Thomas Simms’s latest visit to Etta’s house was received with smiles and tears. The man was grateful for the journal that Adam had compiled. The diary included not only Adam’s own insight and experiences with his brothers condition but also Etta’s and Hoss’s.

It was only recently that Hoss had seen his young brother in the throes of a nightmare. Where to Hoss’s shock and amazement little Joe was himself. The nightmare was not in fact during the hours of darkness. It had occurred after Joe, who had been sitting on the porch with Hoss, playing the usual game of checkers. They were interrupted by Cochise hurtling up from the meadow.

Adam and Etta had gone for a stroll and had advised Hoss that they would bring the horses in. On their way back, Adam leading Sport and Chubb and Etta leading her own horse Molli and Cochise. The pinto pulled sharply away from Etta. The lead rope was wrenched from her grasp. Cochise raced toward the house and barn, then without any shortening or slowing of stride, sailed over the perimeter fence. The horse didn’t stop until it had reached the porch where Joe and Hoss were engrossed in the game. Rearing up on her hinds she gave a long, loud whinny. Once all four feet were back on the ground she pushed her head into little Joe’s chest. The animal then proceeded to lick Joe’s hands and face. Just as if she were a big pet dog.

Little Joe was giggling with glee. Patting the black and white head and questioning Hoss on the animal and vowing to ask his Pa to get him exactly the same kind of pony, soon as he was big enough. Hoss was immediately on his feet. Thinking that Cochise would somehow harm Joe. But that was far from the horses actions. Joe was over the moon at the animals antics. Grinning at Hoss and telling him that horse really liked him. For Joe even the animals name was perfect. Which prompted him to make another vow, that he would call his pony Cochise too.

By the time Adam and Etta joined them, Joe’s happy frame of mind and smiling face were rapidly disappearing. Tears spilled from his eyes as he held a hand to his head and groaned in pain. Etta could see the colour draining from Joe’s face. She was proved correct in her assumption that he would need the use of some kind of container. A bucket was speedily produced, and just in time to catch the projectile flow of vomit that spewed from Joe’s mouth. He was carried back to the bedroom, weakly protesting that it wasn’t the horses fault.

It took a mild sedative and a lot of soothing words from Hoss to calm Joe. During his induced sleep Joe became agitated and distressed. Calling out for Cooch to ‘go easy’, to ‘take it easy gal’. Hoss did his best to comfort his brother. It was then that Joe sat bolt upright and pleaded with Hoss to see to Cooch He wasn’t sure how bad she was injured. Hoss realised that Joe was no longer the child that went to sleep less than an hour ago. Joe would not be placated. It wasn’t until he struggled to get out of the bed to go and see to his horse, that Hoss told him to stay where he was. Although he knew the horse was fine, he would check on the animal. Hoss had just stepped into the kitchen when Adam and Etta returned from the barn. They had been seeing to the livestock chores. Hoss was more than pleased to see the two of them and related what had happened. All three returned to the bedroom to find little Joe sleeping soundly.

The following morning Joe again awoke as the child and not the man. The child though was not in good form. Complaining that his head ached and that he had scary dreams. Hoss trying to help, unknowingly brought his brothers to tears. Joe’s eyes became green pools of sadness. His chin quivered. It took Hoss a great deal of coaxing to get the reason for Joe’s misery. Once the dam was broken there was no going back. Joe almost incoherent between sobs and wails, begged Hoss to tell him the truth. He had dreamed that his mama was dead…but he knew his mama wasn’t because she was here with him. So it must be that his Pa and brothers were dead. It took not only Hoss but also Adam and Etta to convince little Joe he was wrong. He then became upset for dreaming that his mama was dead and clung to Etta begging her to forgive him. Finally exhausted from his hysteria and near panic Joe succumbed to sleep.

Doctor Simms, after removing the cast from Joe’s arm and reducing the cast on his leg to below the knee. Which put a smile on Joe’s face. He spoke with Adam and Etta. He suggested that with care Joe could go home. That in his opinion, Joe would be far better off in his own familiar surroundings. He may very well be more able to cope with this trauma. After reading Adam’s journal, it was clear Joe was becoming more and more confused.

Both Hoss and Adam were more than delighted with the doctors news and immediately started to make plans to leave for home as soon as they could. They decided to leave at the end of the week, Friday morning. This would give them enough time to get the required provisions for the journey. Etta offered to cook for them, and to make sure that they had clean linen and bedding, for they would have to take the wagon.

As Etta spoke, she directed most of her words to Hoss. To any other observer it would be impossible to see anything amiss. But to Adam Cartwright’s knowing eye, he could tell that Etta’s words and actions were in not in sync with her mind. To Adam she was acting in a manner to cause him to believe that she would not be traveling with them to the Ponderosa.

It was true they had not discussed in any detail their future. They only knew that they wanted it to be a shared life. Adam hadn’t gone down on bended knee and asked for Etta’s hand. They both knew that it was accepted they would be husband and wife. That Etta and Adam would lay together every night. Not just the secret, chosen moments that they had been able to steal. Why then, Adam thought as he watched Etta go about her given tasks. Why had she not once, since Adam had walked Thomas Simms to his buggy and then returned to the kitchen. Why had Etta not once cast an eye or a word in his direction.