Summary:\u00a0 On his return after many years, Adam makes a very bad decision but doesn’t know how bad it is until too late. It affects his whole family but especially Joe, and all\u00a0struggle with what to do. \u00a0In the second part, as Christmas nears, Joe remembers the tragedy in his life. There are other problems and near tragedy. When Christmas arrives, Joe and his family have to find a way to be thankful for what they have and accept what they have lost. The third part is the next Christmas and the problem of what to get the family that has everything. \u00a0In the fourth part, there’s a plan to get\u00a0the Ponderosa for its timber, gold, and silver\u00a0by an evil man who\u00a0tries\u00a0to force the deal when Ben says no to his offer, but he didn’t know what he was going to be facing once he made those Cartwrights upset.<\/p>\n
WC = 82,382\u00a0 Rating = T<\/p>\n
No, Nothing, and Not<\/strong><\/p>\n No Alibi<\/strong><\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n “Twenty years of hard labor. Well at least that gives my family a chance to prove I didn’t do it. I know it would be so much easier to tell the truth, but I can’t. How can I give my alibi and ruin a marriage, a family, and my reputation. Isn’t that strange? I would rather have my reputation than my life.”<\/p>\n Adam Cartwright sat in his jail cell with lots of time to think and held lots of conversations with himself. He was still so worried about Hoss and couldn’t see him. He hadn’t seen Hoss since he was shot lying in his bed in a coma. He remembered his brother laying face down on the bed with dried blood sticking to the hair on his back and an ugly purple and black wound in his upper back. Doctor Paul Martin had dug out the bullet but blood loss left Hoss in a coma for days. By the time he woke up, Adam had already been arrested. Hoss was still confined to the house and hadn’t been off the Ponderosa since he was shot. Adam thought it likely that the prison wagon would arrive much sooner than his brother would be able to make the trip to town. He had a lot of regrets, but that one was uppermost in his mind at that point. He could only trust that others were giving him the correct information on his brother’s condition. Each time his father or younger brother visited him, he watched them closely for signs that they were being less than truthful, but he knew too that if they intended to deceive him, they would have rehearsed what they planned to tell him long before they arrived in town, turned over their pistols to Roy, and trudged back to the cell that was his home for now. He remembered very clearly how this mess that had entangled him so thoroughly had started.<\/p>\n Arriving in San Francisco late one evening, Adam was heading home after being gone for years. He had made a fortune in Australia, but he had missed his family terribly. When one more love affair had soured, he had decided to go home. It was very close by that time, but it was too late to travel so he had taken a room at the hotel where his family usually stayed in the past when they had been in the city. After being gone so long and sporting a mustache, no one recognized him. He rather liked the anonymity and the lack of questions that brought. He had dinner in the hotel dining room, and then he headed to the lobby to get a newspaper to read. It was there that things had started to go so horribly wrong.<\/p>\n “Adam Cartwright, it is you! I saw you in the dining room, and I knew it had to be you. The graceful moves, the lean, and the brooding look: no one ever did those things as well as you.”<\/p>\n Setting the newspaper aside, Adam stood and took the lady’s gloved hand, held it gently, and kissed the back of it. “Sheena, it’s been a very long time.” Sheena sat on the settee there, and Adam sat beside her.<\/p>\n “Yes, it has. I’ve missed you, Adam. You were the best. I was very sad when you left.”<\/p>\n “Sheena, we did have some good times together, but there was no future for us. You knew that. We were good in bed, but everywhere else, all we did was argue about almost everything.”<\/p>\n “Well, I could argue that point, but it seems it would simply prove you’re right, and you know how much I hated it when you were right.”<\/p>\n Chuckling and smiling, Adam relaxed with her. She had been the last woman he had been seeing before he left. She was the last one in the list of failed relationships he had in Nevada. He had lists from Boston, London, and Sydney too. Adam knew he was very good at romancing women, but somehow he always picked the wrong woman for his attentions. “Would you like to sit and talk or do you have an engagement somewhere?”<\/p>\n “Oh the family is out for the evening. I’m free to do as I please at least for the next few hours, but wouldn’t it be more comfortable and relaxing to sit in your room. I could get these uncomfortable shoes off, and we could see what developed.”<\/p>\n “Sheena, we broke off our relationship like that years ago.”<\/p>\n “Adam, you broke it off. I had no choice in the matter. Now, all I’m asking is that we relax in your room, and you tell me all about the wondrous things you’ve done since you’ve been gone.”<\/p>\n Unable to resist her charms even years after he had last seen her, Adam stood and offered his arm to her. They walked to his room chatting about the changes he had already seen in San Francisco even in the darkness. In his room, Sheena did as she had said she would. She took off her shoes, slipped off her gloves and the ring on her finger, and set it all with her purse on a chair. Then she sat on the settee with her feet tucked up under her. Adam thought she looked gorgeous yet. She had a confidence he had not seen in her before. He began telling her about the things he had done, and she patted the seat next to her.<\/p>\n “Sit here unless you’re that afraid of me. I don’t bite, or not usually unless that’s what a man wants. You have a very nice room. You must have a lot of money to afford this when you’re all alone. You are alone, aren’t you?”<\/p>\n Shaking his head at her impertinence, Adam sat beside her. They began telling stories until she insisted he keep talking because his stories were so much more interesting than hers. Without him being entirely aware of it, Sheena edged a little closer to him with each story until when she leaned forward, he could see the tops of her breasts in the slightly gaping bodice of the dress she was wearing. She saw him looking and smiled. She took his hand and lifted it placing it over her dress where it still barely covered her chest.<\/p>\n “Just once, for old time’s sake?” She leaned forward pressing against his body. “I can tell you want me. I want you. No one needs to know, and you must be needing it after being at sea all the way from Australia.” Sheena moved up and kissed him, and Adam lost all sense that something was wrong in this situation. He undressed her and himself holding her close to him all that time kissing and touching her. An hour later, Sheena stirred in his arms.<\/p>\n “I can’t go to sleep here. I need to get back to my room.”<\/p>\n “Sheena, it was nice. Thank you. You are a wonderful lover.”<\/p>\n “Adam, you are still such a man of passion. Oh how I wish you had not spurned me all those years ago. We could have been very good together.”<\/p>\n “Sheena, you know that never would have worked.”<\/p>\n “You could have tried or taken me with you. I didn’t want to be stuck in Virginia City the rest of my life working in my parents’ store.”<\/p>\n “You seem to be doing well. Where are you living now?”<\/p>\n “Oh, I live with my husband.” Adam’s shocked expression was all that she could have hoped to see. “Yes, you see this ring.” She had taken it from where she had hidden it in a glove. “He gave it to me nearly three years ago. We have a child already. This trip was to get away except some of his family came along having business to do.”<\/p>\n Almost unable to get over the shock of what he had heard, Adam had to ask. “You’re married and yet you wanted to be in my bed. Why?”<\/p>\n “You were always a good lay. Perhaps even the best of the men I’ve been with. But you walked away from me and nobody walks away from me like that. You shamed me. You humiliated me by rejecting me like that. You had to know what people would say. I hate you.”<\/p>\n “If you hate me so much, why would you want to spend time in bed with me? What’s going on here?”<\/p>\n Pulling on her clothing, Sheena sneered at Adam. “Are you starting to guess? I know those standards you have. I know how you brood and torment yourself over every little thing that you do that isn’t perfect. I wanted you to live with this. You slept with a married woman. My husband has been good to me too. He loves me and would do anything for me. It almost makes me want to love him, but he is a cowboy, and I wanted more. Later if you hear some noise, that will be us. We have the room right above yours. That I had no way of knowing until you walked me up here. You see, I married your brother, Joe, three years ago, and we live on the Ponderosa. You should have written sooner so we could have sent you a letter, but then I couldn’t have gotten my revenge on you so easily, now could I. Live with that, you bastard.”<\/p>\n After spewing her awful words, Sheena exited the room leaving Adam in turmoil. His family must be in the city, and he had just made love with his brother’s wife. He would see her when he saw his family again, and he wondered how he could possibly live with himself after what he had done. He wanted a bath and a whiskey in that order because her smell was still on him, but he didn’t dare leave his room until he thought through what he had to do. He found sleep eluded him until it was nearly dawn, and even then, he only slept for a couple of hours. He shaved, dressed, and headed downstairs. If he had calculated correctly, his brother Hoss and probably his father would be in the dining room already. He wanted to see them before Sheena was there for he had no idea what she was going to do with the information she had.<\/p>\n Walking into the dining room, Adam saw his brother Hoss and his father almost immediately. There were few men as big as Hoss and he seemed to have gotten bigger while Adam was gone. He walked up to their table where they were engrossed in eating and in conversation.<\/p>\n “I know this is a big shock, Pa, but I had to come home.” Hoss and Ben turned in shock at the sound of that baritone voice they had wondered if they would ever hear again. “I would have written but I’ve been moving around so much.” Hoss recovered first and stood grabbing Adam in a bear hug. Ben took a moment longer to get over the surprise but then his grin could not have been bigger as he too hugged Adam. Both knew that Adam shied away from such displays of affection, but after nearly seven years, they had an awful lot of emotion stored up inside.<\/p>\n “How did you know we were here?”<\/p>\n “I didn’t know until I saw you. I got into town last night. It was too late to travel, and this is where I always stayed when I was in the city. Well of course you always stay here too.”<\/p>\n “Older brother, you’re looking a might thin on top there.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I could say the same. Thinner on top and a bit thicker in the middle.”<\/p>\n “Your eyes might be going bad then too. I think you done missed shaving right under your nose there for a while.” Adam could only grin with the teasing from Hoss that he had missed for so long.<\/p>\n “Adam, is this a visit, or are you home?”<\/p>\n “Pa, I don’t know. I’ve traveled all over, and made a lot of money. I’ve taught, designed buildings, started up businesses, and met a lot of people. I’ve got a long list of businesses I own that will require some travel. But there’s no one special in my life, and I still have no good idea of where I want to live and work.”<\/p>\n “You have time now to think that through.” Ben was actually relieved by Adam’s statement. He had worried that Adam would decide to live on one of those far off properties he owned. Instead he was home and there was at least a chance he would stay. “Adam, there is one thing we have to tell you. Every time we got a letter from you, it said that you were moving on. We couldn’t write to you so we couldn’t tell you any news. Joe got married.”<\/p>\n “Joe?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, Adam, ain’t it a hoot. Joe’s the first one of us to get married, and he’s got a little girl too, Eleanor. Cute as a button. She’s home with Hop Sing and with one of his cousins who cares for her whenever Sheena and the family are gone for any reason. She’s going to be happy to meet the uncle she has only seen in a picture.”<\/p>\n “Well I’m looking forward to meeting her.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, older brother, I’m waiting to hear what she does with your name. She’s started talking quite a bit for a youngun but she has a bit of trouble with saying our names.”<\/p>\n Looking from one to the other, Adam could see that they were worried about something despite their apparent good humor and talking about Eleanor. “Now that is good news, but from the looks of the two of you, I’m expecting some bad news to go along with that.”<\/p>\n “Adam, son, the woman he married is someone you know. You were very involved with her before you left. Adam, Joe married Sheena.”<\/p>\n “Sheena?” Asking questions like that was the only way that Adam could think to avoid letting them know he already knew. “When?”<\/p>\n “Almost three years ago. We had business in the city, and we decided that Joe ought to bring Sheena along. She gets bored on the ranch with Joe working almost every day. She deserved a vacation too. The trip might have been a bit much for her though. We went to a play last night, but she was too tired and stayed in. They should be down here within the hour though. They were both awake when we left.”<\/p>\n Adam ordered breakfast then, and talked with his father and his brother catching up on much of what had happened while he was gone especially the last three and a half years when he had become a businessman with mining and railroad investments on four continents with the most valuable of those in Australia. “I’m thinking of selling all of my businesses.”<\/p>\n “Why would you do that?”<\/p>\n “Hoss, it’s only money. It’s not fulfilling. I need something that makes me feel like I’ve done something by the end of the day. I felt more fulfilled when I was teaching those classes on mining engineering and when I got to design some buildings. I want to find something like that.”<\/p>\n “Only money, huh. You must have a lot ifn you can talk like that.”<\/p>\n “Enough.”<\/p>\n “Son, you have lots of time to think those things over. You can always talk to us about it too. Now, I see Joe and Sheena.” Ben waved to bring them to the table.<\/p>\n Watching her almost glide to the table with a grinning Joe behind her, Adam thought she was as beautiful, graceful, and dangerous as the Australian tiger snake. How he had ever thought he might love her, and how he had so easily succumbed to her charms again the previous night made him doubt his judgment and intelligence. Joe nearly jumped into Adam’s arms.<\/p>\n “Sheena said she thought she saw someone who looked like you in the dining room last night. She said you were different though, and I guess those years really did change you some. Did Pa tell you that Sheena and I got married? I hope it doesn’t bother you at all. We didn’t even get to seeing each other until you were gone over three years. Gosh, Adam, it is so good to see you. I was wondering if you were ever coming back. You’re staying, right?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know, Joe. There are a lot of things to consider.” And not the least of those was Sheena who was eyeing Adam as if he was prey. He had no idea what else she had in store for him, but he knew she was very intelligent, and now he knew too that she hated him and wanted to wreak vengeance on him. He couldn’t help it though: he still found her to be beautiful and desirable. He guessed it was that part of him that always was attracted to the wrong woman. Now he had an additional worry though. Based on what she had done with him and a few things she had said, he had to believe that she was not being faithful to Joe. Joe had always chased after girls, and Adam was sure he was fairly experienced, but when they had talked, he had seemed most interested in fairly traditional sexual experiences. Sheena had shown herself to be sophisticated in such behavior, and that likely wasn’t from being with his brother.<\/p>\n Adam discovered then that his family was spending one more day in the city before traveling home. At least for one day, he could find things to do to be well out of range of Sheena’s claws. He wished he could confide in Hoss or his father, but he knew he couldn’t. It wasn’t only his pride that held him back. He knew that if he told them, they would be hurt, and they would worry too about Joe and his marriage. There was a child too. He was an uncle, but it brought little joy knowing who the mother was. No, Sheena had been correct. He would suffer and torment himself about what he had done. He could only hope that would be enough to satisfy her desire for revenge, but he doubted it would. He remembered her as a woman of lusty appetites, and he had no delusions that her desire for revenge was as strong and encompassing as any of her other desires.<\/p>\n For the morning at least, he was free of her. Adam and Ben spent the morning together as Adam had some banking business to do as did his father. Adam was transferring a large amount of his wealth to some banks in California that had branches in Nevada. For the immediate future, he planned to run his businesses from afar getting reports from his managers and sending off instructions when requested or when he saw a need. Improvements in transportation and communication had made his life less complicated in a business sense, but Sheena had added a complication that had him torn inside. His father interpreted the seriousness at uncertainty of being home and not knowing how to fit in. Adam let him continue to think that way for he definitely wasn’t going to divulge to his father what he had done and why he was feeling so gloomy. His father already had some ideas as to what he could do for the Ponderosa, but Adam had other goals in mind. He wasn’t ready to share those either for he wasn’t certain that living in Virginia City or on the Ponderosa was possible any longer. One terrible error in judgment may have cost him his chance at happiness. He had a humorless smile when he thought of what she had so craftily done and in so short a time period for planning and execution. She had proven herself to be far more clever than he was.<\/p>\n “You seem to be a thousand miles away, but the thoughts must have been pleasant because you’re smiling. It wouldn’t be a lady you’re thinking of now, would it?”<\/p>\n Inside, Adam’s heart froze for a moment, but with the smile his father had, he had simply asked an innocent and perhaps hopeful question. Maintaining the facade, Adam kept the small smile. “Perhaps. You never have given up on the idea of all three of your sons being married and giving you grandchildren, have you?”<\/p>\n “Now why would I ever give up the idea of all three of my sons being married and giving me grandchildren? It is the dream that keeps me going some days. It is kind of funny that my youngest and wildest son was the first to settle down and start a family. Hoss is ready too, I think, but he has to get up the courage to ask her.”<\/p>\n “Who?”<\/p>\n “Bessie Sue.” At Adam’s incredulous look, Ben smiled and continued. “Barbara Scott has taken her under her wing. Barbara is a natural teacher now that she’s loosened up a bit and gotten over that fear she had. She’s been teaching Bess a lot about how to dress and act like a lady. Now I know that you’re thinking that the old Bessie Sue is under the veneer of ladylike behavior, but Hoss would probably like that. He could have a woman who liked to do the things he favors like fishing and being in the outdoors, but then he can have a woman who acts like a woman when he has those needs. She is a marvelous cook. Apparently we never had the opportunity to know that. Hoss has been eating dinner over there on occasion and always has wonderful things to say about the meals.”<\/p>\n “It looks like he’s been eating two dinners every day so maybe that explains it.”<\/p>\n “He’s been eating a lot which has let me know he’s probably close to asking her to be his wife. You know how he is when he gets nervous. Now you: has any lady caught your eye?”<\/p>\n “Sorry, Pa, nothing to report on my end. You’ll have to be satisfied with two married sons.”<\/p>\n “You never know, Adam. The right opportunity might present itself at any moment. You only need to be ready to accept her when you get that chance.”<\/p>\n There were so many possible innuendoes in the things his father was saying to him, but Adam had to believe he couldn’t know about him and Sheena. He was too jovial, too relaxed, to have that kind of concern. Although, Adam cringed inside with some of this father’s questions, he managed to keep a smiling countenance as they walked from bank to bank and discussed business as well as family. Later, at the hotel, Ben’s suspicions about Hoss’ intentions were proven correct. Hoss held up his purchase at dinner.<\/p>\n “Is it proper to show all of you before I show Bess?”<\/p>\n From the size and shape of the box, they all knew what was inside. Joe was ecstatic as was his usual way of greeting good news.<\/p>\n “Hoss, you old dog, you’re finally going to ask her. Hey, the timing couldn’t be better with Adam here. We can have one heck of a wedding. Maybe I ought to order some fireworks before we leave tomorrow?”<\/p>\n “Now, Joe, I ain’t asked her yet, and she ain’t said yes neither.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, c’mon, she’s been waiting for this for ten years or more. Of course, she’ll say yes!”<\/p>\n More sedately but just as happily, Adam and Ben congratulated Hoss as well.<\/p>\n “I just hope I can have as happy a marriage as Joe and Sheena got, and I wouldn’t mind a passel of kids running around either.”<\/p>\n Joe and Sheena grinned at the compliment, but Adam got a feral cat look when he glanced at Sheena. Mostly he had done his best not to look at her or comment directly to her. His behavior was probably noticed by the others, but at the moment, he didn’t know how else to handle the situation. That night, Adam found sleep as elusive as he had the night before. Tired and emotionally on edge, he met his family for breakfast the next morning before they headed home to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Seeing Joe and Sheena together, Adam could see how much his youngest brother was in love with his wife. Joe was attentive to her and when a pretty lady walked by, he gave her no more of a glance than any man would given the nature of men who admired the beauty of the scenery around them. Adam had to admit that his youngest brother had become an impressive man with a quieter confidence than he ever remembered him possessing. He knew he wasn’t any taller, but he seemed to be somehow. Ben could hardly stop bragging about how Joe had taken charge of much of the Ponderosa business.<\/p>\n “He doesn’t like being away from home though. He likes being on the Ponderosa with all that he loves so dearly.”<\/p>\n Ben was relaxing on the porch of a waystation with his two older sons as Joe took Sheena for a short walk before dinner. Hoss was sitting with his legs stretched out resting on an empty keg, and Adam leaned against a porch post too tense to sit any more.<\/p>\n “Pa, ifn I had a pretty little wife like that and a button of a daughter like he’s got, I’d never need to set foot off the Ponderosa either.”<\/p>\n “That could happen for you soon enough, son. Then we’ll have to send Adam for supplies and to do all of our business.”<\/p>\n “Pa, you ain’t got a wife and daughter though.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I have a grandchild and I’m hoping for more. That’s what keeps me going.”<\/p>\n “Yep, Pa, and it’s all Adam’s fault.”<\/p>\n “My fault? How could it be my fault?”<\/p>\n “Well, you’re the oldest and you always done set the way things got done in the family. You didn’t get married so we didn’t get married. It was as simple as that. Finally you was gone and we gradually forgot that lesson you taught us, and we up and decided to get married.”<\/p>\n Adam shook his head as Ben chuckled and then joined in the teasing. “Yes, in most families, it is expected that the oldest marry first. If they don’t, the others can’t marry.”<\/p>\n At that point, Joe and Sheena rounded the corner of the waystation and had to ask about the reason for the merriment. Sheena joined in but her line was more cutting especially to Adam who understood the strong feelings that were behind it.<\/p>\n “Adam, could have been the first to marry, but he squandered his chance, and I’m just so lucky that Joe was smart enough to grab what his older brother had given up.”<\/p>\n The stationmaster called out that dinner was ready so Ben and Hoss followed Sheena inside. Joe hung back and put a hand on Adam’s arm. “I hope there’s no hard feelings about me marrying Sheena. I didn’t think you felt that strongly about her, but the way you look at her now, makes me wonder if courting her and marrying her was the right thing to do.”<\/p>\n “Joe, I’m glad you found someone to love as deeply as you do. I look at her a bit strangely I suppose because I feel she’s still angry with me for leaving. It’s nothing more, Joe.”<\/p>\n “Oh, I don’t think she’s mad at you. She likes to tease the men around her, that’s all.”<\/p>\n Hoping to change that subject, Adam had a suggestion. “Let’s go in to get some dinner. I do remember what it was like if you didn’t get to the dinner table fast enough and Hoss was there first.” Laughing lightly, the two brothers entered the waystation to see Hoss with a full plate of beans, bacon, and a biscuit. It only made the laughter louder and Hoss knew why they were laughing and told them it was their own fault for dallying outside. The interchange was enough to shift Adam’s thoughts away from Sheena. He grabbed a plate and went to sit on the porch where there was more room. Ben joined him there a short time later with two cups of coffee.<\/p>\n “It is a bit crowded in there.”<\/p>\n “Thanks, Pa. Is the coffee any better than the food?”<\/p>\n “No, but it’s hotter, and you don’t have to chew it.”<\/p>\n Adam took a sip. “Well, that’s a matter for debate, isn’t it?”<\/p>\n Leaning back, Ben had a concern similar to Joe’s. “Adam, is this difficult for you with Joe married to Sheena? You seem very ill at ease around her.”<\/p>\n “It was a surprise, and I’m still getting used to seeing her in a different role, but that is my unease. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”<\/p>\n “Good, I was hoping that’s all it was. Sheena does have a way of flirting with men sometimes, and they take it wrong thinking that she is interested in them. To her, it’s harmless teasing, and I know Joe has talked to her about it. I had hoped that she hadn’t said anything to you that made you uneasy in this situation.”<\/p>\n “No, Pa, it isn’t any flirting or teasing that has me a little uncomfortable around her. I’m sure things will work out in time.” Adam did his best to dance around the truth without actually lying to his father. It was difficult though as images of Sheena in his bed invaded his thoughts far too often.<\/p>\n Ben noticed the familiar gestures. Adam rubbed the space on his forehead between his eyebrows and then dropped his head and rubbed his neck. He knew his son was very uncomfortable about something, but it was also clear he wasn’t going to talk about it. For the time being, Ben was going to let it ride, but if necessary, he would force it out of his oldest son. Adam was exceptionally good at holding back unless you got him mad. Ben knew it might have to come to that if he wanted to know what was bothering him so much. “Do the men you do business with know your tells? Do they know the gestures you make when you’re troubled?”<\/p>\n “I doubt it. It’s a lot easier holding emotions in check when the people aren’t ones you love. Let’s go inside and find out what uncomfortable sleeping arrangements they have for us.”<\/p>\n The accommodations were better than the usual with bunk beds in a large room. There were no sheets but there was a soft blanket on each and a pillow. Joe and Adam took top bunks leaving Ben, Hoss, and Sheena to have three lowers. In the morning, all were reasonably refreshed. Adam asked if he could ride up front with the driver. It was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for him with the looks he got from Sheena, and he worried that Hoss and especially Joe might start wondering as his father already did why he reacted as he did to her.<\/p>\n When they got to Virginia City, Hop Sing was there with the large carriage. He was overjoyed to see that Adam had returned and postponed his stay in town to return to the Ponderosa with the family. He said he wanted to make a big dinner to celebrate the number one son’s return. Adam told him that was unnecessary, but he insisted. On the Ponderosa, Adam found his room much as he had left it years before. It was clean and orderly. He assumed Hop Sing had been dusting it regularly and keeping it aired out. He unpacked his bags and didn’t turn when there was a knock on the door. He did turn when the door closed. He had assumed it was his father or a brother and was dismayed to find Sheena standing in his bedroom.<\/p>\n “You’ve been hiding from me. Do I make you that uncomfortable.”<\/p>\n “Yes, and I hope that satisfies you. Now open the door. I don’t want to do anything to hurt my brother.”<\/p>\n “Oh, I wouldn’t do anything here. I wouldn’t hurt Joe either. He’s very nice to me, and I like being married to him. No, I only came here to deliver a warning. If you stay here, your family is eventually going to find out what happened. No, I want you to leave as soon as it can be worked out. I’m sure you can come up with a suitable explanation as to why you need to live in town.”<\/p>\n “So that’s what you have in mind for the rest of my punishment. You’ll banish me from the Ponderosa?”<\/p>\n Nodding, Sheena smiled. “I like having the power over you for a change. Remember what I said. You need to come up with a plan and soon.”<\/p>\n With that, she turned and left the room. She really had a way of leaving Adam in turmoil with no idea of what to do next. He sat on his bed and dropped his head. There was another light knock, and Adam jerked his head up certain that she had come back to taunt him, but it was Hoss.<\/p>\n “Gees, Adam, you’re as jumpy as a newborn colt. You want to tell me what’s bothering you? You got that look like I seen on men who are running from the law.”<\/p>\n “It’s not the law I’m running from.”<\/p>\n “Sheena?”<\/p>\n Looking up at Hoss then, Adam saw only concern. There was no condemnation. At least he was sure that Hoss didn’t know what had happened. “It is a different situation than I expected.”<\/p>\n “You weren’t hoping she was still available, were ya?”<\/p>\n “No, Hoss, but it is a bit strange to see Joe with his arm wrapped around her.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, guess it would be. I’m going over to Bess’ now. I figured you had plenty of family here to keep you company. Wait till that little Eleanor wakes up from her nap. You’re gonna love her. She’s so cute, and smart too.”<\/p>\n “I’m sure I will, Hoss, and congratulations in advance. I know Bess’ will say yes.”<\/p>\n After Hoss left, Adam finished unpacking. He looked at the clothing he had left and realized most wouldn’t fit him. He needed to go to town and buy some clothing more suitable for living on a ranch. When Eleanor woke up, she eyed the dark haired stranger with the mustache very seriously for a bit. Adam knelt down so that his height would seem so intimidating. Eleanor smiled at him, which he returned and then she reached up for his mustache.<\/p>\n “Tickles.” Looking back at her proud father, she pointed to the mustache again and touched it once more. “Papa, it tickles.”<\/p>\n “Not as much as it will when he gives you a kiss. It’s your Uncle Adam. The one in the picture with me and Uncle Hoss.”<\/p>\n “No, not him.”<\/p>\n “It’s probably the mustache, Joe. I guess she’ll take some time getting used to it.”<\/p>\n “Adam, it’s gonna take all of us a while to get used to that. How long did it take you to grow it? Three days?”<\/p>\n “When I was younger, I was proud of having such a beard that other men were jealous and the ladies were impressed. Now I wish I had a face like yours. I have to shave twice a day when I’m doing business deals, and you look like you shave about once a week.”<\/p>\n “No, Sheena likes me to shave every day, but it’s pretty easy to do with what I have.”<\/p>\n “And he has a nice smooth chest too.” Sheena had come up to Joe and rubbed her hand across his chest. It embarrassed Joe a little but overall he was proud that she liked him the way he was. Adam knew though that the comment had been a jibe at him. He wondered how many more times she would do that. He hoped it would stop soon before Joe or more likely his father knew there was more behind her comments than simple teasing.<\/p>\n At night, Adam dropped into bed exhausted and grateful for that because he didn’t know if he would be able to sleep otherwise. He knew that if he had told the truth immediately in San Francisco, his relationship with his brother wouldn’t be potentially as damaged as it might become now. It had been cowardly to keep the secret. He had sacrificed so much in order to appear not to have made a mistake. He guessed that he wanted to return home like some conquering hero of mythology. He had wanted to impress his father and his brothers so they wouldn’t see how much he was disappointed in himself and confused about what he wanted. He was angry with himself and unsure of what to do next. He knew he needed to find a way to tell Joe what had happened and take whatever punishment that would be meted out. He decided that it was time to tell the truth and get it all out in the open. The only doubt he had was the fear of what his revelation could do to Joe’s marriage and how that would affect not only Joe but his daughter. He thought that he should think this decision through for a day and talk to Joe the next evening. He thought too that perhaps he could tell Hoss first and have him there to help.<\/p>\n The next day, Adam borrowed some clothing from his father so that he and Hoss could ride out to see the ranch including all the changes that had been made or at least as many as they could see in one day. Hop Sing packed a good lunch for them, and the two brothers rode out. Ben was relieved. He sensed a tension in the house whenever Sheena and Adam were near each other. He hoped to talk with her once Joe left. He needed to understand the situation, but when he tried to talk with her about it, she claimed there was nothing and he was imagining it.<\/p>\n Out on the pastures of the Ponderosa, Adam was impressed with how good things looked. When he said that to Hoss, he could see the big man was pleased. They rode to the grain mill, the lumber mill, and then swung around to head to the lake where the paddlewheeler docked. It was being repaired with parts they had sent from Sacramento when they were passing through on the way to San Francisco. If it had been running, they would have taken it across the lake. Adam looked at Hoss with surprise as they stopped on a ridge above the lake and could see the boat clearly in the distance.<\/p>\n “Yep, it’s ours. Sure does cut a lot of time off some travel. Runs most of the year except when the snows get too deep on the roads that lead to the docks on either side.”<\/p>\n “Things are looking so good here. You and Joe are doing a great job.”<\/p>\n “We got a lot of good help. Well maybe except that one.” Hoss had noticed one of the hands heading toward some trees and away from where the branding was supposed to be taking place. “Unless we got some cattle that strayed right through a fence, Chester’s sneaking off again.” Hoss wheeled his horse to go to confront the man, and Adam rode with him. Hoss hailed the rider but he must not have heard him for he kept on riding. When they got close, they could see that he was drinking from something but his canteen hung prominently on his saddle. Hoss rode up and startled the man. Riding in their direction was their foreman, Candy.<\/p>\n “Now I been warning you about sneaking off to get out of work, but this is going way over the line. You know our rules about drinking, and you know it means being fired if you break those rules even once. I’ve suspected you were drinking on the job before.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, it’s only cause I got this here real bad tooth. It hurts something fierce.”<\/p>\n “That’s no excuse, Chester, and you know it. Ifn you woulda told us about the tooth, we woulda sent ya to the doc. Now I gotta fire you.”<\/p>\n “You can’t fire me. I need this job. I got a family to support.”<\/p>\n “I’m sorry, but you shoulda thought about that before you were drinking on the job. You can clear out your things and I’ll have your pay ready tomorrow morning. You can come get it then.”<\/p>\n “This ain’t right to do, Hoss. Won’t you give me a second chance? Don’t everybody get a second chance?”<\/p>\n “I might ifn it wasn’t for everything else. Chester, you’re a lazy troublemaker and ifn I had known that up front, I never woulda hired you. Now ride back and get your gear. I expect you to be gone by the time me and Adam get back to the ranch later.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, you do this, and you’ll be sorry.”<\/p>\n “Is that a threat, Chester?”<\/p>\n “You just watch your back. Treating people like this can make a heap of enemies for a body. You just better be watching out from here on out.”<\/p>\n Adam rode forward at that point. “You hurt my brother in any way, and I’ll kill you.”<\/p>\n “Who are you?”<\/p>\n “I’m his brother, and I’ve dealt with men like you before. Now do as he says or I’ll tie you over the saddle myself and send you on your way.”<\/p>\n Adam’s voice and posture were intimidating even if Chester had never seen him before. “You Cartwrights are always so dang bossy. I’ll be back tomorrow for my pay, and you better make sure you don’t short me none.”<\/p>\n As Chester rode away, Hoss introduced Candy to Adam. “You made a big threat there. You able to back it up?”<\/p>\n “You’re welcome to check any time.”<\/p>\n “Now you two cut it out. It ain’t the time to see which stallion is in charge. All right?”<\/p>\n “Sorry. Hoss, I’m glad I saw you. We’re finding a few cows that look like somebody took a running iron to them to try to change the brand. It didn’t work very well so they must have given up on those, but that could explain why our count was down in that southeast pasture. It’s got the best grass so we should have had more cows there.”<\/p>\n “I’ll meet you there in a bit. I want to check out the view from the top of that hill.” Adam wheeled his horse and began to ride toward the top of the nearest hill.<\/p>\n “He’s a might touchy, isn’t he?”<\/p>\n “He can be. I wouldn’t be challenging him like that if I were you. He can back it up, and he has in the past. He’s not a man to push too hard ifn you know what I mean.”<\/p>\n “I didn’t mean to push him. I was just joshing a bit.”<\/p>\n “I know that, but he doesn’t know you. Just kinda watch it for a while.”<\/p>\n “You worried that he’ll leave again.”<\/p>\n “He ain’t said he’s staying yet. I don’t want to give him any more reasons for leaving. I’d like him to stay.”<\/p>\n “What do you think he’s doing up on top of that hill?”<\/p>\n “This is his part of the Ponderosa. I’m hoping he’s thinking that would be a nice spot for a house. It would be too.”<\/p>\n Hoss and Candy continued to ride to the branding area. Suddenly a rifle shot rang out and Hoss pitched forward from his horse. Candy drew his weapon even as he dismounted to rush to Hoss’ aid. Just a short time later, Adam raced in to where Candy was pressing a wad of cloth to Hoss’ back.<\/p>\n “It’s bad. I can’t get the bleeding to even slow down.”<\/p>\n “Here, let me do it. I’ve had some training with caring for wounds.” Quickly Adam shifted Hoss’ position and then moved to put pressure straight down on the wound. Hoss moaned in pain but after a moment, it was clear the bleeding was slowing. “Thank God, it’s not one of the major vessels. Send someone for the doctor and then bring a wagon and help out here. I don’t want to try moving him without this pressure. He’s lost a lot of blood already.”<\/p>\n “Did you see where the shot came from?”<\/p>\n “Saw a man riding fast away toward town. That’s all I could see with trees in my way. I saw Hoss fall when I was on top of the hill.”<\/p>\n It was an hour later before they got Hoss into his bed. Another hour passed before the doctor arrived. Adam stood staring at his brother as the doctor told Ben and Joe they had to go.<\/p>\n “I’ve helped with caring for wounds before. I’ve had some training.”<\/p>\n “Ever help with a brother before?”<\/p>\n “Yes.”<\/p>\n “All right, wash that blood off your hands and put on a clean shirt. Then come back and you can help.”<\/p>\n An hour later, Adam needed to do the same thing again. Once he was cleaned up, he went down the stairs to tell his family about Hoss’ condition. Joe sat with Sheena on the settee, and Ben was sitting in his red leather chair. Roy sat in the blue chair, and Candy had pulled a barrel chair over to sit with the others. Hop Sing waited at the kitchen door to see what he could do. “He lost a lot of blood before Paul could get everything stitched up. He got the bullet out and cleaned the wound, but there’s always a chance of infection. Right now, it looks clean though with nothing more than the expected slight swelling.”<\/p>\n “Son, what is it you aren’t telling us?”<\/p>\n “We didn’t use ether because Hoss was unresponsive. He never felt anything that was done. He’s still unresponsive. Paul says he’s in a deep coma. He’s not sure when he’ll come out of it, but for now, it might be a good thing because he’s not feeling the pain nor trying to move around. Paul’s going to stay until he’s sure he won’t be needed. It probably means he’ll spend the night here.”<\/p>\n Roy had asked Candy some questions and now had to ask Adam. “Candy says you saw the man who done it. Can you describe him?”<\/p>\n “I saw a man riding away right after I heard a rifle shot and saw Hoss fall. The angle was right for that man to be the one. He looked to be short. That was about all I could tell only seeing him riding away through the trees about a quarter of a mile from me.”<\/p>\n “Did it look like Chester Rafferty? Candy says you and Hoss had trouble with him just a few minutes before Hoss got shot.”<\/p>\n “It looked like him, but I couldn’t swear to it.”<\/p>\n “Well, I’m gonna go find Chester and have a talk with him, and he better have some good answers for me too. Now you know I’ll be praying for Hoss. You all take care now.”<\/p>\n Roy left then and Hop Sing asked Adam if he wanted something to eat. He said no because all he could think of then was blood pouring out of Hoss until Paul had stopped the bleeding. He sat down in the blue chair, and with his elbows resting on his knees, he dropped his head into his hands. He had hoped to talk with Joe, but now the concern for Hoss became the highest priority. He couldn’t drop his burden on Joe at this point.<\/p>\n On the settee, Sheena watched Adam. Since she had first been with him in San Francisco, she was frequently watching him when she wasn’t doing something to torment him. He had remained remarkably unaffected in many ways by what she had already done. She remembered all those things about him that she liked, and she began to wonder if those things that had made her fall in love with him were still working. Perhaps she still did love him and that’s why his rejection of her hurt so much even after all these years. She began to worry that she loved Adam still and that was why she hadn’t fallen in love with Joe or at least wasn’t sure if she loved him. Joe was so good to her, and she did like him and respect him very much. But sometimes she thought there was something missing, and she worried it was because she had given her heart to Adam. Her somber look wasn’t seen as unusual as Ben and Joe worried about Hoss. Candy excused himself and said he would tell the men about Hoss. Ben stood to go see Hoss, but Adam said that Paul had asked that no one disturb Hoss for at least a few hours, so Ben sat down again. Very quietly, they all waited for those hours to be over.<\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n “Adam, I gotta ask ya where you was this morning?”<\/p>\n “Why? I was on the ranch all morning.”<\/p>\n “But where on the ranch? Was ya near the road to Virginia City at all?”<\/p>\n “No, I was around the house all morning. I didn’t ride anywhere. What is all this about? My brother is shot by someone, and you’re questioning me like I did something wrong.”<\/p>\n “Well, Chester Rafferty got shot just like your brother Hoss. Only thing is, Chester is dead. Now some folks were on the road, and they said the man who done it looked like you. They said you was wearing all black like you are now, and you were riding a chestnut horse. You ride a chestnut horse, don’t you? I saw one saddled up and tied to the hitching rail yesterday.”<\/p>\n “Roy, I didn’t shoot Chester Rafferty.”<\/p>\n “Well, then all I need is someone to say they was with you at about ten this morning when Chester got shot.”<\/p>\n “I don’t think I can ask someone to do that. I was alone.”<\/p>\n “You was here on the ranch but not a single solitary soul saw you?”<\/p>\n “Sorry, but that’s the story.”<\/p>\n “Well, it does sound like a story too. Adam, if you can’t do better than that, I hafta ask ya to come with me. I gotta lock you up until I can investigate this more.”<\/p>\n “Roy, is that really necessary. You know Adam didn’t do it. This is his home. He won’t leave if you ask him to stay here.”<\/p>\n “Ben, I’m sorry, but Adam proved that he would leave here. He’s been gone nigh on seven years now. He’s gotta go to the jail.”<\/p>\n “Sheriff, my brother is upstairs fighting for his life, and you want to throw me in jail because somebody shot a worthless piece of cow dung like that Chester Rafferty?”<\/p>\n “Adam, talking like that ain’t helping your case none. Candy talked yesterday about how you threatened Chester ifn he was to hurt Hoss, and you yourself said you thought it could be Chester. That family on the road to Virginia City who saw a man riding fast away from where Chester lay in the road and said it looked like you: they’re neighbors of yours and have been since you were a boy. They were the ones who brought Chester to town. He was shot in the back just like Hoss. Now that all looks bad for you, and if you’ve got yourself no alibi, I don’t have no choice in the matter. You have to come with me or give me your alibi witnesses.”<\/p>\n Seeing no way out of his dilemma, Adam stood to follow Roy out the door. He had an alibi but couldn’t use it for the damage it would cause. That morning as he had walked up the stairs, he passed Sheena who took his hand as in sympathy but slipped a note into his palm. She asked to meet him in the grove of trees behind the house to discuss settling their ‘problems’ as she referred to them in the note. Hoss lay in a coma, and Adam thought it best to meet with her. If they could develop a more friendly relationship then the whole family dynamic would be healthier. He hoped to convince her to tell Joe what had happened in San Francisco. If she did, then perhaps Joe would be able to forgive her. Adam was prepared to accept whatever Joe wanted to do to him for the role he had played in all of this especially in not being truthful with his brother. What she had said to him had shocked him to his core.<\/p>\n “Adam, hear me out before you say anything. All last night, I’ve been thinking about what I did and why I did it. When I saw you in San Francisco, I was so angry all over again that you had left me, but at the same time, I desired you. I wanted you more than you can imagine so I hatched my awful scheme. For the past three years, I’ve wondered why I can’t say I love Joe with all my heart because I like him so much and he is wonderful. Now I think I know. Maybe I still love you, and I know I still desire you. Adam, please, we can be together. We can leave here and travel wherever you want to go. Please?”<\/p>\n Frozen in silence at the impact of what she was saying and suggesting made Adam take too long to answer her. She stepped forward and kissed him as her hands roamed to places they never should have gone. Adam took her by the shoulders and pushed her back holding her away from him.<\/p>\n “Yes, Adam, that’s what I missed. I want that kind of strength and that kind of passion.”<\/p>\n “No, no, stop talking. I can’t believe you said that, any of that. Sheena, this is crazy. I’m sorry, but I don’t love you. I did once, but I didn’t like you enough. Two people have to have more between them than enjoying time in bed. We disagreed on so many things. We could never have sustained a relationship. Now you have a chance at a long term loving relationship with my brother. Don’t throw it away. Don’t even think of ever repeating any of this to anyone. It would destroy my family. It would destroy Joe. Don’t you see that? You must care for him or you would have already bragged about what you did. I think you love him but you’re afraid to admit it. You’re afraid to admit that you like living on the Ponderosa and being the wife of a rancher. It doesn’t fit with those crazy romantic ideas you have always had.”<\/p>\n “You can be a real bastard sometimes. I poured out my heart to you, and all you can do is to rip my heart to shreds. You want me. I know you do.”<\/p>\n “This is reality, Sheena. This is who I am, and you know it too. This is why we could absolutely never be together. I’m not the romantic. Joe is. That’s why you married him and not me. Don’t you see it? Yes I want you, but, Sheena, I physically desire any beautiful woman. I won’t pursue that woman if she’s married or committed to someone else. I need to like that woman or perhaps fall in love with her too for me to make a serious effort to woo her. I don’t love you and I don’t like you much at the moment either so that would negate any desire to pursue you as well. I was going to tell Joe what happened in San Francisco, but I can’t. You need to find a way to tell him if you want to save your marriage. I think it’s far more important to you than you realize. Give up these romantic notions and accept reality. I’ll take whatever punishment he wants to dish out.” Pulling out of his grasp then, Sheena was in tears. “You have to stop acting on whims and seeking vengeance for not getting your way. Don’t you see? You have a chance here to grow up finally and be a woman and not some silly, vindictive girl who would throw away all she has. Did you even think about Eleanor? Did you ever consider the impact of your actions on her? Think this through, Sheena, and you’ll know what you have to do.”<\/p>\n At that point, Sheena knew he was right. She had been a fool and a witch. She had no idea how she could undo the wrongs she had done. With tears wetting her cheeks, she turned and walked slowly toward the house wondering how anyone could love her. No one would question her tears because Hoss’ condition had all of them scared and emotionally distraught. Adam waited out in the garden in back of the house sitting on a bench as he was too overwhelmed by the emotional burden he carried and the impact of this last conversation to try to talk with anyone at that point. He wasn’t aware that Chester had arrived at the house demanding his pay, and that he had ridden away while Adam had been talking with Sheena and then sat in the garden trying to find a logical way out of his dilemma.<\/p>\n Hours later, Roy showed up asking Adam for an alibi and he could find no way to tell Roy without opening up the situation with Sheena and what she had said. Sheena heard Roy’s question and blanched. She had decided to ignore Adam and focus her attentions on Joe. She had heard what Adam had to say and accepted most of it, but she hated him for it at the same time. When he stood to leave with Roy, Sheena was glad that Adam would be out of the house for a while. She hoped to somehow come to terms with her own feelings and work out how she would treat Adam in the future. She sat there with Eleanor on her lap and watched a dejected Adam leave.<\/p>\n As Roy rode to town with Adam, he tried to get him to talk, but he knew too that Adam never talked unless he wanted to talk. It was clear that at this moment, he had nothing he was willing to say to Roy other than to ask if Roy would send a message to the family law firm asking them to send a lawyer to talk with him. Unfortunately, the lawyer saw the case just as Roy did.<\/p>\n “Adam, this looks very bad. I won’t even be able to get the judge to set bail in your case. The evidence is too much, and that you spent the last seven years away from here means you could just as easily run as face the charges against you. If you could just give me some explanation of where you were when Chester Rafferty was shot, that should help.”<\/p>\n “I was sitting in the garden of my home alone and thinking about what had happened to my brother. I have no alibi other than that.”<\/p>\n “Adam, it’s not enough. If we went into court with that, the jury would convict you and probably rather quickly too. You have to give me something.”<\/p>\n “I have quite a bit of money. Hire some men to investigate this and find out who else wanted Chester dead. I’ll pay any fees. If we can present an alternate theory, that should help create doubt, shouldn’t it?”<\/p>\n “It might if we were trying the case in New York or Boston. Men out here don’t look too much at theories. They like facts. That’s an extremely slim hope to hang your life on.”<\/p>\n “It may be, but it’s all I have.”<\/p>\n When the lawyer left, Adam leaned back against the wall of the cell trying to determine what mistakes he had made to have his life spiraling out of control. He had come home to try to recapture the sense of family and belonging that he had lost. Now he sat in a jail cell facing a probable conviction for murder and a sentence that likely would have him standing on the gallows again. The previous two times, he had been saved at the last minute: once by Joe and the other time by Hoss and Joe who had some others who helped. He wondered who could save him this time. He felt chilled as he sat there, and the chill wasn’t just the air and the cold wall. The chill was seeing the end of his life that seemed so near at that point. What was an even greater pain was not knowing if Hoss was going to live or die, and not being able to be there to help his father and brother. Of course, this was making it even more difficult for them and caused more guilt. He had made a mistake in allowing Sheena to seduce him in San Francisco, and everything had spiraled out of control after that. Various people including several ministers had used that idea of a pebble in the pond and the how the ripples moved out to affect the whole pond. He had walked away from Sheena seven years earlier and now those ripples had affected his whole world. He wondered too if she would come forward to explain where he had been that morning. He wished she wouldn’t because of how the revelations that would result could hurt Joe, but he also knew it might be his only chance to live.<\/p>\n On the Ponderosa, Ben was praying. He sat at Hoss’ side and prayed that his son would wake up and recover fully. He prayed too that Adam would not spend too much time in jail before everything was cleared up. He didn’t sleep except for short naps as he fell asleep in the chair. He ate some of what Hop Sing brought to him each time. Joe came in and sat with him often. Joe tried to get his father to go to his room to rest but it never worked. Until Hoss opened his eyes, Ben was going to be there and praying. Two days later, Hoss had still not awakened, but Ben felt he had to go to town to see Adam. Joe sat with Hoss and promised his father that he wouldn’t leave his brother’s side for any reason. In town, Ben only went to the sheriff’s office. His only purpose was to visit with Adam and to see how he was holding up under all that had happened.<\/p>\n “Pa, Hoss?” As soon as Adam saw his father, he stood with only one thing on his mind.<\/p>\n “Still the same. He’s in a coma and hasn’t responded to much of anything yet. He does squeeze my hand sometimes, and he has moaned a few times. Paul says that means he’s getting better slowly. I need to see him open his eyes for me to completely believe that. Now how about you?”<\/p>\n “I’m sure Joe must have told you what I discussed with him yesterday. He’s going out there to see if he can find any tracks or any sign of what happened. The best tracker is Hoss but he can’t help me now.”<\/p>\n “Would it help to bring in another lawyer?”<\/p>\n “There’s not much for any lawyer to use. There’s evidence against me, and I have no alibi.”<\/p>\n “Adam, why were you out in the garden so long? I mean, with your brother inside in a coma, I would have expected you especially to be checking in regularly.”<\/p>\n “I was very troubled. I had to think, and I guess I assumed that if there was any change, someone would tell me.”<\/p>\n “But we didn’t know you were there in the garden. No one saw you sitting outside. So all you have is your word that you were there. If you could only tell us if someone saw you there or why you weren’t at your brother’s side that would help. I know it had to be something serious for you to do that.”<\/p>\n “And there we are back at the crux of the problem. Pa, this trial is going to start tomorrow. I have no legal argument as to why it can’t or so the lawyers tell me. We’ve hired men to investigate, and Joe said he’d take a look out there to see if he can find anything, but Pa, it looks bad. If nothing changes, then I may be convicted. You know what that means.”<\/p>\n “Adam, I can’t accept that will happen. An innocent man can’t be convicted.”<\/p>\n “Pa, you know that can happen. It happened to us. We sat in this jail once waiting to walk to the gallows.”<\/p>\n “That worked out. She admitted she lied.”<\/p>\n “Pa, the people who said they saw me only said that it looked like me. Now the lawyers hope to shake that up some, but the rest is true. I did threaten him, and I did say that I thought it looked like him riding away. He was shot just like Hoss was shot, and I have no alibi. Pa, it looks bad. I didn’t do it, but many people probably already think I did.”<\/p>\n Ben looked a bit pale so Adam had him sit on the cot next to him. The reality that he could lose two sons had hit him. He had prayed and hoped, but Adam’s words had pierced through his protective shield. At that point, Ben didn’t know what he needed more: to console or be consoled. Adam solved that. Uncharacteristically he wrapped his arms around his father and put his head on his father’s shoulder. He would do both. Ben embraced his son. There were no more words that were necessary. It was so quiet that Roy stepped to the doorway to see if Ben was ready to leave. Seeing the father and son holding each other, Roy stepped back. He would give them all the time and privacy they needed.<\/p>\n It was tearing him up inside to have Adam in his jail facing probably a conviction for murder that likely would result in a death sentence. Roy wouldn’t do it. If it came to that, he would resign. For perhaps the hundredth time, he looked over the statements he had trying to find some kernel of an explanation as to how Adam could not have done this terrible thing. He couldn’t find anything. What he needed, and Adam needed was something that pointed to someone other than Adam who had done this. There was nothing. Chester wasn’t liked by many, but not actively disliked either. He was lazy, drank too much, and was a loudmouth. Not one of those things was going to give anyone a motive for murder. That’s what they needed to keep Adam off the gallows. They needed a motive for someone to kill Chester.<\/p>\n The motive they needed resided in a man who was over at the general store at that time. He was just hearing that Adam had been arrested for the murder of Chester Rafferty. He was a little perturbed to find that Chester had not been working for the Cartwrights, which he had assumed. But to find that Adam was in jail for that murder was such good news he had to fight the smile that wanted to break out. He knew people would notice that so he kept as neutral a face as he could manage. He had gotten one of the Cartwright sons without even trying. To have him humiliated and then hanged was going to be a special day for him. He knew that Ben Cartwright and the rest of the family would suffer a lot because of that. It did his heart good or at least that’s what he would have told people if he ever dared to say a word about what he had been doing. No one paid much attention to him and that’s what he liked. He got his supplies and headed back up into the hills to get ready to take out another Cartwright or one of their hands but not too soon. He thought he would wait until after the trial and the hanging. If the people in the store were correct, Adam was going to be convicted. In their minds, he already was.<\/p>\n When Ben rode home it was with a very heavy heart. He hoped that Adam was wrong, but he knew his intelligent and logical son wasn’t wrong. It looked very bad for him. When he rode into the yard, one of the hands volunteered to take care of his horse. He trudged to the house wondering where he would get the strength to face what was coming, and he marveled again at how strong Adam was. He had wanted consolation from his father, but he seemed to be withstanding the rigors of his predicament remarkably well. His greatest worry was not his own future but his worries about Hoss. He saw an unfamiliar horse and wondered who it could be until he got inside. Bess was there which he found out when he was shocked to see Joe sitting with Eleanor in front of the fireplace.<\/p>\n “You promised you would stay with Hoss!”<\/p>\n “Pa, Bess is with him. She came over and she was upset that we hadn’t asked her over here to help. She says that Hoss is her love, and she should have been here.”<\/p>\n With a deep sigh and a frown, Ben had to admit that was true. With the shock and the worry, he had not thought how upset Bess would be. He intended to apologize to her for that oversight. “Where’s Sheena?”<\/p>\n “She went for a walk. She’s very upset by all that has happened. I told her to go take a walk. It almost always seems to help her to do that. How’s Adam today?”<\/p>\n “Remarkably calm. I would have expected more of reaction from him, but he seems resigned. He is terribly worried about Hoss though.”<\/p>\n Ben would have said more, but Bess called to them very loudly, and they raced up the stairs. Scared that something had gone horribly wrong, both were relieved to find Hoss with his eyes open.<\/p>\n “He can’t talk, but he knows what’s going on. If you ask him a question, he looks at you and nods or shakes his head. He’s going to be all right, isn’t he? He’s going to be all right.”<\/p>\n “Unca Haws all better now?”<\/p>\n “Not quite yet, Eleanor, but he’s getting better now. Would you like to go downstairs with your Papa and get some broth for your Uncle Hoss?” Joe got the hint and headed out of the room but was met by Hop Sing who already had a cup of broth and some apple juice on a tray, which he brought into the room. He handed Bess a spoon, and she asked Hoss if he wanted juice or broth. He wrinkled his nose when she said broth, so she began spooning apple juice into his mouth slowly. He was extremely thirsty after two days so he drank all of the apple juice and wanted more. Hop Sing went to get more as Bess gave him water to drink. It was a slow process but exactly what he needed.<\/p>\n “No wonder no one answered the door. I see our patient has shown that remarkable Cartwright fortitude.” Doctor Martin came into the room and waited for Bess to finish giving Hoss the cup of water. “Now, can you say anything?”<\/p>\n “A steak?” Hoss’ voice was hoarse and very soft, but that got a chuckle from everyone. “Ah, not quite yet, but if you tolerate the juice and have that broth next, I’ll let Hop Sing start preparing some soft foods for you to have in a couple of hours. Your system needs to get restarted slowly so you need to start with fluids and then move to soft foods. If all goes well, you can have a steak in a week or so.”<\/p>\n “A week!”<\/p>\n “Now, do you remember what happened to you?” Hoss’ blank look was all that anyone needed to know his answer. “Hoss, you were shot. When lead invades a body like that, the shock, the pain, and the blood loss can knock any man completely on his back. You’ve been in a coma for over two days. You may not be feeling much pain right now, but if you try to move, you’re going to find that is not the case. There are some pain powders that I left with Hop Sing if you need them. I would rather you don’t move around much in order to avoid the pain rather than moving too much and needing the pain medication.”<\/p>\n Looking around the room, Hoss had only one question. “Where’s Adam?”<\/p>\n Ben chose to answer, but Hoss knew it was evasive by how Ben sounded and by the looks of the others in the room. “Adam is in town. He had some business that he had to do. He’s very worried about you, so we’ll send word that you woke up. He’ll be very happy about that.” Hoss was very tired or he would have insisted on a more complete answer. As it was, he could barely keep his eyes open. Doctor Martin sent everyone from the room and took a moment to examine the wound. Finding no cause for concern, he told Hoss to go to sleep and that he would have someone in to sit with him soon.<\/p>\n When Ben saw Hoss later, Hoss had no more patience with the answers he had been getting. Hoss was resting in bed as ordered because he did find that trying to move hurt a lot. He became more and more concerned though when Adam didn’t come back from town to see him. “Pa, I want you to tell me where Adam is. I’ve been hearing about how he’s got some trouble to take care of in town. Pa, I know Adam would be here ifn he could be just like I’d be right here if he was shot, so it’s time to be telling me the truth. How bad is it?”<\/p>\n Taking a deep breath, Ben had to ask Hoss a few questions before he would say any more. “Hoss, how much do you remember about the day you were shot?”<\/p>\n “Pa, I want to know how Adam is. I’m not going to stop asking until you tell me.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I will tell you, but I want to explain everything so you get the whole picture. Now please answer my question.”<\/p>\n “I remember riding out with Adam. Adam didn’t get shot too, did he?”<\/p>\n “No, Adam wasn’t shot. Do you remember firing Chester Rafferty?”<\/p>\n “No, I don’t, but it don’t surprise me none. He had that coming for a long time.”<\/p>\n “He threatened you, and Adam said he’d kill him if he harmed you.”<\/p>\n “Adam didn’t kill him, did he?”<\/p>\n “No, he didn’t but he thought the man who shot you looked like Chester, and the next day, Chester was shot and killed on our property. He came to get his wages and was killed before he left the ranch.”<\/p>\n “And they think Adam did it? That’s crazy. Adam would never do anything like that.”<\/p>\n “We know that, but unfortunately, he says he has no alibi, and there was a family who found Chester, and they said the man riding away looked like Adam so Roy had to arrest him.”<\/p>\n “So, Adam is in big trouble?”<\/p>\n “Yes, he is. The trial starts tomorrow. It could be a short one. So far we haven’t been able to find anything or anyone to help his case.”<\/p>\n “You said he said he has no alibi. What did you mean by that?”<\/p>\n “Ever since Adam came back, I’ve had the feeling that he’s been hiding something. Now I think he’s hiding something more.”<\/p>\n “What could he be hiding that he wouldn’t say if it meant he wouldn’t be convicted?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know, Hoss, but it has to be something that Adam thinks is more important than his life.”<\/p>\n “The only thing that could be that important for Adam is this family. You need to find out what he’s hiding. He’s got to be doing that cause he thinks it could hurt this family. Pa, you need to go talk to him right off, and you tell him if he don’t talk to you, I’m gonna be heading to town to make him tell me.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, you can’t go to town. Paul said you shouldn’t even be out of bed for two more days and then you’ll be confined to the house for the rest of the week. You can’t take a ride to town. You’ll start bleeding again.”<\/p>\n “You just tell Adam what I said. Now you go see him. I’ll be fine here. Bess will be here again today, and Joe and Sheena can help me too ifn I need it. In fact, you should stay in town so Adam has somebody there for him. It must be awful for him.”<\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/strong><\/p>\n So Ben went to town to talk with Adam. As he walked into the sheriff’s office, he met Adam’s lawyer coming out. “You better talk to your son. I can’t put him on the stand, and at this point he’s the only thing we have.”<\/p>\n “Why can’t you put Adam on the stand to tell his side of the story?”<\/p>\n “Because when I talk with him about where he was when Rafferty was shot, I think he’s lying. If I think that, I can’t put him up there to testify. The jury would suspect the same thing so it really doesn’t matter.”<\/p>\n Ben didn’t do any better with Adam than the lawyer had. The hunched shoulders, the slight frown, and the set of his jaw all told Ben that Adam had made a decision and was sticking to it. Nothing could move him when he was committed like that. “Is it so important that you would give up your life?”<\/p>\n “I’m innocent. I didn’t shoot Chester Rafferty. If the legal system can’t reach that outcome, than I guess it is a very flawed system.”<\/p>\n For the next hour, Ben sat with Adam and told him about Hoss and his threat to come to town to make Adam tell everything he was holding back. They discussed almost everything except what would happen the next day. Ben stayed in town and in the morning once again tried to get Adam to explain where he had been when Chester Rafferty was shot. He got no answer any different than anyone else had heard. As a result, the trial was a quick one. The prosecution called Candy and Roy to testify to Adam’s statements, and then called the Douglas family members who said the man they saw riding away looked like Adam. Adam’s lawyer was able to get members of the Douglas family to admit that they were influenced by the others and that they had discussed the situation among themselves. However, the jury had heard the original testimony, and they couldn’t get that memory out of the minds of the jurors even if it had been partially discredited. As expected, the jury had its verdict in a short time. The judge had Adam stand and sentenced him to twenty years of hard labor. Adam was surprised. He had expected a death sentence, but the judge believed that he was acting that way because of his brother being shot so he showed some mercy. Roy was relieved as were Ben and Joe as all believed that with more time, they would find some way to prove that Adam had not committed murder.<\/p>\n When Ben and Joe reached home and told the family the news, Sheena was wracked by even more guilt than she had been carrying. She knew Adam was in jail because of her, but she had assumed that he could not be convicted because he was innocent. Now she knew he was going to prison, and even with Ben and Joe assuring everyone that they would find a way to prove Adam’s innocence, Sheena thought about the dilemma she had. If she told the truth, Adam would be spared the suffering of spending any more time locked up, but it would likely destroy her marriage, hurt Joe very badly, and ruin the relationship between the brothers. It would be a very difficult situation for her daughter too. She didn’t know what to do, and each day when Ben and Joe rode to town to visit with Adam, she tried to think through a way out of the mess she had created. Somewhere in those hours and hours of soul searching, she realized she did love Joe and couldn’t bear the thought of hurting him and being separated from him, but she knew her deceit and her transgressions were unforgivable. On the day that the prison wagon was scheduled to pick Adam up to take him to prison, Sheena ran outside to stop Joe and Ben before they rode to town. She had decided that the only thing she could do was to tell the truth and bear the consequences.<\/p>\n In the house, Hoss was sitting in front of the fireplace morose because of what had happened to Adam and because he couldn’t help. He was surprised yet at how Sheena had bolted from the house and wondered what could be so urgent that she had to catch Joe before he left. Then he heard a distant rifle shot and a cry, and despite his pain, he hurried to the porch to see what had happened.<\/p>\n Up on the hill overlooking the house, a man mounted up to ride away. He had been incensed that Adam had not been sentenced to hang, which was especially galling when he heard that Hoss had not died and was expected to make a full recovery. Life seemed so unfair to him, and he had decided to strike at the very heart of the family and kill one of the women to balance the scales. He had seen two there, but only one lived there. He had asked around and verified that she was Joe’s wife. She was his target. Once he fired, he smiled a little to see Joe Cartwright cradling the body of his wife. Then he rode off satisfied that he had achieved some measure of what he had set out to do.<\/p>\n As he rode away, Hoss reached the end of the porch and saw him riding in the distance. Hoss pointed and Candy and a few of the hands mounted up to give chase. Remarkably, all of them thought the man riding away looked like Adam, but they knew it couldn’t be because he was sitting in the jail in town. Hoss leaned on a porch post and watched his little brother hold his wife.<\/p>\n “Oh, God, Sheena, you have to live. Open your eyes, please.”<\/p>\n Struggling as if fighting quicksand, Sheena heard his voice. She opened her eyes and looked into her husband’s face. All she saw was love and pain. She knew it was going to get worse.<\/p>\n “Sheena, the doctor will be here. Just hang on. Please, hang on.”<\/p>\n Hop Sing was there then with a towel that they folded and held against Sheena’s lower back to slow the bleeding.<\/p>\n “Sheena, I know it must hurt terribly, but we have to stop the bleeding.”<\/p>\n “It doesn’t hurt, Joe. It did at first. It felt terrible, but now there’s no pain.”<\/p>\n Exchanging glances, Hoss and Ben knew what the most likely reason was for that. She must have been hit in or close to the spine. Ben reached down to pinch Sheena near her ankle. She did not respond. “Joe, we need to get her in the house and in a bed.”<\/p>\n “No, Ben, first I have to tell Joe something. I came out here to tell him, and I have to do it now. I don’t know if I can later. I’ve done terrible things, and it’s important that I tell you.”<\/p>\n “Sheena, no, you don’t have to tell me anything. No matter what it is, I forgive you.”<\/p>\n “I don’t know if you can. Please don’t move me yet. I have a lot to tell you, and I can’t take the chance that I will not be able to do that.” Then Sheena told them everything from her inviting herself to Adam’s room, hiding her wedding ring, seducing him, and then telling him she was married to his brother. Most importantly, she told them what she had done the morning that Chester Rafferty was killed explaining why Adam had no alibi he would divulge.<\/p>\n By the time Sheena finished talking, her voice had dwindled to almost a whisper. The last words she struggled to say shook Joe even more than the confession.<\/p>\n “Joe, I love you. I know I ruined everything trying to get revenge on Adam. I can never forgive myself for what I did, but I can only hope that someday you can forgive me. Adam told me to tell you the truth. He said it was the only way for you to forgive me. I only hope he was right.”<\/p>\n In shock by events as well as revelations, Joe held her as Ben held a wad of towel to the wound in her back. Her eyes closed then and her breathing became more shallow. As the bleeding slowed, but Sheena began to feel colder to the touch, Ben told Joe that they had to get her in the house immediately. Ben was nearly as shocked as Joe by what she had said, but he had suspected there was something that had happened between Sheena and Adam. He had never imagined it could be so terrible. He knew the guilt that Adam must be carrying, but worried even more now about Joe. Carefully, Ben and Joe lifted Sheena and carried her into the house. Hoss had gone back inside to take Eleanor into the kitchen earlier. She could be heard chattering away with Hop Sing who knew how important it was that he keep the little girl occupied. Hoss had managed to make it back to the porch to sit in a chair and listening as Sheena made her confession to Joe. The three men were in shock. Joe sat by Sheena’s side as emotions from anger to fear swirled within him.<\/p>\n Silently, Hoss and Ben retreated to chairs by the fireplace to wait for the doctor. Neither knew what to say at first. The first thing that Ben said as soon as he could settle his mind a bit was that he was heading to town to tell Sheriff Coffee what Sheena had said. He was having a difficult time thinking about Adam taking Sheena to his bed on the first night he was in San Francisco. He had heard what Sheena had said, but he knew too how devastating the news must have been for Joe. He had never approved of Adam’s willingness to bed women whom he had no intention of marrying. Now that proclivity of his son had reaped awful results.<\/p>\n Hoss wondered how Adam had not sensed there was something wrong with the situation when Sheena invited herself to his room. Surely he had known she was unhappy with him for leaving. Hoss had wondered sometimes why Sheena had accepted Joe’s courtship, but then he had always concluded that Joe was a very attractive and vibrant man who most women would want as their own. Now he knew that he too had not understood that there was something wrong with that situation. Apparently Sheena had well and truly fooled them all.<\/p>\n The sound of horses in the yard had them both on the move again soon though as they headed outside to see if Candy and the others had apprehended the gunman. They had, and both Ben and Hoss were shocked to see who it was. His hands tied to the pommel of the saddle on his horse, Billy Drummond stared at them with hatred in his eyes.”<\/p>\n “Billy, why would you shoot Sheena? You didn’t even know her.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, but I knew you, and I knew Joe. I wanted you to hurt like I hurt. I wanted all of you to hurt. I’m sorry about Chester. I thought he worked here, but I’m not sorry about Hoss. I only wish he was dead.”<\/p>\n “You’ve been doing all the shooting! I don’t understand. We gave you a farm. We helped you out all we could.”<\/p>\n “Oh yeah, you gave me a farm, and I got married and had children, and it seemed like everything was just fine. But you helped out those Paiute too, and some of them young ones came to steal my stock. I tried to stop them and in the mess, my house started on fire. My wife ran back inside to get the children, but the roof fell in. I couldn’t save them, but I could hear them screaming. Those Paiute ran off then without the stock, but they left me with nothing because without my family, I had nothing left. It’s your fault.”<\/p>\n “Billy, you told the sheriff that you knocked over the lantern when you ran outside to fire shots over their heads. You told the sheriff that you didn’t realize that it would start a fire because you thought the flame was out, but that the wick must have been glowing with a spark. You said your wife came outside to get you to stop shooting but then saw the fire. Billy, it was an accident.”<\/p>\n “No, it was your fault. Someone has to pay for their deaths. Someone has to die because they died. I lost my wife, so now Joe lost his. But Ben, I wanted you to lose your sons too like I lost my children.”<\/p>\n There were plenty of witnesses to everything Billy had admitted, but Ben had a great sorrow in him knowing what Billy had done. Now his life was forfeit, but first they needed to get him to town before Adam ended up on that prison wagon. With Candy’s help, Ben got his horse saddled and told Hoss to tell Joe what had happened. Then Ben and Candy took Billy to town. They passed the doctor on the way there and told him about Sheena’s condition. He continued on his way going as fast as he could safely go as the three of them proceeded to town. Roy was shocked to hear everything Ben told him and Candy supported, and then even more shocked when Billy stated what he had done and why. It was clear that Billy had no remorse for what he had done. Roy wrote their statements out and had them sign them. Then he walked into the back with Billy and locked him in a cell next to Adam who was very surprised at that action, and even more surprised when Ben asked Roy if he would let Adam out.<\/p>\n “I can’t let him go yet. He was convicted and sentenced. But I am gonna take these statements over to the judge and see what he’ll let me do.”<\/p>\n “I’d like to go with you.”<\/p>\n “I think both you and Candy ought to come with me ifn he has any questions. Now I just have to get one of the deputies to watch over the office, and we can go.”<\/p>\n “Pa, what’s going on?”<\/p>\n “Adam, we’ll talk later. Right now we have to get you out of here.”<\/p>\n Surprised by the idea of being freed and by his father’s brusque tone, Adam watched as they left. He turned to Billy and wondered if he knew anything to explain what had happened. By the time Ben returned to the jail with Roy who unlocked Adam’s cell, he knew the part of the story that Billy knew. He worried about Sheena and hoped her wound wasn’t fatal. His father remain sober and quiet saying again that they would talk later. As the three exited the sheriff’s office where Candy had horses ready, a crowd gathered quickly. Some had been waiting to see Adam Cartwright hauled off in a prison wagon and weren’t pleased to see him free.<\/p>\n “All right, now, folks, you’re gonna be hearing the whole story soon enough, but what happened is Billy Drummond has confessed to shooting Chester Rafferty and the judge has accepted his statement. Adam Cartwright didn’t commit any murder, and the judge has set aside the jury verdict. He’s free to go.”<\/p>\n Someone in the crowd yelled out a question. “Who shot Hoss?”<\/p>\n “Billy has admitted that too, and this morning, he shot Sheena Cartwright in the back. She’s still alive as far as we know.”<\/p>\n “Why would he do that?”<\/p>\n “He blamed the Cartwrights for his wife and children dying in that fire. I rightly think he’s lost his mind thinking that way, but he did it all, and he thought he was getting justice for them by doing all that shooting. That’s all you need to know for now. The rest will come out when we get Billy in the courtroom in front of the judge.”<\/p>\n There was still some murmuring in the crowd, but they parted to let Ben, Candy, and Adam ride out. At the edge of town, Ben pulled up and asked Candy to ride ahead because he wanted to talk with Adam. Adam looked haggard and exhausted, and Ben knew what he had to say wasn’t going to ease the burden on his son, but the truth had to be told. He dismounted and moved to sit on a boulder and asked Adam to do the same.<\/p>\n “Sheena has been shot. You know that from what Roy said and what Billy told you, but what they didn’t say was that she told us everything. Well, she told Joe, and Hoss and I were there. We know about San Francisco, and we know about the morning that Chester was killed.”<\/p>\n As Ben repeated all of the conversation as he remembered it, Adam dropped his head. He didn’t know what to say. He felt such terrible guilt, but he was also relieved that the truth was now out there despite the negative ramifications he would likely have to face.<\/p>\n “It’s hard to believe that you would rather go to prison than to tell your brother the truth.”<\/p>\n “I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want his marriage to end. I could see how much he loved her, and how much having a wife and daughter meant to him. I didn’t want to let one stupid mistake on my part ruin so much for him.”<\/p>\n “Didn’t you even consider that she might be married when you saw her? You had to know most women her age are married.”<\/p>\n “Yes, I thought it, but she wasn’t wearing a ring and never bragged about being married. She always liked to brag about anything good that happened for her, so I didn’t question her. Obviously, I should have. It was impulsive and thoughtless, and it made such a mess of things. She said she wouldn’t say anything. She wanted me to torment myself with the guilt, and she got what she wanted.”<\/p>\n “So you were going to punish yourself by going to prison?”<\/p>\n “I didn’t see any other way out. I couldn’t see destroying Joe’s marriage and making life terribly difficult for his daughter as a good solution. If I had faced the gallows, I might have thought differently, but I was innocent so I had to believe that at some point there would be evidence to prove that.”<\/p>\n “Don’t you see that your silence made it worse. Joe was not only betrayed by his wife and his brother, but now he feels that you made a fool of him too.”<\/p>\n “What would you have done?”<\/p>\n “Honestly, I don’t know. I guess I think I would have had the good sense not to sleep with her in the first place, and if I did, I hope I would have had the courage to tell him.”<\/p>\n “But what if you made that error. How would you handle it afterwards? What else could I have done? Would you have told him to save yourself and cause him pain and take away his joy?”<\/p>\n “I guess I don’t know. But now what will you do?”<\/p>\n Feeling a bit like he did when he was sixteen and had first been with a girl kissing and touching, Adam felt guilt and indecision. He shook his head. He owned a number of businesses, had traveled extensively, and managed wealth and employees with ease. Now he was lost without any idea of how to proceed. “What do you think I should do? I could leave.”<\/p>\n “That is the worst thing you could do. I think you have to face Joe and give him a chance to have his say. What you do after that is up to you. A lot could depend on whether Sheena lives or dies. At this point, I don’t know.”<\/p>\n “Let’s go find out. I promise you I will not hurt Joe any more.”<\/p>\n Father and son mounted up to ride home with nothing settled. When they got in the yard of the ranch, Candy met them and told them that Sheena was still alive at least. They walked slowly to the house. Ben entered first and then Adam. Hoss was sitting by the fireplace where he had been talking with Joe. From the look on Adam’s face, he could tell that he knew that Sheena had admitted all of it. Adam stopped at the credenza and waited silently.<\/p>\n “Joe, remember what I said. What you do now will make or break this family forever.” Hoss was sympathetic to Joe but worried too about what additional damage could be done to the family.<\/p>\n Walking slowly toward Adam who looked directly at Joe but said nothing, Joe’s temper was unleashed. He swung and knocked Adam to the floor. He watched as Adam rubbed his jaw and stood slowly waiting for the next blow. It didn’t take long. Joe hit him again even harder than the first time, and Adam flew back against the credenza. He stood but much more slowly than the first time and seemed a bit unsteady. He blinked a few times as if trying to focus but remained silent. Ben stood by knowing that he could not interfere. These two brothers who were men had to work this out.<\/p>\n “Aren’t you going to say anything?”<\/p>\n “I am sorry, and I know how inadequate that is. I was stupid, and I was wrong, and there’s no way for me to fix the harm I did. I only hoped you might never know or that Sheena would tell you so that you could have a chance to save your marriage.”<\/p>\n “Isn’t it really so you wouldn’t have to face me?”<\/p>\n “Maybe in part, but it was more so that my thoughtless actions would not hurt you.”<\/p>\n “And you preferred prison to facing me?”<\/p>\n “Yes, because facing you meant that you knew what I had done, and you, your marriage, and your family were hurt.”<\/p>\n Joe’s next question startled Adam. “Do you love her?”<\/p>\n “No.”<\/p>\n “Did you ever love her?”<\/p>\n “Yes, I think I did once.”<\/p>\n “She must love you to want you after you left her so many years ago.”<\/p>\n “No, Joe, she loves you, but it seems she was obsessed by her hatred of me. Her desire for revenge overwhelmed everything else. But Joe, she does love only you.”<\/p>\n “She’s got a funny way of showing it.”<\/p>\n “She doesn’t want to admit she loves you, but she does. She’s here, isn’t she? She had a child with you. She did what she did to hurt me not because she loved me. She didn’t want to hurt you or she would have flaunted what she did. She loves you, but she’s confused or she was. Pa said she told you the truth. She must have thought she was dying, and she told you she loved you and wanted your forgiveness. That must mean something to you.”<\/p>\n “It does, but I wish I would have known right away. We should have had this conversation a long time ago.”<\/p>\n Doctor Martin came out at that point ending their conversation. He asked for a cup of coffee and a sandwich before he sat down by the fireplace. He noticed Adam’s bruised face and fresh blood on is lip. He suspected he knew why, but this wasn’t the time to discuss it. “The bullet damaged the spine. She can’t feel her legs, but I got them to react slightly to my touch. Now the reaction wasn’t normal, but it was there. She may be able to feel her legs eventually, but she will never walk again.”<\/p>\n “Never?”<\/p>\n “No, she may be able to get around with crutches if she gets enough feeling back, but at this point, I very much doubt that can happen. I’m almost sure that she’ll be in a wheelchair the rest of her life.”<\/p>\n “Does she know?”<\/p>\n “Joe, I didn’t tell her, but she’s a smart woman. She knows she can’t feel her legs nor move them. I would think she’s guessed by now. She’s sleeping at the moment. She has no pain so there’s no reason for pain powders, but she lost a lot of blood and her body took quite a shock so she’s tired.”<\/p>\n At that point, Eleanor appeared at the top of the stairs. She had finished her nap and wanted her mother. Ben looked around and realized he ought to be the one to go get her because Hoss was still recuperating, Joe was too upset, and Adam was leaning against the credenza looking pale. As Paul was leaving, he stopped by Adam and checked his eyes.<\/p>\n “Get this one to lay down. He’s got a concussion.”<\/p>\n When Ben got downstairs with Eleanor, he handed her over to Joe. “She wants to see her mother. I told her she would have to be quiet because her mother is not feeling well and needs to take a nap.” Then Ben moved to Adam to guide him up the stairs to his bedroom. When he got back downstairs, he took a seat across from Hoss. “What are we going to do, Hoss?”<\/p>\n “Not much we can do. There are three people who have to decide what’s important and then do what they can to make things better.”<\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/strong><\/p>\n The next morning, Ben and Joe were sitting at the dining table having coffee and waiting for Hop Sing to bring out some breakfast. Eleanor liked to sleep late in the morning, and Sheena was still sleeping as well. Ben broached the subject of Joe’s marriage.<\/p>\n “I know it’s very soon, and you’ve taken a lot of blows, but have you decided what you’re going to do?”<\/p>\n “I told her I forgave her. I can hardly take that back. She told me again she loved me and only me. She said maybe we should go live somewhere else. I think she’s embarrassed that the whole family knows.”<\/p>\n “You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?”<\/p>\n “No, I told her that everyone in the family would forgive her, and I hope that’s true. I assume Adam will, because he was part of it, but I hope you and Hoss can forgive her too. I would like to put this behind us and never speak about it again.”<\/p>\n “Joe, you know you won’t be able to do that. This will be an issue for some time yet. Do you think that you could forgive her that quickly?”<\/p>\n “Pa, it isn’t easy. But like Paul said, she’s not in pain, so we talked a lot. She wants desperately to be part of Eleanor’s life, and I want that too. I don’t know if we’ll ever have another child now. I guess we can talk to Paul about that. Even in a wheelchair, she can mind Eleanor, and we have Hop Sing for the other household things. Except for some dusting, Sheena didn’t do that much here anyway except all of the sewing and embroidery, and she can still do that. I guess what I’m saying is that I want to make the best of it. I pledged in sickness and in health and for better and for worse. I meant it when I said it.”<\/p>\n “You meant it when you said it, but are you sure you want to do this?”<\/p>\n “No, I’m not sure. I’m not sure at all that this will work out. It will be hard to love her like I did before because she broke the trust I had in her. I’m not sure if you can ever trust someone after they did something like that, but, Pa, I do still love her, and we have a beautiful daughter together. My marriage is worth some effort, some sacrifice, don’t you think? I know it’s going to be hard, but no one ever said life was going to be easy.”<\/p>\n Ben sipped his coffee and had the hint of a smile.<\/p>\n “What’s funny?”<\/p>\n “I was thinking that you are a remarkable, responsible man, and I’m proud to call you my son. It’s not funny so much as ironic. Adam is the one who made an impulsive, irresponsible decision and is paying dearly for it. He doesn’t seem to know what to do next.”<\/p>\n “That’s because he doesn’t have much practice in handling messes he created for himself. I could give him some pointers. I forgive him too, but it’s going to take a lot of time to try to forget it.”<\/p>\n “Joe, I am very proud that you are able to forgive Adam. You do understand that he didn’t know she was married to you.”<\/p>\n “I believe that, and I don’t hold that against him. I might have done the same thing in the same situation. Heck, I probably would have, but what bothered me most was that he didn’t admit it right away. He knew and she knew, but I didn’t know. It may take me a quite a while to get over that, but I will.”<\/p>\n At that point, Hoss and Adam were slowly making their way down the stairs. Hop Sing brought out platters of food, and Hoss perked up. “Thank you, Hop Sing, for waiting for me. I am powerful hungry.”<\/p>\n For the days that Adam had been in jail, he hadn’t eaten much. He should have been very hungry, but the sight and smell of food made his stomach roil. He turned and headed to the front door instead of sitting at the table. Ben frowned, but Joe was more upset.<\/p>\n “I’m the one who should have trouble sitting with him. I’m going out there to talk with him. We need to get this settled.” Joe headed for the front door. Hoss wanted to go too, but his father stopped him.<\/p>\n “They need to work out their differences. Let’s give them some time.”<\/p>\n Outside, Joe didn’t see Adam but then heard retching from behind the stacked fireplace wood. He found Adam there leaning on the wood with his head down.<\/p>\n “What’s wrong?”<\/p>\n “I thought I was all right, but the smell of the food turned my stomach. I had to get outside before I made a mess. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset anyone, but if I had taken the time to explain, I wouldn’t have made it out here.”<\/p>\n “Can you walk to the porch? I’ll tell Hop Sing, and he’ll bring something for you.”<\/p>\n “That’s all right. I’m fine. I just need to stand here in the fresh air for a bit.”<\/p>\n “Oh yeah, I remember your ‘I’m fine’ line. It meant you weren’t fine. Now lean on me, and I’ll get you to a chair before you fall over and make a really big mess.” Stepping close to Adam, Joe guided Adam’s arm around his shoulders and then walked him slowly to a chair helping him to sit. “That concussion must be a little worse than we thought.”<\/p>\n “Another reason might be because I didn’t eat much while I sat in jail, and then yesterday, I didn’t have anything to eat.”<\/p>\n “Why didn’t you eat anything yesterday?”<\/p>\n “First they told me that the prison wagon was due, and it had me so on edge I couldn’t eat breakfast. I would have lost it if I tried. Then Pa got me released and we headed home so there was no lunch, and by dinnertime, I was resting in bed. I was hungry this morning until I smelled the food. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true.”<\/p>\n “I kinda like you being completely honest with me. Do you suppose you could find a way to make that a habit?”<\/p>\n Adam moved to nod but that hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut. “I’ll do that, Joe. I’ll do the best that I can do.”<\/p>\n “All right, then, stay right there and I’ll tell Hop Sing why you don’t want to sit at the table. I’m sure he has some purely awful tasting tea for you to drink, and maybe some dry crackers to chew on.”<\/p>\n “You do sound like you’re enjoying this.” Adam had the hint of a smile as he said it though, and Joe grinned as he headed inside. Once more Adam was amazed at the resiliency of his youngest brother. Nothing could keep him down for long. A short time later, Ben walked out with a cup of tea and a biscuit. He handed the cup and small plate to Adam and then sat in the chair closest to him.<\/p>\n “Are you all right?”<\/p>\n “Yes, Pa, I explained to Joe that I haven’t been eating this week, and the smell of food simply made my stomach decide to empty itself. I guess banging my head did more harm than I thought too. Pa, I think Joe and I are going to be all right too. It will take time, and there may be some difficult moments, but it will all work out. He’s a lot more of a man than I gave him credit.” As he talked, Adam watched his father’s reaction. “I guess I’m less of a man than you thought too.”<\/p>\n “Adam, it’s that I thought you respected women more than the way you’ve been acting. You seemed to have no regard for consequences, and even if she had not been Joe’s wife, there still could have been consequences.”<\/p>\n “If any woman I was with was ever with child, I would have married her.”<\/p>\n “So that’s your answer. You would have married her. Is that how you intend to live your life and find a woman to share it. You’ll take your chances?”<\/p>\n Adam dropped his head and rubbed his neck. It wasn’t only the pain in his head and the nausea that he felt. He was being forced to face his shortcomings as a man, and that wasn’t something that had happened much for him over the years. He had usually been correct and done what had to be done even when others doubted him or wondered why he would go against the grain so much. He had made it part of his credo to do the right thing, and now he faced that he had not. He had treated women as commodities in a way even though he was always kind, considerate, and gentle. He had used them to satisfy his needs, and then when he didn’t fall madly in love, he had moved on. He knew he had a lot of guilt to carry for that too.<\/p>\n Ben stood and walked to the house. He had done what he could for Adam at this point. Adam was going to have to work out the rest for himself. Ben needed to support Joe and make sure that Hoss didn’t push himself too fast or too far so that wound would heal properly. It was then that Ben realized that Adam was going to have to take on a lot of work because both Joe and Hoss had other concerns at that point. He wondered when Adam’s head injury would let him ride enough to do what had to be done, and he knew too that he would likely take on too much work too soon and suffer for it. The other consequence was a good one though. Adam would be away from the house every day when he did that. Joe and Sheena would have time to work out their problems and how they would proceed, and both could forget at least during the day how much Adam had come between them however much he had not intended to do that. Hoss would be there too, and his middle son was a gifted peacemaker. Ben wondered if that was the case in other families. The oldest took the lead and was the brains of the outfit, the youngest was the darling of the family giving it heart, and the middle son had to be the buffer, the soul.<\/p>\n Over the next few weeks, Adam did a lot of soul searching. He only spent a day recuperating before he began working with Candy on the ranch. There was a lot to do. In addition to a nagging headache for over a week, Adam was saddlesore with aching muscles by the end of each day. He hadn’t been doing much riding for a very long time, and to suddenly spend ten or twelve hours in the saddle or doing other hard physical labor challenged his ability to keep up with the demands of ranch work. He did what he could to help Joe especially in the evenings when he often entertained Eleanor giving Joe and Sheena some time to themselves.<\/p>\n However when it was time for Eleanor to go to bed, Joe would get her with a curt thank you to Adam. He always referred to Eleanor as my daughter and Sheena as my wife with an emphasis on the ‘my’. No matter how much Joe intended to forgive Adam, it was difficult for him to do that. Each time he leaned down to kiss his wife, he remembered that Adam’s lips had been there. When he helped Sheena into a clean gown and saw her body, he remembered that Adam had kissed and touched her. It was different than when he knew Adam had been with her years earlier. Now it was while he was married to her, and despite knowing the circumstances of how Adam had taken her to his bed, he couldn’t banish the images in his mind of his wife and his brother making love. He wondered if he would ever be able to make love to Sheena again. Not only was there her physical injury, but there were the injuries to their relationship and to their feelings about each other.<\/p>\n With the cattle drive that was coming up, Joe was almost relieved that he would have to go. Doctor Martin had forbid Hoss from going saying that his back was not yet ready for ten to twelve hours of hard riding every day and sleeping on a bedroll at night. So the plan was that Ben and Hoss would handle the ranch, and Adam, Candy, and Joe were going to take care of the drive.<\/p>\n Each night Adam went to his bedroom early. Working the long hours that he was, no one was too surprised. What they didn’t know was that he seldom could fall asleep, but found it so difficult to sit with his family that he escaped to the solitude of his room. He knew he needed to do something to improve the situation they were in, but could not come up with any good ideas. He wanted so much to see Joe smile again, he wished he could hear his father and Hoss laugh. He missed those sounds more than anything. That night before he was to leave on the drive, he sat at his window inhaling the scents of the ranch. There was the smell of pine as there always was. He knew his father must be on the porch smoking because occasionally there was hint of sweet tobacco smoke. If he concentrated, he could smell leather and hay and all sorts of other smells that together<\/p>\n were home. He listened too as he heard Hoss talking. It sounded like he was visiting with Candy and the two talked softly and occasionally there must have been a joke or something funny said because he could hear Candy’s soft laugh. He heard the men talking in the bunkhouse because on such a pleasant night, the windows were all open. He heard the last of the distant clangs from the kitchen and knew that Hop Sing had finished preparing for the next day and had cleaned up as well. One by one the sounds quieted until there was only the soft brush of leaves moving in the gentle breeze and an owl softly hooting in the distance. As he did most nights, he sat there until nearly midnight and then fell into bed letting the exhaustion propel him into sleep.<\/p>\n The next morning, Adam got up at dawn, dressed, and went to do the chores as he did every morning. He heard Joe talking with Sheena in the downstairs bedroom as he grabbed his hat. She was using a wheelchair, but Joe had to help her dress every morning and get her into the chair. He took care of her every need including helping her to do the exercises the doctor had prescribed. It took almost two hours for everything to be done so that she was ready to have breakfast with the family. By the time Adam finished all the chores, he knew his father and Hoss would be downstairs at the table with coffee waiting for him and for Joe and Sheena to get to the table. Eleanor liked to sleep late and that worked to everyone’s advantage because Sheena’s cares could be addressed before Eleanor awoke. Adam was afraid he might not get to see her before he left, but Joe wasn’t going to leave for the drive without saying goodbye to his daughter. Hop Sing, Ben, and Hoss were going to have to help Sheena in Joe’s absence, and Bess had volunteered to come over to help every day. Sheena’s wounds was healed though, and Joe had gotten a number of wrap dresses for her and wrap gowns so she could mostly dress herself although that took quite a bit of planning and time to accomplish. He wanted to hire a woman to help her while he was gone, but she had said she could handle it with the family and Bess. If she couldn’t, she promised to let Ben hire someone.<\/p>\n When Adam came in the house then, the whole family was at the table. Everyone was polite and nice, and not at all like Cartwright brothers usually acted toward each other. That began to change that morning, and a little two-year old started it. As Adam walked to the table, she greeted him with her usual enthusiasm as well as her mispronunciation of his name.<\/p>\n “Unca Dam, Unca Dam!”<\/p>\n “Eleanor, it’s Adam, Adam.”<\/p>\n “Dam Dam?”<\/p>\n “No, sweetie, it’s Adam, Adam.”<\/p>\n “Dum Dum?”<\/p>\n Joe chuckled a little but Ben had his head down and was shaking as he tried not to laugh out loud. Hoss had dropped his head onto his arms and was shaking as he laughed. Sheena was chuckling too. Eleanor ignored them as she concentrated on trying to say what her father wanted her to say. She wanted so much to please him. She loved the smiles she got when she made her Papa happy.<\/p>\n “No, Adam, Adam.”<\/p>\n “Dam Dum?”<\/p>\n Hoss lost it then as he began laughing so hard tears rolled down his face. Ben too was laughing, and Joe couldn’t hold it in any more. His giggle went on and on as he nearly dropped his daughter but handed her to Adam instead who rolled his eyes and took Eleanor on his lap. She wasn’t sure why everyone was laughing. Adam looked down at her and smiled. “Your Papa loves you very much, and you gave him a great gift this morning. You gave everyone a gift, little one. I’ll be your Unca Dam Dum forever if you wish. Now who’s your Grumpa?” Eleanor pointed at Ben. “And who’s your Unca Haws?” She pointed at Hoss. “And who’s your Unca Dam Dum?” She grinned and pointed at Adam. “Wonderful. Give yourself a hand.” Eleanor clapped and everyone clapped with her. She sat up straight in Adam’s lap and accepted all the applause like a miniature diva. Eleanor sat on Adam’s lap for the rest of the meal as the conversation was about adding a room to the house when the drive was over.<\/p>\n “Joe, you’re right. If we move the gun cabinet over, we can put a nice large bedroom through there. It will have the backside of the chimney as most of one wall. That should help keep it warm on that side where we should probably position the bed, and we can put a Franklin stove on the other side of the room to keep the rest of the room warm. I can draw up the plans when we get back, and we could have it framed in before it gets too cold. It could be done well before Christmas if we can order the window glass and the stove soon.”<\/p>\n Ben asked how much window glass they needed, and Adam said he thought they would put in one large window. They thought a small stove with brass fittings would look nice, so Ben agreed to order that and the glass, and they would be there when they got back from the drive or shortly after that. By the time Adam and Joe rode out to the drive, a lot of healing had taken place. The family had laughed together and was preparing to work on a project together. It was taking some time, but things were getting back to normal.<\/p>\n On the trail drive, Joe had hoped that he would have time to talk with Adam. However for the first week, there was so much work to do that there wasn’t time to relax and talk. Once they got into the mountain valleys, there was even more work to make sure cattle didn’t stray off into side valleys or canyons or hide out in the thick brush. They worked from dawn to dusk without fail. Finally as they reached the other side of the mountains and the land spread out in front of them, the cattle could be allowed to graze for long periods. They wanted them to fatten up again and get plenty of water to drink so they drove them only about eight hours a day. The brothers had time to talk finally. At first, they talked about practical matters such as the room they planned to add to the house. Then they talked about Eleanor who delighted her father as well as her uncle. That last conversation was repeated several times giving the two brothers a chance to laugh together.<\/p>\n “Don’t you dare repeat that conversation where the men can hear though. I will not be called Dum Dum or Dam Dum.”<\/p>\n “Oh, yeah, what would you do if I did tell them?”<\/p>\n “There is always the story of how when you were four and using the necessary and you left your drawers up. Hoss came running saying you were straining it. You did smell rather bad when we found you, and Hoss called you Cow Pie for at least a week until Pa heard him and made him stop. So if I’m Dum Dum or Dam Dum, you could be Cow Pie.”<\/p>\n Joe conceded on that point then. “Adam, when are we going to talk about the weight we’re both carrying on our shoulders?”<\/p>\n Adam dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck. When he raised his head, he stared at the campfire. “I should have told you. You would have been upset, but you would have understood. I was trying to protect myself at first. Then when I realized how much you loved her, it was difficult to know what to do. If I told you to clear my conscience, it could have ruined your marriage. When I got back and met Eleanor, it was worse. If I harmed your marriage by telling you, then that little sweetheart could have lost her mother. I know how awful that can be and so do you. I had decided to tell you on the day that Hoss got shot. I couldn’t dump that on you when we didn’t even know if Hoss would live or die. I told Sheena that she should tell you then. I thought if she told you, there would be a chance that you could forgive her for at least being honest with you. More and more, I realized that she loved you. She did what she did to me on a whim. It was a stupid, vindictive act fueled by her anger at me that stewed for seven years, but that’s what it was. She wasn’t thinking of the consequences except to me.”<\/p>\n “She figured that you would suffer silently.” Adam nodded. “I wish you had told me. It would have made things go a lot better. I’m glad you’re being honest with me since then. It’s going to be hard to trust you, but as long as you’re always honest with me, it will come.”<\/p>\n “Can you trust her again?”<\/p>\n “I don’t think so. In my heart, I’ll probably carry some doubt about her forever. But like I told Pa, I promised for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. I did mean those words. I just didn’t think it would be this much worse or that her health concerns would be this serious.”<\/p>\n The brothers sat silently for a time lost in their own thoughts until Adam had a question. “Anything else you want to say to me or ask? We have time tonight.”<\/p>\n Joe leaned back against his saddle and looked up at the stars. “I did wonder why you came back alone. In seven years, I thought you would have found someone.”<\/p>\n Adam leaned back then too and looked up at the stars. “I’ve wandered through the hearts of women all my life, and then walked away from each one when I got tired of the battles and the strife. I’ve taken many women to my bed and treated them well, but I’ve never had one who wanted to stay except for those I didn’t want to marry. I thought it would happen somewhere, but I’m forty-two years old and haven’t found her yet.”<\/p>\n “O course you haven’t. You’re such a dumb ass. You’re supposed to be the smart one, and here you sit whining about no woman to love you. Maybe we should call you Dam Dum. You’ve had plenty of chances. Surely one of those women will say yes if you ask her. Decide which one and go ask her, woo her, court her, and do whatever you have to do. It’ll be a lot better than sitting here whining. I’m tired and tomorrow is gonna be another long day. Goodnight.” Joe pulled a blanket over himself then, but when he rolled over in his bedroll with his back to Adam, he began to smile. It had felt good to lecture his older brother. He could get used to this new role.<\/p>\n Chapter 6<\/strong><\/p>\n There were a number of conversations between the brothers after that night, but they had said what they needed to say about the issues between them. They laid their bedrolls side by side each night and even when they were too tired to talk much, they let the other know that he was loved as a brother and as a friend. Both knew it would take time to rebuild their relationship, but it was a healthier relationship in some ways as Adam saw his brother as an equal, and Joe saw the depth of emotion in his brother. Because of Adam’s reliance on logic to make decisions, Joe had thought erroneously for years that his brother lacked emotion. He found instead that Adam tried to control his emotions, but that they were as strong as his own. He decided there were a few of his actions from the past that needed an apology.<\/p>\n “Do you remember when Sam Bryant had Pa, and you wanted to hang Farmer anyway because you thought Bryant would let Pa go when he knew that he faced hanging if he did what he said he was going to do?”<\/p>\n “Of course I remember that, Joe. It was the stuff of nightmares and sleepless nights for a long time after that.”<\/p>\n “Some of that was my fault, though, wasn’t it?”<\/p>\n “Your fault? You didn’t do anything wrong, and I was the one who had Farmer hanged. If Pa had been killed, it would have been all on me. I still find it hard to believe that I did that.”<\/p>\n “But I should have backed you up, and I never should have said it was my Pa. That was a dirty shot at you when you were suffering enough as it was. I acted like I was the one who cared, and you didn’t. That was wrong, and I’m sorry.”<\/p>\n “It’s all right. I knew how upset you were, and how upset Hoss was. I could see that you thought I was gambling with our father’s life. I was, but so were you, and I thought I had the stronger hand.”<\/p>\n “What? I wanted to let Farmer Perkins go so Bryant would let Pa go.”<\/p>\n “Do you think that Bryant would have let Pa go? Would he have left any of us alive after we defied him? He wanted control of the town, and even if he didn’t kill us, Farmer and his friends likely would have. Remember why Perkins was in jail? He killed a man for defying Bryant and what Bryant wanted.”<\/p>\n “Why didn’t you say all of that then? Don’t you think some of the problems we have sometimes come from not being honest with each other?”<\/p>\n “I was going to do what I thought was right, and so were you. There was no point in arguing any more among us.”<\/p>\n “Maybe that’s one more argument we should have had.”<\/p>\n “Joe, you were a lot younger then and rather hot headed at times. Do you think you would have accepted anything like that I had to say then? We can talk more now because we’re both more mature in how we look at things.”<\/p>\n Appreciating that Adam had included himself in that statement, Joe nodded. “So what’s in the past is past?”<\/p>\n “I’d like to think so.”<\/p>\n “Sounds like a good way to go. It’s hard to forget some things though.”<\/p>\n “Yes. Some people are so worried about getting forgiveness when they do something wrong, but the bigger problem is forgetting. Remembering being wronged harms trust and love more than the original act because it keeps going on and on.”<\/p>\n Adam had no idea how much that statement affected his younger brother who spent much of the night thinking about that and how it had affected his life and his relationships. Adam slept well. He had been shaken a few weeks earlier when Joe had told him to go ask a woman to marry him from among the many he had romanced. Even though Joe’s advice had been blunt and simplistic, the more he had thought about that lecture, the more his thoughts returned to just one woman. The choice had surprised him at first, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed the right idea. He missed her. He had relied on her, he had worked closely with her, and shared a lot with her. His desire to return home had made him depressed. It had blinded him to what he needed to do. He planned to take a chance and see if he could get her to say yes to marriage. He spent time thinking about what he should do and what he should say. Once he had made that decision, he found that he slept better at night. So as he slept because of the thought process being concluded, Joe was just beginning to think through his situation.<\/p>\n With his future plans set, Adam had more confidence and seemed more like the Adam of old in making decisions and insisting that the men be efficient and thorough in how they did their work. Once they reached the stockyards, Candy and Joe rode in with Adam to negotiate the price for the herd. The first offer was the usual low one they expected, but after a number of counteroffers, the price was still lower than they had expected. The man smirked, and that was all it took. Adam took over then. Ignoring the stockyard manager, he addressed Joe.<\/p>\n “Joe, we’ll just keep going. The stockyards in San Francisco will pay a lot more, and that city is more fun for the end of a trail drive too.”<\/p>\n Realizing what Adam was doing, Joe played along. “It’ll cost us more to get there though.”<\/p>\n “Not much and with a higher price, we’ll be able to pay our expenses and still have a much larger profit. Candy, why don’t you go the mercantile and line up the supplies we’ll need.”<\/p>\n “Now, wait a minute. You made me an offer.” The manager was getting nervous. These cowboys seemed to be better businessmen than most that he had ever met.<\/p>\n “We’re rescinding the offer as too low. We kept going down but you never met our price.”<\/p>\n “Well, I’ll accept it now. That’s a good price. I’ll pay it to get your cattle.”<\/p>\n “No, our offer is now two dollars a head higher. We’ll make at least that much and probably more if we keep going to San Francisco.”<\/p>\n Caught in a squeeze, the manager gave in and paid the price. As Joe and Candy walked away with Adam, they were amazed. Candy was the first to comment. “You were willing to deal with him at first, but then at the end, you really put his balls to the fire. Why?”<\/p>\n “When he was agreeable, I was trying to be agreeable, but then he made me mad.”<\/p>\n “Hoss told me never to rile you. I can see why.”<\/p>\n Adam shrugged and then grinned. “Then why don’t you take charge of getting the cattle into the pens and doing the count? Joe and I will go find a nice bathhouse and meet you at the saloon later.”<\/p>\n “I should never have said a word. Fine, I’ll do it, but there better be a steak dinner and a nice glass of whisky and none of that rotgut. I want some good Kentucky bourbon.”<\/p>\n “Deal. Joe, can we promise the men a bonus?”<\/p>\n “That’s fine with me. We can pay a bonus and bring back more money than we expected to. It’s worked out real well for us.”<\/p>\n As Candy headed back to the herd to bring it into the stockyards, Adam and Joe rode into the city looking for the first nice looking bathhouse they could find. Once they found one, they made arrangements for a bath and took their horses to the livery stable nearby while it was being prepared. Later as they slipped into the warm, sudsy water, both relaxed. Adam began to sing but it was not his usual songs. He sang songs that Joe knew so the two of them could sing together. The other patrons of the bathhouse were mostly amused. By the time they finished their baths and dressed in clean clothing, both were thirsty and hungry. Candy found them later as they were finishing their meals. There were three glasses of whisky on the table. Candy downed one, and grabbed another before either man could reach it. Adam smiled and signaled the bartender. As Adam got another glass and sipped at his whisky, Candy appraised him.<\/p>\n “You seem more relaxed than I’ve ever seen you. I know it hasn’t been long, but has something changed?”<\/p>\n “A lot has changed. I’ve got a plan now for the next year. I’m taking a trip to Australia this winter after I get the new room on the house done.”<\/p>\n Joe had been leaning back but that made him slam his chair back on the floor. “You’re leaving?”<\/p>\n “No, I’m taking a trip. I don’t think I’ll ever leave again, but I do think I’ll travel during the winters. I never liked being cooped up on the ranch during those cold snowy winters.”<\/p>\n “So you’re coming back?”<\/p>\n “Yes, I’m coming back, but I hope I won’t be alone when I do.”<\/p>\n “You took my advice.”<\/p>\n “Yes, I did. I know what I should have done, and now I’m going to do it. I hope it’s not too late, but there’s only one way to find out. I plan to sell my businesses in Australia too. If the managers want to buy them, I’ll work out a schedule for them to pay me a fair price.”<\/p>\n “Businesses? If you have all that, why are you working a cattle drive?” Candy was surprised at what he had learned.<\/p>\n “It wasn’t my intent when I came back, but my family needed me. In the future, I would be more than willing to let others handle all the cattle business of the ranch. I have other ideas and things I want to do.”<\/p>\n “Like what?” Joe perked up at that last statement.<\/p>\n “Pa wants me to take over the contracts and negotiations. I’ll handle the banking end too, and I would like to reorganize the Ponderosa as a corporation to get some legal protection for our assets.”<\/p>\n “If you bring the lady back with you, is she going to like you traveling all the time like that because what you’re talking about means a lot of trips?”<\/p>\n “I did that a lot in Australia. She was my assistant and traveled with me. I didn’t appreciate what I had until I didn’t have it any more. She still works for me unless she quit while I’ve been gone. If she doesn’t want to marry me when I ask, I’ll ask her to come here to be my assistant.”<\/p>\n “Then you will have more time to convince her.”<\/p>\n “That’s the plan, Joe. I hope it works.”<\/p>\n “Older brother, I hope it works too. Pa probably won’t like the part about you taking the trip, but I bet he’ll like that you want to get married.”<\/p>\n “Yes, and I hope that Hoss plans to get married soon. I’d hate to miss his wedding.”<\/p>\n “You better plan on being there for Hoss’ wedding. He’d thump you good if you missed that. Hey, while we’re here, let’s do some shopping for a wedding gift and for some stuff for the new room.”<\/p>\n Candy leaned back in his chair. “I’ll let you two boys do that. I’m thinking of a few more pleasant things I’d like to do here.”<\/p>\n Two days later, the three headed home with the hands who had traveled with them. When they got home to the Ponderosa, there was quite a bit of good news. Sheena had some slight feeling in her legs so Doctor Martin had prescribed exercises to strengthen her legs. Joe hoped it meant she would walk but the only prognosis was that she would be able to stand and perhaps move about on crutches some of the time. That was the most she could hope to do if all went well, but it was so much more than they thought when she was first shot. Bess had moved into the ranch house as well having sold her place. She was helping Sheena and helping to care for Eleanor. The plan was for Bess and Hoss to marry at the end of November and take a trip up into the mountains to hunt as they honeymooned. With the wedding imminent, and once Adam announced his plans, building a room onto the house seemed more urgent. The three brothers began working in earnest on the addition in order to have it completed before Hoss’ wedding. The small downstairs guest room was going to be converted into the office, and Ben’s office area was going to be used as part of the great room giving them more room to entertain as well as more room to accommodate a growing family.<\/p>\n When Adam and Joe arrived home and it was clear their relationship had improved, Ben was relieved. Adam had offered to care for Cochise so that Joe could go in immediately and see his wife and child. Ben had greeted his youngest with a hug, and then headed out to the stable to see Adam. He was met there with a hearty hello and he relaxed realizing that the two brothers must have done quite a bit to repair their relationship.<\/p>\n “We did well, Pa. We got a dollar a head more than we had hoped. We paid the hands a bonus and still brought home more money than we thought we would have. Joe and Candy went with me to town, and it’s already deposited. I have the slip here. The hands are spending the rest of the day in town and Candy stayed with them to make sure they all get back here later and don’t get into any serious trouble.”<\/p>\n “That sounds good. And you and Joe got along all right for the drive?”<\/p>\n Adam turned to look at his father. “We got along fine. We talked about what happened and about lots of other things. Joe even gave me some good advice. I’m going to follow it.”<\/p>\n “Joe gave you advice?”<\/p>\n “Yes, and, ah, Pa, I have some news you may not like so much. Based on what Joe told me, I need to take a trip to Australia. I’ll go after Hoss’ wedding and after we finish adding that bedroom for Joe and Sheena on the first floor.”<\/p>\n Speechless for a moment, Ben had the same worry Joe had expressed. “You’re leaving?”<\/p>\n “Only for a trip, Pa. I’ll be back, and I hope I won’t be alone.”<\/p>\n “Does that mean what I hope it means?”<\/p>\n “Yes, there’s a woman in Australia who used to be my assistant. She traveled with me and helped me with keeping all the business papers organized and filed as necessary. She took notes at meetings and observed the men there often giving me insights that helped with negotiations. She was efficient and responsible, and I took her for granted. Now I know what I should have done, so I’m going to go back and see if I can fix that mistake. There are lots of mistakes that can’t be fixed, but maybe this is one that can be. I want to sell my businesses there, and I can hire her to help me with that process. Then I want her to come back here as my wife, but if she doesn’t accept that, I’m going to ask her to come back here to be my business assistant. She and her husband moved from England to Australia to start a business, but he got sick on the trip and died soon after they arrived. It was only a few months later that I found out about her education and business skills as well as the fact that she needed a job. She worked for me for almost three years traveling all over that country as well as to New Zealand on occasion.”<\/p>\n “That all sounds very businesslike. Why would you think she would be romantically interested in you?”<\/p>\n “Well, there were times when we were, ah, a bit more personal in our relationship.” Adam saw his father’s look and knew what it meant. “Pa, we’ve been over that issue before. I won’t do it again, and I’m going to try to make this right with Zona.”<\/p>\n “Zona?”<\/p>\n “Yes, Zona Leah Rose Price. Her family name was Rose, and her husband was Garrett Price.”<\/p>\n “How long will you be gone?”<\/p>\n “I plan to leave for the winter and arrive back here sometime in spring or early summer. A lot depends on how complicated selling my businesses will be. I have a shipping company, some mines, a ranch, as well as shares in some banks and railroads. I own a hotel in Sydney.”<\/p>\n “You did all that in three years?”<\/p>\n “I had most of the money I earned from teaching in Boston and then doing some architectural work in London as well as teaching there. I invested all of it when I got to Australia, and the economy there is growing rapidly. I reinvested the profits over and over. I have a few other small business interests in other countries, but I’ll let those ride for now.”<\/p>\n “Maybe you can work some of that magic for the Ponderosa. I want to make sure there’s enough to leave to the next generation, and I’ve been thinking even further down the road. I’m assuming you have some ideas about that.”<\/p>\n Adam grinned and finished up with Cochise and began to brush down his horse. Ben grabbed a brush and helped him finish currying the horse. Then the two walked to the house talking over when Adam would take over the contracts and negotiations for the Ponderosa. When they entered, Adam had that momentary feeling of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu guilt as he watched Joe talking with Sheena who was sitting in a wheelchair with Eleanor sitting on Joe’s lap as he sat beside her. It passed but not before his father put a hand on his shoulder and whispered that it would all get better. Hoss was sitting next to Joe, but he turned and stood when he heard their father whispering.<\/p>\n “Glad to see ya got back in one piece, and Joe says you got a great price too.”<\/p>\n “Yes, Hoss, everything went very well. I don’t see Bess. I thought she had moved in.”<\/p>\n “Oh, she has, but she’s taking some cooking lessons from Hop Sing. No more bread and cold ham for meals when Hop Sing has a day off and we don’t have to trust none of our cooking neither. Bess is gonna be the assistant cook here. She and Hop Sing get along great.”<\/p>\n Ben chuckled. “It is rather comical to see them work together. She towers over him and then does exactly what he wants when he barks out an order. I swear, I think Hop Sing could have been a master sergeant in the Army the way he can command anyone.”<\/p>\n “So when are you planning on getting married?”<\/p>\n “We were thinking Christmas, but now that she got that offer on her place and sold it, we’re thinking as soon as we can get it organized. Everybody knows we’re getting married so it shouldn’t surprise nobody.”<\/p>\n “That’s good. I want to leave as soon as your wedding is done.”<\/p>\n “Leave? You’re not leaving again, are you?”<\/p>\n “Just for a trip. I have some things to do in Australia that are very important. I plan to be back in spring.”<\/p>\n “You coming back alone?”<\/p>\n Adam looked at Hoss with a small smile. “You can read my mind as well as I can read yours. Yes, I hope so. Now no more talk of that until I get back. I know you want to take a trip up to the mountains after your wedding. Do you want me to go up there and make sure the line cabin is in good shape?”<\/p>\n “I was thinking I ought to do that especially seeing as how we could have snow by then, and it could be cold. I wouldn’t mind some help.”<\/p>\n “We’ll pack in a bunch of extra supplies to make sure you have plenty. If we bring a couple of packhorses, we can bring some grain for the horses too.”<\/p>\n “Adam, we ain’t planning to stay there until spring thaw.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, it can’t hurt to be prepared. You know how those storms can blow down out of the mountain ridges with hardly any warning. I think we would all feel better knowing you had adequate supplies. If you don’t use them, then the line cabin is already stocked for next year.”<\/p>\n “Well, that is a good point. It could save us a trip in spring as long as we’re going up there anyway.”<\/p>\n Over the next week, work was started on the addition to the house. The glass had arrived as had the small Franklin stove. Adam had his brothers installing the floor joists as he worked at crafting a window frame. Once they had a floor, they pulled up the studs for the walls and secured them. Then they put a roof on it. Hoss said it looked funny with a floor and a roof but no solid walls. Over the next few days, they put in the outer walls and then the ceiling. Once it was all in place, Adam had Hoss and Joe help him put the window in and shim it to make it level. Adam nailed the trim around the window to hold it in place and then stepped back. Joe and Hoss were already admiring the view.<\/p>\n “Adam, we may never want to get out of bed with this view in the morning. It just kind of makes you stare at it.”<\/p>\n “I plan to make some shutters for it. You can always close them. It might be a good idea to do that anyway when you sleep. On the first floor and in the back of the house, you don’t have the security that you would have on the second floor or in the front of the house. I could make some lantern hooks so that when you were concerned, you could hang a candle lantern or a regular lantern outside your window.”<\/p>\n “I like that idea. I know we keep one on the front porch fairly often. It would be a good idea to have one back here too. I’ve been meaning to ask you too. Are you putting an outside door on our bedroom because that looks like it over there in the corner.”<\/p>\n “Not a regular door. It will be an emergency door. Hoss and I will build a ramp outside that door. It won’t have a doorknob, and it will be barred on the inside.”<\/p>\n “But if there’s an emergency, I can unbar the door and push the wheelchair out. That’s a good idea.”<\/p>\n “Sheena could do it herself too. The door will open out once the bar is removed. She could do that.”<\/p>\n “Thank you for thinking of that. I wasn’t thinking that a bedroom needed an outside door, but now I see why you framed that in like that over there.”<\/p>\n The next day, they cut a doorway through into the main house after moving the gun cabinet. After they framed it in, for the first time, the rest of the family got to enter the new room. They liked it. It was spacious, and the view was spectacular. The following day, the three brothers plastered the inside walls. By the end of the day, they looked like they had been plastered themselves. Hop Sing had bath water ready, and the brothers drew cards to see who would go first. Hoss won which made Bess happy. Hoss had expected to have a nice soak in the tub, but Hop Sing banished Joe and Adam to the washroom as well because he didn’t want them in the house with plaster all over their clothing and in their hair. With an audience like that, Hoss took one of the fastest baths he ever had. Joe had the next turn. By the time Adam got the tub, the water was disgusting. He drained the tub and asked Hop Sing for more water. Hop Sing came into the washroom and was going to complain until he saw the murky water being drained out. Then he agreed that Adam could have a fresh bath.<\/p>\n By the time Adam finished, the family was at the table having dinner. He pulled out a chair and sat. Hoss passed him a platter of meat, and Bess handed the potatoes to him. Eleanor watched and then couldn’t be quiet any more. “Unca Dam hungry?”<\/p>\n “Yes, Eleanor, I’m very hungry. And thank you to whomever got her to go back to calling me Unca Dam.”<\/p>\n “It was Sheena. It wasn’t for your benefit. She didn’t want Eleanor saying Dam Dum when we had guests or in church.”<\/p>\n “Well, thank you, anyway. I was hoping I wouldn’t get tagged with that for a nickname.”<\/p>\n After that, dinner conversation turned to the two biggest topics in the house now that the drive was done. They had a lot of planning to do for the addition in order to finish it before the wedding. Adam assured them that it would be done. “It only needs paint now, and to varnish the wood. We can do that in a day once the plaster is dry. We’ll fire up the stove in there now and it will help the plaster dry thoroughly so we can paint and varnish. Then a couple of days for everything to dry, and it’s done.”<\/p>\n With the addition completed that week, they were nearly ready for Hoss’ wedding. While Ben and Joe worked with Hop Sing and Bess to decorate the house, and Sheena finished sewing the wedding dress, Hoss and Adam headed to the line cabin that Hoss wanted to use for his honeymoon. The packhorses were loaded with supplies and with some nice bedding and other special things for the honeymoon. Ben had Adam select a few bottles of wine and the two had packed those into a sack when Hoss wasn’t around. Hoss and Bess planned to bring fresh food with them when they went, but the cabin was being stocked with an abundant supply of staples from sacks of beans and cans of peaches to coffee and even some potatoes and onions that would make a nice meal when they had fresh game for their meals. The cabin was scrubbed, cobwebs were removed, and the fireplace was cleaned out. They stacked a lot of wood inside and more by the back door of the cabin. The lean-to for the horses needed some work. Adam and Hoss cut a dozen saplings and redid the sides of it.<\/p>\n “You can cut some pine branches when you get here and lay them up against the sides and over the top to give the horses more shelter if they need it. The corral is in good shape so you won’t have to tie them in. And do you remember why the back door of the cabin is oversized?”<\/p>\n “Yup, I helped you do it, remember. That’s in case we have any problems with wolves. We can get two horses inside to keep them safe.”<\/p>\n “That wouldn’t be my ideal honeymoon plan, but better to have horses to ride when you need them.”<\/p>\n “Aw, Bess won’t mind. She likes critters as much as I do.”<\/p>\n “You certainly got the right woman.”<\/p>\n “Now tell me about the gal you’re gonna ask.” So Adam told Hoss all that he had told their father. “She sounds just right for you, and you never figured it out while you were there?”<\/p>\n “It may sound weird, but I thought you actually fell in love. I didn’t know it could come creeping up on you when you were completely unaware. I knew I was going to miss her when I left, but I was so focused on going home, I didn’t pay enough attention to my feelings, or for that matter, to hers. I’m afraid that walking away from her like that may have ruined my chances, but I’m going to tell her everything, and then I’ll find out if she’s the type of person who is willing to forgive.”<\/p>\n Chapter 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Two weeks later Hoss was married and headed off to the line cabin early the next morning. Adam was packing his bags and making sure he had all the necessary papers for his trip after he wished his brother well. Ben stopped by the door of Adam’s room and watched him pack. He knew he would miss him terribly if only for the few months he planned to be gone, but he knew too how the unexpected could make plans change. He wanted as much time with him as possible before he left on his trip.<\/p>\n “Is there anything I can do for you before you go?”<\/p>\n “No, Pa, but a few prayers while I’m gone couldn’t hurt.”<\/p>\n “Adam, I pray for you and for your brothers every day.”<\/p>\n “There is one thing you could do for me while I’m gone. Could you help Eleanor to say my name? I would very much like to come home and not be called Dam or Dum or Dam Dum.”<\/p>\n Chuckling, Ben nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. She’ll be older by the time you come back so maybe she will be speaking a bit more clearly. It’s what children do. You must remember how Little Joe talked when he was a toddler. He got scared when we said it was so foggy outside, we couldn’t see. He thought it was froggy because he said frog for both.”<\/p>\n “Pa I remember better how he said luck.”<\/p>\n Ben frowned with that one. “Yes, and I remember how you wished him good luck every time you left to work. You were very fortunate that he never said that at church. Marie would have been mortified.”<\/p>\n “And you?”<\/p>\n “I would have gotten my satisfaction by having a little talk with you.”<\/p>\n “Yes, I remember your talks. I’m glad I outgrew those.”<\/p>\n “Sometimes I wish I could settle an issue like that again. It was a simpler time.”<\/p>\n “It never really worked with me, Pa. I only learned how to be better at making sure you didn’t find out what I was doing.” Seeing his father’s deep frown, Adam grabbed his bag to head down the stairs.<\/p>\n “We’ll have a little talk about that someday.” Ben had a mock frown for that one.<\/p>\n “Yes, but this time it will actually involve talking.” Adam grinned as he grabbed his hat and coat, and strapped on his pistol. Australia could still be a rough and tumble place so he was going to be wearing it. He had thought to take the clothes he had worn while he lived there, but he had found that all of them were too large. He had lost quite a bit of weight working on the ranch and the drive, and of course worrying about the troubles with Joe and Sheena. He was wearing the clothes that had hung in his closet for years, and they fit him well. “If all goes well, I’ll be back by March or April.”<\/p>\n “Adam, I have to apologize to you before you leave. I was so upset about Joe being hurt, and Sheena being shot, and Hoss laying in that bed where he could have died, and I took it out on you. I acted like you were at fault. You weren’t. I have to admit I got on my high pulpit and acted as if I had never done anything questionable. You know that I have. You were very understanding when I did, and I failed you when you needed me most. I’m sorry about that, very sorry.”<\/p>\n “Pa, it’s all right. I understood the anger from both you and Joe. I knew you loved me just like I know Joe did. We do have a problem with tempers in this family sometimes, but I always know that afterwards, we’ll still be family. Now, I need to get going.”<\/p>\n “Godspeed, my son.”<\/p>\n “Thank you. I’ll leave the horse in town.” After goodbyes to Joe, Eleanor, and Hop Sing, Adam walked swiftly out the door and closed it softly behind him. Sheena was resting in bed not feeling well, and Adam had to admit to himself that he didn’t mind her being absent. He didn’t think he could ever be comfortable when she was there. He didn’t know how Joe had managed to forgive her, and he could only hope that by the time he got back, he would be more relaxed about the whole situation too.<\/p>\n “Don’t worry, Pa. He’ll be back. He always does what he says he’s going to do.”<\/p>\n “I know he will try, Joe, but he’s crossing an ocean again, twice, and there’s a lot of uncertainty about what he has set out to do. I can only hope and pray it all works out as he wants.”<\/p>\n Joe and Ben would likely have been surprised that Adam was having similar thoughts as he rode to town to catch the stage. He had set his heart on a goal, but achieving it was entirely in someone else’s hands. He hoped Zona would be agreeable to his proposal, but one way or another, he had to convince her to come back with him even if it was to work for him. He knew he might need some time to win her heart and her hand. He had to hope too that in the months he had been gone that she had not been pursued by another man. As he boarded the stage and headed out of town, he had a bit of doubt that he was doing the right thing. Then he did something that he had been doing more and more lately. He told the doubting side of him to shut up because he had a plan, and he wanted to be happy so he had to do this. He was regaining the confidence and the swagger he had as a younger man. He didn’t know how or why he had lost it, but he knew it had been significantly eroded. Then that doubting side piped in again wondering if Zona would like him the way he was now, and he had to push it down again. He didn’t enjoy the trip to Australia as much as he thought he would. He brought books to read, but he found it difficult to concentrate. However when the headlands of Sydney Harbor came into view, he was at the ship’s rail watching and stayed there except for a short break to get his bag. He waited anxiously on deck until the ramp was dropped on the quay. He thanked the captain for a pleasant and fast trip, and then he was on his way to check in at his hotel before going to Zona’s home. He felt as nervous as a schoolboy on his first quest to ask a girl to a dance.<\/p>\n Fortunate to have arrived on a Saturday, Adam wound his way through the bustling crowds on George Street as he made the short walk to Grosvenor Street where Zona had a home. He had helped her purchase it because it was close to his hotel, his warehouses near the quays, and his shipping offices. She had hoped for a home a little further out with a nice yard, but he had wanted her close because it was more convenient for his businesses. He realized as he thought about it that he had been very selfish in his relationship with her. He had a gift in his pocket but realized how inadequate it was. He still intended to give it to her, but he knew he would likely have to do more than show up and gift a small trinket. It was a warm day and even the short walk had Adam feeling his shirt growing damp with sweat. By the time he reached her home, he had taken off his jacket and slung it over his shoulder. He opened the small white gate in front and noted that Zona had added a flower garden since he had been here last. He stepped onto the porch and knocked softly at the screen door because he could see Zona sleeping in a rocking chair in her front room. She stirred and looked at him through the screen door.<\/p>\n Thinking she must be dreaming, Zona simply stared at Adam as he stood there. He still had the mustache but it was trimmed into a neat comb compared to how she remembered it when it had been bushier and longer as favored by most men in Australia who had one. He looked more trim and fit too with his broad shoulders and slim waist and hips. His clothing was well made but not in a style common in Australia, and his shirt and pants were black which certainly were odd choices for a hot summer day in Sydney. She had dreamed of him showing up on her doorstep so many times, but then he had left for America, and all she had left were the dreams. Then her dream spoke shocking her.<\/p>\n “I came back to see you. I hope it’s not too much of an inconvenience to drop in unannounced.”<\/p>\n “You’re Adam.”<\/p>\n Smiling, Adam let her get her wits about her as full awareness returned. “Yes, I am. I came back to see you.”<\/p>\n The bitterness of how their relationship had been and then ended filled Zona’s next statement. “I would think if it was a woman you wanted to see, there would have been plenty of willing ones in America. You certainly never lacked for them here.”<\/p>\n Adam dropped his head. This was definitely going to more difficult than he had hoped. “Zona, I am truly sorry. I know that I treated you very badly, and my only excuse was that in my selfishness, I didn’t know then. I have come to realize it and regret it greatly. Please, may I come in and talk with you.”<\/p>\n “I suppose talking is fine, but I have an engagement later so I hope you won’t have to stay long.” She hoped that wasn’t the case, but she was unwilling to show any vulnerability to this man. He had hurt her over and over by his indifference to her feelings, and she didn’t want to offer any additional opportunities for him to do that.<\/p>\n Adam stepped inside and set his hat and jacket on the credenza by the door. “You still do work for me, and I have a business proposition for you. I want you to help me sell my businesses here.”<\/p>\n “Is that all?” Zona had been hoping for more so her answer was rather neutral in tone.<\/p>\n “No, I have a very important question to ask you. I know I was a fool not to ask this a long time ago, and I have no excuse for being so selfish and dense. I want you to marry me, but I do understand if you don’t want to give me an answer on that right now.”<\/p>\n Shocked, Zona stood silently looking at him. If he had asked her before he left Australia, she would have willingly said yes and gone anywhere with him. She had to wonder why he was asking now when they hadn’t seen each other for so long. There was only one response she could manage. “Why?”<\/p>\n “Because I realized I loved you. You were the only one I missed, and I thought of you very often. Rather dense of me not to realize it sooner, but I took you for granted. When I felt lonely and unloved, you were always there. When I needed help with my businesses, you were there. You wanted a nice house away from the bustle of the city, but you agreed to live here because I wanted it that way. Please, will you marry me and come with me to my family’s home in Nevada?”<\/p>\n “Adam, I can’t make a decision like that so fast. It hurt to have you leave like you did, and I have a life here. This is my home.”<\/p>\n Knowing how significant it was that she admitted being hurt by his departure, Adam still did his best to persuade her to admit she loved him and agree to marry him. “I know it’s very difficult, but you left your home in England to travel with your husband here. I’m hoping that you’re willing to take that kind of chance again.”<\/p>\n “But Garrett died and left me here all alone.”<\/p>\n “In Nevada, you would not be alone. You would be part of my family, and no matter what happened, they would be there for you. Granted, I’m not planning to have anything happen to me, and I hope to return there soon. I promised them I would. If you can’t come with me as my wife, would you come with me as my business assistant and my friend?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know.”<\/p>\n “How about the first part of the question then? Will you work with me? We could take some time to be together so you could decide if you wanted to stay with me. I know you’re busy tonight, but perhaps tomorrow we could have lunch, or a picnic, or whatever you wanted to do.”<\/p>\n “Yes, of course, I’ll be your assistant again. Will it involve travel?”<\/p>\n “Yes, for the mines and the ranch. The rest can be concluded here in Sydney. I might even get the mine managers to come here for a meeting, but that probably won’t work for the ranch.”<\/p>\n “When we travel, it would be strictly business?”<\/p>\n “That’s up to you. It’s your decision to make. If you want to travel as my fianc\u00e9 or my wife, I would be very pleased. If you need more time, and you want to take it more slowly, that’s your choice too.”<\/p>\n “For now, I think I would be more comfortable as your business assistant only. I’ll be ready to go to work on Monday.”<\/p>\n A little disappointed, Adam did hope to make one adjustment to that plan. “Could we meet for lunch at the hotel tomorrow to go over the papers and what I plan to do. That way we could start meeting with the various managers right away Monday morning.”<\/p>\n “I could do that.”<\/p>\n “And I have a present for you. I brought it from Nevada, and I hope you like it.” Adam pulled a small brown velvet box from his jacket pocket then and handed it to Zona. She opened it to find a pendant on a three-strand gold twisted-chain necklace. The pendant was in the shape of the Ponderosa brand and enameled in green and set with diamonds.<\/p>\n “Adam, this is too much.”<\/p>\n “No, it is not nearly enough. No matter what happens, I want you to have that. It’s the shape of the Ponderosa brand, the sign of home, and the diamonds are my love for you. That will never change.”<\/p>\n Unable to say what she was thinking, Zona could only thank him. She wanted to kiss him then, but based on her previous statements, she knew that would be inappropriate. He had gotten her mind whirling with thoughts though. As he picked up his hat and jacket, she thought again about admitting how she felt, but the logical, rational side of her told her to wait and see, so she did. As she watched him walk down her walk, through the gate, and into the street, she smiled. She was beginning to believe that he did love her. Everything he had said and done communicated that quite clearly, but she would wait and let the relationship develop before she was absolutely sure. She definitely liked this new approach of his. He was strong and determined as always, but he had listened to her and understood her concerns without her having to spell them out in any detail. His empathy meant as much as his declaration of love did.<\/p>\n That night, Adam stood on the balcony of his room at the hotel sipping a brandy. He looked out over the harbor and to the stars in the sky. It was still warm, and he would sleep with the doors and windows open. He thought there was little danger of a fruit bat invading his room so near to the harbor. By midnight, the city had quieted so one could imagine being out on the range of the Ponderosa with only the sounds of the night and light from the moon. He knew the next morning would be quiet as well, but by Monday morning, the city would be bustling with people set on getting tasks done. He had informed the staff that he wanted a table in an alcove in the dining room for his business meeting with Zona. In the past, he would have had lunch delivered to his room. It made it more convenient if he decided to take her to his bed when they concluded the work they needed to do. He had turned that around though out of respect for her, and would only go to her bed now if they married. It was his new standard of behavior. The next day at lunch, she commented on that.<\/p>\n “I thought we would be meeting in your room. I was a bit nervous about that, so I am very pleased that you met me here.”<\/p>\n “I did say I thought we should spend some time together to get to know one another better. Now that our business is done, shall I walk you home or would you consider a carriage ride with me around the city? I could get a look at my properties, and then perhaps take a ride out to the countryside for a time.”<\/p>\n “A carriage ride sounds fine. In fact, I would like that very much.”<\/p>\n After the carriage ride, Adam looked at Zona and had another request. “If it’s not too much of an imposition, would you have dinner with me? I thought perhaps that little restaurant that only serves prawns and fish.”<\/p>\n “Yes, that would be very nice.”<\/p>\n Smiling, Adam gave directions to the carriage driver. When they got to the restaurant, he invited the carriage driver to come in and have dinner too. The man was going to refuse except Adam said he would pay for it. The man gladly accepted then and sat at a table with some people he recognized once he got inside. Adam and Zona shared a small table by the window. They laughed and talked about all manner of things but nothing personal until Zona asked a question she had thought of the day before and that had continued to make her wonder as the day had progressed.<\/p>\n “You seem different somehow, and it’s not just that you are thinner than when you left and you trimmed your mustache. No, you seem more relaxed and more warm, and yet you somehow seem stronger too. What happened?”<\/p>\n “That’s too long a story to tell here, and I would rather not explain the details in a public place, but when I first got to Australia, I was lonely. I missed my family, and I made up for it by doing a lot and keeping my mind off being alone. When I got back home, something happened, and I handled it all very poorly. I got a lot of advice, which my family is never shy about offering by the way, and I ended up taking a long hard look at myself for a few weeks or even months. I needed to rebuild my integrity so that I deserved trust. I made some decisions, and one was to come back here and try to right the wrong I did. I should have told you I loved you, and I should have said I was a fool for not admitting it sooner. I do love you, and I hope that I can convince you of that. Then I hope you’ll agree to marry me.”<\/p>\n As Adam finished talking, he realized how quiet it had become in the restaurant. No one said anything. They were too polite, but there were a number of smiles directed toward them. Adam was a bit embarrassed not realizing how his fervent explanation had been heard by so many. It had come pouring out of him, and Zona knew it was the truth. The waiter came to their table then and set a bottle of white wine there with two glasses.<\/p>\n “Compliments of the owner, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n Adam frowned a little and then smiled. “Very well. Please thank him, and wine for everyone, compliments of me.”<\/p>\n That did bring a cheer, and there were a lot more smiles all around.<\/p>\n “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”<\/p>\n “Yes, didn’t you?”<\/p>\n “Yes, I did. I like this side of you, Mr. Cartwright. I like it very much.” That made Adam smile. Later when he stopped the carriage outside her home, he walked her to her door. He made sure she got safely inside and got a lamp lit. He didn’t try to kiss her. He didn’t want anything to do any damage to the mood he had created by being a gentleman for the whole day, but Zona surprised him by stepping close and kissing him lightly as he opened her door to leave. “Thank you. You were true to your word today, and I appreciate that very much. You keep this up, Adam, and I will be very much be leaning toward saying yes to your proposal.” Smiling, Adam said goodnight and walked to the carriage to pay the driver. He intended to walk back to the hotel on this night that was balmy and now seemed like a very special night. He wanted to savor the evening before he walked back into his room. As he walked away, Zona watched him until he was quite a distance away. He turned to wave then before fading into the darkness. Zona grinned at that. He was still quite cheeky.<\/p>\n The next week was filled with business meetings and negotiations with the men who managed his shipping business and the hotel. That weekend, Adam made a trip to the Blue Mountains to inspect his mining properties pursuant to working out deals for the managers to purchase those properties. The following week was another series of meetings to negotiate the sale of those properties to the managers. Adam was to be a silent partner in all of them until the full sale price could be paid. The manager of the hotel needed the longest time because he did not have much cash to open the deal. Adam offered him five percent of the purchase price for each year he worked with the other five percent to be paid in cash to Adam each year for twenty years. At that time, the man would own the hotel. The shipping business had a similar arrangements but the time frame was five years instead of twenty. The mine managers worked out a deal that had them paying the full price in three years. At the end of two weeks, a great deal had been accomplished, and Adam had a significant amount of money in the bank. The last deal was going to be the most difficult to accomplish. Adam owned a ranch in the interior. At one point, he had thought to retire there, but instead he had realized his heart was in Nevada. Taking a trip to the ranch was difficult. They rode in a carriage to Port Macquarie but then had to take horses to ride over the mountains to the ranch that was deeper in the interior with no road to use to get there. Adam told Zona that she didn’t have to make the trip, but she wanted to do that.<\/p>\n “I’ve haven’t been on a trip over the mountains since the last time we visited your ranch. No worries. It’ll be a ripper now won’t it.”<\/p>\n Grinning at her enthusiasm, Adam had to admit it would be a lot more fun taking the trip with Zona. They got all the gear they would need as well as a few extras that the people working on the ranch would like, and packed it all in the carriage. It took as long to make that trip as it did to do all the other work. On the ranch, Adam deeded over the ranch to the men who worked there. He didn’t need any more money, and these men had worked loyally for him and without complaint. Making them landowners even of a small station far from everything was more than these men had ever expected. Adam handed out the gifts for the families of the men telling them it was a late Christmas celebration.<\/p>\n When Adam and Zona returned to Sydney, it was a month since Adam had arrived. He sold his investments shares in the banks and railroads, and then had no more business to conduct. He prayed that Zona would give him the answer he so much wanted. All they had done on a personal level was to kiss goodnight and hold hands when they walked. Adam did his best to keep the desire within him from overwhelming his resolve and managed but just barely. Zona wondered at his restraint but remembered that is what he had promised her. On that Sunday, they had lunch at the same table where a month earlier, they had first discussed the business they had just concluded. Finally at the end of lunch, it was time for Zona to give Adam an answer.<\/p>\n “A month ago, you gave me several options. I chose the easiest of those to do. I worked as your business associate for the past month. You also said you would marry me or I could continue as your assistant and travel with you to Nevada to help you there. I’m ready to say yes to that second option. I will go with you. I’ll work with you. I’ll be your friend.”<\/p>\n “Is there a chance that you would still consider the first option and marry me?”<\/p>\n “Yes, but I want a chance to get used to the idea first. I want to spend more time with you. Now I need to sell my property here, and say goodbye to friends.”<\/p>\n Slightly disappointed but relieved that at least she had agreed to accompany him to Nevada, Adam asked how long she needed. She thought that two weeks would be enough time. Adam made arrangements and two weeks later, her friends gave her a farewell party. Adam insisted on buying her a new dress for the party, and got her to wear an ivory and green dress so that she could wear the necklace and pendant he had given her. He found some emerald and diamond earrings and matching hair combs in a jewelry shop and gifted those to her just before they left for the party. The hair combs looked elegant in her dark hair, and the necklace was beautiful on her light skin. At the party, her best friend in Sydney asked her to have a chat in the kitchen as the rest of the guests talked with Adam about Nevada.<\/p>\n “Zona, why aren’t the two of you getting married? Why hasn’t he asked you to marry him?”<\/p>\n “He did ask me. He asked me the first day he was back.”<\/p>\n “Then why haven’t you said yes? You confided in me on more than one occasion that you wished he would say he loved you and ask you to marry him. Is that it? He didn’t tell you he loved you?”<\/p>\n “No, Rowena, he told me he loved me.”<\/p>\n “Then why haven’t you said yes? He loves you. His eyes light up whenever he looks at you. I know you love him.”<\/p>\n “I don’t know any more. I know at first I wanted to be sure he really was in love with me and wanted to marry me because of that. Now, I don’t know why I haven’t said yes. In less than ten hours, I’m going to be on a ship with him and sailing to his home.”<\/p>\n “Oh, my dear, you’re just afraid because of what happened with Garrett. We can’t know what will happen. No one does. But you have a chance to grab at some happiness with a man who loves you. You need to grab it and enjoy every last second you can squeeze out of it whether it’s for a month, a year, or the next fifty years. Only God knows how much time the two of you will have together. You’ve been lucky to find two men who love you dearly. Now tell that man you’ll marry him. Don’t let fear rule your heart.”<\/p>\n Taking a deep breath, Zona thought about all that her friend had said. Then she smiled. “Rowena, ship’s captains can perform weddings, can’t they?” Rowena squealed in delight and hugged her friend.<\/p>\n “Now you must write and tell me all about it, and then tell me all about this ranch his family has. The way he describes it, it sounds like heaven on earth. I want you to tell me what it is really like. If it’s as beautiful as he says, maybe more of us ought to move there.”<\/p>\n “I will write you as soon as I can.”<\/p>\n “When will you tell him?”<\/p>\n “When the moment is right.” Rowena looked at her with a bit of a grin. “As soon as we’re out of the harbor, but I need to pick the right moment.”<\/p>\n At that moment, Adam opened the door and leaned into the room. “We should get going reasonably soon. I would rather you had some sleep before you board the ship. I remember that you didn’t handle the ride on the ship when we went to New Zealand last year. I’ve told the captain, and he said the cook will have some teas ready for you as needed, but a good night’s sleep would be best.”<\/p>\n After final goodbyes to her friends, Adam and Zona went to their rooms at the hotel. For the first time since his return, Adam got a passionate kiss from Zona. She had unlocked her room and turned to say goodnight. He was so close that she ran her hands up his chest and around his neck pulling him into a kiss. He didn’t need any persuasion either. He had been waiting for a month and a half for the chance to kiss her that way. Finally, he broke the kiss.<\/p>\n “If you kiss me like that, I’m going to have a very difficult time keeping my pledge to you.”<\/p>\n “Maybe you won’t have to keep it for much longer. Now goodnight, and I’ll see you in the morning.”<\/p>\n “One more kiss?”<\/p>\n Zona couldn’t resist that look as well as the request. They kissed again until Zona had to pull away. She touched his cheek and then stepped into her room closing the door slowly. When she locked it, she was sure he was still on the other side. She touched the door as she had touched his cheek, and knew she had made the right decision. Both slept well that night dreaming of the other.<\/p>\n The next day as their ship passed the headlands of Sydney Harbor, Zona was standing at the rail with Adam watching her home disappear behind her. As they reached the open sea, the winds picked up and the ship began to gather speed as the sails billowed like giant white clouds only a few feet over their heads. Zona grasped the rail as the ship rode the waves. Adam wrapped an arm around her to help steady her.<\/p>\n “You’re cold.” He released her and took off his jacket wrapping it around her. He held her again. “There, is that better.”<\/p>\n She nodded. “Adam, I have a question.” Adam looked down at her and she held his gaze. “A ship’s captain can perform a marriage, can’t he?” Then she smiled.<\/p>\n For a moment, Adam thought she might be teasing, but realized she wouldn’t tease him about something like that. “Yes, he can. When would you like to ask him to do that?”<\/p>\n “Now would be fine with me or as soon as he has time. I think my first night on board the ship that is taking me to my new home would be a good wedding night.”<\/p>\n Chapter 8<\/strong><\/p>\n Resting in their quarters late that night, Zona had her head on Adam’s shoulder. With his arm around her shoulders, Adam held her closely to him.<\/p>\n “I love you very much. Thank you for agreeing to marry me. Now when did you make that decision because I do not for one moment think you decided as we stood at that rail no matter how nice a moment that was?”<\/p>\n “I guess I was leaning toward telling you yes for probably about two weeks now, but it wasn’t until Rowena and I talked last night that I realized that a good time to tell you would be as we set sail to home. How long will it take us to get there?”<\/p>\n “Then I am very much liking this Rowena even though I don’t know her very well. She is a clever woman if she got you to take that last big step. Now to answer your question, this is one of the fastest clipper ships. It’s built on the pattern of the Northern Light. So if all goes well, we’ll be in San Francisco in five weeks. Then we’ll travel to Nevada. If all goes well, we could be home in six weeks. Now I have to roll on my side or my back will be killing me tomorrow.” Adam pulled Zona into the spoon position wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a warm embrace. She had never slept with him despite being in his bed a number of times in the past, but she did like sleeping this way because was not only comfortable but made her feel safe and loved as well. It had been a long time since she had felt that way, and she loved him all the more for letting her have that again. That was how they slept each night as they traveled until they got home. Every day, they had hours in which they talked, kissed often, made love, and learned about each other with no pressure from business concerns or family getting in the way. They could talk openly and honestly with each other. Adam told her all about what had happened when he had gotten home.<\/p>\n “But that wasn’t your fault. Why did you feel so guilty?”<\/p>\n “I may have been tricked, but I knew my action would hurt my brother if he knew. I had just returned, and I couldn’t bear to tell him the first day we were together in nearly seven years. Then I came up with all sorts of reasons not to tell him. I hoped somehow that it could be forgotten. I’ve learned a lesson I should have remembered from long ago. Nothing like that stays buried so you have to face it and deal with it. That’s why I had to go back to Australia to see you. I had made a mess of that, and for both of us, I hoped to be able to fix things.”<\/p>\n “You are a great fixer of things, but right now, I have other needs.” Grinning as he had been doing more and more, Adam took care of those needs and his own. By the time they reached San Francisco and headed toward Virginia City, they were very comfortable with each other.<\/p>\n In Nevada, about seven weeks after Adam and Zona had left Australia, the whole Cartwright clan was waiting at the stage depot. “Pa, Adam’s telegram said today. The stage line says the stage is running on time so they’ll be here soon.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I know, but this is such a big day. All of my sons married and all three will be living on the Ponderosa. It’s a dream coming true.”<\/p>\n A few minutes later, the noise of the stage rolling in could be heard. All of the Cartwrights got ready to welcome Adam and his bride with everyone equally curious about the woman Adam had traveled so far to woo. Spring had arrived in Virginia City, and the streets were muddy so everyone waited on the wooden walk in front of the stage depot. The stage driver slowed the stagecoach and pulled it in as close as he could to the depot. He started untying the bags stored on top as the station manager pulled a set of steps and set them by the stage door that he then pulled open. Two men got out first and then Adam stepped from the stage with a big grin. He reached behind him to help Zona from the stage and carried her from the step to the wooden walk. He hugged his father and then his brothers before introducing his wife. Zona would have known them by the descriptions although nothing quite prepared her for Ben and Hoss. Ben was a man of power and influence that one could see simply by looking at him. His booming voice gentled when he saw how it startled her. Hoss’ imposing height and sky blue eyes were memorable, and a beautiful tall blond stood at his side. Both were grinning in welcome and hugged her when Adam made the formal introductions. Joe stood by a wheelchair in which Sheena sat and Eleanor held onto her arm. Zona saw the sparkle in Joe’s eyes even with the difficulties he had in his life. She knew that the mischief and the unbridled spirit in the young man was still there as Adam had predicted it would be as soon as Joe adjusted to his new situation. Adam knelt down before introducing Eleanor. She rushed into his arms as soon as he opened them.<\/p>\n “Unca A-dum.” Eleanor worked very hard to enunciate the name as her mother had pushed her to do.<\/p>\n “And Eleanor, this is my wife, Zona. She’ll be your Aunt Zona now just like Hoss’ wife is your Aunt Bess.”<\/p>\n “Aunt Sona?”<\/p>\n “Close enough for now. I’m very happy that you can say my name now.”<\/p>\n “Mama helped me. Papa said I should. But when I say A-dum, nobody laughs. When I say Dam-Dum, everybody laughs. I like it when they laugh.”<\/p>\n Everyone was chuckling making Adam shake his head. “How about if I teach you some other funny words?”<\/p>\n “Like what?”<\/p>\n “How about platypus?”<\/p>\n “What?”<\/p>\n “Or how about hornswoggle and kangaroo? Or hoosegow. You could learn to say scallywag.”<\/p>\n “Scallywagon?” That did get a chuckle so Eleanor decided she liked this game. When the luggage was loaded onto the buckboard, Hoss and Bess climbed aboard. Joe helped Sheena into the carriage and helped Eleanor up to sit beside her. Ben told Adam and Zona that he would give them a ride in the new surrey.<\/p>\n “With the family growing so, we bought a new surrey and a new larger carriage, but the carriage hasn’t been delivered yet. I thought to take you on the scenic route back to the ranch. No one ever forgets their first view of the Ponderosa, so as my gift to your lovely wife, I want to show off the sights.”<\/p>\n Soon the Cartwright procession left town. Many had admired the pretty women and handsome men, and none could miss how close the family was. Ben’s dream of building a ranch that he could leave to the next generations was much closer to being reality. He couldn’t help smiling for about the next two hours. By the time he drove the carriage into the yard at the Ponderosa, there were wonderful smells coming from the kitchen as Hop Sing prepared what to him was a proper welcome home dinner for the number one son who had brought a wife home. Dinner was as light-hearted as anyone could remember. So much had changed in a year, but the family was together and the relationships were healing well.<\/p>\n After dinner, Zona sat with Bess and Sheena, talking about the ranch, the women’s group in town, the sewing circle they had formed, and all sorts of other things as Zona became better acquainted with her sisters-in-law and the ranch. She was a very direct person so she had to speak her mind about what had happened when Adam had first returned home.<\/p>\n “I want both of you to know that Adam has told me all about his family, and about the important things that happened to make him the man that he is. Even though I wasn’t here for any of it, he is a very good story teller, so I think I have a very good understanding of what happened.”<\/p>\n Sheena was a bit worried. “I hope that won’t stop us from being friends. I know I could tell Adam that I was sorry every single day for the rest of my life, and it wouldn’t be enough. I hope he can forgive me. Joe and I are still working on that too. He’s been very sweet not to be too angry with me.” With an sad little smile, she continued. “At least Joe knows I can never do anything like that again. He’ll always have a little problem with trusting me completely, I guess, but that’s so much better than I deserve. Adam told me that this whole thing was something I needed to face and grow up finally. I guess I have, but that doesn’t change what I did.”<\/p>\n “He does forgive you, but the man has a memory like a book. Everything is in there and can’t be erased.” That made the other two smile.<\/p>\n “When I saw you and we talked just a little, I understood completely why he and I ended our relationship. You’re not at all like me. You’re very perceptive, and you’re a thinker. I tend to do things impulsively. That’s part of why Joe can forgive me. He understands acting on a whim and regretting it all later. He needs people to forgive him fairly often.”<\/p>\n Bess chuckled at that. “Ain’t that the truth! He’s roped Hoss into so many silly schemes, it’s a wonder Hoss still listens to him at all.”<\/p>\n Then the ladies started telling stories about their husbands and found that there was a lot about which to talk once that topic opened up. Bess knew more stories than the other two, but Zona and Sheena had some good little stories to add to the conversation.<\/p>\n As the ladies had started talking, Ben and his sons had walked outside on the porch to talk. It was a pleasant, warm spring evening. Adam asked how things had gone on the ranch and asked Hoss about his honeymoon.<\/p>\n “Adam, the ranch has been doing fine especially once Hoss got back.” With a quizzical look after Joe’s statement, Adam looked to Hoss.<\/p>\n “Dadburnit, Adam, getting all those extra supplies up there musta made nature think we wasn’t respecting her enough. It snowed so much, we ended up having to stay there an extra week. Not that I minded that at all, but I figured Pa was going to be worrying. The clouds had looked kinda threatening when we got there, so our first afternoon up there was gathering grass for the horses and piling all sorts of pine boughs across that lean-to and around the corral fence. Darn good thing we did that too. We woulda had to dig for grass otherwise. If that corral wasn’t backed up against that ridge, it woulda filled with snow. As it was, we had to clean some snow outta there but not too much. The winds blew most of it out over the valley in front of the cabin. We didn’t get much hunting done neither. We ate beans and bacon for a bunch of meals. By the time it cleared enough for hunting, we just wanted to get outta there and get home.”<\/p>\n “I’m sorry you didn’t have an enjoyable honeymoon.”<\/p>\n “Nothing to be sorry about. Didn’t I just tell you that Bess and I were in that cabin, alone, for two weeks, and couldn’t even go hunting?”<\/p>\n “Hoss!” But even Ben had to grin at his son’s smile. “How about your trip? You brought home a wife so we know that part went well. How about your business concerns?”<\/p>\n “All done. Most are on a schedule for payment. It will take a few more years to have everything done, but except for the hotel, in five years, I’ll have all the payments.”<\/p>\n “Why not the hotel, son?”<\/p>\n “The manager is someone I took on as an employee based on his ambition and work ethic, but he didn’t have any financial resources. It may take twenty years for him to pay off the business or at least that’s what’s in the contract. He may find that the profits will go up over time as he pays me a smaller share each year so he’ll pay it off sooner than that. I doesn’t matter that much. I have a lot of money banked now.”<\/p>\n “What you gonna do with all that money?”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I was thinking I would put some of it into the Ponderosa. There must be some projects you have in mind. I know we always had projects on a list and did the most important ones first. With some extra resources, maybe we could do more of them.”<\/p>\n Joe liked that idea. “I know I’d like to buy more horses for breeding stock. The mustangs are free, but sometimes their temperament isn’t suitable.”<\/p>\n “That’s the kind of thing I mean. Doing projects like that which will increase the profitability of the ranch over time.”<\/p>\n “Hey, Adam, with women like Laura and Ruth and Sue Ellen, I thought you liked blondes, but she’s got hair as dark as yours although her skin is like ivory.”<\/p>\n “Joe, it was never hair color that caught my eye. It was the look in the eyes, how they moved, and how they looked at the world. I need someone to be as interesting out of bed as she is in it.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, Adam, I guess we all like interesting women. I never could get to liking a woman who just wanted to sit around the house and let everyone else do for her like some of those gals in town thought they oughta be doing ifn they married up with one of us. I like a place where everybody is doing something.”<\/p>\n “Yes, Sheena said she’d make some new curtains and a bedspread for your room as soon as you pick out some colors. I suppose the ladies might be inside discussing that kind of stuff right now.”<\/p>\n Ben sat in a chair smoking his pipe and enjoying listening to his sons discuss business and then their wives. He knew at some point, things were likely to get even more personal, but this was a good way to start the brothers back on a course to being together. Bess called from the door then that Eleanor wanted her grandfather to read a bedtime story for her. Ben couldn’t refuse that request. When Ben had gone into the house, Adam looked at Joe.<\/p>\n “How are things with you? You’ve been pretty quiet about that.”<\/p>\n “It’s a struggle. I knew it would be. When you’re betrayed like that, it takes time to rebuild the trust.” Seeing Adam’s surprise, Joe continued. “I learned something from being on the cattle drive with you. I realized you hadn’t done anything as awful as I was thinking. You didn’t know we were married or even that she was married. It was my anger driving me to act the way I was. Once I figured that out, I took a good look at my future. I didn’t want to feel as if my marriage was a burden. The only other thing to do was to work with Sheena and rebuild the trust. I understand why she did what she did, and I know she still feels terrible about it. We’re working on being as loving as we were before San Francisco and before she got shot.”<\/p>\n “Tell him the rest, Joe, tell him what the Doc said.”<\/p>\n Adam waited expectantly hoping that it might be that Sheena might walk again. Joe saw that look. “No, if you’re thinking she’ll walk again, that won’t happen. She has some feeling and she can stand if she has something to lean on, but she won’t walk again. No, the good news Hoss wants me to tell is that Doctor Martin consulted with a specialist who looked over everything that Paul could tell him about her. He thinks she could have another baby. He wants us to wait a bit to make sure she’s stronger and to keep doing all the exercises. Bess has been a wonder and so has Hop Sing. Between the two of them, they’ve got her using crutches every morning. She gets tired and can’t do it later in the day, but in the morning, she gets herself dressed and gets to the table by herself.<\/p>\n “Yeah, Doc called it a partial paralysis. So she can do some stuff. Some things are still gonna be real hard for her. I know every time somebody mentions the dance that’s coming up, she kinda gets tears in her eyes. She’ll never dance again.”<\/p>\n Adam was quiet for a time before asking a question. “When’s the dance?” After his brothers told him, he told them his plan.<\/p>\n “I know Bess will do it. The two of us could be a team.”<\/p>\n “I’m too much taller than Zona to do it. Joe?”<\/p>\n Choked up, Joe could only nod at first. “Adam, that’s a great idea. It’s really good to have you back. You have great ideas.”<\/p>\n “Good. I’ll talk with Pa and Zona, and Hoss you can talk with Bess.”<\/p>\n The next Saturday, the whole family was heading to the spring dance. Hop Sing’s cousin was hired to care for Eleanor so that Sheena could attend as well. She hadn’t wanted to go.<\/p>\n “Joe, I can’t dance, and everyone stares at me as it is when I’m sitting in this chair.”<\/p>\n “I want you there. I want you to be able to talk with our friends, and enjoy some refreshments. At least one of us will be by your side every moment.”<\/p>\n Sheena had been convinced especially when Bess and Zona also begged her to be there with them. Zona especially said she would like another woman there that she knew because she was still a stranger to most of those who would be attending. The larger carriage had arrived so the family was able to go in the two carriages. Adam and Zona rode in one with Ben, and the other two couples rode in the larger carriage with Sheena’s wheelchair in the boot. At the dance, they entered as an entourage. As the music started, Adam and Zona moved out on the dance floor as did Hoss and Bess. Ben and Joe sat with Sheena. After a few dances, Joe danced with Zona and Ben danced with Bess as Adam and Hoss sat with Sheena.<\/p>\n “I feel terrible keeping you away from the dance floor. I don’t have to have people sit with me. I’ll be fine if you want to dance with someone.”<\/p>\n That dance ended, and before the next one started, Bess came up to Sheena as Hoss stood up by her side. “May we have this dance, Sheena?”<\/p>\n “I, uh, I can’t dance.”<\/p>\n “Shur ya can. Now you stand up. All right, now put one arm around my shoulders and the other around Bess. Bess and me will wrap an arm around each other’s waist. There now we can dance.” The three of them moved out to the dance floor and began whirling around the floor with the other dancers. Sheena could move her legs some because Hoss and Bess supported her on each side carrying her more than anything. Some dancers stepped aside and applauded as Sheena went by with Hoss and Bess. At the end of the dance, she was flushed and grinning. Hoss helped her ease back down into her chair before guiding his wife to the dance floor for the next dance.<\/p>\n “That was wonderful. That made it worth coming.”<\/p>\n “My dear, we aren’t done yet.” Sheena wondered what Ben meant until the next dance when Zona asked if she wanted to dance. With Joe on one side and Zona on the other, Sheena got to dance another dance. She was smiling so much it made her face hurt but she didn’t care. After that dance, she asked for some punch and cookies. Most of the family sat for a bit enjoying the dance and watching Adam and Zona dance. There were a lot of envious looks because even though Adam had been gone for seven years and was forty-two and now nearly forty-three years old, some ladies in town had thought he still would have made a good husband. Of course, many of those ladies were more interested in the Ponderosa and the Cartwright wealth. Now they were a bit disdainful of Adam marrying a foreigner. However Roy and Paul were there to chat with the members of the family, and many people came over to talk with them. As the dance neared the end, Zona sat down and said she could use a break. Ben stood beside Adam then, and the two tall men looked down at Sheena. She grinned and nodded. With a little help, she stood and was able to dance a third time. Hoss and Bess danced near them, and Hoss told her she was one of the two most beautiful women on the dance floor.<\/p>\n By the time the dance was over, Sheena was exhausted, and she fell asleep on the way home with Joe’s arm around her and her head on his shoulder. Ben had never been so proud of his sons as he was at that moment. They had weathered a lot of trouble and come out a strong and loving family. No one could ever hope for more. As they arrived home and each son moved to escort his wife into the house, Ben looked to the heavens and said a fervent thank you.<\/p>\n “Hey, Pa, what ya praying for now?”<\/p>\n “Never you mind, Hoss. I have to do a lot of praying to make sure things work well around here. Now I hope someone plans to help me with these horses.”<\/p>\n “Yes, Pa, we’ll be out to help you as soon as we send the ladies to bed.” Adam grinned at his brothers. A short time later, the horses were in their stalls and the tack had been put away. Everyone went to their bedrooms except Ben who poured himself a small brandy and sat in his chair by the fireplace. He had admired some of the ladies at the dance that night, and began to think it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to bring another lady into the house. His sons would have been overjoyed to know he was thinking that way.<\/p>\n About three months later, on a Saturday morning, everyone got up a bit later than usual, and got down to the dining table about the same time. Hop Sing came out with a platter of ham and bacon, and another loaded with eggs. There already were fresh hot biscuits on the table, and the four men were breaking them open and spreading butter liberally on them. All three ladies asked Hop Sing if they could have tea. Zona took a biscuit and nibbled on the edge of it, but Bess headed out the door looking very pale. The three brothers looked up as she left, and noticed that Zona and Sheena weren’t eating except for nibbling on a plain biscuit. They were wondering what was wrong. Ben looked around the table.<\/p>\n “My boys, there’s going to be a lot more changes on the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n “Like what, Pa?”<\/p>\n “Joe, don’t you remember?”<\/p>\n Suddenly Joe did remember, and then his brothers understood too. There were going to be a lot more changes on the Ponderosa in about six months or so.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nothing in My Stocking<\/strong><\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n Bleeding and suffering from broken legs, Adam lay in snow that was choking him. He tried to claw his way out, but there was no relief. He wasn’t even sure which way was up. He felt as if gravity was telling him, but with the pain, cold, and shock, he wasn’t at all sure he could trust his senses. He tried to yell but had no breath to do it. He had to move and couldn’t. He had never felt so frustrated in all his life and so alone. Tears slid down his cheeks as he realized he would never hold the baby that was due to arrive soon. “I’m so sorry, Zona. Goodbye, sweetheart.” He could think of nothing more as the cold stole his thoughts and then his heartbeat.<\/p>\n “Wake up, Zona, wake up, sweetheart. You’re having a bad dream.” Adam had his arms wrapped around his wife and was whispering softly in her ear trying to calm her thrashing and trying to wake her as gently as he could. Gradually she calmed in his arms and her breathing slowed. He knew she was awake and trying to reclaim her sense of reality. “It’s all right. I’m right here.” Adam began caressing the swollen belly that held their child. He could feel the kicks and knew that the commotion has awakened the little one in the womb. “Now, you’ve got her all upset again.”<\/p>\n “It could be a boy.”<\/p>\n “I know. Some days I think of her as a cute little girl toddling after her mother, and other days I think of a handsome lad sitting in the saddle as his father rides over the land.”<\/p>\n “Why can’t it be a handsome little boy toddling after his mother or a cute little girl sitting on her father’s lap as he rides across the land?”<\/p>\n “It could. Now, was that the same dream you’ve been having for the last week?”<\/p>\n “Yes, you’re trapped in the snow, and you can’t get out. I can’t find you. You leave us all alone, and I’m so frightened to lose you so soon.”<\/p>\n “Now other than going out to cut greens and a tree tomorrow, I won’t be away from the house. Nothing that’s as bad as an avalanche can catch me here. I’ll be safe and here to take care of you and the little one.”<\/p>\n “Adam, when I came with you to America, you knew that was my greatest fear: to be left alone. You said I would never be alone as long as I was with your family. But I would be. I would be so alone without you.”<\/p>\n “You’ll have our little one.” Realizing what he had said, Adam quickly amended that statement. “And I’ll be here to love and cherish both of you.” Continuing to rub Zona’s stomach, Adam developed other thoughts. “Do you suppose I could love and cherish you a bit right now?”<\/p>\n “Adam, the doctor said if we did, it could cause me to start.”<\/p>\n “Yes, but sweetheart, that was a month ago, and you’re feeling better now, aren’t you? You haven’t complained of any cramping, and you saw Paul last week, and he said everything was normal. The baby is due to arrive very soon anyway, so it wouldn’t hurt anything now, would it?”<\/p>\n “Hmm, are you always thinking?”<\/p>\n “Ahh, yes, I am.” They both chuckled and then made love gently and as passionately as being careful allowed them. They fell asleep as they had every night they were together since they were married snuggled in each other’s embrace.<\/p>\n In his bedroom, Joe was having a nightmare too, and it was the one he had almost every night. It was the nightmare that the whole family had lived, but Joe had been the one to suffer the most. Each night as he awakened, he remembered that night he was up with Sheena and their daughter whom he was trying to soothe but who refused to be soothed. He knew his nightmare was also his reality. In his mind, he held the memory of that night a few months earlier when he had discovered that both his wife and his daughter were ill as if it was the previous day he was remembering and not the night months earlier that was the beginning of his tragedy. It was a night that both he and Sheena had been getting very frustrated, and Sheena was getting weak from the lack of rest and the low fever that she had. Eleanor was fussy and cried most of the time. All were sleep deprived and getting irritable. He could remember everything that happened that night as much as the rest of the family remembered that and the rest of that terrible week.<\/p>\n “Eleanor was never like this before. She’s got a dry gown, two of us to rock her, and she’s not hungry. Why is she crying?”<\/p>\n “Joe, I don’t know. I feel like crying myself. I’m tired and hot. She’s hot too. Maybe it’s too hot in here. I’m even getting a heat rash on my stomach.”<\/p>\n As those statements penetrated Joe’s frustration and exhaustion, he was suddenly very worried. “Eleanor has a rash too. But, Sheena, it isn’t hot in here. In fact, it’s a bit cool because you said you wanted it that way to sleep better. Eleanor is very hot too.”<\/p>\n “Joe, you’re scaring me. What do you think it is?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know. I’ll get some cool water and cloths. Maybe if we can cool her down, she’ll be able to sleep. Then maybe I can do the same for you, and then we can all sleep.”<\/p>\n What Joe didn’t want to admit was that he was scared too. He wondered what it was, but he knew that his wife and daughter had contracted some disease. He knew it in his heart and his mind. He planned to wait a few hours and then wake his father to ask for help. When he went into the kitchen, Hop Sing was there.<\/p>\n “Little girl have sick inside?”<\/p>\n “Hop Sing, remember when Hoss and I were sick when Adam was away at college. Pa said we had the measles, and you helped him take care of us. Sheena and Eleanor have a rash on their stomachs. I remember the rash, but what else would be a sign you had it?”<\/p>\n “It very bad if Missy Sheena have it. Very bad to have when not a child. Little ones sometime get very sick too. Very hot. No like to eat. Pain in head. That what I remember.”<\/p>\n “Yes, I think they both have a fever. They’re very hot.”<\/p>\n Hop Sing began gathering cloths. He handed two bowls to Joe and asked him to fill them with water. He took one for himself and grabbed a stack of cloth towels. Once they were in the bedroom, Joe knew he had to tell Sheena what he feared. She didn’t take it well. She was already handicapped using a wheelchair and crutches to get around. She had heard stories about measles blinding people and sometimes making them crazy.<\/p>\n “Joe, I can’t face this. It’s too much.”<\/p>\n “Sweetheart, people who have those things happen to them didn’t have proper care. I’ll take care of you and the family will help. Well, everyone except Adam.”<\/p>\n “Why not Adam? Is he too good to help out?”<\/p>\n “No, he never had them. It went through here when he was away at college, and Pa and Hop Sing had them when they were children. I guess Adam will have to move out along with anyone else who hasn’t had them.”<\/p>\n “Oh, Joe, what about Eleanor?” Sheena was suddenly scared for her older daughter.<\/p>\n “She may have them, but kids usually do all right. She’ll be a little sick for a week or so, and then she’ll be fine.”<\/p>\n “So Eleanor will be all right?”<\/p>\n “I guess so. I don’t remember very well. I was probably eight or nine. I’ll talk to Pa and Hop Sing. Now, Hop Sing is bathing Eleanor, and if you’ll lay back, I’ll do the same for you.”<\/p>\n “Could you move the dressing screen over here to give me some privacy.” Joe complied not wanting to tell her she wasn’t likely to be able to guard that privacy once the disease hit full force. He was scared too, and got his mind off of that by cooling Sheena with cool cloths. He could hear Eleanor fussing but it seemed to be less than before. When Sheena closed her eyes after about an hour, Joe went to talk to his father.<\/p>\n It didn’t take long for Ben to wake Hoss and Bess to find out if Bess had ever had measles. She had not and she was carrying a baby so Ben knew that to be safe, she should move out with<\/p>\n Adam and Zona. They could use the old cabin or Joe’s cottage or even the line cabin to the southeast. Ben turned to go talk with Adam and Zona.<\/p>\n “Why does Bess have to move out? Why can’t she stay in the bedroom?” Even as he said it, Hoss knew the answer. His unborn child was very vulnerable too, and they had to play it as safe as they could. “Pa, I always heard it’s best if you have them as a child. I know I was hardly even sick. I was kinda upset that you and Hop Sing made me stay in bed with the curtains closed for a few days.”<\/p>\n “Yes, children usually weather the measles fairly well. I remember the last time it came through here. A number of women lost their babies or gave birth to still born babies later. Now we could use your help here, but if you feel you have to be with your wife in her condition, we’ll understand.”<\/p>\n “No, I know I have to help. I’ll help Bess get packed up and I’ll help Zona and Adam get to wherever they’re gonna be. Has anyone checked with the hands to see if anyone is sick?”<\/p>\n “No, I’ll do that after I talk with Adam. I’m afraid we won’t have enough places for everyone who’s sick if it’s hit the hands. I’ll find out who’s already had them. The others might have to pitch a tent or use the barn if they’re not sick. Measles spreads like wildfire.”<\/p>\n “That bad?”<\/p>\n “Yes, that’s why we have to get Adam, Zona, and Bess out of the house as quickly as we can. We can pray they haven’t gotten it yet.”<\/p>\n While Hoss had been talking, Bess had waited quietly. As soon as Ben closed their door, she told Hoss what she needed packed. “You don’t want me to go with you then?”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I do, but they’re going to need you around here. I’ll miss you so much, but we have to take the best care of our little one that we can, and Zona is going to need to do the same too. She’s just as far along as I am. It’s probably a good thing that she’s had those leg pains and has been in bed most of the last week. Adam spent most of the last week with her when he wasn’t working. The two of us were busy too getting ready to move into our new house. Like Papa said, hopefully none of you have gotten it.”<\/p>\n By the time that Hoss had Adam, Zona, and Bess in the sleigh, Ben called to them to say that there were hands showing symptoms. They knew then that there was no point in going for the doctor. The only place anyone had been for a couple of weeks had been Virginia City. It had to be the source. Hoss drove the buckboard with supplies while Adam drove the sleigh to the southeast line shack. They would be short on bed space, but the building was more sound than the others, and they didn’t have time to do any kind of repairs. Adam would be busy enough taking care of chores and getting firewood. He had to pray too that Zona and Bess would stay healthy and he prayed he didn’t come down with anything. They had everything they needed, but he was scared that something might go wrong with no one to help them. Once all the supplies were unpacked and the horses that had pulled the sleigh were in the small lean-to which would be their only shelter, Hoss had to say goodbye to Bess.<\/p>\n “Now, I’ll come by every day that I can, and I’ll call out to you and wave. We can talk across the yard but no closer. Once I start helping with the sick ones, I can’t take a chance on getting too close to you. Now remember to use the signal if anything goes wrong, and we’ll send help. There are a couple of hands who haven’t had them and they’re heading to the loft and the tack room. If they don’t get sick, they can help out here. We should know in a couple of days if they’re gonna get sick or not.”<\/p>\n “I love you, big man. You take care and don’t wear yourself out. We’ll be fine here. Send up a few prayers for us though. I know Adam and Zona are scared. I am too.”<\/p>\n “Me too, darling. Me too.”<\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n For the rest of the family, that week when the measles epidemic began was frightening too. Zona and Bess were very frightened for their babies who were only a couple of months away from their arrival on the Ponderosa. Their husbands were equally as worried but had to remain strong.<\/p>\n “Adam, I’m so scared. What if something happens to our baby? What if you get sick?”<\/p>\n “Sweetheart, we have everything we need right here. It is frightening but we can handle this. You’re going to rest in the bed here, and I’ll massage your legs just like I did at home. We can read or talk or play a few games when you’re not sleeping.” Adam was not at all as confident as he felt talking with Zona. He hoped and prayed that the baby would be all right. Bess was just as worried but like Adam preferred to assume that none of them would get sick. As soon as the ladies were settled in, Adam knew he would have to go chop more firewood. Every line cabin was stocked but not for winter weather and not for more than a few days. He had a lot on his mind knowing that his brother faced the very real possibility of losing his wife and child. He would pray for them and for Eleanor and the hands who might contract the disease as well. There was one small bed in the line cabin but they had brought a mattress so that Bess would be comfortable. He had the thickest bedroll he had been able to find, and they had plenty of food. He had to make sure the lean-to was adequate should a storm come in and decided that tipping the sleigh on its side would help shield the horses from the worst of any bad weather. After spending two hours working outside, he headed back inside to find Bess cooking, and Zona sleeping. He whispered a thank you to Bess and quietly got some water to drink.<\/p>\n At the main house, things were not at all as peaceful. Sheena and Eleanor were very sick. Despite the best efforts of the men, each of the afflicted had high fevers. Eleanor didn’t even want to drink. Ben insisted they keep forcing her to take liquids, but she refused to open her mouth most of the time no matter how much Joe cajoled her to do it.<\/p>\n “With that fever, if she doesn’t drink, we could lose her. Eleanor will have to take a spoonful at a time so that’s how we have to do this.”<\/p>\n “Pa, how can we make her do that?” Joe was as scared as he could ever remember being.<\/p>\n “I learned to do this with Adam when he was little. He sometimes wouldn’t want to drink milk if he was tired or to take medicine he needed if he was sick. He was a very stubborn child. You pinch the nose closed and when they open their mouth, you put in a spoonful of milk releasing the nose at the same time. They have to swallow. It’s risky, but if that’s the only way, we have to try it.”<\/p>\n “Pa, will you do it? I’m too scared to try it.”<\/p>\n “All right, Joe, but you watch. You’re going to have to do it too until she starts to recover. Why don’t you put the privacy screen back up for Sheena and tell her to sleep if she can. She doesn’t need to see this.” Ben was trying to be hopeful and positive, but he knew that the child’s fever was extremely high. She wasn’t crying as much as she had just a few hours earlier. He knew it was getting to be critical with her already. Within a short time, he got the cool milk from Hop Sing and began to force feed her until she gave in and drank the milk. Joe was slightly relieved but nothing seemed to bring her fever down.<\/p>\n Hoss was in charge of the hands who were sick. There were only a few as they had a smaller crew for the winter months. Hoss sent those who had never had the disease to the barn. The loft and the tack room were in reasonable condition but not supplied with the necessities so he had the necessities for at least a week put in the barn. The other hands were told not to have any direct contact with the men who were being isolated for their own health.<\/p>\n “Now remember, measles seems to spread so fast and easy that any contact has to be avoided.” Once the men who hadn’t had the disease and were healthy were isolated, Hoss had further instructions. “Now the men who are sick here are going to need round the clock care. I’ve set up a schedule for what everybody has to do. The men staying in the barn will handle those chores. I’ve already sent a hand to town to see about us getting some help out here, but I’m thinking we may have to do this on our own.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, you think that this is in town too?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I do. The only place anybody has been lately is to town so that’s probably where somebody caught it and brought it here. We probably won’t even know who brought it here first. It just happened. Now, we have to get the chores and such done, and everybody is going to have to pitch in. Adam ain’t here. He’s never had ’em so he’s taking care of his wife and mine. Joe’s got his hands full with his wife and daughter who have it. That leaves me to do the rest of the work around here and help out Pa and Joe and Hop Sing, and I can’t do it all. Can I count on you men to do your best?”<\/p>\n The men nodded and Hoss thanked them. Then he moved to head back into the house, but Candy stopped him. “Griff is showing some signs of it, but he won’t get in the bed. I thought that maybe the two of us could be more persuasive.” Hoss and Candy walked over to where Griff sat with some of the other men playing cards.<\/p>\n “Now, I thought you pledged that you would follow orders when you got paroled into my Pa’s custody.”<\/p>\n “I’m not disobeying any orders.”<\/p>\n “How about the one that says anyone who’s sick has to be in their bunk resting for the next week?”<\/p>\n “Oh, that one. Hoss, I don’t feel that sick.”<\/p>\n “I know. I felt the same way when I had ’em, but to be sure you recover well and don’t ruin your eyes or nothing, you need to do what my Pa said were the rules.”<\/p>\n “Yes, sir.” And Griff reluctantly retreated to his bunk. Candy looked at Hoss and grinned. At least they didn’t have to worry about the teenager.<\/p>\n The hand sent to town returned with the news that the town had been quarantined. It didn’t surprise anyone. They had all suspected that the disease had come from town. Hoss had said they didn’t know who had brought the disease into their midst, but that wasn’t true. He and Ben had talked about it. Hoss and his brothers had not been to town in nearly a month. With their wives nearing delivery time, and then the two babies being born, they had stayed close to home and the ladies had been inside most of the time. Zona had been in bed for a week because of pain in her legs. Hoss and Bess had spent much of their time at their new home putting the finishing touches on it hoping to move in there as soon as windows, stoves, and furniture arrived. The hands had been busy covering all the work under Candy’s direction, and then the snow had put a damper on going to town. But on a Sunday, Ben had taken his granddaughter to church services. She had played with the other children after services. It was most likely that Eleanor had contracted the disease that day, and then she brought it home. It wasn’t her fault of course, but Hoss and Ben did not want anyone ever blaming the girl because there was a strong likelihood that not everyone would survive this outbreak.<\/p>\n As Joe watched his father painstakingly trying to feed spoonfuls of milk to his daughter, Joe felt helpless. He feared very much that his daughter would not live. She had thin wispy curls of hair surrounding a fine featured face. She was very small with a cute little button mouth that was twisted in pain now as her grandfather did his best to give her fluid and nourishment she so desperately needed. After getting her to drink a half cup of milk, Ben put her up on lap and rocked her. Her condition was far worse than they suspected however as she spewed all the milk out. It smelled sour and looked curdled. Ben looked helplessly at Joe. He didn’t know what else to do. Joe could barely hold the tears back. He stood and looked at his wife sleeping in a sweat soaked gown in the slightly chilled room and couldn’t speak. He stood there for several minutes trying to compose himself and get ready to do what he needed to do but it was extremely difficult as he saw that the rash had spread to Sheena’s neck and face and looked far worse as it mottled the skin making it look as hot as it probably felt. He looked at his father who was sitting in a chair holding Eleanor and softly humming to her. She was exhausted from hours of crying and struggling and had fallen asleep.<\/p>\n “Pa, I’ll ask Hop Sing to help me clean up this mess. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and then you can go get cleaned up too.”<\/p>\n At that point, Joe had thought they had reached the crisis point and his wife and child would begin to recover. He was very wrong. Two days later, he stood at the lake with his father and Hoss looking at the two new graves that were beside his mother’s. He had lost both of them within a few hours the day before. He was numb, and there were still sick people who needed their help. It was another week before the outbreak ended. Adam and Zona returned home, and Bess and Hoss finished their new home and moved there. Joe moved back into his old bedroom. It took days to pack up all of his wife’s things as well as his daughter’s. Joe did his best not to be maudlin and sad all the time because his brothers were looking forward to babies arriving. He remembered how excited he had been when Eleanor was born. He envied his brothers that joy, but he knew too the heartache it could cause if tragedy entered their lives as it had devastated his.<\/p>\n In early December, Joe volunteered to go to San Francisco with his father to negotiate timber contracts. Adam normally was the one to go but with Zona nearing the end of her pregnancy, Adam wanted to stay close. Hoss and Bess were also expecting their baby to arrive soon. Ben hoped to be back before the babies arrived, but Joe hoped that the babies might arrive while he was gone. It was quiet on the ranch until a man arrived saying they had trouble in the timber camp. Adam had to go to see about the trouble because Ben and Joe were gone, and Hoss had injured his hand working on finishing the nursery in his home. Zona asked Adam to please hurry back, but she had a sense of foreboding about this trip based on her nightmare.<\/p>\n “Sweetheart, it’s winter. There’s snow. I’m sure that your dream was because of the snow. You’ve never seen snowfall like this so I can understand how it could put you on edge.”<\/p>\n “It is more of a threat than I ever imagined. I guess I always thought of snow as gentle flakes falling in the moonlight. I had no idea it could blow into these huge drifts and cover everything so thoroughly.”<\/p>\n “I’ll be careful, and I’ll try to be home in three days. You rest while I’m gone and take care of our little one.” With a gentle touch to Zona’s swollen stomach and a light kiss, Adam headed out to the timber camp with Candy at his side for it wasn’t safe for one man to travel alone in the weather they had been having.<\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n With a lot of experience traveling in snow, Adam and Candy rode single file and took turns being in the lead. The trip to the timber camp took about three times longer than it would have without the snow. They were glad they had not had to bring any equipment or supplies with them for that would have slowed them even more and probably would have meant camping in the snow. As it was, it was nearly dusk by the time they reached the camp, but Adam had expected that. He hoped to have the issues resolved the next day so that he could get home on the third day as he had promised Zona. He also knew she was very close to her time for delivering the baby so he was anxious as well to get back. Candy even wondered why he had made the trip.<\/p>\n “I didn’t want to wait a day or two for Joe to get back and then send him out again. He’s had enough on his mind without adding any more stress. I’m hoping that having some quiet time with Pa helped him. I couldn’t expect Hoss to make the trip with a bad hand. That left me to go.”<\/p>\n “You could have waited and let your father make the trip.”<\/p>\n Adam just looked at Candy with a skeptical look. “After what we had to do to get up here today, you think I would let my father do it? He may be a strong man, but at his age, I don’t want to push him to do something like that trip through the snow.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I guess I didn’t think about it that way. You’re right. Now, let’s get some hot food and coffee.”<\/p>\n “After we find a nice spot for the horses and then a warm place to sleep after dinner.”<\/p>\n The foreman found them as they were taking care of their horses. He wanted to talk business right away, but Adam asked him to wait and discuss any concerns with them after they got a hot cup of coffee and some hot food. Later sitting at a table in the office warmed by a stove that generated a fair amount of heat, Adam listened as the foreman explained the issue.<\/p>\n “The men want to cut on the slopes closer to the camp especially with the early snows we got this year. It’s a lot of work to trudge an extra half mile with the equipment and the horses when there’s fine timber standing so much closer.”<\/p>\n “Can I see the map?” Looking at the map, Adam remembered marking the slope that the men wanted to cut as a no-cut area but didn’t remember why. Sometimes they kept some stands of trees as virgin forest for stability of the watershed, or because the trees had naturally been thinned by fire years earlier, or for any number of other reasons. These maps had been done quite a few years before, and there was no notation explaining why the area was not to be cut. “It seems simple enough. We’ll go out there tomorrow morning and evaluate the area. Maybe the reason it is a no-cut zone is no longer valid. I can’t tell from the map.”<\/p>\n “I think you’re probably right on that score. The slope is steep enough we won’t even need a flume. We can slide them right down the hill. There is a drop off, but once the snow falls and fills in the talus, they’ll keep rolling right on down to the bottom. It’ll be the easiest harvest we’ve done in a long time.”<\/p>\n The easy confidence of the foreman made Adam uneasy. He wondered if they had cut some of the trees already without checking the maps. If they had, then the problem, if there was one, could be compounded rather significantly. Candy saw his look and nodded. They waited for the foreman to leave before discussing it.<\/p>\n “Adam, I got the feeling that they may have gone ahead and started cutting there. The message they sent to the ranch house might have been no more than telling you they were going to do it. If they did, is that going to make this trip a lot more difficult?”<\/p>\n Adam frowned. He didn’t know the answer to that question. “I wish I could remember why we marked that slope for no cutting. We rarely do that unless the reason is substantial. If the cut is questionable, we usually cut in a checkerboard fashion or we take less than the usual amount out not thinning it as much. To say no cutting at all meant that there was something very important about that slope. I just don’t remember.”<\/p>\n “Maybe it’s not that important then if you can’t remember?”<\/p>\n “No, I’m afraid it may have been very important. I made these maps a long time ago, and I don’t remember because so much has happened since then, but no one in the family marked it any differently so they must have thought the reason was valid.”<\/p>\n There was nothing they could do about anything that night, and both were very tired so they went to bed early expecting to get up early and head out to the slope after a good hot breakfast. It worked much as they expected. Adam stood on the slope the next morning staring up the side of the mountain. Candy was at his side and the foreman was approaching when Adam began talking.<\/p>\n “Have you done any cutting on this slope because it looks like a few logs have been sliding down here?”<\/p>\n “Well, we cut only a couple to see if the slope worked as well as we thought it might before we contacted you. We wanted to make sure that what we thought was true.”<\/p>\n “It doesn’t matter. This slope is too dangerous to cut.”<\/p>\n “What? We cut some trees, and there was no problem.”<\/p>\n “Look up the side of the mountain and you can see that these trees are shorter than all the rest. If you look over the drop off, you can see that the talus slope looks more like a landslide than the side of the mountain slowly breaking up. This is an avalanche hazard. It’s obvious that at least one has happened here before. It’s too dangerous to cut here.”<\/p>\n The foreman stared at him wondering how to tell him what he had told a crew to do that morning. Finally he decided not to tell him but just to tell the crew not to do it. Turning up the slope, he yelled. “Don’t slide it down.”<\/p>\n Adam looked down at his feet as the man yelled. The top layer of snow appeared to have moved. He grabbed the foreman and Candy by the shoulder. “Run! As fast as you can, run!” Adam pushed them to get them started and then began running as fast as he could across the slope headed back toward the camp. Instinctively Candy knew that this man didn’t panic unless there was a damn good reason so he kept running right behind Adam. The foreman hesitated not understanding why the two men were running until he heard a crackling from up above. He looked and saw what looked like a wall of trees and snow headed toward him. He never had a chance of escaping it because of his hesitation although he did try to run as he had been told to do. Adam looked back and saw the same thing headed their way and knew they wouldn’t make it either. He headed toward the drop off and yelled to Candy to follow him. He dropped down the twelve feet and Candy was soon beside him. Snow was already flying over their heads. Adam pulled his coat up over his head and dropped to his knees facing the side of the mountain pressing himself in as close to it as he could. Candy imitated him, but soon felt snow and branches scraping across his back. In a minute it was over. Candy worked to turn around and all he could see was blackness. He reached out and felt hard packed snow.<\/p>\n “Well, now we’re in a mess. I don’t suppose you brought a shovel with you?”<\/p>\n Candy turned to look at Adam as if he could see him in the darkness. “Are you always a smart ass?”<\/p>\n “Most of the time. Now, we’ve got a big job ahead of us. We have to dig our way out. I’m guessing there are tons of snow above us, so we’re going to go sideways instead. All along this rock wall, the snow should be lighter or even open. We can get out this way.”<\/p>\n “How can you know that? You can’t see anything either.” Adam said nothing so Candy did. “So I suppose it’s because you’re older and smarter. Joe has told me that you said that to him on more than one occasion.” Adam was still quiet. “All right, we’ll do it your way. It probably would work better than trying to dig up through snow and trees that are probably twelve feet thick right about here. We’ll probably find more air doing it your way too.”<\/p>\n “Candy, I do like that about you.”<\/p>\n “What?”<\/p>\n “You do hold a rather logical conversation with yourself when given the chance.” Adam turned slowly to the right not making a sound to let Candy know how badly he was hurt. It wouldn’t matter anyway if they didn’t get out of here, and neither of his injuries was going to stop him from crawling and digging at the snow. They wouldn’t be able to switch positions though because the space they had was too narrow. “I’ll dig at the snow and push it behind me as much as I can. You’ll have to take it and push it behind you except when we find open spaces, but they probably won’t be any bigger than the one we’re in now.”<\/p>\n “All right. Enough talking. Just start digging.” Adam and Candy turned to start the arduous task of digging out from under the avalanche. Candy bumped Adam’s foot causing him excruciating pain in his ankle. He knew it was hurt but wouldn’t need it for what they were doing. He only hoped he wouldn’t have it jarred too often as the pain would be as exhausting as the work they had to do, and he needed all of the strength he had for that task.<\/p>\n Up above, the loggers has seen the men running and then saw their foreman swept down the slope even as they saw Adam and Candy disappear from sight over the drop off. They carefully walked down to that spot, but all they could see was snow. Mixed in with it were rocks, boulders, and trees. They couldn’t see how anyone could have survived such an avalanche. The man who had worked as the foreman’s assistant sent two men to tell the Cartwrights what had happened. He told the others that they should wait for instructions.<\/p>\n On the Ponderosa, Joe and Ben were arriving home when the two messengers from the timber camp arrived. They saw Ben and approached him with the news. He had been leading Buck into the stable and had to lean against him when he heard what had happened. Joe was in shock. He didn’t think he could take any more loss than what he had suffered only a few months earlier. He had talked with his father on this trip and was slowly finding some peace, but now that was shattered. Hoss came outside because he had heard horses arriving. Seeing his father looking almost gray and Joe standing with his eyes closed, Hoss was as scared as he could be.<\/p>\n “What happened? Pa, you all right? Joe, what’s going on?”<\/p>\n Joe opened his eyes and looked to Hoss before pointing to the two messengers. The two men repeated what had happened at the timber camp, and then Hoss was in as much shock as the others. It took a moment for him to realize he needed to take charge.<\/p>\n “You two men go in the bunkhouse and get some food. We’ll head back to the timber camp tomorrow. Send two hands out here to take care of these horses. We’ll be taking a full crew up to that camp tomorrow. We’re gonna find my brother and Candy.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, what are we going to tell Zona? This is an awful big shock. It could cause problems for her in her condition.” Joe was worried about Zona and the baby almost as much as he was worried about Adam and Candy especially because of what had happened to Sheena and the baby she was carrying when she died.<\/p>\n “I know. We’re gonna tell her that there’s been some trouble at the timber camp, and we’re going up there tomorrow to take care of it. Don’t say nothing about what those men said. Adam and Candy ain’t dead. I ain’t believing that for one minute. We’re gonna find ’em.”<\/p>\n Ben finally found his voice. “Hoss, men lost in an avalanche have to be found before they run out of air. By the time we get there tomorrow, it will be a day and a half without air. How can they survive that?”<\/p>\n “Pa, don’t you say that and don’t you forget that it’s Adam and Candy. They’re two of the smartest men I know. Those two loggers said that it looked like Adam and Candy jumped over the edge before the snow got there. I’m hoping that means that my brother had a plan, and now he and Candy are working that plan to get out of there alive. We’re gonna take some shovels and such, and we’re gonna go help ’em. Now you just tell Zona what I said we’re gonna tell her, and I’m gonna go talk with the men and tell ’em what we’re gonna do. We’ll head out of here tomorrow morning as soon as we can.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, should you be leaving Bess now? She’s almost ready to have that baby.”<\/p>\n “I know, but she’ll understand. Hop Sing will be here to help, and one of the hands can ride for the doc whenever if it happens.”<\/p>\n “Maybe she should stay in the main house with Zona. It would be good for Zona, I think, and then they could help each other.”<\/p>\n “All right. That sounds like a good idea. I’ll talk to her about that. We’ll get it all worked out by tomorrow morning.”<\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/strong><\/p>\n “So this is your best guess as to where they were when they avalanche reached them?” Ben stood in the midst of the avalanche looking at tons of snow mixed with broken, fallen trees and ragged junks of rocks and boulders that had been sluiced down the hill. Ben had seen avalanche results before, but this one had to be the worst by far. His heart had sunk when he first saw what had happened. He couldn’t help but look up the hill at the devastation wrought by snow. He had told Zona it was just snow, and they would dig Adam and Candy out of it, but looking at it, he doubted those words completely.<\/p>\n Hoss was as shocked as his father, but he wouldn’t let anything discourage him. He was as sure as he could be that both Adam and Candy were alive. His older brother and his friend who was like a brother had to be alive as far as he was concerned, and there was no benefit to thinking they were not. He took the shovel he had and began digging. Joe watched him start, but he felt hopeless. He had endured the death of his wife, unborn child, and daughter as well as the months of grief and loneliness that followed, and now he feared he had to accept the death of his oldest brother and his good friend. It was threatening to overwhelm him. Ben saw how differently his two sons were facing this. He picked up a shovel and handed it to Joe before grabbing another and digging beside Hoss. Soon Joe was on the other side of Hoss digging as well. Silently the other men picked up shovels and joined the effort although none of them expected to find anyone alive in that mess. They spent the day digging but made little progress as the snow had hardened into icy blocks that required pick axes and rope to move once they cleared an area around each one. They had to saw through yard wide tree trunks. Rocks had to be pulled from the excavation as the icy chunks of snow were. Progress was exceedingly slow where they were digging.<\/p>\n Under the avalanche and against the side of the drop off, the digging was easier except that Adam and Candy had no tools. Adam had removed his gloves to better dig for a time until his fingers were bloody and he had to stop. The digging had been slow then until they found some broken tree branches that they could use. Adam and Candy were nearing exhaustion having been digging almost nonstop for over a day and a half. They didn’t sleep for they knew that would likely mean they would die. They did have water because they could suck on the snow but didn’t do that any more than they had to do it because they were in danger of hypothermia as well.<\/p>\n “Adam, does it seem that it’s getting a bit lighter in our snow prison?”<\/p>\n Twisting his head around, Adam was able to make out the shape of Candy behind him. He had thought too that it was getting lighter where they were and seeing Candy was proof that he was not hallucinating. He sat down then and leaned against the rock wall. “It’s up to you to get us out of here then.”<\/p>\n “Why? You can’t give up now!”<\/p>\n “No, but I can’t stand on my ankle either, and we need to clear a way up through the snow now. It shouldn’t be too difficult. The snow has been getting softer and easier to dig through for the last couple of hours.”<\/p>\n “Why didn’t you say something about your ankle before?”<\/p>\n “I didn’t need it until now.”<\/p>\n Shaking his head, Candy began clawing and chipping away at the snow above them. It fell on Adam who pulled his legs up to his body as tightly as he could to give Candy room to dump the snow. It was going to be tight. Within about fifteen minutes, the snow fell in on them as Candy cleared enough. They saw the sky for the first time in about thirty-six hours.<\/p>\n “All right, now, you stand up with my help and I’ll push you up through that hole.”<\/p>\n “You should go first.”<\/p>\n “Enough with giving the orders. I’ve done everything you told me to do since we ended up down here. Now it’s your turn. I’ll push you up, and then you can help pull me up.”<\/p>\n “I guess it wouldn’t work the other way.”<\/p>\n “No, it wouldn’t. You finally see that I can have good ideas too. Now let me help you stand, and I’ll push you up by using my hands as a stirrup on your good leg.”<\/p>\n It was extremely awkward and difficult to do, but finally Candy had Adam’s foot in his hand and heaved him up. Slowly he watched as Adam pulled himself the rest of the way out of the hole and then dropped an arm to help Candy get out. Using the snow, Candy built up a step until he could reach Adam’s hand. Then on the count of three, he jumped as high as he could as Adam pulled. He was halfway out but in danger of pulling both of them back into the hole when it seemed hands appeared from everywhere and pulled him up and out. He had hands slapping his back and yelling his name. It took a moment to realize it was the rest of the Cartwrights and a bunch of hands from the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n “Dadgummit, Candy, it was a miracle to see a body come slithering up outta that snow. We were up there digging until Joe saw Adam coming out. That yellow coat of his is like a flag waving in all this snow. Then to see your head pop out as we got close set my heart to thumping. It sure is good to see the two of you.”<\/p>\n Ben was concerned because Adam didn’t even try to stand, and he dropped to his knees beside his eldest son. The words he heard almost made him cry.<\/p>\n “Pa, my ankle is hurting too bad to stand. Do you think you could help me?”<\/p>\n “I would be very happy to help you. Joe, could you take the other side?”<\/p>\n Between the two of them, they got Adam up and began hobbling toward the camp. Several hands came up to help and they soon had Adam’s legs so that they could carry him, and that made the trek through the snow easier and faster than helping an injured man to walk. Once they got the two exhausted men back to camp, they got them out of their damp clothing and wrapped in warm blankets. Both were given cups of hot coffee and some stew. Hoss wrapped Adam’s ankle after they removed his boots.<\/p>\n “It don’t look broken. It looks more like an awful sprain, but that probably is about the same as if it was broken. You aren’t going to be able to walk for a bit. As soon as you get done with that coffee and stew, I want to look at your back and at Candy’s. Looks like you got pounded real good by stuff.”<\/p>\n “Yes, the first wave of snow coming over had a lot of rocks and tree branches mixed in. I felt a blow to my back, but I couldn’t do anything about it. Hoss, what did you tell Zona?”<\/p>\n “Adam, we told her we was coming up here to dig you and Candy out. I was sure you two were still alive so we left her with that idea.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, she’s so close. I hope that worrying won’t make her start. Paul said she was close and almost anything could start it.”<\/p>\n “Bess is close too, and we’ll get you home tomorrow so both of us can be there when our babies get born. Now you need to sleep.” Hoss had finished looking over the bruises on Adam’s back determining that they were not the result of some internal injury although they were very tender and purple.<\/p>\n “Hoss, I can’t sleep.”<\/p>\n “Adam, you ain’t even tried. Close your eyes, and I can darn well guarantee ya that you’re gonna sleep.”<\/p>\n Almost reluctantly, Adam closed his eyes. Hoss’ prophecy was correct. As soon as Adam gave in to his exhaustion, he was asleep. Candy watched from the next bunk.<\/p>\n “If I had to be trapped in an avalanche, I’m glad it was with him. He saved my life twice. First he got me to run sideways. I would have run straight down that hill trying to get away. Then when we got down by that drop off and got buried, he was cool and calm as could be. He just said how we were gonna dig ourselves out by following the wall of that drop off until we got away from where the avalanche had been. He never said a word about that ankle, and it must have been hurting him terribly.”<\/p>\n “Yup, that’s our older brother. Now once I take a look at your back, you need to sleep too. We’ll get this camp organized and ready to go. Tomorrow, we’ll head on home.” Candy nodded pleased to see how Hoss had taken charge. He knew he had it in him, but he hadn’t asserted himself like that before. With a small smile, Candy closed his eyes and felt a final firm squeeze on the shoulder from Hoss just before he fell asleep.<\/p>\n Walking across the room, Hoss joined Ben and Joe at a table. Ben was talking softly to Joe, and Hoss had a fairly good idea what it was that had their attention. That was proven by Joe’s next statement.<\/p>\n “I’m glad God saw fit to save Adam and Candy. It’s really great that Adam can be with his wife when his child is born, but if God could do that, why couldn’t he save Eleanor. She was only a little thing, but she still had her life to live. She never got a chance. She was completely innocent and just lost her life for no reason.”<\/p>\n “Joe, we can’t begin to understand God’s mind, but he gives us choices and challenges. People have asked your question over and over. If God took care of every bad thing that could happen to us, and if he vanquished all the evil in the world for us, what would be the point of us living? He’s given us these lives to live to show what kind of people we are and if we can keep our faith and our beliefs even when the most awful and painful things happen to us and to those we love.”<\/p>\n “I find it so hard to accept that, Pa.”<\/p>\n “I know, Joseph, because I felt the same way many times and questioned my faith in God.” Both Hoss and Joe knew very well what he meant by that. “What I have to believe is that those lives were not lost. They got to go to heaven and live there while I still had to prove my faith here on earth. I can only hope that I have done that well enough so that I can join them someday.”<\/p>\n “Pa, I don’t like you talking about leaving. Too many have left lately. I need all of you to stick around for a while yet.”<\/p>\n “Joe, don’t you worry. As long as we stick together, Pa and all of us will be sticking around for a long time. Now eat that stew. Everybody needs to get some good food and some rest. We got to get Adam home tomorrow, and that ain’t gonna be the easiest thing especially with that ankle of his.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, if it’s not broken, why would it be such a problem?” Ben had thought that bruising would be less painful than a break, but he had to trust Hoss’ expertise on this one because his son was a natural healer.<\/p>\n “Pa, we’re gonna have to splint it like it’s broken, or he’ll have so much pain, he’ll fall right outta that saddle. But riding with a splint on ain’t easy neither so he’s gonna need a lot of help so we can keep up a good pace and get home by tomorrow night. I’m thinking we’ll have the hands and Joe break a trail in front of us. Then you ride next to Candy, and I’ll ride next to Adam to make sure they can ride all right. Both of them are probably gonna be feeling pretty stiff and sore tomorrow. They got pounded by the avalanche and then worked real hard for a day and a half or more. Between some nasty bruises on their backs from the avalanche and then the cuts and scrapes and sore muscles from digging out, they’re gonna feel every step of those horses.”<\/p>\n Ben and Joe nodded, but Ben was also pleased with the take-charge attitude of his middle son. He hadn’t seen much of that before, but Hoss seemed to fit the role very naturally. “Hoss, you have done very well with this rescue mission. You tell us what to do, and we’ll do it. Right, Joe?”<\/p>\n “Right, Pa. Hoss sure knew what he was doing bringing us all up here. I feel better about things than I have since I lost Sheena and Eleanor. It felt good to have something turn out well and not have to deal with losing anyone. Life is looking up again.”<\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/strong><\/p>\n On the Ponderosa, there was another kind of crisis. Zona and Bess had been talking. Unfortunately the first day when Zona asked, Bess had explained what an avalanche was and how fast rescues had to be done in order for anyone caught in one to survive.<\/p>\n “But it’s been a day and a half not hours! Adam could be dead!”<\/p>\n Realizing what she had done, Bess tried to reassure Zona. “No, Hoss said that Adam knew what to do, and that they’d have him and Candy out of there in no time.” Now Bess had been feeling some cramping and thought it was possible she was going into labor, but the pains had been far apart and not very bad at all. She had no one to ask so she had thought to wait a bit and see if they got worse and\/or closer together. As Zona began to panic, Bess felt her cramps do just that. She bent over in pain with the latest one that shook up Zona.<\/p>\n “Bess, what’s wrong? Oh, no, you’re having the baby, aren’t you. Let me get Hop Sing and then we’ll get you up to your bed.”<\/p>\n Zona rushed to the kitchen and returned with the family cook and friend who had also helped the family through innumerable injuries and illnesses over the years. He and Zona helped the much taller Bess to stand, and her water broke. She was embarrassed and wanted to help clean up the mess.<\/p>\n “No, no, Hop Sing clean up after you in bed. Missy Zona help you get ready. Hop Sing send for doctor and take care everything else.”<\/p>\n After Hop Sing left, Zona helped Bess strip the bed and place towels and old sheets on it. Then Bess slipped on a clean gown and laid back in the bed just as a major contraction hit.<\/p>\n “Zona, I don’t think the little one is going to wait for the doctor. I think you and Hop Sing are going to have to help me.”<\/p>\n “Bess, that might be a problem.”<\/p>\n “It’s as natural as anything, Zona. You can do it.”<\/p>\n “No, I’m scared for Adam and now I think our little one is coming too. I’m feeling some terrible cramping down low. Is that what it feels like?”<\/p>\n “I guess so. That’s what I felt, but I’ve never done this before either. You better tell Hop Sing and get yourself in your bed too. He’s gonna have his hands full if both of us are doing this at the same time.”<\/p>\n “Bess, I want Adam to be here. I want him to be all right. I’m afraid for him, and for me, and for our baby.”<\/p>\n “I know, and I’m sorry I opened my big mouth and scared you, but Hoss said he was sure Adam would be alive when they got there. You gotta trust the big man. He’s usually right. He’s gonna be mad at me for getting you so scared.”<\/p>\n Zona nodded as she left the room, but the tears didn’t stop. She grabbed some towels from the linen closet and went to the bedroom she shared with Adam doing the same to her bed as she had helped Bess do to hers. Then she slowly removed her dress and slipped on a gown. She kept coming back to the things that Bess had said about avalanche rescues and how Hoss was ‘usually’ right. She closed her eyes ad cried silently as she prayed for her husband and her baby. When Doctor Martin arrived, he was told by Hop Sing that both ladies had started their labor.<\/p>\n “These Cartwrights never do anything the easy way even if they are Cartwrights by marriage. Well, let’s get inside. Griff, come with us. We’re going to need another set of hands to help.”<\/p>\n “What? Huh? I can’t help. I’ve never helped anyone with a baby.”<\/p>\n “Neither has any other man out in the bunkhouse, but you’re closest so come with us. Wait, go wash your hands first and put on clean clothes although they aren’t likely to stay clean. Then Hop Sing will tell you what you need to do. Now go.”<\/p>\n Paul had to smile a bit at the young hand’s look of sheer terror. He was sure Griff would try to get someone else to help, but knowing cowhands the way he did, Paul knew he would see Griff upstairs very soon and probably with a very scared look. As he walked up the stairs, he heard two women crying out in pain. He thought he would check in on Zona first. As the smaller of the two women, he thought she might be the one most likely to have trouble. He entered that bedroom to find Zona leaning against the bed instead of being in it.<\/p>\n “Zona, you should be resting.”<\/p>\n “Doctor, I knew you were going to say that, but it hurts more when I’m lying down. This feels better although it still hurts much more than I knew. I’ve never been around a baby being born, and this little ankle biter is hurting me something fierce. I know it has to be a boy.”<\/p>\n “Ankle biter?”<\/p>\n “Ah, it’s a word for a toddler or very small child. You know, they’re down crawling around by your ankles. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be offensive in any way.”<\/p>\n “Zona, it’s all right. I was simply confused by a term I had never heard before. It didn’t offend at all. With what I’ve heard women say while I was helping them with their babies has been so broad a spectrum, that I’m not sure anything anyone could say would offend me. Now, could you recline on the bed for me to examine you quickly? Then I need to get in to see Bessie Sue.”<\/p>\n “Who?”<\/p>\n “I’m sorry, I simply slipped back into what she was called before she and Hoss got together officially. It’s Bess now, I know. Now let me see how you’re doing.”<\/p>\n After an exam, Paul was relieved somewhat for it appeared that Zona had just begun to have contractions even if they were very strong but they were still several minutes apart. He hoped that Bess would have her baby so that he could spend more time with Zona later. Either way, the next twelve hours or so looked to be a busy time. He found Bess was struggling a great deal and had to calm her down first before he could examine her.<\/p>\n “Bess, everything looks normal but the baby seems big. Now with Hoss being large and you being a tall woman, that’s not too surprising, but for a first birth, you may find this more painful than you expected. Let me assure you though that everything seems fine. Now I want you to relax in between the pains and breathe deeply. Then when the pains come, I’ll tell you what to do. All right?”<\/p>\n Bess nodded. It was calming to have the doctor there. At least she wasn’t alone any more. She followed his instructions, but unfortunately his caution that the pain would be more than she expected was only too true. She had helped horses foal and cows calve, but nothing in that had prepared her for the feeling that she was being turned inside out by this baby. By the time Paul told her that the baby had crowned and she needed to push, she had to dig deep for reserves of strength. Hop Sing was there wiping her brow and her arms with cool cloths the whole time and occasionally giving her sips of soothing tea. When Paul told her to push and then to push and then push more, she thought she would faint. Somehow she didn’t but collapsed when she felt the baby leave her birth canal. She couldn’t even open her eyes at first, but then wanted to get out of bed when she heard the baby cry.<\/p>\n “No, no, Missy Bess must stay laying down. I clean up, and doctor clean up baby. We take care of everything and Missy Bess just stay resting.”<\/p>\n “But, Hop Sing, the baby is crying.”<\/p>\n At the foot of the bed, Doctor Martin was busy wiping the baby and then wrapping him in a soft cotton blanket that Hop Sing had provided. “Bess, I’m cleaning him up, but that cry tells you he’s healthy. He’s a big one, but he’s fine. Now in just a moment, I’ll lift him up so you can see him and hold him if you want.” Paul lifted the baby who still had the umbilical cord trailing out of the blanket and settled him across Bess’ chest. “Hold him there while I tie off the cord.” Once that was done and Hop Sing had cleared away everything, Paul pulled a clean sheet up over Bess and then laid a blanket down on top of that before he and Hop Sing put a couple of pillows behind Bess propping her up. “There, now, you can get to know your son while I go see to Zona. Griff hasn’t come running so everything must be all right in there. He’s going to be sitting with you next so Hop Sing can help with the next delivery.”<\/p>\n It was late at night by the time that Bess finished her labor. Zona was getting into the home stretch by dawn. Finally by midmorning, both babies and both mothers were sleeping soundly and Hop Sing and Doctor Martin could sit down and get something to eat. Paul went into the downstairs guest room then to sleep, and Hop Sing went to his room at the back of the house. They told Griff to let them know if they were needed. Griff sat in a chair in the hallway upstairs with both bedroom doors open so he could hear if there was any need for him. He had been able to sleep that morning after Bess nursed her baby although he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to get that picture out of his head. Then Doctor Martin had said that Zona was nursing her baby which was a great relief to Griff that he didn’t have to assist her. Paul had smiled benevolently at him and then told him what he had to do next. He said as many prayers as he could remember his mother teaching him as a youngster, and looked up to Heaven and thanked God when he heard horses and looked out the window of the bedroom where Bess was asleep to see everyone safely back. As quietly and as quickly as he could, he raced down the stairs to open the front door and welcome them back. Hoss was the first into the house followed by Ben supporting Adam who was hopping on one leg, and then Candy who was leaning on Joe.<\/p>\n “I’m sure awful glad to see you back here. Hoss, I’m sorry I had to look at your wife’s breasts but Doc said I had to stay until the baby was done and then I had to rock him. Adam, thank God, I never had to look at your wife’s breasts cause Doc done it for me. I had to sit with your wife though, and she was crying so I tried to wipe her tears away but she grabbed my hand and made me sit by her. I swear it was all her idea. I never would have sat on your bed with your wife if she hadn’t made me but she was so scared, I guess she needed somebody. Now that you’re here, I can finally get out of here. Oh Doc is sleeping in the downstairs bedroom and Hop Sing is sleeping too so I guess there’s nothing to eat, well nothing hot anyway, but you all can take care of that, I guess. I’m going.”<\/p>\n Hoss and an exhausted Adam were staring at the young man, but Joe and Candy were laughing. Ben shushed them and halted Griff before he could escape to the bunkhouse.<\/p>\n “Are you saying that Bess and Zona had the babies, and you helped?”<\/p>\n “Yes, sir, Mr. Cartwright, I did, but I didn’t want to, but nobody else would help so Doc said then I had to do it. I never want to do anything like that ever again, Mr. Cartwright. I don’t care what anybody pays me, I’m never doing it again.”<\/p>\n Hoss had turned to rush up the stairs, but Adam couldn’t manage on his own so Ben continued on with him although Adam wanted to go faster than Ben would allow so there was some angry muttering from the oldest son. Everyone could hear Hoss when he woke Bess and saw his son for the first time. It made everyone smile, but then there was a plaintive cry from Zona, and Ben began to move faster with Adam so he wouldn’t try to hop there on his own. Once Ben got Adam to the doorway, he let him lean on the door frame.<\/p>\n “Oh, my God, you’re all right. I prayed and prayed.” Zona started crying, and that woke the baby who started crying as well.<\/p>\n “Adam, go to your wife. I’ll get the baby for you.”<\/p>\n Adam hopped over to the bed and sat by his wife pulling her gently into his arms and rubbing her back softly. “It’s all right. I’m fine. I know Hoss told you I would be, and I am.”<\/p>\n “But you’re hopping?”<\/p>\n “My ankle is hurt, but that’s all.” A harrumph from Ben made him amend that. “Well, I have some bruises too, but that’s all.” Zona was trembling but gradually getting her composure. Ben handed the baby to Adam who held him almost reverently, but that made the baby cry.<\/p>\n “Son, pull him close to you and hold him tight. It’s a cold scary world for him right now and he needs the reassurance of your warmth and your embrace.”<\/p>\n Pulling his son into his arms and cuddling him, Adam began to rock slowly from side to side calming his son. Zona put one hand on the baby and one on Adam’s arm.<\/p>\n “What’s his name?”<\/p>\n Adam looked at Zona who nodded. “We had picked out Gabriel if it was a boy, so he’s Gabriel Michael Cartwright.”<\/p>\n “A good name. Now I have another grandchild to meet.”<\/p>\n Ben pulled the door closed to let the family have some privacy and allow Adam to tell Zona what had happened to him. He stepped through the door to see Hoss sitting with Bess leaning back into him and holding a large baby. Bess looked exhausted yet.<\/p>\n “Pa, this here’s Isaiah Anthony Cartwright. Ain’t he a big one, Pa?”<\/p>\n That was almost an understatement. Joe and Candy came up to see the babies next and were complimentary at the beauty of Adam’s son, and the impressive size of Hoss’ son. Isaiah even picked his head up for a moment and appeared to look at them.<\/p>\n “Hoss, I may have to buy him a shaving kit for his first birthday. He’s almost big enough already.”<\/p>\n “Joe, I don’t want you joking about his size.”<\/p>\n “Sorry, Hoss, I was just kidding a little. He is a very handsome boy. You should be very proud to have him for your son.”<\/p>\n Ben was able to hold him for a while as the proud grandfather. “Hoss, he looks both like Inger and like Bess. He’s going to be tall and strong, and with that blond hair, blue eyes, and those lips, he’s going to be catching the girls’ eyes very soon.”<\/p>\n “What does Adam’s son look like?”<\/p>\n “He looks a lot like Adam did at birth. He’s long and slender. He’s got dark fuzz so I would guess he’s going to have dark hair like his father and mother.”<\/p>\n “Pa, this is gonna be a great Christmas this year, ain’t it?” Then Hoss saw Joe turn and leave. “I’m sorry, Pa. I wasn’t thinking. I’ll talk to Joe later.”<\/p>\n “He’ll be fine, Hoss, but your joy and Adam’s have reminded him very painfully of what he lost. He was holding it in, but talking about Christmas was more than he could handle right now. He’s still grieving.”<\/p>\n “I know. I’ll tell him how sorry I am. Could you let him know I will?”<\/p>\n “Hoss, Joe and I have been talking about loss a lot. He understands, but his heart is still broken and needs more time to heal. He knows you didn’t mean to cause him any pain. You can’t hold back your joy and neither can Adam nor should you. This is a time of celebration. Joe will be all right. He’ll come to love these two little boys, but you need to give him some time.<\/p>\n Chapter 6<\/strong><\/p>\n “Mr. Cartwright, we been looking but we can’t find his body at all. Maybe in spring, we can find him and bury him.” Before leaving the lumber camp, Ben had appointed the foreman’s assistant as temporary foreman and was getting the first report the man had to deliver. There apparently was no sign of the foreman who had also been caught in the avalanche. Ben nodded waiting for him to continue. “We started cutting again using the maps that are marked off. We have to go the long way around to avoid that avalanche so it’s taking more time. We were wondering if it was all right to cut a road across that slope or if that’s too dangerous to do.”<\/p>\n “I’ve asked Adam, and he said it’s too dangerous at this point. In the summer, we’ll see what we can do to make another avalanche less likely, but right now that slope is extremely slippery. Frankly, I would rather not see as many trees cut rather than see another man die. Now you tell that to the men. Safety is more important than cutting. We pay by the day, and as long as we get an honest day’s work, we won’t worry about how fast things are going. We don’t have any contracts with penalties in them at the moment, so you use your best judgment on where to cut, but follow the marked trees and the maps.”<\/p>\n “Is Adam all right? I mean, will he be able to come up to the camps and help us mark trees for cutting. We only got about enough marked for the next month.”<\/p>\n “Right now, he’s on crutches. In a month, someone will be up there to mark trees. Now, would you like to have a hot meal while we finish our discussion? Hop Sing has been keeping stew hot because with everything that’s happened, meal times have been disrupted.” Ben and his timber foreman went into the kitchen for some lunch.<\/p>\n Upstairs, Adam had to tell his wife what was in his heart. “Zona, sweetheart, I’m so sorry to have missed the birth of my son.” Adam was sitting by his wife as she nursed their son. The whole process was fascinating to him, and he loved the look of contentment that both his son and his wife got when it was time for Gabriel to suckle.<\/p>\n Smiling, Zona told him that she understood. “I would have missed it too if I could have, but I think I had an easier time of it than Bess. Paul said that Isaiah is very big. I can’t wait to see him. Maybe Papa or Hoss can bring him over here so we can see him.” Refreshed after a good night’s sleep and time to recuperate from the delivery, Zona had some questions. “And now tell me what happened to you. And what happened to your hands? And what happened to your leg?”<\/p>\n “It’s not my leg. It’s my ankle and it got bruised up a little when we got caught in the avalanche. We had some cover but the stuff coming over the top of us wasn’t just snow. Our backs got pummeled, and something hit my ankle very hard. I couldn’t dig out enough snow with my gloves on so for a while, I did it with my bare hands. You have to know I would do anything to get back to my family.” Seeing the wide-eyed look Zona had at that point, Adam knew he had said too much, but he couldn’t take any of it back. He had to explain in more detail that hardly helped, but finally Paul showed up at their door saying he had heard his services were needed.<\/p>\n “Now, you should let your wife and son rest. You can hobble downstairs with these crutches your father dug out of storage, and I’ll take a look at that ankle.”<\/p>\n Soon Adam was sitting in the blue chair wrapped in his robe with a thick wrapping around his ankle that rested on pillows on the table in front of the fireplace. Hop Sing had bathed Adam’s fingers in some soothing solution so that he could comfortably hold a cup of coffee. He wanted to be back in his bedroom with his wife and child, but he knew he would make too much noise clomping around with the crutches. He had to be content knowing they were sleeping quietly. Hoss came down with his son and rocked him as the others praised the handsome blond little boy. Ben would have been content with how everything had turned out except he saw the looks that passed over Joe’s face when he thought no one was looking. He was having a very difficult time being joyful for his brothers when all of this reminded him so much of his painful losses.<\/p>\n After Hoss went back upstairs with his son, Joe moved over and sat near Adam. Ben wondered what it was that Joe wanted to say to his oldest brother, but thought he wouldn’t likely say it while he was there. “I think I’ll go out to do the chores.”<\/p>\n “Pa, I’ll help you.”<\/p>\n “No, that’s all right, Joe. I’ll get some of the hands to help. You stay here in case someone needs something. Hop Sing is busy in the kitchen, and Adam can’t get around too well with those crutches.”<\/p>\n So Joe sat silently on the settee near Adam who looked over at him several times until he had to force the issue. “Just spit it out.”<\/p>\n “Spit what out?”<\/p>\n “Whatever it is that you have on your mind and want to say to me.”<\/p>\n “Well, you don’t always have to be right, but you are this time. I don’t know how to say it though.” Adam waited silently letting his youngest brother collect his thoughts and formulate how he wanted to say what was on his mind. “I was wondering if you wanted to move into that bedroom down here that you built for me and Sheena. It’s a real nice one, and Hoss and Bess will be moving back into their house in a day or two, so I thought maybe you would like a nice place for you and Zona.”<\/p>\n “Joe, we did build it for you. Are you sure you don’t want to use it or is it too much grief?”<\/p>\n “No, it makes me feel guilty.”<\/p>\n “Joe, Sheena was weakened by her disability and by being with child. Nothing could have helped her survive the measles, and you shouldn’t feel guilty.”<\/p>\n “Adam, that’s not why I feel guilty. I have a confession to make. Sometimes I feel kind of relieved that she’s gone. I know I shouldn’t feel that way, and I did love her, but after the things she did, it was a burden. I forgave her, but I couldn’t forget, and it was always between us. Carrying those memories of what she had done did affect my feelings. That’s why I feel guilty and why being in that room is so uncomfortable.”<\/p>\n “Joe, I can understand that, but you must miss Eleanor so much. I’ve only known that I had my son for a few hours, and I couldn’t bear the thought of something bad happening to him.”<\/p>\n “Yes, it was losing Eleanor that was almost too much to take. I don’t understand how a father can live longer than his child. It doesn’t seem natural at all. I think about her every day, and I’m starting to think I always will. Is that how you or Hoss would feel if you lost your boys?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know, but I think so. I can only pray I never have to face the loss of my son. I guess I would be asking how God could let that happen, but I bet you got that talk from Pa already.” Joe nodded to that. “It’s not a satisfactory answer when you’re grieving, is it? But it’s the best answer we have.”<\/p>\n “What about the bedroom then?”<\/p>\n “I’ll talk to Zona and ask what she wants to do. We’ll talk it over. I guess at this point, moving into that bigger room and being on the first floor would be nice, but I won’t do it unless she’s comfortable with the idea. Joe, regardless of the decision we make, I guess we should think about redoing that room. We could paint it and put in new curtains. That way anytime you need to be in there, you won’t get hit so hard by seeing it as it was when you lost Eleanor and Sheena.”<\/p>\n “Thanks, Adam. Yeah, that would help. It’ll help to decorate for Christmas too. Even though there will be some sad times too especially when I remember last year with Eleanor, there will be lots of change too. Hey, how are you going to help us get a tree this year? Every year you’ve been here, the three of us went out to get a tree.”<\/p>\n “I may not be able to walk, but I can drive the sleigh.”<\/p>\n “Right, now that’s a plan. Do you suppose we’ll have to get one for Hoss’ house too?”<\/p>\n Adam nodded as he noted how deftly Joe had changed the subject and was channeling his thoughts and energies into the Christmas holiday and what other members of the family might want. When Ben got back into the house, he found Adam and Joe talking about the holiday and how they were going to decorate. He relaxed knowing that Joe had made another step toward accepting his losses. Adam struggled up the stairs on his crutches to have dinner with Zona. Hoss came down and got a tray for him and his wife. That left Joe and Ben at the table so they invited Griff and Candy to have dinner with them.<\/p>\n For the next week, Adam was on crutches and had difficulty helping with even the most simple tasks with Gabriel because he couldn’t lift him or carry him. Luckily, Zona was able to do what needed to be done because her labor had been relatively easy, and she was feeling quite a bit better by the next day. Adam and Zona did spend a lot of time in their bedroom with their son, but came down for lunch and for dinner as well as spending evenings on the settee visiting with Ben and Joe who liked having Gabriel to hold, but Joe found his nephew to be very different from Isaiah.<\/p>\n “He hardly ever cries. He lays there looking at you with those big eyes, and just when you think he doesn’t like you, he smiles.”<\/p>\n “He smiles when he passes gas too.”<\/p>\n “Adam!”<\/p>\n “Sweetheart, he does. He smiles after every bodily function.”<\/p>\n “Maybe he does, but you shouldn’t talk about him that way.”<\/p>\n Adam rolled his eyes as Ben laughed. “Adam was just like that as a baby. I thought all babies were quiet until I got Hoss. Then I got Joseph and found that some babies really do cry a lot.”<\/p>\n “Hey!”<\/p>\n “Sorry, Joe, but Pa’s telling the truth. Nobody got much sleep for the first few months you were with us. You cried every time you wanted something, and you seemed to cry especially loudly at night.”<\/p>\n The teasing and the easy banter were doing more to help Joe get back to himself than any talks or grieving could do. Laughter and family were the best medicine for his emotional wounds.<\/p>\n Hoss and Bess moved back to their house after three days, but Hop Sing’s cousin was hired to help because Bess was still recovering from the delivery of their large baby. Hoss decided that he liked Hop Sing’s cousin and soon, Li-Hua was working full time for the family. She cooked, cleaned, and did laundry for Hoss and Bess as well as assisting Hop Sing with the chickens and the garden. She was an excellent baker and began providing desserts for both houses.<\/p>\n Leaning on one crutch, Adam began painting the downstairs bedroom. Zona liked the idea of the larger bedroom and that it was on the first floor but felt uncomfortable with the bedroom as it had been decorated for Sheena and Joe. Adam painted it in a soft gray, and Zona began working on some rose colored curtains. Within a week, they were able to have all of their things moved into the larger room with the great view. For the next nine months or so, Gabriel would share the room with them until he was able to sleep through the night every night. They could hope it might happen sooner, but Ben told them that about nine months would be normal.<\/p>\n Adam began making some changes to how care for his son was done. He didn’t like the drying and reusing of wet diapers. He got a covered bucket and had Zona place every one of them in the water in the bucket. Every day or so, Adam had Hop Sing wash the diapers or did it himself.<\/p>\n “I hate holding my son and having him smell like piss. Those diapers may be dry, but as soon as he has them on, they start to smell. I heard that there is a garment that helps stop the wet diapers from wetting through his gown and our clothing. As soon as I can get to town, I’m ordering some of those.”<\/p>\n Adam also used an old slicker and made pads to put in Gabriel’s crib under the sheet, and made several smaller ones that would lay across someone’s lap if they were holding him. He hadn’t remembered just how wet a baby could get and how that moisture seemed to wet the people around the baby almost as much. Hoss asked for some of the pads for the same purpose. Ben had to chuckle at how much his sons were getting involved with their sons. It wasn’t the usual way, but Ben had done it out of necessity. However his sons were doing it by choice. He had to wonder if it was because of how they had been raised and decided that regardless of why, he liked their approach much better than the aloof approach many fathers had to their sons until they were old enough to work.<\/p>\n Both Adam and Hoss held their sons and rocked them as well. Ben got tears in his eyes every time he saw Adam or Hoss looking at their sons with such love in their gaze. He saw how each of them was considerate of their wives and asked their opinions on caring for their sons. He had to contrast it with how Sheena had been and found he liked Bess and Zona far more. He began to feel a bit guilty about those thoughts though and was determined not to let Joe or anyone else know how he felt. He must not have been very good at hiding it though. Joe came up to him as they watched Adam holding Gabriel and Zona leaning on Adam’s arm and smiling at their son.<\/p>\n “She’s such a good wife and mother. I can see now what I was missing in my marriage.”<\/p>\n “Joe, Sheena was very young. If she hadn’t been taken away so tragically, she might have learned to be more loving.”<\/p>\n “Pa, she was about the same age as Bess and older than Zona. No, I think perhaps I made a bad choice, but it’s in the past now. I’m just very happy for my brothers and how well they are loved. I hope I can find someone like that someday.”<\/p>\n “Son, you will. When you can put your grief behind you, I’m sure that you’ll find that there is a good woman out there for you.”<\/p>\n “Say a little prayer for me now and then, would you Pa? I certainly would like to find that’s true.”<\/p>\n “Joe, I pray for you and your brothers every single day, and now I pray for my grandsons and for my daughters-in-law too. I never thought I could be this blessed, and I thank God every day for those blessings. It was very nice of you to suggest that Adam and Zona move into the bedroom down here. It certainly is more convenient for everyone.”<\/p>\n “It was good for me too, Pa.” Seeing Ben’s quizzical look, Joe had only one comment. “Someday, Pa, I’ll explain that. Adam and I already talked about it. He’s not too bad an older brother when he isn’t trying to be so bossy.”<\/p>\n Ben smiled and squeezed Joe’s shoulder getting a smile from his youngest son. Ben had guessed from those cryptic comments that Joe wasn’t missing Sheena that much but that he did miss his daughter immensely. Ben only hoped there was a way for Joe to learn to live with that loss, but Ben had no experience in that so had no advice to offer. He could only offer support and prayers, so he did.<\/p>\n Chapter 7<\/strong><\/p>\n A few weeks later, it was Christmas Eve, and the three brothers were up early ready to go get greens and a tree. Hoss said that at least for this year and maybe forever, he and his family would celebrate with everyone else in the main house. He brought Bess and Isaiah over as soon as it was light. Joe and Ben helped him carry all the clothing and paraphernalia that was needed when one had a baby less than a month old. Adam had come down late for breakfast and looked worried.<\/p>\n “What’s wrong with you older brother? You look like you ain’t getting what you want for Christmas this year.” “Adam, it’s not like we’re gonna get caught in no avalanche or nothing. We’re just going to cut a tree and some greens.”<\/p>\n “Please do not mention that word again, nor blizzards, drifts, crevasses, snow blindness, or anything else bad about snow. Is that clear?”<\/p>\n “What’s she worried about, anyhow?”<\/p>\n “Apparently when your husband has been buried under the snow, you think it could happen again. Now one of Zona’s great fears is being left alone, so nobody say anything to get her upset, or I may never be able to leave the house again.”<\/p>\n “Having a baby shur makes a women worry about things. Bess is watching what I eat, and she follows me around at night to make sure I turn down every lamp and lock every door and set of shutters. Then she puts up the fire screen in front of the fireplace cause she says I don’t do it right.”<\/p>\n Chuckling as he walked to the table for breakfast, Joe had to tease a little. “Pa, seems like my older brothers have gotten themselves replaced as the head of the family. Sounds like the wives are running things, doesn’t it?”<\/p>\n “Yes, it does seem that the pants are being worn by someone other than my two tall, strong sons. I never would have expected that.”<\/p>\n “Very funny. I seem to remember you running around trying to please Marie. A few strong comments from her, and you were doing your best to get her to calm down. It didn’t always work either, if I remember correctly.” Adam got to smirk at that memory.<\/p>\n “Yes, unfortunately you do remember correctly. A beautiful fiery woman is almost impossibly wonderful at times, and at other times, a very complicated, ah, very difficult, ah, challenging. Yes, that’s it, a challenge.”<\/p>\n “Well, my challenge is about to come down here and interrogate all of you about the dangers of winter snow in the Sierras. Please, be kind to me and reassure her that nothing bad can happen today?”<\/p>\n “Adam, do you think we should do that? I mean it isn’t exactly honest. Something bad could happen.”<\/p>\n “Pa, please?”<\/p>\n Ben and his two younger sons had enjoyed tormenting Adam just a bit, but enough was enough. As Bess and Zona came down the stairs carrying their sons, their husbands met them and took the sons into their arms escorting the wives to the table. As things turned out, Bess had been reassuring Zona that nothing terrible would happen because the brothers were only going a couple of miles from the house and should be home before lunch. Zona looked for confirmation to Ben, and he nodded eliciting a tiny nervous smile from her. She reached over and squeezed Adam’s hand.<\/p>\n “Please be careful.”<\/p>\n “I won’t even get out of the sleigh. It seems my brothers think that would be the best job for me so I’ll drive the sleigh so they can load it up with greens and tie a tree on the back. We should be home in time by sometime in the afternoon.” Adam held her hand and looked into her eyes trying to soothe her worries away. Gabriel wanted his attention apparently though and started whimpering. Adam began to talk to him and all seemed calm until Hoss spoke up.<\/p>\n “Adam, we oughta be back well before lunch.” Seeing Adam’s warning glance, Hoss tried to backtrack but without success. “Oh, unless some trouble happens, and we hafta take care of that.”<\/p>\n Zona looked up sharply. “What kind of trouble?”<\/p>\n “Oh, you know, anything can happen in the snow. Oh, I mean, like the runners on the sleigh could get iced up.”<\/p>\n “Oh, so you only have to clean off the ice?”<\/p>\n Hoss thought he had dodged trouble there so he tried to reassure Zona. “Yes, otherwise the sleigh could tip over and dump everyone in the snow.”<\/p>\n “Dump everyone in the snow?” Zona’s fears were reignited.<\/p>\n “Thank you, Hoss. I think you’ve helped explain enough.” Adam gave a scowl to Hoss before turning to his wife with a tender expression meant to reassure her again. “Zona, sweetheart, Hoss is only trying to say we’ll be very careful and make sure that the sleigh is safe to use at all times. Isn’t that what you meant to say, Hoss?”<\/p>\n “Oh, yeah, Adam. Sorry, Sis, I didn’t mean to worry you none. We’ll be careful, and we’ll get back here ready to decorate so we can celebrate Christmas.”<\/p>\n “I do have to admit that the snow makes Christmas seem extra special. I’ve never seen a white Christmas before. It’s just that the snow is something that scares me still. I never had any experience with it before, and it all seems so threatening in its beauty. It is very disconcerting.”<\/p>\n “Dis what?”<\/p>\n “Confusing and discomforting. I always had thought of snow as pure and symbolic of innocence, and I had no idea of the potential perils of something so enchanting when included in poems and stories and works of art.”<\/p>\n “It is purty, Sis, and when we get back, maybe we can build a snowman or have a snowball fight.”<\/p>\n “What is a snowball fight?”<\/p>\n “Well you roll snow up into balls and throw ’em at someone, and they try to hit you with ones they make.”<\/p>\n “Why?”<\/p>\n “Well, cause it’s fun.” Zona’s look of confusion was clear. Hoss didn’t know how to explain. “I guess you have to try it sometime. Maybe when we get home, we could do that?” Zona still looked very unconvinced that she would enjoy such an activity, but Adam squeezed her hand.<\/p>\n “Sweetheart, he’s right, and it is fun, but it’s one of those things that can only be understood by doing. Now, we have a lot to do so we need to get going. I love you, and I’ll be back as quickly as I am able.” Adam leaned toward Zona and kissed her gently as Ben and Joe politely looked away. Hoss was busy kissing Bess goodbye so he didn’t notice. Soon the two ladies with babies on their laps were sitting with Ben and talking about how to decorate the house for the holiday.<\/p>\n As the brothers arrived at a grove of trees, Hoss dismounted and took a big breath of fresh air. “Shur does smell sweet out here. I’m getting real tired of those smells that Isaiah can make.”<\/p>\n Adam agreed and added more. “And the stuff that Gabriel can spew out. Even with those pads, it seems he manages to wet an awful lot of stuff. I think he’s doubled the amount of laundry that needs to be done. And I have to check my shirt especially the shoulder before I go anywhere. He spits up that white crud almost every time he nurses.”<\/p>\n “You ain’t seen nothing yet. Isaiah got some kind of a touchy stomach and spit up half of what he was getting. I thought that was bad until it started coming out the other end. You know how you learn to put a cloth over that thing when ya change ’em cause it seems some fresh air and it’s shooting all over the place. Well I did that, but when I raised his legs to wipe him clean, shit shot out of his bottom. He got me, the table, and it seemed like everything within about three feet. How can someone so small make such a big mess?”<\/p>\n “I know. Gabriel is so damn cute, but when he does stuff like that, I just want to hand him off to Zona but she’s often too tired so I have to do it.”<\/p>\n “Oh, yeah, being tired. Bess has been so darned tired lately that we ain’t had any time to ourselves if you know what I mean.”<\/p>\n Adam nodded. “I wonder how long that’s going to be the situation. I try to do something and it’s always ‘not now, you’ll wake the baby’ or something like that.”<\/p>\n “You two aren’t fooling anybody. You love having those boys, so let’s get to cutting so you can get home to your families.” Joe made some good points, so Hoss grabbed a saw from the sleigh and Joe grabbed an axe. Adam pulled the sleigh close to the trees they selected for their work. Hoss sawed off branches as Joe went to work on downing the tree they wanted to use in the house.<\/p>\n About three hours later, the brothers arrived home. With both babies nursed and sleeping in their cradles in the downstairs bedroom, Zona and Bess grabbed their coats and headed outside to see the tree and greens the brothers had brought home. It was exciting to see the sleigh loaded with green boughs and the large tree tied behind it. Adam grabbed a bundle of greens and walked to the porch without hugging and kissing his wife as Hoss was doing with Bess. Zona walked behind him.<\/p>\n “Is something wrong? Are you avoiding me?”<\/p>\n “No, sweetheart, nothing is wrong. I only wanted to get busy with these decorations.”<\/p>\n “Adam Cartwright, you’re lying to me! What’s wrong?”<\/p>\n Turning around rather sheepishly, Adam showed Zona what was wrong.<\/p>\n “Oh, no, what happened to you? I knew it wasn’t safe out there in the snow!”<\/p>\n Pulling Zona into a hug, Adam did his best to explain. “It wasn’t the snow exactly. It’s just that my brothers decided to start the snowball fighting early, and I wasn’t ready for it because they didn’t tell me. I got hit and fell foreward, but I had the reins in my hand and snapped them accidentally as I fell which made the horses leap forward throwing me back into the seat. So you see, it wasn’t the snow. It was my brothers who did this.”<\/p>\n Zona leaned back and gently touched the abrasion on Adam’s cheek and the swollen tissue around his eye. “Is this it, or do you have other injuries?”<\/p>\n “I think my back may be a bit sore for a while, but this is the worst of it. I hit the front of the sleigh with my face and then got thrown on my backside on the sleigh bench rather forcefully.”<\/p>\n By that time, Bess and the others had heard what had happened. Ben had a scowl for his two younger sons, but before he could say anything, Bess had turned on Hoss.<\/p>\n “This is how you treat a man who was finally almost fully recovered from being buried in an avalanche? You knew that Zona was worried that something would happen, and you promised to be careful. How is mounting a sneak snowball attack on Adam as he tends to the horses being careful?”<\/p>\n Bess stood with her hands on her hips staring at Hoss who had the good sense not to argue with her assessment. Joe was going to say something in their defense but his father reached a hand to his shoulder and squeezed hard getting him to look at him. Ben shook his head. Zona guided Adam into the house to have Hop Sing help her clean up the abrasion. Hoss rather sheepishly gathered some snow into a ball and wrapped it in his clean handkerchief and took that in with Bess marching at his side. He knew he had probably not heard the last of her comments on his behavior.<\/p>\n Standing beside Ben, Joe had to comment then. “Those are two very lucky men. Their wives love them so much.”<\/p>\n “I wasn’t sure you would understand that Bess’ comments were because she cares so much. She never wants anything to come between Hoss and his brothers.”<\/p>\n “I know. Pa, nothing ever will. Now, I suppose we better get busy decorating. In a few hours, our guests will be arriving.”<\/p>\n Ben nodded but said nothing about the package that had arrived that morning while his sons were gone. He wasn’t sure if he should open it, or if he should let Joe do it. It was a package addressed to Sheena and had come from New York. Ben had no idea what might be in that box.<\/p>\n Chapter 8<\/strong><\/p>\n The next morning as Hoss exited his bedroom and went downstairs to get some breakfast, he met Adam who was coming out of his bedroom. Adam smiled when he saw his brother. Hoss grimaced a little at seeing the purple bruising around Adam’s eye and the swollen cheek. “It’s not a problem. In fact, I ought to thank you.”<\/p>\n “You ought to thank me?”<\/p>\n “Yes, after weeks of being too tired except to care for Gabriel, Zona was very attentive last night. She even rubbed my sore back, and well one thing led to another, and I feel great this morning.” Hoss had a bit of a pleased smile, but it was more than Adam expected. “What happened that I don’t know about?”<\/p>\n “Well, apparently being all sorry and feeling low makes your wife want to cheer you up some. So I guess it worked out real well for both of us.”<\/p>\n Adam slapped Hoss on the shoulder, and they headed to the table to get some coffee. Ben reminded them that there were chores to do, but then mentioned that Joe had gone out a half hour earlier saying he wanted to get Christmas started and he knew chores had to be done first.<\/p>\n “Pa, you know this happens every year. He gets up early to do chores, and by the time we grab a cup of coffee and head out to help him, he’s on his way in after finishing them up. It’s a Christmas tradition.”<\/p>\n “Well, I suppose it is a Christmas tradition. I don’t suppose that some year, the two of you could get up earlier and do the chores instead of Joe?” Seeing their smiles, he had his answer. “No, I suppose not. Where are my lovely daughters and handsome grandsons this morning?”<\/p>\n “Ah, Zona was tired so after nursing Gabriel, I suggested she might want to get some sleep. It was a late night last night with our guests too.” Hoss said about the same about Bess and Isaiah.<\/p>\n “Yes, it was a wonderful night with our guests. I’m looking forward to a quiet day with the family today.”<\/p>\n “Pa, you think there’s anything that Adam or me could do to cheer Joe up some? He’s been kinda down a lot lately.”<\/p>\n “No, I think he has to accept what’s happened at his own pace. He’s making progress. He’s been examining his feelings and thinking things through. Now that reminds me that there’s something we should discuss before he gets in the house. Yesterday morning, a package was delivered for Sheena. Dave sent a boy out with it because he didn’t know what to do with it. It’s from New York, and frankly I have no idea what is inside.”<\/p>\n “Do you think we ought to open it?”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I don’t know. Let’s go to my desk and take a look at it.” At his desk, Ben picked up the package he had placed under the desk and set it on the ink blotter. Hoss and Adam leaned over to look at it, and Adam had some information.<\/p>\n “That return address is a publishing company. I’m not sure what’s in it, but I doubt that it would be something that would upset Joe. You should probably tell Joe that it was delivered.”<\/p>\n “Tell Joe that what was delivered?” While the three had been busy looking at the package, Joe had come back into the house in time to hear Adam’s statement. Joe walked over to the desk to see what his brothers and father were examining. He was silent as he stared at the addressee. Then he reached out and pulled the box closer to him before beginning to open it. Ben wanted to say he should wait but knew there wasn’t a good reason for that. As Joe pulled the package open and reached inside, his father and brothers were holding their breath. The first thing that Joe pulled out was a small book. He turned it over to see the title. He pulled another and another until he had twenty-eight dime novels on the desk. He shook his head. Sheena had ordered the first complete set of dime novels. He had read two of them, but the others would be for some of the long winter nights. She had loved him. He was sure of it now. She had ordered dime novels even though she had scorned them as poor writing. He lifted the box prepared to break it up for the fireplace when he realized it was too heavy. He reached inside and pulled out an illustrated book of rhymes for children. That made him cry, and Adam put an arm around his shoulders just before Hoss did the same from the other side. The three brothers stood that way for several minutes as grief overwhelmed Joe. It was the catharsis he needed, but it was painful too for all of them realizing that Sheena had been learning what love meant and that she had loved Joe.<\/p>\n “I thought that I would have nothing in my stocking this year. I was looking at what I lost and not what I had. Now I know it should be the memories that I treasure. I’ll read these books this winter, and I’ll say a prayer every time I do, and a thank you that I had the time I had with my wife and child. This children’s book I’m going to keep until I have a child to give it to. I’m looking forward now, and not back. I was loved and I loved, and now I know I’ll have that again.”<\/p>\n Any more serious discussion was prevented by the wail of two infants. Hoss and Adam hurried to find how they could help and soon returned with their sons each quietly contented resting in the crook of an elbow. Ben wanted to hold one and Joe asked to do the same. Soon the whole family was in front of the fireplace opening gifts and babbling with the babies.<\/p>\n Almost one year later, Bess and Zona were at the dining room table decorating cookies for Christmas. Because little boys and freshly iced cookies are not a good combination, Hoss and Adam were supposed to decorate the tree and watch over the two boys at the same time. However that was not a good combination either. Adam suddenly was chasing Gabriel who had run away with an ornament with Isaiah running right behind him. The boys seemed to do everything together usually with Gabriel in the lead. Joe came down the stairs with one more box of decorations from the attic and Gabriel led Isaiah to the relative safety of hiding behind Joe’s legs after he set the box down. Adam pulled to a stop in front of Joe, knelt down, and put out his hand with that look that said Gabriel better hand over that ornament without any fuss. He did and clung to Joe’s leg hoping that his father’s look didn’t mean there would be any more consequences. Adam shook his head at the antics of the two boys.<\/p>\n “Joe, Hoss and I have to finish decorating this tree. We need to use the ladder next, and I know how you hate that part of it. So would you mind watching the boys for the next hour or so?”<\/p>\n “Me? Watch over these two scary cowboys? Why every time I do that, they wrestle me to the floor and tickle me until I can hardly breathe.” That was all the motivation the boys needed to play with their Uncle Joe. Almost in synchronization they reached up for his belt and got good handholds pulling Joe to the floor. Of course, he fell in extremely dramatic fashion with all sorts of strange sounds and facial expressions. When he finally stopped writhing in supposed pain, each laughing boy knelt at his side and began tickling him causing Joe to begin his famous giggle. Adam and Hoss had to smile as they decorated the tree.<\/p>\n “Adam, sometimes it seems like we got three toddlers here instead of two.”<\/p>\n “I know what you mean. One is just a bit larger than the other two.”<\/p>\n Soon, Joe had the boys working on their next favorite project, which was using the Indian blanket that hung over the stair railing to make a tent using the game table that sat next to the stairs. Once they thought they had that done to perfection, all three slithered under the table tent and began to whoop and holler looking out from under the blanket to see if they were being observed. Seeing parents smiling and glancing over at them, the commotion continued because those three loved an audience.<\/p>\n Next on the agenda was a puppet show. Joe got the sock puppets that Bess and Zona had made for him, and knelt behind the table tent and had the two puppets act out a conversation between Adam and Hoss. Gabriel and Isaiah stood on the other side of the table leaning against the edge of it fascinated by Joe’s puppet work as well as the dialogue as he did his best to mimic his brothers’ voices.<\/p>\n “Dagnabit, Adam, that was the last piece of bacon!”<\/p>\n “Hoss, you had eleven pieces already.”<\/p>\n “You know I have to have an even dozen or my day is ruined. Now I’m one short!”<\/p>\n “Well, just have Hop Sing smoke another hundred pounds for your breakfast.”<\/p>\n “Oh that ain’t a gonna be fast enough. Oh, I feel a tummy ache coming on.”<\/p>\n The two toddlers were laughing and clapping at the show, as the two fathers finished decorating the tree and grimacing at their younger brother’s version of breakfast. A blast of cold air ushered in their father who apparently had brought a guest. Joe jumped up and headed to the door to greet her. After hurriedly pulling the sock puppets from his hands, he hugged her.<\/p>\n “Rosalind, I thought I was supposed to come and get you this evening?”<\/p>\n “Oh, your father stopped by our house, and said with the storm blowing in, perhaps I might like to ride out here with him. Mama and Papa could hardly refuse with Mr. Benjamin Cartwright standing in the parlor. I swear, I think Mama has a bit of an infatuation with your handsome father. She can never say no when he’s around.” Ben couldn’t help smiling just a bit at that.<\/p>\n “You brought a bag?” Joe noticed the large satchel that Rosalind had brought into the house just as Ben had been carrying a stack of packages.<\/p>\n “Yes, your father said that if the storm was as bad as it looked like it might be that I could be snowed in here with all of you. Mama said I should pack clothing for a week. I hope you don’t mind?”<\/p>\n “Mind? No, I don’t mind at all. It’s a great Christmas present to be able to have you here. Aren’t your parents going to miss you though?”<\/p>\n “With my brothers and sisters all coming home, I doubt it. Your father invited them to come out here for a visit if the weather permits. Mama is really looking forward to that, but I hope it isn’t for at least a few days because I know I’ll have to go back home with them if that happens.”<\/p>\n “Well, I would show you to a guest room, but I seem to have grown two little boys on my legs.” Joe put a hand on top of each boy’s head as they stood with their arms wrapped around his legs. “I don’t know what I would do without these two. They have really helped me stand up this year. However, walking is a bit more difficult.”<\/p>\n Rosalind looked down to see two sets of eyes staring wide-eyed at her. She dropped down to her knees and pulled two small paper bags from her pockets. “I brought red and green soft gum drops. Now if you would each take these bags to your papas, they can decide when you can eat one.”<\/p>\n Eagerly, the two boys took the proffered bags and turned to rush to their fathers. Joe reached down and snagged each one by an arm. “Now what is that you’re supposed to say when you get something?” Neither boy knew so Gabriel threw a kiss at Rosalind and Isaiah followed his lead. “Good enough. Now you can go.” Watching the two boys scamper away, Joe grinned. “I’ve been trying to teach them to say thank you, but all they say is mama, papa, grumpa, and unca.”<\/p>\n “They are darling. It would be so sweet to see more children like those two. They’re so cute and so much fun.”<\/p>\n And Joe started to get some ideas about how that could be accomplished. He had only been seeing Rosalind for just a bit longer than two months but already she seemed like she was the one he had been hoping to find. He watched as she greeted Zona and Bess, and then Adam and Hoss. She was genuinely liked by all four of them which was very reassuring to Joe especially that Adam and Zona liked her because those two tended to take a long look at someone before accepting that person as a friend. If they accepted her as genuinely as sweet as she seemed, he could hardly doubt it.<\/p>\n Concerned about Rosalind’s age though, Joe waited for a chance to talk to Adam privately. Because Zona was quite a bit younger than Adam, Joe thought he might have some advice on the issue. When Adam volunteered to do Hoss’ chores that evening to let the big man read a story to the boys, it was the perfect time for Joe. He followed Adam out to the stable saying nothing, which was a big clue for Adam.<\/p>\n “All right, I’m ready for you to spit it out. I don’t want to stay out here too long so it would be nice if you could just get right to it.”<\/p>\n “How do you do that? You always know when I’ve got something important to say to you.” Joe didn’t actually expect an answer to that so he plunged in to what he wanted to ask. “I love Rosalind very much. I know it hasn’t been long, but I thought you especially would understand that.” Adam nodded. He and Joe were somewhat similar in that regard falling in love quickly although Adam tended to fall in love more deeply each time he had done it, and Joe sometimes was more infatuated than in love. Adam hoped that Joe was sure that it was love this time, and not a rebound from his loss of Sheena. He didn’t say any of that because he was sure Joe had already thought about that. “You’re not saying anything.”<\/p>\n “I guess it’s because anything I say, you’ve already thought. I only hope you’re as sure as you can be.”<\/p>\n “I am sure, but she’s so much younger than I am. Ten years is a lot.”<\/p>\n “Zona and I are further apart than that. It doesn’t matter as long as both of you are old enough to know your mind. If you love her, then age is not a concern. Rosalind could be ten years older or the same age. Would you think any differently about her if either of those situations were true?”<\/p>\n “No, she would be the same person regardless so I would see her the same. Oh, I get it now. I should be looking at her as a person and not an age. My love isn’t because of her age. It’s because of the person she is.” Adam nodded. “What do you think about me asking Rosalind to marry me?”<\/p>\n “I like the idea, but the only one who matters there is Rosalind. What do you think she’ll say when you ask her?”<\/p>\n “She’ll say yes. I’m sure of it. But then I’d have to get her parents to agree.”<\/p>\n “From what I can tell, they’re probably hoping you’ll ask her.”<\/p>\n “What?”<\/p>\n “Joe, they sent her out here to stay for as long as a week on Pa’s say-so that we would watch out for her. If they trust us to do that, they trust us to care for her as family.”<\/p>\n Joe sat down heavily on a bale of hay. “So you think they expect me to ask her to marry? What about you? Did you think I would ask her to marry me now, at Christmas?”<\/p>\n “Heck, no, I thought you would have asked her a month ago. I lost that bet.”<\/p>\n “Who’s betting?”<\/p>\n “Better question: who isn’t? I think Pa and Zona are still in the running for the pot. One of them guessed Christmas and the other one guessed New Year’s Eve. I can’t remember which is which. I do know Candy said Valentine’s Day so I’m thinking he’s going to lose too. I’m hoping Zona wins because she wants to use the money to buy some new china. I’m really sick of drinking out of those tiny cups Marie bought.”<\/p>\n Joe had to laugh, and then the two brothers finished chores and headed inside for more Christmas merriment. Adam noticed Joe slipping away and returning with one of his socks that he hung with the others by the chimney. Joe grinned at Adam letting him know by that what he planned to do. By ten, everyone had gone to bed except Joe, Rosalind, and Ben. With a look at Joe meant to remind him to be a gentleman, Ben bid the two goodnight. When Joe heard his father’s door close, he pulled Rosalind into an embrace and the two kissed.<\/p>\n “Rosalind, I hung a stocking by the chimney for you. It’s the red one with the bow on it.”<\/p>\n “Oh, Joe, I have a stocking at home. Here, there’ll be nothing in my stocking.”<\/p>\n “Oh, sweetheart, there is. Would you like to look?” Joe loved the look of joy that she had.<\/p>\n With a smile, Rosalind jumped up to get the stocking, which did seem empty until she slid her hand inside at Joe’s urging and found a ring. It was a simple ring with a small emerald set with two small diamonds. “Joe, it’s beautiful.”<\/p>\n “The diamonds are for my love for you that will never end, and the green is for the Ponderosa which I hope will be our home forever.”<\/p>\n Looking at Joe in surprise and then joy, Rosalind couldn’t stop smiling. “You mean you want to marry me?”<\/p>\n “Yes, I want you to marry me, and live with me on the Ponderosa as my wife. Will you marry me?”<\/p>\n “Oh, yes, yes, I will. Oh, this is so exciting.”<\/p>\n Joe heard a couple of big exclamations of yes from Adam’s bedroom. He assumed it was because Zona had won the bet, and that Adam was going to get new china cups as a result. At least he hoped that was what it was. Rosalind looked at him quizzically as he glanced at their bedroom door and grinned so he told her the whole story.<\/p>\n “I like them. Zona and Bess too have been so nice to me. I feel like family already.”<\/p>\n “I’ll have to ask your parents.”<\/p>\n “Oh, Joe, Mama said she hoped that you would ask me. She said she could tell by looking at you that you loved me, and she could tell I loved you. Now we can have every Christmas together.”<\/p>\n Joe loudly called out to Adam and Zona. “C’mon out. I know you’re dying to congratulate us.”<\/p>\n In a minute, Adam and Zona were there in their robes. A few minutes later, Hoss and Bess walked down the stairs behind a beaming Ben. His fondest wish had come true for this Christmas even if he had lost the bet. There were congratulations all around and then Hop Sing came out with champagne and a tray having been forewarned by Adam that it would likely be needed. No one got much sleep that night as Gabriel and Isaiah liked to get up at dawn, but the smiles didn’t stop for a very long time. Candy was gratified that at least the two got married on Valentine’s Day with a small reception at the house, but Joe was planning a big shindig for the summer so all their friends and neighbors could celebrate with him and Rosalind. The Cartwright Christmas stockings were full of good things every year after that as the family grew in size and in love.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Secret Santa<\/strong><\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n “Dadburnit, them little kittens is gonna die ifn they won’t let me near ’em. Ever since their mama died, I been trying to feed ’em, and they won’t come anywhere near me. I wish we didn’t have all that work at the timber camp coming up. Ifn I don’t get ’em to start eating, they won’t be here when I get back.” Hoss was worried, and he tried to get his brothers to take his turn at the timber camp, but he could tell neither one was moved by his plea. He guessed that, in their shoes, he might not do it either with Christmas almost there and some time to spend with his wife especially Adam who had just returned from a two week trip to Denver. In the past, he would have thought that Adam’s time away was mostly a vacation but had learned how much he worked on these trips and how much he longed for his family to be with him. Gabriel had a cold though so Zona had stayed home with him. Hoss packed up his clothes and bedroll preparing to spend a week away. The plan was for him to get home the day before Christmas Eve. Joe however wasn’t going to let the subject drop. He was anxious to say something.<\/p>\n “Their mama didn’t just die. She got squashed. I’ve never seen a flatter animal.” The mother cat had been cold apparently and took a nap in the bedding in the stall with the milk cow that must have laid down without the cat knowing it was going to happen. They had found the dead cat the next morning, and Hoss had been trying to save her litter ever since that day. Rosalind slapped Joe on the shoulder for his comment.<\/p>\n “Joe, that was cruel. You should have more concern for your brother’s feelings.”<\/p>\n “Hey, it isn’t my fault that mama cat was so stupid. Hoss has been crawling around in that loft like a kid trying to catch those little ones for a couple of days now. They’re too stupid to know that he’s trying to help them. That’s not my fault.”<\/p>\n “It is your fault for how you talk to your brother when he’s hurting. Now say you’re sorry.”<\/p>\n Wondering if he should be mad for getting a dressing down in front of his family or proud that his wife was so supportive of his family, Joe wisely agreed to apologize. His ‘sorry’ was simple but heartfelt. Hoss accepted it before he went to the stable to saddle up his horse and head out.<\/p>\n One set of eyes followed him as he exited the house. Some possibilities were swirling around in that head. A trip to the bedroom led to the discovery of an old perfume bottle that was empty and had been for some time. Then a trip to the kitchen, and a little convincing of Hop Sing led to a trip to the stable. Sitting for over an hour near the kitten’s hideaway was all it took. They were lonely and hungry. The smell of the warm milk drew them out. Sitting very quietly holding the small bottle now filled with milk at arm’s length, it wasn’t difficult to entice three little kittens to come explore and then to find the teat on the end of the bottle that Hop Sing had fashioned from a tiny piece of oil cloth. Step by tentative step, they edged closer and closer. The drops of milk that oozed from the opening got the kittens licking up the drops and then fighting to see which one could get the most sucks of milk before being pushed out of the way by the other two. After several times refilling the little bottle, it seemed the kittens were temporarily satisfied. The next problem was to get them out of the loft and into the tack room where it would be easier to care for them. They had some sores that needed care, but some of Hop Sing’s salve would likely help there too. A man’s voice from down below was startling but welcome.<\/p>\n “Need some help getting those kittens down from there?”<\/p>\n A big grin was his answer. Soon, the kittens were in a box in the tack room sleeping together in a nest of old flannel pieces with salve soothing the little sores.<\/p>\n “You’re going to have to do this at least four times a day and probably once at night.”<\/p>\n “I know. It’s a big job, but it’s my Christmas present to Hoss if it works.”<\/p>\n “I’ll help all that I can. I might even be able to do that feeding at night if they let me.”<\/p>\n “Oh, they’ll let you. They already know your smell. I have to see if I can find two more bottles. It would make this a lot easier.”<\/p>\n “Except you only have two hands.”<\/p>\n “Oh, just like with a baby, I can prop one or two up and watch over them. It’ll be fine.”<\/p>\n “I’m going into town. I’ll get two more bottles for you.”<\/p>\n “Thank you. That would be a big help.”<\/p>\n Within a week, the kittens were taught to lap milk from a bowl too. They were messy and didn’t get that much into their mouths so they still needed the bottle, but they had to learn how to eat on their own if they wanted to survive. By the time Hoss arrived home, the kittens were drinking from a tray of milk and only needed the bottle feeding once or twice a day. He didn’t see them however because they were locked in the tack room for their own safety. Hoss climbed up to the loft to see if the kittens had somehow survived. He knew it would be a miracle. There was no sign of them. He climbed back down the ladder, took a deep breath, and reminded himself it was the way of nature before he walked to the house to let them know he was home. After a hurried hello so they knew he was safe and sound, he headed to his house to reunite with his wife and son. Bess and Isaiah were thrilled to see him, and Hoss hid his pain at the fate that he thought had befallen the three little kittens.<\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n While Hoss had been at the timber camp, Doctor Martin held a party for his friends at the International House. Joe and Rosalind volunteered to take care of Isaiah so that Bess could go with Ben to the party. Adam and Zona had thought they might have to stay home, but as long as they were already watching Isaiah, Joe and Rosalind volunteered to care for Gabriel too.<\/p>\n For Adam and Zona, it was a great reminder of their days as newlyweds. Adam held her hand at dinner and whispered in her ear. They got to visit with friends with no worry as to where their young and active son was and what he might be doing. Adam had remarked that it was wonderful to be able to go somewhere and not have sticky hands grabbing his hand or staining his wife’s dress.<\/p>\n Some guests wondered at Adam’s comments but parents understood even before Zona said anything. “Adam loves Gabriel, but I know what he means. Gabriel is so smart and so fast that he’s into things before you can even think that he might. I find chasing after our son can be exhausting on some days.”<\/p>\n “And usually Isaiah is right there with him making the mess even bigger. Those two boys are as close as brothers. I swear they know what the other is thinking. They seem to have a little bit of their own language too. There are words they say to each other that sound like gibberish, but they seem to know what they mean.” Adam liked that the two boys were so close especially as there were no other children on the Ponderosa. Neither of the boys would ever have the problem of loneliness that Adam had suffered as a child.<\/p>\n “Is Isaiah going to be as big as Hoss?” was the most common question asked. Adam had the same answer each time.<\/p>\n “Gabriel and Isaiah are the same size so I don’t think so. Isaiah was bigger when he was born, but now the two seem about the same although Gabriel is more slender.” People nodded at the answer satisfied for the time being. Adam knew that Hoss was relieved that Isaiah wasn’t noticeably bigger. Hoss had been teased a lot as a youngster and often more was expected of him as if he was older because he was so big. He didn’t want that for his son, and apparently, neither of them would have to bear it.<\/p>\n Hoss’ wife Bess had a grand time too. Instead of sitting in their home doing some sewing or reading that night after getting Isaiah into bed, she was meeting all sorts of people and greeting old friends too. Hoss tended a bit toward shyness at these get-togethers, but Ben Cartwright would never be accused of being shy. With Bess on his arm, he proudly made the round of the room greeting everyone and introducing Bess to those with whom she was not well acquainted. Then when the music started, Ben formally asked her to dance with him. He danced the first three dances with her until switching and dancing with Zona while Adam danced with Bess for a couple of dances. Then there were a succession of ladies who wanted to dance with the two men who were such graceful dancers that Zona and Bess sat down with a group of ladies to have some punch and talk before getting to dance with their handsome escorts again and again later. When nine o’clock arrived, the four of them had to head slowly toward home. With the darkness and the frozen road, they didn’t want anything to happen. There was plenty of moonlight, and the light snow on the ground reflected a lot of light. It did take them more than twice as long to make the ride as it normally did but it didn’t seem too bad as they sang carols for much of the trip. Once they arrived at their home, Ben and Adam escorted the ladies into the house before going to take care of the team. What they saw when they entered made them all stop and stare.<\/p>\n The blanket was over the game table so they knew that the boys had built the tent they liked to build every time they got to play with Joe. The big rug was centered in the middle of the room with anything breakable moved well away so they knew that Joe had been wrestling with the boys, but it was the appearance of Joe and Rosalind that stopped all movement and conversation. Rosalind had two perfectly shaped handprints on her face with one adorning each cheek. Joe had a red nose.<\/p>\n “The boys are both asleep upstairs, and they’re fine. We tried a little painting. Don’t worry. We were in the kitchen, and we had Hop Sing’s permission. He even helped us make the paint for them to use. It was just vegetable paints, but I had no idea that the red made from beets would be so permanent although Hop Sing did warn me.” Rosalind held out her hands then to show they were quite red as well.<\/p>\n “But how did it get on your face?” Zona was mortified thinking it was probably her son that had done it because of the shape of the handprints.<\/p>\n “Well, you know how Gabriel likes to grab your cheeks when he gives you a kiss. Well, he wanted to give me a kiss because he was so happy to be painting, and I forgot he did that. By the time he did it, it was too late to stop it so I kissed him and got him back to painting. Oh, we did give the boys a bath before bedtime, and Hop Sing thinks he can come up with something tomorrow to get rid of the red stains.”<\/p>\n Bess had the next question. “So our sons have red hands?”<\/p>\n “Ah, temporarily, yes.” Rosalind was so worried and getting near tears. Joe stood by her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. Seeing Joe with his red nose wrapping his red hand around his wife with the handprints on her cheeks was all that any of the four could take. They began laughing so hard they had to walk outside so they wouldn’t wake the boys.<\/p>\n “Well, they took that pretty well. As soon as they stop laughing, we can tell them the rest.”<\/p>\n “No, they can find out the rest tomorrow.” Rosalind was a little hurt that they were laughing so hard. Joe looked at her and grinned. “Why are you grinning?”<\/p>\n “If we came home and saw one of them looking like we look, we’d be laughing just as hard and probably would have done it sooner.” Joe looked at her a bit longer until she began laughing too.<\/p>\n “I suppose it would be a good idea to warn them about Hop Sing and his war paint before they see him at breakfast and say something rude.”<\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n The next morning at breakfast, everyone was on their best behavior especially in not commenting on the red stained streaks still adorning Hop Sing’s face. Hop Sing served breakfast with a smile though. He enjoyed Rosalind’s help in the kitchen. She could be quiet and work for a long time without instruction. Hop Sing appreciated that she did not need to be directed to do things and that she did not require him to entertain her. It was much more pleasant in the kitchen for him with Rosalind’s presence.<\/p>\n In one of their discussions, Hop Sing had told her that he didn’t remember the date of his birthday but he knew the year. He was born in the Year of the Metal Horse. Doing some basic math and using Hop Sing’s information on the Chinese calendar years, Rosalind was able to determine that Hop Sing had been born in 1810. She had to chuckle when Hop Sing described the characteristics of the Metal Horse.<\/p>\n “Metal Horse strong of will and very nice and very smart. The Horse wants do things his way because he wants only best. Metal Horse move people his way, and the Metal Horse most bold of all Horses.”<\/p>\n “Hop Sing, that is a wonderful description of you. You are the perfect example of a Metal Horse.” That made Hop Sing smile. He knew he smiled a lot when Rosalind was in the kitchen. He didn’t know what year she was born but knew it had to be the year of the Tiger or of the Dog for those were the natural friends and allies of the Horse.<\/p>\n As Hop Sing worked in the kitchen on a solution to fade the red stains, Adam was in the great room working on a song. He had written it a few weeks before but needed to sing it to get it just right. It was a lullaby to the baby Jesus, but of course, it could be sung to any child who needed soothing. It was a very pleasing song and everyone found themselves humming it by day’s end as it wormed itself into their brains and wouldn’t go away. The verses were simple and the chorus was mostly humming of sounds. Gabriel and Isaiah sat entranced as Adam sang it, and Zona touched Bess on the arm after about an hour because both boys were noticeably getting drowsy listening. Bess was planning to spend the day working on some sewing projects with Zona so the boys were going to nap together. It seemed that was a good time to let them have a morning nap.<\/p>\n Ben had come out to sit in his leather chair as he looked over the contracts Adam had signed for the Ponderosa. He knew he would have to sit down with Joe and Hoss to create a work schedule to fulfill the contracts, but there were no penalties in any of the contracts. Ben wondered how Adam managed to do that so often. Ben had been forced on numerous occasions to accept penalty clauses, but somehow Adam maneuvered around that with some ease. It was a good situation with Adam handling most of the negotiations. He didn’t lose his cool when contract negotiations became heated. Ben assumed that was how Adam had acquired so many businesses and so much wealth while he was away. He was glad to have him back and working his magic with the Ponderosa business interests. Ben was also glad that Zona valued family so much. He knew that she would not want to live anywhere else. Between the demands of negotiations and the desire to keep his wife happy, Adam was fully engaged again in building the Ponderosa. Adam saw him smiling and had to ask why.<\/p>\n “I’m so happy to have all the family here. I have two grandsons and three lovely daughters. A few years ago, I wasn’t thinking that would ever be true. Tomorrow when you put up the tree, we can celebrate family, and we’ll be able to do that every year.”<\/p>\n “Joe talking about building a house hasn’t bothered you then?”<\/p>\n “No, he needs his own place. And his plan is to build about as far away as Hoss. Far enough away to have some privacy but close enough to share time with the family. It has worked out very well for Hoss and Bess.”<\/p>\n “I’ve been drawing up some plans for them. He wants a more modern looking home than this one or Hoss’ house. It’s been more of challenge to make it modern but have it fit the setting too.”<\/p>\n “Well, I know how you like a challenge.” Ben grinned as Adam nodded. It was good that he would have an activity like that over the winter.<\/p>\n “Every time I show them any preliminary drawings, Rosalind has some new ideas of things to include. I think she’s trying to keep me busy on this for a while.”<\/p>\n “She may be, son. She has certainly taken an interest in everyone in the family. I really like that girl. She’s a good match for Joe.” What both of them left unsaid was that Sheena had not been a good match for Joe, and although neither would have ever wished harm on her, Rosalind was a much more desirable addition to the family.<\/p>\n “Are any of Rosalind’s family coming over for Christmas this year?”<\/p>\n “We’ve invited the whole family for the day after Christmas. The holiday will be three days instead of two this year.”<\/p>\n “How has Hop Sing reacted to that news?”<\/p>\n “Well, I promised him a double bonus, but I don’t think he actually minded at all. He likes Rosalind a great deal. She’s almost like a daughter to him.”<\/p>\n “Yes, who else could have gotten him to mix paints for two little boys to use and in his kitchen no less.”<\/p>\n “That was a lovely song you were singing. Will we get to sing it with you on Christmas Eve?”<\/p>\n “Yes, that was my plan. Now that you have all heard it, do you think that everyone would like to sing it with me?”<\/p>\n “Oh, Adam, we would all be very happy to sing that song with you. It exemplifies the season so well. The ladies sing too especially Rosalind. She’s heading into town for choir practice later. Joe says that she had a beautiful voice.”<\/p>\n “She never really sings around here.”<\/p>\n “Joe told me that she prefers singing in a group. She’s too nervous to sing alone.”<\/p>\n “Perhaps she would like to do it as a duet with me.”<\/p>\n “That’s a grand idea. Why don’t you ask her if she’ll do that for the family? We are a very appreciative and supportive audience.”<\/p>\n Adam agreed to do that as someone was taking in the whole conversation, and another plan was hatched.<\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/strong><\/p>\n Christmas Eve was a whirlwind of activity with getting the tree and greens, decorating the house, icing cookies, and preparing the house inside and out for guests as well as for the family celebration. Two toddlers decided they ought to help so Joe was given the task of using the wooden and cloth ornaments to decorate the lowest tier of the tree and as high as the boys could reach. That solved two problems. It kept the two busy, and it meant they couldn’t reach any of the more delicate ornaments that were placed higher on the tree. Joe tried to tell them the story about Santa Claus but that didn’t go well. Isaiah was scared of the idea of a strange man on the roof sneaking down their chimney while they slept. Gabriel was more practical.<\/p>\n “Unca Joe, Santa can’t come down the chiminy.”<\/p>\n “Gabe, why not?” The ‘Gabe’ got a scowl from both Adam and Zona. Joe shrugged and smiled. He knew they didn’t want that nickname applied to their son unless he chose it when he was older. Meanwhile though he gave his full attention to Gabriel’s answer to his question.<\/p>\n “He’s gonna burn his butt.” Joe began to giggle and soon all three were giggling as they decorated the tree.<\/p>\n But Adam sighed deeply as Zona chuckled. Gabriel seemed to be picking up Hoss’ way of talking. It was simpler than his father’s way of speaking, and it was the way Isaiah was learning to talk. “He’s going to sound like a ranch hand when he goes to school.”<\/p>\n “You can teach him grammar and pronunciation when he’s older. For now, he and Isaiah are learning together. You want them to be close, don’t you? Well this is another way for that to happen. Gabriel already talks more than Isaiah. It’s better that they learn together. They can help each other.”<\/p>\n Christmas was on a Sunday so the whole family bundled up to attend church services after gifts were opened that morning. When everyone thought all the gifts were opened and it was time to leave, Rosalind had handed a small box to Hoss. He opened it to find three small perfume bottles with oil cloth teats attached. He looked up in consternation trying mightily to understand what the significance was for those three items. Just about the time it all made sense to him and to the others who had seen him lift the bottles out of the box, Joe walked in the front door with a basket filled with three healthy kittens.<\/p>\n “You’re going to have to take them to your house. You know Pa won’t let us keep cats in the house here.”<\/p>\n Nearly overcome with emotion, Hoss took the basket onto his lap and petted his three little charges. The two boys were soon there petting them as Hoss instructed but with nervous mothers standing by to make sure the boys were gentle. Hoss looked at Rosalind. “You did this? You saved them for me?”<\/p>\n “I had some help. I couldn’t have done it without Joe stepping in to help me.”<\/p>\n “It’s the best Christmas present I could imagine getting this year. Thank you.”<\/p>\n As Hoss continued to play with the kittens with the boys’ help, Rosalind brought out three large squares of cloth. She handed one to Ben who sat in amazement looking at the two sets of handprints in red surrounding a sketch of him in his red leather chair with the two boys standing at the side. “Oh, my dear, how did you do this? I mean the drawing? This is a treasure I will keep forever.”<\/p>\n “I asked Adam to draw the sketch for me. I told him it was going into a quilt I was making. It is, but I’ll need Zona and Bess to help. I never made a quilt before. I thought we could put that in the center, and then add others when there are others.” Rosalind then handed a square of cloth to each of her sisters-in-law. They each had a set of red handprints of Gabriel and Isaiah. “I thought with the way you ladies sew, you might want to make a pillow using that. There was a plan behind that crazy night of painting. Joe and Hop Sing helped or I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”<\/p>\n Zona and Bess hugged Rosalind then. Ben had a question. “Joe helped with all of this? Does that mean he doesn’t get a gift?”<\/p>\n “Oh, no, I told Joe about his gift earlier when we had some time to ourselves.” Joe was beaming so it didn’t take long for anyone to guess. There were congratulations all around at the news that they were expecting a child. Then they had packed up the family and headed off to church. Everyone had something for which to be thankful so the singing on the way to town was very enthusiastic.<\/p>\n Ben had noted that everyone except Adam and Hop Sing had gotten something from Rosalind. He wondered what she had in mind for the two of them because he knew she would never forget those two men. There was a temporary pastor in place because the regular minister had taken a month to go visit some relatives who needed help. The pastor wasn’t sure how things were done in this church so he had agreed to an unusual request from the women’s choir. They wanted to sing an original work as a postlude to the Christmas service. The pastor stood up to announce it at the end of the service.<\/p>\n “I’m new here, and I hope that this does not offend anyone, but our ladies have asked to sing an original work for the postlude. It was written by a local man, Adam Cartwright, and the ladies are debuting the work today.”<\/p>\n First Adam was in shock, then a bit angry that he had not been asked, and then he was very pleased as the women did a marvelous job singing the lullaby and bringing tears to many as they listened to the song. By the end, the congregation, who had not moved from their seats, joined in the singing. Finally, something happened that the minister had never heard in a church. There was applause. Adam got a lot of congratulations on the song, and the choir received accolades for their performance. Everyone left the church happy, and the Cartwrights were very proud. Adam walked up to Rosalind as the family trooped to the sleigh and the horses.<\/p>\n “Thank you. I would never have done that myself, letting someone publicly perform my song. I’m very grateful that you did that for me.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek then whispering in her ear. “If you ever do anything like that again, I’ll take you over my knee and spank you.” He had a smile when he pulled away so Rosalind thought he was kidding. She hoped he was, but you never knew with Adam. She would remember what he said. When she asked Joe about it later, he had the same opinion she did. Adam might have been kidding, but maybe he wasn’t.<\/p>\n Once the family got home, Ben had to ask because he had seen no evidence to give him his answer. “What did you do for Hop Sing? I know you wouldn’t have forgotten him.”<\/p>\n Rosalind took Ben into the kitchen. Painted in red over the doorways were Chinese symbols for luck and a long future. There was a sketch of a Metal Horse framed over the workspace next to the stove. Hop Sing was a little nervous until Ben smiled.<\/p>\n “Merry Christmas, Hop Sing. Perhaps when you have some time, the two of us can share a cup of tea, and you can tell me what all of those mean.”<\/p>\n Hop Sing agreed with a grin. He would be very pleased to do that. At dinner, Ben had his final question for Rosalind.<\/p>\n “What gave you the idea to do these things for us this Christmas?”<\/p>\n “I asked Joe what I should get for everyone for Christmas. He said he didn’t know because we all have so much. He said that sometimes the best presents he had gotten were not ones that could be bought and wrapped and left beneath the tree. The best ones had come from the heart. So that’s what I tried to do. I tried to touch your hearts.”<\/p>\n “My dear, you did just that.” Ben raised his glass to toast his daughter-in-law. “Merry Christmas, one and all, and a special thank you to the Santa in our midst who secretly worked her magic and brought joy to our hearts.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not Today, Not Tomorrow<\/strong><\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n Yesterday had been so much more pleasant for Adam. Before dawn, he had awakened at his wife’s side and spent some time reminding her how much he enjoyed her sweet company. Their son preferred getting up with the sun so they had hurried through their lovemaking and had been resting in each other’s arms when that bunch of black curls and hazel eyes had popped up beside their bed asking if Papa could help him. It was very nice not having to deal with diapers, but the little boy who wasn’t three years old yet needed help doing the necessary things. His father was his preferred helper, and in fact, his father was his preferred companion for everything, and whenever possible, Gabriel was at his side for chores or when Adam needed to take a ride into town for supplies or for business meetings.<\/p>\n The pleasant morning had later been interrupted by a decidedly unpleasant meeting with Wendell Burnside who represented an eastern mining corporation that was doing its best to buy into the California and Nevada mines. They had gotten options on a number of properties but wouldn’t be able to operate any of them profitably without adequate timber for shoring and for railroad spurs to connect the mines to the main railroad lines. There was also probably significant silver and gold deposits on the same land. They had been sending correspondence to the Ponderosa for months and had finally resorted to sending a representative. Wendell Burnside was a disagreeable man with an obvious disdain for all of them. He stood there resplendent in the latest fashion and must have forced himself not to say something about how Ben Cartwright dressed for a business meeting. Adam was dressed in his usual black. They stood by Ben’s desk in his office as Gabriel and Isaiah played out in the main room as their mothers sat with Rosalind and did sewing generally making sure that the boys engaged in nothing dangerous or damaging. Burnside found the whole situation unprofessional but did his best to hide his contempt. It wasn’t enough. Ben and Adam could tell exactly how he felt by what he said.<\/p>\n “If you accept our offer for your Ponderosa, you will have enough money to move to a city like San Francisco and live in civilization again. Surely you would want your grandsons or your sons to have the opportunity to get an education and pursue a career suitable for one with such wealth.”<\/p>\n “We have all the resources that we could need right here, and we can provide any education that anyone needs. Money is not what we want most. We have enough of that, and we can work for more.” Ben didn’t like the man’s attitude at all. Adam was even angrier, and the man’s next words got him escorted out of the house. His veiled threat was all too obvious.<\/p>\n “You and your family are not safe here. You have ladies and small boys who are very vulnerable. What would you do if their lives were at risk? Surely you would be willing to give up your wilderness empire to see them safely ensconced in a more appropriate dwelling.”<\/p>\n Ben had said that their meeting was over, but Adam physically ended it by taking Burnside by the arm and moving him to the door and outside without letting the children know that there was any kind of trouble. What he had actually wanted to do was plant his fist deep in the man’s mouth, but he knew that was the wrong thing to do with the children and the ladies there. Once he had Burnside outside of the house, he was direct.<\/p>\n “Never return here or you’ll be treated as a trespasser. We have every reason to shoot you on sight. You have insulted and threatened my family. Never try that again or carry a pistol because you’ll need one. Now get off the Ponderosa and stay off.”<\/p>\n “You will regret what you’ve done. I work for a powerful corporation with resources you couldn’t begin to imagine. You have made a very great error in treating Wendell Llewellyn Burnside with such discourtesy. I’ll be back when I own this and I own you.” With that, Burnside had his driver turn his carriage and leave.<\/p>\n Ben walked up beside Adam. “Do you think it was wise to anger him that much?”<\/p>\n “Pa, he’s a thug dressed as a gentleman. He thinks that fine clothes and manners make the man, but he’s rotten inside. I may have forced his hand, but sooner or later, with our refusing to sell, it was going to get nasty. Perhaps by rushing him into it, he’ll make some mistakes that we can use.”<\/p>\n “Even a rabid dog needs to be treated with due respect for how dangerous it can be. He made a rather pointed reference to the ladies and the boys being in peril. I’m going to talk with Candy and let him know what’s going on. We may need to set a perimeter guard around the house. Will you tell the ladies?”<\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath with that one. Zona was gradually becoming accustomed to the dangers and the problems of living in the Sierras on a ranch. However this kind of threat was something new to her although the Cartwrights had encountered such men before Burnside. Adam nodded and went inside to tell his wife and sisters-in-law about the latest problem and that they probably needed to stick close to the main house.<\/p>\n “Candy will set up guards and lookouts. We’ll have to hire a few more hands to help with the cattle so that the most trusted men can help us keep all of you safe.”<\/p>\n “Adam, do you think that Isaiah and me should move on over here to the big house? Hoss is gone all day, and I guess I’d feel a lot better knowing Isaiah was here.”<\/p>\n “Bess, I was going to suggest that. We’ll set things up just like we do for a holiday when everyone is in the house. Now, Bess I know you can shoot and Zona is learning, but Rosalind, can you shoot?”<\/p>\n “Not very well yet. I had never fired anything before I met Joe but he has been doing his best to teach me. I can fire a rifle and a shotgun, but I can’t hit anything with a pistol.”<\/p>\n “That’s good, but for now, let’s have you in charge of the boys if anything happens. The alcove where Pa used to have his desk is probably the safest spot to take them. Gabriel and Isaiah are old enough to take orders so be firm with them. Bess, you’re the best shot among the ladies so you do whatever you think is best to help out if there’s trouble, and you should probably carry that pocket pistol you have. Zona, the best idea for you would be to get the shotgun and stand guard over the boys and Rosalind. I have a small pocket pistol that Zona can carry, and I think Joe has a small derringer that fires three or four barrels at once which would be good for Rosalind to use. We’ll keep some extra shells for the shotgun high on the shelf over there. All right, is that plan acceptable to all of you?”<\/p>\n “Are you going to be safe?” Zona was scared again. There had been so many things that she had to learn to overcome and her fear for her husband’s safety was one she had not managed yet.<\/p>\n “Burnside made a threat that indicated that the ladies and the boys could be a target. One of us will always be here. When Hoss and Joe get back, they will work it out with Pa. I have a meeting in Carson City tomorrow so I’ll be gone, but I’ll be back by tomorrow night. I hate to have to go with this threat hanging over us, but that contract is very important to our future.”<\/p>\n “I don’t want you to go.”<\/p>\n “What? Another dream?”<\/p>\n “No, and don’t make fun of me. This is very serious. Your son needs his father, I need you, and you shouldn’t be taking risks like this.”<\/p>\n “So, you would rather I would send one of my brothers and let them take the risk?”<\/p>\n “No, of course not, but, oh, I don’t know. It’s just so frightening to live out here with all the dangers and now men are threatening us too.”<\/p>\n “I’ll be careful. I’ll ride there so it will be faster, and I won’t have to go into town and face Burnside. I’ll pack my good suit and get a room in Carson City. Then I’ll be back as soon as I can finish that meeting and get on the road back here. It won’t be any later than evening tomorrow. All right?”<\/p>\n “Why don’t you have someone go with you?”<\/p>\n “Everyone is busy. Burnside made the threat this morning. It will take him some time to come up with a plan and I should be back before he can put anything into motion. I’ll be fine.”<\/p>\n Walking into the house, Ben got a little chill hearing those words. He didn’t know why, but somehow it didn’t sound fine. He had no logical reason to feel that way so he said nothing. He noted that Adam gathered up all the legal papers he would need before he went to his room to pack a bag. He said goodbye to Zona and to Gabriel before going to the stable to saddle a horse. When he walked out of the stable, Zona was on the porch with Gabriel. They waved goodbye as he left. Zona knew she couldn’t go to him because Gabriel would want to go with his father, but she wished she could. She needed the reassurance of those muscular arms holding her. Instead, Ben ushered her back inside saying they didn’t know what Burnside was planning.<\/p>\n Later in town, Burnside was just starting to plan what he was going to do. He had never expected to be denied, and he was furious that someone he considered so beneath him had forcefully made him leave. “He touched me. He grabbed my arm and literally dragged me from the room. No man can be allowed to do that, and certainly that backwoods cretin has to be taught a lesson.”<\/p>\n “Do you want me to have someone shoot him?”<\/p>\n “Oh, no, that would simply stir up too much trouble among the yokels. No, he’s going to pay, and we’re going to use it to make his father hand over the Ponderosa to us. I’ll pay what I first offered him. It’s worth a lot more, but at least it won’t seem like I know too much. Once his precious first-born is presumed dead, we’ll take advantage of his grief.” Thinking about it, Burnside had more to consider. Finally with a big grin, he told Baxter. “But then perhaps, we can use that too. Ah, now I have a plan in mind that is exquisite. Let me work out the details. You and your men are going to have a job to do. It may take a few days, but it is elegant in its simplicity.”<\/p>\n “Sure thing, Boss. I’ll tell them not to do any drinking. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”<\/p>\n “I need a few of them to go tonight. Pick the three best hunters among them and bring them back here by four. Then after we send them on their way, I have need of the others so have them here immediately thereafter. I have a plan, and the preliminary work needs to be done tonight.”<\/p>\n By late that night, there was a calf staked out for predators on the Ponderosa and a tall, dark, drunk with black hair was sleeping off his overindulgence on a played out mine that Burnside had investigated for investment but rejected. All that Burnside needed then for the rest of his plan was for his men to abduct Adam Cartwright. He didn’t know he had gone to Carson City, but that turned out to make the next step of the plan work even better than expected. He had thought it might take days to be able to take him but by late the next day, Baxter rode into town to say they had him. Burnside was elated.<\/p>\n “All right, carry on with the rest of the plan. By this time tomorrow, Ben Cartwright won’t be able to see straight with all the tears as his heir apparent is lost.”<\/p>\n Burnside made sure that all of that day and night, he was very visible in town going to restaurants, shopping, and meeting with the corporate lawyer. He wanted to be sure that he had plenty of alibi witnesses. Baxter returned at dawn to say the deeds were done, and all that they needed to do was for the body to be found.<\/p>\n “You sure that they will think it’s him?”<\/p>\n “Just like you said, we shot him in the face with a shotgun after we had him dressed in all them Cartwright clothes, and we waited until that cougar came back for what was left of the calf. The body was laying right where the calf had been. It was an awful thing to watch, but you were right. Nobody would recognize their own son after a predator is done with the body.”<\/p>\n “And Cartwright?”<\/p>\n “He never saw it coming. He’s in that mine just like you said to leave him. He ain’t got no idea what’s going on. We left him a bucket of water just like you said. He won’t die unless he gets too cold. It gets darn cold out there at night; colder than I ever thought it would be.”<\/p>\n Hours earlier, that was how Adam found himself left naked and chained to an old ore cart in an abandoned mine with a bucket of water and nothing else. He was shivering and worried about what the night might bring. There was a strong smell of scat in the cave leading him to believe that some predator used it regularly. He could only hope it wouldn’t be using it that night. He wondered what his family would do when he didn’t return and hoped they would come looking immediately the next morning. He hoped he could manage until then. He found a broken pickaxe and decided that he could use the handle and the head as weapons if necessary. Turning the ore cart on its side proved to be a major task, but once he lined the bottom side of it with plant debris that had blown into the mine, he had a reasonably sheltered place to sleep. He was still getting cold so occasionally he got up and used the pickaxe head as a weight for exercising. Once he was warm enough by exertion, he rested in the ore cart. He had heard what sounded like a large animal approach the mine during the night and had found that banging the pickaxe head against the ore cart was enough to convince the animal to go elsewhere. He was determined to get home to his wife and son.<\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n “He should have been back by now. He said he would be back by evening, and it’s dark already. Something must have happened to him.” Zona was scared. Adam had promised to be back, and he wasn’t. With the threat against the family, she was very worried that Adam had been targeted. Adam kept his promises unless somebody prevented him from doing so. That he had not kept the promise to be home and hadn’t send word was very frightening.<\/p>\n “Zona, Adam probably had to spend more time working on those contracts than he thought. He may have stayed in Carson, or he headed for home but had to camp as it got dark.” Ben did his best to reassure Zona, but he was very worried. It wasn’t like Adam not to send word knowing that his wife and the rest of the family would worry. He would have known by midday if he wasn’t going to be able to make it home. That would have been plenty of time for him to send a wire and have it delivered. Ben caught Hoss’ eye and then Joe’s. He could tell they were thinking the same thing, but now it was dark. There was nothing they could do until dawn.<\/p>\n Later, Bess and Hoss were talking about Adam not returning home. Hoss was sure that Adam was all right. “I think I’d know if anything really bad had happened. I feel a little jittery like a new born colt, but I’m not scared. We’ll find him and bring him home.”<\/p>\n “You think he’s in trouble though?”<\/p>\n “I think something happened that he wasn’t expecting, and I think it happened after he left Carson or he woulda sent a telegram. That’s the part that worries me. He’s out there all alone tonight, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”<\/p>\n The two embraced as they rested in bed, but neither one fell asleep for quite a while. Bess kept hearing sounds and wondering what they were. Hoss worried that not one of those sounds was his brother riding into the yard. He knew that after Adam had made that promise to Zona, he would have done anything he could to make it come true. He wouldn’t camp out as their father had suggested because he would have known how upset that would make his wife. No, Hoss was sure that something had happened but couldn’t imagine what it could be. Joe was having the same thoughts as he sat by the window in his room. He remembered the times as a boy that he had gone out on that roof and been joined by Adam who taught him the constellations just as their father had taught Adam. He knew Adam never forgot anything, so he would have done his best to make sure his promise to his wife was kept. Like Hoss, he knew something had happened, but he feared the worst. Rosalind got out of bed and came to stand behind him and massage his neck and shoulders.<\/p>\n “You’re very tense. I thought you told Zona that Adam could handle anything that anybody threw at him and that he would be fine.” She waited while Joe continued to be silent and stare out the window. “But you don’t believe that, do you. You think something terrible happened.”<\/p>\n Joe turned and pulled Rosalind into his lap. Married less than two years, they had found they could confide anything to the other. There was no judgment and no telling tales. He pulled his wife close and whispered in her ear. “I’m scared. Something seems to be telling me that this is bad, very bad. I can’t seem to relax.”<\/p>\n “Joe, you need some sleep if you’re going to be any help to Adam tomorrow. Come to bed. I’ll rub your back until you fall asleep or my arm wears out.” Joe had to smile a little at her concern for him. He knew she would do that too. He finally did get some sleep and had to be awakened the next morning when it was time to get up.<\/p>\n After a quick breakfast before the sun rose, Hoss and Joe rode out at the first hint of dawn. Their early departure told Zona that they were just as scared as she was. They weren’t waiting to see if Adam arrived home. Taking the route they thought Adam would be using, it took only two hours to see vultures circling. The two brothers kicked their horses into a gallop until they spotted the black clad body on the ground and a cougar running away at their approach. Almost unwilling to go forward, Hoss forced himself with Joe following behind. There was no need to check the body for signs of life. The face was blown away and the body had been savaged by the cougar. Adam’s black vest, gun belt, and hat were relatively undamaged as were his boots. Joe slid from his horse dropping to his knees and retching until he had nothing left, but even then his stomach rebelled at the image of that ravaged body.<\/p>\n Hoss sat in shock. He had always felt that he would know if his brother died. Even when he had been gone for a while, Hoss had a sense of him living. He couldn’t believe that his brother could die like this and not cause him pain. He slowly dismounted and took his jacket off wrapping the head and what was left of the torso in it. He was startled to see some movement in the trees and drew his pistol before he realized it was Adam’s horse. He walked the fifty yards to where the animal was and found the reins tied to a sapling. It was an odd thing for Adam to have done and made Hoss wonder what had happened. His grief wasn’t allowing him to think clearly though. He had seen the stake in the ground near the body but hadn’t thought too much about that either. Leading the horse, he made his way back to the body finding Joe standing at the wrapped corpse unable to speak or move apparently. Using the bedroll that had been on Adam’s horse, Hoss wrapped the body up thoroughly and placed it over the saddle of Adam’s horse. It was only then that Joe spoke.<\/p>\n “Hoss, how can we tell Pa this? How can we tell Zona? Oh, my God, what about Gabriel?”<\/p>\n “Joe, we’re gonna have to tell ’em, but we can’t let them see this. I’m gonna take him to Doc Martin’s office. I want the doc to do his best for him. Then he’s gonna be put inside a casket and it’s gonna be sealed. I don’t ever want no one in the family to have to see what we saw. Now, you can come with me or you can go home and tell ’em what happened.”<\/p>\n Quietly, Joe helped Hoss secure the body on the horse before mounting up and waiting for Hoss to do the same. Then just as silently, the two brothers rode to town with Hoss leading the horse carrying the body. As they rode into town, they drew a lot of attention. By the time they got to the doctor’s office, there were probably twenty people trailing behind them. Several times voices called out asking who the dead man was but they got no answer from the brothers. At the doctor’s office, they untied the body from the horse, and Hoss carried it into the doctor’s office as Joe opened the door for him and then closed it firmly behind them. Doctor Paul Martin had been bandaging a patient and hurried to finish when he saw Hoss holding a body in his arms. After the man left with his arm in a sling, Paul looked to Hoss.<\/p>\n “Who is it, Hoss?”<\/p>\n “It’s Adam. We found him this morning. I can’t take him home to Pa and Zona looking like he does. I want you to do the best you can for him, and we’ll get a casket for him. I want it sealed so Pa and Zona can’t see him like this. I don’t want nobody else to see him like this.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, what happened?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know for shur, but somebody shot him in the face with a shotgun. It was real close. You can see some of the pellets yet. Then they left him out there like that and a cougar got at him. It’s awful, Doc, and I’m gonna go see the man who done it.”<\/p>\n Sheriff Roy Coffee had stepped into the office and heard the conversation. “Hoss, you weren’t there. How could you know who done it.” Roy was in some shock as well. Adam had been almost like a son and had been a very dear friend and ally.<\/p>\n “That Burnside feller threatened our family two days ago. We just never thought he would do something this awful and this soon. Adam never had a chance.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, that may be true, but we got no proof, do we? I mean, is there any evidence to back up that Burnside had him killed?”<\/p>\n “We don’t need any evidence when we know what happened?” Joe was getting furious now.<\/p>\n “Now, Joe, your Pa is gonna have more than enough grief. You don’t think he wants to see his other two sons hanging for murder, now do ya? You take care of your family, and I’m gonna get right on this. Doctor Martin can take a look at the body and see if he can tell us anything about what happened. I’ll go talk to this Burnside fella, and you two head on home. Your family needs you now more than ever.” Roy could see that Hoss and Joe were reluctant to do as he suggested so he added one more point to his argument. “You know Adam would have wanted to give the law a chance. Now, wouldn’t he?”<\/p>\n Joe was still too upset so Hoss was the first to speak. “All right, Roy, we’ll do it your way, but ifn you don’t find out who done it and get them up on that gallows where they belong, then Joe and me are gonna have to take care of it.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, we’ll get them. Don’t worry about that because I’m gonna do everything thing I can and then some. Whoever murdered your brother is going to pay the penalty. I’m guaranteeing that. “Me and Joe are gonna stop at the undertaker’s place and get him to building a proper casket for my brother. You be sure that he’s sealed up in that before my father can get to town demanding to see him. Is that clear?”<\/p>\n “We’ll make sure, Hoss. I understand.” Although Roy didn’t completely understand then, he did when he saw the body as Doc Martin got busy. It was nearly an hour later though that Paul came hurrying to him with news. He pulled Roy away from some people he had been questioning and whispered to him.<\/p>\n “Roy, keep your voice down and don’t react to what I’m going to say. Roy, it’s not Adam.”<\/p>\n Doing his best to follow Paul’s instructions, Roy was still shocked at what he had heard. “What? His own brothers thought it was him.”<\/p>\n “Roy, if you saw your brother in that state on your property with his horse nearby, and he was wearing all the right things, how close would you look to be sure?”<\/p>\n “I guess not so close. But how can you be sure?”<\/p>\n “Come over to my office. I don’t want to be overheard. Someone went to a lot of trouble to make us believe that was Adam. Now come with me, please.”<\/p>\n Once they were at the doctor’s office, Paul showed Roy the three things that he found to be convincing, and Roy had to agree with that assessment. “Now I gotta ride out to the Ponderosa and tell ’em. It’s gonna be a shock but not a lot better one than they’re getting right about now.”<\/p>\n In the old mine, Adam wasn’t doing very well either. He suspected very strongly that his abductors had wanted the man they had taken out of this mine to impersonate him, but as the man seemed as mystified as he had been, he thought too that the man was an unwilling accomplice to whatever plan these men had. He had recognized the man called Baxter in the group of men who had abducted and stranded him in the mine so he knew that Burnside was involved. He couldn’t see how his abduction was going to help Burnside achieve his objective unless he was being held for ransom, but then the imposter didn’t fit into that idea at all. He had lots of time to think though as he worked through what he knew of the puzzle.<\/p>\n For survival, he stood about every fifteen minutes and did some lifting and other activity to warm up but not enough to sweat because that would have helped cool his body and that he did not want. As soon as it got light enough in the morning, he began using the pickaxe head to try to damage the chain that bound him to the ore cart. He guessed that if he had a few days, he would be able to break one of the links and free himself. There was probably more metal deeper in the mine that he could have used, but he only had about six feet of chain so that was the radius of how far he could reach.<\/p>\n Adam was facing a quandary though. He needed to be awake at night to fend off any potential predators who wanted to come into the mine by banging on the ore cart, but he needed the light to try to break a link in his chain so he needed daytime for that task. He finally decided that he should sleep in the middle of the day when it was unlikely he would face any threat. Then again in the very early hours of the morning, he could sleep again as predators would have found their pry and sought out shelter by that time. That schedule still gave him quite a few hours to work on that chain. He had the bucket of water, but without food, he wasn’t sure how long he could keep up his whole routine, and to stop doing any of it would likely mean his death.<\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n “Adam can’t be dead. How can you be sure?” Ben felt faint and had to sit. Hoss guided his pale and shaking father down into a chair on the porch.<\/p>\n “Pa, the body was a mess, but it was all Adam’s clothing, and his pistol, and boots. His horse was tied off nearby.”<\/p>\n Once again Hoss was reminded of the unusual knot that was used to tie the horse to a sapling. He knew Adam almost always ground tied his horse unless there was a significant danger, but then he would have taken his rifle, but that had been untouched in the scabbard. It was an anomaly that he couldn’t explain. Joe came to comfort his father but needed it as much as he was willing to give it.<\/p>\n “Roy’s coming out here later, and I’m gonna take him to where we found him. Somebody killed my brother, and they’re gonna pay for it.”<\/p>\n “Killed?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, Pa, somebody shot him in the face. That’s why we didn’t bring him home. I brought him to Doc Martin. Pa, I never want you to see him the way we saw him. I told them I wanted him in a casket that was closed up tight.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, I have to see him. I can’t let him go without seeing him.”<\/p>\n “Hoss is right, Pa. You don’t want to see what we saw.”<\/p>\n “How are going to tell Zona?”<\/p>\n “Tell me what? What’s happened? Why are you back without Adam? What don’t you want your father to see?” Zona had heard the horses come into the yard, and when no one came into the house, she went out to find them. She had heard enough to know the news was bad. When none of them could bear to say a word, she knew. “Oh, my God, no. Why? He was so happy. Why?”<\/p>\n Bess came outside then having heard the crying. “Rosalind is watching over the boys. She’s got the baby too so Joe if you could go help her, that would be wonderful. Perhaps you could take the boys up to Gabriel’s bedroom and try to keep them busy for a while?” Bess comforted Zona as much as she could while Hoss tended to his father.<\/p>\n Hop Sing came out and was informed of what had happened. He adopted a stone-faced look and went to get some tea, but Hoss was sure he needed a towel for his eyes as much as anything. Then Hoss repeated some of what he had said to his father telling Zona that the body was at Doc Martin’s office and that Sheriff Roy Coffee was coming out to investigate. He reiterated his earlier statement that the men who had done this would face justice. The way he said it left no room for doubt. They were all sitting on the porch yet when Roy Coffee rode into the yard. They had been expecting him but not the almost cheerful expression he had. Ben was almost going to issue a scathing remark when Roy’s words penetrated.<\/p>\n “It’s not Adam. Doc took a good look at the body, and it ain’t Adam.”<\/p>\n “Roy, how could he tell? Me and Joe thought it was Adam.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, it looks a lot like Adam, and it is Adam’s clothes and such, or at least it sure looks like it is, but Doc found some things that told us it wasn’t Adam. For one, Doc took off them boots and unless Adam’s feet shrunk a lot, those weren’t his feet. We know that Adam has long feet but the body in there has feet more the size of Doc or me. Next, we know Adam got shot in the left shoulder years ago, but despite what was done to that body, the left shoulder wasn’t touched and there’s no scar there. Last, Adam didn’t have no tattoo on his upper left arm, did he? This body had a date tattooed on his upper arm. My guess is that whoever it was had been locked up somewhere at some time, and that was how they identified him. Doc was gonna keep checking, but you can bet that ain’t Adam on his table.”<\/p>\n “Roy, where is Adam then?” Shaken by all that had happened, Ben needed time to calm himself and start thinking.<\/p>\n “Ben, now that’s what I been pondering on the whole ride out here. We ain’t told nobody in town that we know it isn’t Adam. Somebody went to a lot of trouble to make us think it was. I don’t know what’s going on here, but I surely do want to find out. Now Hoss, you said you could take me to where that body was found. I think we oughta do that right now.”<\/p>\n “I want to come along.”<\/p>\n “Zona, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Roy was clearly surprised.<\/p>\n “Roy, someone should go with you. Zona, I would like to go too, but I think Joe is the logical one to send. He can track almost as well as Hoss and Adam. He would be a bigger help than you or I could be. Let’s go tell the others what we know, and let Joe and Hoss go with Roy.” Ben knew how upset Zona must be. He felt the same way, and he wanted to find Adam too but knew he wouldn’t be much help in a search. He needed to let those who had the best chance of finding Adam do it.<\/p>\n “Send Candy too then. They need all the help they can get to find Adam.” After Candy had survived the avalanche and had helped Adam to survive that, she had a lot of confidence in the foreman.<\/p>\n “Ben, I wouldn’t mind a bit more help, and Candy was a scout. He could probably be a big help to us.”<\/p>\n “Pa, Roy, I think we got something to do first. I think we oughta go get that body in the casket and haul it out here. Somebody wanted us to believe Adam was dead. Let’s let ’em think that while we look for him. The best way to do that is if Joe and me go get that casket.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, you’re probably right. Ben?” Roy looked to Ben for confirmation. Ben nodded. They were in the midst of some conspiracy, and he had a good idea who might be behind it all.<\/p>\n “Yes, Roy, but it might be a good idea if we have someone start watching Burnside. He made a barely disguised threat against us two days ago, and now Adam is missing. It seems likely he’s responsible for this somehow.”<\/p>\n “All right. Let’s go to town to get that casket, and then Hoss, I want to head on over to where you found that body. We need to check that out before it gets dark or rains or something. Our only clues are probably there.”<\/p>\n A few hours later, Roy stood with Hoss, Joe, and Candy where the body was found. They had gotten the casket from town and driven it to the Ponderosa so that whoever was watching would think that they had been fooled. Hoss noticed what he had been trying to remember. He had been in such shock when they had found the body that he had not analyzed the situation. There was a very short stake stuck in the ground and a short piece of bloody rope tied to it.<\/p>\n “Roy, somebody tied something here, and it wasn’t that body. There was nothing we found with the body to support that idea.”<\/p>\n Standing in thought for a moment, Roy had a plan. “We need to search this area and see what else there may be. Be careful though not to walk through any tracks. We need to backtrack whoever did this.” They had tied their horses a good distance from the spot to try to preserve any evidence that might be there as well as tracks they would need to follow if they found them. It didn’t take long to find items of interest. Candy was the first to spot something.<\/p>\n “Hey, over here.” He directed them to where he was standing and to what was hidden in some brush. It was what was left of a calf that had been attacked by a predator as well as scavengers. There wasn’t much left except the hide, but there was also a rope around what had been its neck. “Looks like somebody tied a calf up out there to draw in a predator. Then they put the body in the same spot so whatever it was would mutilate the body for them. Somebody has a real sick sense of things.”<\/p>\n “All right, we know some of what happened. Now we need to find out the who. Hoss, let’s concentrate on finding some tracks now.”<\/p>\n “Roy, I already seen tracks. There’s two sets, with one coming in and the other going out.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, the ones leaving are probably them going back to town. Let’s backtrack the ones that come in here with that body.”<\/p>\n Thus began the very slow process of backtracking tracks from the previous day that had been left in a pasture. It was extremely slow going as they had to walk their horses as each track was painstakingly located. They only had a few miles to go to find the mine where Adam was located but had no way of knowing that.<\/p>\n In the mine, Adam was getting weaker without food and with the toll of trying to stay warm with the cold temperatures and no clothing nor blanket to retain body heat. He had water but it must have been contaminated because it had given him cramps and worse. He was losing strength due to that too. He developed a fever and drank more of the water not knowing it was the source of some of his troubles. When he started retching, he no longer drank water. He was feverish but also suffering from hypothermia as his extremities became very cold and he found any movement or thought very difficult. He was also nauseated and dehydrated. He lay on his side in the overturned ore cart and prayed for his family to find him soon. He fell asleep and had terrible dreams.<\/p>\n In town, Adam was the subject of conversation between Burnside and Baxter. “I regret telling you to treat Cartwright so badly. I’m possibly going to need him alive to get what I want. I let my temper get the best of me. He’s been humiliated and that’s enough. I want you to go to that mine and give him some clothes to wear, a blanket, and some food. Take a man with you and leave him there to guard him as well as to make sure he stays alive. I’m heading out to the Ponderosa to see if grief has been enough to soften up that old coot.”<\/p>\n Baxter didn’t follow the instructions that he had been given. He had no desire to ride out to that mine to see a filthy, quarrelsome hostage. He sent a man with the blanket, clothes, and food with instructions that he was to guard the hostage and make sure he stayed alive. Then Baxter headed to C Street for a little afternoon entertainment. The man he told to head to the mine decided to have a little pleasure with the ladies before he ended up sitting in that mine watching over a prisoner. He had a bit too much to drink and fell asleep in the painted lady’s bed. He had paid well so she left him there to sleep it off. Adam had one more night of cold, isolation, and deprivation to endure.<\/p>\n On the Ponderosa, Ben was standing on the porch where he had been most of the time since his sons had left the house again after delivering the body in the casket. Just the thought that the man in there had been killed after being made to look like his eldest son made Ben very sad. Then he worried that he might still have to suffer through the loss of his son. Zona came out to see him. He could see the tears brimming in her eyes and wrapped her in a hug.<\/p>\n “I got Gabriel to take a nap. He knows something is wrong. He keeps asking ‘What’s wrong Mama?’ And then he asks where his Papa is. He said ‘Papa will make you all better.’ Ben, he will, but where is he?”<\/p>\n “We have to trust that Hoss and the others will find him. We have to have faith.” Zona began crying, and Ben found that was all it took for his tears to flow. Zona rested her head on his shoulder and cried. It was all Ben could do to not cry with her.<\/p>\n It was at that moment that Burnside’s carriage came into the yard. Ben turned Zona toward the house and whispered to her that she should alert the others and get to a window so they might hear what was said. Zona wiped at her tears as she looked at Burnside. She looked every bit the grieving widow making Burnside believe that his plan had worked. He hoped to take advantage of them in their sorrow at the apparent loss they had suffered.<\/p>\n “Mr. Cartwright, I know your son told me not to come back, but I have to express my condolences over his death. I heard what happened. Now I have a bank draft for one hundred thousand dollars. If you sign over the Ponderosa to me, you can take your family somewhere safe and away from the dangers of living here.”<\/p>\n “I’m not selling now, not today, and not tomorrow, and never for a ridiculously low price like that.”<\/p>\n “You would put a price like that on keeping your family safe even after losing such a valuable member of your family?”<\/p>\n “Are you threatening me and mine?”<\/p>\n “No, no, of course not. I’m a businessman. I had only hoped to find you more logical and rational with Adam not here any more. Now, I sincerely hope you suffer no more losses, but there are dangers all around, aren’t there? One more chance? Do you want that money?”<\/p>\n Thinking that he needed to know what Burnside had planned, Ben decided to play along to buy a little time. “Perhaps I was hasty. I will talk over your offer with my sons. We’ll let you know what we decide.”<\/p>\n “That would be a good outcome for all of us. If you agree to the sale, perhaps my men could help in the search for whoever did that to your son.”<\/p>\n “We’ll let you know.”<\/p>\n Smiling, Burnside climbed back into his carriage and told the driver to take him back to town. He was pleased for it seemed that things were working out as he had predicted. As he rode back to town, he wondered how he could get rid of Baxter and the others when he no longer needed their services. He had found that in activities of this sort, there were always such messy loose ends to tie up. He had done it before though so had no doubt he could do it again. It was possible he wouldn’t need Adam Cartwright alive to be delivered to his father. He smiled when he decided that if he could, he would enjoy seeing the proud man dead. And then he had it. He would make sure Baxter and the others were held responsible for Adam Cartwright’s death. The state of Nevada would take care of those loose ends then by use of the gallows. It was an elegant solution, and Burnside was quite proud to have thought of it. He needed to work out the details, but he was sure he could manage something as simple as that. He spent the rest of the ride thinking about what he needed to do.<\/p>\n Ben walked inside to talk to his daughters-in-law. Zona was furious and Bess almost as much. “That bastard was insulting to Adam even as he offered his so-called condolences. He said he heard Adam was dead, but no one told him that. The only way he could make that statement was if he was the one behind it all.”<\/p>\n “Now, let’s try to keep calm, ladies. We don’t want to upset the boys. We can talk about it, but please try to make it sound like any other ordinary conversation we might have.”<\/p>\n Bess got a slight smile from Zona with her comment. In a very sweet voice, she asked a question. “You mean like should we shoot a sidewinder rattlesnake right in the privates for talking like a two headed diamondback?” Ben shook his head. His sons had chosen wives very well.<\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/strong><\/p>\n Roy and the others had to give up the search as the waning sunlight made it too difficult to see any tracks at all. They agreed to meet back at that spot at dawn. When Hoss, Joe, and Candy returned to the Ponderosa empty handed, Ben told them about Burnside’s visit.<\/p>\n “I just can’t tell what he is up to. He could hold Adam for ransom and demand the Ponderosa as payment, but I guess he knows that legally such a transfer wouldn’t hold up in court.”<\/p>\n “Why is that, Pa?”<\/p>\n “If I was coerced into signing away the Ponderosa, we could go to court claiming duress and almost surely get it all back while Burnside would go to prison for extortion. No, he’s more clever than that. I wish I knew what he was thinking.”<\/p>\n “Maybe he wanted to get you so upset or scared that you would sign away the Ponderosa willingly.”<\/p>\n “So you think he wants us to think that Adam is dead so that I’ll take his offer and leave before any more of the family are killed?”<\/p>\n “Pa, Joe might be right. But how’s he gonna let Adam be free afterwards without us figuring out what he did?”<\/p>\n “We heard him.” Zona and the ladies had been listening. Zona continued. “He told Papa that his men could help search for Adam. They would find him of course because they know right where he is. Then he would look like a hero instead of a dirty black-hearted snake.”<\/p>\n “I have an idea of how to work this against him, but we would have to do this fast. We don’t know where they’re keeping Adam nor what condition he’s in.” Ben looked at Joe. “Tomorrow morning as soon as it’s light, you head to town and send Hiram out here with his clerk.”<\/p>\n “Pa, he never goes to his office before eight or nine.”<\/p>\n “You’ll go to his house. Tell him it’s urgent and to get out here as soon as he can. Make sure he brings that clerk of his and a lot of paper. Then tell Roy what’s going on. Wait until ten and then tell Burnside that we’re ready to agree to his terms. Ride back here before he can get here. I have some things that you’ll need to do.”<\/p>\n “Pa, what ya planning?” Hoss knew his father was scheming. Joe and Adam weren’t the only ones in the family who could come up with a plan or a scheme. His father was good at it too. Ben nodded in response to Hoss’ question and then informed them of what he planned. It had some risk involved but not too much. It would force Burnside’s hand and give them their best chance to find Adam quickly, and hopefully it would be quick enough. The ladies all agreed that the plan was a good bet. The next morning, Hoss headed out to meet Roy to continue tracking. Joe headed into town to complete the errands that his father had set. The ladies did their best to care for the children without letting them know how worried they were. Everyone was armed and prepared for the worst but hoping that wouldn’t happen.<\/p>\n Out in the pasture, Hoss, Candy, and Roy were continuing the search. Roy had brought Clem and another deputy, Jeb, to help. “Roy, that looks like a man riding from town and heading in the same direction as we are.” Hoss had been leading the others for two hours. They waited in a small copse of trees until that rider got closer.<\/p>\n “Hoss, now that looks like one of those men who’s with that Baxter feller who works for that Burnside. Ever since you told me about the threats Burnside made, I’ve been thinking back to men I’ve seen with him. There ain’t been many. He goes to his lawyer’s office and the bank, but several times I’ve seen him greet that Baxter. Now far as I know, Baxter doesn’t seem to do any work, but he always has money to spend on C Street.”<\/p>\n “So you think Baxter works for Burnside and that this man works for Baxter?”<\/p>\n “That about sums it all up. We need to follow this man. Now Hoss, you and me can keep tracking. Candy will follow that rider. He don’t seem to be paying much attention so I’m thinking Candy can get pretty close and not lose him. He won’t even know he’s there. Clem can go with Candy, and Jeb will stay with us.”<\/p>\n “Then what?” Candy wasn’t sure what to do next.<\/p>\n “I’m thinking we’re gonna end up at the same place. Ifn we don’t, well, we’ll work on that if it happens.” Within about thirty minutes, Roy was proven correct. Candy told them that the man had walked into a mine so they quietly and carefully headed in that direction. They all assumed that Adam was in that mine and didn’t want to do anything to spook the man who had gone in there. Hoss was in the lead as they neared the mine entrance. What he heard made him hurry.<\/p>\n “Get up, and get dressed, ya damn fool. I brought you clothes and such, but I ain’t touching ya so you better do as I say.” The man was in a sour mood with a hangover, and now finding their captive unresponsive, he was worried about what Baxter might do. He kicked Adam hard in the leg trying to elicit a response from him. “Now do it! I’ll kick you again if ya don’t do what I say.”<\/p>\n “I think if you try it, you’ll find your backbone shattered and you in a heap on the floor. Now ease that pistol out of your holster and don’t give me no reason to pull this trigger.” Hoss had his pistol pressed against the man’s back.<\/p>\n “Mister, I don’t know who you are, but I got orders to follow, and if I don’t, I’m dead anyway so you better just shoot.”<\/p>\n “No, Hoss, don’t shoot. I’d rather have him in my jail and getting ready to walk up them gallows steps.”<\/p>\n “What, no, I didn’t kill anybody. He’s still alive. Look, see, he’s still breathing.”<\/p>\n “Clem, get him out of here and tie him up.” As Roy pulled the man toward Clem, Hoss dropped to his knees beside Adam and found that he was still breathing, but his face was pale and hot while his arms and legs were extremely cold. Hoss saw the chain and barely held his temper in check. He reached for the blanket that had been dropped beside Adam and spread it out and ease his brother onto it pulling the blanket up and over him. “We’re gonna get you outta here and all warmed up, Adam. You just gotta hang on a bit.” Hoss stood and walked out of the mine to where Clem had just tied the hands of the man behind his back. “Where’s the key?”<\/p>\n “Ah, Baxter has the key.”<\/p>\n Hoss pulled his pistol again and pressed it between the man’s eyes. “Try again.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, now you can’t shoot him with him all tied up like that. I’d hate to have to arrest you for murder.”<\/p>\n “Roy, there’s no jury in Virginia City that would ever convict me. He’s got Adam naked and chained in there. He treated him like an animal. I need to get that chain off him so I can get him home.” Turning his attention back to the man standing shaking in front of him, Hoss gave him one last chance. He cocked his pistol. “Where’s the key?”<\/p>\n “Baxter’s gonna kill me if I hand it over. I didn’t do that to your brother. It was all Baxter’s plan. He gave all the orders.” Knowing it was hopeless to resist, he finally answered. “It’s in my right coat pocket. Baxter gave it to me so I could get him dressed. He was going to come out here by noon to check up on him. He’s gonna be really mad. You don’t know what he’s like when he’s mad.”<\/p>\n Hoss reached into the pocket and pulled out the key. “Mister, you ain’t got no idea what mad is until you seen me mad. My Pa is likely to want to tear you limb from limb, so you don’t need to worry no more about Baxter. You got to worry about me and my Pa and my brother Joe. Candy, untie him. I’m gonna need his coat, vest, and boots for Adam.”<\/p>\n “Mister, you can’t do that to me. It’s freezing out here.” Almost as soon as he said it, the man knew that he was going to be very cold very soon. He waited silently until Candy untied his hands. Roy kept his pistol trained on the man as he stripped off the items that Hoss wanted. Then Candy tied his hands again before carrying the clothing into the mine.<\/p>\n When Candy got inside the mine, Hoss was on his knees rubbing Adam’s arms and then his legs trying to warm him. As soon as Candy brought in the clothing, the two of them got Adam into the shirt and pants the man had brought and then added the vest, coat, and boots. Hoss wrapped the blanket around Adam before lifting him and carrying him out of the mine. He laid him down on the soft grass and in the sunlight.<\/p>\n “Roy, I’m gonna use this man’s horse to get Adam home. I think you should chain that bastard in the mine while you wait for Baxter. He should be along soon. Candy, would you ride for home. Tell Hop Sing to get a warm bath ready, and let everybody know that we found him alive.” Adam moaned a little then letting Hoss know he was regaining consciousness. “Adam, it’s Hoss. I’m gonna get you home, don’t you worry none about that.”<\/p>\n “Water.” It was hoarse and soft but the plea was very clear. Hoss grabbed his canteen and tipped it to Adam’s lips letting him have a big drink. “So cold. So hot.” Hoss’ eyes glistened with tears at Adam’s simple complaints.<\/p>\n Once Adam had a bit more to drink, Roy and Clem helped Hoss get him into the saddle. Adam didn’t seem to be in any pain, but he was very weak and dizzy. Once seated in the saddle, Adam closed his eyes and dropped his head to his chest. Just that exertion had taxed him significantly. The men carefully tied a rope around his waist and secured it to the pommel to help him stay in the saddle. Hoss took the reins to lead the horse and with a gentle voice told Adam to hang on to the pommel too. Once he saw Adam grip it as well as he could, he nudged Chubb to get moving and kept Adam’s horse right beside him. Then riding just that way, Hoss began the slow ride home.<\/p>\n After questioning the man they had in custody, Roy learned his name was Randy. He named four other men who followed Baxter’s orders. Roy sent Clem to town to round up those men who had been part of the conspiracy to abduct Adam. After hiding their horses, Jeb joined Roy in the mine as they waited. Roy warned Randy not to say anything and not to make a sound when Baxter arrived and approached the mine entrance. “After what you all done to Adam, I might have to put a bullet in ya to shut ya up. Besides, it would be another charge for you to face if you do anything to get in the way of us arresting this Baxter. Now, is that clear enough to ya?”<\/p>\n Randy nodded, and over the next hour quietly told Roy everything he had done and everything that he knew that Baxter had done. Randy had never met Burnside, and Baxter had never mentioned the name. Roy knew that legally that was going to be a problem. He knew as well as the Cartwrights knew that Burnside was behind all of the trouble, but unless Baxter talked, they had no proof of Burnside’s involvement. He hoped to take Baxter into custody soon to get an incriminating statement that could be used to arrest Burnside. It would still be a tough sell to a jury with only the word of a criminal, but with the circumstantial case of things Burnside had said to the Cartwrights, it might be enough. He said a few silent prayers too that Adam would recover. He had looked awful when Hoss pulled him out of the mine, but he had revived somewhat with warm clothing and some water. Roy hoped that it would be that easy for him to recover fully. Roy was grateful that at least Adam had no apparent injuries and wasn’t wounded.<\/p>\n On the trail toward home, Hoss worried as Adam was getting weaker and weaker. He had him lean down over the horse’s neck but even then, Hoss worried he might slip to the side. When he saw Candy and Griff coming with a buckboard, he wanted to cry. He stopped the horses and began untying the rope around Adam’s waist before dismounting and moving quickly to his brother’s side as he began to slip from the saddle. Zona was in the back of the wagon, and nearly jumped from it before it stopped once she saw Adam. Soon she was there and wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his dirty unshaven cheek. She would have kissed him on the lips except he turned a bit from her. He had retched enough times that he knew he didn’t want to subject her to his mouth at all. He began to feel faint, and it was as if Hoss knew for he took Adam in his arms to carry him to the wagon before he could fall. There was a mattress and blankets in the back of the wagon. Hoss held Adam up as high as he could so that Griff and Candy who were standing in the wagon could lift him into the wagon and lay him on the mattress. Then both jumped over the side to give Zona room. She wrapped blankets around her husband and kissed his cheek again before asking if he wanted some water.<\/p>\n “Zona, just small amounts at a time. I reckon he ain’t had enough, but if you give him too much at once, he’s likely to retch it up which is worse than not gettin’ any water at all. Pa and Joe didn’t come with you?” Hoss was very surprised.<\/p>\n “They got some kind of business deal going on with that Burnside. They ain’t letting him know that Adam is found until they get him to sign the papers. They looked real busy when we left, but they had to keep looking like they thought Adam was dead too so Burnside wouldn’t figure it out.”<\/p>\n Hoss had known of his father’s scheme to buy time. He was surprised though to hear that he was carrying it out even though Adam had been found alive. He got on his horse and took the reins of the other trailing behind the wagon as Griff and Candy drove it back to the ranch house.<\/p>\n In the wagon, Adam seemed more alert but also was clearly exhausted and ill. Zona told him to close his eyes and rest. He nodded slightly and lay back on the mattress where he soon was asleep. Finally he got a restful sleep with no worries about the cold and no threat of predators. It seemed like he even had a small smile as he laid there in the wagon with Zona leaning against him and holding the blankets tightly to him willing him to get warm again.<\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/strong><\/p>\n At the house, Ben and Joe had completed their work. Zona had signed papers on behalf of Adam, Bess on Hoss’ behalf, and Joe had signed his and cosigned the others. Then Hiram’s clerk and Joe had taken the papers to town where they had all been duly registered in the land office in town that morning. Hiram and Ben had waited until Hiram’s clerk and Joe got back with those documents before they agreed to sit down with Burnside and work out the legal sale of Benjamin Cartwright’s Ponderosa to Burnside for one hundred thousand dollars. Burnside had his lawyer there looking over the documents that Hiram had drafted. Burnside looked immensely pleased with himself. He handed over the check when his lawyer nodded that the papers seemed to be in order even though the lawyer had told Burnside that he should wait a day before signing. The lawyer had balked too when there was no description of the land included in the legal papers, but Hiram said that Benjamin Cartwright’s Ponderosa was registered in the land office in town so they could get a description there. The lawyer wanted to delay, but Burnside didn’t want to delay his victory. He wanted to savor it. He wished he would be able to go to the mine with the men to make Adam Cartwright grovel in the knowledge that his disappearance had led to all of this, but he couldn’t take the chance of being implicated in Adam’s abduction. Only Baxter tied him to the whole plot, and Baxter could be removed.<\/p>\n Burnside walked outside with the deed in his hand and told his driver that after he got Burnside to town he was to tell the men who worked for Baxter to head out and see if they could find Adam Cartwright. Clem was waiting for that and would follow them with a couple of deputies. Before he left, Burnside had turned to Ben.<\/p>\n “I know you’re suffering, but I do need to get moving forward with the business of mining. Now I expect that you will vacate the property within the week. I would like to take possession no later than one week from today.”<\/p>\n Ben nodded and turned to go into the house. Burnside was going to say something snide and sarcastic but for once held his tongue. He had his victory over people he considered of much lower status. He decided there was no need to rub it in. Instead, he directed his driver to take him back to town. He thought that he had a lot to do. His lawyer was by his side telling him that they needed to get to the land office as soon as possible.<\/p>\n “Now why would we need to do that?”<\/p>\n “Because I have lived here for almost a year getting those first mine options for our employers, and this deal has shocked me. I never thought I would see the day that Ben Cartwright handed over the Ponderosa for a fraction of its worth. Something isn’t right here.”<\/p>\n “You give these yokels too much credit. He was grieving for his son. He wasn’t thinking straight, and I took advantage of that.”<\/p>\n Suddenly very suspicious, the lawyer looked at him sharply. “You didn’t have anything to do with Adam Cartwright’s disappearance, did you? That could be very bad.”<\/p>\n “I did not abduct him nor murder him. Does that satisfy you? You worry too much. The next thing I want you to do is to inform our employers of what I accomplished here today. I got the land they wanted and at about one-tenth the cost. I think I’ll tear down that ugly house and build a proper home for a gentleman. Get some people working on that too, would you?”<\/p>\n A short time later, Hoss spotted the carriage headed toward town as he followed the wagon carrying Adam that was approaching the road to the house. Hoss was glad that Burnside was already gone. They could take care of Adam without worry. He pointed that out to Candy.<\/p>\n “Hoss, can I use your horse? Griff can use the other one. I think Roy and maybe Clem could probably use some help. We’ll ride back to the mine to help out.”<\/p>\n Quickly dismounting, Hoss handed Chubb’s reins to Candy who mounted up and waited just a moment for Griff to do the same before the two of them rode back the way they had come. Hoss and Zona heard two gunshots a few minutes later, but it was too soon for those men to be at the mine and the shots were too far away. All Hoss could hope was that it was Roy and Jeb doing the shooting. He rather hoped Baxter had been shot. After what he had done to Adam, Hoss wanted him to suffer. As he pulled the wagon into the yard a short time later, Ben rushed out to help leaning over the side of the wagon and calling Adam’s name. Adam opened his eyes and had a small smile for his father. He gripped Zona’s hand as she realized he was a bit stronger than when he had first been placed in the wagon. He asked for more water and got it. Then Ben got in the wagon to help Adam to the side where Hoss again took over and carried Adam to the washroom. They got Adam undressed and helped him into the tub of warm water. He eased down in and leaned back with a contented look. Zona began washing his arms, chest, and shoulders as Hoss reached down to feel his legs and feet.<\/p>\n “They’re warmer now. Can you feel that?”<\/p>\n “Yes, and stop pinching my toes. That hurts.”<\/p>\n “Yup, that’s a lot better than at the mine. You hardly even knew I was touching you, and I gripped a lot harder than I did just now.”<\/p>\n Ben intervened in the conversation then. “Doc Martin will be here soon. I sent a hand for him as soon as we found out you were alive.” Adam grimaced at that news making all of them smile. Zona washed his face and hair then gently rinsing it with cups of warm water from a kettle Hop Sing provided. Ben stepped in to shave his son while Adam was still in the tub. Finally, they had Adam lean forward so they could wash his back. He had some nasty but superficial abrasions there from the ore cart. Seeing those, Hop Sing left and was soon back with salve they could apply once Adam was out of the tub and dry. That was the next step to take.<\/p>\n “I feel rather ridiculous having to be cared for like a child.”<\/p>\n “Son, at the moment, you can’t do anything for yourself so relax and let us do what has to be done. We’ll get you in a nightshirt and robe so you can say hello to your son. He’s been very worried about you.”<\/p>\n After exiting the tub and getting dry and clothed, and then getting a hug from Gabriel, Adam was helped to his bed where he sat smothered in blankets and propped up with pillows. He found that gripping a spoon and feeding himself was more difficult than he had imagined so he allowed Zona to feed him the thick broth with small chunks of potato that Hop Sing had prepared for him. Gabriel thought that was funny as he sat on the bed and watched. Hop Sing had washed out an old medicine bottle and filled it with water. Adam found that it was easier for him to hold than a glass or cup. He drank several bottles full of water. Each was probably about four ounces. Doctor Martin arrived about then and shooed everyone from the bedroom except Zona.<\/p>\n “Doctor Paul, you didn’t need to come out here for me. I feel fine.”<\/p>\n “Adam, you look a heck of a lot better than what we thought was you at first yesterday, but you are not fine. I can see several signs that show you aren’t fine. You’re pale but your cheeks are red. I would guess you’re feeling a bit nauseated, but you still want water. You probably are feeling all sorts of prickly sensations in your feet and legs and probably in your hands and arms too. All of that is natural and will resolve soon.”<\/p>\n Doctor Martin did a thorough check of Adam from his head to his toes and told him that he would probably feel quite a bit better after three days. Adam groaned at that knowing what it meant, and Zona smiled and assured the doctor that he would stay in bed. Paul wasn’t entirely certain that she could manage that, but for one or two days, he expected she could. A short time later, the doctor came out to talk with everyone.<\/p>\n “You have done a very good job with him. He’s gotten everything done that needs to be done. Keep him propped up when he’s awake so that he doesn’t get bedsores.”<\/p>\n “Can’t he get out of bed?”<\/p>\n “Ben, he ought to stay in that bed for the next three days. He’s exhausted from hunger, dehydration, and lack of sleep. It seems he got ill from the water so he’s fighting that off too. So, no, he shouldn’t get out of bed. If he does, because I know how stubborn he can be, then make him sit in a chair and prop up his legs. Keep him warm at all times. He’ll likely chill much more easily after this ordeal at least for the next several months. Now keep the meals very light until he tells you he’s hungry for a steak. Then gradually add more normal foods to his meals. You can keep the door open and anyone can visit unless he needs to sleep which might be far more often than you might expect. You know how his eyelids droop when he needs to sleep. Watch for that and keep it quiet then to let him sleep.”<\/p>\n “We’ve had quite a bit of excitement here. Will it be all right if I tell him what has happened?”<\/p>\n “I don’t see any reason not to tell him unless something you say is going to make him get out of bed. He’s calm enough and seems emotionally strong. He may have a few moments when he feels upset because of what was done to him, but overall, he’s doing well now that he’s home so no one has to guard what they say around him. All in all, this was a rather nice call on a Cartwright. No bullets to dig out, no stitches, and no splints. It was a rather mundane case for this family.”<\/p>\n Doctor Martin had a meal with the family as Zona sat with Adam as he slept. Gabriel wanted to go in to see his father again so Ben brought him in after they ate. He had warned Gabriel that he had to be quiet, but when he knocked softly and entered the room, Adam was awake again. Gabriel climbed up on the bed and sat next to his father. He looked worried until his father smiled at him. Then he looked at his mother who was smiling too.<\/p>\n “See, Mama, Papa make it all better.”<\/p>\n Gabriel stayed until he asked his father if they could go out to see the horses. Adam said he couldn’t get out of bed but that Gabriel was welcome to stay in bed too if he wanted. Gabriel got a horrified look on his face.<\/p>\n “No, Papa, I have to go. I have to find Isaiah and Little Levi. I think they need me too.” With that, he slid off the bed and ran into the main room. Zona excused herself to follow him and to get some food. She had been so busy with Adam, she hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast and that had been half a biscuit.<\/p>\n “Has Joe gotten over the fact that the two boys named his son Little Levi now that he’s old enough to walk and can toddle around with them?”<\/p>\n “He shakes his head every time he hears it, but it wasn’t anything we did so he can hardly blame us. Rosalind told the boys they had to be careful around Levi because he was little compared to them so they called him Little Levi. Nothing anyone has said so far has convinced them that they shouldn’t refer to him that way. The best part though is that they take him with them in every activity. I thought that because he was so much younger that they might not want him along, but the three are becoming very close.”<\/p>\n “As he gets older, that age difference won’t matter much. He’ll start school in the grade right behind the two of them. Now I’ve heard hints that something was happening here while I was, ah, detained. You want to fill me in on that?”<\/p>\n After calling Hoss and Joe to join them, Ben explained. “Well, son, for years, you have been telling me that we should organize the Ponderosa into separate businesses so that a threat to one part did not endanger the others. Now I couldn’t manage all of that in just a day, but what we did do was split the Ponderosa into five ownerships. You and your two brothers each got about one third of the land as your Ponderosa. I retained all the usufructuary rights. The three of you together retain the mineral rights. We all retained the right to live on the property with all benefits and privileges until our deaths. The option to purchase is given to only to my direct descendents and can be bequeathed to them as well. The Ponderosa is firmly in the hands of the family today and tomorrow as long as the sun shines.”<\/p>\n “Pa, what if there are no Cartwrights?”<\/p>\n “Then the land and all rights to the use of it and what’s beneath it or growing on it belong to the Paiute.”<\/p>\n “So no one can take the Ponderosa away from us?”<\/p>\n “No one. The papers are all on file at he land office. Hiram has assured me that the papers on file are enough to stop anyone attempting to get the ranch from us because it would be a legal nightmare to even try.”<\/p>\n “What about Burnside?”<\/p>\n Joe was happy to intervene there. “Pa gave himself that Potter property we bought just to help those folks out so they could go back to Indiana. You always said that it wasn’t worth the taxes we had to pay on it. Well, no worries about that anymore. That was Benjamin Cartwright’s Ponderosa according the deed in the land office. Pa signed it away to Burnside for one hundred thousand dollars. Burnside walked out of here thinking he had gotten the ranch, but all he got was one thousand acres of worthless bottomland. There’s no water on that land most of the year, and I’d be shocked if there’s any gold or silver.”<\/p>\n Adam was worried though. “What will Burnside do when he finds out he’s been tricked? We’ve seen what he would do when he wasn’t mad.”<\/p>\n “That’s where we’re hoping that Roy can take care of the rest. He’s waiting at the mine with Jeb, Clem and some men will follow Burnside’s men there, and Candy and Griff rode out to help him. We’re waiting for news. If they can arrest the men working for Burnside, then they can arrest him too.” It was clear that Ben was worried too, but there was nothing more they could do at this point. “I do know that none of us should leave the ranch without an armed escort, and we need to keep up our guard here as well.”<\/p>\n Chapter 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Burnside stood in shock unable to believe what the lawyer was telling him. “What do you mean I threw away one hundred thousand dollars? I bought the Ponderosa. How can that be a waste of money?”<\/p>\n “You bought the property described in the legal transfer of deed as Benjamin Cartwright’s Ponderosa. According to records in the land office, that is one thousand acres of land. I asked and got a map and information. It is desert and rocks. It is flat land not suitable for raising cattle or growing trees, and most likely has no gold or silver or any other type of mineral wealth on it either. You have been thoroughly scammed by Ben Cartwright.” The lawyer resisted the urge to tell him that he had told him so and had urged him not to sign the documents. Burnside had created quite a disaster for himself, and the lawyer knew he could distance himself from it, but he was shocked by the man’s next move.<\/p>\n Burnside pulled a pistol then and pointed it at the lawyer. “You must have been in on it. Why didn’t you know this before you let me sign those papers?”<\/p>\n Sweat beaded on the lawyer’s lip. He was beginning to get the idea that Burnside was capable of anything including murder, and knew he should not just distance himself from what Burnside had done but from the man himself. He had a reputation for getting the job done, but their employers probably didn’t know the true character of the man they had hired. “I did try to dissuade you from signing those papers. I told you that Ben Cartwright is no fool. Even in his grief thinking his son was dead, he wouldn’t be foolish. He didn’t act very grief-stricken either. I’m sure there was more going on that we didn’t know. We can try to challenge the sale in court to get the money returned, but I have doubts that any court here in Nevada would side with us.”<\/p>\n “The corporation could send its lawyers in here and tie them up in knots in court.”<\/p>\n “And they could hire lawyers and do the same to us.”<\/p>\n “They can’t afford to do that.”<\/p>\n “Maybe Ben can’t, but Adam could. He’s one of the wealthiest men in the west. He sold mining interests in Australia for a fortune. He has some business interests in other countries as well from what I’ve heard.”<\/p>\n “That two-bit cowhand who dresses like a gunfighter?”<\/p>\n “You never did listen to me nor did you do your research. You made some assumptions based on how these men looked. Adam has been to college, lived on several continents, and is quite an international businessman. He’s also killed people so he doesn’t just look like a gunfighter. His father worked in shipping before coming here to build the Ponderosa. He was nearly made governor of this state at one time, and he is friends with most of the important politicians and judges in this state and in California. You chose to treat powerful adversaries as if they were yokels. Our employers are not going to be pleased to find what you have done.”<\/p>\n Noise and commotion in the street drew their attention as Burnside put his pistol away. They looked out the window to see five men being taken into the jail. Burnside scanned them thoroughly but didn’t see Baxter among them. There was a blanket wrapped body lying across the saddle of a horse. The horse looked like the one Baxter rode so Burnside had to assume that his only connection to the kidnapping of Adam Cartwright was dead. If not, he was going to be in even more trouble. As it was, he was likely to be questioned. His lawyer saw the sheen of sweat on Burnside’s face and suddenly knew that he had been the one behind the abduction. He needed to get out of this town and back to California as quickly as possible. He didn’t think he had long to live if he stayed in town. He excused himself and went to his room where he began to pack. After the lawyer left, another man stepped into the room.<\/p>\n “Well, you may get that revenge on Adam Cartwright after all. First I need that lawyer eliminated. He knows too much, and I think he just guessed a bit more. See to it, Poole.”<\/p>\n Poole nodded and left the room. He found Burnside distasteful as an employer, but he was a useful means to an end as well as the source of significant income over the past year. Poole would do as he said and then return to find out how he could get revenge on the Cartwrights especially Adam after so many years of dwelling on the memory of his humiliation in this town. No one had recognized him here for he now had a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard, was a dozen years older, about forty pounds heavier, and had taken to dressing as a businessman with a three-piece suit and matching hat. It allowed him to move through rapidly growing communities like this one without drawing any undue attention. He could have been a banker, a lawyer, a clerk, an investor, or any number of other men by the way he was dressed. So he was as nondescript as if he dressed like a miner or a cowboy. He wore a pistol but so did many businessmen and that did not set him apart either. When he rented a horse to ride for the day, no one questioned him. Such requests were very numerous and as common as someone ordering a meal in a restaurant or taking a room at the hotel. Hundreds if not thousands of such transactions occurred in cities like Virginia City every day and drew no one’s interest.<\/p>\n That is, he drew no interest except from Roy Coffee who exited his office after having five men locked away securely, one body sent to the undertaker, and now had planned a visit to question Burnside. Roy saw Poole walk down the street from the hotel and thought that he looked familiar. He didn’t remember why, but his curiosity was aroused. He watched until the man left the livery stable and rode out of town to the west. He had no supplies and no bedroll so he was likely planning to be back by evening. Roy planned to keep an eye on him then. Clem had stepped out beside him to ask if he should go along to interview Burnside.<\/p>\n “Roy, that man looked familiar, but I don’t remember a name.”<\/p>\n “Clem, I was thinking the same thing. You see him again, you keep an eye on him. Something tells me he’s up to no good. I can’t give you a reason why. I just think it.”<\/p>\n Having seen the wisdom of several of Roy’s gut instincts in the past, Clem nodded. “I’ll go with you to see Burnside. We don’t know him well enough to know what he’s capable of doing. He may be that rabid dog that gets real dangerous when cornered. If he isn’t, I’ll be quiet and be a witness to anything he says. All right?”<\/p>\n Roy nodded and began walking to the hotel. He preferred working alone, but everything that Clem had said made sense. He knew he could trust his deputy to do as he said too. Within a few minutes, he was knocking on Burnside’s door. The man wasn’t there or at least he wasn’t answering the door. Roy turned to go but Clem watched and could see that a shadow had moved through the light that shone under the door. He motioned to Roy to watch. Soon it moved again. Roy went back to the door. “Now, Mr. Burnside, we know you’re in there. I got a few questions to ask ya. Why don’t you open up now, and we can have ourselves a nice peaceful little talk.”<\/p>\n The door opened and Burnside asked what they wanted. “I was taking a bit of a nap and had no idea it was you, Sheriff Coffee. If I had known, I would have answered immediately. Now, how can I help you?”<\/p>\n “Well, first off, you can tell me how you knew that supposedly Adam Cartwright was killed. Only me and Doc and Hoss and Joe knew that, but you rode on out to the Ponderosa saying he was.”<\/p>\n “Supposedly? Well I guess I must have heard it here in town as I went about my business. The two brothers brought in a body, and then they came later with a wagon to pick it up. Now they wouldn’t likely have looked so grief stricken if it had been hired help who had been killed, now would they?”<\/p>\n “Mr. Burnside, you don’t know the Cartwrights very well ifn you think that. No, Adam is alive and the man who was behind it all was a man you’ve been seen with, a man named Baxter. Now can you tell me what you and him was doing together?”<\/p>\n Shocked a bit to find that Adam was alive and Baxter was dead, Burnside managed to conceal his feelings. “Ah, he agreed to hire men for me to ride out and deliver messages and such. I don’t ride, and carriages simply don’t go everywhere I needed to have things delivered. Baxter and my driver took care of hiring men and seeing that they got work done as I needed it done.”<\/p>\n “Like having him kill a man and make it look like it was Adam Cartwright, except that Adam was chained up in a mine and nearly done in by the way he was treated? That kind of work?”<\/p>\n “Now, wait a minute. You cannot accuse me of such skullduggery and mayhem. I am a respectable businessman with no need for such brute tactics. I take care of business using my skills and my intelligence, sir, and have no need to have any such illegal acts done to achieve my ends. In fact, I purchased the Ponderosa today without any such tactics as you describe. It was all done in a very civilized manner.”<\/p>\n Shocked, Roy had to say something. “Ben Cartwright would never have sold the Ponderosa unless it was to save a son or other member of his family. It isn’t possible.”<\/p>\n “Indeed, people say that, but here is the document showing that I have purchased Ben Cartwright’s Ponderosa for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars. I know that amount of money may be well beyond your experience, but I assure you that he and his family can live quite well without working for the rest of their lives. Now, I planned to go to the land office to get a legal description of my property so I can send all the information to my employers.”<\/p>\n “Well, now, I wouldn’t mind walking there with ya. We’ll see what they got to say.”<\/p>\n So Roy was there when Burnside got the confirmation of what his lawyer had told him. He was furious, but he managed to disguise it well or so he thought. When Roy began chuckling, Burnside had to say something. “Well, that is a shocker to find that Wendell Llewellyn Burnside has been bamboozled by a local yokel. I guess my employers will not find it amusing however. I shall have to talk with my lawyer about a redress of this grievous tort that has been perpetrated.”<\/p>\n Clem was looking out the window of the land office. “You better hurry. It looks like he’s heading out of town.”<\/p>\n Burnside moved to the window to see his lawyer climbing aboard the stage much as he had expected when he told Poole to take care of him. “I’ll be hiring a new lawyer, I see. He must have realized how badly he erred in these negotiations in not giving me proper legal advice. I’ll see that my employers are informed of his incompetence. Now gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, I have to find myself another lawyer.”<\/p>\n Roy waited for Burnside to cross to the other side of the street. “He’s furious. I gotta wonder what he’s gonna do next. Now I have to ride out and talk with Ben and the boys. They need to know that I can’t arrest Burnside. I’ll be back tonight. You keep an eye on Burnside and watch to see if he and that other man we saw earlier get together at all.”<\/p>\n “Roy, how dangerous do you think this Burnside is? I mean, he did his best to try to conceal how he was feeling but the red in his face and the sweat on his lip gave it all away.”<\/p>\n “Clem, very dangerous. He had a man killed just to try to trick the Cartwrights into thinking that Adam was dead. A man who can order a murder like that has no heart. He’ll do the devil’s own bidding. Keep a sharp eye. There’s going to be a lot more trouble before this is done.”<\/p>\n In his room, Burnside sat down to pen a lengthy letter to his employers making sure that all blame for what happened fell on the lawyer who soon would not be able to dispute anything he claimed. Burnside trusted that Poole would take care of that for him. What he needed was a plan to get the Ponderosa, to eliminate the Cartwrights as impediments to that as well as to get revenge on them for his humiliation, and to make sure that all of the credit went to him without any of the blame for any illegal acts performed. Poole was the wild card. He was obviously much smarter than Baxter had been, but there was a cool detachment about him that said more than anything that he only did what was best for Poole. In a tight situation, Burnside would not be able to rely on him. He needed someone who would be loyal to him no matter what. He finally settled on one person and decided to send him a telegram asking him to come to Virginia City to help. After all, what good were brothers if you couldn’t call on one to help when you needed it most.<\/p>\n On the Ponderosa, Adam was finding that was very true. His brothers made sure he was comfortable and safe. One was always in the house and armed even though they knew there were perimeter guards and lookouts. Neither of them was going to let any more harm come to their brother. Ben had to smile as he watched them. His sons could argue often and had even come to blows on occasion, but each of them was like a mother hen when one of the others got hurt. He could see Adam chafing under the constant attention, but he was too weak to refuse the help walking and getting things he wanted. All of them were a bit on edge wondering what had happened at the mine, and if Burnside had finally been arrested so they could relax.<\/p>\n Chapter 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Roy was not looking forward to a visit to the Cartwrights as he normally might, but this was no Sunday visit with one of Hop Sing’s dinners to enjoy. He had to give them some bad news, and they had already had a lot of trouble to handle. He couldn’t get the picture of the murdered man in Adam’s clothes out of his mind, and he couldn’t imagine how Hoss and Joe would ever be able to forget it. As he rode, he thought about Burnside and what he might do next. None of those thoughts was reassuring. When he got to the Ponderosa, Hoss and Joe came outside hoping that he had brought the news that Burnside was in jail. Instead he had to disappoint all of them.<\/p>\n “I couldn’t arrest him. The one we needed was Baxter, and he decided to draw on us even though we already had our guns trained on him. I guess he knew he would hang, and he took that last desperate chance because it was all he had. We arrested five other men. The one we arrested first, Randy, gave us enough to charge them, and then the other four couldn’t wait to tell us more until we had all we needed. They’ll get convicted. The judge could sentence them to hang because of that man’s death, but they all agree that Baxter done the killing. They’ll all probably get prison time for what they done.”<\/p>\n “Who was the man they murdered to make us think my son was dead?”<\/p>\n “We don’t know. No one in town has reported anyone missing. He was probably drifting through or worked in one of the mines but had no family and no close friends. They said they found him in a saloon where he had too much to drink courtesy of the men who murdered him later. He was the right height and coloring so that’s how they picked him. Poor fella never knew what the cost of those drinks they bought him was going to be.”<\/p>\n “So what do we do now, Roy. We all know that Burnside isn’t going to let this go. Pa humiliated him, and Joe and Hoss managed to get me back alive. He won’t stand for it.” Adam was sitting in the blue chair wrapped in a blanket with his legs up on pillows on the table and also covered with a blanket as Zona sat at his side. Listening attentively, Rosalind and Bess had the boys playing quietly while Hoss and Joe sat with Ben discussing with Roy the danger to the family.<\/p>\n “Adam, I think that too. We all need to come up with a plan for whatever we think he might do. It’s gonna be hard because there are so many things he could do. One thing that I think we need to remember is that he targeted Adam and wanted all of you to think he was dead. There was no need for him to treat Adam so badly. For some reason, he seems to have a special dislike for you, Adam. Now everybody remember that. He may decide to come after Adam if he decides that Adam’s survival was somehow a personal failure of his.”<\/p>\n “Roy, I think we need to know more about him. We need to investigate him and find out his history. He didn’t start these brutal tactics here. He must have done things like this elsewhere. First, we should hire detectives to scour his past. We should bring some of them here to work undercover to find out who he sees and where he goes. We could have some here by tomorrow night possibly if we sent the telegrams today.”<\/p>\n “Adam, that could get right expensive.”<\/p>\n “I can afford it, Roy. Don’t worry about that. Hoss and Joe know men in town we can trust. They should probably hire a few more tomorrow. I’ll use my contacts and bring in some detectives.”<\/p>\n Ben added more. “I have some people in mind too. I’ll contact them and ask them to help.”<\/p>\n “Ben, you need to be real careful too. It’s gonna be hard to protect all of you. That Burnside is a crafty one. He had Baxter working for him, and I’m betting he’s got other men like that working for him too. We gotta figure out who it is and watch them too. It ain’t gonna be easy.”<\/p>\n “Roy, we know that. We’ll be very careful. Now, if we write out the messages and to whom they go, will you see that some telegrams get sent?”<\/p>\n “You know I’ll do whatever I can. Now, you got the start of a plan yet?”<\/p>\n Ben nodded and Adam smiled. Roy relaxed just a bit. For the next hour, the family discussed what they might do, what help they could get, and what Roy could do to help. By the time they finished, they had the rough outline of a plan, but it depended on Burnside acting in a predictable way. Roy was nervous about that because he didn’t think he was that predictable.<\/p>\n “Roy, he went after me despite knowing how risky it could be. He apparently knew little about me, and then even less about Pa. He will likely try to learn more now. By following that, we can find out what he wants to know which should give us clues into what he’s planning to do.”<\/p>\n “I sure hope you’re right, Adam. He lost Baxter’s crew so it may take him some time to reorganize. I’ll be watching for any strangers coming into town now.”<\/p>\n “Roy, some of them will be friends of me or friends of Adam. How should we let you know who’s who?”<\/p>\n “We need a signal and it can’t be too obvious.”<\/p>\n “We’ll take care of that and let you know. I think we’ve talked enough now, and Adam needs to get some rest.” Ben had seen Adam’s eyelids drooping. Zona smiled at him because she had seen the same thing. The two of them got Adam into the bedroom as Hoss and Joe walked out with Roy to bid him goodbye.<\/p>\n When Roy got back to town, he found that there was more trouble. The stagecoach had been held up by one man who had demanded that the passengers disembark and hand over their valuables. He shot one passenger, a lawyer, when he said they weren’t cooperating fast enough or well enough. The driver had been shocked by the sudden violence. He drove the stage and passengers back to Virginia City after the armed robbery and murder. The dead man was wrapped up in a tarp and carried back to town on top of the stage with the luggage. Clem was with the stage passengers and driver as Roy arrived. He pointed at the body.<\/p>\n “It’s the lawyer we saw leaving town today. Somebody seems to be cleaning up loose ends. One man held up the stage. He didn’t get much. He killed the one man and then left. The driver said it appeared that he might have known the man who was killed, and that he didn’t do anything to deserve getting shot. I’m thinking this was more of an assassination than a robbery.”<\/p>\n “What kind of description do you have of the one who did it?”<\/p>\n “About my height but with graying hair and heavier. He was wearing a white shirt and dark gray pants. That’s all we got because he had a bandanna over his face and no hat, no jacket. Oh, and the man you asked me to watch arrived back in town about a half hour before the stage got back.”<\/p>\n “Where did he go?”<\/p>\n “To the hotel. I haven’t been able to find out anything more as I’ve been questioning the passengers and the driver trying to get some information that might help.”<\/p>\n “You finish that. I have some telegrams to send.”<\/p>\n “How’s Adam?”<\/p>\n “He’s weak and tired, but otherwise all right. I’m worried though. There was no reason for him to be treated so badly. Seems that same someone you mentioned earlier probably has a grudge against him. He needs to be especially careful, but now that he knows, he should be. It was a bad idea for him to go to Carson City alone knowing there was a threat against the family. He’ll be more careful now. When he gets back on his feet, there may be someone who regrets that he did that to Adam. Ben pulled a fast one too so I told him straight out that he better be watching his back as well.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, Roy, I think you’re right. Adam goes a lot by that saying that revenge is best served cold. I bet he’s already started planning something. And you don’t hurt one of Ben’s boys and get away with it. He’s probably planning too.”<\/p>\n “They have. Most of these telegrams are from Adam to people in California and one Ben wants sent too. Within a few days, they’re gonna have some help here and things going on elsewhere.”<\/p>\n In the hotel, Burnside and Poole were talking. Burnside was watching out his window as the sheriff and the deputy talked next to the stage depot. They hadn’t moved from there and seemed very calm so he had to assume that Poole was correct in his assessment that they did not suspect him of any wrongdoing. Burnside turned to Poole.<\/p>\n “I never should have trusted Baxter with such an important task. He messed it up. You’re a professional. I want you to hire other professionals. They will only have contact with you. I want no direct contact with me and do not mention my name to any of them. They will be paid well. I have to make a pretense of following legal channels, but I think that will eventually be how I set up the final blow.”<\/p>\n “I can’t contact anyone from here. I can hardly send telegrams to the men I need. I’ll move to Placerville or if I have too, I’ll go to Sacramento. I’ll be gone for a week at least. I’ll make contact with the men I need, and when I have it all arranged, I’ll be back. I’ll need some money to advance to the men I hire. They aren’t coming here on a promise.”<\/p>\n “How do I know you won’t take my money and not come back?”<\/p>\n “How did you know I would come when you sent the money to me the first time?”<\/p>\n “That’s fine. It’s going to take some time to set up the trap here. I’ve sent a letter to my employers detailing how the lawyer made a mess of the negotiations with the Cartwrights and wasted one hundred thousand dollars. I want them to give me access to a larger amount so that it appears I am seriously working to purchase timberland for the lumber needed in the mines. I’ll also have a new lawyer here soon to take the Cartwrights to court over the sham deal Ben Cartwright managed to do. It will never hold up in court, and it will make them vulnerable too because they’ll have to leave that ranch of theirs to make an appearance in court. When that happens, I want you to be ready.”<\/p>\n Poole nodded and left the room. He packed his bags, bought a ticket for the stage, and headed to Placerville. He checked out the town and decided to move on to Sacramento to hire some men. More than once he had considered leaving this job. Burnside paid well, but he had an arrogance about him that was very irritating. He thought much too highly of his skills too. Poole was a realist. He knew what they were up against, but the pay was exceptionally good, and if he got some revenge on the Cartwrights, it would be even better. He decided he needed a plan though if things went sour as he knew they might. He did find a professional gambler in Sacramento who was handy with a gun. The man said he knew of several others that he could summon to help. Poole told him to go ahead and contact them. He met them several days later and could tell they were professionals. None shared last names, and all had skills with firearms that were as good or even better than his own. They didn’t talk much, and when they did, it was all about business. Poole liked that. He sat down with them and made a plan for one or two of them to ride in on the stage over the next few days. He told them where to take rooms. He thought that Burnside would be happy with the men he had hired.<\/p>\n In Virginia City, Roy got a telegram informing him that the man hiring men for Burnside was none other than the gunfighter Poole. He knew then why the man had seemed so familiar. As men came into town on the stage, Roy watched and thought he had sighted every one of the men Poole had hired. He rode out to the Ponderosa to have a talk with the Cartwrights about the force being assembled against them. What surprised him the most was that Ben and Adam and the others didn’t seem that worried. He knew that there was something going on that he didn’t know so he had to ask. He was pleased with the answer and rode back to town much more at ease than he had been on the ride out to the ranch. He had seen new men on the Ponderosa as well because they were still taking security precautions very seriously. As Poole was hiring men, so was Will Cartwright and sending them directly to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n In town, coming from the east, the stagecoach brought in a new lawyer to work with Burnside to try to invalidate the contract that had been signed buying one thousand acres of worthless land for one hundred thousand dollars. The judge ordered the money held in escrow until the case could be heard. Ben agreed to that, and the money was put into a separate account. Then Ben and his sons were summoned by subpoena to testify before a judge as to what had happened.<\/p>\n “Pa, this is likely it, isn’t it. That varmint has got his trap ready to spring, and he’s raring to go, ain’t he?” Hoss was worried despite all the precautions that had been taken.<\/p>\n “Hoss, now remember, it’s all worked out. We have many people prepared to step up and protect us. You have to trust that the plan will work. If you do anything to spook Burnside, he could back off, and then we would be back to not knowing what to expect from him. Adam and I are probably his prime targets to start, so if he does something to separate you and Joe from us, you have to let it happen. All right?”<\/p>\n “I don’t like it. I don’t like us being split up. You know what they done to Adam when they had him.” Hoss couldn’t get that picture out of his mind from the day he found Adam naked, cold, and chained to an ore cart. He hated the thought of Adam and of his father being held by the same man who had orchestrated that situation.<\/p>\n “Hoss, I know you don’t like it, but we have planned for almost anything.”<\/p>\n “Pa, it’s that darned ‘almost’ that has me worried.”<\/p>\n Chapter 8<\/strong><\/p>\n The ride to town was relatively quiet as each man was lost in his thoughts but at the same time surveying the area all around for threats. They had sent hands ahead to any high points along the road so that there could be no attack from a distance. They fully expected that something was going to happen knowing by then the number of men that Poole had hired and sent to town to work for Burnside. Roy and Clem had been watching and reported that they had been inactive since their arrival making it clear they were waiting for orders. As they neared Virginia City, Joe let loose with his irritation at the whole situation.<\/p>\n “I don’t know why Roy didn’t just arrest Burnside. We all know he’s behind it, and now we know he’s hired men to come in here to back him up. We know it was Poole who held up that stage and killed that lawyer. We know all of this, so why can’t Roy just arrest him?”<\/p>\n Ben tried to calm his youngest son. “Joe, Roy told us the reason. So far all we can prove is that Burnside’s lawyer was killed, and that Baxter worked for Burnside. We can prove he brought men into town. But what we can’t prove is that he has committed any crime. Knowing it and proving it are two very different things.”<\/p>\n “Joe, we’ll have enough proof soon. He’s going to make a move against us, and we have lots or people ready to help us. Burnside will find you don’t come after the Cartwrights and get away with it. Not today, and not tomorrow.” Adam was on edge because he suspected that whatever was going to happen was going to happen that day.<\/p>\n “Yeah, Joe, them men that Will sent are some of the best. And we got more help in town.” It helped Hoss to be able to state some things that were positive instead of dwelling on the negative unknowns.<\/p>\n The four continued into town and nothing happened. They tied their horses at the hitching rail outside the courthouse and walked toward the building. Adam was getting even more on edge. “I keep waiting for something to happen. I guess they’ll try it after the hearing, but it feels like a have a target on my chest.”<\/p>\n “More likely on your back the way this Burnside operates. Let’s get inside and see how the judge stands on this.” Ben led his sons into the courthouse. The hearing went about as Hiram had advised them that it would. Ben was the one to answer most of the questions.<\/p>\n “So you thought your son’s freedom hinged on you making a deal with Mr. Burnside?”<\/p>\n “Yes, your Honor, I did, but I had time, just enough time, to set that deal up to be advantageous to us and not to Mr. Burnside. In fact, I set things up so that no threat to my family would allow such a scheme to be perpetrated ever again.”<\/p>\n “I object for my client, Your Honor. There is no evidence that Mr. Burnside was part of any scheme related to this situation. He has already said what he was doing, and it is slanderous for Mr. Cartwright to continue with these veiled references to nefarious dealings in which my client supposedly engaged. He is trying to distract this court from the complaint of fraud brought against him.”<\/p>\n “Counselor, this is a hearing. I am trying to ascertain if there is enough merit in your complaint to take up time with a trial. Now, Ben, ah, Mr. Cartwright, did you or any representative of yours ever tell Mr. Burnside that he was getting the whole Ponderosa for the amount of money proffered?”<\/p>\n “No, Your Honor, in all of the negotiations, we were very careful to refer only to Benjamin’s Cartwright’s Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n “Did you have a description of the property available for Mr. Burnside and his lawyer?”<\/p>\n “Your Honor, we did not have time to have that ready. But we did tell him and his lawyer that it was available at the land office. His lawyer advised Mr. Burnside to wait before signing the papers, but he refused that advice.”<\/p>\n “Did you, other than by omission, make any effort to mislead Mr. Burnside as to what he was purchasing?”<\/p>\n “No, Your Honor, we did not.”<\/p>\n “Did Mr. Burnside or his attorney ask any question of you that you did not answer truthfully?”<\/p>\n “No, Your Honor, we answered every question posed, but I have to say there were almost no questions asked.”<\/p>\n “I think this is very clear. Mr. Burnside rushed into a business deal without having all the facts at his disposal and made no significant effort to ascertain any of the facts relating to the property he was buying. Mr. Burnside, I find no merit in your case. You made a foolish mistake, and there is no one to blame for that except you. Caveat emptor, Mr. Burnside. The case is dismissed with prejudice. It may not be filed again.” Turning to the Cartwrights as if Burnside was no longer worthy of his attention, Judge Clermont had a question. “Adam, are you fully recovered from your ordeal?”<\/p>\n “Yes, Your Honor, thank you. As you know, with Hop Sing in the house, there’s always some noxious preparation disguised as tea that makes you want to get better as fast as possible.”<\/p>\n “That man is certainly an excellent cook though. I look forward to the next invitation to dinner.”<\/p>\n “Judge, why don’t you plan on Sunday dinner with us? Hop Sing usually makes fried chicken for Sunday dinner at this time of year.”<\/p>\n While the Cartwrights chatted with the judge, Burnside left the courthouse with his lawyer who was not at all pleased with what he had heard. The lawyer was much more astute than the one he had replaced however, and did not share his concerns with Burnside saying instead only that he was leaving town as there was nothing for him to do there. He went to his hotel, packed his bags, and headed to the depot. He wanted to get out of this town as quickly as possible. Burnside suspected that he ought to get rid of this lawyer as well, but Poole was busy as was his brother. He decided to deal with the other parts of his plan first, and then he could send Poole after the lawyer to get him before he had a chance to send a report to the east.<\/p>\n As the Cartwrights left the courthouse, they split up. “Hoss, will you and Joe take the horses to the livery and water them. Adam and I will join you there after we go to the bank to get that money out of escrow and into our accounts. We’ll get cash too because we’ve got a lot more men to pay.”<\/p>\n “Pa, you think that’s smart, splitting us up like this?”<\/p>\n “I’m not sure, Hoss, if it’s smart splitting us up, but at least he can’t get all four of us in one action. Keep your eyes open. You never know what he may try pulling at this point.”<\/p>\n As Hoss and Joe took the horses to lead them to the livery stable, Ben and Adam walked the opposite way toward the bank. They never arrived. Anticipating that move, Burnside had men to force them into an alley. It seemed as if they were fine and suddenly there were six men around them and some had guns drawn but held so that no one would see anything out of the ordinary. Their pistols were taken. Up close, they recognized Poole.<\/p>\n As they were forced to walk down the alley, Adam had a question for Poole. “You’ve fallen pretty far, haven’t you, Poole. Doing dirty work for money now?”<\/p>\n “Well, that may be your fault. Who wanted to hire a gunman who could be outgunned by a damn cowboy?” Poole shoved Adam into a warehouse then. It was their apparent destination. Adam tripped and fell hitting his head, but Ben was quickly there. He held a handkerchief to Adam’s head.<\/p>\n “It’s not bad. Hold this there and the bleeding should stop.”<\/p>\n “He’s going to have a lot more bleeding to worry about in a few minutes if you aren’t cooperative.” Burnside had entered the warehouse by its front entrance and was waiting for them.<\/p>\n “Burnside, what do you want? Can’t you accept defeat and leave?”<\/p>\n “Oh, no, Cartwright. I have another plan. You go get that money from the bank and hand it over, and you sign some papers giving me the Ponderosa and everything on it.”<\/p>\n “I can’t do that. My sons have legal rights to the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n “Pa, don’t do anything. He plans to kill all of us. He thinks he can beat the Paiutes in court. He very well might be able to do that.”<\/p>\n Burnside backhanded Adam. “Shut up.” The next sound they heard was gunfire from down the street. “There you go, Cartwright. You only have one son left. Would you like to say goodbye now or later. Your grandsons are still alive, but that won’t be true soon if you don’t agree to what I said. Now it’s too late for your sons, but you can still have your grandsons if you’re agreeable.” Despite the cut on his forehead and a bloody lip, Adam seemed remarkably calm for a man about to die. It unnerved Burnside a little. “Why are you acting so damn superior? You’re about to die. I should have had them kill you instead of just holding you in that mine. Baxter was a damn fool too. He did all right setting up your disappearance. Dressing that man in your clothes and having his body savaged was all my idea though. Pretty good plan, I think. But then things didn’t go right with the men that Baxter hired to do my work, and that lawyer wasn’t much better.”<\/p>\n “No, I don’t think I’m going to die today. Roy, you got enough?”<\/p>\n Sheriff Roy Coffee stepped into the warehouse. “I got enough. Burnside, you’re under arrest. I got you for all sorts of crimes, and I got plenty of witnesses to what you admitted.”<\/p>\n Burnside pointed at Roy and the Cartwrights. “Poole, shoot them! Shoot all three of them!” There was no response from Poole, and that made Burnside turn on him angrily. What he saw though made him freeze. One of the men Poole had hired had a gun in Poole’s back. He turned to his other men, and saw that two of them had guns on the other three.<\/p>\n Adam just had to smirk. “Burnside, meet three of the best undercover men Pinkerton was able to provide us. My stepbrother Clay Stafford, who’s a professional gambler, was more than willing to help out in Sacramento by having Poole hire some of the Pinkerton men for us. We owe a debt of gratitude to the sheriff in Placerville who warned the local toughs not to work with Poole. Our cousin Will sent men to work on the ranch to help us as well as full descriptions of all the men Poole hired for you. Those shots you heard earlier were probably the other ones working with my brothers to take down your other men. It’s all over now. Filth like you can’t defeat the Cartwrights. Not today, not tomorrow.”<\/p>\n “Well, you may have to eat some of those words. You didn’t get all of my men. I can tell you what I planned. It doesn’t matter. I can only go to the gallows once. You may have beaten me, but you’re going to find you paid the ultimate price. I have men on the Ponderosa to eliminate your families if I don’t show up owning the whole thing or my brother may have gone ahead to do that work without hearing from me.”<\/p>\n Adam jumped to his feet and looked to his father who had a similar horror-stricken look on his face. They had underestimated the evil of this man. He planned to kill women and children out of a desire for pure vengeance. The Pinkerton men handed over their pistols. One of them helped Roy to take the prisoners away, and the third volunteered to ride with them. Hoss and Joe showed up then with big grins that turned to fearful grimaces as they heard and then all five men raced to the livery stable. They rode as hard as they could pushing the horses to the limits of their endurance. On the faster horses, Adam and Joe arrived in the yard first. There was a body laying in the yard covered by a blanket. One of the windows of the house was shattered. There were recent bullet marks in the front door and another body covered with a blanket. Stepping into the house, Adam and Joe froze with guns drawn shocked by the scene in front of them. Bess was rocking Isaiah and Gabriel. The boys had their heads down on Bess’ shoulders and seemed calm enough. Rosalind had Levi on her lap and had apparently already lulled him into sleep.<\/p>\n “What happened? Where’s Zona?” Adam asked the only two questions he could.<\/p>\n “Zona is in your bedroom. She got shot.” At Adam’s look of shock, Bess had to talk fast. “It was just one pellet, but it hit her in a very important spot. It seems Rosalind needs a bit more practice with that shotgun. Zona can’t sit, but she can tell you what happened. We got these boys to calm down. It was pretty upsetting to them.”<\/p>\n By then Ben and Hoss had arrived and heard what Bess had to say. Joe put a hand on Rosalind’s shoulder as he passed letting her know everything would be all right. In the bedroom, they found Zona resting on her stomach on the bed as Hop Sing finished pressing a large wad of cloth on the left side of her bottom. He pulled a sheet up to her waist as the men arrived.<\/p>\n “We heard gunshots and guessed that someone was attacking the ranch. Now the only reason we could think of for them to do that was to get us or to get the boys. We set up to be ready for them. We closed the shutters. Bess took the front door. Hop Sing had the kitchen door. We got the boys into the corner of the alcove, and I had the window there. Rosalind was supposed to back up anyone who needed it. It all worked out well except when Bess had to reload, and I moved over to the front door. That man laying in the yard is the one I shot. He started running toward the house when Bess stopped shooting. Then another one rushed the door after I fired because he knew I had to reload and must have guessed that Bess was reloading too. That’s the one laying in the doorway that Rosalind shot, but she didn’t wait for me to get out of the way. That’s how I got shot. Hop Sing said it’s only one pellet, but I have to tell you it feels like a cannon ball hit me.”<\/p>\n “Hop Sing, did you have to shoot too?”<\/p>\n “Yes, Mr. Cartwright. I shoot two with one shot. They come to kitchen door with guns. They not dead. They tied up in bunkhouse. The men go look to see what happened to men who were watching. They afraid they dead.”<\/p>\n “What about the hands we left here to help?”<\/p>\n “One of Burnside’s men got hired here. He held the hands at gunpoint in the bunkhouse. He got a bit distracted when Bess yelled out the door that we needed some help in here. That’s when they got him. The man in the stable keeping watch winged one of them who rode out of here when the others were shot. That man got shot, but Hop Sing said it’s not bad. He won’t be able to work for a while. So there are three to take to jail, and at least two to bury with one who got away.”<\/p>\n “Nope. He didn’t get away. We caught him. He’s Burnside’s brother. I sent two of the hands to take him to town so Roy can lock him up too.” Candy had come up behind the family to report what he had found. “We lost one of the lookouts. They shot him in the back. The other lookout was wounded, but it’s a leg. He won’t be working for a while yet either.”<\/p>\n Adam had knelt down beside the bed and was holding Zona’s hand. She suddenly realized he had blood on his shirt. “You’re hurt.”<\/p>\n “It’s just this little cut on my forehead. I’m fine. How do you feel?” Adam couldn’t help smiling a little.<\/p>\n “I’m, oh, are you laughing at me for getting shot in an unmentionable spot. Don’t you dare smile at me for that. It hurts.”<\/p>\n Ben and the others wisely backed up and left the room. Ben pulled the door closed. Soon there were no more complaints coming from the bedroom so they all assumed that Adam had made up with Zona. There were bodies to be taken to town for burial, two men to be taken to jail, and a window and door to fix that kept them busy the rest of the day.<\/p>\n It took a couple of weeks for the boys to get over the trauma and start thinking of it as a great adventure. They thought their mothers were heroines for what they did. It took Zona about that long to be able to sit comfortably. It took Rosalind that time to get over the embarrassment of shooting Zona in the behind. Joe decided that she needed a lot more lessons in firing a weapon.<\/p>\n The Cartwrights had to testify in the trials of the men in jail. All were convicted quickly with the amount of evidence against them, and Burnside and his brother were sentenced to hang. The others including Poole got twenty years to life in prison. Adam was the only one to attend the execution. Burnside wetted himself as he walked toward the gallows steps and had to be carried up the stairs as he nearly fainted looking up at the two nooses hanging waiting for them. Once up there with a rope around his neck, he looked in the crowd for someone to save him. He heard taunts of ‘pissy pants’ but no friendly faces as the hostility of the crowd was apparent. He saw Adam Cartwright who tipped his hat at him. Then Adam turned and walked away hearing the trapdoors release and then the unmistakable sound of two bodies stretching rope and swinging slightly in the breeze. He wasn’t a great proponent of the death penalty finding it abhorrent for a civilized society, but in this case, he could find no reason whatsoever to keep those two men alive. He rode home to tell his family it was over. Of course he didn’t want to admit to himself that trouble for the Cartwrights was never over; not today, not tomorrow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Ben Cartwright,\u00a0Family,\u00a0Hoss Cartwright,\u00a0Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright,\u00a0SAS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary: On his return after many years, Adam makes a very bad decision but doesn’t know how bad it is until too late. It affects his whole family but especially Joe, and all\u00a0struggle with what to do. \u00a0In the second part, as Christmas nears, Joe remembers the tragedy in his life. There are other problems and near tragedy. When Christmas arrives, Joe and his family have to find a way to be thankful for what they have and accept what they have lost. The third part is the next Christmas and the problem of what to get the family that has everything. \u00a0In the fourth part, there’s a plan to get\u00a0the Ponderosa for its timber, gold, and silver\u00a0by an evil man who\u00a0tries\u00a0to force the deal when Ben says no to his offer, but he didn’t know what he was going to be facing once he made those Cartwrights upset.<\/p>\n WC = 82,382\u00a0 Rating = T<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":229,"featured_media":38699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,32,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-mystery","category-romance","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-32-id","wpcat-3-id"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Beauty-of-Darkness-one-.jpg?fit=503%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/229"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n“It’s not that, Hoss. Zona is upset that I’m going out in the snow again. She’ll be down here in a few minutes. Please do not say anything to upset her.”<\/p>\n
\n“I’m real sorry about that. I hope it doesn’t hurt too much.”<\/p>\n