Summary:\u00a0<\/b> Ben’s new fencing and Little Joe’s secret cause more trouble and heartache than either father or son had anticipated.\u00a0 Each suffer in their own ways when the wires get crossed.<\/p>\n
Rated G \u00a0WC 24,000<\/p>\n
Thou Shalt Not Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: He watched the face of the boy<\/strong> as he held the quivering chin cupped in his own large hands.\u00a0 The hazel eyes refused to meet his chocolate brown ones, and Ben could tell by the look on the young face that once again the boy was lying to him.\u00a0 A wave of disappointment in his son ran through him as he watched the boy struggling with himself to reach an answer that he thought would satisfy his father\u2019s question.<\/p>\n Little Joe glanced briefly into his father\u2019s eyes, saw the sad expression in the brown depths and realized that his father was conscious of the fact that he had been lying to him.\u00a0 Little Joe saw the hurt and disappointment etched onto his father\u2019s face and it tore at his heartstrings knowing that he was the cause of those feelings.\u00a0 He wanted to tell his father the truth, but he couldn\u2019t, he was frightened.\u00a0 They had threatened to kill him and his family if he told what he had seen.\u00a0 They had promised him that they would start with his father, then his two older brothers and that they would make him watch.\u00a0 No, reasoned Little Joe, under no circumstances could he tell his father the truth; the truth could cost him his whole family and Joe considered that too high of a price to pay.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m waiting Joseph,\u201d Ben said, his eyes trained on the young face of his son.\u00a0 He wondered briefly at the change of expression for just a swift moment the boy\u2019s thoughts had been a hundred miles away and then fear had clouded the tear filled eyes as the boy had glanced again into his own eyes.<\/p>\n Joe swallowed the lump that had suddenly grown in his throat and as the tears slipped down his cheeks, he sealed his fate with his lie.\u00a0 \u201cNo, Pa.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t no where near the butte.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018There,\u2019 he thought, \u2018at least for now my family will be safe, my butt is in danger, but I can live with that.\u00a0 I can\u2019t live without my family.\u2019<\/p>\n Joe hung his head as he felt his father\u2019s hand release his chin and he refused to allow his eyes to search his father\u2019s face.\u00a0 Joe knew what he would see if he looked into his father\u2019s eyes so he forced himself to keep his head downcast.\u00a0 Joe heard the expulsion of air from his father\u2019s lungs just before he spoke and Joe knew what his father\u2019s next words would mean.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, go to your room.\u00a0 I will be up shortly to finish this little conversation.\u201d\u00a0 Ben pointed his finger at the stairs as Joe turned to follow his father\u2019s orders pausing briefly to scan the faces of his two older brothers.\u00a0 Neither could meet the eyes of their youngest sibling.<\/p>\n When he reached the landing he stopped momentarily and cast his eyes in his father\u2019s direction.\u00a0 Ben stood with his hands on his hips, legs slightly parted and a look of disgust on his face as he watched his son on the landing.\u00a0 It tore at the young boy\u2019s heart to see the look that told him that his father was ashamed of him.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 It was more a whisper than a vocal apology but Ben had heard it.\u00a0 Joe ran the rest of the way up the stairs and minutes later slammed the bedroom door behind him and threw himself down on his bed.\u00a0 He grabbed Scruffy, his stuffed puppy that had been a gift from Adam on that special Christmas almost seven years earlier, and buried his face in the soft fake fur and released his tears.<\/p>\n Ben shook his head slowly and sat down in his leather chair.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t understand, that boy knew that I was aware that he was lying; yet he still refused to tell me the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam who had been sitting quietly in the opposite chair only shrugged his shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cWho knows what goes on in that head of his, Pa.\u00a0 I can\u2019t explain it; he knew that all three of us knew that he was lying.\u00a0 But what do you do now?\u00a0 If he refuses to admit the truth and continues telling lies, what are you going to do?\u00a0 Lock him in his room, spank him, or just ride it out?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben leaned his weary head back into the chair and sighed deeply.\u00a0 \u201cI get the distinct feeling he is covering up something.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t like the boy to just blatantly out and out lie, especially when he knows, and he does know, that I knew he was lying.\u00a0 Something is wrong, I just can\u2019t figure out what it is, and knowing Joe; he isn\u2019t likely to tell me anytime soon.\u201d\u00a0 Ben crossed his legs, rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and stared into the fire that warmed the room.<\/p>\n Hoss had been sitting on the settee, watching the exchange between his father and his youngest brother.\u00a0 It worried him, the way that Little Joe had been acting lately, what with his lies, even his nightmares had him troubled.\u00a0 He had tried talking to the boy but Joe had only told him to mind his own business and leave him alone, which he had complied but now Hoss was worried that he had done the wrong thing in ignoring his youngest brother.\u00a0 He was sure Joe was lying; had he not seen for himself this younger brother on the butte, he might have been tempted to believe him when he had stated that he had not been there.\u00a0 But he had seen and he had let it slip to his father, thus getting Joe into more trouble.\u00a0 What troubled Hoss was why Little Joe would lie about where he had been.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t as if Pa would have minded him being at the butte, he wouldn\u2019t have liked it, not with all the trouble going on with the other ranchers over the use of the new barbwire fencing his father had started using.\u00a0 But Pa would have only given Joe a verbal reprimand, as it stood, Joe was likely to have trouble sitting for the next few days now that he had been caught in another lie.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe after he has time to think about the consequences, he will tell you why he\u2019s lying,\u201d offered Adam hopefully as he peered over the top of the book he had been reading before the scene with his father and youngest sibling had begun.<\/p>\n Ben just looked at his oldest son with a look of doubt on his face and shaking his head pulled himself from his chair and drew a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I might as well get this over with.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you boys find something to do in the barn, I\u2019m afraid this could get rather noisy?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben made his way to the stairs as Hoss and Adam headed out the door.\u00a0 Ben paused at Joe\u2019s bedroom door and took another deep breath.\u00a0 The last thing that he wanted to do was to chastise his son in this way, but what other option did he have?\u00a0 He had already tried everything else he knew to try and with no results.<\/p>\n Gently Ben knocked on the door before pushing it open and stepping inside.\u00a0 The room was dark, the light having been turned low and the drapes had been pulled closed to shut out the last rays of the evening sun.<\/p>\n Joe had been laying face down on his bed but as soon as he heard his father\u2019s soft knock on the door, he had quickly risen to his feet in respect of the older man.\u00a0 Joe watched as his father moved slowly across the bedroom and sat down on the edge of his bed.\u00a0 Joe watched his father\u2019s face, hoping to catch a glimpse of something that might tell him that his father had changed his mind about continuing their \u2018little discussion\u2019.\u00a0 Seeing nothing of the sort in his father\u2019s expression, Joe gulped.<\/p>\n \u201cCome here, Joseph.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s voice was smooth and even, though inside his stomach was in knots and doing flip-flops.\u00a0 No matter how many times he had had to do this in the past, he never got used to it nor did he ever enjoy being the cause of his son\u2019s tears.\u00a0 But this time, the boy had left him with no other recourse.\u00a0 Restriction to the house, yard or even his room had failed to deliver the message to the boy\u2019s brain, lying for any reason would not be tolerated.\u00a0 Ben was now resorting to his last method, which he faced with as much dread as what he was reading on the young face of the boy that stood trembling before him.<\/p>\n \u201cSon,\u201d began the father, \u201cdo you have anything to say for yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe looked into his father\u2019s eyes, his own eyes filling slowly with tears and slowly dropped his head,\u00a0 \u201cNo, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s lips were drawn into a fine straight line.\u00a0 He had been hoping, even praying that Little Joe would open up to him, but it was plain to see that the boy was not going to comply.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I have a few things I want to say to you before we proceed.\u201d\u00a0 Ben watched his son\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u2018At least he is respectful enough to meet me eye to eye,\u2019 thought Ben when Joe again raised his head and studied his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, you are aware that I know you have lied to me, again, I might add,\u201d Ben told the boy.\u00a0 \u201cI know for a fact that you were up at the butte, after I plainly told you not to, you chose to disobey my orders and go anyway.\u00a0 For that I am very angry, I told you it was too dangerous to stray that far from the house with all that has been going on.\u00a0 But you ignored the warning, which was your first offense.\u00a0 Your second offense and the most severe was your lying.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben watched the tears as they rolled down the boy\u2019s cheeks.\u00a0 He watched the quivering chin, the chewing of the lower lip, and the lone foot that seemed to be digging into the rug that covered the floor and his heart could not stop its self from softening, but not to the point of foregoing the punishment.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like to explain to me why you lied?\u201d questioned Ben watching as Joe\u2019s head fell to rest on his chest in order to hide his tears from his father.<\/p>\n Joe shook his head no, unable to voice the reply for fear of throwing himself on his father\u2019s mercy and spilling his guts about the whole incident that had taken place that had left him in total fear of loosing his entire family.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I have no other alternative than to carry out my promise.\u00a0 I told you just last week that if I caught you in another lie, you would receive a thrashing that would leave you standing for several days.\u00a0 And you promised me then that it would not happen again.\u00a0 Do you remember making that promise to me, Joseph?\u201d asked Ben as he moved to the chest of drawers and removed a nightshirt for Joe to put on.<\/p>\n Joe briefly looked into his father\u2019s eyes and just as quickly, dropped his head.\u00a0 \u201cYes, sir,\u201d he barely whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cWas that promise also a lie, young man?\u201d\u00a0 Ben handed the nightshirt to Joe and stood waiting for his answer as Joe removed his shirt and slipped the nightshirt over his head, knowing what would soon be coming.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, sir,\u201d the sob caught in his throat.\u00a0 When he had made that promise, he had intended to keep it, but things had happened since then and now he had not only lied to his father, he had also broken his promise.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s heart began crumbling inside and he choked back a second sob as he allowed his trousers to drop to the floor and stepped out of them.<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder if you realize just how disappointed I am in you right now?\u00a0 I had hoped that our last little discussion would have made you stop and think about your actions, but obviously I was mistaken.\u00a0 I find myself in a very uncomfortable position right this minute, Joseph.\u00a0 I do not take pleasure in doing to you what you have forced me into doing; I want you to understand that.\u00a0 This hurts me as much as it hurts you; remember that when this is over.\u00a0 Now come here,\u201d finished Ben as he sat down on the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n Joe stood frozen to the spot, unable to move.\u00a0 \u201cPa,\u201d he mumbled,\u00a0 \u201cI really am sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben watched again the quivering of the chin, the sadness in the hazel eyes, the tears that rolled down the cherub little face and almost relented in giving the punishment but pushed the urge aside.\u00a0 \u201cAre you truly sorry for lying, or are you just sorry you got caught?\u201d<\/p>\n His father\u2019s words took Joe by surprise and he jerked his face up to look into his father\u2019s eyes, wondering how his father always seemed to know what he was thinking.\u00a0 Best not add another lie to the present, thought Joe.\u00a0 Joe sniffed his nose and wiped away his tears with the back of his sleeve.\u00a0 \u201cI guess both,\u201d he answered honestly.<\/p>\n Ben felt himself smile inside, \u2018well at least this time he is being truthful,\u2019 he thought to himself.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad to know you still have a conscience.\u00a0 Would you like to explain to me why you felt it necessary to lie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Yes! Yes!\u2019 screamed Joe\u2019s young heart, he wanted nothing more than to tell his father the truth, his heart raced on, \u2018but if I tell you the truth, it would cost you your life.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cNo sir,\u201d answered Joe as he hung his head to hide the fear he knew his father would see written on his face.\u00a0 Joe didn\u2019t fear his father\u2019s wrath, or not to the point of actually being in fear of his father in general, what he did fear was his father\u2019s death if he didn\u2019t lie.<\/p>\n Ben reached up taking hold of Joe\u2019s arm and laid him across his lap.\u00a0 Joe felt the first of several opened-handed whacks to his bare backside before he allowed his tears to take precedence.\u00a0 The continuing stinging sensation in his rear finally caused him to cry out.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026please,\u201d cried Joe as he began to struggle against his father\u2019s grasp on him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026Pa\u2026honest\u2026ohh\u2026please\u2026stop,\u201d begged the sobbing child as his father applied two more pops to his now red behind before finishing.<\/p>\n Ben released his hold on the boy and helped him stand to his feet.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s hands instantly went to his burning backside and rubbed gently at the fiery sensation.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s tears drenched his flushed cheeks as he hung his head in both embarrassment and humbleness, as he stood before his father unable to speak.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s heart broke at the sight of his child; he ached to gather the boy into an embrace but knew that the time was not right.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you have learned something from this, Joseph.\u00a0 I hope that from now on you will be honest with me.\u00a0 You have always known that I detest lying, for any reasons.\u00a0 Remember, I told you a long time ago that if you tell me the truth, you will be in less trouble than if you lie, for lying will double your trouble.\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d\u00a0 Ben lifted Joe\u2019s chin so that he could look the boy in the eyes.<\/p>\n Joe sniffed and Ben smiled inwardly at the pout on the young face.\u00a0 \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay Joseph.\u00a0 The matter is closed; it\u2019s now in the past.\u201d\u00a0 Ben brushed back a fallen curl from the boy\u2019s brow and continued.\u00a0 \u201cYou pull yourself together and I will have Hop Sing bring you a supper tray.\u00a0 I think for tonight, joining us at the table would be most uncomfortable for you.\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled and placed a reassuring hand on the slim shoulder.<\/p>\n Joe looked into the face of his father, the events of the day baring down on his young shoulders and could no longer contain himself, the need to embrace the man he loved most in life at last taking control.\u00a0 Suddenly his arms found their way around his father\u2019s waist.\u00a0 Ben\u2019s arms automatically folded around his young son and Ben pulled the boy\u2019s head to rest on his chest as he rubbed the back of the boy\u2019s neck in a loving manner.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you, Pa,\u201d wept Joe quietly as he tightened his arms.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I am sorry that I had to lie to you, honest.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben listened as his son made his apologies and picked up on the word that Joe used, \u2018had\u2019.\u00a0 He wondered briefly what the boy had meant by that statement, why would he \u2018have\u2019 to lie to him.\u00a0 Ben made a mental note to question his son about it later, right now the boy was in dire need of his reassurance.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you too, son,\u201d offered Ben surprised at the trembles that ran through his son\u2019s body.<\/p>\n \u201cI promise Pa,\u201d said Joe looking up at his father, \u201cI will make it up to you, I will earn your trust back, you just wait and see.\u201d\u00a0 Joe buried his face in his father\u2019s chest again, glad to feel the strength of his father\u2019s arms encircling him and knowing that for now, he was safe.\u00a0 As bad as the spanking had been, what bothered him most was the knowledge that his father was disappointed in him, not to mention the fact that Pa was also ashamed of him.<\/p>\n Ben helped his son ready himself for bed with a promise that Hop Sing would soon bring up a tray bearing his supper.\u00a0 Joe laid face down on his bed; his rear end being too sore to lay on and gave his father a weak smile as Ben planted a kiss on his son\u2019s brow.\u00a0 As soon as his father closed the door, Joe\u2019s reserve broke down once again and he buried his head in his pillow and cried.<\/p>\n When Joe\u2019s tears were spent he laid awake and thought back to earlier in the day when he had ridden up to the butte.\u00a0\u00a0 He had watched as the four men had cut away at the new fencing that his father, brother\u2019s and himself had worked so hard to put up just three days earlier.\u00a0 Joe had been so brazen as to ride right up to the men and question them about their activities.\u00a0 They had not taken kindly to being interrogated by the fourteen-year-old and before Joe had realized what was taking place, he had been roughly pulled from his horse and thrown to the ground.\u00a0 One man had even kicked him in the back causing him to cry out in pain.\u00a0 As he attempted to roll away from the assault, another man had jerked him to his feet and grabbed him by both arms shaking him so hard that his head bounced backward and forward until he became so dizzy that he had trouble standing.\u00a0 If the man had not maintained his grip on his arms, he would have fallen to the ground.\u00a0 With the bearded man\u2019s face inches from his own, he had been screamed at that should he tell anyone, especially his father what he had seen that day, they would kill his family, starting with the mighty Ben Cartwright and then his two older sons.\u00a0 Joe had felt the terror run through his veins as the man spat his threats into his face.\u00a0 The third man had chuckle at the look on Joe\u2019s face and grabbing his free arm; the man had spun Joe around to face him.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll make ya watch, when we kill\u2019em too.\u00a0 It won\u2019t be a purty sight, what we\u2019ll do ta\u2019em,\u201d spat the skinny man the other\u2019s had referred to as Slim.\u00a0 \u201cAnd when we\u2019re dun with\u2019em, I\u2019ll skin ya alive with this!\u201d<\/p>\n Slim pulled a long bladed hunting knife from the sheath that he wore fastened to his belt and waved it in Joe\u2019s face.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s fear had taken over his body and he felt himself tremble as the man continued to hold his arm in a death like grip.\u00a0 This only caused the man to laugh in his face before slapping him across the mouth and shoving him towards his horse.<\/p>\n \u201cYou git outta here brat, and \u2018member what I told ya.\u00a0 Ya tell a sole what ya seed here today, ya ole man and them brothers of yourn will be dead, ya hear me?\u201d threatened Slim.<\/p>\n The men made threatening moves toward him and he quickly turned his pinto around and raced for home, vowing to himself not to breathe a word to his family about what he had seen.\u00a0 It had taken the entire ride home for him to get control of his fear and quiet his body enough to stop his trembling.\u00a0 By the time he had reached the ranch, he had begun to feel a little better and by the time he had stabled his horse, he was calm enough he felt as if he could manage to get through supper and excuse himself to his room.\u00a0 He had not planned on his father already knowing that he had disobeyed his order of staying away from the butte until things had settled down with the opposing ranchers.\u00a0 Nor had he anticipated his middle brother watching him return from the forbidden area.\u00a0 As strange as it seemed, Hoss had somehow managed to miss the exchange between the small group of men and his youngest brother.<\/p>\n Joe knew the instant that he had stepped into the house that he was in trouble.\u00a0 His father stood just inside the door waiting with folded arms and a stern look on his face that spelled doom to the wayward lad.<\/p>\n \u201cJOSEPH,\u201d Pa had bellowed, sending up red flags in Joe\u2019s young mind.<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir?\u201d Joe responded weakly, the fear returning to invade his body.\u00a0 He fought to maintain eye contact with his father, to drop his head now would be to admit guilt to whatever it was his father suspected him of having done.<\/p>\n \u201cNice of you to come home,\u201d began Ben, keeping his eyes tuned on his son\u2019s face.<\/p>\n Joe noted the enraged look and the darkness of his father\u2019s brown eyes as he fought to keep eye contact and a look of innocence on his face.\u00a0 Joe wanted to check the time on the old grandfather clock next to the door but didn\u2019t dare take his eyes from his father\u2019s face; but he was sure he wasn\u2019t late.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like to tell me where you have been?\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s voice was getting louder as his apparent anger rose.\u00a0 Joe wondered briefly what had set his temper to blazing; there was no way that his father could have already found out that he had been to the butte, could there?<\/p>\n \u201cJust out,\u201d stammered Joe.\u00a0 Joe cast worried eyes at his middle brother and saw Hoss roll his eyes upward.\u00a0 \u2018Wrong answer,\u2019 thought Joe as he turned in Adam\u2019s direction.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s head was bent downward as he pinched the bridge of his nose and was gently shaking his head back and forth.<\/p>\n \u201cI am well aware of that, Joseph, but OUT WHERE?\u201d shouted his father as his anger spilled over the imaginary rim that was supposed to contain the explosive emotion.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, why are you so mad?\u00a0 What did I do now?\u201d questioned Joe, not understanding his father\u2019s rage.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, have you been up to the butte after I specifically told you not to go there?\u201d demanded Ben stepping closer and cupping Joe\u2019s chin in his hands as it began to quiver.<\/p>\n As Joe fought to find a more comfortable position on the bed, his thoughts turned to the day that he had helped his father and brothers stretch the wire fence and what Pa had told him about how some of the ranchers felt about his using the new barbed-wire fencing.<\/p>\n His father had explained to him that some of the rancher\u2019s did not like using the new type of fencing for holding in their cattle and many had made verbal objections, some had even been threatening.\u00a0 Ben had also explained that he had tried to make the men understand that where he was using the wire fencing was well inside the boundaries of the Ponderosa, therefore should not be of any concern or harm to those who objected.<\/p>\n Some ranchers feared that their cattle might become entangled in the barbed wire and could be injured by the sharp barbs that protruded if they happened to roam too far from their own ranches.\u00a0 Ben had told them that they need not worry about their own cattle for they would not be anywhere near his new fencing but he had still been met with opposition.\u00a0 A fight had almost occurred until Ben had demanded that they leave his property promptly.\u00a0 The men had turned and headed back towards their own ranches but the leader of the hostile men stopped and shouted out one last warning.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is far from settled, Cartwright.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t heard the end of this.\u201d\u00a0 With that the horse was kicked hard in the flanks and galloped off to catch up with the others.<\/p>\n Joe turned over on his side, being careful not to put any pressure on his sore bottom and shut his eyes.\u00a0 He wanted nothing more than to forget the events of the day that had ended in being put across his father\u2019s lap as if he had been a small child.\u00a0 Joe wondered if his father\u2019s reaction would have been the same had he confessed to what he had been witness too earlier in the day.\u00a0 Joe shivered at the thought, he was still in fear that those men would return and do to his family what they had promised.\u00a0 Joe squeezed his eyes tightly shut and tried to shake the apprehension from his body.\u00a0 The punishment had hurt and humiliated him but Joe reasoned that it had been worth it in order to protect those he loved.\u00a0 Somehow Joe managed to fall asleep long before Hop Sing brought in his supper.\u00a0 When the little servant saw that his favorite number three son was already asleep, he carefully covered the boy with his blankets and returned to his kitchen carrying the uneaten meal.<\/p>\n Adam had sat up reading far into the night, much later than he had meant too.\u00a0 The new book that had just arrived had been so interesting that he had found it nearly impossible to put it down.\u00a0 Finally realizing that if he didn\u2019t lay the book aside soon, it would be morning and he would have a full days work ahead of him with little or no sleep.\u00a0 Adam had just turned the lamp\u2019s wick down when the screams from down the hall reached his ears.\u00a0 Quickly he bolted from his bed and headed for his younger brother\u2019s bedroom.\u00a0 As he pushed opened the door the moon\u2019s soft glow cast it\u2019s shadow across the young boy\u2019s bed.\u00a0 Joe was sitting up in the bed fighting off an imaginary intruder.\u00a0 His arms were flinging about his head as he fought with his demons.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, No, stop, you can\u2019t kill them,\u201d cried out Joe to his foes,\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u00a0 You promised, I didn\u2019t tell, honest.\u00a0 Stop! Please stop!\u201d screamed Joe as the tears ran down his face.<\/p>\n Quickly Adam grabbed his brother\u2019s arms and held them tightly as the boy continued to thrash about on the bed.\u00a0 Adam spoke in a calm voice trying to soothe the frightened child and wake him up at the same time.<\/p>\n \u201cShh\u2026Joe.\u00a0 Wake up little buddy, you\u2019re having a bad dream,\u201d cooed Adam drawing Joe into a firm embrace.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe stopped his struggles and his screams turned to sobs as he opened his eyes and recognized his older brother.\u00a0 \u201cAdam\u2026they were trying to kill us,\u201d wept Little Joe as he buried his head against Adam\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n Adam held Joe closely rubbing his hand up and down the younger boy\u2019s back in a soothing motion.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, it was just a bad dream, buddy.\u00a0 Everything is okay now, just try to calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Adam, they were trying to kill you and Hoss and Pa.\u00a0 I\u2026I\u2026could stop them.\u201d\u00a0 Joe clung to his brother as the trembles racked his body and he fought to control his tears.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, who was trying to kill us?\u201d asked Adam softly.<\/p>\n Joe was silent for a minute trying to collect his thoughts.\u00a0 Should he tell Adam the truth?\u00a0 His big brother had always been there for him when he needed him and it would be so easy just to confess to Adam what had happened and let him take care of things instead of trying to deal with it his self.\u00a0 Then Joe remembered Slim\u2019s threat and what he and his friends would do to the Cartwright family if he spilled the beans on them.<\/p>\n Joe sniffed a couple of times and pulled away from Adam\u2019s embrace as he forced a small smile onto his face.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t remember, I\u2026I\u2026couldn\u2019t see their faces in my dream.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry I woke ya, Adam.\u201d\u00a0 Joe tried his best to hide the sudden fear that he felt as he lay back down and closed his eyes, hoping that his brother would think him all right and leave him alone.<\/p>\n Adam tucked the blankets around Joe and stood from the bed.\u00a0 \u201cAre you okay now buddy?\u00a0 Want me to sit with you for awhile?\u201d offered Adam.<\/p>\n Joe opened his eyes and faked another smile, \u201cNo\u2026thanks, I\u2019m fine.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you go back to bed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re sure?\u201d Adam moved toward the door as he spoke giving Joe a brief smile.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure Adam,\u201d replied Joe nodding his head.\u00a0 Joe suddenly realized he had just told two more lies, he really did want his brother to stay with him and he really wasn\u2019t fine.<\/p>\n Adam had the door almost closed when Joe suddenly stopped him.\u00a0 \u201cAdam?\u201d\u00a0 Adam stuck his head back in the door, \u201cI love ya,\u201d whispered Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you too, Joe.\u201d\u00a0 Adam closed the door and turned to his room.\u00a0 Ben was waiting for him in the darkened hallway and Adam almost ran directly into his father.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry Pa, didn\u2019t see you standing there,\u201d laughed Adam.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything okay with your brother?\u201d inquired Ben.<\/p>\n Adam scratched his head, \u201cYes sir, he just had a bad dream\u2026something about someone trying to kill all of us.\u00a0 When I asked him who it was, he suddenly was ready to go back too sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou find that strange?\u201d Ben asked watching Adam\u2019s concerned face in the dim light.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I guess not.\u00a0 But it\u2019s not like Joe to want to be left alone after one of his nightmares.\u00a0 I got the feeling that he was trying to get me out of his room,\u201d explained Adam.\u00a0 \u201cOh, don\u2019t worry Pa, by morning, he\u2019ll have forgotten all about it.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get some shut-eye, I\u2019m bushed.\u201d\u00a0 Adam patted his father\u2019s shoulder and moved on down the hall.<\/p>\n \u201cGood night, son, God bless,\u201d Ben called softly after Adam.\u00a0 Ben reached for his door but hesitated momentarily before going back to Joe\u2019s room and quietly slipping through the door.\u00a0 He eased his way to Joe\u2019s bedside and peered down at his son.\u00a0 Joe appeared to now be sleeping peacefully, traces of his tears making his cheeks damp to his father\u2019s touch as Ben caressed his son\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cGood night, Joseph,\u201d whispered Ben leaning down to kiss his son\u2019s brow.\u00a0 Ben watched as Joe attempted to turn onto his back and winced softly in his sleep as his backside rubbed against the mattress causing Joe to turn on his side instead.<\/p>\n Two days later Ben sent Hoss and Adam into town after supplies.\u00a0 He had restricted Joe to the yard but had decided that morning to have the boy accompany him to check some of the fences.\u00a0 He had received word by one of the hands that part of the new fencing around the butte area had been torn down.\u00a0 Ben was in hopes that by taking Joe with him, it would give them a chance to talk and perhaps the boy would open up to him.\u00a0 Ben sensed that something was eating away at the boy; he had been so sullen and withdrawn the last couple of days.\u00a0 Ben also had seen the way that Joe had jumped every time that someone called his name, knocked on the door or made a loud noise.\u00a0 Something had the boy spooked and Ben was determined to find out what was causing it.\u00a0 Both nights since Joe\u2019s punishment, Joe had awakened the family with his screams, calling out that they not be killed.\u00a0 This had seemed to spark an undue amount of terror in the boy and last night; the nightmare had been so bad that he had had to stay until Joe had fallen back to sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cReady to ride, son?\u201d asked Ben giving Little Joe a warm smile as he mounted his horse.<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d replied Joe as he slipped his boot into the stirrup and pulled himself up.\u00a0 Any other time the boy would have spring-mounted his pinto but this day his backside was still recovering from the spanking he had received.\u00a0 Joe tried not to look at his father.\u00a0 Joe knew he was being watched and it made him slightly uncomfortable.\u00a0 His nightmares had been playing havoc with his mind, he was scared that the four men he had run into two days ago would return and do to his family what they had promised and he fought to hide that fear from his father and brothers.\u00a0 If their questioning persisted, Joe was afraid that he would break down and tell them the truth, and he convinced himself, he could not allow himself to give in to the urge.\u00a0 Now his father had insisted that he join him in riding fence, something that Joe did not want to do.\u00a0 He had tried to talk his father into allowing him to stay home and work on the chores but Ben would hear nothing of it.\u00a0 Now he was doomed to spend the whole day being interrogated by his father and Joe was in fear of losing his reserve along with his temper.<\/p>\n They had almost reached the butte when Ben pulled Buck to a stop and dismounted.\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t we rest for awhile, son?\u201d Ben pulled the cork from his canteen taking a long drink of the cool water.<\/p>\n Joe remained on his horse, refusing to give his father time to start his questioning.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u00a0 I\u2019m not tired.\u00a0 Besides, we don\u2019t have much further to go.\u00a0 Can\u2019t we just go and get this over with?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben noted that Joe\u2019s tone of voice had taken on a bit of sarcasm slowly bringing his anger to the surface.\u00a0 Ben fought to control the vicarious emotion, not wanting to start the day in an argument with his youngest son.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, I just thought that we might talk, that\u2019s all.\u00a0 Now will you please get down?\u201d Ben gently ordered and watched as the frown lines etched into the brow of the youngster.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, I dun told ya.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m having those nightmares.\u00a0 And I already explained to you that when I do have\u2019em, I don\u2019t remember anything about them.\u00a0 So, stop asking me\u2026please,\u201d he added as an after thought when he saw the dark look come into his father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 Joe knew he had just lied to his father again, but could the man not understand?\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want to talk about it, he wanted to forget, just forget the whole incident ever happened.<\/p>\n Ben reached out his hand and laid it on his son\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cJoseph, I\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 I don\u2019t mean to be so persistent, but something is bothering you son.\u00a0 Can\u2019t you tell me about it?\u00a0 I might just be able to help you.\u201d\u00a0 Ben lifted Joe\u2019s chin to better read his face.<\/p>\n Joe swallowed the lump that rose in his throat and hoped that his father could not hear how loudly his heart was beating.\u00a0 His body shivered slightly and he tried to remove his chin from his father\u2019s hand, those dark penetrating eyes were looking into his very soul, but Ben held firmly.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong, Pa.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t ya believe me?\u201d\u00a0 Joe managed to jerk his head free of his father\u2019s hold and turn his back to his father, hiding the fear he knew was showing on his face.<\/p>\n Ben relented; it was no use trying to talk to Joe.\u00a0 He was not getting anywhere and he didn\u2019t want to fight with the boy.\u00a0 Ben walked up behind Joe who had his forehead pressed into Cochise\u2019s neck, and laid both hands on Joe\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0 Ben squeezed gently massaging the boy\u2019s muscles that he could feel had tensed.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay son.\u00a0 We\u2019ll let it drop, for now.\u00a0 I just want you to promise me that when you are ready to talk, you will come to me.\u201d\u00a0 Ben turned Joe around to face him, the quivering chin and the tear filled eyes, all seen by the father.\u00a0 Ben did not wait for an answer; instead he pulled Little Joe into his arms and hugged him not wanting to let on to his son that he was aware that the questions had stirred up a sensitive response in him.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, we have work to do.\u00a0 That ole fence won\u2019t repair its self,\u201d Ben released his son and reached for Buck\u2019s reins that had been tied to a near by willow tree.\u00a0 Joe swiftly mounted his horse and without another word nudged the pinto into a trot.\u00a0 Ben allowed Joe to lead the way and before long they arrived at the torn down fence.<\/p>\n Joe nervously scanned the horizon while Ben removed the supplies from the backpacks needed to repair the fence.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get started son,\u201d instructed Ben already bending to pick up one of the downed fence posts.<\/p>\n Ben watched as Joe worked and repeatedly surveyed the surrounding area.\u00a0 Ben caught himself searching the distant hills not knowing what he was searching for, but it was plain to him that his son was on the lookout.\u00a0 They had just about finished the last repair when Ben\u2019s attention was drawn to the four approaching riders.\u00a0 Joe had seen his father\u2019s head jerk up and he turned to see what held his father\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n \u201cWell lookit what we got here, our little friend from the other day,\u201d laughed Slim in a snarled grin as he climbed down from his horse and stood in front of Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cHow ya doin\u2019 kid?\u201d\u00a0 Slim\u2019s face was inches from Joe\u2019s and Joe could smell the man\u2019s bad breath as he spoke.<\/p>\n Joe tried to back away from the offending odor but bumped into the bearded man in the attempt to get away.\u00a0 Suddenly he felt strong hands grab his shoulders and roughly spin him around as he fought to find his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cLeave the boy alone,\u201d called Ben who struggled to free him from the two pairs of strong hands that suddenly held him captive.\u00a0 He and Joe had been working at repairing the fence that had been destroyed when the four riders had ridden up.\u00a0 Not knowing who or what they wanted, Ben had instructed his young son to stand behind him, offering little protection against the four strange looking men.<\/p>\n Ben had heard Joe\u2019s sudden intake of air as the four approached and when he turned to look back at the boy, he was startled to see the look of shear terror that was on his face.\u00a0 Before he could question his son, the men were on him and before he could put up much of a fight, he had found himself disarmed and held tightly in the grasp of two of the men.\u00a0 His heart had jumped into his throat when the other two had grabbed his son and began mentally tormenting the boy.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, looks like ya broke ya promise to us kid,\u201d snarled Slim as he snatched the boy roughly by the front of his shirt.<\/p>\n Panic filled Joe\u2019s heart and he fought to control his tears.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t tell no body nothing, honest mister, ya gotta believe me,\u201d cried Joe wishing that his brothers were here to help he and his father.<\/p>\n \u201cI think ya lyin\u2019,\u201d snapped Slim and slapped Joe hard across the face.\u00a0 Ben fought to break away from his captors in order to protect his son but the two men held him with superior strength and as he fought against them they twisted his arms backward behind him until he cried out from the agony and was forced to cease struggling.<\/p>\n Joe was knocked to the ground from the force of the blow and as Slim reached down to grab for him, Joe began scooting backward in a futile attempt at escape. \u201cLeave us alone, I dun told ya, I didn\u2019t tell my pa anything, honest,\u201d cried Joe.<\/p>\n Slim managed to grab Joe by the head of the hair, causing him to cry out loudly before jerking him to his feet and giving him a hard shake.\u00a0 \u201cShut up kid.\u00a0 I told ya what we would do, if\u2019n ya ole man found out about us.\u00a0 Now ya gonna watch, I have something special in mind for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe saw the evil look that suddenly clouded the man\u2019s eyes causing the hair to rise on his arms.\u00a0 Joe watched in terror as the man\u2019s face became distorted and took on the appearance of a madman as his own body began to tremble with fright and dread at the man\u2019s implications.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, please, you can\u2019t kill him, you promised.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t tell him you cut the wire, honest, I didn\u2019t,\u201d cried Joe but his pleas fell on deaf ears.<\/p>\n Slim\u2019s cruel laughter sent shivers of fear throughout Joe\u2019s body as Slim shoved him over to the forth man who held him securely and watched in horror as Slim moved toward his father.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s voice reached several octaves higher as he continued to beg the men not to kill his father but when that produced no satisfaction Joe fought and kicked at the man who held him until the man finally tired of his game and delivered a fist to Joe\u2019s face.\u00a0 Joe was immediately knocked to the ground unconscious and his outcries silenced.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll kill you for that, mister,\u201d swore Ben as Slim came to stand inches from his face.<\/p>\n Slim back handed Ben hard across the mouth causing his lip to split open and bleed.\u00a0 Ben turned to face his aggressor, as angry darts of hate shot from his dark eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll have to do better than that if you don\u2019t want me to hunt you down and kill you like the animal you are.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Ben could finish his sentence, Slim punched him again, this time in the mid-section causing Ben to spit droplets of blood into the unshaven face before he doubled over with the pain.\u00a0 \u201cTie his hands behind his back,\u201d ordered Slim.\u00a0 \u201cMake it quick before someone sees us.\u201d<\/p>\n His men did as they were instructed and held Ben in an upright position facing their boss as they waited for further instructions.\u00a0 Slim jerked Ben\u2019s head up so that he could look into the dark eyes, \u201cYou were warned about using that fencing.\u00a0 Now we\u2019re gonna hav\u2019ta teach ya a lesson,\u201d Slim told Ben, an evil smile playing at the corners of his mouth.\u00a0 Turning to another of the group, he issued more orders.<\/p>\n \u201cGet me that roll of barbed wire, we\u2019re gonna wrap him up real purty like,\u201d laughed Slim watching the expression on Ben\u2019s face turn to apprehension and then realization.\u00a0 Ben had understood Slim\u2019s meaning and though he was not afraid to die, he did not want his son to be witness to what was about to happen to him.<\/p>\n As Slim moved in close with the roll of wire, small beads of perspiration appeared on Ben\u2019s brow and he swallowed the bile he felt rising up from his stomach and into his throat.\u00a0 He glanced briefly in Joe\u2019s direction and was relieved to see that the boy was still out cold.\u00a0 At least, thought Ben, for the time being he won\u2019t have to watch my persecution.<\/p>\n Ben fought to control his rage and his panic; he knew what the sharp barbs would do to his flesh when they started cutting into him.\u00a0 \u201cYou must be out of your mind.\u00a0 You\u2019ll never get away with this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe not, but you won\u2019t be around to find out.\u201d\u00a0 Using his gloves, Slim began unrolling the wire and moved around behind Ben.<\/p>\n Ben fought to move away but with a man on each side of him holding him firmly in place his struggles were ineffective.\u00a0 He felt the first bite of pain as Slim forced the palm of one hand opened and laid the wire across his hand forcing his fingers to close around the sharp spikes beginning to walk around him pulling the wire from the spool as he moved.\u00a0 Ben fought to keep from crying out in pain as the barbs continued to assault his body but each time a sharp barb tore into his flesh, an involuntary cry would force its way passed his lips.<\/p>\n Slim continued making his rounds drawing the wire about his victim as he circled Ben.\u00a0 Ben screamed as the spiked wire tore into the flesh of his upper arms, stomach, mid-section, and chest as the wire was pulled tighter.\u00a0 Once he caught a glimpse of Joe as the boy regained consciousness and saw the look of horror on his young face when he realized what the men were doing.<\/p>\n Joe screamed and jumped to his feet running toward his father, only to be knocked to the ground for the second time by his assailant.\u00a0 Joe tried to rise but the bearded man struck him from behind, his fist landing between Joe\u2019s shoulders forcing him to stay on the ground.\u00a0 Joe watched in horror as the pain overtook his father and Ben\u2019s knees buckled beneath him.<\/p>\n The last thing that Ben heard before he passed out was his young son\u2019s screams, pleading with the men to stop.\u00a0 As Slim finished he cut the wire and twisted the end around a strand at Ben\u2019s back.\u00a0 Blood dripped from each spot on Ben\u2019s torn flesh where the barbs had sank their sharp points into the skin.\u00a0 Slim laughed in satisfaction as his two cronies released their hold on the entangled man allowing him to fall to the ground with a thud. Joe sat paralyzed in fear, unable to move or speak as the four men mounted their horses and rode away without a word or look in his direction.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s eyes never left the face of his father and it was only when Ben moaned loudly that Joe finally came to his senses. Joe began screaming at the top of his lungs as he ran to his father\u2019s side.\u00a0 Dropping to his knees he began grabbing the barbed wire trying to remove it from around his father not knowing that he caused even more agony to the already tormented man.<\/p>\n \u201cPA!\u201d screamed Joe as the tears ran from his face and dripped off his chin.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry Pa, I\u2019m so sorry,\u201d wept the hysterical boy as he struggled with the wire that was bound around his father.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s hands and fingers were slashed opened and bleeding, the barbs cutting deeply into his tender young skin but Joe felt no pain, so intent was he to free his father.<\/p>\n \u201cPA! PA!\u201d Joe screamed out over and over until his voice became so hoarse that he could barely speak.\u00a0 Joe looked on in shock as the blood continued its steady flow from the cuts that were too numerous to count until totally spent; he sank heavily to the ground beside his father and lamented loudly, the sobs racking his body.<\/p>\n Joe wiped at his runny nose with the sleeve of his shirt and tried to raise his father up.\u00a0 The movement only caused the older man more distress and when Ben screamed out it brought the boy more tears.\u00a0 Joe was terrified, he knew he had to go for help but fear of leaving his father was tearing away at his insides.<\/p>\n Ben began to moan loudly and when Joe saw the eyelids begin to flutter he moved closer to his father so that he could hear what Ben was trying to say.<\/p>\n \u201cGet\u2026h\u2026help,\u201d Ben\u2019s request was spoken so softly that Joe was not even sure that he had heard his father speak.<\/p>\n Ben welcomed the blackness that engulfed him like a shroud about his body.\u00a0 The pain in his tormented body was excruciating; more than he had ever known in his entire lifetime and the blackness was his refuge in which he could escape.<\/p>\n Joe pulled himself to his feet running to mount his horse.\u00a0 He had no other choice, his father\u2019s life hung in the balance, he had to ride for help and the Ponderosa was the nearest place to find help for his beloved father.\u00a0 With that the only thought in his mind, Joe kicked hard at Cochise\u2019s flanks urging her into a gallop knowing that Adam and Hoss would be back from town by now and would be waiting at the ranch for his and their father\u2019s return.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam!\u00a0 Hoss!\u201d screamed out Joe in a raspy voice as this horse slid to a stop in front of the house.\u00a0 Joe all but fell from the saddle and was on his knees trying to stand when Adam and Hoss ran from the house at the sounds of their brother\u2019s cries. Both brothers stopped in their tracks when they saw the blood that covered the entire front of the boy\u2019s shirt and seemed to drip from the very tip ends of his fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, what in the world happened to ya, young\u2019n?\u201d cried Hoss as he grabbed the boy into his arms.<\/p>\n Joe pulled back his blood soaked dirty hands and cried out when Hoss\u2019 large hands closed around his, feeling for the first time the intense pain from the cuts that was caused by the wire.<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s breathing had become irregular causing him to have a hard time speaking.\u00a0 \u201cPa\u2026 \u201cJoe, calm down boy, tell us, what happened?\u00a0 Where is Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Adam held Joe back so that he could look into the boy\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened to you hands, Joe?\u00a0 They are cut to ribbons.\u201d\u00a0 Adam gently turned both smaller hands over in his and was amazed that the boy seemed immune to the damaged and torn flesh that hung about his hands.<\/p>\n Breathing hard Joe cried out his story.\u00a0 \u201cThey jump us Adam\u2026they knocked me out and when I woke up\u2026they\u2026they\u2026Adam ya gotta help Pa.\u201d Joe flung himself into his brother\u2019s arms again and wrapped himself around Adam\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n Adam could feel the tremors that racked the younger boy\u2019s body and it scared him.\u00a0 Something was bad wrong, and the only way that he could find out was from his terrified little boy.\u00a0 Gently Adam pried Joe\u2019s arms from around his neck and stood the boy in front facing him.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe,\u201d Adam gently shook the boy, \u201cWe can\u2019t help Pa if you don\u2019t tell us where he is.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss stood behind Joe placing a reassuring hand on each of the boy\u2019s shoulders and waited with baited breath.<\/p>\n Joe took a deep breath to calm himself and wiped at his tears.\u00a0 \u201cUp at the butte, we were fixing that fence that got cut.\u00a0 Four men jumped us and they tied Pa up\u2026in the\u2026barbed wire fencing.\u201d\u00a0 Joe gulped for more air, \u201cWe gotta hurry\u2026please\u2026there\u2019s so much blood Adam\u2026please hurry,\u201d wailed Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cDear God,\u201d whispered Adam.\u00a0 \u201cHoss get the wagon, I\u2019ll take Joe to Hop Sing, he can stay here until we get back and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d screamed Little Joe, \u201cI\u2019m goin\u2019 back with you, I gotta help Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, I don\u2019t have time to stand here and argue with you.\u00a0 You will stay with Hop Sing while Hoss and I get Pa.\u00a0 Now I don\u2019t want to hear any more about it,\u201d ordered Adam as he took Joe by the arm and started toward the house.<\/p>\n Joe had no such intentions of staying at home, his father needed him and Joe felt responsible for what had happened to his father.\u00a0 Suddenly he pulled free of Adam\u2019s hold on his arm and ran to his horse.\u00a0 Adam caught unaware by the sudden move was slow in responding and by the time he realized what his little brother was doing, Joe had mounted his horse and was heading out of the yard.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn,\u201d cursed Adam as he hurried to the house to get medical supplies that they might need.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing,\u201d yelled Adam as he entered the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cPa\u2019s been hurt, go for the doctor and meet us back here as soon as you can, and hurry, bring Roy Coffee back with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir, Mista Adam, Hop Sing hurry,\u201d the little oriental hurried from the house to do Adam\u2019s bidding and was on the way to town as Hoss and Adam climbed into the wagon headed for the butte where their father lay clinging precariously to life.<\/p>\n Joe jumped from his horse and ran to his father the minute that Cochise stopped.\u00a0 Ben lay as he had been before Joe had gone for help.\u00a0 His face was pale, his breathing shallow, and Joe\u2019s eyes widened in fear at the blood that pooled around his father\u2019s body.\u00a0 With the back of his hand he caressed his father\u2019s brow as he whispered out his father\u2019s name.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2026Pa\u2026please don\u2019t die.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry Pa\u2026I didn\u2019t know this would happen.\u00a0 They promised Pa\u2026Pa\u2026please open your eyes,\u201d wept Joe as the sobs racked his body.\u00a0 Joe who was on his knees laid down next to his father in the dirt and gently rested his arm across his father\u2019s neck, the only place on his upper body that the sharp barbs had not cut into.<\/p>\n When Adam and Hoss arrived in the wagon they found Joe lying with their father and could hear his soft whimpers and appeals as they stepped nearer.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 eyes instantly filled with tears at the sight of his father lying motionless and so deathlike wrapped in the sharp painful confines of the wire fencing.\u00a0 His scream shattered the stillness that surrounded him scattering birds in all directions as he covered both his eyes with his large hands and fell to his knees beside the dying man.<\/p>\n Adam turned his head from the grotesque sight that his father represented.\u00a0 As the acid filled his mouth, Adam dropped his head and forfeited the contents of his stomach to the hard earth beneath his feet.\u00a0 As soon has he had regained control of him self, Adam stepped close to Joe and pulled his brother into a sitting position and forced the boy to turn away his head as he shielded his face from the sight.\u00a0 With his free hand he sought his father\u2019s neck for a pulse and breathed a long sigh of relief when a weak one was found.\u00a0 Hoss joined both brothers on the other side of his father and again his face paled at seeing his father\u2019s prone figure.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss,\u201d said Adam quietly, forcing his voice to remain calm and steady, \u201cget the medical supplies and those wire cutters from the wagon.\u00a0 We have to try to get some of this wire off of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss was back in quick order with Adam\u2019s requested items and handed them to him.\u00a0 \u201cWant me to help you sit him up?\u201d Hoss asked the tears still clinging to his cheeks.<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s dark sorrowful eyes swiftly scanned his father\u2019s body before replying.\u00a0 \u201cNo, better leave him laying down.\u00a0 If we force him to sit up, the barbs will only dig in deeper than what they already are.\u00a0 We need to keep him as still as possible to keep them from doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam turned his head to look at his younger brother when he felt Joe\u2019s body begin to shiver and looked up into Hoss\u2019 eyes.\u00a0 \u201cTake the boy to the wagon and see what you can do for his hands, the blood is still seeping.\u00a0 Wrap them for now if you have too while I start cutting these wires.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss stepped across his father\u2019s body and gently lifted the whimpering boy into his arms.\u00a0 Joe made no effort to resist his brother\u2019s strong embrace as his whispered plea, that his father not give in to death continued to be voiced.\u00a0 Hoss held Joe\u2019s body close to his, not caring that the front of his shirt became covered with the boy\u2019s blood.\u00a0 Joe momentarily closed his eyes, leaned his head against his brother\u2019s chest, and listened to the steady beat of the heart.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my fault,\u201d stammered Joe burying his face deeper into the leather vest that Hoss wore.\u00a0 \u201cIt was my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, tweren\u2019t no body\u2019s fault boy, especially yours,\u201d Hoss softly whispered as he sat Joe on the back of the wagon and reached for the clean strips of cloth to wrap his brother\u2019s lacerated and bleeding hands.<\/p>\n Joe turned his sad tear stained face to look at his brother, \u201cYou don\u2019t understand Hoss,\u201d cried Joe in a choked voice, \u201cI lied to Pa\u2026and it got him hurt.\u201d\u00a0 Joe\u2019s voiced cracked and his shoulders began to shake as he continued.\u00a0 \u201cIf I had only told Pa the truth, none of this would have happened.\u201d\u00a0 Joe raised his head slightly and sought his brother\u2019s eyes, \u201cdon\u2019t ya understand Hoss, it was my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, you had no way of knowing this was goin\u2019 happen,\u201d Hoss gently began wrapping the cloths around Joe\u2019s injured hands, sympathy for the frightened boy and his injured father plainly showing in his crystal blue eyes, \u201cPa ain\u2019t gonna hold ya responsible, honest Punkin, he wouldn\u2019t do that.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss tied a small knot in the cloth and raised Joe\u2019s quivering chin with his large but gentle hands.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2019s gonna be okay baby, try to calm down,\u201d Hoss placed his arm around the slim shoulders and drew the boy to him, holding him while as he fought to control his own tears.<\/p>\n Joe suddenly pulled free of Hoss\u2019 embrace as his father\u2019s screams pierced his ears.\u00a0 Joe jumped from the wagon and ran to his father\u2019s side falling to his knees next to Adam.\u00a0 Hoss too had returned to Ben\u2019s side and both younger boys watched in horror as Adam tried carefully to untangle a short strand of the wire from Ben\u2019s mid-section.<\/p>\n Joe made a grab at Adam\u2019s hand with his own bandaged hand in an attempt to stop Adam from removing the wire.\u00a0 \u201cSTOP! Can\u2019t ya see your hurting him?\u201d Joe screamed at his brother as his tears spilled over the rim of his eyes and onto his cheeks.\u00a0 He fought to hold on to his brother\u2019s hands keeping them from returning to the wire and causing in his mind, more pain and suffering to his father.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, stop,\u201d Adam pushed Joe\u2019s hand away using more force than he had intended causing the boy to cry out in his own discomfort that had suddenly awakened in his hands and fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry buddy,\u201d apologized Adam instantly, \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to hurt you.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t mean to hurt Pa, but I have to remove as much of this damn wire as I can before we can get him home.\u00a0 Do you understand?\u201d\u00a0 Adam glanced at Little Joe\u2019s face as he went back to work on the sharp barbs still embedded in their father\u2019s swollen flesh.<\/p>\n Hoss pulled Joe to his feet, swept him up into his arms and carried him for the second time to the wagon where he placed him in the back and covered him with a blanket.<\/p>\n \u201cYou stay put young\u2019n, you hear me?\u00a0 I need to help Adam, the sooner we get that wire off Pa, the sooner we can get him home where the doctor can take a look at him,\u201d instructed Hoss.\u00a0 When Joe did not answer, Hoss squeezed the boy\u2019s shoulders to the point that the boy cried out softly.\u00a0 \u201cYa hear, Punkin?\u201d Hoss asked again as he turned from the boy and went to give Adam what help he could offer.<\/p>\n Joe nodded his head in agreement, and watched as Hoss returned to Adam\u2019s side.\u00a0 Joe drew his knees up to his chest and rested his head on them as he circled his legs with his hands that had begun to throb with pain. Joe tried not to raise his head and watch as his brothers slowly cut away at the menacing wire that remained wrapped about Ben\u2019s body.\u00a0 Each and every time that his father\u2019s screams reached his ears, Joe covered his head with his arms and cried.\u00a0 After several attempts of shutting out the pitiful wails, Joe jumped down from the wagon and walked to his horse.\u00a0 He could take no more of his father\u2019s suffering and the need to distance himself from the anguish took precedence in his mind.\u00a0 Spurring his mount into a gallop, Joe rode past his brother\u2019s without uttering a word and headed for home.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, come back here,\u201d shouted Adam rising from Ben\u2019s side to stare after his brother\u2019s retreating back.\u00a0 \u201cDamn, can\u2019t he ever do as he\u2019s told?\u201d cursed Adam looking into Hoss\u2019 blue eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cAw Adam, the kid\u2019s scared, and he thinks he\u2019s responsible for this,\u201d Hoss pointed to his father who had begun to stir about bringing his attention back to the man on the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d Hoss whispered, \u201cbe still, please. You\u2019re gonna be fine.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss gave his father a weak smile and dabbed at the sweat that had collected on the older man\u2019s brow.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d Ben tried to ask before the darkness claimed him again.<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss exchanged worried looks and resumed their work on the aggravating wires.\u00a0 It took both young men well over two hours to cut away what they could of the barbed wire that had held their father in its clutches.\u00a0 Blood began to seep from many of the opened gashes about Ben\u2019s body.\u00a0 In spots, his torn and ripped shirt was squelching some of the blood flow due to being embedded over the cuts by the barbs.<\/p>\n Adam covered Ben with several blankets and together he and Hoss carried Ben\u2019s body to the wagon where they placed him gently onto the blanket that covered the thick pile of hay that Hoss had tossed in to make a suitable bed in which to bring their father home.\u00a0 Adam climbed into the back with his father and Hoss jumped into the front taking the reins in his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cReady?\u201d asked Hoss glancing over his shoulder to be sure Adam had both himself and their father settled.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go Hoss, he\u2019s lost a lot of blood and we need to get him to the doctor,\u201d answered Adam.<\/p>\n Hoss slapped the reins down on the teams back and urged them forward.\u00a0 The trip was slow going, Hoss being careful not to hit the ruts in the narrow winding road and jostle his father around causing more misery.<\/p>\n Cochise came to a stop when he felt his rider drop the reins and lean over his neck.\u00a0 Joe had trained the horse to such perfection in such matters until the horse knew the warning signs.\u00a0 Joe gasped for air to fill his lungs as the pain in his hands began to reach excruciating proportions and the acids from his stomach boiled into his mouth spewing over landing at the horse\u2019s hooves.\u00a0 Cochise sidestepped slightly as Joe began to slip from the saddle onto the ground barely missing the puddle of vomit.\u00a0 Joe raised his weary body just enough to drag himself away from the offending smell before collapsing completely.<\/p>\n Joe lay where he had fallen for over an hour before Roy, Hop Sing and Doctor Martin found him.\u00a0 They had been waiting at the ranch for Adam and Hoss to return with Ben, each man nervously pacing the floor, when they decided to strike out on their own and meet the boys part way.\u00a0 With the amount of blood that Hop Sing had informed them about that had covered Little Joe earlier, Paul Martin was sure that Ben was in serious condition himself, not to mention what shape that Little Joe might now also be in.<\/p>\n Paul jumped from his buggy as he, Roy and Hop Sing ran to Joe\u2019s side.\u00a0 Quickly Paul checked for a pulse and finding a strong one he ran his expert hands along the sides of Joe\u2019s torso checking for any possible broken bones.\u00a0 Pleased to see that there were none, he turned the boy onto his back.\u00a0 Roy removed his own coat and rolled it up placing it under the boy\u2019s head to make a pillow.\u00a0 As Paul began to unwrap the now soiled bandages from Joe\u2019s hands, Roy carefully brushed away the dirt and fine gravel that had collected on Joe\u2019s face and in his hair when he had fallen from his horse.\u00a0 Paul\u2019s expression took on a grave countenance as he inspected the wounds to the boy\u2019s hands and he passed that concern on to the other two men who also were at his side watching his every move.<\/p>\n Hoss pulled the team to a stop when he neared the small group of men bending over the prone body of his youngest brother who lay at the side of the road.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, look, it\u2019s Roy and Paul, they found Little Joe,\u201d Hoss called over his shoulder as he jumped from the wagon and ran to his brother\u2019s side.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d asked Hoss kneeling down next to Joe and lightly stroking the young boy\u2019s face, a look of fear furrowing into his brow.<\/p>\n \u201cHe must have fallen off his horse, we just found him a few minutes ago.\u00a0 Where\u2019s Ben?\u201d asked Paul glancing up at Adam as he approached the group.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s in the wagon, Paul.\u201d Adam informed him as he joined Hoss at Joe\u2019s side.<\/p>\n Paul patted Adam\u2019s back as they passed one another and moved to the back of the wagon to check on Ben.\u00a0 As he climbed into the straw filled wagon, he pulled the blankets up to inspect Ben\u2019s multiple injuries and was appalled at what he saw.<\/p>\n \u201cGood God,\u201d he muttered and had to turn his face from the sight of his old friend.\u00a0 Paul, accustomed to seeing such sights had to fight to keep the contents of his stomach in place.\u00a0 This was his dear and trusted friend, a man he had known for years, and the sight of seeing such a friend in this condition brought tears to his eyes.\u00a0 Paul swallowed the lump that rose in his throat and willed himself to maintain control of his emotions.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing, bring me my bag from the buggy, please,\u201d called Paul.<\/p>\n With the lump out of his throat and now in control of himself, Paul took matters into his own hands. \u201cHoss, you and Adam bring Joe and put him here in the wagon next to Ben.\u00a0 I\u2019ll ride back here, that way I can keep my eye on the two of them.\u00a0 Hop Sing, you drive my buggy back to the ranch, Roy you can lead Joe\u2019s horse.\u00a0 Adam and Hoss can ride up front.\u00a0 Come on, let\u2019s get moving, we need to get these two home.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul barked out his orders in a military like manner causing every one to jump to attention and begin doing what Paul had instructed them to do. As they were carrying out the doctor\u2019s orders, Paul pulled a small vile and two needles from his black bag and administer to both father and son, a small amount of morphine to dull their pain in order to make the remaining journey home more tolerable for both.<\/p>\n Joe was placed carefully next to his father and covered with several blankets.\u00a0 His face was turned toward Ben’s, each facing the other.\u00a0 As Hoss clicked to the team and slapped the reins against their rumps the wagon lurched forward causing Little Joe to momentarily open his eyes.<\/p>\n Joe was staring into the dark eyes of his father, who had also opened his eyes, and the eyes of each locked with those of the other.\u00a0 What passed from father to son and son to father in that brief encounter, only God would ever understand.\u00a0 Joe held his father\u2019s stance until he felt the caressing touch of his father\u2019s finger as it followed the path of a lone tear that rolled downward along the side of his nose and was stopped by the single finger before reaching his chin.\u00a0 The wagon lurched again causing Joe to shut his eyes to the pain and when he opened them for the second time, Ben\u2019s eyes had closed and his hand had fallen to the side.\u00a0 Joe closed his eyes once again, this time forcing himself to remember the undying love that had shown within the brown depths during that brief instance when he had locked eyes with his father.<\/p>\n Paul had witnessed the exchanged between Ben and his son.\u00a0 He had seen the spark of life ignited in the chocolate depths of his friend\u2019s eyes and instantly knew that whatever unspoken message had passed between the two, Ben, though gravely injured, would fight ferociously to live and would be successful.\u00a0 Paul knew of the courage and determination that was deep seeded in all the Cartwright men, the boy included, when faced with such enormous odds. He also knew that with the love each one carried in their hearts for the other, that love would be the stabilizing force to bring the older Cartwright back to his former self.<\/p>\n It was another good hour before the group of men arrived back at the Ponderosa ranch house.\u00a0 Ben had begun to moan loudly and had, in his delirious state of mind, tried to rise up and climb from the back of the wagon.\u00a0 Adam had had to move to the back to aid the doctor in restraining his father and prevent him from causing himself further injuries and pain.\u00a0 Joe had rolled himself into a ball, hugging tightly to his knees in the furthermost corner of the wagon trembling with fear at the sight of his father\u2019s struggles.\u00a0 Adam had even seen his younger brother cover his ears with his bandaged hands and his blanket when Ben\u2019s tormented screams had pierced the evening\u2019s solitude.\u00a0 Adam reached out to his brother and rested a reassuring hand on the boy\u2019s shoulder and when Joe raised his head Adam noted the sadness in his brother\u2019s hazel eyes as the tears pooled and rolled down his dirty little face.\u00a0 The sight tore at Adam\u2019s heart and he had whispered softly to his brother to be brave just a little bit longer.\u00a0 Joe had wiped his tears and given Adam a tiny smile that did not reach the eyes, but Adam found comfort in the fact that at least his brother understood and was making an effort.<\/p>\n As soon as the wagon stopped, Hoss jumped down from the front seat and moved to help Adam and Paul carry Ben into the house.\u00a0 Hop Sing hurried along in front of the men to open the doors and Roy turned his attention to caring for all of the horses.\u00a0 Everyone had forgotten about the scared little boy who had buried himself under his blanket in the back of the wagon while fighting to erase the traumatic memories of the day from his mind.<\/p>\n Joe had felt the wagon stop and knew that they were at last home and that soon one of his brothers would come to help him into the house.\u00a0 His hands hurt more than anything that had ever hurt him before; his head hurt; and the sights and sounds that had emitted from his father during the long ride home had sent shivers of fear throughout his body.\u00a0 Joe blamed himself and his lies for what had happened to his father and the thought that the man who had meant the most to him might die sent waves of terror through his heart and soul.\u00a0 Joe felt the wagon move as the men removed his father\u2019s body from the back and he heard the muffled whispers that they spoke as they had carried Ben into the house.\u00a0 Joe waited, the blanket remaining over his head, still no one came for him and he felt the tears well up in his eyes as the realization that they had forgotten all about him manifested its self in his heart.\u00a0 They blamed him, his heart cried, his brothers hated him, his father hated him, hell, he even hated himself.<\/p>\n Joe was vaguely aware of the gentle hands that pulled him to his feet and lightly lifted him into strong arms.\u00a0 The faint scent of Bay Rum reached his nose and immediately he closed his eyes as his thoughts turned to his father.\u00a0\u00a0 He rested his aching head into the welcoming embrace of the loving arms that now carried him.\u00a0 The blanket was carefully pulled back from his head and when Joe looked up expecting to see his father\u2019s dark chocolate eyes, he was surprised to see Adam smiling down at him.\u00a0 It was then that Joe remembered his father\u2019s injuries that had for but a short time slipped from his fogged filled mind.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on Little Buddy, let\u2019s get you inside and in the bed so that Doc can take care of those hands for you.\u201d\u00a0 Adam had seen the look that had come into his little brother\u2019s eyes and knew that the boy had thought they had all forgotten about him.\u00a0 Adam pulled the blanket around Joe and placed a kiss on the top of his head.\u00a0 \u201cEverything\u2019s going to okay now, Joe.\u00a0 I promise you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d Joe asked softly watching Adam\u2019s face for any signs of the hate he knew his older brothers must feel toward him.<\/p>\n \u201cDoc is with him.\u00a0 He has a lot of doctoring to do right now little buddy.\u00a0 But I think Pa will be fine in time, try not to worry,\u201d comforted Adam.<\/p>\n Joe could no longer contain his tears and he buried his head deeper into Adam\u2019s chest.\u00a0 Adam allowed his brother to cry and when he had him safely lying on his bed, he gently brushed back the hair that had fallen to his brow and using his fingers, wiped away the boy\u2019s tears.<\/p>\n \u201cAre your hands hurting, buddy?\u201d Adam asked thinking that had been the reason for the sudden outburst of tears.<\/p>\n \u201cA little\u2026Adam?\u201d Joe lowered his head, afraid to look his brother in the eyes.<\/p>\n Adam tenderly raised the quivering chin, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you\u2026do you hate me?\u201d sniffed Joe.<\/p>\n Adam was taken by surprise, \u201cHate you?\u00a0 No, of course not.\u00a0 Why would you ask something like that?\u201d Adam asked as he began removing Joe\u2019s soiled clothing from about his body.<\/p>\n Hop Sing appeared in the door with a pitcher of warm water ready to help Adam bathe Joe and get him ready for the doctor as soon as he finished giving his older patient sleeping and pain medication.\u00a0 Paul would have to wait until Ben was totally sedated before starting with the painful removal of embedded barbs that still claimed possession of Ben\u2019s flesh.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my fault you know,\u201d Joe looked beseechingly at his oldest brother.<\/p>\n Adam stopped what he was doing and sat on the edge of the bed next to Joe, \u201cWhat was your fault?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe rested his head on the pillows and closed his eyes, \u201cPa\u2026they hurt Pa cause of me, Adam.\u00a0 I lied to Pa\u2026I should have told him what really happened that day on the butte, but they said they would kill him and you and Hoss if I told.\u00a0 So I didn\u2019t say nuthin\u2019 and they tried to kill Pa anyway.\u201d Joe glanced up at Adam\u2019s face searching for any reactions to his confession but all he saw was compassion and love in the brown eyes that reflected back at him.<\/p>\n Joe lost all control of his emotions and wept bitter tears of sorrow and remorse as Adam gathered the small boy into his arms holding him in a secure embrace.\u00a0 Adam placed his hand on the back of Joe\u2019s neck and rubbed lovingly trying to bring comfort to his brother\u2019s tortured soul.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, buddy, this is not your fault.\u00a0 There is no way that you are responsible and no one blames you if that is what you are thinking.\u201d\u00a0 Adam raised Joe\u2019s face so that he could see the boy\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cListen to me Joe, I don\u2019t ever want to hear you say that again.\u00a0 Do you hear me?\u00a0 No one, not me, not Hoss and especially not Pa, blame you for this.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe blinked away his tears and nodded his head up and down.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry Adam, honest I am.\u00a0 I\u2019ll never tell another lie as long as I live,\u201d cried Little Joe.<\/p>\n Adam cradled Joe\u2019s head to his breast and fought the battle of the tears himself.\u00a0 He had not given one thought to the matter that Joe might hold himself responsible for their father being so brutally attacked as he had been.\u00a0 No wonder the boy had been beside him self this afternoon, no wonder his own injuries had not seemed to pain him any, no wonder he had ridden off without a word to either Hoss or himself.\u00a0 Silently Adam cursed himself for not having paid more attention to his brother\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry Joe, I had no idea that you held yourself responsible for this.\u00a0 Shh\u2026don\u2019t cry any more buddy, please.\u201d\u00a0 Adam leaned Joe back into the pillows as Hop Sing moved to the bed and began tending to Joe\u2019s bath.<\/p>\n Joe resigned himself to being bathed by his brother and the family servant.\u00a0 He did refuse to open his eyes as they tended him and it was only when he heard the voice of the doctor that he did open his eyes.<\/p>\n Paul stepped into Joe\u2019s bedroom and moved to the side of the bed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, little man, let\u2019s take a look at those hands of yours.\u201d\u00a0 Paul gently picked up one hand and then the other seemingly comparing the two.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like this one,\u201d Paul held up Joe\u2019s left hand, \u201cneeds a little more attention than this one.\u201d\u00a0 Paul gently placed both of Joe\u2019s hands back on the bed and reached into his black medical bag.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, I am going to give you something for the pain and to help you sleep,\u201d started Paul but Joe interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I hate that stuff, please,\u201d begged Joe and turned to Adam with pleading eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, the doctor wants you to sleep so that he can work on your hands without causing you any more discomfort, right Doc?\u201d Adam turned to Paul expecting a conformation.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam\u2019s right Joseph, I am going to have to take some stitches and it could be quite painful.\u00a0 If you go to sleep for me, you won\u2019t feel anything, I promise\u2026but then if you want to stay awake\u2026\u201d Paul watched the boy\u2019s reaction.\u00a0 It was just has he had hoped, Joe\u2019s hazel eyes widen at the thought of being awake while his hands were being sewed up.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re sure I won\u2019t feel anything?\u201d he questioned.<\/p>\n \u201cPositive,\u201d promised the physician hiding a smile that wanted to show its self on his face.\u00a0 Adam covered his own mouth with his hands and faked a small cough.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, give it to me, I\u2019ll drink it.\u201d\u00a0 Joe allowed the doctor to hold the glass to his lips as he swallowed the bitter tasting medicine.\u00a0 When he finished Paul rose from the bed with a promise that he would return shortly after Joe had fallen to sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cDoc?\u201d called Joe before Paul got out the door.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s Pa?\u201d Joe\u2019s voice cracked but he held back his tears.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s resting Joe, I have some serious sewing up to do on him also.\u00a0 I had him drink some of that stuff you just had too.\u201d\u00a0 Paul smiled at the boy.\u00a0 \u201cHe didn\u2019t like it either.\u201d<\/p>\n The thought that Pa had put up a fuss at having to take the bitter medication caused Joe to giggle.\u00a0 Quickly he sobered, \u201ctell him I love him, will ya?\u201d<\/p>\n Paul glanced briefly at Adam and back at Joe.\u00a0 \u201cI think he knows that already, but I\u2019ll remind him.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul closed the door and returned to Ben\u2019s room where Hop Sing and Hoss had been waiting for him.\u00a0 Ben was now heavily medicated, much to the doctor\u2019s satisfaction, and Paul began the dubious task of cutting away the stubborn remains of barbed wire that had earlier refuse to relinquish its hold on Ben\u2019s body.<\/p>\n Paul worked steady for half an hour cutting away at the pieces of wire that Adam had not been able to remove.\u00a0 Luckily, if one could count it as luck, most of Ben\u2019s back had been spared due to the fact that the men had tied his hands behind him before wrapping the wire around his upper torso.\u00a0 The worst of the gashes were to his chest and mid-section and had he not have fallen to the ground those would not have been as deep as they were. \u201cI suppose you want to stay while I sew up these hands?\u201d Paul directed his question to Adam.\u00a0 Adam nodded his head; he had no intention of leaving his baby brother, not after what he had discovered just a short time ago.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m staying,\u201d stated Adam firmly and sat down on the other side of the bed putting an end to the discussion.<\/p>\n Paul smiled and shook his head, \u201cWhy am I not surprised?\u201d\u00a0 He laughed lightly as he inspected Joe\u2019s hands to be sure that Hop Sing had properly cleaned and disinfected them before beginning to stitch them.<\/p>\n It took longer than Paul had first anticipated repairing the damage to Joe\u2019s hands.\u00a0 Deep gashes cut across the palm of his left hand and all five fingers were torn in jagged designs where Joe had grabbed the wire and pulled, ripping the flesh to the bone in some places.\u00a0 It would be weeks before the hand would heal its self enough to return to normal use.\u00a0 The right hand though badly lacerated was nowhere as severely damaged as the left and was stitched in a matter of minutes.\u00a0 On both hands, Paul applied a healing ointment and then bandaged both hands in clean stripes of cloth provided by the humble little oriental servant who seemed to be floating from one sick room to the other, always ready to hand to the physician whatever was needed.\u00a0 Paul smiled his thanks and Hop Sing bowed graciously to the doctor.<\/p>\n Paul carefully placed Joe\u2019s arms across his chest and covered him with the blankets.\u00a0 \u201cHe should sleep for several hours, Adam.\u00a0 When he wakes, he\u2019s going hurt like hell.\u00a0 Give him some of this as needed for the pain about every four to six hours,\u201d Paul handed Adam some pain powders, \u201cand if you have to force it down him, make him drink some more of this sleeping powder.\u00a0 Sleep is the best thing for him right now.\u00a0 I have to get back to your father.\u201d\u00a0 Paul picked up his bag and quietly closed the door leaving the oldest Cartwright son standing protectively over the youngest.<\/p>\n Hoss was sitting on the bed with Ben when Paul returned to his room.\u00a0 He rose and moved to the chair to make room for Paul as the doctor resumed his tasks. All the barbs had now been removed and Paul set to work sewing the deepest lacerations and applying the same medicated salve that he had used on Joe\u2019s injuries.\u00a0 After making sure that each cut was medicated Paul applied sterile gauze to the wounds on Ben\u2019s mid-section and chest.\u00a0 His arms having only small puncture wounds Paul left uncovered allowing the air to perform its natural healing.<\/p>\n Paul checked for fever feeling the bodies temperature beginning to rise he knew instantly that before the night was over, Ben\u2019s body would be fighting for its life in a battle against infection.\u00a0 Paul was grateful for the small satisfaction that the wire used to restrain his friend had been a new roll and not one that had started to decay by rusting.\u00a0 This would be a huge victory against tetanus.\u00a0 Lastly Paul removed the small vile containing the painkiller, morphine, and administered the drug to Ben.\u00a0 This would help him sleep and hopefully ease his suffering.<\/p>\n Paul straightened his back and stretched before turning to Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind, I think I will go downstairs and get a cup of coffee.\u00a0 Then, I think I will stay in the spare bedroom, just in case.\u201d Paul patted Hoss on the shoulder as he passed.\u00a0 \u201cI will relieve you in about four hours.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have Hop Sing relieve Adam about the same time.\u00a0 Call me if you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Paul.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss settled into the old chair and made himself comfortable, knowing that they all had a long night ahead of them.<\/p>\n In the bedroom down the hall, Adam had done exactly what his middle brother had done.\u00a0 The chair brought welcomed relief to his weary body and soon Adam was sleeping, grotesque visions of his father\u2019s mangled body floating in front of his eyes as he dozed.\u00a0 It was almost a relief to Adam when his brother began to moan and he was awakened from his nightmare.\u00a0 Adam stood at Joe\u2019s bedside and bathed his brother\u2019s fevered brow with cool water.<\/p>\n \u201cWa\u2026ter,\u201d moaned Joe.\u00a0 Adam poured a small amount into the glass and held it to Joe\u2019s parched lips, allowing the boy to sip slowly.\u00a0 When he had had his fill, Joe\u2019s eyes sought his brother\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s fine Joe, go back to sleep and don\u2019t worry.\u201d Adam placed the cool cloth on Joe\u2019s brow and watched as Joe\u2019s sleep laden eyelids closed.<\/p>\n Hoss had been awake for sometime, he too was bathing a fevered brow.\u00a0 Ben repeatedly moaned and tried to move about on the bed.\u00a0 It was all that Hoss could do to keep his father from falling to the floor.\u00a0 Ben struggled to open his eyes.\u00a0 He had to help Little Joe.\u00a0 His baby needed him and Ben\u2019s clouded eyes continually were scanning the room for his youngest son.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026Joe,\u201d Ben would cry repeatedly and each time Hoss would assure his father that the boy was okay and just down the hall sleeping.\u00a0 Whether the message had at last registered in the mind or whether from exhausting himself, Ben finally quieted enough to fall into a fitful sleep.\u00a0 Four hours later and true to his word, Paul appeared in the doorway to relieve Hoss of his watchman\u2019s duty.<\/p>\n \u201cGet some sleep, I\u2019ll see you in about four hours.\u201d\u00a0 Paul practically pushed Hoss out the door and down the hall to his room before making himself comfortable in the seat that Hoss had just vacated.<\/p>\n Hop Sing stepped into Joe\u2019s room to relieve Adam of his duty only to find that Adam had curled up on a cot that had been brought into the room earlier.\u00a0 Since the oldest son was already sleeping, Hop Sing saw no reason to wake the older boy he covered him with a blanket before making himself comfortable in the rocker next to the bed.<\/p>\n Morning brought the sunlight streaming into the windows.\u00a0 The air was cool but crisp and everywhere birds were fluttering about from limb to limb in search of twigs and leaves readying their nests for spring\u2019s new arrivals.\u00a0 The ground squirrels could be heard barking to each other and occasionally their tiny little feet could be heard pattering around on the roof, a game of chase in progress.<\/p>\n Inside the Cartwright home, a boy was struggling to rise from his bed unobserved by those who were suppose to be keeping a watchful eye on him.\u00a0 Slowly Little Joe forced himself to place his feet on the floor, stand up and quietly tip toed to the door.\u00a0 His hands hurt and he held them upward in an attempt to still the throbbing pain that had begun the minute he had tried to sit up.\u00a0 Not caring that his feet wore no socks or slippers or that the wide boards of the floor were cold, he inched his way to the partly opened door.\u00a0 The need to see his father, to see for himself that the man who had suffered grueling pain because of his insolence was still alive and breathing.<\/p>\n Joe braced himself along the wall in the hallway as he felt the sudden nausea sweep over him and he feared that he might vomit there in the hall or worse that he would pass out before being able to complete his short trek down the hall.\u00a0 He could not remember the hall having been this long before, always before it had seemed much short.\u00a0 Joe felt himself getting weaker and almost regretted making the effort.\u00a0 He was about to change his mind and return to the safety of his bed when he suddenly heard voices coming from his father\u2019s room.\u00a0 Just a few more steps he told himself as he pushed forward.\u00a0 Leaning heavily on the doorframe, he stood silently as his eyes searched the room for his father.<\/p>\n The heavy drapes were still drawn, knocking out the bright morning sun and leaving the room dimly lit.\u00a0 Around the large framed bed that Joe knew was his father\u2019s, stood Adam, his oldest brother, Hoss, his middle brother, Hop Sing and Doctor Paul Martin.\u00a0 Joe could not see his father\u2019s face; the group of men blocked it from his view.\u00a0 Joe moved to the opposite side of the doorway in hopes of catching a glimpse of the face he longed to see but his view remained blocked.\u00a0 Joe could not make out what the whispering voices where saying but he did notice the grave looks that where passed from one man to the other and his heart jumped into his throat when he picked up on one word\u2026dead.<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d screamed Little Joe as he slid to the floor in a heap.\u00a0 The four men turned startled eyes toward the door, caught totally off guard by the sudden outburst and not having realized that Joe had even been present.\u00a0 Crossing the room in two steps, Adam bent down and gathered the hysterical boy into his arms.<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u00a0 NO!\u00a0 He can\u2019t be dead.\u00a0 PA!\u201d screamed Little Joe reaching out his arms to his father who lay lifeless on the bed.<\/p>\n Adam held tightly to his brother while Joe struggled to free himself from Adam\u2019s grasp, the pain in his hands now totally forgotten.\u00a0 \u201cShh\u2026Joe, calm down,\u201d Adam fought to maintain his hold as Joe\u2019s attempts to free himself became more forceful.<\/p>\n \u201cPA!\u00a0 No, Adam, please, Pa, ya can\u2019t be dead, you can\u2019t be\u2026\u201d Joe collapsed against Adam\u2019s chest as Adam rose from the floor, bringing with him in his arms the sobbing child.<\/p>\n Adam glanced over his shoulder at his brother and family friends and carried Joe from the room; his eyes filling with unshed tears.\u00a0 His top priority now was to calm his baby brother and get him back to his bed.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, calm down Little Buddy, it\u2019s okay,\u201d Adam whispered as he laid Joe back in his bed.<\/p>\n Joe turned terrified eyes to look into his brother\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not okay\u2026Adam\u2026Pa\u2019s dead.\u201d\u00a0 Joe turned his face into his pillow allowing his tears to be absorbed into the soft folds.<\/p>\n Adam forced Joe to turn his head and look at him, \u201cJoe, Pa is not dead, he\u2019s just sleeping.\u201d\u00a0 Adam cupped his brother\u2019s young face with both hands and repeated himself. Joe stopped his crying and studied his brother\u2019s face. \u201cAlive?\u201d\u00a0 It was more of a request than a question.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s eyes looked beyond his brother\u2019s face, across his shoulders half expecting to see his father standing in the door.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I heard the doctor say\u2026dead,\u201d Joe had returned his attention back to his big brother.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but that was only part of it, Joe.\u00a0 What Paul said was, \u2018he is very lucky that he is not dead\u2019, you just got part of the conversation,\u201d explained Adam.\u00a0 \u201cAre you calmed down enough to go see for yourself?\u201d Adam smiled and turned around as Hoss approached from behind.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm\u2026Adam?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss motioned for his brother to step outside of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be right back buddy, don\u2019t go any place.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s statement caused Little Joe to smile.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong Hoss?\u00a0 Pa?\u201d questioned Adam, the smile suddenly gone from his face as he noticed the dark scowl on Hoss\u2019 face.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u00a0 Roy Coffee is downstairs.\u00a0 He wants to talk to ya, says it\u2019s about those four men that jumped Pa and Little Joe.\u00a0 Adam, he seems very upset, ya better hurry.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss relayed the sheriff\u2019s message and stepped into Joe\u2019s room to keep the boy company.<\/p>\n \u201cIs something wrong with Pa, Hoss?\u00a0 He really is dead, Adam just doesn\u2019t want me to know yet does he?\u201d Joe began to fidget with his blankets as the tears once again filled his hazel eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, Punkin, Pa ain\u2019t dead, honest.\u00a0 Adam just had to go downstairs and take care of some business, that\u2019s all.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss hoped that Joe wouldn\u2019t ask what business cause he wasn\u2019t sure that he wanted to explain the reason for Roy\u2019s visit.<\/p>\n A few minutes later Adam returned to Joe\u2019s room and just before he pushed opened the door, he forced a smile onto his face.\u00a0 \u201cYou ready for that visit now little brother?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe pushed back the covers and started to stand up but Adam stopped him.\u00a0 \u201cWhoa, slow down Joe.\u00a0 Want me to carry you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I can walk,\u201d Joe gave Adam a big grin, \u201cyou might have to help me some, but I\u2019d like to walk.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay then, let\u2019s go.\u00a0 Here wait, slip these on your feet.\u201d\u00a0 Adam placed Joe\u2019s slippers in front of him and Joe slid his feet into them.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s robe was held out in front of him and looking into his brother\u2019s dark eyes, he knew that he would not be allowed to venture from the room without the article of clothing warmly wrapped around his body.\u00a0 Willingly, Joe allowed his brother to slip the robe onto his arms, careful not to jar his injured hands.<\/p>\n Together the three brothers, the youngest securely placed between the two older boys, made their way to their father\u2019s room.\u00a0 Hoss pushed open the door and stepped to Ben\u2019s bedside, leaving Adam standing at the door with Joe.\u00a0 Joe stopped suddenly in the doorway, unable to move.\u00a0 Adam gently nudged the boy forward but Joe stood as if rooted to the floor.\u00a0 Adam glanced down briefly at Joe and entered the room without the boy, taking the chair next to their father\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n Joe had thought that he had been ready to see his father, but now he suddenly felt trapped.\u00a0 There on the bed lay a man, covered up to his neck by heavy thick blankets that looked nothing like the man his father was suppose to look like.\u00a0 Joe did not know this man, had Adam and Hoss been lying to him?\u00a0 Was this some kind of sick joke?\u00a0 Where was his Pa?\u00a0 Joe felt the tears escape from his eyes and roll down his cheeks as the sobs caught in his throat.<\/p>\n The man in the bed watched the boy standing in the door and saw the frightened expression that covered his young face and saw the tears that dripped from the quivering chin.\u00a0 Without verbally expressing the pain he was feeling in his bandaged hands, Ben raised up one hand and motioned with his fingers for the boy to come to him.\u00a0\u00a0 The boy could not or would not move Ben wasn\u2019t sure.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben struggled to get his son\u2019s name out.<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes were focused on the man who lay in his father\u2019s bed.\u00a0 The eyes looked like his father\u2019s but that was the only thing that reminded Joe of his Pa.\u00a0 The man\u2019s face was pale, colorless, not suntanned and healthy looking like Pa\u2019s.\u00a0 The hair was mussed, looking as if it had not been combed in several days.\u00a0 A five o\u2019clock shadow covered the man\u2019s face, making him appear much older than he actually was.\u00a0 In fact the strange man staring at him and motioning for him to come close scared him.\u00a0 Sanity resumed control of Joe\u2019s emotions and Joe knew that his pitiful man was his father and that he was responsible for this man\u2019s injuries and harried looks.\u00a0 Joe secretly convinced himself that his father\u2019s sudden looking advanced age was his doing and his only.<\/p>\n Joe bolted into the hallway, ran to his room throwing himself down on his bed and sobbed.\u00a0 Adam was quickly at his brother\u2019s side.\u00a0 Sitting down on the bed, Adam made no move to take the boy in his arms, instead he began to gently rub the boy\u2019s back hoping to calm him.\u00a0 It was several minutes before either boy spoke and then it was Adam that broke the silence.<\/p>\n \u201cHey buddy, want to tell me what just happened in there?\u201d Adam asked softly.<\/p>\n Joe shook his head; not able to trust his voice and not wanting to remember how badly his father had looked.\u00a0 Again, Joe felt the guilt that assaulted his heart and crowded his thinking forcing himself to admit his roll in his father\u2019s attack.\u00a0 Joe lay motionless as Adam\u2019s steady hand rubbed away the tension in his back and Joe felt his body relaxing to the soothing touch.<\/p>\n Adam proceeded with the back rub as Joe\u2019s sobs began to subside.\u00a0 \u201cJoe?\u201d Adam tried again, \u201cJoe?\u201d\u00a0 When he got no response the second time he leaned across his brother and saw that the boy had fallen into an exhausted sleep.\u00a0 Not wanting to wake him, Adam covered the sleeping form and quietly backed out of the room.<\/p>\n The doctor had Ben propped up in the bed by the time Adam returned to his father\u2019s room.\u00a0 Ben scanned his son\u2019s face for information about his youngest and relaxed when Adam gave him a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s sleeping Pa.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what happen, he wouldn\u2019t say,\u201d Adam explained and sat on the edge of the bed.\u00a0 \u201cHe was fine until we got to the door and then he just freaked.\u201d\u00a0 Adam shrugged his shoulders.<\/p>\n Ben gave Adam a weak smile.\u00a0 \u201cScared.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul excused himself from the room and left the two sons to chat with their father.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t stay too long, he needs to rest,\u201d ordered Paul.<\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t.\u00a0 I just have to tell him what Roy said, then we will let him sleep,\u201d promised Adam.\u00a0 He waited until Paul had closed the door before turning to his father.<\/p>\n Ben questioned with his eyes.\u00a0 He had known that Roy had stopped by earlier that morning, Hoss had informed him.\u00a0 Now he was anxious to find out the reason for his visit.<\/p>\n Adam jumped right in, he knew there was no reason to beat around the bush with his father, he needed to know the truth anyway.\u00a0 \u201cPa, Roy caught two of the men who did this to you and Little Joe.\u00a0 They tried to lie out of it, but one decided to turn state\u2019s evidence and sang like a bird.\u201d\u00a0 Adam paused to check Ben\u2019s reaction.<\/p>\n \u201cGo on, son,\u201d encouraged Ben, \u201cwhat did he tell Roy?\u201d\u00a0 Ben was becoming drowsy from his morning\u2019s medication and Adam hurried on to tell all he knew about the case before his father fell asleep.<\/p>\n \u201cHis name was Norton something or other, he said he and the others were paid by some of the local ranchers to scare you into not using the barbed wire and\u2026\u201d Adam stopped when Ben touched his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cLocal ranchers?\u00a0 What local ranchers?\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s eyes were becoming dark and filled with anger.<\/p>\n Adam knew that most of the ranchers that had property surrounding the Ponderosa were friends of his father\u2019s and his family.\u00a0 He also knew that Ben was disturbed at the knowledge that perhaps some of his \u2018friends\u2019 had been involved in a scheme that had brought so much heartache and pain to his family.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, promise me you will stay calm?\u201d\u00a0 Adam dreaded giving his father the names of the ranchers who Norton had implicated.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam!\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s anger was already starting to reach the boiling point.\u00a0 \u201cWho were they?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath, \u201cHopkins, Rouse, Judds, and Sam Peterson.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben leaned his head back into his pillow and closed his eyes.\u00a0 No one moved or said a word for several moments and Adam had thought that Ben had fallen asleep.<\/p>\n \u201cSam.\u201d\u00a0 Ben shook his head in disgust, \u201cI would have never thought\u2026\u201d Ben looked at his sons, and lowered his head, the new found knowledge hurt, \u201cSam was one of my best friends\u2026\u201d Ben\u2019s sad eyes reflected his heartache, \u201cI was his best man at his wedding five years ago.\u00a0 Adam, are you sure, positive Sam was involved?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam saw the smidgen of hope that sparked in his father\u2019s eyes and he hated to squelch that hope but\u2026\u00a0 \u201cRoy only has this Norton guy\u2019s word, Pa.\u00a0 He was going out to talk to Sam this afternoon.\u00a0 We won\u2019t know for sure until he comes back here later this evening.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam motioned for Hoss as he stood.\u00a0 \u201cPa, you better get some rest now.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go check on Little Joe and we\u2019ll talk again this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah Pa, you rest.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got a ton of chores to do.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss patted his father\u2019s shoulder and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks son, both of you,\u201d Ben\u2019s smile quickly disappeared when Adam and Hoss walked out of the room and closed the door.<\/p>\n Ben was having trouble coming to terms with what had happened to him and his youngest son.\u00a0 Ben was sure that Joseph had been traumatized by their ordeal and it angered Ben beyond measure to think that his long time friends had instigated the whole plan.\u00a0 Ben had been in high hopes of reuniting with his youngest son this morning but when that failed to happen, some of the fight had seemed to dissipate only to be replaced with anger at the injustice of the situation.<\/p>\n Ben was worried about Joe; he had seen the look that had suddenly washed over the boy\u2019s face when he had stopped at the door.\u00a0 He had been terrified to enter his bedroom and Ben was not sure why.\u00a0 Adam had assured him just minutes before that Joe had been most anxious to see his father.\u00a0 Adam had explained to him what had happened earlier that morning when Joe had happened to overhear part of a conversation and thought that he had died.\u00a0 Ben knew that had scared the boy, but after finding out he had been mistaken he had returned then hesitated.\u00a0 The next thing everyone knew, he was running off to his room in tears.<\/p>\n \u2018If only I could get out of this bed,\u2019 fumed Ben to himself.\u00a0 \u2018That boy needs me, and I can\u2019t do a damn thing about it.\u2019\u00a0 Ben dug his head deeper into the pillow and closed his eyes in an effort to stall his frustrations.\u00a0 Soon sleep claimed him and it was several hours before he was awakened by the sound of a chair being scraped across the floor.<\/p>\n Roy had made himself comfortable and waited patiently as Ben struggled to become fully awake.\u00a0 \u201cAfternoon, Ben.\u00a0 How ya feelin?\u201d asked Roy once Ben had settled himself back against the pillows.<\/p>\n \u201cI hurt like the dickens,\u201d Ben gave Roy a small smile, \u201cI\u2019d feel better if I could see Little Joe, but for some reason, he refuses to come see me.\u201d\u00a0 Ben hung his head briefly allowing his mind to wander to his youngest son and then shook his head to clear away the disturbing thoughts before meeting his friend\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you find out, Roy?\u00a0 Was Sam involved?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n \u201cWell Ben, I talked to Sam.\u00a0 I told\u2019em we had a witness that would swear under oath in a court of law that they were paid by him and the others to scare ya and your family.\u201d Roy stopped when he saw the anger flicker in Ben\u2019s eyes and he held up his hand to stop Ben from speaking.<\/p>\n \u201cHold on now Ben, let me finish before ya go off half cocked.\u00a0 When I told Sam what happened to ya and the boy, he swore to me that he had nothing to do with that.\u00a0 He said all he and the others paid those four men to do was to tear down and destroy your fences, just to scare ya, that\u2019s all.\u00a0 Sam was adamant about the fact that they never meant no harm to come to you or one of your boys.\u201d\u00a0 Roy waited until Ben had time to consider all the information he had just gotten before continuing.<\/p>\n \u201cI can have\u2019em all arrested Ben, if ya plannin\u2019 on filing a complaint,\u201d suggested Roy.<\/p>\n Ben let out a long sigh and looked into the face of his friend.\u00a0 \u201cWhat would happen to them if I did?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, let\u2019s see now.\u00a0 First I\u2019d have to lock\u2019em up, then there\u2019d be a trial and if\u2019n they were found guilty, they\u2019d likely as not do a little prison time.\u00a0 Probably a couple of years,\u201d explained Roy.\u00a0 \u201cIs that what ya want?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know Roy, they have all have families.\u00a0 I wonder what would happen to them if they went to prison?\u201d Ben paused, \u201cWhat about the others, the ones who did this?\u201d Ben pointed to his many wounds.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Clem and a posse are collecting the other two for me.\u00a0 Guess they would go to prison also, though I would guess for a lot longer than Sam and the other ranchers.\u201d\u00a0 Roy scratched his head, \u201cAttempted murder, possibly two accounts, I think we could make that stick.\u00a0 My guess would be ten, maybe fifteen years each.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben shook his head trying to collect his thoughts.\u00a0 It was as he turned his head to speak to Roy that Ben\u2019s eye caught a movement at the door and smiled when he saw Little Joe standing in the doorway clad only in his nightshirt.\u00a0 Ben smiled to himself at the sight; the young boy posed the picture of innocence as pure as the first flakes of a new fallen snow. The only two things that marred the picture were the sad countenance of the young face and the hideous bandages that adorned his hands.\u00a0 Ben took only seconds to wonder about his son\u2019s injuries; he could not recall the boy being hurt to such an extent and believed that it must have happened after he had blacked out.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, son, come in please,\u201d Ben motioned with his hand for Joe to enter and then patted the side of the bed next to him inviting the boy to sit.<\/p>\n Joe held his eyes downward focusing on the patterned carpet that covered the floor as he slowly walked barefooted into the room.\u00a0 Joe stopped at the foot of the bed, glanced up at Roy and slowly turned his eyes to meet his father\u2019s face.\u00a0 As soon as Ben began to speak, Joe dropped his head to his chest, unable to hold Ben\u2019s stance.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you came to see me son, how are you feeling?\u201d Ben inquired softly, troubled by Joe\u2019s reluctance to come any nearer.\u00a0 Ben watched as Joe fidgeted with a button on his nightshirt.<\/p>\n Again Joe glanced at Roy first before meeting his father\u2019s eyes and quickly dropping his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fine, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben was somewhat surprised at his son\u2019s formality.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad to hear that Joseph.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you come over here and sit next to me so that we can talk?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy eased his way out of the room, giving father and son time alone together.\u00a0 As quietly as possible he closed the door behind him and went in search of Hop Sing whom he knew would find something good in the kitchen for him to eat; he had missed lunch and was staving.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing,\u201d called out Roy as he turned the corner going into the kitchen.<\/p>\n Joe waited until Roy shut the bedroom door and moved around the corner of the bed and sat down at the foot refusing to move any closer.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s heart was beating loudly in his chest, in his stomach, the butterflies had begun to take flight and in his eyes, tears were gathering for a storm.\u00a0 There were so many mixed feelings going on in Joe\u2019s mind and in his heart that he had trouble thinking clearly.<\/p>\n First there was shame, shame that he had lied to his father.\u00a0 Second there was remorse, he truly had been sorry that he lied.\u00a0 Third there came guilt, guilt because he believed that by reason of his lies, he was responsible for what had happened to his father.\u00a0 And last there was fear, the very worst kind of fear that the young boy had ever experienced in his short fourteen years.\u00a0 Those same fears that forced him to believe that his father also blamed him.\u00a0\u00a0 It was a type of fear that was designed to make him believe that his father no longer loved him.<\/p>\n Joe looked quickly into his father\u2019s face and saw Ben watching him.\u00a0 It was the kind of fear that left Joe feeling all alone, heartbroken, scared, trapped in a loveless world where people played at loving you only because it was their duty, you are the son, the brother, they have to love you, or at least make you think they do.<\/p>\n Joe sniffed, trying to hold back the tears.\u00a0 Never would he forget seeing his father laying on the ground crying out in anguish, the cruel wire binding his arms to his body, the blood, so much blood, all his father\u2019s.\u00a0 Joe swiped the sleeve of his nightshirt across his nose and chanced a glance at his father. Those eyes, once so full of love, now looked to Joe with condemnation or it appeared to be so in Joe\u2019s distraught adolescent mind.<\/p>\n Joe sighed deeply; he would never be able to forgive himself for what he had done to his father.\u00a0 Not only had he lost his father\u2019s love but also his father\u2019s respect.\u00a0 Joe hung his head in shame, the tears falling into his lap unnoticed.<\/p>\n Ben sat motionless propped against his pillows and watched as Joe fought to control himself and struggle with whatever demons were playing havoc in his mind.\u00a0 The despair that was etched onto the young face, the sadness that had stolen the shine from the once sparkling hazel eyes, and the frown that pulled his once smiling lips downward all caused Ben\u2019s own eyes to fill with tears.\u00a0 Never had he seen a son of his suffer such inner turmoil and Ben found himself silently cursing his so-called \u2018friends\u2019 for having brought this mental anguish to his son.<\/p>\n Ben choked back his tears and cleared his throat.\u00a0 Joe raised his head at the sound and was surprised at the tears that glistened on his father\u2019s cheeks not knowing the reason why his father cried.<\/p>\n Ben held his arm out to his son, \u201cPlease come here, son.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe momentarily hesitated before standing and inching his way nearer to his father.\u00a0 When Joe stood at the head of the bed Ben smiled and took Joe\u2019s bandaged hand into his own.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened to you hands son?\u201d\u00a0 Ben pulled gently and without realizing what he had done, Joe found himself sitting on the bed next to his father.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t remember?\u201d asked Joe looking down at his bandages.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes never strayed from his son\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cNo, the last thing I remember was when you fell after that man struck you.\u00a0 How did your hands come to be injured?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe swallowed and pulled his hand from his father\u2019s grasp.\u00a0 \u201cI tried to\u2026\u201d he swallowed again, \u201c\u2026pull the wire off you and it cut me\u2026\u201d Joe\u2019s chin began to quiver and his body tremble as he remembered the image of his father on the ground, \u201c\u2026Pa\u2026\u201d Joe was struggling to fill his lungs,\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u2026I\u2026I didn\u2019t mean\u2026for this\u2026to happen\u2026\u201d Joe\u2019s tears began rolling down his face, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry\u2026Pa\u2026honest.\u201d\u00a0 Joe jumped to his feet and ran from the room, leaving a very startled Ben to wonder at the meaning to his son\u2019s little confession.<\/p>\n Two days Ben asked for his youngest son and for two days Joe made excuses to avoid having contact with his father.\u00a0 He could not bring himself to stand before the man who had nearly died because of his careless lies nor could he force himself to look into the eyes that had once looked at him with unconditional love but that now stared back at him with a look of distaste.\u00a0 It hurt too much, to remember the way it once was, and the way it was now.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s injuries were healing nicely, several of the lesser puncture wounds had already begun to scab over and Paul had assured his friend that there would be very little scarring and what did scar would slowly become less noticeable with time.\u00a0 The worse cuts would take longer to heal leaving in their wake, several small scars across this stomach area and chest.\u00a0 Ben tried to make light of the situation by teasingly remarking that the boys would have to remind him not to lose his shirt.\u00a0 Paul removed the bandages from Ben\u2019s hand where the first of many sharp spikes had cut deeply into the palm and was pleased when the skin tissue showed no signs of infection.\u00a0 After applying the salve to the afflicted skin, Paul replaced the soil bandages with new.<\/p>\n \u201cPaul,\u201d Ben searched the physician\u2019s face as he tended the injured hand.\u00a0 \u201cHow are Joseph\u2019s hands?\u201d<\/p>\n Paul, who had been not just the family physician for many years, but also a close family friend, looked deeply into the dark worried eyes that spoke volumes without verbally uttering a word.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not his hands that bother me Ben,\u201d Paul said softly.\u00a0 \u201cThey are healing fine, I wish I could heal his spirit as easily.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s lips closed in a tight line across his face.\u00a0 \u201cI wish I knew what was eating at him.\u00a0 Do you know he hasn\u2019t come anywhere near me except for the other day when Roy was here?\u00a0 Then he only stayed a few minutes, left out of here like the devil himself was after him.\u201d\u00a0 Ben shook his head sadly.\u00a0 \u201cI need to get out of this dang bed and find him, I have to make him talk to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul saw the spark that sprang into Ben\u2019s eyes and he could not stop the smile that spread across his face.\u00a0 \u201cBen, you will do no such a thing, at least not just yet.\u00a0 You will remain in this bed for at least another week.\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben was taken back by the doctor\u2019s tone of voice but he laughed in spite of himself.\u00a0 \u201cYes sir!\u201d\u00a0 Ben laughed again, \u201cNow I know why Joseph hates to see you coming.\u00a0 You have no heart!\u201d<\/p>\n Paul joined in the joke and then sobered, \u201cBen, I mean what I say.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t do as I instructed, I have ways of keeping you in this bed,\u201d he jabbed the mattress with is finger, \u201cfor as long as I want to.\u00a0 And I might add, I will not hesitate to use those methods.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben also sobered, he knew full well that Paul meant what he said, Ben had seen him use some of those methods on his sons, usually Little Joe, when they refused to follow orders.<\/p>\n \u201cBen, do you want me to speak to Little Joe?\u00a0 He might tell me what\u2019s bothering him,\u201d Paul volunteered.<\/p>\n \u201cIt might not hurt,\u201d Ben met his friend\u2019s eyes, \u201cIf I only had an idea what it was.\u00a0 Paul, the boy almost acts like he\u2019s mad at me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat doesn\u2019t make sense Ben, why would he be mad?\u201d\u00a0 Paul could not understand Ben\u2019s reasoning in his thinking.<\/p>\n \u201cHow should I know?\u00a0 Just about the time I think I have that boy figured out, he does something totally unexpected and I have to start all over again.\u201d\u00a0 Ben gave his friend a weak smile.\u00a0 \u201cJust see if you can get anything out of him for me, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cConsider it done.\u00a0 If he tells me anything I think you should know, I\u2019ll get back to you.\u00a0 Otherwise, I\u2019ll see you in a couple of days.\u201d\u00a0 Paul patted Ben\u2019s blanket covered leg as he rose from the bed and began putting his instruments back into his medical bag.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks Paul, for everything,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 Paul started out the door as Hop Sing entered with Ben\u2019s dinner tray.\u00a0 \u201cSmells good,\u201d Paul sniffed the air as he and the little cook passed each other.<\/p>\n When Paul let himself out the door he found his youngest patient sitting alone on the porch rocking in the rocker that was a permanent fixture of the porch.\u00a0 Joe looked up at the sound of the doctor\u2019s approach and seeing who it was that had come to stand behind him, wiped quickly at his eyes to hide any traces of his tears.\u00a0 The sudden removal of tears had not escaped the doctor\u2019s keen eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cFeeling poorly Joe?\u201d asked Paul as he moved to stand in front of the boy who turned his head to avoid looking at the man.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d\u00a0 Joe chanced a quick look up, saw the physician intently watching him and knew right away that his tears had been seen.<\/p>\n \u201cWant to talk about what\u2019s bothering you son?\u201d Paul inquired softly and kneeled down in front of Joe who had stopped rocking.<\/p>\n \u201cDid Pa sent you out here to talk to me?\u201d\u00a0 It was an honest question.\u00a0 Ben had been known to use a go-between before.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s worried sick about you Little Joe, and I might add, a little scared.\u201d\u00a0 Paul rested his hand on the boy\u2019s knee.<\/p>\n \u201cScared?\u00a0 What\u2019s he scared of?\u201d\u00a0 Joe could hardly believe his ears; his Pa scared, never.<\/p>\n Then he recalled the look of fear that he had seen in the dark depths of those same eyes when Pa had instructed him to go for help.\u00a0 Joe swallowed the lump that had suddenly grown in his throat, something else to blame on me, thought Little Joe, already feeling the guilt growing in his heart.\u00a0 Joe felt the tears returning to his eyes and quickly wiped them away not really caring now that the doctor saw them and looked at the doctor.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess he blames me for that too.\u201d\u00a0 The statement not meant to be heard by the man kneeling in front of him, but Paul had heard and the statement caught him off guard.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d Paul cupped the boy\u2019s quivering chin; \u201cdo you think that Ben holds you to blame for what happened to him?\u201d\u00a0 Paul studied the boy\u2019s face and knew that this sad little boy whose heart was very obviously broken, blamed himself for everything that had happened and the thought tore away at his heart.<\/p>\n Joe slowly nodded his head up and down.\u00a0 \u201cEverybody does, Pa, Adam, Hoss even Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul shook his head, \u201cNo, Joe.\u201d\u00a0 Paul wanted to gather the weeping boy into his arms and comfort him, but knowing Joe as well as he did, he knew that they boy would not permit that to happen.\u00a0 \u201cYou blame yourself, they don\u2019t.\u00a0 They never have son, they never will.\u00a0 This was not your fault; it was the fault of those men that Roy has safely locked away in his jail.\u00a0 Look at me Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe had pulled his chin free of Paul\u2019s hands and had turned away picking up where he had left off on his rocking.\u00a0 Paul put both hands on the arms of the rocker bringing it to an abrupt halt.\u00a0 Slowly Joe faced his father\u2019s friend.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to believe me Joseph.\u00a0 Ben, in no way blames you.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t even have an idea that you feel this way.\u00a0 That\u2019s why he\u2019s worried and scared, he wants to talk to you, but you have used his injuries as a way to avoid him.\u00a0 That\u2019s not fair Joe, not to your father nor to you.\u201d\u00a0 Paul gave Joe time to collect his thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cI know about the lie\u2026\u201d started Paul when suddenly Joe\u2019s mouth dropped opened.<\/p>\n \u201cHe told you?\u00a0 Pa told you?\u201d\u00a0 Joe tried to get out of the chair but Paul barred the way keeping Joe from running off.<\/p>\n \u201cYes Joe, your father told me.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry if that embarrasses you.\u00a0 Stop fighting me Joseph,\u201d Joe was struggling to get away from this man who had unexpectedly seemed to have turned on him as Paul forced Joe to stay in the chair.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a boy once Joe, I told my share of lies, and so did your father,\u201d Paul confessed.<\/p>\n Joe stopped his feeble attempt at escape and stared at the doctor.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t trust his ears, \u201cYou told lies?\u201d<\/p>\n Paul smiled at the surprised look on the boy\u2019s young face.\u00a0 \u201cI sure did.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t tell you the number of times my ma washed my mouth out with soap.\u00a0 I never did learn to like that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe giggled and wiped his tears.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did your Pa do?\u201d<\/p>\n Paul knew he now had the boy\u2019s undivided attention.\u00a0 \u201cWell Joe, my Pa wasn\u2019t as forgiving as my Ma was.\u00a0 Pa and I spent a lot of time in the woodshed and then I spent the next few days standing up.\u00a0 I even had to stand up one day in church, I was so embarrassed, all my friends knew why I was but after church, all the girls asked my Pa why I got to stand up that day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did your pa tell them?\u201d Joe\u2019s eyes were shining.<\/p>\n \u201cThe truth, what else?\u00a0 I never lied again after that Joe.\u00a0 Just as I suspect that you won\u2019t ever tell another lie.\u00a0 Am I right?\u201d\u00a0 Paul returned his hand to the boy\u2019s knee and watched as Joe came to terms with his sin.<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t gonna promise, doc.\u00a0 I will always try from now on to tell the truth, but if I told you now that I\u2019ll never lie again, it might turn out that I\u2019ll break that promise, then you would think I lied, so\u2026\u201d Joe stopped when Paul put his finger to his lips.<\/p>\n \u201cI get the point son.\u201d\u00a0 Paul laughed and Joe gave the family friend a small smile.\u00a0 \u201cNow, why not go have a talk with your father?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe glanced back at the house and then fixed his eyes on the doctor\u2019s face.\u00a0 Paul watched as the smile faded from the boy\u2019s face and the eyes that had sparkled moments ago clouded once again with doubt.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe later.\u201d\u00a0 Joe pulled himself up from the chair as Paul stepped aside.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got chores to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul knew the conversation had been closed and he had been politely dismissed.\u00a0 As soon as Joe entered the barn, Paul returned to Ben\u2019s room and passed on the desired information to his friend.\u00a0 Now, at least Ben would know how to approach his son hopefully getting things straightened out and back on the right track.<\/p>\n Late that night when Joe was sure that both his brothers and Hop Sing had retired, he crawled quietly from his bed and gathered what few belongings that he had stashed away to take with him.\u00a0 Easing himself out into the hall, he tiptoed slowly to the stairs being careful to avoid those that he knew squeaked.\u00a0 On the last step before the landing, his toe hung on the runner and he dropped his boot.\u00a0 Cursing him self for his carelessness, he bent to retrieve the fallen item and listened for any signs that his departure had been detected.\u00a0 Letting his breath out slowly he continued his descent until he reached the main level of the house and swiftly made his way around the various pieces of furniture into the kitchen.\u00a0 There he grabbed what food he could and stuffed it into an unused flour sack he found on the pantry shelf.\u00a0 Using all the skill he had learned from his brothers when they had taught him how to sneak up on prey while hunting, Joe slipped out the kitchen door and ran to the barn.\u00a0 As he entered, Cochise nickered softly to her young master.<\/p>\n \u201cShh\u2026be quiet,\u201d Joe whispered to his horse as he slipped on his boots and began to saddle his mount.<\/p>\n In the upstairs bedroom, Ben had heard the door down the hall open softly.\u00a0 Many years of training had fine-tuned his ears to the matters of his son\u2019s comings and goings.\u00a0 Minutes later he had heard the thump on the stairs when Little Joe had dropped something, probably his boot.\u00a0 Ben smiled to himself; Joe\u2019s lightly whispered curse had not gone unheard either.<\/p>\n Ben managed to pull himself from his bed and slip his rope over his shoulders.\u00a0 Getting his feet into his slippers had been harder than he expected; bending over caused the cuts in his mid-section to send small stabs of pain throughout his body.\u00a0 Gritting his teeth to ward off the discomfort, Ben finally managed to get his feet tucked into the warmth interiors and move out into the hall.\u00a0 His head began to swim giving Ben the feeling that he might pass out.\u00a0 Ben stopped briefly and continued, he had to get to the barn before Joe had a chance to ride away.<\/p>\n All day, after Paul had informed him of his conversation with Little Joe, Ben had waited expectantly for his youngest son to come to him.\u00a0 Paul had felt sure that the boy would put in an appearance before the night was over, but that thought had proved wrong.\u00a0 Now the boy was running away, of that Ben was sure, the reason however was uncertain, at least in Ben\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n Through self-determination Ben managed to get down the stairs, out the front door and to the barn just as Joe pulled back the door to lead his horse from the barn.\u00a0 The look on the young face when he turned and saw his father standing in the doorway was priceless.<\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d Joe stammered.<\/p>\n \u201cHello son,\u201d Ben said calmly, hoping that his heart would stop racing.\u00a0 He was very near the point of losing his son and he was not sure if he could prevent his leaving, that thought put the fear of God into his heart.<\/p>\n \u201cWh\u2026what are you doing out here?\u201d\u00a0 Joe knew it was a dumb question but he was at a loss for words and the idea of standing so close to his beloved father was causing a riot between his heart and brain.<\/p>\n Ben stood with his hands stuffed into his pockets. \u201cI might ask you the same question.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe realized that his father was not going to make this easy for him.\u00a0 Joe gulped, \u201cI\u2019m leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u00a0 And where might you be going?\u201d Ben stood firm in spite of the fact that his head had started to spin again.<\/p>\n Joe hung his head, the battle between his heart and brain going at it in full force.\u00a0 Joe knew that he had a choice that had to be made right now, he could tell his father the truth and be forced to stay, or he could lie, again.\u00a0 He raised his head and looked into his father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 What he saw there was not what he had expected to see.\u00a0 Tears.\u00a0 Joe felt his own eyes filling; the heart was slowly claiming victory.\u00a0 Something that his father had told him a long time ago suddenly burst forth from his memory, \u2018always follow your heart, it will never lead you wrong\u2019.\u00a0 Joe quickly wondered why he thought of that now, was someone greater than he or his father trying to tell him something?<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s head fell to his chest, his own tears sliding down his face and onto his shirt.\u00a0 He sensed his father step closer to him, yet he refused to look up.\u00a0 The tender touch of his father\u2019s hand on either side of his face brought his face upward until he was looking into the tear filled eyes of the most important man in his life.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want you to go son.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to live my life without you.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s tears dripped onto his hands that continued to cup the boy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t wanna go, Pa.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry\u2026I didn\u2019t mean to get you hurt.\u201d\u00a0 Joe batted his eyes releasing more tears.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, I have never lied to you.\u00a0 What I want you to understand now is that I love you more than life its self.\u00a0 That night when this all happened, when we were in the back of the wagon, I opened my eyes and saw you lying there next to me.\u00a0 At that precise second when our eyes locked, I knew I had everything to live for.\u00a0 You are responsible for nothing except giving me the will to live.\u00a0 Are you now going to leave and take that will away from me?\u201d Ben put the question to the boy and held his breath as Joe considered what his father had asked.<\/p>\n The sobs began slowly and within seconds picked up tempo, causing Ben to draw the boy to his breast and hold him.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0 The battle was over; the heart was the victor.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s arms slipped around his father\u2019s waist as Joe buried his face against the soft folds of his father\u2019s robe. For several minutes the father and son clung to each other, the need to fill the gap that had begun to erode their relationship foremost in each of their minds.<\/p>\n Joe was the first to pull away.\u00a0 Smiling weakly at his father he reached for Cochise\u2019s reins, \u201cGuess I\u2019d better put her in her stall.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll wait for you.\u201d\u00a0 Together Ben and Little Joe walked into the barn and Ben waited patiently while Joe unsaddled his horse and returned her to her stall.\u00a0 Joe came to stand in front of Ben when he had finished, looking up at his father.<\/p>\n Ben placed both hands on the slim shoulders, \u201cJoe, I want you to know, I never blamed you for any of this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know Pa.\u00a0 I guess it was just easier for me to think that you blamed me than it was for me to admit that I blamed myself.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry for causing you to worry, and I\u2019m sorry I lied in the first place.\u201d\u00a0 Joe slipped his arm around his father\u2019s back.\u00a0 \u201cYou better get inside, you don\u2019t look too good.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben laughed, \u201cI don\u2019t feel too well, at least not physically.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe closed and locked the barn door and then returned his arm around his father.\u00a0 Ben laid his arm across Joe\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cSon, will you make me a promise?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure Pa, anything,\u201d answered Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t tell the doctor I was out of bed.\u00a0 He said he would make me drink some of that medicine you always put up such a fuss about and it tastes yuckie.\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled down at his son.<\/p>\n Joe giggled, \u201cI know what you mean, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Joe returned his father\u2019s smile and suddenly the look in his eyes changed.<\/p>\n Ben saw the play in the eyes, \u201cDon\u2019t you even think about blackmailing me young man!\u201d\u00a0 Ben forced a fake frown on his face to stress his point.<\/p>\n \u201cMe?\u00a0 Pa, you don\u2019t really think I\u2026\u201d started Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cYes I do little boy!\u201d laughed Ben as he rumbled the dark curls that massed the boy\u2019s head.<\/p>\n \u201cAw Pa, how come you always know what I am thinking?\u201d giggled Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cAge and Wisdom son, Age and Wisdom.\u201d\u00a0 The laughter that followed filled the silence of the night as father and son closed the door to another chapter of their lives.<\/p>\n THE END EPILOGUE:<\/p>\n Sam Peterson, Judd, Rouse and Hopkins walked together into the courtroom and took their seats.\u00a0 It was a private hearing, those present among the group besides the defendants were the plaintiffs, Ben and Joseph Cartwright and the two attorneys, and the Honorable Judge Jerome Hoffmire presided.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s attorney stood before the judge, \u201cYour Honor, my client would like to address the court, with your permission, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, Mr. Cartwright, if you please,\u201d stated the judge.<\/p>\n Ben stepped up to the stand.\u00a0 There was no need to be sworn in, not at the hearing, that would come later at the trial, should it come to that.\u00a0 Ben turned to face the judge and began what he hoped would be a plea for leniency.\u00a0 He and Joe had talked for hours last night and had decided not to press charges on their neighbors.\u00a0 Justice had been served in the first trial when Slim and his gang had been sentenced to twenty years each for two accounts of attempted murder.\u00a0 Slim had attempted an escape on the way to prison and had been gunned down in a shoot out.\u00a0 The bearded man had suffered severe gunshot wounds and died before the doctor had arrived to treat him.\u00a0 The lone survivor had surrendered and continued on to jail.\u00a0 The one man who had turned state\u2019s evidence was spending a one-year jail sentence in Carson City for his part in the scheme.<\/p>\n \u201cYour Honor, the men sitting over there,\u201d Ben pointed his finger at the group of defendants, \u201care my friends.\u201d\u00a0 Ben saw the judge\u2019s eyebrows rise in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that may seem hard to believe, I, myself, find it somewhat hard to believe.\u00a0 But it is true.\u00a0 I have known each of those men for several years.\u00a0 I was best man at Sam Peterson\u2019s wedding about five years ago.\u00a0 I\u2019ve known him better than twenty years, he\u2019s a good man, an honest man.\u00a0 Jake Hopkins, he\u2019s a family man, has about four or is it five now?\u201d Ben glanced at Jake and saw that he was holding up five fingers.\u00a0 Ben smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like it\u2019s five.\u00a0 Well, your Honor, if Jake was sent off to prison for any length of time, I can only speculate what would happen to those kids.\u00a0 I\u2019d hate to think about the outcome.\u00a0 Bill Rouse, he came here about the same time my family and I did.\u00a0 We have worked side by side many times, fought a few Indians in our day too.\u00a0 I could always count on him when the chips were down; he\u2019s dependable, hard working.\u00a0 He\u2019s been a good husband and father, now he\u2019s a good grandfather.\u201d\u00a0 Ben gave Bill a nod of his head.<\/p>\n \u201cBill saved my son\u2019s life one night about seven years ago.\u201d\u00a0 Ben pointed at Little Joe to indicate to the judge that the son in question was sitting with their lawyer.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe was about seven and it had started snowing.\u00a0 The kids were all at school and the teacher had let them leave early so that the ones who lived furthermost from town would be able to get home before the storm got any worse.\u00a0 Joseph had started home without our knowledge and when the storm hit full force, he became lost in the blizzard.\u00a0 We searched for hours without finding him and had all but given up hope when suddenly here comes Bill riding into the yard just as we were getting ready to head out again.\u00a0 Joe was sitting right up in front of him, grinning from ear to ear just as if nothing had ever happened.\u00a0 Bill found him hiding in an old abandoned shack about half way home that I had never seen before.\u00a0 Seems as if the kids all knew about it and had been using it for a club house.\u201d\u00a0 Ben paused, looked at Little Joe and their eyes locked as each recalled the time in question.<\/p>\n \u201cI owe that man, much more than I could ever repay.\u00a0 My son would have died that night if it hadn\u2019t been for Bill.\u201d Ben looked up again at the judge.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Judd is fairly new in town.\u00a0 From all that I have heard, he is basically a good man.\u00a0 He owns a small spread to the west of my ranch and from what I have been told he raises some mighty fine breeding stock.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour Honor, my son Joseph and I believe it next to impossible that these men intended to do us bodily harm.\u00a0 We believe that was the sole responsibility of the four men who stood trial earlier.\u00a0 I do believe that my friends here did intend to try to scare us.\u00a0 They should have known me well enough to know, I do not scare easily.\u201d\u00a0 Ben turned to the four defendants who all hung their heads.<\/p>\n \u201cI beg the court to consider all that I have said here today in regard to the character of these men and I ask for mercy in their sentencing.\u00a0 They have each pled guilty to intent and each has offered a verbal apology to myself, Joseph and my older two sons, which we have excepted.\u00a0 Thank you Judge.\u201d\u00a0 Ben stood and returned to his seat slipping his arm about Little Joe\u2019s shoulder as he sat down.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it seems that you have a very forgiving nature Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 I hope the defendants realize what a gracious man you are.\u00a0 I am not sure I could have been that kind.\u201d\u00a0 The judge nodded his head at Ben and turned his attention to the four ranchers.<\/p>\n \u201cWill the defendants rise?\u201d ordered Judge Hoffmire.\u00a0 \u201cI have taken in to consideration what Mr. Cartwright has told me.\u00a0 It is too bad that the four of you failed to realize that Mr. Cartwright has every right to have you punished to the fullest extent of the law.\u201d\u00a0 Hoffmire stopped and gave the men time to consider his words.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, that appears not to be his motive, nor that of his young son.\u00a0 I do have an obligation to this court in which I am forced by law to carry through.\u00a0 Since you have all pled guilty, I have no other recourse than to sentence each of you to two years on two accounts of intent, which equals out to four years each.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben shook his head as defeat swept over him.\u00a0 This was not what he had hoped for; four years away from their families would be devastating to all of them.\u00a0 Ben glanced at the families of the men who all sat behind the railing that separated them from their loved ones.\u00a0 The older children were crying, their wives had tears in their eyes, and his friends had the saddest faces that Ben had ever seen on grown men.<\/p>\n \u201cThese sentences will be\u2026\u201d the judge had started speaking again and a silence so deafening filled the courtroom.\u00a0 \u201cserved here in Virginia City as probation.\u00a0 There will be requirements that will have to be met; Sheriff Roy Coffee will be in charge of seeing to it that you men abide by the laws.\u00a0 If, at any time you should fail to comply or step outside the limits of your probation, you will serve the remainder of your sentence in the state penitentiary.\u00a0 A hearing will be heard, two years from today to review your case.\u00a0 At such time a judgment will be made as to whether or not to dismiss the rest of your sentencing.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone in the courtroom was smiling.\u00a0 \u201cGentlemen,\u201d Judge Hoffmire leaned over his desk and eyeballed the four relieved ranchers.\u00a0 \u201cThis has been your lucky day, I think each of you owe Ben Cartwright a word of thanks.\u00a0 Court dismissed.\u201d\u00a0 The sound of the gavel banging on the oak desk was lost in the howls that roared within the walls of the Virginia City Courthouse.<\/p>\n The End<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary:\u00a0 Ben’s new fencing and Little Joe’s secret cause more trouble and heartache than either father or son had anticipated.\u00a0 Each suffer in their own ways when the wires get crossed.<\/p>\n Rated G \u00a0WC 24,000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9052,"featured_media":9765,"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],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-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\/joe-pa.jpg?fit=640%2C514&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12225","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=12225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nA proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
\nAn heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
\nA false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.<\/p>\n
\nEven in his unconscious state, Ben\u2019s wail of anguish could be heard by all as his injured and bloody body made contact with the hard earth driving part of the barbs deeper into his already butchered flesh.<\/p>\n
\nAdam\u2026ya gotta help him\u2026he\u2019s dying Adam\u2026he\u2019s dying,\u201d sobbed Joe turning to his older brother and falling into his arms.<\/p>\n
\nPaul stopped working on Ben when the barbs had been removed and returned to Joe\u2019s room where the boy was now resting soundly.\u00a0 Hop Sing was left to clean and disinfect the new wounds made from the last of the sharp spiked wire.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cPa is sleeping Joe.\u00a0 I promise you, he is very much alive.\u201d\u00a0 Adam smiled and brushed Joe\u2019s stray curls back from his forehead.\u00a0 \u201cAlive Joe, and asking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nDecember 2001<\/p>\n