Summary:  Little Joe is emotionally caught between dark and light when Trenton’s brother Preston devises a plot to capture him by using Pa as bait.  Will he break under the trauma of another captivity? Part three of the Stay in the Darkness series, links to stories provided within.
Rating T, WC 42,240

Stay in the Darkness Series:

Stay in the Darkness
A New Light
Chiaroscuro
The Sound of Surviving

 

                                                                              Chiaroscuro

***Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole. I thank whatever gods may be, for my unconquerable soul.  In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.  Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed.  Beyond this place of wrath and tears, looms but the horror of the shade.  And yet the menace of the years finds, and shall find me, unafraid.  It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll.  I am the master of my fate I am the captain of my soul.  (Poem, “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley)***

Joe Cartwright sat in the saloon with his right boot leisurely pressed against the edge of the table and his chair tilted back.  He sipped at his beer as he watched a heated poker game at the table next to him.  He had already partaken in a few hands of five card draw and had lost twenty dollars before deciding it just wasn’t his day.  But, then again, it hadn’t been his year either.  At twenty-three years old he had lived more than most men of sixty and sometimes it showed on his face.  He had needed a break from the Ponderosa ranch and his normal way of living.  Though he loved his home and his family, he had asked for and was given a month off.  And so, with extra money in his pocket and enough provisions to get him by, Joe had taken off alone.  Knowing that his father, who was on the over-protective side, would worry, Joe had sent him word from Stockton which was his current location.

Joe looked different than he had back in Virginia City.  There he had been clean cut and well- dressed unlike the way he looked now.  Joe gave the appearance of a saddle tramp wearing old well-worn clothes that he had gotten off of the second hand shelf at the local mercantile.  When he had registered at the hotel he had given a phony name, one which he had made up long before signing the registry book.  It had amused him so much to see the look that the desk clerk had given him when the man had asked if he had any luggage.  Joe had simply smiled and pointed to the well-worn saddlebags that were perched on his shoulder.  Of course the man had asked Joe for money in advance and he had given it to him.  Joe knew he needed a good bath to wash the trail dust off of his rather grimy body and that was the one amenity that he took advantage of that first night in Stockton.  However Joe did not shave the stubble of beard nor rid himself of the slight appearance of a mustache which was taking its time to grow there under his nose.

Joe signaled the bartender over with another beer and handed the man a silver dollar which included his tip.  He swirled the pale yellow liquid around in the mug and his thoughts took him back to the terrible year that he had gone through.  He figured at least five of the last twelve months were akin to falling down a well and trying to grab an elusive rope that was well out of reach.  Joe needed to remember just enough of what he had gone through in order to make sure that nothing could ever harm him again.  He figured that was why Pa hadn’t protested too much when he had asked him for permission to take the lengthy vacation, though he knew the man would worry about him every single day.  Joe remembered telling his father that if harm was to befall him that it would get him anywhere, including right there at the ranch.  That had proven to be a fact so many times in the past that Pa couldn’t argue the point.

“Last call for drinks Gents!” The bartender shouted and pointed up at the clock just behind the bar.  It was almost closing time so Joe reached across the table to grab his moth-eaten jacket to take with him back to the hotel.  He heard someone at the next table cuss about not ever getting the right cards and that made Joe laugh.  ***Don’t sit down at poker and think you’re going to win, especially with that dealer.  He’s holding aces up his sleeve! *** Joe thought to himself and walked out of the bar.

The hotel wasn’t as elegant as the International House back in Virginia City but it was better than sleeping on the ground like Joe knew he’d be doing very soon.  The month had gone quickly and he’d need to be back on the trail the following day.  Joe pulled the room key out of his pants pocket and opened the door.  He caught sight of his face as he passed by the mirror on the bureau sitting there just to the side of the bed.  Joe leaned towards his reflection and smiled.

“What a sight!  Pa will have a pure fit when he sees me,” Joe spoke aloud and laughed when he thought of how everyone would wonder just what in the heck he was thinking going around looking like a bum.  “I’m not shaving – well at least not until I give Pa a good shock.  And my hair!  It’s probably grown two inches and I can just imagine what I’ll hear about that.  Will Pa say his usual line about me looking like a cheap riverboat gambler?  It ought to be absolutely priceless when I come home looking like this!”

Joe rinsed his face off at the water basin and decided that he’d better turn in so he could go to the livery first thing in the morning to get the chestnut mare he’d been riding and hit the trail for home.  Settling down on the lumpy mattress Joe closed his eyes and thought of the Ponderosa.  He missed his brothers and their constant ribbing and he missed his Pa’s over reaction to the things that he did.  He just plain missed being home, though it had taken the time away to appreciate what he had waiting there.  Joe had taken the time to sort through a lot of the issues he had been dealing with and he had finally decided that twenty three years of various forms of trauma had been more than enough.  Joe was resolved that he would soon be planting his two feet firmly back there at the Ponderosa, and from that point on he would be going on the offensive.  It was about time.  Joe had thought everything out in advance long before he had asked for the time off.  He knew his father well and had his rebuttals ready for any objections which Pa might throw his way.  His father had hedged a bit, and Joe read the worry in the man’s dark brown eyes as he had fought to find a reason why it wasn’t a good time for the boy to leave for an extended period of time.  Pa had a right to feel a bit hesitant, or so Joe had presumed.  With all that had gone on that year everyone had been a bit on edge upon learning about Joe’s desire to go away by himself.  But, Ben had relented because he had to admit to himself that Joseph needed to get away from all of the hurtful memories which had plagued him for six straight months.  The family had wondered why Joe had insisted on heading out on the older and far less sporty chestnut mare and not taking his favorite horse Cochise.  There had been something that had nagged at them all, when Joe had also tried to sneak the right handed holster out from inside the credenza there at the front door.  He had been caught red handed, and Joe had given some lame excuse about wanting to keep in practice with his right hand.  He had gotten quite good at firing a Colt with either hand.  Three years earlier, after sustaining an injury to his dominant left arm which had forced him to go right handed for a few months, Joe had mastered shooting straight and accurate with either hand.  And so it was a month ago, when he had waved goodbye to his family there at the front hitching post, that Joe sported a right handed holster encircling his waist.  The three remaining Cartwrights had exchanged perplexed glances directed over at the departing young man.  Joe hadn’t missed the apprehensive looks that they had shot his way as he mounted the chestnut mare and rode away from hearth and home on his journey to leave all that was Joseph Cartwright behind.  He had resolved to render his former self a distant memory and become more or less a young man who could simply blend in with all of the other cowboys there in the West.  Joe needed to put away the good looking youngest son of Ben Cartwright and take on the benign appearance of a saddle tramp.  He decided that being a wandering vagabond would have its advantages.  And, not looking like he could possibly be a Cartwright would assist him in things like not being captured just because of someone’s old grudge nor falling victim to ransom schemes to elicit Ben Cartwright’s money.   Joe had more than enough of both situations and he was through with them.  In all of his travels in the month that he had been gone there hadn’t been one person who had recognized him, and that had left him both happy and feeling relaxed.  Being anonymous had its perks and Joe Cartwright had enjoyed them all.

************************************

Ben Cartwright watched from the front porch as his two sons had fought with the wagon loaded down with numerous bales of hay.  They had rigged the pulley system to assist in the chore of lifting the heavy bales so that they could more easily get them up and into the hayloft above.  Usually it would be Joseph’s job to climb the ladder to the loft and then reach outward and pull each bale over as his brother Hoss used his massive arms to get them up to the boy.  Now it was his eldest who stood there inside the barn and shouted down to his brother Hoss to put more elbow grease to the rope so that he could get done with the job.

“What’s the matter, Boys?  Are you missing your little brother?” Pa asked smiling as he moved over to his two sons.

Hoss turned towards his father and accidently let the rope go which almost sent Adam flying down to the ground.

“Cut it out you nit wit!” Adam yelled.

“Oh – sorry about that, Brother,” Hoss called over to Adam.  He grabbed the rope again and sent the last bale over towards the loft.

“When is that little varmint coming home, Pa?” Hoss asked as he watched his brother swing the last of the hay inside of the barn.

“Well I gave him a month, so I’d imagine he should be falling in here in a day or two.  I got that wire from over in Stockton three days ago and Joseph said he was heading home,” Ben nodded over to his middle boy.

Adam came down from the loft and walked over to his father.  “I’ve got some very angry broncs just waiting on the kid,” He said and put his hand on Pa’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I hope he’s well rested because we’ve got all kinds of things to keep him out of trouble,” Hoss joined in and moved over to his father and brother.

“Let him get home and rest up for a day before you boys go piling things up on him,” Ben insisted.

“He’s had plenty of time to rest, Pa.  And speaking of rest, how about giving Hoss and me the rest of the day off?”

“Put that wagon up and then go do whatever you want to,” Pa announced.

Hoss smiled over at his brother and said, “Pa sure is more easy going when Joe ain’t around — have you noticed that?”

“Yeah — and he doesn’t seem as stressed as he usually is either,” Adam joined in.

Ben cleared his throat to garner the full attention of both sons and replied with a stern inflection in his tone, “Perhaps if you boys wouldn’t tease Joseph as much as you do he’d help you both more and then I wouldn’t be as stressed as you say I am.”

“Oh uh, we made him mad now, Adam,” Hoss cautioned and then grinned over at Pa.

“If we didn’t tease Joe he’d think we didn’t like him, Pa.”

“Well then you two must like him a lot because you sure do rib that boy.  Maybe you just like to get a reaction from Joseph?”

“Oh Pa, that’s what brothers are for.  And believe me Little Joe can hold his own in the teasing department.  There’s not one day that he doesn’t rib me about my fine figure.”

Ben patted his son’s very rotund stomach and smiled, “I don’t know why he’d do that.”

“C’mon Hoss, let’s get this wagon put up and I’ll buy you a beer in town,” Adam called over to his brother.

“I’ll see you both later I guess since I’m heading into town in just a little while too,” Ben announced and then turned back for the ranch house.

***********************************

While his two sons enjoyed themselves downing a few beers at the Silver Dollar Saloon later that afternoon, Ben Cartwright sat with the manager of the Virginia City Branch Bank.  He had gone over the bid he was going to submit to the Pacific Railroad for hundreds of yards of lumber necessary for the railroad ties they needed to complete the westward tracks.  The manager, Carl Andrews had advised Ben that there were several ranches adjacent to the Ponderosa who were also submitting their own bids for the lucrative contract.  But Ben Cartwright was a stubborn man who had more than his share of business acumen and was sure that he had proffered the best offer and was confident that when the representative arrived in a few days to speak to the group of ranchers, that he would win out.  Ben had the capital needed to secure the loggers and the freight wagons that it would take in order to get the lumber to the railroad line.   Finally Mister Andrews succumbed to the other man’s insistence that the contract would go to the Ponderosa and had assured Ben that if he was to run short on funds that his bank would be of assistance in providing any additional money that would be needed.  So with a handshake the two men had settled the issue and Ben had left to meet up with his two sons.

“This one’s on Hoss,” Adam smiled and handed his Pa over a mug of beer.

“Thank you, Son,” Ben nodded towards his middle boy.

Hoss frowned and handed another silver dollar to the bartender.  “Adam sure likes to decide how I spend my money!” Hoss exclaimed.

“So, is everything on track there with the bank, Pa?”

“Yes, Adam, it’s all settled.  Now we just wait for the representative of the Pacific Railroad to get to town and look over the bids.

“Well how many others do you think will be placing their bids, Pa?”  Hoss asked as he reached for his beer and took another good swig.

Ben shrugged his shoulders and replied, “Not sure, Hoss, but it’s a very lucrative contract for whoever gets it so I’d imagine there’s quite a few ranches around who will be vying for it.”

“But none of them can provide the amount of timber that we’ve got!” Adam insisted and patted his father’s shoulder.

“Well – you’re right there, Adam.  I doubt there’s a ranch around that can beat the price I’m going to quote them.”

“How about the Rocker B Ranch, Pa?  I know old Luke Billings thinks he’s got it in the bag, from what I heard from some of his trail hands a few days ago,” Hoss asked as he turned to face his father once more.

Ben smiled and shook his head over the concern being displayed on his middle boy’s face.  “Well, we will just see about that.  I’ve got to head on back home.  You boys have a good time,” Ben paused and placed the satchel which contained all of the information about the bid for the railroad underneath his arm.  Grinning over at his two sons he stated sternly, “You boys stay out of trouble and remember dinner is at seven sharp!”

Adam and Hoss laughed over their father’s statement.  They knew that they were the least likely to get into any rowdy situation there in town.  No, that was usually left to the quick tempered youngest member of the family who had yet to return.  Joe was the one who was more apt to reduce the Silver Dollar Saloon into rubble, or at least that had been the way he’d been in the past.

“Oh, I ain’t about to be late for supper, Pa!” Hoss nodded over to his father and laughed

“And we’re not about to get into any trouble either, Pa.  See you at home!” Adam sang out as he watched their father head out through the swinging doors of the saloon.

***********************************

“I’m about half starved!” Hoss sang out as he and Adam walked inside the ranch house just before seven o’clock that night.

Adam unstrapped his holster and removed his hat at the credenza and called to his brother, “You are always starving!”

“I’m a growing boy,” Hoss quipped and patted his stomach.

The two men headed to the dining table and were surprised that their father wasn’t already seated there.

“Where’s Pa?” Hoss asked as Hop Sing walked out from the kitchen.

“Mister Cartlight not come home,” The cook announced and there was displeasure all over his face.

Hoss cast a concerned glance over at his brother.  “Pa should’ve been home hours ago.  He never said anything about going anywhere else, did he?”

Adam frowned and shook his head, “No, as far as I know he was coming right back here.”

Hoss turned back out of the dining room and sang out, “Hop Sing hold my dinner – I’ve got to go check on Pa.”

“Save mine too!” Adam joined his brother at the credenza.  There might be as simple reason for his father’s delay in coming home, however they both had to make sure.  They would both head back towards town to retrace their father’s tracks in order to ease their minds.

************************************

Stifling a groan, Ben Cartwright gradually pulled himself to a seated position on the hard wood floor.  He attempted to rub at the back of his head where it was now throbbing, but he found that his wrists were bound together there in front of him.  Dazed but still fighting to assess the situation, Ben fought to remember what had happened right before everything had faded to black.  He thought on the fact that he had spent a little while with his two oldest boys at the Silver Dollar and then had mounted Buck and turned down the trail back to the Ponderosa Ranch.  Blinking his eyes to try to clear his vision his thoughts raced.  Now he remembered that there was a man in the road just off to the right side and he appeared to be struggling to change a wheel on his wagon.  Ben had only seen the man from behind and as he dismounted to give the man assistance he’d felt the crack of a gun butt at the back of his head.  He had fallen down like a sack of bricks and that was when the lights had definitely gone out.

Ben drew himself to his feet after noticing that though his wrists were bound his ankles were not.  The room was dark with only a small amount of receding light coming from an interior window.  Ben reached up and pounded on it, hoping that someone would pull back the curtain he had spotted on the other side.  After a couple of minutes the curtain inched up just a bit and Ben only saw a pair of dark eyes looking back at him.  He couldn’t make out any facial features, just the cold brown eyes.

“Who are you and what do you want?!” Ben demanded, never stopping the pounding of his fists on the wall that separated him from his captor.

“Just sit down, Cartwright, we’ll tell you what you want to know when it’s time and not before.  Now here —- go eat your supper!” The anonymous voice announced loudly.

Ben looked down to the bottom of the one door to the room and watched as a very small opening appeared and soon a metal plate was slid there inside of the room.  Ben knelt down and inspected the contents.  There were beans and a piece of bread and a small tin cup which held some water.  He shook his head angrily and drew up the meal and sat back down.  Ben began to eat what he could, with the help of the spoon which had been provided.  He wondered how long he had been out of it and if his sons had picked up Buck’s tracks yet.  Ben hoped they’d be careful and not fall victim to the same fate.

Staring at the meager meal Ben couldn’t help think about his youngest son.  Joseph had been in a similar situation earlier in the year, with several exceptions.  Joe hadn’t been gifted a spoon by his captors, and rather, had to eat with only the use of his fingers.  Then there was the cup of water.  Ben pulled it to his lips and sipped it slowly, willing the nausea from his head wound away.  Joe hadn’t been given a cup for his water, but only a bowl which had been plastered to the floor of the cellar.  That had forced his son to have to lean over and drink as Joe had described it, like an animal.  Ben had to shake himself from the thoughts of the two abductions.  He was sure that they were entirely different situations and their motives not at all alike.  Joe had been taken by two maniacs with little motive other than for the money they had been paid to hold the kid for three months.  Ben had the suspicion that his captivity might have been due somehow to the bid for the railroad contract.  He knew that whoever was in the next room now also held his satchel which had all of the facts and figures contained inside of it.  Eating only a little of the food that he’d been given, Ben leaned against the wall and waited.  He hoped that his sons would be there soon if they could find the place; wherever he was.

************************************

Making it just as far as the western-most boundary of the Ponderosa, Joe had decided to simply make camp and then continue back to the ranch house the following day.  Instead of the usual three day ride home from Stockton it had taken four due to a rather nasty storm which had come down like a gully washer, and it had forced him to seek shelter.  Joe knew he’d been expected home early that day, and due to the delay, he hoped that he wasn’t going to cause his father any added worry.  Pa had gone through enough strife over the last six months and he knew that the man could use a break from all of the stress which had been caused by Joe’s ordeal earlier that year.

The campfire brightened what had been a very dark night.  There was no moon in sight and there was a cloud bank threatening above which might end up causing another downpour.  Joe pulled his slicker out from behind his horse’s saddle and then bedded the mare down for the night.  He untied his bedroll, spreading it out right next to the warmth of the blazing fire.  Joe set the coffee pot just above the flames and was anxious for it to be ready to drink.   Too tired to open the can of beans, nor desiring to prepare the salted pork from his saddlebags, instead, Joe munched on some hardtack and jerky as he waited for the coffee to simmer.

The sound of the cocking of a rifle sent Joe’s adrenalin into full panic mode and he reached behind him for his Colt revolver.  He was too late and looked up to see a man standing right in front of the campfire holding a double barrel shotgun directed at him.

“Mister, I don’t know what you’re doing on the Ponderosa but I suggest you douse that fire right now!” The man insisted, never taking his eyes off of the saddle tramp sitting down on the ground.

“Oh — this is the Ponderosa is it?” Joe feigned ignorance, and played along for the time being.

“That’s right and less than a half of a mile from here we’ve got a herd of cattle we don’t need anyone to spook.  So if I was you I’d go put that fire out right now,” The man warned, never taking his eyes off of Joe.

“I’d heard that Ben Cartwright was a kind soul who welcomed folks who are down on their luck,” Joe continued to make conversation.

“I’ve got my orders, now get moving.  I ain’t playing around, Boy!”

Joe grinned and stood up so that he now faced the other man head on.  “Damn Fletcher, you about scared me out of a year’s growth!” Joe grinned.

“How’d you know my name?”

Joe warily eased a bit closer to the flames from the campfire and hoped the other man could get a good look into his face, even though he was dirty and unshaven.

“Joe?” Fletcher whispered and attempted to get a closer look at the boy.  “Is that really you?”

Joe laughed and that surely gave away his identity as no-one in all of Nevada had the quirky kind of laughter that was uniquely Little Joe Cartwright’s.

“Yep, fooled you, huh?”

Fletcher dropped his rifle down and reached over and shook Joe’s hand.  “I’d hate like heck to have killed my boss’ boy!” He laughed.  “Hey, what gives, Joe?  I’d think you’d be home with your brothers due to what happened to your father.”

“Huh?”

“You do know about your Pa don’t you, Joe?” Fletcher asked and watched the confusion spread out on Joe’s unwashed face.

“What?  What’s happened to Pa?” Joe asked, fighting to hold back the worry which had already begun to rise up from the pit of his stomach.

“Two days ago he was leaving town where he’d seen your brothers and next thing anyone knew he was just plain gone.  Adam and Hoss have been out for days searching for any sign of him but no luck yet.  They found Buck’s tracks about three miles inside of the ranch but then they just disappeared.  It was like the horse just vanished and took its tracks with it.  They’ve got the sheriff out looking but last I heard when I checked in about three hours ago no-one has had any luck.  I’m sorry, Little Joe I thought that’s why you came back.  I figured maybe your brothers sent you a wire or something.”

“No – no I hadn’t heard any of this.  If I had known I would have ridden through that storm last night and I sure wouldn’t be here leisurely sitting down to coffee.  What are you doing out here anyhow?  You don’t usually watch the herd.”

“Everyone’s been taking a part in the search so I offered to help out.  I guess you want to get home now, huh?”

Joe dropped his head down turning suddenly very pensive and didn’t reply right away.  Old unresolved wounds felt suddenly very fresh again.  Someone had taken his father away just as Joe had been taken away from his family and held in the worst conditions possible some six months ago.  He couldn’t imagine Pa having to go through any of the God awful pain which he had endured.  Joe knew he had to come up with some kind of a plan to free his father or die trying.

After watching the youngest Cartwright son caught up in his internal musings, Fletcher finally reached over and shook the boy’s arm to draw his attention back to the situation at hand.

“Joe?  I said are you going to head home now?”

Joe drew in a deep breath and looked over at his long-time friend.  He had some important decisions to make and time was definitely an issue now.  Struggling with both his desire to get to his father before he would be harmed and wondering exactly how to pull that off, Joe finally addressed the problem.

“Tell me the God’s honest truth, Fletcher.  Do they have any idea why someone took my Pa?  Was there a ransom note?”

The other man shook his head and responded, “No, Joe, and that’s the strangest thing about all of this.  There hasn’t been a note or word one from whoever took your father.  Adam thought it might have to do with the bid for that railroad contract.  Your Pa had all of the paperwork and his bid inside the satchel that he took with him to show the bank manager, so it’s got to be with him now.  Adam was thinking that someone wanted the Cartwrights out of the running from getting that contract since there’s a lot of money for whoever gets it.  Sheriff Coffee is questioning everyone who plans to bid on it, just to see if there are any leads.”

“Fletcher,” Joe began and paused briefly in order to get his thoughts together.  “You really didn’t recognize me a little while ago when you came into the camp here?”

“Nope, I thought for sure you were just another typical vagrant! And a smelly untidy one at that, Joe!” he laughed.  “If I’d known it was you I sure wouldn’t have pointed “Old Betsy” here on you,” He motioned down to his double barrel shotgun.

Joe nodded and sat back down on his blanket.  “Come sit down and have some coffee with me.  I won’t keep you long — I just want to run an idea by you.”

Fletcher rolled his eyes at the boy there in front of him.  One thing that Little Joe Cartwright excelled in and that was dragging other folks into his schemes.  Unfortunately those schemes rarely played out as the boy had planned and they usually caused more problems for everyone involved.

“This isn’t a game, Joe — your Pa’s life might be in jeopardy!”

Joe stared intently into the other man’s eyes and replied, “I know that —but I have an idea that just might help me figure out where they’ve taken him.  Now, just listen and I’ll explain my plan to you,” Joe urged the other man to sit and listen to him as he poured two cups of coffee.

************************************

“Where in the heck is the kid?” Adam, feeling more frustrated and worried as each hour passed, asked Hoss.

Hoss settled down onto the settee and shook his head.  “The day Pa went missing he said that Little Joe should be here in a day or two at the most.”

“I know that, so he’s had plenty of time to get here now — it’s almost been three full days!  Instead of taking a nice long relaxing vacation he should be here!”

“Oh Adam, ease up will you?  Joe doesn’t know that Pa’s missing — don’t blame him,” Hoss insisted.  He knew that his older brother was as worried as he was but blaming anything on the youngest wasn’t going to help the matter.

Adam frowned and set down his coffee cup.  He nodded over at his brother and admitted, “I’m sorry – and you’re right.  We all knew that Joe needed to get away from all that he’s been dealing with the last couple of months.  I guess I’m worried about him too – you and I both know that the kid’s going to go off when he hears about Pa!  I want him to hear it from us, Hoss, and not some random person he meets up with on the way back home.”

Nodding his head in agreement, Hoss then focused his attention on the newest edition of the Territorial Enterprise sitting there on the table.   He remarked, “They printed up the information on the reward we’re offering in the paper today.  Hopefully someone will come forward.  They’re going to send out some posters as soon as they get printed up tomorrow.  Did you get anything new out of Roy?”

“No, not really, he doesn’t have much more information than we do, Hoss.  We’ve all seen those tracks and how it looks like either someone went to great lengths to cover them up or Buck and our Pa just vanished into thin air.”

“I just can’t figure it,” Hoss announced, bewilderment in his tone.  He stood and started to pace there in front of the fireplace.  “It was easy enough to see that there was a wagon not far from those last prints from Buck’s horseshoes and then they just stopped.  If someone got our Pa and threw him inside that wagon there was still the matter of taking his horse off somewhere to get rid of it.   It’s about the most dad gum confusing thing I’ve ever seen!”

“I know what you mean, Hoss.  When I spoke to Roy he said he can’t figure this out either.   He’s already spoken to the four ranch owners who were planning to bid on that railroad contract.  He’s asked every one of them about their whereabouts the day that Pa disappeared.  They all said they weren’t anywhere near the Ponderosa and don’t have any idea what happened to him.  Roy said he’d follow up on their alibis, but who knows how long that will take?  Maybe we’re missing something and Pa’s disappearance isn’t tied to the railroad bid?”

“Well that representative is supposed to get to town in just a few days from what Pa said.  I still think it’s a big leap not to think it’s all connected somehow,” Hoss insisted, his brow etched with worry.

Hop Sing padded in from the kitchen and walked over to the two Cartwrights and announced “You come now!  You no find father if you no eat!  Come for supper.”

Hoss and Adam exchanged glances and then looked over to Hop Sing.  They could read the worry on the Oriental member of the family’s face.

“Okay, Hop Sing – we’ll do our best.  Come on, Brother,” Adam said and patted his brother’s back trying to coax him to eat.  He knew that they would need to keep up their strength.  They would go back out at first light to search again for their father.  Giving up on their Pa was not an option, not as long as there was still breath in their bodies.

*************************************

Fletcher had sat there next to Joe Cartwright for more than an hour and listened intently to what he considered to be utter insanity being proffered by the kid.  Fletcher shook his head wondering what was going on in the boy’s brain to make him come up with the kind of plan that he had just laid out to him.  Finally he stood and tossed the remainder of his coffee off to the side of the campfire.

“Little Joe, I think you just might be a tad off of your rocker!” Fletcher exclaimed.

“Well, that’s beside the point,” Joe remarked and nodded over to the other man, acknowledging the fact that what he had just said was the truest statement he had heard all night.  He hurriedly began packing up the camp.  “I just need to know that you’ll go along with what I’ve asked you.”

“Why don’t you just go home, Boy?  I know your brothers are waiting on you to show up, they said something about it just this morning.”

Joe’s hazel eyes felt as though they were burning their gaze directly through to Fletcher’s soul.  His desire to find Pa was so great and intense that it could also be felt by the other man as Joe sang out, “I can do this!  I know that I can.  But, I need to have someone who I can trust on the inside.”

Fletcher frowned and shook his head, “Yeah and you want that someone to be me!  That’s what’s bothering me, Joe!  Your hair-brained schemes rarely work and they usually end up getting all those who partner with you into big trouble.  And this time — like I said – we’re talking about your Pa’s life.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” In Joe’s reply each individual word came out with an intensity which was palpable.

Fletcher had spotted the slight glistening of tears which were in Joe’s eyes and he knew that they were there due to the concern that the young man had for his father.  Fletcher, as well as everyone who had ever known Joe Cartwright, was well aware that Joe loved his family, and foremost the kid loved his father and would gladly sacrifice his own life for his Pa’s safe return.

Fletcher sighed and reached over and touched Joe’s shoulder sympathetically, “Okay, I’ll do it — foolish as it might be – I’ll do it.”

“Thanks,” Joe smiled, relieved to have gotten through to his friend.  “I’m going to need you to tell my brothers that you picked up a telegram from me and it said that I’m going to be delayed a week.  Just tell them that the wire said I left Stockton later than I’d planned and that I’ll be taking the long way back home.”

“What if they ask to see it, Joe?”

“Then just check your pockets and try to look around for it like you misplaced it or something.  What with being so worried about my Pa they’re not going to ask many questions.  They’ll probably just get mad at me for a few minutes – and Adam will fuss the loudest!   But then both of them will just chalk it up to the fact that I’m not the dependable one in the family and then leave it alone.”

“Yeah, I can see that alright!” Fletcher grinned.  “Okay, what are you planning on doing?”

“I’m going to see what I can find out.  Being a saddle tramp has its advantages and maybe I’ll hear something in my travels.   I’m going to check every danged line shack, cabin and outhouse from here to Carson.  If it works out you’ll know first.  And if I don’t find Pa then I’ll go back home and say that I coerced you to help me and that will get you off of the hook, okay?”

Fletcher pulled his horse over to mount up and called across the saddle to Joe, “How will I know if something happens to you?  I mean what if you find whoever kidnapped your father and they get you too?”

“I just wish they would!” Joe exclaimed, his voice uncharacteristically sharp and deadly.

Fletcher was taken aback by the defiant look on Joe’s face which had given him the impression that the boy relished the chance to get kidnapped again.  It was almost as if Joe was hoping that the outcome of his masquerade would be his abduction.  That was the last thing that Fletcher had ever expected to hear coming out of Joe Cartwright’s mouth.  Everyone on the ranch, and in the surrounding counties, was well aware that Joe had gone missing for three months earlier in the year and Fletcher figured that the boy surely had had his fill with being held hostage.  He finally reasoned that Joe had made his statement simply because he was worried about his father.  It was either that or Fletcher had to admit that the kid had truly lost his mind due to all of the time he’d spent in captivity.

“If I don’t hear back from you in seven days, Joe, friend or no friend and job or no job I’m going to have to tell your brothers about all of this!” the man threatened and swung up into his saddle.

“That’s fine,” Joe nodded.  “I’m going to douse this fire like you asked me so politely to do earlier and head on out.  I’ll see you — and thanks!”

“Good luck, Boy!” Fletcher said and kicked at the sides of his horse to head back to the cow camp.  He had to try and push aside the deep down dread he had inside over having allowed Joe to talk him into the charade.  Fletcher hoped that the kid knew what he was getting himself into.  Sometimes he wondered how Little Joe Cartwright had ever lived to the ripe old age of twenty- three, as the boy always seemed to be heading into trouble and never away from it.

*************************************

“Cartwright — got something for you!” A voice from the next room shouted.

Ben, who had been deep in thought, heard the sound coming from the bottom of the door and watched as something was shoved inside of the room.  He walked over and bent down and retrieved the newspaper now lying on the floor.  The opening there at the door closed up swiftly, leaving only the faint light from behind the window curtain that separated the two rooms.  It didn’t offer much in the way of brightness, but was enough for him to see what the headline read.

***Ben Cartwright missing, reward of five thousand dollars offered by his sons for information leading to the rancher’s safe return*** Ben read to himself as he stared down at the headline of the Territorial Enterprise.

“Hey, you in there!” Ben shouted as he stood next to the interior window.  He waited to see if the eyes would reappear.  When several minutes had passed and he had banged his fists against the wall enough times to make both hands throb, Ben tried once more.  “Why don’t we just cut to the chase and either tell me who you are and what you want or just go and collect this reward money and tell my family where I am?”

The window curtain finally rose just a tad and the pair of dark brown eyes appeared again.

“Not going to be that easy, Cartwright.  You just sit yourself down and read the paper.  You haven’t seen anything yet.  We’ve got more to show you, just be patient.”

Ben frowned and moved down onto the floor under the window so he could see a bit better.  He pulled the newspaper back up into his hands.  There wasn’t anything more that he could do at the time, other than to pray and worry about his sons.  He would do both and then he would also read the rest of the newspaper to keep himself occupied.  Pa knew that his boys would close ranks and become a mighty force to be reckoned with when it came to finding him.  He just hoped that his sons would all stay together and be safe as they searched for clues as to his whereabouts.

*************************************

The loud pounding on the front door late that night caused both Adam and Hoss to run out of their upstairs bedrooms and almost collide there on the stairs.  With only their nightshirts covering them, both men hurried down into the living room where only the dying embers of the large fireplace gave any light to assist them on their advance across the room and over to see who was knocking so hard and now shouting out their names.

Adam pulled the door inward and looked down at one of the hired hands who seemed to be very out of breath.  “Cody?  What’s going on?  Did you find our father?”

“No – no Adam, it’s a fire – a fire up on the hogback just above Syler’s Ridge!  It’s a big one –and everyone’s doing what they can but it’s burning fast!”

Hoss exchanged an apprehensive glance with his brother and said, “Anyone know how it started?”

“No idea, Hoss.  But it’s wreaking havoc and there’s no way to contain it.”

“Let’s get changed,” Adam addressed his brother and then turned back in the direction of Cody.  “Get our horses saddled, will you?”

“Sure thing — meet you two outside!” Cody answered breathlessly and then turned to run out to the barn.

Hoss and Adam jogged to the staircase, both of them wondering just how so much could be going wrong all at once.

“You don’t think someone set it on purpose as just another way to stop us from making that bid on the railroad contract do you?” Hoss asked as he readied to turn into his bedroom to pull on his clothes.

“Don’t know, Hoss – let’s just go see what we can find out.  Shake a leg now – we’ve got to hurry on out there!”

Hoss didn’t say another word, but, instead just continued inside his bedroom to get dressed as quickly as he could.

************************************

At the exact same time as his brothers were racing out to where the fire was raging, just a mile or so from the northeastern corner of the Ponderosa, Joe was sitting in the back of the Bucket of Blood Saloon in Virginia City.  It was very late but there were still quite a few patrons, most of whom were drunk.  Sitting alone at the very back of the bar, Joe had his dark dingy brown second hand hat pulled down shading his eyes.  He needn’t have worried as due to the way he looked and smelled, plus the fact that he was sporting a right handed holster, no-one would’ve ever guessed that he was Joe Cartwright.  His main reason for sitting there was to try to hear any of the local scuttlebutt and hopefully someone just might mention something about his Pa’s abduction.  Instead, however, just a few hours later when he was getting ready to call it quits, came the news of the fire there on the Ponderosa.  Joe’s heart had dropped in his chest when someone, who wasn’t known to him by name, ran inside the Bucket of Blood and sang out the news of the fire on the ranch.  Racing outside, and for just a minute deciding to give up his secret persona, Joe relaxed when Sheriff Coffee passed by and shouted inside the saloon that heavy rain had put out the large blaze and everything there at the Ponderosa was going to be alright.  Roy had then walked right past the youngest Cartwright totally oblivious to the fact that his best friend’s son was inches from his elbow for just a few moments.

“Thank you, God,” Joe whispered as he looked heavenward.  The last thing they all needed was for a fire to spread out of control there on the ranch.  Joe remembered the menacing wall of clouds which had followed him home from California and they had chosen the most opportune time to let loose heavy rain there on the Ponderosa.  Joe had left the chestnut mare over across the street from the saloon as there was very little light on that side of C Street.  He didn’t want anyone to notice that the horse wore the Ponderosa pine tree brand.  In fact, Joe knew that somehow he needed to change out his mount for one with a much less conspicuous brand.  He knew of an old friend who just might be able to assist him in his efforts to get another horse, so Joe hurriedly mounted the mare and headed right out to where the man lived.  There was no time like the present, he thought, though it was well after midnight.  Joe imagined how well he would be received by his old friend, that is, once he realized who he was.  Knowing that he looked and smelled equally bad, Joe fought a smile when he thought on how Sandy Phillips would think he had gone plum loco.  It wouldn’t bother Joe to be called that, as he had been called far worse by his friend over the many years that they’d known each other.

*************************************

Adam and Hoss walked inside the ranch house after hours of dealing with the small pockets of fire that were still smoldering up at the hogback.  They were soaked to the skin, not having the chance to fetch their slickers before they had hurriedly mounted late the previous night.  Hop Sing witnessed the faces of the two Cartwright brothers and hurried to get some coffee brought out to them.

Hoss sat down on the coffee table and tried to warm himself from the fire which Hop Sing had stoked when he had gotten up that morning.  He wanted to go change his clothes but he was too tired.  Adam was much the same, though he just stood there in front of the fireplace, his face creased with worry.

“That was set on purpose, Adam,” Hoss said sullenly.  “Someone is out to destroy us, and worst of all they’ve got our Pa!”

Adam drew in a deep breath and turned to face his brother.  “It sure seems like it.  We had some hired hands not too far from there and they told me that there wasn’t any lightning that could have set that fire off.  The questions are who and why.  That’s not where we would be logging if we got that contract so why did they choose that area?”

“Beats me, but I’d sure like to get my hands on the ones who did it!  We lost about five or six good acres, not to mention the animals that died because of that arsonist!  What do we do now, Brother?”

Hop Sing came in with his hands loaded down with a tray.  He set the coffee and the cups there on the table and looked at the two young men.  “I ready breakfast now.  You eat then maybe head clear and you think better.”

“Thanks, Hop Sing,” Hoss nodded and poured two cups of coffee and handed one over to his brother.

“I’m going to go into town and talk to Roy again.  Like as not he’s already been asking around about the fire so maybe he’ll have some news.”

“I’m mad about that fire, but I’m madder about the fact that we’ve not gotten any closer to finding our Pa!” Hoss exclaimed.

“Maybe our luck will change.  At least God smiled upon us last night!  If it hadn’t been for that deluge we would’ve lost hundreds of acres.  I guess it’s like Pa always says, to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose unto heaven.  That’s about the only thing I can come up with right now, Hoss.  I think I’m a little bit punchy from lack of sleep.  I’m not even sure if I quoted that right.”

“Sounded okay to me, c’mon let’s eat,” Hoss said and headed over to the dining room where Hop Sing was putting out a big spread.

*************************************

“I swear Little Joe if you EVER wake me up in the middle of the night again I’m going to go ahead and shoot you for real!” Sandy Phillips exclaimed as he stood out by his corral.

“You darn near shot me last night!” Joe replied, and fought a smile.

“Well, I thought you were a rustler.  I mean just look at you – you are a mess, Boy!  Where’d you get those clothes, out of the trash bin?  And you smell like you’ve not had a bath in a month!”

“Hey I told you I needed a disguise to try and find my Pa – now do I get the horse or not?  I’ve got to get going.  Pa’s gone and there’s someone out there setting fire to the Ponderosa too!”

Sandy pulled the wooden gate open and walked out towards an older horse that was grazing out at the far side of the corral.  He gently reached for the horse’s lead and pulled the animal over to where Joe now waited.

“That’s the one who does the lame trick, right?” Joe asked hopefully.

Sandy nodded and said, “Yeah, this is Dixie and she’s not as fast as Cochise but she’ll get you where you need to go.  I never put a hot brand on her as I’m fond of her, Joe, so don’t you dare let anything happen to her or I swear I’ll shoot you with that shotgun I pulled on you last night!”

Joe patted the horse’s neck and replied, “I’ll treat her like my own.  Now how do you signal her to pretend to be lame?”

“Just give Dixie a little tap here right on her withers and she’ll start limping with her front right.  She’ll keep doing it until you give a good strong pat to the right side of her neck – not enough to hurt her mind you!” Sandy explained to his friend how to signal the horse if he needed her to appear like she had gone lame.

“Got it,” Joe nodded and walked across the yard to retrieve his saddle.  He also took his saddlebags over to Sandy.  “You wouldn’t mind keeping some of my good clothes here, would you?  I’ve got to look like I’ve only got the shirt on my back you know!”

“You look like a real bum Joe it shouldn’t be hard for you to play the part of a saddle tramp.  Okay, I’ll keep them here along with that chestnut mare.  Who all knows about this by the way?”

“Just you and Fletcher, and I’d like to keep it that way, okay?”

“Okay – no-one would believe it anyhow,” Sandy laughed and then he noticed Joe’s holster.  “You sure you can handle being right handed?”

“Yep – had lots of practice,” Joe returned as he threaded the bellyband to the saddle and readied to take off on Dixie.  “I sure appreciate this, Sandy.  Just as soon as I have my Pa home I’ll bring Dixie back.”

“Be careful Joe!” Sandy called after his friend as Joe headed out towards the Ponderosa.

*************************************

Ben Cartwright had enough of being held hostage.  He walked around the room testing every single board to see if he could break through somehow.  Every now and then he’d see the curtain pull up and the same brown eyes looking over at him.  The man inside laughed and told him that there was no escape but that didn’t stop Ben from trying.  He finally had to give in to the harsh reality that there wasn’t a weak board in the place.  And he had no idea if he was in a cabin, house, or a line shack.  All that Ben had seen since waking up was the one room and an interior window with a curtain that separated him from getting his hands on whoever was on the other side staring at him.

“I got you another newspaper, Cartwright.  This one is hot off of the presses,” The man in the next room laughed and soon the opening at the bottom of the door was once again visible and a paper was shoved into the room.

Ben drew up the Territorial Enterprise again and his anger mounted after reading the new headline.

*** Fire at Ponderosa Ranch destroys five acres! ***

“Too bad about that fire huh, Ben?” came the voice from the next room.

“Who are you and why are you doing all of this?!”  Ben demanded as he stood next to the window and pounded his fists on the wall again.

“You got lucky with that downpour, but you never know it just might happen again.  Now go read your paper and shut the hell up!”

*** When I get out of here I’ll take care of you! *** Ben thought to himself and then he settled back down onto the hard wood floor and tried to finish reading about what had happened on the ranch.  He prayed that his three boys were all safe and also his hired hands and anyone else who had happened to be in the area where the fire had raged the previous night.  Ben hoped that help would arrive soon so he could go out after whoever was wreaking havoc on the ranch.

************************************

Joe had to duck behind an outcropping of boulders when he saw that his brother Adam was coming precariously close to him.  He watched as his brother kept riding, Joe presumed into Virginia City.  Adam never spotted the boy on the gray mare and even if he had, he’d never have thought the rider was his little brother.  Joe patted the horse and began to check all the line shacks that existed on the Ponderosa.  He figured that Pa had been snatched just three miles inside the border so he just might be held prisoner somewhere on his own ranch.

Laying out on his bedroll later that night, Joe stared up at the clear star filled sky and thought on all of the places that he had gone that day.  He had forgotten just how many line shacks that existed there on the Ponderosa.  Joe had hit about half of them and still had more to try to get to the following day.  The last of which were very well scattered and a great distance from each other so it would be hard to accomplish in one day, but he’d sure try.  He was growing frustrated and his worry had heightened over his father’s safety.  Joe couldn’t help wondering if Pa was suffering from any of the forms of torture that he had gone through months ago.  He couldn’t see that, as his father always seemed indestructible to him.  Still, if someone had the drop on you there wasn’t too much that you could do if they had it out for you and wanted to cause you harm.  Or at least that’s how it had been for Joe who was held as a prisoner for three months in a cabin far away by two despicable brothers.  Joe had to push away the constant memories of how badly they had harmed him because now he had to stay focused on Pa.  He couldn’t quite understand why those thoughts just kept coming into his mind.  All of those who had been involved with his own abduction were now dead, that was a pure fact.  Yet, Joe had an odd jittery feeling right in his solar plexus that warned him that somehow both events were tied together.  As he tried to shake loose from the dreaded thought of it all, Joe’s eyes suddenly focused down to his arms.  He had rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows due to the unseasonable heat.   And now, looking down at both arms, Joe noticed that the hair was standing straight up.  And on top of that he also realized that the hairs on the nape of his neck were standing on end as well.

*** It just can’t be! *** Joe thought to himself as he drew in a deep breath to try to ward off the sickness he was feeling in the pit of his stomach.  *** They’re all dead, so why do I feel like they’re not?  It’s probably just my nerves – or maybe I’m just crazy like I told Pa I was months ago? *** Joe pushed his shirt sleeves back down and reached for some coffee.  Still, his uneasiness persisted and he decided that there might be something to his intuition.  He would go in another direction the next day in order to ease his mind and hopefully dispel any notions that both events had anything to do with each other.

*************************************

“Did you hear what Fletcher said, Adam?” Hoss called over to his brother who was seated at their father’s desk in his study.

“Yeah, I heard,” Adam sighed and shook his head.  “Remind me to hit the kid when he gets back — that is – if he ever decides to grace us with his presence.  Pa told him he could have a month so now he’s taking advantage of our father’s good nature.  I’d like to smack him, Hoss.”

Hoss didn’t want to smile, because things there at home were far too intense.  But, hearing what his older brother had said did tickle him.  The thought had amused him that here they were in the midst of such terrible trouble and still Adam was ranting, as always, about Little Joe.  It all seemed oddly comforting to the middle brother as he fought back a grin aimed towards Adam.  It was nice to know that at least some things never changed.

“If Little Joe knew about Pa he’d high tail it home so fast that it would seem like a tornado hit the Ponderosa, Adam!  Hopefully we’ll find Pa before our little brother gets back.”

Adam stared up at the eternal optimist standing next to him and replied, “I guess it’s just as well, Hoss.  Knowing Joe he’d either end up getting shot or kidnapped himself.  But, I do still want to smack him.”

Hoss looked over at Adam and read the gleam in his eyes.  He knew that his older brother worried about Joe, it was just a matter of not wanting anyone to know it, especially not the kid.

“Roy said he found a couple of cans of coal oil out in the area where the fire started last night.  He had to dig around a while before he turned them up, or so he said.”

“Yeah, I heard that too, Adam.  I just wish he’d dig a bit more to find out where Pa is!  Nobody has tried to get that reward money yet and without a ransom note there’s just no telling who’s holding Pa or why.”

“I still think it’s that timber deal with the railroad!” Adam exclaimed and moved towards the dining room where Hop Sing was setting out their supper.  “The representative from the Pacific Railroad is due to arrive tomorrow — I heard that piece of news from Mister Andrews at the bank today.  Maybe if whoever did this wins the contract he’ll just let Pa go?  I mean if he’s just trying to cut down the competition it seems likely.  I doubt anyone is going to kill our father just to win a contract, even a highly sought after one.”

“I sure hope you’re right,” Hoss nodded solemnly, still feeling uneasy about the whole situation.

“You eat now – no talk of worries at table,” Hop Sing insisted as he set down a platter of roast beef.  “Troubles easier to take on full belly!”

“Who said that, Confucius?” Hoss asked the cook.

“No – I say that — you not hear good Mister Hoss,” Hop Sing sounded out, and there was a little twinkle in his eye and both brothers knew that the man was trying to ease their burdens with his attempt at humor.

Hoss smiled and shook his head, as did Adam and Hop Sing was well pleased as he returned to the kitchen to bring out more food.  He felt like it was his job to try to keep spirits up at the ranch house while continuing to pray that Ben would return to them all very soon.

*************************************

Fletcher had his arms loaded down with supplies as he moved inside a line shack which sat ten miles from the Ponderosa ranch house.  He jumped back and almost fell when he heard his name whispered from just behind the door.

“Damn it, Little Joe!” Fletcher yelled as he jumped back, dropping the supplies all over the floor.

“Sorry,” Joe muttered and bent down to help the man pick up what he had dumped out of his arms.

“What are you doing here?  And why’d you have to scare me like that?” The other man fumed, still trying to dislodge the lump of fright from his throat.

“Is there any news about my father yet?”

“No – sorry – nothing yet though we’re all still out there looking every day.  What about your plan – have you gotten anywhere with that disguise of yours?”

“No not yet – I just stopped to see you because I need some field glasses – and well—I saw you heading back from town with the supplies and followed you out here.  You had your back turned to me so I just slipped in here just in case anyone else was hanging around.

“Well, as you can see there ain’t nobody else here.  Don’t you never do that to me again, Boy!”

Joe had to get back to the point as he was still on a mission to find his father and bring him home safely.  “Okay, I won’t, I just have to be careful right now.  Now do you have any?”

Fletcher frowned and shook his head, still upset over the way Joe just popped in and out without warning.  He finally answered, “Follow me to the buckboard I’ve got a pair out there.”

Joe and Fletcher moved out of the line shack and over to the wagon and the hired hand reached underneath the bench seat and retrieved the field glasses.

“Should I ask you why you need these?” Fletcher asked Joe warily.

Joe gave a wry smile and answered, “Naw – you wouldn’t like it.  Hey did my brothers get mad about that little telegraph I supposedly sent?”

Fletcher watched as Joe mounted the gray mare.  He smiled up at the boy and replied, “I suppose they’ve come to expect it of you.  Hoss took it in stride but Adam fussed for a few minutes.”

“I told you so!” Joe quipped as he readied to leave.  “I’ll see you, and thanks!”

“You ever scare me again like you did a minute ago and I’m probably going to shoot you, Boy!”

Joe laughed and called down to the other man, “You’re about the third person who’s said that to me in the last couple of days.  Good thing you’re old and slow!” Joe kicked at the mare’s sides and sent her into a gallop leaving Fletcher standing there cussing at his boss’ youngest kid.

************************************

While Ben Cartwright sat on the cold wood floor in the room where he’d been held captive for days and tried to force himself to eat a rather bland breakfast, his two oldest boys were busy checking in town to see if the sheriff had any news.  While they sat in Roy Coffee’s office in Virginia City, their brother was laying on his stomach on a hill overlooking the outskirts of a ranch which sat close to the southeastern border of the Ponderosa.

Joe tried to turn the focus wheel of the field glasses slowly in order to get a better view down onto the neighboring ranch and the goings on there.  He could see several cowboys milling about.  They looked to be just typical hired hands tending to the stock there.  Joe shifted his attention to movement he noticed just to the west of the breaking corral.  The two men he spotted weren’t dressed as typical ranch hands, being too finely dressed for that.  Joe watched as they entered the ranch house, closing the door behind them.

*** I don’t remember anybody talking about that ranch ever getting sold to anyone *** Joe thought to himself.  Though he hadn’t paid much attention to the place for months, still, he figured that someone would’ve mentioned it if anyone had purchased the large ranch.  *** I wonder why nobody from that place has even tried to come by and introduce themselves to us – unless there’s a reason and they already have an issue with having the Cartwrights as neighbors*** Joe mused and then he felt the hair on the nape of his neck lift on end once again, just like it had the previous night.  *** I think I know the answer to my own question.  Now it’s time to try out my theory. *** Joe stood and eased back over to his borrowed mount.

************************************

“Listen, Boys, I’ve tried everything I can to try to find your father,” Roy said pulling himself up from his desk and shaking his head very discouraged.  “If it’s like you think, Adam, and is somehow linked to that contract for the railroad then like as not we should have some news after the bid gets accepted.  Were you two going to try to submit a bid on that contract for your Pa?”

Adam frowned and replied, “Pa had all of the facts and figures with him when he was taken.  I could try to put something together, but to tell you the truth Roy our hearts aren’t in it — not unless we find Pa.”

“It’s whoever set that fire, Roy – that’s who’s got Pa!” Hoss now stood to face the sheriff.

“I know, Hoss, but I haven’t chased down any leads about that either.  You know how I feel about Ben I’m doing the best I can.”

Adam reached over and set his hand down onto Roy’s shoulder sympathetically.  “We know that Roy.  It’s just that none of this makes any sense.  There hasn’t been any bad blood between our Pa and anyone in a long while, so unless his abduction happened due to that contract then nothing makes any sense at all.”

The sheriff nodded and replied, “Yeah, it’s not like when your little brother got snatched up earlier this year — we were able to track that down to Preston Hilliard pretty quickly.  I wish we were as lucky this time – at least we had a name or two in that situation.  Hey, where’s Little Joe anyhow?  I meant to ask you the other day.  Wasn’t the kid due back?”

Hoss watched as his brother’s mouth formed into a scowl.  It seemed as though the more Adam worried about their father’s abduction, the more impatient he grew over Joe’s delayed return home.

“The kid’s taking his sweet time coming home, Roy.   Pa would skin him alive if he was home and not taken off somewhere,” Adam insisted, anger very apparent in his tone of voice.

“He’ll be back in a few days,” Hoss jumped in to try to quiet the increasing ire he felt rising up inside of his brother.

Roy looked back and forth between his best friend’s two sons.  He couldn’t help thinking about how proud Ben would’ve been to see them trying to pull together to find him and keep the ranch going too.  “It’s like as not better that Little Joe isn’t here just yet, Boys.  He’d go off half-cocked and maybe get himself shot or taken hostage.  Hopefully by the time the boy gets home your Pa will be back where he belongs.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Roy,” Adam nodded to the sheriff and walked to the door alongside Hoss.

“I’ll see you – and try not to worry,” Roy said and realized it was a danged stupid piece of advice that he’d just given to the Cartwright brothers.  *** Not worry!  Of course you’re going to worry — I’m worried – so I’d imagine you both are about half out of your minds over what’s happened to your pa!  What a fool thing to say Roy *** the sheriff thought to himself.

************************************

Joe had spent most of the day surveying the area and formulating a plan to get inside the two room cabin he’d spied just inside the northern border of the ranch close to where it butted up to the Ponderosa’s boundary line.  Trying his best to stay out of sight, Joe bided his time and waited to make his move right before sunset.  He would need there to be some light as he figured he’d be spotted pretty soon after he crossed onto the ranch.  Joe closed his eyes and thought on how his stomach had knotted up after seeing two things earlier that day.  First it had been the sign which read “Hilliard Ranch” and the second and hardest thing he’d noticed, was the buckskin horse which had been grazing inside a very small and secluded corral just behind the two room cabin.  It had taken every ounce of willpower that he possessed to hold off and not just rush the place the moment he had spotted Buck.  Joe couldn’t chance his Pa getting hurt if he tried to go in haphazardly.  He’d never been known to have patience everyone knew that about the youngest Cartwright boy.  But knowing that his father was almost close enough to touch and having to wait to get to him was becoming unbearable as he watched the retreat of the sun.

*** If you’ve hurt my Pa I swear I’ll kill every last one of you!  Hell – I’ll probably kill you even if Pa isn’t hurt — just to rid the world of you.  I know it can’t be Preston or Franklin back from the dead, but it’s somebody with the last name of Hilliard – I feel it – I can smell it.  And I’ll pay you back as soon as Pa is safely out of there *** Joe swore to himself as he readied to make his move.

“Somebody’s coming!” A man standing just a few yards away from the front porch of the two room cabin yelled over to another man standing in the doorway.

The other man, dressed all in black squinted across the field and spotted what looked like some kind of a saddle tramp walking alongside of a gray mare that was walking as though it was lame.  “Stay out of sight until he comes knocking on the door here and says what he wants!  If he acts like he’s going to be a problem or if he asks too many questions then take care of him.”

“Looks like he’s leading a horse that’s gone lame,” the first man announced.

“I can see just as good as you can.  Just stay out of sight – go on now!” The man in black insisted and then walked back inside of the cabin.

Joe Cartwright slowly made his way over to the cabin, being sure to come in diagonally so he’d be able to see the corral.  He needed to get his story straight so that when he mentioned Pa’s horse it wouldn’t seem suspicious.  Joe figured if he made it by the corral then it wouldn’t sound too obvious when he mentioned the two horses that he spotted back there.  After a few minutes he made it close to the cabin, making sure that anyone who had looked outside before he was going to knock on the door would see that his horse was limping badly.

“Hey!” Joe sang out as he knocked on the door to the cabin.  “Hey, anyone in there?  I could use some help.”

“What are you doing here?” The voice from inside called through the closed door.

“My horse – she’s come up lame and I could use some help.  I was trying to make it to Virginia City to look for work and there’s no way I can make it without a horse.  Any chance that you’ll either loan me a horse or let me make a trade with my horse?  She might only have a stone bruise – I ain’t exactly sure.”

“I don’t have any horses to loan you and I’m not about to make a deal on a horse that’s lame.  Now go away I’m eating my dinner.”

Joe drew in a deep breath.   He had hoped to be let in and if so was planning on shooting first and asking questions later.  He had to come up with something or he might put Pa in even more jeopardy.

“I seen a buckskin horse as I walked in a few minutes ago.  What about that one?  My first horse was a buckskin and I’ve got a few dollars plus this mare.”

“Buckskin huh, did you get a good look at it?” The man continued to call through the closed door.  He had to figure out just how well the saddle tramp had looked at the horse.

“Yeah — I did and I seen that pine tree brand.  Isn’t that the Ponderosa brand?  I wasn’t exactly sure where I was when I turned off the road when my horse took lame – is this the Ponderosa?” Joe asked, knowing that his question would surely get a response this time.

“Yeah, this is the Ponderosa.  You just stay put a minute and I’ll see what I can do for you,” The man sang out and, just as he figured, he heard the crack of the butt of a gun.   He walked outside and saw that the saddle tramp was laid out on the porch.

“I heard everything that he said,” The other man said as he bent down and pulled Joe’s gun out of his holster.  “He was asking too many questions and once he mentioned seeing that Ponderosa brand on Cartwright’s horse I figured it was about time for the lights to go out for him.”

The man in black checked Joe’s jacket, shirt and pants to make sure he didn’t have any other guns or knives and then looked over at his partner in crime.  “I guess old Ben is going to have a roommate for a while.  Help me get him tied up and we’ll toss him in the back room.”

“The boss isn’t going to like this much,” He replied and retrieved some rope which was inside the cabin.  He handed some over to his partner.

“Well we could just shoot this guy but I’m sure our boss doesn’t want us to go killing just anyone.  Besides he’s not much more than a kid and can’t pose much of a threat.  Now let’s get him inside!”

The two men tied Joe’s hands in front of him and his ankles together.  Then they dragged him inside the cabin.  Next they pulled up their neckerchiefs to conceal their faces and slid back the wooden plank which reinforced the door to the room where Ben was being held.

Ben watched as two men walked inside of the room lugging the still body of what appeared to be a grungy looking saddle tramp with them.  The man in black garb pulled out his Colt revolver and pointed it directly at Ben to make sure he wouldn’t try for the door.

“Better tie Cartwright’s ankles together too.  We don’t need these two huddling together and trying something that might get them killed,” The man in black insisted.

Soon both Ben and an incognito Joe Cartwright were alone in the back room of the cabin.  The light inside of the room was still very faint, as it had been the whole time that Pa had been held there.  Though it was dim, it did afford Ben just enough illumination to see the young man who was lying on his stomach unconscious.  Ben waited until he heard the boot steps of the two men walking away from the door and then he stretched his body out far enough to slightly kick at the young man’s boot heels in an attempt to bring him back around.

“Mister – come on wake up!  Wake up!” Ben urged as he continued to kick at the heels of the boy across the room.

Almost ten full minutes later the still figure on the floor began to move a bit and moan.

“That’s it — come back – what’s your name and what are you doing here?” Ben whispered.

Joe fought to remember where he was and what he was doing there.  As his vision began to clear he pulled himself from the position on his stomach and inched slowly against the wall just opposite where his father sat.  Wincing his face as his head throbbed he stared across the room and wanted to smile when he saw Pa for the first time.  But he knew he needed to wait.  He wasn’t sure if anyone was listening in and he noticed that there was an interior window separating the two rooms and Joe wanted to be sure that no-one was trying to get a look at what was going on.

“If you’ve got the kind of headache that I had when I got tossed inside here then I feel sorry for you,” Ben said.  “My name’s Ben Cartwright.  Sorry I can’t give you the customary handshake,” He indicated the ropes which bound his hands there in front of him.

“Name’s Jim — Jim Rivers,” Joe tried his best to avoid his father’s eyes for the time being and also attempted to disguise his voice.

“You remind me of someone,” Ben paused and tried again to get a better view of the very dirty looking young man.

“Oh?” Joe whispered, as he dropped his head down a bit more.  He was worried that Pa might say too much and someone just might overhear him.

Ben scanned the boy’s face, and though there was a stubble of beard and a pathetic start of a mustache along with a whole lot of dirt it still wasn’t enough.  His son could hide under all of the muck at the bottom of the dirtiest pond around and he could grow a beard longer than General Grant, but he couldn’t hide his mother’s eyes or the brown curls which graced his head; even though they were a lot longer than when he’d last seen his boy.  Ben fought to control his mirth even though now there happened to be two Cartwrights being held hostage, it still amused Pa that Joseph had thought that his own father couldn’t see through his little disguise.

“Yes, you remind me of somebody I use to know.  But –well – that’s quite impossible,” Ben said and shook his head.

Joe tried his best to continue to avoid Pa’s questioning eyes wondering if he was close to figuring out who now sat opposite him.

“Now I know!” Ben called over to the grungy young man.  “I think I saw you on a wanted poster in the sheriff’s office – yes that must’ve been it.  You said your name’s Jim?”

“Uh yeah – that’s right,” Joe whispered.

Ben shook his head and replied, “No – it wasn’t that name – unless you’ve taken on an assumed name?”

“Not wanted anywhere,” Joe answered, still trying his best to change the normal pitch of his voice.

“Oh yes you are,” Ben nodded showing an insistence in his reply.

Joe sat silently not knowing what he could say in response this time.

“You are wanted back at the Ponderosa – because your vacation is now over, Joseph!” Pa called across the room.  There was a rather stern inflection in his voice as he kicked at Joe’s boot heels again.

Joe broke into a smile when he realized that Pa must have known his identity all along, or at least ever since he had pulled himself to a seated position and his father had gotten a look at his dirty unshaven face.

“Hi, Pa,” Joe whispered and sent over a wry smile.

Ben shook his head in disbelief as he stared over at the unkept and very shabby looking young man before him.  “Joseph, you are an absolute mess.  Just look at you!   Now I know why those men out there put you in here with me.  It was a way to make my captivity even worse to deal with.”

“How is having me in here with you worse than being by yourself?”

“Joseph – I guess you haven’t been downwind of yourself lately!  You left home a month ago — and from what I can tell you’ve not only lost your razor but your ability to bathe too.  And just look at your hair —-

Joe cut his father off and said, “Yeah I’ve missed you too, Pa.”

“A face only a father could love,” Ben muttered as he fought off a smile at the kid.  “Okay, tell me why you’re here.  Honestly after all you went through earlier this year I’d think you’d be more careful and wouldn’t allow yourself to be taken hostage!”

Joe grinned and replied, “Pa, I purposely got kidnapped.”

“You what?!” Ben had to hold down the volume to his voice, but regardless, his son could tell that Pa was screaming in a whisper somehow.

“Yeah, I had to find you and once I spotted Buck I didn’t have time to go get help so I let them take me.”

“Are you crazy?”

“I asked you that over and over again a few months ago and you insisted that I was not crazy.  You can’t go changing your mind now!” Joe argued the point, all the while grinning.

“Well then that last crack to your head must’ve caused some kind of damage, Joseph.  I don’t suppose you told your brothers where you were going?”

“No, Sir – I had to keep my disguise up or my real identity would’ve gotten out.  I just had to try and save you and as soon as I came out here and knew it was where you’d been taken — well I had to do something fast.”

Ben shook his head in dismay over the fact that his son never seemed to take the time to think things out rationally, especially when he was worried or angered.  He let out a deep sigh and then looked over at his new cellmate.   “Joseph — I don’t want to appear ungrateful to you for having saved me and all — however — if you don’t mind me pointing this out — I’m not saved and you are now also a hostage.”

Before Joe could respond he noticed that there was now a shadow on the window curtain across the room.  “Pa, don’t call me Joseph and I can’t call you Pa either.  Someone’s watching us and we’re going to have to do some arguing or something so that they don’t figure any of this out.  So I’m Jim and you can be Ben or Mister Cartwright.”

“It’s Mister Cartwright to you now,” Ben whispered, spreading his body out and once again he kicked at the bottom of his son’s boots.  “You have a better view of that window so let me know when we need to start arguing.  It won’t be too hard for me to do that right now as I’ve got some very choice words to say to you after this little stunt that you pulled.  At least maybe now hopefully we’ll somehow learn who has us here — wherever “here” is, as I’ve not learned anything thus far.  And I’ve only seen eyes and no faces the whole time that I’ve been held in this room.”

Joe lowered his voice as much as possible and leaned forward just a bit as he replied, “This is the Hilliard ranch, Pa —- I mean Mister Cartwright.”

Ben’s face showed how stunned he was to hear the information that his son had proffered.  The Hilliard ranch was the last place he’d ever have guessed.  Pa couldn’t help staring over at Joseph and wondering how the boy ever pieced that together.

“I just can’t believe it,” Pa answered, and it was evident that in his mind he had been taken back to what had happened six months ago when Joe had been taken away from him by Preston Hilliard.  He wondered how his son was handling that fact as he stared intently over at the boy.

Joe knew his father very well and he read on his face exactly what Pa was thinking at the time.  “I know, Pa,” Joe nodded over to him.  “I only care about getting you out of here.  All that other stuff — about what happened to me — I can’t think about it now.”

Ben drew in a deep breath and studied his son’s face.  Joseph wasn’t being entirely honest with him but he decided to just let it go for now.  “You might be concerned about getting me out of here – but I’m concerned about getting US out of here.  Oh –and by the way – it’s not Pa it is Mister Cartwright!”

“Yes, Mister Cartwright,” Joe nodded and then he noticed the shadow was back on the curtain again.  “I said stop bothering me Old Man!  I don’t know who you are or what you’re problem is and I don’t care neither!  Now stop bothering me because I don’t give a damn what happens to you — just what happens to me!” Joe shouted loud enough for the entire cabin to hear his performance.

Pa, who sat with his back up to the wall that didn’t face the window, decided he was now up.  “Why in the world they threw a filthy tramp in here with me I’ve no idea.  I guess you’ve never heard of the words water or soap!” Ben fired back.

“I might be dirty but at least I put in a day’s work.  You look like a damn pencil pusher to me!  What are you a banker or something?  You probably sit on your backside all day and order people around!” Joe yelled back at his father.

Ben scrunched his face up over the last few insults.  He needed to come up with something to say in response but was evidently having a much tougher time at coming up with rude things to say than his boy was.

“You are rude, ill- tempered – and by the way you reek, would you mind moving over a bit so I’m not downwind of you?” Ben fired back and had to stifle a laugh when he saw how Joseph was giving him a pained look due to the insult.

“Um – Mister Cartwright,” Joe whispered.  “The shadow is gone — but I did hear some laughter out there in the next room.

Pa grinned and replied, “I think we gave them a good show.  Now – I didn’t mind the insults TOO much but you watch that language.”

“Sorry — but Jim has a bad mouth on him,” Joe smiled.

“Well both you and Jim are going to get your mouths washed out with soap when you two get home, so watch it!” Pa warned.

“Yes, Mister Cartwright, but how about watching those “you reek” remarks will you?  I know you were just trying to come up with something but still –

“No, actually that was the one true fact in all that I said,” Ben insisted.  “Now, listen we’ve got to start thinking about how we’re going to get out of here.”

Joe leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.  “I’ve got an idea — just let me rest my eyes to try to get over this headache a minute and then we’ll talk about it.”

“They’ll be bringing in food pretty soon, maybe that will help?”

“They bring you food?  Let me guess — cold beans and they don’t give you a spoon or fork, right?”  Joe asked, as his mind finally went back to his three months in captivity where he wasn’t given any utensils at all.

“No – the beans are actually heated and I’ve had a spoon or fork each time,” Pa remarked.

“It figures — you’d get luxury accommodations — even a nice floor – warm food and utensils and I got a damp dark cellar with a dirt floor.”

“Maybe they knew I’m not as tough as you are, Jim – probably because I’m a pencil pushing banker,” Ben teased.

“At least you don’t reek,” Joe nodded over to his father.   Just then they heard the opening to the bottom of the door pull aside and two plates were shoved through.

“Hey!” Joe shouted out to whoever sent the plates into the room.  “How are we supposed to get the grub — our ankles are tied?”

“Crawl!” The loud response came through the door and then both Cartwrights heard the boot steps retreating.

Joe held up his bound hands and called over to Pa, “I’ll get it — I’ve got the most experience in these matters.”

Ben watched as his son slowly made his way over to the bottom of the door.  He was able to get his hands on the first plate and moved it over in front of his father and then went back for his own food.

“Thanks, Jim,” Pa whispered and drew up the cup of water to his lips.

Joe sighed and lifted his own cup and then called out, “You even get a real cup here.  Nice!”

“I’d rather have my own chair there at the ranch house and Hop Sing’s coffee.”

“I’ll get you home, Mister Cartwright — you can count on it,” Joe responded and this time there wasn’t the least bit of levity in his voice.  “Nobody’s going to get away with doing this to my father,” Joe vowed.

Pa stared intently over at his son and noticed the furious countenance that he now wore.  He wasn’t sure what had made Joe suddenly look as though he was ready to murder someone but it surely seemed like the boy was ready to do just that.  Ben thought that it might have been the remembrance of the three months that Joe had spent in the worst possible conditions which had caused the rapid change to his disposition.  Or he reasoned that it could be that the boy was angered over the fact that his own father had also gone missing causing him to worry.  Finally, Ben realized it was a combination of both of those events coupled with the memories of the torture which Joe had endured.  Whatever the case at that moment Joseph Cartwright appeared as though he was ready to kill first and ask questions later.

************************************

Trenton Hilliard leaned back in the chair at his desk.  He stared over at the picture of his brother Preston and his nephew Franklin.  They were his only living relatives, or they had been.  Franklin had been killed five years prior and he had come to his nephew’s funeral and had tried his best to console his brother.  Trenton vividly remembered what he had told him had led up to his son’s death.  He had been told about the constant fights Franklin had over the years with the youngest son of a very wealthy rancher named Ben Cartwright.  The son, Joseph Cartwright had fought with Franklin ever since grade school and most times the boy had lost to the left handed Cartwright boy.  Preston had informed his brother that the arguments and fights had culminated when Franklin had decided that Joe needed a good lesson.  According to Preston, Franklin was not going to actually back shoot Joe, just scare him good.  But, he said that Joe’s brother, Adam had seen Franklin level his gun at Joe and had killed Franklin on the spot with no questions asked.  Preston said that the Cartwrights owned not only the local sheriff but also the judge in the town which was why Adam wasn’t even charged for killing his son.  And, after the funeral, Trenton made it a point to surreptitiously get a good look at each and every Cartwright before returning to his home in Oregon.  Over the years Trenton had kept up with his brother through numerous letters as well as having his brother visit him at his own home several times.  Preston spoke often of finding a way to repay the Cartwright family for what they had done.  At first Trenton tried to talk his brother out of seeking revenge as he was worried that it would lead to him getting thrown into prison or possibly getting hung.  But, after he had learned that Preston had been killed Trenton now was the one who wanted to seek revenge.  He had heard all of the rumors as to what Preston had done, and how he had had Adam shot by a gunslinger and also sent Joe Cartwright to another town where he was held in captivity for months before being returned.  Trenton had also learned that his brother had been killed by an Indian lance, along with his friend J.T. Bridger, the man who had shot Adam Cartwright.  He didn’t give a hoot what his brother may have done to the Cartwright family.  Trenton believed whatever he might have done his brother had every right to do it.  He figured that the Cartwrights must have asked the local Paiute Indians to do away with Preston, as everyone knew that Ben Cartwright was a good friend to that tribe and had helped them over the years.  And so now, several months after his brother’s death, Trenton had moved into the Hilliard ranch and waged his own form of revenge.  He felt that he really didn’t have much to lose.  He had no wife, no children and now no family at all.  But what he did have was a plan and a glorious one, or so he thought.

“Boss, sorry to bother you, but we’ve got a little problem,” The hired hand said as he drew close to his boss’ desk.  He wore a frown on his face because he knew from past experience that Trenton Hilliard was not the kind of man who accepted bad news very well.

“Alright, Cliff, what seems to be the trouble?” Trenton asked as he poured two shots of whiskey, handing one to the other man.

“Well – just a couple of hours ago – right before dark this saddle tramp came into the ranch and ended up where we’ve got Cartwright.  He said his horse was lame and wanted to borrow or trade for another mount.  The boy started to get in a little too deep about that buckskin of Ben’s and he even mentioned the Ponderosa brand he saw on it.  So I had Bill knock him out and we threw him in with Cartwright for now.  I didn’t figure you’d want us to just shoot him.”

Trenton smiled broadly and downed his shot of whiskey.  “Perfect!  I’ve been waiting for this!”

Cliff stared hard at his boss and wondered why he would be thrilled about there being a kink in their plan to hold Ben hostage.  He figured the added pressure of holding a random stranger might mess up Trenton’s arrangements.   “Huh?”

“A saddle tramp you say, right?”

“Yes, Sir, that’s what he is and he’s a mess if you’d seen him.”

“Let me guess he’s perhaps in his early twenties – is that right?”

Cliff again stared oddly at the other man and nodded.  “Well, he’s dirty and has just the start of a beard, but by the looks of him I’d say that’s about right.”

“And he’s a southpaw?”

Cliff shook his head, “No, we took a right handed outfit off of him.”

Trenton laughed and slapped the desk jovially.  “Of course he’d do that – to throw us off.  Have you even bothered to listen in to see if he knows Ben?”

“Sure we both did, and they were at each other’s throats.  I don’t think they know each other and I really don’t think they like each other by what they said!”

“Great acting I’d say.  That is most likely Joe Cartwright, Cliff.  I’d been expecting him.  I’ve kept up with his brother’s comings and goings and I’d also been made aware that Joe was off on a little vacation.  So evidently he thought he had a disguise that could fool whoever took his dad.  I’ll tell you what if you’re still unsure of this I can help prove it to you.”

“What’re you gonna do, ask who he is?”

“Better than that we’ll see how far they want to take this little charade.  Like I said it’s exactly what I was expecting and exactly what I had hoped would happen.  Let’s go it ought to be very amusing,” Trenton smiled and headed to the front door of the ranch house.  They needed to get back to the cabin to prove Trenton’s theory.

*************************************

Joe had to wait until the shadow disappeared from the curtain there at the window again.  It seemed like an hour that it had been there so he couldn’t explain to his father the plan that he had thought up.   Just when the shadow had finally vanished, Joe got out about three words when all of a sudden they heard the heavy board which had been used across the interior door slide across and two masked men walked inside of the room.  The two Cartwrights stopped talking and stared up at the visitors.

“I was told we had a new guest,” The voice of Trenton Hilliard called down to the two men seated on the floor.  “What’s your name, Boy?” He asked Joe.

“Jim Rivers — now can I go?”

“No – not just yet I’ve got a little test for you first.  If you pass it then I’ll set you free.  I’ll even throw in a new mount for you to leave on.  But, you can’t tell a soul where you were or who this is across the room from you, okay?”

“Mister I don’t care who this man is!  I just want out!” Joe shouted, trying to play his part well.

“Alright, Jim, it’s pretty easy.  I’m going to have you untied now but remember we’ve got guns on you and we don’t mind using them.”

Cliff made it over to Joe while Trenton kept his gun pointed directly at him.  Joe’s wrists and ankles were untied and he stood up.  Looking around he gauged the situation trying to figure out if there was any way to take the two men and still get Pa out safely.

“I can just hear those wheels turning in your head, Jim.  No there’s no other means of escape other than me letting you go.  Outside this room are two other armed men who have been told to shoot to kill.”

Joe shot a quick glance over to his father and then back to the masked man who appeared to be the one in charge of everyone there.

“Now do you want to try at this test or do you want us to tie you back up.  I’ve no idea how long I’m going to keep you – or if you’re expendable.  So, you make your choice.”

“Give me the danged test!” Joe shouted.

“Well there are a few parts to it – but I can assure you it’s nothing too hard.  Now here’s the first part.  I want you to walk over to that man across the room and punch him square in the face.  Give it your best shot!”

Joe stared over at his father and dread was all over his face.  There was no way on earth that he could hit his father.  He’d rather take a bullet than to ever do that.”

“What’s the hold up, Jim?  You said you didn’t care who he was.  Just go give him a slug in the face and you’re a step closer to getting out of here.”

Joe knew he had to stall for time but he was unsure as to how to do it.  “Listen Mister, just because I don’t care about that guy doesn’t mean I like to just go around slugging people for no reason.  Besides he’s a lot older than me – it’s not exactly fair to him, don’t you think?”

Trenton drew closer to Joe and said, “Well maybe you’d just like to shoot him then?”

“What?!” Joe asked incredulously.  “You want me to shoot him now?”

“Just wing him, I’m not asking you to murder him.  I mean if you don’t want to hit him then I’m going to have to ask you to do something a bit more drastic.  Make your choice now.”

“Neither,” Joe stated and looked away from everyone in the room.  He was starting to have a sick feeling in his stomach.  Joe was taken back to a cabin in his mind and to things which he fought not to remember.  But, the memories were tugging at him now, memories of having to do things against his will because of the threats of what would happen to him if he didn’t go through with them.

Trenton lifted his gun and pointed it directly at Ben Cartwright.  “Here you go, Jim.  If you’re not going to slug that man over there I’m going to shoot him and I promise you I won’t be merely winging him!”

Ben shot a look over to his son and tried his best to send him a slight nod that he needed to do what the man had said.

“Alright I’ll slug him — put down the damn gun!” Joe shouted.  Feeling as though he was going to throw up right there in the middle of the room, he started over to his Pa.  As he grew closer he noticed Pa was trying to give him the okay with his eyes but it wasn’t making it any easier on him.  Joe felt awful that he hadn’t had the chance to go through with the plan that he had devised, but he hoped that once the two men were done with whatever game they were now playing that he’d be sure to get Pa out and then he would one by one kill them all.  He was beyond caring about the law anymore.  Joe figured that as long as there was evil that just kept coming at the Cartwrights that they had every right to fight back.  And Joe had promised himself that he wouldn’t be a victim anymore.

Joe had to remember that he was supposed to be right handed, so when he threw the punch it had landed just under Pa’s left eye.  He had tried to pull it at the last minute, but still Joe’s right fist had made contact.  His stomach knotted up when he saw Pa’s head turn sharply to the right after he’d thrown the punch.  Joe prayed that he hadn’t split his father’s skin.  He tried not to show the awful regret he felt and fought to hide the tears which were beginning to form in his eyes.  Joe had to try and will them away to disguise the fact that he was the man’s son.

“Not too bad there, Jim!” Trenton laughed and walked closer to both Cartwrights.  He reached down and looked at Ben’s face and saw the red mark which was growing darker.  “You ready for your next part of the test now?”

Joe still fought back the sickness he felt in his stomach.  He couldn’t believe that he had thrown a punch at his own father.  He would rather have taken a bullet to the head.  “What now?”

“Oh, I figured that it wasn’t really fair that you hit this poor defenseless man, Jim.   So, we’re going to untie him too.”  Trenton pointed for Cliff to untie Ben and he signaled one of the men in the next room inside to cover both Cartwrights.  Ben pulled himself up and stared over at Joe.

“Okay, Ben, this time you get the first punch then you both can have at it.  Last one standing gets out of here.”

Pa looked over at Joe and there was surrender in his eyes.  Though he had urged Joseph to send that punch to him so he wouldn’t have to watch him get shot by the vile man before them both, there was just no way he’d ever hurt his son.

“Well?  Ben don’t you want to get even with this kid who just hit you?  And don’t the two of you want a chance for freedom?”

“I’m not striking a boy,” Ben replied.  “I don’t know this kid but I’ve got a boy about his age and I’m just not doing it.   Go ahead and threaten to kill me, it doesn’t matter I won’t do it.”

“Something tells me that you two prisoners must have bonded in some way over supper.  You seem awful respectful of each other’s feelings to be perfect strangers,” Trenton said.

“I’m not fighting this man either,” Joe said and looked away from his father, still feeling awful for having hit him, though at the time it was to save him from being shot.

“Okay, then what we’ll do is the same bargain.  Ben, if you don’t throw your punch at Jim here we’re going to shoot him.  Maybe in the leg maybe in the arm or maybe we’ll just have target practice and get a few limbs at the same time.”

Joe turned and finally shared a glance with his Pa.  He tried to show him that he was okay with taking a punch.  In fact Joe thought it might help him to feel better after what he had just done.

Ben watched as the two men who were apparently hired guns of the man who kept forcing tests on both him and Joe leveled their six-guns towards the boy.  He heard the hammers pull back and saw them take aim as Joe stood helplessly against the wall.

“I’ll do it,” Ben finally sounded out before a bullet could ring out.

“Let’s see your best there, Ben.  A simple tap isn’t going to stop those guns,” Trenton continued to manipulate his prisoners.

Ben drew closer to Joe and he stared directly into his son’s eyes.  Joe could see the slight glistening of tears as Pa looked at him.  Joe gave a discreet nod that he was fine with it.  Ben drew in a deep breath and sent a punch which landed very close to the same exact area where Joe had struck him, just under his left eye.  Joe turned from the punch and fought a groan.  Pa had tried to pull the punch at the last minute but Joe had turned into it so that the fist would make a fuller impact.  Ben had to fight his desire to pull his son towards him and tell him how sorry he felt to have done that.  Joe nodded again that he was okay, still trying to hide the recognition in his eyes from the men in the room.

“Not too bad, Ben,” Trenton called and walked closer to both of the Cartwrights.

Joe couldn’t stand it anymore.  It might have been because he still felt ill from having hit his Pa or it might have been the forced reminder of his past with the men who had held him hostage.  He wasn’t sure.  Joe only knew that he couldn’t take it anymore.  He lunged at the man who had made him hit Pa.  Surprised by the sudden movement, Trenton took several blows from Joe’s dominant left hand.  Joe hit as hard as he possibly could hoping to strike a fatal blow.  Cliff came forward to help Trenton and Joe dodged him and then dove towards his knees knocking him down.  Just as Joe grabbed for the man’s fallen Colt he felt the sharp piercing glance of a bullet which ripped through his right side.  The one name Bill had decided to get the situation under control and had fired his gun.  Ben had tried to help Joe but the boy moved too fast and by the time he was about to put Trenton into a choke hold he heard the gun go off and witnessed Joe falling to the floor.

Trenton stood up and looked down at Joe Cartwright and then over to Ben.  “You have a very stupid kid, Ben Cartwright.  I’ve known it was your son the whole time.”

Ben knelt down and tried to help the boy.

“Tie them back up!  And this time I want their hands tied behind them.  I’m not taking any chances with these two,” Trenton yelled. He watched as Bill and Cliff separated the two Cartwrights and then tied their hands behind them and then bound their ankles again.

“My son needs help!  You can’t just let him sit there and bleed to death!” Ben exclaimed.  “Do whatever you want to me just don’t let him die!”

Trenton walked over to Joe and looked down at his wound.  He turned back to Ben and said, “It’s nothing fatal.   He’ll just hurt for a while.  Oh, and I never wanted you, Ben.  I captured you in order to lure Joe here.  Imagine that, it worked, though it was fun watching the two of you pretending not to know each other and exchanging those punches.  I’ll let you in on the plan I have for you both a bit later.  Enjoy the time you have left with your son, Ben, because you don’t have long.   Now you two have a good night.”  Trenton and all of his henchmen left the room securing the door behind them.

Ben waited until he heard the heavy plank of wood falling across the door once more and then he made sure that there weren’t any eyes peering through the window.  He inched his way over to his son who was trying to ease his way over to the back wall.

“Joseph — are you okay?”  He asked worriedly.

Joe bit back his pain and replied, “I’m sorry I hit you, Pa.”

“Joseph they were going to shoot me.  Now I let you know that I was okay with it, so stop it!  And by the way, you know how badly I feel for having to hit you too.  I would’ve done anything to prevent doing that if I could have.  Now why in the heck did you turn into that punch?  I was trying to pull it but you made it worse by doing that!”

“I deserved it for hitting you, Pa.  It never should’ve come to that.  I didn’t think I could ever hate anyone more than I do the Dalton brothers, but now I do.”

Ben worried that his son was merging the two events into one in his mind now, and it made the current situation that much harder for Joe to cope with.

Trying to focus on the most urgent need at the time, Pa attempted to inspect the wound to his son’s side as best he could.  He had to position his body so that his hands, which were now tied tightly behind him, moved aside the bottom of Joe’s shirt.  He then turned back around to look down at the wound.   Apparently the slug had passed straight through the right side of the boy’s waist.  It didn’t appear to be too bad however the wound was still bleeding.  “There’s not much I can do to help you due to my hands being tied up like this, Joseph,” Ben sighed.

“I’m okay,” Joe whispered.  “I was hoping that the bullet would get Jim and not me.”

“It’s not funny.  What happened?  You had to know that we were outnumbered, Joseph — why did you go after both of those men like that?  You almost got yourself killed,” Ben inquired as he lowered himself down alongside of Joe.

Joe shook his head and sighed.  “I don’t know, Pa — I guess it was witnessing all of the games that they were playing with us.  I swore that no-one would get the better of me ever again but they did.  I can’t believe that they made me hit you!  I just couldn’t handle that, Pa.  I didn’t know what else they might make me do — and I was scared.  I just had to do something!”

“Joseph — it wasn’t worth the chance that you took.  Don’t you think I can handle one punch?”

“Yeah – you can – but I can’t!  It all reminded me of — never mind,” Joe trailed off.

Ben stared into Joe’s eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking.  The boy’s nerves were still raw due to all he had gone through just a few months ago.  Joe’s mind kept going back to that cabin and all of the ways that he had been forced to do things that he would never have done willingly.

“It will be okay, Joe,” Ben tried to reassure his son.

“Pa – I’m going to get you out of here or die trying.  I’ve been trying to tell you all day about the plan I have but I keep getting interrupted by either someone there by that window or those men who just barged in here.”

“Well, we can’t do much tonight anyway.  I’ll let you tell me as long as you don’t try anything until that wound stops bleeding.  Okay?”

Joe nodded and leaned back against the wall next to his Pa.  “Pa I didn’t come unprepared.”

“What are you talking about?” Ben whispered.

“I’ve got a knife,” Joe replied and then winced his face due to the pain in his side.  He dropped his head down to indicate where the knife was inside of his boot.

“Are you STILL carrying that thing in your boot?” Ben asked incredulously.

“Yes, Sir,” Joe replied.

“I thought I told you to get rid of it!”  Ben admonished his son.

“I knew I’d need it someday, knowing my track record it was only a matter of time.”

“A knife is better than nothing but those men all have guns, Joseph.”

“So do I Pa,” Joe smiled.

“What?”  Ben asked, wondering if the boy was perhaps getting a little woozy from the blood loss.

“No really I do.  It’s just a derringer but it’s one of those new double shot ones.  I’ve got it inside my boot too, Pa.”

“How do you have room for your foot?” Ben quipped.

“I had these boots made special so there’s lots of room.”

“When did you do that, Joseph?” Ben asked raising his eyebrows wondering if his son was just kidding about all the weapons he was carrying.

“About two days after we got back from Buckhorn Meadow,” Joe returned and his face showed how deadly serious he was.  It was at Buckhorn Meadow where the Paiute Chief Winnemucca had taken care of the men who had kidnapped and tortured Joe for months.

“I see,” Ben nodded.  It was all starting to make sense now.  He was well aware of the fact that Joseph had gone through so much that it had affected him in ways that no-one else could possibly understand.  That is, no-one except his father.  It was Pa who was standing there alongside of Joe when he had walked through that cabin just two months ago and painfully described to his father exactly how his captors had abused him.  Now it all made complete sense to Ben that Joseph would have tried to think of every possible scenario that could befall him and try to come up with a way to overcome them so he wouldn’t end up a victim again.

“So Pa I’ll give you your choice of weapons.  You can have my boot knife or the double shot derringer.”

“That derringer in your boot isn’t loaded is it?” Ben asked, with a bit of trepidation in his voice.

“Of course not — I may be a bit rash at times but I’m not stupid.  I have the bullets in the heel of my boot.”

“Wait,” Ben paused and tilted his head so he could see directly into the kid’s eyes.  “You are serious that you have a what — eight inch knife in one boot and a derringer in the other along with bullets in your heel?”

Joe scrunched his face as he fought the pain caused by the bullet wound and then replied. “Yep,” Joe nodded.  “I have a false heel to my left boot.  You remember that I had to have my boot fixed when I got out of that leg brace, right?”

“Yes, Son — I remember,” Ben nodded and thought back to his son’s injury.  The boy’s leg had been broken by the men who had held him captive and since Joe hadn’t been able to see a doctor right away he had needed surgery to have it fixed.  When he got home from the hospital in San Francisco he was in a leg brace that hooked there at the bottom of his left boot.  After he was finally able to come out of that brace, the boot had to be fixed.  The metal rod which had been secured against the heel in order to keep Joe’s leg straight as it mended had caused damage to the boy’s boot.  Ben had no idea that instead of simply having the boot repaired that Joe had bought a whole new pair in order to accommodate the weapons he had chosen.

“Well, when I was there at the shoe maker I asked if he could help me out.  He made these new and rigged the left heel so that it’s hollow.  It just has a little metal lever so it swings out so I can put the bullets inside.  It fit four but I probably could’ve gotten six in there.”

Ben stared at his son hard wondering if it was healthy for the boy to have that much anxiety about being put into another awful situation.  However, due to the trouble that they now found themselves in, Ben figured maybe Joseph’s instincts had been correct.

“Where’s the derringer then?”

“Oh – he rigged up this little holder inside the same boot.  I didn’t want to have the knife and the derringer inside the same boot – you know it might rub against my leg or ankle,” Joe answered very matter-of-factly.

Ben shook his head gave a weary smile, in spite of all that had gone on that night.  “Joe, I was worried about you cutting yourself with that boot knife and now I’ll be even more worried that you’re going to shoot yourself in the foot!”

“I’d rather be the one who shoots me, Pa — than one of these maniacs I keep running into.  Hey – that guy kind of sounded like Preston, didn’t he?”

Ben nodded, “Must be a relative.  I didn’t even know the ranch was up and running.”

“Me neither.”

“Then how did you figure I was out here, Joseph?”

“Because I had to think of the last person in our family who got kidnapped and who did it and that was yours truly and it was a Hilliard who started the whole thing.  Then I went and got some field glasses and waited for my chance.  I should’ve thought about it sooner but I went to a bunch of line shacks first.  By the way everyone is out looking for you.  They thought you were abducted due to that bid.”

Ben sighed and replied, “Hang that bid, I just want to get you out of here before they shoot us or you shoot yourself.”

“So you want the derringer or what?” Joe got back to business.

“I don’t care – you choose,” Ben sighed.

“You take the gun, Pa.  I’m a bit quicker than you so I’ll take the knife,” Joe reasoned.

“Yes, you sure were quick tonight – quick to get shot!” Ben retorted.

“I know – but now I’ve got a lot of anger that’ll help me to react faster.  Tomorrow as soon as we get the chance—whenever that door gets opened we’ll try our luck, okay?”

Ben eased back against the wall.  He leaned over and nudged his son’s arm using his elbow.  He replied, “Okay, Jim.”

Relieved that his father was apparently open to his plan, Joe allowed himself to ease down a bit in order to rest his head against his father’s shoulder.  He closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable so he could get some sleep.  “I’m still sorry that I hit you, Pa,” He whispered.

“It wasn’t much of a hit,” Ben teased and closed his eyes.

Joe grinned at what Pa had said because he had heard that line before many years ago during another intense moment in his life.  Pa had used it to lighten the mood and it had worked, so evidently his father had saved it to use again.  His thoughts quickly turned to the precarious situation that they now found themselves to be in.  He was gun shot, and both he and Pa would no doubt be sporting matching black eyes the next day.  But, they were alive and together and they had the Cartwright tenacity along with a good amount of faith.  Joe prayed that those two things would carry them through and that they would soon be free.  He noticed that Pa had fallen off to sleep first.  Joe was leaning against his father’s left shoulder so he was able to look up and catch just a glimpse of where he had punched him.   He had to fight back his tears over having done that to Pa.  He hated that he couldn’t have found another way out of that test that Hilliard had forced upon him.  Pa had said that he was okay with it all and yes it was true that his father had been forced to hit him also.  But, that was altogether different.  Pa had the right if he wanted to raise a hand to him, but Joe was his son and it was just plain wrong to hit his father.  It just wasn’t natural and it just kept on eating at Joe’s insides the more he dwelt on it.  Months ago Joe had sworn to himself that no-one would ever force him to do something that he didn’t want to do and now it had happened yet again.  He couldn’t help thinking about the months he had been held in captivity and all that he had been forced to do back then.  And, though he had been hurt very badly, at least he was the only one who had been harmed back then, not his father. *** Someone’s going to pay for making me do that to you Pa!  Maybe all of the men who were in here tonight and forced me to hit you – yeah they’re all going to pay for it!  But, I’m gonna get you out of here first.  I promised you that I’ll get you home and I will.  Rest Pa – I’ve got this one *** Joe made yet another vow to himself, and he would do his utmost to keep this one.

************************************

Joe didn’t know how long he had been sleeping it might have been a few minutes or a few hours.  He had somehow moved down off of his father’s shoulder and was lying on his back there on the wood floor.  Joe awoke to a very familiar feeling.  Though it had been several months, he knew what it was right away.  He warily opened his eyes and there it was just looking over at him.  Joe thought about the irony of it all, the fact that two times in the same year he had been held hostage and two times something had crawled onto his chest to provide comfort to him.

“I’m okay, I’m not alone this time,” Joe whispered towards the glow of red eyes which stared over at him.

Ben must have been between slumber and wakefulness as he had heard the soft whisper of his son.  He opened his eyes as worry fell upon him.  Pa thought that Joseph might be trying to call out to him because of the wound to his side.  He looked over at his boy and suddenly jerked back involuntarily.

“Pa – Pa – it’s okay.  It’s not hurting me.  Somehow these little guys just know when I’m injured,” Joe tried to ease his father’s mind.

“Joseph, will you kindly tell your little friend that he needs to go elsewhere?” Ben whispered and eased a little farther away from his son.

“Okay,” Joe nodded and then looked down at the rat.  “Go on there’s a little food on my plate over there – go on now,” Joe called down to the rat.  The rodent slowly crawled down from his chest and moved over to the metal plate there on the floor about five feet from where the two Cartwrights had been slumbering.

Ben shook his head in dismay and moved a tad farther down the wall.  He was concerned over the fact that Joseph had become a bit too comfortable around rodents ever since his three month captivity.   “Son, I need to have a talk with you some time about this rat thing,” Pa whispered.

Joe grinned and pulled himself up against the wall and replied, “They’re really not as awful as they look, Pa.  You should be glad you didn’t have to spend months imprisoned alone or maybe you’d be talking to rats by now too.”

“Well then I’m very thankful that I have you for company instead of a rat,” Ben laughed.  “Now if it’s safe let’s get some shuteye.”

“It’s safe.   He’s not going to bother you.  He’ll just finish eating and then leave.  Go back to sleep, Pa,” Joe whispered and noticed how his father shot him an uneasy glance, wondering if the rodent was truly going to simply leave once it had eaten.  With a bit of apprehension, Ben moved back to sit next to his son.  Joe leaned back against Pa’s shoulder, closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

************************************

Adam and Hoss stood at the telegraph office in Virginia City.  They had sent numerous inquiries about the reward they were offering for their father’s safe return and needed to find out if they had gotten any word back from the surrounding towns where those wires had been sent earlier in the week.

“Nope, sorry, Boys,” Pete said as he shuffled through the stacks of telegraphs there on his desk.  Nothing’s come in for the Cartwrights all week.

“Yeah, nothing except our brother’s wire from Stockton,” Adam muttered.

“Huh?  I never received a telegram from Little Joe – not since he sent one to your Pa before he disappeared saying he’d be home in a few days,” Pete insisted.

Hoss and Adam exchanged confused glances.  “Are you sure, Pete?  Could someone else have taken the message?”  Hoss asked.

“No, Hoss, the apprentice I have has been out sick for almost five days now.  Doc says he’s got a touch of pneumonia, but he’s gonna be okay.  So it’s just been me.”

“But Fletcher said he got a wire from you that Little Joe sent from Stockton about three days ago,” Adam persisted.

“Well I don’t know what he’s talking about because like I said the last wire from Joe was to your Pa and I gave it directly to him.”

Hoss sighed and said, “Thanks, Pete.  We’ll check in with you tomorrow.”

Adam hurried to his horse followed by his brother.  “Something’s up, Hoss and I’m going to shake it out of Fletcher!”

“You and me both,” Hoss insisted and mounted alongside of his brother and they turned their horses for the Ponderosa.

***********************************

The bunkhouse was already dark by the time both Adam and Hoss had arrived home that night but that didn’t deter them.  They walked in and over to Fletcher’s bunk and woke him out of a sound sleep.

“What? What’s going on?” Fletcher asked, shooting up in his bed.

“What gives about you telling us that a telegram came in from Little Joe, Fletcher?” Adam asked loudly.

“Oh,” He muttered and pulled up his suspenders.  “Now don’t you two go off on me it was your danged kid brother who put me up to it.  I ran into him up on the western border when I was watching those ornery cows.  I seen a campfire and went to run the varmint off until I saw that it was Little Joe.  The boy looked a mess too!  He didn’t know anything about your Pa going missing and he got a wild idea that he could find him.  The boy was filthy and wearing old clothes and sporting a right handed holster to boot!  I tried to talk him out of it but — well you know the kid when he’s got his mind set on something.”

“Where’d he go?”

“I don’t know exactly, Hoss.  I saw him again a day ago and he asked me for some field glasses but didn’t tell me anything.  He’s trying to look like a dirty saddle tramp to try to get information on your Pa is all’s I know.”

“I should’ve known,” Hoss sighed wearily.  “He promised Pa he’d get back on time and he did.  Joe might make you and me wait, Adam, but he ain’t about to get himself in trouble with Pa if he can help it.”

“So now we have two missing,” Adam sighed and leaned against the railing to the bunk.  “Is there anything else that you can remember?”

“Well he’s riding a gray mare without a brand.  That’s all.  And we had a deal that if he didn’t find your Pa in seven days he was going to come in and tell you two that he coerced me to get me off of the hook.”

“That’s our little brother,” Hoss said and fought a smile.

“Okay, Fletcher, but the next time Joe tries to get you involved in any of his schemes hit him!” Adam insisted.

“I already told him that I’m about ready to shoot him,” Fletcher grinned.

Adam nodded and said, “That’s okay by me.  Goodnight.”

Hoss and Adam walked back into the ranch house and tried to figure out where their brother got a gray mare.  They wouldn’t have been surprised if the kid had stolen it.  That was Joe.”

*************************************

Joe had once again moved down onto his back on the wood floor during his sleep and Ben had awakened to the sound of his son apparently having a nightmare.  He had heard groaning first and then witnessed Joe moving his head from side to side while muttering the word “no” over and over again.  Pa slowly eased over to his son and attempted to awaken him with a slight push using his legs against Joe’s.  Without warning, Joe vaulted up from the floor and fell straight back down due to the ropes which bound his ankles together.  Ben was surprised by Joe’s sudden move and watched helplessly as he landed back down onto the hard wood floor.  He hadn’t been able to assist the boy due to the way his hands were bound.  Ben hadn’t been able to help in any way, though we wanted to try to catch his fall.  He cursed the men who had tied his wrists behind him the previous night.

Joe groaned as he came out of the dream upon hitting the hard floor.  He struggled to figure out where he was and just why he was tied up.  For just a minute he was sure that he was back inside the cellar where he had spent months in a living hell.

“You’re okay, Joseph.  I’m here,” Ben whispered as he drew closer to his son.

“Pa?” Joe muttered, as he finally surveyed his surroundings.  “I thought that—

Ben cut the boy off and moved right next to him.  He knew exactly what Joe was thinking as he could read it in his eyes.  “I know, Son – but you’re in here with me – you’re not back there at the cabin.  That cabin is all gone – remember we burnt it down?”

Joe pulled himself back up and scooted against the wall where he had been earlier before the nightmare had launched him up.  He seethed inwardly over the fact that there were ropes holding his wrists and ankles.  Joe felt as though the restraints were growing tighter by the minute.

“Let’s get these off of us!” Joe insisted breathlessly, indicating the ropes.

“Take a breath, Joseph — come on,” Pa urged the boy to try to relax for just a minute before doing anything else. He could tell that his son was on the verge of all out panic taking over.

“No, Pa!  I want out of these – now!” Joe yelled.  He had dreamt about the cabin and when he came around and found himself bound up again he couldn’t take it anymore.  “I’m going to move my legs behind you and you reach inside my right boot and get the knife.”

“Not until you take a deep breath and calm down,” Ben stated firmly.

“C’mon, Pa, I’ve got to get free!” Joe fussed.

“Do it now, Joseph,” Ben continued to hold fast to his demand.

Joe drew in a deep breath and held it for a minute and let it out slowly.

“Again,” Pa persisted.

Joe did the same thing again, though he was growing angrier that his father wasn’t adhering to his request.

“Just one more time, Son,” Ben called over to the boy because he could still read the fearfulness there in Joe’s eyes.  He could tell that his son was filled with haunting memories of the cabin and all that had happened to him there.

“Pa!” Joe fumed over his father’s persistence.

“You heard me, Joseph,” Ben’s eyebrows narrowed, showing he meant business.

Joe took in another deep breath and held it again and then let it out slowly.

“Good – now do you feel a bit calmer?” Pa asked and this time he sent an understanding smile over to his son.

Joe sighed and shook his head.  He knew what Pa was attempting to do and why.  His father had read the panic which was very evident on his face and Joe knew he couldn’t have hidden it if his life had depended on it.  Finally he sighed, “Okay, Pa – it’s passed for the time being.  I’m sorry.”

“No apology necessary, I understand,” Ben nodded towards his son and shot him a knowing smile.  “Alright, now go ahead and put your legs behind me, but I’m telling you that if I end up cutting your leg when I pull that knife out I don’t want to hear one complaint,” Ben warned and watched as his son slowly inched behind him.

“I’m doing this blind, Joe, so do what you can to tilt that boot in order for me to figure out just what I’m doing,” Ben whispered.

Joe attempted to position his right boot up against Pa’s back so he could feel where it was.  Then slowly and very carefully Ben reached down inside the boot and searched for the weapon.   His hands fell upon the knife and he took it into his bound wrists.

“I’m going to lean forward in order to pull the knife out, Joe.   Now try to angle your boot away from me just a bit to give me some room to do this — but not too much.”

Joe did as instructed and watched his father making the maneuver.  “You’ve got it, Pa – just a couple more inches and you’ll have it out,” Joe sang out.

Ben finally had a good grip on the knife and he pulled it up into his bound hands.  He let out a relieved breath and then said, “Okay, now what, Genius?”

“Just try to hold it out horizontally and I’ll turn around and put my wrists right by the blade.  Then all you’ve got to do is saw a bit through the ropes.”

Pa shook his head and sang out adamantly, “No I want you to move your wrists back and forth so you do the sawing.  I’m not going to chance cutting you!”

Joe frowned he hadn’t wanted to tell his father the fact that his side was killing him at the time and he didn’t relish moving around too much.  But, he decided to go along with what Pa had said.  He moved behind his father and positioned his wrists so the blade would be right where they separated.  It was very slow going and he had to tell his father that he needed a break every few minutes in order to stay the pain from his side wound.  Approximately fifteen minutes from the time when he had begun trying to cut through the ropes Joe was finally freed from them.

“Thanks, Pa!” Joe exclaimed as he pulled his hands free and then untied his ankles.  “Now I’ll get those ropes off of you.”  Joe turned around and untied his father’s wrists and his ankles.  “Now keep those ropes somewhere close, because we’re going to make it look like we’re still tied up when they come in here.”

Ben stood and stretched and watched as his son did the same.  “Well, they know we are father and son now so just sit back against the wall with me so we can get a good look at them when they come in here,” Pa insisted.

Joe moved over to his father and leaned back against the wall.

“Let me get a good look at that side while we’re waiting,” Ben insisted.

“I’m fine, Pa,” Joe sighed, his injury was the last thing he was concerned about at the time.

Ignoring what Joe had said, Ben reached over and pulled his son’s shirt up to get a good look at the gunshot wound.  He shook his head and removed his neckerchief and placed it over the injury.  “This needs tending, Joe.  But, I guess we’ve got to get out of here first.”

Joe stared over at his father’s face and frowned.  “I’m sorry, Pa,” He apologized.

Ben looked back over at Joe and asked, “Sorry for what?”

Taking a deep breath, Joe pointed over at his father’s left eye and said, “You’ve got a shiner — and it’s because of me.”

Pa grinned over at his son and laughed.  “That may be the case, Son, but if you could see your own eye you’d know you’ve probably got a worse one than I have.  It’s going to be interesting to explain these black eyes to your brothers.”

Joe shook his head filled with remorse.  He finally replied sullenly, “Pa — please don’t tell them that I hit you – I don’t want them to know.”

Ben patted his son’s arm and nodded over at him.  “Okay, I guess there’s no real reason to explain.  I’m not too happy about being the cause of your shiner either so we’ll just keep it between the two of us.”

“Thanks Pa.”

“So, what is your plan for when they come in, Joseph?” Ben got back to the problem at hand.

“I’m going to lay slumped against the wall with the knife behind me in my hands.    When they come in you tell them I haven’t moved or said anything.  Then tell them that you think my wound is a lot worse than they said it was.  When they bend down to check on me you take the derringer —

Joe stopped in mid-sentence and reached into his left boot and removed the gun.  Then he pulled his left boot off and turned it upside down.  He showed his father the bottom of his boot and the lever that allowed him to retrieve the bullets from the hollowed out heel.  He removed all four bullets and handed them to Pa.

“Go ahead and load two of the bullets and put these other two inside your shirt pocket, Pa,” Joe instructed.

Ben grinned, so amazed that Joe had been telling him the truth about what he had been hiding inside of his boot.  He had thought that Joe might have been making the whole thing up.  Yes, he knew Joseph probably had the boot knife but he really didn’t believe that the kid had both a derringer and a hollowed boot heel that held bullets in it.  He loaded the weapon and dropped it inside his shirt pocket for the time being, along with the two extra bullets.

“You are assuming that only one person comes in here, Joseph.  What if two come in here?”

Joe frowned and thought about the scenario which his father had posed.  “If one comes over to check on me and one is over by you — then I’ll get the one with my knife when he reaches down to check on me and hopefully the other one tries to help the man next to me — then you hold that gun to him — or darn it – just  shoot everyone who comes in here!  Just reload that thing quickly.  They’ve all got it coming!”

Ben was stunned by what Joe had said.  He wondered what was going on inside of his mind at the time.  The boy was apparently planning on killing everyone.

“Let’s go over this again, Son — and let’s try to calm down just a bit, okay?”

“Pa – they’ve got guns and they wouldn’t think twice about killing us.  I’m not playing around anymore!  I want to kill every last one of them,” Joe insisted.  There was an intense appearance of savagery displayed in his eyes and on his face and it worried his father.

“Take another breath, Joseph,” Ben whispered and placed his hand on Joe’s shoulder to try and calm him once again.

“Pa, I’ll take as many deep breaths as you want me to, but it’s not going to change the way I feel inside!  Now let’s go back over our plan and if we need to change things around we will,” Joe returned as he leaned back against the wall again and closed his eyes.

Ben couldn’t help the dread which had fallen over him after witnessing his son’s behavior.  He prayed that he’d be able to get through to Joseph.  However he could tell that his son was going back and forth between both of the times he’d been held captive.  Pa worried that the present situation was blending in with the past trauma that the boy had been put through and it seemed to be controlling Joe’s actions.  He had to figure out a better plan before the two of them would be face to face with their captors.

After a few silent minutes passed between both father and son, Ben called over, “Joseph, we need to talk.”

“Talk about what, Pa?”

“I realize you’ve gone through a lot, but this need to simply kill everyone – well – you do know that it’s not right – don’t you?” Pa asked quietly.

“They kidnapped you – kept you from your family – and later captured me.  And from what that man said they did it on purpose to get me here.  On top of all of that they made me punch you – and made you hit me.  Then they just happened to shoot me in the side.  Now you tell me why I shouldn’t kill them, Pa.”

“If it’s in self-defense that’s one thing, Son, but you can’t just gun someone down just because they’ve done something wrong.”

“Tell me the truth, Pa — if Chief Winnemucca hadn’t gotten involved with killing the Dalton brothers would you have just turned them over to the law or would you have killed them?” Joe asked as he stared intently at his father.

“These men aren’t the Daltons,” Ben replied softly.

“I want an answer, would you have gunned them down after what they did to me or not?”

Ben drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he fought to answer his son.  “I didn’t shoot them down in cold blood even though you knew how badly that I wanted to, Joseph.  But, I’m talking about what’s happening right now.  You seem to think it is okay to kill everyone here.  I don’t want that — not unless there isn’t any other way around it.”

Joe folded his arms across his chest and frowned.  “I say that we kill them so they won’t ever have the chance to do something like this again.”

“Joseph – that’s wrong and I know that YOU know that it is.  If they try to kill either of us we will kill them, but if they don’t then we’re going to turn them into the law.  I want that understood right now, Son.”

“I just can’t believe you’re saying this to me!  After all that I’ve gone through – you think I should just leave everything to the law.  The same law that turned those Daltons loose after not even finishing their sentence!  The law is a joke, Pa!” Joe insisted vehemently.

“It’s not perfect by any means,” Ben nodded to his son.  “But, it separates us from being like jungle animals.”

“I don’t want to talk about this right now.  Let’s just get ready for when we hear someone about to come in here.”

Ben reached over and grabbed his son’s arm and forced his gaze.  “I’m trying to stop you from doing something that will hurt you in the long run, Joseph.  Now, I’ll do everything I can to protect you, but I need you to listen to me about this.  If we need to shoot to kill then we will, but only if we have to,” Ben made his position known.

Joe frowned and closed his eyes.  “Whatever you say,” He muttered half-heartedly.

Ben watched his son and wondered if he had listened or merely had given him lip service.  Joe had changed so much since his encounter with the Daltons.  He couldn’t blame the kid, because anyone who had been abused as much as Joseph had been would naturally be somewhat changed due to it.  Still, his son had never been this blood thirsty.  Quick tempered, yes, but blood thirsty no.  He wished that one of his other sons had found him there at the Hilliard ranch and not his youngest.  But, apparently the plan had been to use his father for bait and whoever had planned it had known exactly what Joe would do.  They might have even followed Joe as he spent the month away from the Ponderosa.  Ben hoped that his son’s upbringing would prevent him from doing anything against the law.  Deep down he knew Joseph to be a good hearted person, though if he was pushed too hard his temper sometimes won out over rational behavior.

“Joseph?” Ben whispered, after several minutes had passed without the boy saying anything.

“What?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“I don’t want to talk about the law anymore, Pa,” Joe replied with a forced calm to his voice.

“No – I was going to ask you about your vacation.  How did it go?”

Joe turned and cast a questioning gaze over at his father.  “It went just fine.”

“You left on that mare instead of Cochise and you were wearing that right handed holster.  Would you mind telling me why?” Ben persisted.

Joe sighed and looked away from his father’s questioning eyes.  “I guess for the same reason why I’m wearing these old clothes and didn’t shave.”

“I don’t understand – why?” Ben continued to get his son to tell him the truth of the matter.

“I didn’t want to be Joe Cartwright anymore,” Joe confessed, and there was a great deal of sadness in his response.

Ben turned and eased his son’s chin over towards him so he could look into his eyes.  “Why didn’t you want to be yourself?”

“Because I didn’t want anybody to know it was me.  I’ve about had it with being kidnapped, held for ransom — or having somebody with a grudge trying to kill me, Pa!  It was nice to not be me for a change,” Joe admitted with pain very evident in all that he had described.

“Oh, Joseph,” Ben sighed filled with sorrow for all that his son had gone through in his short life.  “If that’s how you felt then why in the world did you come here knowing you’d most likely be taken prisoner again?”

Joe stared earnestly into his father’s eyes and answered, “Because my father was in here and it was the only way to get to him.”

Ben reached over and placed his hand onto his son’s arm.  “I wish you hadn’t, Joe.  You’ve been through enough.”

“This was different, Pa.  I know I did a lousy job trying to save you, but I had to try.  I don’t mind being Joe Cartwright if my father needs me,” Joe insisted.

Pa grinned and shook his head, “It was a good disguise — you almost fooled me.  You do look like a real bum.”

Joe had to laugh at his father’s statement.  “That was exactly what I was going for,” He nodded.  “I just wish it had worked, Pa.”

“All’s not lost yet.  We have a chance – thanks to that arsenal you had in your boots.”

Before Joe could reply they heard the sound of someone coming close to the door.  The two Cartwrights figured it was time to stage their escape plan.

Ben hurriedly moved to the wall across from Joe and closest to the door.  He loosely set the ropes around his ankles and placed the other rope to look as though it was still binding his wrists behind his back.  Joe took his ropes and did the same.  He leaned against his left side with the knife held tightly behind his back.  A few minutes later they heard the plank being drawn down from the door and the doorknob turning.  Two men walked inside and stared over at both of the Cartwrights.

“Time to get up, the boss has plans for you,” The man who was in black sang out loudly.

“My son hasn’t moved for hours!” Ben shouted.  “He’s hurt badly and I couldn’t even tend him due to you tying my hands behind my back.”

“Go check the kid,” The man in black said and watched as the one named Bill moved to check on Joe.

Ben watched as the man in black stared over towards Joe.  He took the chance of pulling his hands up and reaching for the derringer in his pocket.

Bill reached down to Joe and shook his shoulder and didn’t get a response.  “The kid’s either playing possum or he’s hurt more than we thought,” Bill said and the man in black started to move closer.

Ben jumped to his feet and pressed the derringer against the man in black’s neck at the same time that he witnessed Joe turn and grab up his knife.  He held it to Bill’s neck and was readying to make a fatal cut.

“No Joseph!” Ben yelled and watched as Bill’s face went white.

Joe grabbed the man’s Colt and held the knife with his right hand.  He wanted to cut the man’s throat but had to acquiesce due to the way Pa was staring over at him at the time.  Ben had relieved the man in black of his weapon and shoved him over to the other man.

“Let’s tie them up, Son,” Pa called to Joe and he reluctantly gathered up the two sets of rope lying on the floor where both he and his father had been sitting.

“You’ll never get out of here alive,” The man in black announced.  “Trenton will be here any minute and he’ll take care of both of you!”

Ben watched as his son tied Bill first and then the man in black.  He noticed that they both still wore bandannas over their faces and he yanked them off and used them to gag both men.  Joe kicked Bill hard and called down to him.

“That’s for the damned hole in my side!”  Joe yelled.

Ben made it over to Joe and put his hand on his shoulder to calm him.  He could read the hatred on his son’s face and wasn’t sure just what the boy might do next.

“Let’s go see to those other men, Joseph.  These two won’t be able to get out of here.”

Joe bent down and did a more thorough search of both men before agreeing to move outside of the room with his father.  He made sure there weren’t any hidden weapons on either man.  Joe even pulled off both men’s boots just to be sure.

Ben had to smile to see Joe checking all of the places where he had hid his own weapons.  “Satisfied?” He asked his son.

Joe nodded and watched Pa tucking the derringer back inside his shirt pocket.  “For now I am, Pa.  Let’s go.”

Ben and Joe carefully walked out of the room where they had been imprisoned and dropped the heavy wood plank back down into place.  They looked around the other room to see if there was anyone there perhaps hiding in the shadows but found no-one.

“That guy in black – he said that Trenton would be here soon, Pa.  You think that’s a Hilliard?” Joe asked as he peered through the window to see if anyone was outside on the porch.

“Probably,” Pa nodded.  “Guess we just wait and stay on our guard.”

“Our plan worked pretty good, huh?” Joe smiled over at his father.

Ben nodded and returned his son’s smile.  “Yes — but we’ve still got to get out of this situation so stay on your guard.”

“Uh Oh, I see someone coming — looks like two men, Pa.  I’m going to get behind the door – stay out of sight!”   Joe announced and moved into position.

Ben ducked down out of view behind a chest just to the other side of the door.

“Where is Cliff?” Trenton said to the man standing to his left as he entered the foreman’s cabin.

Joe waited until the two men cleared the threshold and then came out with his gun aimed right at Trenton’s head.

“You won’t find him here.” Joe sang out menacingly.

Ben stood up brandishing his weapon over at the two men.   “Drop your guns!”

Trenton and his henchman, caught off guard, had to do as the two Cartwrights had said.  They dropped their Colt revolvers down onto the floor.  Joe was quick to move over to them and he patted them down to make sure there wasn’t any other weapon on either man.  He retrieved the two revolvers down at their feet and stood back up.

“I guess you’re Trenton Hilliard,” Joe said and grabbed him up by his vest.  He shook the man roughly.

Pa hurried over to his son and pulled his hands down.  “Let’s just tie these two men up, Son.”

Joe’s gaze was deadly as he stared directly into Trenton’s eyes.  “Not yet!  Now you’re going to tell me what you had planned to do to me!” Joe yelled over to Trenton.

“You’re responsible for the deaths of my brother and my nephew, I’m not telling you anything!” Trenton answered and then smiled menacingly over at Joe.

Joe reached over and struck Trenton across the mouth, causing the man’s lip to open up.

“Joseph — go get some rope – now!” Ben insisted.

“No – I need to find out what this maniac was planning to do to me!” Joe shouted over to his father.

Ben grabbed his son’s arm and pulled him back away from both men.  “That’s enough, Joseph, now go and get that rope!”

Joe had to fight his desire to know what the evil man had intended to do to him if he had been successful.  He reluctantly moved away from the two men and searched around for some rope.

“You two – move over there!” Ben indicated the door to the back room.  They did as instructed because they could read on the man’s face that he meant business standing there with the hammer of his Colt cocked and ready to shoot if necessary.

“Here,” Joe said to his father and handed Pa the rope.  “I’ll keep my gun on them.”

Ben looked warily at his son wondering if he could really trust the boy not to fire his weapon unless it was absolutely necessary.

“I’m okay now, Pa,” Joe nodded over to him, trying to let his father know that he had regrouped his emotions.

Ben tied both of the men’s hands behind their backs tightly and then drew the wood plank back down.  Joe and his father herded the two men inside the room.  They pushed them down onto the floor and tied their ankles securely together.  Ben also placed their neckerchiefs over their mouths to gag them.

“Well, now none of them are going to go anywhere or make any noise,” Pa commented to his son.

Joe stared over at each of the men seething on the inside.  He soon felt Pa pulling his arm trying to prevent him from using the Colt held in his hand.

“Come on, Joseph,” Ben whispered and eased his son out of the room.  He drew the plank back down and then stared over at the boy.

“Pa — I’m sorry — I guess it got to me.  I’m okay now.  Well – all but my side.  It’s hurting big time,” Joe sighed wearily and sank down into a chair.

“We’ve got to go get Sheriff Coffee, Joe.  Are you going to be able to ride?”

Joe shook his head and replied, “I’d be lying to you right now if I said that I could, Pa.  I’ll be okay — it shouldn’t take you long.  Buck’s right behind this cabin and if you just go to Virginia City and back it shouldn’t take more than maybe two hours.  I’d just as soon sit here and rest and kind of catch my breath.  I have the feeling that I’ll be seeing Doc Martin sometime tonight to tend this wound.”

Ben looked at his son very concerned over the pain that was now very apparent on the boy’s face, “You sure you’ll be alright?”

Joe nodded and answered, “Yeah – as long as I don’t move around too much.  Maybe bring back a buckboard with you?”

Ben nodded and patted his son’s shoulder.  “You just stay there in that chair until I get back.  But stay out of that room, Joseph — understood?”

“Sure, Pa — I will,” Joe nodded.  “I’ve got guns and a rifle I found over by that window so I’m good.”

“I’ll be back just as quick as I can, Son,” Ben called as he hurried out of the cabin and out to mount his horse for the ride to get help.

************************************

Hoss and Adam couldn’t believe their eyes when they looked down C Street and saw their father mounted on Buck heading their way.  They shouted out to him and their faces lit up to see that their Pa was alright.  He dismounted there in front of them and there were brief hugs exchanged before Pa gave them a short synopsis of all that had happened.

“So Joe found you, Pa?” Adam asked, bewildered over how the kid had done it.  He had to admit to himself that he had underestimated his little brother’s ability to figure out what had happened to their father.

“Yes — the boy was disheveled and quite dirty but he showed up to try and save me and of course he got captured too,” Ben continued with the explanation of all that had happened.

“Yeah, we didn’t find out until last night that Joe had decided to go look for you dressed like a saddle tramp.  He somehow talked Fletcher into keeping it all a secret.  Joe never showed back up at home once you disappeared.  So Preston has a brother?”  Hoss explained what little they had found out concerning Joe’s ploy.

“Yes – and he was holding me hostage in order to lure your little brother there.  I don’t know what plans he had for Joseph — and I don’t want to even think about it.  Now — where’s Roy — have you two seen him?”

“Yes, Sir – he’s over at the International House – they’re about to turn in those bids on that contract,” Adam replied.

“Well — it’s not been on my mind what with all that’s been going on – however here you go, Adam,” Ben replied and handed his son the satchel which was still there inside of his saddlebags where he had left them the day he’d gotten kidnapped.  “Go on – you might as well hand these in and tell Roy where we’re going.  Hoss – do you have the buckboard by any chance?”

“No Pa – I’m riding my horse, why?”

“Your little brother got shot.   Before either of you boys worry – it’s not too bad but Joe doesn’t think he can ride so we need to go get a wagon from the livery I guess,” Pa explained.

Adam and Hoss exchanged knowing smiles and nodded one to the other.

“What is that look on your faces for, Boys?” Pa asked.

“We said that it was a good thing that Little Joe wasn’t home yet or he’d probably either get held hostage or get shot — looks like he did both!” Hoss smiled.

“Well, that was an easy bet,” Ben sighed and then reached for Buck’s reins, taking them back into his hands.  “Hoss, how about you and I go and rent that buckboard while Adam goes and tells Roy where we’re heading and turns in that bid.”

“Meet you at the livery in a minute, Pa,” Adam sounded out and turned down the street to go and talk to Roy and submit the Ponderosa’s bid on the timber contract.

*************************************

“Let’s try that again,” Joe said to the man in black.  “Your name is Cliff, is that right?”

Cliff looked up at the boy who was holding a knife to his neck.  He had been taken from the back room and brought into the front of the cabin.  Joe had tied him securely to the straight-back chair.  The boy had such a menacing look on his face that it made his skin crawl.

“That’s right — the name’s Cliff,” The man nodded warily.

Joe dragged the tip of his boot knife down Cliff’s left cheek and smiled down at him.  “This knife is sharp – isn’t it?”

“Yeah — yeah it is,” Cliff replied, fighting back his fear the best he could.

“You know someone once dragged a knife down my face just like this — it’s not much fun now is it?”

“No – no it isn’t — what do you want from me?  I wasn’t the one in charge!  You want Trenton not me!” Cliff insisted.

“Oh I already asked Trenton what I’m going to ask you but he’s not going to tell me what I want to know.  But, I imagine you’d know the same information so I’ll just get it from you.”

“Ask those other two men then — leave me out of this!” Cliff protested.

Joe shook his head and pulled another chair over next to where Cliff was seated.  He straddled it and smiled over at the man and replied very coldly, “No – you were his right hand man – those others probably don’t know a thing other than how to shoot whoever Trenton tells them to.  Nope, Cliff this is all on you now.”

‘I don’t have anything to say to you, Cartwright!”

“Oh – maybe not right now – but give it a few minutes and I’m sure you’ll change your mind,” Joe said and dragged the tip of the knife down the other side of Cliff’s face and that time drew blood.  “Does that hurt?”

“You’re crazy!” Cliff yelled and attempted to shirk away from Joe.

Joe laughed over what the man had said and responded, “Well, I’m glad you figured that out.  It makes all of this much easier now that you know all about me.”  Joe dropped the knife down and one by one snipped off the buttons to the man’s shirt laying his chest bare.  “You SURE you don’t want to tell me what Trenton was planning to do with me?” Joe called again.

Cliff now felt that even if he told Joe Cartwright everything that he knew, that the kid would probably still hurt him so he held out hope that the boy’s father would return soon and stop him.  He hoped that Ben Cartwright would hurry back and that he would be bringing the law with him.  At the present time sitting inside a jail cell seemed like a far better outcome than his present situation.  He couldn’t help thinking that the young man who sat there staring at him now was quite obviously insane.

“You know I learned a whole lot of diabolical things to do to a person the last time that some other evil men held me captive.  Yes sir, I learned a lot!  Now – I’ve not got too much time so this is your last chance — speak up!”

“I don’t know anything – just go and do this to Trenton if you want to know what he planned,” Cliff pleaded once more.

Joe slowly dragged the tip of the knife down the man’s chest until he got to his naval.  He hadn’t dug the knife in much but had still drawn blood.  “How far down do you need me to go before you just happen to remember the details?” Joe asked and this time he sneered viciously at Cliff.

Cliff’s eyes grew in size and he held his breath wondering what Joe Cartwright was planning to do with his knife next.  His chest erupted in goosebumps as he stared over at the young man who was unrelenting in his insistence to get answers.

***********************************

Ben pulled back on the reins of the team of horses as the buckboard pulled up to the foreman’s cabin there on the Hilliard ranch.  Hoss, Adam and Roy moved their mounts to the hitching post and followed Ben inside.

“Cartwright!” Cliff shouted out when he saw Ben open the door.  “That kid of yours is plum crazy!”

Ben’s mouth fell open as he focused onto the man tied there in the chair.  The man had his arms tied behind him and his legs tied to the chair.  His shirt was wide open and there was a superficial wound going down the man’s chest and across both sides of his face.   Adam, Hoss and Roy exchanged confused glances.

Ben hurried to remove the plank that held the door to the other room closed.  He walked inside to see only two men there on the floor.  Turning back to the front room, Ben called down to the man in the chair, “Where’s my son!”

“Your kid took Trenton and left here after trying to cut me up!” Cliff sounded out.

“My brother wouldn’t do that – mister you’re a liar!” Hoss defended his little brother, as always.

“I tell you he ran his knife all over me trying to get me to talk!” Cliff protested.

“What did he want to know?” Ben asked warily.

“He wanted to know what Trenton had planned to do to him — and when I wouldn’t tell him he tried to hurt me.  So I finally spilled it — I told him what Trenton was going to do.”

”What was he planning on doing to my son!” Ben demanded.

“He was going to take him back to where he’s from — to Oregon.  He has a friend who works for a prison there.  He made an arrangement with that warden to put your son into prison under another name and he’d be in there for life – where no-one could ever find him.”

Ben’s face went pale and he closed his eyes as he imagined how Joseph had taken that information.  All he could think of was the three months of absolute Hell that his son had gone through and the thought of Joe being put into a prison and being taken away from his family –and perhaps never being seen again was absolutely terrifying.  Pa knew exactly what just the thought of that happening to him had done to Joseph.  It would have sent him back into the awful trauma that he had fought so hard to climb out of.

“Pa —

“I know, Adam,” Ben sighed, and drew in a hurtful breath.  He knew that both of his sons and even Roy Coffee were thinking on the fact that Joe just might have mentally snapped after being held captive this time and after hearing what Trenton had planned for him.  It would’ve sent Joseph further down into the depths of despair than anyone could ever pull him back from.

“Let me bring the boy in, Roy — he’s gone through too much — he doesn’t even know what he’s doing anymore.”

“But — if he’s killed —

Ben cut Roy off and insisted, “I will bring him in if he has, but I doubt it’s come to that.   I’m going to hurry out right now.  I’ll do my best to get to him in time and hopefully I can talk him out of it.”

“Go on, Ben,” Roy nodded.  He knew that if anyone could get through to Joe Cartwright right now it would be his father.

“What can we do, Pa?” Adam asked as his father readied to leave the cabin.

“Pray — both of you – pray for your little brother —and that I find the boy in time!”  Ben exclaimed and hurried to retrieve his horse which was tied behind the buckboard.  He sprung up into the saddle and turned Buck towards the northwestern border of the Ponderosa.

*************************************

Joe Cartwright hadn’t planned what he was going to do next.  Just as soon as Trenton Hilliard’s right hand man, Cliff, had spilled his guts about what his boss had planned to do to Joe, he had felt a sudden surge of rage take over his entire being.  Actually it was more like a combination of both rage and fear.  The very thought that he had almost fallen victim once again to another plot to destroy him, filled Joe’s mind with a feeling of impending doom.  He had hoped that Hilliard had a much less frightening plan up his sleeve, but Joe had learned that the evil man had decided to kill him slowly over many years in prison.  Joe was well aware of what usually happened to men in prison, especially young men like he was.  He had felt a surge of bile rising in the back of his throat when he thought on getting thrown there and never being heard from again.  It was then that Joe had made his move.  He had left Cliff tied there in the chair and gone to get Trenton.  He had yanked the evil man up off of the floor and then headed into the next room, dropping the plank back down on the door to secure the other two men who were left there in the back room.  Joe had readied two horses and thrown Hilliard up onto one with his hands tied behind him.  There was only one place that he knew of where nobody would be around to see what he had planned for Trenton.  The remote line shack in the dense woods near the northwestern border of the Ponderosa would fit the bill.  Joe knew it well, and his brothers had name the place Oblivion.  It would be oblivion for Trenton Hilliard now, as Joe wasn’t planning on keeping the man alive for long.

Joe stared down at the spread-eagled figure there on the bunk.  Trenton looked close enough to Preston Hilliard to have been his identical twin, however of the two brothers, only Trenton was still alive, at least for the present time.  Trenton hadn’t put up much of a fuss when Joe had ordered him at gunpoint to move down onto the bunk there in the line-shack.  He stared up at his captor as Joe methodically tied him down with the ropes he had brought from the Hilliard foreman’s cabin.

“Comfortable?” Joe asked smiling down at the other man.

“Everyone knows you took me from my ranch, Cartwright, you’re not going to get away with this,” Trenton insisted.

“I’ve heard that before!” Joe laughed sarcastically.  “I used those exact same words to those sadistic men that your brother paid to take me away for months.  But you know they got away with it —all of it!  They got away with torturing me for months.  I wish I had a good three months with you – but I haven’t got quite that long to give you a taste of your brother’s medicine.  I can just imagine how you would have fared if those men got a hold of you like they got a hold of me!”

“If my brother had been a bit wiser he would’ve paid those men to kill you!”

Joe pulled the chair from the small dining table over and straddled it there next to where Trenton was tied.  “Yeah, I kind of wish they had killed me too, but it just wasn’t in the cards I guess.  But – it wasn’t a total loss – those men showed me some very interesting things there up in the cabin where they held me.  I think I’ll just show you instead of trying to explain what they did,” Joe remarked casually.

“What would your father say about this?” Trenton asked, hoping to guilt the kid into stopping whatever he had planned.

Joe turned his head and glanced around the line shack.  “I don’t see my Pa anywhere — do you?”

“He’ll find out – do you want to tarnish the Cartwright name?  I’ve heard that people in town put great stock in the righteous Cartwright family.”

“What makes you think that I haven’t already tarnished the family name?  Or don’t you know what I’ve done in my life already?”

“Just let me go and I won’t say a word about any of this,” Trenton tried to bargain his way out of any harm befalling him.

Joe laughed loudly and stood once more.  “You aren’t going to say anything, Trenton.  You know – just like what you were planning on doing with me – putting me somewhere that I’d never get to talk to my family again or see the light of day outside of a prison!  Yeah, your old buddy Cliff spilled his guts to me about all of your plans for my future the minute that I started to carve into him.  You aren’t going to be around long enough to talk to anyone ever again, so I’m not worried about your damn threats!”

“You can’t prove that one in court, Cartwright – but if you hurt me I can get you sent away for a lot of years,” He warned.

Joe made the sudden move down to the floor and reached inside of his boot and drew out his knife.  “I don’t like threats!” Joe yelled and placed the tip of the knife against Trenton’s throat.  “What’s the matter – not talking so tough now, huh?”

Trenton just stared up at Joe and tried to hold his breath, now afraid that the boy in front of him was crazier than he had thought.

“Oh – now don’t you worry – I’m not going to end you this fast.  No, I’ve got plenty of time to do this slowly — you know this shouldn’t be rushed!  Let’s just pretend that the two of us are inside of that prison you were going to put me in and we have nothing but time on our hands.”

Joe walked across the room and made sure that the wood stove had begun to heat up.  He had stoked it just before he had tied Trenton to the bunk.  Joe reached across to where he had spotted the fire poker.  He opened the door of the stove and set the end of it into the flames.

“That stove sure is hot – but I’ll tell you what –that fire poker is going to be even hotter – it’s metal and it tends to glow when it’s really hot!  But, you’ll know that first hand very soon.”

Joe walked back over to Trenton and again grabbed the knife with his left hand.  He eased down onto the side of the bunk right next to the man and set the edge of the blade down onto the man’s left cheek.  “Is this sharp enough?  I might have dulled it a bit cutting off my ropes – you know the ones that your henchmen used to tie me up with?”

Trenton’s face flinched as he felt the tip of the blade moving down his cheek, drawing blood as it moved inch by inch towards his chin.

Joe touched the blood on the knife with the index finger of his right hand and smiled.  “I guess this thing isn’t too dull – it seems to be drawing blood just fine.  How’s it feel there, Trenton?”

“You are insane!” Trenton screamed.

Joe grabbed a handful of the man’s hair and tugged it hard, angered over what the man had said to him.  “YOU were going to throw me into a prison and have your warden friend throw away the key and you’re calling ME insane!  Now you’ve made me mad!” Joe shouted and stood up again.  “I think it’s time we see how you handle heat.”

Joe grabbed up a towel that had been left over at the sink.  He walked to the stove and grabbed the fire poker using the folded towel.  Holding it up, Joe could see that the metal was glowing red.

“Joseph!”  Ben Cartwright stood in the doorway and shouted over towards his son.  He had spotted what Joe was holding in his hands and his stomach seized up in knots.

Joe spun around and cast a look over at his father.  Pa’s mouth was hanging wide open and his face was ashen in appearance.  He gave the impression of being both shocked and horrified.

“Stay out of this, Pa!” Joe screamed as he made his way over to the bunk.

Ben crossed the room and made it over to the boy and grabbed his left elbow.  “Stop this right now!” Pa yelled.  He had seen Trenton’s face and witnessed the blood that was on it due to his son’s knife.

“NO!” Joe answered and angrily broke from his father’s hold, shoving him back.  “Go away, Pa!  This is between Trenton and me.”

Ben drew in a deep breath and fought to devise a plan to get his son out of the line shack, even if just temporarily.  He had to give the boy a little bit of space in order to garner his compliance.  Forcing calm to his voice Pa said, “Joe – I just want to talk to you.  I promise that I won’t do anything to you – I need you to come outside with me for just a few minutes.”

“No, Pa!  I know what you’ll tell me to do and I’m not going to do it.  I’m not going to stop until Trenton has a taste of what he was planning to do to me.  Now just go home!” Joe ordered.

“Joseph, I won’t stop you — I just need to talk to you,” Ben continued to talk in a soft low tone, trying not to spook the kid.  He had read the intensity on his son’s face and could tell that Joe was teetering on the edge of sanity.  “Just go put down that poker and come with me out onto the porch please.”

Pa slowly advanced over to the still open door to the cabin and looked back over at the boy.  “Joseph?  Put it down – just for a few minutes and come and talk with me.”

“Why should I?  You didn’t want me to kill any of the men who put us both through all of that back at Hilliard’s place — so I know you don’t feel like I do about any of this!” Joe retorted, still angry due to his father’s interference.

“We will talk about that, Son.  Maybe I’ve changed my mind — I heard about what Trenton had planned to do to you.  Now come on outside and let’s talk.  There’s plenty of time to do whatever you want to in regards to him after we speak.  Trenton is tied down good so he’s not going anywhere,” Ben replied firmly but still in a lowered tone of voice.

Joe dropped his head down and fought with his emotions.  He was beside himself with anger but also felt the terror which was always just below the surface and had been for many months due to all of the abuse he had taken from his first imprisonment.  Staring at the fire poker, he noticed that it had cooled and was no longer red hot.

“Now I have to heat this up again!”  Joe sang out very agitated.  He walked back to the stove and opened the door.  He then set the poker back down onto the hot coals.

“You can heat it back up if you’ve a mind to, Joseph — but while it’s getting ready come on out here with me,” Ben called over to the boy once more.

“Don’t want to,” Joe muttered, never looking over at his father.

“Cartwright, do something with your kid before he does something worse than he’s already done!” Trenton called over towards Ben.

Pa stared at his son and then over to Hilliard.  He had to find a way to break Joe’s concentration.

“You just shut your damned mouth, Hilliard!” Ben screamed and witnessed the surprised appearance on Joseph’s face when he heard what is father had said.  He had tried to shock Joe and it had apparently worked.  Pa thought if he tried to sound as angered at Trenton as his son was that it would show the boy that he was on his side.

“Go on home, Pa — I’ll take care of him,” Joe whispered as he finally turned to look over at his father.

“I’ll go — just as soon as you come outside with me for a few minutes.  I won’t stay if you don’t want me to, Joseph — but I do have to talk to you.  That poker is going to take a while to heat up — so come on out now.”

“You promise you won’t try to haul me out of here if I go outside with you?” Joe asked warily.

Ben drew in a deep breath.  He hoped that he had finally gotten Joe to the point where he would agree to go outside with him.  “I promise that I won’t even lay a hand on you.  Like I said, I just want to talk to you for a couple of minutes, Joseph.”

“Don’t try to trick me, Pa — I’ve still got my gun – and I might use it on Trenton if you try to force me to stay outside.  I’ll use it — I swear to you that I will!” Joe threatened.

Pa could see the Colt revolver slung down at his son’s right side.  He would have to try his best not to provoke the kid, unsure of what he’d do since Joe wasn’t thinking straight.  “I’m not going to trick you, come on outside now.”

Joe cast a quick look over at Hilliard and then back to the wood stove.  He wasn’t going to stay outside for very long as he knew what he was planning to do to Trenton.  Slowly he followed his father out onto the front porch.  Keeping himself at a safe distance from Pa, Joe moved opposite him and waited.

“Joseph — I know how upset you are right now,” Pa began and leaned against one of the wooden support beams on the porch.  “But, have you considered what’s going to happen if you harm Hilliard?”

Joe laughed bitterly and replied, “Oh yeah – I’ve got to worry about the law punishing me, right?  The same law that allows people like him to roam free doing all kinds of things would be the same law that would lock me up for defending myself.”

“Yes, I know it’s all unfair,” Ben agreed in an attempt to appease his son.  He tried to get a look into the boy’s eyes to gauge how much anger was still there in them however the lantern out on the porch was far too dim to offer any clues.   “But you would be in trouble and you don’t really want to go to jail over the likes of him now do you?”

“Who’s going to tell anyone about it?  I’ll get rid of his body when I’m done.”

“Then you are planning on killing him?” Ben questioned quietly, trying to hide how shocked he was to hear of Joe’s true intentions.

Joe stared down at the porch and thought for a few minutes before answering.  “I’m going to torture him – if he dies he dies!   He was going to throw me in a prison for the rest of my life, Pa!  He was going to fix it that I’d never get out.  And you’d never even know what had happened to me.  Pa — you know what happens to men in prison!  I’ve already had a good taste of all of that.  I’ve had three full months of that torture and that was more than a lifetime’s worth of that kind of horror!   He was going to let that happen to me again — just like Preston paid those men to do those things to me!  He needs to die –but first he needs to suffer.  This all ends with Trenton — he’s got no more kin, I got that much out of Cliff.  It started with Preston Hilliard and it will end with Trenton Hilliard!”

“What will end, Joseph?” Pa asked softly, trying to ease the mounting tension.

“Everything will end, Pa — everything that happened to me — everything I’ve had to go through — it all ends when I kill him!” Joe yelled with urgency in his tone.

Ben shook his head sadly and replied, “Joseph, killing Trenton won’t put an end to what you went through with the Daltons.  And killing him won’t make the memories of what they did to you go away.  Killing him won’t put an end to anything except your freedom.  Roy knows that you took Hilliard off somewhere.  If Trenton dies he’ll have to lock you up and it won’t take away any of the pain that you still have due to what was done to you, Son.”

“Just don’t say anything about it and Roy can’t do anything to me!  All you have to do is just give me an alibi and then give me a little time to get rid of his body.  If you throw a body into Lake Tahoe they say it’s so cold that it never comes back up.  Just walk away now, Pa and let me handle this – and no-one will ever know!” Joe continued his plea for his father to help him.  He had already thought about a location and a way to get rid of the man’s body once he was done with him.

“Son, you and I will know,” Ben whispered.

Joe shot a look over at his father and asked angrily, “Why are you trying to protect Hilliard?  Why do you care what happens to him – when you know what he was planning on doing to me?!”

Ben shook his head as he finally raised his voice, “Joseph — I’m not protecting that vile man in there — I’m trying to protect you!  I’m trying to keep you from getting taken away from me!  If you go ahead with what you’re planning I’m not going to be able to protect YOU anymore!”

“Pa!” Joe yelled and began to pace the porch.  “He – he made me hit you, Pa!  I swore nobody was ever going to force me to do anything against my will again —- but he did!   He forced me to hit my own father!  And he was going to get rid of me permanently.  What Trenton did and what he was going to do next was no different than what the Dalton brothers did to me!”

Pa sighed and then returned a bit softer in tone, “No, Son, it’s not the same as what the Daltons did to you.   You’ve got to stop blending those two events in your mind, Joseph.   Trenton was going to arrange for you to be put in that prison —yes — but he didn’t get the chance to do it.  He did hold us both as hostages so he will get time in prison for that.  Joseph, if Trenton disappears they’re going to put you in jail for a long time!  There’s a chance that you might even get convicted of first degree murder and that could mean you’d get hung.”

“I’ve been hung before, Pa — I don’t care anymore!” Joe yelled over at his father.  He had gone back inside his mind to the time when the Daltons had placed a rope around his neck and had almost hung him.  “Please, Pa — please just don’t say you saw me up here!  I’ll get rid of him and you can just say I was at home the whole time.  They can’t prove anything — they won’t know!” Joe pleaded with his father, his voice becoming more desperate in tone.

“No, Joseph — like I said — you and I would know,” Pa continued to try to get through to his son.

“It will all just keep happening to me – unless you let me put an end to it now, Pa!” Joe insisted as he dropped down onto the top porch step and sat down.

Ben moved to the steps and eased down alongside of his son.    He kept his distance and didn’t try to put his arm over the boy’s shoulder because he wasn’t too sure what Joe would’ve done.  The boy still had it in his head that his father was going to try and stop him from harming Trenton, so Ben didn’t want him to think he was making some kind of a play to grab him.

“Joseph — what are you thinking?  This just isn’t like you.  You’ve cut that man — you’ve hit him too.  And now you’re heating up that fire poker in there!  You can’t really hurt anyone like that, can you?”  Pa’s worry was very evident in his tone of voice.   Just thinking on all that his son had already done to both Cliff and Trenton filled Ben with confusion over what had happened to the kind and thoughtful young man who he had raised.

“Maybe I’ve had enough with being the one who gets tortured all of the time, Pa!   It’s about time I was on the other side of all of it now.  It’s time that I do some torturing of my own.  He deserves to feel that red hot fire poker!” Joe fired back at his father.

“That’s something that the Daltons threatened to do to you, Joseph.” Ben whispered.

Joe stared up into his father’s eyes and retorted bitterly, “I know that!   Maybe they’ve made me just like them now?”

Ben shook his head and insisted, “No you are nothing like them!”

Looking down at the porch Joe fought to control the rage which still coursed through his veins.  He was still filled with the need for revenge and couldn’t get it to let go of him.  “I need it to be over, Pa,” Joe admitted, his voice now turning both plaintive and steeped in desperation.

“I know,” Ben whispered, his heart aching over what his son had revealed in the cadence of his voice.  Pa thought he’d spotted some tears leaving Joe’s eyes and knew the boy was hurting over all that had happened already and the choices he had made.

Joe dropped his head down into his hands and began to weep.  He had finally realized what he had done that day, if fell upon him like a ton of bricks.  Joe remembered cutting Cliff and then doing the same thing to Trenton.  He thought of the fire poker heating up there in the stove inside the line shack.  Joe never thought that he could sink down to the level of the sadistic Dalton brothers but he now realized that he was getting very close to turning into them as each moment passed.  It frightened him to think of what might have happened if Pa hadn’t shown up when he had.  Joe internally fought himself over the fact that he felt totally out of control of the situation and that he also was unable to stop the intense hatred which had overtaken him.  Part of him still wanted to go inside the line shack and torture Trenton and kill him.  Yet, the other part of him felt sick to his stomach for all that he had already done.  His mind filled with contempt towards Trenton and also with loathing towards himself.

“Oh, Pa — I’m tired — I’m tired of all of this!  I’m tired of always looking behind me – always being afraid.  I’m tired of pretending that everything’s all okay when it’s not.  I don’t want to live a life where I have to go around with a knife in one boot and a gun in the other.  I’m tired of remembering everything —everything that’s happened to me this year,” Joe confessed tearfully as remorse began to filter into his mind.

“I understand,” Ben whispered and allowed Joe to admit to everything that he had been keeping from him for much too long.

“Pa – he made me hit you — he tied me up!  It made me feel like I was back there inside of that cabin being forced to do all of those awful things against my will.  He made me feel helpless and scared all over again!   And then — when I found out about his plan to put me into that prison — oh – Pa—I just couldn’t take it,” Joe continued to describe to his father everything that was going on in his mind and heart.  Joe wept and shook his head back and forth hopelessly.  “I’ve tried, Pa — you know that I have!  I’ve tried to be strong – I’ve tried –- so hard!  The only time in the last six months that I haven’t felt frozen with fear was when I was there in Stockton under an assumed name, wearing a right handed holster and looking like a saddle tramp.  But, I don’t want to be someone else, Pa — I don’t want to be Jim Rivers or anybody else.  I want to be Joe Cartwright again — but I’m too scared to be him right now!  When I’m Joe Cartwright I get hurt – I get taken – I get abused.  I don’t know what to do anymore, Pa.  I – I– – I can’t live like this anymore.”

Ben could tell that his son was having an emotional breakdown right there before his eyes and he had no earthly idea what he could do to help the boy.  It was ripping his heart out just witnessing the raw emotions which were pouring out as Joe listed the many things that he had been trying to deal with for months and how being held as a hostage once again had sent him over the deep end.

“Pa — Pa — I need — I need,” Joe’s voice broke as he attempted to get the words out.  He was having a very difficult time admitting to what he felt was a total failure on his part of handling all he had fought so hard to overcome.

Ben moved a bit closer to his son, hoping that the boy would finish his request for assistance.  “What, Joseph?  What do you need?  Tell me,” He asked softly.

“Oh, Pa– I need help.  Pa — I need help,” Joe tearfully choked out the admission that it was all just too much for him and that he could no longer try to handle his problems and fears on his own.

Ben knew that it was finally time to reach for his son in order to provide the boy some of his own strength.  He drew Joseph into his arms and held on to him tightly.  He could feel the boy’s body quake as Joe allowed himself to give in and face the fact that he needed help.  Joe broke down as sobs shook his chest.  He finally had surrendered to the knowledge that he would now have to turn over his care to someone else in order to be healed.

“Pa – will you — will you get me help?  I need help,” Joe choked out the words though in his mind he felt as though he was finally admitting to defeat.  He had hidden all of the pain that he had been dealing with on a daily basis for months.  Joe hadn’t wanted to appear weak to his father or to anyone else.  It hadn’t been until the recent events that had played out there at the Hilliard ranch that Joe had finally realized that he hadn’t made any real progress emotionally since he had been abducted six months prior.   Though he had fought to give the appearance to his family that he was doing just fine, Joe knew he was only acting the part.  Now dull reality had hit him squarely between the eyes and there was no hiding the truth that he could no longer mask the pain or continue with his charade.  Joe had known for months that he had lost the battle to fight through his trauma, but he had refused to tell anyone.  He hadn’t even admitted it to the one person he trusted more than anyone; his Pa.

“Yes, Son – of course I’ll get you some help,” Pa assured the boy, fighting back his own tears.  It was so hard to see his youngest son so tormented by all that he had gone through for so many months.  “We all need help at times.  It’s nothing to be embarrassed about or feel ashamed of, Joseph.”

“Pa — I lived in the darkness for so long!   And then for a while I tried to live in the light. But now I feel like I’m somewhere in between. I feel like I’m living in the shadows.  It feels like I’m caught somewhere that there isn’t dark or light.  I’m stuck between the two now, Pa,” Joe paused, as his breath hitched in an out showing the sadness he was feeling.  It took a few minutes before he could continue to explain to his father what was going on inside his mind and in his heart.   “I want a life where I don’t have to worry every single minute if something is going to happen to me that I can’t do anything about.  I want a life where I won’t feel like someone is always out there trying to take me away in order to hurt me.  I don’t want to spend every minute of every day being afraid.  Pa —Pa I –I just need help,” Joe struggled to express to his father how he had been living for months, though he had hid it pretty well.  He hated to admit that he needed help, but after all that he had done that day Joe knew he was totally out of control and that he might harm someone even worse than he already had.  Joe could no longer trust himself or his actions and he was terrified that if he didn’t get some help very soon that he might endanger all of those that he loved.

“I understand,” Pa paused and gently brushed his hand through the hair on the back of his son’s head attempting to calm the boy.   “It’s going to be alright, Joseph,” Ben tried his best to reassure his son as he continued to hold him in his protective embrace.  Pa closed his eyes and prayed that his son would somehow find his way back to his former self and stay there for good.

“Pa?” Joe whispered and pulled himself back a bit in an attempt to look into his father’s eyes.

“Yes, Son – what is it?”

Joe reached inside of his boot and withdrew his knife and placed it on the step down at his feet.  He then pulled his Colt up out of his holster and placed it there next to the knife.  “Will you — will you take these for a while?   I don’t really trust myself right now.  Just keep them for me –and maybe someday –

Joe trailed off and dropped his head back down into his hands still swept up in his hopelessness and despair.  He was finding it hard to believe that he would ever return to the way he had been so many months ago, before the hurt and the fear had taken over and left him feeling weak and wounded due to all of the abuse he had taken.

“Someday — someday what, Joseph?”  Pa tried to encourage Joe to finish his statement in order to make his worries known and help his father understand exactly what he was thinking.

“Maybe someday I’ll be like I use to be – maybe I can be Joe Cartwright again someday?   But I can’t until I can break loose from all of this.  If I can ever break free from all of the fear and the pain from all of these memories, Pa,” Joe answered feeling totally bereft.

“You will, Joseph, I’m sure of it.  You’ll be Joe Cartwright again soon.  I’ll get you the help that you need, Son, and then you and I will take it from there, okay?” Pa reassured his son and put his arm across the boy’s shoulder.  “But – as for right now — I’ll go make sure that Trenton’s ropes are tied real tight.  Then I’m taking you back home and we’ll get you all fixed up.  I’ll have your brothers come back later and take Trenton into town to the jail.  I’ll be right back, Son,” Ben called down as he stood from the porch step after retrieving Joe’s knife and gun and placing them inside of his coat.  He cast a worried gaze down at the boy who still held his head in his hands.  Ben prayed with all of his heart that somehow his son would get the kind of help that he needed.   He hoped that Joseph wouldn’t have to live the same kind of life that he had been forced to live for six months.  Pa wanted his son back just as much as the boy wanted his life back and his father would move heaven and earth to assist his son towards that end.  *** Please dear Lord, help my boy *** Pa said his silent prayer and then turned inside the line shack.

************************************

Ben stood in the living room of the Ponderosa ranch house and just stared down into the flames in the fireplace.  He was well spent from all of the harrowing events of the day.  Adam and Hoss had been dispatched upon the arrival of their father and brother earlier.  They headed up to Oblivion to take Trenton into the Virginia City Jail.  Ben then sent Fletcher to fetch Doctor Martin to tend to Joe.  While they waited for his arrival, Hop Sing had assisted Joe with a badly needed bath and shave.  Joe hadn’t argued as he was glad to feel clean again.  He also hadn’t argued when his father had suggested that he go up to his room and try to get a little sleep before the doctor got there.

Hop Sing had noticed the sorrow displayed on Ben’s weary face.  He brought in some fresh coffee for the man and set it onto the coffee table there in the living room.

“Thank you,” Ben said and nodded over to the cook.  “I’ve missed your coffee – and I’ve missed this chair,” He admitted as he sank down into the red leather chair.

“Little Joe look better after bath — but he also look sad,” Hop Sing commented.

Ben drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly before replying, “Yes, Joseph is having a rough time of it.  I’m hoping Doc can help him.”

“You need to eat — I go get something,” Hop Sing insisted and turned back to the kitchen.

Ben turned when the door opened and his two sons appeared.  They removed their holsters and hats and walked over to their father.

“How did it go, Boys?”

Adam sat down in the blue winged back chair and Hoss settled down onto the settee.

“Fine, Pa – we got that skunk delivered to Roy,” Hoss announced.

“Yeah – and Roy said that two of his henchman are talking to save their hides.  They told Roy that Trenton planned the whole thing he even set it up to coincide with the bid for the timber so it would throw us all off.  The one named Bill said that Trenton told him to set that fire and he admitted to doing it.  He also said that Trenton had been keeping tabs on Little Joe and knew that he was due back from his trip.  It seems that Cliff struck up a friendship with that apprentice who works with Pete and somehow read some of Joe’s telegrams that he sent from Stockton,” Adam explained.

Ben frowned and replied, “I’m quite sure that man forgot to mention to Roy that he shot Joe in the side last night, right?”

“Yeah, Pa – he never said anything about that,” Hoss nodded.

“How is Joe by the way?  He looked pretty rough when you both got in earlier.”

“Adam, your brother is having a tough time.  Being held hostage again brought back all of what he went through six months ago and apparently he’s been keeping a lot from all of us.  I’m going to talk to Doc about it – but the kid needs help.”

Hoss frowned and looked over at his father and remarked, “I know Joe cut that Cliff fellow and also Trenton – but it wasn’t even deep enough to make a scar.  Doc looked at Cliff already and he said he’s fine.  Besides the kid was shot and had gone through a lot – nobody can blame him for going off a bit.”

“Who socked you in the eye, Pa?” Adam asked as he stared over at his father.

“It’s a long story — let’s not dwell on that right now,” Ben hedged as he didn’t want to bring up what had happened with Joe and how they had to exchange punches due to Trenton.

“Pa – we got a message from Mister Stacey with the Pacific Railroad – you won that bid,” Adam announced, trying to come up with something positive.

“Good to know, Adam — but right now I can’t think of too much else but your little brother,” Ben sighed.

The knock on the front door stopped the conversation and Ben was quick to answer it.  Doctor Paul Martin walked in and shook Ben’s outstretched hand.

“You’ve got a pretty good shiner there, Ben,” Paul quipped as he walked inside and placed his overcoat on the back of the settee.

“I wish that was the reason that I sent for you, Paul,” Ben replied and moved with the doctor into the living room.  Paul sat down on the settee next to Hoss and Hop Sing came out of the kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee and cups for the other three men.

“Thank you,” Paul nodded to the cook as he was handed a cup and took a sip.  “It was a long ride and I can use this.  Okay, Ben, what has happened to Joe this time?”

Ben glanced over at his sons and then back to the doctor and answered, “Joseph was shot in the side last night.  I don’t think it’s too bad, but something that needs to be looked at.  But – well – he’s having some problems.”

Paul nodded and jumped right in.  “Ben, I was told all about Joe being held hostage with you so I can just imagine what that did to the boy.  He’s having issues due to what happened last time, right?”

“Yes — it set him off –and he almost seriously hurt the man who had planned on getting Joe sent off to a prison and left there under another man’s identity.  When Joe heard about that – well – it set him off even worse.  It was bad enough that he was tied down – and that they did things to us which I won’t go into right now – but it didn’t help with what he’s gone through.”

“Let me go up and tend his side and I’ll talk to him, Ben.  You and the boys just wait here.  I’ll come and get you after I’ve spoken with Joe,” Paul insisted and grabbed his black medical bag and turned for the stairs.

“Pa?” Hoss called after Paul had gone to see Joe up in his room.  “Pa what did they do to you and Joe?”

“I told Joseph that I wouldn’t say – but maybe it would be good for you both to know.  Trenton toyed with us and pretended that he didn’t know who Joseph was.  Joe thought he had a pretty good disguise and he was trying to make it appear as though we didn’t know each other – but Trenton knew all along.  He made Joe hit me and he made me hit Joe.  We both have black eyes.  It hurt me so bad to hit him – but I was doing it to protect him the same as he was for me.  But your brother took it pretty hard.  He was forced to do something against his will just like back in Littleton.  I think that began his decline and now he’s finally at the point where he’s asked me to get him some help.  He was set on killing Trenton – thank God I got to him in time.”

“Poor kid,” Adam said, his face reflecting his worry over his brother.

“I’d like to get my hands on all of them,” Hoss announced clenching his fists.

“Let it be, Hoss,” Ben sighed.  “Right now we’ve got enough trouble on our hands.

“At least they’re all in jail now where they belong,” Adam nodded.

Ben’s eyes tracked up the staircase as he wondered what was going on with his son and if he’d be as honest with the doctor as he had been with him.

************************************

Paul had doctored Joe’s gunshot wound and then had a very long talk with the young man.  Afterwards, Paul called down the stairs for Ben to come up.  Pa hurried up the stairs and stood outside his son’s bedroom and spoke with the Doc.

“Well?”

“His side isn’t too bad, Ben.  I cleaned it good and put a bandage on it.  I’d say a week or so it should be as good as new.”

Ben sighed.  He knew that Paul was trying to start with something positive first.  “And what about –

Doctor Martin cut Ben off and said, “I know, Ben, Joe needs a lot of help.  I can see it on his face and hear it in his voice.  The boy is going to need professional help this time.”

Ben shook his head sadly, “I had hoped that my taking him to that cabin two months ago would’ve been enough, but evidently Joseph had been hiding how he’s been doing emotionally from all of us.”

Paul reached over and touched his friend’s arm sympathetically.  “Ben, you did a good thing by taking Joe there – I’ve no doubt about it.  But, your son needs more help.  Do you remember his leg injury?”

“Of course – but what does that have to do with this?”

“I’m a pretty good country doctor if I do say so myself,” Paul paused and smiled.  “But, Joe’s leg injury needed surgery — and specialized surgery at that.  I would have liked to heal Joe myself — but I didn’t have the skill that was needed.”

“I still don’t understand, Paul – what are you saying?” Ben asked, very confused.

“Ben – you did a great job trying to get Joe to face up to what happened to him there at that cabin — but that was only half of the problem.  He needs a professional to help him finish the healing process.  It’s just the same as my situation –as much as I would have liked to fix Joe’s leg it was out of my power.  Let’s get him the help he needs —let’s get a hold of Doctor Peele and maybe Doctor Wallace can help Joe now.  He specializes in trauma – and that’s what Joe’s gone through.”

Ben finally understood what the doctor was trying to relay to him.  He wished it was something he could help his son through but apparently Joe needed more help than a father’s love could provide.

“Does Joe know?”

“Yes – and I think he feels like he has to try.  He’s upset with himself for not being able to cope with all that he went through but I told him that it’s perfectly normal.  He said that he pretended that he was alright around you and his brothers because he wanted to appear strong.  Then when he ended up tied there with you it finally forced him to realize that he was far from healed.  He told me what happened with both Cliff and Trenton and he knows that it was wrong, but he said he couldn’t stop himself.  It was good that he had you there when he needed you so he could confess the truth about how he felt.   Admitting that he needs help is the first step to getting healed, Ben.”

“How soon do you think he should go?”

“I’ll wire Harold when I get back from town.  I think the sooner the better, Ben.  I’ve given him a sedative – so he’ll be going down soon.  Why don’t you go in and see him before he falls asleep?”

“Thank you, Paul,” Ben nodded towards the doctor.

“I’ll be back tomorrow – and I’m sure Harold will have a message for you by then that I’ll bring with me.  Joe just needs rest right now — and keep him in bed.”

“I will –thanks again,” Ben replied and turned for the door.

“Good night, Ben,” Paul smiled and headed for the staircase.

*************************************

Ben stared over at his son who had his eyes closed at the time.  He wasn’t sure if Joe was already asleep due to the sedative that the doctor had given him.  Pa reached for his son’s hand and took it into his own.

“Joseph?” Ben whispered.

Joe’s eyelids fluttered open and he looked over at his Pa.  “I’m still awake, Pa.”

“First of all, Young Man, I have to tell you that you sure do clean up well,” Ben began, fighting for words to say to his son that wouldn’t upset him.

“I guess I don’t look like a bum anymore, huh?” Joe also attempted to put his father at ease knowing it had been a terrible day and he’d done things that he felt awful for doing.  Joe also hated that he had put his father through so much travail.

“No, you look like Joe Cartwright again,” Ben smiled and patted the boy’s arm.  “Doc says your side is going to be okay, Son.”

“I’m sorry, Pa,” Joe said, his voice breaking as tears formed in his eyes.  He couldn’t pretend anymore.   He knew that he needed help and exchanging quips with his father seemed pointless after what he had done up at the line shack.

Ben moved to sit next to his son on the bed and called down to him, “You have nothing to be sorry for, Joseph.”
“I’m not the Ponderosa pine that you said I was,” Joe whispered sadly.

Pa thought back to when he had taken Joe to see the tallest tree on the ranch.  He remembered telling his son that it had weathered many storms alone and withstood them all.  Pa had compared what Joe had gone through with what the tree had endured.  It was after that Pa had told his son that he was just as strong as that tree.

“No, Son, you’re very wrong.  You know all trees bend in a strong wind.  You’ve gone through a raging tempest – so it’s only natural that you’d bend a bit.   But you’re not broken.  I stand by what I said about you and that tree, Joseph.  In my eyes you’re still just as strong as that Ponderosa pine— you just need a little calm for a change.”

“I feel broken, Pa,” Joe confessed, fighting back his tears.

Pa combed his fingers through his son’s curls and replied, “You’re going to get help for that.  I promise you that you won’t always feel that way, Joseph.”

“Doc said I should go and see Doctor Wallace, Pa.  I think so too.  I was hoping I could get through this myself – but I can’t,” Joe confessed.

“I wish you would have told me that you were still having trouble dealing with all of what you’d been through.   I might have been able to help you with it.”

“I couldn’t, Pa – not after all you did to try to help me.  You took me to that cabin.  You helped me face up to all that was done to me there.  You even helped me burn that place down to the ground.  How could I tell you — after all of that — that I still couldn’t deal with it?  It made me feel weak.   It made me feel like I let you down.  I should be able to get over this — I don’t know why I can’t.  I came so close to killing two people today.  They were awful people but I was going to torture Trenton –maybe even kill him.  It’s like I was trying to kill everyone – the Daltons, Preston and Trenton all at the same time.  If you hadn’t shown up I probably would have.  Then I would’ve been just like them.  And worst of all I just don’t know why I felt that way. I told you that I’m not in the darkness or the light anymore, I’m stuck — I’m in the shadows between the two and I can’t handle it anymore.   It’s why I’ve got to leave now,” Joe insisted.

Ben settled his hand onto his son’s shoulder and called down to him.   ”You understood what you were doing and you stopped in time — that’s the important part.  And you now know that it was wrong.  Those are two good steps to getting back to being Joe Cartwright.  I think Doctor Wallace can take you the rest of the way.  I wish you didn’t have to go, Son, but if it’s to help you get back to what you were –then it will all be worth it.   And you didn’t let me down by the way!  Going to that cabin and facing up to all of that was still the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.  And I don’t want you to ever forget that!”

Joe’s eyelids grew heavy and he knew that he was about ready to fall asleep.  “I’m sorry about your eye, Pa.  Of all the things that I’ve done wrong lately the worst was hitting you.”

“Tomorrow take a look at your own eye and you’ll see that I got off easy,” Pa smiled trying to ease his son’s mind.  He could tell that Joe hadn’t fallen for his line as the boy still looked very upset.  “Joseph, you’ve got to let that go.  Remember if you hadn’t thrown that punch they would’ve shot me.  I’d much rather get a little black eye than a bullet hole in me.  I hit you too and for the same reason.  Now no more talk of that again, okay?”

“Okay, Pa,” Joe nodded and tried his best not to dwell on what he had done to his father, though he knew he’d always remember it.

“Now, Young Man, you close those eyes.  Everything is going to be okay.  It might take a little while, but I bet you that very soon you’ll feel like being Joe Cartwright again.  Son, it’s all going to be alright.  I’m absolutely sure of it.”

“I hope so, Pa,” Joe whispered and closed his eyes for the last time.  The sedative had finally taken hold and he fell off to sleep.

Ben sat on the bed next to his son for a long while.  He just stared over at the boy and prayed that he would be alright.  Pa knew that it would be a long road ahead for Joseph, but he had faith that the boy would do alright.   And he was counting on that same faith to see him through until his son would be back home and well again.  Finally standing from the bed, Ben reached over and turned the light on the nightstand down low.  Pa bent down and brushed aside the curls which had fallen down onto his son’s forehead and then softly kissed his brow.  He sighed deeply knowing that he would soon be saying goodbye to his youngest as he sought help at the hospital there in San Francisco.  Ben couldn’t help wondering why his son always had to be tested by fire.  He prayed that all of his worry would wash away just as soon as he had Joe back home safe and healthy again.

*************************************

Epilogue

Ben and Joe Cartwright sat outside of the Overland Stage Depot waiting for the noon stage which would take them on their journey back to San Francisco.  Joe had requested that there wouldn’t be the fanfare that there had been the last time he had left some three months ago.  He had said his goodbyes to both Adam and Hoss back at the ranch house.  Joe’s emotions were too raw and his mood swings worried everyone, even though they all knew why he was experiencing them.

“I really don’t understand why you’ve got to go too, Pa.  I can make it to San Francisco by myself,” Joe said sullenly as he looked down at the sidewalk.

Ben put his arm over his son’s shoulder and replied, “Don’t you remember me telling you that I have some papers to sign at the hospital, Joseph?”

Joe nodded and sighed, “Yeah, you told me there were papers you need to sign – what are they, Pa — commitment papers?”

Ben turned his son’s face to stare into the boy’s eyes to address what he had said.  “Now, Joseph, they’re no such thing!  You aren’t being committed so stop that right now.  I’m not forcing you to do this – remember you asked me to get you help, right?”

“Okay, Pa — if you say so.  Are you just going to sign papers or have some other idea – like staying to check on me?”

“No, I’ll make sure you’re settled and then I’ll come back home,” Ben sighed.  He wished it wasn’t the case and that he could just stay in San Francisco alongside his son like he had months ago when the boy had surgery on his leg.  But this was a different situation altogether.  There was no set time that Joe would be discharged from the hospital due to the nature of his problems.  He had wired Doctor Wallace and the man wanted Ben to have a talk with him once he arrived with Joe.  Pa didn’t want Joe to know everything that had been said in the various telegrams which had gone back and forth between Ben, Harold Peele and Doctor Wallace.  There was no need in worrying his son about it.

“It’s for the best, Pa,” Joe paused as he turned and spied the stage coming in from the west.  “I don’t know how long it’s going to take to fix me —or if they even can.”

Pa tugged on Joe’s arm and replied, “No talking like that, Joseph!  I told you that you’ll be fine and you will be.  Now come on, let’s get our bags.”

*************************************

Three days later both Ben and Joe arrived at the Saint Francis Hospital and, as usual, were greeted by Doctor Harold Peele.  He escorted Joe to his room and helped get him settled and then brought Ben down into his office where Doctor Cleveland Wallace waited.  Harold set out coffee for the three of them and then they asked Ben to go over everything he knew about all that Joe had gone through from the very beginning of his ordeal all the way up to and including all of the events which had taken place up at the line shack where Joe had asked for help.  Ben hated to discuss what had been a private conversation between his son and him up at the cabin in Littleton.  However for Joe to get the proper care he had to divulge the account of all that had happened there.  The two doctors would be caring for his son in his absence, and Ben knew that they had to be informed of everything that Joseph had gone through which had led to his emotional breakdown.

Ben was well spent by the time he had finally divulged every detail to Harold and Doctor Wallace.

“I know that that was very hard on you to go through all of that, Ben.  Thank you,” Harold nodded over to the man.

“To me it sounds as though what has happened to your son has been cumulative, Mister Cartwright,” Doctor Wallace commented as he finished writing down all of the information in his notebook.  “It’s surprising to me that Joe didn’t break down long before now.”

“He’s a very strong young man,” Ben nodded.  “But, none of us knew that he was still suffering these last couple of months.  I also didn’t know that he had gone on that vacation in order to rid himself of all that was Joe Cartwright.  But, then again, I didn’t know he was so terrified of being captured again that he had loaded his boots with both a knife and a gun either.”

“One thing’s for sure,” Harold smiled over to Ben.  “That son of yours sure loves you — or he never would have tried to get captured – especially after going through all that for months.”

“I know — I wish he hadn’t – as it set off all of the rest of the events,” Ben frowned.

“No, Mister Cartwright, what Joe’s gone through was going to hit him at some time or the other.  There’s really no telling what might have set this off — though being held hostage made it happen a bit faster – he eventually would have ended up breaking down.  At least you got him to safety and now brought him somewhere he can get the help he needs,” Doctor Wallace tried to ease the anxious father’s mind.

“How long — any idea – how long it will take?” Ben asked.

Doctor Wallace shook his head and gave a noncommittal shrug of his shoulders.  “It’s all going to depend on your son.  I’ve got some ideas on how to treat him – but something like this can’t be rushed or he will eventually go through all of this again.”

“Ben I thought you could come and stay tonight at my house to rest up before going back to the Ponderosa,” Harold said.

“So – neither of you think that maybe I should stay in San Francisco in case Joe needs me?”  Ben asked, worry evident in his tone of voice.

“No – he needs time here to get use to the therapy he’s going to need.  Be assured that I will keep you apprised of how the boy is doing,” Doctor Wallace answered.

Harold stood from his desk and walked over and put his hand down on Ben’s shoulder.  “I know you don’t want to leave him, Ben.  But the sooner we get Joe well the sooner he can get home to you.”

Ben drew in a deep breath and nodded.  “Yes, I hate to leave the boy – but I do want what’s best for him.  Will it hurt to go see him before we go to your house, Harold?”

“Of course not, you can see Joe and then we’ll go to dinner and then you can get a good night’s sleep.”

Ben stood and shook Doctor Wallace’s hand and said, “Take care of my son — I can’t help worrying about him — but I know you’ll do your best to help him.”

Doctor Wallace smiled and nodded over to the worried father.  “I’ll write you every week, Mister Cartwright.”

***********************************

Ben left Harold’s office and made his way down the long corridor and over to Joe’s hospital room.  He opened the door to see that Joe was now in a hospital gown and lying in bed.

“Hi, Pa,” Joe called over to his father.

Ben made his way over to his son and sat down on the side of the bed.  He didn’t speak for a long while, feeling quite choked up with emotions at the time.

“Pa – I’m going to try my best – try not to worry.  I know you have to go – so just have a safe trip.” Joe continued, as he witnessed the appearance of tears in his Pa’s eyes.

“Here,” Pa said and reached inside his coat pocket.  “Now, Young Man, I expect a letter every week,” Pa said and handed Joe a big envelope.

Joe opened it and pulled out writing paper, envelopes, a pencil and stamps.  He forced a smile in order to put his father’s mind at ease.  “I’ll do my best, Pa.”

Ben reached over and pulled Joe into his arms and tightly held onto him.  He couldn’t help feeling as though he was abandoning the boy and it made his heart ache.  It didn’t matter that Joseph was twenty-three years old, his son had gone through so much and he had hoped that he could’ve helped him himself.  This was his youngest boy and everyone knew that Joseph owned a large part of his Pa’s heart.  Now he would be in the care of a doctor who wasn’t all that known to the boy and Ben hoped that the man realized the depth of hurt that his son was carrying inside of him.  The hardest part of being a parent was to let go of a child, no matter the age, and hope that they could find their way back home.  Joseph surely knew how to find his way home, but at the present time he didn’t know exactly who he was anymore.  Ben prayed that his son could find the Joseph Cartwright who had been happy-go-lucky and a joy to his family before he had been abducted and abused six months ago.  Pa believed in his heart that the boy who he loved so much was still inside him somewhere, buried deep underneath all of the hurtful memories, sadness, and the pain.

“It’s going to be okay, Pa,” Joe whispered, fighting his own tears now.  “I’ve got to do this – I have to try to get back to being Joe Cartwright – and this is the only place where I’ve got a chance to do it.  I’ll miss you — and I’ll do my best to come back to you.”

“Take care of yourself, Joseph – and if it ever gets to be too much you just tell Harold and he’ll wire me and I’ll be right back here, okay?”

“Sure, Pa,” Joe whispered.

Ben finally eased his son out from his arms and combed his fingers through the boy’s unruly hair and tried to force a confident smile.  “You get well – I’ll be waiting for your first report,” Pa said as he stood from the bed.

“Goodbye, Pa,” Joe nodded towards his father.

Ben headed for the door but turned around at the last minute and cast a parting glance towards his youngest.  Joe looked so unlike his former self that it gave his father pause.  The bright hazel eyes were dull and his endearing smile hadn’t been seen for so long that Ben wondered if he’d ever see it again.  Foremost, even behind the fabricated smile, he knew that Joseph was still hurting but had been trying to assure his Pa that he was fine with being left there in the hospital alone.  All that Pa could do was to pray that the next time that he saw the boy that he’d see the mischievous smile that was uniquely Joseph Cartwright’s.  Fighting his desire to go against all of the doctor’s wishes and stay there, he drew in a deep breath and then somehow managed a reassuring smile.  He called across the room to his son.   “I’ll see you soon, Joseph — I love you.”

“I love you, too, Pa,” Joe answered and tried not to show his father how hard it had been to pretend that he was okay with being left there at the hospital alone.  He knew that Pa would’ve stayed for months if he asked him to, but, he felt that it wouldn’t be fair to the man.  Joe was unsure how long he would be at the hospital and how long it would take for him to be healed.  He wasn’t all that sure that he would ever be healed.  He watched as Pa walked out of the room and he felt lonelier than he ever remembered, other than his three months in captivity.  *** Goodbye Pa *** Joe thought to himself and pulled the covers up over his shoulders and hoped that sleep would overtake him.

*************************************

Ben sat at the desk in his study working on his ledgers.  He had to rework the figures numerous times as his mind was on other things.  He tried to keep the news that he’d just received from Doctor Wallace from his thoughts but it hadn’t worked.  It had been a full month and yet the doctor had notified Ben that Joe’s therapy hadn’t been going very well.  He had mentioned trying another approach to Joseph’s condition and assured Ben that he would keep him apprised on how it was coming along.  Frowning after he had pressed down too hard on yet another pencil, Ben searched in one of the bottom drawers for a new supply of them.  He had forgotten that the bottom right drawer was where he had stashed Joe’s boot knife, derringer and right handed holster.  He pulled each object up to the top of his desk and stared down at them.  He closed his eyes and could still hear his son’s quips when he had first been thrown inside the foreman’s cabin where he was also held as a prisoner.  *** I might be dirty but at least I put in a day’s work.  You look like a damn pencil pusher to me!  What are you a banker or something?  You probably sit on your backside all day and order people around! *** Ben started to smile and he shook his head.  Here he was looking for a pencil in order to finish the monthly statements and Joseph – who had gone by “Jim’ back then, had called it correctly.  Ben laughed to think that he might really be a pencil pusher after all.

“Pa?”  Hoss called over to his father, who apparently hadn’t heard him come into the study.

“Oh – Hoss – yes what is it, Son?’” Ben shook himself out of the flashback.

“Did you get some good news about Little Joe?  I heard you laughing when I walked in.”

Ben cleared his throat and set Joe’s weapons and holster back inside of his desk.  “No, Hoss, afraid not.  I was just thinking of some of your little brother’s antics over at the Hilliard ranch.”

“What did Doctor Wallace write, Pa?”  Hoss continued, wondering just what was going on.

Ben stood from the desk and walked over to his son and set his hand down onto his shoulder.  “I know you miss your brother — we’re all just going to have to have some patience.  Doctor Wallace mentioned trying a new approach with Joe since the last method didn’t help.”

Hoss frowned and stared over at his Pa.  He could read the sadness on his face.  “Oh, shucks Pa!  Joe’s going to be okay — he’s just trying to stay away from working on that railroad order that’s keeping Adam and me busy!”

Pa smiled at his son, knowing why the boy had said what he had.  He knew that Hoss was trying to lift his spirits.  “You go and get cleaned up, to reward you and Adam the three of us are going to eat at the International House tonight.  I figured we haven’t done that in a long while and you boys deserve it.  Go and yell for Adam to get ready and I’ll go get dressed,” Ben announced and turned for the stairs.  He knew that he wouldn’t have been able to work on the books anyway, not with thoughts of Joseph playing in his mind.

*************************************

Time passed quickly for all of the hired hands who were busy logging the timber that was needed for the railroad spur line, and that also meant Hoss and Adam Cartwright.  Almost two straight months had been spent marking the trees, logging them and then hauling them over to the northern border of the Ponderosa where the Pacific Railroad workers loaded the wagons and took them further north.   During those same two months Ben Cartwright fought to put his youngest son out of his mind, but it was a monumental task.  He had received updates from Doctor Wallace and also Harold Peele.  When September turned to late October, Ben finally got the wire he had been praying for.  Doctor Wallace had asked him to come to San Francisco for a visit.  He was a bit lax in information regarding Joseph’s progress, but reading between the lines, Ben took the request for him to come as a good sign.  He hurriedly packed and purchased his ticket and was on the stagecoach by the following day.

“Good to see you, Ben!”  Harold smiled and shook the man’s outstretched hand.

“It’s good to see you, Harold.  I got a message that Doctor Wallace wanted me to meet with him.  Joseph isn’t worse is he?”

Harold smiled and pointed for Ben to follow him down to his office where the other doctor waited.  “I’ll let Cleveland tell you about the boy.”

Ben apprehensively entered Harold’s private office where Doctor Wallace sat waiting for his visitor.

“It’s nice to see you Mister Cartwright.  Thank you for coming so quickly.” Cleveland said and shook Ben’s hand.

“I’ve been on pins and needles since I got your wire.  How’s my son?” Ben asked taking a seat next to Joe’s doctor.

“Well, as I wrote you several times, he wasn’t the easiest patient to work with there for a while.  When he decides not to talk or participate there’s not much a person can do about it,” Doctor Wallace explained.

“Well, I guess he’s always been like that – just plain stubborn,” Ben nodded.  “But, you had said you were trying a new approach.  I haven’t heard much from Joseph – just very short notes and they didn’t have much to say.  So how is the boy?”

Doctor Wallace stood and smiled.  “I finally found what makes your son tick – so to speak.”

“What’s that?” Ben replied.

“I decided to put Joe into a group setting with some of my other patients.  Your son is a very empathetic young man.   It didn’t take long for me to discover that by allowing him to sit and listen to other patients who are going through various problems dealing with trauma, that he finally started to open up about his own troubles.  He’s done remarkably well – especially these last two weeks.  There’s a group of four of them — including Joe – and they have really bonded and have all done so much better than when they were in individual sessions.  They all love your son he keeps them laughing most of the time with all of his antics.  I didn’t think your boy knew how to laugh until a few days ago.  Once the other three heard that strange twilling laughter of his they all forgot their problems for a little while and laughed right along.”

Ben tried to hide his tears of joy.  He never thought that he would see Joseph smile or laugh again.  It had been so long in coming.  “So – what happens now, Doctor?”

“I’ve talked extensively with your son these past two weeks ever since he decided to let me in.  I believe he’s well on the way back.  Joseph knows that he might always have those memories and he knows that there aren’t any quick fixes for the type of trauma that he went through.  However, he now has some tricks to help him deal with those things should they flare up again.  He’s been writing a lot down in his journal too and he says that helps.  So that same boy who told me he’d never write down his thoughts back four months ago on his first visit here is now suddenly writing up a storm almost nightly.  He reads me some of it, and then there’s some that he keeps to himself which is fine.”

“How soon can the boy come home?” Ben had waited far too long to ask, it was on his mind ever since he had entered the office.

“How about I discharge him tomorrow?” Doctor Wallace said smiling broadly.

Ben looked as though he couldn’t believe what the doctor had said.  “You mean it?  He’s well enough to come home?”

Cleveland nodded and said, “As long as you realize that there might be times that he has some difficulties and you just let him work through those on his own then I would say he’s well enough to go back with you.  I’ve taught your son exactly what to do if he feels like life is starting to get out of control.”

“Did you tell him yet?” Ben asked, now standing.

“We decided that you should tell him, Ben,” Harold smiled.  “He’s down in the solarium with the three other members of the therapy group now.  The session should be over – come on I’ll show you the way.  Joe doesn’t know that you’re here so it should be a nice surprise!”

************************************

Ben followed both Harold Peele and Doctor Wallace down two of the intersecting corridors until they came to a more open area with large windows which helped the room fill with bright sunshine.  Before Ben could look for the curly head of his boy he heard that twilling laughter.

“No I’m serious — my brother Hoss can eat an entire cow in one sitting!” Joe laughed and the other three patients around the table burst out laughing along with him.

“Cut it out, Joe – nobody can eat that much!” One of the men next to him said.

“How big is this brother of yours?” The one girl at the table asked.

“He’s about six foot six any way you look at him –vertically or horizontally,” Joe continued.

“Your friend here might just be telling another tall tale,” the deep baritone voice came out from behind where Joe sat at the table.

Joe spun around to see his father.  “Pa!” He exclaimed and came out of his seat and hugged the man.  “How long have you been here?”

“Just long enough to hear you telling fibs again,” Ben laughed and returned his son’s hug.

“Hey—let me introduce you to our little club of crazy people,” Joe began and pointed first to the one girl who sat across the table from him.  “Sally Meyers this is my father Ben Cartwright,”

“Nice to meet you,” Sally grinned over to the man.

“Miss Meyers, nice to meet you,” Ben smiled and nodded towards her.

“And this rough neck is Peter Goodwin,” Joe pointed to the man to the left of Sally.

“Mister Goodwin, nice to meet you too,” Ben nodded once again.

Peter smiled over at Ben and nodded his way.

Joe turned to the last man, one who was a bit rough looking but always wore a warm smile on his face.
“Pa — you’re just never going to believe who THIS is!” Joe exclaimed.

Ben looked a bit perplexed as he waited to hear what his son was talking about.

The last man stood and reached over to shake Ben’s hand.  “The name’s Jim –– Jim Rivers,” He called out.

Ben looked at the man and then back to his son.

“Yep – Pa – it’s the real Jim Rivers,” Joe smiled.

“Yeah, Mister Cartwright, I heard this wild kid of yours stole my name there for a while,” Jim grinned over at Joe.

Ben laughed and patted his son’s shoulder and replied, “Yes, Jim, but for a very good reason — he had to save his poor old father — the pencil pusher.”

Joe laughed as did the three people around the table.

“Well, if you all will excuse me – I’ve got to go talk to my father and tell him what it’s like being stuck with a bunch of crazy folks like you,”  Joe laughed again.

“Get out of here you idiot!”  Jim called, but his face showed how much he enjoyed Joe’s company.  Sally smiled at Joe and waved, as did Peter.  Joe and Ben started back down the corridor heading to his quarters.  Joe draped his arm across his father’s shoulder all the way until they got into his room.

“Sit down, Pa, tell me about everything that I’ve missed,” Joe smiled and took a seat across from his father.

Ben sat down and just stared at his son.   He couldn’t believe the difference in the boy’s appearance.  Joe seemed happy for the first time in eight months.  His eyes were bright and his smile was both genuine and endearing.  He looked like the Joseph Cartwright that he had been some eight months ago, and that fact totally amazed him.

“Pa?  What’s wrong?” Joe asked when he noticed the slight appearance of tears in his father’s eyes.

Ben brushed the tears away on his sleeve and replied, “Nothing — must be something in the air.”

Joe grinned and replied, “Yeah, Pa —I’ve missed you too.”

“It looks like you made some friends, Joseph.”

“Pa — it’s hard to explain — those three people that you just met—well they’ve got really bad problems.  I mean mine were nothing to sneeze at of course — and I will still need some work as Doctor Wallace says.  But, after hearing what those three have gone through I guess it made me realize that I’m not the only person in the world who’s had a tough time.  I don’t know if that makes any sense to you, Pa — but it helped me,” Joe confessed, turning serious.

“It makes a great deal of sense to me,” Ben nodded and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“Hey—I thought you were coming at the end of the month for a visit — what are you doing here two weeks early?”

“Well – I was just wondering if you’d like to come back home?”

“Huh?  You mean for a visit?” Joe asked, surprised by what Pa had said.

“Yes, a visit – maybe just for about sixty or seventy years,” Ben smiled.

Joe stared at his father to gauge if he was serious and then he noticed the way he was grinning over at him.  “Did the Doc say I could go?”

“Of course he did!  What — did you think I was going to just break you out of here?” Ben laughed.  “So do you want to come home, Joseph?”

Joe didn’t answer right away.  His thoughts turned to all that had happened to him since he had arrived at the hospital, both good and bad.

“Joseph?” Ben called again, trying to break his son’s trance-like state.

Joe finally stared directly into his father’s eyes and then smiled broadly.  “Just see how fast I pack, Pa!” Joe jumped from his seat eager to go home.

“Wait just a minute — you’re being released tomorrow so you have plenty of time.”

“Okay that gives me time to say goodbye to my friends.  Hey what did you think about the fact that one of them is the real Jim Rivers?”

Ben laughed and patted his son’s shoulder.  “Joseph, looks like you’re going to have to come up with a new alias!”

Joe shook his head and sent his most endearing smile over to his father.  “No, Sir, I don’t need an alias anymore.  I am Joseph Cartwright — and I’m okay with that now,” Joe made his intentions known to his Pa that he was ready to go home and return to the life that he once knew.  He wouldn’t be hiding behind the stubble of a beard, old clothes or even a right handed holster.  And Joe was just fine with the name that his father had chosen for him some twenty three years earlier.  Through times good or bad he was resolved to be Joseph Cartwright for the rest of his life.

Ben stood and wrapped his arms around his son pulling him close.  “Welcome back, Joseph,” He whispered, and this time Pa didn’t push away his tears, as they were joyful ones, because he knew that he finally had his son back for good.

The End

Written by:  Wrangler

5-12-25 (This is the third in the Stay in the Darkness series which concludes with “The Sound of Surviving.”

Stories in this series:

Stay in the Darkness

A New Light

Chiaroscuro

The Sound of Surviving

(Dedicated to my story consultant who got down onto the floor to show me how you can get a boot knife out very easily if your wrists are tied in front of you, thus, I had to retie both Pa and Joe which required a lot of rewriting.  Thanks, Rob!)  And the rat lived in this story and he’s grateful.