Summary:  A wild horse helps Adam and Joe come to a new understanding
Rating:  G  (10,275 words)

The Black Stallion

Joe Cartwright rode in from school one sunny afternoon to find his brother, Hoss, propped on the corral fence.  His intense blue gaze fixed on a lively black stallion that paced back and forth.  A captive, but every line of his body, every toss of his mane said he longed to be free.

“Wow!  Whose horse is that?”  Joe jumped from the saddle, dropped his reins and raced to join his brother.

Hoss glanced up. “It’s the horse Wes Durham’s son, Jack, was trying to break when he was killed.”

Joe dropped his school books in the dust and climbed up to sit on to the top rail, He cocked his boot heels over the rail beneath. “What’s it doin’ here?”

“Wes Durham gave it to Pa.  Said he didn’t wan’ it around the place but couldn’t bring himself to shoot it,” Hoss’s concentration remained fixed on the stallion’s movements.

“He’s beautiful.  Is Pa gonna keep him?”

Hoss shrugged.  “I guess so.  He asked Don to try him out.”

“Him, I wanna ride,” said Joe softly.

Hoss snorted. “No chance.”

Joe looked at him. “What d’ya mean?”

Hoss raised an eyebrow. “Adam already asked Pa if he could try him out and nearly got his head bit off.  So, little brother, you got no chance.”

Joe shook his head thoughtfully and slid down the inside of the fence.  He spoke softly to the horse as he moved slowly towards it.

“Joe, get outta there.”   Hoss’voice was low, but urgent.  He didn’t want to startle the horse, but he was anxious to keep Joe out of trouble.  Out of the corner of his eye, he had seen his father come out of the barn and head their way.  When he saw his Pa’s expression, he knew it was too late for help.

“Joseph, get out of that corral, now,” Ben said.  His voice was as quiet as Hoss’ had been but with considerably more authority.

Joe sighed and did as he was told.  Once on the other side of the fence he protested.

“I wasn’t doin” no harm, Pa.  He was just gettin’ used to me.”

Ben fixed him with a stern stare.  “That horse killed a man a couple of days ago.  A man who’d spent his life around horses.  I don’t want you or your brothers anywhere near him until Don has tried him out and decided whether he can be any use.”

“I can ride as well as Don,” Joe said sulkily.

“Don is employed by me to break horses; it’s his job, not yours.  You will stay away from this corral and from that stallion.  Is that understood?

Joe stared at the ground and made no comment.

Ben raised his voice slightly. “Did you hear me, Joseph?”

Joe looked up at his father and rolled his eyes.  He nodded slowly. “I heard you, Pa.”

Ben continued to glare at his son until Joe was forced to look away.  “If you’ve nothing better to do than hang around the corral, I’m sure I can find you both some extra chores.”  He stopped as his eye fell on the books at Joe’s feet.

Joe followed his father’s gaze and flushed.  He bent to pick up the books and self- consciously dusted them off.

Hoss caught hold of Joe’s sleeve. “C’m’on, little brother, let’s get to work.”  Ben watched them go into the barn then leaned on the fence and surveyed the horse himself.  Had he done right bringing it here?  Wes had wanted it off his place.  While it was there, it was a painful reminder that he had lost his son.  Neither Wes nor Ben could destroy such a beautiful animal.  They had debated setting him free, but without a herd, he would almost certainly start raids on the surrounding ranches for mares. Maybe it would have been better to take him up into the hills north of Virginia City, after all, and hope he didn’t come back this way.

“He sure is something.”  Adam came and leaned along side his father.

“Yes, well like I told Joe, you stay away from him and leave working with him to Don.  That’s what I pay him for,” Ben snapped.

Adam turned away so his father wouldn’t see the frustrated expression.  “Yeah, Don’ll do a good job.  I could’ve done as well.”  He walked away before his father could reply.

Ben looked after him and sighed.  Just at the moment, Adam in a mood was something he could do without.

The silver light of the moon gave the yard an eerie feel as someone slipped from the shadows at the side of the house and moved toward the corral.  Adam had been unable to sleep, and as was his usual practice in these circumstances, he had wandered downstairs. After some time spent at the corral, he was now seated in the darkness of the porch.  He watched the figure for a second or two with a grim smile on his lips.

He hoped his father was sound asleep.  The corral was clearly visible from Pa’s bedroom window, and the scene being played out was not one that would please him.

Adam pushed himself to his feet and walked toward the corral, keeping as quiet as he could manage. He arrived at the fence and leaned on it.  The stallion was motionless, and the figure in front of him was holding out a hand, allowing the horse to investigate without being threatened.

Adam waited until he was sure that his presence wouldn’t startle the animal; then he spoke very softly.

“Back outta there, real quiet, little brother.”

Joe jumped about three feet. “Adam!  Hell, you scared the life outta me.”

“Yeah?  Well, thank your lucky stars it’s me and not Pa. Get out of there, now,”  Adam said his voice still quiet and calm..

Joe swore under his breath and backed off to the fence.  He ducked under the top rail and faced his brother angrily.  “You coulda scared him, creeping up like that.”

Adam grinned.  “He knew I was here.  You were the one who got the fright, which you deserved.  What are you doing out here at this time of night?”

Joe looked his brother up and down, and noted that he was also fully dressed. “I could ask you the same thing,” he said wryly.

“You could, but I’m the eldest, so I get to ask first.  He’s some horse.”  Adam gave his brother a sideways glance.

Joe looked at him in disbelief. “You mean…you…”

“I couldn’t sleep and heard him stomping around – came down to see if he was alright.  You just missed me doing the same thing.”  Adam leaned on the top rail and watched the horse.

“I sure wish Pa would let me ride him,” Joe said softly.

“For once, we agree, little brother.  But I think we’re both gonna be out of luck.  After what happened to Jack, he’s not about to let us near him.”  Adam patted his brother on the back. “Come on.  Let’s get back in the house before we get caught.”

As they walked back to the porch, Joe glanced up at his brother. “This is between us, right?”

Adam grinned.  “You bet.  I’m not about to tell Pa.  But do me a favor, stay outta the corral.”

Joe was a little ahead of him, and Adam thought he saw him nod, but he couldn’t be sure.   He shrugged and followed him into the house and up to bed.

At breakfast next morning, Ben was outlining the day’s plans to Adam while Hoss and Joe listened half-heartedly: Hoss because he was more interested in his ham and eggs and Joe because he would be in school and would play no part in it.

“I’m going over to George Devlin’s today.  I want to check that George and the boys will be willing to combine forces for the roundup this year.  I want you to check over the horses that Jose says are ready for sale.”

Adam nodded. “You want them brought down here until they are ready to go?”

“I think that would be best, and Don’s going to take the stallion up to the north corral.  He can work better with him away from the other stock.”  Ben poured himself more coffee.

“I could take him when I ride up to fetch the others,” Adam suggested, winking at his little brother.  Joe grinned then dropped his head to concentrate on his meal when he saw his father glance his way.

“I thought I made it clear that the horse was Don’s responsibility,” Ben said, fixing his oldest son with a stern stare.

“Aw, come on Pa.  He’s not gonna do much harm to me on the end of a lead rope,” Adam complained.

Ben knew there was no reason why Adam couldn’t take the stallion; in fact, there was no reason why he couldn’t work with him, too, except Ben’s own unreasoning fear.  Adam was a good horseman, and Ben could understand the resentment at the way he was being treated, but he couldn’t bring himself to give his permission.

“Do you think you could do as you’re told for once?  There is enough to do without you questioning every order,” he snapped.

Adam threw down his napkin and banged his coffee cup back in its saucer. “Yes, Sir,” he replied, emphasising the “sir” in as insolent a tone as he thought he would get away with. He pushed himself to his feet. “You ready, Hoss?  We have a lot to do, apparently.”

Hoss glanced from his brother to his father and decided that no comment was the safest route.  He shovelled in one more mouthful and took a quick gulp of his coffee before following Adam to the door.

“I promise to get home in time for supper, but no doubt, you’ll check on me before then,” Adam muttered.  He almost trapped his brother’s fingers as he slammed the door behind him.  Hoss sighed and opened the door again; it was going to be a tough day.

Joe watched his father’s reaction from under lowered eyelids.  Ben started to rise to his feet; obviously he had heard Adam’s muttered comment and planned to follow him to the barn.  Then he caught Joe’s glance and thought again.  He relaxed back into his chair and sighed.

Joe had a plan for today that had formed while listening to his father at breakfast, and he was anxious to put it into practice.  He hurriedly grabbed his books and headed out to the barn.  Adam and Hoss were already saddled up and ready to ride.  He waved them off and began saddling Cochise.

“We’ve got to get to Mitch before he gets to school today,” he whispered.  “Then you can have a day in the hills instead of in that dusty corral at school.”  Cochise nuzzled closer to him as if he understood every word.

“You sure you wanna do this, Joe?” his friend cautioned.  “Your Pa’ll be mighty angry if you get caught.”

Joe had met up with Mitch just short of the school house, and they had stopped to talk.  Joe had explained his plan, and Mitch was trying desperately to talk him out of it.

“I wanna see Don work with that stallion.  There’s a lot of trees above the corral; we can hide out.  No one will see us.”  Joe’s persuasive tongue got to work.

“Hey, what’s with the ‘us.’  I ain’t comin’.  My Pa’d have my hide if I cut school this session,” Mitch protested.’

“We could go swimmin’ or fishin’ after,” Joe tried, knowing there was nothing Mitch liked more than fishing.  “I promise we can hide out and no one will know.  My Pa ain’t even gonna be there.”

“How we gonna explain it at school tomorrow?”  Mitch frowned.

Joe knew he was winning.  Mitch would come.  He just needed a little more persuasion.  “Oh, I’ll think of somethin’,” he said airily.  “I’ll write you a note, and you can write one for me – say we was sick or somethin’.”

“Well¼ “Mitch was almost there. “If you’re sure we won’t be seen.”

“We won’t,” grinned Joe.

Just for a moment Mitch hesitated.  There was no way they would get away with being sick, then, as he so often did, he gave in and let Joe’s enthusiasm carry him along with it.

The corral where the horses were broken was set back into a sandy slope and above it there were aspen trees and sagebrush.  It was an ideal place to hide away.  They left the horses well back, and crept forward; Joe in the lead.

On the ride up here Mitch had decided that he was a fool for allowing Joe to talk him into this.  It was quite obvious that not even the most gullible teacher was going to believe that they were both sick, and the idea of writing notes on which he would have to forge signatures was too scary to think about.  His Pa had warned him; why did he blindly follow Joe this way?

They reached the edge of the slope and could look down on the horses in the corral. Several men were working to get the horses ready to move out, and Joe spotted his oldest brother talking to Don.  The stallion, which Don must have brought up, was held in a separate pen to one side of them.

Joe knew that Adam ought to be taking the horses straight back to the ranch yard, but it was obvious that he was putting off that chore until he had seen Don work with the stallion.   He wormed his way over to Mitch.

“I didn’t think Adam would stay.  We’d better keep well outta sight.”

Mitch nodded. “I knew this was a crazy idea.  I wish I’d gone to school.”

Joe grinned.  “I don’t know what I have to do for you, boy.  I get you outta school, find some excitement, promise you fishing and still you complain.”

Down below them, Don had put a rope on the stallion and, with the help of two men, had managed to get a bridle on to him.  Joe was a little surprised that one of the men was his brother.  If Pa saw this, he would not be pleased.  Adam was putting himself into nearly as much danger as if he were doing the riding.  While Adam and another hand held the horse’s head, Don swung first the saddle blanket then the saddle into place.

Even from a distance, Joe could see that they were having a hard time holding the stallion while Don secured and checked everything.

“He’ll never stick with him,” Mitch breathed.

Joe glanced across at him.  “Don’s pretty good, but I don’t think I’d bet on him this time.   I’d sure like to try that horse myself, though.”

Joe turned back to watch and was in time to see Don swing into the saddle and nod to Adam to turn the horse loose.  Adam and the other ranch hand barely made it out of the corral before the stallion was raking Don alongside the fence.  For a few moments, an intense battle followed, and Joe was right: Don was good but not good enough.  The horse won this round, and Don parted company with the saddle and landed hard.  Joe wasn’t sure what happened next.  It was all so fast.  Suddenly the stallion whirled on the fallen rider and reared up.   His hoofs missing Don by inches as he rolled to escape them.  He heard Mitch gasp.  Adam was in the corral in seconds, and Joe held his breath as he saw his brother narrowly miss being trampled by those flying hoofs.  Don got to his feet, and another ranch hand joined them.  All three crowded the horse until they could grab at the trailing reins and bring it under some sort of control.

Joe glanced across at his companion.  Mitch looked stunned “What a horse!”  Mitch said when he had recovered his breath. “He would’ve killed Don.”

The supper table in the Cartwright household was always a place where the day’s events were discussed, but tonight there was a certain reticence to talk from the two people involved in the day’s most exciting event.  Adam had told Hoss about the stallion but had sworn him to secrecy.  He knew he shouldn’t have been there and shouldn’t have been so closely involved.  He kept his eyes on his plate and answered his father’s inquiries with short precise answers.  Joe, too, concentrated on his meal.  He couldn’t say anything about the horse and wanted to avoid talking about his day in case Pa asked a question he couldn’t answer truthfully.

Ben looked from one son to the other and sighed.  There was something going on that he hadn’t been told, that he was sure.  Hoss didn’t usually start conversations at the supper table.  He preferred to give his full attention to Hop Sing’s excellent food unless he was particularly interested in a subject raised by one of the others.  But, Adam liked to discuss the day’s work, and Joe was often difficult to keep quiet.

About half way through the meal, he decided to tell Adam about his visit to the Devlin ranch in the hope it would spark some interest.  “They’ll need to know our count as soon as you have it, and George will hire on more hands.”  Ben finished.

Adam took a sip from his glass of water before answering. “Whatever you think, Pa.  I’ll talk to Jake about it in the morning.”

Ben put down his fork and looked from Adam to Joe.   “Am I missing something here?  Did you two have an argument?”

Joe looked up in surprise, and Adam shook his head and raised his eyebrows. “We’ve hardly seen each other,” he said.

Ben was used to evasive answers, and he repeated his question.   “After fifteen years, I know that hardly seeing each other doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t have a disagreement in the five minutes you were together.  So, I’d like a straight answer, please.  Did you have an argument?”

“I don’t know what makes you think we’ve argued, but no, we haven’t, not even a mild disagreement,” Adam grinned at his brother. “But, if you like, I’m sure we can find something, eh, Joe?”

Joe smiled.  He wouldn’t have dared say that.

“That’ll do,” Ben said, but he was smiling.  “If that’s the case, why is no one at this table talking tonight?”

“Nothing interesting to say, I guess,” Adam replied.  “I fetched the horses down to the yard, checked them over and made sure they were ready for that buyer you’ve got lined up.  I picked out four that I think we should keep.  Apart from that, I did routine chores, not very exciting.”   He finished his last mouthful of food and put down his knife and fork.  “Maybe Hoss or Joe had a more exciting day.”

Joe looked hard at his older brother.  How could he avoid the most exciting part of the day so easily, without showing any sign of guilt at the half-truth he was telling Pa?  Joe had always thought his older brother was too good to be true, but after last night and this morning, he was seeing him a different light.  Maybe Adam’s tight-lipped style hid more than Joe had ever imagined.

Hoss heard his name and looked up from his third helping.  “Nope, my day was pretty boring, too.  I helped Jake check over the new calves. We moved a couple of the weaker ones down into the lower pasture where we can keep an eye on them.  Sorted out a spot for the branding corral and worked out a rota for the hands.”

Ben nodded.  “Alright, I get the picture.  You both had quiet days.

There was a knock at the door, and to Joe’s surprise, Hoss got up to answer it.  “Evenin’, Don.  You want Pa?”

Don stepped inside.  “Yeah, I just wanna know how many horses we’re gonna need for the remuda.  Then I can get to work on them early tomorra.”

Ben wiped his mouth on his napkin. “Won’t know for sure until we get the cattle tally, but I’d say we ought to get at least a dozen new ones ready for the drovers George Devlin is hiring.  I said we’d supply the horses.”

Don nodded and turned to go.  He was about to open the door, when Ben spoke again. “Oh, by the way, how did it go with the stallion?”

Don looked at Adam in surprise.  Surely he had told his father what had happened this morning.  Adam closed his eyes and waited for Don to tell his father that he had deliberately flouted his orders.

“Well, I tried him out like you asked.”  He hesitated and looked at Adam again.  He now knew from Adam’s expression why the boss was asking him and not his son.  “He’s a killer, Mr. Cartwright.  I want no part of him.”

Ben put down his coffee cup and stared intently at Don. “What d’you mean, Don?  It’s not like you to condemn a horse that way.”

Don put his head on one side and surveyed his boss.  “I ain’t usually scared of no animal, but that stallion wanted me dead.  A horse’ll throw me a time or two, but I ain’t  never had one turn on me like he did.”

Ben put out his hand in a placating gesture. “You sure you’re not exaggerating, Don?  I know Jack Durham died, but no one suggested the horse trampled him deliberately.”

Don glanced apologetically at Adam.  They were friends, and he knew that what he was about to say would cause trouble, but he couldn’t afford to lose his job.  He had to make his boss understand that he was not afraid of breaking horses, just this one.  “I ain’t making this up, sir.  You can ask Adam.  He was there.”

Adam caught his father’s eye for just a second before he fixed his own eyes on the floor and waited for the inevitable.

Ben pursed his lips.  “Thank you, Don.  I wasn’t implying that you were being less than truthful.  I trust your judgement.  If you say he’s dangerous, I’ll get rid of him. Bring him down to the corral in the yard tomorrow, and I’ll decide what to do with him.  Maybe he could be gelded.  Would that make a difference?”

Don smiled briefly. “Maybe, but he’s a killer.  I think it’d be safest to shoot him or let him go.  He ain’t never gonna be tamed.”

Ben waited until the door closed behind Don; then, very deliberately, he placed his coffee cup back on the table.  Joe and Hoss both looked at Adam in sympathy. Joe was particularly glad that he wasn’t in the line of fire, this time.  The silence became uncomfortable.  Finally, Adam could bear it no longer, and he forced himself to look up.  His father was staring at him intently.

“Well?  It would seem that something interesting did happen to you today, but for some reason, you decided not to tell me about it.”  He stopped speaking for a moment but continued to glare at his oldest son.  “Perhaps you’d like to tell me now.”

Adam got to his feet and looked at his father. “It wasn’t that dramatic.  Don got thrown, and the horse was frightened.  He reared up and narrowly missed Don when he came down. I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times.  I didn’t think it was worth mentioning.”

Ben frowned. “Are you suggesting that Don is exaggerating the danger?”

Adam sighed. “I think he’s upset about Jack Durham.  They were friends, and he let that accident color his judgement.  The horse is no more dangerous than others we’ve broken.  If you’d let me try him, I’m sure I could work with him.  We need a new stallion, and this one’s a beauty.  Gelding him would be criminal.”

Ben bit his bottom lip and nodded. “Is that horse why you stayed up there when you should have been on your way back with the other horses?”

Adam immediately went on the defensive.   “I stayed a few minutes to watch.  It was no big deal.”

“Is that all?”  Ben asked, knowing that there was still more he wasn’t being told. “No, I went into the corral to help Don.  Pete and I got the horse under control while Don got out of the corral.  So I was close enough to tell how the horse was behaving, and it was nothing more than a normal scared animal,” Adam said with resignation.

“You were also close enough to get hurt, weren’t you?”  Ben snapped.

“Oh really, Pa!  I’m supposed to work here!  I can’t ask the hands to do something if I’m not prepared to do it myself.  Lots of jobs around the ranch are dangerous.  Why is this damned horse so different?” he asked in exasperation.

Hoss began to move towards the stairs; this looked like developing into a full scale row, and he preferred to be elsewhere when it reached its height.  Joe watched him out of the corner of his eye.  He fully intended to stay and watch.  He needed to know the outcome of this battle.  Nothing he had seen or heard so far today had changed his mind about riding the stallion.

“Watch your language and your tone when you speak to me,” Ben’s voice dropped lower, and he fixed his son with a stern glare.

Adam shook his head.  “You’re being irrational.  This has nothing to do with that horse, does it?   We’re talking about an entirely different accident!”

He stared straight into his father’s eyes, which blazed with anger.  For a moment Adam thought he would strike him.  He instinctively moved back as he realised he had gone too far.  To his surprise, Ben turned on his heel and made for the stairs, and a few moments later, the boys heard his door close.

Joe looked at his older brother wide eyed. “Whew! What was that all about?” Adam sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.  He felt sick and very, very guilty.  Hoss came back into the room and stood over his brother. “When you lose it, you really know how to hit where it hurts, don’t ya?” he accused.

“Oh, shut up,” Adam snarled, ashamed of what he had said.  He knew he ought to go up and apologize, but saying sorry never came easy to him, and he had no idea how to put this right.

Joe was last down to breakfast the next morning.  Hoss had called him three times, but he had rolled over and gone back to sleep each time.  Now he was going to have to make a difficult decision, either he angered his father by cutting his chores or he got into hot water at school for being late.  He guessed school was the better option since he was already in trouble for playing truant yesterday.

He looked around the table. “Where’s Pa?”

“Rode out early to go into town,” Hoss said abruptly, his mouth full.

Adam frowned at him and then turned on Joe.  “You still got chores to do before you go to school, and don’t you forget them.”

Joe pulled a face and, ignoring his oldest brother, looked at Hoss again. “What’s he in town for?

Hoss shrugged. “Said somethin’ about seein’ Judge Gilman to get an easement for water rights.”

Joe shivered. That name brought back memories of last summer – a summer he would rather forget.  On Judge Gilman’s instructions, he had spent the whole vacation working for the livery stable as punishment for his part in a fire.  He wolfed down his breakfast and, with a muttered “Excuse me” to his brothers, raced outside to rush through his chores.

Adam shook his head as the door slammed shut behind his little brother.  “He’s headed for trouble again.  Can’t he manage one summer without getting Pa mad at him?”

Hoss glanced up at his brother and picked up his coffee cup.  “Talkin’ of Pa getting’ mad, did you speak to him this morning?”

Adam rubbed his nose and sighed. “Yeah, I apologised.”

“And?”  Hoss pushed.

“He’s still pretty angry at me, but I suppose he’ll get over it.  I just got mad and didn’t think before I spoke.”  He took the coffee pot from his brother and poured himself another cup.  “I still think I’m right.  He’s got an irrational fear about this horse; somehow, he’s relating it to Sable.  It’s ten years since Marie had her accident, and it’s on his mind.  He’s scared one of us is gonna get hurt.  Didn’t you notice how he spoke to Joe that first day?  The kid was only talking to the horse, for heaven’s sake.”

Hoss started to get up from the table. “Maybe, but you ain’t gonna help anyone by reminders of how Mama died, just now.”

Adam stared up at Hoss with a distant expression. “You know, I often wonder what it would have been like if things had been different.”

Hoss pushed his chair back under the table and leaned on it. “Whaddya mean,

different?”

Adam tipped his head on one side.  “You know how bad I wanted Sable.  If I’d asked first, she might have been my horse, not Marie’s.”

Hoss snorted. “Pa would never have let you ride her, even if you had asked first.  You were much too young to have handled her.”

“Yeah, I guess so, but it’s not just that.  I mean, don’t you wonder how different we might be if we’d had a mother around all the time?”

Hoss shook his head.   “Never gave it much thought.”  He grinned and moved around the table. “I leave all that thinking to you.”  He reached the doorway and took down Adam’s hat and tossed it to him.  “If you can stop thinking so deep, we oughta get some work done, or we’ll be wishing we didn’t have a Pa around all the time.

Adam returned the grin and followed his brother out into the yard.

He hurried through his chores and raced Cochise across the valley, but Joe was unable to make up the time he had overslept.  He crept up to the classroom doors and could hear Mr. Johnson explaining a math problem to the class.  There was no back way in.  He would have to walk past the teacher, and an apology would be required.  He pushed open the door and froze as all eyes turned towards him.  He could see Mitch grinning and was vaguely aware of his own empty seat beside Annie.

“Well, Mr. Cartwright.  How nice of you to join us today,” Johnson said.  “Do you have an explanation for your tardiness, or is it an extension of your absence yesterday?”

Joe stood in front of the schoolmaster and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I’m late, sir.  I overslept.”

Johnson surveyed Joe from all angles as if assessing him for some unpleasant task.  “And yesterday?”  he asked quietly. “Did you oversleep all day?”

A ripple of laughter ran around the classroom but stopped the instant Johnson looked up.

“No sir.  I went fishing,” Joe stated boldly.  He saw no point in making excuses.  He was in trouble, and nothing was going to make Johnson go easier on him.

The schoolmaster fixed Joe with a stern stare.  “I am new here, Mr. Cartwright, and you and I need to understand each other.  I think I understand you, and after today, I’m sure you will understand me.”

Joe waited, wondering what was coming next.

“I believe in giving every one of my students one chance.  You have already had yours.  If you cut my classes again, you will be caned; do I make myself clear?”

Joe nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good.  Now, to make sure it doesn’t come as a shock to your father when that happens, you will take a letter to him from me explaining my policy.  You may take your seat.”  Johnson waved a hand in dismissal and picked up the text book he had been using.

Joe closed his eyes and sighed.  He’d rather have been caned now; Pa’s lecture would be much more painful. He walked to his seat and slid in beside Annie who gave him a sympathetic grin.

Ben agonised over what to do with the stallion, but he couldn’t justify any of his alternatives to his satisfaction, so the horse just stayed in the corral.  Just over a week after Don’s encounter with the horse, Joe arrived home from school to find the house and yard empty.  “Great,” he thought.  Everyone must be up at the branding corrals and would be there for another hour or more.  It would give him some time to work with the stallion in daylight.  Since his father’s scathing lecture, he had been trying to stay out of trouble in school at least.  So far he had been fairly successful.  At home it was different. He’d been spending his nights with the stallion, and his luck had held. He hadn’t been caught.  He was nearly ready to ride him, and that required time alone in daylight which he hadn’t been able to get, until today.

He checked to make sure Hop Sing was busy, and then not bothering to put Cochise in the barn, he quietly entered the corral.  The stallion had become used to the boy’s voice and touch.  He did not back away or show any signs of nervousness as Joe approached him this time.  Jose had been working with another horse earlier in the day, and a saddle and saddle blanket were on the fence where he had left them.  Joe picked up the bridle and held it loosely in his hand.  As he moved nearer, the horse became restless, so he replaced the bridle and went to him with his hand held out.  The horse allowed his approach now, and Joe reached up and patted his nose and fondled his ears.  He was totally absorbed and did not hear footsteps from behind the house.

“Get out of there, now.”

His father’s quiet voice startled him more than gunfire would have done.  He spun around, scaring the horse which whirled around nearly knocking him over.  Joe moved quickly out of his way and ducked under the fence.  One look at his father’s face told him that the soft voice had been for the horse’s benefit.  Pa was angry and he was in real trouble.

“Inside,” Ben said, his voice ominously quiet.

The one word conveyed his anger more effectively than a full lecture.  Joe swallowed hard and obeyed.  He knew now was not the time to say anything.

Ben followed his son into the living room and closed the door slowly and firmly.  Joe stood by the fireplace, his hands behind his back, waiting for the sky to fall in on him.

“Do you recall a conversation we had a short while ago concerning that horse?”  Ben said quietly.

Joe nodded. “Yes, sir,” he said softly.

“Then perhaps you will tell me why you disobeyed me?”  His father fixed him with a stare that made him lower his eyes to the floor. “Look at me, when I speak to you.”  Ben ordered his voice becoming harsher.

Joe lifted his eyes until he met his father’s angry ones.  “I…I wanted to get to know him.  He’s not vicious, Pa; he’s scared is all,” Joe spoke quickly before his courage deserted him.  There was no way he was going to tell the real reason he was in the corral.

“I’ll be the judge of whether the animal is dangerous.  You were told to stay away from him.   Is that not so?”  Ben spoke quietly.

“Yes, sir.” Joe decided the less he said the better.  Pa might calm down in a minute if he said nothing to anger him further.

Ben grunted.  Now that Joe was away from the horse, his anger was slowly receding. When he had first seen the boy in the corral so close to the stallion, he had been terribly afraid, and when the horse had turned so close to Joe, pictures of Marie lying dead in the front yard had flashed through his head.  Now there was no danger, he could rationalise his fear, and it seemed foolish.

“From now on, young man, you will do as you are told.  If I catch you within ten feet of that corral fence, you’ll not be able to sit any horse for a very long time.  Do you understand?”

Joe nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He waited for more, but his father simply shook his head.  “You’ve got chores to do.  You’d better get on with them if you want to eat.  Just remember what I said.”

Joe made for the door and, once outside, gave a sigh of relief.  That had been close.  If he had been a little farther on with his plan, Pa would have been left in no doubt that he had intended to ride the horse.  He would have to be more careful next time.

Adam pulled out his chair and sat down as Hop Sing placed the supper dishes on the table. “Have you decided what to do about the stallion?” he said, unaware of the earlier events.

Ben looked up quickly.  He knew his oldest son still wanted to keep the horse and was itching to ride him, just as he suspected Joe was.  “No, but I suppose I’ll have to soon.  I think it might be better if he was released.”

Adam reached for a dish of potatoes and considered what to say.  He desperately wanted to ride that horse.  “Wait a few days, Pa, let me have one day with him.  If I can’t work with him, then let him go.”

Ben hesitated. “I don’t know.  I still think he’s dangerous.”

Adam bit his lip to avoid an angry response. He knew that would get him nowhere.  “If I work from a chute and with three or four hands to back me up, nothing can happen, even if he does throw me.”

Joe watched the exchange and wondered if the visits he had been making to the stallion would make him easier for Adam.  He had to ride him before his brother if he was to impress Annie.  Despite the earlier warning, plans began to form in his head.  Maybe tomorrow, if Pa and Adam were going into town, he would have another chance.   The ranch hands took Saturday afternoons off and would be going into town, too. That just left Hoss,  He was sure he could find a way to fool him.  If he was real careful, Pa would never know.  He could try the horse, and if all went well, he could invite Annie to come over after school Monday and watch him.

Ben stayed quiet for a moment considering the possibility.   “Alright, you can try next week, but you are to wait until Jose and at least two others can help you.  I don’t want you taking any unnecessary risks.  Is that understood?”

Adam smiled. “Sure, Pa.  Jose’ll be finished with the branding by mid-week; we’ll do it then.  And, if it doesn’t work then, I’ll take him over into Carson Sink and release him. That way he’ll be unlikely to come back this way.”

Joe kept his eyes on his plate.  Now he knew it had to be tomorrow; he might not get another chance.  For a brief second he glanced at his father and prayed very hard that he would not find out, but even with the threat of a tanning hanging over him, he didn’t reconsider. Almost as if reading his thoughts, his father asked him what he had planned for Saturday.  He almost gasped but managed to control his voice and his expression as he replied.

“I thought I might go over and visit Mitch.  We haven’t been hunting for a while,” he said, carefully checking that there was no outright lie in his statement.  He was relieved when Pa didn’t question him further, and he began to lay his plans.

As it turned out Hoss had already arranged to go visit a friend in the afternoon, and by three the yard was deserted.  This time, Joe carefully made sure that there was no one around.  He even circled the house and barn.  Having finally convinced himself that he was indeed alone, he took everything he needed from the barn and went into the corral.  The stallion was used to him now and surprisingly allowed him to approach without even backing away.  Very slowly and with many setbacks, particularly with the bit, Joe managed to put on the bridle and saddle blanket.  With the horse securely held by a rope to the corner post of the corral, Joe swung the saddle gently on to his back.  Before he could secure it, the stallion reared up and threw it off again.  Patiently, Joe tightened the rope, pulling the stallion nearer to the corral fence and repeated the process.  After four attempts he succeeded in completing the job.

He stood back and glanced all around.  There was no one in sight.  He took a deep breath and reached down to release the rope, keeping his eyes fixed on the stallion.  Very gently he lifted the reins and placed his weight in the stirrup.  The horse didn’t move, but Joe felt the tension in him and made his movements as smooth and quiet as possible.  He made it to the saddle before the stallion began to buck, and for a few, brief seconds, he thought he could handle it.  Then he knew he had taken on too much.  He wasn’t sure how it happened, but he felt himself flying through the air.  The force as he landed knocked the breath from him, and it was a moment before he remembered to roll away from the horse.  As he rolled, he saw the horse rear above him, and the black hoofs miss him by inches.  He tried to move faster, but suddenly his head hit a rock near the fence, and there was nothing but darkness.

Ben and Adam had a business meeting at the bank in the morning, and they rode into town in silence.  Although, Adam had got his own way about the stallion, he was still uneasy about his remarks concerning his stepmother’s horse. His father was obviously worried, and Adam considered that maybe it wasn’t fair to subject him to the ordeal of watching his son try to break what he thought of as dangerous horse.  He knew that every time Joe rode Cochise in a reckless fashion, as he often did, Pa was reminded of Marie and the manner of her death.  Perhaps he would change his plans and just let the horse go tomorrow.

Business finished, Ben went to visit friends as he had planned.  Adam considered staying in town and having a few drinks but finally decided he’d go home and work on his strategy for the stallion.  On impulse decided to take a detour up to the lake to visit Marie’s grave.  Afterwards, he was to curse his delay in riding home. It was almost four when he rode into the yard.  As he came around the corner of the barn, he saw a crumpled body under the corral fence.  His heart stopped.  Through his head two images flashed – the body of his stepmother’s horse Sable after her fatal accident and his four‑year‑old brother lying unconscious on the barn floor following a fall from the hayloft.  Some where in his sub‑conscious both events were his fault and now another accident that he could have, should have prevented.

He threw himself from Sport and left the horse standing by the barn.  In a few rapid strides, he was kneeling beside the body of his little brother.  He felt for a pulse and was relieved to feel it strong and healthy.  He checked Joe carefully for broken bones but could find none.  His injuries appeared to be minor except for a cut and bruise on his forehead.

Adam knew he couldn’t assume there was no other damage; he remembered as a seventeen‑year‑old viewing his stepmother’s body.  There had been no visible injuries but she had died, never‑the‑less.  He gently rolled his brother over on to his back and attempted to revive him with water from the horse trough.  After a few moments Joe groaned and opened his eyes.

“Joe¼ Joe¼. Look at me.  Are you hurt anywhere?”  Adam said anxiously.

“Adam!  What happened?”  Joe muttered.  Then he remembered and glanced around him.  The stallion now stood quietly in the opposite corner of the corral, watching the two of them.

“I guess you got thrown from the horse,” Adam said gently.  “Now stay still and tell me where you’re hurting?”

Joe shook his head and then winced at the movement.  “I’m okay, Adam.”  He started to get up then fell back as waves of pain hit him.  “My chest hurts a little and my arm.”  He held out his right hand and moved it experimentally.  “My head hurts, too.”  He put his left hand up and wiped his forehead and then stared at the blood on his fingers.

“Let me give you a hand to get inside; then I can check you out properly.”  Adam put an arm under Joe’s left side and supported him as he got to his feet.  They moved inside, and Adam yelled for Hop Sing.

“He’s not here,” Joe told his brother in a raspy voice.  “That’s why…” he stopped knowing that he didn’t need to explain to his older brother.

Adam cursed.  Hop Sing was more experienced with injuries than he was.  He should have known Joe would have checked that he was alone before he tried this crazy stunt.  He rushed around gathering what he would need to doctor the bruises.  He began by wiping away the blood from Joe’s forehead.  The cut was superficial, but the bruise was a nasty one, and as Adam cleaned it up, Joe winced and tried to move away.

“What on earth were you trying to do?”  He raised a hand. “No don’t answer that.  It’s perfectly obvious.  What made you think you could do what Don couldn’t?”  He sighed.

Joe struggled to a sitting position and pushed his brother’s hand away. “I’d worked with him for over a week; he was getting to trust me.  I thought he’d be easier.”  He hesitated, not sure whether he wanted an answer to his next question.  “Where’s Pa?”

Adam gave his brother an exasperated glance. “He’s in town visiting Andrew Holloway.  Said he’d be back at supper time.  It’s pure chance that I came back when I did.”  He mentally chided himself for the delay.  If he hadn’t ridden up to the lake he would have arrived before the accident.  “You could have been badly hurt or killed by that horse. Why the hell did you do it when there was no one around?”

Joe looked at his brother as if he were half‑witted. “Why d’you think?  Pa’d kill me if he knew.”

Adam returned the look with a similar one. “You don’t think for a moment you’re

gonna keep this secret, do you?”

His younger brother looked up in shock. “You’re gonna tell him?” he asked, horrified at the thought.

“Take a look at yourself, little brother.”  Adam waved a hand at Joe’s forehead, where the bruising was now all too evident. “He’s not going to believe that resulted from a gentle bump.”

Joe gave his brother a pleading look. “If you unsaddled the stallion for me ……”

“Sure, I’ll do that, but it isn’t going to be enough, Joe.  He’s got to know,” Adam said sympathetically.  He moved over to the settee. “You’d better go up to your room and lie down.  You’ve got some nasty bruises, and you need to rest.  I’m not sure we shouldn’t fetch the doctor to check you over.”

Joe shook his head.  “I’ll be fine.  Help me up there and fetch me later so I can do my chores before Pa gets back.”

“I’ll help you upstairs, but you don’t move from your room until I’m sure you’re okay,” Adam said sympathetically.

Joe lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling.  Adam had insisted that he stay here; although, he now felt much better…well, maybe a little sore and his head ached, but it wasn’t enough to worry about.  He was more worried about his father’s homecoming than his injuries.  He knew he was going to be punished for this escapade.  He had been told not to go near the corral, and he had deliberately disobeyed less than twenty-four hours later.  Pa was not going to be amused, particularly as he had been proven right.

If he could persuade Adam to let him get up, maybe he could still think of an excuse for his bruises.  He couldn’t understand Adam’s mood.  He seemed to be blaming himself for the accident.  He certainly hadn’t reacted as he usually did to Joe’s mischief.  Joe had expected him to yell.  There was no accounting for older brothers, Joe decided.

When Adam made it back to the corral, the stallion was standing quietly in one corner still wearing the saddle and bridle.  Sighing, Adam climbed over the rail and slowly approached the horse.  Joe had got close enough to saddle him, so somehow he had to get the saddle off again.  The horse didn’t appear frightened of him.  In fact he reached out his nose to nuzzle the outstretched hand.  Slow and gently Adam took hold of the trailing reins and led the horse to the rail near the gate.  He was about to tie him before unsaddling him when another idea came into his head.  Joe had got into the saddle. True, he had been thrown, but he hadn’t been trampled.  The horse had got rid of its rider and then gone quietly to the corner and left the boy’s body alone.  He was more experienced than Joe, and had broken more horses than he cared to count.  If he was careful and prepared, maybe he could at least sit in the saddle for a few minutes.  He knew it was foolish, knew that he should wait for the hands to help him, but he couldn’t stop himself.  Talking softly to the horse, he pulled on his gloves and put his weight on the stirrup.  The black stallion shuddered but made no move.  With one swift motion he made it into the saddle.  For what seemed like an age the horse stood still, quivering.  Then it took off like a rocket.

From the front porch, Joe’s eyes grew wide.  He had decided to ignore his brother and go downstairs to try to get his chores finished.  But as he opened the door, the sight of Adam mounting the stallion stopped him in his tracks.

Adam stayed with him for more than a minute until one particularly clever corkscrew move made him part company with the saddle.  He hit the ground hard but was aware enough to roll until he was against the fence.  For a second he saw the black towering above him, but the hooves came down safely a foot or more away from him.  By the time he had scrambled to his feet, the horse was again standing quietly to one side.  This time, when Adam approached, the horse trembled.  The big intelligent eyes watched him and made no move to evade him. Somewhere in those few moments there was an understanding.  “It’s okay, boy.  I’m not going to try again,” Adam said softly.  “He reached up and began unbuckling the bridle.  The stallion stood perfectly still and allowed him to complete the job of untacking without bother.  The job complete, Adam reached up and stroked the big head for a moment – but only for a moment.  There was a head toss, and the horse trotted off to the other side of the corral.

Adam carried the tack inside the barn and stowed it carefully.

“Seems like neither of us can obey too good.”  Joe spoke from the barn door.

Adam whirled around and then breathed again when he saw his little brother standing confidently by the door.  “What are you doing out of bed?”

“Watching you.”  Joe grinned.  “I’m feeling fine now.  I couldn’t have been out too long.”

“Are you sure?”  Adam reached out and felt Joe’s forehead.

Joe giggled.  “I had a fall not a fever.”

“Yeah, well… you do look better.  I can hardly see the cut and the bruise with your hair over it.”

Joe moved into the barn and picked up a rake. “I won’t tell, if you won’t.  I’ll just say I bumped my head if Pa asks.”

Adam fought with his conscience for a few seconds.  His conscience lost. “Well, maybe we won’t say anything unless Pa asks.”

Chores in the barn completed, they came out into the yard again. They stood and watched the big horse for several minutes.  There was something majestic in the wild, untamed stallion, something that shouldn’t be cowed to the will of man.  Adam slapped his hands against his pants to remove some of the dust, and it was as if the action cleared his mind.  He knew now what he wanted to do.  “He shouldn’t be captured.  He was meant to run free,” he said softly, almost to himself.

Joe glanced up at his older brother.  This was a sentimental Adam, one the world hardly ever saw.  “Yeah, I can see him on a bluff protecting his harem.”

Adam chuckled.  “As long as that harem doesn’t include Pa’s prize mares.”

The mood broken, they both headed off in different directions to complete the yard chores.  But both were still thinking about the magnificent horse and the moment when they were on his back.

By the time Ben got home, all the chores were done.  He had met up with Hoss, and they rode in together.  Something about the way Adam came out to meet them alerted Ben to trouble.  He passed Buck’s reins to Hoss, ready to deal with whatever it might be.

“Hi, Pa, Hoss,” Adam said slowly.

Now Ben was sure there was a problem.  “Okay.  What’s wrong?” he asked with a resigned expression.

Adam glanced at Hoss and raised his eyebrows.  “Nothing’s wrong, Pa.”

Ben kept his eyes on Adam’s face.  There was something, but it was clear that Adam wasn’t about to tell him anything.  No doubt he would find out, he usually did.

“I’ve been thinking and well…  maybe you’re right.  The stallion won’t ever be tame enough to work with safely.  Perhaps we should let him go.”

Ben’s curiosity was further tweaked.  Adam agreeing after all he had said?  “I’m pleased you’ve come to your senses,” was all he said.

“I’ll take him over to the other side of Carson City and let him go out near Brunswick Canyon.  That’s gotta be forty miles from the nearest ranch.  There’s good grazing.  He’ll find other wild horses for his harem and won’t need to come back this way.”

Joe took a deep breath and glanced at both father and brother, but it was to his father that he addressed his question.  “It’s gonna be an overnight camp for Adam, Pa.  Can I go with him?”

Ben looked from one son to the other.  “I don’t know, Joe.  The horse is still dangerous…”

“All the more reason for Adam to have some company in case anything happens.”  Joe was quiet and concerned.

“I’d like him along, Pa.” Adam’s dark eyes met his father’s, and it was almost a pleading look, or at least as close to one as Ben’s eldest ever came.

There was something here that Ben couldn’t quite put his finger on: a connection between Adam and Joe that was more than Joe wanting a camping trip and a day out of school.  Heaven knows, any connection since Adam’s return from college had been tenuous and often non-existent.  He wanted to encourage it, but he feared for their safety, too.  “If I say yes, then I want you both to swear to me that you won’t make any attempt to ride him.  Your word…”

“You have it, Pa.  I give my word that I won’t ride him.”  For once there were none of Joe’s eager promises that were broken almost before they were out of his mouth.  This time he was sincere.

Adam nodded.  “We’ll have him on a rope halter – no bridle for him, no saddle.  You have my word that I won’t attempt to ride him, and I’ll see that Joe is kept safe.”

Ben expected an explosion from his youngest son at his brother’s assertion that he would keep him safe, but there was none, just quiet acceptance.

On the Sunday right after church, Adam and Joe quietly saddled up.

Ben came out to check that they had everything.  “Boys, be careful.  We’ll expect you back late tomorrow.”

Adam nodded. “We’ll be fine.  Hoss you make sure you do all our chores.”  He grinned.

Hoss winked at his older brother. “Don’t I always.”

With the black stallion on a rope halter they rode out of the yard and headed toward Brunswick Canyon.  Darkness fell when they were still some twenty miles short of their destination, and Adam decided to make camp near the old Bunker Hill mine.

“Isn’t he magnificent?”  Adam observed as the two brothers relax with bacon and beans and watched the sun setting over the Sierras.

“Sure is,”  Joe replied.  “Thanks for letting me come along.  Why didya?  I mean you coulda told Pa you wouldn’t take me, and he’d have said no.  He almost did anyways.”

Adam shrugged, “Figured you felt the same way as me about the horse.  We both got close to him.”  He stared into the fire for a moment.  “It’s been almost three years since I got back, and we haven’t agreed on much.  Not done much together.  You and Hoss are friends as well as brothers.  I kinda hoped we could… well… you know… find a common bond over him.”  He thumbed in the direction of the picket line.  “Get to know each other all over again.”

Joe nodded, “I ain’t give you much of a chance.  Thought you was out to boss me, and I got enough o’ that with Pa.  I’m not a kid anymore.”

Adam chuckled, making Joe look over at him with curiosity.  “You’ll always be my kid brother; that won’t change, but I guess I could try to treat you different.  You know horses, and you’re good with them.  Gonna be better than me someday.”  He reached over and ruffled Joe’s hair, knowing how it annoyed him.  “But that day hasn’t come yet, so don’t go getting ideas.  I’ll try to make Pa see that you can take more responsibility with the horse side of the business if you’ll try to show him that you can handle it.”

Joe had bridled at the ruffle of his hair, but the words sounded good.  “Thanks, Adam.  I guess you can’t stop being a know-it-all big brother right away.”  Joe scrambled to his feet and dodged out of Adam’s way.  “No good chasing me brother.  You ain’t never been able to catch me and never will.”

Adam laughed.  “Why use speed when I can use guile and cunning.  You’ll come back to the fire when it gets colder.”  He set down his plate and began making his bed.            Finally, Joe crept cautiously back to the camp site and set out his bed alongside his brother’s.          “Guess we’ll always be brothers even if we don’t agree all the time.”

Adam rolled over and smiled at his young brother. “We don’t have to agree, Joe.  It’s more about respect for each other, and I reckon we’ve made a good start.”

The next morning they were away early and had reached the grazing area near the mine well before midday.  “I guess here is as good as anywhere, little brother.”  Adam dismounted and tethered Sport to a manzanita bush.

Joe copied his brother’s actions and stood beside the stallion.  He reached up and touched the velvet nose.  The horse shivered but allowed the touch.  Adam came up alongside them and did the same.  Then he gently removed the rope halter.  The stallion stood still for a second then tossed his head.  He looked at the two men and then backed away very slowly.  Both Adam and Joe stood very still, waiting.  Suddenly, realising he was free, the horse reared up and turned toward the east.

Joe mounted Cochise, and Adam stood still holding Sport’s reins for a moment watching the big stallion.  The horse was revelling in its freedom: running and turning, making circles around them as if saying goodbye.

They watched for maybe fifteen minutes until the horse turned and ran eastwards. Then, with some regret, they headed for home.  “Maybe someday I’ll have another horse like that.”  Adam spoke softly so that Joe had to lean toward him to hear.  He leaned over and patted Sport.  “Sorry, fella, but he’s some horse.”

And maybe Adam did find a horse like the black stallion, remember Jupiter in “The Way of Aaron.”