{"id":12911,"date":"2003-01-11T17:09:12","date_gmt":"2003-01-11T22:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12911"},"modified":"2026-07-22T13:09:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T17:09:06","slug":"the-stranger-a-missing-scene-by-jenny-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12911","title":{"rendered":"The Stranger – A Missing Scene (by Jenny G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>A missing scene for the episode.\u00a0 What followed when Roy released Little Joe from jail.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K+ (1,130 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Stranger – A Missing Scene<\/strong><\/p>\n

Roy Coffee turned the key in the big iron lock and finally opened the cell door. Then he got back out of the way as quickly as his somewhat elderly and increasingly portly frame would allow. Little Joe Cartwright came boiling out of cell as if all the hounds of hell were hot on his tail, straight into the arms of his waiting brothers. Adam grabbed him by one arm and Hoss by the other, almost pulling him off his feet as they halted his headlong rush.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLet me go, will ya! Just let me go!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee shook his head sadly. That youngest Cartwright boy sure had gotten himself worked up into a state, what with one thing and another. He hoped that his brothers could cool him down some before he dashed off and tried to do somethin\u2019 real\u2019 stupid: something Roy would have to lock him up for in earnest. At least the young man was off his hands for the moment. He watched with some degree of relief as the two older Cartwright boys hauled their brother, still kicking and screaming like the devil himself, out of Roy\u2019s office and onto the sidewalk outside. The door banged shut behind them. He heard Joe\u2019s voice getting fainter and fainter as Adam and Hoss frog-marched him away in the direction of the saloon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two older men, still holding on tightly to Joe by the arms, marched up to the bar in the Silver Dollar. Joe was still yelling, though it was hard to make out what he said. Adam clamped his free hand over Joe\u2019s mouth and muffled the cries while Hoss made beckoning gestures to the shirt-sleeved man who tended the bar; \u201cHey, Charlie, give me three beers here, will ya?\u201d Hoss threw some money down on the counter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Hoss.\u201d Charlie poured out the beer, all the while eyeing Joe warily. \u201cIs he all right?\u201d he asked finally, as he picked up the coins. \u201cHe sure looks kinda red in the face.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe chose that moment to bite Adam\u2019s finger. Adam yelped and swore and snatched his hand away from Joe\u2019s face. \u201cHe\u2019ll be just fine,\u201d Hoss said to Charlie. \u201cJist as soon as we c\u2019n get him cooled off some.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a horse trough outside for that sort of thing,\u201d Charlie said casually over his shoulder as he retreated along the bar.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sucking his finger, Adam looked thoughtfully towards the front of the saloon as if dunking his frenetic and out of control youngest brother in the sour-smelling water might really be an option he would consider.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLet me go!\u201d Joe bellowed at the top of his voice. \u201cI gotta go after them! I gotta save my Pa\u2019s life!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam exchanged long and meaningful glances over Little Joe\u2019s head. \u201cJust quieten down, short-shanks,\u201d Hoss told him. \u201cYou ain\u2019t goin\u2019 no-place until you\u2019ve listened to what we\u2019ve got to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe looked from one to the other. His eyes were wild, and the words hardly sank in. \u201cI\u2019m going after them! You know damn well that LeDuque fella ain\u2019t aimin\u2019 ta let Pa get out of the county alive, let alone all the way ta New Orleans!\u201d He glared furiously at Adam. \u201cThis is all your idea! You want ta get Pa out o\u2019 the way so you c\u2019n run the ranch your way!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam mouth tightened into a hard, straight line. He\u2019d heard this sort of accusation before, and it wasn\u2019t a thing he took kindly to. Hoss glared at Joe in reproach. \u201cHey, Joe, you know that ain\u2019t fair. \u00a0Adam\u2019s got a plan ta get Pa away from that fella, but we need your help if it\u2019s gonna work, and you gotta pay attention an\u2019 listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s breath hissed. \u00a0He looked at Hoss and then at Adam\u2019s stern face. \u00a0Gradually he began to relax. \u201cIs that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss nodded assurance. Joe stopped struggling. \u201cAll right! You can let me go.\u201d He shrugged off the restraining hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cautiously, Hoss let go of one arm while Adam, with rather less reluctance, released the other. He was getting heartily sick of Joe and his tantrums, and his own temper was starting to rise. \u201cLet\u2019s take our beer and go and sit down somewhere a little less noisy,\u201d Hoss suggested, the soul of quiet reason.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The three Cartwright men lifted their glasses and carried them to a table with a view of the street. Charlie, the barman, watched them go. At least it looked as if that youngling had settled down some; he didn\u2019t really want to call for the sheriff or use the scatter-gun that he kept down under the bar.\u00a0 The Cartwrights settled at the table over by the window and started drinking their beer – like model citizens all of a sudden. Charlie wondered what they were up to.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe still eyed Adam with suspicion. \u201cWhy\u2019d you let them ride away like that? You knew that LeDuque means to shoot Pa just the first chance he gets!\u201d His voice was rising again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHush down, Joe,\u201d Hoss told him anxiously. \u201cI told ya, Adam here\u2019s got a plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe turned his bright eyes on Adam. \u201cSo, what is this great idea?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam returned his gaze evenly and pulled a long breath; \u201cI suggested to Pa that we might ride along after them and pretend to be outlaws and bust him loose, but he wouldn\u2019t hear of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds like Pa,\u201d Hoss agreed, sipping his beer and licking his lips in appreciation. \u00a0\u201cA real stickler for law an\u2019 order, even if it costs him his life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe looked at him in renewed alarm. \u201cSo what I suggest is this,\u201d Adam went on, speaking calmly. He leaned over the table, and three Cartwright heads got close together with an air of conspiracy. \u201cThat we all dress up as Indians, and we ride in on their camp, early tomorrow morning. We shoot off a few shots to make it look good, and run off their horses. If LeDuque has to walk a ways on that bad leg of his, I reckon our Pa\u2019ll soon find a way to get the better of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe thought about it. It wasn\u2019t really such a bad idea, and it was sure a whole lot better than sitting around on his butt waiting to turn into an orphan. A slow smile spread over his face. Hoss was already beaming. \u201cHey, Adam, that\u2019s a real good idea!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked from one brother to the other. \u201cDrink up your beer. And then we\u2019ll ride out to the Piaute encampment and borrow some Indian gear, and perhaps a little help.<\/p>\n

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

Summary:\u00a0 What followed when Roy released Little Joe from jail.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K+ (1,130 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9737,"featured_media":12958,"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":[1009,23,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brothers","category-drama","category-missing-scene","wpcat-1009-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-61-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Adam-and-Joe-Desert-Justice-2.bmp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12911","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=12911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}