Summary:   Things seem to be happening to Joe. Is he losing his mind, or could there me another explanation?

Word Count: 41,575  Rated: K+

 

                                                                        Believe In Me

 

A little history lesson on this story. You can skip this part if you want it doesn’t affect the story at all. It’s Just a note on how this monstrosity started.

Back on Bonanza World I was doing a WIP called Under the Influence and at one point there was a call for some JAM immediately. I didn’t have any planned JAM, and I warned everyone to be nice or they’d get a cliffhanger. I think what followed was a threat to my dog Shadow. As a result the following was written as tongue-in-cheek. It was both a cliffhanger and JAM.

Fair warning, this has not been beta’s or anything. It is exactly as it was originally posted. In fact I had to go back and pull it from the thread because I wrote it in a post and nowhere else.

 Joe was angry, very angry when he rode away.

“Why can’t that boy listen to reason?” Adam grumbled. “If he would only listen to one of us maybe he could see what he’s doing. Running away is not the way to solve problems.” With a sigh Adam turned Sport in the direction his brother had gone. “If I don’t catch him now he’ll never come home again.”

“What the devil? And I don’t mean the Strouds!” Adam saw where Joe’s tracks veered off the main road and headed towards Wolf Ridge.

Wolf Ridge was one of the steepest places in the area, worse than Eagle’s Nest. Parts of the trail were very narrow, with a sheer drop down to the canyon below.

Adam continued following the tracks. “Why would Joe go up here? He hates it here. It absolutely terrifies him.”

The trailed narrowed and Adam slowed Sport. The peaceful quiet was shattered by a wolf howling. Startled by the noise, Sport reared up. Unprepared Adam fell to the ground and right over the side of the cliff. As he fell he was able to grab hold of a branch of a tree that was growing out of the face of the cliff. Adam was now literally hanging from the side of a cliff.

“HELP!” Adam yelled. “SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEASE, HELP ME!”

From the side of the cliff Adam hanging on for dear life. He continued to call for help. His arms were starting to ache and his hands were sweating. It was everything he could do to hang on.

Adam looked down at the abyss below and swallowed hard. “PLEASE HELP ME!” he screamed. “God, now I know how Joe feels. I swear if I get out of this alive, I’ll never, ever give him a hard time, in any way what so ever, about his fear of heights.”

“Really? Remember you swore.”

Adam looked up and saw Joe’s head peaking over the edge of the cliff.

“Joe?”

“Just hold on, Older Brother, we’ll get you out of this mess that you got yourself into.”

Joe disappeared from sight. Adam started to grow anxious. “Hurry, Joe!”

“Almost done, Adam. Just hold on”

Adam’s hands were starting to slip, he was now hanging by his finger tips. “Joe!”

“I’m here,” Joe called as his head appeared once again. “I tied knots into the rope for you. I’m going to toss it down, grab it and we’ll pull you up.”

As Joe threw the rope down Adam lost his grip on the tree. “JJJOOOOEEEEE!”

To be continued…………..

 

 

This didn’t go the way I thought it would. It was meant to be all tongue in cheek like the trial was, but it took a drastic turn. I hope you all don’t mind a little side trip every so often. Like I said, I’m bored.

Adam reached, his life depended on it. That rope was the only thing between him and death. Adam reached for the rope, willing himself to grab hold of it. There it was, the last knot. Adam caught hold with his right hand and immediately brought his left around and grabbed hold of it, just above the last knot, the knot that save him from slipping right down the rope and into the abyss. I could kiss you right now, Joe. His body jerked to a sudden stop, but Adam held tight.

Joe watched his brother’s hands slip off the branch. He watched him start to fall. “GRAB THE ROPE, ADAM! GRAB THE ROPE!” Joe screamed. When Joe saw the rope jerk and Adam hanging from the bottom of it, a surge of relief, stronger than any other emotion Joe had ever felt, surged through his body, making him feel weak. But he couldn’t indulge himself right now. Adam was still in danger.

“Go, Cooch! Pull, Boy!” Joe called to his faithful horse. Cochise started to walk slowly away from his friend, in order to pull the rope. Cochise knew he had to go slow, or the man his friend loved would fall.

“Just a little more, Adam.”

Adam slowly made his way up, when he reached the top he was able to find a foothold and push himself over and away from the edge of the cliff. Adam sat on the ground trying to catch his breath and calm the fear he felt. He looked up, expecting to see his brother, the brother he owed his life to, sitting next to him. When Adam didn’t see him there, he looked around and found Joe still at the edge of the cliff.

“Joe?”

Joe didn’t answer him, in fact he didn’t even move a muscle. Adam went over to him and squatted down. “Come on, Joe.” Still no response. Adam put his hand on Joe’s shoulder and could feel the tremors. He looked closely at Joe’s face and saw the stark terror on Joe’s face.

Joe couldn’t take his eyes off the drop below him. He was frozen in fear.

“Joe, it’s okay. Come on, back away. Adam guided his brother away from the edge. “That’s it, take it slow and easy.” When he had Joe far from the edge he put his hand under Joe’s chin and gently raised his face until he could see Joe’s eyes. “It’s okay, it’s over now.”

Adam saw the tears shimmering in Joe’s eyes and then spill over.

“Adam?” Joe gasped. His breathing was harsh and ragged. He was trying to catch his breath, but his heart was pounding and he felt like he wouldn’t ever be able to breathe again.

“I’m here, Joe. It’s okay, we’re safe.” Adam pulled Joe into his arms and held him tight, as unrelenting fear shook Joe’s whole body. Adam could hear him gasping for air. “Ssh. Relax, Joe. Breathe, Little Buddy. It’s all over,” he whispered in Joe’s ear. Adam continued to whisper to Joe, trying to comfort him, just as he had done in the days after Marie’s death.

The tremors slowed, then faded away, Joe’s breathing evened out as Joe was finally able to get control of himself.

“What were you doing up here, Adam?” Joe asked once he pulled away from his brother.

“I was following you.”

Joe looked at Adam, as if he had lost his mind. “Following me? Why would you think I came up here? I hate this place.”

“Your tracks led up here.”

“They couldn’t of.”

“Your tracks were on the ground. It couldn’t have been anyone else. No one’s been up here in ages.”

Realizing what Adam had done, Joe started laughing. “Did those tracks have a notch in them?”

“No, they were plain, ordinary tracks. Why?”

“Didn’t Hoss tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

Joe laughed even harder. “He notched Cochise’s shoes, so the two of you could find me easier. You were following Hoss’ tracks. He was just up here a couple days ago.”

I’m going to get him. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me about Cochise. “Then what were you doing up here?”

“I saw Sport come running down, so I followed his tracks and found you. Oh, and Cochise has a hold of him.

“But, you’re scared of this place. Why would you do something like that?”

“Because you’re my brother, and I thought you were in trouble.”

“But, Joe, how could you even get near the side, let alone do all that you did?”

“I didn’t think, I just did. I heard you yelling and all I could think was that you needed me.”

Adam looked at Joe with pride shining in his eyes. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, you would do the same for me.”

“No I wouldn’t.”

“What?” Joe squeaked.

“I said no, I wouldn’t do the same for you.” Adam almost laughed at Joe’s crestfallen look.

“Why?” Joe asked. He was completely devastated by Adam’s answer.

“Because, you would never be stupid enough to get yourself into such a predicament.”

“Hey! You swore you wouldn’t make fun of me anymore.”

“I’m not, Little Brother. I’m making fun of myself. I’ll also promise you one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“No matter how long it takes, no matter what I have to do, I swear I will get even with Hoss for this.

Both brothers sat near a steep cliff laughing hysterically.

“Dang, Adam, don’t you know any better than to be a cliff hanger?”

Adam sighed. “I guess that teaches me to demand something from you.”

 

This is where it should have stopped. But I was told more than once that I should make it into a full story. I took up the challenge. Why? I have no clue, it was a moment of total insanity. How I came up with what I did to build around this part still baffles me, and even worries me.

Believe in Me started on Bonanza World and concluded at my new home, Bonanza Brand. I do hope that this one isn’t a disappointment to anyone. I’ll not put into writing how I really feel about it, let’s just say I think it’s taken me a year to finally put it in the library.

All that being said, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

 

---

 

 

Chapter 1

The front door swung open with a bang, announcing the arrival of the youngest Cartwright.

“Pa!” Joe yelled as he hung up his hat, and pushing the door closed with his foot, resulting in another loud bang.

“Joseph, would you please stop slamming that door,” Ben scolded.

“Sorry, Pa,” Joe said a bit sheepishly. He had been told this same thing ever since he was old enough to close a door, but it just wouldn’t sink into the overly exuberant Joe Cartwright. He removed his gun belt, rolled it up and after placing it on the credenza, went over to where his father sat at his desk.

“Hi, Pa,” Joe greeted when he approached Ben’s desk, a brilliant smile lighting up his face and his eyes glittering with the happiness he felt. Seeing Adam sitting in front of the desk his smile grew even bigger. “Hey, Big Brother.”

Ben chuckled at Joe’s enthusiasm. He watched his youngest son and could see the energy in him that demanded to be released and the passion he had for life. That boy’s like a wild horse in an open meadow, running full out, taking every bit of joy and excitement that life has to offer.

“What has you so wound up, Son?”

Adam looked up at his brother and shook his head. He’s like a puppy bouncing all over the place and never taking anything serious.

“I got the horses done,” Joe announced, pride and satisfaction resonating in his voice. “And a week early, too.”

Ben stood and clapped Joe on the back. “That’s great, Joe. I’m proud of you, Son.”

“It’s about time. Those horses should have been done days ago,” Adam admonished.

The smile faded from Joe’s face, and hurt replaced pride in his eyes. He swallowed hard trying to force down the lump in his throat. “I… I guess you’re right, Adam.” He stepped away from Ben’s touch. “I’m gonna go get cleaned up.” It took all of Joe’s self-control to walk up the stairs instead of letting his temper get the better of him. Just last night he had been warned about it, and Joe wasn’t in the mood for another lecture.

Ben had watched the interaction between his youngest and oldest sons and was concerned by Adam’s reaction.

“Adam, is something bothering you?”

When Adam turned to face his father his mask was firmly in place. “No, Pa, nothing’s wrong.”

Adam wasn’t about to tell his family about Louise. He felt like a fool as it was, if his family ever found out what had happened, he’d feel like an even bigger fool.

Ben couldn’t read anything on Adam’s face, nothing to indicate that there was a problem. Ben marveled at the difference between Adam and Joe. Adam rarely betrayed his feelings unless he wanted to, whereas Joe was an open book. Every emotion, good or bad, was right there in front of you as clear as could be.

“You sure, Son?”

“Positive. If you’ll excuse me, Pa, I’m going to get cleaned up.”

Ben watched him climb the stairs and sighed. There’s no use in borrowing trouble, it’ll come out when he’s ready, or it’ll just blow over. Hopefully, it’ll be soon, Ben mused to himself.

 

Chapter 2

“Remember, Joe, I want the tack room cleaned out and the corral fence repaired. Once that’s done you can join Hoss and help round up the strays so he can move the herd later in the week,” Ben instructed while each of them strapped on their gun belts.

“You got it, Pa. Tack room, fence, then Hoss,” Joe repeated his assignments before he grabbed his hat and followed Hoss out the door, with Ben and Adam following them out. Buck and Sport were already waiting and both men mounted and rode out of the yard.

As Hoss saddled Chubb, Joe gathered the various items strewn around the barn.

“I hate cleanin’ the tack room,” Joe groused. “Why can’t everyone put things away where they belong?”

“Yeah, Joe, why can’t you put things away?” Hoss chuckled while he led Chubb out of the stall.

Joe shot a sheepish smile at Hoss. “I guess I do forget to put things away, sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Hoss guffawed. “How about all the time?”

“I don’t forget all the time,” Joe protested.

Hoss cocked his head to the side and stared at his brother, but didn’t say a word.

Joe started to squirm. “Okay, most of the time.”

Hoss’ booming laughter could still be heard as he rode away.

Hauling the items he had collected into the tack room, he dropped them on to a table. He surveyed the room and sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if I did put things away when I used them.”

He started untangling bridles and reins, hanging them up, organizing the grooming tools and putting away the bottles of liniment and tins of saddle soap. He picked up the various tools and placed them where they belonged. Once done he looked around at his handy work and smiled. “Even Adam can’t complain.”

Joe frowned at the thought of his oldest brother. For weeks now Adam had been coming down on everything Joe did, no matter how hard he tried Adam always found him lacking, and he made sure Joe, and everyone else, knew about it. They couldn’t even be in the same room together without something being said to set the other off. Joe knew their father was about at the end of his rope with the two of them, but he didn’t know what to do to resolve the situation.

He shook his head trying to get rid of the depressing thoughts and grabbed what he needed to make the repairs to the corral, saddled Cochise and headed out. He ground tied Cochise in the shade of a tree and walked around the corral, inspecting the fence, and found that there were about a dozen places that needed to be repaired. Pulling on his gloves he set to work pulling off the old boards and replacing them with the new ones that had been delivered earlier in the week.

He was about half way done when he stood and stretched the kinks out of his back. Over in the other corral the horses that he had finished breaking the day before were milling about. Joe walked over and leaned against the rails and watched them.

“Mighty fine job we did,” he said, a satisfied smile gracing his face.

A black gelding separated itself from the others and made its way towards Joe, and snorted when it reached him, Joe held out his hand, palm up, to the horse, allowing it to move closer and nuzzled his palm.

“You about wanted to kill me yesterday and today you’re my best friend?” Joe laughed while rubbing the velvety nose offered to him. His smile grew as he remembered how hard it was to gentle this particular horse. “You sure gave me some ride.”

With a sigh he gave the horse a final pat on the neck and turned away. “I best get back to work if I want to finish today.”

“Can it get any hotter?” Joe mused as he looked up at the hot July sun. He removed his hat and pushed back the damp curls that had fall down across his forehead before going back to work.

Joe finished replacing the last of the boards and stacked the old ones off to the side, to be collected later in the week, before mounting up and riding out to join Hoss.

 

Chapter 3

“Did you see Ralph chasin’ that one through the brush, Joe?” Hoss asked as he and Joe led their horses into the barn later that day.

“Yeah, it sure led him on a merry chase,” Joe chuckled.

“I think that calf ended up herdin’ Ralph back instead of the other way ‘round.”

The brothers continued to joke and tease about their day while they took care of their horses for the night.

“Nice to hear you diddo some work today, Joe,” Adam interrupted from the doorway of the barn.

Automatically Joe tensed at his brothers words, he had to make a conscious effort not to snap at the comment. “Of course I did, Big Brother, I’ve been workin’ hard all day, haven’t I, Hoss?” Joe smiled at Adam as he waited for Hoss’ confirmation.

“He sure has,” Hoss attested. “He’s been workin’ real hard.”

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the barn door. “Really?” he drawled. “I could have sworn Pa assigned you some yard chores to do before you joined Hoss.”

“What’re you gettin’ at, Adam?” The smile was gone from Joe’s face and his hackles were now up like a she-wolf defending her pups.

“I mean you didn’t touch the tack room,” accused Adam. “I do have to give you credit, you did do the corral fence, and actually did a decent job for once.”

“I did the tack room!” Joe strode over to the room looked in and frowned in bewilderment. The room was neat and orderly, nothing was out of place, but something was different about it, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

“No, I did the tack room,” corrected Adam.

That’s when it hit Joe like a ton of bricks, and it became very clear what was different in the tack room. It was the exact, precise way everything was arranged… The way Adam would arrange the room.

Joe spun around and glared at Adam. “What?! Wasn’t the way I did it good enough for you? Just because I’m not compulsive like you, doesn’t mean there was anythin’ wrong with the room. It was clean.”

“Good enough? Clean? You didn’t even touch the room.”

“Adam, it couldn’t have been that bad, he was workin’ on it when I left. I’m sure He did a good job with it,” Hoss tried to assure his brother.

Joe looked at Hoss and smiled, while Adam looked at him in disbelief.

“I don’t believe it. Hoss, why can’t you just…” Adam broke off and could only stare at his brothers. “Whatever you say.”  He turned on his heel and walked out of the barn, shaking his head in disgust.

“You did clean that room, didn’t you, Joe?”

“I did, Hoss, every last bit of it. There wasn’t anythin’ out of place when I left for the corral.” Joe grabbed his saddlebags and pulled out the tools he’d used earlier. “The only things that are missin’ right now are these.” He held the tools up for Hoss to see. “And I’m putting them away right now.” Joe walked into the tack room and returned the tools to their proper places. “I didn’t bring them back earlier because I thought it was best to get out there to help you.”

Hoss smiled at his brother and thumped him on the back, causing Joe to stumble forward a few steps. “And I sure did appreciate the help.” He sniffed the air and smiled. “Smells like Hop Sing made chicken and dumplin’s. Let’s go clean up, I’m starving.”

“What’s new?” Joe teased and ducked the swipe that was aimed at his head.

Amidst laughter and teasing, the bothers headed for the house, the whole episode with the tack room completely forgotten.

 

Chapter 4

The next morning while they were having breakfast, Ben finished handing out the work assignments for the day.

“And Joe, the wood box needs to be filled and we need some kindling. I want you to do that, then you can go to town for the mail and the supplies that Hop Sing needs.”

Joe smiled at the mention of a trip to Virginia City. He was sure he could fit in a beer or two while he waited for the supplies.

“I’d be happy to, Pa.”

“I’m sure you would, Little Brother,” Hoss laughed.

“And I’m sure hope you can do better there than you did with the tack room,” Adam muttered.

Both Joe and Hoss glared at their older brother and Ben lowered his paper to look at all three of his sons.

“What was that, Son?” Ben questioned. He had heard Adam say something, but didn’t catch the words.

“Oh nothing, Pa. I was just thinking about a letter that I’m expecting from Sam Boone.” Even though he was irritated with Joe for not doing his work, he didn’t want to get into it with his father or brothers this early in the morning.

Ben nodded his head while he wiped his mouth and laid his napkin on his plate. “I’m going to go see Matt Montgomery about that bull he just got. It’s supposed to be from some excellent stock. If I like what I see, we just might invest in one or two for the Ponderosa.”

Having their assignments for the day, each man went their separate way.

 

Chapter 5

Joe spent most of the morning chopping wood and stacking it. He not only filled the wood box as asked, but he also stacked a fair amount next to it, and filled the chest inside the house and the one in Hop Sing’s kitchen with kindling.

“Well, that should be more than enough to keep Hop Sing happy for a while.”

Joe went back into the house and bounded up the stairs to wash some of the sweat off and change into a clean shirt before heading to town.

As he hitched the team to the wagon, Joe smiled thinking how cold that cold beer was going to taste on such a scorcher of a day.

~~~~~~~~~~

Joe stopped the wagon in the yard and hopped down. Grabbing a sack of flour, he swung it over his shoulder and headed for the kitchen.

“Hey, Hop Sing, I got your supplies,” Joe yelled when he entered the kitchen, and dropped the flour on the floor next to the pantry.

Hop Sing came up from the cellar as Joe came back in with another sack. He stood in the doorway glaring at Joe.

“What?” Joe asked his eyes darting to the sack he had already brought in. “I put it where you always want it.”

“Humph! No have time for foolish, little boy who no do what he told.” Hop Sing turned around and went back down to the cellar, leaving a very confused Joe standing by the kitchen door with the sack still slung over his shoulder.

“What do you mean by that?” he called out, but there wasn’t an answer.

Joe sat the sack on the floor next to the other one and was just going out the door when he heard footsteps entering the kitchen. “Hi, Pa.”

“Finish unloading the supplies, Joseph, then I want to have a word with you.” Ben turned and started to leave the kitchen.

“Is somethin’ wrong, Pa?”

“Unload the supplies, Joseph,” Ben repeated and left the room.

Joe could tell by the look on his father’s face and his tone of voice that he wasn’t happy. He pulled his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair in confusion.

“Joseph? What did I do? He can’t be mad about the beer, I only had two and I’m not late. Besides, how could he know?” Joe wondered before shrugging his shoulders and heading back outside to finish unloading the wagon.

 

Chapter 6

Once Joe had placed the last item in the kitchen, he took care of the wagon and stabled the horses before going in to see what Ben was so upset about.

“Uh, you wanted to see me, Pa?” Joe asked hesitantly when he approached Ben’s desk.

“Yes, I did, Joseph.” Ben put his pen down and leaned back in his chair and silently observed his son.

Joe started to squirm under Ben’s intense glare. Although he knew he hadn’t done anything wrong, Ben’s silence was making him uneasy.

“Um, What’s wrong, Pa?” Joe finally asked when he couldn’t take the silence any longer.

“Did you have a nice time in town?” Ben asked in a deceptively soft voice.

Joe paused, taking the time to consider the question and his response. He wasn’t sure what Ben was looking for, but he did know that he wasn’t happy about something, so he decided that the whole truth was the best course of action.

“Yes, Sir. I, uh, had a couple of beers while I waited for Mr. Schone to get the supplies ready.”

“Are you telling me it took all day to get the supplies?”

“All day?” Joe asked. “No, Pa, it only took about an hour.”

“An hour?” Ben asked, a touch of icy steel lacing his voice.

“Yes, Sir, an hour,” Joe gulped. Shifting from foot to foot, he was starting to feel uneasy even though he didn’t know where Ben was heading with his questions.

“What did you do with the rest of your time in town? A poker game perhaps? Or was it a pretty girl?”

“Huh?” Joe was completely confused now.

“You were in town all day, Joseph! I want to know what you did,” Ben demanded, his anger starting to penetrate into his voice.

“No, Pa, I was only there long enough to get the supplies then I came straight home.”

Ben suddenly pushed back in his chair, stood and came around the desk to stand in front of his son. “Then where were you all day?”

“Here, Pa. I-I was doing my c-chores before going to town,” Joe stammered.

“And would those chores include the wood I asked to have done?” Ben inquired.

“Of course.”

“Joseph,” Ben warned.

“What? I did what you told me to,” Joe claimed. His temper was starting to rise at the insinuations that were being made.

“I believe I told you to fill the wood boxes.”

“And I did,” Joe snapped.

“You will watch how you speak to me, Young Man.” Ben warned.

“Pa, I did do it.” Joe walked over to the fireplace and flipped open the lid of the chest that stood there to show that it was filled with kindling. “See?”

“You may have taken care of the kindling, Joseph, but I told you to not only chop the wood, but to also stack it. When I came home the wood was chopped, but it was all over the place.” Ben informed his son, coming to stand in front of him once more.

“What?” Joe squeaked. “I filled the wood box. In fact, I stacked extra next to it.”

Ben sighed in frustration. “Really? It didn’t look that way when I came home.”

Joe now went on the defensive and his voice started to rise with each word. “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Pa. I chopped the wood and stacked it just like you told me to.”

Ben took a step closer to Joe and put his hands on his hips. “Joseph, you are not too old for a trip to the barn.”

Joe took an involuntary step back and looked away from the anger blazing in Ben’s eyes. His fists were clenched by his side, and he was breathing hard as he fought for control of the anger that was rearing its ugly head.

“I’m not a little boy anymore, Pa.” Joe declared through gritted teeth.

“Then why are you acting like one?”

“I’m not. I did everything you told me to. If the wood was all over the place like you said, then someone else did it. I stacked it,” Joe proclaimed.

“And why would someone do something like that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Joseph…” Ben started.

“I stacked it!” Joe’s temper was at the boiling point and he knew that if he didn’t get it under control he would regret it,, in more ways than one. “I got chores to do.” Joe spun on his heel and hurried to the door.

“Joseph, get back here!” Ben bellowed.

Joe stopped with his hand on the door latch. “I can’t, Pa. If I do we’ll both regret it.” He pulled the door open and walked out, slamming it closed as he left.

 

Chapter 7

Joe was in the barn grooming Cochise when Hoss walked in, leading Chubb. Joe never turned or even acknowledged his brother’s presence.

“What’s with you?” Hoss asked.

“Nothin’,” was the only thing Joe said as he continued the long, soothing strokes of the brush down the pinto’s back.

“Don’t look like nothin’ to me. Looks more like somethin’s eating at you,” Hoss observed. “You may as well spit it out, Little Brother.” He led Chubb into his stall and started unsaddling him.

Joe paused in mid stroke and stood looking at the brush in his hand. “Pa said I didn’t do my chores this morning.”

“And?” Hoss prodded.

“And what? That’s it, there’s nothin’ else,” claimed Joe.

“Did you do ‘em?”

Joe turned and looked his brother in the eye. “Yes, I did them,” he enunciated. “I did my chores just like he told me to, then I went to town for the supplies and came right home.”

“If you did ‘em, why’s Pa mad?”

“Cuz he said when he came home the wood wasn’t stacked, said it was all over the place.” Joe took a deep breath before continuing. “I swear, Hoss, I stacked the wood.”

“Then how did it end up all over?”

“I don’t know,” Joe said in frustration.

“You telling me the truth?”

“Yes,” Joe answered disheartened.

“Okay, Little Brother, I believe you. I just don’t know what to say about it.” Hoss finished with Chubb, and with a final pat on the horses neck walked out of the stall. “If you’re done brushing all the hair off that nag of yours, let’s go see what Hop Sing has for dinner.”

“Probably bread and water for me,” Joe muttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“You go on, Hoss, I ain’t hungry.”

“Little Joe…”

“I ain’t hungry, Hoss. I’ll be in later.” Joe turned back to Cochise and resumed brushing him.

Hoss stood there watching him. He could tell by the slump of Joe’s shoulders that the boy was hurting. He knew Joe always took it pretty hard whenever he and their father had an argument. Hoss shook his head and started to walk out of the barn.

“Hoss?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Believin’ me.”

“Any time, Little Joe.” Hoss smiled at his brother before walking out of the barn.

 

Chapter 8

When Hoss came into the house Ben turned from where he had been gazing into the fireplace. “Hoss.”

“Hi, Pa,” Hoss greeted as he walked over and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table by the fireplace and took a bite out of the crisp, juicy piece of fruit.

“Did you see your brother outside?”

“Little Joe?” Hoss knew which brother his father was referring to without even asking. It was always like this when the two had an argument.  “Yeah, he’s out in the barn.” Hoss answered and took another bite.

Before Ben could say anything else, Adam walked in. “Pa, Hoss,” he greeted. “What’s with Joe? He just offered to take care of Sport for me.”

“Somethin’ has to be wrong with him, for him to offer to help you out, Adam?”

“Well, no, but it’s just… Well, not normal,” Adam stated. Especially with how things have been lately.

Hoss started laughing and slapped Adam on the back, nearly knocking him off his feet. “Maybe not to you, Older Brother.”

“Dinner ready, come eat,” Hop Sing called as he placed the last dish on the table.

“Hoss, go get your brother,” Ben instructed and turned towards the table.

“Um, Pa,” Hoss hedged.

“What is it?” Ben asked turning back to his middle son.

“Thing is, he said he ain’t hungry.”

“He’s not hungry? You go out there and tell him…”

“Ah, Pa, let him be,” Hoss interrupted. “If you make him come in, all he’s gonna do is push his food around his plate, and all that’s gonna do is make you and Hop Sing mad.”

Ben considered Hoss’ words for a minute and realized his son was right. “When did you get to be so smart?” Ben teased, the tension from minutes before finally starting to ease.

“Always have been, Pa. Just didn’t wanna make old Adam here feel stupid,” Hoss laughed.

“Gee, thanks, Brother,” Adam quipped.

“Why don’t you boys hurry and wash up, you don’t want to keep Hop Sing waiting.”

Adam and Hoss nodded before hurrying up the stairs.

 

Chapter 9

 

Not wanting to face his family, Joe sat in the loft watching the house and waiting for it to go dark.

Earlier, he had seen Ben walk out onto the porch and light his pipe. He seemed to be standing there looking out at the yard, lost in thought. When Ben looked towards the barn, Joe scooted further back into the shadows. He wasn’t ready to talk with his father yet. He was still stinging from the accusations that had been thrown at him earlier in the day.

Joe sighed with relief when Ben finally went back into the house. Morning would come soon enough and Joe knew there would be no way to avoid his father when that time came, but for tonight he could.

The last light was extinguished and the house was dark, except for the soft glow of a lamp that was turned down low waiting for the last Cartwright to come in, but Joe continued to wait. He wanted to give Ben time to get settled in and asleep before he went in. If it wasn’t for the fact that his window was closed and locked, Joe would have snuck into the house hours ago.

Finally determining it was safe; Joe climbed out of the loft and headed for the house and the sanctuary of his room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ben heard the light footsteps coming softly down the hall. He smiled when he heard the steps suddenly stop when a floorboard squeaked. After all these years he still hasn’t learned to avoid that spot.

The steps started again, whisper soft, but very clear to a father’s trained ear. He must have taken his boots off. Ben smiled at the memory of the many times this son had tried sneaking into or out of the house.

“Good night, Joseph,” Ben whispered when he heard the almost inaudible click of Joe’s door closing.

Knowing all of his sons were safe within the walls of his home, Ben turned on his side and drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

 

Chapter 10

The next morning Joe was up and at the table without anyone having to wake him. Even though he knew he didn’t do anything wrong the day before, he felt it was in his best interest not to tempt fate – or his father’s ire.

“Well, isn’t this a refreshing change,” Adam remarked sarcastically. “No one had to wake you up for once.”

“Adam,” Ben warned when he saw the fire ignite in Joe’s eyes. The flames were small, but all they needed was some fuel and they would turn into a blazing inferno.

“Oh come on, Pa. He’s never on time for meals, don’t you think…”

“Adam!” Ben barked.

The platter that Joe started to pick up dropped to the table with a clatter. Both hands came down heavily on top of the table, one on each side of his plate and Joe started to push himself to his feet. More fuel had just been added to the fire and it started to jump the firebreak.

Ben placed a restraining hand on Joe’s arm, hoping to extinguish the situation like a bucket of water.

“Joseph, sit down and eat your breakfast,” Ben ordered, gently, but firmly.

Joe looked away from Adam and at his father. He saw the steely look in Ben’s eyes and knew not to ignore his father. The water had done its job, but the fire was still smoldering and a stray spark could quite easily ignite it again.

Hoss had been watching the exchange and had been ready to step in if needed. Trying to give his father a helping hand, he picked up the platter that Joe had dropped and handed it to his younger brother.

“Here, Little Joe, how ‘bout some eggs?”

“I ain’t…” Joe started to say between clenched teeth.

“Eat some breakfast, Joseph. You didn’t have any dinner last night and you need to eat.”

“Pa, I’m…”

“Eat,” Ben commanded.

Joe sat staring at his father, locked in a battle of wills. He finally acknowledged that he was fighting a losing battle, and surrendered by hanging his head. “Yes, Sir.”

Ben nodded his head in satisfaction when he saw Joe start to eat. The scrapping of a chair against the floor drew his attention to the other end of the table. Adam had pushed his chair back and stood up.

“If you’ll excuse me, Pa, I need to go to town.”

Ben watched his oldest son leave the table and sighed, the tension between his sons had gone on for far too long. He knew he needed to do something, but he didn’t know what. Adam wasn’t talking and wouldn’t until he was ready, this created a problem though; Adam was taking his foul mood out on Joe and things weren’t looking good on that front. Ben tried to shake off the feeling of foreboding and looked at his two younger sons.

“Joe, remember you need to take those supplies up to the lumber camp. Adam will be up there later today and he’s going to need them.”

“I’m gonna load the wagon after breakfast and head up there.” Joe paused to take a drink of his coffee. “Is there anythin’ else you want me to do today?”

Ben gave Joe a hard look; the incident with the wood had not been forgotten. “No, Joseph, just make sure you get the supplies to the lumber camp. You should be able to complete that, right?”

Joe swallowed hard and looked away. He knew his father was referring to the wood mishap from the day before. “Yes, Sir, I can do it.”

Joe wiped his mouth and set his napkin on his plate before standing up. “In fact, I’ll go get the wagon hitched and start loading it right now.” Joe grabbed his gun belt and hat and rushed out the door.

Hoss had been silent during the brief conversation between his father and younger brother. He knew that yesterday’s chores played a big, silent, factor in it.

“Pa, you ain’t still mad at Joe, are you?”

Ben pulled his attention away from the corner Joe had just disappeared around and looked at Hoss. “It’s not so much that I’m angry at him as I am disappointed.”

“Pa, are you sure he didn’t do his work?” Hoss asked.

“There’s no doubt, Hoss. I’m the one who ended up stacking the wood,” Ben explained.

“There’s probably a good reason then. What did Little Joe say about it?”

“After he was done squawking about it he suggested that someone had come along and unstacked it.”

“It’s a possibility,” Hoss defended.

“And why would someone want to do something like that?”

“I don’t rightly know, Pa.”

“That was also Joe’s answer, and he couldn’t give any other explanation.”

“You know, Pa, he probably thought he’d have enough time to stack it when he got back from town,” Hoss said, defending Joe once again. “I’m sure he just wanted to make sure he got the supplies before it got too late.”

Ben considered this for a minute. “You could be right, Son, but why lie about it?”

“I don’t know, Pa. It just don’t sound like Joe.”

“No it doesn’t,” Ben agreed.

Both men were silent for a while as they finished their breakfast. The only sound to be heard was the clinking of cutlery against china.

“I best get goin’,” Hoss announced. He stood and started for the door. Before he rounded the corner he stopped and looked back at his father. “Don’t worry about him, Pa. Joe’ll be fine.”

“I’m not worrying,” Ben protested.

Hoss chuckled before turning away. “If you say so.”

Ben heard the door close and smiled to himself. “I think that’s my purpose in life –  To worry about Joe.”

 

Chapter 11

While hitching the team to the wagon Joe noticed the other wagon and team was gone. “Hop Sing probably forgot somethin’ and sent someone to town,” he told the horses as he buckled a harness in place.

Joe loaded the supplies and tools that were needed up at the camp, climbed up onto the seat and with a slap of the reins, and whistling a raunchy tune he was off.

Arriving at Sparrow Ridge, Joe brought the wagon to a stop and looked around the camp. There wasn’t a soul in sight; it was as empty as a church on a Saturday night. Hopping down from the wagon Joe made his way to the foreman’s cabin.

“Hey, Wilson, you in there?” Joe called, as he banged on the door.

When there wasn’t an answer Joe pushed the door open and looked in. The cabin was as deserted as the rest of the camp. Joe walked to the center of the camp and looked around.

“Wilson!” he shouted. The only answer he received was a bird chirping in the distance. “Anyone around?”

Joe rubbed the back of his neck as he continued to look around. “I would have thought Wilson would have been here.” He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the wagon. “Guess I get to unload it, too.”

Pulling the wagon around to the back of the foreman’s cabin where the supply shed was Joe started unloading it, neatly stacking the boxes and lining up the tools against the wall. “Guess that’s it, if they need anythin’ else they can tell Adam.”

Joe jumped back up to the driver’s seat. “Well, Boys, Pa said I didn’t have to do anythin’ else today, might as well get Cooch and head to town for a while.” With his mind made up, Joe slapped the reins again and sent the team into a trot.

 

Chapter 12

Adam rode home at a gallop from the lumber camp. He was angry and his anger grew with each beat of Sport’s hooves.

“I can’t believe her nerve!” he raged. “To have the audacity to introduce me to him – like it was nothing!”

The dark cloud that had been hanging over Adam for weeks grew darker and darker. To say it hadn’t been a good day, was an understatement. Nothing had gone right that day. It all started at breakfast with Joe and continued on his trip to Virginia City.

~~~~~~~~~~

A mile outside of town Sport threw a shoe, causing Adam to walk the rest of the way. He left Sport at the blacksmiths and walked to the family’s attorney’s office, where there were some new timber contracts that need to be reviewed before they were signed. Adam and Hiram had spent hours going through them only to find several pages missing.

“I’m sorry, Adam, I never thought that Central Pacific would send incomplete contracts. They usually have every ‘i’ dotted and every ‘t’ crossed,” Hiram apologized.

“Don’t worry about it, Hiram, we’ll just have to wait for the new contracts.”

“I’ll let you know when they come in.” The two men shook hands and Adam left the office heading for the mercantile.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Schone.”

“Why, Adam, it’s good to see you,” greeted the shopkeeper.

“Have those books that I ordered come in yet?” Adam was really looking forward to the new novels. He had just finished reading his last book and was ready for something new.

“I’m sorry, Adam, but I just got word that the bookseller is out of stock and has to wait for a new shipment.”

Adam stood there staring at Mr. Schone like a little boy who had been told that there wasn’t a single piece of candy to be had and it would be months before any came in. He couldn’t believe how his day was going. It was just one thing after another.

He nodded his understanding and left the store. “Can this day get any worse?” he muttered.

“Oh, Adam,” came a soft purr from behind him.

Adam’s back immediately went as rigid as a steel rail on a train track, and he closed his eyes in frustration before slowly turning around to face the owner of the soft, sultry voice.

Louise Conklin stood just behind Adam, looking as beautiful as ever. She was a few years younger than Adam with porcelain skin, graced with soft rosy cheeks, long, wavy ebony hair, and blue eyes that completed the picture of perfection… and deceit.

“Louise,” Adam said, barely containing the hostility he felt.

“What a surprise seeing you here, Adam.” Louise turned to the man whose arm she was hanging onto. “I don’t believe you know Jim Redfern.”

“Not directly, no,” Adam bit out between gritted teeth.

Louise’s smile grew as she watched Adam. “Jim, darling, this is Adam Cartwright, an acquaintance of mine,” she simpered.

Acquaintance? An acquaintance! How dare she! Adam bit down on his tongue to keep from making a public scene.

“Mr. Cartwright,” Jim said, interrupting Adam’s thoughts and offered his hand in a gesture of friendship, completely oblivious to the undertones of the meeting.

Adam looked over the man who stood before him. Jim Redfern was Adam’s age and around Joe’s height, but whereas Joe was slender, this man was as thin as a rail. His skin was the color of milk and his hair the shade of the dish water that Hop Sing would throw out at the end of the day, and it flopped over eyes that were a dull, watery brown. Jim Redfern was a self-made man. He had accumulated his wealth through wise investments, and rivaled the Cartwright fortune. The only difference between Jim Redfern and Adam Cartwright was their choice of lifestyle. Redfern preferred the luxuries of life, and that made all the difference to Louise.

“Redfern.” Adam shook the man’s hand, which was weak and limp. A new-born babe has more strength in its grip than this man does.

Adam turned back to Louise, a sardonic smile gracing his lips, and tipped his hat. “Good day, Louise.”

He walked away from the couple, mounted Sport and calmly rode out of town, not once giving away the fact that his blood was boiling to a degree that would rival the sun in its intensity. Once he was past the city limits he gave Sport a kick and headed for the lumber camp confident that the day would get better. After all there was no way it could get any worse.

 

Chapter 13

Adam walked Sport into the barn; he removed his saddle and gave the horse a thorough grooming. As he worked, he noticed that not only were Ben’s and Hoss’ horses gone, but so was Cochise. This observation did nothing to lighten Adam’s mood.

Once he finished with Sport, Adam walked around to the back of the barn where the wagons and buggies were kept. Both wagons sat there, one fully loaded with the supplies for the lumber camp.

“I should have known,” he spat out.

Going back into the barn, Adam grabbed a tin of saddle soap and went to work on his saddle while he waited for his youngest brother to return.

~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later Ben returned home. “How was your day, Son?” he asked as he led Buck into his stall and started to unsaddle him.

“Just fine and dandy, Pa,” Adam replied, sarcasm dipping heavily off of each word.

Ben looked at Adam with concern. “Is something wrong?”

“What could possibly be wrong?” Instead of the light, gentle strokes he normally used, Adam scrubbed at the saddle as if scouring the leather would erase everything that had gone wrong that day.

“Son…”

“Not now, Pa. I really don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Ben gave Buck’s neck a final pat before turning to leave the barn. At the door he paused and turned back to Adam. “Remember, I’m here if you need me.”

 

Chapter 14

Shortly before dinner Joe rode into the yard and led Cochise into the barn, where he spotted Adam sitting on a barrel working on his saddle.

“Hey, Brother,” Joe chirped. When Adam didn’t respond, Joe stood next to Cochise absently patting the horse on the neck, while watching his oldest brother.

“You know, Adam, if you rub any harder you’ll have it so soft it’ll be like sitting on one of Hop Sing’s fluffy biscuits,” he joked.

Adam looked at Joe, his eyes darkening until they were the color of onyx. Dropping the cloth he was using he walked over to Joe, and without saying a word, he grabbed him by the upper arm and started pulling Joe towards the barn door.

“What the heck,” Joe protested as he tried to pull away from the steel vise that was clamped around his arm.

Not deeming it necessary to answer Joe’s protests, Adam continued walking forcing Joe to dig in his heels, in order to halt his forward momentum. Adam finally stopped and turned to face Joe.

“Knock it off,” he ordered and gave Joe a hard shake.

Joe tried to step back when he saw the anger blazing in his brother’s eyes. “A-Adam, wh-what’s wrong?” he stammered.

With a jerk, Adam started towards the door again, leaving Joe with no choice but to follow. He pulled Joe around to the back of the barn, and with a hard push sent Joe stumbling towards the wagons.

“You want to explain that to me?” Adam growled in a deadly voice and pointed at the wagon.

Joe stood staring at the fully loaded wagon, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Once he recovered he turned on his brother. “What’s the big idea, Adam?” Joe took a step closer and poked Adam in the chest. “I worked hard deliverin’ those supplies and for what? For you to bring them back?”

“Like the Devil you did! You never even went up to the camp,” Adam yelled.

“What?! I took those supplies up there this mornin’,” Joe yelled.

“No one saw you there, Joe! Wilson said you never showed up.”

“Cuz, no one was in camp when I got there. I unloaded and came home.”

“Then went to town,” Adam accused.

“Yeah, I did. Pa told me I didn’t have anythin’ to do after I delivered the supplies, so I went to town.”

“HE SAID, AFTER DELIVERING THE SUPPLIES!” Adam roared.

“I DELIVERED THEM!” Joe shouted back.

That was it. That was the final straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. Adam pulled back his right fist and sent it flying towards Joe’s face.

Joe saw the punch coming a mere second before it connected with his nose and was able to twist just enough that it missed its target. It glanced off his cheek instead, sending him sprawling to the ground.  He may have saved himself a broken nose, but the famous Joe Cartwright temper broke loose in all its splendid glory.

Joe was on his feet in a flurry of movement and launched himself at Adam. He lowered his head and plowed into his brother, catching Adam in the chest with his shoulder, sending him flying into the side of the barn with a thud. Adam shook his head and smiled.

The fight was on.

 

Chapter 15

The difference in size and experience was the deciding factor between the brothers. Even though, at eighteen, Joe was a good fighter, but he was still young. Adam had a size advantage on him and Joe lacked the experience to make up for it.

A right hook from Adam sent Joe spiraling into the side of one of the wagons, just as Ben and Hoss came racing around the corner of the barn.

Adam grabbed a stunned Joe by the front of his shirt and was just about to send a hard blow into his stomach when a hand grabbed his arm. Hoss threw Adam away from Joe, who immediately sagged to the ground.

“What the devil is going on here?!” Ben thundered.

Adam pulled himself off the ground and glared at Hoss, who had placed himself between his two brothers.

“Adam?” Ben demanded.

“Why don’t you ask him?” Adam spat out before he turned and stormed off to the house.

Ben and Hoss watched him walk away before turning back to Joe, who was still sitting on the ground.

Hoss reached down to help Joe up. “Let me give you a hand, Little Brother.”

“I’m fine,” Joe ground out and ran his sleeve across his mouth, wiping away the blood that was trickling from his split lip.

Joe pushed himself to his feet with a groan. His world shifted slightly on its axis, causing him to take a staggering step and wrap his arms around his stomach. Immediately concerned, both Ben and Hoss were at Joe’s side, the fight, and what caused it, completely forgotten.

“Let me see, Joseph,” Ben insisted and tried pushing Joe’s hands out of the way.

“I said I’m fine.” Joe brushed off the caring hands and stepped away from his father and brother. With one last look at the wagon loaded with supplies, Joe turned away from his family.

“I’m fine,” he repeated and ran towards the front of the barn.

Seconds later Cochise galloped out of the yard.

 

Chapter 16

Joe rode hard until his emotions started to cool and he could think straight. Pulling Cochise to a stop he looked around to get his bearings, then turning the horse towards the south, he gave Cochise a slight kick and changed direction. Half an hour later Joe dismounted and ground tied his horse before making his way down to the beach, where he climbed up onto the rocks overlooking the lake. Joe sat staring out at the majestic beauty of Lake Tahoe, mesmerized by how the sapphire blue slowly gave way to azure, how the tall stately Ponderosa Pines and, the still snow-capped Sierras reflected off it’s surface.

With heart-rending sigh, his shoulders slumped and his head dropped to stare at his hands. “I don’t understand it. None of it. How is it I do somethin’, but it ain’t done?” He threw his head back in frustration, and glared at the cloudless sky. “I know I delivered those supplies; I know I unloaded them… but if I did, how did they end up back at the house?”

The more Joe searched for answers, the less he came up with. “Who would do somethin’ like this? And why? First the tack room, then the wood and now the supplies, yet they didn’t touch the corral. How can someone do all this and not be noticed?”

Joe picked up a piece of wood that was next to him and turned it around in his hands. “If this is someone’s idea of a joke, it’s ain’t funny.” Joe stood up, and with all the pent up frustration in him, heaved the piece of wood as far as he could into the lake.

“Not funny at all.”

 

Chapter 17

Ben and Hoss were sitting in the great room discussing the incident that had happened between Adam and Joe when Adam came down the stairs. He had bathed and had on clean clothes. When he looked up Ben saw that he had what looked to be the makings of a first rate black eye forming, along with a bruise on his chin and a split lip.

“Would you care to explain what happened out there?” Ben asked after Adam had gingerly lowered himself into the blue chair.

“What did Joe say?”

“He didn’t, he rode off instead of explaining,” Ben informed his oldest son. The low growl in his voice made it quite clear that he didn’t appreciate his question being answered with a question.

“Figures. As always, he runs away from problems,” grumbled Adam.

“Unlike you, Big Brother. You sure stayed out there and explained the whole thing to us,” Hoss retorted.

Adam had the good grace to look embarrassed. “I waited all afternoon at the lumber camp for those supplies, and he never showed up. When I came home Cochise was gone.”

“Maybe he delivered them before you got there,” Hoss defended.

“They’re still in the wagon behind the barn. I waited for him to come back, and when he did I confronted him about it.”

“You sure did,” Hoss muttered. “But that don’t make sense, Adam. He was loadin’ them supplies when I left. Why would he do that and not take them up?”

“I don’t know, but he swears he did.” Adam turned his attention to Ben. “Pa, you have to do something. He’s not doing what he’s told to do. He didn’t even clean the tack room the other day. Now…”

“What?” Ben interrupted. “But it was cleaned.”

“I did it, Pa. When I came back and found it hadn’t been touched I decided to do it for him, to kind of apologize for jumping on him about the horses.” Adam had been having a little niggling of guilt over how he treated Joe in regards to the length of time it took him to break that string of horses. He should have been proud of Joe’s accomplishment, but instead he tore him down. He knew he wasn’t being fair, but he could seem to stop himself. Now he was sorry he did anything at all.

“That might be, but you sure let him know about it,” Hoss piped in.

“What about the corral?” Ben asked.

“It was done,” confirmed Adam.

“Somethin’s gotta be goin’ on. This ain’t like Joe at all. There’s gotta be a perfectly good explanation for it all. If he says he’s done it, then he has,” Hoss said, once again defending his younger brother.

“Then how do you explain the fact that nothing else has been done except for the corral?” argued Adam.

“That’s just it, I can’t. But like I said, it ain’t like Joe to lie about somethin’.”

Ben had been sitting quietly listening to his sons. Like Hoss, he didn’t know what to make of the current situation with his youngest son.

“Do you think maybe somethin’s wrong with him, Pa?” asked Hoss.

“Yeah there is. He’d rather play than work,” Adam grumbled.

“That’s not what I mean, Adam. And you know it ain’t true.” Hoss looked at his father. “Do you think maybe he’s sick or somethin’ like that? He honestly believes he’s done his work.”

“I can’t think of anything that would cause him not to do his work and yet insist that he did. Before all this started he was doing fine, he was working hard and things were getting done.” Ben stopped and considered Hoss’ words and the pleading expression on his face. “Tell you what, we’ll let it go tonight and I’ll go into town tomorrow and talk to Dr. Martin.”

“Thanks, Pa.”

~~~~~~~~~~

The three older Cartwrights had just sat down to a late dinner when the front door opened and Joe walked in. He softly closed the door behind him, hung up his hat, removed his gun belt and placed it on the credenza. Without a word or glance at anyone in the room he headed straight for the stairs and his room.

Five minutes later Joe came back down the stairs and took his place at the table. One look at his face told the rest of the family that conversation wasn’t welcome. With the events from the last couple days, and the fight today, no one was eager for another confrontation. Hoss silently handed Joe a platter and the family had dinner in silence.

 

Chapter 18

“Joe, I want you to ride out with Hoss today. He can use some help getting that herd ready to move,” Ben instructed the next morning at breakfast.

“That’s right, Little Brother, there’s plenty of strays that need to be rounded up,” confirmed Hoss.

Well at least they won’t be able to blame me for not doin’ anythin’ Joe thought as he picked at his food. “Sure, Pa.”

Ben studied Joe for a moment looking for some sign that his son was ill. Other than the bruises gracing his face and the cut on his cheek, Joe seemed perfectly healthy. Ben nodded his head in acknowledgement. “Thank you.”

“Well, Boys, I better get going if I plan on making it to town today.” Ben wiped his mouth with his napkin, and then placed it on his plate before standing. “I’ll probably have lunch in town so I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Bye, Pa,” Adam, Hoss and Joe chorused.

~~~~~~~~~~

“… And that’s how it’s been the last few days. He insists he’s done his work, yet clearly it hasn’t been done,” Ben finished explaining to Paul Martin.

“That doesn’t sound like the boy. I’ve never known him to tell an outright lie.” Paul looked at Ben with a smile. “Unless it’s about his health.” Paul sat back in his chair going over everything Ben told him along with what he knew about Joe.

“That’s just it, Paul. It’s not like him. If we try to talk to him about it he swears up and down that he did it. Hoss thought that maybe something could be wrong with him medically.”

Paul absently rubbed his chin while he searched his mind for something that could explain Joe’s actions. “Has he been upset over anything? A break-up with a girl maybe? Or  has he injured himself while he was breaking those horses of his? A knock on the head, by chance?”

“Not that I know of. Becky was the last girl he had been sparking as far as I know, and that’s been over for some time. Other than normal bumps and bruises, he hasn’t suffered any major injuries.”

“Then there’s nothing I can think of to explain his behavior.”

Ben’s shoulders sagged. He was hoping Paul could come up with something to explain everything, to put his faith back in his youngest son.

“Keep an eye on him, Ben. See if you notice anything else out of the ordinary. I’ll do some research and see what I can come up with.”

Ben nodded his head, and stood. “Thank you, Paul.”

Paul watched Ben leave his office. He felt guilty for not being able to offer more to his friend, but there just wasn’t anything there. “What have you done to yourself this time, Little Joe?”

 

Chapter 19

Dinner went smoothly that night. Hoss and Joe reported on how the herd was doing and that it was just about ready to be moved.

“The only thing left is the fencing that needs to be done before we move them,” Hoss said as he speared another piece of roast off the platter on the table.

Ben looked at each of his sons contemplating what his next words were going to be. He wasn’t sure if what he was about to do was the right decision, but with the events of the past few weeks things needed to change, and change for the better.

Ben cleared his throat to get their attention. “Joe, why don’t you ride out in the morning and take care of that fence.”

Everyone at the table froze at Ben’s words. Slowly, they all turned their attention to him.

“M-me?”  Joe stammered.

“Yes, Son, you.”

“Who’s gonna go with me?” Joe asked, knowing they would never trust him to go alone.

“No one.”

“But, Pa…”

“I have faith in you, Joe. You can handle this on your own,” Ben encouraged.

Joe looked around the table. He saw the confidence on Hoss’ face, but he also saw the doubt that was written all over Adam’s face.

Joe swallowed hard before answering. “Sure, Pa.” Joe tried to sound confident, but failed miserably. He had a really bad feeling about this.

Ben saw the look that Adam gave his youngest brother. He was thoroughly tired of Adam’s disposition, not only towards Joe, but towards the world. “Adam, I want you to ride out with Hoss tomorrow.”

It was Adam’s turn to protest. “But, Pa, I have plans for tomorrow.”

“Whatever they are, I’m sure they can wait. It’ll do you some good to spend time with one of your brothers, and I think Hoss is the perfect choice.”

Hoss looked from Adam to his father and swallowed hard. “Pa?”

“Hoss, I believe a day with you is just what your older brother needs. Hopefully, your, er, sweet disposition will rub off on him.”

“Yes, Sir,” Hoss replied and turned his attention back to his meal.

Adam glared at his father. “Why don’t you have Joe go with Hoss, and I’ll take care of the fence. That way we know it’ll get done.”

Ben looked around the table, Hoss’ full attention was on the food on his plate; Joe sat with his head down pushing his food around, and Adam… Adam sat glowering at him. Ben took a deep breath before answering his oldest son. “No, Adam, you’ll go with Hoss and Joe will do the fence.”

Adam knew that tone of voice, he knew the subject was now closed, the decision was made, and that was that. “Yes, Sir.”

 

Chapter 20

“Pa, are you sure that’s a wise idea?” Adam asked after Joe had gone upstairs for the night.

“Why wouldn’t it be, Adam?” challenged Hoss.

“You know why, Hoss. He hasn’t been able to do one thing on his own. We need that fence fixed before we can move the herd and we need to get them moved now.” Adam set his book down and glared at his brother. “We can’t trust him to get the job done alone. It was bad enough before, but now he needs constant supervision. The boy can’t be trusted.”

“That ain’t fair, Adam,” Hoss complained.

“For once, would you stop defending him! What has to happen for you to see how he really is?” Adam snapped.

“What’s it gonna take for you to see what he does do?” Hoss retorted.

“Oh, come on, Hoss! He…”

“Enough!” Ben interrupted.

“But, Pa.”

“No, Adam. He’s going to go out and take care of the fence. After everything that has happened, I’m sure it’ll get done.”

“What did Doc say today?” Hoss asked.

Ben took a deep breath and blew it out before answering. “He said that there wasn’t anything he knew of to explain what has been happening.”

“But, Pa…” Hoss started.

“I’m sorry, Hoss, Paul said that other then an injury, there’s nothing to explain what’s been happening.” Ben picked up his pipe and lit it. “He said he’d do some more checking, but he wasn’t very optimistic on finding something.”

“What did I tell you, Hoss? He’s just trying to get out of his work.” Adam picked up his book and settled back into his chair.

Hoss shoved his hands into his pockets and looked mournfully up the stairs. “There’s just gotta be somethin’.”

Chapter 21

It was another hot July day and Joe had discarded his shirt long ago while he worked on the stretch of fence that had been ignored for far too long. Hoss was due to move a herd down to this section in a few days and the Cartwrights didn’t want to move them and then have them wandering onto a neighbor’s ranch.

Joe straightened up and raised his arms out to the side as he arched his back trying to stretch out the stiffness that was lingering from his fight with Adam. Taking his hat off, he wiped the sweat from his brow and reached for his canteen. Uncorking it he poured some water over his head, in an effort to cool off. Joe shook his head and droplets of water cascaded out around him, and rivulets of water trickled down his hot, sweaty chest leaving a path of goose bumps in their wake.

Taking a long drink from the canteen, he looked up at the sun, then back to the fence and sighed. Deciding he was due for a break Joe stretched out in the shade of an old oak tree, and sighed with relief. He looked up at one of the branches where a squirrel was perched, staring down at him. It had been there on and off all day watching Joe as he worked.

“What do you think? A couple more hours and I should be done, right?”

The squirrel continued to watch him.

“Yeah, that’s what I think, too.” Being a naturally gregarious person, it was hard for Joe to work without someone around to talk to. On the occasions he found himself alone, he ended up talking to whatever living, breathing creature that was around. Today it was the squirrel.

“I’ll tell you what, this idea of Pa’s, sendin’ Adam with Hoss to cool off better work and he comes home in a different mood,” Joe complained.

Tension within the family was reaching an all time high, and tempers were on hair triggers. It seemed as if Adam and Joe couldn’t look at each other anymore without going for the other’s throat, and the mystery surrounding Joe’s work wasn’t helping matters.

“I’m tired of him bossin’ me around and tellin’ me I ain’t doin’ my work.”

Joe was angry about the criticism he’d been receiving, but he was also hurt. No matter how hard he worked it was never good enough for Adam. Joe had been so proud of himself when he finished well ahead of schedule with a string of horses he’d been working with, that is until Adam told him it should have been finished much earlier than it was.

Joe didn’t understand what he had done to cause this rift that had been growing between them for the last month or so, and he certainly didn’t know how to fix it. The chasm between them seemed to grow bigger each day.

“Yes, Siree, this’ll be done and there’s no way anyone can say it wasn’t.” Joe stood up and stretched once more before returning to the task at hand.

 

Chapter 22

I’ll meet you back at the house, Adam,” Hoss told his brother when he pulled Chubb to a stop. “I wanna swing by and see how Joe’s comin’ along with that fence.”

It was late in the day and both brothers were hot and tired, all Adam wanted was a cool bath, dinner and his book. “What’s to see? It won’t even be close to being done, Hoss, if he’s even done anything at all,” Adam complained. “You go out there and you’re going to end up helping him, if not doing it for him.”

Adam didn’t understand what was wrong with him, but over the last month everything Joe did seemed to rub him the wrong way. Instead of trying to figure out why he felt this way, he lashed out at his brother at every opportunity he could find. He just couldn’t seem help himself.

“Come on, Adam, that ain’t fair. Joe works hard. He got them horses done a week before he was scheduled to, didn’t he?”

Adam shook his head in disgust. “You’re always defending him. When are you going to open your eyes?” Adam pulled his hat off and wiped the sweat from his brow. “You’ve been picking up after him and making excuses for as long as I can remember.”

“He ain’t that bad, Adam. He’s a good kid and does his work. He does his share just like you and me. You’ll see, he’ll have that fence done.” Always Joe’s champion, Hoss continued to defend his little brother, completely dismissing the events of the past week.

“If you say so.”

Hoss stared at his brother, trying to make a decision. He knew Adam was a private person, but something needed to be said. “What’s eatin’ at you, Adam?”

“You know what’s eating at me. If Joe…”

“I ain’t talkin’ about Joe. I’m talkin’ about you. You’ve been a caution to live with lately. It ain’t been just Joe at the receivin’ end of your tongue, but he’s gotten the worse of it.”

“I told you, nothing is bothering me.” Adam gave Sport a kick and headed home. “See you at the house.”

~~~~~~~~~~

When Hoss reached the pasture where Joe had been working he was shocked at what he saw.

The new fence posts were scattered around on the ground, a roll of wire sat where it had been dumped, the old posts where still in the ground and leaning like a drunk miner on a Saturday night. Nothing had been done, and Joe was nowhere to be found.

The longer Hoss looked at the scene, the angrier he became. “And to think I defended you! No more! You ain’t gettin’ away with it this time.” Hoss turned Chubb around and headed for home. His anger grew with each step Chubb took until Hoss was beyond being reasoned with.

 

Chapter 23

“It’s all done, Pa. Every last bit of fence has been replaced and it’s ready for Hoss

to move the herd,” Joe reported to his father.

“You sure?”

“Yes, Sir. It’s done, Pa. Honest.”

Ben closed the ledger he was working on and smiled at his son. “That’s good to hear, Joe. Why don’t you go on and get cleaned up for dinner?”

“Sure thing, Pa,” Joe said, returning his father’s smile with one of his own.

Joe had started for the stairs when the door opened and Adam walked in. “Home so soon, Little Brother? You must have left quite a bit of that fence unfinished, or did you not even start it?” Adam remarked with a smirk.

Joe’s smile faded from his face and was replaced by the anger that was always simmering just below the surface whenever he was in the same room with Adam.

Sensing the tension building in the room, Ben was quick to intervene. “Joe finished the fence, Adam.”

“I’m surprised.”

Joe hands balled into fists and he clenched his jaw. He looked at Ben, and seeing the warning look on his face, Joe took a deep breath, trying to force down the anger that was demanding to be released.

“Joe, go on and get cleaned up.”

Joe didn’t move, he stood at the bottom of the stairs, his green eyes crackling and snapping with a fire that was directed solely at Adam.

“Joseph,” Ben warned.

Joe broke eye contact with Adam and looked at his father. “Yes, Sir.” Taking the stairs two at a time he disappeared around the corner of the landing, the slamming of a door confirmed not only his entry into his room, but his displeasure with his brother.

Ben flinched when the door slammed and sighed. For once he felt he couldn’t chastise his youngest son, for he understood his anger.

“Was that necessary, Adam?”

“I don’t see why it wasn’t. He’s hasn’t been pulling his weight around here and he needs to realize that this is a working ranch, not a playground.”

“He realizes it, Son. Have you even seen what he had been doing before these, um, problems started?” Ben demanded. Not waiting for an answer, he continued with his lecture. “I don’t think you have, or you would have noticed what he has been doing. He about killed himself getting those horses ready for the army contract. He even finished a week ahead of schedule. But you had the audacity to criticize him because you felt he could have finished it a lot earlier than he did.” Ben took a deep calming breath before continuing. “He might have even been able to do that too, if a certain brother hadn’t taken most of his crew to work at the mill. Joe was left with a skeleton crew, and yet he finished ahead of schedule. Instead of being proud of him, you took away the satisfaction he felt over such a momentous accomplishment with just a few words. He’s not a little boy anymore, Adam, yet he strives to please you, just as he has always done.” Ben turned on his heel and walked away from Adam and up the stairs. Ben didn’t slam his door, but the closing of it could be heard downstairs.

Adam stood by the credenza, gun belt still in his hand, in shock. It had been a long time since he had been subjected to a lecture the likes of only his youngest brother received. Adam rolled up his gun belt and set it on the credenza before heading for his room. Unlike his father and brother, Adam closed his door as quietly as possible. He didn’t want to risk raising his father’s ire more than he had already done.

 

Chapter 24

Ben, Adam and Joe were at the table when Hoss stormed in. When he rounded the corner of the dining room everyone looked up at him.

“Hoss?” Ben asked, concerned when he looked at his son. Hoss’ face looked like thunderclouds had descended on him. “Is something wrong, Son?”

Hoss stood glaring at Joe. The anger was rolling off him like the waves of the ocean crashing into the shore during a hurricane. “Yeah, you could say that.” His voice was so cold, icicles could have formed on his words. “I can’t believe I wasted my breath defending your ornery hide Little Brother.”

Joe was taken back by the anger directed at him, by Hoss of all people. “What I do?”

“What did you do?” Hoss yelled.

In two strides Hoss was next to Joe’s chair, he grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him up. Joe’s feet were barely touching the floor when Hoss tore into him.

“I have been defending you for the last few weeks, telling Adam how wrong he was about you, and you go and did that!”

Joe recoiled in the face of Hoss’ anger. In his eighteen years he couldn’t remember Hoss being this mad at him. He struggled to free himself from his brother’s hold, all the while pleading with him.

“I don’t understand… Hoss, put me down.”

“No more, Joseph! I ain’t defendin’ you no more.”

Hoss shook Joe the same time Joe pulled back, the sound of ripping fabric echoed through the room as Joe fell to the floor.

He lay on the floor staring up at his brother. Fear and hurt fought for dominance over Joe’s emotions.

Before Hoss could take another step Ben recovered from the shock of his middle son’s anger and was on his feet standing between his sons.

“ERIC!” Ben roared. He was appalled and confused at what he had just witnessed. Never had he seen Hoss loose his temper to this extent with Joe.

Adam sat in his chair unable to move. He hadn’t seen Hoss this angry since he took on John Regan after he beat Joe within an inch of his life, and all because of Adah Menken.

“What in the name of all that’s Holy has gotten into you? You know better than this, Eric.”

Joe had gotten to his feet and retreated back until he was next to Ben’s red, leather chair, well out of Hoss’ reach.

“I went out to meet up with him.” Hoss jabbed at the air in Joe’s general direction with his finger. “And what did I find? I’ll tell you what I found. I found that nothin’ had been done, that’s what I found!”

“What?” Joe yelped.

Ben turned to look at his youngest. “You want to explain yourself? You told me it was done.”

“It is done. I don’t know what you’re playin’ at, Hoss, but it ain’t funny.”

“I ain’t playin’ at nothin’. The only thing done out there was some wire was cut and all the new posts scattered all over the place.” Hoss took a step toward Joe, but stopped when Ben put a hand on his chest. “You know I have to move those cattle out there.”

“Joseph, if you’re lying…”

“I ain’t lying’! I don’t lie, Pa.” Joe held his ground, refusing to back down. “If anyone’s lyin’ it’s Hoss.” Joe turned away and headed for the door.

“Joseph! Get back here right now!” Ben demanded.

“No, I’m going out there and see for myself what Hoss is talkin’ about.” Joe stormed out the door and moments later Cochise could be heard leaving the yard.

“Hoss, are you sure?”

“I’m positive, Pa.”

Adam had watched the whole show without saying a word. He stood up and headed for the stairs. When he reached them he turned around and looked at Ben, with a smirk on his face. “I hate to say I told you so, but I do believe it applies to this situation.” With that said Adam went up the stairs to his room.

 

Chapter 25

“What the heck!” Joe yelled when he reached the meadow where he had spent the day repairing the fence. He jumped off Cochise and walked over to inspect each section of fence. Everything Hoss had said was true; the fence was almost exactly how it had been when Joe started that morning. Lying scattered on the ground were the new posts, wire and tools.

Joe pulled off his ruined shirt and threw it to the ground and started on the fence, again. He took out every ounce of anger he felt on the unlucky posts. Luckily for Joe it was July and he had quite a bit of daylight left. When the sun did go down, he had a clear full moon, that lit up the pasture with it’s silvery light, to work by,. He refused to leave until he was finished, even if it took all night.

Post by post, wire by wire, nail by nail, Joe strung the fence back together, re-doing the work he had already done.

 

Chapter 26

It was well after midnight when a sweaty, dirty and exhausted Joe arrived back home. After taking care of Cochise he headed to the house and his bed. He had almost made it to the stairs when Ben’s voice stopped him.

“And just where have you been, young man?”

Joe whipped around at the sound of Ben’s voice. “I’ve been fixin’ that fence. Again.”

Ben turned up the lamp and walked over to Joe. He looked Joe over, noticing the dirt smeared chest, face and the dirty, bloody hands.

“What happened to your hands?”

“I only had a pair of light gloves with me,” Joe explained.

“And your shirt?”

“What’s left of it, after Hoss had finished with it, is in my saddle bags,” Joe replied in a bitter voice.

“You want to explain to me what you did all day?”

“I fixed the fence,” Joe declared looking Ben straight in the eye.

“Do not lie to me.”

Joe didn’t look away from Ben and he answered in a cool, calm voice. “I ain’t lyin’. I fixed that fence today.”

“Then how do you explain what Hoss, and apparently you, saw?”

Joe took a deep breath before walking away from Ben. He stopped in front of the fireplace, hooked his hands in the back of his belt and stared into the fire, like a fortune teller would stare into her crystal ball, looking for the answers that would explain what had happened, but he couldn’t find any.

“I don’t know, Pa. I can’t explain it, but I swear I fixed that fence earlier today, every last bit of it. I cleaned everythin’ up and came home,” Joe explained when he turned around and faced Ben. “The left over wire is still in the wagon, as are my tools. Yet when I went out there the new posts were scattered all over the place, a roll of wire was there and there was a set of tools lyin’ on the ground. I don’t understand it, Pa. It looked just like it did this mornin’ when I got there.”

During the whole conversation, Ben watched Joe. Not once did he eyes waver, not a single dip of his head, or any indication of one, no scuffing of his boot toe on the floor and he had kept his voice calm and level, all indicators that Joe was telling the truth. The look on Joe’s face was one of complete confusion, not one of someone trying to cover up the truth.

“I don’t know what to say, Joe. It’s clear you believe you fixed the fence, but yet the fence wasn’t done when Hoss got there, nor when you went back. I’d ask if you were in the correct pasture, but you said your tools were there and…”

“Not my tools. They were an older set of tools, not the ones I always use,” Joe interrupted.

“Joe…” Ben paused, unsure how Joe would react to his next question. “Have you been feeling alright?”

Joe looked at his father, confused by the question that had come out of the blue. “I feel fine, Pa.”

“You haven’t, um, been feeling any episodes of lost time?”

“Huh? I don’t understand.”

“I talked to Dr. Martin and he thinks that all of this may be caused by some form of – of, well, black outs. He said you might think you’ve done the work when in actuality you haven’t,” Ben explained.

“You mean, you all think I’m going crazy,” Joe accused.

“No, Son, just…”

“Just what?” Joe interrupted.

Ben paused, and tried to think of a way to keep Joe calm. There were two sets of facts and they went completely against each other. He was at a loss on what to tell his son.

Joe watched his father and was disappointed in Ben’s reaction. “I’m going to bed.”

Before Joe could even turn, Ben put his hand on his shoulder. “Let’s clean up your hands first.”

“They’re fine, Pa.” Joe tried to shrug off Ben’s hand, but his father refused to let go.

“They clearly are not fine. Come on,” Ben persisted and gave Joe a nudge towards the kitchen.

“Hop Sing ain’t gonna like us messin’ up his kitchen.”

“That may be true, but who’s the boss around here?”

“Hop Sing,” Joe quipped, he was simply too tired to stay mad at his father.

Ben stopped in his tracks and looked at Joe. He had a small smile on his face, but Ben could tell he was serious. He sighed in defeat. “I have to admit, you’re right, Son.”

“This really isn’t necessary, Pa,” Joe said as they walked into the kitchen.

“Yes it is. Now, get cleaned up so I can clean out those cuts.” Ben pulled out the things he needed in order to take care of Joe’s hands while Joe went over to the sink and washed the dirt off his hands and body.

Once he was done Ben pointed to a chair next to the table. “Sit.” Ben examined Joe’s hands before starting the task of cleaning them. “They’re not as bad as I thought. They should be fine by morning. A bit sore, but fine otherwise.”

“Ow!” Joe exclaimed when Ben dabbed at his hand with disinfectant.

“Hold still, Joseph.”

“I’ll just wash them out real good, Pa,” Joe protested as he pulled his hand away.

Ben stopped what he was doing and looked at his son; he could see the little boy with a skinned knee, squirming on the table as he tried to clean the dirt out of the wound. Ben gave him the same hard look as he did back then. “You have a choice, Joseph. Either you let me clean them up, or you deal with Dr. Martin when they become infected. Which will it be?”

With a sigh of defeat, Joe silently held out his hands to Ben.

“I thought you would see it my way.”

Ben thoroughly cleaned Joe’s hands, put some of Hop Sing’s salve on them and bandaged them. “Now get to bed. I’ll see what I can find for you to do tomorrow.”

“You mean what I can do that can be supervised, right?” Joe asked his voice full of bitterness.

Ben looked at Joe, but didn’t know what to say. His son was right, he wanted to make sure Joe accomplished any job he was given, and at the same time could be watched over in the event of any problems that might arise.

“Good night, Joe,” was all Ben could say.

Joe nodded his head. “Night, Pa,” he said softly as he left the room.

Ben watched while his son walked out of the kitchen. He sat down in the chair that Joe had just vacated and propped his chin on his hands. “I just don’t know what to believe. How can they both be right?”

 

Chapter 27

Ben sat watching his two older sons eat their breakfast in silence as he tried to figure out how to broach the events of the night before. He and Adam were already at the table when Hoss came down. His face was still dark with anger, and anyone who didn’t know him would turn and walk, if not run, as fast as possible in the opposite direction.

Clearing his throat to gain their attention, Ben turned to Hoss. “Hoss, do you want to talk about last night?”

“Said all I had to say then.” He looked back down at his plate and glowered at it.

“I have to disagree with you, Son. We need to talk about what happened last night with your brother.”

“I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout him. I got no use for him anymore.”

“Hoss…”

“Pa, you can’t blame Hoss,” interrupted Adam. “He’s been defending the boy this whole time, standing up for him no matter what the evidence was, and then Joe went out and did what he did yesterday.” Adam paused and looked at Hoss. “If I’m correct, it was like a slap in the face to Hoss.”

“It was worse. Adam’s right, that boy is just that, a boy. He doesn’t take responsibility for his actions, he’s always makin’ excuses. He’s lazy, Pa, and wants everyone else to pick up his slack.”

Hoss’ words were emotionless and cold to the one standing just out of sight at the top of the stairs, it felt like a knife had been plunged into his heart and twisted without mercy. Joe had to put a hand against the wall to steady himself as his world tilted out of balance at his beloved brother’s words. Hoss was his protector, his defender against all comers, even when he didn’t want him to be, but now he had turned against him. Just like Adam.

“What time did he finally make it home from town?” Joe heard Adam ask.

He could take those words. He could understand them coming from Adam. After all, Adam has been expecting the worse from him for quite some time now. He let the anger he felt at Adam’s words rush over and consume the hurt in his heart; he let it flow through him as he squared his shoulders and prepared for battle.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, the three Cartwrights at the table turned to see Joe descending the stairs.

“For your information, Older Brother I wasn’t in town last night,” Joe said, all the while glaring at Adam.

“Good morning, Joe,” Ben greeted, hoping to draw Joe’s attention away from Adam and stop any impending argument that was waiting to erupt.

Joe turned his attention to his father. “Mornin’, Pa.” He then looked at Hoss. “Mornin’, Hoss.”

Without even acknowledging Joe’s existence, Hoss continued to eat his breakfast. Joe’s shoulders sagged slightly as he took his seat at the table.

“How are your hands feeling thing morning, Joe?” Ben asked, noticing that the bandages had been removed.

Adam jumped on that remark faster than a cat would on a bowl of cream with a canary sitting in the middle of it. “What did you do, tear them up fighting in the saloon?”

“No,” Joe forced out between clenched teeth. “But I can always tear them up on your face, here and now.”

“I’d be more than happy to accommodate you if you want to try your luck, Little Brother.”

“Then let’s step outside, Older Brother,” Joe retorted as he rose from his chair.

“ENOUGH!” Ben bellowed. “Joseph, sit down!”

Joe, hands clenched into fists at his side, started to move away from his chair, daring Adam to follow suit.

“I said sit and I meant now,” Ben ordered.

Taking several deep, steadying breaths, Joe slowly lowered himself back down into his chair.

Ben picked up a platter and handed it to Joe. “Now, eat something.” Before Joe could protest his lack of an appetite, Ben continued, “And I don’t want to hear any malarkey about you not being hungry. There will also be no pushing the food around on your plate either.”

Joe didn’t make a move to take the offered platter. Instead he locked eyes with his father, trying to outstare him. Years of obedience and respect took their toll on the younger man and he dropped his eyes and accepted the platter.

When Ben was satisfied that Joe was going to eat he turned his attention to Adam. “As for Joe’s hands, he tore them up last night doing the fence without proper gloves.”

Upon hearing his father, Hoss’ head snapped up and he glared at his younger brother, but didn’t say a word.

“As for today’s work,” Ben continued. “I want you, Adam, to ride out with Hoss again and start moving that herd. The grazing in that pasture will be better for them and now that the fence is fixed, there’s not the danger of them wandering away.” Ben waited for Adam and Hoss to acknowledge their assignments before turning to Joe. “Joseph, you’ll be going with me to the lumber mill today.”

“With you?”

“Yes, with me,” Ben reiterated.

“I can do it by myself. I don’t need a babysitter,” Joe said belligerently.

“Really now?” drawled Adam. “And your work from the past week supports that fact?”

Joe slammed his fork down. “Why can’t any of you just believe in me? I’ve told you and told you all I’ve done everythin’ I was supposed to.”

“That’s why you had to fix the fence last night with no gloves,” Hoss stated scathingly.

“Hoss, please,” Joe begged.

“No, Joe. No more. I’ve been defendin’ you all this time, stuck up for you, and for what? To have you make a fool out of me, that’s what for. Well, no more, I’m done with it and with you.”

Joe looked around the table, his green eyes snapping with disillusionment and the loss of his family’s trust. Without a word he threw his napkin on his plate and stood up so violently that his chair slammed into the wall behind him before toppling over onto its side. He turned away and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time as he rushed to his room, and slammed the door so hard that the windows rattled throughout the house.

Shocked and stunned, the remaining Cartwrights sat at the table in silence.

 

Chapter 28

Joe paced the confines of his room like a caged tiger, trying to get a hold on his anger. He knew he couldn’t explain what had been happening, but he felt that his family should believe he wouldn’t do the things they accused him of.

“They should believe me…Try to find out why this is happenin’. Haven’t I proven myself to them?”

Joe continued to pace, but with each step, each thought, his anger grew until it turned into a rage he could no longer contain. With a swift, angry swipe of his arm Joe sent everything on his dresser crashing to the floor. Brushes flew across the room, bottles broke and so did his restraint. Tears of frustration, anger, disappointment and most of all, hurt, welled in his eyes. Refusing to allow them to fall, Joe wiped them away with his sleeve.

“Well, if they’re done with me, I’m done with them.” Grabbing his saddle bags out of the wardrobe, he threw them onto his bed and started filling them with clothes. Taking the picture of his mother Joe made sure it was well protected between layers of clothing before buckling the bags shut. He pulled out the money he had been saving for a new rifle and stuffed it into his wallet; it would be enough for him to live on until he could find work somewhere far from the Ponderosa. Swinging the bags over his shoulder, Joe left his room for what he figured would be the last time.

~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of Joe’s belongings smashing onto the floor could be heard downstairs.

“What in tarnation?” Ben grumbled.

“Sounds like your youngest son is having a bit of a tantrum,” Adam said, stating the obvious.

“Go figure, if he doesn’t get what he wants from everyone he does his usual bit of stompin’ off and makin’ a racket until someone comes and fuss’ over him.” Hoss remarked bitterly.

Adam’s mouth dropped open at Hoss’ words. Never had he heard him speak to or about Joe in such a manner. Hoss has always been Joe’s knight in shining armor… Adam stopped in mid-thought when he realized that, to a certain extent; he had also played the same role. He suddenly realized his father was saying something and he had missed most of it while lost in thought.

“… well it stops here and now. He’s never gone to this extent and I’m going to do something about it now.”

As Ben was rising from the table, Joe came storming down the stairs and headed for the door.

“Hold it right there, Young Man,” Ben demanded.

Joe paused, every muscle tensing in anticipation of the inevitable confrontation that was now going to take place.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m leavin’,” Joe stated in a frosty voice.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Joe’s jaw clenched and his chin jutted out in defiance. “I ain’t stayin’ here.”

“You are staying, and further more; you’re going right back up to your room and clean up the mess that I’m sure you made up there.”

“I ain’t stayin’ where no one believes me,” Joe snapped.

“Then try tellin’ the truth for once,” Hoss spat.

“I AIN”T LYIN’!” Joe shouted. He turned away from his family and ignoring further demands from his father, he walked out the door and headed for the barn.

“Joseph!” Ben bellowed. Joe’s answer was the slamming of the door.

 

Chapter 29

Joe dropped his saddle bags over the side of Cochise’s stall and grabbed his bridle. As he was throwing his saddle blanket over the horse’s back, Ben stormed into the barn.

Joe heard his father enter, how could he not when he sounded like a blast of nitroglycerin exploding in the side of a mountain. The resulting fallout that was about to happen would set the dye for what was to follow.

“Joseph!”

When there wasn’t an answer or any kind of acknowledgement from his son, Ben’s eyes darkened to the color of coal and smoldered with anger.

“You will face me when I speak to you,” he stormed.

Tightening the cinch on his saddle, he pulled his saddle bags off the side of the stall, slung them over Cochise’s back and tied on his bedroll before leading the horse from the stall. He started to walk past Ben when his father reached out and grabbed his arm, forcibly turning him around.

The look on Joe’s face would have quelled a lesser man. But this was not only his father, but also Ben Cartwright. The look only caused Ben to tighten his already bruising grip.

“I said you are not going anywhere.”

Still Joe refused to answer. He stood there, jaw clenched, nostrils flaring with anger and every muscle taut as piano wire, and stared at a spot just over Ben’s shoulder.

“You are not leaving,” Ben enunciated.

“You can’t  stop me, Pa.”

“Don’t challenge me, Joseph,” Ben warned.

“I’m not challengin’ you. I’m statin’ a fact. You can make me stay right now, but you can’t watch me all the time. I’m gonna leave and that’s all there’s to it.”

Joe was so calm and cold that it was unnerving to Ben. He had never seen such open defiance in his youngest son. Sure, Joe would push him right to the breaking point at times, but he always knew where the line was drawn and didn’t cross it. But this time. . . this time it was different. Joe wasn’t a little boy kowtowing to his father’s demands. Instead, he was an angry young man making his own demands.

Cochise, sensing the tension between the two men, started prancing nervously. Taking a step back from the horse, Ben’s grip on Joe’s arm loosened just enough for Joe to push his father away, causing Ben to stumble. Joe took advantage of his freedom and pulled Cochise out of the barn. He swung up into the saddle and kicked Cochise into a gallop; leaving behind the only home he had ever known.

 

Chapter 30

Ben rushed out of the barn only to see the cloud of dust that was left in Joe’s wake. His shoulders sagged in defeat as he turned back to the house.

“He’s gone?” Adam asked when Ben walked in the door.

“Yes.”

“You gonna go after him?” Hoss asked.

“No, he won’t go far. He’ll probably head for the lake to cool off and be back before nightfall.”

“He was really out fixin’ the fence last night?” Hoss asked, guilt creeping up on him over his treatment of his younger brother.

Ben pushed both of his hands in his front pockets and looked at Hoss. “Yes, he was out fixing the fence.”

“How can you be sure of that, Pa?” Adam asked. “How do you know he didn’t just go into town?”

“You didn’t see him when he came in. The boy was exhausted and filthy. His hands were pretty tore up, the way they would be if he was stringing wire without the proper gloves.”

“Well, if he would have done it when he was supposed to, then it would never have happened,” complained Hoss.

“He said he did.”

“You can’t believe that, Pa. Not after what Hoss said,” added Adam.

“I don’t know what to believe or think anymore. He sincerely believes he did the work.”

Then how does he explain it?” Adam asked.

“He can’t. He’s just as confused as we are. He had a pretty convincing argument and he didn’t show any of the signs of trying to stretch the truth. You know how he is. You can always tell when he’s trying to talk circles around you.” Ben rubbed at his brow for a minute, as if trying to relieve a headache that was starting. “I just don’t know what to make of any of this.”

Adam studies his father for a minute before walking over to the credenza and strapping on his gunbelt; he had a bad feeling about where his brother was headed.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ben asked.

“After him.”

“There’s no need, Adam, I said he’ll be back.

“You don’t really believe that, Pa. I have a feeling that if we don’t go after him we may never see him again.”

“I’m goin’ with you,” Hoss added.

“No, Hoss. Let me do this alone. If we all go after him, he’ll just pull further away.” Adam looked away from his family. “I’ve been the hardest on him. I need… I need to make things right between us.”

Ben nodded his head, placing his trust in Adam. “Bring him home, Son.”

“I will, Pa.” Adam opened the door and was gone.

“Do you think he’ll be able to?” Hoss asked.

“I honestly don’t know. I’ve never seen Joseph that angry before,” Ben answered despondently.

 

Chapter 31

Joe’s trail was easy for Adam to pick up. The boy was headed west, towards the high country and California.

He finally caught sight of Joe, who was riding at an easy lope and if Adam hurried he’d be able to catch up with him. Giving Sport a kick, Adam set off at a run, determined to catch up with his brother.

Hearing an approaching horse, Joe turned in his saddle to look behind him. Seeing Adam fast approaching he turned back around and contemplated sending Cochise off in a run. He knew that he could out run Sport without a problem, but he also knew his oldest brother’s single minded determination. If Adam wanted to catch him, he would, it was just a matter of time.

“Joe!” Adam called out.

Joe sighed in frustration and closed his eyes for a moment before bringing Cochise to a stop and waiting for his brother.

“What do you want, Adam?” Joe demanded once Adam was next to him.

“I want to talk to you.”

“I have nothin’ more to say.”

“Where are you going?”

“Far away from here,” Joe said bitterly.

“Do you plan on coming back?”

“What do you care? I’d think you’d be happy that your worthless brother is leavin’.”

“Joe, you know that’s not true.”

“Do I, Adam? All I’ve heard from you for weeks now is how I do everythin’ wrong. I can’t even break a horse to your satisfaction.”

“Joe…”

“No,” Joe interrupted. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I won’t be comin’ back, and I won’t be makin’ any claims on the Cartwright name either. You all can rest assured, Joe Cartwright won’t exist from this point on, I won’t be embarrassin’ the family anymore.”

“You don’t mean that.” Adam looked into Joe’s eyes expecting to find the tears that always accompanied this type of outburst from his brother. He was shocked to find them not only dry, but stone cold. My God, he means it. “Joe think of Pa and Hoss…”

Joe glared at Adam. “Why should I? Did any of you bother to listen to me and maybe give me the benefit of doubt?”

Joe was angry, very angry; he pulled Cochise around and took off at a break neck run.

 

 

Chapter 32

“Why can’t that boy listen to reason?” Adam grumbled. “If he would only listen to one of us maybe he could see what he’s doing. Running away is not the way to solve problems.” With a sigh Adam turned Sport in the direction his brother had gone. “If I don’t catch him now he’ll never come home.”  With a kick to Sports sides, he took off in Joe’s wake.

“What the devil?” Adam saw where Joe’s tracks veered off the main road and now headed towards Wolf Ridge, one of the steepest places in the area, worse than Eagle’s Nest. Parts of the trail were very narrow, with a sheer drop down to the canyon below.

Adam continued following the tracks. “Why would Joe go up here? He hates it here. It absolutely terrifies him.”

The trailed narrowed and Adam slowed Sport to a cautious walk. The peaceful tranquility of the area was shattered by a howling wolf, startling Sport and causing him to rear up. Unprepared, Adam fell to the ground and rolled right over the side of the cliff. As he fell he was able to grab hold of a branch of a tree that was growing out of the cliff. Adam was now literally hanging in mid-air
“HELP!” Adam yelled. “SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEASE, HELP ME!”

Hanging on for dear life, Adam continued to call for help. His arms were starting to ache and his hands were sweating. It took everything he had to hang on.

Adam looked down at the abyss below and swallowed hard. “PLEASE HELP ME!” he screamed. “God, now I know how Joe feels. I swear if I get out of this alive, I’ll never, ever give him a hard time, in any way what so ever, about his fear of heights.”

“Really? Honest? Remember you swore.” Joe gave a choked laugh, trying to cover his fear with humor.

Adam looked up and saw Joe’s smiling face peaking over the edge of the cliff.

“Joe?”

“Just hold on, Older Brother, we’ll get you outta this mess that you got yourself into.”

Joe disappeared from sight causing Adam to become more anxious over his situation. “Hurry, Joe!”

“Almost done, Adam. Just hold on,” Joe hollered back.

Adam’s hands were starting to slip, he was now hanging by his finger tips. “Joe!”

“I’m here,” Joe called as his head appeared once again. “I tied knots into the rope for you. I’m gonna toss it down, grab it and we’ll pull you up.”

As Joe threw the rope down Adam lost his grip on the tree. “JJJOOOOEEEEE!”

 

Chapter 33
Adam reached for the rope; he reached for it as if his life depended on it. And it did. That rope was the only thing between him and certain death. Adam reached for the rope, willing himself to grab hold of it. There it was, the last knot. Adam caught hold with his right hand and immediately brought his left around to join his right, just above the last knot, the knot that save him from slipping right down the rope and into the abyss. His body jerked to a sudden stop, but Adam held tight.“I could kiss you right now, Joe,” he mumbled.

Joe watched his brother’s hands slip off the branch, then he watched him start to fall. “GRAB THE ROPE, ADAM! GRAB THE ROPE!” Joe screamed.

When Joe saw the rope jerk and Adam hanging from the bottom of it, a surge of relief, stronger than any other emotion Joe had ever felt, surged through his body, making him feel weak. But he couldn’t indulge himself right now. Adam was still in danger.

“Go, Cooch! Pull, Boy!” Joe called to his faithful horse. Cochise started to walk slowly away from his friend, pulling the rope.
“Just a little more, Adam.”

Adam slowly made his way up; when he reached the top he was able to find a foothold, pushed himself over and rolled away from the edge of the cliff. He sat on the ground trying to catch his breath and calm the fear that was racing through his body. Adam looked up, expecting to see his brother, the brother he owed his life to, sitting next to him. When he didn’t see him there, he looked around and found Joe still at the edge of the cliff.

“Joe?”

Joe didn’t answer him; in fact he didn’t even move a muscle. Adam went over to him and squatted down. “Joe?”

Still there was no response. Adam put his hand on Joe’s shoulder and could feel the tremors that were running through his brother’s body. He looked closely at Joe’s face and saw the stark terror there.

Joe couldn’t take his eyes off the drop below him. He was frozen in fear.

“Joe, it’s okay. Come on, back away.” Adam guided his brother away from the edge. “That’s it, take it slow and easy.” When he had Joe far from the edge he put his hand under Joe’s chin and gently raised his face until he could see Joe’s eyes. “It’s okay, Little Joe, it’s over now.”

Adam saw the tears shimmering in Joe’s eyes and then spill over.

“Adam?” Joe gasped. His breathing was harsh and ragged. He was trying to catch his breath, but his heart was pounding so hard and so fast he thought it would explode right through his chest, and he would never be able to breathe again.

“I’m here, Little Joe. It’s okay, we’re safe.” Adam pulled Joe into his arms and held him tight, as unrelenting fear shook Joe’s whole body. Adam could hear him gasping for air. “Ssh. Relax, Joe. Breathe, Little Buddy. It’s all over,” he whispered in Joe’s ear. Adam continued to whisper to Joe, trying to comfort him, just as he had done in the days after Marie’s death.

The tremors slowed, then faded away, Joe’s breathing evened out and he was finally able to regain control of himself.

“What – What were you doin’ up here, Adam?” Joe whispered once he pulled away from his brother.

“I was following you.”

Joe looked at Adam, as if he had lost his mind. “Followin’ me? Why would you think I came up here? I hate this place.”

“Your tracks led up here.”

“They couldn’t of.”

“Your tracks were on the ground. It couldn’t have been anyone else. No one’s been up here in ages,” Adam argued.

Realizing what Adam had done, Joe started laughing. “Did those tracks have a notch in them?”

“No, they were plain, ordinary tracks. Why?”

“Didn’t Hoss tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

Joe laughed even harder. “He’s been notchin’ Cochise’s shoes, so the two of you could find me no matter where I went. I wasn’t suppose to know, but I caught him doin’ it. Let me tell you, I wasn’t too happy about it either.” Joe pulled his hat off and scratched the top of his head a few times. “You were followin’ Hoss’ tracks, Adam. He was just up here a couple days ago.”

When I get my hands on him, I’m going to kill him. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me about Cochise. “Then what are you doing up here?”

“I saw Sport come runnin’ down the trail, so I followed his tracks and found you. Oh, I, um, I left Sport tied up down in the meadow.”
“But, you’re scared of this place, Joe. Why would you do something like that?”

“Because you’re my brother, and I thought you were in trouble.”

“But, Joe, how could you even get near the edge, let alone do all that you did?”

“I didn’t think, I just did. Just like you’re always accusin’ me of doin’.  I heard you yellin’ and all I could think was that you needed me.”

Adam looked at Joe with pride shining in his eyes. With everything I’ve done to him over the last month, he would do this… He would do something that completely terrifies him, for me?  “Thank you. For once, I’m glad you held true to form.”

“Don’t mention it, you would do the same for me.”

“No I wouldn’t.”

“What?” Joe squeaked.

“I said no, I wouldn’t do the same for you.” Adam almost laughed at Joe’s crestfallen look.

“Why?” Joe asked. He was completely devastated by Adam’s answer.

“Because, you’d never be stupid enough to get yourself into such a predicament.”

“Hey! You swore you wouldn’t make fun of me anymore.”

“I’m not, Little Brother. I’m making fun of myself. I’ll also promise you one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“No matter how long it takes, no matter what I have to do, I swear I will get even with Hoss for this.

Both brothers sat near a steep cliff laughing hysterically.

Adam suddenly became serious. “Look, Joe, I owe you an explanation and an apology.”

Cautiously, Joe looked at Adam, not sure what was coming next. “What for?” he asked suspiciously.

“For how I’ve been treating you.” Adam looked away from Joe, unable to face him as he made his confession. “You see, I’ve been, I’ve…”  he trailed off not sure how to go about opening up to his brother.

 

Chapter 34

Adam finally made it down off the ridge and found where Joe had left Sport tied in the meadow. He swung up into the saddle and looked around for Joe’s tracks. Thanks to Joe telling him about what Hoss had done with the shoes, Cochise’s tracks were easy to spot now that he knew what he was looking for. Joe was still headed for the high country. Adam knew that Joe knew, once he hit the hard, rocky ground his tracks would be impossible to find. Adam spurred Sport on, but he was too late.

Sitting at the base of the mountain looking up the trail, Adam could see where Joe had started up the trail and decided to follow. If he were lucky he might be able to pick something up. But little did Adam know Lady Luck was not smiling on him this day.

“Maybe, we’re not too far behind, Sport.”

After an hour of searching, Adam pulled Sport to a halt and looked around the area he was in. Everywhere he looked all he could see was hard, unforgiving rock. They offered up no clues, not even the smallest indication that anyone had passed through there.

“Come on, Kid, Where did you go?”

Adam sighed in frustration. He didn’t want to admit defeat. He didn’t want to give up and go home to his father without Joe, but he knew that he didn’t have a choice. The mountains were too vast, too unforgiving for one man alone. What Adam needed was Hoss. If anyone could find Joe it was Hoss. Reluctantly, Adam turned Sport and headed home.

Chapter 35

Joe and Cochise slowly picked their way across the rocky ground. He tried not to hurry, but he also wanted to put as much distance between himself and his family before he was forced to make camp. Joe was careful of where he led his horse. One wrong step and it would all be over.

Soon the rocky terrain softened back to a dirt trail as Joe entered an area that was dense with the majestic Ponderosa Pines. The trees created a haven for a weary traveler, with its lush, green grass, beds of pine needles under the trees to add comfort to a man’s bedroll. The trees were so tightly grouped together in spots that it was the perfect protection from the elements. A bubbling stream could be heard not too far away as it made its way down the mountain. This would be the perfect spot to make camp. That is if the traveler was willing to stop and enjoy the peace and serenity it had to offer. Joe wasn’t ready, so he pushed on.

Suddenly, a shot rang out striking the ground just in front of Cochise causing the horse reared up in fright. Joe struggled to stay in the saddle, but all of his expertise wasn’t enough against a frightened Cochise. Tumbling over the back end of the horse, he hit the ground with enough force to knock the breath out of him. Lying on the ground gasping for air he could hear a voice yelling in the distance.

“Get that horse, you idiot!”

Once his breathing returned to normal and his head cleared, Joe rolled to his knees and pushed himself to his feet and started to draw his gun. He didn’t know what kind of danger he was in, but he knew he was most definitely in danger.

He heard two rifles being cocked and froze, his gun just clearing his holster.

“Drop the gun, Cartwright.”

Joe looked around, trying to peer into the dark depths of the trees. A place that seems so tranquil just seconds ago had now turned deadly.

 

Chapter 36

Adam was off his horse before Sport came to a complete stop in front of the ranch house.

“Hoss!” He yelled as he ran through the front door. “Hoss!”

Ben came around the corner from his desk. “Adam…”

At the same time Hoss came running down the stairs like a herd of stampeding buffalo, having already heard Sport ride into the yard and Adam’s desperate yelling. “Adam, what’s wrong?”

“Get your horse. I need help tracking Joe.”

Without question, Hoss grabbed his gun and hat and headed for the barn.

“Why do you need help tracking Little Joe? He’s at the lake.” Ben was firmly holding on to his hope that all would be fine and his youngest would come riding into the yard at any second, all apologetic over his outburst.

“Pa, he didn’t go to the lake. He’s headed for the high country. He, uh, told me he’s never coming back.”

Ben saw the devastation in Adam’s normally guarded eyes, and knew that any hope he had had just been torn asunder. “I’ll get some supplies.”

“I’ll saddle Buck and a fresh mount for myself. I’ll have one of the hands take care of Sport,” Adam said and then disappeared out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~

Once the Cartwrights were mounted and on their way to find their wayward family member, Ben asked Adam the question that had been in the forefront of his mind since Adam burst through the door.

“I take it you caught up with him. What happened?”

“Yes, and then he found me… At Wolf’s Ridge.” Adam stopped Maverick and glared at Hoss. “When this is all over, you and I are going to have a long, serious talk, Brother.”

“What about?” Hoss asked confused by Adam’s tone and the look he was giving him.

“About a certain set of notched shoes you didn’t bother to tell me about.”

“Cochise?” Hoss swallowed hard knowing that the promised discussion wasn’t going to be very pleasant for him.

“Yes, Cochise.” Adam turned his attention back to his father. “I caught up with him and tried to talk to him, but he was beyond being reasoned with. That’s when he told me he wasn’t coming back. He also told me he was giving up the Cartwright name.”

Hurt and devastation were visible in every nuance of Ben’s being. Joe’s leaving was bad enough, but for him to give up his name, to not want to be a Cartwright anymore. Joe had always been proud of the Cartwright name, and Ben knew if Joe wanted to give up the name then he was hurting beyond measure. He also knew that if he did that they’d never be able to find him. If Joe wanted to disappear Ben knew he was more than capable of doing it.

“I’m sorry, Pa. He left me then and I lost sight of him. I was able to track him, or so I thought. The tracks I was following led me to Wolf’s Ridge, which surprised me knowing how he feels about that place.” Once again Adam glared at Hoss, who had the good grace to look embarrassed. “I set out after him, but Sport got spooked and…”

Adam told Ben and Hoss the whole story of what happened up on the ridge; that is everything except his confession about Louise.

“… by the time I got back down to the meadow he was long gone. Thanks to Hoss, and Joe telling me about the shoes, I was able to track him to the foothills. I lost his tracks in the rocks, but I kept looking.” Adam looked away from his father, unable to bear the sorrow in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Pa, I couldn’t find anything.”

“We’ll find him, Adam,” Hoss assured his brother with the optimism that only Hoss could have.

 

Chapter 37

“Who are you? What do you want?” Joe called out to the emptiness.

Another shot rang out, this one missing Joe’s head by scant inches and burying itself in the tree to his right.

“I said, ‘drop the gun’,” the disjointed voice demanded.

Looking into the dark depths, Joe hoped to catch a glimpse of his attackers. As he was looking a bullet from the opposite direction whizzed past his head and embedded itself into another tree. Joe now knew there were two gunmen and a third was chasing Cochise. He knew giving up his gun could be deadly, but not to could also cost him his life.

“The next one will be in you, Cartwright.”

Reluctantly, Joe tossed his gun away from him and braced himself for the worst. Two men stepped out from the shadows, one on each side of him.

Howdy, Cartwright,” the older of the two greeted him.

Joe stared at the man who spoke to him and the hair on the back of his neck stood up and tingled. The man looked familiar, but he couldn’t figure out where he may have seen him.

“What’s the matter, Cartwright? Don’t tell me you don’t remember me.”

Joe continued to stare, the feeling of dread growing by the second. “Can’t say as I do.” Joe squared his shoulders, straightened to his full height and took on a look of defiance that only Joe Cartwright could pull off. “Apparently, you know me, so would you mind filling me in on who you are?”

“Silver City,” was all he said.

Recognition hit Joe like a hot poker and his face drained of all color. “No, you can’t be. You – You were hung.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Boy. My twin brother was hung, thanks to you.”

Joe took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady and his emotions under control. “Your brother robbed the bank and killed a woman, he deserved to be hung.”

“That there was his mistake.” The man looked Joe up and down before continuing. “He should have killed you instead. Who would have thought a mere boy would have been the death of Fred Lemmings.”

Joe bristled at being called a boy. “I suggest you get on your horse and get out of here mister.”

“Oh, we plan on it, just as soon as your horse is brought back. You see, Boy, you’re coming with us.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Joe declared.

Frank Lemmings took two steps forward, flipped his rifle around and drove the butt end of it into Joe’s stomach.

Joe cried out in pain as he collapsed to the ground. He wrapped his arms protectively around his mid-section and pulled his knees up into his chest as he withered in pain.

Both men stood over him laughing. “My brother warned you. He said you’d live to regret it if you testified against him.”

 

Chapter 38

Hoss pulled Chubb to a stop and dismounted when they reached the spot where Adam had lost Joe’s tracks. “You said you headed that way, Adam?” Hoss asked pointing to a small trail to his left.

“Yes,” Adam answered as crossed his wrists over the pommel and leaned forward.

“And you didn’t see anythin’?”

“Not a thing.”

Nodding his head, Hoss went back to scouting the area. Trying to get a better vantage point, he climbed on top of a rock formation and silently stood looking around the hard, rocky ground that stretched out in front of him.

“Where’d you go, Little Joe?” he whispered to himself.

With a shake of his head, Hoss climbed back down and walked over to Chubb. Once he was in the saddle he pointed to a trail leading west. “I’d say we go that way.”

“Were you able to pick up his tracks?” Ben asked optimistically.

Hoss shook his head as he answered. “No, Pa.”

“Then why that way?” Adam demanded. Defeat and guilt were starting to press down heavily on his shoulders.

“You said, you thought he was headed towards California, right?”

“Yes,” answered Adam. “But how do we know for sure that’s where he’d go. As far as we know he could have changed directions and headed for New Orleans.”

“I don’t think so. As much as Little Joe talks about goin’ there, I think he knows, deep down inside, that it ain’t for him. He’d head somewhere open, somewhere he could do what he loves.”

“Horses,” acknowledged Ben.

“I know Little Joe, Pa; he’s gotta have those dang horses to work with. We can either head that way or we can separate and look in different directions. I for one am headin’ west.” Hoss informed them.

Ben considered Hoss’ words, and put them together with everything he knew and understood about his youngest son, before coming to a decision. “I think he’s right, Adam, we need to head towards California.”

“Right now, one way’s as good as another,” Adam said as he turned Sport. With Hoss in the lead, they headed west looking for any sign they could find of their missing family member.

 

Chapter 39

Joe slowly uncurled and unsteadily pushed himself to his feet. Taking several deep breaths he fought to keep the nausea at bay. “If you’re gonna kill me, then get it over with.”

“Found the horse, Frank,” shouted the third man as he came riding back with Cochise in tow.

Stupid horse, you shoulda headed for home. Joe complained to himself as he glared at his horse, which merely bowed his head and looked away.

Frank walked over to Cochise and slowly circled the animal, examining every inch of him. “Mighty fine horse; too bad he’s so flashy or I’d keep him for myself. As it is, we’re going to have to get rid of him.”

Joe stood stock still, hands balled into fists at his side, teeth clenched as he watched this low-life soil his horse with his filthy hands. “Leave – him – alone.”

Frank looked at Joe and laughed. “The horse means something to you, Cartwright?”

Pulling out his gun he aimed it at Cochise.

Frantically, Joe scoured his mind trying to come up with a means to save his horse. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of his gun lying no more than five feet from him. If he could reach it he might be able to put an end to this. It was a long shot, but that never stopped Joe, and it didn’t this time either.

Joe dove for his gun, his fingers closed around the grip when a blinding pain ripped through his side flinging him away from his gun as a foot made contact with his already abused body.

Taking several deep breaths to try and control the pain which had just doubled, Joe pushed himself to his knees. When he looked up he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. Swallowing hard, Joe tried to look past the gun and to the person on the other end of it, but his eyes refused to move; they were locked solely on the business end of the gun that was inches from his face.

His world narrowed to a tunnel that only encompassed the gun and the hand that held it. Every bit of sound faded away except for the pounding of his heart and his rapid breathing. All other feelings vanished, the pain in his stomach receded to the back of his mind.

A weathered, calloused thumb moved slowly up to the hammer of the gun, and click by click slowly cocked it into position, and the world narrowed even more.

Please, not like this. Please, God, not like this. Joe silently begged as an uncontrollable shaking started in his hands. They’ll never know. Pa…

Time slowed, every second seemed like an hour as the thumb sat on the hammer and a finger rested on the trigger. It is a hair trigger? Will it be fast? Will I even know? Funny the thoughts that go through a man’s mind when he’s looking straight at death.

The finger on the trigger twitched. Unable to watch the end of his life, Joe squeezed his eyes shut just before an excruciation pain flared through his head. On their own accord, Joe’s eyes popped opened just long enough to see the tendrils of gray smoke curling up away from the gun and fade into nothing.

His breath caught in his chest and his world went dark. As he slumped to the ground, Joe never heard the deadly shot that echoed down the road.

 

Chapter 40

The three men stood over the prone body of Joe Cartwright, blood spilling down his face and pooling around him from the wound in his head. Frank looked over at the other two men; the smile on his face was the embodiment of true, unadulterated evil. “Let’s get out of here.” Frank turned toward his horse, and then stopped.  “Don’t leave that there,” he said pointing at the blood soaked form.

The other two men roughly dragged the body over to Cochise, who was frightened by the coppery smell of blood. As the lifeless form of his beloved owner was brought closer Cochise threw his head from side to side and Frank had to grab the reins in order to hold the horse still long enough for the dead weight to be lifted and tied belly down across the saddle.

“Why are we taking him with us, Frank?”

“We wouldn’t want someone to stumble across him out here before we can make our get away, now would we?”

~~~~~~~~~~

They rode well into the night before they finally pulled their horses to a stop in front of an old ramshackle cabin, densely surrounded by trees.

“Ronnie, you and Howard, get that body down and throw it in the back room, then get out here and take care of the horses,” ordered Frank.

The two men carried Joe’s body through the dirty, musty cabin and carelessly dropped it on the floor, before shutting the door and going to take care of the horses. A small corral and lean-to for the horses was off to the side of the cabin. It was in the same ramshackle condition as the cabin, but it was enough for the short time they planned on being there. A small clearing in front of the two buildings, giving an ample view of the woods beyond, completed the picture.

While the horses were being cared for, Frank started a fire in the ancient stove. After putting on a pot of coffee he threw together the makings of a stew from the supplies they had left at the cabin days before.

The cabin was small, sparsely furnished, and consisted of two rooms. The main room held two cots, a rickety old table, four chairs and the stove. There was only one window, which was in the wall next to the door. The other room looked as if it had been used as a supply room. The walls had shelves from floor to ceiling, some of which were broken and had been left hanging.

Once the three men had gathered around the table for dinner, Frank looked at the other two. “What do you boys plan on doing now?”

“I’m stayin’ with you, Frank,” Howard declared.

Frank nodded his head in satisfaction. “That doesn’t surprise me that you’d want to stay. After all, brothers stick together, but what about you, Ronnie? You’re under no obligation to stay, now that we’ve taken care of Cartwright.”

Ronnie played with his stew for awhile thinking over his options. “If you don’t mind, Frank, I think I’ll head on down to Texas. There’s a little gal I’d like to get to know better. Maybe even hook up with the Slades.”

“Sounds good to me, and I do thank you for all your help with this matter.”

“Think nothing of it, Friend.” Ronnie paused to take a drink of his coffee. “I’ll be heading out at first light.”

“I wish you the best of luck. Tell Big Jake and Shorty Jim hello for me.”

Ronnie looked back towards the closed door of the supply room where Joe’s body laid and shook his head in wonderment. “Isn’t it strange how that kid looked just like Shorty Jim?”

“Yeah, they could have been twins,” agreed Frank. A sad smile flickered over his face as he remembered his own twin brother, Fred.

Chapter 41

“Well, this is as good as any spot to make camp,” Hoss told his father and brother when he stopped next to a small clearing that had a stream near by.

Looking off to the west, Ben didn’t give any indication that he was going to dismount, let alone set up camp for the night. “We still have some daylight left.”

“Pa, we need to stop for awhile. Not only are the horses tired, but we’re tired, too.” Adam looked at Ben’s slumped form. “Come on, Pa, you can’t help Joe if you’re lying on the ground after falling off of Buck due to sheer exhaustion.”

“Besides, Pa, I can’t track nothin’ in the dark,” Hoss protested.

With a single nod of the head and a sigh, Ben dismounted and led Buck over to the stream.

“If I remember right, the rocks give way to dirt about 10 miles or so from here. If Joe went that way and we can pick up his trail,” Hoss said.

“Maybe,” Ben replied. He was starting to get discouraged. They had been riding for the better for of the day and had only come across a couple partial tracks that could belong to any horse since there wasn’t enough to positively identify them as Cochise. Yet Hoss was positive they were headed in the right direction.

“I just know it,” was his answer when Adam had questioned him earlier about how he could be so sure of it.

They ate a quiet dinner, each lost in their own thoughts about the youngest member of the family, trying to figure out how things had gone so wrong.

“We better turn in, Boys, if we’re going to get an early start.”

“Knowing Joe and how he loves to sleep, he won’t be getting an early start. We can probably make up some ground,” added Adam.

“I hate to say otherwise, Older Brother, but you’re forgettin’ that out on the trail Little Joe’s always the first one up,” injected Hoss.

“How could I forget, especially when we’re always subjected to his coffee.” Adam cringed at the memory.

Pulling his hat down over his face, Ben settled into his bedroll. “Night, Boys.”

Following their father’s example, Adam and Hoss turned in for the night, but sleep evade them as fear of what may have happened to Joe and in what condition he might be in when they find him. If they find him.

 

Chapter 42

The sun was just peaking over the horizon and lending its light to the beginning of a new day, it’s pink and golden hues streaking across the sky when the body lying in a heap in the back room moaned.

Joe’s consciousness rose in tandem with the sunrise. He tried to move but found that his extremities wouldn’t obey his commands and his eyes felt as if they had been sewn shut. Joe started to turn his head, but immediately froze when pain ricocheted through his head, bouncing off the walls of his skull like a bullet off rocks. Finally, he stopped trying to move and concentrated on keeping control of his stomach as a coppery, metallic smell penetrated his senses. Something had happened, something was wrong, but Joe’s addled brain just couldn’t put one concrete thought together, let alone try to figure out what had happened to him. All he knew was that his whole body hurt.

“Please,” he croaked. Joe tried to swallow, but his mouth and throat were so dry it felt as if the Sahara Desert had taken up residence. Licking his lips, he tried again. “Please… Wa-water.” The energy it took to whisper those two words was too much for Joe, as blackness descended once again, Joe gave himself up to the warm void that promised freedom from the pain.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Come on, Cartwright, wake up!” A hard kick to Joe’s side caused him to cry out in pain.

Rough hands grabbed him under the arms and dragged out into the main room of the cabin. Dropped unceremoniously on the floor, Joe curled, as best as he could, into a ball in an effort to quell the rising nausea.

Looking down on the pathetic figure, Frank shook his head and pointed to a hard wooden chair. “There.” Joe was once again pulled from the floor and dropped on to the that Frank had indicated.

All the movement and rough treatment proved to be too much for Joe. No sooner had he been manhandled into the chair when he doubled over and proceeded to empty what little there was in his stomach all over Frank’s boots.

Jumping back away from Joe, Frank glared at him in disgust until Joe straightened up. Deeming it safe, Frank advanced on Joe and backhanded him, causing Joe to groan in pain as his head snapped to the side.

“Tie him up, Howard, and then clean up this mess.” Frank turned towards the door and started to walk out of the cabin.

“But, Frank,” Howard started to protest.

“Do it!”

Howard turned to Joe grabbed his arms, pulled them around to the back of the chair and tied his wrists together.

Joe wasn’t in any condition to offer any resistance. His head lulled down with his chin coming to rest on his chest. Joe fought desperately to clear his head and make sense of what was happening, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure it out. He knew he was in danger, but he didn’t know why.

Raising his eyes he watched as Howard cleaned the floor in front of him. “Please, l-let me go. I-I p-promise I w-won’t tell n-no one.”

Howard stopped what he was doing and looked up at Joe with a sneer. “You expect me to let you go? The man who murdered my brother?”

“I didn’t mur-murder him,” Joe whispered. “He got – He got a fair trial.” His head was starting to clear, it still hurt like Hell, but at least he could think.

Grabbing the rags and the bucket Howard stormed out of the cabin.

Joe closed his eyes in despair. His head was pounding; it felt like Hoss was using it as an anvil while shoeing horses. His eyes grew heavy, but Joe fought the alluring call of unconsciousness, he was afraid to give in while he was trussed up and completely vulnerable. As always, the pain and fatigue of the body won out over the strong intentions of the mind and Joe’s eyes closed as he surrendered once again to the warm, pain-free darkness.

 

Chapter 43

Ben, Adam and Hoss were up before the first pink and gold streaks lightened the pre-dawn sky. They had already eaten a cold breakfast, broke camp and were ready to ride as soon as there was enough light.

Staring out at the still dark western sky, Ben once again wondered where his youngest son was and what he was doing. “I’m here, Joseph. I’ll find you, Son. No matter what, I’ll find you.” Ben bowed his head and as he tried to fight back the emotions, the sense of failure and overwhelming loss, he prayed. Help me Lord, I can’t feel him anymore. Please give me some sign. Is my son alive?

“Pa, we’re ready to go,” Adam called out.

Hoss saw Adam look over at him when their father didn’t acknowledge him, but he could only shrug his shoulders in reply. He’d been seeing the same thing that his older brother had, the determination in their father that they would find Joe was slipping away.

“Pa, we’ll find him, you just wait and see,” Hoss encouraged as he came up behind his father.

Turning to face his middle son, Ben searched the compassionate face for some type of reassurance for what lay ahead. “Then what, Hoss? Nothing has changed. He left because we couldn’t believe in him. So we find him, what happens then? Do we automatically believe what he thinks; or does he all of a sudden not care what we think or believe? Tell me, Hoss, what happens?”

“What happens is that we talk. All of us,” Adam interjected. “We let him talk and we listen to him, really listen, then we all try to figure out what is happening. After that?” Adam looked at his father and brother. “After that I don’t know, but we have to find him first and we’re not going to accomplish that by standing here trying to predict what Joe’s going to or not going to do.” Adam held Buck’s reins out to Ben. “So how about we go find him?”

“Adam’s right, Pa. We ain’t gonna know nothin’ until we find him.”

Looking at his two eldest sons, a ghost of a smile crossed Ben’s face. “You’re right, both of you. Let’s go have that family talk, even if we have to tie that boy down to do it.”

Chapter 44

“Here’s the road I was tellin’ you about,” Hoss informed the others when the rock hard ground finally gave way to a dirt track. Even though the ground was softer, more receptive to giving up any hidden secrets, there was nothing to be found.

“Well, Hoss, where are his tracks? You said we’d find his tracks once we got to this road,” Adam snipped.

Hoss bristled at Adam’s quarrelsome tone and understood how easy it was for Joe to get his hackles up where their older brother was concerned. “You know, Older Brother, this ain’t the only spot to pick up this road. Just cuz we came out here doesn’t mean Little Joe did.”  Hoss gave Chubb a sharp kick in the sides leaving Adam behind as he went off in search of his younger brother. “He keeps up his snappin’ I’m gonna pound him one,” he muttered under his breath. A soft smile slowly curved Hoss’ lips. “Wouldn’t you just love to see that, Little Joe.”

Half a mile up the road Hoss came upon some tracks in the dirt, tracks that had familiar nicks in them. He dismounted and studied the marking then proceeded to follow them on foot for a bit with Ben and Adam silently following him.  With a smile lighting up his face, Hoss turned back to his family. “That’s him, alright. And by the looks of it, he ain’t in no hurry.” Hoss looked at Adam with narrowed eyes.  “It takes patience to track, Big Brother.”

“How far ahead do you think he is?” Ben asked; hope once again lighting up his face.

“I’d say about half a day. Like I said, he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, but we are, and that’s helpin’ to narrow the gap.”

“What are we waiting for, Boys? Let’s go find that scamp!”

Ben waited for Hoss to mount up and take the lead before setting Buck into an easy lope.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was late afternoon when Hoss suddenly held up his hand signaling for a stop. He was frowning as he got down off of Chubb.

“Pa…” The worry was easy to detect in Hoss’ voice.

“What is it, Hoss?” Ben asked anxiously.

“I don’t like the looks of this at all,” Hoss said as he made a sweeping gesture with his arm to encompass the area around him. “Somethin’ happened here.”

Dismounting, Ben and Adam joined Hoss where he was standing at the side of the road.

“You can see Cochise’s tracks plain as day right here, but look there.” Hoss pointed to a spot where the tracks were blurred and indistinguishable. “It looks like something startled him. You can see his tracks are all mixed together.” Hoss pointed to another spot in the road. “And there it looks like someone fell and landed pretty hard. It looks…” Hoss broke off in mid-sentence and walked across the rode where he bent and picked something up. When he turned back to his family he was holding a hat – Joe’s hat. “He wouldn’t of gone off without his hat.”

Hoss walked up the road a few feet and stopped again. “It looks like there was some kind of scuffle here and it ended…” He walked a couple more feet a way and knelt down. Touching the dirt at his feet he blanched and had to swallow hard a couple times before continuing. “And… And i-it…” Hoss’ voice trailed off and he had to close his eyes in order to force out the last two words. “…ended here.”

Ben and Adam were immediately at Hoss’ side, kneeling next to him trying to figure out what was causing him so much difficulty. Ben paled at the sight of the discolored ground.

“Is that…” Adam started to ask in a choked whisper.

Hoss nodded. “Blood.”

Hoss stood up and shook his head sharply, trying to dislodge the image of his little brother lying there on ground hurt and bleeding. “Someone was, um, dragged over there.” Hoss continued and followed the deep gouges that were left by the toes of someone’s boots being dragged across the ground. “He was put up on a horse here.” Hoss’ brow crinkled up as he bent down again. His breath caught in his throat when his worse nightmare was confirmed. “Joe was put on Cochise.” He stood and turned back to his father and Adam. “There were three other horses. It looks like Cochise wasn’t too happy about somethin’. He was prancing around a bit. When they rode away, his tracks are off, like Joe ain’t ridin’ normal.”

“Then how would he be riding?” Adam demanded.

Hoss caught his father’s eyes and knew, he knew what the answer was.

“Across the saddle,” Ben replied in a strangled whisper. He looked around the devastating scene and then at the hat in his hand. Straightening his shoulders and pulling himself to his full height, Ben looked at his sons; his face was full of anger and determination. “Let’s go find your brother and get him out of whatever trouble he’s gotten himself into this time.”

Ben put Joe’s hat into his saddlebag, and the three Cartwrights swung up onto their horses and with determined minds and hearts, started following the new trail.

Chapter 45

Abruptly Joe came awake sputtering when a bucket of cold water was thrown in his face. “What the…” He broke off when he saw the two men standing in front of him.

“Welcome back, Cartwright,” Frank taunted.

Joe narrowed his eyes at them as he took stock of his situation. He realized that, while his head was still throbbing, it wasn’t as painful as before. The nausea was still there, but it was manageable. His stomach was sore, as were his ribs, but they seemed to be only bruised, not broken. All things considered, he wasn’t in too bad of a shape.

Wait a minute. Why ain’t I dead? He shot me… Realization suddenly dawned on Joe that even though his head was pounding, it wasn’t caused by a bullet. He remembered the gun had been in front of him, but the pain he felt was in the back. His brow wrinkled in confusion. “But you pulled the trigger. Why ain’t I dead?”

Frank looked at his brother and they started laughing. “I think you might have hit him too hard, Howard.”

“Yeah, he does seem a little scatter brained.”

Frank suddenly sobered and without warning hit Joe in the face causing his head to snap back. “You aren’t dead because that would have been too easy for you. By the time I’m through you’re going to wish for that bullet in your head.”

Joe opened his eyes and spat some blood onto the floor at Frank’s feet. He looked at the Lemming Brothers and calculated what his odds were for an escape.

Frank Lemming was a tall man, Joe judged him to be roughly the same height as Adam, but he didn’t have the same muscular tone as his brother. Joe was pretty sure that in a fair fight he might be able to take him. The problem was there was nothing fair about the situation he found himself in.

His brother was another story. The man was almost the same size as Hoss, with one difference, he looked soft. Hoss may be a large man, but there was nothing soft about him unless you were talking about his heart, there not even the finest feather bed could compete. If he did it right, he might have a chance, but it was all a matter of knowing when and having patience. Patience. That was one heavenly virtue Joe Cartwright had always lacked.

“Untie him, Howard. I think it’s time for a little fun.”

Joe’s eyes snapped back to Frank. By the look on his face patience was something Joe couldn’t even afford to have right now. He surreptitiously looked towards the door of the cabin and judged the distance. By looking out the window he knew they were in a heavily wooded area. If I can just make it to the trees…

His thoughts were cut off as the ropes dropped away from his wrists and ankles. He didn’t even have time to flex his fingers before he was pulled to his feet. Joe looked up in time to see a fist headed straight for his nose. Reacting by gut instinct, he ducked and twisted away. Finding himself free of any and all restraints, Joe wasted no time in making a beeline for the door. But before he could even take five steps a chair flew out in front of him. Unable to react in time to avoid it, Joe toppled right over it.

His bid for freedom had failed.

 

Chapter 46

“Dadburnit!” Hoss thundered. He had lost the trail and now his patience was at the end of its tether.

Adam dismounted and stomped over to his brother. “What is it now?” he demanded. They were each tired and frustrated. This manifested itself by each one snapping at the other.

“I lost the tracks.”

Adam nodded and started to backtrack on foot, looking for the last sign of the men they were following.

“Where the blazes do you think you’re goin’?” Hoss snapped.

Adam gave his brother a look that said any school boy could figure that out. “I’m going back to where you lost their trail,” he enunciated.

“Then you best take Sport, cuz that’s five miles back.”

“Five miles! Why didn’t you say anything back there?” Adam yelled. “I thought you knew how to track. After all there are four – Count them, four horses. How can you lose four horses?”

Before Adam could blink Hoss was in front of him, bare inches from his face. In fact, Hoss was so close that Adam could feel his hot, angry breath blowing down onto his cheek.

“If you think it’s so easy, why ain’t you doin’ it? I’ll tell you why, cuz you can’t!” In anger, Hoss reached out and shoved Adam.

Unable to catch himself, Adam ended up sprawled in the dirt staring up at his formidable brother. He glared at Hoss as he pushed himself to his feet. “If you want a fight, Brother, I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

“I ain’t Little Joe who you can easily push around. You wanna fight me, you best be ready for a real fight.”

“Enough!” Ben roared, causing Buck to start prancing around. “This childish bickering is getting us nowhere. I would expect this behavior from Little Joe, but not the two of you.”

“Sorry, Pa,” apologized Hoss. “I’m just worried about Little Joe.”

“And you think I’m not?” Adam grumbled.

Hoss looked down at feet as he kicked at the dirt with the toe of his boot. He was sorry for his outburst, but he couldn’t seem to help it. He was tired, frustrated, and angry over losing the trail, but most of all he was scared. He was scared that his failure to track them could cost his little brother his life. “I know, Adam. I’m sorry.”

Adam put a hand on Hoss’ shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, too.”

“If you’re both done being sorry, I suggest we go back to where you lost the trail and see if we can find anything,” Ben prompted.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hoss was off Chubb and scouring the area where he had lost the trail. When he came back to Ben and Adam he just shook his head. His misery and failure was clearly visible in his misty, blue eyes.

“Why don’t we spread out and see if we can find anything. After all, three sets of eyes are better than one,” Adam suggested.

After an hour of futile searching, three very dejected men met back where they had started.

“Nothin’,” Hoss reported.

“Same here,” Adam added.

Ben sighed as his shoulders slumped. All the hope he had was slowly being snuffed out like a candle in the wind.

“We’re pretty sure they didn’t go that way,” Adam said, gesturing at the trail they had already taken. “What do you say, Pa, which way should we go?”

Both Adam and Hoss looked at Ben expectantly. “I…” Ben looked around, not knowing which way to go, which was the trail that would take him to Joe, and which would take him away. Please God, show me the way. Please help me find my son. Ben looked at his choices again. Every time he looked at the trail to his right he felt something pulling him in that direction. Call it a gut feeling, call it instinct, call it divine intervention, call it what you will, Ben Cartwright knew that was the way to go.

“We’ll take that trial,” he said indicating the chosen trail.

Hoss nodded his acceptance.

“Alright,” agreed Adam.

The boys, as always, put their trust in their father, never asking why that particular trail.

 

Chapter 47

Meaty hands grabbed Joe from behind and hauled him to his feet as he tried to scramble to the door. Joe struggled against the arm that had snaked around his throat and was squeezing. When he saw Frank approaching he braced himself for a fight. He immediately stopped struggling against the arm that restrained him and waited. The sudden acquiescence should have set off warning bells, but Frank was oblivious to its meaning. Once Frank was in range, Joe reached up to the arm around his neck with both hands and grabbed a hold of it. To anyone watching it looked as though he were trying to pull the beefy appendage away from him, instead he used it as leverage. Joe pulled both feet off the ground and kicked out, striking Frank square in the chest with enough force to send him crashing into the wall behind him.

The arm around his neck tightened, cutting off his air supply, causing Joe to claw at it, trying desperately  to get some air into his starving lungs. Just as blackness was creeping into the edges of his vision, he felt a sharp pain as Frank landed a hard punch to his solar plexus. As Joe doubled up gasping air, Howard released his choke hold but slid his massive hands down to Joe’s elbows pinning them in place while keeping Joe upright for his brother. Before Joe could even catch his breath a fist crashed into his face.

The beating continued until Joe slump unconscious in Howard’s arms, only then he was allowed to fall to the floor, where he lay bruised and bleeding.

~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, Joe groaned as consciousness was finally making its presence felt,and he slowly opened his eyes, as he tried to move, but every muscle in his body protested; once again he found himself lying on his side with his hands and ankles tied.

Testing the bonds Joe found there wasn’t any give in them. “They sure know what they’re doing,” he complained.

Joe wasn’t a quitter and he refused to quit now, even though the odds were against him. Looking around the dimly lit room trying to find something he could use to break free, Joe spotted the broken shelves and a smile began to grow on his bruised face.

Pushing the pain to the back of his mind, Joe carefully rolled to his back, and using his elbows, was able to push himself into a sitting position. Looking behind him, Joe started to scoot across the hard floor until he was against the wall where the shelves were broken. Bringing his wrists up, Joe found a sharp piece of metal protruding from the wall, and with a sawing motion, went to work on the ropes binding his wrists.

 

Chapter 48

By the time the ropes finally gave, Joe’s wrists were raw and bleeding from the rough hemp that was confining them. Once his hands were free, Joe brought them in front of him and sat flexing them, trying to get the circulation back before he untied his ankles. When he was free he gingerly touched the back of his head and could feel how his hair was matted and stiff with dried blood. Slowly, pushing himself to his feet, Joe swayed momentarily and had to reach out to steady himself on the dilapidated shelves. When he was steady on his feet, he forced himself to start moving. Between his injuries and the enforced inactivity of being bound, Joe found that not only were his legs a bit shaky, but his whole body was stiff and sore from the many bruises he now sported. He knew that his success, or failure, hung on him being able to make a run for it; he couldn’t afford a single moment of weakness. Back and forth across the small room he walked and as he did he surveyed the room for anything he could use to his advantage. Each time his gaze fell on the ruined shelves a smile graced his face and grew even bigger.

Stopping in front of the shelves Joe grabbed hold of one plank in particular; it was solid and stout and would suit his purposes perfectly, and with a hard jerk he pulled it free. After looking it over, he nodded in satisfaction. “You’ll do just fine,” he whispered to it like he would a lost lover.

Joe leaned it against the wall to the side of the door and pressed his ear against the door and was able to hear the deep snoring coming from the other side. Knowing that he too needed to rest and to build up his strength now that most of the kinks had been worked out of his body, Joe sat down on the floor next to what he now considered his best friend, the wooden plank. He leaned back against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep, a smile flitted across his lips. “Come get me now, Boys. You’ll find there’s plenty of fight left in this Cartwright yet.”

 

Chapter 49

Creeping up over the horizon, the sun took its own sweet time before adding its light to the world and lighting the road for the three men on horseback. They had been in the saddle before there was barely enough light to safely lead their horses along the path Ben had chosen.

Ben reined Buck to a stop and motioned to his sons for silence. His right hand slowly crept down to his gun. Feeling their father’s unease, but not knowing what caused it, Adam and Hoss copied Ben’s gesture. Adam’s head snapped to the right and he pulled his gun out the same time Ben did. He glanced at Hoss and tipped his head to the right. “Rider,” he mouthed.

With a nod of understanding, Hoss pulled his gun just as he heard a stick on the ground snap. Seconds later the sound of hooves could be heard on the forest floor.

A man on a brown gelding rode slowly out of the trees and stopped when he found three guns pointed at him. He raised his hands slightly and smiled nervously at the Cartwrights. “Howdy, Friend. Is there a problem?”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Adam replied cryptically. “A person can’t be too careful around these parts.”

“Oh? Seems plenty peaceful around here to me.”

“Appearances can be deceiving,” Ben added. “Looks like someone ran into quite a lot of trouble a ways back.”

The man shifted in his saddle. “No trouble here, Friend. So if you don’t mind lowering your guns.”

They started to lower their guns, but Hoss paused when the stranger’s gun caught his attention and he raised his back up to point directly at the stranger’s heart.

“Pa,” Hoss called out and nodded towards the man’s gun.

Ben saw what had caught Hoss’ attention and also brought his gun back up. “Take your gun out and do it real slow.”

“What,” the stranger started to protest.

Adam pulled the hammer back on his gun with an audible click. “I’d do what he says.”

The stranger slowly pulled the colt revolver from his holster and held it out, butt end first.

“Hoss,” Ben directed, nodding to the man.

Nudging Chubb forward, Hoss cautiously approached the man and took the gun from him. He looked it over before riding back to Ben. “It’s his,” he confirmed as he handed the pearl handled revolver over to his father.

Ben also looked the gun over, his eyes settling on the initials ‘JC’ that were scratched into the butt of it. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them and glaring at the stranger. “What’s your name?”

“Ronnie Perkins.”

“Well, Ronnie, where’d you get this gun?” Hoss demanded.

“It’s mine.”

“Then what does ‘JC’ stand for?” Adam questioned, instinctively knowing what Ben had seen on the gun.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ronnie protested.

“The initials on the gun!” Ben roared. “Where’s my son!”

Ronnie visibly shrunk in his saddle. This was the formable Ben Cartwright he had heard about. When Frank came to him and told him about his plans, Ronnie had reservations about it. He had heard how the Cartwrights protected each other and especially how protective Ben was in regards to his youngest son. But Frank had assured him that it would all be taken care of; he had a plan and they wouldn’t have to deal with any of the Cartwrights except for Joe. Ronnie owed Frank, owed him big, and there was no way he could say no. Because of that and Frank underestimating the bonds that held this family together, he was now facing a very angry Ben Cartwright, not to mention the older brothers.

Tired of waiting for an answer, Hoss slid down off of Chubb, strode over to Ronnie, reached up and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. With one swift pull, Ronnie found himself lying on the ground groaning. He looked up and saw Hoss advancing on him. If Joe thought Hoss was angry the other night, he would now realize that that anger was nothing compared to the black rage now reflected in Hoss’ eyes. Eyes that moments ago were as light and clear as a spring day, were now almost as dark as Lake Tahoe during a winter storm.

Hoss grabbed Ronnie, who was trying to scramble to his feet, by the front of his shirt and forcibly pulled him from the ground. After a couple of hard shakes, that had Ronnie flopping around like a rag doll, Hoss slammed him into a tree with his feet dangling in mid-air and his face only inches from Hoss’.

“My Pa asked you a question, and he expects an answer.” Hoss’ voice was almost whisper soft, but it was laced with a deadly warning. “Where is my little brother?”

Ben started to step in, but Adam reached out and put a restraining hand on his arm. “Let Hoss handle this. He’ll get some answers,” he whispered.

“But, he might…”

“He won’t,” Adam assured his father. “You know that, I know that, Hoss knows that, but most importantly, he doesn’t know that.” Adam’s lips lifted in a smile. “Look at him, Pa, he’s scared to death, he’ll talk.”

“I… I do-don’t know a-anything,” Ronnie stammered.

Hoss curled up his right hand into a deadly fist and pulled it back. Ronnie’s eyes grew wide with terror.

“Wait! Don’t kill me. I know where he is.” When Hoss lowered his fist, the man visibly sagged in Hoss’ grip.

Hoss turned his head and smiled at his father and brother. “See, I knew if I asked nice, he’d tell us.”

“Where is he?” Ben demanded.

“Frank and Howard have him in a cabin west of here.”

“Who’s Frank and Howard, and what do they have to do with my brother?” Adam asked.

“Lemmings, Frank and Howard Lemmings. Your brother testified against their brother, Fred in Silver City and cuz of his testimony he was hung.”

Ben, Adam and Hoss glanced at one another when they heard the name. They all remembered Joe’s time in Silver City. He’d gone there to deliver some horses and collect payment. He was in the bank depositing the money before heading home when it was robbed. Unfortunately for no reason, a young woman was killed during the robbery right in front of Joe. She was well liked in the community and Joe had been flirting with her while they waited for a teller. The brutal killing so incensed the men in the bank that, regardless of personal risk, they strove to take control of the situation, and Joe was the one who went after Fred Lemmings. Punches were traded and Lemmings found himself on the floor out cold. The next thing Joe knew the sheriff was there taking charge and Joe had to stay on in Silver City to testify at the trial. Lemmings was found guilty of bank robbery and murder and was sentenced to hang the next morning.

As he was led away, Lemmings stopped in front of Joe. “You’re a dead man.” Joe had blanched at the threat; He had already been threatened the day before when Lemmings told him he would live to regret testifying against him. For the eighteen year old the threats combined with the murder of the young lady were too much for Joe.

Ben remembered how pale and quiet Joe was when he returned home; he also remembered the nightmares that followed. It took days to finally get Joe to open up and talk; when he did it all came gushing out. He told his family that he didn’t stay for the hanging, that he just wanted to get out of that town and get home as fast as he could.

“Lemmings now wants revenge, is that it?” Ben accused.

“He-He…” Ronnie was reluctant to confirm Ben’s accusation.

Hoss tightened his grip on Ronnie and drew back his fist.

“Yes! Yes, he wants revenge. He’s going to kill the kid once he’s done with him,” Ronnie blurted out.

“Done with him? What do you mean by that?” Adam was hoping against hope that this repulsive man would not say what he was afraid he would.

“Frank’s going to have some fun with him, if you know what I mean.” The Cartwrights knew very well what he meant.

“Hoss, tie his wrists and get him on his horse.” Ben directed his attention back to Ronnie. “You’re going to show us where they are, or my son is going to have some fun with you, if you know what I mean.”

Ronnie grudgingly got on his horse and turned back the way he had come. “Frank’s not going to like this,” he muttered under his breath.

 

Chapter 50

The sound of approaching footsteps jolted Joe awake. He scrambled to his feet, grabbed the plank and flattened himself against the wall next to the door. A key was inserted into the lock. As it turned, Joe’s heart pounded in his chest; he could feel the sweat forming on his hands and had to readjust his grip on the wood. He would get one chance, and one chance only, if he failed he was a dead man. At this point in the game failure, was not an option.

The door knob jiggled as it was slowly turned and the door creaked as it was pushed open. Sound seemed to have intensified, every nerve and sense was heightened; time had slowed, each minute felt like an hour to Joe. The door finally swung open and Howard stepped into the room. He looked straight at the spot where he had left Joe lying and all he saw were the remnants of the ropes that had held Joe captive.

“What…”

Before he could utter another word, Joe stepped away from the wall, the plank pulled back high in the air over his shoulder, and in one fluid motion Joe swept it around and right smack dab into the middle of Howard’s face. The force was not only enough to break his nose, causing blood to spurt out all over the plank and Joe, but it was also enough to drop Howard to the floor unconscious.

Joe paused, ready to strike again, if his quarry moved. He nudged him with his boot and Howard didn’t so much as groan. Sighing with relief, Joe took a moment to compose himself before cautiously peering around the door. Not seeing any sign of Frank, he crept from the room and stealthily made his way to the door. His bid for freedom was within reach.

Opening the door, Joe carefully slipped out, to stand on the porch; pressed up against the wall of the cabin he looked for any sign of Frank. Not seeing him, but spotting the small corral, he started for it, and for Cochise. He had taken only a couple steps towards it when he heard a voice coming from that direction.

“Yes, you’re one mighty fine horse. I’m going to make quite a bit off you when you’re sold.”

Joe froze to the spot, his first instinct was to go after his horse, but common sense asserted itself and for once he listened. He knew he would never be able to take Frank on and live to tell about it. Instead he turned away from his beloved horse and started for the cover of the trees.

He was almost home free when he heard a shout from behind and a bullet embedded itself into a tree right in front of him. Survival instincts kicked in and Joe pushed himself harder, intent on making it to the woods.

Bullets whizzed past him, but Lady Luck was on his side and so far he escaped injury, but it was by a narrow margin. He could hear Frank gaining on him, but he was in the woods now and he used the trees to his advantage. Hearing the click of a hammer hitting an empty chamber  Joe knew Frank was out of bullets. Smiling, he knew he was home free as long as he could stay in front of Frank. That is until he felt a searing pain in his back and his legs buckled under him.

Lady Luck had deserted Joe.

 

Chapter 51

Lying on the ground with his head pressed against the hard-packed earth, Joe gasped for air trying desperately to control the agonizing pain that ripped through his body. He could feel the blood soaking his shirt, flowing freely from where the knife was embedded in his back.  Joe could sense Frank standing over him, and without warning another searing pain ripped through his back cause Joe to cry out as a kaleidoscope of colors danced before his eyes. Using his boot, Frank rolled Joe over onto his back; taking delight from the moan that escaped from between Joe’s clenched teeth.

Frank wiped the blood off the knife he had just pulled from Joe’s back. “That was a pretty good throw, if I do say so myself.”

Joe could only stare at him knowing that the end was near. He had tried to escape and failed. His one regret was how he had left things with his family. Would they ever know what happened to him, or would they just assume he had left for good, never to be heard from again?

“You won’t get away with this!” Joe warned.

Frank knelt down next to Joe. “I won’t?”

“No. My family will find you and you’ll pay.”

Frank started laughing. “Your family? That’s a good one, Cartwright. You’re family doesn’t even know where you are.”

“They’ll find me, even if it’s only my body, they’ll find me. Then they’ll find you.” Joe was bluffing while his mind searched frantically for a way out of this mess. “My brother Hoss is the best tracker in the country, and he won’t rest until you’re brought to justice. If you’re smart you’ll let me be and leave now.”

“Your family’s not looking for you. They’re most likely happy that you’re gone.” Frank laughed even harder seeing that he was striking a nerve. “Yep, the way you’ve been on that ranch of yours, they’ll probably be glad they don’t have to clean up after you anymore. After all they think you’re nothing but a lazy, no good liar.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Not much, just a few things like a tack room that wasn’t cleaned, wood that wasn’t stacked, supplies that were never delivered to the lumber camp. Oh and we can’t forget about the best one of all, that fence I saw you spend all night redoing.”

What little color that was left in Joe’s face drained out at Frank’s words. He knew what Frank meant, but he needed to hear him admit what he’d done, if only for his own peace of mind. “What are you talking about?”

Come on, Little Joe, you can’t be that dense. Or did you really think you were losing your mind like your family thought?” When Joe continued staring at him without saying a word, Frank smiled and continued, his voice rising as he warmed to his subject. “It was me that did all those things. Those supplies were a bit tricky, but I have to thank you for going to town and making it easy. Then there was that fence. That took a lot of work to get it back to its original condition. Boy, when you fix a fence you sure fix it good.”

“So it was you!” Joe accused.

“Sure was. Now you see why your family won’t be coming.” Frank smile maliciously as he brought his knife up and placed it against Joe’s throat. “How would you like it? A slit throat?” He pushed a little harder on the knife causing a small rivulet of blood to trail down Joe’s throat. “In the gut so you can die real slow? Or would you prefer it fast and easy, right through the heart? Which will it be?”

Joe forced himself not to move, not even to swallow, knowing that the smallest movement could prove fatal. “You kill me and you’ll hang, just like your murdering brother.” Joe knew there wasn’t any help coming, no one to get him out of this mess. He was tired of being played with  and just wanted it over. “When you do, say hi to your brother for me, in Hell.” He squeezed his eyes shut knowing that knife would come for him now, and he didn’t want to see the end of his life.

“You’re dead!” Frank roared as he brought his knife up in ready to plunge it straight into Joe’s heart.

 

Chapter 52

The Cartwrights heard the shots and kicked their horses into a run, praying they weren’t too late. When they reached the cabin they could hear a commotion coming from the woods. Ben and Hoss jumped from their horses and ran toward the raised voices with their guns drawn. Adam pulled Ronnie from his horse and made sure he was secured to the hitching post, before taking off after his family. He skidded to a stop next to them, All three were frozen by the scene playing out in front of them.

“It was me that did all those things. Those supplies were a bit tricky, but I have to thank you for going to town and making it easy. Then there was that fence. That took a lot of work to get it back to its original condition. Boy, when you fix a fence you sure fix it good.”

Guilt washed over each of them as they heard Frank’s words, their own accusations against Joe running through their minds.

Hoss in particular felt the steely bit of guilt as he remembered what he had almost done to his little brother and the words that had followed the next morning. ‘I’ve been defendin’ you all this time, stuck up for you, and for what? To have you make a fool out of me, that’s what for. Well, no more, I’m done with it and with you.’ kept echoing through his mind and each time he heard them another chuck was ripped from his heart. How could his brother ever forgive him?

Raising his gun, Ben was about to call out a warning when Frank put his knife against Joe’s throat, and he knew one wrong move would cost his son his life.

Hoss heard Joe’s taunts, then Frank’s bellow of rage. He saw the knife pull away from Joe’s throat and before he knew it the knife was plunging towards Joe’s heart. Without a second thought, Hoss fired, his bullet caught Frank high on the arm causing the now nerveless fingers to lose their grip and the knife to the ground. Clutching his arm, Frank looked up to find three guns trained on him.

“You so much as touch a hair on my little brother’s head you’re dead,” Hoss threatened. “Now get away from him!”

When Joe heard the gunshot and Frank’s yelp of pain, his eyes snapped open and he looked around the clearing and smiled when he saw his family standing there. “Told you they would come.”

Rushing to Joe’s side, Ben knelt down next to him. “Joe?”

“Hi, Pa,”

Seeing the blood pooling on the ground, Ben looked his son over trying to see where it was coming from. When he saw Joe’s eyes start to close he put his hand on Joe’s arm and gave it a tight squeeze, trying to anchor Joe to the here and now. “Joe, where are you hurt?”

“Back,” Joe said weakly, his eyes fluttering shut. He was exhausted and in pain. Now that his family was there, he could let go and let them take care of things.

 

Chapter 53

“Joseph! Open your eyes,” Ben commanded.

“Tired.”

“I know you are, Son, but you need to stay with me right now. You can sleep later.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“’Kay.” Joe forced his eyes open and his eyes locked onto the comforting brown ones of his father.

Ben felt a movement next to him and looked up to see Adam kneeling next to them, ready to offer any assistance that was needed.

“Help me sit him up so I can see where he was shot.” Having heard gunshots, Ben had naturally assumed Joe had been shot in the back while trying to make his escape.

Joe cried out when Adam gently pulled him up into a sitting position. “I’m sorry, Buddy,” Adam apologized as he let Joe lean into his shoulder.

Once Joe was up Ben could see where Joe’s shirt was soaked in blood and caked with dirt. He took hold of it where the material was ripped, and tore the shirt open to reveal a deep gash in Joe’s back.

“Pa, stop!” Joe cried out in pain.

“I’m sorry, Joe, but I have to take a look.”

As Ben felt around the wound, Joe’s left hand involuntarily grabbed hold of Adams arm in a tight grip and held on for all he was worth as pain washed over him.

Ben looked up at Adam and their eyes met, “It’s a knife wound.”

“Mm, I coulda told ya that,” Joe groaned.

“He’s bleeding all over us and he’s still being cheeky,” Adam said trying to lighten the atmosphere and get his brother to relax a little.

“Adam,” Ben chastised.

“Sorry, Pa, I was just trying…” Adam stopped in mid-sentence when he felt Joe’s grip on his arm suddenly go slack. “Joe?” When there wasn’t a response Adam looked to his father for help. “Pa?”

With his heart in his throat, Ben reached forward and placed two fingers against Joe’s neck. He closed his eyes and concentrated on listening through his fingers. Ben hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath until he found his answer and bowed his head.

“Pa?” Panic was easily discernible in Adam’s voice.

Ben raised his head, looked at Adam and gave him a tremulous smile. “He’s just unconscious. I expect that the pain got to be too much for him.”

Ben looked around the clearing and spotted Hoss off to the side with Frank Lemming next to him. He had already bandaged Frank’s arm and had his hands tied behind his back; the way his arms were positioned, it was putting strain on Frank’s injured arm, when Ben’s eyes met Hoss’, Hoss merely shrugged. He didn’t give a hoot how this man felt; not after the way he had treated his little brother

“We need to get Joe to the cabin and clean him up,” announced Ben.

“Adam, you come take this yahoo and I’ll take Little Joe.”

“Where’s Ronnie?” Ben asked as he relieved Adam of Joe’s weight.

“Tied up good and tight in front of the cabin.” Pulling his gun out, Adam pointed it at Frank. “Give me a reason.” The threat was so low that only Frank heard him.

Frank had heard about the Cartwrights and Ronnie tried to warn him, but he just brushed it off as tall tales, told by old geezers who had nothing better to do. Now he was finding out that the tales weren’t so tall after all.

Where’s your brother? Ronnie said you had a brother with you,” Adam demanded.

Frank shrugged his shoulders, refusing to give away any information, especially if it could come in handy later.

“Let’s get them back to the cabin and we’ll deal with the rest when we get there.” Ben instructed his sons.

Hoss reached down and lifted Joe from his father’s arms without any trouble.  “Everythin’s going to be fine, Little Joe,” Hoss said as he fell in behind Ben.

Ben had taken the lead, if there was going to be trouble then he was going to be their first line of defense.  Adam gave Frank a push and they brought up the rear.

 

Chapter 54

Once in the cabin, Ben instructed Hoss to lay Joe down on his stomach on the cot. Adam followed them in with Frank; who he shoved to the floor before tying his ankles together. Just as Adam finished securing Frank a low moan was heard. All eyes turned to Joe, expecting to find him fighting his way back to consciousness, but he still lay motionless. Another moan was heard and this time the men were able to locate its origins. Drawing his gun, Hoss crept to the room at the back of the cabin. Just inside the door sprawled on the floor with his hands clenched to his face and withering in agony was Howard Lemmings, and lying next to him was a plank of wood. Hoss looked from the blood splattered plank to Howard, then finally at Joe. A smile broke out on his face and with pride shining in his eyes he nodded his head. “Good for you, Little Brother.”

“What’s that?” Adam questioned.

“Oh you’ll see in a minute.” Hoss holstered his gun, reached down and hauled Howard to his feet. None too gently, Hoss tied his hands behind his back and pushed him to the floor before securing his feet.

“What happened to him?” Ben asked from his position next to Joe.

Straightening, Hoss walked back to the small room and when he returned he was holding the plank in his hand. “Little Joe is what happened.”

“I’ll be,” Adam said grinning down at his brother. “The boy sure has spunk.”

“Adam, why don’t you bring the other one in and put all three in that room.” Ben suggested.

“I don’t think you wanna do that, Pa,” Hoss interrupted.

“Why not?”

“They’ll probably be able to figure out how little brother there got loose, and we might have the same thing in store for us.”

Frank glared at his brother. “How could you be so stupid?”

Howard just grunted in response. Between his broken nose, swollen and split lip, talking was nearly impossible. He also sported two black eyes, all courtesy of Joe’s ‘best friend’.

Adam drug Ronnie into the room and also secured his feet. He made sure that the three men were separated from each other. Being one of the Cartwright brothers, he knew all the tricks that could they could use to gain their freedom if they were put together.

“Hoss, heat up some water, we need to clean out this wound. Adam, get the medical supplies out of my saddlebags.”

The boys turned away from Ben and did as they were told; soon Ben was cutting away Joe’s filthy shirt, he breathed a sigh of relief when he got his first good look at the wound, it wasn’t as bad as he originally thought it was.

 

Chapter 55

Finally Ben was ready to start, even though he was relieved to see it wasn’t as deep as he first thought, it was embedded with dirt from Joe being forced to lie on the ground. He had to use not only soap and hot water, but the alcohol that had been brought along; Ben was grateful that Hop Sing had been so thorough when he put had the supplies together.

Joe had been trying to pull away when Ben was using only the soap and water, but when the alcohol hit the wound everyone in the room knew he was there and that he was awake. Ben stopped his ministrations and motioned for the whisky bottle that Adam had brought in.

When Ben held the bottle to Joe’s lips, Joe looked at him in disbelief. “You’re seriously offering that to me?” he gasped, knowing how his father felt about him drinking anything stronger than beer at his age.

“I think Pa’ll be more than happy for you to drink the whole dang thing if it’ll get you to quit your squallin’,” Hoss chided.

“It’s that or have Hoss give your jaw a slight caress.” Adam smiled down at his brother in all innocence.

“Hey, that’s not a half bad idea, Adam,” Hoss joked.

Joe looked at Ben’s smiling face, but he could also see the anguish in his father’s eyes over what was going to happen. “I’ll take the whisky.”

“I thought you would.” Ben smiled at his older sons, thankful that they were trying to take Joe’s mind off of what was about to happen with some gentle teasing.

After Joe drank a good portion of the bottle and they had waited for it to take affect, Ben knelt down next to him. “How are you feeling, Son?”

“F-fine as, as fro-frogs ‘air. N-no it, it’s frogs, um, frogs hair. Yeah, frogs hair,” Joe slurred.

Adam and Hoss couldn’t contain their laughter. “I don’t think he’s feeling much pain right now,” Adam commented.

“Heck, Adam, I don’t think he’s feelin’ any pain.”

“Alright, Boys, help me out here. Hoss take his legs, Adam get his arms.”

“Oh great, I get the swinging end,” Adam grumbled.

“You think the kicking end is any better,” Hoss countered.

Ben chuckled at the banter between his older sons, but the chuckle died a quick death when he looked back down at Joe’s back. “You ready, Joseph?”

“No.” Joe tried to turn to look at his father, but Adam’s hold was already making it difficult to move and they hadn’t even started. “Ya know, Pa, we could jest furgit ‘bout ‘his whole thin’.”

“No we can’t, Son. The sooner we start, the sooner we’ll finish.”

With a petulant sigh Joe nodded his head. “’S ‘kay.”

Ben nodded at Adam and Hoss and they tightened their grip on Joe. Ben closed his eyes for a moment, knowing what he was about to do would cause his son immeasurable pain and wished he could some how make it all disappear. He took a deep breath and released it before opening his eyes. Picking up the bottle of alcohol he poured it on the open wound to flush it out.

Joe screamed and fought against the arms that restrained him. The hole in his back felt like a volcano had erupted and wave after wave of fiery lava was cascading through his body. He tried to kick out, but Hoss tightened his hold on Joe’s legs and was literally sprawled across them in his effort to keep his brother still.

Fortunately for Adam, he was having better luck at his end. Joe’s hands clawed at the blanket and mattress below him; looking for something he could latch on to and hang on for dear life. He was panting hard as he tried to ride out the pain that continued to wash over him with no relief in sight.

“Pa! Please, no more!” Joe pleaded.

Ben picked up a clean cloth and soaked it with the alcohol; he had to take another deep breath to steel his resolve in order to continue cleaning the filth from the wound. Watching Joe struggle with the pain he wanted nothing more than to throw the cloth down and pull Joe into his arms, but he knew that wasn’t an option. He had to get his back cleaned up or infection would set in, and that would cost Joe his life.

 

Chapter 56

Ben sat back in his chair, exhausted. Joe had finally lost consciousness and Ben was able to finish cleaning the wound and stitch it close. He rested his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hand. “That’s something I never want to do again.”

Adam and Hoss and dropped to the floor and were leaning against the cot where their brother slept, both exhausted, physically and emotionally.

“He had more fight in him than I would have thought,” Adam confessed.

“You got that right, Brother.”

Laughter from the other side of the room drew their attention to where Frank was bound.

“Now that was a show, wasn’t it, Howard?”

“I’d almost pay money to see it again.”

Ronnie sat in his corner, not making a sound. Seeing someone suffer the way the boy did wasn’t entertainment in his book, no matter how you looked at it.

Before anyone knew what was happening, Adam was across the room, he pulled Frank to his feet and slammed him up against the wall. “You think that’s funny?” he roared. “Let’s see how entertaining it is when I pour the rest of that alcohol on your arm!”

Frank blanched at the thought of the liquid on the gunshot wound in his arm, but before he could respond Hoss was next to Adam prying his hands away from Frank.

“Come on, Adam, let him go. This ain’t gonna help anythin’.”

Adam’s hazel eyes locked with Hoss’ blue ones for a minute before he nodded and released his hold on Frank, allowing him to drop to the floor.

“Why don’t you make some coffee, Adam? You make the better coffee between all of us.” Hoss held the coffee pot out to his brother, hoping to distract him.

“That’s not saying much, Hoss,” Ben added.

“Could be worse, Joe could be making the coffee,” Adam said defensively.

~~~~~~~~~~

“What are we going to do, Pa? Joe needs a doctor and we have those three to take care of,” Adam asked as he sipped his coffee.

“I’ve been thinking about that. If Joe is well enough we’ll all head towards home. When he hit the road to Virginia City you two will take them into Roy and I’ll continue home with Joe. When you get to town you can send Paul out to the ranch.”

“And if Joe ain’t well enough to travel?” Hoss asked.

“If he’s not, I’ll stay here with him and the two of you will take them to town.”

“But, Pa,” Adam started to protest.

“It’s the only way, Adam. The longer they’re around the more chances we’re taking.”

“Alright,” Adam agreed. He looked over at Joe who was lying so still on the cot. “Hopefully he’ll be ready to travel. I’d feel a lot better with him at home.”

 

Chapter 57

Around three in the morning Joe groaned and shifted on the cot, his eyes fluttered a few times before opening to find his father looking down at him. “Hi, Pa.”

“It’s about time you opened those eyes. How are you feeling?” Ben asked, peering down into the blood-shot eyes of his youngest son.

Joe closed his eyes for a minute before opening them again and swallowing hard. “Could I have a drink?”

Ben raised his eyebrows in question. “I would have thought you had enough whisky last night.”

Joe paled and groaned again at the thought of even a small sip of it. “Water, please.”

Ben smiled as he picked up a cup and his canteen. He poured some water in it and helped Joe to turn slightly onto his side and lean on his elbow. Joe caught his breath at the stabbing pain in his back, but that was the only sound he made that indicated his discomfort. With a shaky hand, he took the cup from Ben and drank deeply. Once he was finished, Ben took the cup from him and lowered him back down to the pillow.

“Now, let’s try it again, how are you feeling?”

Joe gave his father a poor imitation of his normal smile when he answered. “The jury’s still out on that.” He tried to shift his position, but ended up gritting his teeth to contain any further sound, not wanting to distress his father anymore than he already was. “I don’t know what hurts more, my back or my head.”

“Sounds like little brother has a hang-over,” Adam whispered to Hoss.

“Do you have to yell so loudly, Adam?” Joe complained.

“Sounds like a doozy, too,” Hoss commented, trying to not to laugh at his brother’s discomfort, he had been in Joe’s position more times than he cared to admit, and he had to endure his brothers teasing, so he figured what was good for the goose was good for the gander.

Joe glared at the two of them, but that’s all he did. The way he was feeling it would take too much energy to get into a verbal battle of wits, which he knew he’d lose considering the condition he was in.

“That’ll be enough,” Ben admonished.

“Yes, Sir,” Adam and Hoss said in unison, causing Joe to flinch at what he considered their overly loud voices.

“Go back to sleep, Joseph,” Ben said as he gently rubbed Joe’s arm.

“Home?” Joe mumbled before he closed his eyes and drifted off on the soft wings of slumber.

Ben shook his head. “We’ll see,” he whispered.

After Joe was asleep, Hoss looked at his father. “Sorry, Pa. We were only tryin’ to lighten things up, you know, make him feel better,” Hoss apologized.

“I know, Son.”

 

Chapter 58

Morning dawned with a crystal clear sky and promised the makings of another hot day as Hoss stood at the stove cooking what was to be their breakfast.

Adam poured a cup of coffee for Ben and himself. He handed the cup to his father and sat down on the floor next to him. “What are we going to do about them?” he asked motioning at their prisoners.

Ben considered his question for a minute before answering. “Personally, I’d like to let them starve after what they’ve done. But I suppose we should feed them. After we eat you can keep a gun on them while Hoss unties them. We can keep them covered while they eat.

“I know what I’d like to do with them,” Joe proclaimed.

“You’re awake.” Ben turned his attention to Joe, giving him a through assessment, and placed his hand on Joe’s brow. “No fever, how do you feel?”

“I shouldn’t have a fever, not after all that liquid fire you poured on my back last night,” Joe complained.

“If it stopped any infection from setting in, then it was well worth it,” admonished Ben.

“So you say,” Joe grumbled. “In answer to your question, I’m fine.”

Ben smiled at the typical Joe Cartwright answer. “Do you think you can manage some breakfast?”

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“Who’s doing the cooking.”

Ben laughed seeing the disgruntled looks on both Adam and Hoss’ face.

“Hoss is.”

Joe groaned. “Why couldn’t you bring Hop Sing with you?” Joe looked at his brother standing by the stove. “Guess I don’t have a choice,” Joe said with an exaggerated sigh. It was now his turn to give back to his brothers what he had received the early that morning.

“You just wait till your better, Little Brother,” Hoss threatened.

Ben helped Joe to sit up and lean back against the wall, he used the blankets from the bedroll to offer some comfort and support for Joe’s back.

Adam had just finished retying Ronnie and the Lemmings as Hoss was headed out to take care of the horses.

Well, I’ll be hornswaggled,” Hoss exclaimed, pausing in the doorway.

“What is it, Hoss?” Ben asked from where he was sitting with Joe.

“Looks like the Calvary has come to the rescue.”

Ben, Adam and Joe looked at each other in confusion. With a pat to Joe’s knee, Ben got up from the floor and went to stand next to the door. What he saw in the yard caused him to start chuckling before he slapped Hoss on the back and walked out the door.

 

Chapter 59

“Roy! What are you doing here?” Ben greeted his old friend, his hand outstretched in welcome.

Roy took to offered hand and shook it. “Got any coffee, Ben?”

“Sure do, come on in.” Ben held his hand out, indicating the cabin. “Clem. John,” Ben greeted Roy’s deputy’s and motioned for them to go inside.

Roy walked into the cabin and looked around at all the occupants.

“Roy!” the three brothers said simultaneously.

“Howdy, Boys, looks like you had a spot of trouble.”

“You could call it that,” Adam said dryly.

“But what do you expect when Little Joe’s involved?” Hoss added.

“Hey!” Joe protested from where he was sitting on the cot.

“It’s not that we’re not happy to see you, quite the contrary, but what are you doing out here?” Ben asked.

“Well you see, Ben, I went out to the ranch to see Little Joe,” Roy paused to accept the coffee Hoss handed him.

“Me? I ain’t done nothin’” Joe squeaked.

“Haven’t done anything,” Adam automatically corrected.

“That’s what I said,” Joe challenged as he glared at Adam.

Roy smiled relieved to hear banter between the brothers. He had been concerned when he was told that Joe had left the ranch. “No, Joe, you ‘haven’t done anything.’ I was,” he paused and looked over at the Lemmings before continuing, “I was coming out to let you know that Fred Lemmings brothers had been spotted in the area; and with all that happened in Silver City, I thought you should know. But I guess you caught up with them before I caught up with you.”

“Not by choice,” grumbled Joe.

“What happened to them?” Clem asked.

“I shot the one,” Hoss put in.

“The other met up with a shelf,” Joe added grinning.

“Looks like you met up with something, yourself. You okay, Little Joe?” asked Roy.

“He will be,” Ben informed Roy. “He looks a lot better than he did last night.”

“Feel a lot better, too,” Joe confirmed.

“Hop Sing told me that you went looking for Joe, and I was a bit concerned with the news that I had, so we followed your trail. You sure weren’t hard to track,” Roy smiled at Ben and saw the grimace on his face and figured that would be a story for another time. “I’m going to assume that you’re going to want to press charges.”

Joe looked at the three men sitting against the wall. Frank glared back at him. “I wouldn’t do that, Boy,” he threatened.

Joe looked away and back at Roy. “Yes, Sir, I want to press charges.”

“I would say assault would be one of them,” Adam supplied.

“Attempted murder, too,” Hoss piped in.

“And if I’m correct, kidnapping can be added to it.” Ben looked at Joe for confirmation and saw him nod his head.

“That should take care of them for quite awhile. If someone will saddle up their horses I’ll be happy to take them off your hands.

“Will do, Roy,” Hoss said and headed out the door.

“I’ll help him out,” Adam volunteered.

“I’ll be out to see you when you get home, Little Joe, I need to get a statement from you,” Roy said before walking out the door.

It wasn’t long before Roy and his deputies had the Lemmings and Ronnie on their horses and were headed back to town.

 

Chapter 60

When Joe heard the horses ride away, he visibly sagged against the wall.

Ben saw his son’s reaction and was immediately by his side. “Are you alright, Joseph?”

“I’m fine. Just glad they’re gone.” He shifted uncomfortably on the cot. “When can we go home?”

Joining Adam laughing at Joe’s question, Hoss couldn’t help commenting on it. “Aint’ that just like him, Adam? First he runs off, now he’s chopping at the bit to get home.”

Hoss didn’t realize that he had brought back to Joe the reason he was in the situation he now found himself in. “Pa, it was Frank Lemmings who did all that stuff at home.”

“We know, Joe. We heard what he said to you,” Ben assured his son.

Sitting there pondering what his father had just said he also notice that was all that was said. No one acknowledged that they had been wrong in accusing him. Joe looked away from Ben. “I wanna go home,” he whispered.

Ben noticed the change that came over Joe, but couldn’t fathom the reason for it. “Let me take a look at you back, and then we’ll see.”

With Ben’s help Joe pushed himself to the edge of the cot. Ben unwrapped the bandage from around Joe and looked the wound over. It was pink with no sign of swelling or redness. He nodded his head in satisfaction.

“How does it feel?”

“Fine.”

Ben shook his head and pressed against the surrounding skin and Joe flinched. “That’s what I thought.”

“Yeah, it’s sore, but it won’t stop me from sittin’ a horse, I want to get out of here and go home,” Joe argued.

“I think we should wait a couple more days. You lost a fair amount of blood, and with that head injury, and your ribs, I don’t think we should risk it,” Ben told him as he wrapped a clean bandage around Joe. What Ben couldn’t understand was Joe’s need to get home.

Joe cleared his throat and looked at his father. “I’m goin’ home even if I have to saddle Cochise myself and go alone,” Joe said defiantly.

“Joseph, I’ll tell you what you’re going to do and that’s to watch your tone when you speak to me.”

The two men glared at each other. Adam and Hoss had the good sense to step away and stay out of the middle of the confrontation.

 

Chapter 61

Slowly, Joe pushed himself to his feet. He had taken a few shaky steps when Ben grabbed his arm, effectively stopping him.

“And just where do you think you’re going, Young Man?” he growled.

“I’m leavin’.”

Ben sighed with exasperation. “Joseph…”

“I’m not stayin’ here!” Joe declared.

Hoss pursed his lips and tilted his head, as he tried to figure out why his younger brother was so determined to leave. He looked over at Adam, who nodded and tipped his head towards the door in response to Hoss’ silent question. “Little Joe, if you would just simmer down for a minute, I wanna talk to Pa.”

Joe’s eyes met his older brothers, wishing that they would just let him be. They always harp on me for not admitting when I’m wrong. But they can’t admit they were wrong for not believing in me? The bitter thoughts washed over him as his chin jutted out stubbornly, and he tried to shake off his father’s hand so he could make his escape.

“Joesph, let me talk to Pa and get things straightened out,” argued Hoss.

Knowing he wasn’t going anywhere at the moment, Joe sighed in frustration and sank back down on the cot.

“Hoss,” Ben started.

“Pa, I wanna talk to you, outside, please.”

Looking between his sons, Ben knew something was going on, but just couldn’t put his finger on what it was. With a grunt of displeasure he turned and walked out the door. Once they were outside and the door was firmly closed behind them, Ben turned to his sons. “What’s going on?”

Hoss once more looked at Adam, who was leaning against the wall, When Adam nodded his head, Hoss cleared his throat before starting. “Pa, Joe wants to leave…”

“I know that, Hoss,” Ben interrupted.

Hoss held up his hand in order to stop his father. “Please, Pa, let me say this. Joe wants to leave cuz he can’t stay here, not with all that’s happened to him here. He’ll never admit it, but he’s afraid and makin’ him stay here is only gonna make him madder at us.”

Ben’s eyebrow lifted and he looked dubiously at Hoss. “Mad at us? Whatever for?”

“Cuz of what happened at home afore he ran off.”

“You think we should risk his health in order to let him have his way?”

“He’s gonna do what he wants one way or another. Wouldn’t you rather be with him? Also, the faster we get him home, the quicker Doc can take care of him.” Hoss hesitated before he continue, “We can also work out all of our problems. We have a lot of crow to eat.”

“And some humble pie,” Adam added.

“Yes, we do.” Ben was undecided on what to do. It came down to Joe’s health or his mental wellbeing. Which should he risk? He rubbed his brow trying to decide. He looked at the forest around him, hoping the answers were there. He acknowledged that Hoss was right; they did need to get Joe home for medical attention, but at what consequence? Ben drew in a deep breath and slowly released it as he came to a decision. “Alright, go saddle the horses and I’ll get Joe ready.”

“Thank you, Pa.” Hoss said. He looked at Adam and smiled in relief. Adam returned the smile and walked back into the cabin while Hoss headed for the corral.

He felt a shiver go down his back as he looked up at the sky. “Paul’s going to have my head for this.” When he walked back into the cabin, Joe’s and Adam’s looked at him in anticipation. Ben looked at Joe, capturing his eyes in an unwavering gaze. “We’re going home.”

 

Chapter 62

When Ben made his announcement, Joe just stared at him and waited, for what he wasn’t sure. Was he expecting too much in wanting an apology? Or for one of them to admit they were wrong about him? For Pa to tell him that he should never have lost faith in him? Joe didn’t know, but he continued to wait.

“Joseph, did you pack any extra clothes? And where is your jacket?” Now that the decision was made to head home, the sooner they got there the happier he would be.

“I’ve got shirts in my saddlebags and the last time I saw my jacket it was with my bedroll.”

Ben found Joe’s saddlebags where they had been thrown and rifled through them. He had to shake his head at the array of things his son had packed. No one ever said Joe was practical. He pulled out a dark blue shirt and went back to his son. Before he did anything else he checked his son over again. The lump on the back of head was still very noticeable, and from the way Joe grunted, it was still painful. He was sure Joe’s ribs were just bruised, but that would still make for an uncomfortable ride. When he checked Joe’s he could feel his body tense up and knew Joe was doing his best to control any indication of any pain that he felt.

“Alright Joe, lets get this on you.” Ben held the shirt up for Joe to slip into.

Joe drew in a sharp breath when he lifted his left arm and brought it back to slide into the sleeve.

Ben caught the grimace that had flashed across Joe’s face, and hesitated, “Joe…”

“I’m fine, Pa.”

Ben shook his head at the normal protest, and against his better judgment, finished helping Joe into the shirt. “Adam, why don’t you pack our gear while I finish with Joseph?”

“Already doing it, Pa.”

Picking up one of Joe’s boots, Ben stared at his son and remembered Joe’s attempt to leave just a few minutes before. “What were you going to do? Ride home without your boots?”

“If I had to,” Joe stated defiantly.

Ben looked at Joe’s pale face and sighed. “Why is it I don’t doubt it?”

Joe braced himself on the cot as Ben put the first boot on. He gritted his teeth, but a grunt still escaped him. He saw his father shake his head in exasperation, as he continued, unwillingly, with the task before him.

“Horses are all ready, Pa,” Hoss announced as he came into the cabin.

Standing, Ben saw that Adam had everything ready to go and nodded his head. “Are you ready, Joseph?”

“More than ready.” Joe started to push himself off the cot when Ben leaned down and put a supporting hand under his arm. Once Joe was on his feet, he pulled away from his father and slowly walked to the door; once outside Joe stopped when he saw Cochise waiting patiently by the hitching post. He rubbed the velvety muzzle of his beloved horse before taking his reins and walking to the side of the horse. He stared up at his saddle for a moment before reaching up and taking hold of the pommel.

“Hoss,” Ben whispered and tilted his head towards Joe.

Nodding his head in understanding, Hoss went over to Joe’s side. “Let me give you a hand, Little Brother.”

Joe turned and looked at Hoss for a minute, torn between his pride that wanted to refuse the help and the knowledge that told him he needed it; finally he nodded his head in acceptance. When he place his foot in the stirrup Hoss reached over and supported Joe as he gave him a boost up, taking most of Joe’s weight. All Joe had to do was swing his left leg over the saddle.

“Thanks,” Joe mumbled, breathing hard for the exertion it took just to mount his horse.

Ben saw the effort it took Joe just to get in the saddle and again had doubts about the journey. “Joseph, I really think we should wait, you’re not up to this.”

Joe spared his father the briefest of glances before he turned Cochise and rode away.

“We better catch up with him before he kills himself,” remarked Adam as he swung up into the saddle.

“Of all the stubborn people in the world, your brother takes the cake,” Ben complained, turning Buck and giving him a kick.

“Our brother? Have you ever noticed that when Pa gets mad at Joe he becomes ‘our brother’?” Adam asked Hoss.

“Sure have, but he also becomes ‘his son’ when we’re mad at Little Joe.” Hoss looked down the trail and shook his head. “We best get going or they’ll probably kill each other with the mood they’re both in,” Hoss said as he pulled Chubb around and headed down the trail with Adam at his side.

 

Chapter 63

It took them two exhausting days to reach the Ponderosa. Much to Joe’s displeasure, Ben had them stopping frequently and by late afternoon he would call a halt for the day. He was already afraid that Joe had overdone it, but all his arguments resulted in Joe ignoring him and continuing to plod along the trail. He knew his son was determined to get home as soon as possible, but he was also determined not to compromise his son’s health anymore than he already had. Joe had been quiet the whole trip refusing to speak to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. They knew what contributed to the silence and it only served to make them each feel their guilt even more deeply. Unknowing to the others, the same thought was constantly nagging at each them. How do I make things right with Joe? When they reached the Virginia City cut-off, Ben sent Adam for Dr. Martin.

Joe was slumped in his saddle, exhausted and in pain when they rode into the yard. Reaching up, Hoss gently pulled his brother from the saddle and into his arms.

“I can walk,” Joe protested weakly.

“Sure you can, but I have a hankerin’ to carry you, so why don’t you just settle down and humor me.”

Glaring at his brother, Joe continued to protest, “I want to walk.”

“I’ll tell you what, if you can get down, you can walk.”

Joe struggled against Hoss’ grip, but he might as well been a fly trying to get out of a spider’s web. Sighing in resignation, he finally gave up.

“Stubborn mule,” Hoss muttered under his breath.

By the time they made it to Joe’s room, Hop Sing was already there and had Joe’s bed turned down. Helping him out of his shirt, Ben noticed blood on the bandages, removing them he saw that the stitches had broken open and the wound was bleeding once again. “Hop Sing I need some. . . ”

Always ready for everything, Hop Sing held out some cloth bandages to Ben as he was settling Joe on his side. “Right here.”

“Thank you,” Ben muttered as he pressed one of them against Joe’s back. “Joe?”

“Mmm,” was the only thing Joe could get out as his eyes drifted shut.

As he sat watching his son sleep, Ben shook his head in disgust. “I should never have agreed to this, Joseph. It was too much for you.”

“You didn’t have much of a choice, Pa. You know how he is once he sets his mind to somethin’. He’s more stubborn than a Missouri mule.”

Ben smiled at Hoss’ assessment of Joe and knew he was right.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Doc’s here,” Hoss announced from his position by the window.

“I hear our boy has gotten himself into trouble again,” Paul joked as he entered the room, trying to lighten the mood that he knew from experience would be as dark as a graveyard at midnight. “Alright, I want all of you out of here. Clean up, then go downstairs and get something to eat.”

Adam had been right behind Paul. He joined his father and Hoss on the other side of the bed, each of them glared at him in defiance, refusing to budge.

Paul sighed in frustration. “Fine, but stay out of my way, or else.” He looked down at Joe’s sleeping form. “How long has he been out?”

“About an hour, he fell asleep as soon as we got him in bed,” answered Ben.

Paul nodded and leaned down over Joe, giving his shoulder a slight shake. “Joe, it’s time to wake up.” When there wasn’t any response, Paul lightly tapped Joe’s face. “Come on, Joe, wake up.”

Joe groaned in pain as he shifted on the bed, his eyes fluttered opened, closed and opened again. When he was finally able to focus he found himself looking at Paul, and groaned again. “It’s you.”

“Yes, Joe, it’s me.” Paul smiled at the disgusted look that came over Joe’s face. He knew it wasn’t anything personal; Joe just didn’t like it when he had to see Paul in a professional manner, and this was definitely one of those times. “I need you to tell me where it hurts.”

“I’m fine. . .” Joe started.

“I don’t want to hear any of your nonsense about being fine. It’s perfectly obvious that you’re not ‘fine’,” he warned before looking across at Ben. “Ben, stay there and keep that bandage pressed against his back.

Paul started his examination by beginning at the top, with the lump on the back of his head. Ignoring his patient when he flinched, Paul looked into Joe’s eyes and nodded his head. “Headache?” When he saw Joe start to shake his head, he glared at him. “The truth, Joseph.”

Sighing in frustration, he grudgingly answered. “Yes.”

“I thought so.” Continuing his exam, Paul checked the multitude of bruises and cuts on Joe’s face. Picking up Joe’s wrists, he unwrapped the bandages and shook his head at the condition they were in. “Hoss, give me a hand here.” Together the two men helped Joe to swing his feet over the side of the bed and into a sitting position. Paul didn’t miss how Joe’s body tensed as he was moved or his grunt of pain when his ribs were examined. The most disturbing of all was when Paul noticed blood on the bandages that Ben held against the wound; having Ben pull it away he saw that all of the stitches had been torn out. Joe yelped in pain and nearly jumped off the bed as Paul put pressure on the area surrounding the wound. He shook his head once more and sighed in displeasure again. “I can’t believe you sometimes.” His irritation came through loud and clear in his voice.

“Neither can anyone else,” Joe muttered bitterly.

His family cringed and hung their heads in guilt at Joe’s words.

Paul looked at all of them before turning his attention back to Ben. “Ben, I’m surprised at you! He should never have been moved, let alone allowed to spend two days on a horse.”

“Doc, it wasn’t Pa’s fault. Little Joe was determined to get home. You know how he is. There’s just no stopping him, you know that.” Hoss said quickly, trying to defend his father.

“There are ways and all three of you know that.” Paul turned back to his reluctant patient and glared at him. “You’ll never learn, will you?” He pulled a brown bottle out of his bag and measured out a dose of the medicine. When he held the spoon out Joe turned his head away, refusing to take the medicine. “I’m not in the mood to argue with you, Joseph. You either take this now or suffer the consequences.”

After a few seconds, Joe turned back to Paul and unwillingly opened his mouth, grimacing as he swallowed the foul tasting medicine.

Paul chuckled at the face Joe made. “Who cleaned and stitched his back?”

“I did,” Ben admitted.

“You did a good job. Even with him tearing it open there isn’t any sign of infection.” He looked down at Joe before he continued. “Other than the knife wound, he took a pretty bad hit to the head—a  gun I would imagine—resulting in a mild concussion. Then there are the cuts and bruises on his face and body, but those will heal. To add to that are the abrasions on his wrists which I’m afraid to ask how they got there.” Paul looked to Ben, who only shrugged. “His ribs are badly bruised, enough to be painful, but they’re not cracked or broken.” Sighing with irritation Paul continued. “I’m going to clean and stitch his back up again, clean his wrists, and bind his ribs.” Turning his attention back to Joe, Paul glared at the young man until Joe visibly shrank away from him. “As for you, you’re going to do everything you’re told, or so help me, Joseph Cartwright, I’ll tie you to that bed myself! That ride home did enough damage; I don’t need you causing more. You will stay in that bed until I say otherwise. Do you understand me?”

“Y-Yes, Sir,” Joe stuttered.

“You three, I want you out of this room, Hop Sing, please stay and help me.”

Ben started to protest but Adam and Hoss each grabbed an arm and pulled him from the room.

“Uh, Pa, I wouldn’t push Doc with the mood he’s in,” Hoss suggested.

Ben looked back at his youngest son before caving in to Paul’s orders. “I see your point, Hoss. Let’s go get cleaned up.”

 

Chapter 64

Paul came down the stairs unrolling his sleeves with Hop Sing following behind him.

“Make fresh, good, coffee for Doctor,” Hop Sing said before scurrying off to the kitchen.

“Well?” Ben asked.

“He’s sleeping. You know, if that boy would stop fighting me every step of the way, things would go a lot faster. Why can’t anything ever be easy with him?”

“You’ve known him for eighteen years, and you have to ask?” Ben retorted.

Paul chuckled, “You have a point there, Ben.” He looked at the three anxious faces staring at him. “He’s going to be fine. But I do not want him out of that bed until I say so. I still can’t believe you brought him home.”

“As I said, you know Joseph. He would have found a way, even if he had to sneak out of a window while we slept.” Ben stopped for a minute and looked up towards the top of the stairs. “He hasn’t told us what happened yet, but by the looks of him it must have been pretty bad. We think that’s the reason he was so determined to come home. If we wouldn’t have gone with him, he probably would have killed himself getting here.”

Paul nodded in agreement as he accepted a cup of coffee from Hop Sing. “You’re most likely right. But I repeat that no matter what I do not want him out of that bed, and I’m holding the three of you accountable.”

“That ain’t fair,” Hoss exclaimed.

“You can’t mean that,” insisted Adam.

Before Ben could add his protest Paul held up his hand. “I know it isn’t fair, but I do mean it. You keep that boy in bed.”

 

Chapter 65

Over the next couple of week Joe didn’t show any inclination of even wanting to get out of bed. In fact, he didn’t show an interest in anything at all. Ben, Adam, and Hoss all tried to talk to him about his ordeal at the hands of the Lemmings, but Joe politely—too politely in Adam’s opinion—refused to talk about it, and used sleep as a way to avoid interaction with his family.

Roy came out the first week to take Joe’s statement, but Joe refused to say a word until his family was out of the room and the door was closed. Only when he had Roy’s promise that his statement was not to be repeated to his family, did he tell everything that had happened, including all that went on before he left the ranch.

“You know, Little Joe, they’re going to find out at the trial.”

“I know, but until then they don’t need to know anything,” Joe retorted.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Roy came down the stairs he was greeted by three curious faces.

“Well?” Ben asked.

“Well what?” Roy countered.

“What did he say?” Ben said in exasperation. He knew Roy’s stalling tactics and he wasn’t in the mood for them today.

Roy looked at the three of them and knew they weren’t going to like what he was about to say, he also knew that he was about to have a fight on his hands, if he was to keep his word. “It’s this way, Ben, in order for Little Joe to tell me what happened I had to. . .”

“You had to what?” Adam demanded when Roy’s voice trailed off.

“Darn it all, Ben! That boy made me give him my word not to tell any of you what he said to me.”

“He did what?” Ben almost shouted the words, but with great difficulty, he was able to control himself.

“He told me not to tell any of you.”

“I don’t care what he told you, I want to know what happened!” This time Ben did yell.

“Now you just settle yourself down, Ben. Yelling at me ain’t gonna help. I just can’t tell you. If I did, my word wouldn’t be worth a plug nickel.”

Turning away, Ben walked over to the fireplace. “I just don’t understand it. Why won’t he talk to any of us?”

“I have no idea, Ben, when I tried talking to him about it he just clammed up and wouldn’t say another word.”

Ben sighed in frustration; he was at a complete loss of what to do to get his youngest son to talk to him. “Can you at least tell us when the trial is going to be?”

“The circuit judge won’t be here for about three weeks. He hasn’t even gotten to Carson City yet, where he already has a trial pending.”

“Hopefully he’ll talk to us before that,” Ben mumbled wistfully.

“I best be getting back to town.” Roy started for the door but stopped and looked at Ben. “I almost forgot, Doc said he’d be out later today.”

“Thank you, Roy.” Ben saw Roy to the door. When he turned back to the room, he looked at his older sons and could see that they were feeling the same frustration he felt.

“I just don’t understand it, Pa. He always talks to me, but now he won’t even look at me,” Hoss bemoaned.

“I’m in the same boat, except with me demands that I leave the room. Last night he actually threw his book at me when I ignored him,” added Adam.

 

Chapter 66

It was late afternoon when Ben answered the door to find a smiling Paul Martin outside.

“Good afternoon, Ben. How’s our patient doing? I bet he’s been driving you crazy by constantly demanding to get out of bed.” His smile faded when he saw the desolate look in Ben’s eyes. “What is it, Ben?”

Waiting until Paul was in the house, and the door was closed, Ben shook his head, “I don’t know, Paul. What I wouldn’t give right now for him to be driving us crazy wanting out of bed, but he hasn’t asked once. In fact, he hasn’t asked for anything.”

“Is his back bothering him?”

“From what Hop Sing tells us, no it’s feeling better.”

Paul’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “From what Hop Sing tells you? I don’t understand, why don’t you know first-hand?”

Motioning for Paul to sit down, Ben took a seat in his red chair. “He’ll only talk to Hop Sing; he refuses to say anything to any of us.”

“Has he told Hop Sing why?”

“No, he refuses to talk about what’s bothering him or what happened.”

Hop Sing came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with a coffee pot and two cups on it. “Num’er Three Son, he only tell Hop Sing how he feel, or talk about other things. He say what happen not important. Not worth talking about. Li’le Joe, he very sad boy, very hurt.” Hop Sing put his hand over his heart. “Hurt here. He not know what to do.”

Paul considered Hop Sing’s words before returning his attention to his old friend. “What does he do when you, Adam or Hoss try to talk to him?”

Ben told Paul how Joe had been with each of them. “. . . that is when he’s awake.”

Paul nodded his head as he processed everything his friend had told him. “Why don’t I go up and see him and hear what he has to say.”

“Good luck,” Ben answered with a derisive snort as Paul rose from the settee.

~~~~~~~~~~

Knocking on Joe’s door, Paul patiently waited for an answer, when he realized that none was coming, he opened the door and walked in to find Joe sitting up in bed, staring at the wall. “You’re that anxious to see me?” he joked.

A frown was all he received from Joe.

“So that’s how it’s going to be.” When he saw the sullen expression on Joe’s face he knew he wasn’t going to get any cooperation. Setting his bag down on the bureau, he turned to his patient. “I need you to lean forward so I can check your back and ribs.”

Silently, Joe complied with Paul’s instructions and allowed the bandages to be removed.

“How do they feel?” the physician asked as he applied pressure in various spots around Joe’s ribs.

Joe flinched when Paul first touched him. “Cold.”

Paul drew his brows down, not understanding what Joe was saying. “Cold? Your ribs are cold?”

“Your hands.”

Paul started laughing. “Sorry about that.” He rubbed his hands together to warm them a bit more before touching Joe’s bare skin. “Now, how do they feel? And I’m referring to your ribs.”

“Fine,” Joe answered.

Once he was done with Joe’s ribs, Paul moved on to the wound in Joe’s back. Even though he knew what Joe’s answer was going to be, he still asked the question. “And how does your back feel?”

Joe didn’t let him down. “Fine.”

“It seems to be healing just ‘fine.’ In fact, since your ribs are feeling better and considering I should be able to take the stitches out at the end of next week, you can now get out of bed and start moving around.” Paul watched Joe closely while he waited for an answer.

Joe’s only response was to shrug his shoulders. Paul didn’t like what he was seeing. Joe was despondent and distant. He knew that left to himself, Joe would most likely withdraw further away from everyone. That was something he wasn’t going to let happen. “That’s not going to work with me. When I come back, I want to hear that you’ve been up and moving around. If not I’ll pull you out of that bed myself and drag you right down those stairs and I won’t give a blast if you’re in your nightshirt or long johns.”

“Wish you’d make up your mind. First you threaten me that I have to stay here, now you threaten me to get up,” Joe grumbled.

“I’m serious, Little Joe, you’re to be up and moving around. Do you understand me?” Paul waited for an answer, when none came he repeated his question in a voice that demanded compliance. “Do you understand me, Joseph?”

“Yeah, sure,” Joe answered belligerently.

“Look at me and answer me again.”

Joe looked up at Paul and swallowed hard when he saw that Paul meant business. “Yes, Sir.”

 

Chapter 67

After Paul left, Joe sat in his bed staring out the window lost in thought. Giving his head a shake, Joe tried to dislodge the memories that were running rampant through his mind. Sighing, he pushed himself to the edge of the bed and dropped his legs over the side. The stitches felt tight, and a twinge of pain shot through his shoulder, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t manage. Slowly, Joe pushed himself to his feet and reached out and grabbed the headboard to steady himself when he became slightly dizzy. Once the room stopped swirling in front of him, Joe slowly walked over to his wash basin. His legs felt shaky, but he attributed that to the inactivity of being in bed for the past couple of weeks.

Looking into the mirror, Joe couldn’t believe how scruffy he appeared. “Surprised Pa didn’t insist on shaving me himself,” Joe said to his reflection. He chuckled as he rubbed at the beginnings of a beard. “If I were Adam, this thing would be to my knees by now.”

Taking care of his personal grooming, Joe proceeded to dress in a fresh shirt and pants, but he left his shirt untucked. Sitting down in the hard wooden chair by his desk he carefully put on his socks and boots. Once he was finished he sat back in the chair to catch his breath.

The restlessness that Joe was famous for finally made its presence known. Joe set a goal for himself and was determined to make it, come Hell or high water. He was going outside to sit on the porch for a while; and from there he would go and visit Cochise.

Pushing himself up from the chair, Joe straightened his shoulders and walked out of his room. It was not his quick, bouncy strut, but neither was he shuffling his feet like an old man. He took the stairs slowly, one step at a time, and maintained a cautious grip on the banister. When he reached the landing he paused and surveyed the great room. Adam sat in his normal blue chair reading; Ben and Hoss were carrying on a discussion about how the herd was doing in the southern pasture. The same pasture where I had to mend that fence twice. He thought bitterly.

Hearing footfalls on the stairs, Ben redirected his attention and spotted his youngest. “Let me help you, Little Joe,” Ben said rising from his chair.

Joe shook his head. “Don’t need no help.”

Stopping next to Hoss, who was also staring at Joe, along with Adam, Ben could only watch Joe make his way across the room. When he reached the door, Ben called out to him, “Where are you going?”

Ignoring his father, Joe took his hat from the peg on the wall and opened the door.

“Joseph!” The tone of Ben’s voice was the one that was used through the years, and each of his sons had learned that they better not continue with what they were doing to earn that tone, or they would suffer the consequences.

Out of habit, and self-preservation, Joe froze and cleared his throat before answering his father. “Outside.”

Ben stood studying Joe, the stiff set of his shoulders, the way he held his head up, the hands that were clenched into fists, as he considered his next move. Ben grunted and nodded his head. “Stay close.”

With a curt nod, Joe walked out the door, closing it with his usual bang. The rocker that usually sat at the end of the porch had been moved to the side porch by someone. Cautiously, Joe walked up the two steps, and gratefully lowered himself into it. He took a deep breath, and savored the pine scented air, as he leaned his head back against the rocker. Closing his eyes, he slowly started rocking and let the motion of the chair soothe him.

 

Chapter 68

“Dinner ready, come eat while hot,” Hop Sing announced as he placed a platter on the table.

“It’s about time. I was near starved to death,” Hoss exclaimed, rubbing his hands together as he headed for the table.

“I’ll go get Little Joe,” Ben said and headed for the door. Smiling, he watched Joe for a minute as he slept peacefully in the chair. He looks so content; what I wouldn’t give to see that look on his face all the time. He hated having to disturb Joe, but he needed to eat.

“Joe.”

Ben waited for a reply, when there wasn’t one he tried again. “Joseph.”

“Hmm?” Joe mumbled sleepily.

“It’s time for dinner.”

Joe’s eyes snapped open at the sound of Ben’s voice. He looked at his father for a brief instant before turning away. “I’m not hungry.”

Shaking his head in exasperation, Ben watched as Joe went from the content young man, to a ridged, angry one in a blink of the eye. “Joe, come on in and have some dinner.”

“I’m not hungry,” was the terse answer.

“All right,” Ben said, not wanting to argue with his son on his first day out of bed.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Where is he?” Adam inquired when Ben turned the corner into the dining room and Joe wasn’t with him.

“He said he’s not hungry.” Ben picked up Joe’s plate and filled it from the dishes on the table. “Hop Sing.”

“What you want? Eat dinner before cold and I have to throw out,” Hop Sing grumbled when he entered the room.

“Take this out to Joe, please. Maybe if it comes from you he’ll eat.”

Taking the plate and the cup of coffee that Ben just poured, Hop Sing nodded his understanding and went back into the kitchen.

“Pa,” Adam started to protest, but stopped when Ben held up his hand.

“It’s only for tonight.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A string of angry Chinese preceded Hop Sing out of the kitchen, placing a tray on the porch table, he looked at Joe. “You eat.” When Joe opened his mouth to protest, Hop Sing waved his hand in Joe’s face. “No foolishness. Eat.” Not giving Joe a chance to say another word, he turned and stormed back into the kitchen.

Pushing himself up from the rocker, Joe stretched his stiff muscles as best he could before going over to the table. He knew his father sent Hop Sing out with the food, he also knew that if he didn’t eat he would get another earful from Hop Sing. As Joe ate, his mind went over everything that had been said since his family had found him. Not once had he heard one word of apology. That’s all I want. Is it really too much to expect?

Once he finished his meal, Joe left the plate on the table, and walked across the yard. As he entered the barn he heard a familiar whicker and for the first time in a long while a genuine smile reached his eyes.

“You miss me, Cooch?” Joe asked as the horse pushed its head against his chest.  He stood stroking the horse’s neck, basking in the attention he was receiving. Picking up a brush, Joe moved around to the side of his horse. With slow, even strokes, he ran the brush down the horse’s back. As he repeated the movement over and over, he could feel his own muscles—stiff from weeks of inactivity—starting to stretch out and loosen up. He grew more relaxed as he continued to groom his horse. . . that was until he heard a throat being cleared behind him.

“Joseph,” Ben said as he entered the barn.

Joe continued grooming Cochise, but every muscle became taut again and he squared his shoulders, but didn’t answer.

Ben knew his son had heard him, and he hadn’t expected an answer, but he had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he’d get one. “Joseph, you will not be allowed to take your meals separate from the rest of the family now that you’re out of bed. I made an exception tonight, but as of tomorrow morning, you’ll be up on time and eating with the rest of us. Is that understood?”

Joe knew, just by his father’s voice, that he didn’t have a choice in the matter. He turned around to face his father. “Yes, Sir,” he responded, looking straight at Ben.

“Good.” Ben turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at his youngest son. “Joe, won’t you tell me what’s troubling you? Maybe I can help.”

“If you have to ask, then there’s no use in me sayin’ anything.”

Ben was puzzled at that statement; he couldn’t understand what Joe meant. “Whether or not you think I wouldn’t understand, talking about what happened with the Lemmings could help to ease the burden you’re carrying.”

Joe shook his head sadly. “You just don’t get it.”

“Then talk to me, help me understand it.” Ben felt a trickle of hope, this was the most Joe had said to him since they left the cabin.

Snorting softly, Joe shook his head. “It’s not important.”

“But it. . .” Ben stopped short when Joe turned his back to him and resumed brushing Cochise. He sighed and his shoulders slumping in defeat. “If you decide you want to talk I’m always here.” Ben waited for his son to say something. “You know, Little Joe, you need to talk, to let all of this go and move forward—to become part of the family again.” When Joe didn’t respond, Ben turned away and quietly left the barn.

 

Chapter 69

Long after Ben left, Joe finally put the brush away and gave Cochise a measure of oats. “There you go, boy, enjoy.” With a last pat on the horse’s rump, he left the stall.

Before leaving the barn, Joe walked to the last and largest stall. In it was a mare that he and Hoss had raised together after its mother died giving birth, and it held a very special place in Joe’s heart. She was the first horse that he had been allowed to help raise as a new-born foul. He and Hoss had worked hard to keep her alive, but they had enjoyed every minute of it. It was a cherished time between the brothers, a time that bonded them closer together. Now, she was due to give birth, and both brothers were anxious about it, praying that she wouldn’t be subjected to her mother’s fate.

“Hi, Ginger. How’s my best girl doing today?”

Ginger bobbed her head up and down until Joe reached out and scratched behind her ear, a spot that he knew she loved. “Any time now and you’ll have your own foal to take care of. I can’t wait to see what it looks like. Between your coloring and that of Maverick, it’s got to be a beauty.” With a final scratch, Joe turned away and started for the door. Before he was barely half a dozen steps away he heard a snort followed by a whinny. When he turned back the horse was down and breathing hard. Joe rushed over and into the stall. “I guess any time is now.” He sat on the ground next to her and started stroking her neck and cooing soft words of comfort.

“Little Joe, Pa thinks. . .” Hoss stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ginger down and Joe sitting next to her. “What happened?” he demanded.

“Ain’t it obvious? She’s in labor,” Joe said slowly as if he was talking to a small child.

“Labor!” Hoss rushed into the stall and pushed Joe back into the side of the stall. “Get out of the way, Joe. “

Joe felt like a knife had been thrust into his heart. “Hoss, she’s my horse, too.”

Hoss didn’t even look back at his brother, if he would have, he’d have seen the devastated look on Joe’s face. “Joe, just go on into the house. You don’t need to be out here, this here needs to be done right.”

That was it! They still didn’t believe in him. They thought he’d mess everything up, just like they did before. “I can see that I’m not wanted. I might as well leave,” Joe said as he pulled himself from the ground and left the stall. “California is sounding awful good again,” he muttered as he walked out of the barn.

Hoss barely heard the words, but hear them he did and they struck a note of panic in his heart. Forgetting about Ginger, Hoss quickly rose to his feet and went after his brother. “Little Joe, wait!”

Joe paused, his back rigid as an iron rod. “What for?” he asked bitterly.

“I didn’t mean what I said. You know that don’t you?”

Joe was breathing hard, trying to get control of his emotions. “No I don’t. You said it. If you didn’t mean it, why’d you say it in the first place?”

“I don’t know why, all I know was that Ginger was down and in labor; and I wasn’t here. You didn’t come and get me. I was mad, and hurt, Little Joe.”

Joe turned, his eyes blazing with anger. “You were hurt! That’s rich! You were hurt! How do you think I feel? No one thinks I can do anything right, and now you come in here and push me out of the way, telling me I can’t do it right. I’ve helped birth as many animals as you have. She’s my horse too, Hoss, or did you forget that?” Joe stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down before he let more slip. He already said too much—revealed too much.

“Joe, please, stay and help me. I was wrong to say what I did.”

Joe stiffened and looked at his brother with eyes that where hard and cold. Without a word, he turned and once again and headed for the house.

Hoss looked between Ginger and his brother; deciding the horse could wait—the horse would wait—he took a couple long strides and closed the gap between the two of them. He grabbed Joe’s shoulder and roughly spun him around. Hurt and guilt flooded through him when Joe raised his hands defensively and a look of fear flashed through his eyes.

Hoss loosened his grip, but didn’t let go. “Little Joe, I wouldn’t hurt you for nothin’, you gotta know that.”

“No, I don’t gotta! But I do know you could and almost did.”

Hoss dropped his hand from Joe’s shoulder, and shoved them both deep in his pockets, his shoulders slumped forward as guilt over his actions that day flooded through him. “I shoulda never done what I did that night. It was wrong, Pa always taught me better, but. . .” Hoss shrugged his shoulders in misery.

Joe stood waiting for those two little words, but they didn’t come. Why? Why can’t any of you just say it? “Yeah, I know, you didn’t believe in me,” Joe mumbled and turned away.

Ginger took that moment to whinny. Joe paused for a brief second, straightened his shoulder and continued on his path.

“Joe, at least stay and help Ginger. You’ve always had a way with her.” Hoss watched as Joe hesitated. “Don’t you wanna see her first foal?”

Joe stood still, undecided. When Ginger whinnied again, Joe’s decision was made. He walked back to the horse and sat down beside her. Hoss cautiously sat across from Joe on the other side of the horse.

Hoss watched Joe as he stroked the horse’s neck and offered soft words of comfort.

“Sshh, Ginger, it’s going to be just fine. I believe in you girl,” Joe whispered to the horse, keeping his voice soft and low, “always have, even when you were that scrawny, little thing.” Joe smiled softly as he continued the gently, calming stokes of his hand down her neck. “Just think, when this is all over you’re gonna have this beautiful new foal. Someone you can love; someone who’ll never let you down.” Joe cooed the words of love and encouragement to Ginger.

This was the brother he knew, the brother he missed. “Joe—I’m so sorry. I should never have doubted you. I just wish I knew how to make it up to you.”

Slowly, Joe raised his head. Tears made his eyes sparkle like emeralds. “You just did,” he said softly.

Hoss’ brows lowered in confusion. “I don’t understand. What did I do?”

“You said you’re sorry.”

“But, we did that long ago.”

“No. No, Hoss, no one has said it, at least not to me.”

Summoned to the barn by the angry voices, Ben and Adam heard just enough of the interchange to shake them to the core. Was it really as simple as that?

Joe was unaware his father and older brother had slipped into the barn, but Hoss saw them and acknowledged their presence with a shake of his head.

Silence fell over them once again until Hoss finally asked the question that had been weighing on his soul—on all of their souls—since they had found Joe. “What happened out there, Little Joe?”

Joe took a deep breath and slowly released it. “You really don’t want to know, Hoss.”

“Yeah, I do,” Hoss insisted. “I also think it’ll help if you talk to someone about it. If you don’t, it’s just going to continue to eat you up inside.”

Joe lowered his head, deep in thought. Finally, with a slight nod of his head he started his story. His eyes never left Ginger, his anchor, and he kept his voice soft and without emotion, as if he was telling a story about someone else.

 

Chapter 70

After hearing Joe’s story, Ben knelt next to his son. To his sorrow Joe turned away from him. “Joseph, look at me.” When Joe refused, Ben reached over and gently cupped Joe’s chin and turned his face. “Son, I never realized. I don’t know what to say, except that I am sorry . . . Truly sorry about everything that has happened. I guess I was too concerned over your health and getting you home to even think about that. Once we were here I thought it was what had happened with the Lemmings’ that was tearing you apart.” Ben shook his head, ashamed that he had let his son down. “Why didn’t you talk to me?”

Joe took a deep breath and released it as a slight tremor went through his body. “I couldn’t . . .” his voice caught on the word and he had to clear his throat before continuing. “I couldn’t tell you. I just thought—Well, I thought that it wouldn’t be the same; that an apology wouldn’t mean anything if I had to ask for it.”

“You’re right, Little Joe, you shouldn’t have had to say anything; we should have told you how sorry we were about what happened, and how wrong we were for not believing in you,” acknowledged Adam.  “I’m the worst of all;I haven’t been fair in my treatment and expectations. Even that day on the ridge, when you saved me, I couldn’t believe . . . No, I didn’t want to admit to seeing the truth in your eyes. You’ll never know how sorry I am for that. I hope someday you can forgive me.”

Joe looked at the three faces around him and could see the truth in their eyes. He swiped at the tears that had started to fall, and gave his family a shaky smile. “It was childish of me to want to hear the words. Deep down inside I knew without being told, but I couldn’t seem to help it. I guess I still have some growing up to do.”

“It’s not childish, Son. Every man has a right to an apology when he’s been treated unjustly, and you’re no different. In fact, you’re more deserving than most. Families should always believe in each other.”

“Thanks, Pa,” Joe whispered as he wiped his shirt sleeve across his eyes.

Ben pulled Joe into his arms, grateful to have his youngest son back.

Joe was hesitant, not sure if he could completely trust his family again. He still had some doubts, and he still hurt from their lack of trust. Do they really mean it? Only time would tell—Only time would heal the wounds.

Hoss cleared his throat. “If we’re all done with this here apologizin’ stuff, I’d like to get back to business at hand, and that’s Ginger.”

The laughter that followed was like a tonic to the soul, as it started to heal each and every one of the Cartwrights.

“Well then, we’ll leave you boys to it,” Ben said as tousled Joe’s hair before leaving the barn with Adam.

It wasn’t long before a new colt—a new life—entered the world and with it a new chance for Joe and his family. If it wasn’t for Ginger and her colt, things may never have been resolved for them. Joe knew there was still a journey ahead of him, still some healing to do, trust to be built, but as long as he had his family’s love and faith, he knew he would be able to do it.

Joe smiled as he watched the colt take its first shaky steps. Warmth flooded through him at the thought that his family not only loved him, but they believed in him as well, just as he did with Ginger. Having someone believe in you was a powerful feeling indeed.

 

The End

 

Chapter End Notes:

 

I would like to thank Cheaux for having the courage to beta this for me. One think about this story, it allowed me to make a wonderful new friend, Cheaux. Thank you so much for all of your patience.

If anyone catched any formatting errors let me know. I hope I caught them all, but I had switched from Word 2003(?) to 2010 and I just could not get it to format correctly no matter what I did.