Summary:  Joe is accused and goes on trial for murder.
Rating: G
Words:  23,600

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The Brandsters have included this story by this author in our project: Preserving Their Legacy. To preserve the legacy of the author, we have decided to give their work a home in the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library.  The author will always be the owner of this work of fanfiction, and should they wish us to remove their story, we will.

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DISCLAIMER:  This story is my own work.  The Cartwright characters were created by David Dortort, and as such I claim no rights or privileges to their characterizations.  All other characters are my own and any resemblance to any person, whether living or dead, is coincidental.  Some places may be fictitious.

Accused

******

Shelby Weston had always been a spoiled and strong-willed girl who saw everything she did as fun, regardless of the circumstances, as long as it benefited her.  Johanna Weston, on the other hand, was more solemn and responsible, and always weighed the thing being done against all possible ramifications of the outcome, but given the opportunity, there was a light side to her, though she hadn’t had much opportunity for fun in her adult life.  Though they were sisters, they were as opposite as night and day, not only in the way they acted, but also in looks.  Shelby was blonde, blue-eyed and fair skinned, like their father.  Johanna bore the physical traits of their mother, shiny black hair; olive skin and dark eyes.  Another difference between the sisters was that Shelby let her beauty rule her head, but Johanna cared little for the fact that she possessed beauty.

Johanna had to assume responsibility for Shelby after their parents died, Shelby was ten and Johanna twenty.  They were now nineteen and twenty-nine, and had moved to Virginia City from Pleasantville, Iowa.

Wherever she went Shelby was attracted to anything that resembled the male population.  Her first ever sighting of Joe Cartwright was when he, his father and brothers walked into church.

“Would you look at HIM!” Shelby leaned over and whispered to her sister, who sat very straight backed, head held high as they waited for the church services to begin.

“Stop staring, Shelby.  It isn’t lady-like.”

“You’re always telling me that!  I’m not a child any longer, Johanna, so I wish you’d stop treating me like one!”  Shelby whispered loudly, as she sat back hard against the pew bench.  Her face was screwed up in a frown, and moving only her eyes and not her head, she looked at her sister.

“This is no place to discuss the matter, Shelby.  When you’re in church, you will conduct yourself in such a manner as deemed appropriate for a young lady.   Is that understood?”

Shelby crossed her arms and scowled at her sister, without answering her.  Johanna looked in Shelby’s direction and gave her a ‘you better answer me’ look.

“Yes, Johanna…whatever you say, Johanna…I understand, Johanna,” Shelby replied in a mocking tone.

“Really, Shelby.”  Johanna wagged her head slightly at her sister, then turned her attention to the imaginary wrinkle on her wrinkle-free dress and she smoothed it out, and folded her gloved hands in her lap.

Shelby kept her eyes on Little Joe Cartwright and watched every move he made, and when he walked back to the entrance of the church it was all she could do to not turn around and look to see where he was going, but she managed to keep her gaze straight ahead.  When he came back to the place he was sitting with his family with a young woman on his arm, she vowed to herself right then and there that she would have him for her own…so what if he and that other girl were interested in each other…she wanted him, and what Shelby Weston wanted, Shelby Weston usually got.

******

All during the pastor’s message, Shelby’s attention was focused on Joe Cartwright.  Her eyes seemed glued on him, and when the final hymn was announced and the congregation was asked to stand to sing, Shelby had to be nudged by Johanna to be brought out of her trance and to stand to her feet.  She did, and even though she held the hymn book in front of her, her eyes were focused on Joe Cartwright, and every time he looked over at the girl beside him and smiled at her, Shelby became even more determined to come between them. 

She stood on one foot and then the other during the minister’s closing prayer, and just as soon as he said “Amen”, she was out of her row and out the door before anyone else.  Her sister reached out to catch her, but Shelby was completely out of her reach.  Johanna stepped out of her total lady-like character and stepped into the aisle in a huff, colliding with Adam Cartwright.

“Oh, excuse me,” she apologized, while he held her arm to keep her from being knocked backwards.

“No, it’s my fault.  I’m sorry.  I don’t believe we’ve met.  I’m…”

“Excuse me,” Johanna said to him in a hurried fashion, then left just as hurriedly.

“…Adam Cartwright,” he finished as he watched her disappear out the door.

“Losin’ your charm, older brother?”  Joe said to him with a glint of mischief in his hazel eyes and a playful smile on his handsome face.  As he leaned close to his eldest brother, he added, “Maybe I can give you a pointer or two some time.”

“Very funny,” said Adam with a quirky smile, and giving his brother a playful shove forward.

The girl with Joe, Amy Banks, tugged on his arm and said, “You guys…when are you ever going to grow up.”  They laughed as they walked through the doors and stepped outside, and down the front steps.

Johanna caught up to Shelby and walked along beside her towards their buggy.  “Who do you suppose he is, Johanna?”

“Who?”

“That handsome man with that girl in the blue dress back there?”  Shelby asked, turning around to show her sister who she was talking about while they continued walking.

“I’m sure I don’t know, Shelby,” Johanna said without missing a step.

“I’d sure like to get to know him.”  Shelby looked up with a dreamy-eyed expression on her face.

“I’ve told you before, Shelby…you’re too young to be thinking about men.  You need to wait a few more years.”

“Wait for what?!  Wait until I’m too old, like you, to have men notice me?!”

Johanna stopped walking suddenly and turned to face her sister, who was very red faced with embarrassment.  “I-I’m sorry, Johanna.  I-I didn’t mean that…it just slipped out,” Shelby said in a very sheepish voice.  “I’m sorry.”

Though hurt by her sister’s words, Johanna looked at her and in a very quiet voice said, “Get in the buggy, Shelby.”  The younger woman obeyed immediately, and Johanna stepped into the buggy, took up the reins and they rode along in silence.

On their way, they drove past the Cartwright’s, who had ridden their horses to church, except for Joe, who had the buggy in which he and Amy were riding.  As Johanna guided the buggy past them, Adam said, “Nice.”

Hoss looked in the direction his brother was looking and said, “I’ve saw better rigs than thet.”

Adam’s eyebrows raised and out of the corner of his eyes, he gave his brother a look of amusement.  “I was talking about who was DRIVING the rig.”

“Oh…yeah,” Hoss replied and looked very sheepish.

Adam chuckled at him, and Ben laughed as the three of them made their way home.  As they rode past the Weston sisters, Adam looked over at them and only when Johanna glanced in his direction, did he touch two fingers to his hat brim in greeting, then the three Cartwright’s rode on past.

“Did you see that, Johanna?!  He looked right at me!”  Shelby’s eyes were wide and sparkling.

“Yes, Shelby, I saw.”  Johanna flicked the reins across the horse’s back and turned down the street on which the hotel was located.

Behind them, Joe and Amy followed, and drove in the same direction, because Amy lived at the edge of town.  Shelby looked up before she stepped out of the buggy, and saw them approaching.  On a sudden whim, she stepped out of the buggy and into their path.  Joe reined back hard on the reins and veered to his left, but not before Shelby screamed out and fell to the ground.

Johanna was half way to the hotel steps when she heard the scream and whirled around.  Seeing her sister lying on the ground, she rushed to her and knelt down beside her.  Joe was already out of the buggy, crouching down beside her.  Amy stood next to the horse, holding the reins.  “Is she alright?” Amy asked, being close to tears.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t see her,” Joe said in a concerned tone as he looked on Shelby’s still form.

“It’s alright.  I’m sure it was just an accident,” Johanna said in a calm voice as she rubbed Shelby’s hands vigorously, trying to revive her.  When she saw that wasn’t working, she stood up.  “Bring her into the hotel,” she said and turned.

“Go get the doctor, Amy,” Joe said, as he put his arms under Shelby’s limp body and picked her up.

Amy nodded, then stepped into the buggy, and turned it towards Doctor Martin’s residence. 

******

With Shelby lying on her bed in her hotel room, Dr. Martin passed an open bottle of ammonia under her nose.  Johanna, Joe and Amy watched in anticipation for Shelby to show some sign of revival.  When she coughed and sputtered, they breathed a sigh of relief.

“Will she be alright, Doc?” Joe asked.

“We’ll know in a minute, Joe, as soon as I can ask her some questions.”

Johanna seemed to think her sister would come out of her unconsciousness, so she turned to Joe.  “This is a most unusual way in which to meet someone, but I’m Johanna Weston, this is my sister, Shelby.”  She extended her hand to Joe then Amy.

“Joe Cartwright.”

“Amy Banks.”

“I’m sorry about your sister, Miss Weston, but I really didn’t see her.  It was like she just appeared out of thin air right in front of me,” Joe apologized.

“I don’t think you purposely intended to run over my sister, Mr. Cartwright.  Please don’t give it another thought, and you can call me Johanna.”  The woman smiled pleasantly at him.

Shelby coughed some more and her eyelids fluttered several times, then opened.  The first face she saw was Joe’s, then her eyes searched for her sister.  “Johanna?”  she said in a strained voice.

“Right here, Shelby.”  Johanna stepped closer to her sister and took her hand.

“What happened?” Shelby pinched her brows together and rubbed her temples.

“You don’t remember?”  This question came from Dr. Martin.

“I remember stepping out of the buggy and then waking up here.  What happened?”

“I’m afraid it was MY fault, Miss Weston.  I wasn’t watching where I was going.  I’m sorry.”  Joe apologized to her.

She looked up at him and smiled her most winsome smile.

“You don’t have any broken bones, Miss Weston, so let’s see if you can walk.  Think you can stand?”

“I can try.”  She took the doctor’s hand and rose slowly to her feet.  She wavered and Dr. Martin steadied her, then helped her to lie back on the bed. 

“I want you to stay in bed the rest of today and at least until noon tomorrow,” the doctor said to her.  Handing Johanna several white packets, he said, “If she complains of a headache, give her one of those in a glass of water.  And make sure she stays in bed.”

“I will, doctor, and thank you.  What do I owe you?”

“Two dollars should cover it.”  He snapped his medical bag closed.

“Here, Doc.  It was my fault, I’ll pay you.”  Joe handed Dr. Martin two one dollar pieces.

“That isn’t necessary, Mr. Cartwright,” Johanna said in response.

“I feel responsible for what happened.”

“But I told you it wasn’t your fault, you needn’t feel responsible.”

“One thing you need to know about Joe, Miss Weston,” Amy broke in.  “He’s very generous.  All the Cartwright’s are.  And they take responsibility very seriously.  And they’re very stubborn, so you might as well let him pay the doctor.”

“She’s right you know,” Joe replied, and grinned that winning smile of his.

Johanna nodded.  “Very well.  I’ll show you out, doctor.”

Amy slipped her arms around one of Joe’s and smiled up at him.  “And I better be getting home before my parents think we’ve eloped.”  She and Joe laughed and he tweaked her nose.

“The thought HAD occurred to me,” he teased.  They laughed again, then Joe turned to Shelby.  “I hope you get better real soon, Miss Weston.”

Shelby held out her hand to him.  “Thank you.  And you can call me Shelby, if I can call you Joe,” she said as she looked up at him with her big blue eyes and smiling sweetly.

“That’s my name.”

Shelby left her hand in Joe’s several more seconds.

“Shelby, you really need to rest,” Johanna cut in and Shelby looked over at her sister, who stood beside her now, then removed her hand from Joe’s.

“I hope you feel better soon, Miss Weston,” Amy said kindly to her.

“Thank you.”  Shelby’s answer was cool, then she looked away from Amy, and tilted her head.

Johanna walked Joe and Amy to the door and saw them out, then she closed the door behind them and stood facing the door with her back to her sister for several seconds before she turned around to face Shelby.  “You were very rude to that girl.”

“I could care less.”  Shelby pushed herself up to sit against the headboard of her bed.  “She’s a toad.”

Johanna pushed away from the door and went to stand at Shelby’s bedside.  “What an awful thing for you to say, Shelby!”

“Well she IS.”

“She is not!  She’s very pretty.”

“But not as pretty as ME,” Shelby boasted.

“Maybe not.  But she has one thing YOU don’t have.”

“I know.  Joe Cartwright.”

“That isn’t what I meant.  She has humility and meekness.  You don’t even know the meaning of those words.”

“She’s stupid and weak, that’s what she is.  And I’m going to take Joe Cartwright away from that toad.  Just you wait and see.”  Shelby was very confident in what she said.

“Shelby…I want to make Virginia City my permanent home…OUR home.  Have you forgotten WHY we have to keep moving from place to place?    It seems every place we go, you always manage to make trouble between some young man and his girlfriend.  Why must you be so selfish and uncaring?  The world doesn’t revolve around you, you know.  The last place we  were in, Susan Martin tried to murder you for coming between her and David Benson…or have you forgotten?  One of these days, I won’t be able to keep you from harm, your luck will run out, Shelby.”

“Oh, Johanna…don’t preach to me!  Ever since Papa and Mama died, all you’ve ever done is preach to me!  I’m sick and tired of it!  I’m old enough to live my own life…I don’t want to end up an old maid like YOU!”  Shelby stopped and looked at Johanna.  “I-I’m sor…”

Johanna held up a palm in front of Shelby.  “Don’t tell me you’re sorry again, Shelby, because I don’t think you really mean it, and I know there’ll be other times you’ll have to apologize, so don’t even say it.  The only reason I’ve sheltered you like I have is because you’re my sister and Papa and Mama would have wanted us to stay together.  I could have let you live with Aunt Rita and Uncle Paul and lived my own life, but I didn’t.  I gave up a life of courtship and marriage so you and I could stay together.  We…”

“Oh, my head hurts terribly.”  Shelby scrunched herself down to a prone position on her bed and closed her eyes while she held her head between her hands.

“If I thought you were faking that headache, just to get out of a lecture…”

Shelby moaned.

Johanna sighed, and to give Shelby the benefit of doubt as to whether or not her head actually hurt, she opened one of the headache powders and mixed it with a glass of water and handed it to her sister.  After Shelby drank it down, Johanna set the glass on the bedside table and picked up the pitcher.  “I’ll go down and get some more water, you get into your nightgown while I’m gone.  You need to rest like the doctor said.”

“Alright.”

Johanna left the room and Shelby stood up and undressed and slipped into her nightgown.  She glanced out the window and saw Joe pull up in front of the hotel.  She smiled and went over to her dressing table, pulled all the pins out of her hair, letting her light tresses fall in waves over her shoulders.  She fluffed her hair, then crawled back into bed, and settled herself just as Johanna entered the room and closed the door.

Seeing her sister’s hair was down, Johanna frowned suspiciously at Shelby.  “Did you get out of bed?”

“Just long enough to put my gown on is all.”

Johanna set the pitcher of fresh water in the bowl as a knock sounded on the door.  She pulled the door open and Joe Cartwright stood out in the hall with his hat in his hands.

“Why Joe…did you forget something?  Or did Amy?”

“No.  I was just wondering if your sister needed anything.”

“Joe, I told you it really isn’t necessary for you to concern yourself further.  Shelby will make a full recovery, I’m sure.”

“Oh, Joe!  How nice of you to come back by!” Shelby called out from across the room.  “Where’s your manners, Johanna, invite him in.”  Shelby smiled widely at him.

“I’m sure he’s very busy and needs to get home, Shelby.”

“That’s okay.  My Pa will understand why I was late getting home when I tell him about the accident.  He’ll want to make sure I did all I could to make your sister comfortable.”

“Well, I can’t think of anything she needs, but it was very thoughtful of you to stop back by.”

“There IS something I need!” Shelby called out.

“Just name it,” Joe replied.

“To hear some good jokes.  My sister is always so solemn and serious all the time…And she doesn’t know one single solitary joke.  Are you a good joke teller, Joe?”

Johanna stepped aside and let Joe enter the room.  “Most of the jokes I heard came from a group of fellas.”

“Well if they’re funny, who cares.”

“Maybe I should just tell you some funny stories about my brothers.”  Joe sat down in a chair beside Shelby’s bed, while Johanna sat in a chair across the room.

“You have brothers?  How many?  Older or younger?  And their names?” Shelby asked eagerly in rapid fire succession.

“Two brothers.  Adam…he’s the oldest, and Hoss…he’s six years older than me.”

“Hoss?  That’s a funny name.  So you’re the youngest…How old are you?”

“Hoss is just a nickname.  His real name is Eric, but he’s always been Hoss to ME.  I’m the youngest and I’m twenty.”

“I’m nineteen, but I’ll be twenty in two weeks.  Johanna’s twenty-nine.”  Shelby said the statement about her sister as she gave Johanna a condescending look.  Johanna stiffened slightly at her sister’s brashness, but she didn’t say anything, there would be time for that after Joe Cartwright left.

“So tell me those funny stories about your brothers.”

“Well, there was this one time my brother, Hoss, thought he saw some little green men.”  Joe laughed just thinking about the situation.

“Little green men!  You mean Leprechauns?  He thought he saw Leprechauns?!  Oh, Joe!  Tell me every word!”

“Well, he came home one day totin’ this box full of gold dust, and……………..

******

“Oh, Joe, my sides are aching.  I’ve never heard so many funny stories in my whole life.”  Shelby laughed.

“I’ve got plenty more.  There was this one time my brother, Adam, thought he saw a knight named Arthur in armor.”  Joe laughed at the memory.

“A knight?!  Oh, no.  I can’t wait to hear it.”  Shelby said in anticipation.

“Joe, I don’t want to appear rude, but the doctor DID say Shelby needed her rest.  Perhaps the knight in armor story can be for another time,” Johanna spoke up.

“Oh sure.  I’m sorry if I overstayed my welcome.”

“No, it isn’t that, but Shelby must rest.” Johanna walked to the door and stood beside it.

“I’ll come tomorrow and see how you’re doing,” Joe said to Shelby.

“That would be nice,” she answered and flashed a smile at him, and held out her hand.  “Thank you, Joe, for a very fun afternoon.”

“My pleasure.”  He took her hand and she looked into his eyes and held his gaze for several seconds.  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Shelby.”

“I’ll be waiting.  Bye, Joe.”

He smiled at her and stepped across the room and out into the hall.  “I’m sorry, Johanna for staying so long.”

“No need to apologize, Joe.  It was very kind of you to be concerned.  And don’t feel obligated to come tomorrow.”

“I want to.”

Johanna conceded with a nod of her head.  “Goodbye then.”

He nodded once and placed his hat on his head and Johanna closed the door.

“By this time next week, he’ll be my beau,” Shelby said confidently.

Johanna glared at her sister.  “What was your purpose in telling Joe Cartwright my age?”

Shelby shrugged her shoulders.  “I don’t know…it just came out, that’s all.  So what if he knows your age.  Maybe he’ll tell his oldest brother about you, then the two of you can get together and you’ll be so busy with him, you’ll get off my back and leave me and Joe alone!”

“I don’t want to get together with Joe’s oldest brother or anybody else, don’t you realize that I gave up having a life of my own so you could grow up to be a decent and respectable woman!  I’ve forgiven you time after time for your ugly remarks about me…I’ve tried to be a good surrogate parent to you, I’ve given my whole life to you, Shelby!”

“I know that…what do you want me to do…THANK you?!”

“No, but I would think you could show me a little respect, but all you show me is belligerence!”

“Well, I want you to let me live my OWN life, Johanna!  Do things my OWN way, not YOUR way!”

“Doing things YOUR own way, Shelby, will only cause you destruction.  Joe Cartwright seems nice enough, but we know absolutely nothing about his reputation.  For all you know, he’s a womanizer!”

Shelby smiled almost wickedly.  “Oh, I hope so.”

Johanna straightened her shoulders and looked at her sister sternly.   “If you come between that boy and Amy, I’m putting you out on your own, Shelby.  I’ve done everything I know to keep a rein on you, but you’re bound and determined to ruin your life.”

Shelby lifted her chin at her sister.  “Then you better put me out on my own now, Johanna, because I’m going to split up Joe Cartwright and Amy Banks, if it’s the last thing I do.”

“So be it.  I’ll go down to the desk and secure another room.  As of this moment, Shelby Ann Weston, you are no longer my responsibility.  And when Joe Cartwright breaks your heart, or abuses you in some illicit way, don’t come running to ME, because I won’t have any sympathy for you.”  Johanna turned on her heels and left the room, closing the door loudly behind her.

“Fine!  I don’t need you anymore anyway!  I’m old enough to know what I want!  I certainly don’t need some old maid sister watching my every move.  It’s my life and I’ll live it like I want!”  Shelby sat in her bed watching the door.

******

Joe walked in the house just as his father and brothers stood up from eating their lunch.  “Did you save me anything?” he asked, tossing his hat on the bureau.

“Well, Hoss was here and you WEREN’T, so YOU figure it out,” Adam commented dryly.

“Gee thanks, Hoss.”

“Don’t mention it, little brother.”

Ben chuckled at the banter going on between his sons and decided to get in on the teasing himself.  “You mean Amy didn’t feed you, Joseph?”

“No, Amy didn’t feed me Joseph,” he said back.  “Seriously, though…there was an accident when I was taking Amy home.”

“An accident?  You and Amy?” Ben wanted to know.

Adam looked his youngest brother up and down.  “You don’t seem to be ruffled up any.”

“When I was taking Amy home, we were talking and laughing, then all of a sudden this girl appeared out of nowhere, right in front of the buggy.  She was knocked out, but I think she’ll be okay.”

“Who was it?” Hoss asked.

“They’re new in town.  The girl’s name is Shelby Weston and she has an older sister, Johanna.  They’re really nice.  Shelby’s nineteen, blonde with big blue eyes…” Joe raised his eyebrows several times, then continued.  “…and Johanna has dark eyes, and the shiniest black hair.  She’s the one you bumped into at church, Adam; she’s twenty-nine…just the right age for you.”

“Is that a fact,” Adam said, and gave his brother a frosty look.

“Ya awready forgot ‘bout Amy?” Hoss asked with a smirk on his face.

“Course not.  I was just tellin’ ya what they looked like.”

“Yeah, but the WAY ya was tellin’ us made me wunder if’n ya awready tossed her aside fer this blonde, blue eyed gal,” Hoss countered.

“No, Hoss, me and Amy are like that.”  Joe placed two fingers side by side and held them up in front of Hoss’ face to show him just how close he and Amy were.

“So you think this girl will be alright?” Ben’s voice sounded concerned.

Joe nodded.  “The Doc told her to stay in bed for a couple days and didn’t seem too worried.  I’m going back tomorrow to see how she’s doing.  When I dropped Amy off, she said she might pay her a visit tomorrow too.  Since Shelby’s new in town, Amy thought she might make friends with her.”

“Isn’t that just like Amy.  She sure is a sweet girl,” Ben commented.

“Yeah, you better hold on tuh HER, Joe.  Ain’t too many like thet little gal,” Hoss offered.

“You mean not too many left that’ll put up with him,” Adam teased.

Joe sneered at his eldest brother and grabbed his napkin and placed it over Adam’s head and face.  They laughed as they dispersed to go about their business.

******

On the second knock Shelby pulled the door open to see Joe and Amy standing on the other side.  Her eyes sparkled when she looked at Joe, but when she looked at Amy, her eyes were cold and piercing.

“Hi Shelby.  I knew Amy wanted to pay you a visit, so I picked her up and brought her with me.  Feeling better today?”

Shelby smiled sweetly at him.  “Yes, much.”

“I’m glad you’re up and around, Shelby.  I was worried about you yesterday.”  Amy smiled warmly at her.  “I brought you a little get well present…I hope you like it.”  Amy handed her a small package with a blue ribbon tied around it.

Shelby took it and thanked her quickly, but didn’t make any effort to open it.

“Well, aren’t you going to open it?” Amy asked, still smiling at her.

Shelby looked at her, then peeled the wrapping off the gift.  “I hope you like the fragrance,” Amy said of the bottle of perfume.

“Well, the thought was nice, but I can’t wear perfume.  I get a rash.”  Shelby handed the bottle back to Amy.

“Oh.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t know or I would have brought you something else.”

Shelby shrugged, then looked at Joe and smiled slightly.

“I mentioned to my Pa that you and your sister had just moved to town and talked him into giving a party Saturday night,” Joe said to Shelby.  “You know…sort of a get-acquainted party.  That is if you feel up to it and your sister thinks it’s okay.”

Shelby beamed.  “I’ll feel up to it.  But I don’t know if Johanna will come or not.”

“Well, you ask her.  It’ll be Saturday night and we’ll pick you up about seven o’clock.”

“You’ll love the Ponderosa, Shelby.  And the party too.  The Cartwright’s give great parties.”  Amy smiled enthusiastically.  “They gave one for my family when we moved here.”  Amy looked over at Joe and they smiled at each other.

“And we’ve been together ever since,” Joe said, looking at Amy with admiration.  “So…we’ll see you Saturday night?” he asked Shelby.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Great.  See you then.”  Amy and Joe left and Shelby closed the door and leaned her back against it.

“Not for the world,” she repeated.  A few seconds later Shelby pulled her door open and hurried three doors down to her sister’s room and knocked.  Shortly, Johanna pulled open her door and Shelby stepped inside.

“What do you want, Shelby?”

“Joe Cartwright and his toad of a girl friend just paid me a visit.”

“So?  And I wish you wouldn’t refer to Amy as a toad, I happen to like her.”

Shelby shrugged.  “They’re giving a party Saturday night and they want us to come.”

“Who?”

“The Cartwright’s.  They want us to come.”

“Why?  They don’t even know us.”

“But the party is for US.  A get-acquainted party, Joe said.  I told him I would be there.  Will you?”

“Wouldn’t you rather I stay here…out of your life?”

“It’s a party Johanna!  We haven’t been to a party in ever so long!  I hope there’ll be a lot of cute men there!”

“Shelby…are men ALL you ever think about?”

Shelby stiffened and her happy countenance was replaced with a sour expression.  “I don’t want one of your lectures.  I came to ask if you would go to the Cartwright’s party.  Joe asked me to ask you and I have.”  Shelby moved towards the door and she opened it, then looked at her sister.  “You WILL come won’t you?”

“To watch you make a fool of yourself around the men…especially Joe?  It would disgust me, Shelby.”

“Fine!  I’ll go by myself!  You can make up your OWN excuse why you didn’t come to a party they’re giving for BOTH of us!  In case you change your mind, Joe will be here at seven o’clock Saturday night.”  With that said, Shelby was out the door and down the hall before Johanna could say anything to her.

Johanna wagged her head back and forth.  “If I don’t go, she WILL make a fool of herself.  Oh, Shelby…why do you have to give me so much grief?  Why?”  Johanna closed her door.
******

The party was in full swing when Joe entered with Amy and the guests of honor.  Shelby was dressed in a slightly off the shoulder dress of navy taffeta which was a lovely contrast against her light blonde hair which she wore down her back and over her shoulders.  Her face was aglow with excitement of the party.

Amy wore a dress of yellow brocade, which made a pretty contrast against her light brown curly hair which she wore down.  She pinned the sides of her hair up with a small yellow bow on each side.  Her blue eyes were alight with merriment as she stood next to Joe.

Johanna’s dress was a cream color made of fine silk.  She wore her hair swept up which made her neck appear long and graceful.  She carried an ivory fan in one hand.

Though Adam had seen her that once in church, tonight he thought she was the most elegant woman he had ever seen and he made his way over to them.

“Bumping into each other at church hardly constitutes a meeting.  Joe, aren’t you going to introduce us properly?” he asked his brother.  His father and Hoss walked up at that moment and asked the same question.  Joe flashed a smile and made the introductions.

Johanna offered her hand to Ben and he took it.  “Thank you, Mr. Cartwright, for giving this party for me and my sister, it’s very gracious of you.”

“We’re honored to have you here.  Well, you young people enjoy yourselves,” Ben said, then moved around the room, greeting his other guests.

“May I offer you some refreshment, Miss Weston?” Adam said, taking Johanna’s elbow.

“Just Johanna, and yes, thank you, Mr. Cartwright.”

“Just Adam.”

She looked up at him and he thought her eyes were the blackest he had ever seen.  He stood mesmerized.  “The punch?”   He heard her voice, but he couldn’t tell you what it was she had said. 

“The what?  I’m sorry…what was it you said?”

“You were going to get us some punch.”

“Oh…yes, I was.  It’s right over here.”  He held her elbow a little tighter and escorted her across the room to the refreshment table.  Joe watched them and grinned.

“I think he likes her,” he said as he leaned over to Amy.  She smiled up at him and nodded her head in agreement.  Shelby thought so too, and inwardly she was jumping for joy, because maybe now Johanna would direct her attention to Adam and leave her alone to live her life like she wanted to live it.

Del Sanders made his way over and stood in front of Shelby.  “My name’s Del Sanders.  May I have this dance, Miss?”

Shelby looked at Joe then at Del.  “Well, I really should dance with Joe first…being it’s my first dance of the night.”  Shelby looked over at Amy.  “You don’t mind dancing with Del, do you?”

“Oh…no.  No, of course not.  I’d be pleased to dance with you, Del.”

“Thank you, Amy.  I’d be pleased too.”

“Just don’t you get TOO pleased dancin’ with Amy.  She’s MY girl you know,” Joe teased.

The couple laughed then took to the dance floor.  Satisfied that she had Joe to herself, Shelby held out her hand to him.  “Shall we?”

He smiled and led her out on the dance floor.

“So…eh…where are you from?” Adam asked Johanna while they sipped their punch.

“You mean what town did I leave to come here, or where was I born?”

“Your home.”

“My home?  Shelby and I haven’t had a REAL home since our parents died.”

“When was that?”

“Almost ten years ago.”  Johanna had a wistful look on her face.  “Ten years…it sounds like so long ago…but it seems like only yesterday.”  She looked up at him and she noticed he was just staring at her.  “I’m boring you, aren’t I,” she said to him.

He shook his head slowly and smiled slightly.  “No, not at all.  But you still haven’t told me where you come from…or do you have some deep, dark sordid past,” he teased.

Johanna fingered the glass punch cup between her hands.  “No, no sordid past.  No excitement in MY past…unless you call the past of a twenty-year old girl trying to be both mother and father to a ten-year old rebellious girl exciting.”  She looked up at him again and saw he was staring at her again.  “I’m sorry, Adam.  I shouldn’t be sounding so sullen, this is supposed to be a party.  So let’s talk of happier things.”

“Sullen or not, I’d like to know more about you.”

At that moment, Hoss walked up to them.  “Well, Adam, if you ain’t gonna ask the little gal tuh dance, I AM.”

Johanna looked up at the big man and smiled.  “Joe told Shelby and me all about you.  You’re the brother who sees Leprechauns,” she teased and smiled mischievously at him.

“Dadburn thet Little Joe.  He bin runnin’ his mouth off at ya ‘bout ME?”

“Well, he told us about the Leprechauns…and the Easter Bunny…and the Flapjack Contest…and…”

Hoss rolled his eyes upward.  “Dadburn his ornery hide!”

Adam snickered and placed his hand on Hoss’ shoulder and his eyes glinted mischief.  “Well Hoss, you know how our little brother likes telling those stories about you.”

Johanna glanced quickly in Adam’s direction and continued with her teasing.  “And they were quite amusing, but what intrigued me most though, was the Knight named Arthur in armor.”

Adam’s face tinted a slight pink as Johanna handed her cup to him and took Hoss’ arm and scurried off to the middle of the dance floor with Hoss looking back over his shoulder and snickering at Adam.

Adam nodded, then huffed.  “Wait till I gettest mine hands around thy scrawny little neck, Sir Joseph,” he said in an audible voice, then downed his drink…and Johanna’s.

******

Johanna came back to the refreshment table fanning herself with her fan.  “It’s been a long time since I’ve danced like that.  It makes a person rather warm,” she told Adam while she fanned.

“Would you like to go out where it’s cooler?”

“Some fresh air would be very welcome.”

Adam placed his hand against her back and they made their way across the room and out the door.

“Oh my…it IS much cooler out here.  And would you look at that sky!  I’ve never seen so many stars!  Back in New Haven, there doesn’t seem to be as many stars.”

“New Haven?  Connecticut?  Is that where you’re from?”

Johanna walked further out into the yard, Adam walked beside her.  “That’s where we were born and lived until Papa and Mama died.  Then we stayed with one relative after another until Shelby turned fifteen, then we moved from one place to another until we came here.”  She stopped walking and turned to face him.  “But enough about ME.  Tell me more about this knight named Arthur in armor Joe said you saw.”  Her eyes twinkled merrily with amusement.

“I can just imagine what my brother told you.  Whatever it was I’m sure he told it all wrong.”

“Well, he…”

“He probably made it sound like I’m an inept individual.”

“Well…”

“He probably exaggerated the whole story.”

“Well, actually, he…”

“It didn’t happen anything like he told you.”

Johanna began to laugh out loud.

“I knew it.  What did he tell you?”

Johanna continued to laugh, and wagged her head at the same time.  “No, no.  He didn’t tell me the story at all, I just made you think he did.”  She continued to laugh.

“So you were just teasing me, huh.”

“Yes.”  She continued to laugh.

“Mm hmm.  Well, if he didn’t tell you the story, then how did you know there WAS a story about a knight?”

“A Knight named Arthur with armor,” she corrected in a teasing way.

“Whatever.”

“He just mentioned there was a story, but didn’t get around to telling us.  I’m sorry I teased you, Adam.”

“Oh, that’s alright.  But you have to make it up to me you know.”

“Anything.”

He took her hand in his and tugged on it.  “You have to go to the barn with me.”  He raised an expectant eyebrow at her and winked his eye.

Johanna jerked her hand out of his, squared her shoulders and widened her eyes at him.  “I beg your pardon?!  I’ll do no such thing!  How dare…”

“That’s where the new born colt is.  You WOULD like to see it, wouldn’t you?”

“Newborn colt?  But…I thought…”

He took her hand in his again.  “What did you think I meant?” he asked her, his eyes glinting mischief.

She cast a sideways glance at him and she was thankful she wasn’t facing him so he could see her flushing with embarrassment.  “Never mind what I thought you meant,” she replied and began walking towards the barn.

Adam laughed inside himself with amusement at her.

******

Shelby placed her hand on Joe’s arm and looked up at him.  “Is there someplace I can freshen up, Joe?”

“Yeah.  Up the stairs, second door on the left.”

Shelby found the room and found Amy Banks sitting in front of the mirror.  “Hi, Shelby.  You can have the mirror, I’m finished,” Amy said and stood up to allow Shelby to sit.  Amy stood behind Shelby as she opened her bag and took out a brush and began brushing her long blonde hair.

“Your hair is so pretty, Shelby.”

“I know.”

“Where did you live before you moved here?”

“Iowa.”

“Did you like it there?”

“Yes, but Johanna didn’t.”  Shelby put her brush back in her bag and pulled out a small bottle of perfume and dabbed it on her neck and shoulders and behind her ears.

Amy furrowed her brow.  “I thought you said perfume gave you a rash.”

Shelby looked at Amy by way of the mirror.  “Oh, you must have misunderstood me.  What I said was, THAT particular fragrance gives me a rash.”

Amy became suddenly enlightened.  “Oh, I think I understand now.”

Shelby held Amy’s gaze for several seconds then fluffed her hair over one shoulder.  “How old are you, Amy?”

“Seventeen.  Why?”

“Oh, I was just wondering.  Those precious little ribbons in your hair makes you look so much younger.”  Shelby was sarcastic in the way she said it.  “Joe is such a mature young man.  We’re about the same age you know…Joe and I.”  Shelby stood up and looked at Amy.  “You were right about the party…it’s great.”  She turned towards the door but stopped and turned back around.  “Those ribbons really ARE precious.  Just right for someone your age.”  That said, she swished out the door and closed it behind her.

Amy looked at herself in the mirror, then reached up and pulled the ribbons out of her hair and stuffed them in her bag.  Leaving the room, she made her way back down stairs and placed her bag on the bureau.  Seeing Joe talking to Shelby and a group of young men, she walked outside to the edge of the veranda and leaned her head against the wall of the house.

“I’ve been looking for you for half an hour.”  It was Joe.  He walked up behind her and turned her around, and placed a hand against the wall on each side of her.  “I’ve found you now, and I’m not letting you get away for awhile.”  His face was terribly close to hers.

“Shelby’s very pretty isn’t she,” Amy said before he could kiss her.

“I suppose.”  He leaned to kiss her again.

“Her hair is so pretty.”

“I hadn’t noticed.”  He leaned to kiss her again.

“You two are about the same age.”

Joe pulled back from her and looked down at her.  “Alright…what’s this about?  You think I’m interested in Shelby?”

Amy looked into his eyes.  “Are you?”

“Now would I be trying my darnedest to kiss one girl if I was interested in another one?”

Amy’s eyes twinkled with mischief.  “I HAVE heard stories to that effect.”

Joe flushed embarrassment at her reply.  “I guess what I should have said was a simple no.”  He moved a step closer to her.  “Don’t you know by now I’m crazy about you, and only you.”  He toyed with one of her curls and looked at her hair.  “Hey, where are those little bows you had in your hair earlier?”

“Oh…they made me look too immature so I took them out.”

“Well I kinda liked ‘em.”

They both looked over as several couples filtered outside.  Joe took her hand and tugged on it.  “Let’s go to the barn, it’s more private there.”

Inside the barn, Adam and Johanna crouched in one of the stalls beside the new colt.  “He’s beautiful, Adam.  So black and shiny.”  Johanna smiled and stroked the colt’s neck.  “Have you named him yet?”

“No, but I’m open to suggestions.”

“How about midnight?”

“That’s just the name I was thinking of myself.”

At that moment, the barn door squeaked open and Adam placed a finger to his lips to quiet Johanna.  He stood up and watched as Joe and Amy entered the barn and stop beside the ladder leading up to the hayloft.  Joe placed a hand on the ladder and Adam chose then to clear his throat loudly and step out of the stall.

“Just what do you two think you’re doing in here unchaperoned,” he said to them.

“Uh, well, we just came in to…”

“To WHAT?” Adam asked when Joe paused.  Adam turned around to see what Joe was looking at past his shoulder.  He saw Johanna standing behind him.  He looked back at Joe who was looking down at Johanna’s skirt.  Adam turned back to look and saw several pieces of straw adhering to her garment and looked at her hair which had a few pieces of hay in it which evidently had floated down from the loft above them.  He looked back at Joe who had a smirk on his face.

“I know what you’re thinking, Joe, but we came in here so I could show Johanna the new colt…And that’s the ONLY reason.”

“Sure, whatever you say, Adam.”  Joe smirked again.  “And that’s why WE came in.”

Amy rushed over to the stall where Johanna was standing.  “You didn’t tell me you had a new colt, Joe!  Isn’t he cute!”

Joe and Adam exchanged glances and Joe shrugged his shoulders.

“What’s his name?” Amy asked, smiling widely.

“Actually, Johanna named him.  Midnight,” Adam told her.

“Midnight.  It suits him.”

Adam held out his hand to Johanna.  “How about some more punch and a dance?  You haven’t danced with ME yet.”

“Sounds good.”  Johanna took his hand and he led her towards the door but stopped and turned around.

“Come out in five minutes, or I’ll send Pa in after you,” Adam teased.

“Will you just get out of here.”  Joe waved his brother off.

Adam and Johanna laughed then exited the barn and walked towards the house.  Midway across the yard, Adam stopped and turned Johanna around to face him.  “We better make sure we’re free of straw and hay before we go in, so you won’t have to endure any more teasing about it.”

Adam brushed all the particles from his clothes and Johanna did the same, then turned to look at each other.  Adam reached out and plucked the pieces of hay from her hair and when he did, he pulled loose a hairpin which loosened a hank of hair causing it to tumble down across her shoulder.  She looked up at him and in the glow of the moonlight, her eyes were piercingly black.  He was captivated by them and felt himself being drawn into their deepness.  He placed a soft kiss on her lips.

After they pulled back from each other, Johanna looked up into his eyes.

“I…don’t know what came over me.  We met only tonight, I shouldn’t have been so bold.  I apologize,” he said to her quietly.

“You’re the first man who’s ever kissed me.”

“I find that hard to believe.  Don’t tell me you never had a man not interested enough in you to not kiss you.”

“I didn’t say men were not interested in me, there were plenty.  They just never kissed me.  You’re the first.”

“I still find that hard to believe.  You’re a very beautiful and desirable woman, Johanna.  A man would have to be blind…or dead, to not realize that.”

“Hard to believe or not, it’s true.  My parents didn’t even allow me to be in a room alone with a young man until I turned twenty, then six months later they died and my first priority then was trying to raise Shelby to be a proper young lady.  So to set a good example for her, whenever a young man would call on me, she was always in the room, and I never allowed him to do more than hold my hand.  When I felt our relationship was deepening and I thought I might let him kiss me the next time I saw him, he stopped coming around.  No explanation…no reason…he just stopped seeing me.  Every young man…all the same…they just stopped coming around.  To this day, I don’t know why.  So you’re the first man who’s ever kissed me.”

He put his arm around her and led her to the veranda where they sat down. “What happened to your parents, Johanna?”

“They died from the fever, along with my three year old brother.  Shelby and I were visiting relatives in Maine, so we were spared.  We received a telegram telling us they had taken sick and we were to stay with our aunt and uncle until they got better…only they never got better.  They died two weeks after contracting the illness.”

“I’m sorry.  It must be very hard to lose both parents after having them around for a long time.  My mother died when I was born, but I still had my father.”

“It WAS hard.  Very hard…especially for Shelby.  She loved Papa so much and when he wasn’t there to hold her on his knee or hug her at night, she took it very hard.  I had to be both mother AND father to her and I feel like I’ve failed miserably at both.”

“You just had a big responsibility put on you at too young an age.”

“Maybe…but I’m older now, I should know how to handle her..I should know what to say and do to make her obey.  She just won’t.”

“Well, you’re older now, but so is Shelby.  Could it be you’re trying to treat her as though she was still a child?”

Johanna smiled at that.  “She’s always accusing me of that.  I don’t know…maybe.  I just feel she just needs to be protected.”

“There comes a time when you have to stop trying to protect her and let her make her own mistakes.”

“But that’s what I want to protect her FROM.  She says she wants to live her own life, but I feel she’s just too young to be turned over to every jackal who came along, but I know you’re right, Adam.  I sheltered her so much from every boy who comes along, that I’ve deprived MYSELF of a life…of finding the right man for ME.  I’m twenty-nine…maybe it’s too late for me.”

He looked over at her and took in her profile.  It was just as beautiful as the front view of her face.  He reached over and put his hand under her chin and turned her head to look at him.  “You’ll find the right man for you.”

She looked deep into his eyes and her lips parted slightly.  “I hope so.”

She closed her eyes as Adam leaned over and kissed her.  When they pulled back and gazed into each other’s eyes, Johanna felt a tremor of excitement course through her and she shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“I must be, but oddly enough, I don’t feel cold.  I feel quite warm in fact.”

He smiled slightly and helped her to stand and led her towards the house.  “We better get you inside, you might be coming down with something,” he said, but knew full well she wasn’t because he felt the same way and he knew HE wasn’t ill.

Johanna attempted to repin her hair as she and Adam were walking in the door, Joe and Amy right behind them.  Johanna turned to Adam.  “Is there someplace I can freshen up?”

“I’ll show you where,” Amy spoke up.

“And put those ribbons back in your hair,” Joe piped up.  Amy smiled up at him and nodded, then she and Johanna left to go upstairs.  Adam watched until Johanna turned the corner at the top landing.

“That is a very intriguing woman,” he said to no one in particular.

“Do I detect a spark of interest, older brother?” Joe commented.

“More than a spark, more like a blazing fire.”

“Hmm…should I take you out and dunk ya in the trough to cool you off?”

“Oh, no…I ENJOY feeling like this.”  Adam smiled dreamily and walked away from Joe just as Hoss walked up to them.

“He looks like a calf thet’s jist been poleaxed,” Hoss commented.  He and Joe laughed.

“I think he’s in love.”

“With Miss Johanna?  Really?  Ya think he fell fer her sure ‘nough?”

“Lock, stock and barrel.”

“Yeah, but he jist met her!”

“I know.  But he’s in love.”

“How kin ya tell?”

“He just has that look.”

“Whut look?”

“THAT look.”

“Whut look is’at, Joe?”

“The ‘I’m in love’ look.  You know…the same look YOU get when you see a plate of food.”  Joe laughed, then walked away from Hoss, leaving him in a wonder.

“Dadburn you, Joe!”

******

“Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Weston?” Amy asked Johanna when they seated themselves in front of the mirror.

“Oh, very much.”

“Adam’s nice, isn’t he.”

Johanna smiled slightly and even blushed a bit as the memory of Adam’s kiss washed over her.  “Very nice.”

Amy watched Johanna as she took her hair down, brushed it out, then pinned it back up on top of her head.

“You and Shelby have such beautiful hair.  Mine is just…brown,” Amy said as she fingered a lock of her hair.

Johanna turned to look at the young woman.  “Amy…it doesn’t matter what we look like or what color hair we have, it’s what we DO with what we have.  If you like, I could show you a very becoming way for you to wear your hair.  I think Joe would especially like it.”

“Could you?!”

“Of course.  Now where are those ribbons Joe mentioned.”

“Right here.”  Amy opened her bag and pulled out the ribbons she had taken out of her hair earlier.  Johanna set to work on styling Amy’s hair.

******

Shelby looked around the room and not seeing her sister or Amy, took advantage of their absence and walked up to Joe.  “Joe, would you mind taking me home.  I don’t feel very well.”

“Sure, just as soon as Amy and your sister come down.”

“But would you take me right now?  Please?  When my sister freshens up, it takes her forever and I don’t think I can wait.  Please?  You can come right back and probably not even be missed.  Pleeeeese, Joe?”

“Alright.  You get your things and I’ll tell Adam I’m taking you back.”

Shelby smiled triumphantly.

After informing Adam he was taking Shelby back to the hotel, and though Adam gave him a word of caution against doing so, Joe walked Shelby out to the buggy and they left to go back to the hotel.

It wasn’t long before Johanna and Amy came back down stairs.  Amy’s eyes scanned the room for Joe before she ever reached the bottom.  Adam met the two ladies at the bottom of the stairs.

“Have you seen Joe, Adam?” Amy asked in anticipation of showing him her new hair-do.

“Eh…he, uh, took Shelby back to the hotel.  She was sick or something.”

“Just Joe and Shelby?” Amy inquired.

“Yes.”

Amy looked crestfallen.  She turned her gaze down at the floor and spoke quietly.  “Will you take me home, Adam?  I’m tired.”

“Will you take us both?” Johanna put in quickly.

“Sure.  Give me a few minutes to hitch up the surrey.”

Johanna nodded and placed an arm around Amy’s shoulders while Adam left.  “We’ll meet up with Joe and he can take you the rest of the way home, and you can still show him your hair.  I think he’ll be pleased.”

“I know you’re trying to encourage me, Miss Weston, and I know Shelby’s your sister, but she wants Joe.  I might be only seventeen, but I’ve seen the way she looks at him and the way she looks at ME when I’m with him.  She’s very pretty and any guy would like her paying attention to him…”

“Now you just stop belittling yourself.  If Joe’s heart really belongs to YOU, nothing or no one can come between you, but you shouldn’t just stand by and do nothing.  Fight to keep him.  Don’t let Shelby come between you.”

“But how do I do that?  Shelby is so pretty…”

“Find a way, Amy.  You mustn’t lose Joe to Shelby.”

Amy looked over at Johanna.  “But Shelby’s your sister…”

“I know, but you mustn’t let her take Joe from you.”

“But I don’t understand why you’re taking my side against Shelby.”

“The reason isn’t important.  Just fight to keep him.”

Walking into the house, Adam motioned for them, and Johanna and Amy hurried across the room, gathered up their wraps and Adam escorted them out to the surrey.

******

Pulling up beside the other buggy in front of the hotel, Amy began to cry.  “I don’t want to see Joe right now.  Will you take me home, Adam?  Please?”

“Go ahead, take her on home.  But before you go, I hope you’ll thank your father for me for the lovely party.  And thank YOU.  I’ve never enjoyed myself like I did tonight.  Thank you, Adam.”  Johanna smiled sweetly at him.

“May I stop back by after I take Amy home?”

“If you wish.  I’m in room number twenty-seven.”  Johanna stepped out of the surrey and watched while Adam drove the rig towards Amy’s house.  She walked briskly into the hotel and up to the floor where her room was located.  When she rounded the corner, she saw Shelby and Joe standing in front of Shelby’s door.  Shelby looked over Joe’s shoulder and saw Johanna coming towards them.  She knew Johanna was angry.

“Thank you for a lovely evening, Joe, and for bringing me home,” Shelby said, then placed her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Though caught by surprise, Joe’s arms went instinctively around Shelby.  Johanna stopped walking immediately and waited.

Joe then pulled away from Shelby and stepped back.  “I…uh…guess I better get back to the ranch.  I hope you had a good time, Shelby.”

“Oh, I had a wonderful time, Joe.”  Shelby smiled sweetly at him.  It was then that Johanna passed him.

“Johanna.  How did you get here?” he asked her.

Johanna’s eyes were glued on Shelby.  “Adam brought me.  AND Amy.  He’s already taken her home.”

“Well, I guess I better get right over there,” he said and placed his hat on his head and left quickly.  With a look of triumph on her face, Shelby stood looking at Johanna.  The older woman took a step closer to Shelby, drew her hand back and slapped her sister’s cheek.  “That’s for Amy.  You deserve worse!  Maybe she’ll give it to you!”  Johanna left abruptly to go to her own room, leaving Shelby standing with her hand on her cheek, with an astonished look on her face.  Shelby burst into tears, flung open her door and flew inside, slamming the door behind her.

Once inside her room, Johanna leaned her back against her door, breathing heavily and trembling.  She had never succumbed to such a physical outburst against Shelby before and it left her shaken.  When she felt the strength returning to her knees, she made her way across the room and dropped down into the chair beside her window.

******

On the way to Amy’s house, Joe met Adam coming back from dropping Amy off.  Stopping beside each other, Adam said, “I think you better wait until tomorrow to see Amy, Joe.  She’s pretty upset about you going off alone with Shelby.”

“I just took her home, Adam.  There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“There is when you’re supposed to be courting someone else.  Take my advice and wait until tomorrow to go see Amy.  She’ll be settled down by then.”

“I want to see her now, Adam, and tell her goodnight.”

“Suit yourself…but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”  Adam flicked the reins over the horse’s back and pulled away, while  Joe made his way to Amy’s house.

On the second knock, the door was pulled open by Amy’s mother.

“May I see Amy, Mrs. Banks?  I’d like to talk to her.”

“Well, Joe, she’s pretty upset, but I’ll tell her you’re here.  Come on in.”

Shortly, Amy appeared and Joe stepped over to her.  Mrs. Banks excused herself from the room to leave the two young people to talk.

Amy kept her head lowered while Joe talked.  “I want to explain about leaving with Shelby.  She wasn’t feeling well and had to leave right away.  She couldn’t wait for you and Johanna, so I was going to take her home and come right back to the ranch to get you and Johanna.  That’s all.”

Amy raised her eyes to look at him.  “That’s all?  Nothing else?”

He smiled and said, “I promise.  When Johanna told me that Adam took you home, I couldn’t go back to the ranch without telling my girl goodnight.”  He took a step towards her, leaned down and kissed her.  When she didn’t respond back, he pulled away.

“Is that the same way you said goodnight to Shelby?”

“What?”

“Did you kiss HER goodnight, too, Joe?  There’s lipstick on your collar.  Don’t tell me you didn’t kiss her, I know you DID!  Now…leave!”  Amy placed her hands on his chest and gave him a shove backwards, then she turned and, crying, fled from the room.

“Amy!”

She didn’t heed his call to her and stop, Mrs. Banks appeared instead.  “It might be best if you left, Joe.  Talk to her tomorrow after church, she’ll be more settled then.”

“Will you tell her I’ll want to see her home then?”

“I’ll tell her.  Goodnight, Joe.”

Joe nodded, placed his hat on his head and left the house.  He drove slowly back home.

******

Adam knocked on Johanna’s door and waited a few seconds then knocked again.  He heard Johanna’s muffled answer and waited for her to open the door.  She pulled the door open slightly and taking one look at her face, he knew she had been crying.

“Is everything alright?”

“I wish I could say yes, but I can’t.  Adam, I saw Joe and Shelby kissing.  I hope he tells Amy about it and that Shelby instigated it.”

“Are you sure that Shelby DID?  I know my brother when he’s around a pretty girl.  His brain seems to stop functioning long enough to commit the act, then by some miracle he begins thinking rationally again, but by then the damage has been done.”

Johanna smiled slightly at Adam’s sarcastic wit, but then her expression switched back to sadness.  “She instigated the kiss alright.  I saw it from beginning to end.  She made sure I saw it.  Joe didn’t know I was nearby until I stood beside him.  I love my sister, Adam, but she’s a troublemaker.”

“Amy was pretty upset when she got out of the buggy.”

“I can imagine.  Well, Adam…I hate to talk about this with you standing in the hall, and I WOULD invite you in, but it wouldn’t be proper.”

“Well, we ARE a grown man and woman, but I respect your wishes.  If you want to talk about this anymore or if I can help, will you let me know?”

“Of course.  Will you be in church tomorrow?”

“May I come by for you and take you?”

“I don’t see anything improper about that.  I should be ready about ten forty-five.”

“Good.  I’ll see you then.”

Johanna nodded and smiled.  “Goodnight, Adam.”

He smiled and placed his hat on his head and when he was out of sight, Johanna closed her door.

******

Meanwhile at the Cartwright ranch, Joe walked slowly into the house his eyes downcast, his heart heavy.

The inside of the house had been put back together after the party, and it appeared that his Pa and Hoss had already gone to bed.  He knew Adam hadn’t arrived home yet, because the surrey was still gone.

He made his way over to the fireplace and picked up the poker and jabbed at the logs,  the embers inside sprang to life and became a blazing fire.  He replaced the poker in its holder and propped one foot up on the hearth.  He was concentrating heavily on his conversation with Amy and the look on her face.

“Didn’t go like you wanted, did it.”

Joe looked up when he heard Adam’s voice.  “I didn’t hear you come in, Adam.”

“I noticed.  I asked you how it went with Amy and when you didn’t answer me, I knew.”

“She thinks I have feelings for Shelby Weston.”

“Do you?”

“No.  But Amy doesn’t believe me.”  Joe turned and sat down on the hearth.

“Should she believe you?” Adam sat down on the corner of the low table in front of his brother.

“Of course!  Why shouldn’t she believe me?!”

Adam reached out and took hold of Joe’s collar and worked it back and forth between his thumb and forefinger.  “This,” he said of the lipstick smear on the inside of his collar.

“Oh, that.  Yeah…she saw it.  But Shelby kissed ME, I didn’t kiss HER.”

“I know.  Johanna told me.  She saw the whole thing.”

“How can I make Amy believe there’s nothing between me and Shelby?”

“Well, Joe, all  you can do is tell her that, and if it’s true…”

“If it’s true?!  Of course it’s true, Adam!  You think I’m lying?!”

“Keep your voice down…and no I don’t think you’re lying.  Now, like I was saying…tell her there’s nothing between you and Shelby and then give her some time to think about whether or not she believes you, but don’t pressure her to believe you.  Let HER make that decision.  The last thing you want, is for a woman to think you’ve pushed her into something she doesn’t want.  Let Amy decide whether or not she wants to keep seeing you.”

“And what if she doesn’t?”

“Then you’re free to see someone else or work on winning her back.  You’ll see Amy at church tomorrow…tell her how you feel, then give her some time.”

“What if she won’t talk to me?”

“I think she will, but don’t pressure her to listen if she doesn’t want to.”

“It’s all so complicated, isn’t it.”

“What?”

“Wondering if the feelings you have for a certain girl is love or if you just LIKE her only.”

“Complicated?  Yes.  But there’s one thing about it, Joe.”

Joe gave Adam his undivided attention.  “When the real thing hits you…you’ll know it, and there won’t be any doubt.”

“Oh really.  And how would YOU know?  YOU who’ve had only about three women you’ve been interested in your whole life.  “FOUR…if you count Johanna Weston.”

Adam quirked a smile at his young brother and stood to his feet, and headed for the staircase.

“Does this mean you’re in love with Johanna?  And it’s the real thing with you, Adam?”

With a smile on his face, Adam continued to walk towards the stairs and didn’t answer.  Joe stood up and went after his brother.  “Hey, Adam…what’s the real thing feel like when it hits you?”

The eldest Cartwright son continued to smile and walk as Joe tagged behind him, pressing him for an answer.

Johanna went to her sister’s room Sunday morning at ten-thirty to see if she wanted to ride to church with her and Adam, but Shelby didn’t answer her door and when Johanna went in, she saw the room and the adjoining washroom were empty, so she deduced that Shelby had already left for church.  She went back to her own room to finish preparing herself for church.

At exactly ten forty-five a knock sounded on her door and she pulled it open.  Adam stood on the other side.

“Right on time,” Johanna remarked and smiled up at him.  He smiled back and thought she was the most beautiful woman he ever had the privilege to look upon.  She looked like an angel standing there.  Not a hair was out of place and the little blue hat encircled her head like a halo.  The blue skirt complimented her slim hips beautifully and the long sleeved blue jacket hugged her upper torso nicely and nipped her slender waist perfectly.

“Something wrong?” she asked when he continued to stare at her.

He blinked back to reality and grinned.  “Uh, no…you look very nice this morning.”

“Well, thank you, kind sir.  And so do you.”  Johanna stepped out into the hall and closed the door.  “You think we’ll be the best looking couple at church?”

“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised,” Adam replied, taking her elbow and escorting her down the hall.

******

Shelby walked back and forth in front of the church steps while she waited for Joe to appear.  She wanted to see if he would be with or without Amy Banks.  She stopped her nervous pacing when she saw three Cartwright’s approaching on their horses.  She wondered where Adam was, then when she saw him sitting next to her sister as they drove up in the buggy, she was ecstatic, but a little jealous.  Ecstatic because Johanna would now be spending her time with Adam and not lecturing her; jealous because Johanna was being escorted to church by a man, but SHE wasn’t.  At least not until Joe was completely hers, and by seeing that he hadn’t brought Amy, she felt her chances were increasing.

Shelby scurried inside and went all the way up front and then out the side door.  That took her back outside to the side of the church where she could watch, without being seen, when Amy Banks came.  She watched as the Cartwright’s and her sister went inside.

Amy approached the church with her parents, and seeing Joe’s horse out front, she hesitated a moment and asked her parents to go in ahead of her.  If Joe was sitting with Shelby, her mother was to come back out and walk in with her.  When her mother didn’t come back out, Amy made her way towards the church doors.  Shelby stepped out from her hiding place and walked up behind Amy.

“Amy?  Can I talk to you?”

Amy turned around and when she saw it was Shelby Weston, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, readying herself for Shelby’s taunting.  “What is it, Shelby?”

“I know we don’t have much time before the service starts, but I wanted to talk to you a minute.”

“What about?”

“Me and Joe.”

“I have nothing to say to you about Joe Cartwright!”  Amy started to turn towards the church, but Shelby grabbed her arm.

“Joe and I are more than just friends.”

“What do you mean?”

Shelby shifted her weight onto one hip and turned her head sideways and looked at Amy.  “Come now, Amy…we both know what I mean.”  She smiled a taunting smile at Amy.

“Why are you telling me this, Shelby?  So I’ll bow out of Joe’s life gracefully so you can have him?!”

“Well, I hoped you WOULD and not cause a scene or anything.  It would be a terrible thing if people found out that Joe and I were…more than just friends.  You wouldn’t want to be thought of as the poor little broken hearted girl, now would you?”

“I know Joe Cartwright is known to be a bit on the wild side, but he’s honorable and respectable, and wouldn’t do such a thing!”

“Are you sure?  Did he tell you he kissed me last night?”

“A kiss hardly constitutes having a love affair, Shelby.”  Amy started to walk away again, but Shelby stepped in front of her.

“Oh that was after he brought me home and before he came to your house to tell you to get lost.  After seeing YOU, he came back to my hotel room…”

“I don’t want to hear about your sordid love life!  Especially with Joe Cartwright, because I don’t believe you!”  Amy whirled around and ran up the steps and into the church.  Seeing Joe, but not ready to talk to him just yet, she sat on the other side of the aisle, two rows back where her parents always sat.

After a minute or two, Shelby filed into the church and went straight for the pew where the Cartwright’s were sitting.

“Since my sister is sitting here, may I sit with you?”  Shelby asked, looking up at Joe.

Because the services had started, Joe allowed her in beside him.  He looked back at Amy, she glanced at him, but looked away just as quickly and put every effort she had into the congregational song that was being sung.

All during the minister’s sermon, Joe kept glancing back at Amy, but she had her eyes trained on the minister, though she knew he was looking at her.

After the minister said Amen, Joe stepped out into the aisle to go to Amy, but she had already left the church, though her parents were still there.  He went outside and looked around, but didn’t see her.  He made his way to his horse, and after refastening his saddlebag strap, he took hold of the reins.

Shelby ran up to him at that moment and grabbed his arm.  “Walk me to the hotel, Joe,” Shelby requested.

“I’d like to go see Amy.”

“The hotel’s on your way, isn’t it.”

“Yes.”

“Alright then.  My room first, then you can go see Amy,” she said gleefully, pulling him along.

Amy watched from the side of the church as Shelby and Joe made their way down the street, Shelby firmly latched onto Joe’s arm.

“I’ve never hated anyone before, but I hate YOU, Shelby Weston.  I wish you were dead.  I wish you were dead!”  Amy’s teeth were clenched and her hands balled up into tight fists.  She whirled around and went the back path that led behind the hotel and also to the Banks’ residence.

******

From the side of the hotel, Amy watched as Shelby pulled Joe along inside the hotel.  Putting her hand to her mouth and crying, she ran to her home. 

“My brother, Hoss, and I are leaving for Reno directly.  I have a business meeting there first thing in the morning, so I won’t be around for a couple of days,” Adam said to Johanna while still in the buggy.

“Then I’ll look forward to you getting back.”

“So will I.  Well…I guess I better go so I CAN get back.  Goodbye-Johanna.”

“Goodbye, Adam, and have a safe trip…there AND back.”

He smiled and leaned over and kissed her.  She stepped out of the buggy, and sent him on with a smile and a wave.
******

Joe walked his horse down the street to Amy’s house and tethered him to the hitching post out in front.  Standing at Amy’s door, he knocked.  She pulled the door open and looked up at him.

“Amy, I’d like to talk to you if I could.”

“Why, Joe?  So you can tell me you don’t want to see me anymore?  That you’re interested in Shelby Weston?  Consider me told.”  Amy stepped back and closed the door on him, but he held out his hand, preventing the door from closing.

“No.  That isn’t why I’m here, Amy.  I want to explain about the other night.”

“The other night?  What about all the OTHER night’s?  I know you’ve been seeing Shelby behind my back, Joe.”

“But I haven’t.”

“Did you come straight here from church?”

The look on his face told her he hadn’t.  “You don’t have to explain further.”

“But I DO.  I…”

“Go home, Joe!  Or better yet…go to Shelby Weston!”  Amy pushed him away from the door and slammed it in his face.

“Amy!”  He banged on the door, but to no avail.  Angry, he left Amy’s house and vaulted onto Cochise’s back and put him into a full gallop out of town.

******

Amy found herself in front of Shelby Weston’s door.  She knocked.  When Shelby opened the door, Amy pushed her way inside.

“Get out of here.”

 “Close the door, Shelby.  I came here to talk and that’s what we’re going to do.  Close the door.”

Shelby hesitated closing the door longer than Amy wanted, so she stepped close to Shelby.  “I said close the door.”

Shelby swallowed hard, then did as Amy wanted.  “Alright…talk.”

“Joe Cartwright and I were very serious about each other until you started putting your evil little claws into him.  I want you to stay away from him.  Do you understand?”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No.  I’m promising.  If you don’t stay away from Joe Cartwright, I’ll make you wish you had never come to Virginia City.”

Shelby walked past Amy, then turned sharply.  “Now get out of here.  And if YOU don’t stay away from Joe, I’ll start such a scandal about you and him that no one in Virginia City will give you the time of day.  Do YOU understand?”

“You can’t do that to Joe!  I don’t care about me, but you can’t do that to Joe!”

“Everyone knows how much you care for Joe and that will help to make my story more believable.”

“You’re horrible, Shelby Weston!  You’re horrible!”

Shelby’s door opened and Johanna walked into the room.  “What’s going on here?  I heard you yelling clear out in the hall, Amy.  What’s the problem?”

“No problem.  Amy was just leaving.  Weren’t you.”

Being in tears, Amy ran across the room and down the corridor.

Johanna closed Shelby’s door and stood looking at her sister.  “Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Amy?  Why was she yelling at you?”

“Just a misunderstanding about Joe Cartwright.”

“Misunderstanding.  She threatened you didn’t she, Shelby.”

Shelby stepped away from Johanna.  “Well what if she did…I can handle the likes of HER.”

 “Shelby, I want you to leave Virginia City.”

“LEAVE?!  But where will we go THIS time?!”

“Not WE, Shelby…YOU.  I’m staying here.”

“Why?  Because Adam Cartwright paid a little attention to you?!  He’ll be just like all the others when I tell him you have a secret lover!  He’ll stop coming around just like…”  Shelby stopped suddenly.  She swallowed hard, and her eyes betrayed her.

“What secret lover?  What others?”  Johanna grabbed Shelby and held her sister by the arms.  “Shelby…what others?!”

“All your other beaus.  Haven’t you ever wondered why they stopped coming around to court you?  I told them you had a secret lover.  I knew if you got serious about any of them, he would marry you and take you away from me, and I’d be left alone!”

Johanna’s mouth opened and her eyes widened, and she relaxed her hold on Shelby.  “You didn’t.  How could you?  Shelby, how could you?!  I could have had a husband and a home by now…but YOU…you wicked, wicked girl!  I could kill you myself!”

“But, I’m your sister.”

“No, you’re not.  My sister would never have done such a wicked deed.  Whatever happens to you, Shelby, you deserve.”

Johanna moved towards the door, but Shelby grabbed her wrist.  “No, Johanna!  You can’t abandon me!”

“Let go of me, Shelby!  You’re no one decent!  You’re just not decent!”  Johanna wrenched free from Shelby and stalked down the hall to her room.  She went straight to her water pitcher and poured herself a glass of water, but because her hands were shaking, she dropped it.  The glass caught the side of the table and broke, but not before she grabbed it, slicing across the palm of her hand.  Though it wasn’t bad enough to see the doctor, she grabbed a white towel and wrapped her hand in it.  Once the flow of blood had been stanched, she tossed the towel on the floor and cleaned the wound with clear water.  It didn’t even require a bandage, though the towel was bloodsoaked.

Needing some fresh air to clear her mind, she left her room to go outside and walk.

At the same time Johanna and Shelby were confronting each other, Joe stood on Amy’s porch, Amy stood in front of him.  “I can’t be your steady girl anymore, Joe.”

“But why?”

“I just CAN’T!  Now please…just go.  Will you just go?”  Amy started to go towards the door, but Joe caught her by the arms.

“Is this because you think I have feelings for Shelby Weston?  I don’t, Amy.  I only have feelings for YOU.”

Amy broke out of Joe’s hold and walked away from him.  “Stop it, Joe!  Please just stop it!  Now go…go to Shelby.”

“Amy?  Amy, please turn around when I’m talking to you.”

Amy turned around slowly to face him.  “Has she been telling you things about me and her?”

Amy lowered her eyes and twisted her fingers together.  “What has she been telling you, Amy?  Tell me.”

Amy raised her eyes and looked at him.  “She told me you were having an affair!”

“She did what?!”

“She told me you were having an affair.”  Amy’s voice was quiet and strained.

“Do you believe her?”

“No,  but she also threatened to spread rumors all over town about you if I didn’t stop seeing you.  So I agreed so she wouldn’t muddy your name.”

Joe grabbed his hat and headed towards his horse.

“Where are you going, Joe?”

“To see Shelby Weston and give her a piece of my mind.”

“Joe, don’t go, please.  Let her be.  I’m afraid of what she might try to do to you.”

“I’m not.  Besides, I can’t have her spreading lies about me all over town.  I wouldn’t even have her as a friend now, and I’m going to tell her.”

“Let me come with you.”

“No.  This is something I have to do alone.”

“Be careful then.  She’s trouble, Joe.”

“I’ll be careful, now don’t worry your pretty little head.”

“But I WILL worry until you come back.”

“I’m going to have it out with her, then I’ll be back.”  Joe vaulted into the saddle and took off towards the hotel like a shot.

******

Joe rapped loudly on Shelby’s door and called to her.  “Open the door, Shelby.  I have a bone to pick with you!”

A hotel customer walked past on his way to the lobby as Shelby opened her door.  Joe stepped in and said, “You ought to be horsewhipped!”  He closed the door, and the hotel customer continued on down the hall.

“I don’t know what you mean.”  Shelby made her way over to the window and stood in front of it.

“You know exactly what I mean!”  He stepped quickly over to her and turned her around to face him.  “Telling Amy we were lovers.  Why did you do that?”

“She’s a toad.  You deserve someone pretty…like me.”

“Amy is a beautiful girl, not only in looks, but also on the inside.  That’s something you’ll never be.”

Shelby looked down into the street and seeing a familiar face looking up at her, she pulled the window shade down, leaving only their silhouettes on the shade.  She put her arms around his neck and pulled him away from the window towards the bed.

He forcefully pulled her arms away and pushed her away from him.  “Stop it, Shelby!  You’re nothing but trouble!”  Joe walked quickly to the door and pulled it open, but Shelby grabbed his arm.

“If you don’t stop seeing that girl, I’ll cause the biggest scandal this town has ever heard of!”

“Get away, Shelby, before I have to hit you…or something worse!”  He pushed her away again, and walked away, slamming the door behind him.

Shelby screamed his name at him and beat on the door.  “I’ll show you, Joe Cartwright!  I’ll haunt you every waking minute and even from my grave if I have to!”

After Joe left Shelby’s hotel room, he was halfway to Amy’s house when he felt bad about telling Shelby he would hit her.  He decided he shouldn’t have said that and knew he would never strike her, so he turned Cochise and headed back to the hotel.
******

Joe Cartwright was standing over the body of Shelby Weston when a crowd gathered inside the hotel room and the doorway, spilling out into the hallway.  He held a knife in his hand.

“Let me through, folks!” Sheriff Roy Coffee said, pushing his way through the crowd to get inside the room.  When he saw Joe clutching a knife, standing over the young woman’s body, he was shocked and stunned to find a Cartwright in such a predicament.

“What happened here, Joe?” Sheriff Coffee asked him.

“I found her like this, Sheriff.”

“Did ya see anybody else?”

“No…only Shelby.”

Turning to the crowd, the Sheriff asked, “Did anybody see or hear anything?”  Heads wagged back and forth indicating they hadn’t, then a hotel patron stepped through the crowd and said, “I did, Sheriff.”

“Well…what’d ya see or hear?” Roy asked.

“I heard them arguing earlier and heard him tell her she should be horsewhipped.   They were really arguing, Sheriff.  I went downstairs for a newspaper, went back up to my room and as I walked past, I could still hear them arguing.   When I came back out a little later, I saw him standing over her body with that…knife in his hand.”

“Then ya didn’t actual see him stab her?”

“No sir, but he sure was mad enough to do something to her.”

“Did ya have an argument with her, Joe?” Roy asked him.

“Yes, we argued and I got mad and left, but then I came back to apologize for all the things I said…that’s how I found her,” Joe replied.  “Sheriff, surely you don’t think that I…..”

“I don’t think nothin’, Joe, till I git the facts all sorted out,” Roy responded.  He turned to the patron and said, “Ya got anythin’ else ya wanna tell me?”

“Well, it’s like I said, Sheriff, they were arguing quite a steady pace, and then I saw him standin’ over her, then somebody else walked by, and  when a lady in the hall screamed, that’s when everybody else started comin’ and then you showed up, Sheriff.”

Roy took the knife from Little Joe Cartwright’s hand and looked at him.  “Ya ever seen this here knife ‘fore, Joe?”

“I have one that looks like it, but mine’s down in my saddlebags.”

“Let’s go take a look,” Roy said and then shooed all the people away.  Seeing all the people in the hallway in front of Shelby’s room, Johanna elbowed her way through the crowd until she stood in the open doorway.  “What’s going on here?”  When her eyes fell on Shelby’s body lying in a pool of blood, her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped.  “Shelby!  Oh, Shelby!”  She attempted to go to her sister, but Joe held her back.

“Don’t Johanna.”

She looked up at him, then wilted in his arms.  He placed her on the bed, and left her in the care of the doctor, who had been called to examine Shelby.

Roy led Joe out of the hotel room and down the stairs and outside to his horse where Joe opened his saddlebags and reached in for his knife.  He looked quickly at Roy and then searched the other side of his bags.  His knife wasn’t there.

“I’m afraid I’m gonna hafta arrest ya, Joe,” Roy told him.

“You accusing me of killing Shelby?”

“Joe…I ain’t the one doin’ the accusin’…the EVIDENCE agin ya IS…I find ya standin’ over the dead body of a young girl with a knife in your hand…a knife that you say isn’t yours, but you can’t find yours…and an eyewitness who says he saw and heard ya with Shelby Weston right ‘fore she was killed.  Now YOU tell ME what I should do.”

Joe could only look at Roy.  “I’m sorry, Joe, I gotta take ya in…ya know I do,” Roy said and removed Joe’s gun from his holster and holding his arm, led him towards the jail.

******

Inside his cell, Joe Cartwright was leaning forward on his cot with his head in his hands when he heard footsteps walk up to the bars and stop.  He heard the key being inserted in the lock and heard the lock turn and the cell door being opened.  One set of footsteps entered his cell and then he heard the cell door being closed, heard the lock turn and the key removed from the lock, and the other footsteps walk away.

“Joe,” a familiar voice said quietly.  The youngest Cartwright turned his head up to look into the face of that voice and saw his father looking back at him.  His pa had that ‘I’m here now, son’ look on his face and Joe gleaned great comfort from that look.

“Roy sent word to me as to why you’re in here.  You alright, boy?” his father asked him with much emotion in his voice.

Joe rose to his feet and looked up into his pa’s eyes.  “I didn’t kill Shelby, Pa,” he said.

Ben reached out a hand and squeezed his son’s arm lovingly.  “Of course you didn’t,” Ben replied, hoping to give his youngest son some encouragement to let him know that his family believes him.

“Hoss?  Adam?”

“I sent them a telegram letting them know.”

Joe stepped away from his father and went to stand in front of the window and looked out into the street.  “If only I hadn’t lost my temper and argued with her.  I said some things to her I knew I shouldn’t have said, and decided to go back and apologize to her, but by the time I got back upstairs to her room…she was dead.  I didn’t kill her, Pa, but I feel responsible.”

Ben walked quickly to stand beside his son.  “Joe…you mustn’t think like that.  Whoever killed Shelby is responsible…not YOU.”

Joe crossed his arms on the sill of the window then placed his chin on his arms and continued to look out the window.  “You know you don’t think much about how this town is laid out until you can’t see everything.  Looking out now, I can’t remember if the dressmaker shop is next to the mercantile, or if the HAT SHOP is next to the mercantile.  Everything looks so different when you look at it from inside a cell.”

“Don’t worry, son.  Roy’s doing everything he can to find who REALLY killed Shelby.”

“And what if he CAN’T, Pa?  My knife is missing…either someone stole my knife, and used it to kill Shelby, or the knife that was used is one identical to mine.  I just don’t know.  I can’t prove it isn’t mine, and I can’t prove it IS.  Everyone knows I had a knife exactly like that.  If Adam was here he could tell me if it’s mine, because he’s the one who bought it for me.”

“I’m sure when he and Hoss get my telegram, they’ll head straight home.”

Joe turned from the window and moved back over to his cot and sat down.  “I can’t prove my knife was stolen, Pa.  If that knife is mine…”

Ben sat down next to his son and placed an arm around his shoulders, and for the longest time, the two of them sat like that, father comforting son, like so many times before. The evidence against him seemed insurmountable, and they both knew it.

After a time, Joe stood to his feet and stepped back over to the window, and looked out at the view from inside his cell. 
******

Ben’s heart was in anguish for his son.  The accusation made against Joseph was a complete mistake, but the evidence against him was convincing, and there was no way to refute that evidence.  The only possible thing that could be in his favor would be for that knife to not be his.  The only one who could identify it was Adam, and he and Hoss were in Reno on business.  However, when they received the telegram about their brother, Ben was confident they would make fast tracks back home.

He stepped over to his son and placed an arm around him and pulled him away from the window.  “Come and sit down, Joe.  It’ll be easier on you if you don’t look out that window so much.”

“I can’t help it, Pa.  I’ve only been in this cell a few hours, but already I miss my freedom.  You don’t know how much you miss something until you lose it.”

“I know, son, I know, but you mustn’t dwell on it.  We’ll do everything we can to prove your innocence, you know that.”

“I know, Pa, but…where are you going to look?  You don’t expect the killer to wear a sign around their neck do you, saying ‘I killed Shelby Weston’.  Where are you going to look?  And who, besides me, would be a suspect?”  Joe stood up quickly and walked back to the window, placing his arms on the sill while he looked out through the bars.

“Do me a favor, will you, Pa?”

“Of course.  What is it?”

“Will you tell Shelby’s sister how sorry I am.”

“Of cou….”

“You can tell me yourself, Joe.”  A feminine voice cut Ben off.

Ben and Joe whirled around to see Johanna Weston standing on the other side of the bars.  They walked quickly across Joe’s cell to stand in front of her.  “I’m sorry about Shelby.  I didn’t kill her, Johanna,” Joe said to her.

“I know you’re sorry, Joe, and if it means anything to you…I believe you’re innocent.  I don’t believe you could kill anybody.”

“That’s very understanding of you Johanna,” Ben said to her.

“Understanding?  Not really, Mr. Cartwright, I just knew my sister.  She was spoiled and a troublemaker.”  Johanna noticed the look they were giving her about the way she talked about her dead sister.  “You must think that very cold and callous of me, but it’s true.  You see, Joe, Shelby told me she was going to come between you and Amy Banks just to see if she could do it.  Everything was a game to her, she cared very little about other people’s feelings.”

“She told Amy that Shelby and I were lovers.   We argued, and then she tried to get me to do something I didn’t want to do, and told me she would start a scandal, if I didn’t stop seeing Amy.  That’s why I was so angry, I knew if I didn’t leave right away, I might hit her or something.  After I left and cooled down, I went back to tell her I was sorry for being so angry… instead I found her dead.”

Johanna gripped the cell bars and looked at Joe seriously.  “She threatened to blackmail you?  Joe…if that’s made public…it might provide a possible motive for murder…won’t it.  I mean…men have been accused and hung for a lot less…haven’t they?  And the eyewitness, Joe…he heard you arguing with her.”

Ben and Joe looked at each other and then at Johanna.

“Time’s up, Miss Weston,” Roy Coffee said to her when he walked into the cell area.  She nodded, then looked at Joe again before she left.

“Joe…now you mustn’t think about what she said.  We’ll find the real killer,” Ben assured him.  “I’m ready now, Roy.”

The Sheriff unlocked the cell door and let Ben out, then relocked it.

“Don’t worry, son.  First thing in the morning, I’m going to telegram Joshua James in Sacramento and ask him if he’ll be your lawyer.  I figure you deserve the best, and Joshua’s the best defense attorney I know, besides the Governor himself.”  Ben gave Joe a reassuring smile, then he was gone.  Roy followed and closed the doors separating the cell area from the office.

Joe was left alone and he sat down on his cot, then lay back, placing his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, trying to shut out the events of the last few hours.  Maybe if he could go to sleep and wake up again, he would find it was just a nightmare.

His father was worried enough to hire him an expensive trial lawyer, and Johanna Weston’s words before she left kept echoing in his head…A motive for murder.  Then other words joined in…A motive…Was it his knife…An eyewitness…A motive…Was it his knife…an eyewitness…A motive…A motive…Then he thought of other words, if he should go to trial and be convicted…Hanging by the neck until dead.  Those were the last words he heard in his head before he drifted off into a very restless sleep.  Chilling last words.

******

Unable to stay asleep, Joe opened his eyes and perused his surroundings.  Exactly like he had been dreaming about.  He was still in the cell, locked up for a murder he didn’t commit.  He swung his legs over the side of his cot and sat up with his back against the wall.  He ran splayed fingers through his hair, then ran his hand over his face.  He wondered how in the world he had gotten himself into this mess in the first place.

He couldn’t go anywhere, and all he could think about was the situation he was in, which made him think of Shelby Weston and the last time he saw her.  The last time he saw her alive that is.  In his mind, he played that scene over and over again.  The arguing, her yelling at him and the slamming door.

Hearing the slamming door in his mind brought him back to reality.  He shuddered slightly, and put his face in his hands.

He sat with his head in his hands, wishing he could go back in time to right before he left Shelby’s room.  Maybe if he had stayed and talked it out, he could have been there when her killer showed up.  But he couldn’t go back.  He had to sit in this six by eight cell with one small barred window and wait for the hearing to determine if he would be bound over for trial for Shelby’s murder.

“Bound over for trial,” Joe voiced the words out loud.  “Of course I’ll be bound over for trial.  I’M the only suspect.”

He stood up from his cot and went to stand in front of the window again.  As he looked out into the relatively quiet night, he thought about his Pa, and whether or not his brothers had received the telegram his Pa sent them.  He sighed and placed his head against the window sill.  He felt completely drained, physically AND mentally.  He raised his head and sauntered back over to his cot and sat down, then stood up almost immediately again and walked back to the window.  He felt like the room was closing in on him.  He left the window again and stepped across to the bars and gripped them so tight his knuckles turned white.

“I feel so alone.  I know I have Pa, Hoss and Adam…but I feel so alone.”  Joe placed his head against the bars, then stepped back over to his cot, sat down and placed his head in his hands and wished for morning so he could get the hearing over with.

******

“Oh, no!  It never fails!  When I’m running late, I always manage to grab a blouse without a button!”  Johanna Weston said out loud while she looked at the cuff with the missing button as she dressed herself before going to Joe Cartwright’s hearing that was to begin in ten minutes.  “Well, I can’t change now…I’ll just have to wear it without a button and hope no one notices.”  She pinned her hat in place, grabbed her shawl and hurried out the door.

In the courthouse, people gathered trying to find a seat before the room filled up to standing room only.  Johanna slipped in and found a seat in the back and looked up when two men walked in, who looked like they had just come in off the trail.  They needed shaves, and their clothes were wrinkled and dusty…Hoss and Adam Cartwright.  She tried to signal to Adam, but from the looks on their faces, their number one concern was their brother, Joe.  She watched as they walked up beside Ben and he turned to them. 

“Oh, boys…I’m glad you’re here.”

“We left Reno as soon as we received your telegram.  We rode all night to get here,” Adam responded.  “I’m afraid we don’t look very presentable,” he added, looking at his and Hoss’ appearance.  “We went to the ranch first and Hank told us that Joe’s hearing was today.  We didn’t even clean up first.”

“Never mind that now.  Joe will be glad you’re here.”

“How’s he doin’, Pa?” Hoss wanted to know.

Before Ben had a chance to answer, Sheriff Coffee walked in with Joe and uncuffed him right before the Judge walked in.

“All rise.  The Honorable Judge Harry Thomas presiding,” the court clerk cried out.

Joe had only a fleeting moment to greet his brothers before he sat down next to his attorney.  His brothers gave him their best encouraging look, then sat down behind him when the clerk ordered everyone to be seated.

Judge Thomas banged his gavel twice on the little wooden disk on his desk and looked out at the crowd.  “This hearing is to determine whether or not the defendant, Joseph Cartwright, is to be bound over to stand trial for the murder of Miss Shelby Weston.  Mr. Prosecutor, are you ready to present the evidence against this defendant?”

Wiley Hunt stood to his feet and addressed the Judge.  “Ready, Your Honor.”

“Then you may proceed.”

The courtroom grew quiet as Wiley Hunt stepped confidently out from behind the prosecution’s desk.  “Thank you, Your Honor.  I would like to present this knife belonging to the defendant as evidence.”

“Any objections, Mr. James?” The Judge asked Joe’s attorney.

“Well, Your Honor, has ownership of that knife actually been attributed to my client?  Because I understand there may be some doubt as to whether or not that knife actually belongs to Joseph Cartwright.”

“Mr. Prosecutor?”

“We’re reasonably sure it belongs to him, Your Honor.”

“Mr. Hunt, may I remind you that a man has been accused of murder, it is up to you to MAKE sure.  Does the knife in question belong to the defendant, Joseph Cartwright?”

“Well, Your Honor, the defendant’s own testimony is that he owned a knife like the one in question, and he is unable to produce that knife, so it is safe to assume…”

“Mr. Hunt…there can be no assumptions in an accusation of murder.  Is there anyone here who can attest to the fact that this knife does indeed belong to the defendant?”

“My brother can, Your Honor,” Joe said boldly.

Joshua James put his hand on Joe’s arm.

Judge Thomas looked at Joe.  “Is your brother present in this courtroom?”

Adam held up his hand to signify he was the brother in question.

“You may approach.” Judge Thomas gestured to the evidence table.

Joshua James grabbed Adam’s arm and said, “Adam, if that IS Joe’s knife, he’ll be bound over for sure.”

Adam looked at Joe, who nodded his go-ahead.  Adam proceeded to the evidence table, and picked up the knife.  Turning it around and over he inspected it closely.  What he found made his heart sink.  He turned and raised his eyes.  The look on his face told Joe it was his.

“Well…have you been able to identify the weapon as that of the defendant?” Judge Thomas asked Adam.

“Yes.  It’s my brother’s knife.”  Adam placed the knife back on the table.

“You’re certain?”

“I’m certain.”

“You may return to your seat.  Mr. Hunt do you have any more evidence to present?”

“Yes, Your Honor.  I would like to question the eyewitness, Corey Jenkins.”

“Is Corey Jenkins present?”

A man in the back of the room stood up and identified himself as the witness in question.

“You may approach.”

Corey moved to the witness stand and was sworn in.  “Now, Mr. Jenkins.  On the night Miss Shelby Weston died, did you see the deceased and the defendant, Joseph Cartwright, together?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did you hear them arguing at any time?”

“I sure did.”

“What did you see next?”

“I  saw him bending over her with a knife in his hand.”

“By him, you mean the defendant, Joseph Cartwright?”

“Yes.”

Wiley Hunt smiled.  “Thank you, you may be excused.  Your Honor, the fact that the defendant’s knife and an eyewitness is sufficient evidence, I request that you consider a motion to bind Joseph Cartwright over to stand trial for the death of Miss Shelby Weston.”

“There has been evidence presented during this hearing that satisfies this court that Joseph Cartwright should stand trial for the death of Shelby Weston.  That trial will begin one week from today.   This hearing is adjourned.”  Judge Thomas banged his gavel to signal the end of the hearing.

Joshua James turned to Joe and looked at him.  “Well…we’ve got our work cut out for us, Joseph.”

“Yes Sir, I know.”

“Joshua, what do you think your chances are of proving his innocence?” Ben asked the attorney.

“With or without a miracle, Ben?”

“Ya make it sound sorta hopeless, Mr. James,” Hoss remarked.

“I guess it didn’t help any that I identified that knife as Joe’s.”  This coming from Adam.

“How DID you know it was his?” Joshua James asked.  “There must be a hundred knives in Virginia City like that.”

“Well, when I bought it for his last birthday, I had a carver carve his initials…JFC and his age…among the scrolling work in the handle.  That way I would always be able to identify it as his, in case he ever lost it.”

“I never noticed my initials on it before.”

“I know.  You have to be looking for them, they’re not noticeable just by looking at it.”

Roy tugged on Joe’s arm.  “I gotta git ya back to the jail now, Joe.”

“I’ll come over later and go over your case with you.  In the meantime, I want you to be thinking of everything you said, every place you went, everything you did that had anything to do with Shelby Weston.  And even the things that didn’t have to do with her.  We have to go over this with a fine-tooth comb.”

“I’ll try.”

“You better do more than try, Joe, your life is at stake now.”  Joshua James gave Joe a serious look, then Sheriff Coffee took the young man away.

******
“Gentlemen of the Jury, I intend to show that Joseph Cartwright was unduly negligent in the fact as to cause injury and the subsequent death of Miss Shelby Weston.  I further intend to show that he committed this act willfully and with malice.  And I’m sure after you have heard all the evidence and the eyewitness account against him, you can render no other verdict but guilty as charged.  Thank you.”  Wiley Hunt looked at the jury, smiled confidently, then looked at the Judge.

“Mr. James, your opening remarks.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.  Gentlemen of the Jury, as you all know in a trial…any trial…there is something called reasonable doubt.  I intend to prove that reasonable doubt against my client.  I will prove that Joseph Cartwright is NOT responsible for the death of Shelby Weston; that she met her death by someone else’s hand.  When I have given you that reasonable doubt, it is  your duty to render a verdict of innocent.  Thank you.”  Joshua James nodded at the Jury, then returned to his place beside Joe.

“Mr. Hunt, you may call your first witness.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.  I call Corey Jenkins.”

Corey Jenkins made his way to the witness chair and was sworn in.

“Mr. Jenkins, please tell this court what you saw and heard taking place between the deceased and Joseph Cartwright on the night in question.”

“Well, like I already told the Sheriff, I was walking down the hall and saw the defendant going into the young lady’s room and I heard him tell her she should be horsewhipped.”

“Did you hear them argue?”

“I sure did.”

“What was the defendant doing when you saw him next?”

“He was bending over that girl’s body with a knife in his hand.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jenkins.  No more questions.  Your witness.”

Joshua James stood confidently to his feet and walked to stand in front of Corey Jenkins.  “Mr. Jenkins, you stated that you were walking down the hall when you saw the defendant and Shelby Weston, were you going to your room?”

“No, I went down to the lobby to get a newspaper.”

“Did you stay in the lobby to read the paper or did you go immediately back up to your room?”

Wiley Hunt stood up and made an objection.  “Your Honor, I don’t see how this line of questioning is relevant to this case.”

“If you will permit me, Your Honor, I will show relevance,” Joshua James spoke up quickly.

“I tend to agree with the prosecutor, but I will give you some leeway.  Objection overruled.  The witness will answer the question.”

“Well, I stayed down just a minute or two to read the headlines, then I went back up to my room.”

“You had to pass Miss Weston’s room in order to get to your room, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“When you walked past the deceased’s room, did you see the defendant in the room?”

“No.  The door was closed.  But I could hear ‘em arguing.”

“Could you hear what they were saying?”

“No, the words were muffled because the door was closed.”

“Mr. Jenkins, are you one-hundred percent sure that one of the people in that room was in fact the defendant, Joseph Cartwright?”

“Sure, I’m sure.  I saw him go in there earlier.”

“You stated that you spent a minute or two in the lobby reading your paper.  Now I suggest that perhaps in that two minute time span, Joseph Cartwright could have left the deceased’s room AND the hotel and with people coming and going in and out of the hotel all the time, someone else could have entered the deceased’s room without your knowledge.  Now with that in mind, I ask you…are you still one-hundred percent sure it was Joseph Cartwright in that room?”

“Well, when you put it that way, I guess I’m not a hundred percent sure.”

“Did you, with your own eyes, see the defendant Joseph Cartwright stab the victim?”

“No, but after…”

“Thank you, that’s all.”

Wiley Hunt jumped up from his place at the prosecutor’s desk.  “Your Honor, I’d like to ask Mr. Jenkins some questions on redirect.”

“You may.”

“Mr. Jenkins, when you walked past Miss Weston’s room to go back to your room, was the man’s voice you heard inside that room, Joseph Cartwright’s voice?”

“Objection, Your Honor.  That calls for a conclusion of the witness.  Mr. Jenkins is not an expert on voices and he testified that he could not hear what the two individuals were saying because the sound was muffled because of the closed door.  And, by his own testimony, he could not testify one-hundred percent that Joseph Cartwright was still in that room, and he did not witness the acutal stabbing, therefore, I ask the court to discount him as being a true eyewitness in this case.”

“I will sustain your objection, Mr. James. The jury will disregard this witness as a true eyewitness.  Mr. Hunt, do you have any more questions for this witness?”

“No, Your Honor.”  Wiley Hunt gave Joshua James a scowling look.

“Then the witness may stand down.  Call your next witness, Mr. Hunt.”

“I call Sheriff Roy Coffee.”  Wiley Hunt began his questioning of the Sheriff.  “Sheriff Coffee, tell us in your own words what you witnessed on the night in question.”

“Well, I was called to the hotel cause someone thought there had been a killin’.  When I got there, I saw Joe Cartwright bendin’ over the deceased’s body.”

“Did he have this knife in his hand?”

Sheriff Coffee examined the knife and handed it back to Wiley Hunt.  “Yes sir, that’s the knife.”

“When you questioned Joe Cartwright about HIS knife, did he show it to you?”

“No sir.”

“What reason did he give you as to why?”

“He said he couldn’t find it.”

“He said he couldn’t find it.  At the hearing, the defendant’s own brother identified this knife as belonging to the defendant, is that right?”

“Yes sir.”

“So you actually witnessed the defendant, Joseph Cartwright, bending over Shelby Weston’s body with this knife in his hand…the knife that has been identified as his?”

“Yes sir.”

With a smug look on his face, Wiley Hunt turned and faced Joshua James.  “Your witness.”

Joshua stood up, but he didn’t leave his desk.  “Sheriff, you stated that when you questioned Joseph Cartwright about the whereabouts of his knife, he couldn’t find it…did he show you where he normally kept his knife?”

“Yes, he did…in his saddlebags.”

“So it wasn’t under lock and key…then it was accessible to anyone who came along to just reach in and take the knife.  Thank you, Sheriff.  No more questions.”

“The witness may stand down.  Call your next witness, Mr. Hunt.”

“I call Miss Amy Banks to the stand.”

On her way to the witness stand, Amy paused and looked at Joe, he gave her a reassuring smile and she timidly smiled back at him.  After being sworn in, Wiley Hunt approached Amy.

“Miss Banks, tell us what your relationship is to Joseph Cartwright.”

“I object, Your Honor.  That question is irrelevant, immaterial, and incompetent.”

Wiley Hunt stepped over in front of the Judge.  “Your Honor, this witness is a hostile witness, therefore, any and all questions can be allowed.”

“Objection overruled.  Witness will answer the question.”

“Joe and I were seeing each other.”

“Were you sweethearts?”

Amy glanced in Joe’s direction before she answered and he nodded his head.  “Yes, I guess you could say that.”

“Was there ever a time during the course of your relationship with the defendant that you thought he was interested in someone else, say Shelby Weston?”

“Yes, but he wasn’t.  He…”

“Just answer the question yes or no.”

“Well I have to explain.”

“Miss Banks, I must remind you that you must hold your answers to a simple yes or no since Counsel has stipulated you are a hostile witness,” Judge Thomas rebuked her lightly.

Amy nodded.

“Now Miss Banks, did you see the defendant Joseph Cartwright on the night Shelby Weston died?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have a conversation with him about Miss Weston?”

“Yes.”

“During the course of that conversation with the defendant, did he tell you he was going to the hotel to see Miss Weston?  And what did he tell you?”

Amy balled up her fists tightly in her lap and lowered her eyes.  “He told me he was going to have it out with her.”

“What did he mean by that?”

“Objection…calls for a conclusion,” Joshua called out from his desk, but did not stand up.  “Mr. Hunt is asking the witness to be a mind reader.”

“Sustained.”

“I’ll rephrase.  Were you concerned that he might do something physically to harm Miss Weston?”

Amy swallowed hard and licked her lips, her eyes were wide as she glanced at Joe, then looked down at her hands balled up tightly in her lap.

“Miss Banks, will you answer the question, please,” the Judge urged kindly.

Amy raised her eyes and looked at Wiley Hunt.  “Yes, but…”

“That’s all, Miss Hunt.  Your witness, counselor.”

Joe laid a hand on Joshua’s arm.  “Go easy on her, will you.”

“She’s on our side.”  Joshua smiled, then stood up and walked to stand in front of Amy.

“Miss Banks, I’ll try to not prolong your time in the witness chair, but I’m sure that you want to see Joseph Cartwright proven innocent, don’t you?”

Amy nodded her head.  “Oh yes, more than anything!”

Joshua smiled at her.  “Miss Banks, do you personally believe that Joe Cartwright would have hurt Shelby Weston in any way?”

“Oh no.  He’s good and kind and a real gentleman.”  Amy smiled and glanced at Joe who smiled back at her.

“Has he ever tried to hurt YOU?”

“No, never.”

Joshua smiled at her again.  “Thank you, Miss Banks, that’s all.”

“I have one or two questions on redirect.”

“You may proceed, Mr. Hunt.”

“Miss Banks, would you say that Joe Cartwright angers easily and quickly?”

“Object, Your Honor!  That question has no bearing on this case.”

“I differ, Your Honor.  Counsel opened the door for this question when he questioned this witness about whether or not the defendant would have hurt Shelby Weston.”

“Objection overruled.”

“Miss Banks, will you answer the question,” Wiley Hunt said to her.

Amy looked at him, then at Joe and back to Wiley Hunt.  “You’re trying to get me to say something that will hurt Joe…well, I won’t help you!”

“Miss Banks, you MUST answer the question,” the Judge ordered.

“Let me ask that question another way, Miss Banks.  Have you ever witnessed Joseph Cartwright’s anger towards anyone?  May I remind you you’re under oath and a hostile witness so you must answer.  Have you ever seen Joe Cartwright angry at someone?”

“Yes.”

“More than once?”

“Yes.”

“Several times?”

“You want me to say yes…alright!  Yes!  Yes!”

“Have you ever witnessed his anger towards his own father or brothers to the point of him inflicting some kind of injury to them, say a bloody nose or a cut or bleeding lip?”

Amy looked over at Joe and began to cry.  “Yes!”

“If Joseph Cartwright can become angry with his own flesh and blood, then could he not become angry and inflict injury on someone else?  I have no more questions for this witness, Your Honor.”

“The witness may stand down,” Judge Thomas said kindly to Amy.

She gathered herself together and rose from the witness stand and went to stand in front of Joe. “I’m sorry, Joe.  I didn’t want to answer those last questions, but they made me.”

“I understand, Amy.  It’s alright.”

“Mr. Hunt, do you have any more witnesses?”

“No, Your Honor, the Prosecution rests its case against Joseph Cartwright.”

Judge Thomas looked at the clock on the back wall, then said, “Since the hour is late, this court will reconvene at ten o’clock Monday morning.  Mr. James, you can begin your defense at that time.  This court stands adjourned.”  The Judge banged his gavel down on the round disk on top of his desk and stood up.  Likewise, everyone else did and Joshua turned to Joe.

“Well, Joe, that gives us a couple more days to find some evidence in your favor.  I’ll come over later and we’ll go through everything again,” Joshua James said while he placed a handful of papers in his leather case.

“We’ve gone through everything I know, Joshua!  I don’t know what else I can tell you!”  Joe’s tone was crisp and biting.

Joshua stopped moving his hands and looked at Joe.  “Then we’ll go through it again…and again…and again, a thousand times if we have to.  Somewhere, there’s something that will clear you, and we have to find it, because if I was one of the jurors, I would vote guilty.”

Ben placed his hand on Joshua James’ shoulder and turned him towards him.  “You’re not saying YOU believe he’s guilty!”

“No, Ben, I’m not, but I’m going strictly on evidence and testimony and they say he’s guilty.”  Joshua turned back to look at Joe.  “Be ready to go through everything again when I come to see you.”  He closed his leather case and left the courtroom.

Roy tugged on Joe’s arm and led him away from his family.

******

The Virginia City Courthouse was packed once again with townspeople and out of town reporters and sketch artists.  Adam stood in the aisle talking to Johanna.

“You’re not scared to go on the witness stand are you?” he asked her with a slight grin on his face.

“Not right now, but that might change once Mr. James and Mr. Hunt start questioning me.  They’re both tough.  I felt so sorry for Amy when that prosecutor had her on the stand.”

“I’ve known both of them for a long time and they’re both dedicated to their profession and determined to win every case.”

“Unfortunately, only ONE of them will win.  Adam…do you think Joe will be found guilty?”

“I hope he won’t be.”

“All rise and come to order!” the court clerk announced.  “The Honorable Judge Harry Thomas presiding.”

Adam guided Johanna in the row of chairs and sat down beside her when the clerk gave the order for everyone to be seated.

“Mr. James, are you ready to begin your defense?”

Joshua stood up and addressed the Judge.  “Yes, Your Honor.”

“Then you may call your first witness.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.  I call Maisy Jackson to the stand.”

When Maisy Jackson was sworn in and sat down, Joshua James walked up to stand in front of her.  “Miss Jackson, you are employed at the hotel as a maid, is that right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do your duties include gathering up soiled linens from guest rooms and laundering them?”

“Yes, sir.”

“The day after Miss Shelby Weston was murdered were you on duty that day and did you gather up soiled linen from the guest rooms?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did you launder it as usual?”

“Yes, all except one piece.”

“What was that?”

“A towel…with blood on it.”

“Did you tell the Hotel Manager what you found, and do you remember whose room you removed it from?”

“Yes, sir.  I told Mr. Avery about it, and he said he was going to turn it over to the Sheriff.  I found the towel in Miss Weston’s room…Miss Johanna Weston, that is.”

Adam looked over at Johanna, and she looked back at him, her eyes wide.  Spectators began murmuring and whispering loudly, so that the Judge had to bang his gavel to restore order to the courtroom.

“Thank you, Miss Jackson.  No more questions.”

“I have no questions for this witness, Your Honor,” Wiley Hunt said.

“Your Honor, I’d like to call Johanna Weston to the stand.”

“You may stand down, Miss Jackson, and will Johanna Weston take the stand please,” the Judge remarked.

Johanna cast a quick look at Adam, and he reassured her with a wink.  She stood up slowly and took the witness stand.

“Miss Weston, I examined my client’s saddlebags, and inside one of the pockets, I found this button, and I noticed at the hearing that you had a button missing on one of your sleeves.  Where did you lose that button, Miss Weston?”

“I don’t know, buttons can come off anywhere.”

“Inside saddlebags for instance, when you pulled your hand out?   I contend that YOU were the one who took Joseph Cartwright’s knife from his saddlebags the night your sister was killed, and you left this button behind.  Did you kill your sister?”

“No!  That’s preposterous!  You’re saying that I stole Joe’s knife. What possible reason would I have?”

“Did you know about the bloodied towel found in your room by the hotel maid?”

“Yes, I used it to wipe blood from my hand after I cut it on a piece of broken glass.”

“Don’t you mean you used it to wipe blood from your hand after you killed your sister?  Your sister’s blood?!”

The crowd began to murmur and talk loudly again, and Adam stood up at his place being frustrated, shocked and angry by Joshua’s interrogation of Johanna.  Amid the noise in the courtroom, Wiley Hunt protested.  “Your Honor!  Mr. James is cross-examining his own witness!”

“Mr. James, what is your reason for this type of questioning?” Judge Thomas wanted to know.

“Your Honor, if you’ll please bear with me, I’ll bring all of it to a head.” 

“I WILL allow it, but only because I want to see where you’re going with this.  Objection overruled.”

“Now Miss Weston, you killed your sister didn’t you?”

“No!  I certainly did not!  I was out walking at the time Shelby was killed!”

“Is there anyone here who can give you an alibi?”

“Yes.  Mrs. Davis…Mrs. Francine Davis…saw me, and we talked for awhile, then I left to go back to the hotel, Shelby was dead when I got back there.”

“What time did you go for your walk and how long were you gone?”

“I guess it must have been about six or six-thirty when I left and when I got back to the hotel it was probably seven or so.”

“Your Honor, I would like to interrupt questioning this witness and call another witness to establish the time of the murder.”

“Granted.  Who is the witness you’d like to call?”

“Dr. Paul Martin.”

Dr. Martin was sworn in and took the witness seat.  “Dr. Martin, you also serve as the coroner for Virginia City, do you not?”

“Yes, I do.”

“What time do you estimate that the deceased was killed?”

“Well, the body was still warm when I examined her, so I would estimate Shelby Weston met her death at or about six-thirty.”

“Thank you, doctor, that’s all.”

When Wiley Hunt had no questions for the doctor, Joshua continued.  “I would now like to call Mrs. Francine Davis to the stand, please.”

“Dr. Martin, you may stand down.  Mrs. Francine Davis, please take the stand,” Judge Thomas called out.

Mrs. Davis took the stand and Joshua James stood in front of her.  “Now, Mrs. Davis, I want you to think back on the evening Shelby Weston was murdered and think very carefully about the time you saw and talked to Miss Johanna Weston on the street.  What time was it when you two were in conversation?”

“I saw Miss Weston walking down the street, and she looked a bit unhappy, so I asked her to join me for a cup of coffee in the café.  We went in and spent about thirty minutes talking.  It was about six-twenty when we sat down.”

“So Johanna Weston couldn’t have killed her sister at six-thirty if she spent thirty minutes with you,” Joshua James said, and a frown appeared across his forehead.

“Absolutely not.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Davis…no more questions.”

“Mr. Hunt, do you have any questions for this witness?”

“No, Your Honor, but I thought counsel was going to bring all of this to a head.”

“Mr. James, are you finished with this witness?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“You may step down, Mrs. Davis.  Call your next witness.”

“Your Honor, would it please the court to grant an adjournment until tomorrow?”

“I object, Your Honor,” Wiley Hunt spoke up.  “I see no point in delaying this trial another day, wasting the taxpayers money.”

“Your Honor, I wouldn’t ask for extra time, but I feel that time would allow me to better prepare for questioning my next witness.  I beg the court’s indulgence on this.”

“Very well…this court stands adjourned until ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”  Judge Thomas banged his gavel and everyone stood to their feet.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Joshua James said to Joe, then without bothering to put his papers in his leather case, he grabbed them and his case and left the courtroom quickly.

“What do you suppose put a burr under HIM?”  Adam asked no one in particular.

“I don’t know, but the very idea of him trying to incriminate ME for my own sister’s murder!” Johanna said in stark surprise. 

“I admit he surprised ME too, by questioning you in that manner.  It’ll be interesting to see what he has up his sleeve tomorrow.”

“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure we’ll all be astounded.  Would you like to walk me to my hotel room?”

“I would count it a privilege, Miss Weston.”  Adam looked down at her and smiled, then held her hand as they walked out.

Meanwhile, in his hotel room, Joshua James was frantically going over his notes when he stopped suddenly.  “Of course!  Why didn’t I think of that earlier!”

******

Once again, the Virginia City courthouse was packed with townspeople and out of town reporters and sketch artists.  Joshua James sat confidently at his table, writing on his pad of paper.

“All rise and come to order, the Honorable Judge Harry Thomas presiding.”

As soon as the Judge sat down, he looked at Joshua James.  “Call your next witness, Mr. James.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.  I know this is irregular in a murder trial, but I would like to call the defendant, Joseph Cartwright.”

The whole room seemed to erupt in a buzzing of loud voices as everyone began murmuring and talking at once about what they had just heard.  The Judge banged his gavel in an attempt to restore order to the crowd.

While the Judge was calling for order, Ben reached out and placed a hand on Joshua’s shoulder.  Joshua turned around and faced the father of his young client.

“Josh, I don’t know if this is such a good idea or not.”

“Ben, either you trust me to do what’s best for Joe, or you don’t.”

“I DO trust you, Joshua, but this is my son’s life you’re gambling with here.”

“And either you trust me with his life or you don’t.”

“What if you gamble with Joe’s life and lose, Josh?  What if you lose?”

“Ben, I wouldn’t do it this way, if I wasn’t sure.”

Now that the Judge had restored order, he looked sternly at Joshua James.  “Mr. James, what you said about this being irregular, was mild.  It is HIGHLY irregular, are you sure you want to pursue this avenue?”

“Yes, Your Honor.  I believe it is in the best interest of my client to have him testify in his defense.”

“Mr. Hunt, do you have any objections to this?” the Judge asked the Prosecutor.

Wiley Hunt stood up and a smug expression was on his face.  “I have no objections whatsoever, Your Honor, however, I would like to make sure that I will be afforded a chance to cross-examine the defendant.”

Joshua James looked at the Prosecutor and a slight smile crossed his face.  “But of course, Mr. Hunt.”

Wiley Hunt smiled triumphantly and sat down.

“Then call your witness,” the Judge stated.

Joe moved in a slow, relaxed manner as he made his way to the witness stand.  After being sworn in, he sat down, and Joshua James approached him.

“Joe, how well did you know the deceased, Shelby Weston?”

“I didn’t really know her that well.”

“You were alone with her in her hotel room just minutes before she was murdered weren’t you?  That would suggest you knew her QUITE well.”

Wiley Hunt stood up quickly.  “Your Honor, as much as I hate to, I must object!  Mr. James is cross-examining his own client!  If you allow him to do this, he’ll be sending him to the gallows for sure!”

The Judge banged his gavel for order once again when the crowd erupted in loud voices.  Once the room was quiet the Judge looked at Joshua.

“Counsel will approach the bench.”

Joshua and Wiley Hunt both stood before the Judge.  “Mr. James, I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Yes, Your Honor, I do.”

“Do you intend to pursue questioning this witness in this manner?”

“Yes, Your Honor.  I’m trying to get to the truth.”

“By crucifying your own client!  Your Honor, I must protest.  Even though I am convinced that Joseph Cartwright is guilty, this is a flagrant miscarriage of justice on the part of the defense counsel to question his own client in this manner!

“I tend to agree with the Prosecutor on this, Mr. James.”

“Your Honor, please, I beg the court’s indulgence.”

“Alright…I’ll grant you leeway, but I must advise you that you could be putting your career on the line, and your client’s neck in a noose by pursuing the defense of your client in this manner.”

“Yes, Your Honor…I’m well aware of that.”

“And you still insist on going on with questioning this witness?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“Very well.  You may proceed.”

Wiley Hunt went back to his desk, shaking his head in amazement.  Joshua James stepped back over to Joe and stood in front of him.

“Joe, you know if there was any other way…”

“I know.”

“Were you angry with the deceased when you went to her hotel room to…have it out with her…as one witness stated?”

“Yes.”

“You quarreled with her?”

“Yes.”

“When you were quarreling with her, did you tell her, at any time during that quarrel that you would hurt her physically in some way?”

“I told her that if she didn’t stay away from me, I would hit her…or something worse.”

The crowd erupted in loud talking again, and even the jurors began talking among themselves.  The Judge banged for silence.

“I have no further questions for this witness.”  Joshua James held Joe’s gaze for several seconds, then walked slowly to his desk.  “Your witness, Mr. Hunt.”

“I have no questions for this witness after all, Your Honor.”

“The witness may stand down.  Call your next witness, Mr. James.”

“The defense rests its case, Your Honor.”  Joshua James sat down in his chair.

Wiley Hunt looked over at his opponent and shook his head.

“Very well,” Judge Thomas responded then turned to the Jury.  “It is up to you, Jury, to decide the fate of the young man before you.  After weighing all the evidence and testimonies, and you believe he is guilty of murder, then you must render your decision in that respect.  Likewise, if you believe he is NOT guilty of murder, then you must render your decision of innocent.  The Jury may now retire to deliberate your verdict.”

The foreman of the Jury stood up while the other jurors remained seated.  “Your Honor, we don’t need to deliberate this verdict.  We have discussed it among ourselves a moment ago, and have already reached a verdict.”

“Very well.  The accused will rise and face the Jury.”

Joe stood up slowly to face the men, but turned to face his father and brothers first.  When he looked at the jury members, the Judge said, “Will the Jury Foreman please render the verdict.”

“We, the Jury, find the defendant, Joseph Cartwright, guilty of murder in the first degree.”

Judge Thomas looked at Joe, and after a slight hesitation, he said, “Joseph Cartwright, you have been found guilty of murder in the first degree by a verdict of your peers.  It is now my duty to render judgment.  I hereby sentence you to be hung by the neck…..”

“NO!  STOP IT!  STOP IT!  He didn’t kill Shelby…I did!  I killed her!  I killed her…I killed her…”

Joe fell down in his seat, and Joshua James let out a sigh of pent up relief.  People in the courtroom stood up and began talking and pointing to the one who had just confessed.  Newspaper reporters’ hands were flying across their notepads and sketch artists’ hands were flying across their sketch pads as they tried to capture the scene unfolding in front of them.

“Sheriff, bring Miss Banks forward, please,” Judge Thomas said, his voice filled with concern for the young, sobbing woman.

When Sheriff Coffee and Amy stood before the Judge, she turned her tear-stained face up to look at him.  “I had talked to Shelby earlier and when Joe told me he was going back to see Shelby, I tried talking him out of it, but he was so angry with her, but I knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but I didn’t know what she would do or say to him.  After he left my house, I took a shortcut through my backyard to the hotel.  I thought I could beat him there, but he rode very fast.  I saw him go inside the hotel, so I went around to where I could see her window from the street.  I saw her looking down at me, smiling that catlike smile of hers, and then she pulled the shade down and I saw their silhouettes.  It looked like they were kissing each other and I just got jealous all over again.  I knew Joe kept his knife in his saddlebags, so I reached in and took it out.  I hid by the corner of the hotel until I saw Joe leave, then I went up to Shelby’s room.  I thought I could scare her with the knife, make her think I would use it on her.   She laughed at me and called me a toad and tried to take it away from me…We struggled, and the next thing I knew, she was lying at my feet bleeding.  Then I got scared and just ran away.  I didn’t know she was dead.  I didn’t mean for it to happen.  I only wanted to scare her.  I didn’t mean to kill her.  I didn’t mean to kill her.  I didn’t think he would make Joe testify against himself, I thought Mr. James would get him off.  I couldn’t let Joe hang for something I did.”  Amy turned and looked at Joe.  “I’m so sorry, Joe.  I’m so sorry.”  She placed her head in her hands and wept bitterly.

Sheriff Coffee led Amy out of the courthouse. 

“In light of this startling revelation, I declare that Joseph Cartwright is innocent of all charges, and the case against him is dismissed.  This court stands adjourned.”  The Judge banged his gavel and everyone stood to their feet being in amazement and wonder at the conclusion of this trial.

Ben came to stand beside Joe and after they hugged each other, Ben turned to Joshua.  “You took an awful chance with my son’s life, you know.”

“I know, but I was so sure of who actually caused Shelby’s death, and so sure she wouldn’t let Joe go to the gallows for something she did, I just had to play that poker hand.”

“What put you on to Amy?” Adam asked the attorney.

“Well, there was only one other person who knew Joe was going to Shelby’s hotel room.”

“Amy,” Joe said, speaking her name quietly.

“Amy,” Joshua repeated.

“I still say you took an awful gamble with my son’s life.”

“Yeah, well Pa, you know I like to live dangerously,” Joe teased.

“But in this case you almost CEASED to live…dangerously, or any OTHER way,” Adam responded.

Everyone laughed at the comment, then Joe became very sullen and quiet.  “We just never know about people do we.  Joshua, what will happen to Amy?”

“Well, I’m sure the Sheriff and the prosecuting attorney will do an investigation into it.  Since she’s young and a female, she won’t have to hang, but with a good attorney, she might be able to make a deal with the court, plead guilty to a charge of momentary insanity by reason of a jealous rage and maybe spend some time in a sanatorium for evaluation and treatment if needed.”

“Would YOU defend her?” Joe asked sincerely.

“He said she needed a GOOD attorney, not one who takes chances with his client’s life,” Adam quipped.  The Cartwright’s and Joshua laughed.

“I really want you to defend her, Josh.  Will you?” Joe asked him again.

“If it means that much to you.”

“It does.  And don’t spare the expense.  I want her to have the best defense you can give her.  When you’re the accused, you want the best.  Believe me…I KNOW.”

******

Adam stood by the stagecoach waiting for it to leave, Johanna stood beside him.  “So where will you go?” he asked, looking down at her.

“Oh, I don’t know.  Somewhere far from here.  Maybe I’ll go back East…I’ve been thinking about putting my fortune to good use and starting a home for wayward girls.  Shelby would have been one if she had been left to herself.  There are so many young girls in New York without anyone to provide them with proper guidance.  I thought about naming the home after Shelby…The Shelby Home For Girls.”

“Sounds like a very difficult venture to undertake.”

“I’m sure it WILL be, but I’m sure it’ll be very rewarding also.”

“Are you going to try to run it by yourself?”

“Well, I’ll be the monetary backer of course, but I might need someone with a good head for business.  Would you be interested in the undertaking?  You’d have to move to New York, of course.”  Johanna looked up at him and smiled a teasing smile.  “I’m only teasing, Adam.  I know you would never leave the Ponderosa.”

“Are you sure?”

“As sure as I am that Joe and Hoss would never leave.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right, Adam.  I’m ALWAYS right.”

“Load up!” the driver called out to the passengers standing nearby.  Johanna waited until she was the last passenger to board.

She held her hand out to Adam.  “I’ll never forget you, Adam.  And if I could stay here, I just might fall in love with you.”

He took her hand, then stepped close to her and kissed her tenderly.  “Good-bye, Johanna.”

She looked up into his eyes, and felt tears well up in hers, but she stepped into the coach before the tears had a chance to fall.  Adam closed the door, and watched as the stage moved down the street and around the last bend of Virginia City.  He walked over to the Sheriff’s office and met Joe just coming out.

“How’s Amy?”

“She still won’t look at, or talk to me.”

“Even though you told her you forgave her?”

Joe nodded sadly.

Adam put an arm around his youngest brother’s shoulders and tugged.  “Come on, let’s go home.”

The brothers took the reins to their horses, mounted, and rode slowly side by side out of town.

THE END