{"id":10415,"date":"2010-05-17T17:02:32","date_gmt":"2010-05-17T21:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10415"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:23:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:23:50","slug":"mark-of-kane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10415","title":{"rendered":"Mark of Kane (by pkmoonshine)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>:\u00a0 Following the family’s ordeal in Trial by Fire, can they finally bury Adam’s experiences at the hands of Kane?\u00a0 This story is part of the Bloodlines Series, with the addition of a non-canon character.<\/p>\n

Rating<\/strong>:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (109,400 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bloodlines Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bloodlines<\/a>
\nThe Lo Mein Affair<\/a>
\nThe Wedding<\/a>
\nSacrificial Lamb<\/a>
\nPoltergeist II<\/a>
\nIndependence Day<\/a>
\nVirginia City Detour<\/a>
\nThe Guardian<\/a>
\nLi’l One<\/a>
\nYoung Cartwrights in Love<\/a>
\nSan Francisco Revisited<\/a>
\nThere But for the Grace of God<\/a>
\nBetween Life and Death<\/a>
\nOrenna<\/a>
\nClarissa Returns<\/a>
\nTrial by Fire<\/a>
\nMark of Kane<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

Mark of Kane<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prologue<\/strong><\/p>\n

A soft, discreet cough emanating from the direction of the open French doors drew the attention of Adam Cartwright, his wife, Teresa, and their two children from the late luncheon, they had been enjoying outside on their verandah. Adela Cortez, the housekeeper, stood, framed in the open doorway, with a sealed envelope in hand. \u201cSenor Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Senora Cortez?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis message was just delivered by a young man from the Western Union office,\u201d Adela said as she made her way across the verandah. She handed Adam a plain white envelope marked, \u2018Mr. A. Cartwright.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Adam said, as he accepted the envelope. \u201cDoes the young man from the Western Union office expect an immediate reply?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Senora Cortez.\u201d Adam slipped his thumb under the sealed flap and sliced open the envelope. Inside was a small sheet of paper, folded in half. He removed the paper and read the wired message. Short and to the point, it read:
\nAdam [stop]<\/p>\n

Fire early morning day before yesterday [stop] House gone [stop] Lost nearly everything [stop] Everyone survived [stop] Joe missing believed kidnapped [stop] Stacy hurt bad [stop] Need your help [stop] Please come if you can [stop]<\/p>\n

Hoss [stop; end of message]
\n\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

He lowered the paper bearing Hoss\u2019 message, and found himself staring into three anxious faces.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, is it . . . is it bad news?\u201d Teresa probed gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere. Read for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa took the message from her husband and read it over twice. Looking up, she said very quietly, \u201cYes, Adam, you MUST go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo where, Pa?\u201d Dio, their daughter, demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Nevada, Dio,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see Grandpa?\u201d Dio asked, her entire countenance brightening.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I go with you, Pa? Please?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot this time.\u201d Adam shook his head.<\/p>\n

Dio\u2019s face fell.<\/p>\n

\u201cDio, this visit\u2019s not going to be the same kind of visit we enjoyed three summers ago,\u201d Adam explained patiently. \u201cGrandpa\u2019s house was completely destroyed by a fire early in the morning, day before yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u201d Dio cried, her eyes filling with tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned his attention to his son. \u201cYes, Benjamin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid . . . is . . . is everyone . . . o-ok?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled and nodded. \u201cEveryone made it out,\u201d he replied, electing for the time being, to withhold the other details concerning Uncle Joe and Aunt Stacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness!\u201d young Benjamin exhaled a long, heartfelt sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour grandpa, uncles, and aunt want me to come and help them build another house,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cSince I designed and built a lot of the old one, it\u2019s reasonable they would ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you plan to leave, Adam?\u201d Teresa asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf possible, I\u2019d like to leave on the noon stage tomorrow,\u201d Adam replied, as he took the wired message back from his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need any help with packing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sweetheart,\u201d Adam replied with a smile, \u201cbut I can manage. Benjamin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Papa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you please find Senor Mendez and ask him to meet me in my study immediately? I\u2019d like him to take my reply to Uncle Hoss\u2019 message to the Western Union office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Benjamin nodded, then dashed off in search of Juan Mendez, the family gardener and handyman . . . .<\/p>\n

Part 1
\nNine Days Later . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cVIRGINIA CITY, LAST STOP!\u201d the driver yelled, after bringing the team of horses pulling the stagecoach to a complete stop in front of the depot. In all, there were three passengers. Two of them were a young husband and wife, newly married, on the first leg of a long journey home from an extended honeymoon trip. The third, Adam Cartwright, exhausted and feeling slightly lightheaded, gathered together the drawings spread out across the seat next to him and placed them neatly into his portfolio folder.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced up into the equally weary faces of his traveling companions, Lorenzo and Maria Estevan.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife tells me that you will be getting off here in Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to let you know that it was a real pleasure traveling with you from Sacramento,\u201d Lorenzo Estevan smiled and offered his hand. Aged in his mid to late twenties, he stood a few inches taller than Adam, and his build was of a type Hoss would likely describe as beanpole skinny. He was clean-shaven with dark brown, almost black eyes, and a full head of jet-black wavy hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Estevan,\u201d Adam returned the man\u2019s smile and shook his hand. \u201cI thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent talking with you and Mrs. Estevan, as well. My pa always said that good traveling companions shorten the miles. He\u2019s absolutely right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Lorenzo said, beaming. \u201cI was afraid I might have bored you a few times along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly not,\u201d Adam hastened to reassure. \u201cArchitecture and engineering are my occupations, but I\u2019ve always been very interested in ancient history and archaeology. Your accounts of the trips you took down to Mexico City with your father to study the ancient ruins were fascinating. I especially enjoyed looking through your sketch book.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorenzo turned to his new bride, flashing her a smug, triumphant smile. \u201cYou hear THAT, Maria? You worry for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maria Estevan smiled. She was very young, not much older than Adam\u2019s own sister, Stacy. She stood all of five feet tall in her stocking feet, and weighed in at slightly less than a hundred pounds. Her long, dark brown hair was worn in a simple French twist. Some of the short, fine tendrils had escaped their confines during the course of the day, and framed her delicate oval shaped face like a halo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m most gratified you enjoyed listening to his stories about those trips he took with his papa to Mexico City,\u201d Maria said, the relief evident in her voice. \u201cUnfortunately my loving husband has unwittingly bored many a captive audience to tears talking about ancient history and the archaeology trips he and his papa took together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can assure you . . . I was a captivATED audience, Mrs. Estevan, not captive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The stagecoach driver opened the door. The two men graciously hung back, allowing Maria to exit the stagecoach first.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say you are from here? That your family lives here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen perhaps you can suggest comfortable overnight lodging and a good place to relax and eat?\u201d Lorenzo Estevan asked, as he and Adam exited the stagecoach. \u201cMy wife and I leave tomorrow morning on the ten o\u2019clock stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a matter of fact, I can,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cThe International Hotel has very good, very comfortable accommodations. There\u2019s also an excellent restaurant in the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, Adam! Glad you could come!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned and saw the biggest of his two brothers standing at his elbow. \u201cI\u2019m real glad you sent for me, Big Brother,\u201d he murmured his heartfelt sincerity, as they exchanged big, bear hugs. \u201cHoss, I\u2019d like you to meet my traveling companions, Lorenzo and Maria Estevan. Mister and Mrs. Estevan, this is my big brother, Hoss Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are the eldest, Mister Cartwright?\u201d Maria asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Hoss smiled warmly and politely tipped his hat. \u201cAdam here\u2019s the oldest. I\u2019M the biggest.\u201d He, then, turned and offered his hand to the young man. \u201cGlad t\u2019 make your acquaintance, Mister Estevan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour name is . . . HORSE!?\u201d Lorenzo queried with a puzzled frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just HOSS. Pa once told me Hoss is mountain talk f\u2019r a big, friendly fella,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cI have the buckboard with me. Can Adam \u2018n me drop you folks off somewhere?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright, but we don\u2019t want to impose,\u201d Maria politely declined. \u201cIf you could just direct us to the International Hotel . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat where you folks\u2019re stayin\u2019?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t be any trouble at all droppin\u2019 you folks by,\u201d Hoss immediately assured the Estevans. \u201cAdam \u2018n I hafta drive by there anyway t\u2019 git t\u2019 where WE\u2019RE goin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Lorenzo Estevan said gratefully. \u201cTHAT being the case, my wife and I would appreciate the lift very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arrangements were quickly made to deliver Adam\u2019s single trunk to the Fletcher house, located across the street from Doctor Martin\u2019s office and the home he shared with his wife, Lily. The Cartwright family had taken up residence there, until their home on the Ponderosa could be rebuilt. Hoss, meanwhile, retrieved Adam\u2019s small carpetbag, along with two smaller bags, belonging to the Estevans, that contained the essentials for their overnight stay in Virginia City. Their trunks would remain at the stage depot overnight. That done, Hoss ably assisted Maria up into the back seat of the buckboard. Her husband settled in beside her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long are you folks gonna be in Virginia City?\u201d Hoss asked as he and Adam climbed into the buckboard\u2019s front seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cOvernight,\u201d Lorenzo answered. \u201cWe leave tomorrow morning on the ten o\u2019clock stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad you folks can\u2019t stay a li\u2019l longer,\u201d Hoss said, as he picked up the reins and nudged the horses into motion. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot o\u2019 beautiful countryside \u2018round here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have to make a point of it the next time we travel,\u201d Lorenzo said. \u201cFor now, however, my wife and I are anxious to get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been away nearly two months now, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Maria added. \u201cLorenzo and I are returning home from our honeymoon trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations! I hope the two of ya have a real long, happy life together,\u201d Hoss said with a big, warm smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the young bride said, returning his smile. \u201cFor your good wishes and the ride to the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few moments later, Hoss pulled up in front of the International Hotel. He and Adam saw the Estevans into the hotel lobby.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister and Mrs. Estevan, I hope the rest of your journey is a safe one,\u201d Adam said, as Hoss set their bags down next to the check-in desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright. I hope you enjoy your visit with your family,\u201d Maria said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeakin\u2019 o\u2019 the family, Adam \u2018n I need t\u2019 move along,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cKnowin\u2019 Pa, he\u2019s back at the house chompin\u2019 at the bit, with waitin\u2019. Mister \u2018n Mrs. Estevan, you both have a good safe trip back, y\u2019 hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright. It was a pleasure to meet you,\u201d Lorenzo said in parting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Estevans seem t\u2019 be real nice folks, Adam,\u201d Hoss remarked as he and his older brother climbed back into the buckboard.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYes, they are. I am grateful for having had their company,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cHad it NOT been for them, I . . . I\u2019m pretty sure I would\u2019ve gone completely out of my mind with worry. Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you and Pa found Joe yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cPa, Candy, \u2018n I found him . . . I guess it\u2019s been pert near a week ago now, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes briefly and offered a silent, heartfelt prayer of thanks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish there was a way we could\u2019ve gotten hold of ya t\u2019 tell ya,\u201d Hoss said contritely, when his older brother opened his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little difficult getting a wire to way stations with no telegraph lines,\u201d Adam said gently, placing a paternal hand on his biggest brother\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI\u2019m just thankful to hear that he\u2019s been found . . . hopefully none the worse for wear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still out t\u2019 lunch on that last part,\u201d Hoss said soberly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was kidnapped,\u201d Hoss said, his face darkening with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cKidnapped?!\u201d Adam echoed, incredulous.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cHe had no sooner gotten himself outta the burnin\u2019 house when they grabbed him, \u2018n took him off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember Lady Chadwick?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes,\u201d Adam said in a wry tone, as memories of her last visit to the Ponderosa began to surface.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s the one who kidnapped Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Adam exclaimed in surprise. \u201cYou\u2019re joking!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. It WAS Lady Chadwick, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam vigorously shook his head, still finding that difficult to believe. \u201cI thought we saw the last of HER . . . how long has it been now? Ten years? Fifteen, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCloser t\u2019 ten, I think, and I wish with everything that\u2019s in me that\u2019d been the last time we ever laid eyes on her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did she kidnap Joe? Was it for ransom?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head. \u201cIt was f\u2019r some kinda revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRevenge?! For what?\u201d Adam demanded, his own brow darkening with anger. \u201cFor Pa exposing her scheme to financially ruin him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think that was part of it,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cJoe\u2019s talked some about what happened. Not much, but some. He told us somethin\u2019 about her wantin\u2019 to use him as some kinda weapon t\u2019 git back at Pa f\u2019r what happened not only then, but for when he jilted her nearly THIRTY years ago back when they was in New Orleans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome kind of weapon?!\u201d Adam echoed, as a bewildered frown deepened the lines already present in his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomethin\u2019 about turnin\u2019 our li\u2019l brother against Pa,\u201d Hoss tried to explain. \u201cExactly how that was t\u2019 turn Joe into some kinda weapon . . . well, I ain\u2019t figured THAT one out yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I . . . I don\u2019t understand! Pa didn\u2019t jilt her in New Orleans . . . it was the other way around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe wasn\u2019t right in the head, Adam,\u201d Hoss said grimly. \u201cShe may not\u2019ve been right in the head when she came t\u2019 visit us. Pa said she was rememberin\u2019 stuff that never happened . . . even then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam let out a long, low whistle.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe also set fire to our house,\u201d Hoss continued. \u201cThat\u2019s what she told Joe. She had her boy pay someone t\u2019 do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer boy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer boy . . . as in her SON?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I had no idea she and Lord Chadwick had any children,\u201d Adam said, shaking his head. \u201cShe never mentioned having a son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think she even told Pa that she \u2018n Lord Chadwick never HAD children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned. \u201cI find that very strange.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat ain\u2019t nearly the half of it,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cHer boy worked on the Ponderosa f\u2019r a couple o\u2019 months, so he could watch US, \u2018n tell HER everything we were doin\u2019. Pa \u2018n Candy hired him. He led us t\u2019 believe he was a drifter, come up from down Texas way. We . . . none of us, had no reason to think different. Then, the night of the fire, after she kidnapped Joe, she . . . Adam, Lady Chadwick had her man kill him. Her own boy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Adam\u2019s breath caught in his throat. For a brief, horrifying instant, he felt as if he had been slammed hard in the chest with a sledgehammer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe . . . Pa \u2018n me, figured it out when we started goin\u2019 through her boy\u2019s things,\u201d Hoss continued, gripping the reins hard, to keep his hands from shaking. \u201cJoe . . . well, that was one o\u2019 the things he DID tell us. He saw it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cM-My God, Hoss! H-Her own son! Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Cause he was the same size as Joe \u2018n had hair like his. She had him runnin\u2019 around the night o\u2019 the fire, dressed the way Joe dresses . . . just so she could have her man kill HIM \u2018n burn his body . . . t\u2019 make Pa \u2018n the rest of us think Joe died in the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Hoss, his face a few shades paler than normal, his eyes round with horror, too stunned to speak. The thought of anyone, particularly a mother, so callously murdering her own child was beyond unfathomable. \u201cI . . . somehow I n-never figured Montague to be such a . . . a cold blooded killer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t Montague.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was some new man, name o\u2019 Crippensworth. She killed Montague, too, Adam, \u2018bout six months ago, over in Carson City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cDamn! I can\u2019t say I held a lot of affection for the man, not after all the things HE did to Pa . . . AND to us . . . at her bidding, but I had to admire the him for his loyalty. He stuck by her, even after that plan of hers to ruin Pa blew up in her face . . . and now . . . you\u2019re telling me Lady Chadwick . . . murdered him, too?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Crippensworth told Sheriff Coffee all \u2018bout THAT. Seems Montague was threatenin\u2019 Lady Chadwick somehow . . . threatenin\u2019 t\u2019 go to the sheriff \u2018bout somethin\u2019, so she up \u2018n killed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Lady Chadwick and this Crippensworth now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLady Chadwick\u2019s dead,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cDead \u2018n buried now, over in Carson City. Pa didn\u2019t want her grave anywhere \u2018round here where he . . . or the rest of us . . . might see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did she die?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was strangled first, then had a couple o\u2019 bullets put in her chest,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cSheriff Coffee\u2019s pretty sure Crippensworth killed her, then tried t\u2019 kill Joe, before tryin\u2019 t\u2019 run off with Lady Chadwick\u2019s money \u2018n jewelry in his pocket. He\u2019s in jail, right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen does he come up for trial?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometime after he gits back t\u2019 England, I expect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEngland?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Seems he\u2019s wanted for killin\u2019 a half dozen or so men over there. Judge Faraday signed the papers . . . only thing t\u2019 do now is wait for the men from Scotland Yard t\u2019 come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least I have the satisfaction of knowing he can be convicted over there on less than he can here,\u201d Adam said grimly. \u201cYou said this Crippensworth intended to kill Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cWhen we found our li\u2019l brother, he was in that big meadow across from the Marlowes\u2019 house. That fella, Crippensworth, was WITH him. Pa said he had a derringer aimed right at Joe\u2019s heart. I . . . I still get the willies when I think o\u2019 what we might\u2019ve found if we\u2019d . . . if we\u2019d\u2014 \u201d Hoss broke off, suddenly unable to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand . . . . \u201d Adam said tonelessly, as he placed a steadying hand on his big brother\u2019s forearm.<\/p>\n

For a time, Adam and Hoss rode along together in silence, the former utterly shaken to the very core of his being by everything that his younger, bigger brother had just told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cS-Sorry, Adam, I . . . I guess it\u2019s all kinda catchin\u2019 up with me, now that Joe\u2019s back \u2018n Stacy\u2019s on the mend,\u201d Hoss said ruefully, when he was once again able to speak. \u201cWe could\u2019ve ALL died in that fire. If . . . if Pa hadn\u2019t woken up that night when he did . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God he DID wake up,\u201d Adam said very quietly, his words a heartfelt prayer of gratitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I really hate like anything havin\u2019 t\u2019 say this, but when Pa \u2018n Sheriff Coffee told us Lady Chadwick was dead . . . God help me, Adam, I was GLAD,\u201d Hoss continued, his voice shaking. \u201cAll I could think of was how bad she hurt Joe, in just about the worst way a body CAN hurt another . . . \u2018n when she burned down our house? She hurt Stacy, too . . . almost . . . almost K-KILLED her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was worried \u2018bout Pa, too. Worried about what it\u2019d do to him if one or BOTH them young\u2019ns had . . . had . . . well, hadn\u2019t pulled through. I . . . I was also worried about Pa might\u2019ve done t\u2019 if he \u2018n Lady Chadwick, if he \u2018n Sheriff Coffee hadn\u2019t found her dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, if Lady Chadwick HAD been found and taken into custody alive, Pa would have done as he\u2019s always taught US to do . . . what any CIVILIZED man would do,\u201d Adam said sharply, more sharply than he either realized or had intended. Something in Hoss\u2019 words, the quiet conviction by which he spoke them, unsettled him deeply. \u201cHe would have seen to it that she was handed over to be tried fairly in a court of law, AND he would have abided by whatever decision was handed down by that court.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cS-Sorry, Adam, I . . . well, just \u2018cause I\u2019M feelin\u2019 kinda rattled \u2018n upset right now, I ain\u2019t got no call to get YOU upset,\u201d Hoss apologized, his voice now filled with remorse.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . no more than I had any right to snap at YOU because I\u2019M worn out from the trip and, well, I\u2019ve been upset and worried, too, since I left Sacramento before you and Pa found Joe,\u201d Adam said, equally contrite. \u201cWhich reminds me, would it be alright if we stopped by the telegraph office before going ho\u2014 before going to the Fletchers\u2019 house? I\u2019d like to send a wire to Teresa, letting her know that I\u2019ve arrived safely and that things are on the mend here. She was pretty worried, too, when I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Adam. When you send that wire, would you mind sendin\u2019 Teresa an\u2019 the kids all OUR love?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d Adam replied, managing a wan smile. \u201cIn fact, I was going to do that anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, Mister Cartwright, Mister Hoss back!\u201d Hop Sing announced, grinning from ear-to-ear, as he bounded into the living room from the kitchen. \u201cMister Hoss have Mister Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben placed the book in hand down on the coffee table, and turned to wake up Stacy, who had dropped off to sleep on the settee beside him. \u201cTime to rise \u2018n shine, Young Woman,\u201d he said, as he gently shook his daughter. \u201cThey\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy opened one eye, then the other. \u201cWho\u2019s here, Pa?\u201d she asked, punctuating her inquiry with a big yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is back with Adam,\u201d Ben quietly explained.<\/p>\n

Stacy yawned again, then sat up straight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Joe?\u201d Ben asked, upon glancing around and finding his youngest son absent.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said something about going upstairs to take a nap right after we finished playing checkers,\u201d Stacy replied. \u201cI think he actually let me win that last game, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood for him.\u201d Ben said, smiling. He, then, rose and walked over toward the stairs. \u201cJOE?\u201d<\/p>\n

No answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cJOE, YOU ASLEEP?\u201d<\/p>\n

Still no answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cJOE, WAKE UP,\u201d Ben yelled again, raising the volume slightly. \u201cHOSS IS BACK . . . WITH ADAM.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still no answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat boy\u2019s gonna sleep right through Gabriel\u2019s trumpet on the day of the last judgment,\u201d Ben muttered to himself as he started up the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Hop Sing protested, as he moved toward the stairs on a direct intercept course. \u201cYou stay here. Say hello to Mister Adam. Hop Sing go up, fetch down Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier on, after having soundly beat his baby sister six games of checkers out of seven, fair and square despite her protestations to the contrary, Joe had retreated to his room upstairs, intending to stretch out on the bed and rest his eyes for just a little while.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Kid,\u201d he had mused silently, as he sat down on the bed to remove his slippers, all the while shaking his head. \u201cThe least little bit of activity and she\u2019s out like a light.\u201d He remembered Pa saying that Stacy had spent the better part of four days lying flat on her back. He knew from personal experience that spending long periods of time lying around in bed, whether it be from injury or illness always left a body weaker than a newborn kitten. That coupled with having to get about now on crutches . . . .<\/p>\n

Hopefully Stacy would regain enough of her old vim and vigor over the next few days to keep awake and alert while they played checkers. There was absolutely no challenge in rearranging the pieces on the board when his opponent was so tired, she kept nodding off. He had even let her win that last game because he felt so sorry for her.<\/p>\n

Joe yawned as he stretched out on the bed, gazing down at his sprained ankle, still much too swollen and tender to even consider wearing boots. He had injured it when he fell out of that tree, growing up next to the Marlowes\u2019 old house in his bid to escape the clutches of Lady Chadwick. As he closed his eyes, his mind drifted to the tick, tick, ticking of the wall clock hanging above the bureau . . . .<\/p>\n

The clock hands, big just drifting down to the two ,and the little sitting squarely over the four suddenly looked for all the world like tree branches. The sun\u2019s glare shining in through the window, with curtains parted, struck the clear glass over the clock face, obscuring the two, then dipped down slowly toward the four.<\/p>\n

\u201cFifteen minutes . . . half an hour . . . three quarters of an hour . . . one hour,\u201d he murmured softly, uneasily.<\/p>\n

The even rhythmic ticking of the clock became the steady taping of a lady\u2019s pair of shoes, the kind with the slightly elevated heel, striking against a hard wood floor. The clock\u2019s pendulum, swinging back and forth, back and forth, keeping even cadence became a riding crop tapping an even beat against the open palm of a woman\u2019s hand, keeping time with the tapping of her shoes against the floor . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he groaned in protest. \u201cNo! This can\u2019t be happening . . . . You\u2019re dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe?<\/p>\n

\u201cNO. You\u2019re dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you . . . you\u2019re dead! Now willya please, go \u2018way. Lemme alone . . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe . . .<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes snapped open. For a moment, he had no idea in the world where he was. He lay, unable to move, gazing at his unfamiliar surroundings with mounting dread.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe? What wrong with Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gasped at the sound of another voice. He turned, and found himself staring into the anxious face of Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cF-fine . . . I\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Joe murmured as he struggled to sit up. His heart was racing, and his brow was liberally dotted with beads of cold sweat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing come, tell Little Joe Mister Hoss back. Bring Mister Adam,\u201d Hop Sing said quietly. \u201cLittle Joe alright? Not sick?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe flashed Hop Sing a smile, meant to reassure. The increased apprehension mirrored in Hop Sing\u2019s eyes and the appearance of an anxious frown told him he had failed miserably. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Hop Sing, I\u2019m not sick. I just kinda dozed off, \u2018s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe ok now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will be. I just need a minute to wake up a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk. Tell Papa you be down few minutes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I\u2019ll be down in a few minutes.\u201d Joe waited until Hop Sing had left the room, and closed the door. \u201cShe\u2019s dead,\u201d he muttered very softly, under his breath. \u201cI saw her lying at the undertaker\u2019s, in a pine box coffin . . . dead. I also saw her coffin loaded onto a buckboard, taking it to Carson City. She\u2019s dead. She\u2019s dead, she\u2019s dead, she\u2019s DEAD.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it\u2019s so good to see ya,\u201d Ben declared, as his eldest son stepped through the door a split second behind Hoss. He caught Adam up in a big, fierce bear hug.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say I much care for the circumstances, Pa, but I\u2019m glad to see you, too,\u201d Adam said with heartfelt sincerity as he returned his father\u2019s embrace with equal strength and affection.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in and sit down,\u201d Ben said, taking Adam gently by the elbow. \u201cYou must be exhausted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright if I put Adam in the big room upstairs?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Son, that\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take the portfolio.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is the portfolio?\u201d Hoss queried with a perplexed frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flat black leather case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss handed the portfolio to his older brother, then started toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam . . . . \u201d That was Stacy. \u201cDon\u2019t I rate a hug, too?\u201d she demanded, leveling a ferocious glare in his general direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d Smiling, Adam walked over toward the settee, where Stacy sat with her leg propped up on the coffee table, resting comfortably on one of the chair cushions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019ll forgive me if I don\u2019t get up,\u201d she quipped, as he carefully sat down beside her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . MAYBE I will, just this once,\u201d Adam teased as he caught his sister up in an affectionate bear hug.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad you\u2019re here, Oldest Brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too,\u201d Adam said as he planted a quick kiss on Stacy\u2019s forehead.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have the house plans drawn up already?\u201d Stacy asked, as she and Adam separated, and her eyes moved to the portfolio lying on the coffee table.<\/p>\n

\u201cI drew up a few preliminary sketches on my way out here,\u201d Adam replied, \u201cbut nothing final yet, not by any means.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer leg may be broken, but there\u2019s sure nothing wrong with her nose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, Stacy, and Adam turned toward the stairs together, their movements in unison, as Joe trotted down the steps with a distinct limp, with Hop Sing and Hoss following close behind. Ben noted his youngest son\u2019s pale complexion, his trembling hands, and the wan smile with an anxious frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you implying that I\u2019m nosy, Grandpa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I was IMPLYING nothing of the sort . . . leastwise I didn\u2019t THINK I was,\u201d Joe said very slowly, as he paused at the bottom of the steps. \u201cI was trying to say it straight out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it takes one to know one I suppose,\u201d Stacy returned without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

Joe responded by thumbing up his nose.<\/p>\n

Stacy stuck out her tongue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very glad to see that SOME things never change around here,\u201d Adam said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be quite a while before Stacy and I are up to practicing our fencing in the living room, however . . . . \u201d Joe said, as he favored his eldest brother with a warm smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two had best behave yourselves or you\u2019re going to find out real quick that I\u2019m more than up to making that trip out to the woodshed,\u201d Ben warned, half teasing.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood seein\u2019 ya, Adam, I\u2019m glad you came,\u201d Joe said, as he gave his eldest brother a big hug.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis real happy day,\u201d Hop Sing declared, grinning broadly. \u201cThis real big happy day. Whole family together. Supper ready half hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will give me just enough time to splash some water on my face, comb my hair, and change my shirt,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIf you\u2019ll excuse me . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare dawdle, Oldest Brother,\u201d Joe called after him. \u201cYou know how Hop Sing is about eating while it\u2019s hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBasically, I\u2019ve kept the general layout of the house roughly the same,\u201d Adam explained, as he spread his preliminary sketches out on the coffee table, following an enormous, delectable supper, courtesy of Hop Sing. He sat on the settee, sandwiched in between his youngest brother and his sister. Ben occupied the end of the settee, next to Joe, while Hoss and Hop Sing peered over everyone\u2019s shoulders. \u201cI enlarged the area of Pa\u2019s study a bit . . . . \u201d he looked over at his father, and smiled. \u201cI noticed how cramped things had become when Teresa and I visited with the kids two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose they have . . . . \u201d Ben admitted with a chuckle, then sobered. \u201cHAD.\u201d He sighed. \u201cI\u2019m sure glad I had extra copies of the important documents, like the deeds to the Ponderosa and contracts we\u2019re working on NOW, either in the safe, or on file in Lucas Milburn\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019d like, we COULD fit a vault sized safe right in here . . . . \u201d Adam removed a pencil from his shirt pocket and lightly reworked the lines of the study on the sketch placed square in the center of the coffee table. \u201cYou\u2019d STILL have the same amount of space I had envisioned, even though a third of it would be taken up by the vault. But, you could keep YOUR copies of important documents in here, where they would be protected from fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds like a real good idea, Adam,\u201d Ben said, nodding, \u201cbut, such a thing IS pretty expensive. I\u2019d like to give the matter some thought before I answer one way or the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Adam, what that over there?\u201d Hop Sing asked, pointing toward what appeared to he a block of squares sitting perpendicular to the proposed kitchen area.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat, Hop Sing, is a green house,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cThat would enable you to grow fresh herbs, maybe even a few other fresh greens, and flowers, too, if you wish, through out the winter months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing looked over at Adam, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. \u201cGrow herb in winter?! How THAT work? Or did Mister Adam chew loco weed?\u201d<\/p>\n

This last prompted a loud burst of giggling from Joe, then from Stacy, who had from the first day she had joined the family, found his laughter potently infectious.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I have NOT chewed on any loco weed,\u201d Adam said in a wry tone. \u201cHop Sing, it works like this. This green house is made out of glass, tinted green. The sun shines through the glass, its heat magnified to the point of keeping the inside not only warm, but moist. In the summer, you could grow things in here that would only survive in warmer, more humid climates.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing grow herbs in winter. This very, very good,\u201d Hop Sing declared, grinning from ear to ear. He, then, pointed over to a small, square room adjacent to the kitchen door. \u201cWhat THAT for, Mister Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, it\u2019s a place where you can hang your herbs to dry,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cSecond, I saw that doubling as a mud room. When you come in from the garden, with your feet dirty or boots muddy, you can step in here, remove your boots, wash your feet and not track it onto your clean kitchen floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Hop Sing like THAT very, VERY much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rest of the kitchen I\u2019ve left blank, because I wanted to ask what you want, and where you want it to go,\u201d Adam explained, then smiled. \u201cThe kitchen is yours after all . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and don\u2019t nobody forget it!\u201d Hop Sing added, directing a ferocious scowl at everyone gathered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not something I\u2019M very likely to forget,\u201d Joe quipped with a grin, \u201cnot after having been chased all the way out to the road with a meat cleaver a few times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing only chase Little Joe out to street once,\u201d Hop Sing defended himself immediately, \u201cand not with meat cleaver. Hop Sing NEVER chase Little Joe with meat cleaver. Maybe dull carving knife . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAwww, come off it, Hop Sing,\u201d Hoss guffawed. \u201cYou ain\u2019t never chased Joe outta your kitchen with nothin\u2019 sharp in your whole life, \u2018cept maybe your TONGUE.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe giggled again. \u201cI almost rather he HAD run me out of his kitchen with a knife or meat cleaver on a few of THOSE occasions, believe you me. Of course I didn\u2019t understand a word of it, since it was pretty much all in Chinese.\u201d This last he punctuated with a smug, secretive, Mona Lisa type smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Hop Sing say in English what said in Chinese, Hop Sing have to wash out mouth with soap,\u201d Hop Sing said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith real, good, strong lye soap, too, the way some of those words sound,\u201d Stacy added with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU\u2019VE got no room to talk, Little Sister,\u201d Joe teased. \u201cI\u2019ve heard you utter a word or six, or seven in Paiute that sounded like they could\u2019ve used some real, good strong lye soap, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy responded by sticking out her tongue.<\/p>\n

Joe returned the gesture, all the while trying not to succumb to a fit of giggling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you YOUNG \u2018NS mind behavin\u2019 yourselves?\u201d Hoss admonished his younger siblings, favoring first Joe, then Stacy, with a stern, warning glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Joe and Stacy chorused together in unison, before succumbing to another fit of giggling. Ben and Hop Sing immediately joined them, followed by Hoss a few moments later.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled politely, though, in truth, he was far from amused. Hop Sing\u2019s words regarding the dull carving knife, though spoken in jest, had left him feeling oddly disturbed. He immediately castigated himself for being so ridiculous.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe, uuummmm REST of the downstairs layout I\u2019ve left pretty much the same,\u201d Adam raised his voice slightly so to be heard above the rest of the family\u2019s fading laughter. \u201cThe fireplace and the living room area is over here, Pa\u2019s study here, with the downstairs bedroom over here, on the other side of the front door, dining room here, kitchen and Hop Sing\u2019s room back here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like you\u2019ve enlarged the dining room area a little,\u201d Joe observed thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cWe\u2019ve . . . and I guess you STILL do . . . enjoy having people in for supper. I remember how things got a little, shall we say cozy? if we happened to invite one too many, so I thought I\u2019d enlarge it, provide room not only for a larger table and a cabinet to hold and display the good china, but for a side board as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat idea, Adam,\u201d Joe said with an approving smile. \u201cI never even thought about a sideboard. There\u2019s one request I\u2019D like to make, however . . . about the choice of painting we hang in the dining room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? What\u2019s that, Joe?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we get a landscape, or maybe a garden scene? I found that one of the fruit and flowers crawling with bugs real unappetizing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have you know, Young Man, THAT painting was selected by your mother,\u201d Ben laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMY mother?! Are you kiddin\u2019 me, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Ben said, turning serious. \u201cShe always thought it was a very fine painting, and it was. Most people never noticed the bugs . . . only your mother, and YOU from the time you were three or four.\u201d He smiled again. A wistful, nostalgic smile. \u201cShe was delighted when you picked out a few SHE\u2019D never noticed before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled. \u201cAfter Stacy came to live with us, SHE showed me a couple I didn\u2019t know were there . . . and I thought I\u2019d pretty much found \u2018em all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, no paintings with bug infested fruit,\u201d Adam said, \u201cthough I just BUILD the house. I don\u2019t FURNISH it. Now as for the upstairs, I\u2019ve pretty much sketched things in the way they were, except for placing a larger window in Stacy\u2019s room here . . . . \u201d He looked over at his sister and smiled. \u201cAll the better to see the moon, stars, and the night sky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Adam,\u201d Stacy said, punctuating her words with a yawn. \u201cExcuse me, it\u2019s NOT the company . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Kid, if you\u2019re ready for bed, I\u2019ll walk behind you to see you up safely,\u201d Joe offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just yet. I want to see the rest of the upstairs,\u201d Stacy said, this time, trying not to yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve kept the spare rooms the same, and enlarged all of YOUR rooms, since I added room to the downstairs,\u201d Adam said. \u201cThese other sketches were things I was playing around with, but nothing\u2019s final by any means.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSay, uhhh . . . Adam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Buddy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny chance of us finally getting the back house moved indoors?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cThis business of bundling up in the winter just to go out and . . . well, YOU know . . . . \u201d Two bright splotches of crimson blossomed on his cheeks and began to spread. \u201cIt\u2019s getting kind of . . . OLD . . . and speaking of old, much as it pains me to admit this none of us are getting any younger. Those last three inches to the chamber pot are getting harder and harder all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Joe, it appears great minds think alike,\u201d Adam said with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean . . . . ?!\u201d Joe queried, looking eager and hopeful.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam replied with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ve been studying the work done by the Crapper brothers in England, AND there\u2019s an antebellum mansion in Louisiana, near Baton Rouge called Nottoway that has indoor plumbing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t joshin\u2019 with us . . . are ya, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Big Brother, I\u2019m NOT,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cFurthermore, a good friend of mine happens to be well acquainted with one of the sons of the man who built Nottoway, and he was able to get me a copy of the drawings. I\u2019ve been studying them on my way out here and I think an indoor privy just might be do able.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHallelujah!\u201d Joe and Stacy chorused together in unison.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater closet . . . phooey!\u201d Hop Sing snorted derisively. \u201cIn China, back house for elderly, sick, or sissy people. When Hop Sing little boy back in China, Hop Sing go all the way to river, many, many miles, rain, shine, snow, even big hurricane. Hop Sing go many mile to river, day, night, no matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, you\u2019re going to appreciate and enjoy that indoor plumbing every bit as much as the rest of us,\u201d Ben returned, chuckling, shaking his head. \u201cWell, Adam . . . looks like you\u2019ve made a real fine start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Pa,\u201d Adam said, returning his father\u2019s smile, basking for a moment in the warmth of his praise. \u201cI guess my next question is . . . When can I ride out to the Ponderosa? I need to see how much has been cleared, and what needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can ride out with me tomorrow mornin\u2019 right after breakfast, if ya like,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two mind if I tag along?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too?\u201d Stacy asked, suddenly alert and looking hopeful. \u201cPlease?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPRETTY please?!\u201d Joe added, with those big, very round, very sad puppy dog eyes, and a slightly quivering lower lip.<\/p>\n

Ben sardonically rolled his eyes heavenward. \u201cJoseph . . . Stacy, one word,\u201d he said sternly. \u201cNO!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAwww, Pa . . . . \u201d Stacy protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! N-O, NO! That\u2019s final, end of discussion!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease?\u201d Joe wheedled, trying a different track. \u201cI\u2019m starting to go stir crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, YOU\u2019RE STILL limping . . . your ankle\u2019s too swollen to even think about wearing a pair of shoes, let alone a pair of boots, not to mention those fractured ribs,\u201d Ben started to recite the list of Joe\u2019s physical injuries. \u201cEven though they\u2019ve lessened, you\u2019re still having occasional bouts of lightheadedness. As for YOU, Stacy, in ADDITION to that broken leg\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I don\u2019t need to stand up to ride,\u201d Stacy argued.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to be awake and alert to ride,\u201d Ben quickly pointed out. \u201cYou\u2019ve gotten better, but you STILL tire and fall asleep very easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing, rather he turned and leveled the full force of that poor, sad, lonely puppy dog look against his father. Stacy followed suit. Though she ably mimicked the look, she lacked the years of experience Joe had spent in perfecting it to get just that right amount of pathos.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cAlright, I\u2019ll tell you what,\u201d he said, unable completely to resist his younger children . . . especially Joseph Francis, when they got \u201cthat look\u201d on their faces. \u201cIF . . . and ONLY if the two of you behave yourselves, tomorrow morning, I\u2019ll go to the livery stable and rent a buggy so we can all go out for a drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Pa!\u201d Stacy said gratefully, her eyelids drooping.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Kid, let\u2019s get you upstairs,\u201d Joe said as he rose, and gingerly stretched his arms. \u201cI\u2019ll go up behind you. I\u2019m kinda tired myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you wanna go over to the Silver Dollar \u2018n git a couple o\u2019 beers?\u201d Hoss asked, as Joe and Stacy made their way toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mind if I do, Big Brother, as long as we don\u2019t stay out too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow \u2018bout YOU, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cNot tonight, Hoss. I\u2019m more in the mood for sitting down with a glass of brandy, my pipe, and a good book. But you boys g\u2019won and enjoy yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

After seeing his sister safely up the steps, to the door of her room, Joe walked back to the front of the house, to the room he had chosen for himself for the duration, and collapsed down onto the bed, bone tired and very hungry. He had graduated to a heavier liquid diet a few days ahead of schedule, with the grudging approval of Doctor Martin, that now included soups with meat and vegetables, milk, and eggnog, in addition to what he had been allowed on the clear liquid diet. But the thing he wanted most right now, in the whole wide world was a plate of fluffy yellow scrambled eggs as only Hop Sing could make them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe if I look sad enough . . . HUNGRY enough . . . maybe Pa will let me try a taste,\u201d Joe mused silently. This time sad and hungry wouldn\u2019t be very much of a stretch at all. He slowly stripped off his clothing, and slipped on his nightshirt, wincing as he had to lift his arms up over his head.<\/p>\n

Tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock . . . .<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes were drawn once more to the clock on the wall, facing his bed. The time was four minutes before ten . . . .<\/p>\n

Tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock . . . .<\/p>\n

Joe yawned once, then again, as his eyelids grew increasingly heavy. Within less than the space of a heartbeat, his eyes were fast closed. An easy silence fell over the room, broken occasionally by a bout of soft snoring.<\/p>\n

Tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock . . . .<\/p>\n

Tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock . . . .<\/p>\n

Clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . .<\/p>\n

He saw her once again, clad in that flowered print morning dress, pacing the floor; heard again the steady rhythmic clack, clack, clacking of the soles of her shoes tapping against the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me again, Little Joe,\u201d she demanded, as she paced. She had a riding crop in one hand. With each step, she slapped it against the palm of her other hand.<\/p>\n

Clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . .<\/p>\n

Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . . tap . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me again . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . . tap . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me what REALLY happened . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . .<\/p>\n

Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . . tap . . .<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . the night of the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he whimpered. No. This can\u2019t be . . . .<\/p>\n

Without breaking stride, she turned her head, facing him, her unblinking eyes, meeting and holding his own. A malevolent smile slowly spread across those cotton candy pink lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Little Joe,\u201d she said in a voice low and menacing. \u201cTell me AGAIN what REALLY happened . . . the night of the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Why is this happening?! I\u2019m back now . . . back with my pa, my brothers and sister . . . and Hop Sing! WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?<\/p>\n

A peal of cruel laughter, soft and low, flowed from between her parted lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe . . . .<\/p>\n

DEAR, Little Joe . . . .<\/p>\n

Dear, SILLY Little Joe . . . .<\/p>\n

You HAVE to wake up SOMETIME.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stared over at her, numb with horror, eliciting another peal of cruel, mirthless laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cSilly, Darling,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSilly, silly Darling.<\/p>\n

Surely you know . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d he demanded. \u201cWHAT?! SURELY I KNOW . . . WHAT?!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat THIS is what\u2019s real, Little Joe. Being with your father and the rest of your family . . . THAT\u2019S the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

He buried his face in his hands and shook his head in vigorous denial. \u201cNo,\u201d he moaned. \u201cNo . . . please, God, no . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Then he remembered.<\/p>\n

The trip with Pa to the undertaker . . . .<\/p>\n

Seeing her laid out in a pine coffin . . . .<\/p>\n

Laughter, harsh and mocking, as much without mirth as hers was, welled up from a place deep inside and exploded out of his mouth. She paused, breaking stride, and turned, her eyes slightly round with frightened surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re LYING, Lady Chadwick,\u201d he declared triumphantly. \u201cI AM back with my family. THIS is the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe?<\/p>\n

\u201cTHIS is the dream, Lady Chadwick . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Joe, wake up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the dream . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, his eyes flew open. He bolted immediately from prone to sitting, eliciting a started gasp from his sister, seated on the edge of his bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?! Wh-What\u2019re YOU doing here?\u201d he demanded with a bewildered frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard you yelling, Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe flashed her a triumphant grin. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said. \u201cI reckon you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ok?\u201d she asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m NOT. . . I\u2019m well on the way,\u201d Joe said with confidence. Then, his smile faded. \u201cSorry, Kid,\u201d he said with a touch of regret. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to wake ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Grandpa. I must\u2019ve woken YOU up at least a hundred times screaming in the middle of the night when I first came.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTWO hundred, but who\u2019s counting,\u201d Joe quipped, unable to resist.<\/p>\n

Stacy stuck out her tongue.<\/p>\n

Joe gamely thumbed his nose up at her, then slowly eased himself to a sitting position. \u201cCan you stay a little while?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded. \u201cAs long as you want me to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I ask you a question?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. Why not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree years ago, when your uncle kidnapped you . . . he . . . I remember, he beat YOU up pretty good . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he . . . did he ever tell you WHY?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe tried to convince me that Pa didn\u2019t love me, that he couldn\u2019t have cared less about me,\u201d Stacy replied, her voice catching. \u201cWhen I refused to believe him\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Stace, maybe . . . maybe I shouldn\u2019t have asked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Grandpa,\u201d she said in a small voice, stunned by the intensity of emotion remembering that incident had provoked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . what I really wanted to know is how YOU got through. How YOU refused to be convinced.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I got through the same way YOU got through, Grandpa,\u201d she said slowly, thoughtfully. \u201cI KNOW Pa. I KNOW that if he HAD known I was out there, he would\u2019ve come looking for me and for Miss Paris, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you . . . scared?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome, but I think I was more sad,\u201d Stacy replied. \u201cThe last thing I remember before they . . . b-before they knocked me out was s-some man telling . . . telling one of his companions, I guess to . . . to f-finish off PA. Until the night h-he and M-Miss Paris came to . . . to rescues me, I . . . I thought Pa was— \u201d She broke off, unable to continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Kid,\u201d Joe murmured softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, it\u2019s just that I . . . well, I kinda feel a little silly going on like this,\u201d Stacy said ruefully. \u201cFor a minute there, I was f-feeling like it was all happening again . . . fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe slipped his arms around her and held her close. Stacy slipped her arms up under his arms, as she buried her face against his shoulder for a moment. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Grandpa,\u201d she sighed dolefully, at length. \u201cHere I come in here to try and help YOU . . . and you end up being the one t-to comfort me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s MY fault. I should\u2019ve realized those questions might be upsetting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t know. I didn\u2019t even know that talking about it w-was gonna hit me THIS hard,\u201d Stacy said softly, grateful to have the youngest of her three brothers home, alive and safe. \u201cBut . . . Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Stace?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole time John McKenna kept me prisoner? I KNEW that you guys were out there looking for me . . . trying to find me . . . that if I couldn\u2019t find a way to escape, you\u2019d have found me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe remembered bursting into that room where Stacy\u2019s uncle not only held HER prisoner, but their father as well. He saw again the rifle in John McKenna\u2019s hands, still aimed at Pa and Stacy, even as his cohorts were busy surrendering their own weapons, giving themselves up. Had it not been for Roy Coffee\u2019s lightening quick reflexes, then . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . or Pa, almost two weeks ago now . . . astride Big Buck, galloping through that meadow, lying across the street from the Marlowe mansion, looking like some very angry god of vengeance, bearing down on Crippensworth . . . .<\/p>\n

He shuddered.<\/p>\n

\u201cLady Chadwick tried to tell me that Pa and the rest of you believed I was dead,\u201d Joe said, as tears suddenly welled up in his eyes once again. \u201cThat the whole t-time I w-was gone? you . . . none of you ever spared me a . . . a moment\u2019s thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy quietly slipped her arms around him once again, upon seeing one tear, then another, slip down over his eyelids and flow down onto his cheeks. \u201cThat was a nasty, vicious, cruel LIE,\u201d she declared vehemently, her voice catching. \u201cI was worried sick the whole time you were gone. So was Pa, Hoss, Hop Sing, and a lot of other people. They . . . they were all working hard trying to find you. I would\u2019ve been, too, if\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Kid . . . I know,\u201d Joe said hugging her closer, smiling through his tears. \u201cHad it not been for that broken leg, you would\u2019ve been out helping them look for me, too. I know that because I know . . . well, b-because I know YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad you\u2019re back, Grandpa. I missed you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed you, too . . . but you wanna know something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were there with me,\u201d Joe said, his voice filled with awe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Stacy looked over at him askance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou WERE,\u201d Joe insisted. \u201cAll of you! You, Pa, Hoss, Hop Sing . . . even Adam! You were all there! In all my lowest moments, I\u2019d remember all the times we were there with and for each other . . . and it got me through. Every time Lady Chadwick tried to tell me that Pa, Hoss, and you didn\u2019t care . . . I\u2019d remember a time, something that happened . . . that proved otherwise . . . and like you, I knew that my family would find me, if I couldn\u2019t find a way to escape myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like . . . you were all there f-for me, too. Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Stace?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna come through all this . . . and when we do? We\u2019re gonna be stronger than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou betcha!\u201d Joe nodded in wholehearted agreement. \u201cThat dream I just had, with all the yelling?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it started out as it always did . . . with me being back there again . . . with her,\u201d Joe said with a shudder. \u201cShe kept trying to tell me that this . . . me being back here with you, Pa, Hoss, and Hop Sing was the dream . . . that I was still THERE, with her. But, this time, I remembered she was dead. When I did? I KNEW . . . beyond any doubt whatsoever, I knew THIS is real . . . and that all the times, I found myself back there with her . . . was the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking into his eyes, Stacy was greatly heartened to see something of the old sparkle once again.<\/p>\n

Unbeknownst to either Joe or Stacy, another had been rudely awakened by the former\u2019s yelling. Adam stood in the hallway, just outside the open door to his youngest brother\u2019s room, his entire body tense, listening. His first impulse had been to rush in, shoo his sister on back to bed, then sit with Joe himself.<\/p>\n

Yet, he had hesitated . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I really wanted to know is how YOU got through.\u201d Joe\u2019s words spoken just a few moments ago, spoke again in the deep silence of his own thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got through the same way YOU got through, Grandpa,\u201d came Stacy\u2019s reply once again. \u201cI knew that you were out looking for me . . . trying to find me . . . that if I couldn\u2019t find a way to escape, you guys would find me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were there with me. All of you! You, Pa, Hoss, Hop Sing . . . even Adam! You were all there!\u201d<\/p>\n

Even Adam?<\/p>\n

EVEN ADAM?!<\/p>\n

Words set apart from the rest, spoken in complete astonishment.<\/p>\n

Deep down, it rankled . . . and hurt. \u201cCan\u2019t say it\u2019s entirely unexpected,\u201d an inner voice spoke to him quietly from somewhere deep within. Though Adam loved his youngest brother, there existed a certain amount of animosity between them, subtle, yet something that ran very deep, even to this very day.<\/p>\n

His thoughts drifted back to an encounter, two years ago, the summer he and his whole family came to visit. A minor incident, yet one that spoke volumes . . . .
\n\u201cLittle Brother . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

He heard his own words again, with subtle, but clear emphasis on \u2018Little.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . think about it! We\u2019re dealing with a man able and willing to inflict violence on the mother of his unborn child. If he finds out she\u2019s HERE and comes looking . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Adam, I get the picture,\u201d Joe had snapped, zeroing right in on the faint, yet unmistakably clear condescending note in his tone of voice, with all the uncanny precision of a seasoned sharp shooter.
\nAt the time, he was referring to the husband, now long since EX-husband, of Peggy Dayton van Slyke. Dangerous, violent, completely insane.<\/p>\n

Like Ross Marquett.<\/p>\n

Like Kane.<\/p>\n

Like Kane?<\/p>\n

Adam stepped back away from the door, shocked and astonished, that he would even think of Peter Kane. What had passed between them happened many years ago, a whole lifetime ago, or so it seemed now, standing alone in this darkened hallway. It was past . . . over and done. He had never told his father or brothers about it, apart from a few cursory facts; nor had he ever told Teresa. There was no reason to tell Teresa. He had put it all behind him and moved on, without sparing so much as a backward glance.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Brother,\u201d he groaned softly, then vigorously shook his head, as if to physically dislodge all the strange and errant thoughts that had suddenly sprang up into his mind. \u201cAdam Cartwright, you MUST be more exhausted than you realize.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

He started violently, and turned. It was Pa, his face a veritable mask of worry and concern, stepping up along side him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I startled you, Son,\u201d Ben apologized, placing a steadying, paternal hand on his eldest son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust tired, Pa,\u201d Adam flashed Ben a reassuring, if weary smile. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long day. I think Joe had a nightmare a short while ago, but he and Stacy seem to have things well enough in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cShe beat me to the punch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave Adam\u2019s shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze. \u201cYou g\u2019won back to bed, Adam. You\u2019ve had a long, tiring journey, and right now YOU need your rest every bit as much as your youngest brother and sister. I\u2019ll go in and check up on \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, goodnight, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben favored his firstborn with a weary smile. \u201cActually, Adam, I think it\u2019s good MORNING.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following day dawned clear, with not even the slightest wisp of cloud to mar the bright azure blue sky overhead. Hoss and Adam set out together right after breakfast, on Chubb and Fido, a horse rented from the livery stable, respectively, bundled against the morning chill.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan y\u2019 feel it, Adam?\u201d Hoss asked, smiling. \u201cThere\u2019s that li\u2019l bit o\u2019 warmth in the air that tells me spring ain\u2019t so far off now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam returned Hoss\u2019 smile. \u201cYes, I CAN feel it, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss closed his eyes and took a whiff. \u201cAnother month now . . . maybe a li\u2019l more . . . things\u2019ll be warmin\u2019 up an\u2019 staying warm,\u201d he said, opening his eyes. \u201cI reckon you\u2019ll be puttin\u2019 up our new house fast \u2018n furious by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVERY fast and furious,\u201d Adam agreed. \u201cIf memory serves, I believe the spring rains begin, very soon after the temperature starts staying warm. I definitely want to have the roof in place by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019ll be wantin\u2019 t\u2019 start hirin\u2019 men t\u2019 work with ya in the next couple o\u2019 days?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to start hiring men TOMORROW,\u201d Adam said firmly, \u201cand Hoss . . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate your assistance. I\u2019ve . . . well, I\u2019ve been away for so long, I don\u2019t know any of the people passing through anymore,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou\u2019re also a very good judge of character, and I trust that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be glad t\u2019 help ya any way I can,\u201d Hoss said by way of agreement, \u201cand since y\u2019 ask my advice . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know a man who\u2019s lookin\u2019 f\u2019r work right now, who\u2019d make a real good foreman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? Who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember George Farlyn?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, indeed I do,\u201d Adam replied, then frowned. \u201cI thought he was working as Clay Hansen\u2019s foreman over at the Five Card Draw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLast fall, George was tossed by one o\u2019 the horses they were tryin\u2019 t\u2019 saddle break, a real ornery cuss, name o\u2019 Diablo,\u201d Hoss explained. \u201cHe ended up breaking BOTH his legs. He got better, his legs healed \u2018n all, but he was left with a real bad limp \u2018n a stiff back. Doc Martin told him if he got thrown from another bronc, he could end up in a wheel chair . . . permanent. George handed Mister Hansen his walkin\u2019 papers right after Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to hear about George\u2019s misfortune,\u201d Adam said quietly. \u201cHe was one of the best horse breakers around.\u201d He smiled. \u201cRight up there in the same class as our baby brother. Where\u2019s George now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe \u2018n his wife moved t\u2019 town, where she\u2019s been taking in sewin\u2019, and he\u2019s been doin\u2019 odd jobs as he c\u2019n get \u2018em,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cGettin\u2019 work\u2019s been hard f\u2019r George lately, with some o\u2019 bigger silver mines closing down. Most folks\u2019d rather hire from among the strong, able bodied miners, who\u2019re findin\u2019 THEMSELVES outta work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Adam said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kinda figure he wouldn\u2019t hafta sit a horse much, since you\u2019d be workin\u2019 pretty much in the same place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Hoss. George Farlyn WOULD be an excellent foreman,\u201d Adam agreed. \u201cYou don\u2019t foresee any problems with the men we hire following his orders?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a bit, Adam, not one bit. In fact, most folks \u2018round here admire him for the way he\u2019s kept right on goin\u2019 without NOT givin\u2019 up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we get back early enough this evening, we\u2019ll go pay him a visit,\u201d Adam decided. \u201cIf we don\u2019t, we\u2019ll see him tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a time, the eldest of Ben Cartwright\u2019s four children rode together in companionable silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed last night at supper and again at breakfast his morning that our little brother\u2019s on a liquid diet,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIs he ill?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLady Chadwick didn\u2019t feed him,\u201d Hoss said very quietly. \u201c \u2018Cept for ONE time, she served him up a real fancy meal . . . spiked with poison.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam could feel the blood draining right out of his face, as he turned and looked over at Hoss. \u201cP-Poison?!\u201d he whispered. \u201cShe . . . she actually POISONED Joe?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, please . . . don\u2019t take this next question the wrong way, but . . . why is he still alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Martin thinks he got to a place where his stomach couldn\u2019t take regular food, \u2018cause o\u2019 Lady Chadwick not feedin\u2019 him,\u201d Hoss replied, his face darkening with anger. \u201cWhen she served our li\u2019l brother that big fancy meal, up it came, with most o\u2019 the poison.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy God . . . . \u201d Adam murmured softly. The thought of how close he had come to actually losing his youngest brother left him shaken to the core.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe seems t\u2019 think she wasn\u2019t tryin\u2019 t\u2019 poison him, but PA,\u201d Hoss continued, drawing a bewildered frown from his older brother. \u201cWhen Lady Chadwick served JOE that meal, she was callin\u2019 our li\u2019l brother by PA\u2019S name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou also said she killed Montague?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoison?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cWe\u2019re pretty sure she poisoned him, too. When Pa \u2018n I went t\u2019 check on an address over in Carson City . . . an address one o\u2019 Joe\u2019s kidnappers\u2019d been writing to . . . we found out the house belonged t\u2019 Lady Chadwick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would explain how she was able to accomplish so much, so quickly when she visited last,\u201d Adam remarked in a wry tone of voice. \u201cHow long ago did she buy that house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was given her as a belated weddin\u2019 gift from Lord Chadwick,\u201d Hoss replied with a shudder. \u201cPa figured he must\u2019ve bought it for her \u2018way back when Mama was still alive . . . \u2018n Joe was a wee tyke, not much more \u2018n a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re kidding! THAT long?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGives me the willies just thinkin\u2019 about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGives ME the willies just thinking about it, too,\u201d Adam said soberly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway,\u201d Hoss continued, \u201cwhen Pa \u2018n me went t\u2019 check out that house, I found a decanter \u2018bout half full o\u2019 brandy on the buffet on the dinin\u2019 room. I thought it had gone bad, \u2018cause when I took off the top \u2018n smelled it? It smelled like rotten almonds. The smell was real strong, too. I found out later that brandy had some kinda poison in it . . . I can\u2019t remember what kind now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCyanide smells like bitter almonds,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCyanide,\u201d Hoss murmured softly. \u201cThat\u2019s it. Sheriff Coffee said the sheriff over in Carson City thinks she used THAT to do in Montague.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I can say is . . . thank the Good Lord she turned Pa down when he asked her to marry him,\u201d Adam said softly, shaking his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen t\u2019 that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Joe\u2019s on a liquid diet now to get his stomach used to taking in food again,\u201d Adam said, coming back to the initial subject of their conversation<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d An amused smile tugged at the corner of Hoss\u2019 mouth. \u201cHe was s\u2019posed t\u2019 be on a CLEAR liquid diet f\u2019r the rest o\u2019 this week, but somehow talked Doc Martin into lettin\u2019 him have stuff like soup, \u2018n eggnog three days \u2018fore he was supposed to. Poor li\u2019l fella! I could tell he wanted a taste o\u2019 them scrambled eggs we had f\u2019r breakfast this mornin\u2019 real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was all poor Pa could do NOT to give in, especially when he looked up with that sad puppy dog look on his face,\u201d Adam said. \u201cMaybe after he\u2019s able to eat solid food again, he won\u2019t be so picky at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe not,\u201d Hoss agreed as they rounded the corner of the barn and rode into the yard.<\/p>\n

Adam was stunned to find what remained of the house lying in ruins, except for the massive fireplace that had dominated the entire back wall of the great room and the equally imposing stone chimney that rose from it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stuff that came through the fire\u2019s in the back o\u2019 the barn, in a couple o\u2019 the empty stalls,\u201d Hoss explained. \u201cMost of it\u2019s stuff outta the kitchen \u2018n some o\u2019 Hop Sing\u2019s things. That was the only part o\u2019 the house left standin\u2019 when the roof fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid . . . did any of OUR things survive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat big, red leather chair that once belonged t\u2019 Mama,\u201d Hoss replied, \u201can\u2019 the horns Pa kept over the fireplace. The chair needs t\u2019 be upholstered, \u2018n the horns need cleanin\u2019, but they came through. Joe saved the pictures on the end table . . . the ones of our mothers, of Cousin Will \u2018n Uncle John, yours \u2018n Teresa\u2019s weddin\u2019 picture, an\u2019 that picture we had taken o\u2019 all of us a couple o\u2019 years ago when you, Teresa \u2018n the kids came t\u2019 visit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a few other odds \u2018n ends,\u201d Hoss continued. \u201cStacy\u2019s jewelry box \u2018n medicine bag, the Virgin Mary statue that belonged t\u2019 Mama, the safe, which was fire proof anyway, and the map that used t\u2019 hang on t\u2019 wall behind Pa\u2019s desk . . . . bits \u2018n pieces of it anyway. Hop Sing\u2019s pa, Hop LING\u2019S got the pieces with HIM. He\u2019s been workin\u2019 on puttin\u2019 what\u2019s left back t\u2019gether. The daughter o\u2019 one of his friends is in artist . . . real good, too, I\u2019ve seen her work. She\u2019s gonna paint another map, from the pieces. Hop Sing \u2018n me are gonna give it to Pa f\u2019r his birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll like that,\u201d Adam said, as they dismounted and lead their horses toward the barn. \u201cWas there . . . was there anything else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot much,\u201d Hoss said. \u201c \u2018Course the important thing is WE got out, a li\u2019l worse f\u2019r wear, maybe, but we all got out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what, Older Brother. I\u2019ll g\u2019won ahead \u2018n stable our horses, while you take a look at the house,\u201d Hoss continued. \u201cWe were able t\u2019 salvage pieces that can be used for buildin\u2019 material, if you\u2019re of a mind. Candy \u2018n Hank got it all stacked up in the loft.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam said, his voice a hallow monotone.<\/p>\n

As he made his way across the yard toward what remained of the house, memories rose within his mind, one after the other . . . .
\n\u201cThis is our first Christmas together as a family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam could hear Marie\u2019s voice again echoing in the recesses of his own thoughts and memories. He could see her face again, too, gently illumined by the joy and happiness welling up inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ordered this special to mark the occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

She held a small box in her hands, a parcel he, his father, and Hoss had picked up at the post office in town. Inside the box, lying amid a mountain of tissue paper and packing material, was an angel, with dark hair and a fine bone china head with painted face. She wore a white lace gown and had gold paper wings . . . .
\nThe lace patterns in the angel\u2019s gown shifted, and filled in with color, transforming them from empty space to tiny pieces of material, all different sizes, shapes, and textures, each with its own story to tell. Every last one of those pieces, culled from rags that had once been clothing, had been lovingly hand sewn together by Inger\u2019s mother to form a memory quilt.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee these pieces of satin and lace, Adam? They were part of my mother\u2019s wedding gown,\u201d Inger, her eyes the same sky blue as those of her son, Eric Hoss, had grown misty with her remembrance of loved ones. \u201cThese soft blue ones came from your uncle, Gunnar\u2019s baby blanket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did THESE come from, Mama?\u201d Adam asked, his small fingers darting over the surface of the quilt, touching the bright red pieces of cloth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese came from my papa\u2019s favorite red shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMama?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was your papa like?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a big man, Adam, a very big man,\u201d she replied, \u201cwith a big chest, and wide waist . . . very much like a great big beer keg. His arms and legs were big, too, bigger than most tree trunks. He had reddish hair, and blue eyes, same as mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas he strong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJa, VERY strong . . . but, very gentle, too. He had such a kind heart, Adam, such a very good and kind heart that was as big as all out doors . . . . \u201d
\nAdam smiled.<\/p>\n

Inger had no idea then that she also described the son she carried inside her, to whom she would very soon give birth. In the years following Inger\u2019s sudden, tragic demise, he had dutifully taken it upon himself to tell Hoss all of the stories lovingly sewn into that quilt. Many was the night, before Marie came, that he sat next to Hoss on his bed, with Inger\u2019s memory quilt spread over both of their laps, telling and retelling his brother all the stories Inger had told him. Those stories had kept Inger\u2019s memory fresh and alive for him, a beacon of light when he, his father, and brother, Hoss laid claim to the very first parcel of land that would someday become the Ponderosa . . . and the dark hole left in the wake of Inger\u2019s parting was very keenly felt. Adam fervently hoped that he had given something of Inger to Hoss, as well.<\/p>\n

Inger\u2019s memory quilt had lain on Hoss\u2019 bed from the time he was very young, until, very probably the night of the fire. The thought of that lovely, colorful quilt, the tangible remains of Inger\u2019s loved ones and their stories, reduced now to ash and cinder saddened him immensely.<\/p>\n

As he approached the place where the house stood, where some of its charred, blackened pieces yet remained, Adam shook his head to clear away the obscuring mists of memory, of things past, that he might focus on the task at hand. He carefully mounted two of the remaining steps, leading up to what was once the porch. Most of the boards there had actually escaped burning. The wood supports that had once held up the porch roof also remained in place, their top ends lightly singed, thrusting skyward, vaguely reminiscent of an animal corpse\u2019s ribs, left behind after carrion birds and insects had stripped away the meat and organs.<\/p>\n

Adam paused a moment to check those stark posts, test them for strength and stability and found them all sound. As he carefully picked his way across the porch, he cast a critical eye over what remained, estimating that a third to half of the debris had already been cleared away. He stepped over where the threshold of the front door had been, impelled by force of many years\u2019 habit, duly noting that the floor boards had remained largely intact. They would have to be pulled up so that he might inspect the foundation beneath, but, from all appearances they could be laid down again to form the floor of the new great room.<\/p>\n

He moved across the floor slowly, shoving the occasional large piece of wood or broken plaster aside with his booted foot, until he found himself standing before the immense fireplace that had wholly dominated the area designated as living room. Looking up, he noted the jagged, uneven line of chimney top against the bright blue sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe chimney was, in all likelihood, damaged when the roof collapsed,\u201d Adam mused aloud, as he moved back toward the fireplace. There, he crawled inside pushing against the stones with all his strength. \u201cThe fireplace seems solid enough . . . . \u201d
\n\u201cPA!\u201d The voice of Little Joe, aged six, frantically rang out, bouncing off the wall and echoing throughout the house. \u201cPA! ADAM! HOP SING!\u201d<\/p>\n

The three of them bolted toward the living room from three different directions, Pa from his desk, Hop Sing from the kitchen, and himself from the master bedroom downstairs, where he had often retreated to do his school work. They nearly converged in a frantic, head on collision right there in front of the fireplace. In the space of less than a single heartbeat, they came to the realization that young Joseph Francis was nowhere to be seen.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d Ben called the name of his youngest son, as he glanced around in complete bewilderment. \u201cJoe, where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPA! YOU GOTTA COME QUICK!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing, with feet planted solidly on the floor, space shoulder width apart, and hands firmly on hips, looked upward. \u201cWHERE LITTLE JOE?\u201d he demanded with an indignant scowl. \u201cWHERE LITTLE BOY GO?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, upon remembering it was he, himself who found Little Joe, inside the fireplace, half way up the chimney.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Buddy . . . what\u2019re you doing up there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere?\u201d Ben demanded, annoyed and concerned.<\/p>\n

\u201cUp here, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben unceremoniously moved his eldest son aside and thrust his own head into the fireplace. \u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright, WHAT are you doing up there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to make sure our chimney\u2019s big enough for Santa Claus to get down, Pa,\u201d the boy wailed, \u201cand it AIN\u2019T . . . . \u201d
\nImages, pictures of other Christmas Eves began to surface, rising like tendrils of smoke from the remnants of a dying campfire, or of sweet incense left in offering to Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory, according to the Greek myths he loved so well.<\/p>\n

Himself and Hoss, seated together in the big blue chair before a roaring fire, soon after the downstairs portion of the house had been built. He and Pa squeezed into the chair, side-by-side, with Hoss curled up on Pa\u2019s lap. Pa had one arm around him, the other around his brother, while yet holding the book sent by Pa\u2019s brother, Uncle Aaron, titled The Night Before Christmas.<\/p>\n

A year later, Marie had joined them, and Little Joe another year after that. The blue chair had been relegated to a corner, it\u2019s place usurped by a brand new settee, just wide enough to accommodate them all. At Marie\u2019s insistence, Ben had started to read the Christmas story, as had been set down in the Gospel According to Luke, along with Clement C. Moore\u2019s poem about Santa\u2019s visit.<\/p>\n

Adam remembered many of the quiet evenings he, his father, and brothers spent by the fireplace with a roaring fire. Joe and Hoss, more often than not, indulged themselves in game after game of checkers, with the former taking outrageous creative liberties with the rules of the game, while he and Pa quietly read. Sometimes, he would fetch his guitar down from his room, and regale his family with new songs. Joe often joined in, as did Hoss, LESS often . . . fortunately.
\nThen, memories of another day surfaced, bringing with them darker images, filled with tragedy and grief.
\nHe heard again the thunder of hooves, announcing the return of his stepmother, Marie, and Clover, that new, high spirited mare Pa had given her for her birthday a scant week before. She had spent most of the morning working with the mare out in the corral, as had become her custom since receiving Clover. Afterwards, she had climbed on the skittish mare\u2019s back and taken her for a brisk ride. Now, Marie was heading into the yard, riding her horse \u2018way too fast, as usual.
\n\u201cSame as Joe STILL does, I\u2019m sure,\u201d Adam silently remembered . . . .
\nPa slammed his pencil down onto the desk alongside the open ledger, and bolted right out of his chair with a thunderous scowl on his face. He strode briskly toward the door, with Adam trotting close behind. Pa stormed out onto the porch, his mouth open, ready to read his beautiful, headstrong wife the proverbial riot act for galloping that horse into the yard so fast. The words sitting at the very tip of his father\u2019s tongue died before he could give them utterance, upon seeing Clover\u2019s leg sink down into a very deep chuckhole.<\/p>\n

The gut wrenching crack of poor Clover\u2019s leg shattering, the result of her leg coming to a sudden stop while the rest of her surged forward, reverberated once again in Adam\u2019s ears. Marie tumbled from the saddle, striking the ground with a dull, sickening thud. Before she had a chance to move, to think, or even scream, Clover had collapsed on top her, killing her instantly. The only thing he and his father could so was stand by helplessly and watch.<\/p>\n

Micah Everett, who at the time was the Ponderosa\u2019s senior foreman, entered the yard in the company of his grand nephew, Hank Carlson, and a half dozen other hands when the accident occurred. He immediately took charge of the situation upon catching sight of his employer and good friend, standing on the porch, unmoving, his body stiff, his face pale.<\/p>\n

\u201cHank!\u201d Micah snapped, as he half climbed, half jumped down out of his saddle. \u201cYou g\u2019won into town \u2018n fetch back the doc.\u201d he ordered, his face set with grim, almost angry determination.<\/p>\n

Hank wheeled his horse around, without question, without a word, and rode out of the yard, as fast as he dared.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of Micah\u2019s voice, cracking like a whip, rudely jarred him from the stupor into which he seemed to have fallen. \u201cH-Hunh?!\u201d he grunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet your pa back into the house, Boy,\u201d Micah ordered, \u201c \u2018n see to it your brothers are kept occupied for the next hour or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Sir,\u201d Adam barely managed to stammer. He took firm hold of Pa\u2019s forearm and steering him back toward the front door, still standing wide open. Pa moved, automatically placing one foot in front of the other, offering not even the slightest resistance.<\/p>\n

The sound of Micah\u2019s rifle releasing poor Clover from her suffering, brought Joe, then aged five, screaming from his room upstairs. Hoss, nearly six years older, followed close at his younger brother\u2019s heels, his face nearly white as a sheet, his blue eyes round as saucers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss! Take Pa over there, to the settee,\u201d he said harshly, with tears streaming down his face, before tearing across the room after Joe, who at that moment was barreling headlong toward the open front door, fast as his little legs could carry him.<\/p>\n

Hours later . . . after the doctor had come and gone, after Marie\u2019s body had been whisked off to the undertaker in the Everetts\u2019 buckboard, gently bundled up in a white shawl belonging to Micah\u2019s wife, Jenny . . . and the younger boys put to bed with an herbal tea to help them sleep, courtesy of Hop Sing . . . Adam, all of seventeen years old, swallowed nervously, and walked over to the settee, taking up position next to his stunned, grief stricken father.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d he said softly, laying his hand on his father\u2019s shoulder, \u201cdon\u2019t you think you\u2019d better come up to bed? It\u2019ll be light, soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pa looked up, his face haggard, his eyes and cheeks wet from tears, copiously shed.<\/p>\n

Adam felt the sudden acrid stinging of tears in his own eyes as he sat down on the settee next to his father. \u201cI . . . I can\u2019t sleep either, P-Pa,\u201d he sobbed, laying his hand on top of Pa\u2019s, resting on his thigh.<\/p>\n

Pa\u2019s hand moved out from under Adam\u2019s. Less than a second later, the arm was around Adam\u2019s shoulders. He slid across the settee, until his thigh and hip touched his father\u2019s, and together they wept for Marie, as equals, as peers rather than as father and son . . . .
\n\u201cAdam, NO! You can\u2019t leave . . . not like THIS.\u201d
\nIt was his father\u2019s voice, several years after he had returned home from attending college. It was the night Adam left the Ponderosa . . . and home, for good. Pa\u2019s bewilderment, hurt, and anger came through loud and clear, but there was something else. Something Adam had never heard before, perhaps something only the passage of time and his own parenthood could have revealed. It was deep concern, subtle, yet all pervading.<\/p>\n

He heard his own exasperated sigh explode from between his own lips, slightly parted. \u201cPa, we\u2019ve been over this and over this\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is so sudden!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAww for—!! Come ON, Pa! It\u2019s not as if I haven\u2019t talked of leaving before for crying out loud . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot like THIS, Son, NEVER like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT DO YOU MEAN BY NOT LIKE THIS, PA? YOU MEAN BECAUSE ALL THOSE OTHER TIMES, YOU TALKED ME OUT OF IT?!\u201d Adam shouted as his mounting frustration and anger reached explosion point.<\/p>\n

\u201cI MEANT NOTHING OF THE KIND, AND YOU KNOW IT!\u201d Pa shouted back, without missing a beat. He, then, took a deep breath and counted to ten. Adam could see his lips move as he silently counted. Pa opened his eyes and took another deep breath. \u201cAdam\u2014 \u201d he entreated in a calmer tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you please hear me out before you answer?\u201d Though pleading, Pa\u2019s tone nonetheless held a strident note of asperity.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, my mind is made up,\u201d Adam said through clenched teeth. \u201cI\u2019m leaving. That\u2019s it . . . final. End of discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne question. Just answer me this one question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas your decision to leave was prompted by what Randy Paine said?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pa\u2019s question took him completely by surprise. For a moment, he felt as if he had just been slugged hard right smack dab in the middle of his solar plexus. \u201cNO!\u201d he shot right back, too angry, too quick.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we\u2019ll talk more about this in the morning,\u201d Pa said. \u201cRight now, we\u2019re tired, it HAS been a long, arduous day, after all, and both of us are upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

His father held up his hand, commanding silence. \u201cTomorrow morning, we\u2019ll be well rested and in a calmer frame of mind. We\u2019ll talk then.\u201d<\/p>\n

He and Pa never had that talk. That night, he had resolutely lain on top of his bed, wide awake, until he was absolutely certain his father had gone to sleep. He, then, rose, and silently crammed his drafting tools, his toiletries, undergarments, and a few shirts into an old carpet bag that had supposedly belonged to his mother. After scrawling his father and younger brothers a hasty note, he left, in the dead of night, without saying good-bye . . . .
\nThe screech of a catbird, perched atop the chimney, rudely jarred Adam\u2019s thoughts back to present time and place.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many memories,\u201d he murmured softly, \u201cso long ago . . . a whole lifetime ago, so it seems . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

He realized, suddenly, with a sharp pang, that the place containing all those memories, the house he had designed, helped build, and once called home, was gone. Soon, after all that remained was cleared, it would be as if that house had never been. Though he would plan, design, and oversee the building of the new house, he would never live in it . . . never call it home.<\/p>\n

The tears that suddenly stung his eyes, shocked and surprised him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

He turned. It was Hoss, standing behind him, to the right. He had been so absorbed by pictures, by memories of people and events long past, he had never even heard his younger brother approach.<\/p>\n

An anxious frown marred Hoss\u2019 brow upon catching the tell-tale brightness in Adam\u2019s dark brown eyes and the wetness on his cheeks. \u201cAdam, are you alright?\u201d he asked, surprise mingling with concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d Adam said curtly, turning away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Adam,\u201d Hoss said quietly. \u201cAfter . . . after the rain put out the fire, \u2018n everyone had gone . . . leavin\u2019 me by myself . . . I went in the barn \u2018n sat down on that stool next t\u2019 Chubb\u2019s stall and bawled like a new born baby . . . I dunno, f\u2019r a good long time anyway . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I\u2019m alright!\u201d Adam snarled through clenched teeth, immediately regretting his angry outburst upon catching sight of the hurt, bewildered look on his younger, bigger brother\u2019s face. \u201cSorry,\u201d he murmured contritely, filled with remorse.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, really . . . I-I honestly don\u2019t know what got into me just now, but I didn\u2019t mean to snap at you like that . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Adam, let\u2019s just forget it, alright?\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything more y\u2019 need to check on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I\u2019d like to go around to the side and check the outside walls of the kitchen and Hop Sing\u2019s room to see how structurally sound or UNsound they may be,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile YOU do that, I\u2019m gonna check on our horses \u2018n git Sport II saddled,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cWe\u2019ll take him back t\u2019 town for YOU, \u2018n return Fido to the livery stable. If ya need me for anything, I\u2019ll either be in the barn or out in the corral.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Hoss. I shouldn\u2019t be much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree letters . . . first class postage . . . . that\u2019ll be six cents total, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the postal clerk, a young man by the name of Cory Baker said in a brisk, business like tone.<\/p>\n

Ben dug into his pocket and pulled out the exact change.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sir,\u201d Cory murmured politely, as he accepted the money and placed it in the till. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back with your mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cartwright clan patriarch turned, and smiled upon seeing Paul Martin stepping behind him. \u201cGood morning, Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see you have Joe and Stacy along for the ride,\u201d the doctor observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know . . . they probably should be home, sitting down, with their feet propped up, but they\u2019re going stir-crazy,\u201d Ben said defensively, \u201cso I decided to bring them along while I run my errands. I figure I can keep a better eye on \u2018em THIS way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul smiled. \u201cI WAS going to say that getting them out for a little fresh air AND a change in scenery would probably do them a world of GOOD,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how those two are about jumping the gun on doctor\u2019s orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do indeed,\u201d Paul chuckled, then sobered. \u201cHow ARE they doing, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy still tires easily, but she\u2019s doing better,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cand poor Joe\u2019s hungry as a bear all the time, though he\u2019s doing well on his present diet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything staying down?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Paul, everything\u2019s staying down. He wanted to try a plate of scrambled eggs this morning . . . it was all I could do to tell him no with that hungry, whipped puppy dog look on his face.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Martin laughed out loud. \u201cTell you what, Ben,\u201d he said, as his laughter subsided. \u201cIf Joe continues to keep everything down over the next couple of days, let him go ahead and try the eggs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cHe\u2019ll be very glad to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Joe doing otherwise?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was having a doozy of a nightmare last night, from the way he way yelling,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cStacy reached him first. By the time I got there, he two of \u2018em had pretty much talked things out. But, Joe told me the dream was different this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? Did he say HOW it was different?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways before, he woke up frightened, not knowing where he was, not knowing what was real, but last night, he told Stacy and me that while dreaming . . . he realized Lady Chadwick was dead and he told her so,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told Lady Chadwick this . . . in the dream?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cWhen I sat down with the two of \u2018em . . . for the first time, I didn\u2019t see fear in Joe\u2019s eyes . . . I saw victory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m no expert in dream analysis, Ben,\u201d Paul said, \u201cbut, from the sound of things . . . it would seem Joe\u2019s taken a significant turn mentally and emotionally . . . for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad to have conformation that Joe\u2019s doing better, because . . . between you and me? I\u2019m a wreck.\u201d Ben briefly told Paul about Joe\u2019s insistence on seeing Lady Chadwick dead, of him giving Roy Coffee his deposition, and of his confronting Gerald Crippensworth. \u201cI . . . tried to talk him out of it, Paul, but . . . you know how stubborn he can be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can only imagine how hard it must have been for you to go through all that with him, but I\u2019m glad you DIDN\u2019T talk him out of it,\u201d Paul said earnestly. \u201cIt\u2019s a gut feeling on my part, Ben, but for what it\u2019s worth . . . Joe spent the better part of a week, rendered completely helpless, unable to do or fend for himself in any way. Now that he\u2019s home, he\u2019s STILL unable to completely fend for himself because of his physical injuries. Making the decisions to see Lady Chadwick dead, confront Mister Crippensworth, and give his deposition to Roy . . . then following through on them gave him back a measure of control over his own life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI DID let him know how proud I was of him, even though I was scared to death,\u201d Ben said very quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat in and of itself will probably do Joe more good than the best medical science has to offer,\u201d Paul said. \u201cHas he been able to talk about his ordeal at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome,\u201d Ben replied, nodding his head. \u201cThe night we moved into the Fletchers\u2019 house, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning and couldn\u2019t get back to sleep. I decided to go downstairs and have a glass of brandy, hoping that would help me back to sleep. When I went downstairs, I found Joe sitting on the settee. I sat down with him, and we talked . . . which brings me to something that . . . well, it . . . kinda upsets me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Joe and I talked? He asked me about that time I was abducted, and my kidnappers demanded that my boys pay a hundred thousand dollars ransom . . . specifically what did I do the whole time I was being held captive,\u201d Ben replied. An anxious frown deepened the lines of his brow. \u201cHe and I talked about it. Then, last night, Adam told me that Joe asked Stacy the same thing . . . what did SHE do the time she was kidnapped and held prisoner by Paris\u2019 deranged brother. I just hope this isn\u2019t going to turn into something unhealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see how there might be similarities between what happened to the three of you,\u201d Paul said thoughtfully. \u201cJoe knows that you and Stacy came through your own ordeals with flying colors. Discovering HOW you two made it through, or finding out he employed the same or similar means himself could be a very real, very powerful source of hope and healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think so, Paul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I said before, I\u2019m no expert when it comes to treating mental or emotional traumas, but for what\u2019s it\u2019s worth . . . THAT\u2019S my opinion,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cI also think that the most important thing now is that Joe doesn\u2019t keep it bottled up inside. Giving Roy his deposition, comparing notes with you and Stacy . . . all that keeps what happened out here, where he can see it, acknowledge it, and ultimately work it through.\u201d He smiled. \u201cI don\u2019t have many worries about Joe on that score, given the way he generally wears his feelings on his sleeve, as it were.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement. \u201cThis is true. Most of the time Joe\u2019s pretty straight forward about what he\u2019s thinking and feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be a lot more worried if something like this had happened to someone, oh . . . like Adam, your oldest,\u201d Paul continued, \u201cgiven his natural stoic reserve, the way he\u2019s always kept a tight lid on his feelings . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor\u2019s words stirred an odd, nebulous foreboding within Ben. \u201cAdam\u2019s mellowed quite a bit over the years, Paul, especially since his marriage and the birth of his own two children,\u201d he said, feeling oddly on the defensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarriage and fatherhood\u2019s certainly been the mellowing of many a man,\u201d Paul agreed, \u201cas you and I can ably attest. How\u2019s he doing these days, Ben? Adam, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well. He\u2019s here, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? I thought I had heard Hoss talk about having sent for him . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam arrived on the stage late yesterday afternoon,\u201d Ben said. \u201cHe\u2019s going to oversee the rebuilding of the new house. He and Hoss went out to the Ponderosa this morning, so he could look around and get an idea as to what needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad Adam was able to come and give you a hand. I know between having BOTH of your younger children convalescing and keeping on top of the Ponderosa, you and Hoss must have your hands pretty full. Please give Adam my regards, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Paul . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa, it took ya long enough in the post office,\u201d Joe quipped with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Stacy voiced her own whole hearted agreement, with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ve NEVER taken that long to pick up the mail, not even when Jason O\u2019Brien used to work there . . . before he went back to school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of Jason, Young Woman, I have three letters from him, all addressed to YOU,\u201d Ben said as he placed the three envelopes into his daughter\u2019s outstretched hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remembered to mail the letter I wrote him last night?\u201d Stacy asked, looking anxious.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did,\u201d Ben replied with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Little Sister, what does ol\u2019 Jason have to say?\u201d Joe asked, making a big point of looking over her shoulder as she tore open the first envelope.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandpa, if you DON\u2019T mind, I\u2019d like to read my PRIVATE mail WITHOUT an audience,\u201d she growled back, in mock outrage.<\/p>\n

Joe laughed and stuck out his tongue.<\/p>\n

Stacy immediately returned the gesture.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right now, CHILDREN, we\u2019re out on a public street,\u201d Ben admonished both gently. \u201cS-Settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe queried, as he and Stacy both turned, hearing the catch in their father\u2019s voice. \u201cYou ok?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled over at his youngest son and only daughter, his eyes blinking more than the norm. \u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d he hastened to assure them. \u201cI . . . I never quite realized until now how m-much I enjoy watching the pair of you tease each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa . . . I don\u2019t care if we ARE out on a public street . . . . \u201d With that, Stacy reached over and gave Ben and affectionate hug.<\/p>\n

Ben put one arm around Stacy, then reached out to Joe with the other, and held them both very close for a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou SURE you\u2019re all right, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cI guess the magnitude of . . . of everything that\u2019s happened is starting to catch up with me,\u201d he said as he gave them both an affectionate squeeze, then let them go. \u201cWe\u2019d best get on to the general store.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Stacy and I are really good while you\u2019re in the store . . . would you buy us some candy?\u201d Joe asked, his eyes twinkling with impish merriment.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Pa?\u201d Stacy begged. Though she tried her best to look the part of the poor deprived waif, the amused smile tugging hard at the corner of her mouth completely derailed her efforts.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled at his daughter first, then over at his youngest son. \u201cAlright, but the two of you have to be on your very best behavior,\u201d he said in the solemn tone he had used to admonish and exhort when they were much younger, \u201cand NO candy before supper. If you two spoil your appetites, Hop Sing will have all of our heads.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked over at his sister, and dissolved into a fit of giggling the minute they made eye-contact. Within less than a heartbeat, Stacy found herself laughing along with him. Ben joined them a moment later, caught up in the contagion of his younger children\u2019s merriment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only wish I COULD have a piece of candy,\u201d Joe sighed, as their laughter subsided.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see no reason why you couldn\u2019t suck on a peppermint stick,\u201d Ben said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, Pa?\u201d Joe\u2019s face brightened at the prospect.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cYou\u2019ll also be pleased to know Doctor Martin told me, while we were in the post office just now, that if you continue to keep down what you\u2019re eating now for the next couple of days, you can try a plate of Hop Sing\u2019s scrambled eggs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUmmmm UM!\u201d Joe hungrily licked his lips. \u201cI never dreamed I\u2019d EVER see the day when a plate full of scrambled eggs would look so good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three settled into companionable silence as their buggy continued down the street. The warm, afternoon sun on his face, and the rhythmic clip, clop, clip, clop of horse hooves against the packed dirt road lulled Joe into that place mid-way between wakefulness and sleeping. He settled himself comfortably against the seat, with eyelids half closed, vaguely aware of people, of other horses, other conveyances moving all around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJOE! JOE CARTWRIGHT!\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned his head upon hearing his name, and saw Sallie Devlin, the wife of Mitch, one of his oldest friends standing next to the hitching post on the street smiling and waving. Joe waved back, thinking at first how pretty she looked with that bright smile, wearing that white dress with blue flowers.<\/p>\n

Clip, clop, clip, clop, clip, clop . . . .<\/p>\n

He saw again that white morning dress with blue flowers, but it wasn\u2019t Sally Devlin wearing it. This woman was older, much older, closer to his pa in age.<\/p>\n

Clip, clop, clip, clop, clip, clop . . . .<\/p>\n

Clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . clack . . . .<\/p>\n

A woman\u2019s shoes striking against the boards of a hard wood floor, each step measured, beating out an even cadence. Clack , clack, clack, clack, clack, keeping time with the clip-clopping of the horses\u2019 hooves.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Little Joe.<\/p>\n

Tell me again what happened . . .<\/p>\n

. . . what REALLY happened . . .<\/p>\n

. . . the night of the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe screamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe? You alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned and found his father and sister looking at him, their faces nearly identical masks of worry and concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d his father queried again, peering anxiously into his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019m ok, Pa . . . I-I guess . . . . \u201d Joe murmured, feeling horribly disoriented.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Grandpa?\u201d Stacy prodded gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I dunno . . . . \u201d Had he been dreaming? He had been drowsing, but for the life of him, he couldn\u2019t remember having actually fallen asleep. It seemed like he was in the buggy with his father and sister one minute, back there with her the next, then suddenly back here again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been out and about for quite a little while,\u201d Ben said gently. \u201cI\u2019ll stop by the general store and leave this list with Amelia. I\u2019ll ask her to fill it and have Virgil to deliver it later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo Stacy and I still get our peppermint sticks?\u201d Joe asked. His levity seemed forced and the smile never quite reached his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Joe,\u201d Ben replied with a wan smile. \u201cYou and your sister have been very good today. You\u2019ll get your peppermint sticks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I think I WILL g\u2019won upstairs \u2018n lie down for awhile,\u201d Joe said in a hallow voice, as Ben pulled the buggy up in front of the Fletchers\u2019 house.<\/p>\n

Ben noted his youngest son\u2019s glazed over eyes, staring, wholly unfocused, with concern. \u201cAlright, Son. Think you can manage to hold the horses long enough for me to help Stacy down, and\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Pa, I got Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d It was Hoss. He lifted Stacy out of the buggy, crutches and all, in one easy swoop. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you git Li\u2019l Brother in the house, \u2018n see him on upstairs? I\u2019ll take the buggy \u2018n horses back once I git Stacy settled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cYou and Adam are back already?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep. Adam\u2019s seen what he needed to,\u201d Hoss replied, as he started up the walk with Stacy gently cradled in his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Adam now?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s gone over t\u2019 see George Farlyn,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cI told Adam I thought he\u2019d make a good foreman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he would,\u201d Ben agreed. \u201cI\u2019m glad you thought of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Li\u2019l Sister?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy letters from Jason. I don\u2019t have them,\u201d Stacy said. \u201cI . . . I must\u2019ve left them in the buggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019VE got \u2018em, Stacy,\u201d Ben said, \u201calong with the other mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d she murmured, as her head dropped down heavily on Hoss\u2019 shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what, Li\u2019l Sister?\u201d Hoss said gamely as he carried Stacy up the side walk and into the house. \u201cI\u2019ll get you settled on the settee, \u2018n while you\u2019re reading the letters y\u2019 got from Jason, maybe Hop Sing\u2019ll brew up a cup o\u2019 that peppermint tea, and\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019d better just take her on up to her room,\u201d Ben whispered. \u201cShe\u2019s sound asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Hoss had placed his somnolent sister down on her bed, Ben placed the three letters she had received from Jason on her night table, then gently covered her with the quilt lying neatly folded across the foot of her bed. He, then, moved her crutches from the corner by the door, where Hoss had left them, to a place within easy reach, before quietly tip-toeing out of the room. Satisfied that Stacy was adequately settled, Ben walked down the hall to Joe\u2019s room, and softly knocked on the fast closed door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d a weary voice called out from within.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Pa, Son. May I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben quietly opened the door and stepped inside. He found his youngest son stretched out on top of the bed, with his injured foot propped up on a pair of extra pillows taken from the linen closet.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re checking up on me, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Joe asked, his question sounding more like a resentful accusation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a matter of fact . . . yes. I am,\u201d Ben readily admitted. \u201cPa\u2019s prerogative.\u201d<\/p>\n

A wry smile spread slowly across Joe\u2019s lips. \u201cI know. I\u2019ll understand it a lot better when I have kids of my own someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell I\u2019m glad you\u2019ve listened to SOMETHING I\u2019ve been tellin\u2019 ya over the years,\u201d Ben teased, as he carefully settled himself on the edge of Joe\u2019s bed. His smile quickly faded. \u201cSeriously, Son. ARE you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . thought I was, Pa,\u201d Joe said slowly. \u201cAfter that dream last night, when I told Lady Chadwick she was dead . . . therefore my being with her wasn\u2019t real . . . I\u2019d kinda thought I was over and done with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may take a little while for the dreams to stop altogether . . . as Adam and Stacy can tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked over at his father, bewildered and perplexed. \u201cAdam?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cFor a time, right after Inger died, Adam kept having a recurring nightmare night after night, in which either Hoss and I were killed along with Inger . . . or we\u2019d gone off and forgotten him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? I had no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt WAS a long time ago,\u201d Ben said. \u201cAdam couldn\u2019t have been any more than six or seven. He finally had a turning point a month or two after he started having the dreams. After that, the dreams continued for a little while longer, but they weren\u2019t quite as frightening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to me today . . . it scared me! It scared me a lot more than even the worst nightmare I\u2019ve ever had . . . partly because I wasn\u2019t asleep,\u201d Joe said, his voice shaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou looked as though you were drowsing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was . . . a little, but I wasn\u2019t asleep, Pa. I KNOW I wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat . . . exactly . . . happened, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSallie Devlin called out to me,\u201d Joe replied, suddenly grateful for his father\u2019s presence. \u201cShe was wearing this dress, white with flowers on it. I remember thinking how pretty her dress was . . . then I found myself thinking about how much it looked like the dress Lady Chadwick wore, when I . . . when I first woke up and found myself tied down to a bed in her guest room. By the time I turned to wave at Sallie? She had turned into Lady Chadwick, and suddenly . . . I was back THERE again. It was only for a minute, but I . . . Pa, just thinking about it\u2019s giving me goose bumps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not knowing what else to do or say, Ben quietly reached out and covered Joe\u2019s trembling hand with his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the first time it\u2019s happened either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday, just before Hoss arrived with Adam, was the first time,\u201d Joe said. \u201cI dunno . . . it was something about the hands on that wall clock there . . . . \u201d He pointed. \u201c . . . or maybe it was the way the sun hit it, but . . . all of a sudden . . . I was back there again . . . with her. Pa, I\u2019m so afraid I\u2019m . . . I\u2019m going crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese kinds of . . . of waking dreams . . . visions . . . sometimes they happen to men and women who have gone through a harrowing ordeal very much like the one YOU\u2019VE gone through,\u201d Ben said quietly, hoping to reassure. \u201cEventually, they pass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if they DON\u2019T pass?\u201d Joe demanded. \u201cAll I can think of right now is that friend of yours . . . he was sheriff over in Concho for many years before he . . . before he all of a sudden just . . . snapped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul Rowan DIDN\u2019T just all of a sudden snap,\u201d Ben said with a touch of sadness. \u201cWhat happened to him was something that had been building and festering inside him for a number of years . . . and the REASON all that festered inside him was he kept everything bottled up. He never told his wife what happened during the years he fought in the war because he wanted to spare her\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S understandable,\u201d Joe murmured in a voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, he never shared with anyone else . . . his doctor for instance, or the minister of the church he and his wife attended,\u201d Ben continued. \u201cTo make matters worse, he went right from being soldier to being sheriff, without a break, or any kind of a vacation. Paul did bring law and order to Concho, but it was an uphill battle, one waged virtually alone, every bit as bloody and violent as any battle he fought during the war. By the time he felt like he COULD take time off . . . it was too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want what happened to Paul Rowan to happen to ME, Pa,\u201d Joe declared in a granite firm, resolute tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re doing something very important that Paul didn\u2019t. You\u2019re NOT keeping it bottled up inside ya. You\u2019ve been talking very freely about what happened, AND you\u2019ve not kept back your feelings . . . your fears, your concerns, even your anger and frustration,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI honestly think that if Paul Rowan had someone HE could have talked to . . . he wouldn\u2019t have gone over the edge the way he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, the first night after we moved in here . . . when you and I were up late talking, you said that Doc Martin knows a couple o\u2019 guys who specialize in things mental and emotional,\u201d Joe said slowly, thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . meaning no disrespect toward YOU, but . . . would it be alright if I sat down and talked with one of Doc Martin\u2019s friends?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cI know YOU\u2019VE told me I\u2019m gonna be alright, but . . . I\u2019d feel better if I could hear another doctor say the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cI\u2019m not the least bit offended, Joe. There\u2019s wisdom in bouncing things off an impartial third party, especially if it gives you added peace of mind. I\u2019ll g\u2019won over and leave word with Doc Martin now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s alright . . . I\u2019D like to be the one to speak with Doc Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I hope you\u2019re not mad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked over into his youngest son\u2019s anxious eyes and face. \u201cJoseph . . . no. I\u2019m not mad,\u201d he said with a reassuring smile. \u201cI\u2019m very pleased . . . and proud . . .to see you making your own decisions and taking the initiative to see them through. It tells me you\u2019re moving in the right direction, mentally and emotionally, as well as physically.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa. Right now . . . that means a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI intend to build the new house over the foundations of the old,\u201d Adam said. He was seated across a kitchen table, rough hewn, covered with a red and white checked table cloth, from George Farlyn, his prospective foreman. \u201cThe job will be easily accessible by horse and buggy, which means you WON\u2019T be required to sit a horse. The foreman\u2019s job pays five dollars a day, plus lunch. We work six days a week, with Sundays off, and there\u2019s a generous bonus when the job\u2019s complete.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aged in his early forties, George Farlyn was a small man, about the same size as Joe Cartwright, but with a thinner, more wiry build. He had red hair, silver gray around the edges, thinning on top, and bright, piercing blue eyes.<\/p>\n

George silently mulled over Adam\u2019s proposal for a few moments. \u201cYa heard about my accident?\u201d he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t take no charity work, Mister Cartwright,\u201d George said, his voice generously laced with contempt.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d Adam replied, \u201cbecause I am not in the habit of hiring charity cases.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf my missus put ya up to this\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe I\u2019ve had the pleasure of meeting the missus, Mister Farlyn. I was long gone by the time you finally got around to getting yourself hitched,\u201d Adam hastened to point out. \u201cThe reason I came to see you is . . . HOSS recommended you. I know that my brother is an excellent judge of character, and I learned a long time ago to trust his judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, exactly, did Hoss tell ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me that you\u2019re a good manager, you work very well with people, and that you\u2019ve earned considerable respect because of the way you\u2019ve continued on after your accident without giving up,\u201d Adam said bluntly.<\/p>\n

George silently mulled over Adam\u2019s words again, then nodded. \u201cAlright, Mister Cartwright . . . you got yourself a foreman.\u201d He and Adam solemnly shook hands on the deal. \u201cYou hired anyone ELSE yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cHoss and I had planned to begin recruiting first thing tomorrow morning. I would welcome YOUR input as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat time tomorrow morning?\u201d George asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cEight o\u2019clock,\u201d Adam said. \u201cWe\u2019ll set up outside the town hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEight o\u2019clock tomorrow morning . . . outside town hall. I\u2019ll see ya there, Mister Cartwright,\u201d George said with a curt nod. \u201cIs there any way I can get out to see what\u2019s what with the house . . . what\u2019s left of it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly,\u201d Adam readily assented. \u201cI was thinking we\u2019d spend tomorrow morning hiring men to help with the building, break for lunch around noon, then head out to the Ponderosa afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat time do you figure we\u2019ll be back?\u201d George asked. \u201cI just started working nights over at the International Hotel. The pay\u2019s not as good as I was getting at the Silver Dollar Saloon, but it gives Annie peace of mind. I\u2019ll need to make arrangements if we\u2019re going to be late getting back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat time are you supposed to be at the International Hotel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeven o\u2019clock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see that you\u2019re back in plenty of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright, and . . . I\u2019d be much obliged if you told your brother that I appreciate him thinking of me,\u201d George said gruffly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be sure to tell him, Mister Farlyn,\u201d Adam promised, then rose. \u201cI\u2019ll see you tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, you\u2019ve outdone yourself tonight,\u201d Adam said with a big grin, punctuating his words with a soft belch. \u201cOh! . . . uhhh, excuse me,\u201d he murmured, flinching away from the dark glare his father leveled at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow in house of Hop Sing grandfather, NOT to burp after supper big insult,\u201d Hop Sing said, as he moved to clear away the supper dishes. \u201cNot to burp means meal not good. Big insult. Cook quit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen ya look at it THAT way, that belch of Adam\u2019s was pretty wimpy,\u201d Joe said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He quickly swallowed air, then let out with a loud, resonant belch, with all the juicy quality of the most foul smelling fart.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas that the BEST you could do, Grandpa?\u201d Stacy asked, with a disparaging roll of the eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhaddya mean was that the best I could do?!\u201d Joe echoed in tones of mock outrage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like t\u2019 know the answer t\u2019 Li\u2019l Sister\u2019s question myself,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cWAS that the best ya could do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to see the two of YOU do any better,\u201d Joe growled, glaring over at Hoss, then at Stacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do, and so help me, I\u2019m marching all FOUR of ya out to the woodshed,\u201d Ben declared, glaring at each one of them in turn, starting with Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! What did I do?!\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU started the whole thing,\u201d Ben snapped right back.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about everybody go in living room, Hop Sing bring everybody coffee, except Little Joe. He get tea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and a peppermint stick,\u201d Joe added, as he rose. \u201cDon\u2019t you DARE forget that peppermint stick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Hoss told me earlier that you had gone to see George Farlyn,\u201d Ben said, as the family rose from the table, and began their mass exodus from the dining room to the living room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did,\u201d Adam replied with a smile, as he fell in step alongside his father. \u201cI offered him the job, and after making certain to his satisfaction that I wasn\u2019t offering charity, he finally accepted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge has always had his pride, even before his accident,\u201d Hoss said quietly, as he followed behind his father and older brother. \u201cNow . . . well, the only one I ever met who was worse \u2018n George is now was Li\u2019l Sister\u2019s ma.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you boys thought of him,\u201d Ben said, as he settled himself in the middle of the settee. \u201cGeorge is a good man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do we start hirin\u2019 other men t\u2019 help with buildin\u2019 the new house?\u201d Hoss asked, taking his customary place in the easy chair to the left of the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow morning,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cWe start at eight o\u2019clock, in front of the town hall. George is going to be there, too, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019re things going on the Ponderosa, Son?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHank \u2018n Candy pretty much have things in hand with the round up, \u2018n branding,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cI figure they\u2019ll be ready t\u2019 move the herd out t\u2019 the summer pastures in another couple o\u2019 days . . . maybe three at the outside.\u201d
\n\u201cWill you be going with them to move the herd?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head. \u201cI need t\u2019 be here t\u2019 keep an eye on that string o\u2019 horses for that army contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Adam declared, looking a little relieved. \u201cI\u2019m hoping we can get the men we need lined up by lunchtime tomorrow. \u201cAs I said before, I would appreciate YOUR input along with George\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cSure, Adam. Hank \u2018n Candy both are more \u2018n able t\u2019 oversee movin\u2019 the herd.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Li\u2019l Brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHICH string of horses were ya talking about just now?\u201d Joe asked, as he and his father helped settle Stacy on the settee between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe string y\u2014 uhhh, WE . . . was workin\u2019 on for the army . . . before the fire, Li\u2019l Brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah . . . . \u201d Joe murmured, crestfallen. That string of horses was to have been his project, with the able assistance of his sister after they had been broken to saddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we was gonna end up payin\u2019 penalty on \u2018em, with out Li\u2019l Brother t\u2019 break \u2018em, \u2018n Li\u2019l Sister t\u2019 lend a hand in trainin\u2019 \u2018em proper,\u201d Hoss continued, blissfully unmindful of Joe\u2019s and Stacy\u2019s increasing discomfiture, \u201cbetween that new man Hank \u2018n me hired, Alex McPherson \u2018n Darryl Hughes comin\u2019 from Shoshone Queen, \u2018n Big Swede from Valhalla, we just might be able t\u2019 get all them horses properly saddle broke AND trained by our deadline date, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s wonderful!\u201d Ben declared, favoring his two older sons with a broad grin. \u201cSounds like you boys have things well in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep . . . knock on wood,\u201d Hoss replied, punctuating his words with three soft knocks on the wood table.<\/p>\n

Joe looked over and Stacy and sighed. \u201cI dunno about YOU, Kid, but suddenly . . . I feel just about as USELESS around here, as . . . as a fifth wheel on a wagon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . know what you mean,\u201d Stacy said. \u201cY\u2019 know? I never thought I\u2019d ever live to see the day I\u2019d actually miss doing my daily chores.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Me, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell! Will wonders never cease!\u201d Ben declared with a smile and an impish gleam in his dark brown eyes. \u201cI never thought I\u2019d live to see the day I\u2019d hear you two actually admit to missing your chores.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh,\u201d Joe quipped, unable to quite hold back the smile threatening to burst forth on his lips. \u201cStacy, I gotta real strong feeling Pa\u2019s never gonna let the two of us forget we ever said that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot until my dying day,\u201d Ben said, with an evil chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, all I gotta say is you young\u2019ns better enjoy it while it lasts,\u201d Hoss exhorted his younger brother and baby sister, \u201c \u2018cause once the pair of ya are back up \u2018n around, you\u2019re gonna have chores aplenty waitin\u2019 for ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Joe and Stacy gave their big brother a rousing raspberry.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn THAT note, Everyone, I\u2019m going to bid all of you a fond good night,\u201d Adam said wryly, as he rose to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlready?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to get the preliminary drawings of the kitchen done, so Hop Sing can look \u2018em over tomorrow,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Son. I\u2019ll see you in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

A soft knock on the door drew Adam from the task at hand. He lay aside his pencil and automatically glanced up at the regulator clock hanging on the wall directly above his head. He noted, with mild surprise that the time was a few minutes before midnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cTime flies when you\u2019re having fun,\u201d he murmured softly, under his breath, as he turned toward the door to his room, standing wide open. He was surprised to find Joe there, standing framed in the open portal, leaning heavily against the door jamb on his left.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?! Come on in,\u201d Adam invited, then frowned. \u201cI\u2019m surprised you\u2019re still up. You looked pretty done in when you stopped in to say goodnight a couple of hours ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI WAS,\u201d Joe confessed, then sighed. \u201cYet . . . somehow . . . the minute my head touched the pillow, I was suddenly wide awake. I thought maybe I\u2019d g\u2019won down and see if I could talk Hop Sing into brewing up something to kinda help me off to dreamland. When I saw that YOUR light was on, so I thought I\u2019d check in with ya . . . see what YOU were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just about finished with those preliminary kitchen sketches. This will give Hop Sing all day tomorrow to look \u2018em over, and decide on whatever changes he might want to make.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe walked over and looked over Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI see you\u2019ve enlarged Hop Sing\u2019s . . . . \u201d He frowned. \u201cWhat did you call it yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis mud room,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

Joe smiled. \u201cDoes he need more space for herbs?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he does, but I\u2019ve moved his herbs over here . . . . \u201d Adam moved the blunt end of his pencil around an area that would measure ten feet by ten feet when actually realized. It was set on the other side of the door, that would open out into the garden, directly facing the entrance into the mud room. \u201cHop Sing asked if I could put in a small fire place to help facilitate the drying process. That\u2019s going to go in right here.\u201d He lightly drew an \u2018X\u2019 to mark the blank spot where he intended to put the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver here . . . \u201d Adam continued, as he marked in a series of four \u2018X\u2019s along the wall adjoining the main kitchen, \u201c . . . will be a nice, spacious work space, with plenty of storage. There\u2019ll be overhead cabinets, but instead of cabinets under the counter here, I\u2019m putting in drawers. Hop Sing very pointedly reminded me that he\u2019s not getting any younger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s gonna be quite a set up,\u201d Joe mused with a thoughtful smile. \u201cDid he tell you why he wanted the extra space in his mud room?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. He wants to store his garden tools in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cMakes sense. That way, he can grab what he needs on his way out the door to work in his garden.\u201d He fell silent for a few moments, watching as his oldest brother continued to work. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that square over there?\u201d Joe pointed to a blank square above and to the right of the main kitchen space, upon which Adam continued to work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s going to be the layout of Hop Sing\u2019s new root and wine cellar,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cIt\u2019ll fit in under the kitchen here . . . in the middle.\u201d He traced out the intended area overtop the kitchen. \u201cThe outside entrance will be here.\u201d He showed his brother in relation to the main kitchen area. \u201cI\u2019m also putting in a set of stairs between the cellar and the mud room, so Hop Sing won\u2019t have to go outside after dark or when the weather\u2019s bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded visibly impressed. \u201cCan\u2019t wait to see it all finished,\u201d he murmured softly, then smiled. \u201cDon\u2019t tell PA I said this,\u201d he said, taking great pains to lower his voice, \u201cbut between us? It\u2019s a real good thing you thought to enlarge Little Sister\u2019s room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Adam queried, curious about Joe\u2019s sudden secretiveness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll put it THIS way, Older Brother. Give The Kid another couple o\u2019 years . . . tops! You, me, and Hoss are going to have a brother-in-law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s left eyebrow lifted slightly, betraying his mild surprise. \u201cJason?\u201d he queried, taking care to lower his own voice.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, his grin fading into his own look of surprise. \u201cHow\u2019d YOU know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat summer Teresa and I were here with the kids . . . he seemed pretty smitten with her, as I recall,\u201d Adam said with a smile.<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head, and laughed softly. \u201cI still can\u2019t believe Jason didn\u2019t recognize Stacy that summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said he\u2019d been away for two years?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, still chuckling over the memory of that whole incident. Jason O\u2019Brien had returned home after attending Harvard University for two years, taking a two year hiatus from his studies in veterinary medicine to come home, and earn money enough to return to Boston and complete his education. When it became clear to his younger sister, Susannah, that he was very much smitten with the young woman he failed to recognize as her good friend, Stacy Cartwright, she had taken it upon herself to solemnly make introductions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose particular two years can bring significant changes in a young woman\u2019s appearance . . . especially when a young man\u2019s not around to see them,\u201d Adam said quietly. \u201cDio\u2019s changed a lot, especially within this past year. So much, you\u2019d probably be hard pressed to recognize HER.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I wouldn\u2019t,\u201d Joe said with confidence. \u201cOf course, in Dio\u2019s case, I know to look for a young woman who bears a close resemblance to the way Teresa looked first time I met HER.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile broadened. \u201cThat\u2019s very true,\u201d he agreed. \u201cSo tell me something. How\u2019s PA taking the addition of Jason to our baby sister\u2019s life?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking to get in some early pointers?\u201d Joe teased, knowing that it wouldn\u2019t be very long before his young niece started showing interest in those of the male persuasion. He chuckled at the dark glare Adam suddenly leveled in his direction. \u201cWell . . . Pa DID tell me once that he was relieved when it became clear that Jason was the first guy Stacy was gonna fall head over heels in love with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRelieved?!\u201d Adam put down his pencil, then leaned back in his chair, with his arms folded across his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. The O\u2019Briens have been friends and neighbors for many years . . . and we all know Jason\u2019s a pretty decent young man,\u201d Joe said, as he walked over and seated himself in the edge of Adam\u2019s bed. \u201cThe fact that Jason hasn\u2019t even so much as sneezed around Stacy, with out asking Pa\u2019s permission first has helped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled softly and rolled his eyes. \u201cJason\u2019s got more guts than I have. If I were in his place . . . having to face the prospect of asking Pa for permission to pay court to Little Sister?! I think I\u2019D be looking at someone whose father WASN\u2019T so overly protective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know exactly what you mean, Oldest Brother of Mine,\u201d Joe laughed. \u201cThe Kid\u2019s also allowed Pa to be overly protective regarding matters of the heart,\u201d he added, as his initial mirth began to fade. \u201cThat\u2019s helped matters, too . . . a lot!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S quite a surprise! That baby sister of ours has a real strong independent spirit, not to mention a stubborn streak at least a yard wide and a mile long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cONLY a yard wide and a mile long?!\u201d Joe chuckled again. \u201cIf you think THAT, Adam, all I can say is you must\u2019ve caught her on a real GOOD day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThough I\u2019m surprised, I think it\u2019s very sweet of Stacy to let Pa be overly protective,\u201d Adam said, as Joe\u2019s chuckling gradually faded. \u201cI only hope Dio grants ME the same courtesy when SHE falls in love for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a time the two brothers lapsed into a companionable silence. Adam returned to his drawings of the proposed kitchen for his family\u2019s new ranch house, while Joe waxed thoughtful.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Buddy?\u201d Adam responded, reverting back to the name he had affectionately called his youngest brother from the time he was a young child clear up until the night he had left the Ponderosa to make his own way in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright if I ask you a question?\u201d Joe ventured hesitantly, drawing a sharp, wary glance from his oldest brother.<\/p>\n

Adam laid down his pencil once again, and returned his full attention to his youngest brother, still seated on the edge of his bed. \u201cSounds serious,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt IS serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath. \u201cI was wondering . . . about the time that guy, Kane held you prisoner . . . .?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about it?\u201d Adam demanded in a voice suddenly gone stone cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did YOU do that whole time?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cHow did you cope? Did you try to escape? Did you try somehow to beat him at his own game? Did he tell you things that weren\u2019t true? Did he\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, that whole thing was over and done years ago,\u201d Adam very pointedly, very succinctly cut off his youngest brother mid-sentence. \u201cIt was SO long ago, I don\u2019t even remember that much about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Adam, I . . . I didn\u2019t mean to upset you,\u201d Joe quickly apologized.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT upset,\u201d Adam snapped back. \u201cSurprised that you would even ask after all these years, yes . . . but not upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I just wanted to know,\u201d Joe said, feeling suddenly, very much on the defensive, and completely bewildered by the dark, angry glare on his oldest brother\u2019s face, giving blatant lie to his protestations about not being upset.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s over and done,\u201d Adam said curtly, as he again picked up his pencil.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Adam,\u201d Joe murmured softly, as he rose from his seat on the edge of his bed. \u201cI\u2019m . . . starting to get a bit drowsy, so . . . I guess I\u2019ll mosey on to bed and let you finish up your drawing of the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. I\u2019d appreciate that very much,\u201d Adam said in a voice that dripped icicles.<\/p>\n

Joe involuntarily shivered. \u201cGood night, Adam. Sorry I upset you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am NOT upset,\u201d Adam snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d Joe mused in uneasy silence, as he made his way down the darkened hallway, back toward the small room he had claimed as his own for the duration of their stay in town. \u201cOne minute we\u2019re laughing . . . kinda joking around, and the next . . . . \u201d He involuntarily shuddered, as a vision Adam\u2019s face, its handsome features marred by that terrible angry scowl rose and swam before his mind\u2019s eye.<\/p>\n

Just like Lady Chadwick.<\/p>\n

Joe shuddered again.<\/p>\n

As he stepped from the hallway into his own room, words, a quote, ironically from Adam\u2019s beloved William Shakespeare, immediately came to mind . . . it was something about protesting too much. These were not so much words rising up in judgment against his brother, rather, they seemed to come as words of warning.<\/p>\n

End of Part 1<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mark of Kane<\/p>\n

Part 2<\/p>\n

By Kathleen T. Berney
\n\u201cUummmm UM!\u201d Joe murmured softly, with eyes closed and a beatific smile on his face, as he lifted the plateful of fluffy scrambled eggs to his nose and inhaled the delicate aroma. \u201cSo light . . . so fluffy . . . so yellow!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe supposed to EAT egg, not SMELL egg,\u201d Hop Sing admonished the youngest Cartwright son with a dark glare, as he entered the small dining room, where the entire family had gathered for breakfast, bearing a large platter piled high with steaming hot pancakes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I\u2019d live t\u2019 see the day my li\u2019l brother\u2019d be fawnin\u2019 over s plate full o\u2019 scrambled eggs the way he\u2019s doin\u2019,\u201d Hoss muttered under his breath, all the while shaking his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and me both!\u201d Adam agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSay, Adam?\u201d Joe queried as he reverently set the plate down on the table before him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Buddy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you please pass the salt, pepper, and tabasco sauce?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grimaced. \u201cTabasco sauce?!\u201d he echoed, incredulous.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Francis, you may put a little bit of salt on those eggs,\u201d Ben said in a very brisk, very firm tone, \u201cbut the key words regarding your present diet are \u2018soft\u2019 AND \u2018bland.\u2019 Tabasco sauce and pepper do NOT come under either category, not by any stretch of the imagination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face fell.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s the salt, Son.\u201d Ben slid the salt shaker across the table to within Joe\u2019s reach. \u201cRemember what Doc Martin said about using it sparingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Joe exhaled a long melancholy sigh, meant to tug very hard on the heartstrings. He picked up the salt shaker and began to lightly salt his scrambled eggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, I said SPARINGLY,\u201d Ben admonished his youngest son with a stern glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa . . . . \u201d Joe protested. \u201cI hardly used ANY.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate to tell you this, Little Brother, but that\u2019s exactly what sparingly means,\u201d Adam quipped, as he reached for the platter of sausage.<\/p>\n

Joe favored Adam with a sharp glare, as he set the salt shaker down on the table next to his plate. \u201cOh well,\u201d he finally sighed. \u201cAt least I get to have a couple of pancakes this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne,\u201d Ben snapped, as he picked up the salt shaker and placed it well out of Joe\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne?!\u201d Joe echoed, incredulous.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne,\u201d Ben sternly reiterated.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaple syrup, Grandpa?\u201d Stacy asked, as she held up the pitcher.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . thanks, Kid,\u201d Joe said gratefully, as he accepted the proffered container from his sister. He dribbled a little syrup over his pancakes, then as an after thought, poured a little over his eggs. \u201cI . . . uhhh guess a taste of that sausage is kinda . . . well, out of the question, hunh.\u201d He looked over at his father through whipped puppy dog eyes, round as saucers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guess right, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot even a little, teensy-weensy, very tiny little taste? Please?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, let me put it this way,\u201d Ben said, making a point of not looking his youngest son directly in the eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re progressing along very nicely. In fact you\u2019re all the way up to soft and bland foods now . . . one week AHEAD of schedule, I might add.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen maybe I need to remind you that if you indulge yourself in that taste of sausage . . . and it comes right back up . . . Doc Martin said you begin at square one,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Joe paled. \u201cY-You mean . . . b-back t-to . . . to clear liquids?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s EXACTLY what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed mournfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what, Son. You eat what\u2019s on your plate now . . . give it a couple of hours to settle . . . I\u2019ll letcha have a peppermint stick,\u201d Ben offered by way of compromise.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I have a little of that gingerale with it?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Ben said evasively.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it\u2019s \u2018bout time you \u2018n me was moving\u2019 along,\u201d Hoss said, as he finished up the last of his third helping of eggs, pancakes, and sausage. \u201cYou said we was meetin\u2019 George at eight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . that\u2019s right, I did.\u201d Adam quickly downed the remainder of his coffee in a single swallow.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what have YOU two got planned for today?\u201d Ben asked, turning his attention to his oldest sons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to be hiring men to work on the house until lunchtime,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cAfter we have lunch, we\u2019ll be taking Mister Farlyn out to the Ponderosa, so he can see for himself what\u2019s what and what\u2019s where.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou boys seem to be moving right along,\u201d Ben said, visibly impressed. \u201cWill you be home for supper?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cMister Farlyn needs to be back in time to report for work over at the International Hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be checkin\u2019 out the horses whilst Adam \u2018n George are lookin\u2019 over what\u2019s left o\u2019 the house,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cbut, unless somethin\u2019 unusual comes up, I expect I\u2019ll be back, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSee you guys later,\u201d Stacy sighed, wistful, not without envy. A great big yawn followed on the heels of her words.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I think I\u2019m going to get myself dressed, then g\u2019won across the street and see Doc Martin about calling in that colleague of his,\u201d Joe said, after Hoss and Adam had left. \u201cI won\u2019t be very long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Ben said dubiously, \u201cbut you watch yourself going across that street . . . and don\u2019t you dare forget to stop and look both ways, you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Joe said very solemnly, then grinned. \u201cOf course if you don\u2019t trust me to cross the street by myself, I guess you can always take my hand and lead me across . . . like you did when I really was Little Joe!?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cScamp! Get on upstairs with ya . . . before I take you up on that suggestion,\u201d Ben growled back in tones of mock outrage.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Joe said with a chuckle and a crisp salute.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs for YOU, Young Woman,\u201d Ben turned, and addressed his daughter in a more kindly tone, \u201cwould you like to sit down and play a few rounds of checkers with the best checker player in this family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, Pa?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarn right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . uhhh, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Grandpa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you DO sit down and play checkers with Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare take your eyes off the board for a single minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe? Joe Cartwright?! Well! Ain\u2019t THIS a pleasant surprise,\u201d Hilda Mae Graves, the Martins\u2019 housekeeper declared with a broad grin, upon opening the front door. \u201cGood to see ya up \u2018n about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe returned her grin with a warm smile of his own. \u201cThank you, Mrs. Graves . . . it\u2019s good BEING up \u2018n about. I was never much for lying around in bed for any length of time . . . except, maybe for sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cScalawag!\u201d she retorted, knowing all too well the youngest Cartwright son\u2019s solid, well earned, and much deserved reputation for being the good doctor\u2019s second worst patient. The absolute worst, of course, was the clan patriarch, who by his own admission had a few more years of experience. \u201cWell, don\u2019t just stand there, come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAFTER you wipe your feet!\u201d she snapped, pointing down at the mat.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Joe returned, his smile never wavering. He very dutifully complied with her request, then followed her into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doc\u2019s with a patient, \u2018n the missus is out shoppin\u2019,\u201d Hilda Mae said, as she led Joe down the short length of narrow, dimly lit hallway to the Martins\u2019 formal parlor. \u201cDoc won\u2019t be but a few minutes, if ya wanna wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Miss Graves. I\u2019ll wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou g\u2019won in, make yourself at home,\u201d Hilda Mae said, inviting him to enter the parlor with a broad, sweeping gesture of her left arm. \u201cI\u2019ll tell the doc you\u2019re here soon as he\u2019s through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I getcha anything while you\u2019re waitin\u2019? Tea? Coffee, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thank you, I\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Joe said, as he settled himself comfortably on the small settee.<\/p>\n

A few moments later, Paul Martin entered, still wearing his lab coat. \u201cGood morning, Joe,\u201d the physician greeted his favorite patient, with a weary smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, Doc,\u201d Joe quipped, as he slowly, stiffly rose to his feet. \u201cWow! So early in the morning and already no rest for the weary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed!\u201d Paul agreed. \u201cSit down, Joe. I need to take a load off myself.\u201d He dropped down into the wingback easy chair, positioned between the settee and the small fireplace, set into the wall directly opposite the door. Joe sat back down in the middle of the settee. \u201cSo far today, I\u2019ve had all the usual appointments, an emergency, and Ellen Fox like as not giving birth before the day is out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like you got a full plate ahead of you today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe . . . you\u2019re not here to . . . well, to somehow make my full plate even more so . . . are you?\u201d Paul queried, favoring Joe with a jaundiced eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Joe asked, with all the solemn innocence of a choir boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean your sister hasn\u2019t tried anything foolish like attempting to ride that horse of hers, or anything like that . . . has she?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe threw back his head and laughed out loud. \u201cNo, Doc. Stacy\u2019s behaving herself,\u201d he said, as his merriment began to fade. \u201cNot that she\u2019s got a whole lot of choice in the matter right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill tires easily?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, she\u2019s doing better in that department,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI meant with Pa and Hop Sing looking after the two of us . . . well, I\u2019m sure you know as well as I do that the two of \u2018em can be a pair of real rough customers when set their minds. That\u2019s why I\u2019VE been as good as gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to hear it,\u201d Paul said sternly, then smiled. \u201cSo . . . what CAN I do for you, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa said you had made mention of a couple of colleagues who specialize in treating problems mental and emotional in nature,\u201d Joe said, his smile fading.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to consult with one of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour timing\u2019s very fortuitous, Joe,\u201d Paul said. \u201cOne of those colleagues . . . Doctor Carl Jefferies, wired me just this morning. It seems he and his wife are on their way east to work in that new hospital for the mentally ill in Washington D. C.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaint Elizabeth\u2019s Hospital?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Paul replied, surprised that Joe knew of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cA good friend of Pa\u2019s in a patient there,\u201d Joe said very quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh yes. Mister Rowan,\u201d Paul murmured sadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCarl and Jennie plan to spend a few days with Lily and me on their way east,\u201d Paul said. \u201cThey\u2019ll be arriving on the stage out from San Francisco day after tomorrow. I know he\u2019ll be more than happy to consult with you, Joe. After they arrive, and have a chance to collect themselves a little, we\u2019ll set up an appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Doc. I really appreciate this,\u201d Joe said, rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d Paul followed suit. \u201c . . . and, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to let you know that I find it very heartening . . . very heartening indeed . . . to see you not only making the decision to consult with Carl, but following through on it,\u201d Paul said, in all sincerity. \u201cThat shows a lot of courage and maturity on your part, AND it tells me you\u2019re heading in the right direction mentally and emotionally.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaturity?! Now that\u2019s a word I don\u2019t hear too often in the same breath with my own name,\u201d Joe said, half teasing, half awed and gratified. \u201cSeriously though . . . thanks. Right now . . . you have no idea how much it means to me hearing you say that,\u201d Joe said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow does your pa feel about you consulting with Doctor Jefferies?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that sometimes there\u2019s wisdom in talking to a third party,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cHe also said he\u2019s for it, if it helps bring me some peace of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly no surprise there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d best be going and let you get some rest yourself, before you have to go running out in the dead of night to help Ellen Fox with bringing that baby into the world,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Joe . . . and I\u2019ll get back to you about that consultation with Doctor Jefferies . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

One Week Later . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you still having the nightmares, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe Cartwright replied. \u201cBut, they don\u2019t come as often now . . . and when they do? They don\u2019t really scare me anymore.\u201d He frowned for a moment, as he silently mulled over his words. \u201cI just thought of something . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they don\u2019t scare me anymore . . . they\u2019re not really nightmares, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Carl Jeffries smiled. Aged in his late thirties, he was roughly the same height and build as Joe, though thirty pounds heavier. He had full head of light brown hair, graying around the edges, a neatly trimmed goatee, and warm golden brown eyes, framed by a pair of gold wire framed glasses. Though a much respected friend and colleague, Doctor Paul Martin took special pride in the fact that the young man was also his godson.<\/p>\n

Doctor Jefferies\u2019 specialty was in the field of psychology. He had spent the better part of the afternoon, comfortably ensconced on the settee in the living room of the Fletchers\u2019 home, next to the fireplace, conversing with Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou tell me, Mister Cartwright. Are they dreams? Or are they nightmares?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDreams,\u201d Joe decided. \u201cIf I don\u2019t wake myself or my family up in the middle of the night, screaming in terror . . . then, they\u2019re dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen did the nightmares become dreams?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a little over a week ago,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cThe day my oldest brother arrived from Sacramento, in fact. I was in the midst of a really bad one, when . . . all of a sudden . . . I remembered Lady Chadwick was dead . . . that I had actually seen her body at the undertaker\u2019s, all laid out in its coffin. When she tried to tell me again that the dream was real and my waking hours the dream, I told her flat out SHE was lying. She got this real funny look on her face, then poof! The dream was over.\u201d He grinned. \u201cI woke up screaming that night, but it was a scream of victory, not of fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds to me like you\u2019re progressing in the right direction,\u201d Carl said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . really think so?\u201d Joe asked, his voice edge with doubt.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nightmare becoming a dream is most heartening,\u201d Carl said, speaking candidly to Joe\u2019s doubts and fears, \u201cand I feel encouraged by the fact of you making the decisions about seeing Lady Chadwick\u2019s body, making your deposition to sheriff, and especially by the way you confronted Mister Crippensworth. It took a lot of courage on your part to decide upon those courses of action, and follow through on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa said the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour pa sounds like a very wise, very intelligent man. I hope you pay attention to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grinned. He had been nervous and apprehensive about this meeting all morning long. But, Carl Jefferies\u2019 easy going, friendly demeanor had put Joe very much at ease within the first few minutes. \u201cI do . . . most of the time.\u201d His smile faded. \u201cDoc?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanna know what DOES scare me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf YOU wish to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I just said . . . it\u2019s not the nightmares, not since they\u2019ve become dreams,\u201d Joe said. \u201cIt\u2019s what I call the WAKING dreams?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe waking dreams?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat . . . exactly . . . are these waking dreams, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI call \u2018em waking dreams because they happen when I\u2019m awake,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cI\u2019ll see or hear something, and suddenly, I\u2019m back there again with her. It looks and feels just as real as . . . well, as you and I are right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you recall when the waking dreams started?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure do. They started the same day my brother, Adam, arrived . . . the same day my nightmares became dreams,\u201d Joe replied. He looked up at Carl with a wan smile, and quipped, \u201cYou don\u2019t suppose it\u2019s all ADAM\u2019S fault, do you?\u201d He saw immediately that his attempt at humor had fallen flat on it\u2019s face. \u201cSorry, Doc,\u201d he immediately apologized. \u201cBad joke.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably more along the lines of an INSIDE joke,\u201d Carl offered with a kind smile. \u201cI have no idea what kind of relationship you have with your oldest brother, so your joke goes right over my head. Getting back to the waking dreams you just mentioned . . . what sights and sounds trigger them? Is it something specific?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe dolefully shook his head. \u201cIt can be anything,\u201d he replied. \u201cThat\u2019s one reason why they scare me so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell me about the first time you experienced one of these waking dreams?\u201d Carl probed gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Like I said, it was the day Adam arrived from Sacramento,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cIt was late in the afternoon, and I was feeling kinda tired, so I went upstairs to rest.\u201d He frowned. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what set it off, exactly . . . whether it was the ticking of the wall clock in my room . . . the glare of the sunlight in the glass over the clock face . . . or maybe the position of the hands. I don\u2019t know . . . it could\u2019ve been a little of all three.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard her first before I actually saw her. I heard her pacing the floor, slapping her riding crop against her hand. Then, I was back there again. Back in that room with the sun shining right in my eyes . . . tied down to that bed . . . with her pacing, trying to make me acknowledge HER version of things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer version being that she and Mister Crippensworth had come upon you injured, and had stopped to help?\u201d Carl asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe said, his voice shaking. \u201cIt was a lie, of course. A great big, ugly bald faced lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Lady Chadwick and Mister Crippensworth really came with the intention of abducting you,\u201d Carl said, reiterating what Joe had told him earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember how you felt when you found yourself in the midst of that first waking dream?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cScared outta my mind for one thing,\u201d Joe replied immediately, \u201cand so low, I think I could\u2019ve walked upright under the belly of a snake. I kept telling her over and over she was dead, but it was like she never heard me. For a minute, I honest and truly believed I WAS back there . . . that my being home again with my family was the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you come out of the waking dream?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time it happened, it was Hop Sing calling me. He had come upstairs to tell me that Hoss, my BIG brother, was back from picking up Adam at the stage depot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you feel when you came out of that waking dream?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first, I had no idea in the world where I was,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cThough I think part of that was my family and me having just moved into THIS house a week before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a reasonable assumption.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI also have this awful feeling of being completely helpless, Doctor Jefferies, because I never know when they\u2019re going to happen, or what\u2019s going to trigger it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must\u2019ve been very close to the way you felt the entire time Lady Chadwick and Mister Crippensworth held you prisoner,\u201d Carl said slowly, after a moment of thoughtful silence.<\/p>\n

Doctor Jefferies\u2019 observation drew a sharp glance from Joe. \u201cDoc, I . . . I think you just hit the nail on the head,\u201d he murmured in a voice barely audible. \u201cI never thought of it before but . . . yeah. I WAS scared the whole time, and except for the two days I was locked up in that attic room, I was tied to a bed . . . completely helpless.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also never knew what to expect whenever Lady Chadwick came into the room,\u201d Joe continued. \u201cOne minute, she could be stone cold rational like you and me . . . or maybe more like my oldest brother, Adam . . . the next, screaming with rage . . . and the next, living in her own dream world somewhere. Her mood would change . . . just like that!\u201d He snapped his fingers for emphasis.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what, exactly, would trigger her changes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes she would get angry because I refused to allow her to sway me. Other times . . . . \u201d Joe shrugged. \u201cIt could\u2019ve been anything from something I said to looking at her cross eyed. I just wish to heaven I could understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would you like to understand, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to know why,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cWhy did she hate Pa so much? SHE\u2019S the one who turned him down when he asked her to marry him all those years ago in New Orleans. Then, when she came to visit us . . . she tried to ruin Pa, so that he\u2019d have to marry her for her money. Fortunately for us, we found out about her scheme, and Pa called her on it. But . . . she had the gall to claim that Pa humiliated HER. Then, toward the end of my captivity, she started acting like she and Pa were married.\u201d He sighed. \u201cI know . . . there\u2019s no rhyme or reason to insanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this case, perhaps there is,\u201d Carl said. \u201cThere\u2019s a very fine line separating love and hate. I\u2019ve found that to be very true in living life, and certainly in my practice. Both are very intense, very passionate feelings, to which people often invest their all emotionally. One wrong move, word, gesture, or glance . . . love can very quickly turn to bitter hatred.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not so sure I can accept that, Doctor Jefferies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout love quickly turning into hate?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cOne of my favorite passages in the Bible is the one about love,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s usually read at weddings. According to THAT passage, love is always patient, kind . . . and it\u2019s not selfish, or riled up very easily. I think if Lady Chadwick had felt anything even remotely resembling love for my father, she would have been up front about Lord Chadwick back in New Orleans, and when she came to visit, she would have tried to woo Pa, not destroy everything he\u2019s ever worked for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a valid point there, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Carl said thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and there ARE a lot of feelings and emotions that can be part and parcel of love, but are also very often mistaken FOR love,\u201d Joe continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou speak of passion perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cI could see THAT not only as being mistaken for love, but also turning to hate real quick when it DOESN\u2019T come along with love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carl Jefferies smiled. \u201cMister Cartwright, I dare say, YOU could probably teach ME a thing or two when it comes to dealing with human emotion,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cIf you ARE certifiably insane, would that we all were as crazy. The world would be a lot saner place, no question about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe found himself returning Carl\u2019s smile. \u201cIs that your way of telling me I\u2019m NOT crazy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed it is,\u201d Carl said. \u201cMy diagnosis, for what it\u2019s worth is . . . that you\u2019re a young man, who\u2019s survived an incredibly harrowing and painful experience, but who seems to be well on the way toward eventual healing and becoming a stronger, better man for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Doc,\u201d Joe said gratefully, the relief evident in his voice, his face, and especially his eyes, glowing a deep emerald in the waning late afternoon light. He rose.<\/p>\n

Carl Jefferies followed suit, knowing that their time together had reached a mutually satisfying end. \u201cIf you wish to speak with me further, my wife and I will be with the Martins\u2019 for another couple of days. Don\u2019t hesitate to let me know, if you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d Joe said, as they shook hands, knowing full well that he wouldn\u2019t need to see Doctor Jefferies again, at least not on a professional basis. \u201cI\u2019ll see you to the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair walked to the front door in companionable silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks again, Doc,\u201d Joe said again, with deep, heartfelt gratitude as they came to a stop at the front door. \u201cOur talk has really given me real peace of mind . . . the first, I think, since I came home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy pleasure, Mister Cartwright. Would that ALL my patients\u2019 difficulties could be resolved so quickly and easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe reached for the door knob and opened the door for Doctor Jefferies. He was mildly surprised to see his father and sister stepping up onto the porch. \u201cTHAT was good timing,\u201d he remarked, favoring Ben and Stacy with his infamous smile, dubbed his \u2018lady killer smile,\u2019 by the latter. \u201cDoc, this is my pa . . . the ELDER Mister Cartwright . . . and my sister, Stacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA pleasure,\u201d Carl declared with a grin, as he shook hands with Ben first, then Stacy. \u201cNow I have faces to put with your names.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . uh oh,\u201d Stacy murmured, casting a wary glance over at her brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Kid,\u201d Joe said. \u201cIt was all good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can certainly vouch for that,\u201d Carl Jefferies said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks again for talking with me, Doctor Jefferies,\u201d Joe said gratefully. \u201cI . . . realize it must\u2019ve been on real short notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTruth be known, Mister Cartwright, my godfather\u2019s told me so much about you, and the rest of your family\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh. I hope SOME of it was good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of it was, and the rest . . . well, let\u2019s just say I was hoping I\u2019d get a chance to meet my godfather\u2019s . . . now how did he put that?!\u201d Carl frowned, then brightened almost immediately. \u201cOh yes. He said that you, your brothers, and your sister especially numbered among the most IMpatient of all his patients, but that your father\u2019s the absolute worst.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because Pa\u2019s a few years up on the rest of us,\u201d Joe said with a smile. \u201cWell . . . if I don\u2019t get to see you before you leave Virginia City, I hope you and your wife have a safe trip, and I hope everything works out well for you both in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright. I wish you and your family all the best as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon stepping back inside the house, Joe found Ben and Stacy comfortably seated together on the settee, facing the small fireplace. Stacy\u2019s injured leg rested on the coffee table, cradled on the center of one of the larger cushions, normally placed at either end of the settee. Joe slowly ambled across the room, and plopped down on the settee, on the other side of his sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandpa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Stace?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to talk to Pa, I can make myself scarce for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Kid, but that won\u2019t be necessary,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what DID Doctor Jefferies have to say?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said a lot of the things YOU\u2019VE been telling me all along, Pa,\u201d Joe said, as he and Ben together settled Stacy on the settee between them. \u201cAt one point, I even told him that he sounded a lot like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Ben queried with a smile. \u201cWhat did Doctor Jefferies say about THAT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said . . . and I quote . . . \u2018your pa sounds like a very wise, very intelligent man. I hope you pay attention to him,\u2019 \u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Ben queried.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh, Grandpa,\u201d Stacy warned, her eyes dancing with impish merriment. \u201cI don\u2019t think Pa\u2019s ever gonna let you live THAT down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDarn tootin\u2019!\u201d Ben agreed, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe upshot of his diagnosis is also something else you\u2019ve been telling me all along, Pa . . . in one way or another,\u201d Joe said, turning serious. \u201cDoctor Jefferies said that I\u2019m a young man, who\u2019s gone through a painful and harrowing experience, but who\u2019s well on his way toward healing . . . and something else . . . . \u201d He frowned for a moment, trying to remember, then brightened. \u201cOh yeah. He also said that I\u2019m gonna come out on the other side of this a stronger, better man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like Doctor Jefferies has a thing or two on the ball himself,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cDo you feel better about things now, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cI feel LOTS better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanna know something? You LOOK lots better, too,\u201d Stacy said as she impulsively reached over and gave him a big bear hug.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Kid,\u201d Joe said, hugging her back. \u201cYou up for a game of checkers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, but I\u2019m not taking my eyes off the board for a second,\u201d Stacy declared, as they divvied up the pieces and began to set up for play.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you wanna play the winner?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you,\u201d Ben replied, as he rose and moved over to the easy chair, in order to allow his two younger children room to play. \u201cI thought I might just relax and read for a little while before we sit down to supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . how\u2019s the rebuilding going Adam?\u201d Matt Wilson asked, raising his voice so that he might be heard over the din generated by the crowd of people thronging the Silver Dollar Saloon.<\/p>\n

Matt and Adam had been close friends since they were boys. After leaving the Ponderosa and Virginia City to make his own way in the world, Matt Wilson was one of the few in Nevada, apart from his family, with whom Adam had maintained a regular correspondence. He had also had the honor and pleasure of standing up for Matt three years ago, when he married the former Clarissa Starling at what continued to be spoken of as \u2018The Wedding of the Century.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything\u2019s coming along just fine,\u201d Adam replied, smiling. He took a big gulp from the beer mug in front of him, then continued. \u201cIn fact . . . we\u2019re actually AHEAD of schedule. I didn\u2019t expect to have the repair work on the foundation done until about the middle of next week, and from the looks of things, we\u2019re going to be finished by the end of THIS week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat George Farlyn\u2019s a wonder, ain\u2019t he?\u201d Hoss said with a smug grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat he is,\u201d Adam agreed wholeheartedly, \u201cthat he is. He\u2019s an excellent manager and overseer, he\u2019s very good with people, and you were right, Hoss, when you said that everyone has a lot of respect for him. We wouldn\u2019t be so far ahead of the game without George, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d He looked over at Hoss, his smile widening. \u201cThanks for recommending him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad everything\u2019s going so well, Adam,\u201d Matt said. He finished the last of the beer in the mug before him, then asked, \u201cHow\u2019s the rest of the family doing . . . especially Joe and Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s still limping, but he\u2019s breathing a lot better, and a lot easier than he was when I arrived last week,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cHis bruises are fading, and the other wounds . . . \u201d the physical ones, though Adam didn\u2019t say that aloud, \u201c . . . are nearly healed, including that bad one on his right arm that Doctor Martin was concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to hear it,\u201d Matt declared with a grin. \u201cHow\u2019s he eating?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s graduated to soft and bland,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cHe enjoyed those scrambled eggs the first couple of mornings, after he was finally allowed to try them, but now, I think he\u2019s getting a little tired of having to eat them without salt, pepper, and tabasco sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTabasco sauce?!\u201d Matt wrinkled his nose in utter disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, tabasco sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt shuddered. \u201cHow\u2019s Stacy doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam waved to the bartender, and pointed to his empty mug. \u201cDoctor Martin wants to remove her cast in another week or two so he can check and make sure everything\u2019s healing up properly,\u201d he replied. \u201cAssuming everything IS alright under all that plaster-of-paris, he\u2019ll put on another cast, for four more weeks. She\u2019ll have some hard work ahead of her before she\u2019s walking and riding again, but Doctor Martin\u2019s confident that she\u2019ll make a full and complete recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to hear it. I heard things were really touch and go with Stacy for a while there . . . early on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Hoss said quietly. \u201cBut the worst is over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPhysically, at any rate,\u201d Adam sighed with a droll rolling of the eyes heavenward. \u201cPatience is a virtue, but NOT one of Stacy\u2019s, I\u2019m afraid . . . especially when she\u2019s convalescing. Joe\u2019s just as bad . . . if not WORSE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one I\u2019M feelin\u2019 sorry for right now is PA,\u201d Hoss said with a chuckle. \u201cHE\u2019S the one who\u2019s really been lookin\u2019 after the pair of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what can I getcha, Adam?\u201d It was Sam, the bartender. \u201cAnother beer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Sam . . . for me and for Matt, at least. How are YOU doing, Hoss? YOU ready for another beer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will be in just a second,\u201d Hoss replied. He lifted the mug in hand to his lips and downed the remainder in a single gulp. \u201cNOW I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam placed three fifty-cent pieces down on the bar. \u201cThis round\u2019s on me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned. \u201cDidn\u2019t you buy the last round, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he bought the last TWO,\u201d Matt said. \u201cPut your money away, Adam . . . you, too, Hoss. I\u2019M buying this round.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, I SAID this one\u2019s on ME,\u201d Adam argued.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what. While you boys sort out who\u2019s buyin\u2019, I\u2019ll go refill your mugs,\u201d Sam said, as he reached for the empties.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, Boys . . . Adam . . . Hoss . . . Matt . . . . \u201d Roy Coffee greeted each of the younger men with a smile and a nod of the head, as he stepped up to the bar.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy,\u201d Hoss returned the greeting and the smile. Adam and Matt both grinned and nodded by way of greeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019re things going, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t complain,\u201d Roy grunted. \u201cHow \u2018bout with YOU? How\u2019s that house comin\u2019 along?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just telling Hoss and Matt that so far, we\u2019re ahead of schedule,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cWe\u2019ll be finished with the repairs to the foundation by the end of the week, and THAT being the case . . . we\u2019ll be completing the necessary repair work on the fireplace and chimney by the end of the following week, and who knows? Keep on like we\u2019re going, we may be laying down the floor for the downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat puts him ahead of his own plans by almost a whole week, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Hoss said proudly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always was a fast worker, Adam,\u201d Roy said with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, to give credit where it\u2019s due, George Farlyn\u2019s the one who deserves the lion\u2019s share for all the fast work,\u201d Adam said. \u201cEvery last one of those men we hired would walk a mile across hot coals barefoot for George. THAT\u2019S what\u2019s put us so far ahead of schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere y\u2019 are, Boys,\u201d Sam, the bartender returned with a big grin and three mugs of beer.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and here YOU are, Sam,\u201d Adam said, as he placed two silver dollars onto the bartender\u2019s large, beefy palm. \u201cConsider the change as a thank you note.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Adam . . . thank you very much,\u201d Sam\u2019s grin widened appreciably, as he pocketed the extra silver dollar. \u201c \u2018Evenin\u2019, Roy. What can I getcha?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have a beer, Sam,\u201d Roy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cComin\u2019 right up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright, I said I was buying,\u201d Matt said, leveling a ferocious glare at his old friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou?!\u201d Hoss echoed, glaring at Matt first, then over at Adam. \u201cAs I recall . . . I said I was buyin\u2019 this round.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you boys\u2019d best settle down right quick, or else I\u2019m gonna run the lotta ya in.\u201d Though Roy Coffee spoke in his sternest, most authoritative sheriff\u2019s tone of voice, the devilish twinkle in his eyes wasn\u2019t lost on his three younger companions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn WHAT charge?\u201d Adam demanded. A wry half smile tugged hard at the corner of his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cDisturbin\u2019 the peace,\u201d Roy quipped without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee, can I buy YOU a drink?\u201d Matt asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch as I\u2019d love t\u2019 take ya up on it, Matt, I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m gonna hafta turn ya down,\u201d Roy said. \u201cElections are comin\u2019 up, an\u2019 I don\u2019t want nobody t\u2019 think I\u2019m on the take or somethin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, finished his beer and set the mug down on the bar. \u201cGentlemen, I hate to break this up, but I need to be moving along,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A bewildered frown creased Hoss\u2019 brow. \u201cWhat for, Adam? Supper ain\u2019t for another couple o\u2019 hours yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Big Brother. I wanted to review the final drawings on the first floor of the house and start working out what we\u2019re going to need in the way of building material . . . for THAT much of the house, at least. If YOU want to stay a little longer\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, I\u2019d best mosey along with ya,\u201d Hoss decided. \u201cPoor Pa could probably use a break after spendin\u2019 all day cooped up with a pair o\u2019 cranky, stir crazy young \u2018ns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . Hoss, you boys say hello to your pa for me,\u201d Roy said, \u201can\u2019 tell Joe \u2018n Stacy I\u2019m thinkin\u2019 about \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat goes for me, too,\u201d Matt said.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d It was Garth Parker. He was a young man, who had started work at the Western Union Office in Virginia City three and a half weeks ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up, Garth?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis just came in from the Overland Stage Office in Freedonia,\u201d Garth said, passing the slip of paper in hand over to the sheriff. \u201cSomething about an overdue stage coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

A nebulous sense of foreboding settled over Adam like a thick, heavy shawl.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems it left Virginia City . . . day after YOU arrived, Adam,\u201d Roy said, as he quickly scanned the note.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many days overdue IS that stage?\u201d Adam snapped out the question drawing sharp glances from Hoss and Roy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that stage left day after you arrived . . . it\u2019ll have been missin\u2019 little over a week,\u201d Roy answered, with a frown. \u201cYou alright, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, I . . . didn\u2019t mean to take your head off, Sheriff,\u201d Adam said contritely.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny particular reason why you\u2019re askin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that was the stage that left here in the morning, the day after I arrived . . . I may know two of the passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFriends o\u2019 yours, Adam?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAcquaintances, actually. Hoss, you met them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember? Lorenzo and Maria Estevan. We gave them a lift to the International Hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah . . . the newlyweds,\u201d Hoss said quietly.<\/p>\n

Adam, then, turned to Roy Coffee. \u201cThe Estevans and I traveled together from Sacramento,\u201d he explained. \u201cCharming young couple. They were returning home to Santa Fe from their honeymoon trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Roy murmured thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas anything been done to try and locate that stage?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Phoenix office would\u2019ve sent out search parties,\u201d Roy said, \u201cbut, considerin\u2019 that stage is two weeks overdue, I hafta assume those search parties didn\u2019t find nothin\u2019. Next step\u2019s t\u2019 check the relay stops between here \u2018n Freedonia, find out who saw \u2018em last. That would take a while since most relay stations don\u2019t have a telegraph station.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, I\u2019d be much obliged if you kept me posted?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Adam,\u201d Roy promised. \u201cFirst thing t\u2019morrow, I\u2019ll send wires t\u2019 Freedonia \u2018n the Overland Stage Company\u2019s main headquarters. I\u2019ll letcha know what they say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Adam said gratefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be dark before long. Time we thought about stoppin\u2019 t\u2019 make camp,\u201d Hugh O\u2019Brien wearily told his eldest daughter, Crystal McShane, and foreman, Darryl Hughes. He and his family had been close friends and neighbors of the Cartwright family for many years. Hugh was the owner of a small spread called Shoshone Queen, in honor of his late wife, Angelina Thundercloud Woman, a full blooded Shoshone. Crystal McShane had served well as his \u201cright hand man,\u201d in the years following the deaths of her mother and husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s watering hole up ahead, Pa,\u201d Crystal said, pointing straight ahead, slightly to her left. \u201cIt\u2019s nestled in the midst of that rock circle up yonder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow far you figure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuarter of a mile at most,\u201d Crystal replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, we\u2019ll make camp there,\u201d Hugh decided.<\/p>\n

The three were on their way home from Eastgate, where they had sold a dozen saddle horses at auction for a whopping ten thousand dollars. Crystal had wisely insisted on having a bank draft drawn up, rather than carry a that large amount of cash on a four day trek back home. They reached the water hole that Crystal had pointed out, just as the sun began to dip down behind the jagged line of mountains in the far distance. Hugh and Darryl immediately set themselves to the task of settling the horses for the night, while Crystal took an arm load of wood from their pack horse for their camp fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarryl, Crystal \u2018n I\u2019ve decided t\u2019 give ya a couple o\u2019 days off,\u201d Hugh said, as he unsaddled his own horse, Tarannis. \u201cOfficial just as soon as we get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou deserve it, Darryl,\u201d Crystal added, in complete wholehearted agreement. \u201cYou worked real hard not only helping Pa \u2018n me get OUR horses saddle broke, trained, and ready for that auction, but in giving Hoss a hand with that string they we\u2019re trying to get ready to fill that army contract, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darryl looked from one to the other, his cheeks flaming scarlet. He had unsaddled Dagda, Crystal\u2019s big palomino gelding, and his own horse, Kentucky Blue. \u201cGee, I . . . I dunno, Mister O\u2019Brien . . . Mrs. McShane,\u201d he stammered modestly, as he turned to unload their pack horse. \u201cI . . . well, it IS my job after all . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich you\u2019ve performed admirably . . . \u2018way above and beyond the call of duty, especially with Joe and Stacy Cartwright being sidelined the way they were,\u201d Crystal said, as she arranged the wood and lit the camp fire. \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Crys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSPEAKING of Joe and Stacy . . . what\u2019s the latest?\u201d she asked. \u201cYou told me you\u2019d bumped into Mister Cartwright over at the general store just before we left for Eastgate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh smiled. \u201cBen told me they\u2019re goin\u2019 stir crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S a good sign,\u201d Crystal said, with a smile. The entire Cartwright family, especially the youngest son and only daughter, had, over the years, established a solid reputation for being Doc Martin\u2019s worst patients in times of illness or injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe also said Stacy wrote Jason a nice long letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d Crystal smiled. \u201cThat would\u2019ve been a couple of weeks ago. Jason oughtta be getting it about now. I know he\u2019s been worried sick since we wrote and told him about the fire and about Stacy being hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh and Darryl approached the campfire carrying dishes, cooking utensils, three large cans of beans, and a small sack of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarryl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. McShane?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind fetching us some water?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Darryl replied, as he picked up their coffee pot and a large bucket.<\/p>\n

\u201cSay, Darryl . . . . \u201d Hugh called after his young foreman, as he and Crystal set to work opening the cans of beans.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinkin\u2019 . . . it\u2019s gonna be a while before Joe Cartwright\u2019s able to attend any Saturday night dances, what with that bum ankle o\u2019 his,\u201d Hugh said with a sly smile. \u201cI\u2019ll betcha Lilly Beth Jared\u2019s just dyin\u2019 for an invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa! That\u2019s TERRIBLE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s terrible?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEncouraging a nice young man like Darryl t\u2019 take shameless advantage of another man\u2019s misfortune is bad enough,\u201d Crystal sternly admonished her father, as she emptied the first can of beans her father had just opened into a large pot. \u201cBut when the man suffering misfortune is a friend . . . . \u201d She sighed and shook her head. \u201cYou oughtta be ashamed of yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLilly Beth and Joe ain\u2019t engaged, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo they have any kind of an understanding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not that I know of.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, then,\u201d Hugh said reasonably. \u201cT\u2019 ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 wrong with makin\u2019 hay whilst the sun shines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister O\u2019Brien?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Darryl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe and Lilly Beth broke up last year,\u201d the younger man said, as he returned to the campfire with the coffee pot and bucket filled with water.<\/p>\n

Hugh\u2019s face fell. \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll be damned,\u201d Hugh murmured, shaking his head in mild surprise. He handed the second can of beans, he had opened, over to Crystal, then set to work opening the third. \u201cYou know how come?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s any of our business,\u201d Crystal admonished her father severely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only wanna know,\u201d Hugh immediately defended himself in a lofty tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? So you can tell your friends at the Cattlemen\u2019s Association?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly! You MEN are worse gossips than the likes of Mrs. Kirk and Miss Mudgely put together,\u201d Crystal said as she finished opening the third can of beans and poured it into the pot. The two women she had referred to were unofficially known among the populace of Virginia City and the surrounding environs, as the walking branches of the Territorial Enterprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister O\u2019Brien?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Darryl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell ya all the whys \u2018n wherefores behind Joe \u2018n Lilly Beth breakin\u2019 up,\u201d Darryl said. Joe Cartwright had sworn him to secrecy so not to besmirch Lilly Beth\u2019s reputation. Though he remained firmly of the opinion that Lilly Beth Jared deserved no such consideration, Joe had been adamant. In the end, Darryl agreed to keep the matter secret for the sake of the girl\u2019s family, and because Joe had asked it of him . . . not out of any concern or consideration for Lilly Beth Jared. \u201cI, uhhh . . . agree with Joe \u2018bout WHY they broke up, but that\u2019s all I can say. As for Lily Beth, well she\u2019s got a new fella and I\u2019ve got me someone else t\u2019 be sweet on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah? Who?\u201d Hugh prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . . \u201d Crystal growled threateningly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Mrs. McShane,\u201d Darryl said. \u201cHer name\u2019s Rebecca Sullivan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh lapsed into a moment of thoughtful silence. \u201cShe the gal who just started work over at the bank a couple o\u2019 months ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe DOES seem t\u2019 be a real nice, down t\u2019 earth kinda gal,\u201d Hugh said, grinning from ear-to-ear, \u201can\u2019 she\u2019s pretty as a picture t\u2019 boot. You gonna ask HER t\u2019 the Saturday night dance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlready did, Sir,\u201d Darryl replied. \u201cA man don\u2019t go \u2018n keep a gal like Rebecca Sullivan waitin\u2019 around. Not if he\u2019s smart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019d she say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Darryl smiled. \u201cShe told me she\u2019d love to go to the dance with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s wonderful, Boy,\u201d Hugh declared, grinning from ear-to-ear himself. \u201cNow if you need any advice as to how t\u2019 handle women . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . uuhhh, M-Mister O\u2019Brien, meanin\u2019 no disrespect, Sir, but I\u2019ve already got someone givin\u2019 me advice \u2018bout handlin\u2019 women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh\u2019s face fell. \u201cOh yeah? Who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. McShane.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh looked over at the eldest of his three offspring, and frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you know what they say, Pa,\u201d Crystal quipped with a smug grin, \u201cthat the only person who knows best how to handle a woman is another woman. Now why don\u2019t you two gossipy ol\u2019 roosters make yourselves useful, and set out our bedrolls?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go get \u2018em,\u201d Darryl quickly offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmells good, Crys,\u201d Hugh said, licking his lips in anticipation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should. It\u2019s Ma\u2019s recipe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d Hugh said with a wistful, nostalgic smile. \u201cThere was no trail cook in the world anywhere near as good as your ma.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNor will there ever be,\u201d Crystal declared. \u201cMa could take a dried out ol\u2019 tumbleweed and make it taste like a gourmet meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNights like this I miss her most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know . . . nights like this I miss Robert most,\u201d Crystal said as she gave her pot of simmering beans another stir, then set herself to the task of fixing their coffee. Robert, her late husband, had died seven years before, when her youngest son was a baby.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I ask ya a personal question?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk all ya want. I make no promises I\u2019ll answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFair \u2018nuff,\u201d Hugh grunted. \u201cHow come you ain\u2019t ever remarried? Not like you never had no prospects.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably never remarried for the same reason YOU never remarried,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n

Hugh frowned. \u201cWhat reason is that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how you\u2019re always telling folks no one\u2019s ever quite measured up to Ma?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s the same with ME. Sooner or later, usually sooner, I start making comparisons between the fella I\u2019m with . . . and Robert,\u201d she said with a touch of sadness. \u201cSo far, all the fellas I\u2019ve ever been with come up wanting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour boys could use a pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy boys have a perfectly good GRANDpa, thank you very much . . . and a perfectly good uncle, besides,\u201d Crystal quipped, then grinned. \u201c . . . and if things keep going the way they seem to be going between our boy and Stacy Cartwright . . . they\u2019ll have two more perfectly good uncles in Hoss and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and I imagine ol\u2019 Ben\u2019ll become like a SECOND grandpa to your boys,\u201d Hugh grunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just hope HE doesn\u2019t spoil \u2018em rotten like YOU do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh chuckled. \u201cGrandpa\u2019s privilege, Gal. You get to turn the tables when your boys git themselves hitched, \u2018n start presentin\u2019 YOU with grandkids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, supper\u2019s about ready,\u201d Crystal said, then frowned. \u201cI wonder what\u2019s taking Darryl so long with those bed rolls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go check on him,\u201d Hugh said.<\/p>\n

\u201cN-No . . . oh no, no . . , please, G-God, n-no . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Darryl, with bedrolls clasped firmly in hand stared down at the frightened, cowering young woman in dismay, not knowing what to do. She was very young, not much older than his employer\u2019s youngest daughter, Susannah, who was eighteen going on nineteen. She was barefoot. Her only clothing was a tattered, soiled chemise, with a long, jagged tear, reaching from the neckline, clear down to the waist. Her long, dark brown hair was matted, and caked with sweat, grime, and dust. She had an oval shaped face, with enormous eyes, a pixie-like upturned nose, and small, rosebud mouth with full lips. The exposed portions of her skin were bright red, very much like the shell of a steamed lobster.<\/p>\n

\u201cP-Please, Miss . . . I-I ain\u2019t gonna hurt ya,\u201d Darryl said as he tried to edge closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay BACK!\u201d the woman snarled.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarryl? What\u2019s goin\u2019 on, Boy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s . . . I mean . . . SHE\u2019S a l-lady, Sir,\u201d Darryl stammered, his gaze moving back and forth between Hugh and the young woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lady?!\u201d Hugh echoed incredulous.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no . . . oh, G-God, no . . . please . . . oh please, no!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh turned and found himself face to face with a badly frightened young woman, not much older than his youngest daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I think she n-needs help, but . . . she won\u2019t let me anywhere near her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss, it\u2019s alright . . . . \u201d Hugh said in a low, soothing voice, as he knelt down, bringing himself nearly eye level with the young woman. \u201cMy name\u2019s Hugh O\u2019Brien. This here\u2019s m\u2019 foreman, Darryl Hughes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The woman tried desperately to scuttle away, but her arms and legs simply would not support her weight. She collapsed down onto the sand, sobbing in despair and angry frustration. \u201cNo, oh no, no, no . . . . \u201d she murmured, amid the torrent of weeping, that wracked her diminutive body.<\/p>\n

Hugh watched with an anxious, bewildered frown, as the woman, amid her heart wrenching sobbing, tried desperately to close the torn bodice of her chemise with trembling hands. Then, suddenly, revelation slammed into him hard, like the powerful kick of a good strong mule to the solar plexus. \u201cDear, God . . . . \u201d he whispered, utterly shaken to the core.<\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mister O\u2019Brien . . . . ?! Are you al\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I . . . No!\u201d One minute Hugh saw the woman as she was, the next he saw his own youngest daughter, Susannah in her place. His entire body trembled with a swift rising black tide of rage, that threatened to consume him. \u201cDarryl . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . I want ya t\u2019 git up . . . slow \u2018n easy,\u201d Hugh ordered, laboring mightily to speak calmly in the face the murderous fury within him toward the man who had so terribly hurt the young woman cowering away from him and his foreman. \u201cGo back \u2018n send Mrs. McShane over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo as I tell ya, Boy. I\u2019ll be alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darryl nodded, then reluctantly rose to his feet and set off. A few moments later, Crystal appeared. \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver here, Crys,\u201d Hugh responded in a low voice, while keeping a wary eye on the woman now lying on the sand, weeping piteously, with her back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, Darryl just came to me with a wild story about a\u2014 \u201d Her words died a quick and sudden death when her dark, chocolate brown eyes fell on the tiny young woman lying several yards from her father\u2019s feet, sobbing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where she\u2019s come from,\u201d Hugh said very softly, as his eldest daughter knelt down beside him. \u201cShe musta blundered into our campsite when Darryl was fetchin\u2019 our bedrolls. She\u2019s in a real bad way . . . but she won\u2019t let Darryl or me within ten feet of her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal turned and favored her father with a bewildered frown.<\/p>\n

Hugh sidled over closer to Crystal, then lowered his voice to a mere whisper. \u201cI . . . I\u2019m pretty sure she\u2019s been . . . violated, Crys.\u201d<\/p>\n

The blood drained right out of Crystal McShane\u2019s face, as her own eyes took in the woman\u2019s chemise, reduced now to filthy tatters and rags, along with the telltale jagged, angry red rope burns on her wrists and ankles. \u201cWait here, Pa,\u201d she said, feeling terribly sick at heart. \u201cMiss?\u201d she called out, speaking at normal volume, struggling against her own feelings of grief and rising anger to keep her tone of voice calm.<\/p>\n

The woman raised her head, and regarded Crystal through eyes as dark brown as her own. \u201cNo, p-please . . . no, no . . . . \u201d she sobbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Miss. I\u2019m not going to hurt you. I want to try and help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, G-God . . . dear, God, please . . . no, please . . . n-no more, no more . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Keeping to her hands and knees, Crystal very slowly, very carefully moved toward the woman. \u201cMy name is CRYSTAL McShane,\u201d she continued in a low, soothing tone of voice. \u201cThis is my father, Mister O\u2019Brien. He won\u2019t hurt you either. We want to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The significance of the higher pitched speaking voice and the name finally penetrated. The young woman regarded Crystal warily, but made no attempts to flee as she continued her slow and easy advance.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease . . . . \u201d the woman began to sob anew when Crystal finally reached her side. \u201cSt-stage robbery . . . my husband . . . sh-shot. Please? Please help him . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal could feel the heat of fever radiating from the young woman even before she touched her. \u201cPa?\u201d she said very softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Crys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need you to fill my canteen . . . you\u2019ll find it with my saddle,\u201d Crystal said, as she gathered the young woman gently into her arms. \u201cI\u2019ll also need a clean cloth. When you get the canteen, grab the extra bedroll from our supplies. Have Darryl roll it out next to mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gonna be alright?\u201d Hugh asked, his voice edged with worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Pa. Shape she\u2019s in right now, if she DID put up a fight, I can safely guarantee it\u2019ll be a real short one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Crys. If you need me, yell.\u201d Hugh began to back away very slowly, taking great care to keep his movements fluid and easy.<\/p>\n

Crystal turned her attention back to the woman. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Miss. It\u2019s going to be alright . . . . \u201d As alright as it ever can be, ever again, she mused in angry silence, upon noting the mottled purplish skin under her eyes, and across her chest, its lurid hues muted by the what had to be a very painful sunburn, her bruised, swollen lips, split and cracking, caked with dried blood. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to hurt you . . . we only want to HELP you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cH-husband . . . hurt . . . shot . . . p-please,\u201d the woman murmured, her voice painfully hoarse, barely audible, before collapsing against Crystal, sobbing.<\/p>\n

Crystal held her as she wept, in manner not unlike the way she gathered her own sons, or even her younger sister, Susannah to herself whenever they were hurt or injured.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrys?\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced up and saw her father emerge from the deepening shadows, his face pale and drawn, with clean cloth and full canteen in hand. \u201cBring \u2018em to me, Pa,\u201d she murmured, in a low voice, calm to the point of monotone. \u201cSlow and easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh nodded, then took a deep breath as he willed the muscles in his body to relax. He took another deep breath, then another, before moving toward Crystal, in the silent, easy manner of a Shoshone hunter moving through the forest in search of prey, all the while thanking the Good Lord, he had been man enough to ask his late wife to teach him. Upon reaching his eldest daughter and the young woman, she clasped so tenderly in her arms, he handed her the cloth, then knelt down to unscrew the cap in the canteen.<\/p>\n

Crystal mutely nodded her thanks, as she accepted the proffered canteen from her father, then returned her attention back to the woman. She carefully settled the woman, with her head resting on her lap, taking care to see that her face was turned away from Hugh. She poured a generous amount of water into the cloth, the started to gently blot the woman\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

The woman moaned softly. \u201cF-feels good . . . water . . . . \u201d She opened her eyes, and peered up into the face of the kind woman ministering to her. \u201cPlease?\u201d she begged. \u201cWater . . . drink . . . ?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal set the nestled the canteen in the sand beside her, then carefully raised the woman in her arms from almost prone to half way between lying down and sitting up. As she brought the canteen down to the woman\u2019s mouth, she seized hold of the canteen, yanking it from Crystal\u2019s grasp with surprising strength.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, easy! Take it easy!\u201d Crystal said firmly, as she gently wrested the opening of the container from the woman\u2019s lips. \u201cI know you\u2019re very thirsty, but you can\u2019t gulp it like that. You have to drink very slow, very easy.\u201d She returned the opening to the woman\u2019s mouth, open and gasping.<\/p>\n

The woman drank briefly, then pushed the canteen away.<\/p>\n

\u201cM-My husband . . . . \u201d she moaned softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is he?\u201d Crystal asked as she handed the canteen back to her father, still kneeling in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cShot . . . stage robbery . . . left back . . . left back THERE . . . w-with others . . . b-back . . . with stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s gonna need a doctor, Crys,\u201d Hugh said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it,\u201d came Crystal\u2019s grim reply. \u201cHow far are we from Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we move out first thing in the mornin\u2019, we\u2019d get there by late morning . . . early afternoon, at the latest,\u201d Hugh replied.<\/p>\n

Crystal silently debated the consequences of moving the woman through what her late mother had wryly referred to as the garden sport of the desert verses remaining here with her father, and sending Darryl back for help. \u201cPa,\u201d she finally said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Crys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got any of that beef jerky left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. We\u2019ll make do with that for breakfast tomorrow,\u201d Crystal said. \u201cAfter we eat supper tonight, I\u2019d like you and Darryl to get things washed and packed up ready to be loaded on our pack horse. I\u2019d like to leave as close to first light as we possibly can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gonna be able to manage her on your horse alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I can easily manage Susannah,\u201d she hastened to point out. \u201cThis woman is probably every last bit of a head shorter and twenty . . . maybe twenty-five pounds lighter. But, we need to get her into town . . . to a doctor . . . sooner the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d the woman protested with surprising vigor. \u201cPlease . . . m-my husband . . . he n-needs . . . needs h-help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to get him that help,\u201d Crystal ardently promised, \u201cbut, if there\u2019s a stage . . . and other passengers, who are hurt . . . they\u2019re going to need more help than just the three of US can give.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRobbers . . . they . . . they took everything,\u201d the woman moaned. \u201cThen they . . . they . . . m-made my h-husband watch while they . . . they . . . oh, Madre de Dios, they sh-sh-shot h-him . . . they . . . they SHOT m-my husband . . . left him . . . left all of them t-to . . . to die. Took m-me . . . took m-me away . . . oh, L-Lorenzo . . . I\u2019m s-sorry . . . I\u2019m so sorry, please . . . please f-forgive m-me . . . .\u201d Her words were downed in a brief, yet very fierce torrent of agonized weeping.<\/p>\n

Crystal had never, in her entire life, ever heard such depths of grief and hopeless despair pour fourth out of another human being.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister O\u2019Brien?\u201d Darryl ventured hesitantly, hours later, with a belly full of coffee and beans, as he watched Crystal diligently caring for the young woman, who had blundered into their campsite, through a translucent curtain of leaping flames.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Boy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s pretty feverish . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think there\u2019s anything to that story about a stage hold up . . . \u2018n others out there . . . hurt, maybe dyin\u2019?\u201d Darryl asked. \u201c . . . or does it come from a hot desert sun workin\u2019 on a fevered mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno, Darryl. I do know one thing though . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s THAT, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat gal\u2019s been through hell \u2018n back, stage robbery or NO stage robbery,\u201d Hugh said grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn!\u201d Adam swore softly under his breath as the paper directly beneath his kneaded eraser disintegrated, leaving an oblong hole, with ragged edges, in the place where he had been trying to put the finishing touches on the final sketches for the second story of his family\u2019s new house.<\/p>\n

The hour was very late, or perhaps very early, depending on one\u2019s perspective. His eyes automatically moved up to the wall clock, upon hearing it strike the three-quarters hour. The time was fifteen minutes before three . . . in the morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!\u201d he swore. On that last, he savagely wadded the entire sheet of paper into a tight ball, and hurled it across the room with all his might.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re pathetic, Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s entire body went rigid.<\/p>\n

Lines and rectangles. That\u2019s all it is . . . just a bunch o\u2019 friggin\u2019 lines \u2018n rectangles all put together. A CHILD could draw that. Y\u2019 hear me, Mister High-\u2018n-Mighty-Thinks-He\u2019s-So-Friggin\u2019-Smart Cartwright!? A child!<\/p>\n

That harsh, grating voice, made painfully hoarse by years and years of over indulgence in whiskey, mostly the rot gut variety, could only belong to one man: Randy Paine. He saw himself as Virginia City\u2019s answer to the likes of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. Nearly everyone else saw him as Randy Paine-in-the-ass. When sober, he had no word for anybody, kind, unkind, or indifferent. However, when drunk, he was mean, cruel, and verbose.<\/p>\n

By the time Adam was old enough to go into saloons without necessarily being in the company of his father, Randy Paine had been holding court at his round table in the very back of the Bucket of Blood Saloon for many years. He was a very bitter, very angry old man, made so by circumstance, according to the rumors. No one seemed to know where he had come from, nor did anyone much care.<\/p>\n

Most evenings, by the time the regular patrons arrived, Randy Paine had been seated at his table, quaffing cheap whiskey since noon. Every night, he targeted one man, occasionally two, as the bull\u2019s eye for all his vitriolic barbs, slings, and arrows. The Bucket of Blood\u2019s regular patrons ignored him for the most part. Occasionally, tempers would flare, and violence erupt. It usually ended with Randy Paine being hauled off to jail, where he could sleep off his intoxication and the chosen victim of his verbal abuse being asked to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is crazy! I haven\u2019t thought of Randy Paine in YEARS!\u201d Adam murmured softly, while vigorously shaking his head, as if to physically dislodge those unpleasant memories. Not since Pa had told him in a letter about Randy\u2019s death within a month of his having left the Ponderosa for good.<\/p>\n

A harsh bark of laughter, accompanied by the tell-tale rattle of the thick accumulation of phlegm that had always seemed to be present within the man\u2019s lungs. \u201cI ain\u2019t dead, Cartwright, not to YOU, I ain\u2019t. I just been waitin\u2019 all curled up inside ya . . . just like an old rattler.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up,\u201d Adam growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat the best you can do, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut UP! You\u2019re dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . an\u2019 YOU\u2019RE just another rich man\u2019s pathetic son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, you hear me? Shut up, damn it, SHUT UP!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA-Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned abruptly with enough force and momentum to almost send him toppling to the floor. A wild, flailing hand reaching out, and snaring the edge of the massive roll top desk in his room, by sheer luck, kept himself and his chair upright. Barely.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . you ok?\u201d It was his youngest brother, Joe. Clad in a pair of pajama bottoms, no top, he stood framed in the open door, his face a shade or two paler than normal, his hazel eyes round with shock, astonishment, and concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yeah,\u201d Adam murmured. \u201cI must\u2019ve dozed off for a moment. Sorry I woke ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Adam.\u201d Joe yawned. \u201cI can always sleep in. One of the few advantages of convalescing.\u201d He entered the room, carrying the crumpled up wad of paper upon which his oldest brother had laboriously agonized over, in trying to get the drawings for the new house exactly right. \u201cI, uuhh . . . found this. It was lying out in the middle of the hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam sighed disparagingly, as he held out his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s awfully late for YOU to be awake, Adam,\u201d Joe said, as he watched his oldest brother crumple the paper again and lob it into the waste basket. \u201cYOU alright? You were awfully quiet at the supper table tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Adam lied right through his teeth. The anxious scowl in his youngest brother\u2019s face told him that Joe saw right through it. \u201cI was kinda tired. We got a lot of good work done today, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Hoss saying that you guys are running ahead of schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are,\u201d Adam affirmed. \u201cThat\u2019s another reason I didn\u2019t say much at the supper table. All I could think of was getting up here and finishing up the final drawings, so I can begin to figure out what we\u2019re going to need in the way of building supplies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Then, maybe I\u2019d better g\u2019won back to bed and letcha get back to work then,\u201d Joe said with another yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to leave so soon, Buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam said ruefully. \u201cI, umm . . . have a whole wastebasket full of paper wads just like THIS one . . . . \u201d he held up the wad his youngest brother had retrieved from the hall, \u201c . . . to show for an entire evening\u2019s work. Kinda pathetic, isn\u2019t it?\u201d He punctuated his words with a sardonic chuckle, as he dropped the paper wad in hand on top of its brethren, filling the waste basket beside his desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou SURE you\u2019re ok, Oldest Brother?\u201d Joe asked anxiously as he walked over and sat down on the edge of Adam\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m fine,\u201d Adam replied just a hair too quickly. \u201cI probably need to put it aside for a little while. How\u2019d things go with you and with Doctor Martin\u2019s friend this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well,\u201d Joe replied with a broad grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to hear it,\u201d Adam said, returning his younger brother\u2019s smile. \u201cI know you we\u2019re a little nervous this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA LITTLE nervous?!\u201d Joe laughed with genuine mirth. \u201cIf you thought I was only a LITTLE nervous, I\u2019d hate to see what you call a LOT nervous, Oldest Brother of Mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam found himself laughing along with Joe. \u201cSo . . . what was his diagnosis?\u201d the former asked, as their laughter began to wane.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Jefferies told me that the things I\u2019m feeling and experiencing right now are normal responses to what I went through with Lady Chadwick,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cHe also told me that eventually, I\u2019m going to come out of all this a better and stronger man for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure PA could\u2019ve told you that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe DID, Adam . . . many times,\u201d Joe admitted, feeling ever so slightly on the defensive. \u201cHe also told me that there\u2019s wisdom in consulting with an impartial third party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe found himself inwardly bristling against Adam\u2019s condescending, dismissive tone. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then slowly, silently counted to ten. \u201cAdam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Buddy?\u201d Adam queried as he returned his attention back to the task of drawing up the final plans for the first floor of his family\u2019s new home to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor awhile there . . . before I talked with Doctor Jefferies, I was scared,\u201d Joe said quietly, his smile fading. \u201cI thought sure I was gonna end up spending the rest of my life in a snake pit somewhere, wrapped up tight in a straight jacket, drooling and messing myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laid down his pencil, then looked up, favoring his youngest brother with a bewildered frown. \u201cWhere in the world did you get an idea like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept having these waking dreams, just like Pa\u2019s friend . . . you know, the guy who was sheriff over in Concho?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul Rowan?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the guy. One day, he fell into a waking dream and couldn\u2019t find his way back out,\u201d Joe said. \u201cPa told me it wasn\u2019t a sudden thing . . . that there\u2019d been a lot of things building up over time, but I was still scared to death. Talking with a doc who specialized in dealing with that sort of thing help me to realize I don\u2019t have to end up like Paul Rowan and . . . that Pa was right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout me coming out on the other side of all this stronger and better than I was before Lady Chadwick kidnapped me. To say I feel a lot better about things now is a gross understatement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re certainly LOOKING the best I\u2019ve seen you since I arrived,\u201d Adam remarked, upon seeing the easy smile back on his youngest brother\u2019s face, the posture more relaxed, a return of the old twinkle in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. Adam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Buddy?\u201d Adam murmured, as he once again picked up his pencil and turned back to the black sheet of paper spread out on the desk before him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I ask you something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay,\u201d Adam corrected automatically, without thinking.<\/p>\n

An exasperated sigh, soft, barely audible, escaped from between Joe\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe,\u201d Adam immediately apologized, with sincere regret. \u201cI guess I\u2019m so used to correcting Benjy and Dio these days, I\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you want to ask me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout your time in the desert with that guy, Kane,\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n

Adam groaned softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou went through hell with the man, Adam,\u201d Joe continued. \u201cWe all pretty much figured THAT out. What I\u2019m wondering is . . . well . . . I guess what I\u2019m wondering is how did YOU come through, with your sanity intact?\u201d His question drew a sharp glare from Adam. Joe flinched away from its intensity and the raw fury he saw smoldering in his oldest brother\u2019s golden brown eyes.<\/p>\n

Adam was immediately filled with remorse upon seeing the horrified, frightened look on Joe\u2019s face. \u201cJoe, I . . . I\u2019m sorry, I . . . . \u201d He sighed and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, I\u2019m sorry I asked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . think, perhaps right now ISN\u2019T a very good time,\u201d Adam said quickly. \u201cIt\u2019s late, for one thing . . . VERY late! . . . and just before Hoss and I left the Silver Dollar this . . . LAST evening, I heard that the Overland Stage, the one that left the day after I arrived, is missing. It should have arrived in Freedonia a week and a half ago, A young couple I met in Sacramento and with whom I became acquainted on the trip out, may be among the passengers on that missing stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou taking about that young couple . . . the newly weds?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss told me a little about \u2018em,\u201d Joe said. \u201cAdam, I\u2019m sorry . . . I had no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, don\u2019t give the matter another thought,\u201d Adam said quietly. \u201cThere\u2019s certainly no way you could\u2019ve known.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope they turn up ok.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rose, and stretched. \u201cI\u2019m gonna g\u2019won back to bed and let YOU do the same. I\u2019ll see you at breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night,\u201d Adam said, then smiled. \u201cSpending the afternoon today with Doctor Jefferies seems to have worked wonders for you, Joe. I meant it when I said that you\u2019re looking the best I\u2019ve seen you since I arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled back. \u201cThanks, Adam,\u201d he said, before quietly leaving the room.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Pa . . . \u2018mornin\u2019, Stacy,\u201d Joe greeted his father and sister affably, with a big, sunny smile. There was a definite spring in his step, and a sparkle in his gray-green eyes that had not been there since the night the Cartwrights\u2019 home had burned down.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Joe,\u201d Ben responded, returning his youngest son\u2019s smile with a warm one of his own. \u201cYou\u2019re in a good mood this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . I am, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Grandpa,\u201d Stacy returned his greeting, then sighed. \u201cI think I\u2019m envious!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnvious?\u201d Joe echoed, favoring his young sister with a bewildered frown. \u201cOf who? For what?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou!\u201d she quipped. \u201cI just noticed you\u2019re not walking with a limp!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe walked behind her, paused, and acting purely on impulse, planted a big kiss on top of her head. \u201cYou hang in there, Kid. You\u2019re gonna be walking \u2018n riding again before ya know it,\u201d he said as he continued around to his place on the other side of the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother\u2019s right, Young Woman,\u201d Ben said, offering his daughter a reassuring smile. \u201cAs for YOU, Joseph . . . I don\u2019t care how well you\u2019re getting around, you don\u2019t do anything strenuous before Doctor Martin tells ya you can. You understand me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Joe replied with a big, bold grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure that you do,\u201d Ben admonished.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs . . . Adam up yet?\u201d Joe asked, as he sat down in the place across the table from his sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cUp and gone, Son,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d Joe\u2019s face fell. \u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe and Hoss rode out at the crack of dawn this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope he took plenty of good, strong coffee with him,\u201d Joe murmured, shaking his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you say THAT, Grandpa?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he was up pretty late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Ben queried, favoring his youngest son with a bemused look.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. He woke me up in the wee early hours of the morning, yelling at somebody to shut-up,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cI went to his room to see what was wrong, and I found him still up, still dressed, laboring over those drawings of what\u2019s gonna be our upstairs. I guess he must\u2019ve dozed off and dreamed of whoever he was telling to shut-up, because when I went in and called his name? He must\u2019ve jumped ten feet. Pa . . . I\u2019m worried about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Ben queried, trying hard to ignore the uneasiness that had gnawed at him ever since Paul Martin had made that offhand remark in the post office, about being more worried if what had happened to Joe . . . had happened to Adam instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I ran in to check up on him, he told me about a stage being missing,\u201d Joe said, \u201cand said that he may have known two of the passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lines already present in Ben\u2019s brow deepened as his eyebrows came together to form an anxious frown. \u201cReally? I don\u2019t recall him saying anything about that last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t . . . leastwise not at the supper table,\u201d Joe said. \u201cI wanted to see him this morning, though . . . just to make sure he\u2019s alright . . . and I wanted to ask him something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was it you wanted to ask him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s certainly nothing that can\u2019t wait \u2018til later, Pa. I mainly wanted to make sure he was alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t say very much this morning,\u201d Ben said slowly. \u201cI know he\u2019s got a lot on his mind, now that work on our house has begun in earnest, and if he\u2019s also concerned about missing friends . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re those people close friends of Adam\u2019s?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cHoss told me they\u2019re a young couple, just married, headed home to Santa Fe. They got on the stage in Sacramento, when Adam did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of way stations between here and Santa Fe,\u201d Ben said, turning a deaf ear and blind eye to his own, steadily growing uneasiness, \u201cand a pretty fair number of \u2019em are in remote areas, with no access to telegraph or wire services. Chances are, they\u2019ll turn up at one of those stations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, Pa,\u201d Joe said quietly.<\/p>\n

As Adam and Hoss rounded the corner behind the barn and rode into the yard, they were very much surprised to find a small crowd gathered around the dug hole, that would soon be Hop Sing\u2019s root cellar. They were mostly women and children, all family members of the ranch hands who worked on the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what\u2019s going on,\u201d Adam murmured, as he and Hoss dismounted.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh. THAT looks like Doc Martin\u2019s buggy over there,\u201d Hoss said, with an anxious frown.<\/p>\n

George Farlyn and Jacob Cromwell, upon catching sight of the two older Cartwright brothers, left their places at the edge of the hole, and started moving toward Adam and Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019 Jacob . . . George,\u201d Hoss greeted both men with a curt nod. \u201cWhat\u2019s goin\u2019 on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I . . . doggone it, I don\u2019t know what t\u2019 say,\u201d Jacob said, flustered, shaking his head at the utter futility. \u201cI know I\u2019VE told those kids, time \u2018n time again, t\u2019 stay away from the buildin\u2019 site. So have Hank \u2018n Candy . . . \u2018n their folks, too, I dare say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a young fella by the name o\u2019 Jeremy Watkins,\u201d George said. \u201cHe and a couple of friends were playing near the construction site and . . . somehow . . . Jeremy ended up falling into the hole we dug for Hop Sing\u2019s root cellar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately children, especially little boys, seem drawn to building sites like iron to lodestone,\u201d Adam remarked wryly, as his thoughts drifted back to memories of some of his youngest brother\u2019s exploits, when HE was a child. \u201cWas he badly hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc\u2019s pretty sure Jeremy\u2019s got a busted leg, maybe a cracked rib or two,\u201d Jacob said grimly, as Adam and Hoss handed their horses\u2019 reins over to one of the younger hands. \u201cOther than that . . . . \u201d He shrugged.<\/p>\n

Upon reaching the edge, the Cartwright brothers saw that someone had placed a ladder down into the hole. Doctor Paul Martin, clad in a pair of brown pants and the white shirt he had worn the previous day, both hastily donned, was hard at work splinting the boy\u2019s left leg. Thelma Watkins, Jeremy\u2019s mother knelt down on the other side of her son, facing the doctor. Hoss climbed down first, followed by Adam.<\/p>\n

Thelma looked up at the two older Cartwright sons, as they approached. \u201cHoss, I . . . I just plain don\u2019t know WHAT to say,\u201d she said in the same helpless tone, they had heard in Jacob Cromwell\u2019s voice moments ago. \u201cThese kids have been told, over \u2018n over \u2018n over again . . . . \u201d She directed a meaningful scowl in the general direction of her young son, lying before her on the ground.<\/p>\n

Hoss knelt down beside the flustered, distraught, and angry young mother. \u201cIs Jeremy gonna be alright?\u201d he asked, directing his question to Thelma and to the doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis leg\u2019s broken,\u201d Paul Martin glanced up at Hoss, then over at Adam. \u201cSimple fracture. I\u2019ve already set the bone, and I\u2019m just about through splinting it. That\u2019ll keep everything in place long enough to get the boy up out of here and to my office in town where I can put a proper cast on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he hurt elsewhere, Doctor?\u201d Thelma asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s covered with cuts and bruises . . . par for the course with a tumble like Jeremy took, but nothing serious . . . apart from the broken leg,\u201d Paul said in a calm, reassuring tone of voice. \u201cI\u2019ve cleaned all the cuts, and bandaged a couple of the larger ones, but they should all heal up pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Jeremy, looks like you got t\u2019 stay home from school for a li\u2019l while,\u201d Hoss said with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Jeremy smiled, delighted at the prospect.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be home from school for a time, Young Man, but you\u2019re gonna keep up with your lessons,\u201d Thelma said sternly.<\/p>\n

Jeremy\u2019s face fell. \u201cYou mean . . . I STILL gotta do my homework?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Jeremy, you\u2019ve still gotta do your homework.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAwww, Ma . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you \u2018aww, Ma,\u2019 ME, Young Man. Furthermore, when that cast comes off, \u2018n you\u2019re up \u2018n about again, you\u2019re gonna be gettin\u2019 a few more chores added to your list. Maybe THAT\u2019LL keep ya outta mischief.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDOC MARTIN??! DOC MARTIN!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, Hoss, the Watkins, and the doctor all glanced up toward the edge of the hole, from whence the frantic voice issued. A moment later, the pale, worn face of Darryl Hughes, the O\u2019Briens\u2019 young foreman appeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc, y\u2019 gotta come back to town with me,\u201d Darryl said. \u201cMister O\u2019Brien, Mrs. McShane \u2018n me . . . we found a lady in the desert coming back from Eastgate last night. She\u2019s in a bad way, Doc. A REAL bad way!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEastgate?!\u201d Adam echoed, his earlier feelings of foreboding deepening.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . . \u201d An anxious frown creased Hoss\u2019 brow upon noting his older brother\u2019s ashen gray complexion and round, staring eyes. \u201c . . . y-you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, did he say Eastgate?!\u201d Adam anxiously pressed. There was a troubling edge to his voice Hoss had only heard there once before . . . when his older brother had insisted upon seeing a man named Peter Kane lying dead in his grave.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have that big horse auction there twice a year, Adam . . . remember?\u201d Hoss said in a quiet, calm tone of voice. \u201cThe O\u2019Briens musta gone there \u2018n sold that string o\u2019 horses they been workin\u2019 on for the last six months.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMISTER HUGHES?!\u201d Paul Martin called out to the O\u2019Briens\u2019 foreman, as he scrambled to his feet. \u201cWHERE IS THIS YOUNG LADY NOW?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI LEFT HER WITH YOUR WIFE, \u2018N MRS. McSHANE BACK AT YOUR OFFICE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDARRYL, YOU G\u2019WON BACK TO TOWN . . . TELL MY WIFE AND MRS. McSHANE I\u2019M RIGHT BEHIND YOU,\u201d Paul yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018EY . . . JACOB?!\u201d Hoss called out to Jacob Cromwell, who still remained standing at the edge of the hole.<\/p>\n

\u201cYEAH, HOSS?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTAKE DARRYL IN THE BARN \u2018N GIVE HIM A FRESH HORSE,\u201d Hoss ordered, \u201cAND GIT MITCH OR BOBBY T\u2019 LOOK AFTER KENTUCKY BLUE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYES, SIR,\u201d Jacob replied, as he turned and started moving away from the edge.<\/p>\n

\u201cTHANKS, HOSS. MUCH OBLIGED.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU\u2019RE WELCOME, DARRYL.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve finished splinting Jeremy\u2019s leg, Mrs. Watkins,\u201d Paul Martin said, returning his attention to the anxious mother of his young patient. \u201cThat\u2019ll hold until you can get him into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be bringing him in myself soon as we can get him up outta this hole and situated in the back of a buckboard,\u201d Thelma said, as both she, Adam, and the doctor rose to their feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . Thelma . . . \u2018n you, too, Doc. Why don\u2019t the three of ya go ahead on up?\u201d Hoss said. \u201cI\u2019ll bring Jeremy up with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure you can manage him alright, Hoss?\u201d Thelma asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss CAN manage, but if it\u2019ll make you feel better, I\u2019ll follow him up the ladder and keep a close eye on Jeremy,\u201d Adam offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright . . . yes. That WOULD make me feel a lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Mrs. Watkins, up YOU go,\u201d Paul Martin said, gesturing toward the ladder.<\/p>\n

Thelma nodded curtly, then started up the ladder, with Paul following a few moments later.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Jeremy, you \u2018n me\u2019s next,\u201d Hoss said, as he knelt down beside the injured youngster. \u201cY\u2019 remember how y\u2019 used t\u2019 play \u2018Horse\u2019 with your pa \u2018n me, when you was younger?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, \u2018cause I\u2019m gonna have ya climb on my back like y\u2019 used t\u2019 do back then,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cI\u2019m also gonna need ya t\u2019 wrap your arms around my neck real tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Jeremy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty good long way up, and . . . well, I\u2019m kinda scared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Jeremy,\u201d Hoss said kindly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t mad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I ain\u2019t mad,\u201d Hoss quickly assured the boy. \u201cOne thing t\u2019 help ya NOT be scared is t\u2019 hold on t\u2019 me real tight, an\u2019 t\u2019 just look up. Think y\u2019 can do that for a little bit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . as long as it\u2019s just a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJeremy, I\u2019m going to be following right behind Hoss,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn case I . . . slip?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going to slip,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou look to me like you\u2019re a big, strong young man. Not big like my brother, Hoss, but getting there . . . and I can plainly see that you\u2019ve got plenty of strength to hold on long enough for us to get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReady, Jeremy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready, Mister Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam carefully helped the boy rise up onto his good foot, while Hoss edged closer. Jeremy wrapped his long, bone slender arms around Hoss\u2019 neck and clung for dear life. Hoss rose, with Adam\u2019s assistance, keeping one hand on Jeremy to keep him steady. Three long, quick strides brought Hoss and Jeremy to the bottom of the ladder.<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on, Jeremy. I\u2019m startin\u2019 up.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few moments later, everyone gathered around the hole exhaled a collective sigh of relief, as Hoss and Jeremy stepped from the lost rung of the ladder onto terra firma.<\/p>\n

\u201cThelma, if y\u2019 want t\u2019 use our buckboard, I\u2019ll ask one o\u2019 the men t\u2019 get it ready,\u201d Hoss said, as he knelt down, so that the boy\u2019s mother and Adam might help him down off Hoss\u2019 back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you kindly, Hoss . . . but, my man\u2019s gone t\u2019 fetch ours,\u201d Thelma said, \u201cbut, I\u2019d be much obliged if we could use some fresh straw t\u2019 line the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp yourself,\u201d Hoss readily assented. \u201cYou can borrow a blanket, too, if ya need it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thelma nodded her thanks, then, with the able assistance of Ellen Cromwell, turned her attention to the task of helping Jeremy over to the water trough.<\/p>\n

She woke from her daze to find herself lying on a cold, hard metal examination table, stark naked, save for the thin white sheet covering her upper torso. Her dark eyes were glued to the ceiling, to a small dark spot directly over head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spot,\u201d she silently told herself. \u201cThink of the spot. Nothing else but that spot. It\u2019s a dark spot, not very big. I can barely see it from here. Concentrate on the spot . . . nothing else . . . but . . . the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

She caught movement at the very edge of her peripheral vision, slight, but enough to break her concentration, to draw her focus away from the spot. She shuddered as a shadow passed over her eyes, long and thin, enough to dim the late morning sunlight shining in through the window.<\/p>\n

. . . and in the shadow, she found herself lying once more on the desert sands, with two big, burly men holding her down. She struggled mightily to free herself, to rise, but her efforts were in vain. It was like struggling with all her might, with every last ounce of her strength to push over one of those giant redwood trees, she and her husband saw in California . . . so long ago . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . almost a whole other lifetime ago.<\/p>\n

Three faces moved into view . . . frightening faces, unshaven, smiling down at her as if she were something good to eat, their eyes burning with an evil, bitter hatred. Two large, well muscled hands seized the neckline of her chemise, the only piece of clothing that still covered her body.<\/p>\n

Somewhere, off in the far distance, she heard the sounds of someone sobbing . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . no, please . . . pl-please . . . not again!\u201d the young patient sobbed, as she struggled desperately to keep the sheet in place over her upper torso. \u201cOh, D-Dear G-God . . . n-not again . . . not again!\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Martin immediately removed his hand from the edge of the sheet covering the patient, and stepped back away from the table. Though certainly not the first time a woman, who had endured the pain and humiliation of having been raped, ever recoiled from his touch, it nonetheless cut deep to the heart.<\/p>\n

Crystal McShane, who had not left the young woman\u2019s side since she had stumbled into their camp the night before, stood next to the examination table, with the patient\u2019s small hand clasped gently, yet firmly in her own larger one. She leaned over and slipped her arm under the young woman\u2019s heaving shoulders and held her close.<\/p>\n

Lily Martin, who had taken up position on the other side of the examination table, now moved toward her husband. She quietly slipped her arm through the crook of his, then gently squeezed his hand as she pressed close to his side. \u201cPaul, you have no choice,\u201d she whispered. \u201cYou can\u2019t treat her wounds until you examine her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Paul whispered back, his voice unsteady. \u201cProblem is, despite my intention to heal, to treat her wounds, as you say . . . leastwise the PHYSICAL ones . . . I\u2019M forced to violate her every bit as much as the man, or the men who raped her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould you give her a dose of laudanum, or better yet chloroform?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul shook his head. \u201cShe\u2019s running a high fever, and is dangerously weak, from being out in the desert as long as she was with no food or water. I give her too much of either one . . . it could kill her.\u201d<\/p>\n

At length, the young patient\u2019s deep, heart wrenching sobbing gradually subsided to an occasional soft hiccup. Crystal hugged her closer, and gently pushed back a stray lock of hair that had fallen down into the young woman\u2019s face. \u201cI\u2019m here,\u201d she said softly, \u201cand I\u2019m going to stay right here for as long as you need me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019m not going to insult you by telling you I know how you feel right now, when I don\u2019t. I know you\u2019ve been hurt physically and in here . . . \u201d She touched the place of her own heart, \u201c . . . in just about the worst way a woman CAN be hurt. You\u2019re also alone in a strange place among strangers. I . . . can\u2019t begin to imagine how frightening that must be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I want t-to die,\u201d the woman sobbed. \u201cPlease . . . please let me die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear you say that with your lips, and with your heart, but somewhere . . . deep down inside, I see a part of you that wants very much to live,\u201d Crystal said gently. \u201cThat part of you gave you the strength, the courage, the iron will to leave the place you were and travel I don\u2019t know HOW many days across harsh desert to our camp last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCourage,\u201d the woman murmured bitterly. \u201cYou confuse courage with cowardice. I was plain and simply too afraid to die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I said before . . . I have no idea in the world what you\u2019re feeling right now, but, I DO know the difference between courage and cowardice,\u201d Crystal said in a very gentle, yet very firm tone of voice, \u201cand I\u2019ve not seen one bit of cowardice in you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut . . . I AM afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very understandable. But there\u2019s also a big world of difference between being afraid and being a coward.\u201d Crystal paused to allow her words, what she felt to be her poor wisdom given the circumstances, to sink in. \u201cCourage is finding the wherewithal to act when you ARE afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young woman began to cry again. \u201cI . . . I . . . I always th-thought . . . c-courage was n-not being . . . afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re NOT afraid, then you have no need of courage,\u201d Crystal said gently. She held the hurt, frightened young woman, and allowed her to cry on her shoulder for a time.<\/p>\n

When, at last, the young patient\u2019s weeping once more began to subside, Crystal took a deep breath, and mentally braced herself for what had to be said next, while at the same time, wishing with all her being she didn\u2019t have to utter her next words. \u201cYou\u2019ve been so courageous. I . . . to be honest, I . . . I have doubts as to whether or not I could summon the strength and courage you have, had I gone through what you\u2019ve endured,\u201d she said very quietly. \u201cEven so, I need to ask of you one more act of courage.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young woman looked up at Crystal, her eyes filled with dread.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin needs to finish examining you,\u201d Crystal continued. \u201cTo do that, and to treat your injuries . . . the physical ones . . . he needs to go into the places where you\u2019ve already been so badly hurt. I wish it didn\u2019t have to be. I wish that with everything that\u2019s within me. But, unfortunately, wishing can\u2019t change what needs to happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to know that, if you want me, I\u2019ll be right here . . . right by your side,\u201d Crystal continued. \u201cI also want to let you know that I\u2019ve known Doctor Paul Martin all my life. He helped my ma bring me into this world, and he helped me bring my two boys into this world. He\u2019s a very kind, very gentle man, who I believe was put on this earth to HEAL.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . you\u2019ll b-be with me?\u201d the woman asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, if you want me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. I . . . I will try to endure . . . so the doctor c-can finish . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal raised her head, looked over at Paul Martin, stricken and weary . . . and nodded.<\/p>\n

She turned her eyes once more to the ceiling, to that spot directly overhead, forcing herself to think of the spot . . . the spot . . . nothing else . . . just the spot. In that spot, she beheld the image of a man, an older man, aged twenty-eight, very soon to be twenty-nine. Their family and friends had a surprise birthday party planned for him, when they arrived home from their honeymoon trip.<\/p>\n

The man was tall, and thin, clean shaven, with eyes the same dark brown, almost black as her own, and a full head of wavy, jet black hair. He smiled down at her with that beautiful smile, a row of straight, pearl white teeth, against the darkness of his olive complexion. Its warmth flooded her entire being.<\/p>\n

Then the image changed, as in a dream. The man now stood before the woman she saw lying on the doctor\u2019s examination table, as she must have appeared before the terrible evil that had befallen her. She was so very young, no more than eighteen, maybe nineteen at the most. The top of her head barely reached the middle of the man\u2019s chest. Her long, luxuriant, coal black hair framed her delicate oval shaped face like a halo.<\/p>\n

She smiled as the man kissed the woman. She could almost feel his lips gently pressing against her own, his hands caressing her face, her hair . . . .<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the vision was gone . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . leaving her all alone, except for the kindly, white haired woman, standing next to the examination table, on her right, holding her hand firmly clasped in both of her own . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . and Mrs. McShane, standing on her left, holding her other hand, and gently stroking that matted, tangled mass, once her crowning glory . . . just the way Mama did, when she was very little . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . and the doctor, examining her, cleaning and salving the raw, wounded places. Though his were the gentle hands of a well practiced healer, his touch violated her every bit as much as the evil monsters who had so cruelly used her.<\/p>\n

Lorenzo . . . .<\/p>\n

My Dear, Sweet, Beloved Lorenzo . . . .<\/p>\n

Now, when I need you most of all, the hand of Cruel Providence has snatched you up and taken you away from me . . . .<\/p>\n

Leaving me to face this alone.<\/p>\n

No . . . .<\/p>\n

No . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d she whimpered. \u201cOh, God, no . . . please . . . . please don\u2019t t-touch me . . . don\u2019t l-let him touch me . . . . \u201d She tried to pull her legs together, to roll over and curl up as she was when she lay in her mother\u2019s womb.<\/p>\n

\u201cLily . . . Crystal . . . please . . . try and hold her for just a few more minutes,\u201d Paul Martin begged, his face mirroring the hopeless anguish in that of his patient. \u201cI\u2019ll be through in just a few more minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal moved in closer, and slipped her arm under the young woman\u2019s shoulders. \u201cHold on to me,\u201d she whispered. \u201cThe doctor\u2019s almost finished. Just hold on to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She wrapped her arms tight around Crystal\u2019s neck, and wept, as the doctor quickly finished his ministrations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m finished,\u201d Paul Martin said wearily, as he rose to his feet.<\/p>\n

Crystal continued to hold onto the young woman, until finally, she had cried herself into a deep, exhausted sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like me to stay here with her for a few days, Doctor?\u201d Crystal asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you could, yes! I would appreciate that very much,\u201d Paul Martin said wearily. \u201cShe knows you . . . she obviously TRUSTS you. Being in a strange place among strangers after all she was forced to endure . . . to say she could use someone willing to be a friend would be a gross understatement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019ll stay here while you two speak with Hugh,\u201d Lily offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Martin,\u201d Crystal said gratefully. \u201cI promise you . . . I won\u2019t be long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon entering his formal parlor, located on the first floor of the townhouse he and his wife, Lily shared, Paul was surprised to find Roy Coffee waiting with Hugh O\u2019Brien and Darryl Hughes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sent Darryl to fetch him, Doc,\u201d Hugh said by way of explaining the sheriff\u2019s presence. \u201cSomebody put that poor li\u2019l gal through hell, \u2018n I figured the sheriff oughtta know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHugh \u2018n Darryl also said she was mumblin\u2019 somethin\u2019 about a stage coach robbery,\u201d Roy added. \u201cIt just so happens, yesterday evening, I got a wire from the Overland Office in Phoenix about a stage bein\u2019 overdue. It would\u2019ve left Virginia City . . . . \u201d He lapsed into silence, as he did some mental figuring. \u201cIt wouldda been nearly a week ago now, or somewhere there abouts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, my patient\u2019s sleeping right now,\u201d the doctor said, \u201cand for the time being, I\u2019d like to let her sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill I be able t\u2019 speak with her in the mornin\u2019, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t count on it,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cShe\u2019s running a high fever . . . she\u2019s dangerously dehydrated . . . her fingers and toes show signs of frostbite . . . she\u2019s so badly sun burnt, I fear she may have sun poisoning, and inside . . . . \u201d He shuddered. \u201cInside, she looks like a piece of raw beef, freshly skinned and butchered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee\u2019s face lost nearly every bit of color that it had. \u201cY-You mean . . . she\u2019s been . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded, accurately discerning the question the sheriff couldn\u2019t bring himself to voice. \u201cThe only patient I\u2019ve ever treated who was in WORSE shape was Lotus O\u2019Toole,\u201d he said very quietly.<\/p>\n

Roy sighed and shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s a real sad comment of our kind the way some men out there figure every woman\u2019s free for their takin\u2019,\u201d he observed, his face darkening with anger. \u201cMy ma \u2018n pa really pounded this business o\u2019 treatin\u2019 a woman with respect real hard. If my pa even so much as caught me lookin\u2019 the wrong way at a gal, my butt got warmed with his razor strap real quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSame here, except MY pa contented himself with using his belt,\u201d Paul said. \u201cLily taught me a thing or two about respecting women also, and SHE was every bit the exacting taskMISTRESS as my pa was the taskMASTER. Only difference was, my wife didn\u2019t beat me with a belt, though there were a couple of times I wish she had. At any rate, Roy, I can\u2019t tell you for certain right now when or if my patient be up for questioning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Roy murmured, then turned to Crystal. \u201cMind if I ask YOU a couple questions, Crystal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Sheriff Coffee, especially if it may help you catch the **** it was that did this to her,\u201d Crystal assented with a grim, angry look on her face. The word was Shoshone. From the way her father blanched, Roy knew it had to be a real bad one.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas she told ya her name?\u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal shook her head. \u201cShe cried out for somebody named Lorenzo a few times during the night, this morning on the way here, and a couple of times in there, while the doctor was examining her. Though, she hasn\u2019t told me who Lorenzo is . . . I\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019s her husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do ya figure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen she first spoke of the stage robbery, she begged us in the same breath to help her husband . . . who had been shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she tell ya anything about where this stage robbery took place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll she said was her husband . . . the others, presumably the other passengers, and the stage itself was back there,\u201d Crystal replied. \u201cTo be perfectly up front and honest with ya, Sheriff Coffee, I can\u2019t tell you for sure whether or not this stage robbery isn\u2019t the product of several days exposure to the desert sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere IS a stage coach out there missin\u2019 . . . . It left here a week, maybe a week \u2018n a half ago, \u2018n should\u2019ve reached Freedonia . . . five goin\u2019 on six days ago,\u201d Roy said. \u201cI sent wires off this mornin\u2019 to Freedonia an\u2019 to the Overland Stage\u2019s main office for more information. I\u2019ll have a better idea what\u2019s what when I hear back from \u2018em. One more question, Crystal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d ya meet up with this woman anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the water hole, about fifteen miles southwest of here,\u201d Crystal replied. \u201cI have no idea how long she had been out in the desert, but I figure it couldn\u2019t be anymore \u2018n three . . . four days. That\u2019s all a body can go without food AND water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBig difference between three or four days \u2018n pert near the week \u2018n a half what\u2019s passed since that stage left HERE,\u201d the sheriff mused thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was also going on about being taken away,\u201d Crystal added. \u201cAssuming there WAS a stage robbery, it\u2019s possible the robbers abducted her so they could go right on using her for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Crystal. Much obliged,\u201d Roy said as he rose. \u201cNow I gotta big favor t\u2019 ask ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she says anything to you about who she is . . . anymore about that stage robbery . . . or anything about where the stage \u2018n the others are, I\u2019d sure appreciate it, if ya\u2019d let me know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Crystal promised. \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Crys?\u201d Hugh replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . hate leavin\u2019 ya short handed, but I think I\u2019d best stay with our young friend in there . . . at least for the next couple of days,\u201d Crystal said. \u201cI\u2019m probably the closest thing she\u2019s got to a friend here in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kinda figured ya might,\u201d Hugh said, \u201cso I talked Darryl into takin\u2019 his days off not THIS weekend comin\u2019 up, but the next weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we\u2019re at the dance, I\u2019m gonna ask Rebecca to go to the church social with me comin\u2019 up Sunday a week,\u201d Darryl said with a big, wide grin. \u201cI could use the Saturday before to gussy up a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal smiled. \u201cGlad to see you\u2019re taking my advice, Darryl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah?! What advice is THAT?\u201d Hugh demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy advice on handling women . . . remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, we got a reply from Freedonia,\u201d Deputy Clem Foster said grimly, by way of greeting, upon Roy\u2019s return to his office that afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Clem,\u201d Roy murmured softly. He took the sheet of paper from his deputy, and read over the message scrawled there. Brief, succinct, and to the point, it read:<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee [stop]<\/p>\n

Stage still missing, six days overdue [stop] So far search parties find nothing [stop]<\/p>\n

A [stop] D [stop] Dewey
\nManager Freedonia Depot [stop; end of message]\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like that stage never got t\u2019 Freedonia,\u201d Roy mused grimly. \u201cWas there anything from Overland\u2019s headquarters over at the telegraph office?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but I DID get a passenger list from the depot manager here,\u201d Clem replied. \u201cI left it on your desk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy nodded his thanks, before walking over to his desk and sitting down. The passenger list lay square in the middle of the desk, amid a half dozen piles of paperwork. Clem had weighted it down with his lucky horseshoe, a memento left over from his very first horse, Palomino Joe, a distant cousin several times removed to his present horse, Tin Star. Roy returned the horseshoe to its place in the top, right hand drawer, then sat down to look over the list:<\/p>\n

Sally Johnson
\nAnnie Johnson, her daughter (5 years old)
\nBrentwood J. Carroll
\nMaria Estevan
\nLorenzo Estevan
\nTom Haney
\nEzekiel Cruthers
\nRuth Cruthers
\nHe was personally acquainted with four people on that list. Mrs. Johnson had gone to Carson City to help care for her ailing mother. She had taken her youngest child with her, leaving her husband and three older children, all boys, to fend for themselves at home. Roy remembered overhearing Zeb Johnson telling a couple of friends in the C Street Caf\u00e9, that his wife and daughter had, in fact, arrived safely in Carson City, the day after they had left. He had received a wire from them that morning.<\/p>\n

His eyes moved down to the names listed at the very bottom: Ezekiel and Ruth Cruthers. They had owned a pretty fair sized farm that earned them and their family a good living for a number of years. Their children, numbering five, were grown. The two youngest, both boys, were attending college back east somewhere. The three eldest, two daughters and another son, were married, the two daughters with growing families of their own.<\/p>\n

With their children gone, and Ezekiel ailing, the Cruthers had sold their farm, earning a handsome profit. Doc Martin had told Ezekiel that living through another winter here in Nevada would, at best, be very detrimental to his health. If severe, he may not even survive it. They had made the decision to move down to Prescott, where their eldest daughter lived with her husband and children, and had left the same day as Mrs. Johnson and her daughter.<\/p>\n

Roy made a mental note to wire his friend, Amos Dudley, the sheriff over in Carson City, to verify that the missing stage did reach Carson City, and to ask for a passenger list to see if anyone new got on board. He, then, scanned down the list of names once again, this time stopping abruptly in the middle. \u201cEstevan . . . . \u201d he murmured. \u201cEstevan . . . . \u201d The name niggled at the edge of his memory. \u201cEstevan,\u201d he repeated the name very softly. Then, he remembered.<\/p>\n

The newly wed couple who had traveled from Sacramento to Virginia City with Adam Cartwright! THEIR last name was Estevan! Her name was Maria and his\u2014<\/p>\n

Roy gasped, as the blood suddenly drained right out of his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee?!\u201d Clem glanced over at him, noting his paled complexion with an anxious frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Estevans,\u201d the sheriff murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper.<\/p>\n

Clem\u2019s frown deepened. \u201cWho . . . are the Estevans?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaria and Lorenzo Estevan! Adam Cartwright was tellin\u2019 me about \u2018em last night over at the Silver Dollar,\u201d Roy explained, feeling horribly sick at heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey friends of his?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe met \u2018em when they all got on board the stage in Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI take it their names are on your passenger list?\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s too bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s worse \u2018n that, Clem,\u201d Roy said grimly. \u201cThat gal the O\u2019Briens found in the desert kept cryin\u2019 out for a fella named Lorenzo, leastwise accordin\u2019 t\u2019 what Crystal McShane said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think she\u2019s Mrs. Estevan?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m almost sure of it now that I got two \u2018n two t\u2019 put together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen . . . her story about a stage robbery . . . is true?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beginnin\u2019 t\u2019 look that way.\u201d Roy opened the bottom left hand drawer of his desk and drew out a blank sheet of paper. He jotted down a simple message, then handed it over to Clem. It read:<\/p>\n

\u201cAmos Dudley Sheriff Carson City. Confirm safe arrival Overland Stage Tuesday three weeks ago Carson City late afternoon. Send passenger list same stage leaving following day. Thank you. Roy Coffee Sheriff Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like ya t\u2019 take that down to the telegraph office \u2018n have that sent t\u2019 Amos,\u201d Roy ordered, rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want me to wait for a reply?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you best get back here. Tell whoever\u2019s on duty if he gits a reply, to bring it here t\u2019 the sheriff\u2019s office,\u201d Roy said, as he removed his gun belt from the back of his chair and strapped it to his waist. \u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019m gonna stop by Doc Martin\u2019s again, t\u2019 see how things are with that li\u2019l gal, then, I\u2019m gonna stop by the Fletchers house \u2018n leave word there for Adam about his friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Cartwright, you put that checker piece right back where you found it!\u201d Susannah O\u2019Brien turned on her opponent with a dark, murderous glare.<\/p>\n

Joe gasped in pure melodramatic mock outrage. \u201cSusannah, are you insinuating that I\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope! I\u2019m not insinuating a thing! I\u2019m saying it straight out. YOU moved that piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE I moved that piece! It was MY turn, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, Susannah . . . you\u2019ve gotta watch HIM like a hawk,\u201d Stacy chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Susannah . . . did you actually see me move . . . whatever piece you\u2019re accusing me of moving . . . out of turn?\u201d Joe asked, all too wide eyed and innocent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, no, I\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled. \u201cAll right, then,\u201d he said in a reasonable tone of voice. \u201cNow why don\u2019t you just put aside all those nasty lying pieces of slander my brother and sister have no doubt filled your pretty little head with . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

This prompted a sigh and a sarcastic roll of the eyes from Stacy.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and let\u2019s enjoy the rest of our game,\u201d Joe blithely rambled on. \u201cHalf the lies Hoss and Stacy have told you aren\u2019t even true, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cONLY half?\u201d Susannah quipped, grinning from ear-to-ear.<\/p>\n

A knock on the door forestalled the reply sitting at the edge of Joe\u2019s tongue. \u201cLooks like its up to ME,\u201d he said rising, casting a pointed glance at Stacy cast.<\/p>\n

Stacy stuck out her tongue.<\/p>\n

Joe returned the gesture, then thumbed up his nose for good measure, before turning and walking over to the front door. He was surprised to find Roy Coffee standing out on the doorstep. \u201cSheriff Coffee! Come on in. I guess you want to see Pa about something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he\u2019s around,\u201d Roy said, as he stepped inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s upstairs,\u201d Joe said. \u201cI\u2019ll call him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, Stacy . . . Susannah,\u201d Roy walked over toward the settee, occupied by the two young women. \u201cHow\u2019re things goin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019M doing fine,\u201d Susannah said immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and I\u2019m coming along,\u201d Stacy said with a rueful glance down at her cast. \u201cHopefully the cast comes off and stays off in another five weeks or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you behave yourself,\u201d Roy said sternly, \u201c \u2018n make sure y\u2019 mind what the doc says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no cause to worry about that, Roy,\u201d Ben said by way of greeting, as he and Joe walked over toward the settee. \u201cStacy, and Joe, too, for that matter have been good as gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you want Susannah and me to go upstairs or something?\u201d Stacy asked, noting the grim look that had settled on Roy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the three of you stay put and finish your game,\u201d Ben said, \u201cand Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPut back that piece you moved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s admonition elicited a bark of merry laughter from Susannah. Joe favored her with the meanest glare he could possibly summon, as he complied with his father\u2019s request.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, why don\u2019t the two of us step outside?\u201d Ben invited, gesturing toward the front door.<\/p>\n

Roy nodded mutely, then fell instep behind Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what Sheriff Coffee wants?\u201d Stacy asked, after her father and the sheriff had stepped out onto the front porch, closing the door behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe said slowly. \u201cIf it had anything to do with Crippensworth and Lady Chadwick, I would\u2019ve thought they\u2019d ask ME to step outside too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kinda think it has something to do with that young woman Pa, Crystal, and Darryl found out in the desert last night, coming home from Eastgate,\u201d Susannah said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat woman?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

Susannah told Joe and Stacy all she knew.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up, Roy?\u201d Ben asked, as he and the sheriff stepped out onto the Fletchers\u2019 front stoop.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Adam gets back\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone mention my name?\u201d It was Adam. He had already dismounted from Sport II, and was leading him up the drive, which lead to the stable in back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re home early, Son,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I need to get moving on those final drawings for new house, so I can begin to work out how much more we\u2019re going to need in the way of logs, lumber, and other building supplies,\u201d Adam said, as the three walked together, toward the back of the house. \u201cI\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t get very much done last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019re things comin\u2019 along with that new house otherwise?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe repairs to the foundation are nearly done,\u201d Adam began to cheerfully, with a touch of pride, recite the litany of progress thus far made, \u201c . . . we\u2019ve already dug out Hop Sing\u2019s new root and wine cellar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeard about the Watkins boy,\u201d Roy grunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to the Watkins boy?\u201d Ben demanded anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how young boys are about construction sites, Pa,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYoung Jeremy and a couple of his friends were playing near the hole in the ground that\u2019s going to be Hop Sing\u2019s root cellar, and . . . Jeremy took a tumble down into the hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell ya . . . that boy\u2019s as bad as Joe was at the same age,\u201d Ben muttered darkly under his breath. He sighed, and shook his head, before turning to gaze over at Adam. \u201cIs Jeremy all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe broke his leg,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cDoc Martin said it was a simple fracture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw his ma \u2018n pa carryin\u2019 him into the Doc\u2019s office a li\u2019l while ago,\u201d the sheriff said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t happen again, Pa,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI asked Hank and Candy to put a couple of men on the site, after Mister Farlyn and the other men leave for the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Ben declared with an emphatic nod of his head. \u201cNot that I\u2019m happy about the boy being injured mind you, but . . . now that it\u2019s happened . . . I sure hope it serves as a real good object lesson to Jeremy\u2019s friends and the other children we have living on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it will, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Roy . . . what can I do for ya?\u201d Ben asked, turning his complete attention to the lawman.<\/p>\n

\u201cActually I came t\u2019 leave ya a message for ADAM, but seein\u2019 as how he\u2019s here . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for ya, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . have news \u2018bout that young couple you was tellin\u2019 me about last night over at the Silver Dollar,\u201d Roy said, as the three entered the stable.<\/p>\n

The stricken look on the sheriff\u2019s pale face immediately told Adam that the news, in all likelihood, wasn\u2019t good. \u201cWhat did you find out?\u201d the eldest Cartwright son asked warily, as he tethered Sport II to one of the support beams, and set himself to the task of removing the saddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cHugh, Crystal, \u2018n their foreman found a young woman out in the desert on their way back from that horse auction over in Eastgate,\u201d Roy began.<\/p>\n

An anxious frown deepened the lines of Ben\u2019s brow upon hearing a sharp intake of breath from his eldest when Roy mentioned Eastgate.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast night, they made camp at a water hole, \u2018bout ten . . . fifteen miles, t\u2019 the south west o\u2019 here,\u201d the sheriff continued. \u201cThis woman . . . I don\u2019t think she\u2019s any older \u2018n Stacy, kinda blundered into their camp. She was in a real bad way. It was real clear she\u2019d been wanderin\u2019 around out in the desert for awhile . . . she was feverish, goin\u2019 on \u2018bout a stage robbery, her husband bein\u2019 shot\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam removed the bridle and blanket, handing both to his father. \u201cYou think this woman is . . . Mrs. Estevan?\u201d he asked, as he reached for a brush.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost certain of it,\u201d Roy said grimly. \u201cThat overdue stage ain\u2019t shown up in or around Freedonia, \u2018n your friends, the Estevans WERE on the list of passengers who left Virginia City on that stage a week \u2018n a half ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is this young woman now?\u201d Adam demanded curtly.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s over at Doc Martin\u2019s,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cCrystal McShane\u2019s with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, as soon as I get Sport II stabled, I\u2019m going over to Doctor Martin\u2019s and see this young woman,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, there\u2019s one more thing y\u2019 gotta know,\u201d Roy Coffee said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat li\u2019l gal\u2019s been . . . . \u201d Two bright splotches of red appeared on his cheeks. \u201cAdam, that li\u2019l gal\u2019s been used. Real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam could feel the blood draining right out of his face, and his knees suddenly turning to jelly. He automatically reached out and held onto his horse for support. A vision of the young couple, as he had last seen them, standing on the porch of the hotel . . . smiling, happy, their arms about each others\u2019 waists, waving good-bye to Hoss and himself . . . flashed before his mind\u2019s eye. The thought of Lorenzo Estevan lying somewhere out in the desert shot to death, and his beautiful young wife, Maria . . . .<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Adam didn\u2019t want to think anymore.
\n\u201cAdam?\u201d Sheriff Coffee prompted, disturbed by the younger man\u2019s sudden silence. \u201cAdam, didja hear what I said?\u201d<\/p>\n

No answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard you, Sheriff Coffee, alright?! I heard you,\u201d Adam snarled back. \u201cWhat happened to that young woman has a name, you know. It\u2019s called rape!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben snapped out his oldest son\u2019s name, as grave concern mingled with outrage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s . . . It\u2019s all right, Ben . . . . \u201d Roy murmured, stunned by Adam\u2019s sudden outburst. He would have expected something like that from Joe, Stacy . . . or occasionally even from Ben. But, Adam? Never.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Roy,\u201d Ben said tersely. \u201cIt\u2019s NOT alright\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Adam said in a voice stone cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll talk about this when you come inside,\u201d Ben said in that low, quiet voice that carried in it the lull before the proverbial storm.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s words drew a sharp, angry glare from his son. \u201cNo, we WON\u2019T talk about this when I come inside,\u201d Adam said tersely. \u201cI\u2019ve already apologized. I don\u2019t see any point in discussing it further. Now if you\u2019ll BOTH excuse me, I\u2019d like to finish stabling my horse, so I can go over to the Martins and visit this young woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI, umm . . . need t\u2019 be moseyin\u2019 along anyhow,\u201d Roy said, as two bright spots appeared on his cheeks and a third in the middle of his forehead. Through out that brief, angry exchange between father and son just know, Roy had wished with all his might for a hole into which he could\u2019ve crawled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you out,\u201d Ben said, his voice deceptively calm. The dark angry glare he directed toward Adam in parting, the jaw, rigidly set, and the steel glint in his eyes, gave very strong indication that the conversation between himself and Adam was NOT over, not by a long shot. In fact, it hadn\u2019t even, as yet, begun.<\/p>\n

After Adam had finished stabling his horse, he went into the house, upstairs to his room to change his shirt, splash a little water on his face, and run a comb through his thinning hair. He emerged from his room upstairs, and started down the short corridor toward the steps, mentally bracing himself for the inevitable face off with his father. Every step of the way, he reviewed the exchange between himself and Roy Coffee, over and over and over again, trying to figure out what bedevilment had possessed him to turn on the sheriff like that.<\/p>\n

No answers were forthcoming.<\/p>\n

\u201cHEY! NOW who\u2019s cheating?!\u201d Joe\u2019s voice, filled with indignation, assailed Adam\u2019s ears as he neared the bottom of the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Cartwright, how DARE you!\u201d That was Susannah O\u2019Brien, one of Stacy\u2019s closest friends, equally indignant.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you get all huffy on ME, Miss Susannah Beee-youu-llah O\u2019Brien!\u201d<\/p>\n

Use of her middle name elicited a deafening shriek of outrage. \u201cSTACY ROSE CARTWRIGHT, SO HELP ME IF YOU TOLD HIM . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Back off!\u201d Stacy giggled, fending off her enraged opponent with an upraised crutch. \u201cHow COULD I tell him? I didn\u2019t even know what your middle name was myself . . . until NOW.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I find out who told, so help me, my vengeance will be horrible to behold!\u201d Susannah fumed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSusannah, I believe there\u2019s a passage in the Bible that says something about vengeance belonging to the Lord,\u201d Adam said, as he stepped down off the last step onto the first floor. In his own ears, his voice sounded as if it had come from a place far distant, almost as if someone, other than himself, had spoken.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s words drew a murderous glare from Susannah.<\/p>\n

Adam favored her with a complacent smile. \u201cBy the way, Susannah, HIS middle name is FRANCIS.\u201d<\/p>\n

Susannah\u2019s dark, angry glare evaporated into a bright sunny smile of utmost evil. \u201cOh it IS, \u2018ey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks a LOT, Adam!\u201d Joe growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mention it,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou, uhh . . . happen to know where Pa is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told us he was going to go upstairs and catch a quick catnap before dinner,\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to run across the street for a few minutes,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Doc Martin\u2019s?!\u201d Joe queried in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a patient who . . . well, I think she\u2019s someone I know,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIf Pa comes down before I get back, would you mind telling him where I am?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll tell him,\u201d Stacy promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam murmured, before slipping out through the front door. A within a few minutes, he was standing on the Martins\u2019 front stoop, ringing the doorbell. He was very much surprised, when Hugh O\u2019Brien, Susannah\u2019s father, opened the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, Adam,\u201d Hugh moved aside, allowing the eldest of the Cartwright offspring to enter. \u201cGood seein\u2019 ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d Adam grinned as the two shook hands. \u201cGood seeing you, too, Mister O\u2019Brien. You\u2019re looking well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs are you. If you\u2019re here lookin\u2019 for the doc, he\u2019s in fittin\u2019 Jeremy Watkins\u2019 broken leg with a plaster cast,\u201d Hugh said as they walked the short distance to the Martins\u2019 formal parlor. \u201cHis pa\u2019s been waitin\u2019 in the parlor with Crys \u2018n me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up and found Carl Watkins, the boy\u2019s father, standing framed in the open door to the Martins\u2019 parlor, holding his wide brimmed hat clutched in both hands, his eyes round with shock and apprehension.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m real sorry \u2018bout what happened. Thelma \u2018n I done warned Jeremy time \u2018n time again \u2018bout\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW you have, Mister Watkins,\u201d Adam said quietly. \u201cI also know there\u2019s something about a construction site and a great big hole in the ground that draws small boys like a magnet. My own son, Benjy was every bit as . . . shall we say adventurous? . . . as your son. For THAT matter, my youngest brother was the same way, and he\u2019s got the scars to prove it.<\/p>\n

Carl nodded, visibly relieved by Adam\u2019s understanding.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Jeremy going to be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the important thing,\u201d Adam hastily assured the anxious young father.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Watkins?\u201d It was Paul Martin, stepping from his examination room, covered in plaster-of-paris from head to toe. \u201cYour boy\u2019s ready to go home. He and your wife are waiting for you in my examination room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Doc,\u201d Carl said wearily. \u201cMister O\u2019Brien, good talkin\u2019 with ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll remember your boy in my prayers tonight,\u201d Hugh promised. \u201cI\u2019m glad he\u2019s gonna be alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, and Mister Cartwright, thank you for everything YOU done,\u201d Carl said with heartfelt sincerity and gratitude. \u201cWhen ya see Hoss, wouldja mind tellin\u2019 HIM thank you for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be more than happy to do so,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cHugh . . . Adam, I have some final instructions to give the Watkins,\u201d Paul Martin said, after Carl Watkins had left the parlor. \u201cI\u2019ll be right with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Hugh nodded, then moved into the parlor. \u201cI, ummmm hope Joe \u2018n Stacy ain\u2019t took a turn for the worse,\u201d the latter said quietly as the latter resumed his place on the settee.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Sir . . . Joe and Stacy are doing just fine. In fact, I left them playing a game of checkers with YOUR daughter, Susannah,\u201d Adam replied, as he settled himself in the easy chair, to Hugh\u2019s right. \u201cMy reason for coming here was to see the young lady you found out in the desert.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Hugh frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI may know her,\u201d Adam explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cFriend o\u2019 yours?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe and her husband might have been, I think . . . had fate been much kinder,\u201d Adam said sadly. \u201cWhen I boarded the stage in Sacramento, a young couple . . . newly weds . . . got on board with me. Their name was Estevan . . . Lorenzo and Maria. They were on their way home from their honeymoon trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis li\u2019l gal cries out for somebody named Lorenzo,\u201d Hugh said quietly, \u201cthough she can\u2019t be much older than Susannah . . . or Stacy, either, for that matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds about right,\u201d Adam said in a hollow voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . oh! Adam! I\u2019d heard you were coming . . . . \u201d It was Crystal McShane. She stood next to the settee, at her father\u2019s elbow, with arms folded across her chest, regarding Adam with mild surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam said, as he and Hugh both rose to their feet. \u201cI\u2019m here to oversee the building of my family\u2019s new house. Crystal . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould it be possible for me to see the young woman you and your father found out in the desert?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cI may know her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe and a young couple got on the stage in Sacramento, Crys,\u201d Hugh said. \u201cThey traveled together from there to here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir last name was Estevan,\u201d Adam said. \u201cMaria and Lorenzo Estevan. They had planned to leave here the next morning on the stage bound for Freedonia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee stopped in a few minutes ago, Crys,\u201d Hugh said quietly. \u201cHe got a passenger list for that missin\u2019 stage. There WAS a Lorenzo \u2018n Maria Estevan on that list. Adam, here, thinks that li\u2019l gal in there\u2019s Maria Estevan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s still sleeping, bless her heart. Doc Martin wants her to sleep as long as she can . . . that it\u2019s the best thing for her right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . wanted to see whether or not she is, in fact, Maria Estevan,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019ll understand if you say no.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether or not you\u2019re able to see her is entirely up to Doctor Martin . . . not me,\u201d Crystal said quietly. \u201cIf that poor woman DOES turn out to be Maria Estevan, she can use all the friends she can get.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Crystal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCrys, I\u2019m gonna amble on across the street, \u2018n collect Susannah,\u201d Hugh said. \u201cI . . . kinda want the two o\u2019 us t\u2019 git home before dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh and Crystal embraced briefly. \u201cI\u2019ll see ya in the mornin\u2019, Gal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, too, Pa. You and Susannah be careful going home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will,\u201d Hugh promised. He kissed his eldest daughter\u2019s forehead, then nodded to Adam, before taking his leave.<\/p>\n

A few moments later, Paul Martin entered the parlor, this time without his lab coat. \u201cCrystal? Your pa left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Crystal replied, as she and Adam both rose to their feet. \u201cHe wanted to get himself and my sister home before dark. I . . . can\u2019t say as I blame him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither can I,\u201d Paul Martin said grimly. He, then, turned his attention to the eldest of the Cartwright offspring. \u201cAdam, what can I do for YOU?\u201d he asked. \u201cI hope Joe and Stacy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease . . . don\u2019t worry about them, Doctor. BOTH of \u2018em are fine . . . following doctor\u2019s orders to the letter, and behaving themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S a novelty,\u201d Paul said with a wry smile. \u201cIf memory serves, it\u2019s also a FIRST.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a first time for everything, Doctor,\u201d Adam returned. \u201cMy reason for stopping by is that I would like to see the young woman Mister O\u2019Brien, Crystal, and their foreman found in the desert. I . . . I\u2019m almost certain I know her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s upstairs sleeping in our guest room,\u201d Paul said wearily. \u201cI can only let you stay for a minute, but . . . if there\u2019s any chance you can verify this woman\u2019s identity\u2014 Please, come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam silently fell in behind Paul Martin, leaving Crystal McShane to bring up the rear. The guest room was on the second floor of the Martins\u2019 townhouse, last door on the left. Inside, the patient was lying on the bed, next to the window over looking the backyard, eyes closed, breathing shallow, her form ominously still. Crystal McShane quietly slipped past Adam and the doctor. Adam silently followed her across the room, as she moved toward the bed, and the diminutive young woman, almost swallowed up by the bedcovers.<\/p>\n

As he stepped close to the bed, Adam took a deep, ragged breath, and closed his eyes, fervently praying that their suspicions were all wrong, that the woman he was about to see would NOT be the young newly married wife, he had come to know so well on the trip out from Sacramento. At length, he opened them, and forced himself to gaze down into the woman\u2019s face. \u201cOh, God . . . no . . . . \u201d he murmured, with a heavy heart.<\/p>\n

Even through cuts and bruises, skin burned to the same hue as the shell of a steamed lobster . . . and worst of all, in spite of those lustrous, shining coal black tresses, now cut shorter than his own, there was no denying the woman\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Paul Martin prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam quietly answered the doctor\u2019s unspoken question. \u201cYour patient is Mrs. Maria Estevan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHugh, you sure you can\u2019t stay long enough for a cup of coffee?\u201d Ben asked. \u201cHop Sing\u2019s just put on a fresh pot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could, Ben,\u201d Hugh O\u2019Brien said with much reluctance, \u201cbut, I think Susannah \u2018n me need to be pressin\u2019 on toward home. You . . . heard about the young lady Crys, Darryl, \u2018n me found out in the desert?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben said, \u201cand I understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSusannah . . . let\u2019s get a move on,\u201d Hugh exhorted his youngest daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cComing, Pa,\u201d Susannah replied. Turning to her hosts, she smiled. \u201cStacy, Joe . . . I really had a nice time, even if Joe DID find out my middle name . . . .\u201d She looked over and favored Joe with an impish grin. \u201cI also found out what HIS middle name is, so we\u2019re even.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stuck his tongue out at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright, is that anyway to behave when we have a guest?\u201d Ben admonished his youngest son with mock severity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is when she cheats at playing checkers and beats me seven games out of ten,\u201d Joe growled back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gotta watch this li\u2019l gal like a hawk, Joe,\u201d Hugh said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and in any case, isn\u2019t accusing Susannah of cheating kinda like the pot calling the kettle black?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t recall asking for YOUR opinion, Kid,\u201d Joe retorted in a lofty, imperious tone of voice.<\/p>\n

Stacy responded by sticking out her tongue.<\/p>\n

Joe thumbed up his nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, CHILDREN, both of ya . . . settle down,\u201d Ben growled, glaring first at Stacy, then over at Joe. He, then turned his attention to the O\u2019Briens. \u201cHugh . . . Susannah . . . I\u2019ll see ya to the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I had a wonderful visit with Stacy and Joe,\u201d Susannah said, in all sincerity, after the three had stepped outside. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see they\u2019re both doing so well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t agree with you more, Susannah,\u201d Ben said with a smile. \u201cYou feel free to come back and visit again, whenever you want. You being here this afternoon has lifted both their spirits tremendously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019re YOU coping, Ben?\u201d Hugh asked. \u201cI understand Joe \u2018n Stacy can be a real handful bein\u2019 sick or hurt one at a time. Now y\u2019 got BOTH on the mend all at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to remind \u2018em that they\u2019re not too big to turn over my knee once in a while, but other than that, they\u2019re behaving themselves,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI\u2019ve also given Hoss strict instructions to leave Cochise and Blaze Face at the ranch, unless or until I say otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thinkin\u2019,\u201d Hugh murmured. \u201cWell . . . you \u2018n me\u2019d best move along, Li\u2019l Gal. It was good seein\u2019 ya, Ben, even if it was brief.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood seeing the both of you. Take care riding home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben waited behind the closed gate until the O\u2019Briens had mounted up and ridden off. As he turned, with the intention of heading back into the house, he caught movement at the outer edges of his peripheral vision. He turned back again, just in time to see his eldest son crossing the street between the Martins\u2019 townhouse and the Fletchers\u2019. Ben waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was seeing Hugh and Susannah off,\u201d Ben said, suddenly feeling very much on the defensive. He lifted the latch, then stood aside, so that his son might enter. \u201cI just happened to glance up in time to see you coming out of the Martins, so I waited.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Joe and Stacy tell you where I was?\u201d Adam asked, as he fell in step alongside his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told me you had gone over to the Martins,\u201d Ben said quietly, as they slowly walked up the sidewalk together, toward the front stoop. \u201cAdam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe young woman Hugh and Crystal found in the desert . . . is she . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYes,\u201d he said in a voice, barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Son. From what you and Hoss told me . . . the Estevans sounded like a lovely young couple,\u201d Ben said quietly, as he placed a paternal hand on his eldest son\u2019s shoulder, with the intention of offering a small measure of comfort and reassurance.<\/p>\n

Adam reached up and covered his father\u2019s hand with his own for a moment, before politely shaking him off. \u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d he said, favoring Ben with a wan smile.<\/p>\n

Ben had serious doubts as to the veracity of Adam\u2019s statement, but wisely decided against voicing them . . . for the time being, at least.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . also went to see Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced up sharply, remembering Adam\u2019s angry outburst earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cI apologized properly for my churlish behavior earlier,\u201d Adam said very quickly. \u201cI also told him who the young woman is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sheriff and his deputy are out banging on doors, trying to get a search party together,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo find that missing stagecoach?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cWe leave tomorrow morning at first light.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI volunteered to go with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d This came as something of a surprise to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to know what happened, Pa. However, if you have any objections\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Ben fell silent for a moment, trying desperately to come up with a plausible excuse. None were forthcoming. \u201cI have no objections, Adam,\u201d he said finally. \u201cAny particular reason why you have to know what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s question drew a sharp glare from his eldest son.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT trying to talk you out of it, Son,\u201d Ben said quickly. \u201cHeaven knows, you\u2019re \u2018way too old for THAT. I was just curious, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa, I . . . . \u201d Adam frowned, wondering what had prompted him to apologize. True, his father\u2019s question rankled him, but he didn\u2019t respond in a manner offensive or disrespectful. In fact, he hadn\u2019t responded at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you ride out?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow morning, first light,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

End of Part 2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mark of Kane<\/p>\n

Part 3<\/p>\n

By Kathleen T. Berney<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGotta get away . . .<\/p>\n

. . . gotta get away . . .<\/p>\n

. . . gotta get away . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

He chanted the words silently, over and over, like a mantra, keeping time with the pounding of his bare feet against the earth, as he fled in terror through an endless flat stretch of yellow, that seemed to stretch on and on, away to forever.<\/p>\n

\u201cGotta get away . . .<\/p>\n

. . . gotta get away . . .<\/p>\n

. . . gotta get away . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

His naked body was soaked, drenched from head to toe, from perspiration that seemed to ooze out of every pore. Sweat poured from his head, plastering his hair to his skin, pooling in his eyebrows, and dripping down into his eyes, stinging them with its salty touch. His breath came in shallow, ragged gasps, each more agonizing than the last, as his lungs desperately struggled to expand, pushing hard against the constricting millstone the muscles of his chest had become.<\/p>\n

\u201cGotta get away . . . .<\/p>\n

Gotta get away . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

His feet grew heavier and heavier with each step. Lifting them became a chore. Every muscle in his legs ached and cramped with each extension and contraction. He moaned softly in his agony, unable to take in enough air . . . enough breath . . . to truly cry out. Had it not been for the driving force of his strong, nearly indomitable will, impelled forward by sheer terror, he would have collapsed many hours, and many, many miles ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cGotta get away . . . .<\/p>\n

Gotta get away . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll NEVER get away from us, Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

No! How could that be? He had left them behind . . . FAR behind. How could they possibly be with him . . . here . . . now . . . after all this time?<\/p>\n

He heard their cruel, mocking laughter echoing in his ears. \u201cYou\u2019ll never get away from us, Cartwright. NEVER. No matter where you go . . . how far and how fast you run, you will ALWAYS find US there . . . waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Incredibly . . .<\/p>\n

. . . despite the searing, white hot pain flowing like liquid fire through out his chest and his legs . . .<\/p>\n

. . . despite the stinging, burning sweat that flowed like rivers into his eyes, blinding him . . .<\/p>\n

. . . despite the ever diminishing capacity of his lungs to draw breath, and a heart that felt on the very edge of exploding, bursting into a million bloody pieces within the walls of his chest, pressing down heavier and heavier . . .<\/p>\n

. . . he poured on more speed, pushing himself on faster and faster, ever faster.<\/p>\n

\u201cRun, Cartwright, run,\u201d they mocked him. \u201cSee Cartwright run . . . always running, never escaping.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gasped as his bare foot slammed hard into a rock, hidden deep within the veritable jungle of overgrown grass. Then, suddenly, the hot, yellow earth rose before his eyes, fast and furious. Two forms, their lines blurred, their details reduced to near opaque black silhouette, stepped out from the white hot, blinding glare of the sun. He had no need of seeing their faces, nor the details of their bodies, their clothing. He knew all too well who they were by the way they moved, by the sounds of their harsh, derisive laughter still echoing in his ears . . . .<\/p>\n

The short stooped man was old Randy Paine, a sour, bitter man, when he was sober . . . mean, abusive, and cruel when he was drunk. He spent most of his waking hours falling down drunk . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . at least, he TRIED to . . . .<\/p>\n

The other was a man, more in the prime of his life . . . or what should have been the prime of his life. He, too, had died, many, many years ago, on the sands of a desert very much like the one in which he found himself.<\/p>\n

Or so he had been told . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cKANE!\u201d Adam screamed as his eyes snapped open. For what seemed an eternity, he lay on his bed, unmoving, his heart racing, gulping in deep lung full after deep lung full of blessed cool, refreshing night air.<\/p>\n

The staccato beat of bony knuckles knocking on the hard wood of his bedroom door, fast closed, finally drew him wholly back into the world of waking reality. \u201cAdam?\u201d It was his youngest brother, Joe. \u201cHey, Adam, you ok?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m . . . I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t SOUND fine. Alright if I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you MUST,\u201d Adam sighed with a touch of asperity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard you scream,\u201d Joe said as he opened the door, and entered the room. By the dim, silvery silver gray light of approaching dawn, he saw the tiny beads of sweat liberally dotting Adam\u2019s forehead, his face nearly bone white, and trembling hands that seemed to clutch the edge of his blanket, as if for dear life. \u201cYou sure you\u2019re ok, Adam?\u201d An anxious frown knotted and creased his normally smooth brow. \u201cYou\u2019re not sick . . . are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I . . . I\u2019m fine, Little Brother,\u201d Adam said as he threw his sheets, blanket, and comforter aside. He offered Joe a smile, hoping to reassure. The deepening lines in his youngest brother\u2019s forehead, the sharp glare all the more pointedly focused on his face, then his hands told Adam that he had failed miserably. \u201cHonest, Joe. I\u2019m fine,\u201d he said curtly, as he slowly swung one leg over the edge of the bed, then the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Where are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you must know, I\u2019m riding out with Sheriff Coffee and a few others,\u201d Adam said curtly, as he paused to light the oil lamp beside his bed.<\/p>\n

The anxious concern on Joe\u2019s face, quickly transformed into a look of surprise. \u201cPosse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf sorts, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared at his oldest brother, long and hard, through narrowed eyes. \u201cThis have anything to do with that woman Mister O\u2019Brien, Crystal, and Darryl found out in the desert?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam replied, as he crossed the room to the massive dresser, set against the wall facing the bed. \u201cHow did you find out about her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSusannah told Stacy and me yesterday afternoon while we were playing checkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe woman\u2019s name is Maria Estevan,\u201d Adam said in a voice bland almost to the point of monotone. He opened the top drawer and removed a fresh change of underwear. \u201cI met her and her husband when we boarded the stage together in Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe newly weds?\u201d<\/p>\n

Again, Adam nodded. \u201cShe told the O\u2019Briens about a stage robbery, and . . . about her husband being shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo this posse you\u2019re going with is actually a search party . . . going out to find that missing stagecoach,\u201d Joe accurately surmised. \u201cDoes Pa know you\u2019re going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I told him yesterday afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam said curtly, as he quickly put on his pants and removed his nightshirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam splashed some of the ice cold water, left over from last night\u2019s washing up, over his face, then patted it dry with his nightshirt. \u201cFrom what Hoss told me last night, he\u2019s got a pretty full plate of things to do at the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and YOU don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell IS this?\u201d Adam demanded angrily. \u201cTwenty questions? Some kind of inquisition?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is already running around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to keep track of everything that needs doing on the Ponderosa,\u201d Joe returned, in a tight, angry voice. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t have time to oversee the work on the new house . . . while YOU\u2019RE traipsing off all over the country side on some blamed wild goose chase.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I\u2019m only going to say this ONCE, so listen closely and get it through your head,\u201d Adam said through clenched teeth, as he snatched up the shirt he had worn the day before and slipped it on. \u201cFirst of all, I am NOT accountable to you as to my comings and goings, and second, you\u2019re not my father. So, I would greatly appreciate it if you minded your own business, and let ME take care of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the problem, Adam. You\u2019re NOT taking care of YOUR business,\u201d Joe angrily shot right back.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Morning, Boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe\u2019s heads snapped around to the open door of the former\u2019s room. There, they saw their father, leaning up against the door jamb, with his arms folded across his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything . . . all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything\u2019s fine, Pa,\u201d Adam replied in a tone of voice surprisingly calm, even bland, as he finished dressing.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph?\u201d Ben queried.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa, everything\u2019s fine,\u201d Joe muttered through clenched teeth, his voice heavy laden with angry sarcasm. \u201cEverything\u2019s JUST peachy dandy. I\u2019m going back to bed.\u201d With that, he abruptly turned heel and strode briskly out of the room.<\/p>\n

Ben silently waited until he was reasonably certain his youngest son was well out of ear shot, before turning to ask his eldest, \u201cWhat was THAT all about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . nothing, Pa. Nothing of consequence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?!\u201d<\/p>\n

The eldest of the Cartwright offspring quickly averted his eyes from his father\u2019s dark, penetrating, all knowing, all seeing glare. \u201cJoe and I just had a little bit of a set to,\u201d he said too quickly. \u201cMy fault. I\u2019ll apologize when I get back. By then he\u2019ll have had plenty of time to cool off . . . and so will I.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though the relationship between his oldest and youngest sons had, more often than not, been prickly over the years, Ben sensed the undercurrents of something far deeper. Something which neither Adam nor Joe was consciously aware . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . the most important thing now is that Joe doesn\u2019t keep it bottled up inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words Paul Martin said to him in the post office, the morning after Adam arrived, echoed once again in his ears. The doctor was referring to the ordeal Joe had suffered at the hands of Lady Chadwick and her man, Crippensworth, the sadistic brute now locked up in the Virginia City jail, waiting extradition back to England.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be a lot more worried if something like this had happened to someone, oh . . . like Adam, your oldest, given his natural stoic reserve, the way he\u2019s always kept a tight lid on his feelings . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The vague, nebulous foreboding Ben had felt in the post office, when Paul had initially uttered those words, that he had felt again yesterday when he learned of the young woman who had found her way into the O\u2019Briens\u2019 camp, returned again a hundred fold. Every protective instinct within him screamed at him to not let Adam ride out with Sheriff Coffee and the others this morning. It was all he could do to remain in place, right where he stood, and not rush over to bodily restrain his oldest son.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head to clear it of the dark, forbidding musings that had risen so suddenly to overwhelm him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sorry, I . . . I didn\u2019t sleep real well last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled and placed a comforting, reassuring hand in his father\u2019s shoulder. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you g\u2019won back to bed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps I will. You take care of yourself, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Pa, and please . . . don\u2019t worry. I should be back in a couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe, meanwhile, had returned to his own room, with every intention of going back to sleep until the sun was fully up, but the emotions surging within him, direct consequence of that face off with his oldest brother, had rendered sleep all but impossible. He was hurt over the way his oldest brother had so curtly rejected his offer to help, his attempt to reach out; bewildered by Adam\u2019s growing preoccupation with the Estevans and the missing stage coach; and angry on general principles.<\/p>\n

But, more than all that, he was deeply worried.<\/p>\n

In addition to being the smart one in the family, Adam had also been the COOL one. No matter how dire the circumstance, how great and insurmountable the crisis, he always remained calm. Nothing EVER seemed to ruffle his feathers. Adam was the strongest, bravest man Joe knew . . . next to Pa. Seeing his oldest brother as he had a short time ago, when he had so unceremoniously burst into his room . . . his face pale, his brow gleaming with a thin sheen of cold sweat, his hands trembling, and most unsettling of all, the stark fear and murderous anger mirrored in those dark eyes, so like Pa\u2019s eyes . . . had left Joe utterly shaken to the very core of his being.<\/p>\n

He waited until he heard the sounds of the front door closing, of Sport II\u2019s hooves leaving the Fletchers\u2019 yard, before throwing aside the covers and getting up out of bed. His first thought was that a healthy dose of Pa\u2019s brandy down on the coffee table might help him back to sleep. Then, he remembered. He was still on a soft, bland diet. Brandy was not on his list right now, nor was it likely to be, not for a good long while yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe . . . if I look sad enough . . . MAYBE I can talk Hop Sing into brewing me up one of his herbal concoctions that\u2019ll help me go back to sleep . . . without him threatening to quit and go help some cousin with a restaurant somewhere,\u201d Joe mused silently, as he tiptoed down the hall.<\/p>\n

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Joe was mildly surprised to find his father still up, seated over on the settee, staring into the darkened fireplace before him.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Morning, Pa,\u201d Joe said by way of greeting. \u201cIt IS morning now . . . isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned, and smiled. \u201cYes, Joe . . . it IS morning.\u201d He patted the place on the settee next to him, a wordless invitation to come, sit-a-spell.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, then walked over and sank down into the soft depths of the settee, next to his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you had gone back to bed,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . . \u201d Joe sighed and dolefully shook his head. \u201cNo. Pa . . . I\u2019m worried about Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said that yesterday morning at breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes your concern have anything do to with the argument the two of ya were about to get into when I walked into the room?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s question drew a sharp glare, a mixture of surprise and chagrin, from his youngest son. \u201cY-You knew?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.<\/p>\n

Joe sighed. \u201cAfter all these years, you knowing shouldn\u2019t surprise me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to talk about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t my intention to pick a fight with him,\u201d Joe said defensively. \u201cHe was having a nightmare. A real beaut, from the way he was yelling! I went in to check on him . . . to see what was wrong. One thing led to another and then\u2014 \u201d He shrugged helplessly. \u201cYou have ANY idea what\u2019s eating him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMind you, Joseph, Adam\u2019s . . . NOT confided in me,\u201d Ben said, with a touch of sadness. \u201cBut, I think I have a few ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah?! Like . . . WHAT for instance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . for openers, Adam left Sacramento to come here BEFORE we found you,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cSince we had no way of getting word to him while he was traveling, he had no way of knowing how you were. For all HE knew, you might have been dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shuddered, remembering the poisoned meal Lady Chadwick had served him, and Crippensworth standing before him, with that ice cold smile plastered on his face, fingering the trigger of a derringer pointed right at his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s told Hoss and me both that if it hadn\u2019t been for that young couple he met, when they got on board the stage in Sacramento, he would have been going out of his mind with worry,\u201d Ben continued. \u201cI . . . know you and Adam haven\u2019t always gotten along very well, but he\u2019s still your oldest brother, and he loves you . . . more, I think than you\u2019ll ever know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love Adam, too . . . even if we DO end up fighting sooner or later,\u201d Joe said ruefully. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m worried about him. Pa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . asked him about the time he was held prisoner in the desert by that guy named Kane,\u201d Joe confessed. \u201cThe look he gave me . . . . \u201d He shuddered. \u201cI\u2019ll put it THIS way, Pa. If looks could kill, I\u2019d be lying dead and buried out by the lake next to my mother, and ol\u2019 Adam would be swingin\u2019 from the gallows for murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s never talked very much about what happened between him and Kane,\u201d Ben said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe never even told YOU?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sadly shook his head. \u201c. . . and I never pressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean to pry or anything like that,\u201d Joe said defensively. \u201cI . . . just wanted to know how HE came through it all with his sanity intact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe CLAIMED he didn\u2019t remember very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt WAS a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and now it seems to have come back to haunt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere could be other things at work, too,\u201d Ben pointed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat young couple who traveled with him from Sacramento here,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cHe\u2019s been very concerned about them ever since he heard that the stage they left Virginia City on has turned up missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time I asked him about Kane, he had just found out about that,\u201d Joe said thoughtfully, \u201c . . . and now finding out what happened to the young wife . . . . \u201d He sighed again, and shook his head. \u201cNOW I wish I hadn\u2019t lit into him about running off on what I saw as a wild goose chase and leaving the new house go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can apologize to him when he gets back,\u201d Ben said. \u201cSpeaking of the house, though . . . Adam had a lot of memories . . . good and bad . . . connected with the old house too, even though he hasn\u2019t lived on the Ponderosa for . . . well, it\u2019s been a long time. In fact, it feels like a whole lifetime. At any rate . . . that first morning he rode out there with Hoss? He . . . Hoss, that is . . . told me he thought Adam was suffering a few emotional pangs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish we could help him, Pa,\u201d Joe said, feeling miserable, forlorn, and more helpless than he could recall ever having felt in his entire life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may be that the best way we CAN help Adam is let him know we\u2019re here, then allow him the time and space he needs to work things through on his own . . . in his own way,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI think you and I\u2019ve already made it clear that we\u2019re here if he needs us right before he left this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Pa . . . I\u2019ll TRY to mind my own business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ready to g\u2019won back to bed now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot quite yet,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cYou mind if I sit up for a little while?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Son. You want me to stay with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa, but I\u2019ll be all right. I\u2019m glad we talked things out, though, and I meant what I said about minding my own business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you did, Joe.\u201d Ben rose. \u201cGood night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up at his father, and grinned. \u201cPa . . . don\u2019t you mean good MORNING?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, walked the scant few blocks between the Fletchers\u2019 house and the Virginia City sheriff\u2019s office, leading Sport II by his reins. He reached his destination just as the deep maroon and port wine hues of sunrise began to lighten into the brighter shades of red and scarlet.<\/p>\n

There, he tethered Sport II to the hitching post just outside the sheriff\u2019s office, alongside Kentucky Blue, the magnificent big brown gelding belonging to Darryl Hughes. Roy Coffee\u2019s horse, Tin Star stood placidly on the other side of Kentucky Blue. Glancing over at the other horses present, he recognized brands from the Five Card Draw spread, belonging to Clay Hansen; the Wilsons\u2019 Square W, the simple HU, for the Hurley family\u2019s farm, and the mark used by the livery stable. Two pack horses, bearing the livery stable\u2019s mark in their left rear flanks, stood side by side, tethered to another hitching post, a few yards from the first. Both were loaded with supplies, food, coffee, cooking utensils for the most part, and ready to go. Adam also saw a buckboard, stocked with blankets and pillows, extra clothing, and bandages. Clem Foster and Sam, the bartender over at the Silver Dollar Saloon, were loading a large barrel of water, the third of three, up into the back of the buckboard.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Morning, Adam,\u201d Clem greeted him politely, once the barrel was in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Clem . . . Sam,\u201d Adam nodded to both the deputy and bartender, respectively.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Morning, Adam,\u201d Sam returned the greeting with a curt nod. \u201cClem, I\u2019d best be goin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for the barrels of water, Sam,\u201d Clem said gratefully. \u201cSheriff Coffee \u2018n the others\u2019ll sure appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad I could help out,\u201d Sam said. \u201cIf there\u2019s anything else I can do once you bring those poor folks back outta the desert, you just let me know, y\u2019 hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Sam, thanks again.\u201d After Sam left, Clem returned his attention to Adam. \u201cYou\u2019ll find Sheriff Coffee \u2018n everyone else inside waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. I hope I\u2019m not the last to arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. We\u2019re still waiting on Doc Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou coming along, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Fraid not, Adam,\u201d Clem shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve got a couple o\u2019 prisoners to keep an eye one, one of \u2018em being the guy who kidnapped Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCrippensworth?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clem nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard he was being extradited to England.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. He\u2019s wanted for a string o\u2019 murders there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPopular fellow,\u201d Adam remarked with wry sarcasm.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. He sure is,\u201d Clem chuckled, then sobered. \u201cSheriff Coffee got a wire this morning from the men at Scotland Yard sent to fetch him. Seems they\u2019ve been delayed by storms and flash flooding out in the plains area.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure hope they arrive soon,\u201d Adam said grimly. \u201cI\u2019d hate to see that man released on some kind of technicality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry none about THAT, Adam,\u201d Clem declared, with an emphatic nod of his head. \u201cThe extradition papers have been drawn up, and signed by Judge Faraday. That says Mister Crippensworth STAYS in jail until the men from Scotland Yard arrive to fetch him, no matter HOW long it takes. Meantime, Adam, you\u2019d best get on inside, especially if you want any o\u2019 them donuts Mrs. Braun made up \u2018n brought down to us special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Clem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Adam,\u201d Roy Coffee greeted him briskly, as he stepped inside the sheriff\u2019s office. \u201cGlad you could join us. I think you know just about everybody here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He did, indeed. Darryl Hughes stood next to the pot bellied stove nursing a generous mug of hot strong coffee, conversing with Eli Barnett, the foreman at the Five Card Draw spread, and his twenty year old son, Andy. Clay Hansen, the owner of the Five Card Draw, sat in one of the chairs beside the sheriff\u2019s desk, munching on a cinnamon donut, lost in his own thoughts, while Blake Wilson sat in the other chair, blowing across the surface of the hot mug of coffee, he held in both hands. His son, Matt, one of Adam\u2019s oldest friends, nodded by way of greeting, as he bit into the cinnamon donut in hand. Jack Hurley and David, the younger of his twin sons both silently nodded their greetings.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam . . . for a minute there, I thought I was dreaming!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned and found himself looking up into the big, smiling face of Apollo Nikolas, one of Hoss\u2019 oldest and best friends. \u201cApollo, you ol\u2019 sea dog, you! I understand congratulations are in order for you and Colleen . . . again,\u201d he said as the pair enthusiastically shook hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam . . . thank you,\u201d Apollo said with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many to you have now?\u201d Adam asked as they enthusiastically shook hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cAisling\u2019s the oldest . . . she just turned two last birthday, and we have another girl, named Erin Helene for the places her grandparents came from. She\u2019s six months.\u201d Apollo recited his daughters\u2019 names, ages, and other facts with all the reverence of a priest reciting a litany.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Colleen faring?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell enough.\u201d An anxious frown creased the smoothness of Adam\u2019s brow. \u201cShe\u2019s having a bit of trouble with this one, Adam,\u201d he confessed, his smile fading. \u201cDoc Martin says it\u2019s normal, because she\u2019s older, but . . . I\u2019m kinda worried. Molly\u2019s staying with her while I\u2019m away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMolly?\u201d Adam queried with a puzzled frown.<\/p>\n

Apollo nodded. \u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Apollo, it wasn\u2019t my intention to pry,\u201d Adam quickly apologized. \u201cI was under the impression that Molly had left for the Platteville Normal School out in Wisconsin at the end of last summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was supposed to leave at the start of August last year, but Myrna . . . Mrs. O\u2019Hanlan . . . took very ill suddenly, and she\u2019s STILL not quite back on her feet,\u201d Apollo said. \u201cTo say that Francis and Molly have had their hands full makes light of the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Frankie?\u201d Adam asked. Frankie was the O\u2019Hanlans\u2019 only son.<\/p>\n

\u201cHE left home a year ago after he and his mother had a royal row to end all rows,\u201d Apollo said grimly, then sighed. \u201cGranted it was about time Frankie struck out on his own, but I\u2019m real sorry it had to happen the way it did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . understand your mother-in-law has apron strings made of cast iron.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed she does,\u201d Apollo agreed. \u201cBetween you \u2018n me, Adam? I think a lot of her sickness has more to do with Frankie leaving home and Molly, at the time, ABOUT to leave home, than with any kind of physical ailment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what I saw of Mrs. Hanlan when I came to visit two summers years ago, I\u2019d say your observations are right on the money,\u201d Adam said. \u201cBut despite the circumstances, I\u2019m glad Molly\u2019s able to be with Colleen now, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I,\u201d Apollo agreed wholeheartedly. \u201cMolly\u2019s grown up to be a real self assured, level headed young woman . . . thanks in large part to your sister, despite Myrna\u2019s constant assertions that Stacy was a bad influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould that OUR daughters come under such bad influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen to that, Adam. Amen to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Folks . . . listen up!\u201d Roy raised his voice slightly, so to be heard above the many different conversations going on at once. \u201cDoc Martin\u2019s just arrived. He\u2019s outside now with Clem loadin\u2019 up his stuff in the buckboard, so let\u2019s the rest of us git ready t\u2019 move on out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are we headed . . . exactly?\u201d Adam asked, as he and Apollo both fell in step alongside the sheriff on either side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna start at the spot where Hugh, Crystal, \u2018n Darryl found Mrs. Estevan,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cFrom there, I figure on headin\u2019 toward Desert Springs. That was the where that stage was last seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a little past noon when they arrived at the watering hole where Hugh O\u2019Brien, Crystal McShane, and Darryl Hughes had camped out their last night on the trail coming home from Eastgate. Andy Barnett and David Hurley, along with a couple of the younger men from the Five Card Draw Ranch, immediately took charge of the horses, seeing that each one was taken to the water to drink its fill.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister O\u2019Brien, Mrs. McShane, and I had our horses tethered here,\u201d Darryl pointed out the exact spot to Roy Coffee, Adam Cartwright, Paul Martin, and a few of the others, who had elected to follow. \u201cI saw Mrs. Estevan coming from that way.\u201d He pointed in the direction due east. \u201cShe could hardly walk. She\u2019d take a couple of steps, then fall . . . get up, take another step or two, then fall again.\u201d He silently led the sheriff, the doctor and the others around to the other side of the watering hole. \u201cIt was right here she fell . . . and couldn\u2019t get up again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee walked over and took a cursory look at the spot of ground at which Darryl Hughes still pointed. His eyes, still sharp despite his advancing years, caught the glint of something metallic lying in the sand at his feet. He knelt down for a closer look. It was a ring, a plain simple gold band, made to encircle a very slender finger.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee? What is it?\u201d Adam Cartwright asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cA ring,\u201d Roy replied, placing it in the palm of his own hands. \u201cA weddin\u2019 ring from the look of it. There\u2019s an inscription here on the inside, but I ain\u2019t got m\u2019 readin\u2019 glasses on me, so I can\u2019t make it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMind if I have a look, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Darryl asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp yourself,\u201d Roy said, as he handed Darryl the ring.<\/p>\n

The young foreman raised the ring to eye level, and squinted. \u201cIt says . . . \u2018Maria, all my love, forever yours, Lorenzo.\u2019 \u201d He, then, handed the ring back to the sheriff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Roy snapped, his eyes blinking excessively. \u201cDoc, when we all git back, I\u2019d be much obliged if ya gave this back t\u2019 Mrs. Estevan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, Roy,\u201d Paul said very quietly, as he accepted the ring, and tucked it safely away in his deep right pants pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you \u2018n Crystal able t\u2019 git anything more out of her?\u201d Roy asked the doctor as he scanned the horizon, shielding his eyes from the steadily rising sun with the palm of his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs . . . as I was finishing with her examination, she told Crystal that she was . . . taken by the men who robbed the stage coach,\u201d Paul said, still visibly shaken by the memory and accompanying emotions of his having examined and treated Maria Estevan the day before. \u201cI took it to mean that those men abducted her, and . . . and kept her prisoner somewhere for a time . . . I\u2019d say at least a week . . . maybe a little longer. The rope burns on her ankles and wrists certainly bear that out . . . and the fact that she\u2019s still ALIVE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha mean by THAT, Doc?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cA human being can only survive without food AND water three . . . maybe four days on average,\u201d Paul Martin explained. \u201cThat stage coach has been missing for a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anyplace that could offer shelter within three or four days travel from here on foot?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou figure on us finding that missing stage there, Mister Cartwright?\u201d Andy Barnett asked.<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m figuring on finding the place where Mrs. Estevan was held prisoner,\u201d he said grimly. \u201cIf we can find THAT place, we may find clues there that would lead us to that missing stage, and . . . and to the rest of the passengers . . . . \u201d At that moment, he suddenly realized that the likelihood of finding any of the other passengers alive was virtually nil . . . .
\nIn a flash, less than the space between one heartbeat and the next, Adam suddenly found himself sitting atop Sport . . . the first horse to bear that name, looking down on a man, unshaven, clad almost entirely in black, smiling in greedy anticipation as he glanced through the wallet he held in both hands. \u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow get down off that horse,\u201d his companion and partner ordered.<\/p>\n

Despite the searing heat of the sun beating down on them relentless, without a shred of mercy, Adam\u2019s blood suddenly ran cold. \u201cYou got your money.\u201d He heard again the anger, the desperation in his voice as he pointed out the obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cClimb down,\u201d the man holding his wallet, and the five thousand dollars inside ordered tersely.<\/p>\n

He slowly complied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna let you WALK outta here,\u201d the other man said with a sneer, as he took hold of Sport\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never make it without food and water,\u201d Adam said, angry, yet half pleading. \u201cNobody would.\u201d<\/p>\n

The thieves laughed as they mounted their own horses. \u201cWell now, I feel real sorry for him . . . \u2018cause he\u2019s right,\u201d the man, who still had his wallet, was still laughing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d his partner chuckled. \u201cI\u2019m all shook up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want your pity . . . I just want a chance,\u201d Adam said through clenched teeth. At the time, he was more angry than fearful . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . angry at the two men who had just taken, not only his wallet and the money it contained, but any and all chance of him even surviving the encounter . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . but, most of all, he felt very angry with himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re givin\u2019 you a chance,\u201d the other man said, in a mocking tone of voice. \u201cWe ain\u2019t KILLIN\u2019 ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery funny,\u201d he said sardonically.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood, unmoving, watching, helpless and angry, as the two men rode off, their mocking, derisive laughter echoing in his ears . . . .<\/p>\n

Adam . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

He started violently, losing his balance. He would have taken a very nasty tumble, had it not been for Roy Coffee and Matt Wilson standing on either side of him, steadying him. For a moment he stared blankly at one, then the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . you all right?\u201d Roy asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I . . . y-yes. I\u2019m all right . . . I\u2019m fine,\u201d Adam stammered, squeezing his eyes shut tight against a sudden onslaught of dizziness.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou SURE, Buddy?\u201d Matt asked, his voice laden with doubt.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I\u2019m fine,\u201d Adam said curtly, as he rudely shook both of them off.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were talking then all of a sudden you blanked out on us,\u201d Matt said quietly, with a worried frown on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine. Honest. I am. Now will the both of you please . . . stop hovering?!\u201d Adam said tersely, syllables tersely clipped.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy?\u201d Clay Hansen, owner of the Five Card Draw Ranch, ventured, casting a wary glance over in Adam\u2019s general direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Clay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were wonderin\u2019 if there was someplace within three or four days o\u2019 here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cYOU know o\u2019 someplace?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clay nodded slowly. \u201cI seem to remember an old prospector\u2019s shack . . . oh . . . ten, maybe fifteen miles that way.\u201d He pointed in a general southeasterly direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thinkin\u2019 o\u2019 Crazy Cal\u2019s place?\u201d Blake Wilson asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrazy Cal as in . . . Crazy Calhoun Callahan?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. That\u2019s him,\u201d Blake said, \u201cI used t\u2019 stop \u2018n visit on my way back from the horse auction at Eastgate, leastwise up until he died a few years ago. If MY memory serves, its about ten or eleven miles in the direction Clay just said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea what Crazy Cal did f\u2019r water?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a water hole . . . about a mile or so from his place,\u201d Clay answered, \u201cmaybe just a tad less.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have any inkin\u2019 as t\u2019 where, exactly, that water hole o\u2019 Crazy Cal\u2019s might be?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was to the south or southeast of his shack, as the crow flies,\u201d Blake replied.<\/p>\n

Roy silently did some mental figuring. Ten miles out . . . ten miles back . . . plus time to look around . . . all that would take at least a good two days, maybe three. \u201cLooks like Crazy Cal\u2019s shack\u2019s the only lead we got,\u201d Roy said grimly. \u201cBlake, Darryl, Apollo, \u2018n Matt . . . I\u2019d like YOU t\u2019 come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to go with you, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno \u2018bout that, Son,\u201d Roy said doubtfully. \u201cSeemed like you were sufferin\u2019 a touch o\u2019 heatstroke just now . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID I was fine,\u201d Adam snapped.<\/p>\n

Roy looked Adam square in the face, seeing not the son, but the father in the fierce, determined anger burning in those golden brown eyes, the mouth thinned to a near straight, lipless line, the rigid set of his jaw. Ben wore that very same look every time HE stubbornly made up his mind about something . . . and there was no changing it, no backing down. \u201cAlright,\u201d Roy said, exasperated, surrendering ungraciously to what he supposed to be the inevitable. \u201cAlright, Adam, you can come along, but\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

That last drew a sharp glare from Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do exactly WHAT I tell ya . . . WHEN I tell ya t\u2019 do it,\u201d Roy said sternly. \u201cThat understood?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood,\u201d Adam snapped, inwardly bristling against the sheriff admonishing him in the same manner he might a small boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Roy said tersely. He looked over at the other five men he had asked to accompany him. \u201cI want all of ya t\u2019 make sure your horses are watered \u2018n your canteens filled.\u201d<\/p>\n

A soft ripple of ascent from the five men, accompanied by a couple of curt nods, followed in response to the sheriff\u2019s request.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince we have that barrel o\u2019 water from the Silver Dollar AND that water hole, I\u2019d really appreciate it if some of you fellas, who\u2019re stayin\u2019 behind could spare a couple o\u2019 extra canteens,\u201d Roy continued. \u201cClay . . . Doc, I\u2019m leavin\u2019 you in charge. While WE\u2019RE gone, I the lotta ya t\u2019 break up in small groups o\u2019 two or three \u2018n ride out in different directions, keepin\u2019 an eye out for any sign of that missin\u2019 stage. I don\u2019t want none o\u2019 ya ridin\u2019 out any more \u2018n a half day\u2019s journey, \u2018n I want at least three men standin\u2019 guard here at all times. I expect t\u2019 be back here in a couple o\u2019 days . . . maybe three. Any questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

None were forthcoming.<\/p>\n

Satisfied, Roy Coffee turned to the men he chose to ride with him. \u201cLet\u2019s ride,\u201d he ordered.<\/p>\n

In the waning light and lengthening shadows of late afternoon, Roy Coffee and his companions paused atop a slight rise. They were surrounded on all sides by a flat expanse of desert, stretching away into the distance as far as the eye could see, broken only by a thin, jagged line of mountains, marking the northwesterly horizon line.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Blake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s it,\u201d Blake Wilson said, pointing to what appeared to be a cluster of irregular shaped triangles and rectangles, silhouetted against the bright, near blinding desert sand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it . . . what?\u201d Roy queried with a perplexed frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrazy Cal\u2019s shack,\u201d Blake replied with a touch of asperity.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCourse I\u2019m sure,\u201d Blake responded, taking no pains to hide his growing annoyance. \u201cI\u2019d know Crazy Cal\u2019s shack in a heartbeat! Although . . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough . . . what, Pa?\u201d Matt asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t rightly recall him having that lean-to,\u201d Blake said, pointing to a triangular silhouette, sitting in front of the shack, a little to the right.<\/p>\n

Roy removed his binoculars from one of his saddle bags and raised them to his eyes. \u201cThat\u2019s a lean-to, alright,\u201d he said grimly, \u201can\u2019 it\u2019s got four horses stabled in it.\u201d He immediately lowered the binoculars. \u201cWe must be down wind here, or else those horses would o\u2019 caught scent o\u2019 ours, \u2018n alerted whoever\u2019s in that shack about us bein\u2019 here. C\u2019mon. We need t\u2019 git ourselves BELOW this rise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within minutes, the six men had moved down from the top of the small hill created by blowing wind and drifting sand. Blake Wilson and Darryl Hughes remained with the horses, at the foot of the rise, well out of sight of the individuals occupying Crazy Cal\u2019s shack, while Adam Cartwright, Apollo Nikolas, and Matt Wilson followed Roy Coffee back up to the top on foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, you think maybe the people living in Crazy Cal\u2019s shack are the men who robbed that stage?\u201d Apollo asked, after they had all dropped down to their bellies just behind the ridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a real good possibility, Apollo,\u201d Roy replied, \u201cbut, at the same time, I ain\u2019t jumpin\u2019 to conclusions. Those folks could like as not be squatters or maybe prospectors tryin\u2019 t\u2019 work Crazy Cal\u2019s claim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you propose we find out?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Roy silently studied the landscape stretched out before him. The rise, sheltering them, curved slightly around to his right, sloping gradually until it came even with the ground roughly half way between their position and the shack. The lean-to had been erected near the door, its opening facing due east, so that its roof might provide the horses adequate shade against the hot afternoon sun, as it began its descent toward the western horizon. Between the men positioned at the top of the ridge and the shack lay a vast expanse of open space, broken only by an occasional tumbleweed. The only entrance from the front of the shack was a single door. There were no windows, at least none that could be seen from atop the ridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, if I keep to the ridge, I could sneak around to the place where this rise begins to curve,\u201d Matt Wilson said softly. \u201cThat should give me a pretty good view of the side . . . and I could find out whether or not there\u2019s any windows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy carefully thought the matter over. \u201cAlright,\u201d he finally assented. \u201cWe\u2019ll cover ya, but, Matt . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wind seems t\u2019 be blowin\u2019 down from a northeasterly direction,\u201d Roy said. \u201cY\u2019 go too far along that down slope, you\u2019re gonna find yourself down wind from them horses . . . an\u2019 THEY\u2019LL catch your scent, quicker \u2018n you can catch pneumonia out in a snowstorm nekkid.\u201d He paused to allow his warning t\u2019 sink in. \u201cYou keep a real sharp eye on them horses, y\u2019 hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Matt promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou better,\u201d Matt\u2019s father, Blake, growled. \u201c \u2018Cause if you come back the least bit busted up . . . your ma \u2018n your wife BOTH \u2019re gonna be out after my blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be careful, Pa . . . I promise.\u201d With that, Matt Wilson slowly drew his gun from its holster, and silently set off.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomethin\u2019 ain\u2019t right, I tell ya. I feel it . . . deep in m\u2019 bones . . . I can FEEL it!\u201d Bartholomew Troutman, known as Black Bart among his associates, was a big, swarthy man, with dark brown, almost black piercing eyes, a head full of jet black wavy hair, graying around the edges, and a three day stubble, generously laced with gray. He stood nearly as tall as Hoss Cartwright, and weighed in at nearly twenty pounds heavier.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou been goin\u2019 on \u2018n on \u2018n ON about that for the last three days now,\u201d one of his companions, a short, plump man, by the name of Timothy Higgins whined, rolling his eyes heavenward. Though aged only in his early twenties, his reddish brown hair was already thinning on top. His hazel eyes were round and staring, as if a single moment of surprise, or perhaps fear, had been indelibly frozen into the muscle and bone of his face, while his thick, sausage like lips seemed locked in a perpetual pout. \u201cWe ain\u2019t seen hide nor hair o\u2019 nobody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mean they ain\u2019t out there . . . somewhere,\u201d Black Bart growled. \u201cHell, they could be hiding up there on top that ridge . . . . \u201d he pointed with a vigorous thrust of his powerful, well muscled arm. \u201cI STILL say we shouldda gone out after that li\u2019l gal, \u2018n either drug her back by her hair, or killed her on the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d a third man demanded. Aged in his mid-forties, he was the eldest of his associates, and by nature, a cold, calculating man, named Jacob Carter. He was tall, and slender, yet well muscled. He had thinning light brown hair, generously laced with stands of silver, and alert blue eyes that missed seeing nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a witness,\u201d Black Bart said, rounding on Jacob furiously. \u201cTHAT means she can point us out to the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW what that means,\u201d Jacob said in a tone insultingly condescending. \u201cI ALSO know there ain\u2019t no way that li\u2019l gal\u2019s gonna make it outta this desert all by herself . . . on foot. The nearest li\u2019l town . . . if ya wanna call two shacks, a near dried up well, \u2018n a poor excuse for a saloon a town . . . is a good twenty miles t\u2019 the north. That li\u2019l gal\u2019s buzzard bait, Black Bart . . . and buzzard bait don\u2019t usually end up talkin\u2019 t\u2019 no sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d The fourth man, young, aged all of nineteen years old, cried out. He was tall, and well muscled, with blonde, almost white hair, and startling sapphire blue eyes. \u201cNo! Jacob, she . . . she ain\u2019t . . . oh, Jacob, she ain\u2019t REALLY dead . . . is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob turned to the stricken young man, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. \u201cY\u2019 liked her, didn\u2019t you, Billy Bob?\u201d<\/p>\n

Billy Bob nodded his head. \u201cI liked her, Jacob. I liked her a whole lot. She . . . she was real pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019ll be other gals, Boy,\u201d Jacob said, favoring the young man with an indulgent smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want no other gals. I . . . I want HER.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst one\u2019s ALWAYS special,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cYou\u2019ll never, ever quite forget her. I still remember Charlene, after all these years . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob, I wanna find her. Please? Can I please find her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Kid . . . y\u2019 can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy NOT?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor one thing we got no idea what direction she took,\u201d Jacob patiently explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a big desert out there, Billy Bob. If I letcha got out wanderin\u2019 around . . . YOU could end up buzzard bait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta TRY, Jacob,\u201d the boy ardently begged. \u201cPlease? Can I please TRY?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Bob, by now, there . . . probably . . . ain\u2019t much of her left TO find,\u201d Jacob said soothingly. \u201cThe desert is a harsh task mistress to them not acquainted with her ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two large tears rolled down Billy Bob\u2019s cheeks. \u201cTh-then she\u2019s . . . she\u2019s d-dead. She\u2019s really honest t\u2019 goodness DEAD.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAww fer\u2014 is that cry baby brat o\u2019 your\u2019s gonna start cryin\u2019 AGAIN?!\u201d Timothy whined.<\/p>\n

\u201cSHUT-UP!\u201d Billy Bob yelled, glaring over at Timothy with a dark, murderous frown. \u201cSHUT-UP, SHUT-UP . . . SHUT- UP!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t ya g\u2019won over to your cot, \u2018n lie down, maybe try \u2018n get hold o\u2019 yourself,\u201d Jacob suggested, in a tone of voice surprisingly kind. \u201cSeems ol\u2019 Tim over there\u2019s doin\u2019 enough cryin\u2019 for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billy Bob nodded, then shuffled over to the cot, set up in the farthest corner of the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob, he gonna be all right?!\u201d Black Bart queried, with an anxious frown. \u201cYou know how he gets when he takes a notion to his head. Ain\u2019t NO stoppin\u2019 him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re worried about him takin\u2019 off t\u2019 look for that li\u2019l gal on his own . . . ya needn\u2019t,\u201d Jacob said, taking great care to keep his voice low. \u201cGive him another minute, maybe two, he\u2019ll have forgotten all about that li\u2019l gal \u2018n gone on t\u2019 somethin\u2019 ELSE. YOU know that, Bart. You know that better \u2018n just about anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlatherin\u2019 idiot!\u201d Timothy growled, casting a disdainful glare over in the direction of the young man, now lying stretched out on the cot, with his face to the wall. \u201cY\u2019 shouldda put him in an orphanage somewheres.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob gritted his teeth, then lashed out, striking Timothy with force sufficient to send him careening into the wall behind him. The younger, portlier man cried out in pain, astonishment, and outrage as he body slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, then collapsed to the sandy floor. Jacob, his eyes blazing with raw fury, moved in on his hapless opponent, with fingers clenched into a pair of tight, rock hard fists.<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob, stop it!\u201d Black Bart growled, as he interposed himself physically between Jacob and Timothy, now sitting on the floor, gazing up with a shocked, stupefied look on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cOutta my way,\u201d Jacob growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean it,\u201d Black Bart growled back, \u201c or so help me . . . I\u2019m gonna knock the both of ya down \u2018n sit on ya \u2018til ya come t\u2019 your senses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright!\u201d Jacob snarled. But, I don\u2019t wanna hear no more talk about orphanages or hospitals, or so help me . . . so . . . HELP . . . me . . . I\u2019m gonna KILL him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one\u2019s stickin\u2019 Billy Bob in no orphanage or hospital,\u201d Black Bart tried to reassure his associate and old friend. \u201cYou promised your ma you\u2019d look after him when she was lyin\u2019 on her death bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn right,\u201d Jacob snarled, as he glared over at Timothy, still sitting where he had fallen just a short while ago, whimpering.<\/p>\n

\u201cMean time, we gotta saddle up \u2018n move on,\u201d Black Bart continued. \u201cSooner the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t leave now,\u201d Jacob argued. \u201cThat silver shipment don\u2019t come through for another couple o\u2019 days yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t stay HERE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

Black Bart cast a quick, furtive glance over toward Billy Bob, now snoring softly. \u201cThat li\u2019l gal, Jacob,\u201d he said, taking great care to lower his voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cBart, you\u2019re tremblin\u2019 worse \u2018n a vaporous old woman,\u201d Jacob sneered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t take the chance. She can point us out to the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBart, I keep tellin\u2019 ya . . . she CAN\u2019T point us out to the law or nobody ELSE,\u201d Jacob argued, \u201c \u2018cause she\u2019s dead. Gotta be, by now. Even if she DID get lucky \u2018n blunder into the nearest water hole . . . there still ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 but desert f\u2019r twenty, maybe even thirty miles no matter which way ya look. Ain\u2019t no way possible for her to\u2019ve gotten out on foot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if she found help?\u201d Black Bart demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAww, Bart . . . where in the ever lovin\u2019 world is she gonna find help?! Whole time WE been livin\u2019 out here in this shack, we ain\u2019t seen much o\u2019 NOBODY.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about them three we saw leave Eastgate few days ago, after that horse auction?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, so three people left Eastgate,\u201d Jacob snorted derisively. \u201cSo WHAT? The chances of them runnin\u2019 into that li\u2019l gal are . . . astro-nomical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d still feel a helluva lot better about things if we\u2019d gone after that gal,\u201d Black Bart declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook. Day after t\u2019morrow that silver shipment bound f\u2019r Placerville comes through,\u201d Jacob pressed. \u201cAfter we relieve \u2018em of all that precious, heavy metal . . . we\u2019re GONE . . . as in SOUTH to Mexico, to live like kings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . an\u2019 we can hook up with some real live red hot mamas,\u201d Timothy ventured hesitantly, with a bare hint of a lecherous sneer pulling hard at the corner of his mouth. \u201cI\u2019ll even betcha you can find one t\u2019 make Billy Bob forget the one that got away . . . ?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT won\u2019t be hard,\u201d Jacob grunted, \u201cmakin\u2019 Billy Bob forget all about that li\u2019l gal. I hafta admit, she was a nice piece of ass . . . fun while she lasted. Her cryin\u2019 all the time for that sissy boy, Lorenzo, got tiresome real quick, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can YOU sit there and . . . and . . . think about women, when the three o\u2019 US as good as got our necks in a noose?\u201d Black Bart yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cRobbin\u2019 a stage AIN\u2019T no hangin\u2019 offense,\u201d Timothy immediately shot back.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe stage robbin\u2019 ain\u2019t, but murder IS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t commit no murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hell ya didn\u2019t. Whaddya call the bullets ya put in the driver of that stage . . . an\u2019 the man ridin\u2019 shotgun?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSelf defense,\u201d Timothy snapped. \u201cTHEY drew on ME, first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think anyone\u2019s gonna\u2014 \u201d Black Bart\u2019s entire body suddenly went rigid. \u201cWhat was THAT?\u201d he gasped, his eyes round with sheer terror.<\/p>\n

\u201cAggh! You\u2019re WORSE \u2018n an old woman,\u201d Timothy sneered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just heard our horses,\u201d Black Bart gasped.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLISTEN to \u2018em, dammit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Jacob and Timothy paused to listen. \u201cAaah, so the horses are makin\u2019 noises,\u201d the latter snorted contemptuously. \u201cSo what?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone\u2019s out there!\u201d Black Bart declared vehemently.<\/p>\n

\u201cDagnabit!\u201d Roy muttered under his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wind shifted,\u201d Roy said, \u201cso Matt\u2019s now down wind o\u2019 their horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and they\u2019ve picked up his scent,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do we do NOW, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Apollo asked.<\/p>\n

Roy waved at Matt, frantically gesturing for him to immediately take cover. Matt glanced back with a bewildered frown, but complied. \u201cAdam . . . Apollo . . . you boys cover me.\u201d He rose, and cupped his hands around his mouth. \u201cHELLO, THE HOUSE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDammit!\u201d Black Bart swore vehemently. \u201cI told ya someone was out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNOW what\u2019ll we do?\u201d Timothy wailed, his entire body quaking with sheer terror.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two of YOU need t\u2019 git hold o\u2019 yourselves for one thing,\u201d Jacob growled. \u201cHonest t\u2019 God, I ain\u2019t never, not in all my born days EVER seen nuthin\u2019 as scaredy cat as the two o\u2019 you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob?!\u201d It was Billy Bob. He stood at Jacob\u2019s elbow, eyes still half closed, trying hard not to yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha want, Billy Bob?\u201d Jacob asked, unable to keep the exasperation out of his voice.<\/p>\n

Billy Bob flinched, as if Jacob had just struck him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Kid,\u201d Jacob immediately apologized.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything . . . oh . . . kay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Billy Bob, everything\u2019s ok\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Timothy wailed, rudely cutting Jacob off mid-sentence. \u201cEverything\u2019s NOT ok. We\u2019re caught! We\u2019re just as good as blamed CAUGHT! Y\u2019 know what THAT means . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The blood drained right out of Billy Bob\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll tell ya one thing. I AIN\u2019T goin\u2019 to the gallows, no sir, not Pearl Troutman\u2019s li\u2019l boy . . . not no how, not no way, \u2018n especially NOT for t\u2019 likes o\u2019 YOU.\u201d Black Bart punctuated his passionate declaration with a dark, angry glare directed in the general direction of Timothy Higgins.<\/p>\n

\u201cDammit, I told ya . . . THAT was self defense!\u201d Timothy shot right beck. \u201cJacob saw. HE\u2019LL back me up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it WAS self defense agin\u2019 the driver \u2018n the man riding shot gun,\u201d Black Bart rounded furiously on his cohort, \u201cbut NOT agin\u2019 that boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT boy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat tall, skinny boy! He didn\u2019t have no gun, no knife, no nuthin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou talkin\u2019 \u2018bout Low-ren-zo?\u201d Timothy sneered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m talkin\u2019 \u2018bout YOU shootin\u2019 down an unarmed man, not much more \u2018n a BOY . . . in cold blood. I saw ya, Higgins. Ya shot that boy down in cold blood, just so \u2018s YOU could have his girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU had YOUR fun with \u2018er, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill the both o\u2019 ya puh-leese . . . shut-UP?!\u201d Jacob ordered, taking no pains to conceal his swift growing annoyance. \u201cYou\u2019re scarin\u2019 the wits outta Billy Bob!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat boy don\u2019t have any wits t\u2019 be scared out of,\u201d Timothy muttered softly, under his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was THAT?!\u201d Jacob demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019,\u201d Timothy snapped back in a sullen tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI MEAN it, Jacob!\u201d Black Bart defiantly insisted. \u201cI AIN\u2019T swingin\u2019 from the end of a rope . . . NOT for the likes o\u2019 him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody\u2019s askin\u2019 ya to!\u201d Jacob\u2019s words drew a sharp, angry glare from Timothy, mixed with generous doses of fear and trepidation. \u201cNow, shut-up \u2018n settle down . . . the BOTH of ya!\u201d He glared at Black Bart first, then over toward Timothy. \u201cLike as not, it\u2019s some ol\u2019 squatter lookin\u2019 for shelter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re we gonna do?\u201d Timothy demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019M gonna go see what the man outside wants,\u201d Jacob replied, as he started for the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cJ-Jacob?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Billy Bob?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we goin\u2019 to jail?\u201d Billy Bob asked, his face pale, his eyes round with sheer terror.<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Bob, ain\u2019t nobody goin\u2019 t\u2019 jail,\u201d Jacob hastened to assure the young man. \u201cNow you wait right here with Mister Troutman \u2018n Mister Higgins, \u2018til I come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk,\u201d Billy Bob agreed reluctantly, with much fear and trepidation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHELLO, THE HOUSE!\u201d Roy shouted again.<\/p>\n

The door opened. Jacob Carter stepped out from the darkened interior into the bright sunshine. \u201cHELLO, FRIEND,\u201d he yelled back in an affable tone of voice. \u201cWHAT CAN I DO FOR YA?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI WAS WONDERIN\u2019 IF I MIGHT ASK YA A FEW QUESTIONS,\u201d the sheriff yelled back in response.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHATCHA WANNA KNOW?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHERE\u2019S AN OVERLAND STAGE COACH MISSIN\u2019. IT LEFT VIRGINIA CITY A COUPLE O\u2019 WEEKS AGO. I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU LIVIN\u2019 OUT HERE IN THE DESERT THE WAY Y\u2019 ARE . . . MAYBE YOU\u2019D SEEN OR HEARD SOMETHING.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSORRY, FRIEND, \u2018FRAID I CAN\u2019T HELP YA. YOU FROM THE STAGE LINE?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNOPE. I\u2019M THE SHERIFF FROM OVER IN VIRGINIA CITY,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cGOT A WIRE FROM THE STAGE LINE A COUPLE O\u2019 DAYS AGO THAT THE STAGE WAS MISSIN\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn, damn, damn, DAMN!\u201d Black Bart vehemently swore, upon hearing Sheriff Coffee identify himself. \u201cI knew we was caught! I knew it, I KNEW it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWillya f\u2019r heaven\u2019s sake settle DOWN?!\u201d Timothy growled back.<\/p>\n

\u201cSettle down? Settle DOWN?! Didn\u2019t ya hear what I just SAID?! We\u2019re as good as caught . . . \u2018n you\u2019re tellin\u2019 me t\u2019 settle DOWN?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI swear! You got more fright in ya that the Good Lord gave a rabbit . . . and you\u2019re scaring the boy, besides! The sheriff\u2019s just askin\u2019 questions. That\u2019s ALL! He ain\u2019t accusin\u2019 us o\u2019 nuthin\u2019 . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . YET! How you of all of us can stand there so cool \u2018n calm, I\u2019ll never know. YOU\u2019RE the one facin\u2019 a hangman\u2019s noose, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t neither!\u201d Timothy declared heatedly. \u201cIt was self defense, y\u2019 hear me? Self defense! When in the hell are ya gonna get that through your thick head?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t call shootin\u2019 two men lyin\u2019 in the sand, trussed up like a pair o\u2019 calves for brandin\u2019 self defense,\u201d Black Bart shot right back. \u201cI call it cold blooded murder . . . same as that boy . . . \u2018n same as that WOMAN.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d tell \u2018em that, wouldn\u2019t ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn\u2019 right, if it\u2019ll save m\u2019 own neck, you snivelin\u2019, whinin\u2019 li\u2019l\u2014 .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell. So much for honor among thieves,\u201d Timothy said, as he whipped his revolver out of its holster.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Whatcha gonna DO?\u201d Billy Bob cried out.<\/p>\n

Black Bart\u2019s swarthy complexion paled as he watched his cohort aim the barrel of his revolver straight at his own heart. \u201cCome on, Higgins . . . put that thing away,\u201d he murmured, as he raised his hands to shoulder level.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet this through your head, Big Man,\u201d Timothy said contemptuously, \u201cI got no intentions o\u2019 dancin\u2019 on air either.\u201d With that, he pulled the trigger.<\/p>\n

Black Bart had vague awareness of Billy Bob somewhere, screaming, as he dropped to the floor, his face contorted with agony, clutching at his chest. \u201cY-You . . . b-back stabbin\u2019 J-Judas goat son of a bitch,\u201d he spat.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re no better,\u201d Timothy sneered. \u201cYou we\u2019re gonna tell on me t\u2019 save your own crummy neck, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell\u2019s goin\u2019 on here?\u201d Jacob Carter demanded, as he charged into the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no choice,\u201d Timothy whined. \u201cI HAD t\u2019 shoot him. T\u2019was that or let HIM shoot ME.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . you l-lyin\u2019 b-bag o\u2019 shit dust,\u201d Black Bart muttered angrily through clenched teeth. \u201cI . . . I ain\u2019t even wearin\u2019 m\u2019 gun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . you stupid . . . THAT\u2019S IT!\u201d Jacob screamed, his face contorting with rage. \u201cTHAT IS THE ABSOLUTE, POSITIVE LAST STRAW! HIGGINS, YOU \u2018N ME ARE QUITS! BLACK BART, BILLY BOB \u2018N ME ARE LEAVIN\u2019 . . . JUST AS SOON AS I CAN SADDLE OUR HORSES.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGOOD RIDDANCE!\u201d Timothy shouted, on the edge of hysteria. \u201cGOOD RIDDANCE TO YOU AND THAT IDIOT FREAK BROTHER OF YOUR\u2019S! Y\u2019 HEAR M\u2014 \u201d His words ended abruptly when Jacob punched him, with a granite solid right cross, that shattered virtually all the teeth in the front of his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Bob, get your things,\u201d Jacob said, his entire body quaking with fury. \u201cWe\u2019re leavin\u2019. We gotta get Black Bart to a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob . . . n-no!\u201d Black Bart gasped, as Jacob knelt down beside him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe gotta get those slugs outta ya,\u201d Jacob said in a calm, almost detached tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cT-too late . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Black B-Bart, are ya . . . are ya gonna . . . die?\u201d Billy Bob asked, as he knelt down beside his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Fraid s-so, Billy Bob . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Billy Bob said softly, shaking his head. \u201cY\u2019 can\u2019t die . . . how\u2019s Jacob \u2018n me gonna rob that stage, if . . . if YOU die?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen t-to me, Billy B-Bob . . . you \u2018n Jake . . . y\u2019 gotta git, y\u2019 . . . y\u2019 hear me?\u201d Black Bart said. \u201cThere\u2019ll be . . . there\u2019ll b-be plenty . . . other . . . st-stages.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be ok,\u201d Billy Bob protested, \u201c \u2018Cause J-Jacob already g-got rid o\u2019 that sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now, I wouldn\u2019t go so far as t\u2019 say THAT, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob, Billy Bob and Timothy looked up, and found, Roy Coffee standing framed in the doorway, with revolver in hand . . . much to their sinking horror.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want all three of ya t\u2019 take the guns outta those holsters . . . slow \u2018n easy . . . with the finger tips o\u2019 your LEFT hands,\u201d Roy continued. \u201cThen toss \u2018em over here next t\u2019 my feet, by the barrel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had nothin\u2019 t\u2019 do with this, Sheriff . . . neither did Billy Bob,\u201d Jacob said, nodding toward his brother, as he reached across with his left hand and slipped his gun from its holster. \u201cI w-was outside . . . talkin\u2019 with YOU . . . remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember.\u201d Keeping a sharp eye and the barrel of his revolver trained on the three men standing before him, Roy bent down to retrieve the gun belonging to Timothy Higgins.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . \u2018n Billy Bob here?\u201d Jacob continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wouldn\u2019t harm a fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy glanced over at Billy Bob, standing alongside Jacob, with trembling hands upraised. Slow. THAT was the kind word for folks like Billy Bob Carter, who ended up having the body of a grown man . . . or woman, with the mind of a child, or sometimes even a baby living inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI MEAN it, Sheriff. Billy Bob wouldn\u2019t harm a fly!\u201d Jacob insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take your word for it,\u201d Roy said as he lifted Timothy\u2019s weapon to his nose and sniffed. The gun was still warm to the touch, the smell of powder quite strong. \u201cIf you gimme your word you won\u2019t try nothin\u2019 silly, like an escape attempt, I\u2019ll let you \u2018n Billy Bob share a cell, so you can better look after him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you takin\u2019 Billy Bob \u2018n me in for?\u201d Jacob demanded, outraged. \u201cI told ya . . . I DIDN\u2019T shoot Bart . . . neither did Billy Bob.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t takin\u2019 you or the boy in for shootin\u2019 that big guy in front o\u2019 ya,\u201d Roy said. \u201cI\u2019m takin\u2019 HIM in . . . \u201d he inclined his head toward Timothy Higgins, \u201c . . . for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen . . . why are you takin\u2019 Billy Bob \u2018n me in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuspicion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuspicion? For WHAT?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Cause I got a real strong feelin\u2019 you know more \u2018bout that stage disappearin\u2019 than you was lettin\u2019 on just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you . . . are you g-gonna . . . hang me?\u201d Billy Bob asked, his entire body trembling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey ain\u2019t gonna hang ya, Boy, \u2018cause y\u2019 ain\u2019t killed nobody,\u201d Jacob said quietly, yet very firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cP-Promise?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise. Only one\u2019s gonna get hanged is Higgins over there\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cN-No! NO!\u201d Thoroughly panicked, Timothy scrambled to his feet, pushed past Roy and fled from the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing somewhere, Mister?\u201d<\/p>\n

Timothy immediately stopped dead in his tracks. The momentum of his forward thrust coupled with his sudden stop, sent him toppling face first down onto the sand. For a time he simply lay as he fell, rendered immobile by the pain of his body thudding hard against the desert sand, and from all the broken, shattered teeth in his mouth, resulting from a single blow from Jacob Carter\u2019s fist. Upon glancing upward, he found himself staring into the long barrels of three rifles in the hands of Adam Cartwright, Matt Wilson, and Apollo Nikolas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn your feet,\u201d Adam ordered, his face dark with the murderous rage steadily building inside him. \u201cKeep your movements slow and easy. You so much as bat an eyelash the wrong way . . . . \u201d He let his voice trail away to ominous silence.<\/p>\n

For less than a second, Timothy considered making another mad dash, only to think again in the face of the black fury he saw mirrored in Adam Cartwright\u2019s eyes. He swallowed, then slowly rose to his feet, his entire body quaking with fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn! I was hoping he\u2019d make a run for it,\u201d Adam muttered angrily under his breath.<\/p>\n

Behind his back, Matt and Apollo both exchanged apprehensive glances. They would have expected that kind of an angry response from Joe Cartwright, when he was much younger . . . but Adam?! Never! Not in a million years!<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I had nothin\u2019 t\u2019 do with it y\u2019 know,\u201d Timothy said, his voice shaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why are you so hell-bent on running?\u201d Adam snapped out the question.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018CAUSE I DON\u2019T TRUST YA,\u201d Timothy yelled., on the verge of tears. \u201cTHAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE . . . . \u201d He shuddered. \u201cYOU\u2019D KILL ME AS MUCH AS LOOK AT ME.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Adam whispered, as the blood drained right out of his face. \u201cNo!\u201d He could hear Kane\u2019s maniacal laughter echoing within the deepest recesses of his heart and soul.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to kill me, don\u2019t you, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you do. You want to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNO.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam?!<\/p>\n

Adam started so violently, he nearly dropped the rifle in his hands. He turned and found himself staring into Matt Wilson\u2019s pale, apprehensive face. Timothy Higgins stood less than ten yards away with trembling hands reaching upward. Apollo had his own rifle aimed square at the short, squat man\u2019s belly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?! Hey, Buddy, you alright?\u201d Matt asked, anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . . \u201d Adam shook his head vigorously to clear it of the strange reverie that had just possessed him. \u201cNo!\u201d he snapped, glaring over at their badly frightened prisoner. \u201cI look at that man and keep thinking that I have a wife, a daughter . . . AND a sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt gave Adam\u2019s shoulder a firm squeeze, meant to reassure. \u201cHey, Apollo . . . how about you keep covering us whilst I search this low life bag o\u2019 scum,\u201d he said, as he ambled over toward the cowering man with his hands still up.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy pleasure,\u201d Apollo replied. \u201cTo echo Adam\u2019s sentiment, I have a wife, TWO daughters, a twin sister, and a niece. Not to mention my in-laws. I, too, wish he\u2019d make a run for it . . . for THEIR sakes.\u201d He caressed the trigger of his rifle for emphasis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I d-d-don\u2019t know what you f-fellas are t-talking about,\u201d Timothy stammered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes, you do,\u201d Matt countered, in a tone of voice deceptively benign. \u201cHowever, your appalling lack of respect for those of the opposite gender is gonna be the LEAST of your worries, if the man you shot in there dies. That\u2019ll get you the gallows for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do nothin\u2019, ya hear me?! Nothin\u2019!\u201d Timothy declared, his voice shaking, his eyes round as saucers. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you fellas are talkin\u2019 about, I swear, I d-don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt set himself to the task of searching for the man. He took a knife from Timothy\u2019s boot, an enormous wad of bills from his right pant\u2019s pocket, and a man\u2019s gold wedding ring from the top pocket of his shirt. \u201cDon\u2019t know what were talkin\u2019 about, hunh?\u201d he said, fixing the hapless Timothy with a hard, steely glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s THAT s\u2019posed to mean?\u201d Timothy demanded warily.<\/p>\n

\u201cYOUR name Lorenzo?\u201d<\/p>\n

Timothy unconsciously stepped back , and brought his hands down to shield his face against the raw, primal fury he saw in both Matt\u2019s and Adam\u2019s faces, when the former uttered the name of the young bridegroom. \u201cI, uh . . . I . . . I . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe inscription inside this ring says, \u2018 . . . darling, Lorenzo. I will love you always and forever. Maria.\u2019 You Lorenzo?\u201d Matt pressed relentlessly,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I . . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, if you\u2019re not Lorenzo, then where\u2019d you get that ring?\u201d Adam asked, his calm, dispassionate tone at frightening odds against the rage burning in his dark eyes, his body rigid, trembling with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I FOUND IT!\u201d Timothy yelled. \u201cI FOUND IT, DAMMIT, Y\u2019 HEAR ME? ! I FOUND IT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, I\u2019LL take over the questionin\u2019 when we git back t\u2019 town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three heads, three pairs of eyes turned, just in time to see Roy Coffee stepping into their circle. His complexion had paled to a sickly ashen gray, and his mouth was thinned to a very taut, near lipless, angry line. A dark, murderous scowl, deepened the furrows already present in his forehead and made darker the shadows, formed by the bony structure of his eye sockets. The haunted look in his eyes stood out in stark, uneasy contract against the raw fury so present, so very palpable in the rest of his face.<\/p>\n

Jacob and Billy Bob Carter walked meekly in front of him, with their hands firmly tied behind their backs. The former\u2019s head was bowed, his face masked by the deep shadows cast by the harsh desert sunlight against the lines and planes formed by bone and sinew. Young Billy Bob\u2019s face was noticeably pale, and he glanced around at the others stupidly, in fear and bewilderment.<\/p>\n

Roy inclined his head toward Timothy Higgins, with trembling hands still raised to shoulder level, amid a half circle formed by three angry men, with rifles aimed at his head. \u201cWe got this one for murder,\u201d he stated in a hollow voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cMuh-muh-muh-murder?!\u201d Timothy stammered, looking from one man to the next through the round eyes of a wild animal, irrevocably caught in a trap.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I said,\u201d Roy affirmed.<\/p>\n

Timothy blanched. \u201cN-No! Th-those men on the stage . . . it was self defense, I tell ya! Self defense!\u201d he cried nearly overcome now with hysteria. \u201cI HAD t\u2019 kill \u2018em . . . or else THEY wouldda killed ME!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t talkin\u2019 about the stage . . . I\u2019m talkin\u2019 about YOU shooting down your partner in cold blood,\u201d Roy said grimly. \u201cI saw ya do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SHOT him,\u201d Timothy sobbed. \u201cI didn\u2019t KILL \u2018im!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, y\u2019 did,\u201d Roy said. \u201cBlack Bart Troutman died five minutes ago from the bullet YOU put in his gut. That counts as murder in my book, AND in the eyes o\u2019 the law.\u201d He paused to let the import of his words sink in. \u201cHe also made a death bed confession. Said he wanted t\u2019 clear his conscience before leavin\u2019 this world t\u2019 meet his maker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA . . . a . . . what?!\u201d Timothy stammered, reeling under the impact of all that had just happened, and the grim consequences that lay ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlack Bart confessed,\u201d Jacob angrily rounded on Timothy, \u201cto everything. The stage robbery, the killin\u2019, that li\u2019l gal . . . everything!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d Timothy sobbed. \u201cOh, G-God, no . . . no, no, no, no . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhh . . . shut-up! It\u2019s your old woman\u2019s fright what got us caught. Least y\u2019 can do is face the music like a man!\u201d Jacob growled.<\/p>\n

Within a very short time, the Carter brothers and Timothy Higgins were both atop their saddled horses with their hands securely tied behind their backs. The body of Black Bart Troutman was buried in front of the shack, and marked by a simple cross. A quick search inside yielded Maria Estevan\u2019s traveling suit, now reduced to a pile of filthy rags, two wallets with money and letters addressed to men listed as passengers aboard the missing stage, and an assortment of men\u2019s and women\u2019s jewelry. Everything was handed over to Sheriff Coffee as evidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I . . . I c-can\u2019t ride like this . . . with my hands tied behind my back,\u201d Timothy whined in protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister, y\u2019 got a choice,\u201d Roy said, taking no pains to hide his anger and contempt. \u201cY\u2019 can ride like y\u2019 are now . . . OR y\u2019 can stay here . . . \u2018n keep Black Bart company, if y\u2019 git my meanin\u2019. Which\u2019ll it be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Timothy blanched at the implications, but said nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Men, we got three prisoners t\u2019 take back t\u2019 town,\u201d Roy said, still angry, yet all of a sudden very weary. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a minute, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Adam protested, gazing over at the lawman in utter disbelief. \u201cWhat about the missing stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanna know where that missing stage is, Pal? It\u2019s about twenty miles due south o\u2019 here,\u201d Jacob immediately replied. He looked down at Adam from atop his horse, and smiled. It was a nasty, cruel smile, void of any and all mirth or joy. \u201cIt\u2019s THAT way.\u201d He inclined his head over his shoulder, to his right. \u201cY\u2019 go along the road, \u2018bout ten miles or so, \u2018til ya get to the gateway rocks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned. \u201cGateway rocks?! What are the gateway rocks?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll know \u2018em,\u201d Jacob said cryptically. \u201cAt the gateway rocks, ya leave the road, \u2018n go right. Ride as the crow files, you\u2019ll find the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, I\u2019m going to ride out and\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, there ain\u2019t no point in going out t\u2019 look for that missin\u2019 stage,\u201d Roy said, accurately perceiving what Ben\u2019s eldest was going to say. He felt very sick to his stomach, and even sicker at heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?!\u201d Adam sputtered, outraged and bewildered.<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 heard me,\u201d Roy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff C-Coffee, are y-you suggesting that we . . . that we ABANDON those people?!\u201d Adam demanded, appalled by the thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore he died . . . Black Bart said they waited \u2018til that stage was too far out in t\u2019 desert for those poor folks t\u2019 make it b-back on foot before settin\u2019 upon it. After . . . after these men . . . \u201d Roy grimaced as if he had just bitten into something very rancid, very foul tasting, \u201c . . . after these m-men robbed the folks aboard that stage . . . shot the two men drivin\u2019 . . . shot M-Mister Estevan . . . they took their food, their water, \u2018n the horses . . . \u2018n just LEFT \u2018em there . . . all of \u2018em . . . except f\u2019r MRS. Estevan . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam felt the air explode from his lungs, as if he had just taken a hard blow to the stomach. Had he not been holding tight to Sport II\u2019s saddle, he would have almost certainly fallen down. He stared over at the sheriff through eyes round with horror, too stunned to move, or even speak . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cHold it right there, Mister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam froze.<\/p>\n

A man moved out from behind a large boulder, just ahead to his right, with his gun drawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust don\u2019t move,\u201d a second man ordered, from his perch in the niche of a larger rock on Adam\u2019s left. He jumped down, with gun in hand, its barrel aimed squarely at Adam\u2019s chest. \u201cDrop your gun, easy like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t I see you in Eastgate?\u201d he queried, looking from one to the other, concluding he had no chance of escape . . . for the moment, anyway. He reluctantly handed over his gun and his rifle.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d the second man answered his question. \u201cYou did. It\u2019s been a long trail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure took your time before making your move,\u201d Adam observed sardonically, as the men retrieved his gun and rifle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn OUR line of work, we like privacy,\u201d the second man returned with a wry smile, without missing a beat. \u201cYou know what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam said with rancor. \u201cI\u2019m intuitive.\u201d He reached into his back pocket, and pulled out his wallet, all the while silently cursing himself for the stupidity . . . HIS stupidity . . . of carrying around such a large sum of money alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust toss it down here,\u201d the first man said. \u201cNo tricks, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam did as he was told.<\/p>\n

The first man caught the wallet, then opened it. A greedy smile spread slowly across his lips. \u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d he declared, the instant his eyes fell on the generous wad of bills squeezed into the back.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow get down off that horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second man\u2019s words chilled the very morrow in Adam\u2019s bones. \u201cYou got your money,\u201d Adam said tersely, as horror mixed with rising anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cClimb. Down.\u201d The first man reiterated the order, enunciating each word for emphasis.<\/p>\n

Adam warily obeyed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna let you WALK outta here,\u201d the second man sneered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never make it without food and water,\u201d Adam argued, as he watched them mount their own horses with a fast sinking heart. \u201cNobody would.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell now, I feel real sorry for him,\u201d the second man laughed derisively, \u201c \u2018cause he\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d the first man agreed, also laughing. \u201cI\u2019m all shook up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want your pity. I just want a chance.\u201d There was a pleading note in Adam\u2019s terse, angry tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re givin\u2019 you a chance,\u201d the second man snickered. \u201cWe ain\u2019t KILLIN\u2019 ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery funny!\u201d Adam returned in a voice as cold as the stone that had formed deep in the pit of his stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t it?\u201d the men laughed as they rode off with his wallet, his money, his horse, food, and water . . . reducing his chances of surviving the encounter from slim to virtually nil . . . .<\/p>\n

Adam?<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?!\u201d Matt ventured hesitantly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cN-No . . . . \u201d Adam murmured, shaking his head vigorously in denial. \u201cNo . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Pal, we got a long way back\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Matt,\u201d Adam said, angrily shaking his old friend off. \u201cI\u2019m going to find that stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, every last one o\u2019 them folks is DEAD,\u201d Roy said, giving vent to the fury and the sickness rising within, threatening to devour him alive. \u201cY\u2019 hear me?! They\u2019re dead! There ain\u2019t a blessed thing we can do for any of \u2018em now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe DON\u2019T know that!\u201d Adam argued. \u201cWe can\u2019t possibly know that. All we have is the word of . . . of . . . of a damned murderer and a rapist!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty miles due south o\u2019 here . . . the closet town bein\u2019 Eastgate, which has gotta be at least two \u2018n a half days away, maybe even THREE days RIDE away from there. . . no food, no water, no horses . . . Adam . . . for God\u2019s sake . . . do I hafta spell it out for ya?!\u201d Roy argued, angry, yet deeply troubled that he was actually having this conversation with the eldest of Ben\u2019s boys, rather than the youngest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, I am going to find that stage,\u201d Adam said through clenched teeth. He lifted his leg and angrily jammed his foot into the stirrup.<\/p>\n

Roy seized Adam by the shoulder in a painful, vice like grip and spun him around so that they stood face to face. \u201cIt\u2019s been a week \u2018n a half since they was last seen in Desert Springs, Adam. You remember ANYTHING o\u2019 what Doc Martin said?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE I do,\u201d Adam growled back, trying hard not to wince. For a man of his years, Roy Coffee\u2019s grip was surprisingly strong.<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 know what that means?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam furiously pulled away from the hold Roy Coffee had on him. \u201cI know very well what that means,\u201d he said in a low, dangerous tone. \u201cIn fact, I know better than most what that means.\u201d He grabbed hold of the saddle and, this time, climbed up with the surprising speed and agility of a man half his age. \u201cI am going to go look for that stage,\u201d he said again. There was a determined, steely glint in his eyes, not unlike the same that appeared in his father\u2019s once a hard decision had been made. \u201cI . . . I have to do this, Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow if this ain\u2019t the most hair brained\u2014 \u201d Roy sputtered, outraged, angry, and thoroughly perplexed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee . . . . \u201d Matt ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Roy snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019LL go with Adam,\u201d Matt said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt\u2014 \u201d Blake Wilson started to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be alright, Pa. Adam and I\u2019ll be along in another three days, four at the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got three prisoners t\u2019 take back t\u2019 Virginia City,\u201d Roy immediately reminded the two younger men.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re tied up. You, Apollo, Darryl, and Pa can manage \u2018em,\u201d Matt replied, \u201cand when you return to the water hole where the others are waiting . . . well, you\u2019re NOT going to miss Adam and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTryin\u2019 t\u2019 find that blamed stagecoach is gonna be like . . . well, like looking for a needle buried deep in a haystack,\u201d Roy argued. \u201cI don\u2019t wanna hafta be getting a search party together to look for the pair o\u2019 YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I will follow the directions given,\u201d Matt said. \u201cIf they don\u2019t lead us to that missing stage, we\u2019ll head home. RIGHT, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pointedly remained silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . . \u201d Matt pressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, all right,\u201d Adam snarled. \u201cWe don\u2019t find that missing stage following directions, we head for home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want your word on that, Boys,\u201d Roy said, glaring at Adam first, then Matt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI give you my word, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Matt said immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Roy prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright! I give you MY word as well,\u201d Adam growled, ungraciously surrendering to the inevitable.<\/p>\n

The search party, minus Adam Cartwright and Matt Wilson, reached Virginia City with their three prisoners, Timothy Higgins, and the two Carter brothers, Jacob and Billy Bob, during the early afternoon hours the following day. Clem stood outside the open door of the sheriff\u2019s office, cradling a loaded rifle in the crook of his left arm, having been forewarned of the sheriff\u2019s return by a half dozen concerned citizens with in the space of the last five minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cClem, I want ya t\u2019 take charge o\u2019 the prisoners,\u201d Roy said wearily, as he dismounted from Tin Star\u2019s back. \u201cApollo . . . Darryl, you boys give Clem a hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apollo Nikolas and Darryl Hughes both nodded curtly, then set themselves to the task of helping Clem Foster escort the three prisoners to the jail cells inside.<\/p>\n

Satisfied that the Carters and Timothy Higgins were in reliable hands, Roy turned to address the rest of the men who had made up the search party. \u201cI want t\u2019 thank each \u2018n everyone o\u2019 you for all your help. I know this is a busy time o\u2019 year for all o\u2019 ya . . . \u2018specially those who have farms \u2018n ranches t\u2019 look after . . . \u2018n I appreciate ya takin\u2019 the last few days from everything else y\u2019 had t\u2019 do. My only regret is that we were \u2018way too late t\u2019 save any o\u2019 those poor folks who had the terrible bad luck o\u2019 bein\u2019 on that stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least I can rest easier knowing that we caught the filthy lowlifes who robbed that stage and . . . and violated that poor girl,\u201d Clay Hansen declared with a black, angry scowl on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad we couldn\u2019t have done t\u2019 THEM, what they did t\u2019 those poor folks on that stage,\u201d Eli Barnett declared, drawing a loud murmur of ascent from most of the others gathered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose men are gonna get a fair trial,\u201d Roy said very sternly, \u201c \u2018n I believe we got evidence strong enough t\u2019 convict all three of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why bother with a trial?\u201d one of the other men in the crowd shouted. His name was Emil Jennings. He had just started work at the Five Card Draw Ranch, after having been fired from the Wilsons\u2019 Square W, the O\u2019Briens\u2019 Shoshone Queen, and the Ponderosa. Aged in his mid-thirties, he was about the same height and build as Joe Cartwright, with sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, and a single thick eyebrow stretching the length of his forehead, that seemed forever locked in a perpetual scowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmil\u2019s right! Why bother with a trial? Let\u2019s string all three of \u2018em up right here . . . right now,\u201d Andy Barnett declared. \u201cI know I\u2019D sleep a lot better tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo would I!\u201d Clay Hansen declared. \u201c \u2018Specially with a wife \u2018n four daughters still at home t\u2019 look after.\u201d<\/p>\n

The murmurs of ascent grew louder, more strident.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee quickly slid his revolver from its holster and fired two shots into the ground. All voices were suddenly stilled, leaving a strained, tense silence in their wake. \u201cThat\u2019ll be ENOUGH o\u2019 that kind o\u2019 talk!\u201d he angrily admonished the men still gathered. He closed his eyes for a moment and quickly counted to ten.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know . . . it\u2019s been a rough couple o\u2019 days for all o\u2019 us . . . in more ways than one,\u201d Roy said in a calmer, more conciliatory tone of voice. \u201cTraipsin\u2019 through the desert . . . finding out what those men did to those poor folks on the stage . . . it\u2019s enough to weary a man t\u2019 the bone.\u201d He paused briefly, to allow his words to sink in. \u201cI think the best thing all o\u2019 us can do is go home, rest, put our feet up, have a good supper, \u2018n git t\u2019 bed early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though most of the men left quietly, a ripple of discontent could still be heard, mostly among the men from the Five Card Draw. Roy grimly bade everyone a curt good night, then turned, intending to trudge wearily into his office. He was surprised to find that Doctor Paul Martin remained. \u201cSomethin\u2019 I can do for ya, Doc?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Martin shook his head. \u201cI was going to ask you if you might need an extra hand to help keep an eye on things tonight,\u201d he said. The apprehension and concern came through in his voice loud and clear.<\/p>\n

Roy barely managed a wan half smile, as he resolutely shook his head. \u201cClem \u2018n I\u2019ll be fine, Doc, \u2018n besides . . . Mrs. Estevan probably needs ya a heckuva lot more\u2019 n I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue,\u201d Paul agreed. \u201cRoy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Doc?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . don\u2019t like what I heard here just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t say I care all that much for it either,\u201d Roy retorted in a wry, sarcastic tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think there\u2019ll be trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno . . . but if there is? Clem \u2018n me are ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you need me, don\u2019t hesitate to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere IS one favor y\u2019 can to for me, Doc.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can stop by the Fletchers\u2019 \u2018n let Ben know that Adam\u2019s not gonna be back for a few more days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHE\u2019S . . . WHAT??!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard me, Ben,\u201d Paul Martin said grimly, bound and determined to maintain his ground and not flinch against those dark brown, almost black, piercing eyes filled with anger, astonishment, and worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy in the hell didn\u2019t Roy stop him?! For that matter why didn\u2019t YOU stop him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNOBODY could have stopped him, short of knocking him down and sitting on him,\u201d Paul said, his voice rising slowly, steadily in volume.<\/p>\n

\u201cWELL? WHY DIDN\u2019T YA?\u201d Ben yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHY DIDN\u2019T I . . . WHAT?!\u201d Paul Martin yelled back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHY IN THE HELL DIDN\u2019T YOU KNOCK HIM DOWN AND SIT ON HIM?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBECAUSE . . . DAMMIT, BEN, ADAM\u2019S NOT A LITTLE BOY ANYMORE! HE\u2019S A GROWN MAN . . . WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben lapsed into sullen silence, his intense glare, wholly directed toward his physician and good friend never wavering. Finally he looked away, and sighed. \u201cSorry, Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be alright, Ben,\u201d Paul Martin tried to reassure his old friend with a confidence he was very far from feeling. \u201cHe\u2019s got a good head on his shoulders . . . always HAS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and you said Matt Wilson went with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s some consolation anyway,\u201d Ben sighed again. Not very much, but certainly lots better than the thought of Adam having set out on his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two of \u2018em should be along within the next few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, Paul. I sure hope so.\u201d Even as he tried desperately to remind himself that Paul Martin was right\u2014that Adam WAS a grown man, not a child, Ben knew that he wasn\u2019t going to rest easily until his oldest son was safely back here . . . with his family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will, Ben,\u201d Paul said, feeling suddenly bone weary. He rose from the settee in the Fletchers\u2019 home. Ben automatically followed suit, rising from the easy chair that he had occupied. \u201cI\u2019d best be going. I\u2019m anxious to see Lily and . . . I still have a patient under my care.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, I . . . really AM very sorry I jumped all over ya the way I did,\u201d Ben said ruefully as the pair walked toward the door . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and it\u2019s all MY fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unbeknownst to either Ben Cartwright or Paul Martin, their entire conversation had been overheard by a young man with hazel eyes and an unruly mop of thick, chestnut brown curls, standing at the top of the stairs, well out of sight. He had just awoken from a brief nap a short while before, and had intended to go downstairs to pick up where he had left off in the new detective novel he received from his father last birthday. The sounds of his father\u2019s and Doc Martin\u2019s voices, raised in anger, had stopped him. He had paused at the top of the steps, not meaning to eavesdrop, yet unable to help himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should NEVER have said those things to Adam,\u201d Joe Cartwright ruefully castigated himself, as the words of the argument he and his oldest brother had in the dark early morning hours the day he left, began to relentlessly replay themselves within the silence of his mind, over and over and over again. He found his troubled thoughts drifting back to memories of the time he and Adam had sold a herd of prime beef cattle in Eastgate . . . .<\/p>\n

After they had concluded their business, and Adam had pocketed the five thousand dollars made from the sale, they had gone over to the barber shop together for a bath to wash off the dirt of the trail. It had been a long, exhausting drive, most of it through harsh, dry, badlands.<\/p>\n

Joe remembered again how, at that point, he was so sick and tired of living life on the trail. All HE wanted was a bath, a steak dinner with a big mug of cold beer to wash it down, and most important . . . a soft bed with clean sheets, and down pillows. Adam, however, wanted to head out toward Pyramid Lake, across country even more harsh than what they had traveled through on that cattle drive from the Ponderosa to Eastgate.<\/p>\n

\u201cSignal Rock . . . three days. Be there . . . ON TIME.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those were Adam\u2019s parting words, before setting off toward the badlands.
\nThree days later, Joe and Cochise arrived at the appointed meeting place, on time for once, as he himself had admitted to his beloved pinto companion. He had yelled for Adam a few times, whistled once all with no response. As he settled himself down to wait, Joe wasn\u2019t worried about his normally punctual-to-a-fault oldest brother\u2019s absence . . . not at first. In fact, he spent the first few hours eagerly contemplating how he was going to tease Adam unmercifully for not arriving on time.<\/p>\n

As the day wore on, with still no sign of his oldest brother, Joe\u2019s light, playful mood slowly gave way to concern. By nightfall, he was nearly going out of his mind, envisioning every dire possibility, that would have left Adam either too badly injured to help himself, or worse. Joe slept little that night, starting to full wakefulness at even the slightest sound. He would call his oldest brother\u2019s name over and over again several times, all the while peering hard into the near impenetrable blackness of the night surrounding him and his campfire. After a time . . . he would never be sure if it was MINUTES later or HOURS later. . . he would drop off into light, fitful slumber, only to be wakened again.<\/p>\n

The following day, exhausted from not having gotten enough sleep and from the ride out from Eastgate the day before, he spent the early morning hours sharing a cup of coffee with Cochise, silently debating on whether he should stay and wait for Adam, or leave to begin searching for him. Finally, as the sun rose to the very top of the sky, marking the noon hour, Joe suddenly knew with a dreadful certainty that Adam wasn\u2019t coming.<\/p>\n

Joe immediately set out, heading in a southerly direction, heading toward Pyramid Lake. He and Cochise ended up with a man, who operated a blacksmith\u2019s forge and small livery, a few miles south of Eastgate, when the horse went lame. The man examined the bad leg and found that the pinto had a split hoof.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be while before I can ride him,\u201d Joe murmured in complete, utter dismay.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can stay here, if you\u2019d like,\u201d the man graciously offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thank you, I need to push on. You have a horse I can borrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man nodded, and went to the barn to fetch him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell me where the next town is?\u201d Joe asked, as he secured Cochise\u2019s lead to a nearby hitching post, and prepared to remove his saddle. He intended to stop there to pick up extra supplies of food and water.<\/p>\n

\u201cSalt Flats, to the west,\u201d the man called back from the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m heading south.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man laughed as he led a big, magnificent brown horse, with three white feet and a white stripe down its face. Joe suddenly felt as if he had taken a hard sucker punch below the belt. He legs shook and his knees began to buckle. If he had not happened to have both hands clasping the saddle, still secured to Cochise\u2019s back, he would have almost certainly fallen.<\/p>\n

\u201cSouth? There\u2019s nothing\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d you get that horse?\u201d Joe demanded, his face darkening with anger. \u201cThat\u2019s my brother\u2019s horse!\u201d<\/p>\n

The man looked at him oddly.<\/p>\n

Joe seized the man by his shirt collar, and pulled his gun, all in the same swift, fluid movement. \u201cI asked you where you got that horse?\u201d he asked again in a low, dangerous tone.<\/p>\n

The man paled as the cold steel of Joe\u2019s gun barrel lightly touched his cheek. \u201cI . . . I didn\u2019t steal him . . . I b-bought him from two fellas\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a bill of sale?\u201d Joe snapped out the question like the crack of a whip.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes . . . it\u2019s . . . it\u2019s right here\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Joe snatched it out of the man\u2019s hand the instant he drew it from his shirt pocket. \u201cJim Gann,\u201d he read the name on the bill of sale. \u201cYou know where he was headed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSalt Flats,\u201d the man replied. \u201cHe and another fella . . . Frank . . . Frank P-Preston were headed for Salt Flats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like I\u2019m going to Salt Flats after all,\u201d Joe muttered through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

His search for Adam ended abruptly at Salt Flats when the sheriff there told him that Jim Gann and Frank Preston were both dead. \u201cLast night, they tried to shoot up the town and a few of its leading citizens,\u201d the sheriff explained. \u201cI ended up shooting both of them. I have \u2018em laid out in the back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe wired Pa and Hoss from Salt Flats.<\/p>\n

Together, the three of them diligently searched the badlands for Adam. Joe would never forget his father\u2019s face during the course of those terrible, uncertain days. At the start of the search, Pa had that fierce, determined scowl on his face, and that hard glint of steel in his eyes. He sat very tall in the saddle, his back straighter than a seasoned cavalry officer, hands gripping the reins, jaw set with an almost granite-like obstinate determination. Ben Cartwright had made up his mind he was going to find his oldest son and that . . . was simply that.<\/p>\n

Three days into the search, Pa found an empty gun belt.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Pa replied wearily, in a voice barely audible. They had been on the move, non-stop for three days and three nights, with very little rest and no sleep. The grueling pace to which they had set themselves would have completely done in a lesser man half Pa\u2019s age before the first day was out. After three days, Joe saw in Hoss\u2019 face and in his body the same bone deep weariness he, himself felt.<\/p>\n

\u201cTracks . . . out there, by the rocks,\u201d Pa continued. \u201cTracks show three horses . . . one man on foot.\u201d The implications were all too dreadfully clear. \u201cWe have to spread out . . . cover every direction,\u201d Pa insisted, bound and determined to continue.<\/p>\n

Using the spot where Adam\u2019s gun belt had been found as their starting point, they fanned out, each riding off in a different direction, diligently searching. Hours passed into days . . . the days became a week, then two weeks. Joe noted, as time passed, how Pa sat a little less straight in the saddle . . . a little less tall. His jaw, so rigidly set in the beginning, grew less and less like granite. At times, it even trembled. Gazing into Pa\u2019s eyes was the worst thing of all, as that steel hard glint melted into the bright, glistening sheen of tears, yet to be shed.<\/p>\n

At the end of those dreadful two weeks . . . even the eternal optimism of big brother, Hoss, started to wane. \u201cPa . . . . You can\u2019t go on, Pa . . . you can\u2019t do it.\u201d Joe heard again the voice of his biggest brother, filled with despair, grief, and a deep, abiding concern for their father.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna have to face it, Pa. We\u2019re not gonna find Adam,\u201d Joe said in a voice stone cold, wholly resigned to the fact that Adam was gone, forever swallowed up in the shifting sands of the desert. He remembered wishing desperately to scream, to cry, to curse . . . but all he felt inside was a terrible numbness that had dampened all his ability to feel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been two weeks since he left Eastgate,\u201d Hoss pressed, his voice breaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I gu\u2014 I s\u2019pose you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe would never, not if he lived a million years . . . EVER . . . forget the terrible look on his father\u2019s face that day. He saw a flash of anger toward his younger sons for reminding him of the grim reality facing them, mixed with hopeless despair and a deep, all pervading, all consuming grief. Worst of all were Pa\u2019s eyes. The warmth, the sparkle of life were gone, leaving behind the opaque abysmal blackness of a man about to leave behind a vital piece of his soul.<\/p>\n

As the three turned their horses, to begin that long, weary ride back to the Ponderosa, to home, empty handed . . . with not even a body to bury to give them a measure of peace, and closure . . . .<\/p>\n

Pa caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned, as kind of an afterthought . . . and spotted Adam, walking along the flat expanse of sand below them, moving on a course parallel to the rise upon which they stood, still mounted on the backs of their horses. He shuffled along, moving forward, mindless, with no purpose, no destination . . . with his dark eyes fixed on the horizon ahead, staring intently, but seeing nothing . . . aware of nothing. His back was bowed under the weight of a gurney strapped to his back. On it lay a man, roughly the same size and build as Adam, his body ominously still.<\/p>\n

They called to him, shouting his name over and over . . . Pa, Hoss, and himself . . . frantic, near hysterical with relief, and deeply thankful that they HAD found him.<\/p>\n

Their shouts fell on ears beyond hearing.<\/p>\n

They turned their horses and rode, hard, on an intercept course. Adam stumbled, just as they reached him, dropping to his knees, then flopping down onto his belly. Pa reached Adam first. He half climbed, half fell off of Buck, then reached down to free Adam of his gruesome burden and lift him to his feet.<\/p>\n

Soon, they were all surrounding Adam, frantically calling his name, trying desperately to pierce the mindless fog that had surrounded and engulfed him.<\/p>\n

Finally, Adam laughed. Softly at first, swelling, increasing in volume and intensity. \u201cThere . . . there was no gold,\u201d he murmured, laughing so hard now, the tears flowed down his cheeks like rivers. \u201cNo gold . . . there w-was no gold . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d Pa shouted, frightened by the hysterical edge, and the increasing intensity of his oldest son\u2019s laughter.<\/p>\n

Pa\u2019s voice acted as a bucket of ice water, dispelling the fog, the near hysteria. The laughter stilled, leaving for a moment the thick silence of the grave.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa . . . . \u201d Adam whispered, before collapsing into his father\u2019s arms, sobbing.<\/p>\n

The thought of losing Adam to the desert again . . . this time, maybe, for good . . . .<\/p>\n

For one brief, insane moment, Joe desperately wracked his brains, trying to come up with a plan to go out himself in search of Adam. His sides still felt a mite tender, but he was walking really well now, with barely a trace of his limp, and he was keeping down everything on his current diet of soft and bland. Though his beloved Cochise remained on the Ponderosa, Joe was confident of his ability to manage Buck, his pa\u2019s horse . . . assuming he could slip by Pa. That in and of itself could be a big if, given that in the past, the more desperate he had ever been to sneak out, the greater his chances of finding Pa waiting for him.<\/p>\n

That, however, pretty much paled in the face of his biggest obstacle . . . which was trying to find out which way Adam went in the first place. Any inquiries that he made would almost certainly get back to Pa . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gasped and started so violently, he nearly toppled over backwards.<\/p>\n

Ben, his face a mixture of worry and remorse, reached out and caught his youngest son by the shoulders, preventing him from taking what might have been a very nasty tumble. \u201cJoe? I\u2019m sorry, I didn\u2019t mean to startle you, Son . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, P-Pa,\u201d Joe murmured softly, as he clutched the lapels of his father\u2019s shirt for support.<\/p>\n

An anxious frown deepened the creases already present in Ben Cartwright\u2019s brow, as he noted Joe\u2019s complexion, paled to a sickly ashen gray, the round, intense staring eyes, and the slight tremor in his hands. He touched his lips to his youngest son\u2019s forehead. \u201cThank the Good Lord he\u2019s not running a fever,\u201d Ben mused silently. Aloud, he ventured, \u201c . . . Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019m . . . I\u2019m all right, Pa,\u201d Joe barely managed to stammer.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Son,\u201d Ben said gently. \u201cLet\u2019s get you back to your room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe allowed his father to gently turn him away from the top of the steps, and lead him back down the hallway to the room he had chosen for himself. \u201cMy fault,\u201d he murmured in a voice barely audible. \u201cAll MY fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all your fault, Joe?\u201d Ben probed very carefully as he eased his son down into the big, overstuffed easy chair near the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . oh, Pa, I\u2019m so sorry . . . it\u2019s all my fault,\u201d Joe insisted.<\/p>\n

Ben seated himself on the edge of Joe\u2019s bed, then leaned over to touch his arm, resting atop the arm of the easy chair. \u201cCan you tell me about it?\u201d he invited in a kind, gentle tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my fault Adam went into the desert . . . then and now,\u201d Joe said miserably. \u201cIf only we hadn\u2019t had that argument . . . well, maybe . . . just maybe . . . he\u2019d have come back w-with everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I want you to listen to me very closely.\u201d Ben\u2019s tone was gentle, yet very firm. \u201cI don\u2019t believe for one minute Adam went in search of that stage because the argument the two of you ALMOST had . . . drove him to it. I think Susannah O\u2019Brien told you and your sister about the young woman over at Doctor Martin\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Estevan. Yeah, Pa, she told us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know the Estevans traveled out here from Sacramento with Adam,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was grateful for their company, of course, but more than that, by the time the three of them reach Virginia City, they\u2019d established the beginnings of what might have been an enduring friendship, had it not been for the terrible tragedy that befell the Estevans,\u201d Ben continued in a gentle, yet firm tone of voice. \u201cI\u2019M more inclined to think that Adam insisted on finding that missing stage so that he might ascertain for himself what finally happened to Mister Estevan . . . in order to give Mrs. Estevan some kind of closure that would eventually, enable her to move to a place of healing . . . of maybe even falling in love again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cB-But, Pa . . . he\u2019s gotta know that M-Mister Estevan\u2019s dead,\u201d Joe protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he does . . . and DID before setting out to look for that stage,\u201d Ben said. \u201cJust like you knew Lady Chadwick was dead before you laid eyes on her lying in her coffin . . . because I had told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-You mean . . . Adam, maybe had to see for himself that Mister Estevan\u2019s dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s EXACTLY what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe silently digested all that his father had told him. \u201cPa?\u201d he ventured at length.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you really believe that? What you just told me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do,\u201d Ben said with conviction. He did. But, deep down, he sensed other, deeper currents at work in his enigmatic oldest son. The Estevans were merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Looking into Joe\u2019s eyes, Ben knew HE sensed the same thing. \u201cI believe the Estevans are PART of what\u2019s troubling Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and what about the REST of whatever it is that\u2019s troubling Adam?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish to heaven I could tell ya, but I CAN\u2019T . . . because I just plain don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cHowever, I DO know this. The argument you and your brother were on the verge of having when I came into his room the morning he left had absolutely NOTHING to do with his decision to go look for that stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared hard into his father\u2019s warm, dark brown eyes for a long moment, and saw that the big silver haired man he knew as Pa, spoke truly about the set-to between himself and Adam not being the reason for his oldest brother\u2019s trek into the desert. \u201cTh-thanks, Pa,\u201d he murmured, covering Ben\u2019s hand, the one still gently resting on his arm, with his other hand. \u201cBut, I\u2019m STILL worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I,\u201d Ben readily admitted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to go after him, Pa,\u201d Joe said, half surprising himself upon making that confession. \u201cI want to go after him so bad, I . . . well, when you came upon me just now? My mind was working fast and furious, trying to come up with a plan. That\u2019s why I never saw you coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would advise you to discard that notion immediately, Young Man,\u201d Ben said, favoring his young son with a stern glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Joe said with a rueful smile. \u201cI\u2019m not too told for you to turn over your knee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, I was going to remind you that I was dead serious about hogtying you and your sister both, if I so much as caught you LOOKING at Cochise and Blaze Face, before Doc Martin tells ya it\u2019s alright,\u201d Ben said in a wry tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, we almost lost Adam to the desert once,\u201d Joe said, his smile fading. \u201cI . . . I don\u2019t want to lose him to the desert NOW.\u201d His voice caught on the last word.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, there IS something you and I can do for Adam,\u201d Ben said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cI found myself doing it a lot while you were being held prisoner by Lady Chadwick,\u201d he continued, \u201cand it\u2019s something we can do any time . . . any place, whenever we feel so moved. It\u2019s called prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI found myself doing a lot of that, too, while I was still in Milady\u2019s clutches,\u201d Joe said, returning his father\u2019s smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome, but mostly for YOU, Pa . . . you, Hoss, Stacy, and Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I . . . I knew Stacy was hurt, and . . . and for awhile, I . . . I thought she had actually . . . that she had actually DIED.\u201d It took nearly every ounce of will Joe possessed to utter those words. The next, however, poured forth from his lips, like a river in springtime, its waters swollen my winter melt. \u201cThen, I thought, I was afraid you had been taken in by Lady Chadwick\u2019s plan to make you think that her son\u2019s body was MINE.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne night, I had this horrible nightmare in which I f-found myself at Stacy\u2019s funeral, then mine,\u201d Joe continued, his voice shaking. \u201cThen, finally, I saw a new tombstone, standing along side Mama\u2019s.\u201d He looked over at Ben, his eyes and cheeks glistening with tears as all the feelings that had accompanied those dreams surfaced now with a vengeance. \u201cIt was YOURS, Pa . . . and the inscription s-said something about you dying of a broken heart because . . . because STACY had died and . . . and because you thought I was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gently drew Joe over to sit beside him on the bed. \u201cSo THAT\u2019S why you were so happy to see Stacy and me . . . why you kept hugging the both of us like you were never going to let go,\u201d he murmured softly, as he wrapped his arms tight about his distraught, weeping son.<\/p>\n

\u201cI prayed that . . . that Stacy would b-be alright and . . . and that y-you wouldn\u2019t m-mistake Jack Murphy f-for me,\u201d Joe sobbed, as he slipped his arms around his father\u2019s waist.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say God ANSWERED those prayers,\u201d Ben said softly. \u201cStacy almost died . . . in fact, they . . . they told me she HAD died, but she came back, Son.\u201d He smiled amid the tears now forming in his own eyes. \u201cBy golly, she . . . she gave the Angel of D-Death a good, swift kick in the shins and . . . and she came back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood for Stacy! I hope he\u2019s STILL limping,\u201d Joe said, laughing now as he wept.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he is, Son, in fact, I think he\u2019s gonna be limping for another hundred y-years, at least,\u201d Ben said, his own voice unsteady. He paused for a moment to wipe away the tears from his own eyes on the sleeve of his shirt. \u201cJoe . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t fooled by Lady Chadwick\u2019s feeble attempt to pass her son\u2019s body off as YOURS,\u201d Ben said, \u201cnot for a second. We KNEW you were out there somewhere, and we were searching long and hard for ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I came to that realization when I looked out the window and saw the full moon, after . . . after I woke up from that horrible nightmare,\u201d Joe said, as his tears began to subside. \u201cI remembered Stacy\u2019s Grandmother Moon, and saw Hop Sing\u2019s Moon Hare, and, I found myself remembering Mama\u2019s prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour mother\u2019s prayer?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . you remember, don\u2019t you, Pa? She used to say that prayer every night, whenever you were away on business,\u201d Joe continued. \u201c \u2018Holy Mary, Mother of God, we turn to you for protection. Listen to our prayers and help us in our needs. Save us from every danger, O, glorious and blessed Virgin.\u2019 Sometimes? If I close my eyes and listen real hard? I can almost hear her voice as she prays that prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember now,\u201d Ben said, his voice tinged with sadness and regret as his thoughts lingered for a moment on Marie, his third wife, and mother of the young man he still held in his arms. \u201cShe also used to say that prayer whenever she knew . . . or sensed . . . that her men folk were in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and sometimes when we were sick,\u201d Joe suddenly remembered. \u201cOne time . . . I think it was right before she died, Pa, but, I remember . . . Adam was sick . . . bad sick. It started as a cold, but real quick turned to pneumonia. I can still see him, even now, in bed, with his eyes closed, his face white as a sheet, burning up with fever . . . . Doc Martin had all but given up hope, but . . . Mama sat up with him all night, saying that prayer over and over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cGod answered HER prayer, too, because the next morning . . . when I went in to check on Adam and your mother, I found him awake . . . barely, but he WAS awake, and telling me to shush, because your mother was fast asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind saying that prayer now . . . for Adam?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cI\u2019ll pray silently along with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I was just thinking that maybe, this time, YOU should be the one to pray out loud, and I be the one to pray silently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Pa,\u201d Joe said doubtfully. \u201cI don\u2019t think I could do it half so well as YOU do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you CAN, Son. After all, you had a lot of opportunity to practice while Lady Chadwick held you prisoner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I hadn\u2019t thought about that,\u201d Joe said quietly, then bowed his head.<\/p>\n

Ben quietly followed suit, then waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoly Mary, Mother of God, we turn to you now and pray for protection . . . THIS time for my brother, Adam,\u201d Joe prayed softly, with all the rock firm conviction he had ever heard in the prayers his father had offered over the course of his own long life. \u201cPlease, listen to our prayers and help Adam now, where he needs your help. Save and keep him from every danger, O, glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d Ben murmured softly. In the course of that prayer, he saw dark days ahead for Adam, for Joe, for all of them. Yet, hidden in the deepest, darkest place of all, a tiny candle burned, it\u2019s flame flickering, occasionally sputtering, but never going out. Then, he heard a still, small voice speaking from the deep places of his heart and soul, over and over repeating, \u201cThy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,\u201d words well known and very familiar.<\/p>\n

He realized, then, that the small candle, its tiny, brave flame burning so brightly amid the deep darkness surrounding all of them, was hope . . . and that it would lead them all out of the darkness, one step at a time. All he had to do was trust.<\/p>\n

End of Part 3<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mark of Kane<\/p>\n

Part 4<\/p>\n

By Kathleen T. Berney
\nThe stage coach loomed ominously before them, silhouetted black against a cloudless sky, bleached pale blue by the white hot desert sun hovering high overhead. There was no movement, no sign of life. Even the near incessant drone of the desert winds had stilled into an eerie silence that fell over the two approaching men like a thick, heavy pall. Adam Cartwright and Matt Wilson exchanged brief, uneasy glances, as they brought their respective mounts to a complete stop roughly fifty yards from the stagecoach. For a time, both remained in the saddle, gazing out over a debris field, stretching nearly the entire length between them and the coach, generously littered with clothing, shoes, luggage, and other personal items.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Matt queried, at length, in a voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Matt?\u201d Adam responded, automatically lowering his own voice as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think we\u2019re going to find anything . . . or any . . . ONE?\u201d Matt asked, unable to stop or repress the shudder that shook his entire frame.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . don\u2019t think we\u2019re going to find anyONE, Matt,\u201d Adam replied in a hallow voice, his gaze fixed straight ahead. \u201cThe . . . natural inclination . . . would be to move and to try and KEEP moving . . . assuming the men who set on them and robbed them didn\u2019t shoot them all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though it was hopeless?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cESPECIALLY if it was hopeless,\u201d Adam returned in a voice stone cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sound so sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI AM sure,\u201d Adam shot back angrily.<\/p>\n

Matt frowned, taken completely aback by his Adam\u2019s sudden anger. \u201cS-Sorry, Adam,\u201d he murmured, not quite knowing what else to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, I\u2019M the one who should apologize,\u201d Adam said contritely. \u201cI had no call to snap your head off like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

An uneasy silence fell between them. Though the time was brief, less than a minute, for Adam and Matt, it seemed to stretch into eternity.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d At length, Matt finally broke the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Matt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll accept your apology . . . if you\u2019ll accept mine?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam managed a wan smile. Barely. \u201cDeal,\u201d he replied, as he climbed down from Sport II\u2019s back. \u201cCome on. We only have a few hours of daylight left.\u201d With his horse\u2019s lead firmly in hand, he began to move slowly into the debris field, his eyes glued fast to the stagecoach, straight ahead.<\/p>\n

Matt slowly dismounted. With his gun in one hand, his horse\u2019s lead in the other, he followed at a slower pace, with his eyes glued to the ground. As he walked, his mind played and replayed that brief exchange between himself and his old friend, trying to figure out what he had said to upset him. He finally chalked the whole thing up to how close Adam had come to losing his entire family in the fire that had taken their home . . . what? A month ago? Two? He shrugged, then let the whole matter drop.<\/p>\n

Matt took another step, then stopped when the toe of his boot hit up against something buried in the sand. \u201cWhoa, Boy,\u201d he whispered to his horse. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam paused and turned. \u201cYeah, Matt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHold up a second.\u201d Matt began to carefully clear the sand away from whatever it was buried in the sand with his foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind something?\u201d<\/p>\n

Within the space of a few seconds, Matt had uncovered a small rectangular object, red, with a light brown strip along one edge. He jammed his gun back into it\u2019s holster, then crouched down for a closer look. \u201cAdam . . . it\u2019s a book.\u201d He lifted it from the sand, opening it as he slowly rose to his feet. \u201cI . . . think it\u2019s a TEXT book. There\u2019s a name written here on the inside of the cover . . . Brentwood J. Carroll . . . along with an address in Freedonia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned and carefully picked his way back among the clothing, and luggage strewn over the desert floor. \u201cMay I see?\u201d he asked, upon reaching Matt\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

Matt closed the book, then handed it over to his companion. \u201cThis Brentwood J. Carroll someone you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam replied, as he opened the book, and started to carefully turn the pages. \u201cI was going to ask if YOU know him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . I don\u2019t know him, either. Obviously just someone passing through like\u2014 \u201d Matt caught himself an instant before naming the Estevans.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were right, Matt . . . . \u201d Adam said slowly, as he leafed through the pages. \u201cIt IS a text book . . . biology, if I\u2019m not mistaken . . . wait\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo envelopes stuck in the middle,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cOne addressed to Mother, the other addressed to someone named Kellie.\u201d He turned over the latter, and found that the flap had simply been tucked in, rather than sealed. Adam lifted the flap and removed a single sheet, folded in thirds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does it say?\u201d Matt asked.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Dear Kellie,\u2019 \u201d Adam read slowly. \u201c \u2018Forgive me. I wanted so much to see you, to be with you that when offered the choice of taking an earlier stage out of Virginia City, I took it. Now, my impatience has very likely brought me to a bad end. Early this morning we were overtaken and set upon by robbers. They took our money and other valuables, then killed the drivers, a woman . . . an older woman, about the same age as your mother, and a young man just married. Though they left me and the others alive, they took our horses, what little food we had, and lastly chopped holes in our water barrels, emptying them in the sand. They also took the young bride and the girl, who was traveling with the older woman.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018It is evening now. Two of the others left earlier to try and find help, or at the very least, find water. If they don\u2019t return by daybreak, I intend to strike out on my own. If I don\u2019t make it out of this desert alive, please know that I love you, more than life itself, far more I can say on this one tiny scrap of paper.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Promise me this, Dearest Kellie. Promise me that if it happens that I don\u2019t survive this, that you\u2019ll not spend the rest of your life in mourning. Promise me that you will live your life to its fullest, that you will open your heart and let yourself love another. If this is my time, I will rest easier knowing that you have made and kept this promise.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018I love you. I will always love you.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Until we meet again, whether it be on this earth or beyond the veil . . . . \u2019 \u201d Adam glanced up. The hand holding the letter trembled slightly, and his eyes glittered with unusual brightness. \u201cIt\u2019s signed Brent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . s\u2019pose we ought to see those letters get to M-Mister Carroll\u2019s mother and . . . to his girl,\u201d Matt said, finding it difficult to speak past the lump in his own throat, as his thoughts turned briefly to his own wife, the former Clarissa Starling, and their young daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, we need to turn these letters over to Sheriff Coffee when we reach Virginia City,\u201d Adam said stiffly, as he replaced the letters back among the pages of the text book. \u201cThis letter to Kellie, at least, is testimony of what happened.\u201d He, then, turned and angrily stuffed the book into his own saddle bag.<\/p>\n

Matt sighed. Adam DID have a valid point about Brentwood Carroll\u2019s letter to his girl, being testimony of what had happened. He made himself a mental note, however, to ask Sheriff Coffee if the letters might be sent on to Mother and to Kellie, after the trial was over.<\/p>\n

As they drew near to the stagecoach, they spotted the bodies of two men, lying side by side, face down, roughly ten feet in front of the stage coach. Their wrists had been and tightly bound behind their backs, using leather strips. Half of their heads had been blown away by shots made at point blank range, and most of their flesh, what remained of their heads, their forearms, and hands, had been consumed by carrion eaters. Large splatters of dried blood stained ragged remnants of what had once been their shirts and jagged, white pieces of skull were clearly visible in the desert sands near their heads.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese men must be the driver and his relief,\u201d Matt said grimly, as they tethered their horses\u2019 leads to the rim of the right front wheel. He knelt down alongside the larger of the two men, next to what remained of his head, while Adam slowly knelt down along side the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, I . . . know this man hasn\u2019t got much of his face left, but he kind of looks like . . . Johnny Jacobs,\u201d Adam said in a hollow voice, inclining his head toward the dead man beside him.<\/p>\n

Matt glanced up and studied the smaller man for a moment. He slowly nodded his head. \u201cYeah, that\u2019s Johnny alright,\u201d he murmured softly. \u201cDamn! I\u2019d heard he was going to leave his job with the Overland Stage at the end of the year, and buy a nice little piece of property to farm. Pa said that\u2019s all he\u2019s talked about at the Silver Dollar for the last month or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea who THAT fella is?\u201d Adam asked, nodding to the big man lying alongside the place where Matt had knelt down.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Matt replied with a curt nod. \u201cHe lives . . . LIVED . . . over in Carson City.\u201d He frowned. \u201cI don\u2019t know his first name . . . but his LAST name\u2019s Dawson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he have any family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. He never mentioned family members the few times I talked with him, but . . . . \u201d Matt shrugged helplessly. \u201cI guess the sheriff over in Carson\u2019ll know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t suppose YOU thought to bring a shovel . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Fraid not, Old Friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and shook his head. \u201cI didn\u2019t either,\u201d he said with much regret. \u201cDamn! Bad enough they had to die like they did. At the very least they deserve a decent burial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt stood for a moment, with hands resting squarely on his hips, staring over at the coach. \u201cSay, Adam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Matt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink we could pry a couple of boards loose?\u201d Matt asked. \u201cIf so, we could use the boards to carve out a hole big enough so we can cover \u2018em over . . . at least for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know about the stage, but maybe the lid from a trunk, or the bottom out of a carpet bag would suffice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see what I can scare up,\u201d Matt said, scrambling to his feet, suddenly anxious to put a little distance between himself and the two dead men.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to look around,\u201d Adam said, also rising.<\/p>\n

The two men moved off in opposite directions. Matt beat a straight line back around in the direction they had just come, to the field of debris in search of something . . . anything that might adequately serve as a shovel.<\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, slipped his gun from his holster, and moved around to the other side of the stage. His sharp eyes immediately fell on a rounded, dark blue-black form, lying on the ground roughly ten feet from the back corner of the stagecoach, in direct line with the sun, now beginning its descent toward the western horizon. He approached slowly, reluctantly, every sense fully alert. He realized, upon covering nearly half the distance from Mister Dawson\u2019s body, that the rounded, dark blue form was the body of a large, stout woman.<\/p>\n

When he finally reached the side of the dead woman, Adam was horrified to discover that she had suffered a terrible beating. The left side of her skull had been broken, cracked like an egg shell, leaving a large, jagged, cavernous hole. Her clothing was ripped and torn, due in part, to the fierce struggle in which she had been involved. He remembered the letter from Brentwood to Kellie, mentioning a girl, also abducted by the thieves, traveling in the company of an older woman.<\/p>\n

Had this woman been killed in a fight, trying to prevent the thieves . . . the Carter brothers and Timothy Higgins . . . from abducting the girl?<\/p>\n

Adam noted with grim satisfaction that the woman\u2019s finger nails were blood stained. \u201cI hope the blood ISN\u2019T hers,\u201d Adam mused silently, upon remembering the scratches on Timothy Higgins\u2019 face and Jacob Carter\u2019s arm. \u201cIt would be really nice to know that SOMEONE had paid those animals back a small measure of the pain they inflicted on the Estevans, the drivers, and the other passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM?! HEY, ADAM!\u201d It was Matt. Judging from the sound of his voice, he had returned to the front of the stagecoach, presumably where the bodies of the two drivers yet remained.<\/p>\n

\u201cHERE, MATT,\u201d Adam yelled back. \u201cI FOUND ANOTHER BODY.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within a few minutes, Matt was at his side, his hair and face drenched with sweat. There was also a large wet circle on the front of his shirt, and large semi-circles under his arms. \u201cI . . . managed . . . to rip a couple of lids off a . . . off the t-two biggest trunks,\u201d he said, breathless from his exertions. \u201cThey\u2019re . . . I left \u2018em back there . . . with the . . . with the two drivers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave some water and rest,\u201d Adam said, eyeing his companion\u2019s reddened face anxiously. \u201cThere\u2019s shade on the other side of the stage. I\u2019m going to move this woman\u2019s body up to the front where the two drivers are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you manage by yourself, Adam? From the looks of things, she was a big woman . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I can manage. She\u2019s . . . she\u2019s a lot lighter than she looks, Matt . . . courtesy of the vultures and dehydration.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using the trunk lids procured by Matt, the two men labored diligently to gouge out three trenches, roughly three feet deep. They had wrapped the bodies of the two men, using a man\u2019s cotton bathrobe and a large linen petticoat as burial shrouds. The woman\u2019s body was wrapped in two large petticoats. After Matt and Adam had covered the three bodies with sand, they gathered as many rocks as they could and piled them overtop the graves. Matt fashioned three simple crosses to mark the graves from the wood of two ladies\u2019 parasols, using shoe laces to bind the vertical and horizontal pieces together.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Matt ventured, after they had completed their sad, grim task.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Matt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink maybe you could say a few words?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a religious man these days, Matt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still have a better way with words than I do,\u201d Matt pressed.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cAlright . . . . \u201d he agreed reluctantly, before bowing his head, and closing his eyes.<\/p>\n

Matt respectfully followed suit, then waited patiently for Adam to gather his thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cEternal God . . . and Heavenly Father, we commit the spirits and souls of these men . . . Mister Jacob, Mister Dawson, and the woman . . . not known to us, but known to You . . . into Your hands for safe keeping. We ask also that as they enter Your heavenly kingdom, You would show them the mercy that their fellow men failed to show them as they left this Earth.\u201d He paused briefly, then added a soft, \u201cAmen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d Matt murmured softly.<\/p>\n

For a few moments, both men observed a time of silence before the newly dug graves.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . guess we ought to be moving on,\u201d Matt, at length, broke silence. \u201cWe could make camp tonight either at Crazy Cal\u2019s old shack, or the watering hole he used\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s all the same to you, I\u2019d prefer the watering hole,\u201d Adam said quietly. \u201cI saw more than I cared to in that shack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Matt agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we leave, mind if I have one last look around?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I suppose not,\u201d Matt said with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders. \u201cIs there something you\u2019re looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to try and find Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s body,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

Matt frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s GOT to be here. That letter addressed to Kellie said the thieves killed a young bridegroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were good people, Matt,\u201d Adam said tersely. \u201cIntelligent, charming, gracious . . . still basking in the afterglow of their honeymoon . . . they ended up being a real Godsend on my trip out from Sacramento. I left before Pa, Hoss, and Candy found Joe, and, well . . . to say I was worried sick would be a gross understatement. Lorenzo and Maria Estevan lightened that load considerably. Had I NOT had the pleasure of their company, I know I would have gone out of my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt nodded, knowing very well how close the members of the Cartwright family were to one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s in any way possible . . . I want to give Maria Estevan some kind of closure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Adam,\u201d Matt said. \u201cYou remember my Aunt Hetty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. Her husband and eldest son had been lost when one of the smaller mines collapsed, burying everyone on the two lower levels. All attempts to rescue the trapped miners had to be abandoned early on, due to flooding in some of the levels above. There was no way anyone could have reached, let alone rescued, or even retrieved the bodies of the men and boys trapped down on the levels below the flooding. With no bodies to bury, no tangible proof of their deaths, Hetty Wilson\u2019s life, for all intents and purposes, had come to a screeching halt that day. She had spent every minute, every hour since, patiently waiting for her husband and first born son to return home . . . until the day she finally drew her very last breath. The thought of Maria Estevan ending up like Matt\u2019s Aunt Hetty, grieved and disturbed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever . . . WHAT, Matt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t much time,\u201d Matt said, casting an anxious eye at the lengthening shadows all around them.<\/p>\n

This drew a sharp, angry glare from Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019m not faulting you for wanting to find Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s body,\u201d Matt said curtly. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t wish what happened to Aunt Hetty on my worst enemy. But, it\u2019s getting late. If we\u2019re going to reach that watering hole by dusk\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Adam snapped, before abruptly turning heel and beating a straight path toward the stagecoach. He would never know what had prompted him to go to the coach and throw open the door. It had all happened, almost without his realization. Upon opening the door, his eyes were immediately drawn to the floor of the coach, where the body of a tall, slender young man lay half curled in fetal position. A full head of thick, coal black hair remained, presenting a stark, even shocking contrast to the whiteness of his exposed skull.<\/p>\n

Adam knew beyond all doubt that he had found the body of Lorenzo Estevan. He also knew from the vast amounts of dried blood staining what remained of Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s clothing and the floorboards of the coach, that the young bride groom had been shot in the stomach and left there to die.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, is that . . . . ?!\u201d It was Matt, standing a little behind him, to his right.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Matt . . . it IS,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cHelp me get him out of here. I want to take him back to town so his wife can give him a decent burial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt immediately opened his mouth to point out the impracticality of such a move, only to shut it upon getting a good look at Adam\u2019s face, pale despite having spent the better part of the last two days under the desert sun, his dark eyes smoldering with fury. \u201cI\u2019ll . . . I\u2019ll get something to wrap around M-Mister Estevan\u2019s b-body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam curtly nodded his thanks. A few moments after Matt set off, back in the direction of the debris field, his eyes fell on a small, flat object, hued a deep forest green. It was lying on the floor of the coach, almost completely buried under the seat behind Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s head. He reached across the young man\u2019s body and carefully pulled it out. Adam immediately recognized it as Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s sketch book . . . the one containing all those wonderful drawings of the ancient ruins down near Mexico City.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must\u2019ve had it out . . . showing his sketches to another passenger, like he showed them to me,\u201d Adam mused softly, noting the blood splatters across the front of the leather bound book, lying cradled in his hands. He fervently hoped and prayed that the very last person to see Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s drawings, and hear his stories was one who was interested and captivated, as Adam himself had been.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced up sharply. Matt Wilson had returned an armload of ladies\u2019 petticoats, skirts, one dress and a handful of mens\u2019 belts and suspenders.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, nothing of consequence,\u201d Adam said curtly. \u201cJust thinking out loud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI found it right over there . . . under the seat,\u201d Adam said, pointing. \u201cIt belongs . . . it BELONGED . . . to Lorenzo Estevan. He showed it to me on our way out from Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I see?\u201d Matt asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d Adam handed the book over to Matt. \u201cThe glue on the binding\u2019s become brittle, Matt, so please be careful. I . . . I want to give it to Mrs. Estevan, when we return.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt nodded, then opened the book. \u201cWow! Adam, I don\u2019t know much of anything about art . . . except for what I like and don\u2019t like, but . . . but whoever did these drawings is very good,\u201d he remarked, as he randomly leafed through the pages.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe drawings were done by Lorenzo Estevan, while on an archaeological expedition in Mexico with his father,\u201d Adam said in a voice, suddenly gone stone cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas he an artist?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was certainly gifted, as you can see, but he was a man of many talents and interests,\u201d Adam replied, feeling very sick at heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like a Renaissance man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt continued to leaf through the sketch book, while Adam set himself to the grim task of wrapping Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s mortal remains. Suddenly, he stopped. \u201cHey, Adam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you need to take a look at this . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam finished covering the dead man\u2019s face with one of the petticoats, then turned his attention to Matt. \u201cWhat have you found?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore evidence,\u201d Matt replied. \u201cMister Estevan drew pictures of the men who robbed this stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt handed Adam the sketchbook. The faces of four men, roughly sketched in apparent great haste, glared malevolently back at him from the pages of the open sketch book. Bandanas covered the lower faces of two, but had apparently slipped down, revealing the third man\u2019s nose and part of his mouth. The fourth man\u2019s face was completely exposed. Adam and Matt immediately recognized him as Jacob Carter\u2019s slow witted brother, Billy Bob.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one\u2019s the man we caught trying to run away,\u201d Adam said, pointing to the rendering of the partially masked third man, an unmistakable portrait of Timothy Higgins.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Matt murmured, awe struck, \u201c . . . and THIS guy, with the scraggly eyes brows and black hair has to be the one who ended up getting killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned the page.<\/p>\n

The handwriting proved difficult to read, between the glare of the bright desert sun against the white paper, the smearing, the splotches of ink and blood. The irregular shaped lines and curves forming letters and words, had been set down quickly, by someone in great pain.<\/p>\n

Adam read the date at the top of the page. \u201c \u2018We were robbed. Four men, pictures on previous page,\u2019 \u201d he continued reading aloud. \u201c \u2018One man called the youngest Billy Bob . . . . \u2019 Dear God . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt . . . this is Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s account of what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get his sketch book back to Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Matt said, \u201calong with the letters written by Brentwood Carroll.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam said grimly. \u201cWe need to see to it that Mister Estevan and Mister Carroll BOTH have their day in court . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright and Matt Wilson finally reached Virginia City amid the lengthening shadows and the waning daylight of late afternoon three days later. The body of Lorenzo Estevan, half eaten by desert carrion and the remainder dried to the consistency of tough rawhide by the dry climate, lay draped over Sport II\u2019s back, behind the saddle, securely wrapped in three petticoats and a long navy blue skirt, and a dress, that had apparently belonged to the stout woman, who lay back there, with the stage, buried along side the two drivers.<\/p>\n

Matt exhaled a long, very soft sigh of great relief as meadow, trees, and mountains, finally gave way to stores, office buildings, saloons, and houses, mostly wood frame, occasionally brick. Adam had slept very little, if any the nights they had spent on the trail, as they rode from the place where they had found the stagecoach back to Virginia City. Every time Matt had roused, he found his old friend sitting on the ground, with legs crossed, completely engrossed in the forest green, leather bound journal\/sketchbook that had belonged to Lorenzo Estevan. This morning, when Matt awoke at daybreak, Adam was STILL sitting there, in the exact same spot, with legs crossed, this time clutching the forest green book tight to his chest.<\/p>\n

Matt cast a furtive, anxious glance over at his old friend, as they neared the sheriff\u2019s office. Adam\u2019s face had paled to a sickly ashen gray, and his brown eyes, still round with shock and horror, stared straight ahead, unfocused, as one trapped in the throes of a vivid waking nightmare . . . with no means or hope of escape. The darkened circles under Adam\u2019s eyes, from lack of sleep and the play of the waning, late afternoon sunlight against the shadow cast by the bony structure of his skull, had lent his eyes, and his face the eerie, haunted look of a man somehow possessed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Matt ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n

No answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, no answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d Matt raised his voice slightly.<\/p>\n

Adam started so violently, he nearly toppled right out of his saddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my God!\u201d Matt gasped, alarmed. \u201cAdam, I . . . I\u2019m sorry. You all right?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d Adam snapped, as he favored Matt with a withering glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry. I tried to get your attention before, but\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d Adam asked in a voice stone cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . was going to tell you that we\u2019re here . . . at the sheriff\u2019s office,\u201d Matt ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cConfound it, Ben, it\u2019s YOUR move,\u201d Roy Coffee said, taking no pains to conceal his growing annoyance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW it is, Roy,\u201d Ben growled back. \u201cI\u2019m thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou plan on bein\u2019 all night thinkin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

This drew a dark, murderous glare from the Cartwright clan patriarch. An exasperated sigh exploded from between Ben\u2019s lips as he reached up and moved his only remaining rook.<\/p>\n

Roy stared down at the chessboard lying on his desk between them, and shook his head in complete and utter disbelief. \u201cY\u2019 sure y\u2019 wanna do that, Ben?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne minute you\u2019re urging me to hurry up and make my move . . . the next you question the move I make,\u201d Ben observed irascibly. \u201cWhat\u2019s with you tonight, Roy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was about t\u2019 ask YOU the same question,\u201d Roy said, as he moved his bishop in to capture Ben\u2019s rook. \u201cCheckmate. That makes six games now outta six.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo my game\u2019s off,\u201d Ben sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour game ain\u2019t OFF, \u2018cause your mind ain\u2019t even been ON the game. You\u2019re worried about Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should never have let him go with you in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think there was a whole lot y\u2019 couldda done t\u2019 stop him, short o\u2019 hog-tyin\u2019 him with a good, stout rope \u2018n maybe hittin\u2019 him a couple o\u2019 times over the head t\u2019 keep him still,\u201d Roy said wryly, then sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, he\u2019ll be alright. Matt Wilson\u2019s with him. I made the both of \u2018em promise they\u2019d head for home if the directions given \u2018em didn\u2019t pan out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still don\u2019t like it,\u201d Ben groused.<\/p>\n

The door opened. Adam wearily trudged into the sheriff\u2019s office, with his shoulders slumped, and back slightly bowed, as if he carried the full weight of the world\u2019s burden. Matt followed close behind.<\/p>\n

Roy immediately rose to his feet. \u201cCome on in, Boys . . . glad you\u2019re back,\u201d he said. \u201cWe was just talkin\u2019 about ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I found the stagecoach, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Matt said, as he gently pushed Adam over in the general direction of the sheriff\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

Ben rose to his feet slowly, and motioned for Adam to take his chair.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Pa . . . I\u2019m fine,\u201d Adam said in a hallow voice, barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found four bodies,\u201d Matt continued. \u201cThe drivers . . . Johnny Jacobs and that Dawson fella from over Carson way . . . both of them . . . what was left of \u2018em. . . were lying in front of the stagecoach on their stomachs, tied up and shot in the head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe short man made a game of shooting them,\u201d Adam said, incredulous, his face an unsettling mixture of anger and revulsion. \u201cA game! Put a single bullet in the chamber . . . give it a spin, then pulled the trigger. The man who ends up with a bullet in his head first is the loser. The winner gets to play again and again, until the gun finally fires . . . and HE ends up with a bullet in his head. The man with the gun gets to laugh while the players sweat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . how do you KNOW that?\u201d Ben asked, gazing uneasily into his eldest son\u2019s face. \u201cHow can you POSSIBLY know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right here,\u201d Adam growled as he slammed Lorenzo Estevan\u2019s journal with all his angry might down onto the game board in the middle of the desk, sending the chess pieces flying in all directions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this, Adam?\u201d Roy asked warily, as he reached out to pick up the leather bound, forest green book.<\/p>\n

\u201cLorenzo Estevan\u2019s journal,\u201d Matt said quietly. \u201cHe . . . before he died, he wrote an account of what happened. He also managed to draw pictures of the men who robbed them, abducted Mrs. Estevan, and left the rest of them to die in the desert.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Estevan wasn\u2019t the only person those . . . those rabid sons of bitches took with them,\u201d Adam said, his voice shaking. \u201cThere was a girl . . . a young girl, named Isabella de Gallo. She was fourteen years old . . . a . . . a month shy of her . . . her Quincea\u00f1era.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer Quin-cee-what?\u201d Roy queried with a bewildered frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer fifteenth birthday,\u201d Ben replied, as he watched his son with growing alarm. \u201cAccording to Mexican tradition, a young girl comes of age when she turns fifteen, and is just cause for a magnificent celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt and I found another body, in addition to the two drivers,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cHER name was Jaunita Alverez. She was Miss de Gallo\u2019s duenna. She . . . according to what M-Mister Estevan wrote in his journal . . . Mrs. Alverez died trying to protect her young charge, but she wasn\u2019t as lucky as the two drivers. THEY died with a single bullet fired into their heads. M-Mrs. Alverez had half of her head bashed in with a rifle butt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . come on, Buddy . . . take it easy,\u201d Matt pleaded, the fear and worry on his face mirroring what Ben felt in his heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose animals . . . . \u201d Adam muttered angrily. \u201cThat girl was . . . she was only a few years older than Dio.\u201d
\n\u201cThere . . . there was no gold. No gold . . . there w-was no gold . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The words Adam spoke so long ago, after he, Hoss, and Joe had freed him from a travois, upon which lay the dead body of a man by the name of Peter Kane, echoed once again through Ben\u2019s mind and memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo gold . . . there w-was no gold . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat girl . . . a little older than Dio . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo gold . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little older than Dio . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose animals . . . . \u201d Adam muttered softly under his breath, as he turned toward the closed door separating the jail cells from the sheriff\u2019s office, his entire body trembling with rage. Then, suddenly, before anyone could even think of stopping him he was heading back toward the jail cells, moving with surprising agility and speed, given his age.<\/p>\n

Roy shot out of his chair with force and momentum sufficient to send it crashing to the floor with a resounding bang. With his face set with grim determination, he struck out on a direct intercept course toward Adam, who had just reached the door separating the office from the jail cells, and thrown it open. Ben anxiously followed on the heels of the sheriff, while Matt, looking lost and bewildered, slowly brought up the rear.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is she?\u201d Adam demanded angrily, as he exploded into the back room. \u201cYou!\u201d He turned the full force of his dark, murderous glare on Timothy Higgins. \u201cWhere is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSh-She . . . she who?\u201d Timothy stammered. He involuntarily stepped back and raised his arms to shield his face, as if to ward off the blows of many fists flying at him, fast and furious.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re talking about Maria . . . she\u2019s DEAD,\u201d Jacob said with a nasty sneer on his face.<\/p>\n

Adam moved with lightening swiftness over to the cell, occupied by the Carter brothers. Before Jacob could even think to move himself out of harm\u2019s way, Adam had thrust his arms through the bars and seized the eldest Carter brother by the lapels of his shirt and yanked him forward with all his might, slamming him into the iron bars separating them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW what you did to Mrs. Estevan, you miserable excuse for shit dust,\u201d Adam growled. \u201cI want to know what you did with the girl!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut, in a desperate bid to escape the burning intensity in those golden brown eyes that seemed to bore into the very depths of his soul.<\/p>\n

Adam slammed Jacob into the bars once again, drawing an agonized gasp from the latter, as the force of the blow drove the air right out of his lungs. \u201cLook at me when I\u2019m talking to you\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSTOP IT!\u201d Billy Bob Carter shouted, his face white as a sheet, his eyes round with fear. He rushed forward and tried to pry Adam\u2019s fingers loose from Jacob\u2019s shirt. \u201cSTOP IT, STOP IT . . . YOU\u2019RE KILLING HIM.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the girl?\u201d Adam snarled once again, ignoring Billy Bob. \u201cWhat did you do with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHELP! HELP! HE\u2019S KILLING HIM!\u201d Billy Bob yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of his father\u2019s voice, filled with astonishment, anger, and fear, acted as a bucket of ice water in Adam\u2019s face, dampening the white hot rage burning within him. The next thing he knew, a pair of strong, wiry arms encircled his waist and shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cSTOP HIM,\u201d Billy Bob yelled again. His voice seemed oddly far distant. \u201cSTOP HIM, SHERIFF . . . HE\u2019S . . . HE\u2019S KILLING ME BROTHER.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, let go of him . . . NOW!\u201d Sheriff Coffee ordered in a stern, authoritative tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s killing my brother . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ready to kill me now, Cartwright?\u201d Peter Kane mocked him from somewhere in the deep places of his memory. \u201cSurely you MUST be ready to kill me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s killing my brother . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ready to kill me now, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s killing my brother . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of Billy Bob\u2019s frightened sobbing, assailed his ears then quickly gave way to Peter Kane\u2019s maniacal laughter.<\/p>\n

Adam, let him go.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, please . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

He turned and found himself staring Ben, full in the face. Never . . . not in the whole four decades of his life had he ever seen such a look of horror on his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, let him go,\u201d Ben begged. \u201cPlease . . . you keep on the way you\u2019re going . . . you bring yourself down to THEIR level.\u201d He inclined his head toward the three prisoners. \u201cLet him go, Adam . . . please . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Jacob Carter again, grimacing as he might if he had suddenly found himself holding on to a hunk of decaying meat, infested with maggots. He, then, abruptly dropped Jacob like a hot potato.<\/p>\n

Jacob collapsed onto the floor, like a limp sack of potatoes. With a cry of relief, Billy Bob ran to his brother\u2019s side and dropped down onto his knees beside him. \u201cYou ok, Jacob?\u201d the boy sobbed. \u201cOh, Jacob, please! Please be ok.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be all right, Kid . . . relax,\u201d Jacob said, breathless, his voice hoarse. He placed a reassuring hand on his young brother\u2019s shoulder, then, turned his attention back to Adam, now staring down at him with morbid fascination. \u201cYou wanna know where that gal is, Mister?\u201d he snarled. \u201cI\u2019ll tell ya what we did with her. We traded her to a band o\u2019 renegade Injuns for a hunk o\u2019 venison.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cR-Renegades?!\u201d Adam could feel the blood draining right out of his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right . . . renegades!\u201d Jacob returned, with a mirthless smile, deriving what amusement he could from Adam\u2019s fear and dread.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have any idea what they might do to her? Any idea at ALL?!\u201d Adam demanded, his voice shaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t MY problem,\u201d Jacob replied with callus indifference.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho were they? Bannock? Paiute? Shoshone?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow the hell should I know?\u201d Jacob returned with an indifferent shrug. \u201cInjuns is Injuns. One ain\u2019t no different than the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat girl . . . she . . . she w-was only a little older than Dio,\u201d Adam murmured in a voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo now ya know!\u201d Jacob spat contemptuously. \u201cWhat\u2019re ya gonna do about it? Ya wanna kill me? Go ahead!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanna kill me NOW?\u201d Kane again mocked him from deep inside his head. \u201cCome ON, Cartwright . . . SURELY you wanna kill me now . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were ready to kill HIM a minute ago,\u201d Kane sardonically mocked him. \u201cIf you\u2019re ready to kill him . . . you gotta be ready to kill ME.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Shut up . . . get out of my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?! What\u2019s the matter with ya, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I . . . Pa, I . . . g-got business to t-take care of . . . I\u2019ll see you at the Fletchers,\u201d Adam stammered, anxious, all of a sudden, to be away . . . to put as much distance as he possibly could between the prisoners and the Virginia City jail. With that, he abruptly turned heel and started beating a straight path to the door, leading back into the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cRun, Cartwright . . . see Cartwright run.\u201d Randy Paine\u2019s harsh, derisive laughter echoed in his ears, every bit as clear as it had the night he left the Ponderosa, left Virginia City and the State of Nevada, for good. \u201cRun, you spineless, gutless, wretch. I KNEW you didn\u2019t have the guts to kill him, you pathetic, miserable excuse for a human being.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut UP, Randy Paine-in-the-ass, shut up. Dammit, you\u2019re DEAD! Why in the hell can\u2019t you STAY dead?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Randy laughed. \u201cI keep tellin\u2019 ya, Cartwright . . . for YOU, I\u2019ll NEVER be dead. The harder you try to shut me up, the louder I get. You\u2019ll never escape from me, Cartwright . . . NEVER.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, wait,\u201d Ben called after him.<\/p>\n

Adam slipped through the door and continued through the sheriff\u2019s office, as if his father hadn\u2019t spoken.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM\u2014,\u201d Ben yelled. He turned, with every intention of pursuing his eldest son. A gentle, yet firm hand on his shoulder stopped him before he could take the first step. \u201cDammit, Roy, get your hands off of me!\u201d he said tersely, as he turned and favored his old friend with a dark, angry glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet him go, Ben,\u201d Roy said very quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, I can\u2019t just\u2014 \u201d Ben hotly protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, he\u2019s a grown man,\u201d Roy said sternly, \u201c \u2018n right now, he needs t\u2019 be alone t\u2019 collect himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright!\u201d Roy had a point, though Ben silently vowed to sit down with Adam later, even if it meant hogtying him to a chair, and getting to the bottom of whatever was bothering him, once and for all. He deeply regretting letting things go as long as he had. \u201cIn the meantime, the three of US are going to sit down, and Matt?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Mister Cartwright?\u201d the younger man stammered, as he looked away from that intense gaze Ben leveled at him, like a double barreled shotgun, fully loaded for bear.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to tell Sheriff Coffee and me everything that happened after you and Adam left to go look for that . . . that damned stagecoach,\u201d Ben growled, \u201cand I mean everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, walked down the street to the funeral parlor, leading Sport II behind him. After securing his horse to the hitching post outside, he turned, and drew himself up to full height, with his posture ramrod straight, and strode briskly into the undertaker\u2019s establishment.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, Sir,\u201d a tall, rail thin young man greeted him in a quiet, subdued voice. \u201cMy name is Tobias Chaney, Junior.\u201d He extended his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright,\u201d he murmured his name very softly, his voice a near monotone, as he shook hands with the younger man.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow may I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d . . . . \u201d Adam swallowed nervously. \u201cI\u2019d like to make tentative arrangements for a friend of mine . . . pending notification of his . . . of his next of kin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, Mister Cartwright. My condolences on your loss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas the deceased a close friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe might have been, if . . . if we\u2019d had the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was the name of the deceased?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLorenzo Estevan,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cHis . . . body . . . what\u2019s left of it . . . is wrapped in a kind of m-make shift shroud, tied to the back of my horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will see to Mister Estevan\u2019s remains straightaway, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the younger Tobias Chaney said. \u201cIn the meantime, if you\u2019ll come with me, I will show you to my father\u2019s office. You can make the arrangements you need to make . . . for now . . . with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Chaney,\u201d Adam said, as he fell in step behind the younger man.<\/p>\n

He was taken to a well apportioned office, with its oak paneled walls, stained a deep, rich cherry hue, and stained glass windows, made from clear glass and same in varying shades of red that complemented the paneling. A massive toll top desk, the same color as the walls, stood against the wall directly opposite the door, and three massive barrister\u2019s book cases line the wall in between. They were stained the same rich cherry wood stain as the desk. On the wall above the desk, Adam was greatly surprised to see a reproduction . . . a very good reproduction . . . of Jacques-Louis David\u2019s painting of \u201cThe Death of Socrates.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father is quite the philosopher, Sir,\u201d Tobias, Junior said, duly noting that Adam\u2019s eyes were focused on the painting. \u201cHe also has a particular fondness for the artist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA word of warning, Mister Cartwright. Do NOT, under any circumstances, bring up Mister Socrates, Mister Plato, or Mister David,\u201d the young man said, in all seriousness, \u201clest you find yourselves talking the entire night through. It HAS happened before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. I\u2019ll keep that in mind.\u201d Another time, another place, under better circumstances, Adam would almost certainly have welcomed such an opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime, please sit down, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Tobias, Junior invited graciously, gesturing discreetly toward the small round table and four chairs, just inside the door to his right. \u201cI\u2019ll let my father know that you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/p>\n

A few moments later, the elder Tobias Chaney entered. He was nearly a dead ringer for his son, albeit a few pounds heavier, and with a few more gray hairs. \u201cGood evening, Mister Cartwright,\u201d he greeted Adam cordially. \u201cMy son tells me that you\u2019ve come to make TENTATIVE funeral arrangements?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Chaney.\u201d Adam explained the situation, omitting mention of Mrs. Estevan\u2019s whereabouts and the grim details concerning her present circumstances. \u201cI\u2019m afraid there\u2019s not much left of Mister Estevan\u2019s body,\u201d he concluded apologetically. \u201cAfter two weeks in the desert, I . . . I guess it\u2019s a miracle there\u2019s anything left to even bury, let alone identify.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Tobias said quietly. \u201cMy son has taken the liberty of moving Mister Estevan\u2019s body from your horse. We will see to it that he is properly coffined.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d Adam reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. He opened it, and with drew three bills. \u201cI\u2019d like to put this down as a deposit, Mister Chaney.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Tobias said graciously, as he noted the denominations on the bills. \u201cMost generous, given that Mister Estevan was an acquaintance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI owe Mister Estevan a great deal, Sir,\u201d Adam said, rising. Tobias Chaney quietly followed suit. \u201cAfter Mister Estevan\u2019s next of kin has been notified, someone . . . either myself of a representative for his next of kin will be in touch about the final arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. We will be waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

After leaving the undertaker\u2019s establishment, Adam trudged wearily on to the Fletchers\u2019 house, again leading Sport II behind him. He paused momentarily as he came to the Silver Dollar Saloon. \u201cPerhaps a couple of beers, or better yet, maybe a shot or two of whiskey WOULD be in order,\u201d he silently decided, as he led Sport II over to the hitching post outside the saloon. If nothing else, it should help fortify him against the inevitable onslaught of questions from his family, especially his father, after . . . .<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head vigorous, as if trying to physically dislodge the terrible memory of his actions in the jail, lurking at the very edges of his conscious thought, waiting, like a pair of thieves for an opportunity to strike . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I\u2019m intuitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust toss it down here. No tricks, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

The memory of his having been robbed, after leaving Eastgate all those years ago, to camp out amid the rugged, stark beauty of the badlands, suddenly rose to the surface, like the body of a drowning victim eventually rises from the depths of the water where he met his death.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d one of the thieves, declared, upon looking into the wallet and finding the thick wad of bills crammed into the back flap.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow get down off that horse,\u201d his partner ordered . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . . \u201d Adam murmured softly. \u201cYou got your money . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClimb. DOWN.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?!\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of Sam\u2019s voice rudely jolted Adam\u2019s eyes snapped wide open. He found himself standing before the bar, staring the bartender straight in the face.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam . . . you all right?\u201d Sam queried anxiously, as he peered into the younger man\u2019s pale face and round, staring eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . . \u201d Adam shook his head. \u201cSorry, Sam . . . I . . . I guess I\u2019m more tired than I realized.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard you and Matt Wilson were back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . just.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam filled grabbed a clean mug from under the bar, and filled it to the brim with beer. \u201cHere y\u2019 are, Adam. This one\u2019s on the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sam.\u201d Adam favored the bartender with a grateful, if weary smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also heard none of the other passengers survived the robbery . . . except for the young lady over at the doc\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Adam replied, electing to hold back the known details about the young girl.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey . . . Adam! I heard you \u2018n Matt were back.\u201d He turned and found Clay Hansen standing at his elbow, to his right. Emil Jennings and another man, a stranger, flanked Clay on either side.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Hansen. A couple of hours ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, I\u2019m forgettin\u2019 my manners,\u201d Clay said. \u201cYou remember Emil, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do,\u201d Adam said wearily, as he turned and offered his hand to Emil Jennings. \u201cGood seeing you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLikewise, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Emil said, as they shook hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Todd Warrick,\u201d Clay continued with the introductions. Todd was a small man, an inch or two shorter than Joe Cartwright. He had a dark, olive complexion, dark eyes, and a full head of thick, slightly wavy, jet black hair. \u201cAdam, you might remember his pa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrasier Warrick?\u201d Adam queried with a slight lift of his eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Todd replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I DO remember your father,\u201d Adam said. \u201cHow\u2019s he doing these days?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . died three years ago, Mister Cartwright, a couple o\u2019 days after Christmas,\u201d Todd said with a touch of sadness. \u201cHe went out to \u2018Frisco to have some kinda operation, \u2018n the doc out there found growths on both his lungs. Said there wasn\u2019t anything they could do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Adam said with heartfelt sincerity.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what\u2019s the word?\u201d Clay asked.<\/p>\n

Adam took a big swallow from his beer mug, then wiped his mouth against his sleeve. \u201cWhat\u2019s the word . . . about . . . what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere the fellas Roy\u2019s got locked up over at the jail on the level about the passengers of that stage?\u201d Clay asked with a dark, angry scowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Hansen, they were,\u201d Adam said curtly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat all\u2019d ya find, Adam?\u201d Clay pressed. \u201cYou \u2018n Matt. Did ya find that stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere . . . were the passengers . . . there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam downed the remainder of his beer in a single swallow. \u201cMister Hansen, I don\u2019t want to talk about it,\u201d he said as he slammed his empty mug down on the bar.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t matter if the passengers were there or not,\u201d Emil Jennings declared, his face darkening with anger. \u201cPoint is those three fellas over at the jail killed \u2018em . . . and what they done to that gal over at the doc\u2019s office . . . I STILL say why bother with a trial?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause every man has the right to a fair trail,\u201d Adam said, his own anger rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, two of \u2018em confessed,\u201d Clay argued. \u201cThe one that got killed an\u2019 that Carter fella . . . the older one. What else do we need?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hansen, you can\u2019t take the law into your hands,\u201d Adam shot right back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Clay angrily returned. \u201cI gotta wife and four daughters livin\u2019 with me at home. You gotta wife \u2018n a daughter, too, dontcha?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do, but\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDAMMIT, A MAN\u2019S GOTTA RIGHT TO PROTECT HIS WOMEN FOLK!\u201d Clay shouted, banging his balled fist down on the bar for emphasis.<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u201d another voice yelled out from the middle of the room. A soft ripple of ascent rose from among some of the other patrons.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hansen, all three of those men are securely locked up in the jail cells at the sheriff\u2019s office,\u201d Adam said, laboring to keep his own voice slow and even. \u201cYour wife and daughters are safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor how long?\u201d Clay hotly demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf two of them confessed . . . as YOU said . . . the jury\u2019s going to turn a guilty verdict, and they\u2019ll in all likelihood be sentenced to hang,\u201d Adam replied through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if that son-of-a-bitch hotshot lawyer what\u2019s defending \u2018em has HIS way about things, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Emil Jennings said grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re you talking about?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWord is their lawyer\u2019s asked Judge Faraday to approve movin\u2019 the trial out to PLACERVILLE,\u201d Clay spat contemptuously. \u201cClaims those . . . those . . . those mad dog sons-of-bitches can\u2019t get a fair trial here in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t suppose it\u2019s occurred to you, Mister Hansen, that all this . . . this . . . insane talk about \u2018why bother with a trial\u2019 is playing right into the hands of their lawyer . . . has it?\u201d Adam spat contemptuously.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf YOU ain\u2019t got the stomach to do what oughtta be done, well I sure as hell, do,\u201d Emil declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I,\u201d Todd Warrick adamantly agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . me too,\u201d another man standing at the bar, with a whiskey glass in hand quickly voiced his own agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hansen, I\u2019d appreciate it if you and your men left right now,\u201d Sam said sternly. \u201cFeelings are running high enough without talk of lynching.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got every right to be here just as much as everyone else,\u201d Emil angrily shot right back.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hansen,\u201d Sam said again, pointedly ignoring the ranch hand, \u201cI asked you and your men to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll leave . . . when we\u2019re good \u2018n ready t\u2019 leave,\u201d Clay said.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Adam queried sardonically. \u201cSo tell me, Mister Hansen . . . who\u2019s looking after your wife and daughters back on your ranch . . . while you and your men are HERE?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clay favored Adam with a dark murderous glare for a long, tense moment, as his hand slowly dropped down to touch the gun in his holster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t, Mister Hansen,\u201d Adam warned. He whipped his gun from its holster and aimed for Clay Hansen\u2019s heart. \u201cThough I may be a city boy these days, I\u2019m NOT out of practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAggh!\u201d Clay spat contemptuously. \u201cCome on, Boys. Let\u2019s go. The air\u2019s startin\u2019 to get real STALE in here.\u201d With that, he angrily turned heel and left, roughly shoving aside a couple of patrons who didn\u2019t move out of his way soon enough. His men followed, muttering angrily under their breaths.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019d best be moving along myself, Sam,\u201d Adam said, rising. \u201cThanks for the beer, and . . . I\u2019m sorry about all this trouble just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S all right, Adam . . . wasn\u2019t YOUR fault,\u201d Sam said, \u201cbut, a word to the wise?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re best off keepin\u2019 your opinions about recent events to yourself,\u201d Sam replied. \u201cI know it\u2019s a free country \u2018n all, but . . . as high as feelin\u2019s are running right now, it won\u2019t take much to set folks off t\u2019 doing things they\u2019re gonna deeply regret later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI fully intend to follow that advice,\u201d Adam said soberly. \u201cMay I ask you a question?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam shrugged indifferently. \u201cSure . . . why not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it true what Mister Hansen said about their lawyer seeking to move the trial?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell ya for absolute sure, Adam, \u2018cause so far, everything\u2019s been done behind closed doors,\u201d Sam replied. \u201cBut, there\u2019s been talk. A LOT o\u2019 talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure hope Sheriff Coffee is able to keep a handle on things,\u201d Adam said grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too,\u201d Sam agreed wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Sam. I have one more thing to take care of, and then I wash my hands of this whole business,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI came here to build a house, and that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!\u201d Adam muttered softly under his breath, as he unhitched his horse and climbed up in the saddle. \u201cIf I had even a small shred of plain common sense, I would have sat down at my drafting table at home, drawn up those damned house plans, and sent them to Pa special delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he climbed up into the saddle, Adam\u2019s eyes were momentarily drawn to the deep indigo sky over head, just as the first star winked into sight. \u201cStar light . . . star bright . . . the first star I see tonight . . . I wish I may, I with I might have the wish I wish tonight,\u201d he murmured softly the rhyme Pa had taught him, that he, in turn, had taught his own children.<\/p>\n

As he spoke aloud those words, Adam found himself wishing he were back home in Sacramento, with all his might. He suddenly missed Teresa and their children, Benjy and Dio, so much, he nearly cried out in agony. More than anything he wanted to be back home . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . far away from Virginia City, from the State of Nevada, from places where men robbed stagecoaches . . . or a lone rider . . . then left their victims to die in the harsh, cruel desert . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . where a young bridegroom could be gunned down in cold blood, so that his murderers could claim his widow as their chattel, to do with as they will . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . or a young man, left to die out in the desert finding his only hope of salvation in water, food, shelter, and torture at the hands of a demented prospector, whose only reason for continued existence was goad another to murder him . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cRun, Cartwright, run. See Cartwright run,\u201d Randy Paine taunted him from his own place in the deep, wounded places within Adam\u2019s soul. \u201cSee Cartwright run as fast as his legs can carry him. You can run as far, as hard, as fast as you like, but you\u2019ll NEVER escape. You hear me, Cartwright? You\u2019ll NEVER escape.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut-up,\u201d Adam growled back, \u201c just . . . shut-the-hell-UP.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMake me, Rich Boy. Make me shut-up . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The next thing Adam knew, he was standing on the Martins\u2019 doorstep, ringing the bell, with no memory of having tied his horse to the hitching post, or walking up the walk.<\/p>\n

The Martins\u2019 housekeeper, Hilda Mae Graves, answered the door.<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to inhale slowly, evenly.<\/p>\n

Hilda Mae regarded his pale complexion, his trembling hands, the beads of sweat dotting his forehead with an anxious frown. \u201cMay I help you, uhhh . . . Mister?!<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Adam greeted her cordially. \u201cMy name is Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou related to the Ponderosa Cartwrights?\u201d Hilda Mae asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am. I\u2019m Ben Cartwright\u2019s oldest son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one who lives out in California?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cI\u2019d like to see the doctor, if I may. I . . . I have news about Mrs. Estevan\u2019s husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hilda Mae led Adam down the hall to the Martins\u2019 formal parlor, on the first floor. \u201cWait here, Mister Cartwright,\u201d she said quietly, then withdrew.<\/p>\n

Adam was very surprised when Crystal McShane and the doctor\u2019s wife stepped into the formal parlor a moment later. He immediately rose to his feet, and waited until the two women seated themselves. Lily Martin sat down on the settee next to Adam, while Crystal elected to remain standing, leaning heavily against the door jamb with her arms folded across her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam. I had no idea you and Matt Wilson were back,\u201d Lily Martin said by way of greeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am. We returned a little before dusk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor is away right now,\u201d Lily continued, apologetically. \u201cHe\u2019s out at the Larson farm. Etta Larson went into premature labor this afternoon . . . I don\u2019t expect him back before morning. I . . . understand you have news of Mrs. Estevan\u2019s husband?\u201d Judging from his trembling hands, the haunted look in his eyes, and a complexion several shades paler than normal, the news couldn\u2019t possibly be good. She swallowed, and mentally braced herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt and I found the stagecoach,\u201d Adam said quietly, with much reluctance. \u201cMister Estevan . . . his body was inside the coach. He had been shot, several times, judging from the amount of dried blood on the floor. I . . . don\u2019t know whether he climbed into the coach, or if someone else helped him climb inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I had hoped,\u201d Lily Martin said in a small voice, barely audible, her voice breaking on the last word. \u201cI knew it was impossible, but I still hoped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to be the bearer of such terrible news,\u201d Adam said contritely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not YOUR fault, Adam . . . you can\u2019t help the horrible things that befell that poor young woman,\u201d Lily said. \u201cI . . . I wish I knew what to do at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Martin,\u201d Crystal spoke up for the first time, \u201cwe HAVE to tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019d rather wait until the doctor returns, and discuss it with him,\u201d Lily said morosely. \u201cHer mental and physical health are so frail right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt and I brought Mister Estevan\u2019s body back with us,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cI\u2019ve . . . taken the liberty of dropping him off at the undertaker\u2019s. I told Mister Chaney that someone would contact him in the next day or so about final arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Adam.\u201d Lily rose. Adam and Crystal followed suit. \u201cI\u2019m afraid the two of you will have to excuse a silly, frightened old woman, but . . . I just don\u2019t have the heart to tell her. Not tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have the heart to tell who . . . about what, Mrs. Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n

Three heads, three pairs of eyes all turned toward the open parlor door in unison. They were astonished to find Maria Estevan, clad in a night gown and bathrobe, borrowed from the doctor\u2019s wife. She also wore a while ruffled mob cap over her short cropped hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Estevan . . . you shouldn\u2019t be up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve NOT answered my question, Mrs. Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Estevan, this is Adam Cartwright,\u201d Crystal McShane quickly introduced them.<\/p>\n

Maria turned and offered Adam a wan smile, along with her hand. \u201cMister Cartwright and I have already met, Mrs. McShane. My . . . my husband and I had the pleasure of traveling here from Sacramento in his company.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe . . . has news of Mister Estevan,\u201d Crystal said quietly, drawing an uncertain, anxious look from Lily.<\/p>\n

Maria turned toward Adam expectantly.<\/p>\n

Adam wished with all his heart, with every fiber of his being that he didn\u2019t have to utter his next words. For a long desperate moment, he wracked his brains searching for a way, a kind and gentle way . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, my husband is dead . . . isn\u2019t he.\u201d It was a statement of fact, not a question.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Estevan. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I think I\u2019ve known all along,\u201d Maria said in a bland tone of voice, completely void of any and all emotion.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Wilson . . . he\u2019s an old friend of mine . . . he and I brought your husband\u2019s body back with us, so that . . . that he might be given a decent burial,\u201d Adam said, his voice shaking. \u201cI took the liberty of . . . of taking him to the undertaker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Maria said in a voice barely audible. \u201cIf you might do me one more favor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, Mrs. Estevan. Anything,\u201d Adam immediately agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would appreciate it if you would ask the undertaker to prepare Lorenzo\u2019s body as best he can for private viewing,\u201d Maria said. \u201cI . . . after two weeks, I . . . I realize there can\u2019t possibly be much to work with, but . . . I want to see him. I want to see my husband one last time before . . . before I bury him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will let Mister Chaney know what your wishes are, Mrs. Estevan,\u201d Adam promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright. I deeply appreciate everything you\u2019ve done. Now . . . if you would all excuse me, I . . . I\u2019d like to be alone now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like me to see you back upstairs to the guestroom?\u201d Crystal asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. McShane, but I can manage. I . . . I really need to be alone right now. I\u2019m sorry, if I seem ungracious . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d Crystal said very quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Mrs. Martin . . . Mrs. McShane,\u201d Maria said. \u201cMister Cartwright, thank you again, very much, for all that you have done . . . for Lorenzo and for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s anything else I can do, Mrs. Estevan, please don\u2019t hesitate to ask,\u201d Adam said. \u201cFor now, I bid all of you good night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Adam. Hop Sing glad you back. Start to worry,\u201d Hop Sing greeted the eldest of Ben Cartwright\u2019s issue with a warm smile, as he trudged through the back door into the kitchen. \u201cSupper ready ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone for me, Hop Sing, please . . . . \u201d Adam said wearily. \u201cI . . . I\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing frowned. \u201cNot good. After almost whole week on trail . . . no good Mister Adam not eat supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Hop Sing, I\u2019m \u2018way too tired to argue with you,\u201d Adam begged. \u201cRight now, I just plain and simply want to go to bed. I would appreciate a little hot water, so I can wash.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing fix,\u201d the Cartwright family\u2019s chief cook promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Look who\u2019s back!\u201d Hoss exclaimed with a big happy smile, as Adam stepped through the kitchen door into the dining room, where the rest of his family was gathering for supper.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, did you and Matt find that stagecoach?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot tonight,\u201d Adam groaned wearily. \u201cPlease . . . no questions tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll you gotta say is yes or no,\u201d Joe pressed.<\/p>\n

Ben caught the murderous glare in Adam\u2019s eyes, as he turned to face his youngest brother. \u201cJoseph, leave it be,\u201d he said sternly.<\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth to protest, only to snap it shut again, when he got a good, hard look at the steely glint in his father\u2019s dark brown eyes. \u201cYes, Sir,\u201d he murmured softly, as he dropped down into the chair on Hoss\u2019 left .<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, supper\u2019s almost ready, if\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry, Pa,\u201d Adam said curtly. \u201cI already told Hop Sing. All I want right now is a good wash, then bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Son,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Pa,\u201d Adam said, as he walked past the table toward the great room and the steps leading to the second story, \u201cand good night, Hoss, Joe, and you, too, Stacy. I . . . I\u2019m sorry for not being very good company tonight\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Adam,\u201d Ben said. \u201cYou g\u2019won up and get to bed. We\u2019ll see you in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

They ran together, down past the long line of happy well wishers, laughing, with her gloved hand tucked trustingly within his, ducking their faces away from the rice raining down upon their heads. He paused at the open door of the stagecoach to gather her in his arms and plant a good, sound kiss upon those luscious ruby red lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, Teresa,\u201d he said, as their lips parted.<\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and I love you, Adam,\u201d she declared, throwing her arms around his neck with a wild, and joyous abandon.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, c\u2019mon, Oldest Brother of Mine,\u201d Joe teased, favoring him and his new bride with that cocky, boyish smile of his. \u201cBetter can the mushy stuff, or else you\u2019re gonna miss the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, he reached out to affectionately tousle that mop of often unruly curls atop Joe\u2019s head, before turning to hug his father, and Hoss. Teresa, meanwhile, had turned to bid her own parents, and her brothers, good-bye . . . .<\/p>\n

The next thing he knew, they were in a stage coach, heading in a south easterly direction. Their final destination: Santa Fe. Mister Dawson from Carson City was driving. He and the team of horses making good time. VERY good time. Johnny Jacobs rode shot gun.<\/p>\n

Inside, the stage was packed to near full capacity.<\/p>\n

There was an older couple, aged in their late-fifties, occupying the seat beside them. They had boarded the stage in Carson City, taking the seats vacated by the Cruthers, after illness had forced them to disembark. Married now for almost thirty-six years, they seemed to take great delight in Teresa and himself, wed barely thirty-six HOURS.<\/p>\n

On the seat directly across from them sat a young man, returning home after completion of his freshman year in college. He had told them he was studying medicine, that someday, he wanted to be a doctor. He looked so young, so fresh of face, he and Teresa couldn\u2019t help thinking he belonged back in the first grade.<\/p>\n

Another young man with carrot colored hair, a face full of freckles and a big, toothy grin, sat next to the college freshman. He made his living selling encyclopedias. He had a large truck on top of the stage, that contained a brand new twenty volume set, destined for a customer in Freedonia, one of the many stops between Virginia City and Santa Fe..<\/p>\n

On the other side of the young salesman sat a young girl, a little older than Dio . . . traveling in the company her stern duenna, whose dimensions roughly equaled the same as his biggest brother, Hoss. Bright, vivacious, animated, she chatted almost non-stop with Teresa about her upcoming Quincea\u00f1era, until her duenna sternly admonished her as to the virtues of listening to others once in awhile. They occupied the seats vacated by Sallie Johnson and her daughter, Annie. Like Teresa and himself, they, too were bound for Santa Fe.<\/p>\n

Johnny Jacobs . . . .<\/p>\n

Mister Dawson, from Carson City . . . .<\/p>\n

The older couple . . . .<\/p>\n

The salesman . . . .<\/p>\n

The college freshman . . . .<\/p>\n

The young girl and her duenna . . . .<\/p>\n

The newly weds, himself and Teresa . . . .<\/p>\n

Suddenly, he was filled with a heavy, almost unbearable sense of foreboding.<\/p>\n

Then, the stagecoach began to slow.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t stop . . . .<\/p>\n

Oh, God . . .<\/p>\n

Please!<\/p>\n

DON\u2019T STOP!\u201d<\/p>\n

But, the coach did stop . . . finally.<\/p>\n

There were four men up ahead, standing in a straight line, stretched across the dry, dusty, sand yellow road. They stood with their backs to the sun. He couldn\u2019t see their faces, nor make out any other distinguishing characteristics. Only a vague, general outline. Yet, he knew them. Somewhere, buried very deeply inside himself, he knew them intimately.<\/p>\n

Next, he heard the sound of gunfire.<\/p>\n

Then, suddenly, he found himself struggling . . . struggling harder than he could remember ever having struggled his entire life . . . to free himself. All of the other passengers were gone. Vanished, as if they had never been. The driver, Dawson, and Johnny Jacobs both lay up near the front of the stagecoach, with their hands tied behind their backs, and half their heads blown away.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! Dear God, no . . . please . . . please don\u2019t do this . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

It was Teresa, his beloved wife for all of a day and a half now. Glancing up, he saw her clasped tight in the arms of one of the robbers, struggling mightily to extricate herself. The man seized hold of a generous fistful of her long, luxurious dark tresses and yanked her head back, forcing her to look into his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . struggle! Struggle for all you\u2019re worth, you slut! I LIKE \u2018em feisty!\u201d the man exhorted and taunted her in a menacing tone of voice.
\nOvercome by near blind, murderous rage, he renewed his own struggles, against the men holding him back in a desperate bid to free himself.<\/p>\n

Another man sidled up on the other side of his wife. He and the first man half dragged, half carried her around to the other side of the stagecoach, out of his sight. Her heart wrenching sobbing quickly escalated to screams of agony as the two men forced themselves upon her, taking from both of them something infinitely precious.<\/p>\n

With a scream borne now of pure, unadulterated, primal murderous rage, he broke free of the men holding him, and barreled headlong around to the other side of the stagecoach. He rounded the corner only to be shoved back, hard . . . once, then once again, as a pair of bullets slammed into his chest.<\/p>\n

As he stumbled across the burning desert sand, his eyes shifted from the still smoking gun barrel, to his wife, lying at the feet of the men who had so grievously abused her, clad now in the torn, bloodied remains of her chemise, her face filled with grief, horror, and despair.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re pathetic, Adam Cartwright,\u201d the man laughed, \u201cyou\u2019re the pathetic son of a rich man, who never . . . ever . . . had to do a lick o\u2019 honest day\u2019s work in his whole pathetic, miserable life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those words, that voice, made hoarse by many long years of keeping himself falling down drunk nearly every waking minute of everyday . . . and worst of all, that cruel laughter, harsh and grating, with no joy, no mirth . . . .<\/p>\n

No! It couldn\u2019t be . . . .<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t possible!<\/p>\n

He was dead!<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep tellin\u2019 ya . . . I AIN\u2019T dead, you miserable excuse for a human being.\u201d The man laughed again as the shadows, obscuring his face moved and shifted. \u201cFor YOU, I\u2019ll never be dead. No matter where you go, I\u2019ll always be there . . . even if ya can\u2019t see me, I\u2019ll STILL be there, always watching . . . always waiting\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Randy Paine, laughing . . . laughing as he had that night, when . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n

He stumbled, and pitched backwards, collapsing hard against the men who had held him before. He knew them, too. Their names were Jim Gann and Frank Preston. They were the men, he saw playing poker in a saloon in Eastgate, who later robbed him in the desert, not only of the five thousand dollars he carried tucked away in his wallet, but of his horse, his supplies, his canteen, and rifle.<\/p>\n

Of any and all chances of survival.<\/p>\n

But, they, too were dead. Shot down in self defense by the sheriff over in Salt Flats. That\u2019s what he had been told . . . .<\/p>\n

He heard Teresa cry out once again. Adam. Over and over, begging, half in anger, half in prayer. Adam . . . Adam . . . Adam . . . .<\/p>\n

He had never, in all his life, ever heard such terrible depths of hopelessness, despair, and grief that he heard in his wife\u2019s voice now. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Teresa,\u201d he sobbed as the men holding him now released him . . . as his body collapsed onto the desert sands with a soft, sickening thud.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo sorry . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo terribly sorry I . . . that I couldn\u2019t help you when you needed my help the most . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and worst than that, now . . . now when you need ME the most . . . I have to leave you to face this alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, a shadow rose blocking the blinding glare of the desert sun overhead. It was the other man who had raped, who had violated his wife. Though he couldn\u2019t see the man\u2019s face, he knew him by the general outlines, the shape of his head . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . by the play of sunlight on hair gone mostly silver gray . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . by the sound of his mocking laughter, echoing in his ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Cartwright?\u201d he demanded, his voice filled with smug, contemptuous triumph.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Laughter. That same horrible maniacal laughter he heard day in and day out as he sweated and labored to work that man\u2019s worthless claim. \u201cSurely you MUST want to kill me now . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis can\u2019t be happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . after what I\u2019ve done to your wife?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis . . .<\/p>\n

. . . can\u2019t . . .<\/p>\n

. . . POSSIBLY . . .<\/p>\n

. . . be happening . . .<\/p>\n

DAMMIT, YOU\u2019RE DEAD . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cWHY IN THE HELL DON\u2019T YOU STAY DEAD?!\u201d Adam screamed as his eyes suddenly snapped wide open. He found himself consumed with murderous rage, in a strange dark room, with sweat flowing, oozing from every pore in his body, like swift flowing rivers, despite the night chill in the air surrounding him.<\/p>\n

Next came the near frantic, rapid fire staccato beat of knuckles against the fast closed door to the room in which he found himself. \u201cAdam? Adam, it\u2019s Joe. You alright in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe?<\/p>\n

Then he remembered.<\/p>\n

Teresa, thank God, was safe . . . safe with their children back home in Sacramento, while he was here . . . in Nevada, in Virginia City, with his pa, his brothers and sister, and Hop Sing, staying in a house belonging to a couple he barely knew.<\/p>\n

Peter Kane . . . Randy Paine . . . even Jim Gann and Frank Preston . . . were all many years dead.<\/p>\n

None of the events in that horrible nightmare had ever happened . . . at least, not to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam, what\u2019s going on in there? You all right?\u201d Joe called again from without, the worry and concern in his voice loud and clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019m f-fine,\u201d Adam stammered, trying desperately to recover at least a small measure of his wits.<\/p>\n

The door flew open, nearly exploding right off its hinges. Joe strode briskly into the room, without waiting for permission or invitation. \u201cYou don\u2019t SOUND fine, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam inwardly bristled against Joe\u2019s statement of the painfully obvious, and against his brazen, even rude, intrusion his privacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow c\u2019mon, Adam . . . what\u2019s going on? I heard you scream\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . had . . . a n-nightmare,\u201d Adam admitted with grudging reluctance through clenched teeth, feeling as if he had somehow let his youngest brother down. \u201cI\u2019m all right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The penetrating, all-knowing, all-seeing glare on Joe\u2019s face, so very much like Pa\u2019s, told Adam that his youngest brother saw right through the lie with almost embarrassing clarity. \u201cAdam, you\u2019re sweating, your hands are shaking . . . you are NOT all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. \u201cI . . . WILL . . . be . . . all right,\u201d Adam said slowly, offering his youngest brother a smile meant to reassure. The sharpening intensity of Joe\u2019s glare told him that he had failed miserably. \u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Joe. Honest. I\u2019ll be fine. All I need\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam? Joe? What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe both turned and found their father standing framed in the open door way, with his robe hanging open over his nightshirt, his hair mussed, and eyes half closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, is everything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk Adam,\u201d Joe snapped, as he suddenly turned heel and left the room.<\/p>\n

Ben stood, watching his youngest son\u2019s retreating back, with a perplexed frown for a moment, before turning his attention to his oldest. \u201cAdam? What was THAT all about?\u201d he asked, as he moved across the room, toward his son\u2019s bedside.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, Pa. Sorry I woke you,\u201d Adam murmured contritely.<\/p>\n

Ben noted Adam\u2019s pallor, the sheen of perspiration across his forehead, and his trembling hands, with grave concern. He sat down on the edge of the bed, as he had done long years ago when the man before him was just a boy, and touched the back of his hand to his son\u2019s forehead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sick, Pa,\u201d Adam said irritably.<\/p>\n

\u201cSOMETHING\u2019S troubling you, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam flinched away from his father\u2019s dark, penetrating gaze, feeling horribly exposed, almost as if he had somehow been stripped naked and raped, as his wife had been in that terrible dream. \u201cI\u2019ll be all right, Pa, honest,\u201d he said a little too quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, is . . . is everything alright between you and Teresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa and I are doing just fine,\u201d Adam replied, taken aback by the question, surprised and outraged his father could even think such a thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about the children?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re fine, too. Pa . . . what\u2019s this all about? Why the sudden concern about my marriage and my children?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don\u2019t know WHAT\u2019S wrong, but I know SOMETHING is,\u201d Ben said, \u201cand HAS been for quite awhile. I\u2019ve not said anything before this because I had thought . . . whatever it is . . . that you would work it out on your own. But, that doesn\u2019t seem to be happening. If anything, it\u2019s grown worse. MUCH worse. Your actions in the jail this afternoon\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I don\u2019t want to talk about it,\u201d Adam said in a voice that brought all the bitter cold of dead winter into the room, and erected a barrier between father and son higher, more insurmountable than the mountains surrounding them.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed softly, feeling helpless and frustrated. He wanted so much to take his oldest son into his arms, as he had when he was a small boy . . . as he could even now with Joe, Stacy, and occasionally Hoss . . . and hold him close, to give to him of the abundance of love, of strength and comfort he always had in his heart to give to his children in their times of need. But, Adam held him off now, as he had since he was seven years old.<\/p>\n

There were two exceptions . . . .<\/p>\n

The first time was after that last Ash Hallow dream, the one more terrible, more frightening than all the others.<\/p>\n

The second and the only time Adam, as a grown man, had allowed his father to gather him in his arms, and really hold him close as he sobbed out his anguish, was the day he, Hoss, and Joe had found him walking nearly mindless through the desert, dragging the dead body of a man named Peter Kane tied down to a travois.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . WILL . . . be all right,\u201d Adam said in a dead monotone, his eyes glued to his hands, tightly clasped on the quilt covering him.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, as he stiffly rose from his seat on the edge of Adam\u2019s bed. \u201cAlright, Son, I\u2019ll . . . see you in the morning, then,\u201d he said listlessly. \u201cGood night, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, breakfast ready,\u201d Hop Sing announced, grinning from ear to ear, as he entered the dining room carrying a large serving platter, piled high with steaming hot cakes in carefully balanced in one hand, and a bowl full of fluffy, yellow scrambled eggs cradled in the other.<\/p>\n

He noted with dismay and concern, that the family members who had come to the table, Mister Cartwright, Mister Hoss, and Little Joe, were too quiet this morning. Apart from mumbled, barely audible, barely even discernable good mornings, Papa and boys hadn\u2019t spoken at all. Mister Cartwright seemed lost in the very private world of his own thoughts, troubling ones judging from the uncertain look on his face, and the great sadness in his eyes. Mister Hoss and Little Joe looked over at each over occasionally, worried and anxious, wanting to do something, but not knowing what.<\/p>\n

Miss Stacy\u2019s chair was empty, sure sign she had overslept this morning. Not that Hop Sing could have faulted her for that. She WAS still recovering from the terrible injuries she had sustained as a result of the fire that had taken their home . . . that had damn near taken THEM as well. Plus all that had happened in the wee hours of the dark morning with that nightmare Mister Adam had . . . .<\/p>\n

Hop Sing dolefully shook his head. Even with all that, it was still very unusual for Miss Stacy to oversleep.<\/p>\n

It was ADAM\u2019S absence at the table, however, that disturbed and worried Hop Sing the most. Like Miss Stacy, he, too was an early riser. Before leaving the Ponderosa and the house of his papa to make his own way in the world, Adam, like his young sister now, more often rose with the sun to get in a ride out to Ponderosa Plunge, or someplace else just as beautiful, to contemplate the awesome magnificence of that part of the world he once called home.<\/p>\n

Of course Mister Adam HAD spent the last six days and nights out on the trail, something rarely, if ever, part of the lifestyle he now enjoyed out in Sacramento. Spending the better part of the daylight hours on horseback, the nights sleeping out in the ground, all the while traveling through some of the hardest country around would have wearied Mister Hoss , Little Joe, and even Miss Stacy, all of whom were well used to that sort of thing. Mister Adam wasn\u2019t, not now, and like everyone else, HE wasn\u2019t getting any younger either.<\/p>\n

Still, for Mister Adam to sleep in past the stroke of seven was very unusual.<\/p>\n

\u201cUmmm UM! Nothin\u2019 like a good, hearty breakfast before goin\u2019 out t\u2019 put in a full day\u2019s work,\u201d Hoss declared with a broad, appreciative grin, as reached up to relieve Hop Sing of the bowl, containing the scrambled eggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere Mister Adam, Miss Stacy?!\u201d he demanded, casting a pointed glare at the two chairs that yet remained empty.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Hop Sing,\u201d Stacy yawned, as she hobbled slowly into the dining room. Though she had taken a few moments to wash her face and run a comb through her hair, she was still wearing her nightshirt, robe, and a single slipper. \u201cI didn\u2019t MEAN to oversleep this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Stacy. It certainly WASN\u2019T my intention to rudely wake everyone up out of a sound sleep last night, either,\u201d Adam said, angry and very much on the defensive, as he entered a few steps behind his sister.<\/p>\n

Stacy stared over at the oldest of her three brothers, open mouthed with shock, as he slipped past her. \u201cAdam, I wasn\u2019t\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID I was sorry,\u201d Adam snapped. \u201cCan we just forget it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy\u2019s face immediately darkened with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Li\u2019l Sister, sit yourself down here \u2018n have some breakfast,\u201d Hoss said very quickly, patting the empty seat beside him, on his right.<\/p>\n

Stacy mutely nodded, as the sharp, angry retort sitting on the tip of her tongue evaporated under her biggest brother\u2019s earnest gaze, begging her to please hold her peace.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, Mister Adam,\u201d Hop Sing ordered, gesturing to the remaining empty chair. \u201cBest eat when hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not very hungry this morning, Hop Sing,\u201d Adam said stiffly. \u201cI\u2019ll just have coffee, if you don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo good!\u201d Hop Sing declared, sparing no effort to conceal his vexation and his concern. \u201cLast night, Mister Adam come home, breath smell of beer. Mister Adam no eat supper, today Mister Adam no eat breakfast. No good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, I\u2019m NOT hungry,\u201d Adam reiterated with a touch of asperity.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing glared over at Adam as he set the platter of hot cakes down on the table next to Joe, then abruptly turned heel and strode at a very brisk pace back toward the kitchen door, muttering a long string of bleak invectives under his breath in Chinese.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you ok?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish everyone would stop asking me that,\u201d Adam returned through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe everyone WOULD stop asking that if YOU\u2019D stop behaving like a lunatic,\u201d Joe immediately shot right back.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Hoss exclaimed, making eye contact with his younger brother, and shaking his head.<\/p>\n

Joe glared over at Hoss, seething with anger and frustration, but kept silent. A strained silence fell over the entire family.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . . \u201d Adam ventured in a voice barely audible, taking great care to avoid looking into the faces, most especially the eyes of his father, brothers, and sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d Ben responded without looking up. His head remained bowed, his eyes pointedly fixed on the rim of his plate, at the place of twelve o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really AM sorry . . . about . . . about last night, and . . . for what happened yesterday afternoon at the jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Son. Consider both matters forgotten,\u201d Ben replied in a wooden monotone, drawing a sharp glance filled with complete bewilderment and grave concern from his younger sons and only daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Adam murmured softly, his words stilted and formal. \u201cI appreciate that very much.\u201d As he reached for the coffee pot in the middle of the table, he was all too aware of three pairs of eyes intently watching every move he made. \u201cStacy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d she responded warily, every muscle in her body tensed, like a cougar ready to spring on its prey the instant it came within range.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I jumped all over you just now,\u201d Adam apologized. \u201cI . . . I guess I\u2019m not as used to spending nearly a week out on the trail as I once was.\u201d His excuse sounded lame even in his own ears.
\n\u201c \u2018S ok, Adam,\u201d Stacy replied. \u201cLike PA just said . . . consider it forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam curtly nodded his thanks, as he poured himself a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want anything in that, Adam?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . thank you. Black is just fine.\u201d He set the coffee pot back down on the table, and blew gently across the steaming surface, heartily wishing his younger brothers and sister would turn their attention elsewhere . . . ANY where, but on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSay, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinkin\u2019 . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and?\u201d Adam prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m gonna be headin\u2019 out t\u2019 the lumber camps and the saw mill tomorrow, t\u2019 see how things are comin\u2019 along on them railroad ties,\u201d Hoss said, as he speared a generous helping of hot cakes from the serving platter. \u201cIf ya wanna tell me what ya need as far as buildin\u2019 material goes, I can\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDammit, first Joe . . . now YOU!\u201d Adam exploded.<\/p>\n

\u201cA-Adam, I only\u2014 \u201d Hoss protested, astonished by his older brother\u2019s sudden angry outburst.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have ALL of you know, I\u2019ve put in a lot of good, hard work on that house,\u201d Adam angrily cut his biggest brother off, mid-sentence, \u201cand in case the lot of you have forgotten, things are moving along AHEAD of schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam, I\u2019m sorry I\u2014 \u201d Joe began, feeling very strongly that somehow an apology was in order, without having the slightest idea why.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you at supper,\u201d Adam said curtly. He downed his coffee in a single gulp, then banged his empty coffee cup down onto the table before turning heel and walking away, leaving his father, brothers, sister, even Hop Sing, staring after his retreating back, too stunned to move or even speak.<\/p>\n

It was the sound of the front door opening, then closing, as Adam left the house, that galvanized Joe to action. \u201cTHAT does it!\u201d he angrily muttered under his breath. Before anyone could move or even think to stop him, he had shot right out of his chair and set off, beating a straight path toward the kitchen door.<\/p>\n

Joe found his oldest brother in the small stable out back, in the process of saddling Sport II. \u201cAdam\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

A short, curt, exasperated sigh exploded from between Adam\u2019s lips, thinned with anger. \u201cWhat the hell do YOU want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor starters, I\u2019d like to know just what the hell\u2019s wrong with YOU,\u201d Joe angrily returned without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of your business,\u201d Adam shot right back, as the adjusted his cinch and securely buckled it.<\/p>\n

Joe defiantly planted himself in the middle of the stable door, now standing wide open, effectively barring Adam\u2019s egress, with arms folded tight across his chest. \u201cI beg to differ, Older Brother . . . especially when you\u2019re jumping all over the rest of us with both feet every time WE so much as say, \u2018BOO!\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out of my way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk. Fine. DON\u2019T talk to me,\u201d Joe said, his words and syllables terse and clipped. \u201cI\u2019m the little brother, the baby of the family, who in YOUR eyes, doesn\u2019t know or understand diddlysquat! All right! I can accept that! But, Adam, please . . . I\u2019m beggin\u2019 ya, please! Don\u2019t shut PA out.\u201d<\/p>\n

The change of tone from impassioned anger to ardent pleading stunned Adam into silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalk to him, Adam, please,\u201d Joe pressed, taking full advantage his oldest brother\u2019s momentary pause. \u201cI don\u2019t know what happened between the two of you last night after I left the room, but it\u2019s hurt him . . . it\u2019s hurt him deeply.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe its because you\u2019re so wrapped up in your own self pity you don\u2019t give a damn about anybody ELSE,\u201d Joe spat contemptuously.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, THAT will be enough.\u201d It was Ben. He stood behind Joe, with back stiffly erect, feet shoulder width apart, hands at his sides, loosely curled into a pair of formidable looking fists. Both Adam and Joe flinched against the dark, angry glare he leveled at both of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa\u2014 \u201d Joe started to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID, \u2018That will be enough,\u2019 \u201d Ben said again, in a stern tone that brooked no further argument, as he walked the remaining distance between himself and his youngest son.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow g\u2019won back into the house. I want to speak with your brother alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, and after one last angry glare over at Adam, abruptly turned heel and started walking toward the back door, still standing open.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, if you came out here to ask me yet again if I\u2019m all right\u2014 \u201d Adam began, once he felt sure his youngest brother had done as their father had bid.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I HAVEN\u2019T come out here to ask you yet again whether or not you\u2019re all right, because its clear as the nose on my face that you\u2019re NOT all right,\u201d Ben angrily cut his oldest son off, mid-sentence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Adam responded in a sullen tone, as he turned his attention to checking the fastenings on his bridle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, will you please LOOK at me when I\u2019m speaking to you?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and sarcastically rolled his eyes. \u201cPa, I am NOT a five year old child . . . I\u2019m a grown man\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Ben seized Adam by the shoulder and forcibly turned him so that they were eyeball to eyeball, their faces bare inches apart. \u201cThen ACT like one,\u201d the former growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d Adam demanded, angry and outraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means get hold of yourself and stop this business of sniping at me . . . at Hop Sing . . . at your brothers and sister . . . and at anyone else who says something the wrong way or looks at you cross-eyed,\u201d Ben said sternly. \u201cIf you can\u2019t work through whatever it is that\u2019s troubling you on your own\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright!\u201d Adam snapped, rudely cutting his father off mid-sentence. \u201cYou want to know what\u2019s bothering me?! My brothers\u2019 impatience!\u201d He closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath. \u201cOk . . . I should know by now to expect it of Joe. But Hoss?! Pa, he\u2019s always been the very heart and soul of patience . . . and right now, when I really need that the most\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don\u2019t think Hoss was trying to put any kind of pressure on you,\u201d Ben said in a more kindly tone. \u201cHe was simply going to offer to take a list of whatever you\u2019re going to need in the way of building material out to the saw mill when he goes over there tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, how can I possibly give Hoss a list of what I need . . . when I don\u2019t have the final drawings completed yet?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-You . . . you haven\u2019t finished the final drawings . . . yet?\u201d Ben echoed, mildly surprised.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam replied, angry, and very much on the defensive. \u201cI haven\u2019t.\u201d . . . and all he had to show for his efforts was a waste can, full to overflowing with paper wads, containing all his fits and starts. \u201cYou want to lambast me about that, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, no! I\u2019m not criticizing you,\u201d Ben said. There was a desperate pleading note in his voice. \u201cNeither are Hoss and Joe. We know you\u2019re doing a fine job on that house. A real FINE job . . . and we appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d Adam muttered under his breath. It seemed like every time he turned around, every time he so much as opened his mouth, he was apologizing to someone for something. He took hold of Sport II\u2019s reins and led him out of the stable, into the yard.<\/p>\n

Ben silently followed Adam, his troubled thoughts churning a mile a minute. He would have accepted this kind of moodiness from his youngest son a given, barring any kind of disrespect of course. \u201cEven so . . . Joe\u2019s temperament\u2019s evened out a lot in the last year or so,\u201d he mused in uneasy silence. He had even accepted the strict, sometimes even harsh restrictions forced upon him by his convalescence with a mature grace that almost certainly wouldn\u2019t have been there this time last year. Not that any of it had been easy of course . . . .<\/p>\n

By contrast, Adam had always been the cool, stoic one. He was certainly capable of fierce, white hot anger, when sufficiently provoked, but such occasions were rare, even when he was a very young child. While not easy going like Hoss, he had never, not as far back as Ben could remember, ever displayed this kind of mercurial temperament.<\/p>\n

Granted, the terrible tragedy that had overtaken the Estevans, Adam\u2019s traveling companions from Sacramento to Virginia City, was certainly more than enough to make of blood of any decent human being, man or woman, boil. His own certainly did, especially at the thought of his own daughter, Stacy, suffering through the horror Maria Estevan was forced to endure. However, in Ben\u2019s mind, all that couldn\u2019t adequately explain the sullen, black mood that seemed to be taking possession of his oldest son. There were deeper currents, running swift and silent, at work here.<\/p>\n

Ben fervently hoped and prayed that he might discover what lay at the heart of the matter . . . before whatever lay at the heart of the matter devoured Adam body and soul . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . or better yet . . . that Adam himself would.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like to come out and see how things are progressing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to come, Adam,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI\u2019d like that very much, but I don\u2019t want you to feel like I\u2019m checking up on you, or trying to rush you, or put undue pressure on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I WANT you to see what we\u2019ve done.\u201d There was an almost childlike pleading on Adam\u2019s voice. \u201cIf you\u2019d like, you can bring Stacy and Joe along. A breath of fresh air and a change of scenery would probably do them both a world of good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure it would be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa . . . it\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cAfter you\u2019ve seen the foundations of the new house, I\u2019ll come back with you . . . so I can finish those drawings, and give Hoss my order before he rides out to the saw mill tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled, delighted and relieved to see something of the Adam he knew so well back in the face and the eyes of the man standing before him. \u201cAlright . . . I\u2019ll come out this afternoon,\u201d he said, \u201cand if Joe and Stacy want to come, I\u2019ll bring them along, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat! I\u2019ll see you later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon reentering the house, Ben found himself staring into four stunned, pale faces, four pairs of eyes filled with apprehension and concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Hoss spoke up first, as Ben closed the front door behind him. \u201cIs Adam\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor now,\u201d Ben replied. He, then, turned to his two youngest children. \u201cHow would the pair of you like to make a trip out to the Ponderosa this afternoon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa . . . I\u2019d LOVE it!\u201d Stacy exclaimed, her bright blue eyes shining with pure delight. \u201cCan I visit with Blaze Face, too? Please?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose it would be alright . . . just so long as YOU remain on one side of that corral fence, and HE stays on the other,\u201d Ben said firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Pa,\u201d Stacy eagerly promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what, Li\u2019l Sister . . . I\u2019ll leave some o\u2019 those tasty treats that Blaze Face likes in the pocket o\u2019 your jacket,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hoss,\u201d Stacy said gratefully. \u201cThank you, thank you, thank you! If I had you right here, I\u2019d give you a great big hug and a kiss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss grinned. \u201cNow that\u2019s something I can take care of real easy,\u201d he said, as he walked over to stand within arms\u2019 reach of his young sister.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing gamely took charge of her crutches, as Stacy threw her arms around the biggest of her three brothers, and squeezed tight. She then, stood up on the toes of her good foot, and with a steadying hand from Hoss to keep balance, planted a great big kiss on his cheek. Hoss hugged her back and kissed her forehead.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you behave yourself, \u2018n mind what Pa says,\u201d Hoss gently admonished her as he let her go, then slipped an arm back around her waist to steady her, as Hop Sing handed her back her crutches.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Hoss,\u201d Stacy eagerly promised.<\/p>\n

Ben, meanwhile, turned expectantly to his youngest son. \u201cWell, Joe? You up for a trip out to the Ponderosa with your sister and me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you \u2018n Stacy mind too terribly much if . . . well, if I sat today\u2019s trip out?\u201d Joe asked, drawing worried glances from his father, his brother, sister, and Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you feeling alright?\u201d Ben asked, as he automatically eyeballed his youngest son, from head to toe, with an anxious frown. He reached over across the table, and touched the back of his hand to Joe\u2019s forehead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not coming down with anything, if THAT\u2019S what you mean,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI . . . well, I was kinda thinking that . . . after last night . . . AND this morning . . . maybe it would be better all the way around if I stayed out of Adam\u2019s way today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it would be alright if you came with your sister and me,\u201d Ben said. \u201cIn fact, ADAM was the one who suggested that I bring the both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s hardly gonna tell YOU to come and just bring Stacy, Pa,\u201d Joe pointed out. \u201cI . . . also didn\u2019t sleep real well last night, and my ribs are feeling a mite tender.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you be alright by yourself?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Stacy looked over at her brother and smiled. \u201cHe won\u2019t be alone, Pa,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he will. I gave Hop Sing the afternoon off so he could go and visit with his father,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t thinking about Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen who\u2014?!\u201d Ben\u2019s dark brown eyes suddenly shone with the light of revelation. A big smile slowly spread across his face. \u201cYes, of course. Susannah O\u2019Brien,\u201d he said slowly, thoughtfully. \u201cShe\u2019s been coming into town with Hugh . . . and while HE\u2019S visiting with Crystal over at Doc Martin\u2019s . . . Susannah\u2019s been coming here to visit with the two of you.\u201d His eyes moved up to the clock hanging on the wall above the Fletchers\u2019 sideboard. \u201cShe\u2019s due here in about another hour or so, isn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, uhhhh . . . yeah,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, if you\u2019d rather stay and visit with your friend\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a chance, Pa,\u201d Stacy replied. \u201cWhen it comes down to either spending a beautiful afternoon like today\u2019s gonna be visiting with my friend cooped up in the house and or spending it with YOU out in the fresh air and sunshine . . . MY choice is pretty clear, and besides! . . . I think . . . lately . . . my friend has been coming more to visit with my brother, than with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now I don\u2019t know about THAT, Kid,\u201d Joe murmured, as a spot of brilliant scarlet appeared on each cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, Grandpa,\u201d Stacy said with a smile. \u201cSusannah O\u2019Brien and I have been close friends for a very long time, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen her face light up like that when she sees ME.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure she says the same about YOU . . . and HER brother, Jason,\u201d Joe teased.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe DOES,\u201d Stacy agreed, her complexion a bit ruddier than usual.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, you\u2019d best get on upstairs and get yourself dressed . . . and Joseph, YOU need to make yourself presentable, if you\u2019re going to be visiting with a nice young woman,\u201d Ben said, with a wry, pointed glance at Joe\u2019s unruly mop of curls, and the thin sheen of stubble covering the lower portion of his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be ready in two shakes, Pa.\u201d Stacy said, before turning and heading for the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs for YOU, Young Man,\u201d Ben said, favoring his youngest son with a stern glare. \u201cI expect you to conduct yourself like a gentleman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . a guy with broken ribs on the mend . . . who\u2019s STILL limping from a badly sprained ankle has no choice BUT to conduct himself like a gentleman,\u201d Joe sighed with dramatic melancholy.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded curtly, satisfied with Joe\u2019s answer. Yet, somehow, he couldn\u2019t quite shake the feeling that somewhere . . . somehow . . . his youngest son had a hidden agenda.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Susannah,\u201d Joe greeted one of his sister\u2019s two best friends with his boldest smile, the one about which his own mother, Marie, had on many occasions, declared would someday leave a string of broken hearts pining in its wake. \u201cPlease . . . come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere IS everybody?\u201d she asked, with an impish, knowing look in her deep chocolate brown eyes, as she demurely entered the house, firmly closing the door behind her.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa gave Hop Sing the afternoon off so he could go look in on HIS pa,\u201d Joe replied, \u201cand Pa . . . MY pa, that is, took Stacy out to see the progress on our new house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously you didn\u2019t go with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously.\u201d Joe\u2019s smile began to fade. \u201cSusannah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI, uhhh . . . have a favor to ask of you. Hopefully you came in your buggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a matter of fact, yes,\u201d Susannah replied. \u201cPa\u2019s arthritis has been acting up lately, and sitting a horse isn\u2019t a prospect he particularly relishes much right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou left him over at the doc\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cSusannah, would you mind giving me a lift down to Sheriff Coffee\u2019s office?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould YOU mind telling me what for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s only fair, I suppose, but you\u2019ve gotta promise not to tell anybody,\u201d Joe begged.<\/p>\n

Susannah didn\u2019t exactly cotton to the idea of keeping secrets from her father and older sister, but she also knew that Joe Cartwright would never ask this of her unless there was a very good reason. \u201cAlright,\u201d she agreed. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Adam,\u201d Joe said, as he led her over to the settee next to the fireplace. \u201cSomething\u2019s wrong, Susannah, something\u2019s terribly wrong, and . . . well, frankly . . . I\u2019m worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember Adam . . . how he was before he left the Ponderosa and Virginia City for good,\u201d Joe began. \u201cAlways so cool, calm, and collected. Sure, he could get madder \u2018n a wet hen sometimes, but not often . . . and it would have to really be something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been edgy, Susannah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people have been edgy since we found out about that missing stagecoach and all the horrible things that happened to Mrs. Estevan,\u201d Susannah pointed out. \u201cEdgy and outraged! SO edgy and outraged, the main topic of conversation at the Silver Dollar these days seems to be why about why bother with a trial. That what Pa says, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoo boy!\u201d Joe chortled, with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll bet Sheriff Coffee and Clem are real overjoyed about THAT.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they are,\u201d Susannah agreed wryly, as she sat down on the settee. \u201cBut . . . Joe, think about it. If people here in town . . . who didn\u2019t know the Estevans from Adam \u2018n Eve\u2019s house cat before all this happened . . . are going so far as to talk lynching because what happened to them . . . well, doesn\u2019t it stand to reason that Adam might be even MORE edgy and outraged?! After all, he had the chance to get acquainted with them on the trip out from Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s STILL not like Adam. Susannah, you should have seen him at breakfast this morning,\u201d Joe said miserably. \u201cFirst off, Stacy comes to the table late, apologizes for oversleeping this morning and BAM! HE\u2019S jumping all over her with both feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh. What did STACY do?\u201d Susannah asked, knowing all too well about the ferocious Irish temper her best friend had inherited from her mother, Paris McKenna.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing. Thank goodness HOSS got to her first,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cWhen Adam sat down at the table, he and Pa both were acting like they were barely on speaking terms with each other. After Hoss got Stacy half way settled down, he tells Adam that he\u2019s going out to the lumber camps and saw mill tomorrow, then offers to take a list of the building supplies out to the foreman at the sawmill. Adam jumped down HIS throat and MINE, too . . . and I hadn\u2019t even said anything to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did HOSS do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing. He was too shocked. At that point, I had just about all I could stand, so when Adam stormed out of the house like . . . like an immature fifteen year old, who had just been told no . . . I went after him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI take it things quickly went down hill from there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou take it right . . . or they WOULD have, if PA hadn\u2019t shown up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . you and Adam have NEVER quite seen eye to eye on a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure . . . and I freely admit that it\u2019s come down to trying to settle things with our fists more times than I care to count, but . . . he\u2019s NEVER been like this,\u201d Joe insisted. \u201cThere\u2019s something else going on with Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you want to see Sheriff Coffee . . . if . . . whatever it is, had been affecting him since he arrived?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s grown steadily worse since he found out about that stage coach missing and since he and Matt Wilson returned yesterday?! He went straight to bed with barely a hi, how are you, I\u2019m back, kiss my\u2014 \u201d Joe suddenly broke off, as two bright splotches of red appeared on his cheeks. \u201c . . . uuhhh . . . sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApology accepted,\u201d Susannah said demurely. She refrained from adding that she said a lot worse herself in the course of things.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get the picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I don\u2019t suppose its occurred to you that Adam may have been out of sorts last night because he was tired after having spent six glorious days and nights out on the trail . . . has it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen that man weary to the bone, but he\u2019s always kept his good humor,\u201d Joe sighed wearily. \u201cLast night, after he woke all of us out of a sound sleep with a real beaut of a nightmare, I started wondering if something had happened while he was out with the search party . . . something that might have really unsettled him. That\u2019s why I wanted to see Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems to me the man you REALLY want to talk to is Matt Wilson. Didn\u2019t the two of them end up finding that stage and . . . and Mister Estevan\u2019s body?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thought HAS crossed my mind, Susannah, but if Pa found out I went all the way out to the Square W, after begging off a trip to the Ponderosa with him and Stacy, I\u2019d be in heap deep trouble up to my neck.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will be anyway . . . after Sheriff Coffee tells your pa about you visiting HIM,\u201d Susannah hastened to point out.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue, but I\u2019ll only be in KNEE deep for visiting with Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Joe said with \u201cthat\u201d smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe . . . any one ever tell you you\u2019re absolutely impossible?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. You, ummm want me to name \u2018em all alphabetically or numerically?\u201d<\/p>\n

Susannah sighed and rolled her eyes. \u201cWell,\u201d she said briskly, \u201c we\u2019d best get going if we\u2019re going to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSusannah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t be in trouble for taking me . . . will you?\u201d Joe asked, his smile fading.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Susannah shook her head. \u201cI\u2019ll just tell Pa and Crystal . . . TRUTHFULLY, I might add . . . that I was taking a convalescing friend out for a bit of fresh air . . . and for a visit with an old friend of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheriff Roy Coffee, with a loaded rifle resting in the crook of his arm, his other hand pointedly at his side with knuckles occasionally brushing against the handle of his holstered revolver, stood in the open door to his office, glaring at the crowd gathering on the board sidewalk outside. They were all men of varying ages and occupations, numbering approximately twenty and steadily growing.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and you can rest assured with all the evidence we have against \u2018em . . . the jury\u2019s gonna find all three of \u2018em guilty as sin,\u201d Roy sternly addressed the angry men gathered around the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell if it\u2019s a sure bet those . . . those ANIMALS . . . are gonna be found guilty . . . why should we even bother with a trial?\u201d one of the men demanded. His name was Wesley McGrath. Aged in his mid-thirties, he was a ne\u2019er-do-well, who spent more time bending elbow at the Silver Dollar and the Bucket of Blood Saloons than putting nose to the grindstone. He was a born follower, rather than leader. Unfortunately, the men he most often chose to follow, were those who ended up making some of the worst kinds of trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat YOUR opinion, Mister McGrath?! . . . or is it Ray Donnelly\u2019s?\u201d Roy asked, knowingly.<\/p>\n

Wesley glared murderously at the sheriff, but said nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, that may very well BE Ray Donnelly\u2019s opinion, but we ALL share it,\u201d Walt Jared declared with a curt nod of his head for emphasis. He was the younger brother of Virgil Jared, who ran the general store, along with his wife, Amelia .<\/p>\n

Walt\u2019s words stirred a loud murmur of ascent among the men gathered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. The bottom line is THIS,\u201d Roy said sternly. \u201cThe LAW says those men are entitled t\u2019 a fair trial. Period. As sheriff, it\u2019s my sworn duty t\u2019 uphold the law . . . whether anybody agrees with it, or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome ON, Roy,\u201d an old man, standing at the edge of the crowd, now spilling out into the street demanded. \u201cYou ain\u2019t gonna shoot down your friends \u2018n neighbors t\u2019 protect the scum you got locked up in your jail . . . is ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure hope it don\u2019t come down t\u2019 that, Zach,\u201d Roy replied, patting his rifle for emphasis.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I hear tell the lawyer representing the scum you got locked up in there\u2019s tryin\u2019 t\u2019 get the trial moved to Placerville.\u201d It was Chad Morgan, a widower with a son and two daughters. He and his family owned a small farm a few miles east of Virginia City. He stood at the front edge of the crowd, with arms folded tightly across his chest, glaring defiantly back at the sheriff.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d someone demanded from somewhere in the back.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Cause THEY claim those animals in there can\u2019t get a fair trial HERE,\u201d Chad sneered, his eyes still glued to the sheriff.<\/p>\n

Murmurs of surprise and discontent began to circulate among the crowd gathered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, lemme tell ya somethin\u2019 . . . the lot o\u2019 YOU gatherin\u2019 \u2018round my office like . . . like a pack o\u2019 jackals around a lamb or an antelope could go a real long way t\u2019 convincin\u2019 any judge they CAN\u2019T git a fair trial here, if push comes down t\u2019 shove,\u201d Roy said, taking no pains to hide his growing anger and frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the name of the lousy son-of-a-bitch that\u2019s defendin\u2019 the scum o\u2019 the earth you got locked up in your jail, Sheriff?\u201d someone standing along the outer fringes of the crowd demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know who he is,\u201d Dirk Alverez, a young man recently hired by Rita Mae Kirk to work as gardener and handyman at Kirk\u2019s Hostelry. \u201cI heard Miss Kirk \u2018n her ma talkin\u2019 \u2018bout it the other day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d Walt Jared demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho CARES?!\u201d That was Eli Barnett.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do!\u201d Walt immediately returned. \u201cOnly fittin\u2019 we string HIM up along side his clients.\u201d<\/p>\n

This provoked a smattering of derisive laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you listen t\u2019 me . . . \u2018n you listen real good!\u201d Roy Coffee said, raising his voice to be heard above the harsh laughter and murmuring among the men gathered. \u201cAin\u2019t NONE o\u2019 ya gonna be stringin\u2019 up the prisoners locked up in my jail, their lawyer, or anybody else f\u2019r that matter. First one that tries . . . . \u201d He let his voice trail away to an ominous silence, patting the rifle balanced in the crook of his arm for emphasis. \u201cNow I\u2019m sure the lot o\u2019 have other, more important things y\u2019 gotta do\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t.\u201d It was Wesley McGrath again. \u201c \u2018Cause I\u2019m out of a job . . . again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT bein\u2019 the case, you might better spend your time LOOKIN\u2019 for work,\u201d Roy countered. \u201cAs for the rest of ya . . . well, it\u2019s long PAST time you were all about your business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t heard the last o\u2019 this, Sheriff,\u201d Wesley vowed, as the men began to slowly disburse.<\/p>\n

Roy waited until the last man had gone before heaving a great big sigh of relief. He had prevailed in upholding the law, he had dutifully sworn to protect many, many times over the course of years, on the heels of more victorious elections than he cared to count sometimes.<\/p>\n

THIS time.<\/p>\n

Barely.<\/p>\n

By the skin of his teeth.<\/p>\n

Roy had been witness to at least a dozen or so lynchings over the course of his life. Decent men, angry, embittered, and frustrated over what they perceived to be the gross imperfections in the law. Too much talk, and worse, too much whiskey and beer to fuel the rage, in the same way too much oil or kerosene fuels a fire, and men, otherwise and at better times, law abiding, moral, and upright, become a mob, out for blood, hell-bent on murder.<\/p>\n

Worst of all, if they ended up following through on their murderous intentions, the relief, that sense of justice having been served would elude them. It always did. The rudely sobering dawn of the morning after brought guilt in its wake to all participants, a particularly corrosive kind that ate away at a person the rest of his life . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . and THAT was if the man lynched turned out to be guilty as sin.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee had seen it in folks all too often, especially in the early days . . . .<\/p>\n

He sighed, and morosely shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m gittin\u2019 too old for this,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey . . . Sheriff Coffee!\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy turned, upon hearing and recognizing the voice of Joe Cartwright, noting that the young man sounded more chipper this morning than he in a long time. \u201cHowdy, Joe . . . Susannah.\u201d He nodded politely and touched the rim of his hat as his eyes fell on the youngest of Hugh O\u2019Brien\u2019s daughters walking alongside Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Susannah politely returned the greeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was THAT all about?\u201d Joe asked, gesturing to the last of the departing crowd of men.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were all makin\u2019 it clear they felt a trial for those three men locked up in the jail would be a complete waste o\u2019 time,\u201d Roy said, as the three went into the sheriff\u2019s office. Susannah shot Joe a sharp \u2018I-told-you-so,\u2019 glance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t think they\u2019d actually . . . well, go through with anything foolish . . . do you?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope t\u2019 heaven they don\u2019t,\u201d Roy said grimly, his voice filled with doubt. \u201c \u2018Cause I sure don\u2019t have the stomach for shootin\u2019 down friends \u2018n neighbors to protect men like the Carters \u2018n Mister Higgins. Mind ya now, if push comes down t\u2019 shove, I\u2019ll do what I\u2019ve sworn t\u2019 do . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it won\u2019t come to that, Sheriff,\u201d Susannah suggested hopefully. \u201cAfter all, you were able to talk \u2018em out of it a few minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, would he the NEXT time? . . . and Roy Coffee knew there WOULD be a next time. He knew it with as much certainty as he knew that the sun would rise tomorrow morning and set the following night. He smiled again for Susannah\u2019s benefit, and for Joe\u2019s, too. \u201c \u2018Course it\u2019s early yet . . . they got the whole rest o\u2019 the day t\u2019 cool off \u2018n start thinkin\u2019 sensible,\u201d he said, trying to reassure his young companions with a confidence he, himself, was far from feeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Joe . . . Susannah,\u201d Clem greeted both with a smile, as they followed Sheriff Coffee in from outside. \u201cHey, Joe! You\u2019re really lookin\u2019 GOOD.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Clem,\u201d Joe replied with that mischievous, boyish smile. \u201cYou don\u2019t look so bad yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Clem retorted with a wry smile, then sobered. \u201cSeriously, Joe, how\u2019re you coming along?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPhysically, I\u2019m doing great,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cAs you can see, I\u2019m NOT limping much anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I can see that,\u201d Roy said. \u201cCan I getcha some coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d love a cup,\u201d Susannah said immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone for me, thank you, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Joe politely declined.<\/p>\n

Roy walked over to his desk, and sat down in the chair Clem had just vacated. \u201cSo . . . what can I do for ya?\u201d he asked, looking from Joe to Susannah, then back to Joe. He wordlessly invited them to sit down with a sweeping gesture toward the chairs in front of the desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you, uhhh . . . maybe want Clem and me to step outside?\u201d Susannah asked, drawing a sharp glance of surprise from the deputy. Catching the look, she turned to Clem and smiled. \u201cThis could get kinda personal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what,\u201d Roy said. \u201cClem, take a rifle with ya. You \u2018n Susannah can go sit out on the bench, and kinda keep an eye out on the street. If there\u2019s anymore trouble, let me know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sat down in one of the chairs facing the sheriff\u2019s desk, and waited until both Clem and Susannah had stepped outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this all about, Joe?\u201d Roy asked, as a worried frown deepened the creases already present in his well lined brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Sheriff Coffee . . . did something happen out there on the trail?\u201d Joe asked, coming straight to the point.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou askin\u2019 if somethin\u2019 happened TO Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cEither TO Adam or if something happened, maybe . . . that really upset him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, leastwise not while he was with US,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cHe WAS kinda edgy . . . right from the git-go, but I figured it came o\u2019 bein\u2019 worried about the Estevans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut nothing happened?\u201d Joe pressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d Roy shook his head. \u201cNot as far as I could see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about when Adam and Matt took off on their own to look for that stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt told your Pa \u2018n me yesterday evenin\u2019 that he \u2018n Adam found the stagecoach . . . right where Jacob Carter said they would,\u201d Roy began slowly. \u201cThey found the bodies o\u2019 the two drivers . . . what was left of \u2018em . . . lyin\u2019 on their stomachs all tied up like a pair o\u2019 calves for brandin\u2019. Both of \u2018em had been shot in the back of the head.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt the blood drain right out of his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey also found the body of an older woman,\u201d Roy continued. \u201cShe was a doo . . . a doo . . . . \u201d He frowned trying to remember.<\/p>\n

\u201cA duenna?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. THAT\u2019S the word,\u201d Roy said quietly. \u201cYour pa said she\u2019s like some kind o\u2019 governess, or something. Anyway, she was travelin\u2019 with a young lady fourteen goin\u2019 on fifteen. The Carters \u2018n their cohorts beat her t\u2019 death, \u2018cause she tried t\u2019 keep \u2018em from takin\u2019 off with the girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe suddenly felt very sick to his stomach. \u201cY-You mean those men back there . . . . \u201d he inclined his head in the general direction of the door that led back to the room where the jail cells were. \u201cYou tellin\u2019 me those men took Mrs. Estevan and a . . . a fourteen year old girl?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Roy replied, feeling every bit as sick as poor Joe looked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob Carter told us that they traded her to a band o\u2019 renegade Indians for food,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cHe didn\u2019t know whether they was Paiute . . . Shoshone . . . Bannock, or whoever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCharming fellas you got back there, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Joe said grimly, his voice shaking, \u201cand THAT includes Crippensworth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeastwise I won\u2019t have HIM long,\u201d Roy said quietly. \u201cGot word from the two fellas Scotland Yard sent to fetch him just this morning. They\u2019ll be arriving within the next week or so t\u2019 collect Crippensworth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad to hear THAT,\u201d Joe declared with heartfelt relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta admit I\u2019M gonna be happy to see him go m\u2019self,\u201d Roy admitted. \u201cI tell ya, Joe, I\u2019ve seen more warmth in the eyes of a hungry rattlesnake.\u201d He shuddered, then sighed. \u201cAnyway, getting back t\u2019 Adam, he \u2018n Matt buried the bodies o\u2019 the two stagecoach drivers \u2018n the duenna. Matt said Adam wanted t\u2019 take one last look around \u2018fore they left. That\u2019s when he found Mister Estevan\u2019s body, lyin\u2019 curled up on t\u2019 floor o\u2019 the stagecoach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t they bury Mister Estevan\u2019s body along with the others?\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy shook his head. \u201cThey brought Mister Estevan\u2019s body back with \u2018em. Adam said somethin\u2019 about givin\u2019 Mrs. Estevan some kinda closure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can understand that,\u201d Joe murmured softly, remembering his own insistence on seeing Lady Chadwick lying dead in her coffin.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam \u2018n Matt also found a journal the Mister Estevan kept pretty regular,\u201d Roy continued. \u201cHe managed t\u2019 give account o\u2019 what happened AND draw pictures o\u2019 the men that robbed \u2018em. They also found a couple o\u2019 letters one o\u2019 the other passengers wrote, that also tell what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid . . . did Adam read the journal or the letters?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt Wilson said he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mind if I borrow them for a couple of days?\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s evidence, Joe. I got it all locked up tight in my safe, \u2018n it\u2019s gonna stay there \u2018til the trial.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy advice for what it\u2019s worth?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFair enough, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI read both letters, \u2018n part o\u2019 what Mister Estevan wrote down in his journal,\u201d Roy said. \u201cNot all of it mind, but enough. Now takin\u2019 into account what all happened t\u2019 Mrs. Estevan, I imagine readin\u2019 MISTER Estevan\u2019s accountin\u2019 o\u2019 what happened just might leave Adam more rattled than usual, t\u2019 say the very least.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . \u2018n he ain\u2019t the only one that\u2019s come back feelin\u2019 edgy either. Like as not every man who made up that search party\u2019s feelin\u2019 anxious, \u2018specially those with women folk t\u2019 look after,\u201d Roy continued. \u201cHell, I\u2019M feelin\u2019 kinda skittish . . . \u2018n I ain\u2019t got no one t\u2019 look after \u2018cept myself. Adam\u2019s dealin\u2019 with all the same stuff as the rest of us . . . plus HE\u2019S got the extra burden o\u2019 havin\u2019 gotten t\u2019 know the Estevans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and knowing that girl who ended up being traded to a band of renegade Indians was close to Dio\u2019s age didn\u2019t help matters any, either, I s\u2019pose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo. What\u2019s your advice, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTry not t\u2019 crowd Adam too much the next couple o\u2019 days or so,\u201d Roy said quietly. \u201cI expect he\u2019s gonna need some time t\u2019 work out \u2018n come t\u2019 terms with everything we found out. I know I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry about me crowding Adam,\u201d Joe said grimly. \u201cWhenever I\u2019m around him, I feel like I\u2019m walking on eggshells. So do the rest of us. . . even Hop Sing! One wrong word, move . . . glance . . . or even a gesture . . . and he\u2019s snapping our heads off. This morning . . . well, to make a long story very short, Adam and I were real close to slugging it out. Probably would have, too . . . of PA hadn\u2019t come on us when he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Joe . . . you know as well as I do . . . THAT\u2019S nothin\u2019 new. You \u2018n Adam\u2019ve been at each other\u2019s throats since you got old enough t\u2019 say no \u2018n sass back,\u201d Roy pointed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot like THIS, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Joe insisted. \u201cSure, Adam and I HAVEN\u2019T seen eye to eye on a lot of things in the past, and I\u2019m not telling YOU anything new when I admit to us trying to settle the things with our fists a lot of the time. But this time . . . it\u2019s different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHOW is it different this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed wearily. \u201cOK. I\u2019ve seen Adam boiling mad a few times, and I freely admit that a lot of those times, it WAS at me, but when he still lived with us on the Ponderosa, it\u2019s really took a lot to set him off,\u201d he explained, \u201cand when Adam DID blow up? He and I always apologized . . . after we cooled off first, and THAT was an end to it. Now, I get the feeling he\u2019s angry ALL the time, and getting more so with each passing minute. I also can\u2019t shake the feeling that something ELSE\u2019S eating Adam. Something that\u2019s been made worse by that stagecoach being robbed and all the terrible things that have happened to the Estevans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got any inkin\u2019 as t\u2019 what that somethin\u2019 might be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed and shook his head. \u201cTry as I might . . . I just can\u2019t quite put my finger on it. I was hoping that something had happened while Adam was away that might give me a clue as to what\u2019s eating him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve told ya everything I know,\u201d Roy said. \u201cTell ya what, though . . . . Matt Wilson\u2019s comin\u2019 in later on this afternoon t\u2019 give me a formal deposition as t\u2019 what he \u2018n Adam found. I\u2019ll ask HIM if he can recall anything outta the ordinary happening that might\u2019ve account for the way Adam\u2019s been actin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sheriff Coffee. I sure would appreciate it,\u201d Joe said gratefully. \u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019m going to make an effort to mind my own business and try to keep out of Adam\u2019s way for a little while. That\u2019s one reason I decided not to go out to the Ponderosa with Pa and Stacy to see how things are coming with the new house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . an\u2019 the OTHER reason\u2019s sittin\u2019 outside with Clem,\u201d Roy said knowingly, with an impish wink.<\/p>\n

Joe grinned. \u201cI\u2019m not denying THAT!\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n

Roy decided not to say anything about the sudden appearance of a complexion slightly ruddier than usual. \u201cYou give Adam a few days, Son,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you anything he\u2019ll be back t\u2019 his old self.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. I sure hope so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, too, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

End of Part 4<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mark of Kane<\/p>\n

Part 5<\/p>\n

By Kathleen T. Berney
\nStacy settled herself comfortably next to her father in the plush, two seater buggy, savoring the warm sunshine on her face, and the cloudless, bright blue sky above. In the meadow surrounding them on both sides of the road, tender shoots of new green grass pushed their way up past the dried yellow and brown remnants of last year\u2019s growth, in their bid to reach the warm, life giving sunshine. Come May, after the spring rains had passed, those meadows would be awash with all manner of blues, whites, yellows, pinks, reds, and violets, when the wild flowers bloomed. The bright yellow green new leaves on the aspens, cottonwoods, oaks, and birch trees in the forests beyond the broad expanse of meadow stood out in stark, delicate contrast against the deep blue green of the pine trees, in the same manner as baby\u2019s breath in a floral arrangement.<\/p>\n

\u201cA penny for your thoughts, Young Woman,\u201d Ben said quietly, upon noting the far away look in his daughter\u2019s bright blue eyes, the half smile tugging hard at the corner of her mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to promise me you won\u2019t get upset,\u201d Stacy replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright . . . . \u201d Ben said with a touch of wariness. \u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinking of how it would be to take Blaze Face and ride out to Ponderosa Plunge or maybe the lake on a beautiful day like this,\u201d Stacy said wistfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to have many, many lovely spring days like this yet to come,\u201d Ben said, not without sympathy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and I\u2019m certainly NOT upset with ya for THINKING about riding out on Blaze Face on a day like this,\u201d Ben continued, favoring Stacy with an indulgent smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. \u201cTo be honest, I\u2019d be concerned if you WEREN\u2019T thinking about riding Blaze Face. However, if I catch you actually trying to ride Blaze Face before that cast comes off and Doc Martin says you can . . . well, THAT\u2019S going to be a whole \u2018nuther story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know . . . even if I live to a hundred and you . . . longer than that, I STILL won\u2019t be too old for you to be marching out to the barn,\u201d Stacy said, returning his smile.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and don\u2019t you ever forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were YOU thinking about just now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking about the night Hoss, Joe, and I brought our gal home for the first time. You remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded. \u201cI remember, Pa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

It was actually the dark hours of early morning. The moon had set hours before, and the last of the stars had gently winked out of the indigo black skies to make way for the dawn soon to come. They had stopped for supper and to rest their horses shortly after sunset. When faced with the prospect of spending another night on the trail and reaching home late tomorrow morning, or continuing through the night until they reached home, the three men opted for the latter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know about the REST of you, but I\u2019m really looking forward to sleeping in a nice, soft bed tonight,\u201d Joe declared, as he doused the remnants of their cook fire with what remained in their coffee pot.<\/p>\n

\u201cPitiful,\u201d Hoss murmured, shaking his head. \u201cJust out \u2018n out plain pitiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned. \u201cWho do you think you\u2019re callin\u2019 pitiful, Big Brother?!\u201d he demanded, indignant and outraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m callin\u2019 YOU pitiful, LI\u2019L Joe,\u201d Hoss retorted, grinning from ear to ear. He exhaled a long, melodramatic sigh and shook his head. \u201cThat\u2019s the trouble with you young folks today. No stamina . . . not one li\u2019l bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI got sta-min-uh,\u201d Stacy, who was all of eleven years old at the time, declared with her arms folded defiantly across her chest, and an emphatic nod of her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Young \u2018n, you do at that,\u201d Hoss agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s sta-min-uh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means you\u2019ve got a lot of spunk, Kid,\u201d Joe quipped, as he and Hoss finished cleaning the dishes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d She frowned. \u201cIs that good?\u201d she asked, as she gazed over at Joe through eyes narrowing with suspicion.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy, that\u2019s VERY good,\u201d Ben said. \u201cBoys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d Hoss responded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe about ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re ready,\u201d Joe said this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gonna ride with me, Li\u2019l Sister?\u201d Hoss asked, turning to her expectantly, with a big smile on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! It\u2019s MY turn to take Stacy,\u201d Joe indignantly protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhaddya mean it\u2019s YOUR turn?\u201d Hoss demanded, favoring his younger brother with the meanest glare he could possibly summon. \u201cStacy\u2019s been ridin\u2019 with you all day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she rode with YOU all day yesterday, AND the day before,\u201d Joe immediately returned.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, who do YOU want to ride with?\u201d Ben asked, noting that the child seemed to be taking great delight in having her two older brothers fighting over her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . can I ride with YOU, Pa?\u201d she asked, looking up at him with those big blue eyes, punctuating her words with a yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you certainly may,\u201d Ben replied, shooting his sons a look of smug triumph. \u201cUp you go, Young Woman.\u201d He gave her a boost up onto Buck\u2019s back, then climbed up behind her. Within less than an hour, she had fallen asleep, lulled by the movements of his horse and the loving security of his arm wrapped around her.<\/p>\n

The very next thing she remembered was her father gently shaking her. \u201cWake up, Sleepyhead,\u201d he said gently. \u201cWe\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy slowly opened one eye, then the other, and yawned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re home, Stacy,\u201d Ben said again.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Young \u2018n . . . I\u2019ve gotcha.\u201d Hoss reached up and lifted her off Big Buck in a single, fluid movement, and gently set her down on terra firma.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you boys mind taking care of our horses?\u201d Pa asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . we can manage,\u201d Hoss replied, as he took Big Buck\u2019s lead from his father. \u201cCome on, Li\u2019l Brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Stacy, what do you think of your new home?\u201d Pa asked.<\/p>\n

Stacy saw the warm, flickering lamp lights in one of the windows on the first floor and the single window overlooking the front yard. As the darkest hours of early morning began to slowly, almost reluctantly gave way to the silver gray light of dawn, she was able to make out the lines of a large two story log house, with a covered porch running nearly its entire length.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d she gasped, as she took in the house through eyes round with surprise. \u201cYou never told me you lived in a castle . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never stopped thinking of our home as a castle,\u201d Stacy said quietly, with a nostalgic smile, and a dreamy, far away look in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPromise me you won\u2019t laugh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise,\u201d Ben said, noting the serious, almost solemn look on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cCastles are supposed to be like fortresses. I remember learning that in school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept thinking of our house as a castle at first because it was lots bigger than anything I\u2019d ever lived in before,\u201d Stacy said, \u201cbut later, it was because for the first time in my whole life . . . I felt safe and secure. I know THAT was because of you, Hoss, Joe, and Hop Sing, but something of the people always rubs off on the house where they live. I\u2019m probably not making very much sense . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Ben reached over and gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. \u201cYes, you ARE making sense . . . perfectly GOOD sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m g-gonna MISS that castle of ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am, too,\u201d Ben said, as he drove the buggy into the yard between the barn, still standing, and the new house, in its early stages of construction. After bringing the horses to a complete stop, he sat for a moment staring at the giant hole where the house . . . the castle . . . once stood . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019ve designed and rebuilt this house so that it will stand for the next hundred years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s voice, the day he, Hoss, and Joe, stepped into their refurbished home, the house that was. He saw his eldest son, a much younger Adam, clear as day standing straight and tall, with a proud smile on his face, eyes alight with an eager, almost childlike anticipation, ready to show the rest of his family their new home. He opened the front door, and gestured for them to enter.
\n\u201cIf you\u2019d all kindly step right this w\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s invitation was rudely interrupted by his youngest brother, then eleven going on twelve, as he pushed past the young architect and designer, clad in black, and bolted headlong in through the front door. Ben and Hoss followed at a slower, more sedate pace, sharing a chuckle with Adam over Little Joe\u2019s sheer, unbridled excitement. As the three elder Cartwrights entered the house for the first time, the youngest member of the family was no where to be seen . . . but his infectious laughter could be heard echoing through out the house, from pillar to post . . . .<\/p>\n

Little Joe\u2019s childish laughter diminished, faded into the steady, rhythmic pounding of mallet striking hard wood. The house and young Adam disappeared too, leaving behind a platform, slightly raised, and the enormous hole, amid the surrounding ponderosa pine trees and within his own heart.<\/p>\n

Ben felt Stacy\u2019s arm around his waist, the weight of her head dropping gently onto his shoulder. He automatically slipped his own arm around her shoulders, and hugged her close for a moment, grateful to have her there, in the buggy beside him, alive, and well on her way back to wholeness again. \u201cYou all right, Young Woman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I don\u2019t remember the whole house being gone, Pa,\u201d Stacy said softly, her voice shaking. \u201cLast thing I remember that night . . . or early morning was . . . I think it was Kevin telling us the roof was about to go . . . then running as fast as I could behind Hoss and Joe. I can\u2019t even remember leaving the house for . . . for the last time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss carried you out,\u201d Ben said. \u201cFrom all the plaster we found in your hair, we figured a good sized chunk of ceiling must\u2019ve fallen and hit you over the head, knocking you out. Joe carried you to the top of the steps, and . . . must\u2019ve been holding on when the steps fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy shuddered. \u201cI\u2019m kinda glad I wasn\u2019t awake for that, Pa,\u201d she said quietly, grateful for her father\u2019s comforting presence, his arms wrapped securely about her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . don\u2019t think I would\u2019ve wanted to be awake for that either, if I had been in your place,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa? Stacy?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Father and daughter turned, and found Adam standing outside the buggy, to Ben\u2019s right.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Adam,\u201d Stacy said contritely. \u201cI was just telling Pa that I didn\u2019t remember whole house being gone . . . like it is now. I . . . wasn\u2019t exactly awake when I left the old house for . . . for the last time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam favored her with a wan smile, that never came close to reaching his eyes. \u201cI understand,\u201d he said. \u201cWould you like to see what we have done on the new house?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.<\/p>\n

Adam walked around to the other side of the buggy, while Ben set the brake and grabbed her crutches. \u201cWhat happened to Joe?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said his ankle and ribs were feeling a mite tender this morning,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cso he opted to stay home today and take it easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Adam murmured, hurt, yet relieved in an odd, and very profound way. \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad the two of YOU were able to come. Stacy, if you put your arms around my neck . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy complied. \u201cThank you, Adam. I appreciate the lift out of the buggy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut?\u201d Adam prompted, as he carefully lifted her into his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did YOU know there was going to be a but?!\u201d Stacy demanded, looking into her oldest brother\u2019s face, surprised and with a touch of awe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could hear it in your voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk. The but is . . . I promised myself that the first time I went up to our new house, I was going under my own steam,\u201d Stacy said in a gentle, yet firm tone of voice. \u201cI . . . hope you\u2019re not upset with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam shook his head, then carefully set her down. \u201cNot at all. In fact . . . I should\u2019ve known that you WOULD want to enter the new house . . . yourself,\u201d he said, remembering summer . . . what? . . . three years ago now?! . . . her convalescent period after she had been grazed by a bullet and knocked off her horse. To say that she was a very IMpatient patient would be to grossly understate the matter.<\/p>\n

At one point, mid-way through the one week of sternly prescribed rest, Stacy had become so cantankerous, Adam was ready to cheerfully strangle her . . . .<\/p>\n

Strangle her.<\/p>\n

He heard Peter Kane\u2019s harsh, mocking laughter echoing through his head . . . just as clear as he had heard it echo through his head again and again and again in that damned worthless mine hauling out pile after pile of rock like a pack mule.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ready to kill me NOW, Cartwright?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head vigorously. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

More laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely you must be ready to kill me now,\u201d that voice mercilessly . . . relentlessly taunted. \u201cIf you were ready to so cheerfully strangle your sister for simply being cranky, then surely you must be ready to kill ME, after all I\u2019VE done . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d Adam yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?!\u201d<\/p>\n

He started, then turned, and found himself staring into the anxious, concerned, and bewildered faces of his father and sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cSon, are you alright?\u201d Ben asked, noting the thin sheen of sweat on Adam\u2019s forehead, his face nearly white as a sheet, and his trembling hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d Adam snapped, glaring over at his sister. He quickly balled his still shaking hands into a pair of tight rock hard fists and jammed them self-consciously into the pockets of his jacket. \u201cIf you\u2019ll both excuse me for just a moment, I\u2019d like to make sure there\u2019s no obstacles.\u201d With that, he abruptly turned heel and beat a straight path toward the house, moving at a brisk, angry pace.<\/p>\n

Ben and Stacy stared after him, their faces near twin masks of astonishment, shock, and deep concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cP-Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d Ben replied, his anxious frown deepening.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did I do?\u201d she asked, thoroughly perplexed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout . . . . ?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam. The way he looked at me just now . . . Pa, if looks could\u2019ve killed, y-you\u2019d be planning my funeral,\u201d Stacy said grimly.<\/p>\n

Ben favored his daughter with a sharp glance, remembering that Joe had said the something along those very same lines the morning Adam left with that search party. Joe had later confessed to asking Adam about the time he had been held prisoner by a demented prospector named Peter Kane. Ben\u2019s thoughts drifted back to the day he, Hoss, and Joe found Adam shuffling through the badlands, bound like a beast of burden to a travois bearing a dead man . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . so weak, he could barely slide one foot in front of the other. They called out to him, yelling his name at the tops of their lungs, but, incredibly, Adam seemed not to hear. He continued, moving on a course parallel to their position, his face, his eyes firmly fixed to the horizon in front of him.<\/p>\n

Then, Adam collapsed, without a word, without a sound, as hunger, thirst, exposure, exhaustion, and the weight of the man lying on that travois finally extracted their grim toll. Fearing the absolute worst, Ben practically fell out his saddle, then half ran, half stumbled down the ridge and across the sand, desperate to reach his oldest son\u2019s side. At first, he was greatly relieved to hear Adam laughing. It meant his son was alive. But as Adam\u2019s laughter increased, in volume and intensity, Ben\u2019s relief quickly turned to a fear far greater than what he had felt at the prospect of his firstborn being dead.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM,\u201d he cried as he threw off the straps binding his son to the travois like a mule. He threw his arms around him and dragged him to his feet. \u201cADAM . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d It was Hoss, slipping his arms around his older brother\u2019s chest, taking the full weight of his body onto himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM . . . .\u201d Joe appeared on the other side, taking his oldest brother by the arm, with a frightened look on his face that mirrored the terrible fear mushrooming within his own heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cTh-there . . . there w-was no g-gold,\u201d Adam murmured, laughing so hard now, the tears were rolling down his cheeks. \u201cN-No gold . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d Ben shouted, terrified and grief stricken, almost certain now that his son had tumbled over the edge into the dark, bottomless pit of insanity.<\/p>\n

Then the laughter stopped, leaving in its wake a terrible silence. Ben, Joe, and Hoss stared over at the son and brother they clasped tight in their midst, their faces identical masks of fear and dread.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa . . . . \u201d Adam finally spoke in a voice not much above a whisper. He, then, fell into his father\u2019s open arms sobbing, as he never had before.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe had set themselves to the grim task of burying the dead man lying on the travois their oldest brother had been carrying for only God knew how long, over how many miles, while Adam himself continued to weep, clinging to his father and in so doing, perhaps clinging to what remained of his own sanity as well . . . for dear life. Hoss fashioned a simple cross from the frame of the travois, to mark the final resting place of a, then, mystery man. In days to come, Ben would learn that his name was Peter Kane, that he had been a prospector who had failed, and that he had somehow pushed Adam to the very edge of the boundary between sanity and madness . . . but little else.<\/p>\n

After burying Peter Kane, Ben took Adam up onto Buck with him, and held him close as he had when his firstborn was but a small boy, the whole way back to Eastgate, to be examined by the doctor there. Morningside, his name was. Doctor Uriah Morningside. A short, portly man, with red cheeks, a full head of white hair, and pair of bright blue eyes, filled with kindness.<\/p>\n

\u201cA few days of rest, plenty of water, three good squares a day . . . PHYSICALLY, your son will be good as new, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Doctor Morningside said in a voice, surprisingly deep. \u201cThe rest . . . will be entirely up to your son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben knew all too well what \u201cthe rest\u201d was. \u201cIs there nothing you can do, Doctor? No advice you can offer?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Morningside sadly shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Sir, but I\u2019m afraid my medical training covered only the ailments and injuries of the physical body. The mental and emotional are beyond my poor scope of knowledge. As for advice . . . if your son wishes to speak with a man of the cloth\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich I do NOT.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was surprised to find Adam, clad in a newly purchased nightshirt, bathrobe, and slippers, standing in their midst.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Pa. Honest. I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Son,\u201d Ben said, desperately wishing that to be true.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor . . . Morningside, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the doctor replied, as he rose, and turned his attention to his patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould it be possible for me to leave here tomorrow, first thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t advise it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am NOT asking what you would ADVISE, Doctor,\u201d Adam said through clenched teeth, his syllables terse and clipped. \u201cI am asking if it would be POSSIBLE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Doctor Morningside said with much reluctance. \u201cIF you rest, and get three good, solid square meals in you today. You should also be drinking water, and plenty of it, and make sure you take MORE than enough for your journey. I would also like to check that arm wound in the morning before you leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I come to your office at eight o\u2019clock?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s make it NINE o\u2019clock . . . AFTER you\u2019ve eaten a nice BIG breakfast,\u201d the doctor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine. I\u2019ll see you at nine o\u2019clock . . . AFTER breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Ben had said, \u201cthere\u2019s no real hurry to\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, if you DON\u2019T mind . . . I would rather NOT stay around here any longer than I absolutely have to,\u201d Adam said in a voice stone cold, that sent a chill running down the length of Ben\u2019s spine. \u201cNothing personal, Doctor Morningside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . understand, Mister Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although he had slept like a baby the three nights they had spent on the trail between Eastgate and the Ponderosa, Adam found himself unable to sleep upon reaching home. It was very late one night, after nearly a week of sleepless nights, that Adam finally told him a little of what had happened, beginning with his being robbed of the five thousand dollars he and Joe made selling that herd of cattle.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . after that, I went from the old frying pan right into the fire,\u201d Adam said, his voice filled with anger and bitterness. \u201cIn addition to my wallet, those men took my horse, my supplies, my water . . . they robbed me of any and all chances of survival.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to you out there, Son?\u201d Ben asked anxiously. \u201cHow did you come to be where we finally ended up finding you . . . trudging through the desert, bearing . . . what was his name . . . . ?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKane, Pa. Peter Kane.\u201d Adam said in a tight, angry tone of voice that told Ben Peter Kane was a name that the young man, clad in black, standing with his hand resting on the mantle, his eyes fixed on the cold, empty firebox . . . would NEVER forget.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . Son . . . please. Talk to me?\u201d Ben remembered begging.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, if it\u2019s all the same to you, I\u2019d just as soon NOT talk about it . . . I . . . I just plain and simply want to forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Would that it could have been that simple . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?!\u201d Stacy\u2019s tremulous voice cut through his terrible reverie like a hot knife through butter. \u201cPa, I\u2019m sorry . . . I didn\u2019t MEAN to upset Adam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, please believe me . . . YOU haven\u2019t done or said anything wrong,\u201d Ben hastened to reassure her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not mad at me for wanting to enter our house for the first time . . . myself?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben slipped his arms around her, crutches and all, and gave her a gentle, loving squeeze. \u201cNo . . . I\u2019m NOT mad at you. Proud as the dickens of you, yes . . . but certainly not mad.\u201d He could feel her body gently leaning against him, the weight of her head resting against his chest. \u201cWhat you said about \u2018if looks could kill\u2019 . . . it put me in mind of something Joe said recently, and got me to thinking about other things, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a lot on his mind right now . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy cast a quick, furtive glance over her shoulder, then lowered her voice. \u201cYou mean . . . the Estevans?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.<\/p>\n

Stacy shuddered. The hell Mrs. Estevan had suffered . . . and no doubt, continued to suffer was horror beyond her imagining. Ever since Susannah O\u2019Brien had shared the details with her and Joe . . . Stacy found herself alternating between rage and feeling acutely sick to her stomach, every time she thought about it happening to a stranger. She couldn\u2019t even begin to imagine how she would feel if all that had happened to someone she actually knew. \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Adam going to be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . think it might take him a little while to work things through,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cBut, I have every confidence that he will.\u201d<\/p>\n

A moment later, Adam returned. \u201cStacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d she responded warily, mentally bracing herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry if I . . . well . . . if I seemed upset with you just now,\u201d he said contritely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Adam,\u201d Stacy said, not quite knowing how else to respond.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ready to see what\u2019s going to be the downstairs of your new home?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cAll potential obstacles have been cleared away, so it should be pretty smooth sailing, once you get there. However, the ground between here and the new house is somewhat lumpy, so you need to be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou take your time, Young Woman,\u201d Ben exhorted his daughter. \u201cWe\u2019re in no big hurry this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Stacy murmured, before setting off on a slow, yet steady pace, with her father and oldest brother flanking her on either side.<\/p>\n

Leaning heavily onto his solid oak cane, George Farlyn, the job foreman, waited patiently for the Cartwrights beside the two steps leading up onto the porch. \u201cMiss Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Farlyn?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have two steps from the ground up to the porch, roughly the same size and steepness as they were before,\u201d George told Stacy in a brisk, yet polite tone of voice. \u201cWill you be able to manage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy,\u201d Stacy replied. \u201cI\u2019m doing very well . . . if I DO say so myself . . . in getting up and down the steps in the Fletchers\u2019 house, and they\u2019re lots higher and steeper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe certainly is,\u201d Ben put in with a proud smile.<\/p>\n

George smiled back. \u201cIn THAT case, if you\u2019ll follow me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped up onto the porch first, leaving Ben to follow behind Stacy in case of a mishap. He and George both were surprised to see her move up the steps with nearly the same fluid grace, with which she had always moved before the crutches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis looks like the same planking that was here before,\u201d Ben remarked as he gazed down at the porch.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is, Mister Cartwright,\u201d George said, when Adam failed to respond. \u201cApart from a few nicks and scratches when the old house collapsed, these boards came through pretty much unscathed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably because of that downpour that let loose shortly after the roof must\u2019ve fallen,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cThough I noticed you boys replaced the steps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe old ones were rickety and unstable, made so, no doubt, then the porch roof and some of the beams collapsed,\u201d George explained. \u201cIt was easier to replace them than repair them. The front door is going to be right here, where it was before.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four of them stepped over where the threshold was going to be onto the new wood floor that would cover the entire first story of the new house. George led the way, with a subdued eagerness that came of a job thus far well done. Stacy followed, with Ben protectively close behind. Adam brought up the rear, moving slowly, as a man lost in deep thought.<\/p>\n

Stacy smiled upon seeing the massive, gray stone fireplace, with its tall, thick chimney thrusting skyward. \u201cI was hoping the new fireplace would be a big one, like the old one was,\u201d she murmured softly.<\/p>\n

George smiled. \u201cMiss Cartwright, that IS the old one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt IS?! Really?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep. We had to rebuild the top half of the chimney, and make repairs to the mortar, but basically it\u2019s the same,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always loved that great big fireplace. I\u2019m so glad it survived the roof falling in,\u201d Stacy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts size . . . the fact that it was so well constructed . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa told me Adam designed and built the old house,\u201d Stacy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot the ENTIRE house, Stacy,\u201d Adam immediately set himself to correcting his sister\u2019s inaccuracies. A smile tugged hard at the corner of his mouth, upon hearing the pride in her voice, and seeing it in her face. It lingered briefly, then quickly faded. \u201cI enlarged the kitchen, added on the dining room, and built on the entire second floor,\u201d he continued in a low voice, barely audible. \u201cPA built the original house, which included the original kitchen, which was about a third of the size of the one YOU knew, and the great room, including that great big fireplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hired a man to build that fireplace and chimney, actually,\u201d Ben admitted with a smile. \u201cSomeone who was once very well acquainted with Mister Farlyn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMY pa?\u201d George asked.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should\u2019ve known,\u201d George said, gazing over at the Cartwrights\u2019 fireplace and chimney with a wistful smile. \u201cPa was the best stone mason in the whole Territory of Nevada in his heyday. When that man built, he built to last a hundred years at the very least.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he teach you how to do stone masonry?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

George grinned. \u201cGotta give Pa credit for trying, but my talent . . . AND interest . . . lay in working with horses. When MY pa came out to work on the fireplace, your older brothers and I would go out to the corral and watch the men saddle break the horses. I knew I wanted to work with them even then . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m . . . sorry about . . . about . . . that you can\u2019t work with them anymore,\u201d Stacy ventured hesitantly, noting the wistful smile on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t be, Miss Cartwright,\u201d George said, as he and Stacy slowly moved over to the area, intended to be their new kitchen. \u201cSupervising the work on that grand fireplace and chimney of yours has brought back to remembering a lot of the lessons Pa taught me . . . or TRIED to teach me . . . and helped solidify them.\u201d He smiled. \u201cI can\u2019t do much in the way of lifting and carting heavy stone because of my back, but I sure can pile one stone atop another and slap on the mortar in between.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it sounds as if George Farlyn\u2019s rediscovered a whole new line of work for himself,\u201d Ben mused, as he watched the foreman take Stacy on a grand tour over what would soon be Hop Sing\u2019s kitchen, showing her the changes between it and the previous one and helping her to envision the new layout. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cSon?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Still no answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . . \u201d Ben raised his voice slightly.<\/p>\n

Adam started.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all right, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I wish everyone would stop asking me that,\u201d Adam said with a disparaging sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, but . . . that was the THIRD TIME I called you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes for a moment, and slowly counted ten. \u201cI\u2019m FINE, Pa,\u201d he said finally, through clenched teeth, his words and syllables terse, and clipped. \u201cHonest. I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m FINE, Pa. Honest. I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Pa. Honest. I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Words slightly different . . . but, the tone of voice, the scowl, that jaw so stubbornly set . . . all the same, now as then . . . .<\/p>\n

For a fleeting instant, Ben saw Adam as he remembered seeing him in Eastgate, after they . . . himself, Hoss, and Joe . . . had taken him there to be examined by the doctor. Clad in a nightshirt and bathrobe, that younger version of his eldest son stood once more before him, his body posture . . . with feet firmly planted shoulder width apart, shoulders back, arms dangling on both sides with fists clenched . . . mirroring the same of his older counterpart now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Pa. Honest. I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m FINE, Pa.<\/p>\n

Honest.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, suddenly . . . he knew!<\/p>\n

For that tiny space of time between one heartbeat and the next, Ben knew exactly what demons had return to torment his firstborn, and how the missing stage, the ultimate fate of its passengers, the unspeakably tragic end to Lorenzo and Maria Estevan\u2019s all too brief time as husband and wife . . . all came together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, to form a very dark picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cPA!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s voice, tight and angry, rudely jolted him back to present time and place. The vision of the younger Adam, as Ben remembered him in Eastgate right after they had miraculously found him in the badlands, was gone . . . and with him, went the revelation. Like a flash of lightening it was there and gone . . . that quick. Ben looked over at the firstborn of his four children through eyes round with surprise and bewilderment.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . that\u2019s the second time today YOU\u2019VE faded out on me,\u201d Adam said with a touch of asperity.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Son, I . . . I was just remembering,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d came the curt reply.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cForget it, Son . . . it was nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed again. \u201cSorry, Pa,\u201d he said with weary remorse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat for? You haven\u2019t said or done anything that demands an apology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam ruefully shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Ever since I got here . . . it seems every time I open my mouth to say something, I . . . I feel like I\u2019ve hurt someone . . . or perhaps insulted, or in some way made them angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re referring to your youngest brother\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. It\u2019s NOT Joe . . . he and I\u2019ve been locking horns over one thing or another all our lives,\u201d Adam said in a dismissive tone. \u201cI don\u2019t really expect THAT to change. It\u2019s . . . . \u201d He exhaled a curt, exasperated sigh, then shook his head, angry, frustrated, and perplexed. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s the way everyone looks at me, like . . . well, like Stacy when you and she first arrived. You\u2019d have thought that I had hit her or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe thought you might have been a little upset with her because she wanted to enter this house herself,\u201d Ben said, wisely opting to keep back Stacy\u2019s \u201cif looks could kill\u201d remark.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should THAT upset me?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I that difficult to get along with, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

The question took Ben completely by surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d Adam pressed. \u201cAm I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot usually . . . no.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn other words not usually, but I\u2019m being a real pain in the ass NOW?! Is THAT it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say that,\u201d Ben said, wholly taken aback by Adam\u2019s words, accusing more than questioning.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t HAVE to,\u201d Adam snapped, before turning, with every intention of beating a hasty retreat.<\/p>\n

Ben immediately reached out, and caught hold of Adam\u2019s forearm. \u201cYoung Man, I will NOT have you or anyone else putting words in my mouth that aren\u2019t there . . . that I had no intention of ever saying,\u201d he said sternly. He, then, closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath. \u201cAdam, I . . . WE . . . all of us . . . know and understand that YOU\u2019VE been through a lot, too. You had no way of knowing that we had found your brother, alive, if a lot worse for wear . . . that Stacy is going to make a full and complete recovery . . . the missing stage . . . the terrible things that have happened to the Estevans\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, from here on out, I fully intend to concentrate on completing this house,\u201d Adam said curtly. \u201cI won\u2019t be riding off on anymore wild goose chases, to quote my youngest brother. You have my word on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019m NOT the least bit concerned about the house,\u201d Ben said, angry, yet earnestly pleading. \u201cI\u2019ve signed a six month lease on the Fletchers\u2019 house, with an option for six more months, if needed. You have plenty of time to get our house built.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Adam said stiffly, \u201cif you\u2019re NOT concerned about the house . . . what ARE you concerned about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m worried about YOU,\u201d Ben said earnestly, passionately. \u201cAdam . . . a house can be replaced. If I DIDN\u2019T know that before . . . well, I certainly do NOW. But my REAL treasures . . . my sons and my daughter . . . they CAN\u2019T be replaced.\u201d He paused a moment, to allow his oldest to digest the import of his words. \u201cSon, please . . . I don\u2019t want to LOSE you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The anxious, pleading look on his father\u2019s face filled Adam with remorse. \u201cPa, I\u2019ll be fine. Honest. I . . . I guess I just need a little time is all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019m only going to say this once, then I promise ya . . . I\u2019ll drop the whole subject like a hot potato and leave well enough alone,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI . . . don\u2019t know WHAT\u2019S eating you, Son . . . but I know something is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam opened his mouth to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, hear me out,\u201d Ben said holding up his hand. \u201cI meant it when I said I would only tell ya this once.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright . . . . \u201d Adam said curtly, as he folded his arms tight across his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to remind you that Hoss, Joe, Stacy, Hop Sing, and I . . . we\u2019re your family, TOO, Adam . . . every bit as much as Teresa, Benjy, and Dio,\u201d Ben said, \u201cand WE\u2019RE here for you, too . . . because we love ya, and we care about you. If you need ME for anything, whether it be an ear to bend, a shoulder to cry on, or to just simply BE there . . . you can come to me anytime. The same can be said of your brothers, your sister, AND Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Pa. I\u2019ll keep that in mind,\u201d Adam said stiffly. Though his gaze remained fixed on his father\u2019s face, it stopped just short of his eyes. \u201cNow, if you don\u2019t mind, I think we\u2019d best catch up with George and Stacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Ben, the remainder of the house tour passed in a blur. He felt as if he were trapped between two worlds, two different places of existence, as he tried hard to focus attention on what George Farlyn was telling him and Stacy about their new home soon to be . . . while at the same time, trying very hard to put aside, at least for a little while, his increasing worry and concern about Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you very much for showing us around, Mister Farlyn,\u201d Stacy said with a warm smile, as she and the foreman shook hands. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to see our new castle after you guys\u2019ve finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCastle?!\u201d George echoed, bemused.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time, Pa, Hoss, and Joe brought me home . . . and I saw the old house for the first time? It was so much bigger than anything I had ever lived in before, it looked like a castle to me,\u201d Stacy explained. \u201cPa and I were remembering that as we were riding into the yard today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the first house seemed like a castle to you, Little Sister, THIS one\u2019s going to seem like a big PALACE,\u201d Adam said with a genuine, if slightly wan, smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we call our new house the Ponderosa Palace?\u201d Stacy suggested, her eyes sparkling with delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we do, I think we\u2019d best keep that name to ourselves,\u201d Ben said, his voice sounding oddly distant, almost as if someone else was speaking, using his mouth and his voice. \u201cThere\u2019s too many folks in Virginia City who think we Cartwrights are too high and mighty for our britches as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm. I\u2019d forgotten about THAT,\u201d Adam said wryly. \u201cPa . . . Stacy . . . I\u2019m going to head on home so I can get some good work done those drawings for the upstairs before we sit down for supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Adam . . . Stacy and I will be along in a little while.\u201d He looked over at Stacy, and smiled. \u201cI promised her that she could visit with Blaze Face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk . . . I\u2019ll see you both at the Fletchers\u2019 house later,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe . . . Hop Sing home,\u201d the Cartwrights\u2019 chief cook, bottle washer, assistant doctor, and sometimes assistant pa announced himself as he stepped through the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn here, Hop Sing,\u201d Joe called back, favoring Hop Sing with a smile, and a wave of his hand. He sat in the middle of the settee, with book in hand, resting his injured ankle on a plush cushion in the middle of the coffee table. He marked his place, then turned his full attention to Hop Sing. \u201cI . . . wasn\u2019t expecting you back \u2018til closer to supper time. Everything ok with YOUR pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Ling fine. Tell Hop Sing painting of new Ponderosa map for your papa birthday come along fine, too,\u201d Hop Sing replied as he made his way over toward the settee. \u201cHop Sing see Missy Stacy Friend leave house, go to doctor house across street.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou talking about Susannah O\u2019Brien?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing glared down at Joe, with hands planted very firmly on hips, through eyes narrowing with suspicion. \u201cLittle Joe Papa know Missy come, see Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing hope very much Little Joe behave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have YOU know that I conducted myself like a perfect gentleman,\u201d Joe declared in melodramatic tones of mock outrage, \u201cnot that a guy with busted ribs and a bum ankle on the mend has much choice otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy Little Joe and Missy go see sheriff?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s jaw dropped. For a moment he stared up at Hop Sing through eyes round as saucers, too stunned to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing and Hop Ling hear from venerable uncle, who hear from Jimmy Chong, who say he see Little Joe, Missy Stacy Friend go see sheriff,\u201d Hop Sing said with a touch of smugness.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeeze loo-weeze! It sure didn\u2019t take long for word to get around,\u201d Joe wryly observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why Little Joe and Missy go see sheriff?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMissy . . . I mean Susannah very graciously offered to take me for a ride in her buggy,\u201d Joe said very solemnly. \u201cWe stopped by the sheriff\u2019s office so I could visit for a little while with Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why Little Joe visit with sheriff?\u201d Hop Sing pressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an old friend of the family. Do I need a reason?\u201d<\/p>\n

That very solemn, wide eyed innocent look on Joe\u2019s face told Hop Sing there was more to this visit than simply stopping by to see an old family friend. \u201cThat whole truth?\u201d he demanded, favoring the youngest Cartwright son with a suspicious glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, uhhh . . . yeah,\u201d Joe murmured softly, his eyes not quite meeting Hop Sing\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed. \u201cAlright, Hop Sing, the REAL reason I went to see Sheriff Coffee was . . . . \u201d He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then mentally braced himself. \u201cI wanted to ask him if anything had happened to Adam when they were out on that search party, that might have upset him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing glared down at Joe. \u201cLittle Joe ask for big trouble,\u201d he said tersely. \u201cMuch, much big trouble if Mister Adam find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-You\u2019re not going to tell him . . . are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing SHOULD tell Mister Adam, but Hop Sing not tell,\u201d Hop Sing said. \u201cOne condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe mind Little Joe business. Keep nose away from Mister Adam business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, I shouldn\u2019t have done it,\u201d Joe admitted, \u201cbut, the way he\u2019s been jumping all over the rest of us if . . . if we so much as sneeze the wrong way . . . well, I didn\u2019t know what else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing understand what Little Joe say,\u201d he said, not without sympathy, \u201cbut stick nose in Mister Adam business very bad. Make much trouble if Mister Adam find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Joe sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa and Miss Stacy back yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Hop Sing,\u201d Joe replied, greatly relieved that Hop Sing had opted not to pursue the matter further. \u201cPa and Stacy aren\u2019t back yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing go in kitchen, start supper now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, had left the Ponderosa after giving George Farlyn his final instructions for the day. The men would finish laying down the floor for the downstairs by the end of the week. Come Monday morning, they would be ready to start building the walls. Adam knew he could get enough logs from the sawmill to get the men started, IF he could get those final drawings completed and work out the exact amounts of logs and lumber needed to build the new house.<\/p>\n

IF.<\/p>\n

BIG if.<\/p>\n

. . . and given his present rate of speed, coupled with a wastebasket and a half upstairs, filled with paper wads, crumpled in his ever increasing anger and frustration, the task of finishing the final drawings on the new house seemed impossibly daunting.<\/p>\n

As Hop Sing entered the kitchen to begin preparations for the evening meal, he was surprised to see Adam quietly stepping in through the back door. \u201cMister Adam back early,\u201d he remarked, as he gathered together a dozen white potatoes, and set himself to the task of washing them. \u201cHop Sing not expect \u2018til supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came home early so I could put in a couple of hours on those drawings for the new house before we all sat down to supper,\u201d Adam said wearily.<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa and Miss Stacy . . . they come back with Mister Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam wearily shook his head. \u201cPa promised Stacy she could visit with Blaze Face for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing hope Papa know what he doing,\u201d Hop Sing said darkly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d Adam asked, with a puzzled frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet Miss Stacy see Blaze Face, could be trouble, maybe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrouble?\u201d Adam queried. \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Stacy see Blaze Face, next thing Miss Stacy try and RIDE Blaze Face before doctor say she can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think you have a thing to worry about on THAT score, Hop Sing,\u201d Adam said, with an amused grin. \u201cPa reminded her that if she tried anything before the doctor said she could, he was dead serious about hogtying her until she came to her senses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat good,\u201d Hop Sing declared, as he finished washing the last potato. \u201cIf Miss Stacy be bad girl, Hop Sing hope Papa do what he say he do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he will,\u201d Adam said wryly. \u201cIn any case, they should be along in a little while.\u201d He, then, turned and silently made his way up the steep, narrow back stairs that led from the kitchen to the second floor.<\/p>\n

After Adam had gone on upstairs, Hop Sing filled the largest pot in the kitchen from the pump, then set it on the stove to boil. They ALL loved their mashed potatoes, especially Mister Hoss, and they had come to be a main staple on Little Joe\u2019s present soft and bland diet. He peeled three, then as an afterthought, decided to wash three more potatoes for the pot, bringing the number to fifteen.<\/p>\n

Within a few minutes, Hop Sing fell into a cadence, singing an old Chinese folk song under his breath, that kept time with peeling the potatoes.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing was barely half way through that particular task, when someone pounded very loudly on the front door. Muttering a few choice Chinese invectives under his breath, he put down the potato and knife in hand, then reached back to untie the strings of his apron . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019LL GET IT, HOP SING,\u201d Joe called out from the great room, as he rose stiffly from the settee. Upon opening the front door, he was surprised to find Matt Wilson standing outside. \u201cHi, Matt, come on in,\u201d he cordially invited, standing aside to allow the unexpected visitor to enter. \u201cI don\u2019t expect Adam back much before supper\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s ok because I stopped by to see YOU, actually,\u201d Matt said, as he stepped into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Sheriff Coffee asked me if something happened after Adam and I parted company with the others in order to search for that stagecoach,\u201d Matt said, \u201c . . . something that may have unduly upset him in some way?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . please, come in, Matt, I really appreciate you stopping by like this,\u201d Joe said, as he stepped aside to allow his visitor to enter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s any possibility that what I know may help Adam in someway\u2014 I\u2019m worried about him, too, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe silently led Matt over to the settee and the easy chairs clustered around the fireplace. \u201cPlease . . . make yourself at home,\u201d he invited with a broad sweep of his arm that seemed to take in all the furniture. \u201cCan I get you anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you,\u201d Matt immediately declined the offer for refreshment. \u201cI can\u2019t stay very long. Ma\u2019s perfectly capable of looking after Clarissa expecting OR mischievous Wilhemenna getting into everything and anything she can\u2019t put in her mouth . . . but not both, leastwise not for very long, especially since she\u2019s been looking after them for the better part of a whole week now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t keep you, Matt,\u201d Joe promised as the two of them sat down together on the settee. \u201cDid . . . anything happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam was on edge the entire trip,\u201d Matt began. \u201cI overheard a couple of the older guys talking about how Adam wasn\u2019t himself. . . Mister Hansen for one, but my pa said something to me, too. I didn\u2019t think much about it, leastwise not at first. After all, the guy almost lost his entire family in that fire . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWOULD have if Pa and Hoss hadn\u2019t woken up in the nick of time,\u201d Joe said soberly, with a shudder.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe also didn\u2019t know about you and Stacy \u2018til he got here,\u201d Matt continued, \u201cand his having made the acquaintance of the Estevans on his way out from Sacramento . . . well, with all that going on, I\u2019d certainly be a little edgy, too . . . if I had been in Adam\u2019s shoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two of us parted company with Sheriff Coffee, Pa, and Apollo Nikolas at Crazy Cal\u2019s shack,\u201d Matt continued. \u201cThat\u2019s where we found the Carters, Timothy Higgins, and Black Bart Troutman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFour men? Sheriff Coffee only brought back THREE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHiggins shot \u2018n killed Black Bart . . . I think to keep him from spilling the beans, for all the good it did him,\u201d Matt said. \u201cBlack Bart had ample time to confess everything before he died. Jacob Carter, the ringleader of the bunch, confessed, too, trying to save HIS neck. Meanwhile, Adam, Apollo, and I were outside the shack, with our rifles on Higgins, who had tried to run, and ended up falling flat on his face. Literally.\u201d This last was added with angry relish. \u201cAdam wished out loud that Higgins WOULD try something stupid and give us an excuse\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?!\u201d Joe echoed, incredulous.<\/p>\n

Matt nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t think THAT was . . . well . . . a little odd?\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt favored Joe with a bleak, mirthless smile, as he shook his head. \u201cAdam said he wished Higgins would try \u2018n make a run for it because he has a wife, a daughter, and a sister. Apollo agreed, adding that HE has a wife, two daughters, a twin sister, and a niece . . . plus in-laws. Though I didn\u2019t say so at the time, I found myself wishing that Higgins would try something, too . . . because I ALSO have a wife, a daughter, and a mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee and the others took the prisoners and headed on back to the watering hole where Mister O\u2019Brien, Crystal, and Darryl found Mrs. Estevan. Adam and I set out together to try and find that coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you know where to begin looking?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob Carter gave us directions,\u201d Matt replied. \u201cNot a whole lot to go on . . . and it came from a source about as unreliable as you can get, to boot! But, Adam was bound and determined to follow up on it. Needless to say, Sheriff Coffee wasn\u2019t real happy with the idea, and he tried to talk Adam out of it, but . . . as I just said . . . Adam was bound and determined.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he and I were much younger, I know it was a toss up as to which of us was the most stubborn, sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis . . . insistence on going out to find that stagecoach . . . Joe, I think it went BEYOND out \u2018n out cussed stubbornness.\u201d Matt cast an uneasy glance over his shoulder toward the stairs. \u201cBetween you and me? The reason I volunteered to go with Adam was, I wanted to make damn\u2019 sure he came back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt\u2019s words drew a bewildered frown from Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Adam had gone by himself and NOT found that stagecoach where Jacob Carter said he would . . . I know he would have gone on searching until he either found that coach or dropped dead somewhere in that God forsaken wilderness of sun stroke and thirst.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shuddered, remembering how fearful he had been of losing his oldest brother to the desert the day Doc Martin came by to tell Pa about Adam and Matt setting out together to try and find that stage. \u201cI . . . know he felt he owed the Estevans a lot . . . . \u201d he murmured softly, his voice barely audible. \u201cMatt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think maybe he expected to find Mister Estevan alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt immediately shook his head. \u201cNo. Adam\u2019s certainly smart enough to have figured out what the score was . . . and even if he wasn\u2019t, Doc Martin had already spelled things out in terms clear enough for anyone to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why\u2014?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted to bring Mister Estevan\u2019s body back so his wife could see that he was properly buried and . . . more important than that, he wanted to give her a means by which she might have some kind of closure, and hopefully be able to move on,\u201d Matt said. \u201cWe both agreed that no one deserved to end up as my Aunt Hetty did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . understand,\u201d Joe murmured softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I DID find that stagecoach, as you probably already know,\u201d Matt continued. \u201cThe water kegs up top had been emptied, the thieves took the horses, and every bit of food. We found four bodies. The two drivers . . . Johnny Jacobs and Angus Dawson\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guy from over Carson way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt nodded. \u201cThe two of them, AND Mister Estevan, had been shot. There was also an older woman, who had been beaten to death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy God, Matt!\u201d Joe exclaimed, horrified. \u201cThey shoot the drivers, beat one woman to death, abduct another to rape and torture after shooting down her husband before her eyes . . . Sheriff Coffee told me they also traded a young girl, not much older than my niece, to a band of renegade Indians for food, and . . . on top of all that, they leave the other surviving passengers to the mercy of the desert . . . what kind of . . . of men are they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn MY book, they don\u2019t qualify as anything even remotely resembling human OR animal,\u201d Matt said, as an angry scowl clouded his face and his eyes. \u201cI\u2019m not what you\u2019d call particularly religious, Joe, nor do I give much credence to things supernatural, but . . . if someone told me those thieves were demons from the deepest, darkest pits of hell, I\u2019d have no problem believing that.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I buried the woman and the two drivers out there, where we found them. As for Mister Estevan . . . we brought his body back with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the other passengers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam was absolutely convinced they set out on foot, to see if they could find help,\u201d Matt replied. \u201cA letter one of the passengers wrote to his girl seems to bear that out. Adam and I found it stuck in a text book along with a letter that same passenger wrote to his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean one of the passengers actually wrote letters to his mother and to his girl . . . telling them what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told his girl what happened . . . and . . . and . . . . \u201d For a moment, Matt was too overcome to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and he told them he loved them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yeah, Joe . . . how\u2019d YOU know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I were in that passenger\u2019s place, knowing I would more than likely not come out of the situation I was in alive . . . and being able to write to my pa and a woman I happened to be in love with, I . . . I know I\u2019d want MY very last words to them to be how much I love them,\u201d Joe said, his own voice unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe . . . found Mister Estevan\u2019s journal in the coach near his body, half shoved under the seat,\u201d Matt continued. \u201cHe also wrote up an account of what had happened, and managed to sketch the faces of the men who robbed and . . . and murdered them, while he lay on the floor of that stagecoach slowly bleeding to death.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt the blood drain right out of his face. \u201cDid you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I only looked at the pictures of the men Mister Estevan sketched. I didn\u2019t read any of his testimony.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. He read the entire thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was he . . . after he read Mister Estevan\u2019s account of what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam never slept. The whole time we were on the trail, he sat up every night . . . the ENTIRE night reading Mister Estevan\u2019s account of what happened,\u201d Matt replied. \u201cYesterday morning . . . I found him sitting on top of his bedroll, clutching Mister Estevan\u2019s journal to his chest like this . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Matt picked up the murder mystery, that Joe had been reading, from its place on the coffee table, and held it tight to his own chest, as Adam had the leather bound, forest green journal that had belonged to Lorenzo Estevan. \u201cHis eyes were round, like he was surprised, shocked, or maybe scared out of his mind, and he was . . . staring.\u201d He shuddered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt . . . what?\u201d Joe asked, with an anxious, perplexed frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Matt replied with a helpless shrug. \u201cJoe . . . you remember Mrs. McAllister, as she got older and started to loose her memory . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember that vacant look in her eyes, like . . . like there wasn\u2019t anybody home inside her head?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe said with a shudder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat very same look was in Adam\u2019s eyes,\u201d Matt said.<\/p>\n

Joe remembered seeing the very same look in Adam\u2019s eyes the day he, Pa, and Hoss found him stumbling under the weight of that travois bearing the dead body of Peter Kane.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and the rest of the way home, he barely said a dozen words,\u201d Matt continued. \u201cWhen we finally reached Virginia City late yesterday afternoon, we went right to Sheriff Coffee\u2019s office. Your pa was there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Hop Sing, Stacy, and I shooed Pa out of the house,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cBetween being worried about Adam, and having spent the better part of the last month cooped up inside, looking after Stacy and me, he was starting to get a mite testy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever the reason, I\u2019m sure glad he WAS there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned. \u201cWhy? What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I started to tell Sheriff Coffee what we had found,\u201d Matt said. \u201cWhen we started to talk about that missing girl?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe girl who was traveling with her duenna?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Adam started muttering over and over about how that girl wasn\u2019t much older than Dio, then . . . before any of us realized what was happening, Adam ran back into the jail, and . . . . \u201d Matt swallowed, and took a deep breath. \u201cJoe, by the time we got back there . . . Adam . . . had his hands around Jacob Carter\u2019s neck, and\u2014 It took all three of us to pull him off. I\u2019d hate to think of what might have happened if we hadn\u2019t all been there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared over at Matt, numb with horror and shaken to the very core of his being . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I can think of right now is that friend of yours . . . he was sheriff over in Concho for many years before he . . . before he all of a sudden just . . . snapped.\u201d<\/p>\n

His own words, after one of those terrifying waking dreams, in which he suddenly found himself with Lady Chadwick again, naked, bound hand and foot to a bed in the Marlowe mansion. He never knew what, exactly, was going to trigger them, and most frightening of all, it was all so vivid, he couldn\u2019t be sure what WAS real, and what was dream. He was deathly afraid that he was slowly, but surely, going insane.
\n\u201cAll I can think of right now is that friend of yours . . . he was sheriff over in Concho for many years before he . . . before he all of a sudden just . . . snapped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul Rowan DIDN\u2019T just all of a sudden snap,\u201d Pa said, gently yet very firmly. \u201cWhat happened to him was something that had been building and festering inside him for a number of years . . . and the REASON all that festered inside him was he kept everything bottled up. He never told his wife what happened during the years he fought in the war because he wanted to spare her\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S understandable . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, he never shared with anyone ELSE . . . his doctor for instance, or the minister of the church he and his wife attended,\u201d Pa continued. \u201cTo make matters worse, he went right from being soldier to being sheriff, without a break, or any kind of a vacation. Paul did bring law and order to Concho, but it was an uphill battle, one waged virtually alone, every bit as bloody and violent as any battle he fought during the war. By the time he felt like he COULD take time off . . . it was too late . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Rowan DIDN\u2019T just all of a sudden snap . . . .<\/p>\n

What happened to HIM was something that had been building and festering inside him for a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

Paul Rowan DIDN\u2019T just all of a sudden snap . . . .<\/p>\n

What happened to HIM was something that had been building and festering inside him for a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

Joe remembered seeing a letter from Paul\u2019s wife a year after he had been taken back east, to Saint Elizabeth\u2019s Hospital in Washington D.C., that not only specialized in treating mentally ill patients, but did so in a humane way. In the end, Paul couldn\u2019t bring himself to face the events and the outcome of that battle, his mind kept reenacting over and over and over again. When it became clear that Paul was never going to leave Saint Elizabeth\u2019s Hospital, ever, his wife sold their home in Concho along with most of their possessions and moved, with their son, back to her parents\u2019 home in Ohio. As far as Joe knew, Paul Rowan lived a marginal existence now, drugged into near unconsciousness to keep back the demons that would otherwise devour him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDAMMIT, YOU\u2019RE DEAD . . . . WHY IN THE HELL DON\u2019T YOU STAY DEAD?!\u201d
\nAdam\u2019s voice now, screaming as he awoke from a dreadful nightmare, sometime in the dark early hours of this morning. Who was supposed to be dead? Joe had no idea. Adam didn\u2019t tell HIM about the dream . . . and he was pretty sure Older Brother hadn\u2019t told PA, either.<\/p>\n

\u201cDammit, you\u2019re dead . . . .<\/p>\n

You\u2019re dead . . . .<\/p>\n

Why in the hell don\u2019t you STAY dead . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Then, in the deep recesses of his mind, Joe heard Adam scream again, upon waking from a nightmare the morning he left with the search party.<\/p>\n

It was a name.<\/p>\n

KANE!<\/p>\n

Somehow, that stagecoach robbery, the men locked up in the Virginia City jail, the Estevans all figured into whatever had happened to Adam all those years ago in the desert at the hands of a man named Peter Kane . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . the very same man lying dead on a travois, that he, Pa, and Hoss found Adam mindlessly dragging the badlands . . . .<\/p>\n

Paul Rowan DIDN\u2019T just all of a sudden snap . . . .<\/p>\n

What happened to HIM was something that had been building and festering inside him for a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . a number of years . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?!\u201d<\/p>\n

He started. Upon recovering his wits, he found himself staring into the anxious face of Matt Wilson.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe? You alright?! That was the third time I called to you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Joe, I need to be moving along anyway,\u201d Matt said, as he rose slowly to his feet. Joe followed suit. \u201cAt any rate, I\u2019ve told you everything that happened out on the trail. I don\u2019t know how helpful any of it\u2019s been . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore, I think, than you know, Matt,\u201d Joe said, as they turned and started for the front door. He knew what he had to do in order to reach Adam . . . question was, did he have the guts to actually go through with it? \u201cThanks for coming by.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome. Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Matt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow HAS Adam fared, since . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing very well, Matt, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe and Matt turned and saw Adam standing at the top of the stairs, with his arms folded across his chest, leveling a dark, murderous glare down at both of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cS-Sorry, Adam . . . . \u201d Matt stammered, flinching away from the white hot fury burning in his old friend\u2019s golden brown eyes. \u201cI . . . I had n-no idea you were there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s obvious,\u201d Adam said in a tone that dripped icicles as he started down the stairs, moving slowly, deliberately.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you been standing there?\u201d Joe demanded, angry and deeply ashamed at the prospect of Adam having overheard everything that had passed between himself and a man who numbered among his oldest friends..<\/p>\n

\u201cLong enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should\u2019ve made your presence known,\u201d Joe returned, lightening quick.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? . . . and miss out on what\u2019s proved to be a very interesting conversation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I . . . really, I\u2019m sorry, I\u2014 \u201d Matt hastily tried to stammer out an apology.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought YOU were my friend,\u201d Adam said in a low, menacing tone, as he stepped down onto the first floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI AM your friend,\u201d Matt said, very much on the defensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, please\u2014 \u201d Matt begged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018Get out,\u2019 \u201d Adam snapped, \u201cand don\u2019t bother to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better go, Matt,\u201d Joe said quietly, his voice filled with remorse. He had never meant to bring about the end of their long standing friendship. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt nodded, then slipped out the front door without a word.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t leave it alone, could you?\u201d Adam turned the full brunt of his fury on his youngest brother. \u201cYou . . . just . . . couldn\u2019t . . . leave it alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you expect me to apologize for trying to find out just what the hell\u2019s eating you\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanna know what the hell\u2019s eating me, LITTLE Joe?! Well, I\u2019ll tell you just what the hell\u2019s eating me. It\u2019s having a BABY brother who can\u2019t seem to mind his own damned business!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook! I\u2019ve TRIED to mind my own business . . . to stay out of your way and let you work things out yourself,\u201d Joe rounded on his oldest brother furiously. \u201cBut, you\u2019re not doing a damned thing, except getting worse and worse by the day, sniping at the rest of us if we so much as look at you cross eyed . . . and I, for one, have HAD it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, so you\u2019ve had it, eh?\u201d Adam returned sardonically. \u201cYou\u2019re REALLY something, LITTLE Brother, you know that?! YOU are really something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think YOU\u2019RE the only one allowed to get angry? To throw temper tantrums? Three years ago, when Teresa and I came with the kids, I thought you had really grown up,\u201d Adam said contemptuously. \u201cSeems I was WRONG.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth to respond to his oldest brother\u2019s remarks on his lack of maturity. \u201cHe\u2019s pushing you into the ropes,\u201d an inner voice screamed, loud, clear, and very insistent. \u201cYou\u2019ve GOT to find a way to turn this around.\u201d He took a deep breath, then forced himself to look Adam right in the eye. \u201cCome on, Oldest Brother, give!\u201d he snapped, moving at once to what he believed to be the heart of the matter. \u201cWhat happened out in the desert between you and that guy Kane?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s face lost every bit of color it had. He stared over at his youngest brother, too stunned to move, or even speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Adam? Cat got your tongue?!\u201d Joe pressed. \u201cCome on, TELL me! What happened in the desert between you and that guy, Kane?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I don\u2019t believe this!\u201d Adam exclaimed, the instant he recovered a measure of his voice. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re actually dredging THAT up, after all these years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI DON\u2019T want to talk about it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat. Happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID I don\u2019t want to talk about it.\u201d Adam stepped around Joe, intending to retreat to his room upstairs.<\/p>\n

Joe immediately sidestepped, effectively blocking Adam\u2019s path. \u201cOh no! You don\u2019t leave this room until you tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLEAVE IT ALONE!\u201d Adam yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDAMMIT, JOE, IT\u2019S OVER!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNO, ADAM . . . IT\u2019S NOT OVER . . . IT\u2019S NEVER BEEN OVER,\u201d Joe relentlessly pressed. \u201cCAN\u2019T YOU SEE THAT?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what the hell you think you\u2019re trying to prove by dredging up this whole sorry business, but I can assure you . . . it\u2019s OVER.\u201d Adam stated in a low, menacing tone. He began to move toward Joe, slowly, his entire body trembling in the throes of a raw, passionate fury, barely contained. \u201cYou understand me, BABY Brother? It\u2019s over! Over and done! I put that whole sorry business behind me and moved on a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe involuntarily took a step backward, his arms instinctively rising to shield his face. The intensity of his oldest brother\u2019s emotions now rushing to the surface with lightening speed terrified him, as nothing ever had before. But, the thought of all that lay within his oldest brother, unspoken . . . never truly faced or acknowledged . . . pushing Adam toward the same precipice from which Paul Rowan fell, shoved Joe beyond his own fear to that place where fools rush in and angels fear to tread.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Adam. Give!\u201d Joe\u2019s voice cracked like a whip. \u201cWhat happened in the desert between you and Kane?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you bargain with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI TOLD you to shut-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you try to escape?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have to kill HIM to save yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe watched in a kind of morbid fascination as the blood drained right out of Adam\u2019s face, leaving it a deathly white. Adam stood, as if rooted to the spot, staring over at Joe in horrified, angry, dismay, feeling as if he had suddenly been stripped naked. Then, gritting his teeth, he lashed out with lightening speed, catching his youngest brother\u2019s jaw with a powerful right cross, with force sufficient to send him half flying, half stumbling backwards across the room. The heel of Joe\u2019s slippered foot struck a low footstool, causing him to lose his balance. Dazed and horribly disoriented, he frantically waggled his arms in a desperate bid to remain on his feet. He teetered, then fell over backwards, landing in a sprawled heap between the settee and the coffee table.<\/p>\n

\u201cDAMMIT . . . WHY?\u201d Adam shouted, towering over him like some angry, god of vengeance. \u201cWHY?? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DREDGE UP ALL THAT GARBAGE AGAIN?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe scuttled backward with surprising agility, given the physical injuries from which he was still recovering. After he had passed the other end of the settee, he scrambled gracelessly to his feet. \u201cI WANNA KNOW, ADAM,\u201d he mercilessly shot right back. \u201cWHAT HAPPENED IN THE DESERT BETWEEN YOU AND KANE?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it, Joe,\u201d Adam growled, as he began to advance on his brother. \u201cYou hear me? Stop trying to dredge up things long past . . . that are better off STAYING past.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re you afraid of, Adam?\u201d Joe taunted him, as he continued to move backward.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of a damned thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why won\u2019t you tell me what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBECAUSE I DON\u2019T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe felt the solidity of a wall pressing hard against his back. He slowly, reluctantly raised his head and found himself staring into the face of his older brother, twisted into a frightening mask of rage coupled with agony.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . DON\u2019T want to talk about it,\u201d Adam said in a low voice, barely audible. \u201cGet it through your head. I . . . DON\u2019T . . . want . . . to talk about it.\u201d His arms shot out, like a pair of whips, and his hands seized Joe by the lapels. \u201cIt\u2019s OVER, Joe. You understand me?! It\u2019s over! Over and done! Leave it ALONE!\u201d<\/p>\n

A sharp intake of breath, coming from the direction of the front door caught and drew Joe\u2019s attention. He turned and, much to his horrified surprise, saw Stacy leaning heavily on her crutches, roughly half way between where he and Adam stood and the front door. \u201cAdam? Joe!?\u201d She looked from him over to Adam, then back, her face pale, her bright blue eyes round with shock and astonishment. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cN-Nothing,\u201d Joe stammered.<\/p>\n

Stacy frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s over, Joe, you understand me?!\u201d Adam continued in a low menacing tone, his entire attention focused on his youngest brother, to the exclusion of all else, including the presence of their young sister. \u201cIt\u2019s over . . . I DON\u2019T want to talk about it . . . ever! END of discussion . . . END of conversation!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, please . . . . \u201d Joe begged, fearing now for his sister\u2019s safety. \u201cStop it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI strongly suggest you get that through that thick skull of yours, Little Brother, because of you don\u2019t . . . so help me . . . I\u2019m gonna POUND it into you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, stop it!\u201d Stacy said tersely, as she began to move toward them. \u201cYou\u2019re hurting him\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, no . . . stay back!\u201d Joe ordered.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2014 \u201d she started to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be ok, Kid, I promise . . . it\u2019ll be\u2014 \u201d The next thing Joe knew, he was being dragged out of the corner in which he had been trapped. A second hard right cross to the jaw sent him reeling across the room, back once more toward the settee. He felt his left calf striking the edge of the coffee table. He wavered briefly, then collapsed onto the coffee table, breaking it into splinters no good for anything except kindling.<\/p>\n

\u201cHEY!\u201d Stacy shouted, as astonishment quickly gave way to anger. \u201cCOME ON, GUYS, CUT IT OUT!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNO, STACY, NO . . . STAY BACK!\u201d Joe shouted, as Adam, enraged past all reason, seized him by the lapels again and roughly hauled him to his feet. Gritting his teeth, he quickly balled his left hand into a tight, rock hard fist and drove it into his oldest brother\u2019s abdomen with all his might.<\/p>\n

Adam groaned and doubled over, releasing his hold on Joe. The latter immediately followed through with a hard, powerful left hook, catching the former squarely in the jaw. The force of his momentum slammed Adam into the nearest easy chair and sent it toppling. Muttering a string of terse, clipped Paiute obscenities under her breath, Stacy hobbled into the fray, far too shocked and angry to even consider anything remotely resembling good judgment.<\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, had scrambled to his feet with the swiftness and agility of a man half his age. Before Joe could even begin to realize what was happening, Adam had lowered his head and charged, like an enraged bull. His head caught Joe square in the mid-section and sent him flying across the room. He crashed into his sister, knocking her off her feet. Both tumbled to the floor with a sickening thud, with Stacy landing on the bottom, and Joe on his back, sprawled on top of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my God!\u201d Joe murmured, with heart in mouth, upon realizing what had just happened. \u201cStacy?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight HERE, You big Lummox!\u201d she growled. \u201cWould you mind getting OFF of me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe immediately rolled over, wincing against the pressure of his own body mass against his still injured ribs. He, then scrambled to his feet, as Adam looked on, numb with horror. \u201cS-Sorry, Kid . . . . \u201d Joe murmured softly, as his eyes strayed to his sister\u2019s cast, now cracked and splintered. Large pieces of plaster dotted the floor surrounding her injured leg.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure as hell are,\u201d Stacy shot right back, giving vent to her own anger. She glared up at Joe first, then over at Adam. \u201cThat goes for the BOTH of ya!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, lemme g-give you a hand,\u201d Joe offered, bending over.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can manage!\u201d she growled back.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy\u2014 \u201d Joe begged.<\/p>\n

\u201cNO, GOD DAMMIT, LEAVE ME ALONE!\u201d Stacy shouted, her face dark as a dangerous thundercloud. \u201cBOTH OF YOU . . . JUST . . . LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, I\u2019m . . . I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe said, his voice shaking. \u201cNow come on, let me help you\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo help me, as God is my witness, either one of you so much as touches me, I\u2019ll break your arms!\u201d she spat.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing, meanwhile, upon hearing the fracas out in the great room, angrily slammed the hunk of beef, intended for supper that night, down onto the counter with a resounding thud, and bolted for the kitchen door, muttering a long string of some of the more colorful Chinese idioms under his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cFoolish boys,\u201d Hop Sing angrily grumbled, shifting momentarily to English. \u201cFoolish, stupid boys! Too old! Too old for settle things with fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heard the sickening sound of wood breaking, followed a moment later by the thud of an easy chair hitting the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cNO, STACY, NO . . . STAY BACK!\u201d<\/p>\n

That was Little Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u201d Hop Sing moaned softly. The blood drained right out of his face at the horrifying prospect of poor Miss Stacy finding herself caught in the middle of whatever was happening between Mister Adam and Little Joe. He quickened his pace, bursting through the kitchen door just in time to see Little Joe crashing hard into Stacy, knocking her off her feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the\u2014?! Hey! What\u2019s goin\u2019 on around here?!\u201d That was Hoss. He stepped through the kitchen door and took up his place behind Hop Sing, with his hands planted firmly on his hips, staring at the disordered room, utterly perplexed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat what Hop Sing want to know,\u201d Hop Sing declared, glaring first at Adam, then over at Joe and Stacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell,\u201d Stacy said in a stone cold voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss was across the room and kneeling at her side in less than a heartbeat, as Adam and Joe looked on, stunned and badly shaken. A low whistle escaped Hoss\u2019 lips upon seeing Stacy\u2019s cast, cris-crossed with a myriad of fine lines and cracks, with large pieces missing. \u201cHoo-whee!\u201d he murmured softly, gazing down at the broken cast in dismay. \u201cYou sure did take a tumble, Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yeah, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019d better git across the street \u2018n fetch Doc Martin,\u201d Hoss said, taking charge of the situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yeah, Hoss, sure,\u201d Joe said contritely, still visibly shaken by all that had just happened. \u201cBe right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere Papa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe . . . he left ME off at the front door, then left to return the buggy and horse to the livery stable . . . and pick up Buck,\u201d Stacy answered the question, her voice shaking as her anger began to quickly dissipate.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe in Fletcher barn, stable Buck,\u201d Hop Sing suggested hopefully. \u201cHop Sing go see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Hop Sing,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cI\u2019d sure appreciate it if you would.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019d best git YOU upstairs,\u201d Hoss said as he gently scooped Stacy up in his arms. This time she uttered no protest, nor did she make any move to resist. \u201cYou ok, Li\u2019l Sister . . . apart from your cast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Stacy sighed wearily. She slipped her arms around Hoss\u2019 neck, and dropped her head down on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

Adam dutifully retrieved Stacy\u2019s crutches, and silently followed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo harm done,\u201d Doctor Paul Martin finally declared after a thorough, painstaking examination. He and his patient were upstairs in the latter\u2019s room. Ben and Hoss were also present. \u201cI had planned to remove the cast to examine your leg next week anyway, Stacy, just to make certain things were still healing properly. Your fall just moved the schedule up a week.\u201d He paused, just long enough to flash all three of them a reassuring smile. \u201cYou\u2019re coming along fine. I think another four weeks in the new cast will just about do it. Now if you\u2019ll excuse me, I need to run back across the street and get a few things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin, are you going to put the new cast on now?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

Paul nodded. \u201cIt won\u2019t take long,\u201d he promised. \u201cBy the time Hop Sing has supper ready, the plaster-of-paris should be set hard enough for you to join the rest of the family at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you put my new cast on, I was thinking that, maybe you\u2019d better check on Joe,\u201d Stacy said quietly, \u201cjust to make sure he didn\u2019t do any more damage to his fractured ribs. He, ummm . . . fell, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat MIGHT not be a bad idea,\u201d Paul agreed wryly, upon remembering Joe\u2019s disheveled appearance and the disordered living room downstairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s gone to his room,\u201d Hoss said very quickly, upon seeing his father\u2019s eyes narrow with suspicion. \u201cI can show ya the way, Doc.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben waited, his fingers impatiently drumming against the night stand beside Stacy\u2019s bed, until he and his daughter were alone. \u201cStacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa?\u201d she queried warily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust now,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cbetween you, Joe, and Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat . . . makes you think something h-happened?\u201d Stacy asked. Though she stared earnestly into Ben\u2019s face, her eyes did not quite meet his.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, let\u2019s just say I suspected that SOMETHING out of the ordinary happened, when I saw the living room with half the furniture overturned, and the coffee table broken into a thousand pieces,\u201d Ben said with a touch of wryness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell, Pa. Joe fell on top of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s IT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it as far as I\u2019M concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, knowing that he was not going to get anything more out of her pertaining to what had happed downstairs. He silently made himself a mental note to question Adam and Joe later. \u201cThe important thing is YOU\u2019RE alright,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019M ok. The only thing that got badly bruised was my dignity, but that\u2019ll recover quick enough,\u201d Stacy said, relieved that her father had no intention of questioning her further about the circumstances surrounding her fall. Then, suddenly, she burst into tears.<\/p>\n

Ben immediately gathered her into his arms and held her close. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Stacy,\u201d he murmured softly, as her arms reached up under his arms and loosely encircled his shoulders. \u201cI promise you, everything\u2019s going to be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa . . . I\u2019m s-sorry,\u201d she sobbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in the world for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cF-For . . . for acting like s-such a . . . a b-big crybaby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, you\u2019re NOT acting like a crybaby. Honest . . . you\u2019re not,\u201d Ben gently tried to reassure her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . Oh, Pa, I feel s-so . . . so silly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no reason in the world for you to feel silly, either, Young Woman,\u201d Ben said. \u201cWe\u2019ve all gone through quite a lot in the space of a month.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cB-but, y-you and Hoss haven\u2019t . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Ben placed the handkerchief in her hands, then hugged her closer. \u201cOh, yes we have,\u201d he hastened to assure her. \u201cHoss told me later that once the fire was out, after Hop Sing and I left to bring you to Doctor Martin, and everyone else returned to their homes or to the bunk house, that he sat down in the barn next to Chubb\u2019s stall and bawled like a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cH-He did?! Really?\u201d Stacy asked, as she wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks with her father\u2019s handkerchief.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he did. Really,\u201d Ben affirmed with an emphatic nod of his head. \u201cFor ME, the first time everything began to hit home was when I came to see you before Doctor Johns operated on you to fix your leg. You had passed out, and I . . . I just sat there with you, holding your hand, bawling like a baby myself, just like your big brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and when you, Joe, and I went out the other day?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cWhen you two were teasing each other?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne minute I was enjoying myself listening to you and Joe, and the next . . . I realized just h-how close I came to . . . well, to losing BOTH of you\u2014 \u201d Ben broke off, unable to continue. He hugged her closer, grateful for her arms encircling his waist, squeezing affectionately, and for the weight of her head resting against his chest. \u201cNow that the worst is behind us, we\u2019re all going to have moments like this, when the enormity of what happened and what still lies ahead begins to really hit home. I\u2019m sure coming up on Adam and Joe in the midst of a knock down drag out didn\u2019t help matters any, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy glanced up at him sharply, through eyes round as saucers. \u201cH-How did you\u2014?! I never said anything about them\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t HAVE to,\u201d Ben said gently.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . just like I don\u2019t have to tell you anything about me trying to go in and break it up, either . . . do I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. But, if you WANT to talk about it, I\u2019m more than willing to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m more upset with myself for falling and b-busting my cast,\u201d Stacy said ruefully, her eyes glistening with tears once again. \u201cI should\u2019ve known better than to rush in where . . . where angels fear to tread.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s been rough on all of us dealing with Joe\u2019s progress and set-backs . . . along with his anger and frustration\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy adamantly shook her head. \u201cNo, Pa . . . it\u2019s NOT Grandpa!\u201d she said, taking great care to lower her voice. \u201cI\u2019d be lying if I said it HAS been easy, but I know him, and I know what to expect. When he\u2019s upset or something\u2019s bothering him, he SAYS so, and . . . HE\u2019S willing to let us be with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, ADAM . . . ever since he came back from that search party? Whenever I\u2019m around him I suddenly feel like I\u2019m hauling n-nitroglycerin, or . . . or walking around on . . . on a floor full of eggs,\u201d she continued. \u201cI can\u2019t shake the feeling that something\u2019s really eating away at him, but every time one of us asks, he clams up real tight and says he\u2019s fine. Maybe my feelings are wrong and he IS fine . . . I don\u2019t know.\u201d She sighed dolefully, and shook her head. \u201cOf course, I haven\u2019t had a chance to be around Adam very much, since he was gone before I came . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . which is something I will always regret very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Stacy glanced over toward the open door and saw Adam leaning heavily against the door jamb, his face pale and shoulders slumped, as if trying to bear up under a great, heavy burden. His dark eyes were filled with sadness. \u201cStacy, may I come in for a moment?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d she readily assented.<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise . . . I wasn\u2019t eavesdropping,\u201d Adam quickly assured his father and his sister, as he drew up a chair alongside her bed. \u201cI want to apologize for what happened earlier. I\u2019m not going to offer any kind of excuse because there is none. I\u2019m just going to say that the fault was all mine, and ask if you\u2019ll forgive me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Adam,\u201d Stacy said, gazing into his face anxiously. \u201cI . . . I hope you\u2019ll forgive me, too . . . for losing my temper with you and Joe. I said some things I wish I hadn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou had every right to be angry, Little Sister.\u201d Adam gently squeezed Stacy\u2019s hand. \u201cUnfortunately, when Joe and I are together for any length of time, we tend to bring out the stupid in each other. My fault mostly. I\u2019m sorry you got caught in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my own fault I got caught in the middle,\u201d Stacy replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I hope you\u2019re alright,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine, Adam. The only casualty\u2019s the cast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very relieved to hear that,\u201d Adam declared with heartfelt sincerity. \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

He reached into his right pants pocket and drew out his wallet. \u201cHere\u2019s a hundred dollars for the coffee table,\u201d he said, placing the cash in his father\u2019s hand. \u201cIf the damages come to MORE than that, you can send me a bill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSEND you a bill?!\u201d Ben queried anxiously.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI plan to leave on the ten o\u2019clock stage day after tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Ben felt as if he had just taken a hard blow to his solar plexus.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you CAN\u2019T!\u201d Stacy protested. \u201cWe need you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you DON\u2019T need me, not really,\u201d Adam said with a sad smile. \u201cI\u2019ll have all the final plans and drawings completed by this evening. Tomorrow morning, I\u2019ll give Hoss a list of what\u2019s needed from the saw mill, then I\u2019ll head into town to purchase and place orders for the remaining building material that\u2019ll be needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I . . . WE . . . were counting on you to oversee the rebuilding of the new house,\u201d Ben said, stunned by Adam\u2019s sudden decision to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnybody can oversee the rebuilding of the house, Pa. By the time the men are ready to start work on erecting the walls, I\u2019ll bet JOE will probably be up to doing the job himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and if he\u2019s NOT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he\u2019s not, George Farlyn can continue with the work already started. I\u2019ll see that he has copies of the plans before I leave. If he\u2019s got any questions, he can come to you or Hoss. Joe can assume the mantle whenever Doctor Martin gives him the go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, please . . . stay?\u201d Ben begged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t, Pa. I . . . I probably shouldn\u2019t have come in the first place.\u201d With that, Adam rose from his chair and left the room.<\/p>\n

All Ben and Stacy could do was watch Adam\u2019s retreating back in stunned silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Stacy?\u201d Ben replied, his voice shaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she murmured contritely, as tears once more began to sting her eyes. She reached over and took her father\u2019s hand in her own. \u201cI . . . I know you\u2019re always w-warning me about my . . . about my temper.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. \u201cNone of this is YOUR fault, Stacy,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cYour gut feelings about Adam are right on the money. Something HAS been eating away at him, but whatever it is . . . it has nothing at all to do with you, and while I\u2019m inclined to believe that Joe may have in some way been fuel for the fire, I don\u2019t believe HE\u2019S really at fault, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what IS troubling Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . I\u2019d be a lot more worried if something like this\u2014 \u201d meaning Lady Chadwick\u2019s abduction of Joe and subsequent torture, \u201c \u2014happened to someone, oh like Adam, your oldest. Given his natural stoic reserve, the way he\u2019s always kept a tight lid on his feelings . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Martin\u2019s words echoed once more in Ben\u2019s ears, invoking the same feelings of dread and foreboding he had felt when they had conversed in the post office.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Stacy, I don\u2019t know what\u2019s troubling Adam,\u201d Ben said dejectedly. \u201cI sure wish to heaven I DID.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019m NOT gonna let you do it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam finished folding the shirt lying on the bed in front of him, and straightened. He was surprised to see his youngest brother entering the room, his jaw rigidly set, and mouth thinned to a near straight, lipless line. He flinched away from the raw intensity of emotion he saw reflected in those gray-green eyes. \u201cDid PA send you in here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen get out. I have those drawings to complete and a lot of packing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re feeling guilty, DON\u2019T. What happened just now between us . . . with Stacy . . . was MY fault. I told Pa that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Joe said rancorously. \u201cEverything all nice and neat, wrapped up in a pretty box and tied with a bow.\u201d<\/p>\n

This drew a sharp, angry glare from Adam, as he took another shirt from the stack piled on his bed and began to fold.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not here because I\u2019m feeling guilty,\u201d Joe continued. \u201cI\u2019m here to stop you from running out on PA.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT running out on PA.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d The word exploded from Adam\u2019s lips as he dropped the second folded shirt on top of the first, and snatched a third off the top of the stack.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen how about an explanation?\u201d Joe pressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn explanation?! For WHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor why you\u2019ve all of a sudden decided to up and leave,\u201d Joe shot right back.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, please! Leave it ALONE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNOT until you answer my question.\u201d Joe stubbornly planted his feet side by side, slightly more than shoulder width apart and folded his arms across his chest.<\/p>\n

An exasperated sigh exploded from between Adam\u2019s lips. \u201cLook! I said I was sorry. I apologized to Stacy, I told Pa that . . . what happened . . . was MY fault. I even paid for the damned coffee table. What MORE do you WANT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to tell me just what the hell\u2019s eating you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and I\u2019ve told YOU . . . I DON\u2019T want to talk about it,\u201d Adam shot right back through clenched teeth. \u201cIt\u2019s none of your business anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, maybe it WAS none of my business . . . but, THAT changed the minute you tried to rip my head off with your bare hands,\u201d Joe immediately returned. \u201cCome ON, Adam . . . please! Don\u2019t shut us out like this . . . we\u2019re your family, for heaven\u2019s sake. We . . . I . . . want to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sardonically rolled his eyes as he finished folding the third shirt and slammed it down on top of the first two. \u201cI see. The relentless pain-in-the-ass brat baby brother approach didn\u2019t work, so NOW you\u2019re going to play amateur psychologist,\u201d he returned scathingly, as he snatched the fourth shirt off the pile and threw it down onto the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t NEED to be a trained head shrink or even a man of the cloth to see that SOMETHING\u2019S tearing away at your gut,\u201d Joe returned without missing a beat. \u201cYou\u2019ve been on edge ever since you got here, and it seems ever since you found out about that stage going missing . . . you\u2019ve been so touchy, you\u2019re jumping down our throats with both feet, if any of us so much as looks at you the wrong way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, starting the day after tomorrow, you call all heave a great big collective sigh of relief,\u201d Adam said in a voice that dripped icicles, as he seized the shirts he had already folded and emphatically stuffed them into the open carpet bag sitting on the bed directly in front of him, \u201cbecause I\u2019ll be on the very first stage going OUT.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, leaving\u2019s not going to solve ANYTHING.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI DON\u2019T belong here, Joe. I\u2019m not sure I ever DID. I should never have come in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT THE HELL KIND OF CRAZY TALK IS THAT?!\u201d Joe exploded, stunned by his oldest brother\u2019s words and the quiet intensity by which he had spoken them. \u201cWHEN YOU FIRST GOT HERE, YOU TOLD US . . . TOLD PA HOW GLAD YOU WERE THAT HOSS THOUGHT TO SEND FOR YOU, BUT EVER SINCE YOU AND MATT WILSON CAME BACK AFTER FINDING THAT STAGECOACH OUT IN THE DESERT\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDON\u2019T YOU UNDERSTAND?! THOSE POOR PEOPLE WERE ROBBED, TORTURED . . . THEN LEFT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, WITH NO FOOD, NO WATER, NOT EVEN A SINGLE HORSE, NO CHANCE OF EVER MAKING IT OUT ALIVE, JUST LIKE . . . JUST LIKE\u2014 \u201d Adam abruptly broke off.<\/p>\n

\u201cJUST LIKE . . . WHAT?\u201d Joe immediately pounced with both feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing my backside! Come on, Adam, GIVE! Just like WHAT?\u201d Joe mercilessly pressed. \u201cThose people were left in the desert with no chance of making it out alive . . . just like WHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJUST LIKE ME!\u201d Adam shouted, his entire body trembling with the rage and grief that had been growing and festering inside for so long. \u201cJUST LIKE ME, AFTER THOSE MEN ROBBED ME OUT IN THE DESERT . . . OF THE MONEY, MY FOOD, MY WATER, AND MY HORSE. THEY LEFT ME OUT THERE IN THAT DESERT TO DIE, THE SAME WAY THOSE PEOPLE ON THAT STAGE WERE . . . were l-left to die\u2014 \u201d He abruptly turned his back on his youngest brother, his words drowned in a torrent of agonized weeping.<\/p>\n

Joe was immediately at Adam\u2019s side, with his arms around him, fiercely holding him close, with tears, borne of guilt and remorse streaming down his own cheeks. \u201cOh, God . . . Adam, I . . . I\u2019m s-so sorry . . . so s-sorry . . . please? Please f-forgive me?\u201d<\/p>\n

For a time, the two brothers stood, clinging to one another for dear life, with faces tightly pressed, buried against the other\u2019s shoulder, sobbing openly, holding back nothing. Neither saw the solitary figure standing in the hallway, just outside the door to Adam\u2019s room. Ben, with tears streaming down his own face, reached out, took the door knob in hand and silently closed the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt, Ben turned and found himself staring into the pale, anxious faces of his middle son and only daughter. He lifted his finger to his lips and motioned for them to go on back down the hall, away from the room where Adam and Joe were.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, are . . . are Adam \u2018n Joe gonna be alright?\u201d Hoss asked, once the three of them had moved to a place well beyond earshot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will be,\u201d Ben said quietly, with confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think it\u2019s . . . ok to . . . to leave them alone?\u201d Stacy asked, remembering the terrible brawl in the living room a short while ago.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. A wistful smile tugged hard at the corner of his mouth. \u201cI think we can trust them now to work out their difficulties without bashing one another\u2019s brains in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss, and Stacy looked up and found Hop Sing standing in front of them on the top landing, looking troubled and uncertain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing come to let know supper ready, but\u2014 \u201d His dark eye peered over Ben\u2019s shoulder into the darkened hallway and the room where Joe and Adam remained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know about the two o\u2019 you, but I\u2019m hungrier \u2018n a bear,\u201d Hoss declared, with a broad grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, it looks like its going to be the four of us for dinner,\u201d Ben said. \u201cSuddenly, I\u2019M hungrier \u2018n a bear myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome down, wash up,\u201d Hop Sing said. \u201cHop Sing go, put supper aside for Mister Adam, Little Joe . . . keep warm in oven.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later, after the passage of what seemed many hours, Adam and Joe sat together on the former\u2019s bed, side by side, with their feet flat on the floor, hands resting on their knees, eyes and faces pointedly staring straight ahead. Both were utterly spent, physically and emotionally. Adam could not remember a time in his entire life in which he felt as exposed, as fragile, and as vulnerable as he did at that moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happened so long ago,\u201d he murmured softly, incredulous, his voice barely audible, \u201cso . . . LONG . . . ago . . . I should be over it by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, you\u2019re NOT.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not,\u201d Adam admitted, then shrugged. \u201cMaybe there\u2019s some things a man . . . or a woman, for that matter . . . NEVER gets over . . . never EVER quite forgets.\u201d He rose, and to his youngest brother\u2019s great dismay, walked over to the chest of drawers, set against the wall directly opposite the door, and opened it.<\/p>\n

For a moment Joe silently watched his oldest brother lifted one stack of neatly folded underwear from the drawer, then another, setting them on top of the dresser. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidja ever think that maybe, just maybe that\u2019s the REAL problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam froze, his hands poised just above the drawer, ready to lift out the last stack of neatly folded clothing. He turned and glared at his youngest brother, still seated on the edge of his bed. \u201cMaybe WHAT is the real problem?\u201d he demanded reluctantly, his voice tinged with weary exasperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrying to FORGET what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and sardonically rolled his eyes. \u201cJoe\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, hear me out, PLEASE.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bristled against his youngest brother\u2019s terse, clipped tones. He opened his mouth to utter the scathing retort sitting right there on the tip of his tongue, only to snap it shut again, upon seeing the desperate, unspoken plea reflected in Joe\u2019s hazel eyes. He closed the drawer with a melancholy sigh, then turned to face his brother. \u201cAlright, Joe, speak your peace and be done with it,\u201d he said, folding his arms across his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing that\u2019s really helped me since . . . since I\u2019VE come back from being held prisoner by Lady Chadwick is talking about what happened,\u201d Joe said quietly.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, and shook his head. \u201cWhat\u2019s the point in talking about it?\u201d he demanded, taking no pains to hide his annoyance. \u201cAll THAT accomplishes is rehashing the same old ground over and over. Nothing is ever changed. Nothing CAN be. What happened . . . still happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. You can\u2019t go back and make what happened . . . NOT happen,\u201d Joe replied, \u201cbut I\u2019ve found out that when I try to keep things bottled up inside, they eat me ALIVE. I can feel it, Adam. But, when I talk about it to someone kind enough to listen, it somehow becomes less scary. I\u2019m better prepared somehow to face it head on, and work it through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s words prompted the memory of an incident that had happened when he, his wife, and their children had spent an entire summer visiting his father, brothers, and sister at the Ponderosa. His son, Benjy woke up screaming from a frightening nightmare . . . .
\n\u201cOh, Papa, it was horrible!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam heard again his son\u2019s small frightened voice, just as clearly as he did that night. \u201cCan you tell me about your nightmare?\u201d he had asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cD-Do I have to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Benjy, you don\u2019t HAVE to tell me. I just thought maybe you\u2019d WANT to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Benjy half sobbed, as he buried his face against his father\u2019s shoulder, drawing from him comfort and reassurance. \u201cI . . . I\u2019d rather NOT, Papa. Please don\u2019t make me! It\u2019s . . . it\u2019s too scary!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t make you tell me, Buddy,\u201d Adam promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Papa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I tell you a story instead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Benjy smiled despite the terror that yet remained with him. \u201cY-you haven\u2019t told me any bedtime stories since . . . I guess since I was Dio\u2019s age.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one\u2019s a little different because it\u2019s true,\u201d Adam said. \u201cWould you like to hear it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Papa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had told his son about having no memories of his own mother, Elizabeth, because she died when he was a baby. The first real mother he had ever known was Inger Borgstrom, the woman who became his father\u2019s second wife and mother to his biggest brother, Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to her, Papa?\u201d Benjy had asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was killed in an Indian raid at the Ash Hallow Way Station,\u201d Adam said, his voice catching. \u201cOne minute, she was at the window with rifle in hand, the next she lay dying in your grandpa\u2019s arms. Your grandpa and I were devastated. After we buried Inger and moved on, I began to have some terrifying nightmares. One night, I woke up screaming from what had to have been the scariest one of them all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had shared with Benjy the horrifying details of \u201cThe Ash Hallow Dream,\u201d in which not only Inger died, but Pa and Hoss as well, leaving him all alone in a world, overwhelmingly big and frightening. Every night, for the better part of a month following Inger\u2019s death, the dream plagued him. He had also told Benjy of his reluctance to share the details of the dream with his father. One night, \u201cThe Ash Hallow Dream,\u201d had taken on some new, even more terrifying dimensions. Adam had woken up screaming, on the edge of hysteria.<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yes, Benjy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened? When you woke from that dream?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa took me in his arms and held me while I cried, like he always did. After I settled down, he asked me once again what the dream was about. I wouldn\u2019t tell him. That night, however, your grandpa told me something I never forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was THAT, Papa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me that most dreams are letters we write to ourselves. Instead of writing those letters in words, we write them in pictures. The good dreams let us know that everything\u2019s alright. The bad ones are trying to tell us that something needs to be fixed. He told me that the only way something can be fixed is to take a good, long, hard look at it, and see where it\u2019s broken. That night, I told Pa about the dream, and I also told him about my fear of losing him. You know what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe DIDN\u2019T laugh at me or get mad at me for being a sissy. He just sat there and held me in his arms for a very long time, the exact same way I\u2019m holding you right now. He told me how much he loved me and that he and Hoss would never, ever leave without me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you stop having the bad dreams?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot right away. But when they came, they weren\u2019t as scary as they had been. As time passed they came less and less often, until they eventually stopped coming altogether . . . . \u201d
\n\u201cNothing like being hoist by my own petard,\u201d Adam murmured softly, his voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn other words, there\u2019s nothing like being brought up short and slapped hard in the face with my own advice,\u201d Adam said ruefully, then shared the incident with Joe, including the advice he had passed on to his own son.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to take your own advice and . . . talk about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, then opened his mouth with every intention of telling Joe that enough was enough. The words were actually sitting right there on the very tip of his tongue, awaiting utterance. ENOUGH, Joe. Enough. It\u2019s over. Done. There\u2019s no point in dredging all that up now, at this late date, after the passage of more years now than he cared to admit. It\u2019s past time for letting sleeping dogs lie. The words that did come from his mouth were nothing less than a villainous betrayal by his own voice, lips, and tongue.<\/p>\n

\u201cKane had been out in the desert for the better part of twenty years, working that claim, day in, day out,\u201d Adam began. His voice was placid and bland, almost to the point of being a straight monotone. He felt himself oddly detached, as if the experience he spoke of had happened to someone else. \u201cThat claim was his last great hope, his last chance to make up for what he saw as a life time of failure. He told me that himself. By the time I blundered into his camp, Kane had known for a long time that his claim was worthless.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did he stay?\u201d Joe prodded carefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think when he realized his CLAIM was worthless, he must\u2019ve decided his entire life had been worthless . . . without any kind of meaning,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cSad, when I think about it now. Sad and pathetic. If Kane had been of a more positive frame of mind, he would have seen that his life WASN\u2019T over because that claim didn\u2019t pan out. Who knows? Maybe . . . in time . . . he would\u2019ve found something that did work, that would have given his life value and meaning in his own eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was dead when Pa, Hoss, and I found you,\u201d Joe said. \u201cAfter Hoss and I buried Kane, he . . . Hoss, that is . . . told me there were no marks, or wounds on the man\u2019s body that could\u2019ve killed him. He was also in pretty good shape physically. In other words, Adam, Kane shouldn\u2019t have died . . . yet, he did. Do you suppose he died because he WANTED to die?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . KNOW Kane wanted to die. No doubt in my mind at all about that,\u201d Adam said slowly. \u201cBut simply dying wasn\u2019t enough. He wanted to take someone else down with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Joe queried with a perplexed frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he had come to the conclusion that taking someone ELSE down . . . destroying them in the process . . . was the only means left to him to make a difference in this world,\u201d Adam said sardonically. \u201cBut, we\u2019ll never know . . . not for absolute certain. I don\u2019t think HE could have told you why. So he waited. For someone . . . anyone, it didn\u2019t matter who, just so long as it was another human being he could torture first, then destroy.\u201d It had taken every ounce of will he possessed to force those last words out. His hands, resting on top of his thighs, suddenly clenched into a pair of tight, bloodless fists.<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, chuckling softly, without a shred of mirth. \u201cLooking back? I was the perfect choice. I was everything Kane wanted in a victim. Young . . . very naive in a lot of ways for all that I had attended college back east, so sure of myself . . . so sure I knew everything there was to know about human nature . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s own thoughts drifted back to that day.
\nAfter selling that herd of cattle in Eastgate, for a whopping five thousand dollars, they had a few extra days to kick back and relax before heading home. They had found out about a murder trial, scheduled to begin the following morning. The defendant, a man by the name of Obediah Johnson, had been accused of murdering his partner, Jeb Early, along with his own wife. Joe, having had enough of being on the trail, opted to stay in town and watch the trial to see how it came out.<\/p>\n

Adam, however, had rejected that option, disdainfully asserting that he already knew what the outcome would be. Obediah Johnson murdered his wife and his business partner, he should and would hang. That was the law . . . period. No ands, ifs, or buts. When Joe had suggested that his oldest brother might think a little differently if HE were the defendant, Adam stated with smug confidence that he would never end up as a defendant in a murder trial . . . because he, as a civilized man, was incapable of murder.
\n\u201cAs you know, I was robbed not long after I left you behind in Eastgate,\u201d Adam continued. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take shallow breaths, slow, even. \u201cThey not only took the money we got for selling that herd of cattle, they also took the horse I was riding . . . along with my food . . . and my water.\u201d He felt his youngest brother\u2019s hand come to rest firmly on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like that stage coach,\u201d Joe said softly, his mouth, his jaw tightening with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. EXACTLY like that stage coach,\u201d Adam said tersely. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what else to do, so I started to retrace my steps back. I . . . I KNEW I\u2019d never make it back alone . . . on foot . . . with no food or water. One of my last coherent thoughts was to curse the men who had robbed me for leaving me alive to die like that . . . for not just shooting me, killing me outright and . . . and getting it over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt that, too, Adam,\u201d Joe said in a soft voice, barely audible. \u201cAfter having spent three days tied spread eagle to a bed, completely naked, with no food, no water . . . I . . . I asked Crippensworth straight out\u2014why didn\u2019t he and Lady Chadwick just out \u2018n out kill me and get it over with. For a little while, I . . . I honest and truly wished they had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam peered into Joe\u2019s face and eyes and saw another who truly knew, and understood. From that knowledge and understanding came compassion. He managed a wan smile as he reached up and affectionately squeezed the hand still resting on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yeah, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLady Chadwick and Crippensworth . . . they did the same to you as Kane did to me,\u201d Adam said softly. \u201cLady Chadwick had a different agenda, but it still comes down to the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Adam,\u201d Joe said, closing his eyes against the flood of tears stinging them. \u201cLady Chadwick and Crippensworth WERE trying to . . . to tear me apart, like that guy Kane tried to tear YOU apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I must\u2019ve been a real sight when I blundered into Kane\u2019s camp half dead of thirst and . . . and of heatstroke, not entirely in my right mind,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cHe gave me shelter and water . . . he fed me. He even offered me the use of his mule and enough food and water to make it back to Eastgate, if I\u2019d work for him for three days. He claimed he was on the verge of a strike, even had a good sized chunk of gold ore to prove it. His proposal sounded reasonable, even though . . . even though by that time, I was already late meeting YOU. I also knew that the only chance I had of making it back alive was to accept Kane\u2019s proposal and his offer, so I did. I had no idea in the world that he was lying.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first couple of days things went well enough,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cHe was anxious and impatient . . . again, understandable, since I had believed him when he said he was on the verge of making the strike. But, the third day, it seemed every time I stopped to rest, to catch my breath, he was on me like a slave driver, making snide remarks, ordering me to get back to work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I actually allowed this to go on another two days, before I decided I had finally had it. I grabbed the nearest canteen and went to take the mule. He pulled a rifle on me, Joe, a rifle he had kept hidden, and ordered me to stand away from the mule. Then, he turned the rifle on the mule and shot it. Our only way out of there, and he KILLED it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy God!\u201d Joe murmured softly, shaken to the very core of his being. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s as we said before . . . Kane wanted to die,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cAs to WHY he wanted to die . . . I must\u2019ve asked myself that question a million times after you, Pa, and Hoss found me, and brought me home. For weeks, maybe even MONTHS, after, I lay awake night after night after night, uselessly speculating. In the end, the only sure answer I could come up with is . . . there\u2019s no rhyme or reason to insanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot much of an answer is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLady Chadwick told me that I was supposed to some kind of weapon she planned to use against Pa in revenge for his having humiliated her when she visited us, AND for jilting her back in New Orleans,\u201d Joe said, surprised to find a great measure of comfort in his oldest brother\u2019s presence. \u201cNone of it made any sense. You know what happened when she came to the Ponderosa to visit, and Pa told us that he had asked her to marry him in New Orleans, but SHE turned him down flat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember. I was ten years old at the time,\u201d Adam said, scowling. \u201cPa left Hoss at home with Mister and Mrs. O\u2019Brien, but decided to me with him. They met at someone\u2019s party and apparently hit it off very well. The next morning, she took Pa and me on a grand tour of the city. It was a whirlwind courtship. I remember Pa being shocked and devastated when she turned down his marriage proposal. I also remember how furious he was when he found out that she had actually eloped the night before with Lord Chadwick, then sailed off with him to England a few days later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean to tell me . . . she was actually MARRIED to Lord Chadwick when she officially turned PA down?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means . . . she was courting HIM the whole time she was stringing PA along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt of that at all in MY mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn! That bitch was a real piece of work, wasn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I, for one, am glad things turned out as they did. Otherwise, God forbid, he might STILL be leg shackled to that scheming harridan, and even worse, he would\u2019ve never met YOUR mother. I\u2019m GLAD he met and ended up marrying Marie. If he hadn\u2019t, we wouldn\u2019t have had YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Adam,\u201d Joe said quietly, with a smile. He sighed, and the smile faded. \u201cI knew Lady Chadwick wasn\u2019t right in the head after she killed her son. I\u2019d hear her call Crippensworth by PA\u2019S name, and toward the end of my time with her, she actually started calling ME Ben. She also started acting like she was married to Pa.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss told me later that Lady Chadwick had been working on a painting, almost life sized. He and Pa saw it in the house she owned in Carson City. They had gone there looking for me or clues to my whereabouts. That painting was a picture of her and Pa dressed as a bride and groom. Hoss told me that painting gave him and Pa both a real case of the heebie-jeevies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bet! She probably painted Pa\u2019s face from memory, too, just like she did on the one she gave him when she came to visit,\u201d Adam observed with a shudder.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Buddy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPromise me you won\u2019t tell Pa that I know about the painting? He\u2019d throttle Hoss if he knew that he had told me,\u201d Joe said. \u201cTo give Big Brother credit, he didn\u2019t WANT to tell me. I dragged it out of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know very well how stubborn and relentless you can be, Baby Brother,\u201d Adam said with a wry smile. \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I won\u2019t say a thing to Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Joe said, returning his oldest brother\u2019s smile. \u201cI appreciate it, and if Big Brother knew, he\u2019d appreciate it, too. Adam, may I ask you one more question? You don\u2019t have to ANSWER it, if you don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFair enough. What\u2019s your question?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been able to come to terms with what happened between you and Kane?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I had, but now . . . . \u201d Adam shrugged and shook his head. \u201cAfter I got home, I made damn\u2019 sure I kept very busy, pushing myself until I was physically exhausted, too tired to see straight, let alone think. That was the only way I could sleep at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d Joe said quietly. \u201cFor months you ran yourself into the ground, and in the end . . . it seemed to have worked. You were pretty much back to your old self again . . . so I thought, anyway. I wanted to do the same thing. There\u2019s so much work to do, it would have been real easy. But, I couldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of your injuries?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201c . . . and the fact that my stomach had come to a place of no longer being able to accept solid food. Pa told me later I was so dangerously dehydrated, that if I vomited again . . . or had any bouts of what Sheriff Coffee sometimes refers to as the ol\u2019 back door trots . . . it could\u2019ve killed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy God! I . . . I had no idea!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither did I. I was a little upset with Pa for not telling me at first, but now . . . I\u2019m kinda glad he didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two brothers lapsed into silence for a time, each mulling over all that had been spoken between them in the privacy of their own thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe . . . . \u201d Adam finally, at length, broke the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned. \u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout me running out on Pa,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI was actually trying to run out on MYSELF . . . this evening . . . AND the night I left the Ponderosa for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

His last words drew a look of surprise from Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . never realized that before,\u201d Adam said slowly, \u201cI certainly didn\u2019t think of it then, not in so many words . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou probably would have left anyway . . . eventually,\u201d Joe said quietly. \u201cYou\u2019ve always had your own dreams. Though for a long time, I . . . I\u2019d thought your leaving the Ponderosa . . . AND us . . . was MY fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at his youngest brother, shocked and astonished. \u201cWhere in the world did you get an idea like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou left not long after I was attacked by that wolf up in Montpelier Gorge,\u201d Joe said. \u201cI don\u2019t remember anything about that night, I was pretty much out of it, but Hoss later told me what happened. He also told me how you were so hell-bent on leaving for someplace more civilized once you knew I was out of the woods, so to speak. I thought later, after you HAD gone, if only I hadn\u2019t insisted on you and me going after that wolf that day, I wouldn\u2019t have been hurt and the rest that came later wouldn\u2019t have happened . . . and YOU would\u2019ve stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, no! It wasn\u2019t YOUR fault,\u201d Adam said in his own very firm, very Pa-like voice. \u201cFor one thing, I wanted to stop that wolf from killing any more of our cattle every bit as much as you did. That whole business of Doctor Hickman having to attend to a breech birth, Hoss having to go to a warehouse twenty miles away, Dowd and HIS cohorts bushwhacking Hoss to steal your medicine and hold it hostage, well, I\u2019d be less than honest if I didn\u2019t admit to it all being fuel for the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut when morning came? Pa was home, Hoss had taken Dowd to the sheriff, and I knew that YOU were going to pull through, things looked a lot brighter. I saw again how beautiful this country is, and all that we Cartwrights have here. The last thing in the world I wanted to do then was leave it all behind for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you don\u2019t have to answer this if you don\u2019t want to either . . . but what DID prompt you to leave for good?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cI remember your decision being very sudden, and all the loud, furious arguments between you and Pa that whole week before you left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRandy Paine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Joe looked over at his brother, incredulous. \u201cYou mean the old drunk who took up residence at the old Bucket of Blood Saloon, in that corner table, \u2018way in the back?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cRandy Paine. You remember how he was always singling out somebody to scorn and ridicule.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe affirmed with a scowl and a curt nod of his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, for almost that entire month before I decided to leave here for good, he had decided to single ME out,\u201d Adam said. \u201cAt first, I ignored him. Then, his nasty remarks started hitting too close to home, beginning with comments about me killing Ross Marquett.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, THAT was self defense!\u201d Joe declared, outraged. \u201cRoss gave you no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Adam sighed. \u201cI know. I tried my best to keep right on ignoring him. I might have succeeded if he hadn\u2019t started making accusations about DELPHINE and me. She NEVER had eyes for anyone else but Ross, from the first day she met him. She never would have dreamed of being unfaithful to him. In fact, the entire time she was with us, right before . . . before Ross killed her . . . Delphine thought of no one BUT Ross. Ol\u2019 Randy Paine-in-the-ass . . . sitting at that back table, drunk as a skunk, slandering her good name, and Delphine Marquett no longer in a position to defend herself . . . I was furious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t blame you. What did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he had been younger, stronger, in better health, I would have mopped up the saloon floor with him,\u201d Adam said, his ire rising. \u201cInstead, I grabbed his whiskey bottle, it was almost full, and I threatened to pour every last drop of it out on the floor, unless he took back every filthy, lying word he had said about Delphine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I thought that would put an end to his tormenting me, but it didn\u2019t. Randy never mentioned Delphine again, or any other young lady, with whom I had been friendly, but he found other things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT other things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of his favorite jabs was to tell me that I was a rich man\u2019s son . . . who had never had to do a lick of real work . . . or honest work . . . in his entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face darkened with anger. For one brief moment, he wished with all his might, that he could have Randy Paine back from the dead and in the prime of his life, so he could put his own fist right through the man\u2019s face. \u201cThat\u2019s a lie!\u201d he declared in a low voice, barely audible. \u201cAdam, that\u2019s a . . . big, ugly, vicious LIE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of me believed him then . . . and I think still does . . . even n-now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you say that?!\u201d Joe demanded, incredulous. \u201cFor one thing, Pa\u2019s ALWAYS been a demanding task master, especially toward US. For every full day\u2019s work he expects from the men who work for us, he expects a full day and a half from Hoss, Stacy, and me . . . and he did from YOU, too . . . before you left.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . as for being the son of a rich man, you weren\u2019t always. You and Pa went through a lot of years of being poor, of drifting from place to place . . . job to job. Once, when I was little, and wanted this pair of boots I didn\u2019t need in the absolute worst way . . . Pa told me about the summer YOU ended up going around barefoot because you had outgrown your last pair of boots, and . . . and he couldn\u2019t afford to buy another pair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there was something in the WAY Randy said the things he said . . . and, in MY case, the way he kept carping on that particular thing every single night for a whole solid month,\u201d Adam said wearily. \u201cThere\u2019s something about that . . . having a certain point constantly thrown up in your face over a long period of time. After awhile, you start believing the lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike . . . Lady Chadwick trying to t-tell me that she and Crippensworth had come to help me the night our house burned down, when the truth of the matter was . . . they had come to kidnap me,\u201d Joe said slowly, his voice shaking, \u201cor worse . . . when she told me that . . . that Pa and the rest of the family believed me dead and that they were actually HAPPY about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you know that none of US would have been happy, had you actually died in that fire,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew THAT,\u201d Joe said quietly, surprised by the intensity of emotion churning up within him. \u201cThe thing that scared me . . . I mean really . . . scared me . . . was that somehow, I got it in my head that STACY had died and that PA had died, too . . . because Stacy was dead, and . . . and because he believed I was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Joe, noting that his eyes blinked excessively. \u201cTHAT\u2019S how Randy Paine made ME forget everything that had ever happened before,\u201d he said gently, as he placed his arm around his brother\u2019s shoulders, this time offering comfort as he would to a peer, an equal, rather than to the child he had always thought of Joe as being.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think . . . things would have turned out a lot different if I only had to work through the repercussions of Kane holding me prisoner, forcing me to do the work of his pack mule . . . OR Randy Paine needling and badgering me night after night,\u201d Adam said. \u201cBut, having to face BOTH\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cA week before I left . . . for good . . . I had gone into the Bucket of Blood with Matt Wilson and Hoss,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cIt had been one of those days in which everything that could have gone wrong, DID go wrong . . . . with a vengeance. That night, all I wanted to do was relax, and have a couple of beers with Hoss and Matt. The very last thing in the world I was in the mood for was Randy Paine\u2019s needling.<\/p>\n

\u201cRandy, however, was in rare form that night. He started in almost from the second I stepped into the saloon. For a little while, Hoss and Matt were able to keep me under wraps, but in the end, I . . . I finally snapped. I was up, and running across the room before Hoss or Matt could even think of stopping me. I grabbed Randy by the lapels and literally threw him across the room. Then, I started after him, with every intention of killing him. But when I reached Randy? It wasn\u2019t RANDY I saw, but Kane, lying there laughing at me, telling me that he had won after all.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfterward, I tried desperately to ignore it, to blame it on circumstance, but deep down, I knew I wanted more than anything to kill Randy Paine, to shut his mouth permanently . . . just like I wanted to kill Kane,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cI knew couldn\u2019t just pass it off anymore, and THAT frightened me. My first thought was, if I could get away from HERE, go to one of the big cities back east, maybe . . . just someplace more civilized, I . . . I could keep that urge to kill . . . to murder . . . safely under wraps.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa KNEW I was running away from something, though he didn\u2019t know WHAT that something was. I know he was worried. I\u2019ll never forget the look on his face when he told me that if I didn\u2019t stay long enough to face what was bothering me, and work it though, it would haunt me for the rest of my life.\u201d Adam shuddered. \u201cIt would appear . . . he was right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that why you left in the dead of night, after we had all gone to sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cAs you probably remember, Pa and I had our worst set-to yet that day. It began in the afternoon, as we were all riding in from the range and continued on into the evening and most of the night. Finally Pa called a truce, and said we\u2019d talk about it in the morning. I was scared to death, Joe. Scared that come morning, he would somehow talk me out of leaving.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I waited for the rest of you to fall asleep. After stuffing in everything that would fit into this old carpet bag sitting behind me on the bed, I left a note for Pa on the credenza, and snuck away in the dead of night like a thief. I was on the first stage out the following morning. I didn\u2019t care at the time where it was going, just so long as it was going AWAY from Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy were you so afraid that Pa would talk you out of leaving?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was scared because that night, I was so angry with Pa,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cAfter being dragged through hell by Kane, then on top of that, having to put up with Randy Paine night after night, I KNEW I was capable of getting angry enough to want to kill someone, and . . . and I was frightened beyond all imagining at the prospect of getting so angry that I\u2019d . . . that I\u2019d end up killing Pa . . . or YOU . . . or Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cM-My God, Adam,\u201d Joe whispered, his voice catching. \u201cB-Bearing up under such a heavy burden for all these years . . . is THAT why you stayed away so long?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, unable to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you ever tell US? Or at the very least tell Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPride, I think,\u201d Adam said ruefully. \u201cI was the eldest. I . . . I knew you and Hoss looked up to me, counted on me to be strong. Pa depended on m-me a lot, too, especially in those first years after . . . after YOUR mother died. I felt as if . . . as if I might be letting HIM down and the two of you, as well.\u201d He turned and stared very hard, very pointed at his hands clasped tightly in his lap.<\/p>\n

Joe, noting that his oldest brother\u2019s eyes blinked excessively, gathered him in his arms and held him close, in manner not unlike the way his father did even now, whenever he was hurt or troubled. \u201cAdam, I . . . I don\u2019t know WHAT to say, except . . . well . . . just because you show yourself t-to be human . . . doesn\u2019t make you any the LESS my hero . . . . If anything . . . it makes you even M-MORE my hero!\u201d he whispered fiercely, as fresh tears began to slip down over his own eyes lids, and down onto his cheeks.<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at his youngest brother, his face a mixture of awe, surprise, and a deep, profound relief, as if the weight and burdens of the whole world had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t let me down, Adam . . . and . . . and you h-haven\u2019t let Pa, Hoss, Stacy, or . . . or H-Hop Sing down either,\u201d Joe continued, his voice tremulous, \u201c . . . and I . . . WE . . . aren\u2019t going to turn our backs on YOU . . . especially not now, when YOU need US the most. I\u2019m HERE, Oldest Brother . . . I\u2019m right here . . . and . . . and I\u2019m gonna st-stay right h-here . . . whether . . . whether you WANT me or n-not\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s words were lost, drowned in a torrent of grief for the brother he held clasped tightly in his arms. He could feel Adam\u2019s arms encircling his waist, and the weight of his head dropping down heavily onto his shoulder. Joe gently leaned his head against Adam\u2019s and, tightened his embrace as both again wept openly.<\/p>\n

They remained thus for a very long time.<\/p>\n

Hours later, long after dim twilight had passed into the dark of night, Adam\u2019s heart felt lighter than he could ever remember, as he and Joe made their way downstairs. \u201cThank you, Joe,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n

Joe turned and regarded his oldest brother with mild surprise. \u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor being there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s grin trembled slightly. \u201cThat\u2019s what brothers are for. Think of it as a real small down payment for all the times YOU\u2019VE been there for ME.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they stepped down off the last step onto the first floor, they saw their father, seated on the settee, his face turned toward the dying embers in the fireplace. Ben\u2019s posture straightened, upon hearing the soft sounds of their footfalls. He immediately rose, and turned, regarding them anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam? . . . Joe? Is . . . is everything all right?\u201d Ben ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot y-yet, but it will be,\u201d Adam replied, his voice still unsteady. He walked over toward the fireplace, with Joe following silently behind. \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think maybe . . . we could ride out to . . . to Ponderosa Plunge . . . tomorrow?\u201d Adam asked as he dropped down in the nearest vacant easy chair, over next to the fireplace. \u201cJust you and me? I . . . I just realized that . . . well, it\u2019s been a long time since you and I\u2019ve ridden out there together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you don\u2019t need to worry about The Kid and me,\u201d Joe immediately put in. \u201cI think the two of us can fend for ourselves for ONE day . . . and besides! Hop Sing\u2019ll be here . . . and he\u2019s a worse stickler for us following the doc\u2019s orders than YOU are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh. Maybe we\u2019d b-better postpone that trip out to Ponderosa Plunge, lest you find yourself short a chief cook,\u201d Adam said in mock horror, his eyes sparking with mischief.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhaddya mean lest Pa finds himself short a chief cook?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter being forced to spend the day alone . . . with you and Stacy BOTH on the mend . . . Hop Sing\u2019s gonna be on the first stage to San Francisco to help that cousin of his with the restaurant,\u201d Adam teased.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I think Hop Sing can cope for ONE day,\u201d Ben said, as Joe stuck his tongue out at his oldest brother. He, then, sat back down on the settee, his face an odd mixture of relief and bewilderment. \u201cAdam, I\u2019d like nothing more than to ride out to Ponderosa Plunge with ya,\u201d he said. \u201cBut, are you going to have the time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa. I\u2019ll have PLENTY of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut . . . aren\u2019t you leaving day after tomorrow . . . on the first stage out?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I can\u2019t POSSIBLY leave day after tomorrow,\u201d Adam said in mock surprise, then smiled. \u201cI have a house to build first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe, with wild, joyous abandon, whooped at the top of his lungs, in response to Adam\u2019s words. \u201cALRIGHT, OLDEST BROTHER OF MINE! NOW YOU\u2019RE TALKIN \u2019 GOOD SENSE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright, will you for heaven\u2019s sake keep your voice DOWN?! We\u2019re in town, NOT out on the Ponderosa. Our nearest neighbors are only several FEET away, NOT several miles.\u201d Though Ben reprimanded his youngest son very sternly, he couldn\u2019t quite keep back his own happy smile. \u201cBesides, Hoss, Stacy, and Hop Sing are probably trying to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we ain\u2019t, Pa.\u201d It was Hoss.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam, and Joe turned, and found the remainder of the family, Hoss, Stacy, and Hop Sing standing together behind the settee, clad in nightshirts, bathrobes, and slippers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you three been standing there?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot long, Grandpa. We followed you after we heard you and Adam start down the stairs,\u201d Stacy replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought the three of ya had gone to bed,\u201d Ben said, his eyes moving from Hoss, to Stacy, and finally to Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried, Pa,\u201d Stacy said, \u201cbut . . . it was one of those nights we just couldn\u2019t get to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing HOP SING plenty wide awake,\u201d Hop Sing said. \u201cNeed fix lunch for Mister Cartwright, Mister Adam. Very good Mister Adam ride to Ponderosa Plunge with Papa. Very, very good.\u201d He smiled, then yawned again, as he turned and started toward the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, please wait,\u201d Ben said earnestly.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing paused mid-stride, then turned and favored Ben with a quizzical look.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have plenty of time after breakfast to fix up that lunch for Adam and me,\u201d Ben said firmly. \u201cRight now\u2014 \u201d He broke off, suddenly unable to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Stacy prodded gently, noting the excessive blinking of his eyes.<\/p>\n

Ben felt her hand gentle, yet firm coming to rest on his shoulder. Joe, his eyes round with apprehension, also reached over and covered his father\u2019s hand, lightly resting on the arm of the settee, with his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cI-I\u2019m alright,\u201d Ben tried to assure them, his voice unsteady. \u201cI . . . I just want all of you to c-come and . . . s-sit down awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing nodded mutely and pulled one of the small straight backed chairs over close to the chair Joe occupied, while Hoss and Ben helped settle Stacy between them on the settee.<\/p>\n

Adam moved the ottoman from its place in front of the chair he occupied, over directly in front of Stacy. \u201cHere you are, Little Sister,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cSorry about the coffee table. Hoss, would you mind handing me one of the cushions behind you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cC-Comin\u2019 atcha, OLDER Brother,\u201d Hoss quipped, with tremulous smile, as he drew the cushion squashed behind his back and lobbed it toward Adam. His own big sky blue eyes gleamed with unusual brightness. The pillow sailed over Adam\u2019s head and hit Joe squarely in the face.<\/p>\n

\u201cH-Hey! You did that on purpose,\u201d Joe accused, laughing and crying at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cACCIDENTLY on purpose,\u201d Hoss countered, as he reached into the pocket of his robe and drew out a handkerchief.<\/p>\n

\u201cGimme that,\u201d Adam growled, smiling amid new tears forming in his own dark eyes. He snatched the cushion away from Joe and carefully placed it on the ottoman beneath Stacy\u2019s new plaster cast. \u201cThere you are, Kid, nice \u2018n comfy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you . . . G-GREAT Grandpa,\u201d she replied, her own voice unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u201cGREAT Grandpa! I LIKE that,\u201d Joe declared, a split second before breaking into a gale of infectious laughter that ensnared them all, one by one.<\/p>\n

Ben slipped one arm around Stacy\u2019s shoulders and squeezed Joe\u2019s hand, still resting lightly on top of his. He offered a silent, heartfelt prayer, filled with gratitude for having all four of his children and Hop Sing gathered around him, alive, whole, and in one piece. \u201cAlright, CHILDREN, let\u2019s settle down,\u201d he admonished them all gently, as the laughter subsided.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight!\u201d Joe quipped with a grin. \u201cWe don\u2019t want the neighbors complaining to the sheriff about all the noise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoo boy! THAT\u2019S gonna cramp our style,\u201d Stacy said with an exaggerated, melodramatic sigh. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long is it gonna take you to build our house anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know . . . several months I imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral MONTHS?!\u201d Joe echoed, incredulous. \u201cJust to build a house?! Adam, are you kidding?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, I COULD get it done in a few weeks, weather permitting, IF I were in a hurry,\u201d Adam said with a complacent smile. \u201cBut, seeing that I\u2019d probably be expected to leave upon completion . . . I don\u2019t think I\u2019m in all that much of a hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019ve got a proposition for ya,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get that house built BEFORE one of your exuberant younger siblings lands the lot of us in jail for disturbing the peace, and I\u2019ll let you stay as long as you like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile broadened. \u201cYou\u2019ve got yourself a deal, Pa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Epilogue . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cFeast your eyes upon THAT, Adam,\u201d Ben said softly, reverently, as he gestured toward the magnificent vista of lake, mountain, sky, and a vast carpet of pine trees spread out before him with a broad sweep of his arm. \u201cI STILL don\u2019t know whether or not I\u2019ll someday see heaven, but even so . . . I can\u2019t imagine the beauty of heaven surpassing the beauty of the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen to that, Pa,\u201d Adam murmured, his voice every bit as soft, as reverent.<\/p>\n

For a time, father and son stood together, in companionable silence, looking out on the view named Ponderosa Plunge by the latter, each lost in his own thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe and I had three days to kill after we sold that herd of cattle in Eastgate,\u201d Adam began, inwardly astonished at the ease in which the words flowed out of his mouth. He was grateful beyond measure for the loving strength radiating from his father\u2019s close proximity. \u201cJoe told me he was tired of being on the trail . . . that he wanted to stay over, rest, spend the next couple of nights sleeping in a real bed, with sheets, and a couple of soft, down pillows. I, on the other hand, was anxious to put some distance between myself and the town. I wanted very much to explore the area, of course . . . but that hardly explains why I was so eager to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve always needed your time alone, Son, from the time you were a small boy,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cAfter spending nearly a week on the trail, constantly in the company of your youngest brother, I can well understand you feeling the need to spend a couple of days alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t argue once on the trip out to Eastgate, Pa,\u201d Adam said, feeling himself on the defensive. \u201cLooking back, I\u2019m still amazed at how well he and I got along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry . . . I meant no criticism of the relationship between you and Joe,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI was trying to say that you\u2019ve always needed your time of solitude to replenish your energy, mental and physical. Joe, on the other hand, thrives on being around and interacting with people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam silently digested his father\u2019s words. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa. I . . . never realized that before, but . . . looking back . . . you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe beauty of the land surrounding you has always been a source of strength for you, too, Son,\u201d Ben added, \u201cand the starkness of the badlands out past Eastgate is in its own way every bit as magnificent as the view spread out before us here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took a deep breath and shared with his father all that had happened from the time he had left the barbershop, where Joe was luxuriating in a hot bath, and finally ending with his setting out across the desert, carrying a travois, with Peter Kane\u2019s inert body lying stretched out upon it, holding back nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should\u2019ve bowed to my baby brother\u2019s wisdom and remained in town,\u201d Adam said ruefully, \u201cor at the very least . . . left the money with Joe or better yet, put it in the bank. I . . . I have no idea in the world why I insisted on carrying all that money around with me like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben placed a comforting, paternal hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder and gently squeezed. \u201cDid you ever stop to consider that if you HADN\u2019T taken the money with you, the men who robbed you might\u2019ve killed you right there on the spot because they didn\u2019t get what they were after?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were watching me, Pa. They HAD to have been watching me. Had I put that money into the back . . . they would\u2019ve known about it and . . . well, almost certainly looked for another victim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben winced against the bitterness, the anger he heard in his eldest son\u2019s voice. \u201cSon, you don\u2019t know that. You CAN\u2019T know that. Just before I left home to make my own way in the world, MY pa told me that hindsight is always crystal clear. \u2018Use it to look at your mistakes and learn the lessons they have to teach, but never let it incriminate you.\u2019 I . . . know it\u2019s difficult sometimes\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam forced himself to turn, to gaze into his father\u2019s face, and eyes. Instead of the expected reproach, he saw the great depths of his father\u2019s love and compassion for the first time in a very long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . oh, Pa, I . . . I can\u2019t believe how naive . . . how arrogantly cock sure I was of myself . . . of what I believed,\u201d Adam said, his voice filled with bitter self reproach and grief. \u201cI honestly and truly believed that a civilized man . . . like . . . myself . . . couldn\u2019t be driven to commit murder. Kill to defend himself . . . to protect others, particularly those he loves, yes. But to commit premeditated, cold blooded murder . . . no.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Kane went on working and treating me like a . . . like a brainless animal, goading me every step of the way, I became angry, Pa. So angry, I wanted to kill him . . . to put my hands around my neck and choke the very life out of him. That scared me . . . more than anything in my whole life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end . . . when Kane t-told me we were going to have a . . . a fight to the death to . . . to see who got to leave with the rifle and . . . and the secret stash of f-food and water, God help me, Pa, I . . . I pummeled him within an inch of his life. The minute he fell, I was on him. I . . . I actually hand my hands around his neck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam felt his father\u2019s hand leave his shoulder. Then, in less than the space of a heartbeat, Pa\u2019s arm encircled both shoulders and held on tight. He quickly swallowed back the lump quickly rising in his throat, as he slipped his own arm around his father\u2019s waist.<\/p>\n

Ben felt the acrid sting of tears in his own eyes, not only for the agony that Peter Kane had inflicted upon the man he held against him, with his arm wrapped tight about his shoulders, but for the terrible burden he had carried inside all the years since. \u201cAdam . . . DID you kill him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! I . . . I grabbed h-his rifle and . . . I smashed it into a million tiny pieces,\u201d Adam replied, his voice shaking. \u201cThen, I . . . I located the stash of food and water, but . . . b-before I could even think of running . . . Kane got in one last jab. He t-told me that he had won after all . . . that I was as good as killing him by going off w-with . . . with the very last of our food and water\u2014 \u201d He abruptly broke off, unable to continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here, Son . . . . \u201d Ben whispered very softly. \u201cI\u2019m right here. Whether you want me or not, I\u2019ll still . . . ALWAYS . . . be right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s head dropped down onto his father\u2019s shoulder, with a natural ease that surprised him. He had stopped coming to his father like this, in what he considered to be the manner of a child, in the wake of Inger\u2019s death. Pa needed him to be strong, to be a man, that together, both of them might properly look after Hoss. There had only been two exceptions. The first was in the wake of those frightening Ash Hallow dreams, prompted, no doubt, by the suddenness of Inger\u2019s demise. The second was the day Pa, Hoss, and Joe found him trekking blindly through the badlands, dragging a travois bearing the dead body of Peter Kane.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . if you never listen to another word I say . . . if you decide to never again listen to or act upon any piece of advice I give you in the future . . . please . . . please hear this,\u201d Ben said, his tone gentle yet rock firm with conviction. \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve learned in all my travels . . . from the countless numbers of people I\u2019ve met along the way . . . is that people are capable of great good . . . AND great evil. The choice is always ours.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow from what you\u2019ve told me about that time, I see a young man who chose NOT to kill, despite his wanting so very much to do so,\u201d Ben continued, as his arms wrapped tighter about his eldest son\u2019s body. He pulled him closer, gratified and deeply touched that Adam came willingly, without offering even the slightest bit of resistance. \u201cIn spite of all that Kane did . . . and tried to do, you took your hands from around his neck, and later . . . you placed him on a travois and tried to bring him back, along with yourself. Your decision to try and save Kane in the face of your feelings, your instincts to the contrary, speaks to me of a very strong . . . very courageous man . . . who . . . who I am very proud to have as my s-son\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

Father and son stood together, for a time, locked tight in each others\u2019 arms, weeping openly, without shame. Their tears flowed freely, overtop their eyelids, and down their cheeks, pressed close, to mingle, and become as one. For the first time in many, many years, Adam knew once again the profound depths of his father\u2019s love, and in those depths discovered anew the bonds that united them as father and son.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, Adam told Ben about Randy Paine, and the circumstances that had finally led to his leaving his home . . . and his family . . . for good. \u201cI . . . I wanted to kill him every b-bit as much as . . . as I had wanted to kill K-Kane. That\u2019s . . . that\u2019s why I left home, Pa . . . left you, Hoss, Joe, and Hop Sing the way I d-did,\u201d Adam confessed, as their weeping began to subside, \u201csneaking out . . . in the dead of n-night like a thief, without . . . without saying good-bye. I saw a part of myself I didn\u2019t w-want to see . . . that I . . . I tried m-my damndest NOT to see, and I was afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . afraid that y-you\u2019d get angry enough to want to kill me, your brothers, or . . . or Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t have, Son.\u201d Ben gently cupped Adam\u2019s face in his own hands, and gazed lovingly into his firstborn\u2019s golden brown eyes, filled with uncertainty and dread, yes . . . but there was also a glimmer of hope there that had been absent for many, many years. \u201cYou chose NOT to kill Peter Kane and Randy Paine . . . two men who cruelly abused you for their own twisted purposes. If you\u2019re capable of sparing the lives of men like that . . . how much more capable are you of sparing the lives of people you love?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI n-never even thought of that, Pa,\u201d Adam murmured, as fresh tears once more filled his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . think you would have left the Ponderosa . . . and us . . . eventually,\u201d Ben said quietly, with a touch of sadness. \u201cAs a young man, YOU wanted to see the world every bit as much as I did at the same age.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

Ben favored his eldest son with an encouraging, yet wistful smile. \u201cI . . . I miss you, Son, so much, it sometimes hurts,\u201d he said, \u201cever since . . . since that first morning I woke up and found your note on the credenza . . . and I always will. You and I . . . we\u2019ve shared and gone through a lot together . . . for good and for ill, that I will never share with your brothers or your sister. I would be less than honest if I didn\u2019t acknowledge and admit that, but . . . over the years, I\u2019ve come also to see that you and Teresa have made a life for yourselves and for your children that\u2019s every bit as good as the life I\u2019ve tried to make here on the Ponderosa for you, Hoss, Joe, and Stacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Pa. When Teresa and I came with the kids three years ago, she asked me if I missed my life here on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you tell her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI answered yes, but I also told her that as much as I DID miss my life here, I still wouldn\u2019t trade it for the life she and I\u2019ve made together,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019ve found, much to my surprise that I enjoy being a city slicker very much. However . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have every intention of coming here to visit you more often, Pa . . . a LOT more often.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cI\u2019m gonna hold you to that, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better,\u201d Adam said, smiling back.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and you\u2019d better bring your family with you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDio\u2019d never let me hear the end of it if I didn\u2019t,\u201d Adam said. \u201cOf course this business of bringing the family along works both ways, y\u2019 know. Eduardo and Dolores remind me every chance they get that my brothers haven\u2019t been to visit since the wedding . . . and that Eduardo has yet to meet my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have to wait until your sister\u2019s back on her feet again\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven her impatient nature in times of enforced convalescence . . . . \u201d Adam smiled, as he sarcastically rolled his eyes heavenward, \u201cshe should be mobile by late summer . . . if not before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she is, then I promise to descend on you en masse. That includes Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat BETTER include Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you and Teresa\u2019ll be up for it. Your brothers and sister can be an unruly bunch sometimes, y\u2019 know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed out loud, upon remembering how he and Teresa had come back from a ride to this very spot, and found the entire great room trashed, Joe and Stacy armed with the matched set of fencing rapiers, that had belonged to Marie, half sitting-half lying on an overturned settee, clad in outlandish make shift costumes, laughing their fool heads off . . . and Pa, towering over them, altering from astonishment, to anger, and to amusement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we do come?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make sure Joe and Stacy leave the fencing rapiers at home,\u201d Ben promised, with a knowing smile.<\/p>\n

The End.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Following the family’s ordeal in Trial by Fire, can they finally bury Adam’s experiences at the hands of Kane?\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (109,400 words)<\/p>\n

Bloodlines Series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":8499,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2307,"today_views":2},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15540,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15540","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":0},"title":"Kane’s Bidet (by Robin)","author":"profrobinw","date":"January 4, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 An investigational report of epic (too much information) proportions. Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (1,150 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13181,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13181","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":1},"title":"Worth Fighting For (by No1ButJoe)","author":"No1butjoe","date":"July 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A What Happened Instead to The Crucible.\u00a0What if Joe went with Adam? WARNINGS: Rated due to bad language, descriptive violence, and extremely harmful injuries. Rating:\u00a0 T \u00a0 Word count: 58390","rel":"","context":"In "Action\/Adventure"","block_context":{"text":"Action\/Adventure","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6302,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6302","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":2},"title":"Encounter With the Past (by debpet)","author":"debpet","date":"August 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0An unexpected encounter brings up painful memories for Adam and leads to danger for him and for Joe. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ \u00a0WC \u00a06600","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Abigail.jpg?fit=510%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11569,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=11569","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":3},"title":"A Better Man (by BettyHT)","author":"BettyHT","date":"August 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A story to try to answer questions left unanswered in The Crucible, it begins with Adam's attempt to leave Kane's camp at night. \u00a0The first part is a WHIB and then it will be a WHN when Adam\u00a0is rescued and has to answer some questions to himself and to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/normal_The_Crucible_47.jpg?fit=400%2C298&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5979,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5979","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":4},"title":"No More Games (by Patina)","author":"patina","date":"June 3, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Rating: T Word Count=3617 Summary:\u00a0WHIB for The Crucible. When Adam realizes he's in the act of killing Peter Kane, he's horrified that he's finally lost control and proved his tormentor right. As he makes his escape, he's reminded that two men left him in the desert to die, too. 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Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (22, 225 words) What the Vultures Will Bring Series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/BONANZA-MARVIN-2-.jpg?fit=599%2C324&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/BONANZA-MARVIN-2-.jpg?fit=599%2C324&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/BONANZA-MARVIN-2-.jpg?fit=599%2C324&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10415","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\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}