{"id":12896,"date":"2002-10-08T10:30:21","date_gmt":"2002-10-08T14:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12896"},"modified":"2026-07-22T13:08:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T17:08:12","slug":"the-artist-a-missing-scene-by-jenny-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12896","title":{"rendered":"The Artist – A Missing Scene (by Jenny G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>Just how much trouble can Adam get into while killing time in a sleepy town.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (3,300 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Artist – a Missing Scene<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright lounged on the boardwalk outside the Pavilion Hotel and carefully picked his teeth clean with the sharpened end of a matchstick. It was around two o\u2019clock on a hot, sunny afternoon, and Adam had time on his hands.<\/p>\n

His father had driven off in a buckboard with the blinded painter he\u2019d met in the local saloon. For reasons that Adam only half understood, the two had promptly proceeded to knock all shades of hell out of each other. Now though, they seemed to be the best of friends, and Adam wasn\u2019t unduly concerned for his father\u2019s safety; he was pretty sure that the old man could take care of himself. In any event, old Ben Cartwright certainly wouldn\u2019t appreciate having a grown up son tagging along as a nursemaid.<\/p>\n

Both of Adam\u2019s siblings had wandered away to find their own amusements. Joe, no doubt, had returned to the saloon across the street and filled the empty seat that he\u2019d spotted in the perpetual poker game. Adam fully expected that, by sundown, his little brother would be stony broke and scrounging the price of a beer. Big, bluff Hoss had done exactly as he had threatened and taken himself off to bed. Adam knew for dead certain sure that, right now, the big man was lying flat on his back and snoring very loudly. The window was open; if he held his breath and listened real\u2019 hard, he could hear him. All in all, that left Adam entirely to his own devices.<\/p>\n

Of course, by the same token, he was also free of responsibility and had only himself to please. Adam shifted his toothpick across to the other side of his mouth and frowned as he considered his options. There was the standard long, soapy bath, topped off by a shave and a haircut and followed by several cold beers and an evening spent in the local whorehouse, but today, that just didn\u2019t appeal. While not exactly in search of adventure, he felt like doing something a little bit different.<\/p>\n

In the full heat of the afternoon, the street had grown quiet. People had retreated in doors for a well-earned siesta. Several horses stood dozing at the hitching rails and a row of mules waited with patient docility outside the saloon. A huge, black cat lay on the boardwalk almost at Adam\u2019s feet. He was sleeping as soundly as Hoss with one relaxed paw and his fat, black tail hanging down over the edge. The only other folk in sight were a pair of old timers engaged in a ferocious and seemingly endless game of dominoes in the shade of the boardwalk awning.<\/p>\n

With no clear idea of where he intended to go, Adam stepped over the cat and into the street. As if at a given signal, the world swung into motion. Somebody yelled, and Adam heard hooves pounding towards him. He turned quickly. A huge, black horse was bearing down on him, coming from the stables in the street behind the hotel. The animal was galloping, his ears laid flat, and his eyes showing white; a very small person clung to his back. Adam did a neat little dance in the dirt as he tried to get out of the way. The horse caught him a glancing blow with its shoulder as it passed by and knocked him clean off his feet.<\/p>\n

Adam hit the ground rolling and took the force out of the fall. He was winded, and landing hard on the butt of his six gun bruised his hip, but otherwise, he was undamaged. The horse, running out of control and thrown off balance by its collision with Adam, and by its rider\u2019s instinctive jerk on the reins, stumbled and almost went down. Its diminutive rider somersaulted over its head and tumbled into the dirt.<\/p>\n

Adam picked himself up and went over. The fallen rider was only a boy and a young one at that. His clothes were dishevelled and frayed at the edges, and he wore a round, hard-topped hat. He started to stir and sat up, bemused. He shook the cobwebs out of his head. Adam didn\u2019t wonder the bone-shaking fall had made him see stars. Leaning down, he took him by the elbow and lifted him onto his feet. \u201cAre you all right, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

Blue eyes blazed at him: cornflower-blue, eyes as blue as a bright summer morning surrounded by fair, sandy lashes. The boy shrugged off his hand. \u201cI ain\u2019t your son, Mister!\u201d The voice hadn\u2019t yet broken; it was high and piping and, at the same time, snarled with a bitter resentment.<\/p>\n

People appeared as if out of nowhere and came running from several different directions. First among them was the thick-set, bull necked sheriff Adam had nodded to earlier as he rode into town, and a much smaller man suited in black. The undertaker was somewhat put out to discover that no one was in immediate need of his services and retired in a huff. The sheriff looked Adam over with some speculation. \u201cThat was some tumble you took there, Mister. Are you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so.\u201d Adam attempted to brush off some of the dust. \u201cI don\u2019t know about the boy yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff looked down. He was a tall man and the boy\u2019s pale, upturned face came about to his middle. \u201cHe looks okay to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was about to suggest that they have a doctor look the boy over, just to be sure, when a shout came from behind him. \u201cHorse thief! Horse thief!\u201d<\/p>\n

The moonfaced, overweight ostler from the livery stable stumbled into the street. He was puffing and panting, gasping for breath and very red in the cheeks. \u201cThat boy\u2019s a horse thief!\u201d<\/p>\n

Clutching his hat to his head with his hand, the boy turned to flee. The sheriff acted with remarkable presence of mind and, for a big-built man, moved with speed. He grabbed the boy by the elbow, almost jerking him off his feet, and held on tight. The stableman panted up. His face was florid; great patches of sweat stained his dirty pink vest and his trousers were slipping down over his belly. The sheriff still held the boy firmly by the fleshy part of the arm. \u201cWhat\u2019s this all about, Breeching?\u201d<\/p>\n

The stableman pulled out a spotted bandanna and swabbed at his neck. \u201cThat horse isn\u2019t his. He sneaked in, an\u2019 he stole it from right under my nose!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDi\u2019n\u2019t! Di\u2019n\u2019t steal it!\u201d The boy started squirming, trapped in the big sheriff\u2019s grasp.<\/p>\n

Adam decided it was just about time to join in; \u201cWhy don\u2019t you tell us what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff, the ostler and the boy all turned to look at him. Adam thought, for a moment, that he might have grown an extra head. Finally, the sheriff said, \u201cWhat\u2019s this got to do with you, Mister..?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright,\u201d Adam supplied. \u201cAdam Cartwright, And I think I\u2019ve a vested interest. The boy and his horse damn near killed me.\u201d He rubbed the sore spot on his butt.<\/p>\n

The sheriff considered it, then nodded his head. \u201cYou could be right about that. But you want to think real\u2019 careful afore you tangle yourself up in this. In this here town, we hang horse thieves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam knew it was common practice: rough-cut justice in a savage land. He was a man of his times, and it was, on the whole, a penalty that he approved of. On this occasion however, he balked at the prospect of the thief stretching a rope. This was no hard-bitten rustler who would steal a man\u2019s hard-earned worldly goods with never a second thought; this was no more than a child. \u201cBut he\u2019s just a boy! He can\u2019t be more than twelve or thirteen. He doesn\u2019t have his full growth yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy was indignant. \u201cI was fourteen last week! I\u2019m just small for my age, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wished that the boy would keep quiet. At fourteen, a boy was considered a man full grown and fully responsible for his own actions. If he was a horse thief, he could be hung. The sheriff knew it as well. \u201cIt don\u2019t make no nevermind how old he might be. The law\u2019s the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam couldn\u2019t argue with that. The sheriff looked sternly down at the boy. \u201cWhat name do you go by?\u201d<\/p>\n

The blue eyes gazed at him without the slightest trace of guile. \u201cMy name\u2019s Jordan, Mister. Jordan Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared at him, his mouth dropping open. He didn\u2019t believe what he\u2019d heard. The sheriff looked from Jordan to Adam. \u201cThis here your boy, Mister?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, numb with shock. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen him before in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy let out a wail. \u201cDaddy, don\u2019t say that! You gotta save me!\u201d He wrapped his arms tightly \u2018round Adam\u2019s leg.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think,\u201d the sheriff said grimly, \u201cWe\u2019d all better to go my office and sort this thing out.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the sunlight and the heat of the street, the sheriff\u2019s office was dark, cool and airless. It was dominated by a huge, battered and battle scarred mahogany desk that took up half of the floor space. A pot-bellied stove and a couple of chairs took up the rest of the room. The first thing the sheriff did was to take away Adam\u2019s gun. \u201cJust a general precaution,\u201d he said. He lifted the Colt.44 out of it holster and slipped it into the drawer of the desk.<\/p>\n

By now, Adam had become distinctly uneasy. He wiped his palms of the seams of his pants. The sheriff poured himself a cup of thick, black coffee from the pot that sat on the back of the stove. He didn\u2019t offer it to anyone else. Breeching, the ostler, slumped into a chair too small for his bulk; he overflowed at the edges. He pulled out the bandanna and mopped at his face. The sheriff stood over him. \u201cBreeching, why don\u2019t you tell me about the horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA horse is a horse.\u201d Breeching gazed up at him with small, beady eyes. His face was still sweating. \u201cI got that one as part payment of a debt. The boy stole it away from me. For all I know, his Pa put him up to it.\u201d The eyes rolled slyly in Adam\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n

The sheriff turned to the boy; \u201cYour Pa tell you ta steal that horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was tired of being talked about instead of being talked too. \u201cFor a start,\u201d he said testily, \u201cI\u2019m not this boy\u2019s Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff regarded him with open speculation \u201cThe boy here says different. You sayin\u2019 he\u2019s lyin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m saying he\u2019s not telling the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy who had called himself Jordan Cartwright gazed up at Adam with brilliant blue eyes. \u201cDaddy, you know that ain\u2019t so!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you know I\u2019m not your Pa!\u201d Adam retorted with venom.<\/p>\n

The sheriff sucked his teeth. \u201cThen would you mind explaining how come he\u2019s got the same name as you?\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m gonna get ta the bottom of this; have me a talk with them three fellas you rode inta town with. In the meantime, I\u2019m gonna lock you up fer a bit \u2013 just so I know where you\u2019re at.\u201d He lifted a huge bunch of keys from a nail in the wall and directed Adam into a cell.<\/p>\n

Adam spread out his hands \u201cThere\u2019s no call for that. Why would I steal a horse? I\u2019ve got a horse of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you ain\u2019t got nothin\u2019 ta worry about.\u201d The sheriff pulled out his pistol and jammed the muzzle hard into Adam\u2019s belly, just under his belt. \u201cI don\u2019t know you, an\u2019 I don\u2019t know this boy. Could be you don\u2019t know each other. It\u2019s somethin\u2019 I\u2019m gonna have ta look into.\u201d He backed Adam into the cell with a prod of the pistol and pushed the boy in after him. He swung the door closed and turned the big key in the lock. \u201cDon\u2019t ferget, Mister,\u201d he said with a lop-sided grin, \u201cin this town, we hang horse thieves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam found himself locked in a cell that was hardly luxurious in its appointments. An unglazed window, high in the wall, admitted a single shaft of barred sunlight but little fresh air. The bunk was solidly built out of boards; it had a thin straw mattress and a single, somewhat threadbare blanket, and there was a pot underneath for a man to piss in. That was all. The sheriff went out with the ostler. As they went through the door, Adam heard the fat man declaring what a very fine animal the black gelding was.<\/p>\n

Adam turned on the boy, his tawny eyes angry. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you tell me what this is all about?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy backed as far into the corner as he was able; there wasn\u2019t much room to retreat. The bright eyes widened with fright. Adam realised that he made a threatening figure and backed off, exasperated. He took a deep breath and unwound his hands. \u201cI\u2019m not going to hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy wiped his coat sleeve over his mouth and picked up a silvery stream from his nose. \u201cWas all your fault anyway,\u201d he said sulkily. \u201cIffen you hadn\u2019t got in the way, I\u2019d have got clean away with that horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told me that you didn\u2019t steal the horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDi\u2019n\u2019t. Not exactly.\u201d The boy sniffed the snot back into his nose. \u201cThat horse belongs to me an\u2019 my Ma. That fella Breeching took him away \u2018cause of a feed bill we owed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam began to see how it was. \u201cA man had to pay what he owes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d of paid him!\u201d The boy was defiant. \u201cBut without the horse, we can\u2019t plough, then we don\u2019t have nothin\u2019 to sell an’ no money to pay with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need you to tell that sheriff the truth!\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy shook his head. \u201cIffen I tell the truth, they\u2019re gonna hang me for stealin\u2019 that horse for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

From what he had seen of the sheriff\u2019s attitude, Adam allowed that the boy might well be right. He prowled back and forth behind the bars with a scowl on his face. The boy sat on the bunk and watched him. Adam\u2019s anger had turned to frustration \u2013 and some concern. He wasn\u2019t really expecting to dance on the end of a rope \u2013 not if Hoss woke up before Christmas and Joe ever got out of that poker game. He was pretty certain that they\u2019d be able to prove who he was and vouch for the fact that he didn\u2019t have any children. All the same, he didn\u2019t like being in jail, and he had a kind of a dry raspy feeling at the back of his throat.<\/p>\n

The boy was an entirely different matter. If it came to a trial, Adam would find himself cited as a principal witness, and he\u2019d have to say what he\u2019d seen. The boy could be hung on his evidence alone, and he didn\u2019t like the idea of that one little bit.<\/p>\n

He glanced at the boy. A single wisp of corn coloured hair had escaped from under the hat. It dangled beside the bright blue eyes in a long coiling spiral. A faint smile touched Adam\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

The boy was belligerent. \u201cWhat you grinnin\u2019 at, Mister?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam reached out and lifted the hat. A cascade of golden ringlets tumbled down over the shoulders. \u201cThey might be ready and willing to hang a horse thief,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll hang a girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff thought the same way. His feet on the top of his ancient desk, he sucked at his teeth. \u201cDon\u2019t reckon as you done no harm, Miss Jordan. I ain\u2019t gonna press no charges.\u201d It was a simple statement that took a whole lot of weight off Adam Cartwright\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n

Jordan – the girl – the very attractive young woman – was reluctant to elaborate on what she had revealed to Adam, but bit by bit, the entire story came out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Papa died, Mama had a hard time making\u2019 ends meet, what with me an\u2019 my two little brothers to feed. She signed a paper with Mister Breeching to provide feed for our young stock, with our one good horse as a surety. But the yearlings didn\u2019t sell for as much as we had expected. When Mama couldn\u2019t pay, Breeching took the horse to settle the debt. I thought, if I dressed up as a boy, he wouldn\u2019t recognise me, and I could borrow our horse back long enough to do the ploughing this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam slipped the Colt.44 into his holster and gave her a wink. \u201cI guess I\u2019ll go pay Mister Breeching a visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the humid heat of the late afternoon, Adam made his way to the livery stable. Inside the barn-like building it was warm, dim and damp. The close-confined gloom stank of horses, straw and fresh-dropped manure. Adam\u2019s \u201cHalloo!\u201d brought Breeching out of a stall at the back. He carried a two-tined pitchfork like he knew how to use it, and his dirty pink vest was more sweat stained than ever. His florid face darkened at the sight of his guest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want, Cartwright? How come the sheriff let you out of the hoose-gow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess he liked my face,\u201d Adam responded with a pleasant smile. Breeching made a non-committal grunt. Adam continued, \u201cI want to make you a small business proposition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breeching leaned the pitchfork against a supporting post in a business like manner and sat himself down on a barrel-head. He mopped at the sweat on his face and gave Adam his full attention. \u201cWhat is it you have in mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to settle the debt that you have on the horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breeching shook his head. \u201cNope. Not a chance. The horse is worth more than the feed bill.\u201d His small eyes glittered with greed. \u201cBut it might be that I\u2019d be willing ta sell you that horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*******<\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright ran his hands through his hair and asked the inevitable question, \u201cHey, big brother, will you buy me a beer?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam regarded him with that well practised air of long-suffering irritation and amusement. \u201cYou haven\u2019t run through all that money that Pa gave you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a run of bad luck.\u201d Joe pulled a face. \u201cI think those guys were cooking the deck, but I couldn\u2019t prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pinned his brother with a jaundiced eye. \u201cThree week\u2019s wages and an end of drive bonus?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged and looked sheepish. \u201cI had a winning hand. I\u2019d have sworn it couldn\u2019t be beaten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid you\u2019re out of luck again, little brother. I haven\u2019t a cent.\u201d Breeching had asked a good deal more for the gelding than Adam had anticipated, and then there had been essential supplies and some harness and a young lady\u2019s dress\u2026<\/p>\n

Joe stared at him, aghast. \u201cSo what did you do with your money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s say I invested it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now it was Joe\u2019s turn to look askance. \u201cYou invested it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wasn\u2019t prepared to explain any further. He squared his hat on his head. \u201cThat\u2019s what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the street from where they stood on the boardwalk, lamplight started to glow in the hotel windows. Adam\u2019s expression became speculative. Then he brightened with inspiration. He slapped Joe hard on the shoulder. \u201cI\u2019ve got an idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss emerged, sleepy eyes, from the front door of the hotel. Adam and Joe accosted him, one on either side. Each of the brothers hooked an arm in the big man\u2019s elbows, effectively tying him down. Joe gave him a cocky grin. \u201cYou\u2019re just the man we were looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked suspiciously from one to the other. \u201cWhat d\u2019you fellas want?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled silkily. \u201cWe thought you might buy us supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Potter Bar 2002.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Just how much trouble can Adam get into while killing time in a sleepy town.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (3,300 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9737,"featured_media":12467,"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":[1005,23,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-cartwright","category-drama","category-missing-scene","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-61-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\/2016\/01\/vlcsnap-2015-12-13-01h31m26s85.png?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12896","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\/9737"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12896"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12896\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}