{"id":12089,"date":"2004-05-01T08:40:15","date_gmt":"2004-05-01T12:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12089"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:08:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:08:25","slug":"a-kiss-to-die-for-by-debbieb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12089","title":{"rendered":"A Kiss to Die For (by DebbieB)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, under wrong circumstances, Little Joe pays the price, not only for himself but for the beautiful Indian maiden whom he was warned to stay away from.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 <\/strong>PG for mild violence. (11,040 words)
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 A Kiss to Die For<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was only a kiss!\u201d Joe shouted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, do not use that tone of voice when you speak to me!\u201d ordered Ben, his dark eyes glowering with anger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe said as he turned away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He took several steps across the room and stopped, turning again to face his irate father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA kiss\u2026that\u2019s all, just a simple little kiss, a peck on the cheek really, I never kissed her on the lips. Honest, Pa\u2026I swear!\u201d Little Joe explained to his father. \u201cIt meant nothing\u2026I was just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou were warned! That\u2019s what you were!\u201d stormed Ben. \u201cChief Winnemucca warned you, Adam warned you\u2026and now I\u2019m warning you, Joseph\u2026stay away from that girl\u2026she will only bring you trouble!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was livid with anger but beneath the anger he feared more for his youngest son\u2019s life. The chief of the Paiute\u2019s meant business; the boy was to stay clear of the beautiful young Indian maiden, niece of Chief Winnemucca.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, I mean what I say\u2026stay away from Chief Winnemucca\u2019s niece, please,\u201d Ben said, taking a deep breath to stay his anger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe turned around to face his father, a remorseful look on his young face. He tried to smile, but his attempt fell short.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa, really. I didn\u2019t mean anything, except\u2026well, I suppose\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a beautiful young woman, Joe\u2026admit it; you were attracted to her. Who wouldn\u2019t be,\u201d Adam stated. \u201cHey, if I was your age\u2026I\u2019d find her enchanting, myself!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d stormed Ben, \u201cfor heaven\u2019s sake, please do not encourage the boy!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He\u2019d been sitting in the blue chair trying to keep from voicing his own thoughts on his younger brother\u2019s escapades. Adam had seen the young woman, and he could hardly blame his brother for reacting as he had. Adam supposed he might have done the same thing\u2026when he was Joe\u2019s age. Fact was, it wasn\u2019t the kiss that mattered so much, it was a kiss to die for, Adam admitted to himself. What did matter was the fact that Chief Winnemucca\u2019s beautiful niece was promised to another man, and if that man had found Little Joe kissing his intended, even if it were as innocent as Joe proclaimed, Joe would have suffered miserably and then would have been put to death. Paiute warriors were noted for their extreme possessiveness of their womenfolk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Adam, but when she\u2026\u201d Joe hesitated and glanced at his father. \u201cYou know\u2026what I mean, don\u2019t ya, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam couldn\u2019t help but lower his head and hide his smile, he knew exactly what affect the beautiful woman had on his brother, especially when she batted her long lashes at him, and moved so close to the boy that Joe had nearly stopped breathing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Joe\u2026but still, Pa\u2019s right, you need to give the girl a wide breadth, that is, if you want to live to be an old man,\u201d Adam teased lightly, even though it truly was not a laughing matter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try, honest Adam, honest Pa, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good enough Joseph, just remember, Lone Eagle can be extremely dangerous if he finds you alone with his woman\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will Pa,\u201d Joe grinned. \u201cLike Adam said, I\u2019d like to live to be as old as you at least and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d piped Ben, smiling, for he knew his youngest was teasing him. He slipped his arm about Joe\u2019s shoulders and pulled the boy to him. \u201cYou best behave yourself, young man!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d laughed Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The next afternoon, Joe was down in the bottoms where some of the more rambunctious steers had pushed down a fence trying to get to greener pastures. The steers had crossed over the Ponderosa boundary line, onto a section of land owned by Chief Winnemucca and his tribe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa, Cooch,\u201d Joe muttered to his horse as he pulled back on the reins.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He sat for several moments, trying to decide if he should cross the line and retrieve the steers or chalk it up to loss. He could hear one steer bawling and saw two more standing idle as if wandering what all the racket was about.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe sighed, \u201cPa can\u2019t afford more loss, Cooch, we\u2019ll just have to make it quick like.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe nudged his mount forward and within minutes had found the reason for the bawling bovine. A young steer had ventured too far into the stream where the mud had incased its body, leaving the animal stuck.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDadburnit,\u201d cursed Joe, using one of Hoss\u2019 favorite by lines. \u201cWhat\u2019cha go and do that for?\u201d he fumed, unlacing his rope and making a noose in one end.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He made short work of roping the steer and soon was tugging and pulling, trying to free the animal. Joe groaned, for the steer was stuck firmly and he had no other choice but to dismount and wade into the water.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaving one end of the rope wrapped around the saddle horn and stopping long enough to remove his boots, Joe stepped into the muddy water, cursing silently under his breath. Joe began pushing on the steer\u2019s backside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCome on ya ornery critter,\u201d he fumed as he pressed his shoulder against the rear of the animal and shoved.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The steer took a step, and then another and feeling himself free of his mud prison, the steer bolted from the water. Joe, caught off guard by the animal\u2019s sudden movement, slipped and fell face down into the muddy stream, soaking himself from head to toe. For a moment, he lay motionless in the shallow water before pulling himself up and inspecting his mud coated clothing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGreat!\u201d he stammered. \u201cDamn you, you stupid cow!\u201d he ranted as he sloshed his way to the bank.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the bushes along the water\u2019s edge, a young woman held her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter. She was a vision of loveliness, with long silky hair, black, like a raven\u2019s. She was slender of build with eyes that danced with amusement at the boy who afforded her, her merriment. Morning Star knew she should turn and go, for she had been warned to stay away from the handsome, young white man. But she was drawn to him, by something that she could not explain and in her heart, she knew that the youngest son of her uncle\u2019s friend was drawn to her as well. So she stayed, a yearning in her heart to know the boy better caused her to cast caution to the wind. For she knew what would happen to them both, should her intended become aware of where she was, and why. She had purposely come to the spot in the stream where the white man\u2019s cattle had crossed over unto her uncle\u2019s land, in hopes that the young man would be the one to come for the stranded cow. And her hopes had been fulfilled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe groaned as he glanced at his clothing and giving a quick survey of the area around him, began stripping down to the bear skin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt ain\u2019t even Saturday night, and now I have to have a bath!\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once free of his clothing, Joe moved downstream just a short ways and stepped out into the water. It felt refreshing and Joe plunged into the deeper water, staying down several moments before resurfacing. Quickly, so as not to tarry longer than necessary, he bathed the dirt and mud from his body as best he could.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he finished, he dove again into the cool, invigorating water.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From her hiding place, Morning Star stepped into the clearing, standing in full view of the young man, who had yet to notice her. Giggling softly to herself, Morning Star picked up Joe\u2019s clothing and hid them in the bushes where she had been hiding, only minutes before.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She watched the sun bronzed body as Joe dipped in and out of the water. A strange yearning deep within her began to stir and Morning Star, having never felt this type of desire, did something so unlike her self that she gave no thought to the consequences that would be reigned upon both the handsome young man and herself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without a thought to her motive, Morning Star stripped away her doeskin dress and tossed it into the bushes with Joe\u2019s clothing. She stepped to the water\u2019s edge and waited. Joe\u2019s head broke the surface of the water and with a toss, to rid the curls of the collected moisture he began making his way to the shallow water where he stood, in all his glory.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon the naked girl, standing unashamedly before him. He froze, not sure if what he was seeing was real or a vision. He rubbed his eyes, but Morning Star only smiled and inched deeper into the water. Joe cast anxious eyes around, hoping that they were alone, and fearing what would happen, should Lone Eagle or Chief Winnemucca happen upon them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe backed up, covering his lower body with the deeper water. He held his hand out before him, as if to stop the advance of the lovely maiden.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cStop!\u201d Joe called.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His voice quivered, both from fear and from the excitement he felt building in his loins.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGo back,\u201d he ordered. \u201cGo away\u2026\u201d he begged. \u201cOh Lordy\u2026don\u2019t do this, ma\u2019am\u2026I mean\u2026go away\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The young maiden paid no heed to Joe\u2019s rambling and continued to inch forward until she was standing only a heartbeat away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026\u201d whispered Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe felt his body become rigid as Morning Star raised one hand and gently caressed his cheek.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His eyes closed, he muttered softly. \u201cI better go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe started to move, but Morning Star blocked his path.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour body trembles,\u201d she whispered, smiling coyly as she inched forward.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe opened his eyes, unable to resist the urge not to look at her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u2026and your body\u2026is\u2026is\u2026too beautiful for words,\u201d he stammered, wondering why he was still standing where he was and knowing that he should move away from her as quickly as he could. Yet he remained, as if the water about him was ice and he was frozen within its solid walls.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Morning Star smiled softly and allowed her fingers to walk down the upper portion of Joe\u2019s chest. She heard the handsome young rancher inhale deeply and knew then what affect her body had on the man. She wanted him, like she had never desired a man before, unlike she had ever desired Lone Eagle, for in truth, she did not love the man who was to be her husband. He had not the affect on her that this handsome brave had. She felt Joe\u2019s body respond as she stepped closer and tiptoed up, placing a kiss lightly on Joe\u2019s sensuous lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe heard himself groan and surprised himself when his arms embraced the young woman, pulling her body tightly against his. His lips sought hers and he kissed hard, causing Morning Star to moan with pleasure. He felt the slender body relax against him. His heart beat wildly against her bare breast. The heat of their bodies molded them as one and it was a lifetime before Joe came to his senses enough to remove his lips from Morning Star\u2019s lips. He smiled and leaned down, desiring to place his lips once more over her moist mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The kiss was interrupted by the hiss of a rope and suddenly without warning Joe felt his arms pinned to his sides and his body being hauled under the water and along the stream\u2019s rocky bottom. He struggled to free his arms from the binding rope, but the effort was in vain. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard the young Indian maiden scream.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The rocks beat against his naked flesh, battering and bruising the tender area about his rump. He opened his mouth to cry out, but the water filled his mouth and when he swallowed, a rush of liquid overflowed into his lungs. He was gasping for air and felt that within minutes he would drown.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just as quickly as it began, it ended. Joe\u2019s battered body was hauled to the water\u2019s edge, where he lay, gasping for air. When he was finally able to breath, he glanced up. Several pairs of deerskin moccasins surrounded him, and he gulped. Lifting his head higher, and struggling to his knees, he looked into the dark hate filled eyes of Lone Eagle. Terror and his father\u2019s words filled his heart and mind, there was no other word for it; he knew that this time, he would not get by with just a warning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He tried to get to his feet, but Lone Eagle kicked out, hitting Joe just under the chin with his foot and sending him falling backwards onto his already sore backside. Before Joe could recover, he felt the rope yanked tightly and then more hands than he could count, pulled him to his feet and tightly tied his hands in front of him, leaving the loop around his chest and waist, his elbows still tightly pinned to his sides. He was helpless and totally at the mercy of the Indian who glared at him such hatred that Joe shivered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without a word to him, Lone Eagle hauled back on the rope, forcing Joe to walk along behind him. Joe glanced around for the young woman, and caught a glimpse of her. Someone had found his and her clothing and Morning Star was now wearing her soft doeskin dress. She had been unceremoniously tossed onto a horse and was now riding double behind another young brave.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lone Eagle muttered something to the group and Joe watched as each man glanced down at his nakedness and laughed. Joe felt his face redden in embarrassment and suddenly wished for his own clothing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe was huffing and puffing by the time that Lone Eagle led the group into their camp. Joe\u2019s embarrassment deepened when the village people gathered around the captive and began pointing and snickering at him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the corner of his eye, Joe saw Chief Winnemucca step from his tepee and heard when the chief shouted out something in his native tongue. The crowd parted, going in separated directions. The chief stepped up to Joe, his eyes glowering dark with unbridled anger. He glanced up at Lone Eagle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat reason have you brought this white man to our village?\u201d Chief Winnemucca demanded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was caught, with Morning Star\u2026and he must be put to death!\u201d Lone Eagle growled in an angry voice. \u201cAnd the woman must be punished!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute\u2026\u201d Joe began but was silenced when the chief raised his hand demanding that he be quiet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The chief stepped up to the youngest Cartwright and eyed him from head to foot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou wear no clothing,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I usually don\u2019t when I\u2019m taking a bath\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou were bathing? With Lone Eagle\u2019s woman?\u201d the startled chief demanded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir\u2026not exactly\u2026I was bathing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOn Indian land?\u201d Chief Winnemucca declared.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026yes\u2026but I can explain\u2026it\u2019s not what Lone Eagle thinks\u2026honest, chief\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBe silent!\u201d growled the chief. \u201cBring the young maiden to me!\u201d he said, turning his back to Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ll just let me explain,\u201d Joe said, attempting to tell the chief why he was naked and why Lone Eagle\u2019s intended was in the water with him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMorning Star\u2026did you bathe with the white man?\u201d Chief Winnemucca asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The young girl hung her head. Joe could hear the soft sounds of her crying.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, my uncle\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d shouted Joe and was quickly silenced when Lone Eagle yanked on the rope, causing Joe to fall to his knees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t bathing, not together\u2026I fell in the mud\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Again the rope was yanked hard and Joe was hauled face down in the dirt. He struggled to get up, but Lone Eagle moved his horse, dragging Joe around in a circle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe speaks the truth, my uncle\u2026I took his clothes, and hid them, so he could not dress,\u201d the maiden explained. \u201cHe did nothing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI saw him place his lips against your lips in what the white man calls a kiss,\u201d stormed Lone Eagle. \u201cYour arms were about his neck, his about your bare body!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lone Eagle tossed the end of the rope to another brave and dismounted, coming face to face with the chief.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe must die\u2026it is Paiute law, that no man touch another brave\u2019s woman!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat is true, but if this man is innocent\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cInnocent, how can he be innocent\u2026when his hands have touched Morning Star\u2019s bare flesh?\u201d demanded Lone Eagle, casting an angry glare at Joe who had managed to get to his feet. His breath was coming in short pants.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chief Winnemucca moved toward Joe and stopped, facing the battered boy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs what Morning Star says, the truth? Did she come into the water, tempting you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe glanced at the young woman, knowing that if he told the truth, she would be severely punished and in all probability, cast out of her tribe, shunned as a fallen woman, what would happen to the young girl then? The thoughts raced through his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cChief\u2026it isn\u2019t exactly like she said, we were in the water, but not for the reasons that Lone Eagle thinks\u2026I am as much to blame. I should have walked away\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen you shall be punished as well. Tie him to the tree!\u201d ordered the chief.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two braves grabbed at Joe\u2019s arms and began hauling him away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWait\u2026wait\u2026Chief\u2026please\u2026just hold on a minute,\u201d stammered Joe, fighting against the strong hands that gripped his upper arms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chief Winnemucca held up his hand, the two braves stopped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will happen to her?\u201d Joe asked, seeing how the young woman, held tightly by her arms by two more braves, was weeping.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe shall be punished, as well. Both of you will be whipped with sticks, until blood rolls from your wounds and down your back, or until Lone Eagle sees fit to show you mercy,\u201d explained the chief.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d Joe said, \u201cshe\u2019s young\u2026she didn\u2019t know any better\u2026won\u2019t you spare her? She\u2019s your niece, your own sister\u2019s daughter\u2026please, let me take her punishment as well as mine,\u201d pleaded Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He hated to think of what the young girl would look like when the braves finished ripping her skin from her back. He had heard stories of how the Paiute\u2019s beat their captives with long thin sticks and of the scars that they bore, should they survive. Joe gulped, he was scared, but he could not allow such a thing to happen to one so young\u2026and beautiful. Joe looked again at the young girl; she couldn\u2019t have been more than sixteen, maybe seventeen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou are brave\u2026but do you believe you will survive? Lone Eagle hates you with a passion, and he will show you no mercy,\u201d the chief said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not so brave, Chief Winnemucca\u2026I\u2019ll admit\u2026I\u2019m not wanting to take a beating, but I cannot allow the young woman to be beaten, and killed\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen you shall bare her punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chief Winnemucca nodded his head to the two braves who had been holding Joe\u2019s arms. The pair moved Joe to two nearby trees and untied his hands, lacing the ropes over low branches and then pulling his arms wide, forcing Joe to stand on tiptoe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He groaned at the pressure in his shoulders and then again when the pair tied another rope just above the knees and a third rope around his ankles. Joe stood in a t-shape position, unable to move or flex any muscles. His bare body was drawn taunt as they fastened the ropes off to hold him in place.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe tried to glance over his shoulder. He could hear the sounds of the men moving about him and once caught a glimpse of Lone Eagle, whittling away at a long slender branch. Joe heard the whizzing sound as the angry brave flexed the long stick in the air. He cringed, already dreading the feel of the switch across his back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lone Eagle made a gurgling sound deep within his throat and Joe felt the first of many lashes cut into his flesh. He bit into his lip to keep from crying out, but after several of the agonizing slashes, he could no longer contain his pain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAGGGH!\u201d he cried as again and again the long stick tore away at his flesh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s knees folded, adding pressure on his shoulders as his body sagged. The beating continued until blood dripped from the broken places across his back. It was only after he had fallen unconscious that Chief Winnemucca held his hand up to Lone Eagle, calling an end to the punishment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lone Eagle stepped back, smiling at the abuse he had rendered to the white man. He turned to his chief.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe must die,\u201d he said solemnly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d the chief responded by jerking the switch from his brave\u2019s hand and breaking it in two.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis boy has paid the price, he will live\u2026to kill him would only bring war to our people. He is the youngest son of Ben Cartwright, friend to the Paiutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lone Eagle was seething in anger, but he turned, grabbed Morning Star by the arm and walked away, dragging the weeping woman behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCut him down. I shall take the boy to his father,\u201d ordered Chief Winnemucca. \u201cSee that his body is wrapped in a blanket and tie him across his horse, we will leave soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The same two braves that had tied Joe to the tree, cut down the battered body. Joe dropped unsympathetically to the ground. Neither brave paid any attention to the soft moans that emitted from the white boy. A squaw tossed them a blanket while another younger brave, led Cochise over to the two braves. They spread out the blanket and wrapped Joe\u2019s bleeding body into the folds, and then tossed him across his saddle. Chief Winnemucca waited on horseback while the two secured Joe enough that he would not fall from his horse. When they were ready, the chief led a small band of braves out of the camp.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was after dark by the time that the small party of Indians arrived in the yard of the Ponderosa. Inside, Ben, Adam and Hoss were just finishing supper when the sound of approaching hooves announced company.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that\u2019s your younger brother!\u201d Ben said, pushing back his chair and heading for the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss gave one another a quick glance, knowing that Joe would be reprimanded for being so late.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben stepped out onto the wide boarded porch, just in time to see his son fall to the ground at his horse\u2019s feet. He hurried forward, stopping to stare in shock.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour son, Ben Cartwright,\u201d Chief Winnemucca announced, pointing to the body wrapped in the blood soaked blanket.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss raced forward, kneeling at their brother\u2019s side, slowly unwrapping the blanket. Hoss gasped at the sight he saw, cringed and turned his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa, take a look at this,\u201d he stammered, barely able to control his anger. The gentle giant stood to his feet, glaring at the chief.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDear God,\u201d Ben muttered, kneeling down and taking Joe into his arms. He glanced up at the Indian. \u201cWhat\u2019s the meaning for this?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour son was warned to stay away from Morning Star, Lone Eagle\u2019s woman. But he does not heed the warnings. Today, he was caught bathing with my niece\u2026she admitted that it was her doing\u2026that is the only reason why your son\u2019s life has been spared. He willing took the punishment, to keep Morning Star from the beating, and from being shunned by her people.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chief Winnemucca moved his horse forward, nearer to Ben, who had issued Adam and Hoss to take Joe inside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour son is a brave man\u2026I would not allow him to be killed, even if those are our ways. Lone Eagle would have done otherwise, Ben Cartwright, be glad that the boy lives, and never allow him near our village, or the young maiden, again. Next time, he will die.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chief Winnemucca held up his staff and turned his horse around, leading his men from the yard. Ben watched for a moment longer and then hurried to his son\u2019s bedside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss had laid Joe face down on his bed and Hoss had quickly pulled a light blanket from the foot of the bed, covering Joe\u2019s lower body. Joe moaned softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph?\u201d cried Ben, leaning down and brushing the strands of dark curls from the side of his son\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHurts\u2026\u201d whimpered Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know son, I know,\u201d whispered Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The concerned father looked over his shoulder at his oldest son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTell Hop Sing to bring the disinfectant, some salve and cloth for some bandages, hurry,\u201d Ben ordered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe continued to whimper, crying out in pain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShh\u2026take it easy, son, I\u2019ve sent for the doctor,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked over at Adam, seeing the angry darkness in his oldest son\u2019s eyes. \u201cAdam,\u201d Ben said quietly, \u201cgo for the doctor, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben saw Adam swallow and look his way. Without speaking, the oldest of Ben\u2019s sons marched from the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss worked at cleaning the wounds that ran the length of Joe\u2019s back and over the tender flesh of his bottom and down the backside of the boy\u2019s legs. Ben noted the multiple bruises about Joe\u2019s arms and chest, his thighs and lower legs. He pointed out to Hoss the scrapes and the skinned places that seeped blood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDear God\u2026Hoss, it looks as if he\u2019s been dragged along on the ground as well as beaten,\u201d mutter Ben softly so that Joe could not hear his words.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe cried out as his father tenderly cleaned the wounds and when the pain became unbearable, succumbed into a world of his own, where he felt no pain, no horror at what had happened to him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa, Joe\u2019s in a bad way,\u201d Hoss said through gritted teeth. \u201cI\u2019d sure \u2018nough like to get my hands of that Injun, Lone Eagle\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHush Hoss, keep those thoughts to yourself. Hand me the salve, will you please?\u201d Ben said, sitting on the side of the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With all the tenderness he could force his callused fingers to use, Ben carefully smeared the thick salve onto the bloodied welts that crossed and re-crossed several times about Joe\u2019s back. He cringed as he gazed into the broken flesh of his son\u2019s back and wondered silently how the boy had been able to bare the pain of such a beating. He wondered also about the incident that had led to such brutality and why Joe had disobeyed his orders and why had his son not stayed away from the young Indian maiden. All these thoughts ran rampant through his mind as he worked feverishly to bring a measure of relief from the agony that caused his youngest son to cry out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe moaned and turned his head to the side, whimpering again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d came the weak cry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m right here son, try not to move around\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026didn\u2019t\u2026do anything\u2026honest,\u201d Joe whined. \u201cShe\u2026oh\u2026please\u2026it hurts, Pa\u2026hurts,\u201d Joe sobbed, burying his face against the mattress to muffle his sobs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben glanced up at Hoss. The bigger man\u2019s face reflected back to him, his own inner turbulence and Ben had to turn away, unable to meet the questions lurking behind the blue hue of his middle son\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve sedated him, Ben. He\u2019s in too much pain to try to stay awake; the best medicine for him at the moment is sleep. At least that way, his body can take the time it needs to begin healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul Martin closed his black bag and began rolling down his shirtsleeves.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the worse abuse I\u2019ve seen in quite sometime, Ben. What are you planning on doing about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothin! Pa, ya cain\u2019t be serious?\u201d Hoss exclaimed in an angry voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI am\u2026I cannot do a thing, until I have a chance to hear what your brother has to say about what happened. He was warned, Hoss\u2026don\u2019t forget that\u2026and we both know that Joe has a propensity to disobeying my orders. If what Chief Winnemucca says is true, and I have a feeling it is, he\u2019s certainly no liar\u2026then\u2026as bad as it is, Joe\u2026deserved to be punished.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben swallowed hard and glanced down at the sleeping boy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLike that?\u201d Hoss demanded, his ears not believing what his father had just said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben spun around, his wrath embedded in his expression.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not!\u201d he growled. \u201cWhat do you take me for?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 eyes misted and he lowered his head, ashamed for believing even for a second that his father could agree to such treatment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa\u2026I didn\u2019t mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben turned and placed a hand on the big man\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know you didn\u2019t, son\u2026neither did I,\u201d Ben said in a softer tone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Ben,\u201d Paul interrupted, \u201cI\u2019d best be on my way. Make sure he eats something, if he feels like it, when he wakes up and give him another powder. I want to keep him sleeping for several hours. I\u2019ll see myself out,\u201d he said, turning to Hoss who held the door open for him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul patted Hoss\u2019 arm as he slid out the bedroom door. \u201cSend word if you need anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing doc, and thanks,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the doctor had left, Ben pulled a chair along side the bed and sat down. He felt as if his life-blood had been drained from him. His hands he held in his lap, his eyes focused on the still form of his youngest son. When he sighed, it was deep, pushing the air from deep within his lunges.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand how on earth this could have happened,\u201d he muttered to Hoss who came to sit on the side of the bed, next to Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 lips were pinched tightly together. His throat was thick with emotion and he could only respond to the statement by shaking his head back and forth. The massive head lowered, shielding the well of tears from his father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI can tell you how it happened,\u201d growled Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was standing behind his father. His hands rested on the back of Ben\u2019s chair, but his long slender fingers had folded tightly as they gripped the wood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben turned slightly, looking up into the angry face of his eldest son. Hoss raised his head, his blue eyes filled with unasked questions. They both waited for Adam\u2019s assumption.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe kid disobeyed you again. He went where he was told not to go, he saw whom he was told not to, and now he\u2019s paying for that little rendezvous. Possibly with his life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAw shucks, Adam\u2026ya don\u2019t really think he out and out disobeyed Pa, do ya?\u201d Hoss said, glancing once at Joe and then his father and finally bringing his eyes upward, to stare into Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, Hoss\u2026look at him. Lone Eagle practically ripped the flesh from Joe\u2019s back. He must have had a good reason\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cReason is no reason!\u201d Shouted Ben, rising from his chair. \u201cNot for this kind of abuse!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Pa, but to the Paiutes, its different. The Chief said that Joe was caught with that girl\u2026bathing with her! Dear God\u2026what was he thinking? He\u2019s lucky to even be alive!\u201d Adam fumed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His hazel eyes darkened and the anger lines deepened into his sun-bronzed face. Adam turned from the others and stormed out of the room, leaving Hoss and his father alone with Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe sure is put out with Little Joe, I ain\u2019t seen him so mad since\u2026well\u2026since last month when Joe\u2026aw shucks, makes no never mind. Pa?\u201d Hoss said softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had moved from the bed to a chair and had drawn it up next to his father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, Hoss?\u201d Ben answered while straightening the blankets about Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYa reckon it\u2019s true\u2026I mean, about Joe and that girl\u2026bathin\u2019 together?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben spun around, his eyes wide and his lower chin drooping. He was stunned by the suggestion, but then quickly remember that Chief Winnemucca had said that Joe and the lovely young maiden had been caught bathing\u2026and Joe had been brought home unclothed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know that Joe\u2026well\u2026ya know\u2026knew about those\u2026things,\u201d Hoss stammered after seeing the shocked expression on his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t!\u201d Ben said quickly and then straightened the covers again even though they didn\u2019t need to be.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finally, Ben lowered himself into the chair. He leaned over and put his face into his hands and remained as such for a long period of time. When he raised his head, Hoss could see the tears that had collected in the chocolate eyes, but refused to fall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMy God, Hoss, your brother is just a\u2026boy. He\u2019s only eighteen\u2026how could he\u2026oh God\u2026of course he knows. He hasn\u2019t been raised on a ranch and not learn about\u2026reproduction and such.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben glanced sideways at Hoss. \u201cHe\u2019s not a boy, not really\u2026though I wish he were. I thought I\u2019d never see the day that your younger brother was a young man, I thought I\u2019d go crazy with worry when he was a little fellow, but now\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Pa. Ya still worry about\u2019em, the worries are just different now than back then,\u201d Hoss whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure what is worse, then or now,\u201d Ben said, forcing a smile. \u201cHoss, go to bed, son. I\u2019ll sit with Joe; I really don\u2019t want to leave him, tonight. I want to stay close, in case\u2026in case he needs me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss understood his father\u2019s mood, his worries about Joe, and the big man understood his parent\u2019s feeling of helplessness, for in a sense, Hoss felt the same way about Joe; they all did, including Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCall me if ya need anythin\u2019\u201d Hoss instructed as he rose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He turned to go, but stopped and placed a beefy hand firmly on Ben\u2019s shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTry not to worry, Pa\u2026Little Joe\u2019s tough, he\u2019ll be alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben gave Hoss a smile, but the shine was on his lips only, for there was no joy showing in the senior Cartwright\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnytime, Pa,\u201d Hoss grinned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For three long days and nights, Joe tossed and turned in the bed, moaning and crying out in anguish and pain. His fever soared; the doctor was summoned to Joe\u2019s bedside. Ben spent endless hours tending to the wounds that reflected the abuse that his son had suffered at the hands of savages. For that was what they had become in Ben\u2019s mind, ruthless, uncaring, brutal savages, every one of them. The devoted father\u2019s face showed his weariness, his fatigue, his worry and concern, his doubts. But through it all, his unfaltering love for the boy was steadfast. Yet, regardless of the prompting, he refused to leave Joe even for the length of time it took to sit down at the table and eat a meal; those were now served in the sickroom, not that Ben ate much, for he barely ate enough to keep himself going.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss worked steadily, keeping busy so that he could take his mind off the suffering, the pain, the unease and the fear that had seemed to settle itself amid his world. He felt as if he lived in an eggshell and that at any moment his world, his life, his family would shatter and life as it had once been, would never again be. He quivered in fear when he let down his guard and his thoughts turned to the unpleasantness that had settled about him. Even now, in this instance, he trembled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Those same days, Adam paced the house, much like a caged animal. At night he sat beside the bed and watched the tortured expressions on his youngest brother\u2019s face and tried to turn a deaf ear to the piteous whimpering. When he was in his bed, Adam found no rest or any peace. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling or he crawled out from beneath the covers to stand in the window, counting the stars. By the fourth night, Adam was ready to scream. He had seen and heard all he could withstand. His family was crumbling, and there seemed nothing that he could do to keep it from happening. Joe lingered between life and death, his father was becoming a shell of his former self, Hoss was quiet, keeping a strained distance from the family, and he, himself was ready to run\u2026run far away from the eerie gloom of his once happy home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On this night, Adam tore from the house and ran across the yard toward the barn. Hoss was just coming through the door and the two nearly collided in their haste.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGet out of my way,\u201d Adam snapped at Hoss while practically shoving the bigger man to one side.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stared into the dark eyes. \u201cExcuse me,\u201d he said in a condescending tone as he bowed to Adam and moved to the side.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust watch where you\u2019re going the next time,\u201d Adam responded, grabbing the barn door and pushing it forcibly opened.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He entered the barn and made toward Sport\u2019s stall, taking the saddle from the half wall where it sat. Adam was unaware that Hoss had followed him into the darkened interior until he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss clamped tightly, the flesh beneath his fingers, and spun Adam around to face him. His eyes seemed to shoot sparks of red from their ocean blue depths. His free hand was folded into a tight fist that ached for release.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in tarnation has gotten under your craw?\u201d he demanded in a brash voice, so unlike his normal, mild-mannered tone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes strayed from the angry scowl to his shoulder where Hoss gripped tightly with his fingers. He could feel the pressure being applied, and he willed himself not to give in to the painful sensation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTake your hand off me, Hoss\u2026now,\u201d he ordered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOr what\u2026ya gonna clobber me? Ya better think on it, Adam\u2026and think real hard. Now ya gonna tell me what\u2019s eatin\u2019 at ya, or are we gonna stand here like this all night?\u201d Hoss said with his teeth clenched together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam squinted up his eyes, making a frown on his handsome face. Hoss had added just a bit more pressure and Adam felt his knees growing weak. He feared he might succumb to the pain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothing\u2026I just need to get out of here for a while. Is there anything wrong with that?\u201d he demanded, though his tone had softened somewhat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNope, but there\u2019s plenty wrong when ya come bustin\u2019 in here shoutin\u2019 out orders and shovin\u2019 me aside. Now what\u2019s wrong\u2026did ya and pa have\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, nothing like that. In fact, Pa\u2019s upstairs with Joe, sleeping in that damn chair again,\u201d snorted Adam in disgust. \u201cYou would think he\u2019d let us take over for a few hours so that he could get some rest, but does he? Hell no, he thinks he\u2019s the only one capable of tending to Joe!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss had removed his hand from Adam\u2019s shoulder and watched as Adam massaged the sore spot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to be down sick if he doesn\u2019t get some sleep and something solid in his stomach.\u201d Adam moved back into the stall to finish saddling his horse. \u201cBut does he listen to me\u2026of course not. You know what he just told me? Go ahead\u2026take a guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t know, big brother. What did our pa say\u2026obviously, whatever it is, has made ya very upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUpset? Pissed off would be more like it!\u201d shouted Adam, guiding Sport out of the stall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou would have thought my name was Joseph, instead of Adam, the way he talked down to me! Called me, \u2018boy\u2019\u2026\u2019boy\u2019, Hoss, can you believe that? Me, thirty years old and he calls me, \u2018boy\u2019,\u201d ranted Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 brows shot upward and he struggled to contain himself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see, being called a boy rubs ya the wrong way, heh?\u201d Hoss said softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think, who wouldn\u2019t be offended by it?\u201d Adam led his mount out of the barn into the yard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Adam had started to mount up, but stopped and turned to look across his shoulder at Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoe? What\u2019s he got to do with this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou call him boy\u2026all the time, so do I occasionally. Don\u2019t ya reckon he gets offended by it, too, just like ya do?\u201d Hoss said, the smile he\u2019d been trying to keep hidden finally emerged.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should he? He is still a boy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I know to ya and to Pa, Joe might still seem like a boy, because of the things he says and does at times. But deep down inside of him, in his heart, he believes he\u2019s a man, same as you and me. It ain\u2019t right that we take that feelin\u2019 away from him like we do. It just ain\u2019t right.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The smile had faded from the rotund face as Hoss glanced up at the window that was Joe\u2019s room. Hoss could see his father\u2019s shadow silhouetted against the soft glow of the lamplight that filter through the thin shears.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes followed the same path as the two stood together, each lost in their own thoughts. It was several moments before either of them spoke.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Hoss,\u201d stated Adam, drawing Hoss\u2019 attention from the window and his private ponderings.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss turned to his brother. \u201cAw\u2026I know ya didn\u2019t mean those things, Adam. You\u2019re just worried about the bo\u2026about Joe, same as me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI am worried, Hoss, about Joe, about Pa, about\u2026us. Something\u2019s happening to our family, and it\u2026troubles me,\u201d Adam explained.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do ya mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI mean\u2026we, all of us, seem to be drifting apart. I\u2019ve felt it for sometime now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd ya ain\u2019t said nothin\u2019? How\u2019s come?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I guess I thought it was just me. I\u2019ll tell you something Hoss, but you have to swear not to tell anyone, especially Pa, promise?\u201d Adam whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t gonna tell, long as it ain\u2019t bad,\u201d Hoss promised.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not bad, but I doubt if Pa would approve.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking about\u2026no, I already decided, before Joe got himself in this mess, that I was going to\u2026leave\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLEAVE? Leave\u2026ya mean, go away\u2026for good?\u201d stammered Hoss, shocked by Adam\u2019s confession.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShh\u2026keep your voice down. But yes, I was leaving. I was going to go back east, just for a spell, to see if I liked it or not. I wanted to be on my own\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut Little Joe got hurt, and ya changed ya mind?\u201d Hoss asked hopefully.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really change my mind, but Joe\u2019s getting hurt did stop me from leaving, for now. It also made me see that I\u2019m needed here. Pa needs me, Hoss, so does Joe, whether he realizes it or not. And\u2026\u201d Adam\u2019s voice faltered slightly. \u201cI think, in a way, you need me too.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 eyes clouded with tears that he wiped away with the palm on one hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCourse we need ya\u2026it just wouldn\u2019t be the same, with you gone, Adam. I\u2019ve seen that faraway look in ya eye at times, and I guess deep down, I\u2019ve known for some time now, that something was eatin\u2019 at ya, that ya needed something\u2026something different than what we got here. I ain\u2019t surprised, not really. Ya gotta decide what ya want, and then go after it, ya cain\u2019t let us hold ya back, Adam, that wouldn\u2019t be fair\u2026leastwise, not to ya it wouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam swallowed the lump that threatened to choke him and looked into the blue eyes that watched his every move. Adam smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you Hoss\u2026for\u2026understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam surprised Hoss by stepping forward and embracing the big man. For several moments the two stood locked in the embrace before Adam pulled away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWant to help me put this horse back in the barn?\u201d he asked, grinning at his brother. \u201cThen we can go check on\u2026the boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss laughed, slapping Adam\u2019s back in a brotherly manner as he took charge of Sport.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do it, I have an idey that ya need to have a word with our pa, first.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pinched his lips tightly and nodded his head. \u201cYou\u2019re so right, best I get to it. Pa sure is worried about Joe. I wish I could get Pa to at least take a nap, but he just won\u2019t listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe could slip him a sleepin\u2019 powder,\u201d snickered Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey\u2026that\u2019s not such a bad idea; Hoss, you\u2019re a genius!\u201d Adam proclaimed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He turned and headed back to the house, his steps more lively than when he first came outside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026don\u2019t ya dare,\u201d shouted Hoss in a whisper.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stood and watched his older brother enter the house.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDadburn my big mouth!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time that Hoss had finished unsaddling Adam\u2019s horse and returned to the house, Adam had managed to do as Hoss suggested. Adam had taken one of the powders that Doc Martin had left for Joe and had offered it to his father in a cup of coffee, unbeknown to Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss slipped into the room quietly and tapped Adam, who was standing beside the bed, lightly on the shoulder. He glanced down at his father, already sleeping in the armchair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYa didn\u2019 t do that, did ya?\u201d Hoss questioned in a whispered voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pointed at Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYep, sure did,\u201d answered Adam. \u201cHe needed to get some sleep, Hoss. Help me move him onto the cot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam reached down and slid his arm under Ben\u2019s and waited until Hoss had done the same thing. Together they lifted their father and carefully guided him to the cot where they gently lowered him. Once Adam was sure that Ben was settled, he covered the sleeping man with a warm blanket and then took the vacant chair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGet some rest, Hoss. I\u2019ll wake you in about three hours and then you can sit with Joe. Pa won\u2019t wake up before morning, if then,\u201d he said with a hint of a smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Adam, but just ya remember, when Pa asks\u2026I didn\u2019t have nothin\u2019 to do with druggin\u2019em!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stepped over to the bed to check Joe\u2019s fever before turning and bidding his brother good night.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam settled himself into the chair and picked up the book he had carried into the room with him. Within minutes, he was lost in the story he was reading.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the end of the first week, Joe was able to sit up in bed and prop his back against a stack of soft pillows. He had been quiet, not willing to share with his father what had truly happened. A part of him still clung to the embarrassment that it caused not only for himself, but for his family as well. His reluctance made him moody and sullen. The lingering pain from his injuries did nothing to enhance his better side and it was with caution that his family approached him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d Ben said softly as he entered the room carrying a tray that Hop Sing had prepared.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing fixed you a bite to eat,\u201d smiled Ben, placing the tray across Joe\u2019s lap and removing the cover. \u201cHmm\u2026smells good.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry,\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cJust take it away.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, you have to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI said, I\u2019m not hungry!\u201d he spat, glaring at his father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like your tone of voice young man. Just because you are ill is no call for rudeness, do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was bent over the bed, leaning down closely to Joe. His dark eyes were enhanced by the anger that had suddenly consumed him and he made no attempt to hide it from his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe lowered his eyes, unable to look his father face to face. He hadn\u2019t meant to snap, he hadn\u2019t meant to do a lot of the things he\u2019d done lately, like get caught naked with a young woman in his arms, for that there was no excuse and he blamed no one, other than himself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said, at last looking up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His eyes had filled with tears and though he tried to keep them from overflowing, one lone tear escaped and rolled slowly down his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben, seeing the tear and the sad expression on Joe\u2019s face, forgot his anger. He picked up the tray and moved it to the nightstand and returned to the bed to sit down next to his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like to talk about\u2026all of this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben watched as Joe struggled with his emotions and tried to find his voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026I\u2019m not sure what\u2026to say,\u201d Joe said in a whisper. \u201cI guess I owe you an apology\u2026for embarrassing you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFor embarrassing me? Joe\u2026what are you talking about?\u201d Ben questioned, puzzled by the statement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe looked up, confused. How could his father not know what he meant?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2026I was caught with\u2026I mean we were\u2026hmm\u2026just what did Chief Winnemucca tell you when he brought me home?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben sighed deeply. \u201cHe told us that you were caught bathing with his niece, Morning Star, and that her future husband wanted to kill you, but the Chief would not let him. Instead, he allowed Lone Eagle to punish you. He also said that you freely took the girl\u2019s punishment as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe told the truth\u2026we did get caught,\u201d muttered Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He glanced from beneath lowered lashes at his father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026would you please explain to me, what on earth you were thinking\u2026being alone with that young woman, especially after being warned so many times?\u201d Ben insisted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I was thinking? You want my honest answer to that?\u201d Joe said, with a laugh that sounded strained.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His eyes widened as he remembered the lovely vision that stood before him, ankle deep in the crystal clear water. He recalled the tingling sensation he felt when her fingers touched his flesh and his mind summoned up his desire for her as Morning Star pressed her lips to his in a heated kiss, but he could not tell his father all this.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t think that you would lie to me, son,\u201d Ben exclaimed. \u201cWhat were you thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was several moments before Joe could look up again and into the dark chocolate eyes that seemed to probe directly into his mind and read his thoughts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat I shouldn\u2019t be where I was\u2026that I should go.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen why didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben watched Joe\u2019s face and saw the faint tint of pink fill the boy\u2019s cheeks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t move\u2026she was\u2026like a\u2026goddess. She was beautiful\u2026I\u2019d never seen anything so lovely in my entire life. And when she came into the water, when she touch my face\u2026I\u2026it\u2026I mean, it was as if she branded me\u2026as hers. I\u2026couldn\u2019t move.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe hung his head, afraid of what he might see illuminated in his father\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Ben whispered at last.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stood up and walked across the room to the window and pulled back the curtains. Joe watched, wondering about his father\u2019s sudden quietness and the fact that Ben seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI remember when I saw her for the first time. I felt much like you described\u2026about seeing Morning Star standing before you. She too, was a vision of loveliness; just as beautiful, just as desirable, just as enchanting and bewitching,\u201d Ben said as he stared out the window.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam had just ridden into the yard and Ben watched as they dismounted and led their mounts into the barn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour mother, that\u2019s who,\u201d Ben answered, returning to the bed and sitting back down. \u201cI loved her from the very first minute I laid eyes on her. I was like a puppet, I\u2026\u201d Ben snickered softly. \u201cShe must have thought I was nothing more than a mere school boy by the way I acted around her. I couldn\u2019t even say my name with out tripping over my tongue,\u201d laughed Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sound of his father\u2019s warm laughter and the shine that had returned to the dark eyes, mixed with the special memory, caused Joe to smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou must have loved her a great deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I did Joseph, I loved her with every fiber of my being. She brought so much happiness into this house, into our lives\u2026I\u2026miss her very much,\u201d he said as his smile faded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh hum\u2026enough of that\u2026Joe\u2026what happened, I mean between you and Morning Star that you were both\u2026let\u2019s say, in the water together? And is it true that you two were kissing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but\u2026not for the reasons that Lone Eagle said. It wasn\u2019t anything like that,\u201d started Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen tell me how it really was, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI had to pull a steer out of a bog, I slipped and fell in the mud. I was covered from head to toe, so after checking to make sure I was alone, I stripped and bathed off. As I was getting out of the water, there she was\u2026standing naked before me. I didn\u2019t know what to do\u2026I mean, I knew I should leave\u2026but she had hidden my clothes and I couldn\u2019t get out of the water. I mean\u2026well\u2026honestly, a part of me, didn\u2019t want to leave,\u201d Joe said almost shyly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI bet I can guess what part that was,\u201d laughed Adam from the doorway.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d scolded Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa\u2026I couldn\u2019t resist, sorry Joe, guess you couldn\u2019t resist either, could you?\u201d Adam laughed again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026and it cost me. My back still hurts like heck,\u201d Joe said, suddenly feeling more at ease after explaining to his father and getting everything off his chest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d he said as Adam moved on into the room and made himself at home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI had to take the girl\u2019s punishment\u2026if she had been beaten like this, she would have died, or\u2026lived with horrible scars for the rest of her life. And besides\u2026she would have been an outcast, her tribe would have shunned her. She was so young\u2026I couldn\u2019t let that happen to her. Think of what would become of her\u2026her own family would have been forced to shun her as well, and she is only a\u2026girl\u2026hardly old enough to know how to survive in the world, alone. Please\u2026can\u2019t you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I can understand, but Joe\u2026you paid an awful price for that one kiss,\u201d his father proclaimed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but I knew that my family would never turn away from me. I always knew that you\u2019d be here for me, that Adam and Hoss would somehow understand why I did what I did\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI can understand the attraction, little brother. There have been those, fair maidens, that have had the same affect on me as the beautiful Morning Star had on you,\u201d grinned Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do about it?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rose from the bed, grinning. \u201cI shall never tell\u2026it\u2019s not meant for a boy\u2019s ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I ain\u2019t a boy!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam laughed lightly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cApparently not, not if a beautiful young woman sought you out as a desirable young man. But to me, you will always be, a boy, my little brother\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u00a0\u00a0 Pa\u2026come down here, quick,\u201d Hoss called from the bottom of the stairs, interrupting the conversation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben jumped to his feet, glanced at Adam and Joe and then hurried from the room without saying a word.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI best see what this is about,\u201d Adam said, rushing to follow his father. \u201cYou stay put, hear?\u201d he tossed over his shoulder at Joe who was trying to crawl from the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Groaning, Joe leaned back against the pillows, waiting. When he could stand it no longer, he forced himself out of bed, moving to the window to see what was going on down below in the yard. Joe saw the small band of Indians and the young girl, Morning Star, standing before his father. He was determined to get downstairs and thus grabbed his trousers and pulled them on as quickly as he could.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s strength was practically drained by the time he reached the front door and ventured out into the yard. Joe swayed slightly, being light headed from the lack of food and for the fact that he had been immobile for so many days; he clung desperately to the stout pole at the end of the porch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d he said, forcing the word upward from the depths of his throat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All heads turned to see Joe slowly making his way across the yard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, what do you think you are doing, young man!\u201d exclaimed Ben as he slipped his arm about Joe, offering his support.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I had to know\u2026what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chief, and his niece have come by to check on you. They wanted to see how you were feeling,\u201d explained Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Joe said, surprised that the Chief would even care.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI come in peace,\u201d Chief Winnemucca proclaimed. \u201cI come, with niece, Morning Star, who has come to give you her thanks for saving her from being cast out of her tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes met the dark, caramel colored eyes of the beautiful maiden and he felt himself straighten and gently he pulled away from his father, to stand on his own two feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need to say thanks,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes\u2026there are many reasons to say thank you. Many more reasons to say that I am sorry,\u201d Morning Star muttered in a soft voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She lowered her head; her shame was evident to all of them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHad I not done, what I did, you would not have been punished and made to suffer as you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slowly her head moved upward and she looked into Joe\u2019s eyes. He could see the tears that were slowly building in the gloomy depths.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFor your suffering, I bear guilt, for your embarrassment, I bear shame. For turning away from the man I was promised to, I bear failure, for that failure, I am now forced to marry another, for Lone Eagle will no longer have me and he has within drawn his petition to take me as his wife,\u201d the young maiden explained to Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d whispered Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo not be, my scars are less noticeable that yours are, though the pain is enough that it pierces my heart. I have learned a costly lesson, for you see, I found in my heart the love that I thought was lacking. I love Lone Eagle\u2026I always have, though only recently have I found this to be so. It is when he refused to marry me, did I come to this knowledge and now it is too late.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I long to be his wife, to bear his children; I long to place my lips upon his, as I had upon your own lips, but if I be so bold to try, I will die. Lone Eagle has sworn that a kiss to his lips would be a kiss to die for. So you see, Little Joe\u2026I too am being punished, you are not alone, for we have been foolish, we have acted as small children, not in control of our emotions and for that, we have come to an understanding. It is as my uncle has proclaimed\u2026that we are no longer children, but adults and we must put aside our childish ways. I go now, I bid you farewell and may the light from above guide your paths and may your days be long upon this earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Morning Star turned from them and with the help of a handsome young brave, who seemed most anxious to help the girl, Morning Star mounted her horse. Joe watched, saddened by her words as the small band of Indians rode from the yard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For several moments he stood without speaking, until he felt his father\u2019s hand rest on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s going to be alright, Joseph,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you be so sure?\u201d Joe asked, turning to look questioningly into his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI just know, son. I can\u2019t explain it, but I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you\u2019re right, you usually are,\u201d Joe said seriously and then smiled when Ben\u2019s expression changed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you little scamp! Let\u2019s get you back inside and into bed!\u201d laughed Ben, realizing that his son was teasing him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid ya decide?\u201d Hoss asked Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two had been working together in the barn. There had been little conversation between the brothers until Hoss had gotten up the courage to broach the subject.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre ya, or aren\u2019t ya gonna stay?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss set aside the rake he had been using and turned to face Adam who was just finishing with stacking some bales of hay in the corner.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve decided that I\u2019m\u2026leaving, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?\u201d Hoss shouted. \u201cI thought you said\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI said I\u2019d think about it, and I have,\u201d answered Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI am going to leave\u2026someday, just not right away,\u201d he smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYa mean, ya ain\u2019t goin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The relief was evident in his expression and in the way that his blue eyes lit up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam moved over to Hoss\u2019 side and placed his arms across the broad shoulders. He was eyeball to eyeball with Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet\u2026there\u2019s still things that I have to finish around here, before I go,\u201d he said seriously.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, like what?\u201d Hoss questioned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam smiled, showing his dimples.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLike making sure our little brother grows up to be a man\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, shucks Hoss\u2026I can\u2019t help it, it\u2019s like I said days ago, to me, he\u2019s still a boy. And until I know, or feel confident that Joe\u2019s a full-grown man, I have to stay. I can\u2019t go. You see, Hoss, I made a promise many years ago to his mother that I would always take care of her baby boy and until I am sure that Joe can stand on his own two feet, I\u2019ll stay. I aim on keeping that promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut Adam, if ya really wanna leave, I think Joe\u2026and Pa\u2026will understand\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026Joe will never understand, he\u2019ll never be able to\u2026and when I\u2019m gone, he\u2019ll never be able to forgive me for leaving him. But that\u2019s okay, perhaps someday\u2026in the far, far future, he will be able to accept my leaving, and until I know that he\u2019s reached that point, I\u2019ll stay. After all Hoss, I was in it from the beginning, I\u2019d like to stick around long enough to see how he turns out\u2026that is, if he will leave the women alone. With our little brother\u2019s luck, he just might not live long enough to become a man!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss snickered and squeezed his brother\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be fine\u2026Joe has all the makings, he has what Pa taught him, and what he\u2019s learned from me and Adam\u2026he has you to look up to, and besides, he IS a Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, he is his father\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss, taken by surprise, turned toward the door. Ben had propped his shoulder against the frame, enjoying the gentle batter between his two oldest sons.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa\u2026we didn\u2019t hear ya come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Hoss,\u201d smiled Ben. He turned to Adam. \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019ve decided to stay awhile longer, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes opened wide in surprise. \u201cHow\u2019d you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben moved further into the barn. His voice was thick with emotion when he spoke.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen that look in your eyes for sometime now, son. I know it for what it is. You see; I\u2019ve had that same look about me, a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen you\u2019ve known?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2026but I was just waiting to see what you were going to do. I know why you want to go away, and I know why you\u2019re staying. I thank you for that, son. I know Joe is not up to coping with something so traumatic right now, he\u2019s suffered so much in the last several weeks, that you\u2019re leaving now, would destroy him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded his head. \u201cI agree, but when he\u2019s able\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know son\u2026but until then\u2026let\u2019s just enjoy our time together and not say anything to the boy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBOY!\u201d chorused Adam and Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The pair began laughing uncontrollably, leaving Ben to wonder about his sons\u2019 sanity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? What did I say that was so funny?\u201d he issued.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, Pa\u2026just don\u2019t let Little Joe hear you call him, boy!\u201d snickered Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026that\u2019s right, my baby isn\u2019t a little boy any more, is he? He\u2019s well on his way to being a man\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true\u2026just ask the ladies! I bet before Joe gets finished sowing his wild oats, there will be more than one angry father out to get him!\u201d laughed Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget the entire Paiute nation!\u201d Hoss added with a laugh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGod help us all!\u201d laughed Ben as he slipped an arm about each son\u2019s shoulders and walked together across the yard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you say we pay the rapscallion a little visit? He was complaining about not getting enough attention,\u201d Ben said with a light heart.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNot enough attention? You\u2019ve got to be kidding!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYa mean havin\u2019 half the Paiute\u2019s in the Nevada territory on his tail wasn\u2019t enough excitement for\u2019em?\u201d exclaimed Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNope\u2026guess not,\u201d answered Ben. \u201cBut then, that doesn\u2019t surprise me in the least. Nothing your little brother does surprises me anymore. I think I\u2019ve become immune to his shenanigans.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHuh\u2026I wish the ladies would become immune to him. Pa, you do realize that we\u2019ve got our work cut out for us now, don\u2019t you, since Joe\u2019s been made to think that he is a desirable young man?\u201d laughed Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They had reached the door. Ben\u2019s fingers closed around the latch, but he paused before opening it and glanced up at Adam, with a desperate look in his eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPromise me, Adam, that you won\u2019t go until Joe is married, with a family of his own?\u201d pleaded Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam snickered and pushed the door open so that he could go inside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSure Pa\u2026that could be as near as this time next year. He does have a reputation, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had followed his boys into the house but stopped in his tracks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll say it one more time, for all three of us\u2026\u2026..God help us!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The shutting of the door silenced the end of a father\u2019s prayer. But God heard and He answered\u2026years later when Adam had gone, and Joe was finally married to Alice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE END<\/p>\n

MAY 2004<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, under wrong circumstances, Little Joe pays the price, not only for himself but for the beautiful Indian maiden whom he was warned to stay away from. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 PG for mild violence. (11,040 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9052,"featured_media":3981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_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":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[14,15,17,16],"class_list":["post-12089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-ben","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1591,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/sacredground.png?fit=983%2C766&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48084,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48084","url_meta":{"origin":12089,"position":0},"title":"Raffle a Cartwright (by mo1427)","author":"mo1427","date":"March 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Adam is raffled off for a date, but he's not the one who's worried.\u00a0 Rating: G, Word Count: 668","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/S03.24_Wooing-of-Abigail-Jones-12.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/S03.24_Wooing-of-Abigail-Jones-12.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/S03.24_Wooing-of-Abigail-Jones-12.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/S03.24_Wooing-of-Abigail-Jones-12.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/S03.24_Wooing-of-Abigail-Jones-12.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17308,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=17308","url_meta":{"origin":12089,"position":1},"title":"More than a Mountain Lion (by A-P)","author":"A-P","date":"May 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Elizabeth Steward has known the Cartwrights for a long time. When she is going to their ranch one day she finds something that isn\u2019t all that pleasant, especially for Little Joe. 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Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (1,360 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\/2014\/07\/casanova-joe-e1409523388544.jpg?fit=410%2C384&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9761,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9761","url_meta":{"origin":12089,"position":5},"title":"Kiss and Tell (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"September 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A dance, a kiss in the moonlight, and once more his brothers are tasked with saving Little Joe . rating:\u00a0 mature for references to adult themes and corporal punishment word count: 4,454","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Friendship-4.jpg?fit=500%2C373&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12089","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\/9052"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12089"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12089\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}