Summary:<\/b>\u00a0More than dark clouds are brewing for the Cartwrights. Joe’s been accused of being involved in the recent trouble about town and the accusations have a grave affect on all his family, but mostly for himself.<\/p>\n
Rated G \u00a0WC 20,300<\/p>\n
When the Storm Passes<\/strong><\/p>\n Love is neither physical, nor romantic. Real love is an\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Real love is an\u00a0<\/em>acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be.<\/em> \u201cDid you wanna see me, Pa\u2026ere\u2026sir?\u201d Joe asked after swallowing.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere have you been, young man?\u201d Ben barked in a gruff tone.<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes widened a bit as he stole a glance at his brothers. \u201cUp in the north pasture counting the new calves like ya told me to do\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben seemed to be thinking, his eyes wondered from his young son to the two pairs across from him. Their expressions were blank, unreadable, but he could read his middle son\u2019s unspoken word, \u2018I told ya so\u2019. He looked back down at the lad.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd how many did you find?\u201d he inquired.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm\u2026\u201d gulped Joe. \u201cLets see\u2026now\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWELL?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes moved upward toward his father\u2019s face. His pa was angry and he had no clue as to why. It worried him\u2026he must have done something to make his father so upset.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m thinking. Pa\u2026are ya mad me about something\u2026I mean, I ain\u2019t dun nuthin\u2019\u2026least ways not that I can recall\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben took a deep breath to steady himself. The thought that he might be too presumptuous crossed his mind. Maybe the boy hadn\u2019t been a part of what they accused him of\u2026he was judging without first hearing the facts, something that he\u2019d always tried to teach his sons not to do. The wind escaped from his lungs in a rush as he placed a heavy hand on the boy\u2019s shoulder. He was surprised to feel the tremors that surged beneath his palm. As he studied his son\u2019s face, it occurred to him that Little Joe might be afraid of him. Suddenly he smiled, bringing instant relief to the worried expression on the younger boy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m not mad at you son. I\u2019m sorry that you thought I was\u2026\u201d he glanced at Adam and Hoss in time to see them swap glances. \u201cI was just wondering what was keeping you so long and\u2026how many new calves did you find?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout 19\u2026there was another, but it was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDead?\u201d his oldest brother inquired, rising from his spot in the blue chair.<\/p>\n Joe nodded his head. \u201cYeah, the mama was standing over it\u2026guess it must have been born dead\u2026or so it looked.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll send one of the ranch hands up there to take care of the carcass,\u201d Adam said, turning to leave.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d Little Joe answered, turning back to look up at his father, instantly wondering why more questions were being directed at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you go anywhere else?\u201d<\/p>\n The question seemed to puzzle the lad. His brow wrinkled. \u201cNo sir\u2026why\u2026did I forget something you told me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s lips tightened slightly. He studied the boy\u2019s reaction closely. His son appeared confused by the question and honestly sincere in his response.<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t stray over toward McDuffy\u2019s place, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes narrowed as the frown deepened in his brow. \u201cMcDuffy\u2019s?\u201d he almost giggled. \u201cWhy would I want to go over to that old hermit\u2019s place?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph\u2026that will be enough of that kind of talk! Mr. McDuffy might be a little strange according to some folks, but he\u2019s a good, decent, hard working man!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe lowered his head. He dug the tip of his pointed boot into the carpet. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa\u2026I didn\u2019t mean to be rude,\u201d Joe said meekly, looking up. His lips parted slightly making him grin at the thought of the strange man in question.<\/p>\n \u201cYa gotta admit he\u2019s more\u2019n a little strange though; he talks funny too\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJOSEPH!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright\u2026but you didn\u2019t answer my question\u2026were you anywhere around Mac\u2019s place?\u201d Ben asked a second time. He studied the look on the boy\u2019s face intently. He wanted to be sure his son wasn\u2019t fibbing to him.<\/p>\n Little Joe didn\u2019t bother to hesitate; he shook his head no. \u201cNo sir, I was up in the north pasture the whole day\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy Pa? What makes ya think I might have gone over to the old\u2026ere\u2026Mr. McDuffy\u2019s place?\u201d Joe asked as he grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl in the middle of the large square table and rubbed it clean on his dirty shirt.<\/p>\n When his father failed to answer immediately, Little Joe looked up, taking in the troubled expression he saw on his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026I said\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know what you said, son\u2026don\u2019t worry yourself any about it\u2026they must have confused you with some other boy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2026who\u2019s they, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n His father sure was acting strange and was making a point of avoiding his questions it seemed to him.<\/p>\n \u201cJust some men came by this afternoon and said they saw a group of boys over in Mac\u2019s lower field and they were forced to run the boys off\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy\u2026was they up to no good?\u201d Joe giggled softly.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s brows narrowed and his already dark eyes suddenly became dark lumps of coal again. One look at his face and Joe sobered quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cNow how would you know they\u2019d be up to no good?\u201d Ben barked sharply.<\/p>\n Joe swallowed the bite of apple in his mouth and stood up. \u201cI\u2026I don\u2019t know\u2026hmm\u2026I was only supposing\u2026that\u2019s all Pa\u2026honest. Did the men say who they saw\u2026the boys I mean\u2026did they know who they were\u2026and\u2026what where they doing?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben picked an apple of his own from the fruit bowl and sat back down. \u201cDoc Martin was riding along the road about the same time as Will Horton was coming in the opposite direction. They saw four or five boys running Mac\u2019s milk cow and scattering his chickens\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe scrunched up his nose is disgust, shaking his head from side to side. \u201cAnd they told ya I was one of them hooligans?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey saw a small boy with a green jacket, Joe\u2026\u201d Adam spoke out. He had purposely waited at the door to hear his brother\u2019s response to their father\u2019s question. \u201cThey probably\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell it wasn\u2019t me!\u201d Joe said tartly, rising and glaring at his oldest brother. \u201cI dun told ya where I was and what I was doing\u2026I know better\u2019n do things like what them boys was doing\u2026\u201d he turned suddenly to his father. \u201cHonest, Pa\u2026I ain\u2019t lying!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben stood to his feet, placing his uneaten apple back in the bowl as he hurried to stand before his young son. He placed a hand on each shoulder, smiling down at the boy.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe you, Little Joe\u2026but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut ya believe the Doc more, heh?\u201d Joe said angrily, pulling away from his father\u2019s tender touch.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026that\u2019s not it, son\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what is it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just that a lot has been happening lately\u2026boys getting into mischief\u2026pulling pranks that might get someone hurt\u2026I just don\u2019t want you to be party to any of it\u2026that\u2019s all,\u201d Ben explained.<\/p>\n Joe took a deep breath and let it out slowly, along with his anger. \u201cI haven\u2019t been, Pa\u2026and I won\u2019t be\u2026I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled, nodding his head. \u201cI was hoping you\u2019d say that. Now,\u201d he said, attempting to change the subject, \u201clet\u2019s go see what Hop Sing has for supper\u2026you hungry, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2026I\u2019m starved,\u201d grinned Joe heading toward the table that Hop Sing was already beginning to set.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa\u2026you go wash first, young man!\u201d<\/p>\n Giggling, Joe stopped and turned. \u201cOh yeah\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah,\u201d mocked his father, barely able to hide the smile that threatened to break open his face. Ben smiled warmly at his middle son. Hoss was forever taking his younger sibling\u2019s side in affairs and dared anyone to trample on the boy, whether physically or otherwise. Ben often wondered if Hoss would dare to overpower him if he took a notion to \u2018trample\u2019 the lad\u2026no, decided Ben, Hoss would draw a line at some point. But he admired his son\u2019s loyalty to his younger brother.<\/p>\n \u201cI know son, it\u2019s been ages since Little Joe has fibbed to me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you still don\u2019t quite believe him, do you Pa?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cI mean, be honest\u2026it is a little hard to think that Doc Martin could be so wrong in what he saw, don\u2019t you? I honestly find it hard, after all, Paul Martin brought the little rapscallion into this world\u2026I find it difficult to believe that such a man could make such a mistake\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019 brows drew close together and his forehead wrinkled in a deep scowl as he eyeballed his brother. \u201cThen ya think Little Joe is lyin\u2019, don\u2019t ya?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t say that,\u201d Adam stated firmly as he leaned forward in his chair. \u201cI just said that I find it hard that the doctor could have mistaken our little brother for some other boy\u2026think about it Hoss, what other kid around about wears a green corduroy jacket\u2026and\u2026rides a painted pony?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone that I have ever noticed,\u201d Ben said softly. \u201cYet Joe was so adamant\u2026so utterly confused by the question. Why he never even acted the slightest bit guilty\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe he\u2019s getting better at hiding it\u2026after all, he\u2019s fifteen now and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous,\u201d Hoss almost shouted, as he stood, moving to stoke the fire. He jabbed at the flames angrily before turning. \u201cHe ain\u2019t lyin\u2019, Adam\u2026I know him better\u2019n you do\u2026almost better\u2019n Pa\u2026and I\u2019m tellin\u2019 ya\u2026he ain\u2019t lyin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben stood up and placed his opened hand on Hoss\u2019 back. \u201cI don\u2019t believe Joe\u2019s lying either Hoss\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen how do you explain it, Pa?\u201d Adam asked as he watched the expressions on both his father and Hoss\u2019 faces.<\/p>\n \u201cPaul made a mistake\u2026simple as that\u2026he made a mistake. And unless I see with my own eyes Joe doing something wrong, or have physical evidence in my hand, I have to believe in him, I have to believe that the boy\u2019s telling me the truth. We all do. We have to have faith in him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Adam sighed, resigning himself. \u201cI suppose you\u2019re right, Pa. For Joe\u2019s sake, I hope Doc Martin has make a mistake, cause if he hasn\u2019t\u2026there\u2019s some dark days ahead for that youngest bear cub you have upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben turned away, unable to mask the fear he felt would betray him. What Adam said made sense, it was hard to think that his life long friend, Paul Martin, could make such an accusation about Little Joe without being positive, yet on the other hand, Ben believed in his son\u2019s truth\u2026could both of them, Joe and the doctor be correct\u2026how? Perhaps only time would tell. Ben determined then to keep a closer eye on his son\u2026school was out for the summer, that would make it a little harder as the boy had free roam about the ranch and to the nearby homes of his friends, once his chores were finished and done correctly. Never before had he had cause to worry about his youngest son\u2019s activities, Joe had never been in really serious trouble, but with the foolishness that was going on now, he feared that somehow the youngest of his sons might be lead astray. Oh, he still believed in Little Joe\u2026but something that he couldn\u2019t explain nagged at his deepest thoughts. If it were not Joe that Paul had seen with the hooligans, who might it have been? \u201cLet\u2019s eat, it\u2019s late,\u201d he mumbled as he lumbered slowly toward the dining room table. \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScaredy Cat,\u201d the older boy said, laughing at the frown on his companion\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not scared, it\u2019s just wrong,\u201d insisted Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t wrong, it\u2019s just for fun, it ain\u2019t like we\u2019re going hurt someone\u2026we\u2019re just gonna scare the hoots outta him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d Joe practically shouted. \u201cHe\u2019s a nice old man\u2026and besides\u2026he might be too frightened, what if something happens to him?\u201d he asked, moving from the large boulder he sat on to stand outside of the ring of boys who had gathered at their hiding place to make plans for the afternoon.<\/p>\n The self-appointed leader laughed and glanced around the circle, fixing his eyes on Joe Cartwright, the youngest of the small band of boys.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, so we won\u2019t scare him, well just\u2026run his cows through his corn field\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. \u201cNo\u2026Mark, seeing as how you\u2019re a city kid, ya haven\u2019t a clue as to how hard it is to get a crop out and pray like the dickens it makes it to harvest. We can\u2019t do that to Mr. McDuffy\u2026let\u2019s just leave the poor old man alone and\u2026go fishin\u2019 or sumthin\u2019 like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Disgusted, Mark Langley stepped up to Joe, sizing the kid up. He stared directly into the hazel eyes that returned the steadfast gaze. In a soft voice, Mark spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at me Joe\u2026you will do as I instruct. I instruct you to come with the group to McDuffy\u2019s and help us rip apart his chicken coop and then scatter his hens and we\u2019re going to pull down his corral and run off his cows\u2026and we\u2019re goin\u2019 to pull over his outhouse and \u2026and then you are going to forget the entire episode. Do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes never wavered from their stance; he suddenly felt tongue-tied, but he nodded his head. \u201cNasty varmints,\u201d he muttered as he began to unsaddle his horse. \u201cI stink worsen Hop Sing\u2019s pigs,\u201d he grumbled to himself.<\/p>\n For several minutes he worked steady until the sounds of voices in the yard caused him to stop and peer out from the opened door.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s ludicrous,\u201d Joe heard his father shout.<\/p>\n The sound of his father\u2019s thundering voice was one he had heard often, usually when Ben was mad or upset, as he appeared to be now. Carefully, so as not to be seen, Little Joe hid himself behind the door, hoping to find out why the sheriff and Ted McDuffy were paying his father a visit. He watched as Roy Coffee stepped down from his saddle and faced his father. It was hard to hear every word, for the sheriff had his back to the barn door, but Joe managed to catch a word every so often, and what he heard made him quiver, for his name had come up more\u2019n once.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m tellin\u2019 ya Ben\u2026Little Joe was seen\u2026just as Mac, here says,\u201d Roy stated.<\/p>\n \u201cIt could\u2019ve been him, Roy\u2026I sent him out hours ago to round up some steers over by Piaute Falls\u2026he\u2019s been up there all day\u2026in fact, he\u2019s just come in\u2026\u201d Ben argued.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2019s right, Roy, I even rode up there earlier to see if\u2019n he was doin\u2019 alright, and he was working hard\u2026for a change,\u201d Hoss said and then grinned. \u201cFact was, he was covered in mud practically from head to toe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, relieved. He recalled Hoss coming up to see how he was doing and how he\u2019d snapped at his brother, accusing him of treating him like a kid when their pa had sent him to do a man\u2019s job. Hoss had only snickered at his little brother\u2019s barking and had left then to tend to other matters. Hoss had glanced back, laughing outright as he saw Little Joe attempting to pull a bogged down steer from the mud.<\/p>\n Peeking again, Joe saw Mr. McDuffy dismount and move nearer to his father. It was easier to hear what the older man had to say for Ben had moved just enough that he could see both men\u2019s faces.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m telling you Ben Cartwright, that youngest boy of yours was with them other boys. I seen him with my own eyes\u2026I even heard one of the boys calling out to him, using his name, \u2018Little Joe\u2019\u2026\u201d the angry man exclaimed. \u201cThey tore down my corrals, turned over my outhouse, scattered my chickens and run of my cattle\u2026causing them to stampede right down the middle of my vegetable garden\u2026them cows ran straight through my chicken coop too\u2026everything\u2019s lost, Ben\u2026lost. I ain\u2019t gonna have no vegetables for the winter, my hens probably won\u2019t ever lay eggs again, and my milk cow will most likely dry up\u2026thanks to them hooligans\u2026including your boy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTed\u2026really, I\u2019m sorry to hear about all your troubles, but I just can\u2019t believe my son would be a part of such goings on\u2026why, you heard Hoss here say Little Joe was working\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t so, Ben\u2026he was riding with them boys\u2026destroying everything I\u2019ve worked to build up\u2026I seen him with my own eyes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr. McDuffy\u2026surely there\u2019s been some mistake\u2026Joseph isn\u2019t that sort of boy, why he\u2019s\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou calling me a lair, Cartwright?\u201d Mac demanded, bristling.<\/p>\n Ben sighed heavily and shook his head. \u201cNo,\u201d he said softly, \u201cI\u2019m only saying that you must have seen a boy who looked an awfully lot like my son\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly McDuffy turned away and pointed towards the barn. \u201cThere he is now\u2026ask him\u2026make him tell you what he\u2019s done!\u201d the older gentleman demanded.<\/p>\n Adam turned around just as Joe was making his way toward the group of men. He quickly noted the dried mud caked on his little brother\u2019s trousers and a smile emerged across his dimpled face but just as quickly disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, come over here, please,\u201d Ben called, waving the boy over their way.<\/p>\n \u201cHi Pa\u2026Sheriff, Mr. McDuffy\u2026\u201d Joe greeted the group in his usual friendly boyish fashion, noting Mr. McDuffy\u2019s deep scowl and dark brooding eyes. Joe swallowed hard, turning to his father. \u201cDid ya want me for something, Pa? I finished getting\u2019 them steers into the padlock Hoss and Adam built for\u2019em,\u201d the boy explained.<\/p>\n Ben smiled but it was strained. His son seemed totally unaware that something was amiss, and certainly wasn\u2019t acting as if he\u2019d been involved in destroying a man\u2019s livelihood.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you son\u2026umm\u2026Mr. McDuffy and the sheriff are here to\u2026ask you some questions,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n Joe glanced up again at the two men. He had heard only part of the conversation but wasn\u2019t sure as to why either wanted to question him\u2026he\u2019d been working all day.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019cha wanna ask me, Sheriff?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Roy glanced up at the boy\u2019s family. They were all watching him, waiting to see how he was going to handle the situation. One man claimed the boy was present at his farm while the boy\u2019s own brother claimed to have seen him, himself, rounding up steers just as his father had instructed the youngster to do. The sheriff made a gulping sound and looked down at Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026.um\u2026Little Joe, whatever ya was doin\u2019, ya sure got dirty\u2026\u201d Roy began.<\/p>\n \u201cYep\u2026ere\u2026I mean, yes sir,\u201d Joe corrected himself, glancing sideways at his father\u2019s reaction. \u201cI had\u2019ta pull a steer outta a mud pit\u2026the silly thing got himself bogged down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2026that happens sometimes,\u201d Roy stated, beginning to feel a bit guilty about being where he was.<\/p>\n \u201cHe could have been the boy I saw fall in my pond\u2026got hisself all dirty and muddy too,\u201d Mr. McDuffy exclaimed.<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes widened slightly as he looked up at his father. \u201cWhat\u2019s he talkin\u2019 about, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, Mr. McDuffy said that some boys raided his place today. They tore down his fences, ran off his cattle and scattered his chickens. His garden was ruined as well\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd my outhouse was torn down\u2026don\u2019t forget that!\u201d growled Mac.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd his privy was torn down,\u201d Ben said, repeating the man\u2019s claim. He had rested his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder but moved it to the boy\u2019s chin, lifting his son\u2019s head slightly so that he could better see into the lad\u2019s hazel eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cHe says Joseph, that you were among the group that\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWHAT?\u201d Joe yelled, backing up slightly from the group. \u201cThat\u2019s a lie\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJOSEPH!\u201d<\/p>\n The boy\u2019s eyes were huge as he struggled with trying to keep his temper at bay. \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026I didn\u2019t mean to imply that Mr. McDuffy was lying\u2026I only meant\u2026ummm\u2026.it wasn\u2019t me\u2026I couldn\u2019t have been there, Pa\u2026honest,\u201d he proclaimed.<\/p>\n His chin had begun to quiver slightly. His father and brothers and the sheriff, plus the angry farmer were all watching him closely. The different expressions on each man\u2019s face confused him. Certainly the farmer was angry. His brothers\u2019 expressions were ones of sympathy and pity. The poor sheriff looked worriedly at his father and Ben\u2019s expression\u2026well, his dark eyes seemed to be boring right into the center of his young son\u2019s heart and soul. Joe took a step backwards.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t do nuthin\u2019, Pa, honest\u2026except round up them doggone steers, just like ya told me to do\u2026\u201d he said, glancing from his father to the farmer, to the sheriff and to his brothers.<\/p>\n Hoss moved to his kid brother\u2019s side and placed a reassuring hand on the lad\u2019s shoulder. To Joe it was like a lifeline and he looked up giving his brother a weak smile. Deep within, he was suddenly filled with guilt for having been so hateful with Hoss earlier that afternoon.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe ya\u2026don\u2019t we, Pa?\u201d Hoss said as he welded his eyes onto his father\u2019s. \u201cAt least I do\u2026I dun told them I seen ya up there at Piaute Falls\u2026ya couldn\u2019t of had time to round-up them steers and be involved in such shenanigans as what Mr. McDuffy here says ya was\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben at last nodded his head in agreement. \u201cHoss is right, Roy,\u201d he said, directing his words at the sheriff. \u201cLittle Joe could not possibly have been in two places at once.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy seemed more confused than ever as he turned to the old farmer. \u201cMac,\u201d he began, \u201cYa got any other notions on this thing?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n It was easy to see that the farmer was quickly becoming very angry. His dark eyes blazed like hot coals when he faced Ben Cartwright.<\/p>\n \u201cAsk the big fella there what time of day he seen the youngster wallowin\u2019 in the mud with his steer!\u201d McDuffy shouted.<\/p>\n All eyes turned to Hoss, each expecting a quick answer from Ben\u2019s middle son. Hoss glanced around, gulping hard as he tried to remember the time of day he had seen his little brother wrestling with the steer who had gotten himself stuck in the thick mud. Hoss\u2019 blues eyes turned upward; he glanced at the darkening sky, briefly wondering if another storm of a different kind might be brewing.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm\u2026I can\u2019t rightly recall, Pa,\u201d he stammered.<\/p>\n Joe inhaled deeply, feeling his frustration rising to the surface. His eyes met his father\u2019s. Ben noted the stricken express on the boy\u2019s face and quickly turned to Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cTry, Hoss\u2026it\u2019s very important\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Sighing, Hoss took a deep breath then smiled suddenly. \u201cI remember,\u201d he grinned. \u201cIt was just after lunch\u2026\u2019member Adam, I came in from town, I was fetchin\u2019 the mail, and I had lunch\u2026fried chicken, potatoes and gravy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHOSS!\u201d Little Joe yelled.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, sorry,\u201d stammered the middle Cartwright son, \u201cAny way, after lunch, I rode up to Piaute Falls, took about thirty minutes. That\u2019s when I seen Little Joe here, fightin\u2019 with that steer\u2026so\u2019s it must have been close to 1:30\u2026maybe even two o\u2019clock,\u201d smiled Hoss, feeling relieved that he had remembered. He turned and grinned at his little brother, who returned the smile with one of his own.<\/p>\n \u201cWell?\u201d Ben said, placing a comforting hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder as he waited for the farmer and sheriff to respond to the facts that Hoss had provided.<\/p>\n The farmer\u2019s scowl deepened as he glared down at the boy. \u201cIt was you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Ben exclaimed. He felt the shudder that ran along Joe\u2019s muscles and beneath his palm. Gently he squeezed his son\u2019s shoulder. Joe, feeling the slight pressure refrained from speaking his mind.<\/p>\n \u201cI said it could\u2019ve been the boy\u2026them rapscallions tore up my place early this morning\u2026long about ten o\u2019clock\u2026\u201d McDuffy insisted.<\/p>\n Adam, who had for the most part, held his thoughts to himself, finally stepped forward and faced his brother. \u201cWhat time did you leave the house this morning, Little Joe?\u201d he asked his brother. Adam noticed that his father had moved his hand away and was watching Joe\u2019s face closely.<\/p>\n The worried look on the lad\u2019s face deepened. He seemed to be thinking. \u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d Joe stammered at last. \u201cMaybe nine\u2026maybe a little earlier\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was about quarter to nine,\u201d Ben supplied. \u201cJust after Hoss left for town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen he\u2019d a had plenty of time to be in on the shenanigans and still be up at Piaute Falls by the time Hoss claims to have seen the boy,\u201d Roy stated, looking for the most part as if he wished he were any other place on earth but where he was.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I wasn\u2019t\u2026\u201d Joe cried, backing away from the group. \u201cI\u2026I\u2026couldn\u2019t have been\u2026I was\u2026doin\u2019 what ya told me to do, Pa\u2026honest\u2026Hoss saw me\u2026\u201d he squealed, glancing over at his middle brother, hoping for the support he felt he so desperately needed.<\/p>\n Hoss, seeing the near panic expression on his kid brother\u2019s face, felt a stab of pity for the boy. \u201cYeah, I seen ya, Punkin\u2026but\u2026I mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t do it\u2026!\u201d shouted Joe who by now was nearing tears. \u201cHonest Pa\u2026honest\u2026I wouldn\u2019t do nuthin\u2019 like what he say\u2019s I dun!\u201d he claimed as he backed further from the small band of men who all towered over him.<\/p>\n Ben quickly went to his son\u2019s side and placed his hands back on the boy\u2019s shoulders, looking deeply into the troubled eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph\u2026\u201d Ben said as calmly as he could without frightening the boy more than he already was. \u201cIf you need to tell me something\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe instantly shook his head no.<\/p>\n \u201cSon\u2026I\u2026want to believe you, honestly I do\u2026but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe quickly pulled away from his father, stunned, shocked, heart-broken and on the verge of tears.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2026don\u2019t believe me\u2026\u201d he stammered, looking from face to face. \u201cNone of you do\u2026\u201d he cried.<\/p>\n \u201cNow Joseph\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO! YOU BELIVE HIM\u2026\u201d Joe shouted as tiny beads of water rolled from his eyes. \u201cYou don\u2019t believe me\u2026do ya Hoss\u2026even though ya know I was up at Piaute Falls\u2026\u201d Joe screamed. \u201cYou don\u2019t believe me either do you Adam\u2026course ya never do anyway\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, that\u2019s not so and you know it!\u201d Adam said in his own defense.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know no such a thing!\u201d Joe barked in response.<\/p>\n Ben moved again toward his youngest son, stopping as before directly in front of the lad.<\/p>\n \u201cI know this is hard for you to understand, Joseph, but\u2026well\u2026what Mac says makes sense\u2026I\u2019m not saying you\u2019re lying to me\u2026and I do want more than anything to believe you had nothing to do with what\u2019s been going on. But son, this isn\u2019t the first time that he says he\u2019s seen you with this group of ruffians. Before, it seemed that it was unlikely you could have been at his place\u2026but this time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t! I swear to ya\u2026on my mother\u2019s grave\u2026I wasn\u2019t there, Pa\u2026I wasn\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut the timing\u2026it is possible\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO! IT ISN\u2019T POSSIBLE, CAUSE I WASN\u2019T THERE!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Cartwright\u2026but I know what\u2026and who I saw\u2026the boy\u2019s lyin\u2019 to ya\u2026\u201d the farmer stated.<\/p>\n Ben, worried, glanced around at the older man and then at the sheriff. \u201cWhat do you want to do about this, Roy? Obviously there\u2019s some misunderstanding here that certainly needs clearing up\u2026what would you suggest?\u201d<\/p>\n The sheriff was tapping his fingers together. \u201cTed?\u201d he said, asking the farmer.<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you explain this?\u201d snarled Mac as he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a scrap of red and blue checked material.<\/p>\n Dumbfounded, Ben stared at the scrape for a long moment before taking the piece of cloth from the farmer. No one said a word, for it was beyond obvious that the scrape was the matching piece missing from the front of Little Joe\u2019s shirt.<\/p>\n \u201cDear Lord,\u201d mumbled Ben, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach by the churning that had unexpectedly erupted in the pit of his gut. Turning, Ben saw the color disappear from his son\u2019s cheeks and his left hand quickly grab at the front of his shirt where the missing pocket had once been.<\/p>\n The man glanced from the sheriff, down at the boy and then looked up at Ben. \u201cI\u2026want the boys arrested. I want them to pay for what they\u2019ve done\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n A soft groan escaped from deep within Joe\u2019s chest as he stood and listened. All eyes turned to see the horrified look on the boy\u2019s face. Ted McDuffy continued.<\/p>\n \u201cIf ya boy here will tell the sheriff who else was with him\u2026then\u2026then I\u2019ll not press charges against him, as long as you make restitution for his part of the destruction\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben had been unaware that he\u2019d been holding his breath, but he let it out slowly, nodding his head at his neighbor.<\/p>\n \u201cThat sounds fair enough\u2026\u201d he said, agreeing.<\/p>\n Joe suddenly felt like a wild animal cornered and about to be mauled by the hounds. The five pairs of eyes that watched him put him in mind of the barking dogs he imagined were out for the kill.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Joe\u2026you heard the man\u2026what do ya have to say?\u201d the sheriff asked the quivering boy.<\/p>\n Everyone stood silent, waiting, watching\u2026expecting him to jump at the chance being offered him, yet he couldn\u2019t speak. His tongue seemed glued to the roof of his mouth, his words lodged in the back of his throat. His only response was to shake his head no. Tears ran freely down his face, making their way to the end of his chin. Joe had lowered his head, unable to meet the intense, watchful eyes of his father. He felt betrayed, he felt alone and desolate\u2026as if something deep within his soul had just died\u2026\u2026..his father\u2019s trust in him!<\/p>\n Roy coughed to clear his throat. He felt a sharp, gripping pain in his lower stomach. The sheriff knew what he had to do\u2026it was his duty.<\/p>\n \u201cBen,\u201d he said at long last, breaking the eerie silence that had befallen the group. \u201cI\u2019ll have to take the boy into town\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYa mean ya gonna arrest, Little Joe?\u201d stammered Hoss in shock.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ben,\u201d Sheriff Coffee muttered. \u201cBut\u2026it\u2019s my job\u2026my duty.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben was having his own trouble trying to speak. His pulsating heart was pounding hard and when he glanced at the boy, he could have sworn that he could hear Joe\u2019s own heart thumping heavily within the slender chest. He saw the betrayed look in the welling eyes and he, himself felt betrayed, lied to and the trust he once held in the boy\u2026destroyed. In his dark ebony eyes, he felt a sudden rush of tears but quickly swiped them away, lest even they betray him.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand, Roy\u2026\u201d he said lowly. Turning to face the other gentleman, he addressed Ted McDuffy. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ted\u2026but I understand how you must feel. I wonder if\u2026you\u2019d mine waiting until morning. I mean\u2026it is late\u2026and the boy\u2019s had no supper. I give you my word of honor that we\u2019ll bring Joseph into town first thing after breakfast and turn him over to the sheriff\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The man, his head low, shuffled his feet. Mac glanced around at all the sullen, unhappy faces, even the boy\u2019s own brothers looked disillusioned; but he fixed his eyes on the accused, speaking to the father as he watched the boy fidgeting. \u201cAlright, Ben. I can understand how you must feel, finding out that ya boy is a trouble maker and a liar\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben felt the bristling vibrations coming from his oldest son, Adam, who happened to be standing nearest to him. He had to bite his own tongue to keep from making a sharp retort. The farmer was childless, and truth was, this man had no clue to his shattered, innermost feelings. He could only assume that Joe\u2019s brothers were just as disheartened as he was.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll make sure we\u2019re in town early, Roy,\u201d Ben said, addressing the sheriff. \u201cI give you my word.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, since Ted here agrees, I ain\u2019t worried none, Ben. Your word\u2019s always been good as far as I\u2019m concerned. Now, if my business is finished here\u2026I ain\u2019t had no supper either, so\u2019s I\u2019m headin\u2019 back to town,\u201d he said, turning to mount up. \u201cYa coming, Mac?\u201d<\/p>\n Ted McDuffy turned toward his horse, stopping long enough to make one last statement. \u201cBen, if ya boy changes his mind and wants to give the sheriff the names of his friends, my offer still stands\u2026I\u2019ll not press charges on ya boy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben sighed deeply, \u201cthank you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe stood in silence while the sheriff and Ted McDuffy rode away. The embittered father turned to his sullen, speechless young son. The others watched as Ben carefully placed his fingers under the quivering chin and tilted the boy\u2019s head upward. He noted the accumulation of tears and felt his heart flutter.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you have to say for yourself?\u201d he asked the boy in a choking voice that trembled when he spoke.<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s lips were pressed tightly together. He pulled away from the tender touch that always in the past had been a source of comfort. Gathering his courage he shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNothin\u2019\u2026you\u2019ve done made up your mind that I\u2019m guilty\u2026\u201d he said as he bolted and ran into the house, up the stairs and into his room, slamming the door hard enough to jar the windows. \u201cI cannot believe that Little Joe could be a part of such\u2026obnoxious, disgraceful behavior\u2026and then lie to me\u2026over and over about his part in it!\u201d Ben breathed. \u201cI\u2019m\u2026hell, I don\u2019t what I am\u2026disappointed in the boy to say the least, angry beyond measure\u2026hurt\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Adam brushed his hand over the front of his face and looked up at his father. All the emotions the elder Cartwright had just mentioned was plain to see. His father was shattered by the knowledge that his youngest son had in a manner of speaking, broken all trust his father had ever had for him, crushed the older man\u2019s spirit and cut their father\u2019s heart into a zillion pieces. The result of his youngest brother\u2019s action embittered even him. He couldn\u2019t help but wonder what would become of all of them now. How would the broken link in their family be repaired\u2026or worse, could it be? Adam stood up and faced his parent.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t fully understand what you\u2019re feeling, but I do have some of the same notions, Pa. But\u2026just what are you going to do about Joe? Are you going to let him\u2026go to jail\u2026stay there\u2026what?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2026surely ya ain\u2019t gonna let Sheriff Coffee keep\u2019em for a spell\u2026are ya, Pa?\u201d Hoss jumped up and quickly asked.<\/p>\n Taking a deep breath, Ben let it out slowly. The pain in his eyes was easy to read. \u201cI\u2026don\u2019t know. If the lad refuses to tell the truth or at least own up to his part in what\u2019s happened, there really isn\u2019t much I can do to help him, he refuses to talk. Why even earlier when I went up to discuss it with him, he refused to say anything about what he\u2019s done, nor did he mention the other boys names\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did he say\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing\u2026other than to claim he wasn\u2019t there\u2026how he could look me square in the eyes and still deny it, is beyond me\u2026\u201d Ben said sadly. \u201cWhen I asked him about the shirt pocket, all he could say was that he didn\u2019t know how it had gotten there\u2026how could he not know?\u201d Ben added softly.<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss watched as Ben reached into his vest pocket and pulled the scrap of material out of his pocket that had once belonged on the front of his youngest son\u2019s shirt. He fingered it, almost tenderly before looking up at his two sons. Ben held the material up in front of their faces.<\/p>\n \u201cI said I\u2019d not believe Joe\u2019d be a party to such, unless I had physical evidence\u2026I suppose this is it,\u201d he remarked bitterly in broken words that seemed forced from his mouth.<\/p>\n Hoss lowered his head, pinching his lips tightly, nodding. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t of believed it either until\u2026until this showed up,\u201d he said, taking the scrap from his father\u2019s hand. He looked at it for a long second and then handed it to Adam. \u201cIt sure\u2019nough belongs to Little Joe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath, sighing as he gave the evidence back to his father. \u201cThis little piece of material could send Little Joe to jail\u2026for quite sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw\u2026he\u2019s just a young\u2019n\u2026they\u2019d not\u2026really send him to prison\u2026would they, Pa?\u201d Hoss inquired with a worried frown.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe not prison\u2026but certainly reform school\u2026which is almost as bad as some prisons,\u201d Ben explained in a low, trouble, worried and frightened voice. He plopped down on the hearth, burying his face in both of his large, work worn hands. \u201cI simply cannot believe this is happening to me\u2026to Joseph\u2026to all of us,\u201d he moaned. \u201cHow could I have been so blinded\u2026so\u2026trusting\u2026where did I go wrong with the boy?\u201d he whined, looking up at Adam.<\/p>\n Lips tight, Adam sat down next to his father and put his arm across the back of Ben\u2019s slumped shoulders. \u201cPa\u2026you didn\u2019t do anything wrong\u2026you\u2019ve always done the best you could for Little Joe\u2026and for me and Hoss\u2026this is Little Joe\u2019s own doings. He knew better than to get involved in something like this\u2026I don\u2019t want to see the boy go to prison or reform school\u2026but he has to pay for what he\u2019s done\u2026otherwise\u2026he might do worse, later on.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben was nodding his head as Adam spoke. \u201cI know, I know\u2026but you have no idea how his lying\u2026the lying more than his actions, have\u2026ripped my heart apart.\u201d Ben turned tear filled eyes to look at Adam and then up at Hoss who stood over him. \u201cDon\u2019t you understand? I\u2026trusted that boy\u2026trusted him with my life even\u2026and he\u2019s\u2026betrayed that trust\u2026and our love\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben quickly stood up, walking across the room before turning around. \u201cHow will I ever be able to believe another thing he tells me\u2026just tell me\u2026how?\u201d<\/p>\n Saying nothing more, Ben slipped out the front door, closing it tightly behind him. He needed fresh air and time to think\u2026time to clear his head of all the smog that had settled and time to contemplate what should be done next in order to help his young, impulsive, wayward little boy. The weight of his burden bore down on his broad shoulders as he slowly made his way to the barn. Once inside, Ben inhaled deeply, struggling to get his wind for his chest seemed to be crushing him as he moved bit by bit toward a stack of crates. Slowly, still breathing deeply he knelt down, folding his hands in front of him. With upturned eyes he began to pray and prayed until at last his words were jumbled and inaudible through the deep sobs that were wrenched from the depths of his broken heart. Despite his resolve, tears formed in his eyes, billowing up like giant waves across the sands and overflowed unto the pillow beneath his head. Deep, painful sobs lurched from his soul and filled the room with an eerie echo of sounds as Joe cried out his despair.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lie\u2026it\u2019s all been a big, fat lie,\u201d he cried, rambling to himself. \u201cI wasn\u2019t there\u2026I wasn\u2019t\u2026I wasn\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n He recalled saying the same words to his father, but his father had refused to listen to him. The dirty scrap of material that had been ripped from is shirt had been enough to destroy any trust his father might have had in his son. Joe could only wonder about the tiny piece of evidence that Ted McDuffy had produced and used to demolish any faith his father might have held in him.<\/p>\n Joe felt sick to his stomach. Where had the old man gotten the piece of cloth? He couldn\u2019t remember it being ripped from his shirt\u2026could the farmer have found the scrap along the road and just assumed that he had been among the group of boys who had all but destroyed his property? But how\u2026how\u2026how\u2026that seemed to always be the question.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2026when I wasn\u2019t even there!\u201d muttered Joe as he pulled himself from his bed and walked to the window.<\/p>\n Pulling the drapes aside to look out, Little Joe saw his father walking slowly towards the barn. For a brief moment, the boy wondered if the father had gone to the barn to fetch the leather strap he had threatened him with. Joe remained at the window for several long minutes, waiting to see if his father emerged with the strap but when Ben finally did come out, his hands were empty. But Joe saw his father stop and pull his handkerchief from his back pocket and blow his nose. The actions surprised him, for he knew just how angry his father had been and how close he had come to getting a good hard lickin\u2019. Seeing his father wipe away dried tears was the last thing the boy had expected to find, for his father, or so he thought, had been far to angry to cry\u2026why, Ben had left the room in a huff, slamming the heavy oak door as he went out and shouting to the rooftops about why God had laid such a heavy burden on his shoulders, moaning loudly about reform schools and prisons for little boys and being the death of him. Joe hadn\u2019t understood most of what his father was bellowing about, but he did understand the anger and the fire that burned deep in the dark eyes that seemed to bore through his flesh and into his heart and soul cutting away at the very foundations that had once deemed them as father and son, friend and pal, flesh and blood, bound by a love that no longer was\u2026<\/p>\n Quickly, Joe grabbed his satchel from the wardrobe and began filling it with clothes. He\u2019d decided on the spur of a moment that if his father didn\u2019t love or believe in him anymore, he\u2019d be darned if he was going to jail for something he had no part in\u2026not even to square things with his father. Ben wouldn\u2019t care, neither would his brothers, they\u2019d all be glad to be rid of him. As quickly as he could, Joe finished his packing and shoved the case under the bed and then climbed in between the sheets. He knew his father would look in on him before going to bed\u2026Ben always had before, so to prevent another argument, he\u2019d act like he was sleeping and then, when Ben was gone\u2026he\u2019d grab his things, climb out the window and leave all his woes behind. Joe wasn\u2019t sure where he would go, he hadn\u2019t thought much on it, only that where ever he went, it would be miles and miles away from the place that once been his home.<\/p>\n Joe squeezed his eyes tightly shut and waited. The footsteps in the hall just outside his door warned him that his father was nearing the bedroom door and would in a minute, open it and look inside. He was hardly aware that he was holding his breath. The sound of muffled footsteps stopped just outside the door but the usual squeaking made when opened never occurred. The boy waited, listening, but his father, whom he knew was standing in the hall, did not open the door as expected. Joe\u2019s eyes opened and he turned over, watching for the door to be opened and his father to slip silently into the room. Another moment later the sounds of his father\u2019s steps could be heard continuing down the hall. Seconds later Joe heard his father\u2019s bedroom door open and shut. He gasped, feeling more alone than ever before. His father had failed to come in and check on him as always before, regardless of what might have transpired between them during the day. For Joe it was a first and the knowledge that is father now cared so little for him, was like the sharp blade of a finely honed knife that had been jabbed into the center of his already shattered heart, ripping it into more tiny pieces of broken, painful emotions.<\/p>\n It seemed like hours to the boy but when he finally ventured from his bed to grab his satchel, all was quiet in the house. Joe started toward the door but then stopped, changing his mind. \u2018The stairs,\u2019 his thoughts screamed at him. He knew that if he took the stairs, they would squeak and might give him away, so instead, he raised the window and quietly as possible climbed out onto the roof. When he reached the edge, he hesitated, looking back at the opened window. With a deep sigh he whispered good-bye to his family and his home and then lowered the satchel to the ground. Being careful not to bang his boots on the roof and risk awaking the others, Joe climbed down as far as possible and then dropped to the ground, landing on his feet.<\/p>\n He then grabbed up his traveling bag and raced across the yard to the barn where he made quick work of saddling his horse. Rather than riding out, Joe led his pinto outside and re-closed the door so that it would look as if it had been closed all night. After leading his horse around the side of the barn, Joe turned again to stare at his home. The burning of tears stung his eyes, but he refused to cry. Instead he mounted up, kicked gently at his mount\u2019s sides and rode off into the darkness and disappearing into the night. The clanking on the steps drew both men\u2019s attention from their breakfast as they turned to watch Hoss as he descended the stairs. The big man\u2019s gait as he crossed the room was slow and deliberate, telling the others that even he had slept poorly.<\/p>\n \u201cMornin\u2019 Pa, Adam,\u201d Hoss greeted the pair.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, son,\u201d Ben answered.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss,\u201d Adam said, making short words of his morning cheer.<\/p>\n Hoss pulled his chair out and sat down.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you hear any moving about in your brother\u2019s room?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYa mean Little Joe\u2019s?\u201d Hoss questioned.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s brows drew close. \u201cWell, since we\u2019re all here except him, who else do you think I meant?\u201d Ben snapped.<\/p>\n Hoss lowered his head, looking hurt. Ben was quick to notice and just as quickly he apologized. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Hoss. I didn\u2019t mean to snap at you\u2026but all this\u2026mess has started to take a toll on me. I didn\u2019t sleep very well and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Pa\u2026really, I understand,\u201d Hoss said. He glanced around at Adam and then turned again to his father. \u201cI don\u2019t reckon none of us got much sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d sighed Ben, \u201cI reckon not. Hoss, would you mind going up and telling Little Joe that breakfast is ready and to please come down here immediately?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss finished pushing his foot into his boot and nodded. \u201cYes sir,\u201d he said, rising but then pausing. \u201cYa gonna take him into town and turn\u2019em over to the sheriff?\u201d<\/p>\n He watched the expression deepen on his father\u2019s face and the sadness that he\u2019d tried to hide wash over the false calm that Ben had been wearing.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid Hoss, that your brother leaves me with no other choice. If we don\u2019t take him in, I\u2019m afraid the sheriff will ride out here and take him. I\u2019d rather that not happen\u2026I\u2026don\u2019t want to have to stand aside and watch as Roy puts handcuffs on my boy and takes him\u2026from me\u2026us\u2026\u201d Ben let the air rush from his lungs. \u201cI might be tempted to\u2026do something I\u2019d regret later if that were to happen\u2026and I\u2019d rather not chance that. Please, fetch him for me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Again, Hoss nodded that he understood. \u201cYessir.\u201d<\/p>\n With a heavy feeling in his heart, Hoss climbed the stairs, pausing at his little brother\u2019s bedroom door before tapping lightly. As he waited, images of Little Joe with hands cuffed behind his back, flashed through his troubled thoughts. He sighed heavily and tapped again. When no response from the other side of the door was made, the gentle, caring man opened the door just enough to peek inside. Joe\u2019s bed linens were ruffled and tossed and it appeared to Hoss that the boy was still sleeping. Hoss pushed wide the thick door and walked slowly to the edge of the bed where he stood tall over the sleeping form.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d he said in a near whisper. \u201cPa said it\u2019s time to get up\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n When Joe didn\u2019t stir, Hoss reached down and picked up the blanket and slowly pulled it back. His eyes grew huge and a sudden flutter flickered through his heart.<\/p>\n \u201cOh no\u2026\u201d he muttered to himself as he allowed the blanket to drop. Hoss turned around, inspecting the room with his worried eyes. He noticed that the shift robe door was slightly ajar so he walked over and yanked the door open wide. Gasping, he shook his head, noting instantly that most of his little brother\u2019s clothing was missing. \u201cDadburn ya ornery hide, Joe,\u201d he spewed angrily. \u201cYa dun and got yaself into more trouble\u2026again!\u201d he snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cHOSS! JOSEPH!\u201d<\/p>\n Hearing his father\u2019s loud, booming voice calling him, Hoss quickly shut the door on the half empty shift robe and hurried from the room. When he reached the top of the stairs, he found his father on the landing, obviously heading up to Joe\u2019s room to see what was keeping the two boys.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, is he coming down?\u201d Ben asked, searching Hoss\u2019 face.<\/p>\n Hoss could barely meet his father\u2019s dark, probing eyes. He shook his head. \u201cNosir,\u201d he answered softly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? What do you mean no\u2026why that little\u2026\u201d stormed Ben as he tried to push his way past the massive form of his middle son.<\/p>\n \u201cAin\u2019t no use to go up there, Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd why not?\u201d Ben demanded, halting his ascend.<\/p>\n \u201cCause he ain\u2019t there\u2026his clothes are gone too\u2026he\u2019s\u2026dun\u2026run away.\u201d<\/p>\n Stunned to silence, Ben stood frozen to the spot. All sorts of wild images flashed through his thoughts. By this time, Adam had moved to the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the pair as much in shock as his father and brother.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m not surprised,\u201d Adam finally spoke. \u201cIt\u2019s just like our youngest brother to do something so foolish\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben spun around, glaring at his eldest son. \u201cAdam, that will be enough\u2026\u201d he stormed angrily as he turned and retreated down the steps. \u201cHoss, saddle our horses\u2026please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYessir,\u201d Hoss replied obediently.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you going to do, Pa?\u201d Adam dared to ask.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going after him\u2026he couldn\u2019t have gotten far\u2026and\u2026I want you and Hoss to ride into town and tell Roy Coffee what\u2019s happened. Tell him that as soon as I find the boy, I\u2019ll bring him into town,\u201d Ben gulped. \u201cAs much as I hate to do it, the boy has to learn his lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam slowly followed his father to the door and as Ben buckled on his gun belt, Adam did the same.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026well\u2026he was probably scared\u2026I mean\u2026going to jail, maybe even reform school\u2026well\u2026\u201d stammered Adam.<\/p>\n Ben paused and looked sadly at his son. In a calm voice he responded to the statement. \u201cI know, son\u2026I know and in all honesty, I can\u2019t say that I blame him\u2026though he was wrong to run away from me\u2026\u201d Suddenly, Ben paused, paling considerably.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Pa?\u201d Adam asked, seeing the startling change that had come over his father.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026\u201d Ben said in troubled voice. \u201cThe boy was afraid of more than going to jail, Adam\u2026he was afraid of\u2026me\u2026he ran away from\u2026me.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Adam could voice his thoughts, Ben rushed from the house. Hoss had all three horses saddled and waiting for them. Ben hurried to his horse and mounted up.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to find him\u2026Adam, you and Hoss do as I asked\u2026be sure to tell Roy I\u2019ll find the boy and bring him in\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026\u201d Hoss shouted out as Ben turned to go. \u201cHe\u2019s mounted and headed west\u2026probably gone up to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, Hoss\u2026his mother\u2019s grave\u2026I\u2019ll look there first\u2026be careful, both of you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou too, Pa\u2026\u201d Adam called as Ben rounded the barn and rode out of sight. \u201cYa look beat, ole boy,\u201d the lad muttered to his horse as he reached for the canteen.<\/p>\n He pulled the cork from the receptacle and took a long swig of the cool water. When he\u2019d drunk his fill, he removed his hat and poured a small amount into it, offering the water to his horse. The old painted pony drank thirstily.<\/p>\n \u201cGood, heh?\u201d Joe said, grinning briefly as the pony bobbed his head up and down.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, let\u2019s walk a spell,\u201d Joe suggested. He placed the canteen\u2019s strap over the saddle horn and then took the reins and began walking.<\/p>\n Along the ridge, the rocks were getting bigger and bigger as the boy and his horse climbed higher. The air was cooler, not so hot as down below. Joe glanced up at the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be dark soon,\u201d he told his pony. \u201cBest we be finding a place to camp for the night.\u201d<\/p>\n It had taken another hour for the boy to pick the right spot. Around him, Joe and his pony was sheltered by the vast rocks that would protect him from the cold night wind. As much as he wanted a fire, Joe knew he\u2019d have to keep a cold camp tonight and for many nights to come, or at least until he was certain that his father had stopped searching for him, for he knew that Ben would look for him. His father\u2019s pride demanded that he do it, find his son and turn him over to the sheriff as if the lad were a common criminal. Joe tried to push the unsettling thoughts from his mind. The boy quickly unsaddled his horse, tossing the saddle gear down on the ground to use as part of his bedding for the night. After brushing down Paint\u2019s slick hide with pine needles he\u2019d found, Joe settled himself into his bedroll, munching on a hard, cold biscuit he\u2019d salvaged from the kitchen earlier that morning.<\/p>\n \u201cAin\u2019t much,\u201d he muttered to no one but himself. Another bite and he tossed the last crumb into the bushes and then snuggled down into the warmth of the blanket and closed his eyes. Almost instantly he was asleep.<\/p>\n \u201cNO! NO! I didn\u2019t do it\u2026PA\u2026NO\u2026please\u2026don\u2019t send me to reform school! ADAM, HOSS!!\u201d<\/p>\n Jerking and twisting in his bedroll, Joe fought the blanket that trapped him against the ground. His troubled mind fought against the images that continually sprang from deep within his subconscious. He could see his father\u2019s disappointment shining in the dark embers of his chocolate eyes, Adam was shaking his head in disgust while Hoss stood in the background weeping as he watched his little brother being carted off to jail\u2026destined for the reform school.<\/p>\n \u201cNOOOO!\u201d screamed Little Joe, bolting upright from his dark bed. His breath came in short, deep pants. Sweat dotted his brow and tears rolled freely from his eyes. \u201cI didn\u2019t do anything,\u201d he muttered in broken words. At last he lay back, looking at the star filled sky overhead. Minuet droplets of tears continued to over whelm his eyes and spill out only to run down the sides of his face. \u201cWhy won\u2019t ya believe me, Pa\u2026why\u2026why\u2026why?\u201d His eyes were dark with anger as he moved around his desk and stopped in front of Adam and Hoss. Hoss gulped and glanced over at Adam to see what his brother might do next.<\/p>\n \u201cJust like I said, when we got up this morning, Joe was gone. Pa asked us to come in and let you know\u2026he\u2019s looking for him right now\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat little rapscallion\u2026\u201dstormed the sheriff. \u201cI knew I should have locked him up last night!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw\u2026Roy,\u201d muttered Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cAw Roy nothing! What do you think Ted McDuffy\u2019s gonna say now\u2026that I\u2019m not doin\u2019 my job\u2026that\u2019s what he\u2019ll be spreadin\u2019 all over town!\u201d growled Roy Coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cLook Roy,\u201d Adam said in a calm voice, \u201cPa rode up to the lake early this morning in hopes that maybe Joe went there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2026he does that when he\u2019s got sumthin\u2019 on his mind,\u201d Hoss added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be joining up with Pa later\u2026you can come along if you like. But Pa said to tell you, please don\u2019t worry, as soon as he finds Joe, he\u2019ll bring the boy in, just like he promised he would,\u201d Adam said with surety.<\/p>\n Roy seemed to be contemplating the situation and was just about to answer Adam\u2019s comment when the office door burst opened and Ted McDuffy, followed by several other men of various ages crowded into his office. The older man was obviously enraged, his angry dark eyes flashed like hot coals.<\/p>\n \u201cRoy Coffee!\u201d he demanded, glancing crossly at the two Cartwrights, \u201cI\u2019ve just been informed that Joe Cartwright has escaped! What do you have to say about this\u2026what are you going to do about it!!\u201d<\/p>\n Roy sighed deeply as his eyes swept the crowd that had gathered in his office. \u201cWell first off, Mac,\u201d he began, \u201cthe boy ain\u2019t escaped like ya say he did, he really wasn\u2019t in custody. And second\u2026these here two boys of Ben\u2019s just rode into town to fill me in, their pappy is out lookin\u2019 for the youngster right now, ain\u2019t that right boys?\u201d he asked, turning his attention to Adam and Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Adam said in a deep voice. He too was watching the crowd, taking note of the men and boys who were there to satisfy their curiosity. \u201cMy father will find our little brother and bring him in, just as he said he would.\u201d Adam turned to Hoss, pointing to the door with a nod of his head. \u201cCome on Hoss, let\u2019s get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowd stood still, unmoving until Adam elbowed his way through and then they began to part willingly to allow the two men to leave. Hoss glanced at several faces, noting the angry stares. Once outside, he paused before mounting up and spoke softly to his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cThem men in there sure seemed all fired up about Little Joe not comin\u2019 in\u2026wonder how they know\u2019d he run off?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam, already mounted, shrugged his shoulders. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss\u2026and to be truthful, I don\u2019t care. What I do care about is finding Joe and getting him back here before old man McDuffy starts trouble. Come on, hurry up.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss quickly mounted and followed Adam from town. His brother\u2019s statement about the old man starting trouble for his kid brother worried him. He glanced back over his shoulder, just in time to hear the old man ask for volunteers to help in the search.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll pay any man or boy, one thousand dollars for finding and bringing that little trouble maker, Joe Cartwright, back to stand trial for what he\u2019s done to me and my place!\u201d McDuffy shouted to the group of on-lookers who had followed him into the street. \u201cI\u2019ll show the kids around here, who\u2019s boss and who ain\u2019t! I\u2019ll have my day in court and that weasel will celebrate his birthday in reform school\u2026on that I give you my word\u2026now who\u2019s gonna take me up on it?\u201d<\/p>\n The crowd cheered and then scattered. Hoss felt his stomach churn and quickly nudged his horse faster in order to catch up with his brother.<\/p>\n Back in the street, two young men stood in silence, one watching the dissipating crowd. \u201cNow what?\u201d one boy asked the other. \u201cIt don\u2019t look so good for Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark Langley looked down at his companion. \u201cI ain\u2019t worried \u2018bout what happens to Cartwright\u2026his old man\u2019s rich enough to get him off, I\u2019m more worried about what he\u2019s told and what he ain\u2019t told.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw\u2026Little Joe ain\u2019t told nuthin\u2019\u2026 he can\u2019t remember nuthin\u2019, so how\u2019s he gonna tell what we\u2019ve done?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m gonna make sure he told remember\u2026come guys, let\u2019s \u2018help\u2019 find the little brat\u2026then we\u2019ll take care of old man McDuffy, just like we planned,\u201d snickered Mark as he hurried down the street with the others.<\/p>\n Chester Pike lingered behind. His thoughts were on Little Joe and what he and his friends had done to the boy and what they had forced him to be a part of. For the first time in a long time, Chester Pike was feeling something that he\u2019d not felt in many years, guilt. The emotion was almost over-whelming. He had liked Little Joe Cartwright from the moment they had first met. Chester hadn\u2019t been aware of why he was so drawn to the younger kid, not for many weeks and then one day it dawned on him, Little Joe reminded him of his own little brother, Willie, who had died in a freak accident nearly five years prior. Maybe the way his brother had died and believing he\u2019d been a part of the reason caused him now to stop and think about what Mark Langley had planned for Little Joe.<\/p>\n Suddenly, Chester shook his head. \u201cNo\u2026I won\u2019t let Mark destroy that boy\u2026nor the kid\u2019s family\u2019s faith in him.\u201d He\u2019d traveled that road once in his own life and the memories of that dark time were none that he wished on any other young man\u2026and especially on Joe Cartwright, who was so much like his brother Willie that it gave him cause to shiver.<\/p>\n The curly headed young man turned in the opposite direction and raced toward the livery where he\u2019d left his horse to be shoed. He\u2019d ride out alone to find Joe\u2019s father and tell him what was in the making. Maybe Mark would be mad enough at him to want revenge, but Chester suddenly didn\u2019t care what Mark or the others thought. The wee little voice deep down inside of him that his mother had always claimed was God\u2019s voice, had spoken to him, pleaded with him to do the right thing. He might be in for the beating of his life, once his pals learned what he\u2019d done, but it didn\u2019t matter, not now, not with Joe Cartwright\u2019s life hanging in the balance. Hoss, having dismounted to inspect the trail, turned and looked up at his father and brother. His eyes fixed themselves on Adam\u2019s hazel eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI reckon we taught\u2019em too well, Adam, guess he must\u2019va been payin\u2019 attention after all.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s lips were pulled tight and straight across his face. \u201cWell\u2026it\u2019s the first time he ever paid any heed to what one of us was trying to teach him!\u201d he growled. \u201cHoss, haven\u2019t you seen anything\u2026hasn\u2019t he even broken a twig\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNosir, not that I can see.\u201d Hoss pushed his big hat further back on his head and wiped the sleeve of his shirt across his brow. He looked up at the sun. \u201cIt\u2019s gettin\u2019 hot\u2026might be the boy\u2019s up in the hills lookin\u2019 for water, Pa\u2026he\u2019s bound to be gettin\u2019 thirsty\u2026I sure \u2018nough am\u2026so\u2019s ole Chubb.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, there\u2019s a small stream further up\u2026the way gets a little more rockier, but if memory serves me right, it should only be about half a mile or so up that draw,\u201d Adam explained as he pointed the way.<\/p>\n The three Cartwrights were watering their mounts and unaware of the young man who watched them, trying to gain courage to face the trio. Chester gulped hard, rubbing his throat with his opened hand in an effort to help him swallow. After pulling his hat down further on his head, he nudged his horse gently in the sides and began moving downhill toward the stream and where Ben and his two sons were just mounting up.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Cartwright!\u201d Chester shouted before the men were able to move on. \u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d he said again, a little louder in order to draw the men\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n Ben pulled back on his reins and turned Buck around, seeing the boy behind them. Adam and Hoss stopped as well, wrenching their necks around to see who might be calling out to them.<\/p>\n Ben glanced with a puzzled frown at his sons and then edged up next to the boy and his horse. \u201cDid you want or need something son? Are you hurt?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo sir,\u201d the boy answered quickly. \u201cI\u2026I just need to speak to you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t it wait\u2026I\u2019m sort of in a hurry, I\u2019m looking for my son\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe\u2026yes sir, I know you are\u2026and that\u2019s what I need to talk to you about\u2026Little Joe,\u201d stammered Chester. He fidgeted nervously with the leather reins held tightly in his hands and dared to look the older man in the eye.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe? You know my son?\u201d Ben quizzed.<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir\u2026and there\u2019s something ya should know\u2026something\u2019s gonna happen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s gonna happen?\u201d barked Hoss as he moved forward. \u201cThere better not be anythin\u2019 happenin\u2019 to my baby brother\u2026cause if there is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoss! That will be enough, can\u2019t you see you\u2019re frightening the boy?\u201d Ben growled. He turned back to the boy who looked as if he had seen a ghost he was so pale.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s your name, son?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChester Pike, sir\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c Well now Chester, what is it that you need to tell us?\u201d Ben said in a gentle manner. \u201cDo you know where my son is? If so, I need you to tell me immediately so that I can get to him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Chester shook his head no. \u201cI ain\u2019t got no idea where he\u2019s got to, Mr. Cartwright, honest\u2026but I do have something important to tell you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why don\u2019t we get down and sit\u2026over there, under that ledge where we\u2019ll be in the shade and then you can explain?\u201d offered Ben.<\/p>\n After agreeing, Chester dismounted and tied his horse to the same branch where the Cartwrights had tethered their own mounts and then followed the grown men to the spot indicated. Once he was sitting, he looked around at the worried, curious faces and took a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, sir,\u201d he began, \u201cit was like this\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u201d \u201cI know you\u2019re tired old boy, so am I, but we gotta keep going soon. Pa ain\u2019t far behind. I don\u2019t think he knows it yet, but he\u2019s been trailing me most all day,\u201d Little Joe explained to his pinto, who turned at the sound of the boy\u2019s voice to look at his master. \u201cI know, you don\u2019t understand a word I\u2019m saying do you?\u201d Joe said as he petted the animal\u2019s neck. \u201cDon\u2019t matter\u2026go on, finish your drink.\u201d<\/p>\n While his horse finished drinking from the creek and then began to pull at what little grass he could find, Joe crept along the ridge, making sure to stay behind the big boulders so that he wouldn\u2019t be seen by the three men that moved silently upward toward his hiding place. Joe watched for several long moments, his father and two brothers. They had stopped and Hoss had dismounted and was looking closely at the ground. When Hoss turned to look upward toward the rocky hills, Joe scrunched down to stay out of sight. Looking again, Joe saw his middle brother standing close to their father, obviously telling Ben something.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably managed to pick up my tracks,\u201d Joe muttered to himself. \u201cWhy\u2026I don\u2019t understand why Pa even bothers, he\u2019s all but turned his back on me\u2026thinking I\u2019ve been lying to him and believing I did all those horrible things to that old man.\u201d Joe\u2019s lips tightened into a thin line as his face puckered up in disgust. \u201cHe promised the sheriff he\u2019d take me into town\u2026and when he found out I\u2019d slipped out, I bet he was madder than a wet hornet\u2026I forced him to break his word. Hmm\u2026if he catches me, he\u2019ll probably wallop me good before he sends me to jail\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The boy made a sniffling sound and then leaned back against the rock, forcing himself not to give in to the tears he felt burning his eyes. His heavy heart beat wildly in his chest. He was bone weary, hungry and in any other case, would have run straightaway to his father and begged to be forgiven. But Joe believed this time it would be a wasted cause, he believed his father would never forgive him, though Joe had nothing to be forgiven for\u2026and that was what was breaking his heart. His father doubted him, mistrusted him, and worse, wanted\u2026no, expected him to pay for crimes he hadn\u2019t even committed. Blinking had forced the tears to spill over the rim of his eyes but he hurried to wipe them away. A deep stabbing pain of remorse for what had severed his relationship with his father caused him to inhale deeply. His fists balled up and in a moment of anguish, he slammed his left fist into the hard rock. Another stabbing pain immediately engulfed his hand. Joe grabbed it with his right and clamped his jaw tight in order to keep from crying out.<\/p>\n Disgusted with himself, he turned to go, but stopped suddenly, dead in his tracks. He unexpectedly found himself staring face to face with the very man he was trying to avoid. Panic filled his heart, fear seized his thoughts; dread of what lay ahead of him should his father force him to go back with him, gave him cause to turn the other direction and start to run in order to keep Ben from grasping his arm and preventing his escape.<\/p>\n \u201cNo Pa\u2026no\u2026\u201d he said in a near whisper as he turned and bolted blindly off in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n Joe ran between the two large rocks that were to his left. Ben was close behind when he stopped suddenly, grasping with his hands on the two boulders on either side of him that his son had just squeezed between. It was as if a sharply honed knife had pierced his heart when he heard the blood-curdling scream.<\/p>\n \u201cAWWWWWWW!!!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJOSEPH!\u201d screamed Ben as he watched in horror while his youngest son disappeared over the cliff. Ben held on with both hands while he leaned over the rim and searched for the boy who had fallen. His heart thumped wildly with fright as his eyes roved to and fro.<\/p>\n \u201cJOSEPH! JOSEPH!\u201d he yelled at the top of his voice and then listened intently for a response.<\/p>\n \u201cPA! What\u2019s wrong?\u201d shouted Adam from behind as he quickly slid down from his mount and hurried to join his father. Hoss was only inches behind and together the three leaned out far over the edge.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019s fallen, he went over the cliff,\u201d Ben explained worriedly. \u201cI\u2019ve got to get to him,\u201d he said as he began to climb down.<\/p>\n Adam grabbed his father by the shoulder, preventing Ben from descending the canyon wall.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, it\u2019s much to dangerous for you\u2026let me go\u2026I\u2019ll find him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d shouted Ben angrily. \u201cHe\u2019s my son\u2026this is\u2026my fault\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNonesense,\u201d Hoss said quickly.<\/p>\n Ben glared at his two sons with a look of defiance etched into his expression. \u201cI should have warned him instead of trying to sneak up on him\u2026I have to go to him, I have to tell him\u2026he needs to know\u2026that I know\u2026he has to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Without another word, Ben began the step climb down the side of the canyon wall. Hoss and Adam watched anxiously until Adam at last spoke. He grabbed Hoss by the arm and pointed.<\/p>\n \u201cThere he is, Hoss\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere,\u201d Adam said, pointing to a small flat rock that extended out over the canyon. \u201cOn that ledge\u2026quick, get some rope and one of the horses. We\u2019ll have to pull both of them up\u2026hurry,\u201d he ordered as he stayed where he was and watched his father. It was obvious that Ben had spotted the boy and was now slowly and cautiously making his way to his son.<\/p>\n The minute he reached the boy, Ben knew they were in trouble. The ledge was only a narrow parturition that extended out from the canyon\u2019s edge. Joe\u2019s crumpled body lay inches from the edge and Ben knew that if the boy moved too much the wrong way, his young life or what remained of Joe\u2019s life, would end that day in tragedy. Carefully Ben inched his way to his son\u2019s side and once he\u2019d squatted down, the worried father tenderly picked up Joe\u2019s head, resting it his large, trembling hands.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben said softly as he watched the boy struggling to open his eyes. \u201cTake it easy, son, don\u2019t move\u2026we\u2019re hanging out on a ledge\u2026easy now,\u201d he cautioned as Joe\u2019s eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d he murmured lowly.<\/p>\n Ben saw the boy swallow and then pinch his eyes tightly together. Tiny droplets of water squeezed from beneath lowered lashes.<\/p>\n \u201cHur\u2026ts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know it does, son\u2026\u201d Ben answered. He cast a sideways glance up toward the top of the rim where he could see Hoss and Adam already lowering a rope. \u201cI\u2019ll have you out of here in no time\u2026just don\u2019t move, son\u2026don\u2019t move!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026\u201d Joe muttered as Ben turned away to grab the rope. Hesitating only a second, he turned back to his son and saw that Joe was watching him. The pain mingled with the fear and hurt that his son was suffering was evident on the young boy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it son?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026have\u2026to tell\u2026you\u2026something. Something\u2026bad\u2026that\u2026I\u2026did\u2026I\u2026remember\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben gave the boy a weak smile, grabbed the rope and returned to his son\u2019s side.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026it\u2019s alright, I already know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n A puzzled look clouded the boy\u2019s face. He shook his head and tried to speak, but a sharp pain seized him and he arched his back, crying out.<\/p>\n \u201cAwwwe\u2026.oh\u2026God\u2026Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Frightened for his son, Ben hurried to wrap the rope about Joe\u2019s upper body and secure it. \u201cJoe\u2026I promise, everything will be alright\u2026but right now, I have to get you out of here and to the doctor\u2026your leg is in bad shape\u2026and it looks like your shoulder is as bad\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s tear filled eyes sought his father\u2019s face, grabbling for Ben\u2019s arm. His chin quivered and his voice trembled as he tried to explain.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m\u2026sorry\u2026Pa\u2026honest\u2026oh\u2026..hurts\u2026hurts\u2026.\u201d Joe made a sniffling sound and continued. He gasped for air to fill his heaving, painful lungs. \u201cI\u2026I\u2026didn\u2019t\u2026mean\u2026to\u2026lie\u2026oh\u2026GOD!\u201d he screamed softly as the spasms of pain and grief engulfed him. \u201cI\u2026Mark\u2026the carnival\u2026he\u2026Oh\u2026please\u2026make it\u2026stop!\u201d Within seconds the pain became too much and began overtaking his conscious state, leaving him to wander in a world of black oblivion.<\/p>\n With his son no longer conscious, Ben hurried to tie the rope and then motioned for Hoss to begin pulling Joe to the top. It was slow and tedious. Joe\u2019s body swung perilously to and fro and Ben, helplessly watching below, felt his heart lurch in fear for his youngest son\u2019s life. After what seemed like forever to his father, Joe was soon at the top and Adam hurried to unwrap the rope and toss it back down to his father. While Hoss pulled Ben to the top of the canyon wall, Adam had already begun working on his brother\u2019s leg. He carefully set the broken bone and was in the process of assembling a make-do splint out of broken limbs he\u2019d found on the ground.<\/p>\n When Ben reached the top, he rushed to Joe\u2019s side, inspecting the boy\u2019s breathing, which had become labored. \u201cWe best get the boy to town, he may have some busted ribs as well\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou stay with Joe, Pa\u2026I\u2019ll make a travois, he ain\u2019t able to sit no horse, that\u2019s for sure,\u201d Hoss determined and then set about making the travois that would serve to carry Joe back into town.<\/p>\n The journey back to town was slow. Ben knew that time was of the essence but the rocky path seemed to stir up the agony that rested deep inside his son\u2019s aching body and with every bump the travois made, Joe cried out his discomfort. Ben rode slowly, sometimes even dismounting to walk beside his son\u2019s body when the way became to rough and uneven. It was late afternoon by the time the four entered the outskirts of town but news of their arrival spread like wildfire. Folks seemed to come from every building along the street to watch their procession. Men and young men alike lined the streets. Women and girls stood silently by the sides of their men until at last Ben reached the doctor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss hurried to take loose the travois and using it now as a stretcher, they hurried into the physician\u2019s office. Doc Martin was waiting for them. He motioned them into the back room and shut the door.<\/p>\n \u201cPut him on the table\u2026careful now\u2026don\u2019t jar him,\u201d he instructed the youngster\u2019s brothers.<\/p>\n The brothers did as instructed and then immediately backed up out of the doctor\u2019s way. Paul quickly began to remove the restraints that held Joe and then pulled back the blanket. The three senior Cartwrights all took a step forward, peeking over the doctor\u2019s shoulder and down at Joe who lay so deathly still and motionless. Paul paused in his work and scanned the worried, frightened faces.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t you and the boys wait outside, Ben, that way I can examine the boy and do what has to be done?\u201d Paul asked politely. The last thing he needed was three anxious on-lookers and he\u2019d already determined that Joe\u2019s leg would need some painful work and seeing the boy suffer more at the hands of the physician was not what he wanted a worried father to be exposed to.<\/p>\n Ben sighed deeply, nodding his head as he stepped closer to Joe. He leaned down and brushed back a lock of the curly, dusty hair. \u201cI\u2019ll just be on the other side of the door son\u2026I won\u2019t be far away\u2026I promise you,\u201d he whispered to the unconscious boy.<\/p>\n \u201cBen\u2026he can\u2019t hear you,\u201d Paul said softly with a touch of pity in his voice.<\/p>\n Ben glanced up at his friend. \u201cI know\u2026but\u2026just in case he can\u2026I want him to know I\u2019m here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand, now, please, the sooner you go, the sooner I can begin my work.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss moved toward the door. Ben followed more slowly but soon the trio was in the waiting room. Ben walked to the nearest chair and plopped down. Anxiously, he removed his hat and tossed it onto the table. He looked tired and worried but he felt more frightened and angry than anything else. When he looked up at Hoss and Adam, his eyes conveyed to them his unresolved emotions.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot believe all of this mess\u2026has come down to\u2026Joe\u2019s life hanging in the balance,\u201d he sputtered.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019ll be alright, Pa\u2026don\u2019t ya worry none\u2026\u201d Hoss said quickly, trying to consol his father.<\/p>\n \u201cWell I am worried\u2026I\u2019m worried about his health, his emotions\u2026what\u2019s been done to him\u2026what\u2026I\u2019ve done to him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ain\u2019t done nuthin\u2019 more\u2019n the rest of us have, Pa\u2026ya can\u2019t go blamin\u2019 yaself\u2026we all had our doubts,\u201d Hoss stated with sadness. \u201cWe\u2019s all ta blame\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d Adam interrupted, \u201cI think Hoss and I need to go\u2026we promised Chester we\u2019d see the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n Immediately, Ben jumped to his, grabbing his hat. \u201cIn all the rush to get Joe back, I\u2019d almost forgotten\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026you can\u2019t go\u2026\u201dHoss said timidly.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd why the blazes not!\u201d shouted Ben.<\/p>\n \u201cCause, Pa\u2026what if Joe\u2026I mean\u2026ere\u2026Joe might wake up and\u2026ask for ya\u2026that\u2019s why,\u201d Hoss explained with broken words.<\/p>\n Ben fell silent as he turned to look at the closed door that separated him from his son. Hoss was right; he was needed here, with his injured son. Hoss and Adam could handle the other matter while he waited here, with Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re right, Hoss\u2026but I want the two of you to be careful, you hear me?\u201d Ben said, shaking his finger at his two oldest sons.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will, Pa\u2026\u201d Adam assured him as he started out the door. Hoss was on his heels and nearly collided with Adam when his older brother stopped and turned around. \u201cAfter tonight, Pa\u2026this nightmare will be over\u2026you just tell Joe for me\u2026if he comes around\u2026not to worry.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben gave both a smile and a nod of his head. \u201cThank you Adam\u2026Hoss\u2026I\u2019ll tell him\u2026now get going, it\u2019s getting late and Roy will most likely want to be set up before nightfall. Be careful!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss disappeared through the door. Ben stood in the opened door and watched the pair mount up. He lingered until the two had ridden down the street and turned the corner out of sight. When he shut the door, Ben sighed deeply and returned to his chair to wait for the doctor to come out and relay to him that his son would be alright.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to believe that Joe\u2019s going to be fine,\u201d he told himself.<\/p>\n Before the doctor appeared, Ben had told himself the same thing time after time. His thoughts raced through all that had happened and what was happening with Joe now and how Adam and Hoss and the sheriff were making out. He rubbed his temples with his fingers for his head had begun to hurt and he yearned for a long stiff drink to calm his rattled nerves. The pain only seemed to intensify as the minutes ticked away. At last, Ben leaned his head over, propping it up with the palm of his opened hand and before long he had fallen to sleep, exhausted both physically and emotionally. Working on a tip from the informant, the sheriff, with his select group of men, planned this night to put an end to the raging turmoil that these certain young hooligans had been causing. Adam and Hoss were there to help, but had other reasons for wanting to be present. From what they learned earlier, their little brother had been made to be a party to the shenanigans and they were there to confront the leader\u2026determined to find out just why they had set out to destroy, not only the old farmer, but their youngest brother as well; and to find out how they had maneuvered Joe into doing something that was totally against his teachings. With Joe\u2019s life now hanging in the balance, the pair had set their heads to getting answers to the boy\u2019s dilemma. The boy had been so adamant about not being apart of the destructive group, that is, until evidence that even he could not explain, had been found and pointed a positive finger at Joe and his involvement in the wild spree. The shred of evidence that linked Joe to the group of wayward boys had all but destroyed their father\u2019s faith and trust in his youngest son. Both Ben and Joe had been devastated by the turn of events, heart broken, saddened and shamed had left the young boy and father on different ends of the totem pole, sort of speaking. And Joe, in his shattered state of mine had run off\u2026into worse disaster that left the teenager fighting for his life.<\/p>\n Hours passed slowly as the group of men watched and waited. Back in town, another man watched and waited\u2026and prayed. Ben pulled his chair up closer to the bed and leaned down, studying the boy\u2019s features. Even in his oblivion, Joe\u2019s pain was evident, written into the soft lines of his young, bruised face. Ben felt his throat tighten and was inclined to brush his fingertips tenderly down his son\u2019s cheeks where dark blotches of black and blue discolored the once handsome features.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026please, son,\u201d he whispered, \u201ccome back to me\u2026I was wrong\u2026so very, very wrong\u2026\u201d wept Ben as he rested his head on the pillow next to his son\u2019s. They seemed destined for failure right from the start. The hooligans were totally unaware of the trap that had been set for them or of the men who hid in the dark shadows, that is, until it was too late. As soon as the boys approached the front of the house, men rushed from their hiding places forming a circle around the startled young boys. Horses whinnied and reared up on hind legs. Two of the boys toppled off and where quickly snatched out of the way by Roy\u2019s men.<\/p>\n Shouts filled with anger and fright filled the darkness as one after another of the boys were apprehended and pulled off their mounts and taken into custody. It all happened so fast that the boys, those old enough to carry weapons, had not even had the chance to draw down on the lawmen until only one boy remained seated atop his mount.<\/p>\n Mark Langley yanked and pulled his horse in different directions, trying desperately to shake off the big man who grabbled at his body in a vain effort to unseat him. It was only when he\u2019d pulled his mount to the left that Hoss stumbled over something on the ground and lost his footing, falling face down into the dirt. Mark\u2019s vicious laughter rang in the ears of those who watched helplessly as the boy turned his horse again, nudging the sweaty beast into action, trampling the heavy man beneath his sharp hooves.<\/p>\n Hoss groaned painfully as he felt the hooves digging into his back. Adam, who had been busy restraining another boy, turned at the sounds of anguish to see his brother desperately trying to roll away from the thundering hooves.<\/p>\n \u201cHOSS!\u201d Adam shouted as he rushed to push the horse and its rider aside.<\/p>\n Mark laughed again as his horse turned the opposite direction, giving Hoss the time he needed to roll out of the way. Once Mark\u2019s had his back to them, Adam sprung from the spot where he stood unto the boy sitting on the horse. His hands grabbed the boy by the shirt and before Mark could take action, he felt his entire body being yanked from the saddle and tossed to the ground as easily as if he\u2019d been a sack of grain.<\/p>\n Stunned, he lay on the ground at Adam\u2019s feet, staring with huge, frightened eyes up at the man who had just unseated him. He fought to free his pistol from its holster, but before he could manage to remove it, Adam leaned down and grabbed the boy by the front of the shirt and pulled him to his feet.<\/p>\n Doubling up his fist he snared at the lad, \u201cI ought to kill you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cADAM\u2026ADAM\u2026no\u2026I\u2019m alright\u2026\u201dHoss shouted as two men helped him to his feet. Limping, Hoss made his way to his brother\u2019s side. He was huffing and puffing, but he managed to get his words out before his brother hammered the boy with his right fist.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just shaken up\u2026I\u2019ll sport some bruises, but I\u2019m okay\u2026\u201d he assured his older brother.<\/p>\n Adam lowered his fist and released the boy into Roy\u2019s custody. \u201cCome on ya varmint,\u201d the sheriff said gruffly to Mark Langley.<\/p>\n From the doorway of his home, Ted McDuffy hurried outside. Satisfied that all the boys had been captured and were now being herded, with hands tied behind their backs, to the wagon that he had supplied to the sheriff, Mac hurried over to Hoss and Adam. His smile showed his satisfaction with a job well done.<\/p>\n \u201cYa did good, boys,\u201d he said to the brothers. \u201cYa alright, boy?\u201d he asked Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cYessir\u2026I\u2019m fine,\u201d Hoss answered.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, ya tell ya pa that I\u2019ll be in soon\u2019s it daylight to see him. Now that we know the truth about your kid brother, I\u2019ll be dropping the charges\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss grinned broadly, showing his pleasure. Adam\u2019s lip formed a tight smile but he nodded and shook McDuffy\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n \u201cPa will be glad to hear that, sir. So will Joe, once he knows the truth himself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell ya just tell the boy, not to worry\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll do just that\u2026once he wakes up\u2026ya know, that fall might near kilt him,\u201d Hoss explained as worry once again showed in his soft blue eyes. \u201cAdam, ya reckon we best be gettin\u2019 back\u2026I wanna make sure Little Joe\u2019s alright\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I want to tell him what\u2019s been going on\u2026see you sir,\u201d he called over his shoulder to the old farmer.<\/p>\n \u201cBoys, I\u2019ll see ya back in town,\u201d Roy told the Cartwrights. \u201cI know ya anxious to find out about Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYessir, we sure are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, thanks again for ya help\u2026I\u2019m glad we managed to round up these hooligans without ever firing a shot\u2026no one man got so much as a scratch\u2026\u2019ceptin\u2019 Hoss here,\u201d Roy smiled as he watched his hired men lead the last of the boys to the wagon to be carted off to jail.<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t hurt much,\u201d Hoss chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad it went well too, Roy\u2026I just wish Little Joe had been as lucky. These boys really messed with him\u2026I\u2019m not sure he\u2019ll ever get over this,\u201d Adam said with certainty.<\/p>\n \u201cSure he will Adam, once ya pa explains everythin\u2019 to\u2019em, he\u2019ll see the light. Might take some time\u2026but he\u2019ll be alright. Remember, he\u2019s a Cartwright\u2026he\u2019s a fighter\u2026he won\u2019t quit on ya! Now I best be goin\u2019. Take care,\u201d Roy called as he turned to go.<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss stood alone for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts; each wondering how Little Joe was doing and how he would take the news, once they told him the entire story.<\/p>\n \u201cWe better get a move on, Hoss, it\u2019s almost daylight\u2026and Pa will be worrying\u2026as usual,\u201d Adam suggest.<\/p>\n Hoss limped his way over to his horse and then mounted up. Together the headed back into town and to the doctor\u2019s office. Ben hurried to the bedside, sitting in the chair that long ago lost any comfort for his weary body. Leaning over, he gently brushed back the lose locks of auburn curls.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph,\u201d he called softly and watched as the boy struggled to return to the world he had kept locked away for so many long, haunting hours. \u201cThat\u2019s a good boy, son\u2026open your eyes. Your pa\u2019s here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe struggled with the last lingering effects of his oblivion in order to do as the voice commanded him to do.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026come on son\u2026there\u2026you\u2019ve almost got it!\u201d Ben was happy to announce. But the pleased expression died as soon as Joe\u2019s eyes had opened and found his father\u2019s face looming before him. The sadness and agony that tarnished the emerald crystals broke the heart of the senior Cartwright. Ben suddenly felt himself begin to perspire.<\/p>\n He tried to smile. \u201cWelcome back.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe closed his eyes momentarily and then re-opened them to stare up at his father. \u201cI\u2026wish\u2026I was\u2026still gone,\u201d he muttered in a tired, weak voice.<\/p>\n Another forced smile spread across Ben\u2019s face as he dabbed Joe\u2019s brow with a cool cloth. \u201cYou can\u2019t mean that, son\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly Joe turned his head away from his father, unable to meet the man eye to eye. Ben heard his son sniffle.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026lied to\u2026ya\u2026Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, son\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s head turned slowly on the pillow. He looked up at his father and fought against the tears that threatened to spill over.<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2026\u201d he said, interrupting what his father was saying. \u201cI\u2026don\u2019t know\u2026why\u2026but\u2026it was as if\u2026I\u2019d forgotten\u2026what I\u2019d done. And then\u2026when I fell\u2026I suddenly\u2026remembered\u2026oh Pa\u2026what\u2019s wrong with me? I\u2019m so mixed up\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The boy could no longer contain his tears. Ben leaned down and gently pulled Joe into a half sitting position and held him close to his chest, sure that his son could hear the rapid pounding of his heart.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure about all of it son\u2026but I know someone who can explain it to you\u2026to us\u2026all of us\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe, feeling secure in his father\u2019s embrace, stopped whimpering long enough to ask his father whom.<\/p>\n \u201cChester Pike\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe moved his head enough so that he look up at Ben. His expression showed more confusion than before.<\/p>\n \u201cChester Pike\u2026I don\u2019t understand, Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, maybe we can explain it to you, Little Brother,\u201d Adam, who had appeared in the doorway with Hoss, entered the room and pulled himself up a chair. \u201cIt\u2019s not all that confusing, but\u2026I\u2019m afraid you might not like some of the things I\u2019m going to tell you, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care what things they are\u2026Adam\u2026I have to know\u2026 I mean\u2026\u201d Joe glanced again at his father. \u201cI know I was with those boys\u2026when they did them things\u2026I know now\u2026I didn\u2019t know then\u2026I mean\u2026oh dadburnit\u2026I\u2019m not sure I know what I mean,\u201d he said weakly as he leaned back against the pillows that Ben had propped up behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cThen, if you\u2019re up to it\u2026I\u2019ll try explaining to you\u2026are you up to it?\u201d Adam questioned. He studied his brother\u2019s face, appalled by the dark bruises and cuts and scratches that shadowed the boy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cMy leg hurts awful\u2026and my shoulder\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t we wait then, until Joe\u2019s more rested?\u201d his father suggested.<\/p>\n \u201cNO\u2026no\u2026I wanna know now, Pa\u2026please\u2026cause\u2026I gotta set things right\u2026\u201d he lowered his eyes as if suddenly ashamed of himself. He wiped his good arm under his nose, using his shirtsleeve to clean away the tears and mucus that dripped from his nose.<\/p>\n Ben sat back down, facing the boy and tenderly lifted the boy\u2019s chin so that Joe would have to look at him.<\/p>\n \u201cIf anybody has to set things right\u2026it\u2019s me, Joseph\u2026I\u2026\u201d suddenly Ben\u2019s own throat seemed thick and talking was becoming hard. \u201cI\u2026doubted you, son\u2026I\u2026thought you\u2026were lying to me\u2026I chose not to believe in you\u2026I was wrong\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, Pa\u2026I\u2026I did lie\u2026I\u2026I didn\u2019t mean to\u2026but it was like\u2026oh\u2026it\u2019s hard to explain. I know in my head, I did those things\u2026but my\u2026heart told me\u2026I really didn\u2019t\u2026or I really didn\u2019t\u2026want too\u2026\u201d Joe\u2019s voice trailed off until it was not much more than a whisper.<\/p>\n The expression and confusion shining in his eyes tugged at Ben\u2019s heartstrings. He smiled, caressing Joe\u2019s face. \u201cLet\u2019s hear what Adam has to say, then we can decide what we should do about this mess.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe swallowed hard and then nodded his head. His eyes moved away from his father\u2019s face to rest on Adam\u2019s instead.<\/p>\n \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a long story, Joe\u2026if you get tired and need to rest, you just tell me\u2026okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Again Joe nodded, agreeing. He was tired, sleepy from the medication, and he hurt something awful, but he had to know\u2026he just had too.<\/p>\n \u201cYour friend, Chester Pike, came to see us\u2026Pa, Hoss and myself. He had quite a story to tell us but unfortunately, he only got to tell us part of the story\u2026Pa, we saw him again before we met up with Roy, he told us the rest of what\u2019s been happening then,\u201d Adam said as he looked from his brother to his father and then back to Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cChester told us that Mark Langley has been involved in all the destruction that\u2019s been going on over at the McDuffy place and that he and several other boys were in on it to\u2026including you, Joe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Adam held up his hand to silence his brother. \u201cJoe\u2026there\u2019s no denying that you were part of the group\u2026but\u2026and it\u2019s a big but\u2026you couldn\u2019t remember being there, doing those things. That\u2019s why you were so insistent that you were telling Pa the truth about not being where you were\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand, Adam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really simple little brother, do you remember several weeks ago when Pa let you go to the carnival with your friends?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2026Chester, Mark, Luke, Jed\u2026me\u2026and couple others, why?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does one thing have to do with the other?\u201d Ben wanted to know.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s simple really\u2026while Joe went with Chester and Mark to watch the hypnotist, unbeknown to Joe, Langley thought it would be funny to have Joe hypnotized. What he didn\u2019t tell Joe was that he and the others had slipped the hypnotist a few dollars to hypnotize Joe without his even being aware. That way, Mark could make Joe do things that he wouldn\u2019t normally do\u2026like destroy the old farmer\u2019s crops, scare his hens, run off his cattle\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes looked huge as he listened in stunned silence. Adam gave the boy a comforting smile.<\/p>\n \u201cMark would tell you do such and such and state that later you would not remember doing it. Joe\u2026it was a cruel, mean trick to play on you\u2026and it wasn\u2019t funny at all,\u201d Adam added as he glanced from Joe\u2019s face to his father\u2019s worried, concerned face.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes were dark with anger but he said nothing as he watched the changing expressions on his youngest son\u2019s face. The hurt, the disillusionment and the guilt was written all over the youngster\u2019s face. Adam hurried to finish explaining.<\/p>\n \u201cChester told us that last night, Mark and the others were going to raid McDuffy\u2019s. They planned on burning down the old man\u2019s barn. That\u2019s where we\u2019ve been\u2026helping Roy prevent that from happening\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd did you?\u201d Joe wanted to know.<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2026thankfully we did, and no one was hurt\u2026except Hoss,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n All eyes turned to the big man standing on the opposite side of the bed. Hoss grinned at them.<\/p>\n \u201cT\u2019weren\u2019t nothin\u2019 just a scratch or two, see?\u201d Hoss laughed, showing them the bright blue and black bruise on his upper arm.<\/p>\n \u201cHe could have been hurt badly\u2026Mark\u2019s horse stepped all over him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s lips twisted in a tiny smile for the first time in days. \u201cGood thing Hoss\u2019 as big as he is\u2026was the horse hurt?\u201d he teased.<\/p>\n The four of them laughed heartily at Joe\u2019s attempt at teasing his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cGo on Adam\u2026tell us the rest\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait a minute, Pa\u2026\u201d Joe said, speaking up. He turned to explore the expressions on his father\u2019s face and in Ben\u2019s eyes. \u201cI honestly didn\u2019t remember doing those things, Pa\u2026I didn\u2019t know I was lying to you\u2026honest\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben placed his work callused hand on his son\u2019s arm and gently squeezed. \u201cI know that, Joe\u2026now\u2026but I didn\u2019t know it then. I should have known something was up\u2026I\u2019ve never doubted you before\u2026I shouldn\u2019t have doubted you now\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Pa,\u201d Joe tried to assure his father. \u201cNeither of us knew what they were doing to me\u2026to us\u2026\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I agree with your brother, it was a cruel, vicious trick\u2026and I\u2019ll see to it that those boys are properly punished for what they\u2019ve done\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich reminds me, Pa\u2026Joe, Mr. McDuffy said to tell you, not to worry about what\u2019s happened. He won\u2019t be pressing any charges against you because he knows you didn\u2019t take part in this willingly\u2026\u201d Adam explained.<\/p>\n \u201cWhew\u2026\u201d breathed Joe. \u201cThere\u2019s something else though, Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I fell\u2026and hit my head\u2026before you got to me\u2026I remembered\u2026I mean, everything that I\u2019d done came back to me in a flash. I could see everything that I\u2019d done. I wanted to tell you\u2026I tried to explain\u2026but\u2026but the pain got to me first\u2026all I remember was you holding me, telling me I\u2019d be alright\u2026and then\u2026I must have blacked out\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did, son\u2026and when we got you here\u2026the doctor gave you something for the pain that kept you sleeping for most of the night and into the morning\u2026\u201d Ben told his son.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going to happen to them\u2026Mark, Chester\u2026and the others? I feel\u2026responsible for hurting Mr. McDuffy\u2026I can\u2019t believe he\u2019s not going to hold me accountable too\u2026it\u2019s almost\u2026not fair to the others.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, what they did to you\u2026what they made you do, how they made you a part of their evil\u2026wasn\u2019t fair to you. You could have been killed\u2026you almost were\u2026and I hold no one but them responsible for that!\u201d declared Ben with a wisp of anger still lingering in his voice.<\/p>\n Joe nodded his head slowly and then turned to Adam. \u201cWhat about Chester\u2026was he theret\u2026did he take part in what they had planned for the old man\u2019s barn?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head no.<\/p>\n \u201cChester spent the night in jail, Joe\u2026\u201d Hoss explained. \u201cHe wanted to\u2026said he felt safe locked up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSafe?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2026he was afraid that if Mark and the others found out that he squealed on them, they might\u2026kill him\u2026so he asked Roy to lock him up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is he now?\u201d Ben questioned.<\/p>\n \u201cRoy said he\u2019d turn the boy over to his father once he got the others back to jail. So I reckon the boy\u2019s gone home.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe sighed deeply and leaned his head deep into the pillow behind his head. Ben watched the weariness spread across Joe\u2019s features.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t we let your brother rest for a spell?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss agreed. \u201cSure\u2026I could do with a cup of hot coffee\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m stravin\u2019,\u201d Hoss added.<\/p>\n \u201cAren\u2019t you always?\u201d teased Adam. \u201cLet\u2019s give Joe time to rest, we\u2019ll get something to eat and then go by Roy\u2019s and see what he\u2019s going to do with those boys. Can we bring you back something, Pa?\u201d Adam chuckled as he stood up and pointed at Little Joe. \u201cHe\u2019s already asleep!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled, shaking his head no as he covered Joe with the blanket and then silently led the others from the room. Once in the outer room, he confided in his sons.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019s gonna be laid up for sometime with that broken leg. He\u2019s gonna have a lot of time to think about what\u2019s he done\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr. McDuffy don\u2019t blame him none,\u201d Hoss hurried to say.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that\u2026but Joe blames himself\u2026for several things\u2026being a part of the ruckus\u2026for allowing himself to become involved with such people\u2026but mostly for believing he lied to me\u2026\u201d Ben explained to both.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe if McDuffy were to talk to the boy\u2026assure him that he doesn\u2019t hold any ill feelings toward Joe\u2026\u201d suggested Adam.<\/p>\n \u201cThat might work\u2026I think while Joe\u2019s asleep, I\u2019ll have a talk with the man\u2026I feel as if I owe him something\u2026you know, sort of to make up for some of the damage that Joe did to his place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe was riding into town with Roy\u2026so he\u2019s probably over at the sheriff\u2019s office now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben slipped an arm around both of his sons in an affectionate way. \u201cThen that\u2019s where I\u2019ll be. I want to thank both of you for\u2026helping out your little brother the way you have\u2026it means a lot to me\u2026and it will to Joe when he realizes what you\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cT\u2019weren\u2019t no problem, Pa\u2026Joe\u2019d do the same of us\u2026wouldn\u2019t he Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure\u2026he\u2019s a good kid, Pa\u2026I have a suspicion that he\u2019s going to feel guilty about this for a long time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s likely, but knowing Joe\u2026what a fighter he is\u2026he\u2019ll find some way to work through it\u2026\u201d Ben said positively. Ben had gone to great lengths over the passed few weeks to track down and bring the hypnotist back to his ranch to assure Joe that he was no longer under Mark\u2019s command. Long nights and many nightmares later, Joe slowly began to heal both mind and body and when the day came that his cast was to be removed, he was ready to put into action the plan he had formed during his days of recuperation. \u201cCan I get up\u2026I got things to do\u2026\u201d Joe complained.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can get up and move about the house, young man\u2026but I don\u2019t want you putting any weight on it just yet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I got things I need to do!\u201d Joe insisted.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, you heard the doctor\u2026whatever you think you have to do\u2026it can wait,\u201d Ben scolded.<\/p>\n Joe made a scowl but relented at last. \u201cAlright\u2026a week\u2026I\u2019ll wait a week, but not a minute longer,\u201d he grumbled.<\/p>\n The physician glanced up at Ben and grinned, Ben rolled his eyes. Both Adam and Hoss shook their heads. \u201cNot since this morning\u2026I seen him ride out just after breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid he say anything to you about where he was going?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Ben could study further on the matter, Roy Coffee rode into the yard. \u201cHowdy, Ben\u2026Adam, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey Roy,\u201d Ben greeted heartily. Adam and Hoss shook hands with the sheriff after he dismounted.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat brings you out this way?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI just rode out to tell you about them boys I arrested.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2026what\u2019s going to happen to them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, looks like the younger of the group, Chester Pike, will be staying pretty near close to home for a spell, under his father\u2019s watchful eyes. The judge let him off easy due to the fact that he admitted his part and told us what the others were up to. Seems he couldn\u2019t let it go on any longer\u2026he said that Little Joe reminded him of his younger brother, who died sometime back\u2026and he didn\u2019t want to see something bad happen to your boy,\u201d Roy explained.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Langley\u2026and the others?\u201d Adam inquired.<\/p>\n \u201cLangley\u2019ll most likely serve some time, probably about a year and the others all are on probation for a couple of years. McDuffy spoke up for them\u2026said he understood that they were all just boys\u2026being led astray by an older boy\u2026so he asked the judge to go light on them. Judge Myers ordered the boys to do some community service, so he put them to work helping all the elderly citizens he could find that needed things done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a good idea, might teach those boys some responsibility and some compassion!\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought so too, Ben. Say, I saw Little Joe earlier.\u201d asked the sheriff.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you\u2019re not looking for him\u2026but then you said you saw him\u2026where? I have no idea where that boy\u2019s gotten to!\u201d he teased.<\/p>\n The sheriff chuckled merrily. \u201cNo, I\u2019m not looking for him\u2026I already know where Little Joe\u2019s at,\u201d Roy announced.<\/p>\n \u201cWell I\u2019m glad somebody knows\u2026I was just asking his brothers if they\u2019d seen him\u2026where is he?\u201d Ben laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cOver at McDuffy\u2019s place\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMcDuffy\u2019s?\u201d Ben seemed surprised. \u201cWhat on earth is he doing over there?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy\u2019s eyes began to dance. He laughed softly. \u201cYou mean you don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben, his hand on his hips, shook his head and then glanced at Adam and Hoss. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s workin\u2019, Ben\u2026hard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019s working?\u201d snickered Adam.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a first,\u201d chuckled Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright you two, that will be enough,\u201d grinned Ben who knew that his two older sons were teasing. He turned back to the sheriff. \u201cJust what is it that my youngest son is working at?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy Ben, he\u2019s helping old man McDuffy put his place back into order\u2026he\u2019s fixin\u2019 fences, building chicken coops\u2026just about everything that them boys destroyed, Joe\u2019s helping the farmer mend\u2026that\u2019s what he\u2019s doin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll be,\u201d Ben muttered. \u201cHe did find a way to make things right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you say, Pa?\u201d Adam asked after hearing his father muttering to himself.<\/p>\n Ben seemed to have lost attention to what was going on around him. His thoughts were miles away as he turned suddenly to the trio.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be back later,\u201d he told him and then went to his horse, mounted up and rode off.<\/p>\n \u201cWell now, I wonder where he\u2019s goin\u2019?\u201d Hoss asked as they watched Ben ride out of sight.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Adam said as he too watched their father disappear.<\/p>\n \u201cI gotta get back to town,\u201d Roy announced. \u201cI\u2019ll be aseein\u2019 you boys\u2026\u201d Ben nudged his horse on. McDuffy had disappeared into the barn and had left Joe hammering away at a fence railing. Joe looked up from his work when he heard his father ride up.<\/p>\n \u201cI was wondering where you\u2019d gotten off to,\u201d Ben said, dismounting and tying his reins to the fence railing. He walked over to the boy and put his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou tired, are you sure you\u2019re not over doing it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fine, honest Pa,\u201d Joe assured his father. \u201cYou\u2026don\u2019t mind\u2026do you? I mean\u2026I\u2026I wanted to do something to help him\u2026make up for what I\u2019d done to him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026I don\u2019t mind, son, if you feel you must.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do\u2026I gotta, Pa\u2026I felt so horrible for hurting him\u2026he\u2019s a nice old man,\u201d Joe said, his voice growing thick. \u201cDid ya know\u2026he used ta have a boy\u2026his name was Joseph too\u2026but he died when he was about\u2026my age\u2026\u201d Joe said, gulping.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I didn\u2019t know that, Joe,\u201d Ben said, gently squeezing his own son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI\u2019m proud of you son, for what you\u2019re trying to do\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe quickly smiled up at his father but just as quickly as the smile appeared it disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething wrong, son?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe tightened his lips and looked up at his father. Ben noted the sad expression.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026ere\u2026I wish I could\u2026do something to\u2026make it up to\u2026you.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben seemed puzzled. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what you mean, son.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe moved away a step and faced his father. He\u2019d been troubling over the fact that he\u2019d lied to his father and that Ben might think less of him for what he\u2019d done.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026I lied to you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo! Please\u2026let me finish\u2026I\u2019ve been\u2026meanin\u2019 to talk to you\u2026but until right now\u2026I\u2026I didn\u2019t have the guts\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Joe saw his father smile at him and felt his self relax a bit. .<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t we go sit in the shade then and we\u2019ll talk?\u201d Ben suggested.<\/p>\n Together, father and son made their way to the big shade tree and sat down, leaning their backs against the wide trunk.<\/p>\n \u201cNow\u2026what was it you wanted to talk to me about, son\u2026what did you need o tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust\u2026just how sorry I am\u2026for\u2026everything\u2026lying\u2026to you\u2026hurting you\u2026and Mr. McDuffy.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s voice was low as he looked timidly over at his father. He was somewhat surprised to see his father smiling down at him. He just supposed that Ben would have still been mad at him.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, I know\u2026now\u2026and I understand\u2026now, that you didn\u2019t lie to me intentionally. I realize that you honestly believed you were telling me the truth. My mistake was in not having enough faith\u2026not so much in you\u2026but in myself\u2026as a man, as\u2026your father\u2026to realize that you were\u2026in a sense, telling me the truth. I was blindsided by the\u2026the evidence, the scrape of material from your shirt. I didn\u2019t think about the possibility that you\u2019d been \u2018used\u2019 or \u2018set up\u2019 by your so-called friends. I should have had more faith in you\u2026more trust\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t your fault Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNor was it yours\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen\u2026you\u2026still\u2026\u201d Joe gulped and whispered his next words. \u201cLove me\u2026just as much?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben laughed. It was more in relief than at the boy\u2019s comment. He grabbed Joe into a hug and squeezed him tightly. When he released him, Ben tried to explain his feelings.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, let me tell you something about love\u2026real love, the kind I have for you\u2026Love is neither physical, nor romantic. Real love\u2026like ours\u2026is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be. I won\u2019t stop loving you just because you make a mistake\u2026and I hope that when I make a mistake, you\u2019ll not stop loving me. You are a part of me\u2026Ben Cartwright\u2026you are a part of your brothers, Adam and Hoss\u2026to stop loving you would mean I\u2019d have to stop loving them or even myself\u2026that Joseph, will never happen\u2026no matter what you do. My love is engrained from my heart to yours. It isn\u2019t shallow like a spring puddle, but deep and abiding, like Tahoe\u2026it\u2019s eternal, like God\u2019s love for all of his people. Do you understand, son, what I\u2019m trying to say to you?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe, his eyes filling with tears, could only nod his head. He leaned over against his father and allowed Ben to slip his arms around his shoulders once more.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026love you too, Pa\u2026I always have, I always will\u2026far after we\u2019re both gone from this place,\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cI shall always love you Little Joe\u2026we\u2019ve weathered this storm and survived\u2026we will have many more storms in our lifetime, but always remember, when the storm passes\u2026our love will still be here\u2026lasting\u2026eternal\u2026like our souls,\u201d finished Ben.<\/p>\n Joe smiled up at his father, and then at the sky. The clouds were gathering and turning a deep grayish in color. Joe pointed at them. \u201cSpeaking of storms\u2026I think we best get home before both of us gets soaked!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben glanced up, agreeing with his son. \u201cLets get a move on,\u201d he called as both hurried to their horses.<\/p>\n Joe sprang into the saddle ahead of his father, turning back and calling out. \u201cI\u2019ll race ya! Last one home has to muck the stalls\u2026\u201d With that, the boy and his horse were off like greased lightening. Ben lagged behind, on purpose\u2026it was Joe\u2019s turn to muck, but he\u2019d do it for the boy\u2026just this once\u2026it was worth it to hear the boy\u2019s happy laughter return.<\/p>\n THE END<\/p>\n September 2006<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary:\u00a0More than dark clouds are brewing for the Cartwrights. Joe’s been accused of being involved in the recent trouble about town and the accusations have a grave affect on all his family, but mostly for himself.<\/p>\n Rated G \u00a0WC 20,300<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9052,"featured_media":8202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,1008,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","category-prequels","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-30-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/lightning.jpg?fit=200%2C252&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12183","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=12183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe minute he shut the door,<\/strong> Little Joe Cartwright knew something was wrong. He quickly stripped his green jacket from his slender body and hung it up on the peg behind the door as expected of him. For a moment he paused, feeling the dread begin to build deep within his young heart. Turning, he hurriedly scanned the faces of his family, Adam, his oldest brother, Hoss his middle brother and best friend, and his father, Ben Cartwright, monarch of their massive home and lands, the Ponderosa Ranch. Joe\u2019s eyes rested on his father\u2019s expression. Ben\u2019s usual jovial chocolate eyes were like two ebony lumps of coal, so black were their hue. The usual warmth in the elder Cartwright\u2019s voice when seeing his youngest son after several hours was absent, for Ben said nothing. The boy shivered slightly and watched as his father stood from his red leather chair and silently motioned him forward. Joe gulped softly, turning to chance a quick glance at his middle brother. Hoss\u2019 expression was a mixture of unvoiced emotions as the gentle giant lowered his head to avoid making eye contact with his youngest sibling. The younger Cartwright felt the fine hairs on his neck bristle slightly. Little Joe looked Adam\u2019s way and noted the tightly drawn lips and look of disgust on his eldest brother\u2019s handsome face. Joe\u2019s thoughts as he proceeded forth quickly ran through the events of the day and the day before, trying desperately to drudge up some misdeed he might have committed that would warrant the unexplained scowls on his father and brothers\u2019 faces. But nothing came to mind; he had done nothing that he could remember\u2026least ways, nothing that would cause the storm he knew was brewing silently beneath his family\u2019s calm exterior.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSee, I told ya so,\u201d Hoss said with a wide grin. \u201cLittle Joe ain\u2019t no liar, Pa\u2026leastways, not anymore he ain\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFor now, Ben refused to think about it.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cAw\u2026come on Little Joe\u2026it\u2019ll be fun,\u201d Mark insisted.<\/p>\n
\nLittle Joe stood in the barn looking down at his trousers, wondering how on earth he had gotten so dirty. All he\u2019d been doing was herding a few steers into a section of pasture that had been fenced off. He\u2019d found one or two of the strays he\u2019d been looking for, bogged down in the mud and he\u2019d lassoed them and pulled them free. The teen shook his head as he pulled his pony into the designated stall. The old steers must have slung the mud onto his pants when he\u2019d wrestled them from the mud pits.<\/p>\n
\nBen continued to pace the floor in front of the fire. Hoss sat in one chair while Adam sat in another and together they watched their father stew about what had taken place over the course of the last few hours. After several trips to and fro, Ben stopped and spun around, placing his fingertips deeply into his trousers pockets. His eyes were dark and brooding, his brow creased with furrows, but what was most noticeable was the soft tone when he spoke, as if the fight had gone out of him.<\/p>\n
\nInside the house, Little Joe was weathering a storm of his own. He had refused to allow himself the comfort of crying, he deemed himself too angry to cry, to hurt to feel, to discouraged to continue but worse, to broken hearted to heal. As he lay across his bed, his eyes shut, the face of the one man whom he loved and admired most haunted his thoughts. His father\u2019s face loomed before him and in the image, Joe saw the painful expression of Ben\u2019s dark, ebony eyes, the deep furrowed creases in his brow that had turned the aging face into a grotesque replica of the true features of the man whom he felt had let him down.<\/p>\n
\nBen had barely touched his breakfast. His eggs had grown cold while he pushed them about in his plate, using his fork. Adam, who sat at the other end from his father, watched with lowered head as his father dropped the fork he held and picked up his coffee to take a sip. The frown that deepened the already creased brow told Adam that even the coffee in his father\u2019s cup had grown cold and bitter.<\/p>\n
\nMiles away on a ridge over looking the lush green valley below, Joe pulled his mount to a halt and slid down from the saddle to rest.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat do you mean, Little Joe\u2019s run away?\u201d snarled Roy as he pushed his chair back from his desk and stood up.<\/p>\n
\nAdam and Hoss had finally caught up with their father but even with three pairs of sharp eyes, they had yet to find a trace of their missing family member. Wherever Joe had disappeared to, he had made certain that he\u2019d not be followed. Even Hoss, who was as good a tracker as anyone around, was having a hard time picking up the boy\u2019s trail.<\/p>\n
\nLittle Joe had at last reined in his pinto pony and slid from the saddle. He\u2019d pushed the old pony hard and years of training had warned him that if he didn\u2019t stop soon and give his horse a long needed rest and a cool drink from the bubbling stream, he\u2019d do severe damage to his horse and put himself on foot. Joe pulled the saddle down from the horse\u2019s sweaty back and using the saddle blanket, began to rub vigorously as the animal refreshed himself with a drink of water.<\/p>\n
\nIn the dark, Hoss and Adam were hunkered down behind the old wagon that sat off to one side of the house where Ted McDuffy lived. Across the yard on the other side, Roy Coffee and several other men lay in wait for the trouble that would soon erupt. The moon, bright only minutes before, had slipped behind dark clouds, living only the stars to light their surroundings. Over to the left of them, three more men waited in silence for the approaching storm that seemed to be brewing. The advancing storm was not of nature\u2019s making, but of the doing of several wild, rambunctious young men who had been reeking havoc around the countryside but who had, for reasons unknown, seemed to have singled out the elderly farmer, Ted McDuffy.<\/p>\n
\nBen Cartwright had paced the floor for what seemed like a lifetime, and still his young son made no movement nor any sounds; the boy had not even awakened enough to call out for his father. Guilt was Ben\u2019s companion during the long lingering hours. As he bathed the boy\u2019s head with a cool cloth, the arguments, the doubts he\u2019d had about his son, seemed to overwhelm him and draw him deeper into the remorse he was feeling. Somehow he felt he\u2019d betrayed his son, driven him from his home, away from the very ones who loved him most. For that, Ben felt sure he\u2019d never be able to forgive himself. He\u2019d let his son down, why he\u2019d practically turned his back on the boy\u2026oh, not consciously, but had in his own troubled thinking done what had always promised himself he\u2019d not to do\u2026and that was to lose trust and faith in one of his sons. His heart was sick with worry, heavy with fear and full of dread for what might happen.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHere they come!\u201d Roy called out in a loud whisper as he watched the group of six boys approaching the house, mounted and at a full run. It was obvious that the boys intended to do their destructive acts and then ride off into the night. But the sheriff had other plans.<\/p>\n
\nThe soft moaning on the bed alerted Ben that his son was at last beginning to stir about. With any luck, he thought, Joe would wake up. It was almost morning and the last dark rays of night were beginning to fade away as the morning crept over the mountaintops and slowly but surely began to spread it\u2019s glistening rays across the open skies.<\/p>\n
\nBen knew his son quite well. For the weeks that Joe was confined, he brewed daily about his part in the shenanigans. Regardless of the fact that Ted McDuffy had visited Joe on more than one occasion, and assured the boy that he held no ill will towards him, Joe still struggled with his conscience. He was stunned at the fact that he\u2019d allowed himself to be so easily maneuvered by Mark Langley and the others. Being used as a pawn to work their evil doings, something that he\u2019d not normally have been a part in, worried Joe that he still might fall under the spell of having been hypnotized.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell, the leg looks fine, Joe\u2026Ben, he should be up and about by the end of the week,\u201d Paul explained to both father and son.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHave either of you seen your brother?\u201d Ben asked a week later.<\/p>\n
\nBen pulled his mount to a stop and watched from a distance. It was as Roy had said; Joe was working side by side with the old farmer. A feeling of pride in his son suddenly swelled his heart. He knew Joe had worried for weeks about how the old man was going to fix his place up and Joe\u2019d been worried about his part in the destruction of the man\u2019s property. The knowledge that his young son had found a way to help both the old man and himself recover from their ordeal was a blessing that had been unexpected. Ben was proud of his son, proud of the fact that the boy wanted to do something to make things right for both of them and to settle in his mind a sort of a self-punishment for what he had done.<\/p>\n