hunt at night, and you couldn’t outrun them in a carriage. I’m going, so you’re wasting time now. Get ready.”

Six hours later, Adam drove the carriage into the yard and helped his weary wife into the house before he took care of the horses. By the time he got to bed, Leah was already asleep. He slid in next to her for the few hours of sleep he was going to get that night as he had an appointment in Carson City the next day and wouldn’t be able to sleep in at all.

By the time Jack was in the house for his appointment the next morning, Adam was gone. Leah had been able to sleep an extra two hours but was still exhausted. Jack decided to press his point.

“You look mighty exhausted. I hope that the trouble I caused with a little gift didn’t cause so much trouble for you with your husband. I had no idea he was so jealous of me. I thought I had acted properly with you every moment.”

“Oh, Jack, don’t worry. It can make a wife feel secure knowing her husband guards her so well. But I’m tired because I got called out last evening to take care of a boy who mangled his arm. He should never have gone near a grinding mill at his age.”

“Sometimes folks have to work at a young age so the family can get by.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

“Yes, ma’am. My brothers and I been working about as long as we been walking. It’s the way of things for some families.”

“Perhaps you can work here when your arm is better. It must have been difficult to get work with only one functioning arm.”

“Yes, ma’am, it was, but I got my brothers. They help provide for me. I’m glad that now I’ll be able to work with them. We’ll get by. I don’t hardly see that your husband would let me work here seeing as how he feels about me. I’m sorry he doesn’t trust you none.”

Leah answered quickly but the thought stuck with her for the rest of the day. “Oh, he trusts me, but he worries about me. He’s being my protector.”

“Whatever you say, ma’am. You know him better than me.”

“Well, we’ve only been married a few months. There is still quite a bit I need to learn about him, but we are happy together. We’ll work things out.”

“I’m sure you will, ma’am. You seem real capable of doing anything you want to do. Seems like you must have been protecting yourself pretty well all these years when you wasn’t married.”

“Yes, I was, but that was in the city. I have little experience out here, and I have to rely on Adam and his family for advice and help.”

Thinking that he had sown enough seeds of doubt, Jack was quiet for the rest of the session and promised to be there on time for the afternoon session. He was smiling broadly by the time he left the house. Hoss saw him and had to wonder. It seemed that the man had an agenda, but Hoss couldn’t think of what it might be. He resolved to watch the man more closely and try to discover what he was trying to do for he seemed to be cunning and clever. The looks he gave to Adam and Hoss meant something if Hoss could only remember the reason that made him feel that way about Jack. He knew something important must have happened at some point with this man but couldn’t understand why he didn’t remember it if it was that important. He thought that Adam might remember before he did.

Chapter 3

“Today? We’re hitting the bank today?”

“Yes, Orly, we are. I heard Adam talking to his father about the huge shipment of money that came in yesterday. I was in the house paying for my treatment, and now we can get more money. Apparently tomorrow is the big payday at the mines. They get paid every two weeks so you can imagine how much money must be there. There’s got to be a thousand miners at least. At forty or fifty dollars a week, each one is getting eighty or a hundred dollars.”

“Dang, Jack, that means there could be a hundred thousand dollars or more in that bank.”

“Yes, now do you see why today is the day? This would be our biggest job by far. We could have enough to retire and never have to do this again. The three of us could live a long time and be very happy on seventy-five thousand dollars.”

“Jack, what do you mean seventy-five thousand?”

“Orly, I got a plan. Now, Tip, you been kinda quiet. You all right with me doing the planning and such?”

“Always am, Jack. I never can figure none of this out for myself. You just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

Tip had never been able to think much on his own ever since he got the chickenpox and it went to his brain. Tip had almost died, and when he woke up, it was like he was only partly there. He wasn’t smart at all, and he had to be told to do almost everything. Jack and Orly kept hoping that someday his mind would be all right again, but it never was. It was another thing they blamed on the Cartwrights. If they hadn’t been forced to travel like they did and live on others’ generosity, they wouldn’t have gotten the chickenpox, and Tip would still have an undamaged mind. Following their father’s lead, they blamed all of their troubles on the Cartwright clan headed by Ben, and now Jack had an idea of how to hurt the family and Ben especially by targeting Adam first. He knew from listening before he left the Ponderosa that Adam was supposed to be in Virginia City that day and in Carson City the day after. It was all coming together into a grand scheme. Jack was proud of what he had planned and smiled in anticipation of what he planned to accomplish in only one day. He knew that Adam couldn’t draw fast. He hoped to stage the robbery to use that to his advantage, but if that didn’t work out, he still had a plan for what to do in Carson City the next day.

Jack and Orly had stolen three horses from the Ponderosa that day and had them stashed several miles from town. Jack had taken one of Adam’s black handkerchiefs and dropped that in the grass where the horses were. They saddled the stolen horses with their saddles and rode horses and saddles rented from the livery stable back to town where Tip waited and watched. Their horses were in a livery stable in Carson City. They had brought them there one by one and would get them the same way so that no one there would see them as three men together.

“I saw him, Jack. That dark haired one you told me to watch was walking toward the bank. That little one he was with went in the opposite direction with a bunch of papers in his hands.”

“Good work, Tip. Now, you two ready? Now Orly, remember, you have to do all the talking in the bank. If I have to say anything, that Cartwright is bound to recognize my voice. Now I got all new clothes on but that won’t be enough if he hears me talk. You got that?” Tip and Orly nodded to both questions. They worked their way to an alley next to the bank where they had Tip hold the horses ready. With masks on, they quickly strode to the bank and inside. Adam was the only customer there at the time. Very quickly Orly ordered Adam and the bank president to turn to the wall and put their hands up above their heads against the wall. Surprisingly the two robbers did not take Adam’s pistol from him but instead one handed two large sacks to the clerk and ordered him to fill them. It didn’t take long, and the money was secured in the two large sacks. It was clear these men had done similar things before. They moved to the window at the side of the building and opened it tossing the sacks out first. One robber went first and secured the sacks to the horses. Then with a warning not to do anything or they would get shot, the other robber fled through the window. As soon as he did, Adam rushed to the front door of the bank and went to draw his pistol, but by the time it was in his hand, the robbers were too far away to shoot.

“Adam, why didn’t you shoot? You let them get away.”

Roy, Joe, and a number of others rushed up at that point. Many of them had the same question as the bank president. Adam was too embarrassed to reply. Roy asked him and the bank president to come to his office and make a statement to a deputy as he rounded up a posse and rode out after the bank robbers. Joe went with the posse as Adam walked to the sheriff’s office as requested. He wrote out what he remembered and handed it to the older deputy who read it back to him. The bank president had the same question he had earlier when the deputy read that last part of the statement.

“I drew my pistol but the three men were too far away to fire safely.”

“I don’t understand why you didn’t pull your pistol and shoot right away. You could have stopped them or at least one or two of them. The bank is ruined if they get away with that money. That was a fortune.”

“I know. I did the best I could do. The posse was right behind them. They should be able to catch them.”

Both the bank president and the deputy looked a bit skeptical but had nothing more to say. Out with the posse, Joe was facing a dilemma as well. They had tracked the men to the edge of the Ponderosa where they found three rented horses who had been released by the outlaws who obviously had stashed some horses there. With fresh horses and a head start, they were well ahead of the posse, but what made things difficult for Joe was that they headed directly onto Ponderosa land and rode through the area where they had just moved a herd up to the higher pastures. The ground had thousands of tracks and there was no possible way to track three horses through that mess. The posse had found a black handkerchief laying on the ground near where the horses were found. There was some grumbling in the posse at that discovery too. Sheriff Roy Coffee had to ask.

“Joe, doesn’t this handkerchief look a lot like the ones Adam uses most of the time?”

“Roy, it’s a handkerchief. There are probably thousands of them in use around here.”

“Yes, Joe, but this one is black. Most people have blue or red ones. Not many people have black ones.”

“Roy, if you’ve got something more to say, just spit it out.”

“Nothing right now, but I do have some questions for your brother.”

With that, Roy had turned the posse back toward town. He would have to send out wires in all directions and hope to get some help in apprehending the three robbers. He had little hope of success though. It appeared that the bank robbery was well planned and that the robbers had some inside information or they were incredibly lucky to hit the bank when it had the greatest possible amount of money. There was something suspicious about the whole thing, and most of the men in the posse were suspicious of one man. Adam was riding out of town when he met the posse returning. He was surprised by their early return and even more surprised by some of the comments made to him as the men passed. He waited silently until Joe or Roy could tell him why the men in the posse were so hostile.

“Adam, I gotta ask you a few questions and I need some real good answers. First off, is this your handkerchief?” He handed the black handkerchief over to Adam who examined it.

“It could be. I don’t mark them in any way, but it is the color I prefer. Why?”

“We found it where those robbers stashed some horses for their getaway. It was practically on the Ponderosa.”

“What are you saying? Do you think I had anything to do with this?”

“No, Adam, I don’t, but some of the men in the posse are mighty suspicious. They don’t know you as well as I do. The other problem of course is that you didn’t shoot at those robbers as they run off. Now I am wondering why that is.”

Looking at Joe, Adam dropped his head. This was one of those things he hated to admit to anyone. To have to use it to defend himself against such an outrageous suspicion made him even more upset. Joe knew he had to say something.

“Adam, if you don’t tell him, I will.”

“Tell me what? Now ifn you got a good explanation for that, I’d surely like to hear it.”

Adam clenched his jaw. He was angry. Joe blurted it out before Roy got upset too.

“Adam can’t draw fast any more. His right arm won’t let him. He’s been practicing for the last few months, but it’s no better.”

“Well, now, Adam, I can see how you wouldn’t rightly want people to know that, but in this situation, it’s important.”

“No. I didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s no reason I have to explain myself. You know I didn’t have anything to do with it, and that should be enough.”

“Legally, it is, but Adam do you really want that people in town might be thinking you did have something to do with this?”

“My true friends will know better, and my family already knows. What other people think is not important.”

“Well, now, I do disagree with ya there, but you’re right that you don’t have to say anything. This does look bad though if you don’t explain.” Silence was Roy’s answer. He knew that once Adam got stubborn, there was no moving him. “All right then, but you need to talk this over with your family and see if they think it doesn’t matter. I gotta get back now and send out some telegrams. Hopefully we’ll get some help in catching these men. If we don’t, there’s gonna be a lot of trouble in town. Miners not getting paid, and the bank going under most likely. That’s gonna hurt a lot more people including the Ponderosa if I got my facts straight.”

After Roy left, Joe explained that the robbers had seemed to know right where to go to mix their tracks in with Ponderosa cattle. “Not even Hoss could track three horses through that mess.”

“Maybe. Let’s go get him and take a look. With all three of us, we might find something. If we can track those men, it could help out a lot of people.”

“Yeah, the miners and the bank will be a lot happier, and it would clear your name too.”

“I wasn’t aware my name needed clearing.”

“You know what I mean. People are going to be talking especially after the posse men start talking. You might be in the clear with Roy and with the law, but there are a lot of people suspicious about you right now.”

There was more that Adam would have liked to say, but there was no point to it. Joe knew he had done nothing wrong. The people who were suspicious weren’t there and weren’t likely to listen anyway. He wheeled Sport to head for home as Joe kicked Cochise into a gallop. There weren’t that many hours of daylight left for tracking so they needed to hurry. Hoss did head out with them and eventually they found tracks. Unfortunately the tracks headed straight for the road to Carson City. There would be no way of distinguishing the robbers’ tracks from all of the others who had traveled on that road that day. As they sat on their horses looking at the road to Carson City, Hoss made an observation.

“Adam, don’t it seem like they went to some trouble to make it look like you was involved in this. Now who would know you so well and at the same time want to ruin you by doing that?”

Joe added in one more point. “And they’d have to be people willing to rob a bank too. Even most of the people who dislike one or more of us are law abiding citizens.”

“Jack left yesterday. Leah said he could do the exercises by himself now.”

“Yeah, and that yahoo didn’t seem to like either one of us, but somehow he seemed to target you more with them looks of his. He would know about us moving the cattle, and he could have gotten hold of one of your handkerchief too.”

“Only one of the robbers talked. It wasn’t Jack, but the man had a similar odd accent like Jack’s. Leah said he had brothers who were coming to town, and that’s how he got the money to pay for his treatment. Somehow, he’s tied up in this.”

“Hoss, maybe one of us should go to Roy with that suspicion and one of us should go to Carson City and see if he’s there.”

“Well, I was in that posse this afternoon, and Adam, I don’t think you ought to head to Virginia City anytime soon.” After saying that, Joe had to explain to Hoss why that was true.

“Well, that’s just crazy talk. Everybody knows Adam wouldn’t never do nothing like that.”

“Hoss, if you had heard the things a few in the posse said to me when I met them on the road, you would know that’s not true. Joe’s right. I shouldn’t go to town right now. It would likely just stir things up. So who’s going to town to tell them what we found?”

“I’ll go. Joe’s been riding most of the day. Chubb is more ready for a ride than Cochise. Tell Hop Sing he better hold a big plate of vittles for me cause I’m gonna be powerful hungry by the time I get home.”

So Hoss alerted Roy that the three robbers had likely gone to Carson City and their suspicion that Jack may have been involved. Without any evidence, Roy wasn’t buying that second premise but did alert the sheriff of Carson City to be on the lookout for three new arrivals in town especially if they seemed to have a lot of money. Hoss told Roy that Adam would be in Carson City the next day to see if he could find Jack there. That’s where everything was when Adam went home to tell his father and his wife what had happened. Both were very surprised by the turn of events, and Leah wanted to talk about a few other things once she and Adam were alone.

“I don’t think I want to have any more patients at the house.”

“Why? Is it too difficult to work here?”

“No, it’s too much like their part of the Ponderosa. What happened with Jack shouldn’t have happened. I must have lost some of my professional detachment to have him give me that gift and then the way he talked to me was unprofessional.”

Suddenly far more concerned, Adam had to know more about that. “What do you mean by that? Did he say something to offend you?”

“No, it’s just that he talked about you and about me and our marriage. It seemed he was far too interested in our personal lives.”

Thoughtful for a short time, Adam wondered about Jack. He began to get even more suspicious that Jack might have had something to do with the robbery and especially with making it look like Adam was involved in what had happened. “Leah, Hoss and Joe and I were talking this afternoon, and we think Jack might have been one of the bank robbers.” Adam went on to explain their reasoning, but Leah wasn’t ready to make that leap of logic.

“Maybe, but don’t convict him in your mind until you get some evidence. It could all be a coincidence or you could be seeing more than what’s there because you don’t like him.”

“Maybe, but if I find him in Carson City tomorrow, it’s going to be one more coincidence, and eventually that all adds up to more than coincidence.”

Chapter 4

“Maybe you shouldn’t go to Carson City tomorrow. It seems like someone is trying to set you up to take the blame for this. Maybe it would be better if you stayed home.”

“How would that make it better? Then whoever is doing this wins. And we are breaking our cardinal rule about not talking about serious things while we’re in bed.”

“Well we could get out of bed and talk, but the way we’re dressed, or actually not dressed, we could get rather cold. Besides, I’m not criticizing. I’m only discussing the possibilities with you.”

“And you are good at splitting hairs too. Now, why would it be better if I stayed home?”

“Well, it seems that you being in town was bad luck until you see the rest of it. The horses near the Ponderosa, and then riding away using the tracks from the cattle to obscure where they went. It may be way too much to be coincidence. So, perhaps someone is trying to set you up to look like you’ve done something wrong. If you were here on the ranch, their plans couldn’t work.”

“So you think I ought to ask Joe or Hoss to go to Carson City to see if they can find Jack there. And yes, I know you think we’re jumping to a conclusion about him, but Hoss and I are still trying to remember where we’ve seen him before. Hoss has that same uneasy feeling about him as I do.”

“You’re sure you’ve seen him somewhere before and it’s not just that he looks like someone you knew before?”

“Yes. It’s not just his look but the way he sounds. I’ve heard that accent before but it was different too. It is strange because I remember it as being the same and different than a voice from my past. I just can’t place it.”

“Maybe it will come back to you. You more than anyone know how relaxing about some things help us to remember. Now, how about a little relaxing here.”

“Sweetheart, there is no better way to relax than to have a little activity first.”

“That is exactly what I was thinking. It’s like you can read my mind.”

“It probably had more to do with where your hand was wandering.”

“Well, it never hurts to drop a clue or two.”

All concerns over the vague memories and the trouble in town disappeared as the two of them took delight in each other again before sleeping peacefully. In the morning, Leah was disappointed to hear that Joe was too busy to go to Carson City, and Hoss was going to go out and do more tracking to try to find where those men had gotten the horses. Adam was the one to go to Carson City, but Ben agreed to go with him after Leah insisted he should not be alone with people plotting against him and possibly against the family and the Ponderosa. Ben had to ask Leah about her reasoning.

“Leah, why do you think it could be the whole family and the Ponderosa?”

“If they implicate Adam in that robbery, then suspicion will fall on the family and the Ponderosa too. They hid the horses near the Ponderosa and used the cattle tracks on the ranch to hide their tracks. That implicates the family and not just Adam.”

“Then none of us should go anywhere alone.”

“Pa, it’s only a theory.”

“Yes, Adam, it is, but it’s a good theory. We need to be prepared for it to be true. Hoss, you take Candy with you. Joe, you make sure that while you’re working with those horses to get them ready for delivery tomorrow that you are never alone. I’ll be with Adam. Somehow I have the feeling that whoever it is, they’re not done with us yet.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re thinking ‘us’ because there might be some nasty things said about me before this is over.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time this family has had to deal with that, but perhaps you need to make sure that Leah is prepared.”

“We’ve talked about it. The simplest thing seems to be to stay out of town for the time being. If patients want her help, they’ll ask and she can go to them. No one is going to say anything negative in that kind of situation. They never say anything negative about any of us when they want our help.” Adam’s statement was tinged a bit with bitterness that his father and brothers understood very well.

While the Cartwrights were talking and preparing for what they might face, Jack and his brothers were in Carson City and preparing for the second step in Jack’s plan of revenge. They were going to bring down the eldest son first embarrassing the family in the process and hurting the patriarch of the clan. At least that was their intent. Step one was gathering black clothing. Each of them bought part of the outfit and then met furtively to give the clothing to Orly who was tall and had black hair. He had let his beard grow for two days. He went to his hotel room and dressed all in black wearing his gunbelt low and took twenty-five thousand dollars to the bank and opened an account in the name of Adam Cartwright. The clerk asked if he wanted to put the money in the Ponderosa account that they had, but Orly responded that he wanted it in a separate account. After getting the receipt and a record of the account, he thanked the clerk speaking as low as he could. He kept the hat pulled low and didn’t make eye contact. Then he headed back to the hotel entering as he had left through the service entrance in the back and used the back stairs to go to his room. Once there, he stripped off the black clothing and donned his usual attire. He smiled thinking that Jack would be very happy with him, and then he looked up and asked his departed Pappy if he was proud too.

The brothers were careful not to be seen together. Tip stayed with Jack though because he needed someone to watch over him. Orly only met them in secret when they needed to discuss anything or get something done. The next part of their plan was too big a risk according to Orly who tried to talk Jack out of it when they met behind the livery stable where only the windowless backs of buildings surrounded them.

“Listen, Orly, it wouldn’t be that difficult to rustle a hundred cattle, take them someplace and sell them, and then put the money in that account you just made.”

“Maybe, but it’s a risk we don’t have to take. Adam is already suspected of helping us by what you set up, and when they realize he got one fourth of the money in a bank account, he ought to be arrested. That should be enough for him. Then we can go after his father.”

“If you’re that dead set against it, we can hold up on that idea for a while. If he don’t get arrested though, then we gotta do something else to him.”

“Fair enough. Let’s wait and see on this one first. Meanwhile I got some money to spend.”

“No, not yet. We can’t be seen spending too much money here. With a robbery that big, they’ll be watching for that in every town within a few hundred miles of Virginia City.”

“But I oughta be able to have a little fun?”

“A few drinks and maybe a visit to a soiled dove?”

Smiling, Orly nodded. “And maybe a nice steak dinner. Nobody would think too much on that if I was to do it.”

“Hey, Jack, maybe you and me could do that too?”

“Sure, Tip, we can do that, but we can’t do it with Orly. We’ll let him get a good head start on the fun, but you and me are gonna have a good time too. All right?”

“It’d be more fun with Orly, Jack.”

“I know, but if the three of us are together and they’re looking for three men, that might cause the sheriff to pay some attention to us. We might have trouble then.”

“Oh, I get it now, Jack. When can we leave here and do things just the three of us again?”

“As soon as we get revenge for what was done to Pappy and to us. It won’t be long, Tip.”

Unknown to the three brothers, Adam and Ben were in town while they were carrying out their plan. When Ben was seen at lunch with Adam by the president of the bank where Orly had made the deposit, the man came over to say hello and congratulate Adam on his good fortune in having money to deposit.

“What money?”

“Oh, I’m sorry if I wasn’t supposed to say anything in front of your father. If you had mentioned to the bank manager that you wanted the account to be secret, I never would have said anything about it. I’m very sorry if I have broken a confidence.”

“What account? I’ve never done any business with a bank in Carson City. I have my personal accounts in Virginia City and in San Francisco.”

“But you deposited twenty-five thousand dollars into an account just this morning.”

“Frank, my son and I have been together all morning, and I can assure you that we were never near your bank, and Adam did not deposit any amount of money with you. I wish we had been there though because I think that might have gotten us a lead on the man we’re looking to find. Now, why don’t you tell us everything you know about this man who made the deposit, and then we’ll head over to the sheriff’s office after lunch and tell him all about it. All right?”

In order that Jack might not see them heading to the sheriff’s office together, Adam and Ben walked there first, and Frank walked there a short time later. Once they explained everything to the sheriff, he had a suggestion.

“Let’s let the money stay right where it is. Let them think their plan is working. It seems rather obvious that they are doing their best to make it appear that Adam is part of the conspiracy to rob that bank. If he got arrested, we could see what they plan to do next.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Tempers are very high in Virginia City. If Adam was in jail, I’m afraid his life would be at risk. At the very least, he could be seriously hurt.”

Adam nodded. He didn’t like the idea of sitting in jail while men were plotting against his family, and his father’s concern for his safety and his life only reinforced that worry.

“Well, then, what do you think we ought to do?”

“I think Adam will withdraw that money so that you can return it to the bank in Virginia City. That will help, and you and Roy can tell them that you’re working on getting the rest back too. That ought to cool things down just a bit. We think we know one of the men who robbed the bank and perhaps all three. All we know though is that the one man is going by the name of Jack Wright. We don’t think that’s his real name, and we don’t know if he’s using that name any more. He has an unusual accent that is difficult to describe.”

“Can you give me a hint? With all the miners coming from all over the world, there’s a lot of unusual accents around here.”

Adam answered. “It sounds like a New Orleans accent with some Texas drawl and maybe some Missouri mixed in. They probably moved around a bunch when they were young.”

“So three men who are brothers, one going by Jack Wright, or he was, has an unusual accent, and they’re probably in my city right now? That’s all I got?”

“For now, sheriff, that’s about it. Now should we head over to the bank and get that money for you? I’d like to remove that piece of evidence against me as soon as possible and get it back to its rightful owners.”

After getting the money at the bank and turning everything over to the sheriff, Ben and Adam were ready to head to the livery stable and the long ride home when the sheriff had another request. He had the manager who had taken in the money take a good look at Adam.

“No, sheriff, that isn’t the man who deposited the money in the name of Adam Cartwright. He wore all black just like him, and he had the same dark hair and was a bit scruffy like him too, but it isn’t the same man.”

The sheriff apologized to Adam. “I had to be sure. I know Roy Coffee trusts you completely, but I don’t know you like he does. I know now what kind of men you are. You can come to me for help any time you need it. Now, I need to get a strongbox and ship this money to Virginia City as soon as I can.”

Relieved that suspicion would no longer be focused on him, Adam kept looking around as he walked to the livery stable with his father. What he saw in the livery stable corral made him halt and then walk to the corral fence.

“Adam, what is it?”

“Well, I was hoping to get home tonight even if it was late because Leah will be worried, but that means we won’t.” Adam pointed at three horses with Ponderosa brands in the corral. “I think we need to talk with the liveryman and then go talk with the sheriff again.”

In talking with the liveryman, Ben and Adam found that three men had come in separately with the horses. The liveryman told them that he thought that it was odd not only that three men he thought were Ponderosa hands came in separately, but also that they took all of their gear with them including saddles and saddle blankets. To have one man do that would be unusual but to have three men do it was memorable. Adam asked if he could describe the three men, and he thought he could. Within a short time, the three of them were in the sheriff’s office with more information. When the liveryman described one of the men, Adam and Ben said that it sounded like Jack Wright.

“So now I’m looking for three men who checked into hotels probably individually and carrying all their gear. At least it’s something. You two staying in town overnight now?”

“Yes, my son and I couldn’t get home tonight now. It’s too late for that ride even with the full moon. We’ll stay until the morning. Maybe you’ll find something out by then.”

Adam and Ben then checked into the hotel they usually used when visiting Carson City. In the morning, the sheriff had made no progress. There were a lot of hotels and boardinghouses in the city. Leading the three Ponderosa horses they retrieved from the livery stable, Adam and Ben headed home.

Chapter 5

“Dadburnit, it’s so darn hot and humid today. The air so darn heavy ya get wet just walking in it. I’m glad we don’t live in New Orleans. It was like this a lot when I was there as a kid.”

Ben and Adam had arrived home in the late morning. Adam was inside with Leah who had hardly slept the night before because she was so worried. He was telling her all that they had learned, and that some of the money had been found and returned. Giving the couple some privacy, Ben was outside on the porch and had been telling the story to Hoss and Joe who were getting lead ropes ready for the delivery of horses that had to take place very soon before penalty clauses in the contract kicked in. Hoss found that any work in the hot and humid conditions was unpleasant and wished he could be fishing or maybe wading in a stream. Ben noted that Hoss referred to New Orleans much as Adam had the day before. Both of them had been accurate in their description, but until recently had rarely mentioned that city. Joe talked about it often and wanted to visit there, but his two brothers had often said they never wanted to set foot in the city again. Ben started to get curious about their recent references to that city and the long held reasons that both disliked it so intensely.

“Hoss, one thing that you and Adam have gotten me to think about the last two days is New Orleans. Adam mentioned it yesterday and I was reminded that every time he mentions that city it is with disdain for it. Now you refer to it too as a miserable place. I don’t remember it that way at all. I remember it as charming and lively and colorful. I met and married Marie there. Can you remember why you didn’t like it?”

“Oh, Pa, it ain’t got nothing against Marie. I was happy you married her. I liked her the first time I met her. It was just staying at that boardinghouse and having to be inside all day long when it was so hot.”

“But why would you have to stay inside all day long? The neighborhood you were in was quite nice.”

“Ifn I remember it right, Adam got in some fights, and you was real mad at him.”

Thinking back, Ben remembered that. “Yes, I remember a man complaining about my hooligan son and how he had hurt his sons. If I remember correctly, Adam was hurt too because he insisted on fighting three boys at the same time.”

“He had to, Pa. I remember now. They was picking on me and pushed Adam around. He had to fight, but you wouldn’t listen to him when he tried to explain. You was mad cause he was hurt and his clothes were ripped. The only way to avoid more fights was to stay inside where it was so darn hot. I guess I didn’t make it any easier on Adam either complaining all the time and wanting to leave there.”

“The Roup brothers: Theophile Philippe or TP, Jacques, and Olivier but they called him Orleans. Their father was Remy, and he hated you and they made our life hell in that neighborhood.” Adam and Leah had walked out to the porch to join the rest of the family. Adam had overheard what Hoss had said and suddenly his memories coalesced into clear visions of the three brothers. “Yesterday when I was sketching those men, it seemed that they were very familiar. I thought it was because they were Jack’s brothers and somehow I was seeing the resemblance even if the sketches showed three men who don’t look that much like each other, but now I think it is that they are the three brothers who gave us such trouble in New Orleans. They’re going by other names, but that’s who they are. Their father was very upset if I recall because I broke Jacques’ nose in one of those fights. I think that TP got hurt too, but I don’t remember exactly what that was.”

“No, Adam, remember, he wet his pants after Jacques was down crying and Orleans ran away. He was so scared, he wet his pants. The next time we were outside, Jacques said he was going to do all of that to you. You got me back inside before they could do anything, and the lady heard and made us stay inside whenever Pa wasn’t there.”

“I didn’t know any of that. All that I heard was that Adam was in a fight with those three boys. I knew he had quite a temper so I didn’t question it.”

“Yeah, but you did tan my hide and warn me not to get into any more fights.”

“You should have told me what was going on.”

“You didn’t seem to be in a mood to listen.”

Ben sighed. He knew that had been true too often in those years. He had been a much better father to Joseph with Marie to help coach him along the way in those first years. He had known how to help his sons to grow into men, but had known little about how to nurture them like a mother would. He had so hoped to be a better father than his father had been to him, and things like this reminded him that in some ways, he had failed. Adam saw the look and put his hand on his father’s shoulder.

“We did just fine, Pa. It made us stronger. You’re a good father.” Adam rarely said so much, and Ben knew it was unlikely he would say more. He was thankful for what had been said.

“We should give all of this information to Roy. He can send out posters saying they’re wanted in regards to this bank robbery. Hoss, did you get anywhere with those tracks?”

“Well, a little, but now that you brought back the horses they used, I can see if there’s any markings on any of the shoes that might help me out. Me and Adam can go take another look. It has to be them, Pa. Jack must have heard that we were getting horses ready for the remuda for the drive, and he knew right where to look to get three horses to use that we wouldn’t notice right off. He got a lot of information by being in the house twice a day and staying in the bunkhouse.”

Leah dropped her head knowing that Jack being there had been because of her. She had already talked to Adam about it. “I won’t be bringing any more patients to the house. I told Adam that was a mistake, and I won’t repeat it.”

Ben stepped to Leah’s side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “My dear, we don’t blame you. We would never have spoken so freely if we had known how that information could be used against us, and if they hadn’t gotten the information that way, they only had to observe or talk to some of the hands to get information. You needn’t feel badly about this. None of this is your fault.”

“That’s what Adam said, but I still feel responsible. If anyone gets hurt, I’ll feel even worse.”

“Now no one is going to get hurt. Their plan is already unraveling. What we need now is to find where they have the money. If they have it with them, then that would make things simpler. Find them, find the money, but unfortunately things rarely work out that simply. Adam and Hoss are going to go follow tracks now. The sheriff in Carson City is looking for the three men and has very good likenesses of them. Adam drew one of Jack from memory, and he sketched the other two based on what the liveryman was able to tell us.”

Leah looked at Adam. This was another talent she hadn’t known her husband had. She began to wonder what other marvelous things he could do. Suspecting what she was thinking, Adam leaned down and whispered in her ear. No one could hear what he said, but Leah smiled and then blushed. They could guess.

With a smile, Adam left with Hoss then to go out and take another look at the tracks the three men had left. With the hot and humid conditions with nearly no wind, the tracks should still be readable. As they rode toward the Carson City road, Joe and Ben headed to Virginia City to update Roy on what they had discovered and so that Roy could let the sheriff in Carson City know the names to go on the posters that were being printed..

In Carson City, the next morning, another conversation was being held but with a much more desperate edge to it. Tip had seen posters with their pictures on it and their names listing them as suspects in the big bank robbery in Virginia City.

“What do you mean ‘our names’ were on it? How could they possibly know our names?”

“Not our new names, Jack. Our old names was on it. I ain’t been called Theophile since we left New Orleans all that long time ago. I kinda even forgot that used to be my name cause I been called Tip for so long. It even had that Orly was Olivier or Orleans. You were Jacques or Jack Wright. I forgot we used to be Roup until I seen it on the poster. They got real good drawings of us, Orly. Maybe we ought to get some of them posters to keep.”

“Shut up, Tip. We have to find Orly and get the hell out of here. If they know who we are, we won’t be able to get our horses. Damn!”

“You want I should go get Orly? I know which hotel he’s in. I could go up the back way like we done the other night. I could tell him to meet us wherever you want, Jack. I’m sorry I made you mad.”

“I’m sorry too, Tip. You didn’t make me mad. It had to be that damn Cartwright. He must have remembered us from New Orleans. I don’t know how he did it, but he did. That liveryman must have described us to him. I remember when we used to watch him draw those pictures in New Orleans. He was pretty good at it when he was just a kid. Damn, our whole plan is falling apart because of him.”

“I asked you a question, Jack. Should I go get Orly?”

“Yeah, do that. The two of you go separately to where we met in that blind alley the other night. Don’t carry anything except your guns. We’ll look like any cowpokes walking around waiting for the saloons to get lively. Now go.”

Once the brothers got to the alley, the plan was that they would steal horses and flee as quickly as they could. They would go one by one if necessary. Jack reminded them to take a roundabout way and meet where they had hidden the money. Orly couldn’t help being angry.

“You gave away twenty-five thousand dollars and now they know who robbed that bank too. I’m hoping that you’re ready to ride on outta here with the rest of the money and forget about them Cartwrights before we’re all stuck in a prison.”

“We’ll talk when we get to where the money is. Until then, concentrate on what you have to do now.” In his mind, Jack was thinking he might have to accept what Orly had suggested. Getting revenge on these Cartwrights with a clever plan had so far only created big problems for them. He was thinking that a grievance of nearly twenty-five years could be laid to rest. They did have a lot of money, and they could live well on that amount. He walked out last from the alleyway and headed in a different direction than his brothers. Most people would still be looking for three men and not three individuals. He hoped they could get out of town safely. It wasn’t going to happen though. As he found a horse to take and untied it from the hitching post and mounted up, he heard shots fired a short distance away. He couldn’t go check it out but could only hope his brothers had done the shooting and were even now riding out of town on the way to their rendezvous. Over an hour later, he made his way toward the grove of trees where they had hidden their money. Orly soon joined him on the road and was very upset.

“They shot him in the head, Jack. Right in the head. He was dead before he hit the ground. All he was doing was taking a horse, and some damn shopkeeper yells out that it’s one of the bank robbers. Then this cowboy yells that Tip has his horse. Tip went for his gun but never even cleared leather. He dropped to the ground and was still. They killed him, Jack. Shot him dead in the street like a mad dog. He never did anything to deserve that. Why would they do that, Jack?”

In shock, Jack had no answer at first. He had never thought that he or one of his brothers would be killed. They robbed a few banks and held up a few stores and trading posts and had even rustled cattle and stolen horses, but they had never killed anyone. Somehow he had always thought that meant that the worst that would happen is that they might end up in prison. Faced with his brother’s death, he couldn’t admit that it was his fault and his brothers’ fault for the life they had chosen. “It was that damn Cartwright! He did this. Without his information and those drawings, no one would have known Tip was in on that bank robbery. It’s his fault. Well, no more fancy plans. We’re just gonna kill him and anybody in his family who tries to stop us.”

“How we gonna do that, Jack?”

“I don’t know, but we need to do it. You in?”

“I’m in. Somebody’s got to pay for Tip getting killed. Damn, we can’t even see that he’s buried proper. We can’t go say any words over him. This stinks.”

“Yes, and we’ll make them pay, Orly. We’ll make them pay dearly for what they done.”

By then the two brothers were near the grove of trees where they had hidden the money, and they had to pull up suddenly because what they saw shocked them. There were probably a dozen men riding in the area, and it was apparent by their actions that they were searching for something. The only thing it could be was the money they had hidden there. Jack recognized Sheriff Roy Coffee and then his temper flared as he saw Adam and Hoss Cartwright with the group too. They watched as the sheriff rode up to Adam and Hoss to have a conversation.

“What do we do now, Jack?”

“We wait here out of sight and see if they find the money. They might not. We didn’t hide it the usual way. Most men woulda buried it. Maybe they won’t find it, and they’ll give up and go back home empty handed.”

“I could shoot that damned Cartwright right now. I could probably get his fat brother too before anybody could do anything.”

“Orly, I know how you feel, but let’s see if we can get the money first, and then we’ll follow them two as they go back home. We’ll make them pay for Tip. We will.”

“What if they find the money?”

“Then we’ll still take care of those two before we head on out of here.”

In Roy’s posse, the men were getting frustrated at finding nothing. Roy had ridden over next to Hoss and Adam who were talking to question them again about what they had found the day before. “Now you say that this is the only place those men left the road as far as you could tell?”

“Roy, we’ve told you several times already. This is the only place Hoss and I could find tracks leaving the road. That money has to be around her somewhere. It would be too obvious to be carrying two large sacks like that and walking around in Carson City.”

“I know that, but we been here for over an hour with nary a sign of any disturbed ground anywhere. How could they have hidden that money without leaving some sign of it?”

Adam dropped his head as he thought about that, but Hoss changed the topic. “Roy, you better warn the men too about watching out for wasps. There’s a mighty big wasps’ nest hanging in that big old tree there.”

Adam picked up his head looking at Hoss and then to where he was pointing. Adam began to smile making Roy wonder what he could possibly find funny about that.

“Hoss, you ever know wasps to build a giant nest like that in the spring? Isn’t that something you would more likely see in the fall?”

“Well, sure, Adam, but what else could it be?”

Roy’s grin matched Adam’s then, and a few seconds later, Hoss was smiling too. All three rode to the big tree and looked up. They called over the rest of the posse and soon there were grins all around. The youngest member of the posse was elected to climb up the tree and loosen the rope that was holding the bundle high in the branches of the tree. Once it was on the ground, Roy opened up the bundle finding the rest of the money from the bank robbery except probably for a small amount that the men had taken to pay for expenses. Soon the exuberant men of the posse were headed back to Virginia City led by Roy who looked as proud as could be. Adam and Hoss bid them goodbye and headed back toward the Ponderosa, but they were trailed by two men with murder on their minds.

Chapter 6

“What you smiling about? Are you that happy we got the money back for the bank?” Hoss was riding beside Adam and couldn’t help noticing the grin he had as they rode.

“Well, yes, that is reason enough to smile but that’s not it.”

“What else made you so happy? It ain’t like you to just be smiling like that.”

“Oh, I was thinking about last night too.” Adam’s grin was more of a smirk then. “Leah missed me so much and she felt so bad about what had happened, I had to spend a lot of time consoling her and making her feel better.”

Hoss shook his head but had to smile. “I bet you was feeling a whole lot better too. The way you are now that you’re married, it makes me think I ought to get more serious about finding a gal and making it permanent like.”

Adam turned to Hoss to make a smart remark but instead shoved him so that he had to drop over his saddle horn to avoid falling from his horse. “Now, dadburnit, why’d you do that?”

“Ride! We got company with rifles.” Bent low over his saddle, Adam rode hard for some trees and rocks in the distance. It took but a second for Hoss to follow him because he had learned over the years to trust whatever Adam said especially when he said it that terse serious way he had when things were getting dangerous. Shots whistled by them but hit neither of them as they reached the cover of the rocks and trees. The two men pursuing them rode into trees across the small valley that Hoss and Adam had been using as the easiest way home. Watching Adam scrambling into the rocks to look back at their assailants, Hoss made sure the horses were in cover first before following his brother. They had been in enough situations like this that they didn’t need to say anything as each did what was necessary. By the time Hoss got up behind Adam, there were no more shots.

“Adam, who do you think it is?”

“Hoss, I don’t know. If it was three men, I might guess it was Jack and his brothers, but it’s two, so who knows. I saw them taking dead aim at us. If I hadn’t looked toward you, we would both probably be laying out there with our blood soaking into the dirt. They had us cold.”

“Well, we had no reason to think anyone was gunning for us. Now this is a good spot to defend, but there ain’t no safe way outta here. We can’t go north cause that rock wall blocks us, and the only other way is to head back into that valley. If they got their rifles trained on us, that would be suicide.”

“They headed into the trees on the other side. I have no idea where they are now. They can’t come at us for the same reason we can’t get out of here. Anyone riding down into that valley is an easy target.”

“Well when we don’t get home, Pa’s gonna come looking for us.”

“Maybe. He knew we were going to be almost in Carson City. He might think we went there or back to town with the money. He wouldn’t know where to look for us even if he did start searching.”

“Adam, you’re just full of good news, ain’t ya?”

“Just laying out all the facts. I don’t think they can sneak up on us when it gets dark. There’s still a pretty good moon, and there hasn’t been hardly a cloud in the sky all day.”

“How much ammunition do you have?”

“My pistol has five shots, but my rifle is fully loaded, and I have a box of rifle cartridges in my saddlebag.”

“Adam, not that I’m complaining, mind you, but why did you bring extra ammunition?”

“Let me see. We were searching for the money that three bank robbers hid. I did think that if they found out about that, they might object a bit. I wanted to be ready.”

“You didn’t happen to think that they might pin us down where we had no way of getting out and bring some food with ya, did ya?”

“I’ve got some beef jerky that I always carry. I would guess you did the same?”

“Yeah, except I ate mine when we didn’t get any lunch. I figured it would hold me over until I got home and let Hop Sing feed me.”

“We didn’t refill our canteens either. It seemed there was no need, but now I wish we had because it could be a very long night. By tomorrow morning, I hope Pa and Joe decide we should be home and come looking for us.”

“It would be nice if someone thought to look a bit sooner than that. It’s hot now, but the night is bound to be a lot colder with a clear sky, and we can’t build a fire cause we can’t afford to give them a beacon to follow in here. We don’t have any coats and no blankets either. We’re gonna get cold tonight.”

“You’ve got a gift for relating good news too. Nothing we can do about it now. We can sit back to back with one watching and the other sleeping. It’s about all we can do. We can use the saddle blankets if we need them. Leave them on the horses so we can ride out fast if we get a chance, but if we get too cold we can use them. They’ll be warm if you leave them where they are for now.”

“I’ll cut some pine boughs that we can lay over our legs. Every little bit we can do to hold onto some warmth is gonna be real important.”

“All right. I’ll keep watch. Bring those saddlebags up here too when you get a chance.”

As Hoss and Adam made plans that would help them survive the night, Roy Coffee was on his way to the Ponderosa. He had arrived in town with the money and found a jubilant community especially the bank president and the mine owners who now had what they needed to pay their workers. Stores were going to be busy too. But then Roy was given a telegram that put a damper on his joy. One of the bank robbers had been killed. Roy only thought a few minutes about that when he had a gut feeling that this was bad news for the Cartwrights. If Jack and his brothers were angry enough to try to get revenge on the Cartwrights, their anger would be increased significantly by the death of a brother. Roy told Clem to take care of things and headed out to the Ponderosa to tell Ben and Joe the news. Ben wasn’t as concerned as Roy was until their conversation included what happened after the money was found.

“I took the money back to Virginia City, and let me tell ya, the people was pretty darn pleased to see us. Now Hoss and Adam headed for home so maybe they’d like to know what happened in Carson City too.”

Suddenly, Ben, Joe, and Leah were very scared. Adam and Hoss should have been home at least an hour because Roy had ridden to town first and then to the Ponderosa. That they weren’t home meant that Roy’s reasoning might be correct. If that was the case, then Hoss and Adam were in trouble, very serious trouble.

“You have to go look for them. You must know the route they would have taken.”

“Leah, let me ask Roy a few more questions. Roy, can you tell me where my sons left the Carson City road?”

“Well, I can’t give you the exact spot, but Adam said something about cutting across the northeast pasture, and Hoss said maybe they could stop and catch a few fish. Adam said no to that cause he said his wife would be waiting on him and he wasn’t going to make her worried again.”

“Pa, that has to be the little valley that Hoss likes to use when he wants some time alone. It’s got a little stream right down the middle and good grass for the horses. We don’t usually run cattle there because it’s not fenced and that stream is a torrent if it rains, but it’s got some nice pools for fishing or a quick swim.”

“Joe, get some of the men and tell them to saddle up. We’re going to go find your brothers. Make sure they pack bedrolls and coats. We could be out all night. I’ll let Hop Sing know so he can pack food for us.”

“I’ll go with ya, Ben.”

“I was hoping you’d say that, Roy. We’ll get you an extra bedroll. Anything else you need?”

“No, I packed extra ammunition this morning, and I took my coat when I rode out here. I’ll just fill my canteen and be ready to go.”

“Papa Ben, I’m going too.”

“Leah, this is nothing a lady ought to be doing.”

“They could be hurt. They might need me.”

“Ben, you can’t argue with her on that point. She’s right. She can ride with me, and I’ll do my best to keep her safe.”

Not wanting to waste time arguing and accepting Roy’s point as well as Leah’s, Ben simply told her to get her things together and to wear her coat and gloves. He told Hop Sing what they were doing and within minutes had food sacks. They packed up his sons’ coats and grabbed two extra bedrolls before heading out. Leah had her black satchel with medical supplies. They were as prepared as they could be including having a couple of lanterns if they didn’t find them before it got dark.

Hours later, Hoss was keeping watch as Adam leaned on his back trying to get some rest. Both had pine boughs over their legs but were already getting cold and looking forward to getting those saddle blankets before they started shivering. The rocks still radiated some warmth, but that was rapidly dissipating. At close to ten, Hoss asked Adam if there were extra big fireflies in the mountains.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Cause there’s a couple lights bobbing and weaving out there, and if it ain’t fireflies, then I think maybe Pa and Joe decided to come look for us.”

“Hoss, fire three shots so they know there’s trouble. If they’re coming with lanterns, it’s not to help the men who shot at us and pinned us down here.”

Raising his rifle, Hoss fired three shots. He guessed they could see the flare from the barrel as well as hear the shots. Adam moved down to the edge of the rocks and watched the other side of the valley. He saw nothing there nor did they hear anything.

“Adam, you think they left, and we been hiding out over here for no reason?”

“No, but keep your eyes on that side of the valley. Get ready to shoot if you see the flash of a weapon. They may fire on Pa and Joe. If they’re mad at us enough to shoot us, they might be mad at the whole family.”

There were no shots, and about fifteen minutes later, Adam and Hoss heard their father’s voice. “Adam. Hoss. Is that you?”

“Yes, Pa. We’re here in the rocks. Watch out for rifle fire from the other side of the valley.”

Quickly, the lanterns were turned down and then their father and Joe were there.

“Sure glad to see you, Pa. Surprised too. I didn’t think you’d be looking for us until morning.”

“Roy came out with some news that made us think you might be in trouble, and then when he said you left the posse to head home, we were even more sure you needed some help. What happened?”

“We were riding through the valley, and suddenly these two men were behind us and had rifles trained on us. They had us at a disadvantage, and we had to scramble into these rocks to avoid getting shot, but then there was no way to retreat. They had us boxed in rather neatly. Hoss is very hungry so I hope you brought some food.”

“Oh, we brought that and a lot more.”

Suddenly Leah was there. She dismounted and rushed into Adam’s arms. Holding her close, he felt her shaking and kissed her gently and rubbed his hands up and down her back as he assured her he was all right. When she calmed though, he was a bit upset.

“Why are you out here? It’s too dangerous. Pa, why did you let her come along?”

“Adam, she’s your wife. You ought to know the answer to that question without asking it.”

Nodding, Adam turned Leah to take her behind the rocks where it was safe. There he sank down to the ground and pulled her with him so they sat with Adam’s arm around her shoulder and Leah snuggled into his chest.

“You’re cold.”

“Yes, but not nearly as cold as I was a few minutes ago.”

Ben dropped Adam’s coat on his lap then and dropped two bedrolls beside the couple. “Hoss is eating sandwiches. I’ll have a couple for you two in just a minute. We’ll start a fire and have some hot coffee soon too.”

“Thanks, Pa, for everything.”

Ben reached down and squeezed Adam’s shoulder. It was all that needed to be done. They understood each other perfectly. Adam pulled the coat on as Leah spread the two bedrolls side by side. Adam sat down on one and she sat beside him again as he pulled the two blankets over their legs. He was feeling quite a bit warmer by the time Ben was there with two sandwiches for them. Soon there was a fire burning brightly and coffee simmering. Ben sat down near them and explained to Adam what Roy had told them.

“Any idea which brother was killed?”

“Roy doesn’t have that information yet. My guess would be that it wasn’t Jack. He seems to be the one masterminding this whole thing. I’m simply glad he isn’t smarter. He almost got his plan to work, but he made some crucial mistakes.”

“Now the worry is what he’ll do next.”

“Probably, but I don’t want to risk any lives by trying to go over there in the dark. Joe and Hoss wanted to try that, but I vetoed the idea. I hope you agree.”

Adam nodded. “It’s a good idea. Whoever was after us showed some skill in planning an ambush. I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily. We can head over there tomorrow, but I’m sure they’ll be long gone.”

The coffee was ready and shared before a watch was set so that everyone else could get some rest. Ben smiled at Adam and Leah snuggled together. He suspected the night might not be so restful for his oldest son with his wife so close and unable to do anything other than sleep in the sheltered but small campsite. In the morning, as expected, the two bushwhackers were nowhere to be found although there was evidence that they had been in the trees for some time and probably left sometime after the rescue party arrived.

“Adam, what do you suppose those two are gonna do now?”

“Based on our experience with them in New Orleans and recently, they’ll lay in wait for an opportunity to get even. We need to watch our backs until they make their move.”

For weeks, nothing happened, and despite their worries, the family began to relax wondering if Jack and Orly had moved on. With information from Carson City, it was clear that TP or Tip had been the one killed. The two more dangerous brothers were still free, but there were no clues as to where they were.

Chapter 7

It all began to develop as they feared when a boy rode into the Ponderosa saying that a member of his family had been injured and they needed Leah to come help. Adam and his brothers were out working and Ben was in town on errands, so Leah decided to go by herself. She told Hop Sing that she was going and where.

“Missy Leah no go alone. Too dangerous. Wait Mister Adam home, and he go with you.”

“Their farm is just outside the borders of the Ponderosa. I’ll be fine.”

“Mister Adam always say be fine, but not fine. You stay home.”

“No, Hop Sing I have to go. Someone is hurt.”

Leah managed to get her carriage hitched up and headed out on her errand of mercy. Hop Sing had saddled a pony while she was working. He followed her at a discreet distance knowing that the family would excuse missing a hot cooked meal if it meant the safety of Adam’s wife. Only a half mile from the house, two men rode out in front of her carriage stopping her. Hop Sing knew he was no match for the two so he watched as they left a note on the carriage and then took Leah away with them riding double on one horse. He saw one man wait in the trees as the other man headed to the northeast. Then with great care not to be seen, he turned and rode as fast as he could to where he knew Adam and his brothers were working.

Within an hour, Adam was at the carriage and found the note. He had felt his heart pounding as he rode there, but the hard ride had helped settle his nerves, and it was with a bit cooler resolve that he was able to take a deep breath knowing what he had to do to keep his wife safe. The instructions were very clear. He was not to return home. He was to go to town and get ten thousand dollars and bring it to the valley where he had been ambushed just a few weeks earlier. The note said that if anyone came with him, Leah would be killed and in a horrible way. He was told that he was being watched. He had no doubt of that. He stuck the note in his pocket and headed to town as instructed. Once there, he went directly to the bank to withdraw the money. He handed over the note with a short request he wrote on it as he signed the papers for the withdrawal. He asked that they get that note to Sheriff Roy Coffee as quickly as possible but not so directly that anyone watching would see what they had done. At the end of those instructions, he wrote a note for his brothers. “Tell Hoss and Joe not to miss.” Then with his saddlebags full of money, he left the bank and rode out on the Carson Road. He had ridden slowly and carefully into town frequently looking around as if to see who was watching him. He did the same on the Carson Road trying to appear as the scared husband of his kidnapped wife. He wanted to go as slowly as possible without arousing suspicion. As he left the Carson Road over an hour later, Orly rode up behind him.

“Cartwright, drop your weapons right there.” Once Adam complied, Orly collected Adam’s pistol and rifle. He mounted up again and told Adam to keep riding. When they neared the ambush site, Jack walked out from the trees with Leah whose arms were bound and there was a thick gag stopping her from making any sound. Adam dismounted and took the saddlebags from his horse.

“Here’s your money. Let her go.”

“You’re not giving orders here. Orly, tie him to a tree.”

With his pistol, Orly pointed to a tree directing Adam to stand with his back against the tree. Then he wound his rope around the tree securing Adam there with his arms bound at his sides. Orly gave him a punch in the gut before walking to where Jack was holding Leah. Jack told Orly to check the saddlebags and make sure the money was there. It was, so Jack and Orly hoisted Leah up on Adam’s horse tying her wrists to the pommel and then tying the reins there too. Jack ran his hand up Leah’s leg.

“I kinda wished he hadn’t brought the money. You and me could have had some fun. Now ride on home. You were good to me so I won’t hurt you, and I won’t make you watch what I’m gonna do to your husband.”

Struggling to say something despite the gag, Leah was helpless as Jack slapped Sport’s rump twice making the horse take off for home. Leah tried to slow him with her knees, but the powerful spirited horse was too much for her. Her tears were flowing freely by then as she feared what would happen to Adam. She had only gone about a mile when Ben caught up with her and stopped Sport’s dash for home. He quickly removed the gag but told her to be quiet. As he untied her hands, he explained what was going on.

Back at the ambush site, Jack was taunting Adam. “I’m gonna make you pay, and you’ll die but not very fast. I figure that we got a couple of hours before your wife gets home and help heads this way. First, I think I’ll shoot you in each knee. Then maybe a little knife work. There’s parts you won’t be needing any more. A little slicing and dicing and you’ll be begging me to kill you. I ain’t killed anybody since the War. No need to, but you got Tip killed with your damn sketches and your damn memory. You gotta pay for that.”

“You got Tip killed. You were the one who planned all these stupid stunts. You can surrender now and just do prison time. Anything more, and you’re going to die.”

“We been free for weeks now, and nobody could find us. They won’t find us after this either.”

“Jack, I been thinking some. Maybe we oughta just head on out now. You can pound on him a bit before we go and maybe cut him a bit, but we won’t hang for that. We leave and go where we was talking about, and they won’t never find us. Tip is dead, but that was a risk we always knew we was taking. It was bad luck more than anything that got Tip killed.”

“No, Orly, it was all his fault, and he’s going to pay. I’ve always been the one to make the decisions for us, and you need to listen to me.”

Reluctantly, Orly gave in. Jack raised his pistol to shoot Adam in the knees and a rifle shot rang out putting him in the dirt with a wound to his abdomen. He clutched at his stomach and groaned. Orly spun around and raised his pistol to defend himself but didn’t see any sign of their assailant. He ran toward the tree and pointed the pistol at Adam’s head.

“You back off or I shoot him right now.”

Orly got his answer the same way as Jack had when a rifle shot hit him in the chest and dropped him in the dirt. Only a minute later, Hoss and Joe arrived at the campsite with several of the hands. Orly was clutching his chest as blood spurted out. “Jack, you got Tip killed with your crazy ideas, and now you got me killed too. I’ll never forgive you for this.” Then with a groan, Orly dropped his head back as he collapsed and his eyes stared at the sky but saw nothing.

Jack was holding both hands to his abdomen as blood seeped steadily between his fingers wetting his shirt and dripping onto the ground. Ben arrived back at the site with Leah who ran to Adam first to make sure he was all right as Joe cut him loose. He was not seriously hurt, so she quickly moved to Jack’s side. After Jack let Leah take a look at his belly wound, he saw the look she gave him and understood.

“It’s real bad, ain’t it? I’m gonna die?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. If I stopped the bleeding, you would die an even slower and more painful death from infection because the bullet has ruptured your intestines. There’s no possible way to clean out the wound and have it heal. Abscesses would form and eventually burst.”

“How long do I have?”

“Probably less than an hour with the bleeding you have, but you’ll pass out soon from blood loss so you only have a short time to make any confession to God that you would like to make.”

“I am sorry if I hurt you, but I can’t say as I’m sorry about any of the rest. People like your husband have made my life miserable for years. I ain’t sorry for trying to make them pay.” Jack closed his eyes then as he fell unconscious. Those were the last words he said. Unrepentant to the end, his heart slowed gradually and stopped about an hour later. The bodies of the two brothers were tied to their horses, and some hands were instructed to bring them to town.

Leah had done her best to make him comfortable as he died. When it was over, she stood and walked to Adam who held her as she cried.

“It’s all over now, isn’t it?” Leah buried her head in Adam’s chest as he wrapped is arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head.

“Yes, now we’re safe.”

The others gave Adam time to console his wife until she was able to take a deep breath. He pulled up her wrists because he had thought he had seen rope burns there earlier. There were slight abrasions.

“Let me take care of those for you. I don’t want you to get an infection. They didn’t hurt you any other way, did they?”

“No, Jack said I had been so good to him that he wouldn’t hurt me, but he and his brother looked at me in a way that I wasn’t completely certain about that.”

“Why did they gag you?”

“I kept trying to get them to see that you weren’t responsible for their problems. It was a lot of bad choices they made that got them in so much trouble. Orly got mad about that and insisted that I be gagged.”

Adam was angry enough that he wished he could have beaten one or both of them for what they had done to his wife. It was that feeling of helplessness that he had felt when Hop Sing had brought him the note he had found in the carriage.

“Adam, let’s go home. There’s a lot for us to talk about, but I want to do it at home because that’s where I can feel safe again.”

Quickly Adam followed Leah’s instructions for washing her wrists and lightly wrapping them. Hoss brought Sport to them and held him while Adam mounted up, and Ben helped Leah to climb up and sit across Adam’s legs with an arm wrapped around him and her head resting against his chest. Once Leah was settled and comfortable, Adam turned Sport for home. Indeed, he did think they had a lot to discuss but first he wanted to get her home. One big concern was that she had driven the carriage from the Ponderosa when she knew there was a danger. Somehow she had thought the danger was less because it was during the day and nothing had been done for weeks. They were going to have to come to an understanding about her taking his advice about how to be careful and safe. He was surprised when they got home to find that she agreed with him on every point. That night, they held each other closely in bed and made plans for their future. Some of what they agreed to do such as teaching Leah to shoot were likely to surprise people such as her brother but which his family would heartily approve.

Epilogue

A few days later, Adam and Leah were out behind the stable when they had a surprise visitor. Doctor Lem Gibbons drove his carriage into the Ponderosa yard. He got out and knocked on the door which was answered by Joe who told him that Leah and Adam were out behind the stable. Joe walked with him as he marched there obviously in a bad temper. Hoss and Ben followed behind wondering what had him so concerned that he had made the trip from San Francisco. Behind the stable, Lem found Leah with Adam who was explaining the workings of a pistol to her. Adam had his arms around his wife and was enjoying the moment because he had his wife’s body pressed up against his and his arms were around her arms and showing her how to aim and then to squeeze the trigger. They were interrupted when Lem called out his sister’s name. When Leah saw Lem, she handed the pistol to Adam and rushed to her brother and hugged him.

“Lem, it’s so good to see you, but what brings you here? This is such a surprise.”

“Well, can I speak freely?” At Leah’s nod, he continued. “I heard from Patricia that the two of you have been heard arguing, and that Adam was implicated in a bank robbery, and then because of him, you were kidnapped. I came to take you back to San Francisco if you want to escape this place.”

“Oh, Lem, there are perfectly good explanations for all of that. First of all, what married couple doesn’t have arguments? We didn’t know each other that well when we married so we had some hurdles to get over, but we’re in love, and there’s nothing that will tear us apart, although there is a certain young woman I wouldn’t mind tearing apart.”

“But what of the rest of the troubles?”

So Leah patiently explained everything that had happened with the Roup brothers from the first day when Jack was her patient until her rescue after they had kidnapped her. When she finally finished, Lem had one question.

“After all that, you still want to live in this wilderness?”

“Lem, more than ever, I want to live here. Sometimes you have to take one step back and look at things realistically. There are dangers everywhere, but here I have the best family anyone could ever have and great friends who are willing to help no matter what. Adam is going to teach me to shoot. He needs to practice to try to rehabilitate his right arm more, and I need to learn how so I can better protect myself and help protect my family if need be.”

“I guess I was getting a bit lonely in San Francisco so that I was willing to believe what that crazy Patricia said. I wanted you to come back to the city.”

“Maybe you should move here. There’s a need for a skilled surgeon here. In fact, I could help you in your office if you set one up here. I no longer want to go out on calls. It’s too dangerous for me to go alone, and I can’t expect Adam to escort me. I would love to have my brother living here too. It would be a perfect situation for me. What do you think?”

“I guess if I take one step back and look at this, I think that’s a wonderful idea too. Adam, do you suppose you could help me find an office or build one?”

“I would like that a great deal. We’re building a house too. It will have a spare bedroom for a while.”

“A while? Then what happens to it?”

“I’m hoping that there will be an addition to the family who may need it.”

After a moment of thought, Lem smiled. “Are you making an announcement?”

“Not yet, but soon I hope. We’re working on it.”

“Boy, are they ever!”

Joe’s comment got a stern rebuke from his father, and then laughter from everyone including even Ben after a minute. Once the laughter died down, Lem looked to his sister and Adam. “I’m suddenly feeling a lot more happy than I have been in a long time. I guess I needed to break out of my routine and think about a new challenge. This is going to be exciting. To set up a new practice, meet new people, and get the chance to get to know Adam’s family more. I’ve heard that there is good fishing in these mountain streams. Does anyone here know anything about that?”

Hoss wrapped an arm around Lem’s shoulders. “Lem, whenever you have the time, I would be willing to be your guide. Doing Adam a favor, you see, helping out his brother-in-law. Would this afternoon be too soon? I know this nice little valley with quiet pools where them fish just love to grow all fat and juicy waiting for me to catch ’em. While we’re there, we could talk about some of the ladies you’d like to meet. There’s this one tall gal, Bessie Sue, and I’m sure she’d be tickled pink to get to know ya.”

As Hoss escorted Lem toward the house with a nonstop travelogue and welcome wagon talk, the others trailed behind and chatted about perhaps hosting a party to welcome Lem to Virginia City so he could meet their friends. Life was looking good for everyone on the Ponderosa.

Next in the Leah Series:

One Plus One
Guilt Trap

 

Tags:  Adam Cartwright, Family