{"id":12945,"date":"2016-05-16T13:52:41","date_gmt":"2016-05-16T17:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12945"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:10:17","slug":"thenceforward-and-forever-free-book-3-of-a-house-united-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12945","title":{"rendered":"Thenceforward and Forever Free – Book 3 of A HOUSE UNITED series (by pulitzer2016)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>: As 1861 draws to a close, the Cartwrights enjoy their first Christmas with Josie on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 But 1862 brings a number of challenges, from Adam disappearing in the desert to an influenza epidemic that threatens the entire town.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Simon Croft continues to express romantic interest in Josie, much to Adam’s consternation.\u00a0 Parts inspired by “The Crucible.”<\/p>\n

Rating: T\u00a0\u00a0 Word Count: 50,379<\/p>\n

A House United Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Hardest Goodbye – Book 1 of A House United<\/a>
\nAnd the War Came – Book 2 of A House United<\/a>
\nThenceforward and Forever Free – Book 3 of A HOUSE UNITED<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thenceforward and Forever Free
\nBook 3 of A HOUSE UNITED series<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Sarah Hendess<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ponderosa Ranch
\nNevada Territory
\nOctober \u2013 December, 1861<\/strong><\/p>\n

October passed happily for the Cartwrights. The men enjoyed the autumn lag in their workload, and apart from a few cases of bad colds, Josie\u2019s work was light, too, leaving her with plenty of time to spend with Sally, Patience, and Margaret, who often rode out to the Ponderosa together. Josie also began teaching Hoss more about medicine whenever patients sought her out at the ranch. Josie\u2019s oversized cousin had a natural gift for healing, and he quickly learned to determine how much quinine to give someone for a fever and how to discern between a sprain and a fracture.<\/p>\n

One day in early November, however, Hoss became the patient. He had been helping to open a new mine, and he returned home covered in rock dust from head to toe. Josie was sitting in her bedroom and writing a letter to Michaela when she heard Hoss clomp his way up the stairs and into the washroom. She heard him pump water into the tub for a few minutes as she finished her letter and addressed the envelope. She was heading down the hallway to put the letter inside her hat next to the front door so she would not forget to take it to town later that week, and just as she passed the washroom\u2019s closed door, she heard Hoss gasp in pain. Concerned, she knocked on the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d she called. \u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d came the muffled reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie shrugged and continued downstairs, figuring Hoss must have popped a nasty blister or pulled out a splinter. When Hoss sat down to supper that evening, however, he sported handkerchiefs tied around the knuckles of both hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to your hands?\u201d she asked, reaching out to inspect them.<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled his hands out of Josie\u2019s reach. \u201cAin\u2019t nothin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you won\u2019t mind if I look at them.\u201d Josie stood up and reached for his hands again.<\/p>\n

Hoss sighed and laid his hands on the table for inspection. Josie untied and removed the handkerchiefs and saw that every one of his knuckles on both hands were split to the bone. Dried blood crusted over the wounds, which cracked and bled anew every time Hoss flexed the joints.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood heavens!\u201d Ben exclaimed when he saw his son\u2019s hands. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was working over at that new mine,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cand some of them rocks are real sharp. Tore right through my old work gloves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere wasn\u2019t much left of those gloves to begin with,\u201d Adam remarked, shaking his head at his brother\u2019s knuckles.<\/p>\n

Josie was already halfway up to her bedroom for her medical bag. She soon returned with a bottle of iodine, a small jar of salve, and a fistful of bandages. Hoss winced as the first drops of iodine soaked into the wounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis must have hurt like crazy when you got into that hot bath earlier,\u201d Josie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it stung a bit,\u201d Hoss said, biting his lower lip against the burning iodine.<\/p>\n

Josie made quick work of disinfecting Hoss\u2019s knuckles and then slathered them with a generous amount of the soothing salve before bandaging them properly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Hoss said sheepishly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo charge,\u201d Josie replied. \u201cBut stay out of that mine until you heal up. I don\u2019t want those knuckles getting infected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, why didn\u2019t you get new gloves if yours were so worn out?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss blushed. \u201cAw, Joe,\u201d he said, \u201cyou know it ain\u2019t easy finding gloves to fit these big ol\u2019 mitts of mine. I\u2019ll have to wait until I can get to San Francisco again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced over at Josie and saw her mind churning. He wondered what was spinning around that brain of hers, but he did not ask; she would tell him if she needed to.<\/p>\n

After supper, Josie pulled Little Joe aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho in Virginia City does leatherwork?\u201d she asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosh Grayson,\u201d he replied. \u201cHe mostly makes saddles \u2013 he did the one Adam and Hoss gave me for Christmas last year \u2013 but he does other leatherwork, too, if you ask him. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think he could make a pair of sturdy work gloves for Hoss\u2019s Christmas present?\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe grinned. \u201cYeah, I think he could.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent!\u201d Josie said. \u201cI\u2019m going to need your help. We\u2019ll have to measure Hoss\u2019s hands so Josh can make the gloves the right size, but I don\u2019t want Hoss to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe finished the thought for her. \u201cSo we wait until he\u2019s asleep,\u201d he said, rubbing his hands together as his green eyes sparkled with delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly!\u201d<\/p>\n

That night, Josie lay awake in her dark bedroom, waiting for Little Joe to summon her. His bedroom was next to Hoss\u2019s, so he would know first when Hoss fell asleep. She had begun to worry that Joe had fallen asleep himself when she heard her door creak open a crack.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie?\u201d Little Joe whispered.<\/p>\n

Josie sprang out of bed and nearly collided with Joe, who had stepped into the room. She groped around on her night table and lit a small candle; she dared not produce more light than that. She handed the candle to Joe and grabbed a tape measure, a slip of paper, and a pencil. Together, the cousins crept out of Josie\u2019s bedroom and down the hall to Hoss\u2019s, neatly sidestepping the squeaky board outside Adam\u2019s room.<\/p>\n

Hoss was snoring when Josie and Little Joe slipped in. Joe carefully set the candle on Hoss\u2019s bureau and took the tape measure from Josie, who sat cross-legged on the floor. Hoss was lying flat on his back with his left arm sticking straight out off the side of the bed. Little Joe approached his brother and delicately measured the width of Hoss\u2019s hand and the length of each finger. He whispered the measurements to Josie so she could write them down on the paper. Joe had just finished measuring the span from Hoss\u2019s thumb to the tip of his pinky when he accidentally brushed his brother\u2019s palm. Hoss snorted and rolled forcefully over onto his left side. As he rolled, his right arm flew around, and his curled hand struck Joe hard just under his left eye. Little Joe fell backwards into Josie\u2019s lap, knocking them both to the floor. She threw a hand around and clapped it over Joe\u2019s mouth to stifle his cry of surprise. They lay stock-still for several moments until they were certain Hoss would not awake. At long last, Josie rolled Little Joe off of her and drew a deep breath, grateful that Little Joe was so skinny.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get that last measurement?\u201d she hissed.<\/p>\n

Clutching his face where Hoss had hit him, Joe whispered a final figure, which Josie dutifully recorded. Then they gathered their supplies and exited the room as quietly as they could. Back in the hallway, Josie held the candle close to Joe\u2019s face so she could inspect the damage.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll live,\u201d she reassured him. They bid each other goodnight and slipped into their own bedrooms.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was the last down to breakfast the next morning, and Josie noticed he kept his head down. Halfway through his grits, he looked up just enough to catch Josie\u2019s eye and reveal a small bruise on his left cheekbone. Josie pursed her lips to suppress a smile and looked down at her plate. Adam noticed both the exchange and the mark on his brother\u2019s face. He knew Josie and Little Joe had been up to something, but rather than get involved he opted to pour himself another cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d Hoss said as he finished his pancakes, \u201cdarnedest thing happened last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Hoss said, furrowing his brow. \u201cI coulda sworn I had a skeeter in my room last night. Darn thing walked right across my hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie and Little Joe shot each other another look and swallowed hard to contain their laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the wrong time of year for mosquitoes, Hoss,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. That\u2019s why it was so strange.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you weren\u2019t dreaming?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss shrugged, and Josie decided she had better change the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe and I are riding into town today,\u201d she announced. \u201cDoes anyone need anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss shook their heads, but Adam spoke up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ll come with you. I\u2019ve got something I need to check on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie grinned, pleased that Adam would come along. They finished their breakfast in short order, and Josie, Little Joe, and Adam bundled up against the cold November air and set out for the barn to saddle their horses.<\/p>\n

As the trio rode to Virginia City, Little Joe and Josie told Adam about the previous night\u2019s adventure. Adam threw back his head and laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMosquito, thy name is Joseph,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of you to get him new gloves,\u201d he added. \u201cHoss hides it well, but he really is self-conscious about his size.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they reached the livery stable in town, Little Joe invited Adam to come along to Josh Grayson\u2019s with them, but Adam declined, saying he had \u201cimportant business to see to.\u201d They agreed to meet at the International House in a couple of hours for a hot lunch. Josie watched Adam set off down the street alone and wondered what he was up to. Little Joe caught her staring.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, leave it alone, Josie,\u201d he said. \u201cOlder Brother has strange ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie left it and followed Joe to Josh Grayson\u2019s shop. Their business there took only a few moments. Josh was pleased with the measurements they provided and said he could have the gloves ready in two weeks.<\/p>\n

As they stepped out of the shop, Little Joe suggested they should think about Christmas presents for Adam and Ben as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019ve got Adam taken care of,\u201d Josie said. \u201cBut if you need an idea, you could order him a copy of Charles Dickens\u2019 new novel Great Expectations<\/em>. He missed part of the serial, and I know he\u2019d love to read the whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe liked this idea, so the pair visited the telegraph office, where Joe wired a bookstore in San Francisco. Afterward, they spent the rest of their time in Cass\u2019s General Store, where they chatted with Sally and debated the merits of different Christmas gift ideas for Ben. They eventually settled on a handsome tobacco pouch that Will Cass offered to monogram. Christmas presents taken care of, Joe and Josie set off arm-in-arm down the street for the International House.<\/p>\n

Adam was waiting for them when they arrived. He had taken care of his \u201cimportant business\u201d and was nearly bursting at the seams with excitement, but he did not want to spoil any Christmas surprises of his own, so he leaned against a post outside the hotel and tried to look nonchalant. He could tell by the way Josie\u2019s eyes shone that she and Little Joe had also had a successful morning. The trio enjoyed a lunch of steaming beef stew before setting off for home.<\/p>\n

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

The month leading up to Christmas was a happy time for all five Cartwrights. There was no real movement on the warfront, and they received holiday letters from Jacob, Hannah, and Rachel. They had their first light snowfall the second week of December, and Josie thought she had never seen anything more beautiful than the Ponderosa covered in a delicate film of snow.<\/p>\n

The Ponderosa was famous for hosting the best Christmas party in the territory, and one afternoon a week before Christmas, Hoss and Adam came home with their arms laden with fresh pine boughs for decorating the house. The family spent the remainder of the time before supper decorating the living room for the party. Little Joe and Hoss broke into a mock sword fight, each brandishing a pine branch, while Ben and Josie strung the remaining branches, intertwined with wide red ribbon, from the staircase banister. Adam stood below the stairs, giving directions.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, more to the right,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy right or your right?\u201d Josie asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy right. No, your right. No, I\u2019m sorry, back the other way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie sighed as she and Ben readjusted the branches.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, you and Hoss are going to sweep up all those pine needles,\u201d Ben advised his youngest sons, who were still attacking one another with pine boughs.<\/p>\n

At long last, the branches were hung with enough precision to suit Adam, and Hoss and Joe had swept up the detritus from their battle with enough care to suit Ben. The four cousins collapsed on the settee while Ben reclined in his armchair.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll we need now is the tree!\u201d Joe crowed.<\/p>\n

Two days later, Hoss and Little Joe led a pair of sturdy draft horses dragging an enormous pine tree into the yard. Josie\u2019s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She had never seen such a large Christmas tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got a great, big one, just like you wanted, Pa!\u201d Hoss announced.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat job, boys!\u201d Ben declared. \u201cJust one little problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you plan to fit that into the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe stared at each other for a second before turning back to look at their tree. It was a colossal Douglas fir, at least twenty feet tall and eight feet across. Adam laughed aloud. There was no way that tree was fitting through the front door. After a great deal of arguing in which each brother accused the other of selecting the tree, Little Joe and Hoss procured a saw and hacked eight feet off the bottom of the conifer. They bound the branches down with ropes, hefted the tree onto their shoulders, and, with some direction from Adam and Ben, guided it through the front door and into the great room. Once the tree was secured next to the fireplace and the armchairs, coffee table, and settee had been scooted back to accommodate its girth, Adam and Ben hauled down boxes of trimmings from the attic, and the family spent the rest of the afternoon decorating. They thought they would have to get the ladder from the barn in order to place the star on top, but Hoss and Josie figured out that if they stood on the landing of the staircase, Josie could climb onto Hoss\u2019s shoulders and lean out to reach the treetop. Neither Ben nor Adam could watch as Josie leaned precariously over the staircase railing, and both men sighed in relief when they heard her feet land safely back on the ground.<\/p>\n

That night after supper, the four men sat in the living room admiring their work, when Josie and Hop Sing emerged from the kitchen, each of them bearing three steaming coffee mugs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made hot chocolate!\u201d Josie announced with a grin.<\/p>\n

Four sets of eyes, one deep brown, one hazel, one blue, and one green, lit up. Josie and Hop Sing passed around the mugs to exclamations of thanks. Before settling onto the settee between Adam and Little Joe, Josie grabbed a small book off an end table. She handed it to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you read this?\u201d she asked him.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at the cover. It was Charles Dickens\u2019 A Christmas Carol<\/em>. He grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always used to read this to me at Christmas,\u201d Josie reminded him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile drinking hot chocolate, if my memory serves me correctly,\u201d Adam added.<\/p>\n

Josie nodded. Adam patted the empty space next to him on the settee, and Josie curled up next to him, her stocking feet tucked up under her skirt and her hands curled around her mug. She rested her head on Adam\u2019s shoulder as he opened the book and began to read.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam made it through the first two staves of the story before heads began to nod. He tucked a slip of paper into the pages so they could pick it back up another night and then helped Hop Sing carry the now-empty mugs into the kitchen. After a goodnight peck on the cheek from Josie, he retired to his bedroom, feeling more in the Christmas spirit than he had for many years.<\/p>\n

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

The Christmas party the following night was a great success. The Cartwrights moved the furniture to the edges of the great room so there was a wide space for dancing. Hop Sing had prepared heaping platters of hors d\u2019oeuvres, and Ben had opened several bottles of the applejack he had made in early autumn. Josie found the applejack only slightly less offensive than brandy, so she helped herself to extra cookies instead.<\/p>\n

Neighbors and friends came from far and wide for the party, and Josie was delighted to be able to spend the evening with Sally, Patience, and Margaret, though Simon coaxed her away from her friends several times for dances. Simon, however, was a bit distracted that evening as he noticed how much time Little Joe was spending with his younger sister, Rebecca, and Simon suddenly understood Adam Cartwright a whole lot better.<\/p>\n

At the end of the evening, as the Cartwrights said farewell to the last of their departing guests, Simon pulled Josie aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on a second, Josie,\u201d he said. \u201cI have something for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie watched with interest as Simon skittered over to his family\u2019s wagon and extracted a large, flat parcel wrapped in brown paper from beneath the front seat. He handed it shyly to Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d he mumbled, casting his gaze down to his boots.<\/p>\n

Josie cocked an eyebrow at him and unwrapped the parcel. She pulled out a wooden slab about a foot square with perfectly beveled edges. On the front in large, black block letters were the words \u201cDr. Josephine Cartwright, MD.\u201d Josie\u2019s mouth dropped open.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimon!\u201d she exclaimed. \u201cOh my goodness! Did you make this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon nodded without looking back up at Josie. \u201cThought you could use a shingle,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful!\u201d Josie said, her eyes shining. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you did this for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWeren\u2019t nothin\u2019,\u201d he said, finally looking up and giving her a small smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon looked like he wanted to say something more, but just then his mother called that the rest of the family was ready to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta go,\u201d he said with a defeated sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Simon,\u201d Josie said and pecked him on the cheek.<\/p>\n

Simon was grateful it was dark outside so Josie could not see his face as it turned twenty shades of red. \u201cM- merry Christmas,\u201d he stuttered and stumbled off the porch. Josie waved goodbye and then skipped inside to show off her new shingle.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam, Hoss, Little Joe, and Hop Sing admired Simon\u2019s craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat young man does nice work,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI should see if he wants to do some carpentry for me. Make a little money on the side for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even Adam had to admit the shingle was exquisite. \u201cI\u2019ll hang it next to the front door for you tomorrow,\u201d he offered.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe, meanwhile, were shaking their heads.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat boy\u2019s got it bad,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s medical training immediately kicked in. \u201cWhat?\u201d she exclaimed in alarm. \u201cWhat has he got? He seemed fine to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four men exchanged amused glances.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt ain\u2019t physical, Josie,\u201d Little Joe said slyly. \u201cWell, some<\/em> of it is.\u201d He snorted with laughter, and Adam slapped him upside the head.<\/p>\n

Josie glared at Little Joe, ready to slap him herself for not making sense, but Hoss intervened.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s lovesick, Josie,\u201d Hoss said, biting back a chortle.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor whom?\u201d Josie asked. Adam screwed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as Little Joe and Hoss erupted in laughter. Even Hop Sing shook his head in disbelief.<\/p>\n

Trying not to laugh, too, Ben laid a hand on Josie\u2019s shoulder. \u201cFor you, my dear,\u201d he said gently.<\/p>\n

Josie looked at her uncle incredulously. \u201cOh, Uncle Ben, be serious,\u201d she said with a giggle. When his genuine expression did not change, she flushed scarlet. \u201cThat is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!\u201d she insisted. \u201cNow if you\u2019ll excuse me, I\u2019m going to bed!\u201d She tossed her head and flounced up the stairs to her bedroom, taking her new shingle with her.<\/p>\n

As soon as they heard Josie\u2019s door slam, Ben, Hoss, Little Joe, and Hop Sing laughed anew. Adam glowered at them with as much indignation as he could muster.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not funny,\u201d he said firmly.<\/p>\n

Hoss caught his breath. \u201cIf it ain\u2019t funny, how come you\u2019re smilin\u2019, Older Brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cursed himself as a goofy smile spread across his face. \u201cAll right,\u201d he admitted, \u201cmaybe it\u2019s a little<\/em> funny. But keep it down, would you? Josie\u2019ll hear, and she\u2019s embarrassed enough already.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other four stifled the rest of their laughter and set about cleaning up the party.<\/p>\n

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

No one uttered a word about Simon the next day, even as Adam fulfilled his promise to hang Josie\u2019s new shingle next to the front door. That evening, Adam read the third stave of \u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d aloud to the family while they sipped more of Josie and Hop Sing\u2019s hot chocolate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always liked this stave best,\u201d Little Joe said. \u201cThe Ghost of Christmas Present reminds me of Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two days before Christmas, after returning from a trip into town he refused to talk about, Adam finished off the story, and on Christmas Eve, rather than ride into town for services, the four cousins listened while Ben read aloud the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke, as was their family tradition. Josie rested her head lazily on Hoss\u2019s shoulder as she listened to her uncle\u2019s soothing deep voice, so much like her father\u2019s, read the words she knew by heart:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 flock by night.<\/a> And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 round about them: and they were sore afraid.<\/a> And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, \u00a0\u00a0 behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.<\/a> For unto you is born \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s favorite part of the evening, however, was after the story when Adam pulled out his guitar and led the family in a carol sing. He began with a hauntingly beautiful solo of \u201cO Come, O Come, Emmanuel,\u201d and then the rest of the family joined in for \u201cO Come, All Ye Faithful\u201d and a laughter-filled rendition of \u201cJingle Bells.\u201d They ended their evening with Adam and Josie singing the original German lyrics to \u201cSilent Night,\u201d Josie\u2019s clear treble voice blending seamlessly with Adam\u2019s rich baritone. Just before bed, they all placed their gifts for one another under the tree, ready for Christmas morning. As they bid one another goodnight, Adam embraced Josie just a bit longer than usual.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Little Sister,\u201d he said, kissing the top of her head. He could not think of any other words to express how thankful he was to have her on the Ponderosa, away from the war and with his family where she belonged, especially during this season of gratitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Older Brother,\u201d she replied, smiling up at him. Adam needed to say no more; Josie could read his face like an open book.<\/p>\n

Watching the scene between the two could-be siblings, Ben pretended to sneeze so he had an excuse to wipe his eyes.<\/p>\n

They blew out the candles on the Christmas tree, and then five Cartwrights tromped happily up the stairs to their bedrooms. Adam fell into bed nearly erupting with excitement over his gift for Josie. He had been planning it since Bull Run had made it clear that Josie would be with them for some time. It had taken a while to get Ben to agree to the idea, but Adam had won him over in the end.<\/p>\n

Down the hall, Josie dropped off to sleep quickly, looking forward to seeing the others open their gifts the following morning.<\/p>\n

The following morning came much earlier than Josie expected.<\/p>\n

It felt like her head had only just hit the pillow when there was a pounding on her bedroom door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWake up, Josie!\u201d Little Joe\u2019s voice was muffled through the wood. \u201cIt\u2019s Christmas!\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie cracked her eyes open a sliver and saw that her room was still pitch black. She groaned and threw back the blankets, shivering in the cold air. She stumbled over to her door and flung it open; Little Joe and Hoss nearly fell into the room on top of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Josie!\u201d Hoss said, excited as a child. \u201cIt\u2019s Christmas morning!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBarely!\u201d Josie grouched. \u201cWhat time is it, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFour-fifteen,\u201d Little Joe said impatiently, as if Josie had grossly overslept.<\/p>\n

Josie groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs Uncle Ben up?\u201d she asked. She knew ranchers rose early, but this seemed ridiculous.<\/p>\n

Little Joe and Hoss shifted uncomfortably. \u201cNo,\u201d Hoss admitted. \u201cPa gets awful sore if we wake him up before five-thirty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father and I have that in common,\u201d Josie intoned drily.<\/p>\n

A floorboard creaked in the hallway, and the three cousins froze. Within moments, a shaft of light hit them as Adam appeared in Josie\u2019s doorway bearing a candle. He had not bothered with his dressing gown and stood there in his black-and-white-striped nightshirt, his raven hair sticking out at all angles. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand and scowled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is all the ruckus about?\u201d he groused. \u201cDo you three know what time it is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFour-fifteen, or so I\u2019ve been told,\u201d Josie said, glaring at Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo back to bed,\u201d Adam ordered. \u201cOr at least shut up. Some of us are trying to sleep.\u201d He turned around and stumbled back to his bedroom, his bare feet slapping indignantly on the floorboards.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas to you, too, you old grouch,\u201d Little Joe muttered.<\/p>\n

Josie gave Hoss and Little Joe one last dirty look and pushed them out of her room. She could not help but giggle, though, as she crawled back into bed. Part of her agreed with Adam that the hour was far too early for mortal man, but another part of her had wanted to shove past him and race downstairs with Hoss and Little Joe.<\/p>\n

Back in his own bedroom, Adam stifled a chuckle as he lay back down. Little Joe and Hoss had been obnoxious on Christmas morning ever since they were old enough to understand what Christmas was. As irritating a quality as this could be in two grown men, today it made Adam smile. After the tumultuous events of the past few years, it was nice to know that some things never changed.<\/p>\n

An hour and a half later, Adam\u2019s eyes popped open once more. He glanced at his clock, saw that it was quarter of six, and swung his long legs out of bed. He pulled on the jeans he had thrown over his desk chair the night before, buttoned up a clean shirt, and threw on socks and boots before heading downstairs.<\/p>\n

Usually the first or second person downstairs in the morning, Adam saw Ben, Hoss, Josie, and Little Joe already sitting in the living room waiting for him. Josie and Ben were calmly sipping cups of coffee, but Hoss and Little Joe were bouncing in their seats. Adam realized he was the only one not still wearing his pajamas.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about time!\u201d Hoss declared when he saw Adam appear at the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas to you, too, Younger Brother,\u201d Adam said, flashing a smile. He sat down on the settee next to Josie and reached for the coffee pot and a clean cup. Hoss and Joe looked over at Ben expectantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what are you waiting for, boys?\u201d Ben said. \u201cDive in!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe attacked their stockings hanging on the mantel. As they sat on the floor digging through their treasures, Adam stepped over them and retrieved his, Josie\u2019s, and Ben\u2019s stockings and handed them out. Josie thrust her hand into hers and grinned as she pulled out a fistful of peppermint sticks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I know who these are from,\u201d she said, and Adam winked at her. She also extracted some chocolates, a silk bookmark, and, hidden deep in the toe of her stocking, a fat orange. \u201cOoo!\u201d she squealed. She loved oranges and had not had one since leaving Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe had similar hauls in their stockings, though instead of a bookmark, Little Joe got a new deck of playing cards and Hoss received a neckerchief.<\/p>\n

\u201cTime for presents!\u201d Josie shrieked and leapt for the pile under the tree. She grabbed the small package containing Hoss\u2019s new gloves and played a brief game of tug-of-war with Little Joe as they argued over who got to present it to him. In the end, they each held onto a corner and handed the gift to Hoss together, their eyes shining.<\/p>\n

Hoss tore open the wrapping paper and stopped dead when he saw the brown-leather work gloves inside. He stared at them for several long moments before delicately lifting one and slipping it over his matching hand. He held up his gloved hand, marveling at the perfect fit.<\/p>\n

He managed to force out only a single word. \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie and Little Joe grinned at each other as Ben rose from his seat to inspect the gloves. He, too, looked over at the youngest Cartwrights in amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, how?\u201d he asked. \u201cIt\u2019s nearly impossible to find gloves that fit Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJosh Grayson,\u201d Little Joe answered. \u201cWe talked him into a special order. He did nice work, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you get the size so exact?\u201d Ben asked, still scrutinizing the glove on his middle son\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, we had help from a little mosquito,\u201d Josie replied, and she, Little Joe, and Adam burst out laughing.<\/p>\n

Hoss slid on the second glove and stretched his hands out to admire them. Tears leaked out of the corners of his sky-blue eyes. \u201cThank you,\u201d he said, his voice choked with emotion. He rose and gathered up Josie and Little Joe in one enormous, too-tight hug. \u201cThank you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Hoss had pulled himself together, the family continued opening gifts. Ben was delighted by his new tobacco pouch and put it to use at once. Adam was touched by Little Joe\u2019s thoughtfulness in getting him Great Expectations<\/em>, and Josie was gracious enough not to mention that it had been her idea. Finally, Josie pulled a large package out from under the tree and dropped in into Adam\u2019s lap. He braced himself for impact but was surprised when the lightweight package fairly bounced off his thighs. He glanced at Josie suspiciously and then slowly unwrapped the gift.<\/p>\n

The wrapping paper fell away to reveal a blue-and-white patchwork quilt. Adam had not known what to expect from Josie, but this was nowhere close to even his wildest guesses. He stood up and let the blanket unfold. It was a lap quilt, and it looked vaguely familiar. It took Adam several moments to figure out why.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis looks like the quilt from Aunt Rachel\u2019s sitting room,\u201d he said in disbelief.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s precisely what it is!\u201d Josie exclaimed, clapping her hands. \u201cWell done, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe watched the scene in bewilderment. They assumed this must be yet another private joke between Adam and Josie, but when they saw the puzzled expression on Adam\u2019s face, they realized he was baffled, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Josie,\u201d Adam began slowly, still holding up the quilt, \u201cplease don\u2019t think me ungrateful, but why are you giving me the quilt from Aunt Rachel\u2019s sitting room?\u201d<\/p>\n

All eyes turned to Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause your mother made it,\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s expression instantly dropped from one of bewilderment to one of awe. Ben, too, stared at the quilt in astonishment. Elizabeth had once mentioned to him that she had done some quilting in her younger days before they met, but Ben had not known any of her work still existed. He stood frozen next to his armchair, gazing across the room at this unexpected artifact from his late wife.<\/p>\n

Adam dropped onto the settee, the quilt draped across his lap. He ran one trembling finger slowly down a row of tiny, even stitches. His mother had sewn each and every one of the thousands of stitches in this quilt. She had held it in her hands hour after hour, piecing it together with a precision and meticulousness Adam both related to and admired. His father had given him a portrait of his mother and told him stories about her, but here was something she had made, something she had held. He threw the quilt around his shoulders, pulled it tightly across his chest, buried his face in it, and let his mother hold him for the first time in his memory.<\/p>\n

The other Cartwrights watched in silence as Adam\u2019s shoulders shook a few times, then stilled. He took a long, shuddering breath, and raised his head, unbidden tears streaming down his face. His memory flashed back to that Christmas twelve years ago when Hannah had wrapped this very quilt around his shoulders as he sat shivering next to the fire in Rachel\u2019s sitting room after he had run out into a snowstorm. A fresh flood of tears rose to his eyes, and Adam buried his face in the quilt again as he realized his mother had been holding him that day, too.<\/p>\n

Ben crossed the room to his eldest son, but Hoss and Little Joe hung back. They understood all too well how much it meant to Adam to have something from his mother, and they did not want to intrude on such a private moment.<\/p>\n

As Ben sat next to Adam, he, too, reached out a cautious finger and ran it delicately down one of the seams now enclosing Adam\u2019s shoulders. Tears rose to his eyes, and he put an arm around his son and drew him close.<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s face burned as she watched her uncle and cousin. She had not expected such an emotional response from Adam and she felt terrible for eliciting it; she knew how hard he worked to remain stoic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she sputtered. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to put a damper on everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up at his cousin, struck afresh by her resemblance to his mother, and smiled at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Josie,\u201d he said, swallowing hard. \u201cThis is the best gift I\u2019ve ever received. Thank you.\u201d He removed the quilt from his shoulders, handed it to his father, and stood up to hug Josie. \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

After they broke apart, Adam gazed over at the quilt, which Ben had folded and set next to him on the settee. \u201cI can\u2019t believe how many times I sat right next to this quilt and didn\u2019t know it was my mother\u2019s,\u201d Adam said, shaking his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know, either, until last summer when I stayed with Aunt Rachel,\u201d Josie said. \u201cShe had redecorated the sitting room in red and green, but she still had this quilt across the back of one of the armchairs, which I thought was strange since it no longer matched the d\u00e9cor. You know how Aunt Rachel is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes skyward. He knew all too well how Aunt Rachel was.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway,\u201d Josie continued, \u201cI asked her about it one evening, and she said your mother had sewn it, and she could not bring herself to stow it away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you talk her into giving you something so special?\u201d Ben asked, once more running his hand lovingly across the quilt.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat turned out to be pretty easy, actually,\u201d Josie explained with a wicked grin.<\/p>\n

A horrible thought crossed Adam\u2019s mind. \u201cDid you steal this?!\u201d he blurted, his eyes wide.<\/p>\n

Josie threw him a look of unmitigated indignation. \u201cOf course not! I spoke to her about it, and she gave in quite easily. I think it irked her that someone with such limited fashion sense as I possess noticed it no longer matched the room. And secondly,\u201d Josie paused to smile slyly at Adam, \u201cI may have reminded her that she owed you a little warmth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared silently at Josie for a count of three and then roared with laughter. Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe smiled in bafflement once again. For the sake of family harmony, no one had ever told Ben about Adam\u2019s brush with hypothermia that Christmas of 1849, and now Ben could not fathom how coaxing a quilt out of his sister-in-law could be so funny that his niece and oldest son were crying with laughter.<\/p>\n

As Adam dabbed at his streaming eyes, Ben decided to move things along. \u201cWell, boys,\u201d he announced, \u201cdon\u2019t you think it\u2019s time Josie got her gifts?\u201d<\/p>\n

All three of the brothers grinned broadly in agreement. Ben directed Josie to sit down while Hoss extracted one last package from under the tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is from me and Little Joe,\u201d he said as he handed it to her. Joe bounded up next to Hoss and watched eagerly as Josie unwrapped the gift.<\/p>\n

Josie gasped as she extracted the shiny revolver and black-leather gun belt from the open package. She picked up the gun and ran a hand admiringly down the barrel.<\/p>\n

\u201cColt 1851 Navy,\u201d she said approvingly. Hoss and Little Joe grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n

Josie hefted the gun with her right hand. A .36-caliber, it was a little shorter and lighter than the .44s the Cartwright men carried, but the Colt Navy was well-known as a deadly accurate and reliable weapon, carried by thousands of men both across the West and in the war back east. Josie could not have been more pleased.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe looked at some .44s, but this one has almost no recoil,\u201d Little Joe said. \u201cYou won\u2019t have to brace for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck out the barrel near the cylinder,\u201d Hoss urged.<\/p>\n

Josie checked. There, engraved in fine script, were the words, \u201cIn case we can\u2019t be there. Love, Hoss and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you!\u201d she exclaimed. She laid the gun carefully on the coffee table so she could hug her cousins. Then she picked up the gun belt, buckled it on over her emerald-green dressing gown, and spun the revolver around her trigger finger before dropping it neatly in the holster. \u201cHow do I look?\u201d she asked the family.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike a force to be reckoned with,\u201d Ben said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the velvet slippers lend a truly terrifying element to the entire ensemble,\u201d Adam teased.<\/p>\n

Josie blew raspberries at Adam and removed the gun and belt. \u201cNow you don\u2019t have to worry so much about me riding into town alone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the idea,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie, if you want any more presents, you better run upstairs and get dressed,\u201d Ben told her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s freezing outside, and you\u2019re not traipsing out to the barn in your nightgown and slippers,\u201d Ben explained. \u201cNow scoot!\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie raised an eyebrow at her uncle but did as she was told. She had a strong feeling she knew what her gift from Ben would be. Up in her room, she pulled on some jeans and a clean shirt, stuffed the shirttail into her waistband, and put on a pair of thick, woolen socks. She grabbed her boots and carried them downstairs to put them on.<\/p>\n

Once all five Cartwrights were bundled up against the elements \u2013 snow had begun to fall again \u2013 Ben grasped Josie\u2019s elbow and led her out to the barn. Even Adam was nearly bouncing with excitement now. He had been planning Josie\u2019s gift for months, and the suspense of waiting to present it to her had been nearly unbearable.<\/p>\n

As they reached the barn door, Hoss ordered Josie to close her eyes. She squeezed them tightly shut, and Hoss waved his hand in front of her face a few times to be certain she could not see. Satisfied her eyes were truly closed, Hoss flung open the barn door, and Ben and Adam guided her inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep your eyes shut, Josie!\u201d Ben said as he let go of her elbow and jogged over to a stall near the end of the barn.<\/p>\n

Josie laughed at the ridiculousness of the entire situation as she stood waiting, Adam\u2019s hand still on her arm. As she had expected, she heard hooves clopping their way toward her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk,\u201d Ben said, \u201copen your eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s eyes sprang open, and she jumped backward in surprise. She had expected to see The General standing in front of her, perhaps with a silly bow around his neck. She and the old horse had become good friends over the past few months, and Josie thought Ben was going to make a gift of him. But instead of the familiar tall, blue roan, before Josie stood a small Appaloosa mare. She had a dark brown base with a white blanket over her hips and rump. The large white patch was dappled with brown spots the same color as the little mare\u2019s base, and her face was smeared with more white, as if someone had wiped off a paintbrush on her face. Stunned, Josie stared, her mouth agape.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what do you think?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Josie squeaked several times before she could form complete words. \u201cIs- is she for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course!\u201d Ben declared. \u201cMerry Christmas!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my goodness!\u201d Josie stepped tentatively up to the mare and reached out a hand to stroke her nose. The petite horse nickered and nudged Josie\u2019s hand. Josie giggled. \u201cUncle Ben, she\u2019s beautiful,\u201d Josie breathed. \u201cThank you!\u201d She tore herself away from her new mount to hug her uncle.<\/p>\n

Ben embraced her back. \u201cI know you and The General have been getting along well,\u201d he began, \u201cbut he\u2019s an old man and has earned his retirement. This little girl here is only four years old. She\u2019s gentle, but she has a bit more spring in her step.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t have to jump so high to get up on her, either,\u201d Josie added.<\/p>\n

Little Joe sniggered. \u201cThat\u2019s for sure!\u201d he snorted.<\/p>\n

Josie turned away from him and faced her new horse once more. \u201cIt\u2019s ok, girl,\u201d she said, stroking the Appaloosa\u2019s nose again. \u201cJust ignore the nasty little boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s small,\u201d Ben admitted, \u201cbut she\u2019s quick, and she can run all day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds just like Josie,\u201d Hoss quipped.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s her name?\u201d Josie asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I think the man I bought her from called her \u2018Bunny,\u2019 or something silly like that. I\u2019m sure you can think of a better name,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Josie thought for a moment. \u201cWell,\u201d she said at last, \u201cshe\u2019s certainly not the commanding presence The General is. She\u2019s more like the quick, stealthy scouts the generals send out in front of the army for reconnaissance.\u201d She stood and studied the horse a moment longer and then snapped her fingers. \u201cThat\u2019s it! Scout!\u201d She patted the mare\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded approvingly. \u201cThat\u2019s an excellent name,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Josie was so taken with Scout that she had not noticed Adam slip away to another stall at the end of the barn. A sharp bark, however, caught her attention, and she peered around Scout to see Adam leading a very leggy, shaggy brown dog from the end stall. Adam\u2019s grin could have lit up all of Virginia City as he led the tall canine toward Josie. Though just over two feet tall at the shoulders, the dog bounced along beside Adam like a puppy. Josie\u2019s mouth dropped open again.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas!\u201d Adam cheered as he handed the dog\u2019s leash to Josie.<\/p>\n

Josie dropped to her knees and squealed as the dog put his giant front paws on her thighs and started bathing her face with his tongue. She threw her arms around the dog\u2019s neck and hugged him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Josie exclaimed. \u201cOh my goodness! I\u2019ve always wanted a dog, but Mama never let me have one. Thank you!\u201d She leaped to her feet and kissed Adam\u2019s cheek before dropping down next to her new dog again. \u201cHow old is he?\u201d she asked as the dog recommenced licking her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cSix months old today,\u201d Adam informed her.<\/p>\n

Josie froze in place and stared at the brown, wire-haired pooch. \u201cWait. What?!\u201d She stood up and looked down at the dog, though she did not have to look down very far. The animal\u2019s shoulders rose most of the way to her hips. He was larger than most full-grown dogs she had seen. She reached down and put her arms under the dog\u2019s chest and back legs and braced herself to lift him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t try that,\u201d Adam cautioned her. \u201cHe weighs nearly a hundred pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt six months?!\u201d Josie exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam said, pleased with both himself and the dog. \u201cHe\u2019s an Irish Wolfhound. He\u2019ll be another foot taller and a good sixty pounds heavier by the time he stops growing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s eyes bugged out as they shifted from the dog to Adam and back to the dog. Her mouth broke into a huge grin. \u201cWow!\u201d she shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my kinda dog,\u201d Hoss said approvingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a sight hound,\u201d Adam continued, kneeling next to Josie and her new pet. \u201cThey\u2019re designed to see their prey rather than smell it, and they can run long distances. The Irish have been using them for centuries to hunt wolves. I thought he could accompany you when you ride out to town or to see a patient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie grinned and scratched the dog\u2019s head. \u201cHe\u2019s beautiful,\u201d she said. \u201cThank you. But where did you get him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ordered him from a breeder in Boston,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat explains all those mysterious trips into town,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was getting telegrams each time he arrived in a new city,\u201d Adam explained. \u201cI wanted to make sure he would be here on time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled as he watched his niece ruffle the fur on her new dog\u2019s head. He had resisted when Adam first suggested getting Josie a dog \u2013 especially one so large \u2013 but he could not deny how useful it could be for Josie to be accompanied around the territory by such an animal. One look at this dog, particularly when he was full grown, would send most anyone fleeing in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, come on, everyone,\u201d Ben said, clapping Adam on the shoulder. \u201cIt\u2019s cold out here. Let\u2019s get back in the house. Josie, you can bring your puppy some turkey after dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s face fell. She had already picked up the dog\u2019s leash to bring him back to the house with her. \u201cYou mean I have to leave him in the barn?\u201d she asked, her eyes glistening with disappointment.<\/p>\n

Ben blinked a few times as he gathered his thoughts. He thought it was obvious that such a large animal would live in the barn with the horses. He was nearly horse-sized himself. \u201cJosie,\u201d Ben began, \u201clook at him. He\u2019s huge. You don\u2019t honestly think he can live in the house, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, come on, Pa,\u201d Hoss piped up. \u201cI\u2019m huge, and you let me <\/em>live in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is<\/em> Christmas, Pa,\u201d Little Joe added.<\/p>\n

Josie stuck her lower lip out just enough to make herself look sad but not like she was pouting. She lowered her head and looked up at Ben with just her eyes. \u201cBesides, Uncle Ben,\u201d she said, her voice wavering slightly, \u201che\u2019s just a baby.\u201d She dropped to her knees and put her arms around the dog\u2019s shaggy neck.<\/p>\n

Ben never would have fallen for such an act from one of his sons, but he melted in the face of Josie\u2019s pleading gaze. He sighed heavily. \u201cAll right,\u201d he said, throwing up his hands in defeat. \u201cBut he stays OFF of the furniture, is that clear?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had to bite his lower lip to keep from laughing. He had fallen prey to Josie\u2019s sad face more than once himself.<\/p>\n

Josie squealed with delight and hopped up to hug her uncle once more. \u201cThank you!\u201d she said. She picked the puppy\u2019s leash back up and led him out of the barn.<\/p>\n

When they were all snugly back inside, the puppy did a lap of the first floor and sniffed everything. As they watched, Adam turned to Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to call him?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Josie considered this for a moment. \u201cSomething Irish, perhaps,\u201d she said. She thought a moment more. \u201cI\u2019ve got it! C\u00fa Chulainn!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, but everyone else looked confused.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoochie-what?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

Josie giggled. \u201cC\u00fa Chulainn, Hoss,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s from Irish folklore. C\u00fa Chulainn was a great warrior. His name means \u2018the Hound of Ulster.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked only slightly less confused, and one corner of Little Joe\u2019s upper lip curled up in distaste.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might be a little complicated,\u201d Ben suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be right,\u201d Josie said, looking at Hoss and Joe\u2019s faces. She cast about for inspiration, and her gaze came to rest on Adam\u2019s new copy of Great Expectations<\/em>. She grinned. \u201cHow about \u2018Pip\u2019?\u201d she said brightly. At the sound of the name, the puppy paused where he was sniffing Ben\u2019s armchair and turned his head to look at his new mistress. Everyone laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s it, Josie,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mere, Pip!\u201d Josie called. The gangly puppy ambled over to her. \u201cGood boy!\u201d Josie praised him and scratched his ears. The young dog wagged his tail happily.<\/p>\n

After their enormous Christmas feast, Josie spent the remainder of the day teaching Pip some basic commands. She was pleased with how quickly he learned to sit, and she and Hoss planned out a training schedule for the young dog. They wanted Pip to learn to run alongside Scout as Josie rode and to seek out individual members of the family. Josie also suggested they should teach him to run home from town alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat way if I need to stay late at the clinic, I can tie a note to his collar and send him home, and you won\u2019t have to worry about me!\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n

Adam thought this a bit ambitious, but he knew that if anyone could help Josie train the dog properly, it was Hoss. That night, despite Ben\u2019s protestations, Josie led Pip upstairs to her bedroom, where she fashioned a bed for him out of a pile of old blankets. The puppy curled up happily and was soon snoring.<\/p>\n

Adam poked his head in Josie\u2019s room before he went to bed. He smiled at the sight of Josie sitting up and reading while her already faithful pet slept on the floor between his mistress and the entrance to her room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou like him, then?\u201d Adam asked, his eyes twinkling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love him!\u201d Josie declared. \u201cThank you!\u201d She held out her arms to him just like she had when she was a little girl with the measles. Adam stepped carefully over Pip and leaned down to hug Josie. \u201cDo you like your quilt?\u201d Josie asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than anything,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI love you, Little Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, too, Older Brother,\u201d Josie replied.<\/p>\n

Adam bid her goodnight, kissed the top of her head, and stepped back over the dog and out of the room. He nearly bumped into his father in the hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat dog\u2019s going to live his entire life in the house, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cLooks like it,\u201d he said happily.<\/p>\n

Ben dropped the irritable look on his face and smiled back at his son. \u201cI think we\u2019ve all had a good Christmas,\u201d he ventured.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sure have,\u201d Adam said. \u201cGoodnight, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben squeezed Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cGoodnight, son.\u201d He watched as Adam slipped into his own bedroom and closed the door. Before the door closed fully, Ben caught a glimpse of Elizabeth\u2019s quilt folded up neatly across the foot of Adam\u2019s bed. Ben smiled again. It had been a very good Christmas, indeed.<\/p>\n

Ponderosa Ranch
\nNevada Territory
\n1862<\/strong><\/p>\n

Snowstorms kept the Cartwrights inside the ranch house for the remaining week of 1861 and into the new year, so Josie and Hoss used the time to train Pip. By the time the snow began to let up in late January, they could call out any family member\u2019s name, and Pip would find that person; for a sight hound, he had good scent-tracking skills. There had been a momentary dilemma when Hoss and Josie realized that \u201cJosie\u201d and \u201cJoe\u201d were too similar for the young dog to differentiate. Hoss suggested they use Little Joe\u2019s middle name, Francis, but Little Joe threatened swift and terrible vengeance, so they decided on \u201cL.J.\u201d instead. Josie and Hoss had great fun teaching Pip to seek out family members from greater and greater distances and had quite the laugh one afternoon when after ordering Pip to \u201cGo find Ben!\u201d the dog raced out to the barn and dragged Ben back to the house by the seat of his pants. Ben, still not the canine\u2019s biggest fan, had not found the incident nearly so funny.<\/p>\n

In mid-February, the entire family was cheered by the news that a heretofore unknown Union general named Ulysses S. Grant had captured two forts in Tennessee. This opened up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers for the Union, and Union supporters across the continent hoped their army could use these waterways to launch a full-scale invasion of the South.<\/p>\n

By early March, the snow had begun to clear, and all five Cartwrights looked forward to the warm, sunny days of spring. Josie came home from the clinic one evening and announced that Dr. Martin was taking a two-week vacation to visit family in Carson City, so she would be staying in the rooms above the clinic while he was away. Adam wrinkled his nose at the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t you work from here?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause if someone needs a doctor, the clinic in town is the first place they\u2019ll look,\u201d Josie explained patiently. \u201cBesides, I don\u2019t have the proper facilities here. I can\u2019t operate an entire clinic out of the guestroom, and the bunkhouse is full.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie had a point. The guestroom was fine for the typically simple complaints of the patients who sought Josie out on the Ponderosa, but she certainly could not perform surgery or deliver a baby there. And the bunkhouse was<\/em> full to capacity just then; they had recently hired a dozen more hands to help with the spring roundup and branding.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got me there,\u201d Adam admitted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll drop into town from time to time to see how you\u2019re getting along,\u201d Ben added.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if I need anything, I\u2019ll send Pip home with a note,\u201d Josie grinned.<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. Hoss and Josie had successfully \u2013 and quickly \u2013 trained the hound to travel alone to and from town, and even Ben had to concede that the animal might yet prove useful.<\/p>\n

Josie, Scout, and Pip departed for Virginia City the following morning. The Cartwright men had a good chuckle as they watched her ride away.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere goes the safest young lady in Nevada,\u201d Ben quipped.<\/p>\n

Apart from her still-growing wolfhound \u2013 Pip had grown another four inches and put on thirty pounds since Christmas \u2013 Josie wore her Colt Navy on her hip and carried a rifle in her saddle scabbard. Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe smiled in amusement.<\/p>\n

The men were kept busy rounding up the cattle, branding the new calves, and repairing fences and line shacks damaged in the winter storms, but every couple of days, one of them slipped away to check on Josie in town. When Adam visited at the end of the first week, he was pleased to find Margaret Crawford assisting Josie at the clinic. Margaret had been fascinated by Josie\u2019s tales of treating illnesses and injuries, so Josie had brought her on as a nurse and was training her to stitch up small wounds and treat fevers, much as she had done with Hoss at home. While Adam was there, Patience Lovejoy and Sally Cass both popped in to say hello to Josie, and Adam was thrilled when Patience invited Josie to her family\u2019s home for dinner that evening.<\/p>\n

Josie loved running the clinic alone, and halfway through her second week, she fantasized again of how grand it would be to set up a true clinic on the Ponderosa. She thought she should speak to her uncle about it. She had a modest but steady income from treating patients, so perhaps Ben would build her a small clinic and let her repay him in installments. She was daydreaming about how she would arrange her office when she heard a knock at the door. It was nearly noon, and Josie had had no patients that morning, so she leapt from her chair and flung open the door almost immediately with Pip right at her heels.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben!\u201d she cried happily when she saw the familiar figure on the porch. Pip let out a joyful yip and pushed his head past Josie so Ben could scratch him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi there, Josephine!\u201d he replied, his dark eyes lighting up. \u201cI was in town for some supplies, and I thought I\u2019d see if my best girl would care to have lunch with me.\u201d He leaned in to scratch Pip\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

Josie grinned. \u201cI\u2019d love to! Just let me lock up.\u201d She had just turned back into the clinic when she heard someone call her name. She turned around again and saw Sheriff Roy Coffee and one of his deputies riding up.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Cartwright!\u201d Roy called again as the two men dismounted. \u201cHenry here could use some help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie slipped past Ben and raced over to the sheriff and his deputy, who was clutching his upper left arm. Blood soaked the man\u2019s entire shirtsleeve.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Josie asked as she pried the man\u2019s fingers off his arm so she could examine it. A neckerchief had been tied around the wound, which had, fortunately, nearly stopped bleeding.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were dealing with some claim jumpers over at the mining camps, and they started shooting at us,\u201d Roy explained. \u201cHenry here took a bullet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie loosened the neckerchief and saw a neat bullet entry hole in the front of the man\u2019s arm and an exit hole on the other side.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn and out, clean as a whistle,\u201d Josie said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a flesh wound, but I\u2019ll need to clean it out and stitch it up. Come inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy followed Josie toward the clinic door, but Henry stayed put, his hand once again clutching his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Henry,\u201d Roy urged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, I don\u2019t want no woman doctor,\u201d Henry protested.<\/p>\n

Roy cast an embarrassed look at Ben. \u201cHenry,\u201d he pleaded, \u201ccome inside. Dr. Cartwright will get you fixed up just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henry did not budge. \u201cI\u2019ll wait for Doc Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was furious. He had known and respected Henry for years, and he took the man\u2019s rejection of his niece personally. Ben opened his mouth to give Henry a piece of his mind, but Josie beat him to the punch.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuit yourself,\u201d she said with a shrug of her shoulders. \u201cDr. Martin should be back in five days. That wound should be good and infected by then. But who knows? Maybe you\u2019ll get lucky, and he won\u2019t have to amputate your arm.\u201d She started back inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmputate?\u201d Henry asked weakly. Josie stopped and turned back toward him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah,\u201d she said, her eyes wide. \u201cOnce an infection sets in, amputation is the only way to keep it from spreading to your heart and killing<\/em> you. But I bet a big, strong man like you could learn to get by with only one arm. Of course, you won\u2019t be any good as a lawman anymore, but I\u2019m sure you could figure something else out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henry shifted from foot to foot for several moments. \u201cFine,\u201d he said at last, thoroughly defeated. He scowled and slunk into the clinic behind Josie, who glowed with triumph.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will only take a few moments,\u201d Josie said to Ben. \u201cDo you mind waiting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d Ben replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement. As Josie closed the door behind her, she was certain she heard her uncle and the sheriff laughing.<\/p>\n

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

After her two-week stint as Virginia City\u2019s primary physician, and especially her expert repair work on one of the town\u2019s deputies, Josie was busier than ever with patients coming to the ranch. Adam and Little Joe took a day off from their cattle duties to clear out and patch up the old bunkhouse near the old house so Josie would have somewhere to treat her patients. It was not an ideal setup for a clinic \u2013 there was no separation between Josie\u2019s office and the exam area, and she did not have cabinets for her supplies \u2013 but it was better than dragging the sick and injured into the Cartwrights\u2019 front room.<\/p>\n

The weather in April was beautiful, and when Josie was not in town or treating patients in her own makeshift clinic, she waited on the porch for her boys to return from their day\u2019s work. No matter how hard their day had been, all four Cartwright men broke into wide grins when they rode into the yard and saw Josie waiting for them, her faithful hound at her side.<\/p>\n

One evening, five horses rode into the yard instead of four. Josie had been upstairs washing up after treating a neighboring rancher\u2019s young daughter at the old bunkhouse, and she came downstairs, wiping her wet hands on her skirt. The front door opened just as she reached the floor, and Hoss\u2019s grimy, sweaty face poked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Josie!\u201d he greeted her cheerily. \u201cLookee who we found!\u201d He stepped aside to allow Simon Croft to step into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Josie,\u201d he said shyly, removing his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Simon,\u201d she replied, suddenly feeling very awkward. She and Simon had not spoken much since Christmas when she discovered his feelings for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cShingle looks good,\u201d he said, pointing behind him toward the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it does, thank you,\u201d Josie said. \u201cI\u2019ve been meaning to have Adam move it to the old bunkhouse where I\u2019ve been treating patients, but he\u2019s been awfully busy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re telling me!\u201d Adam exclaimed as he stepped into the house behind Simon. He hung his black hat from a peg next to the door and unbuckled his gun belt and placed it on the sideboard. He, too, was covered in dirt and sweat, as were Little Joe and Ben, who entered the house behind him. Ben clapped a hand on Simon\u2019s shoulder, sending up a small cloud of dust from the younger man\u2019s shirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found this one over near the high country while we were rounding up strays,\u201d he said. \u201cHe looked too skinny, so we thought we better bring him home and fill him up with some of Hop Sing\u2019s cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon grinned. \u201cI was rounding up strays, too,\u201d he told Josie. \u201cHave to do it every year. Our cattle just love Ponderosa grass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s not to love?\u201d Ben said. \u201cCome on, boys. Let\u2019s get cleaned up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The five filthy men took turns in the washroom cleaning off most of the grime. To avoid having to make awkward conversation with Simon, Josie spent the time helping Hop Sing finish up supper.<\/p>\n

\u201cUgh,\u201d she said as she stirred more butter into the mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Hop Sing asked as he checked that the others were out of earshot. \u201cIs something wrong with the potatoes?\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie giggled. \u201cNo,\u201d she replied. \u201cI\u2019ve just been doing such a good job avoiding Simon since Christmas, and now they\u2019ve brought him home to dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was bound to happen eventually,\u201d Hop Sing said sagely. He cast Josie a mischievous smile. \u201cWould you like me to \u2018accidentally\u2019 spill something on him?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair broke into laughter. \u201cThat won\u2019t be necessary, but thank you for the offer,\u201d Josie said.<\/p>\n

Supper was not as uncomfortable as Josie had feared. Though Simon sat next to Josie, Ben kept him engaged in conversation about the Lucky Star\u2019s upcoming cattle drive to Sacramento. Adam watched his cousin avoid making eye contact with Simon and sensed her embarrassment. He wished there was something he could have done to prevent putting her in this situation, but Ben had invited Simon to dinner as soon as they had spotted him that afternoon; Adam had had no chance to tactfully intervene.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe, however, did not seem to realize that Josie did not reciprocate Simon\u2019s romantic feelings, and the pair of brothers smiled slyly at Josie all through supper, as if hosting Simon were the luckiest thing that ever happened to her. After dessert was cleared away, Hoss looked out the window and commented on how beautiful the moon looked. Everyone joined him at the window and agreed it was quite lovely that evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d Hoss said, nudging Simon in the ribs with his elbow, \u201cI bet you could see it a lot better out on the porch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah!\u201d Little Joe chimed in with a not-so-subtle wink at Josie. \u201cIt always looks better out on the porch!\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon\u2019s face lit up. \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cC\u2019mon, Josie, let\u2019s go have a look!\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie threw a desperate look at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, it\u2019s probably cold out there \u2013\u201d Adam began.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d Simon interrupted. \u201cYou better get your jacket, Josie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie had little recourse but to collect her jacket and go out onto the porch with Simon. Adam gave her an apologetic look. \u201cSorry,\u201d he mouthed silently to her. Josie shrugged. She appreciated his attempt.<\/p>\n

Simon led Josie onto the porch, where they stood at the railing and looked up at the moon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there it is,\u201d Josie said quickly. She spun around to go back into the house, but Simon caught her arm. \u201cOh dear,\u201d Josie thought. \u201cHere it comes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie?\u201d Simon asked quietly.<\/p>\n

Josie forced a pleasant smile in reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been so good having you nearby,\u201d Simon continued. \u201cYou know, I thought about you a lot after that first time we met as kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t say.\u201d Josie shifted uncomfortably.<\/p>\n

Simon did not notice Josie\u2019s discomfort. \u201cI sure did,\u201d he said, taking her hands in his. \u201cYou\u2019re the only girl who\u2019s ever caught my attention like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie smiled at the flattery despite herself. It was not that she found Simon unsuitable in any way; she simply was not interested in romance at the moment. She had finally gained some respect as a doctor in Virginia City, and she wanted to focus on building her practice, not courting. Unfortunately, Simon was a little too encouraged by Josie\u2019s smile, and he leaned in to kiss her. Josie realized at the last second what was about to happen, and she turned her head so Simon\u2019s lips landed on her cheek. He immediately stepped back, ashamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI- I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he stammered. \u201cI should have asked you first. Josie, I\u2019m really sorry.\u201d He continued to splutter, but Josie held up a hand to cut him off.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Simon,\u201d she assured him. There were muffled voices and a loud clunk from inside the house, and they both turned toward the window, but seeing nothing, Josie continued, \u201cPlease don\u2019t misunderstand me. I like you. I really do. You\u2019re a great friend, but that\u2019s all. I\u2019m just beginning to build my medical career, and that is what I need to focus on. You understand, don\u2019t you?\u201d She smiled hopefully at him.<\/p>\n

Simon tried not to show his disappointment. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said reluctantly. \u201cBut let\u2019s at least actually be friends, all right? I don\u2019t want things to be awkward between us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike they have been,\u201d Josie added.<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d Simon extended his right hand to Josie, who grasped it warmly and shook. Simon offered her his arm and escorted her back into the house, where Ben was pouring brandy for everyone.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, as Josie and Simon conversed on the porch, Adam watched from the window behind Ben\u2019s desk, his nose mere millimeters from the glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Ben said in exasperation, \u201cstop being so nosy. They\u2019re fine.\u201d Little Joe and Hoss, who were playing checkers near the fireplace, snickered at their older brother.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. His father was right. But just before he turned away, he saw Simon take Josie\u2019s hands. Adam stiffened. \u201cExcept he\u2019s holding her hands!\u201d he exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow, really?\u201d Ben said, suddenly burning with curiosity. He had been certain Josie harbored no feelings for young Mr. Croft, so he was surprised Josie would let him take her hand. He rushed over to the window and shouldered Adam out of the way so he could see. Ben gasped. \u201cHe just tried to kiss her!\u201d he exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?!\u201d Adam roared. He hopped up and down behind his father, trying to see over him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s ok, he missed,\u201d Ben narrated, still staring out the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018he missed\u2019?\u201d Adam sneered. \u201cHow do you miss? Let me see!\u201d<\/p>\n

He tried to shove Ben away from the window, but the two of them collided painfully with the iron safe below the window, creating the loud clunk that Josie and Simon heard out on the porch. Both men crashed to the floor. By the time they untangled their arms and legs and peered out the window once more, Ben massaging a rising lump on the back of his head, and Adam rubbing his nose, Josie and Simon were shaking hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s strange,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI can\u2019t say I ever shook hands with a girl who just refused to kiss me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re coming back inside!\u201d Adam cried in alarm. \u201cQuick! Look casual!\u201d He dashed out of the alcove, vaulted over the back of the settee, and grabbed the book he had abandoned on the coffee table the night before. Ben raced over to the small table that held the decanter of brandy and a half a dozen snifters. He started pouring the brandy just as Simon and Josie reentered the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrandy?\u201d he asked them cordially.<\/p>\n

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

Beginning with \u201cNot that it\u2019s any of your business, but\u2026\u201d Josie told the family later that evening about her conversation with Simon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he looked mighty put out when you two came back inside,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019ll thank the two of you<\/em>,\u201d Josie stabbed at finger at Hoss and Little Joe, \u201cnot to set me up like that again!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe looked shamefaced. \u201cWe\u2019re sorry,\u201d Joe mumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou certainly are,\u201d Josie huffed. \u201cIn any event,\u201d she continued, \u201cthat should be the end of that. Simon and I have an understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam caught each other\u2019s eye, and they knew they were thinking the same thing: that Simon Croft had not given up just yet.<\/p>\n

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

Throughout the remainder of April and into May, the family continued to follow the news from the war. In early April, things continued to go well for the Union in the western theater as General Grant celebrated another victory at the Battle of Shiloh, which opened access for the Union to northern Mississippi. But in the main theater of the war, progress was painstakingly slow, if it was being made at all. The Army of the Potomac, including Dr. Jacob Cartwright, had finally left Washington, DC, in March to head toward the Confederate capital of Richmond. By early April, more than 120,000 Union troops had moved into the Virginia Peninsula between the York and James rivers and were ready to march overland toward Richmond. As the month of May progressed, the army came within six miles of Richmond, where they engaged the Confederates in the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31 and June 1. The battle was inconclusive. Both sides suffered about the same number of casualties, and both, therefore, claimed victory. But the new Union general, George McClellan, lost his confidence and refused to press on to Richmond, and President Lincoln soon replaced him with General John Pope.<\/p>\n

Josie waited anxiously for word from her father. Finally, in mid-June, she received a telegram from Hannah saying Jacob had written her and he was all right, though very busy tending to soldiers injured in the battle. Josie shared the telegram first with Ben, who wiped his brow in relief and gathered Josie into a warm embrace.<\/p>\n

As the war raged, work continued on the Ponderosa. In late June, Adam and Little Joe would be leading a cattle drive to Eastgate, about 100 miles east of Virginia City, and they had to round up the cattle. It was a small drive by Ponderosa standards, only 200 head, but it would test whether Eastgate would be a viable new market for their beef.<\/p>\n

In mid-June, on what felt like the hottest day any of them had lived through, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe rode out to round up the cattle for the drive. The oldest and youngest Cartwright brothers were grumpy from the moment they stepped out of the house. The sun was already broiling at seven a.m., and Adam immediately regretted wearing a black shirt. Little Joe groaned, tipped his hat low over his eyes, and shuffled along behind Adam as they made their way to the barn to get their horses. Hoss, however, was his usual cheerful self. His brothers typically welcomed his optimism, but today it made them feel murderous.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019 like a hot day to really get your blood flowin, eh fellas?\u201d Hoss said, grinning broadly. Adam and Little Joe glared at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said that about cold days back in February when we had to ride to town through waist-deep snow,\u201d Adam grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorks on cold days, too, I reckon,\u201d Hoss chirped, still grinning.<\/p>\n

The three brothers mounted up and rode out to the pasture where the cattle were grazing. Hoss was annoyingly cheerful the entire way. As they rode through a copse of ponderosa pines, he inhaled deeply.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love that smell,\u201d he said blissfully. \u201cIt\u2019s even better on hot days \u2018cause the sun bakes out the scent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Little Joe shot each other an irritated glance. \u201cThis is going to be a very long day,\u201d Adam thought.<\/p>\n

He was right. Every time they encountered a hiccup, Hoss explained why it was actually a good thing. A broken fence was convenient: now they did not have to ride all the way around to the gate. Finding some Lucky Star cattle mixed in with theirs gave them an excuse to visit their friends, the Crofts. When they broke for lunch and discovered their sandwiches were squashed nearly beyond recognition, Hoss quipped how lucky that was because now they would not need to use so much of their precious energy for chewing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you cut it out?\u201d Little Joe snapped at him. \u201cSometimes a miserable day is just a miserable day.\u201d Adam nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, c\u2019mon now, Joe,\u201d Hoss said, his smile never fading. \u201cPa always says every cloud has a silver linin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Pa ain\u2019t here,\u201d Joe retorted. \u201cCan we please just have black clouds today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean like those big ones rollin\u2019 in?\u201d Hoss asked, pointing up at the sky.<\/p>\n

Adam followed Hoss\u2019s gaze and groaned. Ominous black storm clouds were gathering in the distance and heading their way. The brothers wolfed down the rest of their sandwiches so they could try to finish their work before the storm arrived, but it was to no avail. By midafternoon, the storm had broken loose, and they had to finish their roundup in the driving rain. All three were soaked to the bone in seconds, making Adam and Little Joe even grumpier.<\/p>\n

\u201cName one<\/em> upside to this, Hoss!\u201d Adam shouted at his brother. \u201cName ONE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Hoss said, grinning through the rain streaming down his face, \u201cyou ain\u2019t hot no more, are ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe drew his gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe, don\u2019t shoot him,\u201d Adam said unenthusiastically. He would have supported shooting Hoss at the moment if not for one thing. \u201cIf you shoot him, then we only have two people to finish the work of three.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe scowled but dropped his gun back in its holster. The brothers finished their roundup as quickly as they could, secured the cattle in a pen, and hightailed it home through the pouring rain.<\/p>\n

By the time they reached the house and handed their horses off to Jimmy, who kindly offered to groom them, all three men were coated in thick, goopy mud from head to toe. They peeled off their boots, socks, and shirts on the porch and gratefully accepted the towels Josie handed out as they tumbled, exhausted, into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I hope this isn\u2019t a bad omen for our drive tomorrow,\u201d Adam said as he rubbed his hair with his towel. Josie giggled when he pulled the towel off his head; the sticky mud had made all his hair stand on end.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look like a porcupine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced in the mirror and sighed. \u201cI\u2019m going to take a bath,\u201d he said and tromped upstairs.<\/p>\n

Before long, Adam was lounging in cool water up to his chest. He leaned his head against the back of the tub and closed his eyes, knowing this was going to be his last bath for at least a week. He tried to figure out why he was dreading this drive so much. One hundred miles was not that far for a drive, and 200 cattle were certainly no trouble. And despite their tendency to butt heads at home, Adam was fond of traveling with Little Joe. Away from the concerns of running the ranch, he could relax and better enjoy his brother\u2019s antics; Joe\u2019s lust for life was infectious if you let it get to you. Adam decided he was just uneasy because this would be the longest he had been separated from Josie since she arrived on the Ponderosa nearly a year ago. He reassured himself that she would have fun spending extra time with Ben and Hoss, who could also comfort her if they received bad news from the war. Noticing his bathwater had turned brown from all the mud he had scrubbed off, Adam hopped out of the tub, got dressed, and joined his family downstairs for supper.<\/p>\n

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

Adam and Little Joe rose early the following morning, hoping to get a few miles in before the heat of the day fully descended. After a quick breakfast, they said their farewells to the family, each of them going back to Josie for a second hug.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I\u2019m going to miss the Fourth of July,\u201d Adam told her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Josie replied. \u201cHoss said he would buy me some ice cream, and Uncle Ben offered to stand in for you on the dance floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned and ruffled her hair, purposefully knocking it loose from its braid. \u201cHave fun,\u201d he said. He kissed her forehead, and he and Little Joe set off.<\/p>\n

The heat was every bit as brutal as it had been the day before, and the terrain they crossed as they headed east was rocky and mountainous. The near-desert offered no shade, and both brothers were sunburned by the end of the first day. Adam cursed himself again for wearing another black shirt. Their evenings, at least, were pleasant. When the sun set, the temperature dropped dramatically, bringing much-needed relief to the two sweltering men. The cooler air injected some life back into them, and Little Joe kept Adam in stitches telling him funny stories of some of his and Hoss\u2019s shenanigans that their father knew nothing about.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I ever tell you how I got Josie into trouble with one of her dormitory mothers last year?\u201d Adam asked Joe one night. Little Joe shook his head, and Adam relayed the story of him kissing Josie\u2019s cheek on the dormitory steps and then running off while the house mother screeched at her. Joe cackled with delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cOlder Brother, I certainly am proud of you,\u201d Little Joe said, slapping Adam on the back.<\/p>\n

When they rolled into Eastgate after a week on the trail, Adam and Little Joe were exhausted and filthy, but pleased. The terrain had been tough and the heat merciless, but they had successfully driven all 200 cattle to the buyer. While Adam went to the bank to collect their payment, Little Joe retired to the saloon for a cold beer. Adam finished up quickly at the bank, stuck their money in his wallet, and sauntered across the street to the saloon, where he found Joe already polishing off his first beer. He was delighted to see that Joe had ordered one for him, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, brother, how\u2019d you do?\u201d Little Joe asked as Adam breezed through the saloon doors and sat down next to him at a green, felt-topped table.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, pretty good,\u201d he replied. \u201cFive thousand dollars.\u201d He smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, five thousand!\u201d Joe said. \u201cPa was right when he said the people around here were hungry for meat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled a fifty-dollar bill out of his wallet and slid it to Little Joe. \u201cLittle celebration money,\u201d he said. After a week on the hot, dusty trail, Adam was nearly overjoyed to be out of the sun and drinking beer with his little brother, and the feeling made him generous. He ordered a second round for himself and Little Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe thanked him for the money. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019m gonna celebrate in this town,\u201d he said, folding the bill and putting it in his pocket. \u201cHey, bartender,\u201d he said as the bartender set down his and Adam\u2019s fresh beers, \u201cwhat do you do for celebration in this town besides getting heat rash and sunstroke?\u201d He grinned.<\/p>\n

The bartender thought for a second. \u201cWell,\u201d he said, \u201cwe got a big trial starting up tomorrow. Folks\u2019ll be coming in from miles around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe thought this sounded interesting. They did not get many trials in Virginia City, so he asked what the case was about.<\/p>\n

\u201cObadiah Johnson,\u201d the bartender answered. \u201cHe owns the Lucky Seven mine with a man named Jeb Early \u2013 the late<\/em> Jeb Early, that is,\u201d he corrected himself. \u201cSeems Obadiah up and killed his wife and his partner both. Claimed the partnership was going too far.\u201d He raised one eyebrow knowingly at the Cartwrights and returned to the bar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d kinda like to see that trial,\u201d Little Joe mused. \u201cHow about you, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah,\u201d Adam said, stretching back in his chair. \u201cI think I\u2019ll just get away for a few days.\u201d He had hated leaving Josie over Independence Day, but since there was no possibility of making it home in time anyway, a few days free of responsibilities sounded wonderful. \u201cNo people, no cattle. Just peace and quiet,\u201d he said, lifting his mug and taking a deep swig of his beer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d Joe said. \u201cWhat do you have in mind?\u201d He had never understood Adam\u2019s delight in solitude. Little Joe needed people around him; he found being alone depressing.<\/p>\n

Adam swirled his beer in his mug. \u201cOh,\u201d he said slowly, \u201cI think I\u2019ll cut east over the mountains, do a little hunting, work my way over to Pyramid Lake, get in a little fishing, and head home.\u201d He took another long draft from his mug.<\/p>\n

Little Joe stared at him incredulously. \u201cCome on!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cYou must be out of your mind! That country you\u2019re gonna go through is ten times tougher than we just brought the cattle through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter? Can\u2019t take it anymore?\u201d Adam teased.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Little Joe replied, and they both chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Adam said, \u201cI\u2019m gonna get some supplies, get a nice, hot bath, and head on out. You ready?\u201d He looked over his mug at Little Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ll go with you as far as the bath is concerned,\u201d he began, \u201cbut riding through that terrain isn\u2019t my idea of a rest. I think I\u2019ll just hang around town for a while and take it easy.\u201d He drained his glass. \u201cTell you what I\u2019ll do,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll meet you in three days up at Signal Rock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Adam agreed. \u201cSignal Rock in three days. Now let\u2019s get that hot bath.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men rose, and Little Joe thanked the bartender for his hospitality. Noticing that Adam had not finished his second beer, Joe grabbed the mug from the table and took one last quaff before they headed out the door toward the bathhouse down the street.<\/p>\n

They never noticed the thin man who followed them out of the saloon.<\/p>\n

The man ambled over to his friend, a shorter, stockier fellow, who was waiting by the hitching post just outside the saloon doors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dark-haired fella,\u201d the thin man said, \u201che\u2019s carrying five thousand dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

The friend watched the Cartwright brothers as they entered the bathhouse. \u201cA live one, eh?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut not for long,\u201d the thin man replied with a twisted smile.<\/p>\n

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

Less than an hour later, Adam was dressed in clean jeans and a cream-colored shirt \u2013 he had learned his lesson about wearing black in the middle of the summer \u2013 and was combing his hair while Little Joe luxuriated in the hip bath behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Little Joe began, folding his arms lazily behind his head, \u201cI can\u2019t for the life of me figure out why you want to wander around in the wilderness when you can stay here in town for a couple of days and just relax and take it easy. Besides, we can take in that trial together.\u201d This was as close as Joe would come to admitting that he wanted Adam there to explain some of the more technical legal proceedings to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam said, trying to brush back the lock of hair that still insisted on flopping over his brow. \u201cThe cattle buyer told me about the case. The man confessed, so he\u2019ll hang. I don\u2019t want to watch that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know he\u2019s gonna hang?\u201d Joe scoffed. Adam was smart, but even he could not predict the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimple logic,\u201d Adam replied patiently. \u201cHe\u2019s guilty. He\u2019ll hang. It\u2019s the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe managed to look annoyed even as he poured a cup of water over his head. \u201cDoes everything have to be so logical?\u201d he complained.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not if you don\u2019t want to use your brains,\u201d Adam said, sticking his hat on his head. At least that<\/em> would keep his hair out of his eyes. \u201cLook, Joe,\u201d he explained as he belted on his gun, \u201ca man\u2019s responsible for what he does. If he loses control of himself, he has to be punished for it, and that\u2019s the way it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Little Joe conceded. \u201cI just wonder if you\u2019d feel that way if you were in Obadiah\u2019s shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Adam said, \u201cI could never be in Obadiah\u2019s shoes because nobody could ever drive me to murder. With one exception.\u201d He stepped behind the bathtub.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah? Who\u2019s that?\u201d Joe asked innocently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou!\u201d Adam said and shoved his little brother underwater.<\/p>\n

Joe flailed for a moment and then resurfaced, sputtering. He grabbed a towel and wiped the water out of his eyes. \u201cDoggone you, Adam!\u201d he squawked. Adam burst out laughing. \u201cI\u2019m gonna get you!\u201d Joe threatened.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, you aren\u2019t, \u2018cause I\u2019m leaving!\u201d Adam shouted, still laughing, as he darted out the door.<\/p>\n

Joe nearly leapt from the tub, but then, remembering he was stark naked, he instead grabbed his back brush and hurled it toward his brother\u2019s retreating figure.<\/p>\n

Adam waited a moment, then poked his head back in the door. \u201cSignal Rock. Three days,\u201d he said, pointing a finger at Little Joe. \u201cAnd be on time for a change.\u201d He grinned and darted back out the door.<\/p>\n

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

Adam loaded up on food and water before riding out of town. He was looking forward to the technical terrain, but he was no fool. Anyone caught out in the desolate scrub brush in this heat without adequate supplies, especially water, was as good as dead. As he and Sport rode farther into the wilderness, he was careful to stop frequently to water both himself and his horse.<\/p>\n

He admired the scenery as he rode. It was not a total desert; there were some scrubby trees and shrubs, and Adam was awed by some of the soaring rock formations. On his third day as he headed toward Signal Rock to meet Joe, he passed within inches of one large boulder \u2013 it must have been twenty feet tall and another eighteen feet across \u2013 about fifty miles from Eastgate. As he came around to its front, a man stepped out from behind a bush and pointed his gun at Adam. Adam\u2019s hand instinctively flew to his Remington.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow hold it right there, mister!\u201d the man ordered.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust don\u2019t move!\u201d another voice said from Adam\u2019s left. Adam turned his head and saw the slim man from the saloon in Eastgate was also aiming a gun at him. He drew his hand slowly away from his own weapon. \u201cDrop your gun belt,\u201d the slim man demanded.<\/p>\n

Adam knew he had no choice. He was outnumbered two-to-one, and if he tried to ride off, the men would shoot him. He hoped that if he gave these men his gun and his money they would let him go. He liked his Remington, and he hated to lose so much money, but neither was worth his life. He pulled the end of the string that secured his gun to his leg and unbuckled the belt.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t I see you in Eastgate?\u201d he asked the shorter man as he tossed down his gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you did,\u201d the man answered. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long trail.\u201d He stuck Adam\u2019s Remington into the waistband of his pants and tossed the gun belt aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure took your time about making your move,\u201d Adam observed as Sport stamped impatiently.<\/p>\n

The thin man grinned snidely at him. \u201cIn our line of work, we like privacy,\u201d he sneered. \u201cYou know what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glared at the man for several moments. \u201cYeah, I\u2019m intuitive.\u201d He reached behind him and dug his wallet out of his saddlebag. He tossed it down to the shorter man, who ripped it open and grinned as he thumbed through the thick stack of bills inside.<\/p>\n

The thin man nodded in approval and looked back up at Adam. \u201cNow get down off that horse,\u201d he commanded.<\/p>\n

Adam was willing to give up his gun and the money, but Sport was another matter. \u201cYou got your money,\u201d he said, staying planted in his saddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet down!\u201d the shorter man shouted from behind him.<\/p>\n

Adam looked over his shoulder at the smaller man with his gun still trained on him. Reluctantly, Adam dismounted. The shorter man grabbed Sport\u2019s reins and dragged him over to his and the thin man\u2019s horses. Adam could do nothing but watch in dismay as all of his food and water, still attached to Sport\u2019s saddle, walked away from him.<\/p>\n

The thin man sneered at him again. \u201cYou get to walk<\/em> outta here,\u201d he said happily. Keeping his gun pointed at Adam, he stepped over to his own horse and mounted up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never make it without food and water!\u201d Adam protested. \u201cNobody would!\u201d Anger burbled up in his chest. Stealing a man\u2019s horse was bad enough, but marooning that man in the middle of the wilderness in the baking sun with no supplies was inhuman.<\/p>\n

The shorter man chuckled. \u201cWell, now, I feel real sorry for him,\u201d he said, not sounding sorry in the slightest. \u201cDon\u2019t you, Frank?\u201d he asked the thin man.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Jim,\u201d Frank replied. \u201cI\u2019m all shook up.\u201d They laughed.<\/p>\n

Adam tried a new tack. \u201cI don\u2019t want your pity,\u201d he said evenly. \u201cI just want a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve given you a chance,\u201d Frank said. \u201cWe ain\u2019t killin\u2019 ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t it?\u201d Frank replied with a smile. He and Jim cackled again. \u201cAin\u2019t it?\u201d he shouted as the two men spurred their horses and rode away with Sport \u2013 and Adam\u2019s supplies \u2013 in tow.<\/p>\n

Adam watched helplessly as the men disappeared over the horizon.\u00a0\u00a0 He looked around, surveying his surroundings and considering his situation. He contemplated sitting in the shade of the boulders until nightfall when the cool air would increase his likelihood of reaching civilization without dying of exposure and dehydration, but then he remembered there was a new moon that night. No moonlight meant he would be stumbling around in the pitch dark and would most likely get hopelessly lost. Adam heaved a sigh. His best chance was to set out now, while he could see where he was going. He hoped that if he continued in the same direction he and Sport had been traveling he would find help; there was no way he could walk the fifty miles back to Eastgate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should have stayed with Joe,\u201d he muttered as he tied a bandana around his neck and set off through the roasting July sun.<\/p>\n

Progress was slow and difficult. Had Adam been traversing level ground, he could have covered the mileage even in the heat, but the rocky terrain he had so wanted to see was now his enemy. Adam was soon exhausted from climbing up one crag only to have to slide down the other side and climb up the next one. His clothes caught and ripped on even the tiniest bits of protruding rock, covering him in scratches. After three hours that felt like an eternity, Adam realized he was no longer sweating.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat can\u2019t be good,\u201d he thought as he wiped sand from his eyes.<\/p>\n

His head throbbed, his hands, arms, chest, and back stung from scraping across the rocks, and he had to keep shaking his head to bring his vision back into focus. He finally reached a long stretch of level ground, and he broke into a relieved smile when he spotted a shimmering on the horizon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater!\u201d he whispered to himself. \u201cThank God.\u201d<\/p>\n

But after staggering several feet forward, he realized the shimmering was drawing no closer. Adam\u2019s heart sank. It was only a mirage. For the first time he thought he might actually die out here, all alone and miles from anything.<\/p>\n

Yet he stumbled on.<\/p>\n

After another few hours, Adam knew he was taking his final steps. His breathing was coming too quickly and shallowly \u2013 he felt he could not get enough air into his burning lungs \u2013 and despite having had nothing to eat since breakfast, he was nauseated and had to stop often to retch, though he had nothing left in his system to vomit up. Just as he was ready to collapse and let death win, he reached the edge of a mesa and looked down. There, in a small valley, was a canvas-covered lean-to with a cooking fire burning next to it and a mule standing patiently nearby. And inside the lean-to sat a man eating a meal. Adam had no idea who this man was, nor did he care. The man was life.<\/p>\n

The tiny camp was a good thirty feet down, and Adam tried to holler to the man, but his parched throat refused to emit any sound. Painfully, he realized he would have to climb down. He lurched a few meters along the edge of the mesa until he found a break in the rock that created a rudimentary path he could slide down. He amazed himself by managing to stay upright when he hit the bottom, and he staggered toward the man in the lean-to.<\/p>\n

The man watched in awe as Adam approached. It was thirty miles to the nearest town, and he had not seen another human being for months. He certainly had not expected to see one stumbling through the desert on foot with no food or water.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I help you?\u201d the man asked politely as Adam stepped into the shade of the canvas roof. He was a tall, slim man, not unlike Adam\u2019s friend Ross, but he was clearly several years older. His limp hair was gray, and his tanned face was deeply lined from years of outdoor labor.<\/p>\n

It took Adam several attempts to respond. \u201cWater?\u201d he gasped, clutching a pole of the lean-to for support.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, excuse me!\u201d the man said as he rose from his seat, grabbed his canteen, and handed it to Adam. \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe my eyes at first, seeing a man alone out here on foot in the middle of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took the canteen and drank greedily. The water was warm and stale, but Adam thought it was the sweetest he had ever tasted. The man watched quietly as Adam polished off most of the canteen\u2019s contents and sat down heavily in the shade of the lean-to.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Kane,\u201d the man introduced himself. \u201cPeter Kane.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook Kane\u2019s hand. \u201cCartwright,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t mind my asking, Mr. Cartwright, where are you headed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack \u2013\u201d Adam pointed the way he came as he paused to catch his breath again. \u201cBack home. The Ponderosa.\u201d He rested his arms on his knees and dropped his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe great Ponderosa,\u201d Kane mused. \u201cI\u2019ve heard of it. As, indeed, who hasn\u2019t?\u201d He looked over at Adam, whose chest was still heaving. \u201cBut you\u2019ll need food and rest,\u201d Kane continued. \u201cWon\u2019t you accept my humble hospitality?\u201d He gestured around at the simple lean-to and the shaggy mule.<\/p>\n

Adam wiped sand from his eyes. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing humble about hospitality out here, Mr. Kane,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

Kane nodded. \u201cQuite true, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled and raised the precious canteen to his lips once more.<\/p>\n

Once Adam was well along the path to rehydration, Kane handed him a plate of food. It was just beans with a little salt pork, but Adam relished every bite. Over the meal, he told Kane how he had come to be wandering the desert.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much money did the men take?\u201d Kane asked.<\/p>\n

Adam swallowed a mouthful of beans and replied, \u201cFive thousand dollars. But that\u2019s not what rankles me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive thousand dollars is a considerable sum of money,\u201d Kane sympathized. \u201cBut I\u2019ve been given to understand the Ponderosa is the equivalent of an ancient empire.\u201d He grinned good-naturedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, an empire, Mr. Kane, represents a lot of plain, hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m sure of that,\u201d Kane replied as he began clearing away his own dishes. \u201cBut I\u2019m a man who\u2019s used to hard work. Mr. Cartwright, twenty years ago, I came out here from the East to stake my claim. At that time, I sold all my earthly possessions for the total sum of three thousand dollars.\u201d He chuckled ruefully as he sat down by a small bucket to wash his plate and cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, Mr. Kane,\u201d Adam interjected. \u201cI\u2019m not making light of the five thousand dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure of that,\u201d Kane said. \u201cBut you said that something else rankles you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s expression darkened. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said bitterly. \u201cBeing left out here to die. And I suppose I would have, if I hadn\u2019t stumbled into you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m glad that you did, for your sake, and for mine,\u201d Kane admitted. \u201cIt gets lonely out here with only Epicene to talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEpicene?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mule.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his desperation for food and water, Adam had forgotten about the mule. He turned around now and took a quick look at the animal, then raised an eyebrow. \u201cMr. Kane, I wonder if I might borrow your mule and enough supplies to get back to civilization. I\u2019d see that they were returned to you.\u201d Adam did not much care for mules \u2013 they were stubborn, headstrong creatures \u2013 but they were surefooted on the type of terrain Adam had to cross, and in his present situation, he did not have room to be picky.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your hurry?\u201d Kane asked as he finished scrubbing his dinner plate. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you stay around a few days and rest?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel pretty good now,\u201d Adam said truthfully as he rose to wash his own plate. \u201cBesides, I\u2019m overdue for meeting my kid brother at Signal Rock.\u201d Little Joe would not panic if Adam were a bit late, but Adam knew that eventually the young man would set out to find him, and he did not want to put his brother to the trouble of traversing that arduous terrain.<\/p>\n

\u201cSignal Rock?\u201d Kane asked in surprise. \u201cThat\u2019s better than thirty or forty miles south of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam agreed. \u201cGood, long haul on foot. And I want to catch the men who left me out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kane\u2019s brow furrowed. \u201cWhat are you going to do when you catch them?\u201d he asked with interest. \u201cKill them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam said, as he sat down next to Kane. \u201cI\u2019ll let the law take care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kane gave him a sidelong glance. \u201cYou\u2019re a remarkable man, Mr. Cartwright, to be content with mere legal<\/em> revenge. After all, they left you out here to die.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam considered this. \u201cIt\u2019s just a civilized process,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d Kane said, placing his dishes back in his wagon, \u201cI have found in my life that most men aren\u2019t particularly civilized.\u201d He paused with his back to Adam and spoke again without turning around. \u201cIn fact, I find that men can be driven to do most anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

An ominous sense of foreboding rang loudly in Adam\u2019s mind, and he glanced over at Kane with suspicion. \u201cYeah,\u201d he replied slowly, \u201cbut I\u2019m not one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kane turned around and gave Adam a penetrating stare. \u201cAre you sure, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared back, his unease increasing, but he forced himself to remain congenial. He broke the stare and looked skyward in thought. \u201cWho was it who said \u2018Know thyself\u2019?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kane smirked almost imperceptibly. \u201cExactly,\u201d he agreed. \u201cHere, let me show you something.\u201d He crossed to the back of the lean-to and picked up a small rock from next to the table. He handed it to Adam and asked if he knew what it was.<\/p>\n

Adam examined the stone. \u201cGold?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kane nodded. \u201cYes, the gold I\u2019ve been seeking for the past twenty years.\u201d He took the rock back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a lucky man, Mr. Kane.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, indeed,\u201d Kane agreed. \u201cSo now you understand why I can\u2019t let you have my mule because I\u2019ll need her to help me work the claim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam could hardly believe what he was hearing. True, this man had saved his life, but now he was denying him his only avenue for returning home. He decided he greatly disliked the people in this section of the territory and resolved never to return, no matter how much they were willing to pay for beef.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d only need the mule for a few days,\u201d he reasoned.<\/p>\n

Kane was unmoved. \u201cWell, now that I\u2019m so close to the main vein, a few days would seem like an eternity for me.\u201d He gave Adam a patronizing smile. The two men stood in silence for several moments as each contemplated his next move. \u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d Kane said at last, \u201cI\u2019ll make you a bargain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBargain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. If you stay here and help me work the claim for three days, I\u2019ll let you take the mule and the supplies, and you can meet your brother. The two men can wait, too. And if everything goes like I hope it will,\u201d he glanced at the entrance to his mine, \u201cI might even join you. What do you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wanted to say \u201cGo to Hell,\u201d but he saw no choice but to agree. He was alone with no horse, no weapon, no food, and no water. If he ever wanted to get home to his family, he would have to accept Kane\u2019s proposal.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did save my life,\u201d Adam said. It\u2019s a deal.\u201d He gave Kane a friendly smile and offered his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Kane said, returning the smile and shaking Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cIt will be a pleasure to talk to a civilized man for a change. If you\u2019ll come with me, I\u2019ll show you what progress I\u2019ve made toward the vein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam followed Kane into the mine and was impressed by the progress the man had been able to make alone. He said as much, and Kane seemed pleased that Adam was knowledgeable about mining and even had some experience with blasting.<\/p>\n

Kane picked up some tools from the mine floor. \u201cI assume you also have knowledge of the star drill and hammer,\u201d he said, handing the items to Adam.<\/p>\n

Adam understood he was to get to work immediately. \u201cRight,\u201d he said, accepting the tools. He lined up the drill and began hammering away at the rock.<\/p>\n

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

The following afternoon, Little Joe arrived at Signal Rock \u2013 a bit early, for once. He was surprised that his fastidiously punctual older brother was not already waiting for him. Joe hopped down from Cochise and secured the horse to a tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam!\u201d Joe called, thinking his brother may have wandered away a piece to look at something that caught his eye. He got no response. \u201cYo, Adam!\u201d he called again and whistled sharply. \u201cAdam!\u201d When he still heard no reply, he shook his head in annoyance and walked back over to his horse. \u201cWhat do you know?\u201d Joe said to Cochise as he leaned against the pinto. \u201cBig Brother says be here on time, we get here, and he\u2019s nowhere in sight. Well, Cochise, we\u2019re just gonna have to make camp and wait a while. He doesn\u2019t show up soon, we just might not tell him Obadiah got off with only five years.\u201d He smiled at his own cleverness and untied his bedroll from the back of his saddle.<\/p>\n

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

As Joe arrived at Signal Rock, Adam was still hard at work in Kane\u2019s mine. He led Epicene out with a full load of rock for what felt like the hundredth time and then dropped, coughing, onto the ground near Kane to get a drink from the canteen. Even nearly twenty-four hours after his desert sojourn, Adam craved water, and the dust from the mine was not helping. He glanced over at Kane and saw the older man was making more dynamite.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t need any more of that powder until we get that new shoring in,\u201d Adam said, gesturing to the mine. He had been in a cave-in before, and he did not fancy repeating the experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to hurry, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Kane said, looking up at him. \u201cWe only have two of our three days left.\u201d He returned to his work.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but if we do any more blasting before putting in more timber, that whole thing\u2019s just gonna collapse.\u201d Adam was already annoyed with Kane. While Adam had been breaking his back chipping away at the rock in the mine and hauling out the worthless rubble, Kane had been sitting comfortably pouring gunpowder into dynamite sticks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to hit that vein before you leave,\u201d Kane said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, so would I,\u201d Adam said. \u201cAnd it looks to me like that\u2019s the only way you\u2019re gonna give me any rest.\u201d He rose stiffly to his feet and grabbed the mule\u2019s lead. \u201cOnce more unto the breach,\u201d he quoted and headed back into the mine.<\/p>\n

Adam spent the rest of the day inside the mine constructing the supports necessary for safe blasting. He was filthy and exhausted, and his torn shirt was falling to pieces, but at least he was out of the sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne more day, Cartwright,\u201d he told himself. \u201cJust one more day. Then you can meet Little Joe, find the men who jumped you, and get Sport back.\u201d The thought did little to cheer him.<\/p>\n

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

When the sun rose the next morning, Little Joe and Cochise were still waiting at Signal Rock. Joe leaned casually against a rock with his legs stretched out as he sipped some coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you imagine that?\u201d Joe playfully asked his horse. \u201c\u2018Be on time\u2019 he says, and here he is already a day late.\u201d He shook his head and took another sip of his coffee. \u201cWell, Cochise,\u201d he continued, \u201cwe can either sit around this rock pile, or we can start out looking for him. What do you think we oughta do?\u201d He looked up at the pinto, who gave no response. \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Joe said, \u201cyou don\u2019t talk before you\u2019ve had your morning coffee. Here you go.\u201d He held the cup up to the horse\u2019s mouth, and Cochise slurped the coffee happily. \u201cCareful!\u201d Little Joe said as Cochise dripped coffee on his hand. \u201cIt\u2019s hot! It\u2019s hot!\u201d He giggled at the animal and then rose to his feet to set off after Adam.<\/p>\n

Little Joe searched for most of the day but found no sign of his brother. This was too out of character for Adam, and Little Joe knew he must be in serious trouble. His playful mood gone, Joe turned Cochise toward the nearest town to get some supplies.<\/p>\n

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

Late that morning, as Kane continued to sit comfortably and inspect the rocks Adam had dragged out of the mine, Adam stumbled from the mine entrance, choking on the dust that coated him from head to toe. His shirttail had come loose, and his right sleeve was held on by only a few threads. He leaned against a rock wall to catch his breath.<\/p>\n

Kane stared at a rock through a magnifying glass. \u201cWhat are you doing out here?\u201d he asked coolly, not bothering to look over at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust getting a breath of fresh air before I keel over in that oven,\u201d Adam replied as he uncorked the canteen. The mine was out of the sun, but there was little air exchange, and the atmosphere was stifling. He drank deeply.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell hurry up,\u201d Kane drawled.<\/p>\n

Adam was infuriated. He had been working himself half to death for two days while the mine\u2019s owner lounged around and played with rocks. Adam\u2019s patience was gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Kane,\u201d he began, his chest heaving, \u201cfor the past two days, you have worked me from sunup to sundown without a break. And any time I straighten up for one second, you are breathing down my neck, complaining about not wasting time.\u201d His voice rose as he struggled to control his anger.<\/p>\n

Kane still did not look at him. Instead, he stayed focused on his magnifying glass. \u201cI thought you were used to hard work, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d he retorted. \u201cIsn\u2019t that what you said built the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was right. Defeated, Adam threw down the canteen and stalked back into the mine.<\/p>\n

Adam toiled the rest of day. Toward the end of the afternoon, he led Epicene from the mine once again and dumped the rocks from the bags slung across the mule\u2019s back. Kane looked on disapprovingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose sacks are only half full,\u201d he complained.<\/p>\n

Adam wiped his brow impatiently. \u201cI don\u2019t want to work the animal to death,\u201d he explained. \u201cA dead mule isn\u2019t gonna get your gold, or us<\/em>, out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kane glared at him. \u201cGet back to work,\u201d he ordered.<\/p>\n

Adam considered the man for a moment and then turned his grimy face skyward to check the position of the sun. \u201cNo thanks, Mr. Kane,\u201d he said evenly and dropped the empty rock bag to the ground. \u201cMy three days are up as of right now.\u201d He grabbed Epicene\u2019s lead and started to drag the animal away. He was not going to spend one more minute in the company of Peter Kane.<\/p>\n

Kane\u2019s reaction was as quick as lightning. He snagged the mule\u2019s bridle and spun Adam around to face him at the same time. \u201cCartwright!\u201d he seethed. \u201cI give the orders around here! Now get back to work!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam straightened up, making a show of the advantage in physical size that he held over Peter Kane. \u201cWe made a bargain, Mr. Kane, and we\u2019re gonna keep it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only bargain you\u2019re going to keep is to work that mine \u2018til I strike it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat mine isn\u2019t gonna be good for anything but a grave!\u201d Adam shot back, thrusting a finger in the direction of the mine. \u201cWe don\u2019t have enough food and water to stay and get out alive. We have to leave right now<\/em>!\u201d He yanked at the mule\u2019s lead again and headed to the wagon to gather supplies.<\/p>\n

As Adam filled a canteen from the water barrel in the lean-to, Kane pulled a rifle from behind his workbench, turned, and fired toward him. Adam jumped at the blast and looked around wildly. His eyes landed on the mule, now lying dead next to the shelter. Adam stared in horror and dropped the canteen. His first thought was, \u201cThis man is insane.\u201d His second was, \u201cI am in big, big trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what you\u2019ve done?\u201d Adam asked as Kane approached him, still carrying the rifle. \u201cHow do we get out of here now?\u201d There was no way they could carry sufficient supplies without the mule.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t,\u201d Kane replied coldly, \u201cuntil I hit that vein.\u201d His use of the pronoun \u201cI\u201d only made Adam angrier. Kane had not done a bit of work in the mine since Adam arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout the mule?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s you, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam caught on.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if I refuse to be your pack animal?\u201d he asked, putting his hands defiantly on his hips.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t refuse,\u201d Kane said. \u201cNo work, no water.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared at him with disgust as he realized his savior was no better than the men who had placed him in this position in the first place. He had tried to give Peter Kane the benefit of the doubt. Being alone out here and working a worthless mine would make anyone squirrelly. But this went beyond eccentricity caused by loneliness. This was evil incarnate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m giving you a chance to live,\u201d Kane continued, as if Adam should be grateful. \u201cAnd after all, every animal\u2019s first instinct is to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam knew he was trapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease come find me, Joe,\u201d he thought desperately.<\/p>\n

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

Day after day, Adam toiled from dawn to dusk, drilling through the rock, filling the bags until they were so heavy that he had to hunch over to drag them out of the mine, only to dump them and turn around to do it all again. His shirt hung in tatters from his shoulders, leaving his arms and chest with no protection from the sharp rocks. What little fabric remained was spotted with Adam\u2019s blood from the countless scrapes that now covered his body. Every muscle in his body screamed for rest. While Adam labored, Kane sat in the shade of the lean-to, his rifle never more than a foot away.<\/p>\n

On the sixth \u2013 or was it the seventh? \u2013 day, as Adam dragged a load of rocks from the mine, Kane looked up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can stop this foolish cat-and-mouse game if you give me your word you won\u2019t try to escape,\u201d Kane drawled. \u201cThen maybe both of us can relax.\u201d He pointed to a pot simmering over the small cooking fire. \u201cThere\u2019s a day\u2019s rations. You can take half and serve me the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glared at Kane, his blood boiling. He wanted to take the entire pot and fling it into the skinny man\u2019s face, but he badly needed the energy the food would provide, especially if he hoped to figure out a way out of his predicament. He grabbed two plates, crouched next to the pot, and spooned half of the beans onto each plate. He approached the table with the nicer of the two plates and reached out to hand it to Kane.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too close,\u201d the man said hatefully.<\/p>\n

Adam stopped and leaned over farther to set the plate and a cup of coffee on the table in front of his captor. He turned back and picked up his own plate and started to sit down in the shade of the shelter to eat, when Kane stopped him again and ordered him to sit in the blazing sun.<\/p>\n

Heaving a sigh, Adam rose and leaned over to take a fork from the table. He paused when he heard the click of a revolver cocking, and he looked up into the barrel of Kane\u2019s Colt six-shooter. Adam briefly considered letting Kane shoot him, when an image of his family flashed through his mind. He backed away from the table and sat down in the burning sun next to the cooking fire. He wiped his hand as clean as he could get it on the shreds of his shirt and plunged his fingers into the beans.<\/p>\n

Kane smiled cruelly as he watched Adam eat. \u201cSo you\u2019ve come down another notch as a civilized man,\u201d he sneered. \u201cEating with your fingers, like an animal.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was it. Adam threw down his plate and launched to his feet. \u201cWho\u2019s an animal?!\u201d he roared, not caring that Kane was pointing the Colt at his chest again.<\/p>\n

Kane had risen to his feet, too, and thrust the gun closer to Adam. \u201cDon\u2019t you test me!\u201d he snarled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have that right!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJudge not, lest ye be judged!\u201d Kane quoted. Adam found this ironic, but he merely glared at Kane, his hatred no longer masked. \u201cGet back to work,\u201d Kane seethed. \u201cTime\u2019s running out.\u201d When Adam held his ground, Kane leaped around the small table, grabbed one of the rock sacks, and flung it at Adam. \u201cGo on!\u201d he screamed. He advanced on Adam, forcing him backward step by step into the mine.<\/p>\n

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

Little Joe stopped at a small village about thirty miles from Signal Rock. He had been searching for Adam for four days to no avail, and now Cochise had split a hoof on the rocky terrain. The local blacksmith offered to let Joe stay with him until Cochise\u2019s hoof healed enough for Joe to ride him. Little Joe thanked him but said he had to keep going.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got a horse I can use?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d the blacksmith said, \u201cbut, son, I\u2019d advise you to stay here tonight. The next town is Salt Flats. Mighty long haul from here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to Salt Flats. I\u2019m heading south.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, mister!\u201d the blacksmith declared. \u201cThere ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 out there but sand and mountains and dry bones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe flinched at the mention of dry bones. \u201cWhat about that horse you said I could use?\u201d he asked, changing the subject.<\/p>\n

The blacksmith stepped into his barn to fetch the horse. When he reemerged, Little Joe\u2019s eyes nearly popped out of his head. The blacksmith was leading a very familiar chestnut gelding with four white socks and a white stripe down his nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d you get this horse?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? Is something wrong with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my brother\u2019s horse,\u201d Joe said, eyeing the man suspiciously.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now look, mister, I don\u2019t know anything about your brother \u2013\u201d the blacksmith began. Joe grabbed the man\u2019s shirt collar with his right hand and drew his gun with his left. He jabbed the muzzle of the gun into the man\u2019s jaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked you where you got the horse!\u201d he growled, his green eyes flashing with anger. This man knew something about Adam, and Little Joe was going to find out what.<\/p>\n

The blacksmith eyed the gun nervously. This young man certainly was jumpy. \u201cI, uh, I bought him from a couple fellers,\u201d he said anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got a bill of sale?\u201d Joe queried, not lowering his weapon.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The blacksmith gestured to his shop, and Joe shoved him that direction, keeping his gun trained on the man\u2019s back as they walked. The blacksmith flipped open a small tin box and pulled out the bill of sale, which Little Joe ripped from his hands. He unfolded it and skimmed the names listed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, who\u2019s this Jim Gann?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo idea. All I know is he wanted to sell a horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the other fellow? You know his name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I recollect, Gann called him, uh, Frank.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now Joe was getting somewhere. \u201cDo you have any idea at all where they were headed?\u201d he asked, softening the tone of his voice a little.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a matter of fact, I do,\u201d the blacksmith said, looking pleased that he could offer some useful information. \u201cThey mentioned that they was going on to Salt Flats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Joe said sincerely and handed the man back the bill of sale. \u201cLooks like I\u2019m going to Salt Flats after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe quickly untacked Cochise and bid him farewell, promising the horse he would return for him soon. He knew Cochise could not understand a word, but it made Joe feel better. He put his saddle and bridle onto Sport and patted the chestnut\u2019s neck fondly, his stomach in knots. Adam must be in serious trouble if he allowed himself to be parted from his beloved mount. Joe tried not to imagine the worst.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to him, huh?\u201d Joe whispered to the gelding. Sport tossed his head in reply. Joe mounted up, waved to the blacksmith, and tore out of the village on his brother\u2019s horse.<\/p>\n

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

Back at the mine, Adam\u2019s situation continued to deteriorate. It was only sheer willpower that kept him swinging the hammer hour after hour, and in the clanging it made against the star drill, Adam was certain he could hear Kane laughing at him. As his fury mounted, Adam swung the hammer harder and harder and harder, until at last he missed the drill completely and got the hammer wedged in the rock face. Enraged, he staggered out of the mine to confront Kane but tripped on a loose stone at the entrance and fell hard, ripping open several blisters on his palms as he tried to break his fall. He dragged himself to his feet and found himself once more face-to-face with the barrel of Kane\u2019s revolver.<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright,\u201d Kane said, sounding almost bored, \u201cfor shirking your duties, I\u2019m cutting your food and water ration in half as of today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared. The food and water ration he currently received was barely enough to keep a man alive and functioning. How did Kane expect him to continue slaving with half that amount? Kane smiled at him with grotesque satisfaction. Adam was too exhausted to do anything but close his eyes, nod weakly, and wonder if he would ever see his family again.<\/p>\n

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

Little Joe and Sport galloped into Salt Flats early the next morning, and Joe went straight into the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name\u2019s Joe Cartwright,\u201d he said urgently to the sheriff. \u201cI\u2019m looking for two men: Jim Gann and a Frank something-or-other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank Preston?\u201d the lawman asked, his face screwed up in disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe. They in town?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want them for?\u201d the sheriff asked with a befuddled expression.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had to take a deep breath before he could force out his next statement. \u201cI think they may have killed my brother.\u201d It was the first time he had spoken the possibility of Adam\u2019s death aloud, and the words were like poison in his mouth.<\/p>\n

The sheriff\u2019s heart went out to the dirty, sweaty young man before him. He had clearly ridden long and hard in search of his brother, and despite the boy\u2019s outward toughness, the sheriff could tell he was inwardly crumbling. \u201cWell,\u201d he said sympathetically, \u201cI think you\u2019re a little bit late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat d\u2019ya mean?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey tried to shoot up the town last night, and as a result, I\u2019ve got them stretched out in the back room there, both cold dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe called on every ounce of strength he had not to dissolve into tears in front of the sheriff. He had come so close, and now he would never know what happened to Adam. He knew what he had to do next.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s your telegraph office?\u201d Joe asked, his voice wavering.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a couple doors west.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe thanked him and turned to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d the sheriff said. Joe turned back around. \u201cAnything I can help you with?\u201d The lawman felt terrible that he had to send the boy away, so obviously heartbroken.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe said sadly. \u201cNo, I\u2019m gonna wire my family.\u201d He paused. \u201cAnd try to find my brother.\u201d He nodded to the sheriff and walked out.<\/p>\n

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

Josie, Hoss, and Ben had enjoyed their Independence Day together in Virginia City. Hoss had made good on his promise to buy Josie some ice cream, and Ben had waltzed with her in Adam\u2019s place. She had even danced with Simon again \u2013 just as friends \u2013 and Ben had successfully avoided the Widow Hawkins for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n

But now it was back to work, and Josie was about to lock up the clinic in town so she could meet Sally for lunch at the International House when Morris, the telegraph operator, came dashing down the street toward her. He was a waving a telegram and shouting Josie\u2019s name. A powerful sense of dread washed over her, but oddly, she didn\u2019t think of her father.<\/p>\n

\u201cMorris?\u201d she asked in concern. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Morris leapt onto the clinic\u2019s porch and bent over, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. The telegraph office was several blocks away, and he had sprinted the entire distance. Finally, still panting too hard to speak, he thrust the telegram at Josie.<\/p>\n

Reading Little Joe\u2019s telegram, Josie felt as if someone had thrust a vice through her belly, locked onto her intestines, and twisted violently. She swayed, and Morris caught her arm. For a moment she thought she would be sick, but she took a deep breath and steadied herself. She could not afford to fall to pieces.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Cartwright?\u201d Morris asked, his face brimming with concern. \u201cIs there anything I can do?\u201d In the nearly two years since he had arrived in Virginia City, Morris had come to know and respect all of the Cartwrights, but especially Josie. His interest was not romantic; he simply recognized the soft kindness behind her mischievous smile and knew that she was a person of worth.<\/p>\n

Josie swallowed hard. \u201cYes, Morris,\u201d she said. \u201cPlease go to Dr. Martin\u2019s house and explain what\u2019s happened. Let him know I\u2019m going home to alert my family, and I may be gone for quite some time.\u201d She drew another deep breath and forced herself to think clearly. \u201cThen please tell Sally Cass that I won\u2019t be able to meet her for lunch. You\u2019ll find her at the International House.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got it!\u201d Morris exclaimed. Before he turned to leave, he added, \u201cDr. Cartwright? I\u2019ll say an extra prayer for Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s eyes filled with tears that she blinked back. \u201cThank you,\u201d she whispered. Morris took off, and Josie called for Pip. She locked up the clinic and ran down the street to the livery stable to fetch Scout, her hound right on her heels.<\/p>\n

Scout ran full speed all the way home with Josie praying that Hoss and Ben would be at the house. As she tore into the front yard, she saw Buck and Chubb at the hitching post.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, thank God,\u201d she said. She threw herself to the ground and flew into the house, screaming for her uncle.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss were sitting at Ben\u2019s desk reviewing some financial ledgers when they heard the thundering hooves approaching the house. They were about to peer out the window when Josie\u2019s frantic cries of \u201cUNCLE BEN! UNCLE BEN!\u201d pierced the afternoon calm. The two men shot from their seats and raced for the door, nearly colliding with Josie as she raced into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosephine!\u201d Ben cried in alarm. He saw the blue slip of paper in his niece\u2019s hand and knew she had come to tell him that his younger brother was dead. He was not prepared for the telegram\u2019s actual message:<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam missing STOP Come to Salt Flats immediately STOP Joe STOP\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, dear God,\u201d Ben said, handing the telegram to Hoss and clutching the sideboard for support. Hoss stiffened as he read the telegram.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Pa,\u201d he said, placing a hand on his father\u2019s shoulder. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna find him.\u201d He reached out and pulled Josie into his arms. \u201cYou, too, Little Sister. We\u2019ll find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie nodded against Hoss\u2019s chest and forced herself not to cry. She had to remain calm if she were going to help Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Hoss,\u201d Ben said, collecting himself. \u201cWe\u2019ll find him. Gather up some supplies. We\u2019ll need plenty of food and water for that country. We leave in an hour.\u201d He turned to Josie, who was still clinging to Hoss. \u201cDon\u2019t you worry,\u201d he said, patting his niece\u2019s shoulder. \u201cHoss and Joe and I will bring Adam home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie peeled herself off of Hoss and turned to her uncle. \u201cMe, too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand what you mean,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s hazel eyes flashed. \u201cI\u2019m coming with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced uncertainly at Hoss. \u201cOh, Josie,\u201d he said, \u201cthat\u2019s not a good idea. We\u2019re going to be riding through some rough country, and-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming with you,\u201d Josie interrupted, glaring directly into her uncle\u2019s eyes. When Ben said nothing \u2013 he was unsure what to<\/em> say \u2013 Josie continued. \u201cIf Adam is missing, that means he\u2019s either hurt or in trouble. If he\u2019s hurt, he\u2019ll need a doctor, and if he\u2019s in trouble, you\u2019ll need my gun. I\u2019m coming with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben kept staring at his niece. He saw in her eyes a steeliness he often saw in Adam\u2019s when the younger man would not be swayed from his position. The resemblance stabbed him like a knife, and he glanced up again at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right, Pa,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cAnd she\u2019s got just as much right to look for Adam as we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cAll right,\u201d he conceded. \u201cGet your things together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie dashed to her room and changed into a pair of jeans. She dug through her medical bag to make sure she had everything she might need: chloroform, iodine, quinine, catgut, needles, syringes, morphine, opium pills, laudanum, and surgical tools. She tried not to imagine having to use any of them on Adam but knew she must be prepared. She rolled up a change of clothes into a blanket to tie to her saddle, and headed down the hall. As she passed Adam\u2019s door, an idea struck her, and she ducked into his room. She raided his wardrobe and chest of drawers for clean clothes for him. The familiar, musky scent of his aftershave hung in the air, and Josie\u2019s throat tightened. She got out of there as quickly as she could, stopped in Little Joe\u2019s room for clean clothes for him, too, and hurried back downstairs.<\/p>\n

Ben saw the clothes Josie had brought down for Adam and Little Joe and complimented her on her good thinking. He knew then that bringing Josie along was the right decision. \u201cClearheaded in a crisis, just like Adam,\u201d he thought sadly.<\/p>\n

Within thirty minutes, the three Cartwrights had secured their bedrolls and rifle scabbards to their saddles, loaded their saddlebags with food, and hung two canteens apiece from their saddle horns. Hop Sing came out to the front yard to bid them farewell.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell Baxter he\u2019s in charge while we\u2019re away,\u201d Ben instructed the cook. Hop Sing nodded his acknowledgement.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou bling Mr. Adam home,\u201d he said, his eyes brimming with tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon Pip!\u201d Josie said. \u201cLet\u2019s find Adam!\u201d She, Ben, and Hoss spurred their horses and took off with Pip coursing smoothly behind them.<\/p>\n

They reached Salt Flats the following evening and found Little Joe in the lobby of town\u2019s dingy hotel. At the sight of his father, Little Joe dissolved into tears. Ben gathered his son in his arms and held him close.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Joe,\u201d Ben said. \u201cJust tell me what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe related the story of his and Adam\u2019s arrival in Eastgate, their plans to meet up at Signal Rock, how he had come across Sport, and his conversation with Salt Flats\u2019 sheriff.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa!\u201d Joe cried. \u201cIt\u2019s all my fault! I never should have let Adam go off alone. I\u2019m so sorry I lost him!\u201d He broke into sobs again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not your fault, Joseph,\u201d Ben said, stepping back and forcing his son to make eye contact. \u201cAdam wanted to go off on his own, and there was nothing you could have done to stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should have gone with him,\u201d Joe said miserably.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019d be lookin\u2019 for both of you,\u201d Hoss chimed in.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother\u2019s right,\u201d Ben said. \u201cIf those men were able to surprise Adam, they could just as easily have jumped you both, and then Hoss and Josie and I wouldn\u2019t even know where to start looking. No, Joseph, Adam has a better chance at survival because you stayed behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe nodded and gazed balefully over at Josie. \u201cJosie, I\u2019m so sorry,\u201d he croaked. \u201cPlease don\u2019t hate me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s eyes filled. Joe looked so pitiful. He was covered in sweat and dirt, now cut through with rivulets from his tears. How could he think she would be angry with him? She stepped over to Little Joe and pulled him into a tight embrace.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could never hate you,\u201d she whispered in his ear. \u201cYou did everything you could. We\u2019ll find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe hugged her back. \u201cOk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d Hoss said, laying a comforting hand on his brother\u2019s shoulder, \u201ctell us where you\u2019ve been lookin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

That night, Adam lay curled on the ground in the fetal position under a scratchy wool blanket and tried to sleep. The nights were as cold as the days were hot, and he shivered in the frigid air. He knew he could not go on much longer on the meager rations Kane provided, so if he was going to make his move, he had better do it. He knew he would probably die in the attempt to walk the thirty miles through the desert to the nearest town, but better to die a free man than the prisoner of a lunatic. The moon was now full, and he could see Kane\u2019s tall figure stretched out under a blanket in the lean-to.<\/p>\n

Settling his hat on his head, Adam rose and crept toward the lean-to, where he swiped Kane\u2019s rifle. Kane\u2019s blanket was pulled up over his head, and Adam pointed the rifle at him and contemplated pulling the trigger. He had killed in self-defense before, and while he did not relish the experience, he could do it again if he had to. But shooting a sleeping man was hardly self-defense. He lowered the weapon, carefully removed a canteen from its peg on one of the shelter\u2019s support poles, and tiptoed away from the camp.<\/p>\n

Just when he thought he would get away, Adam heard a revolver cock behind him, and he froze.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you use the rifle, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned around slowly to face Peter Kane, who was once again pointing that damn Colt at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot ready to kill yet,\u201d Kane observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to kill you, Kane,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI just want to get away<\/em> from you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t escape me, Cartwright. Or yourself.\u201d Kane opened his clenched left fist to reveal a handful of bullets, which Adam recognized as belonging to the rifle in his hand.<\/p>\n

Adam half-smiled at Kane\u2019s cleverness \u2013 he could admit when he had been had \u2013 though he was furious at himself for not checking that the rifle was loaded.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrop it right there,\u201d Kane said softly.<\/p>\n

Adam dropped the rifle on the ground. Kane tucked the bullets into his shirt pocket and, keeping his revolver aimed at Adam, stepped over and picked it up. Adam trudged back into camp, the canteen swinging from his left hand. He threw down his hat and went to lie back down in the small hollow he had made for himself in the dirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot there! On the stool!\u201d Kane ordered, gesturing to the small stool next to one of the lean-to\u2019s poles. Adam ambled over to the stool, sat, and looked up at Kane like a belligerent child waiting for his father to lecture him. He hugged the canteen to his chest, hoping Kane would forget he had it. Kane reached down to his own bedroll and threw back the blanket, revealing the pile of logs and rocks he had used to make it look like he was in there.<\/p>\n

\u201cClever,\u201d Adam said drily and turned his face away from Kane.<\/p>\n

Kane pulled a few short lengths of rope from where they hung on the shelter\u2019s cross-pole and showed them to Adam. \u201cI used these ropes to hobble my mule,\u201d he said, running them through his fingers. \u201cThey\u2019ll do fine for you. Unfortunately, I\u2019ll have to tie you up every night now. You\u2019ve proven yourself unworthy of trust. Therefore, you must be treated like an animal.\u201d He flung the ropes at Adam. \u201cTie your feet securely,\u201d he ordered. \u201cI\u2019ll check it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam placed the canteen next to his stool and began binding his own ankles. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you just kill me and get it over with?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Kane seemed surprised by this question. \u201cI\u2019m not gonna kill you, Cartwright,\u201d he said. \u201cI have other plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam finished tying his ankles and leaned back against the pole in resignation.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut your hands around that post,\u201d Kane said, waving the gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s the animal now, huh?\u201d Adam retorted, though he did as he was told. His jaw clenched in anger.<\/p>\n

Kane smirked and began lashing Adam\u2019s wrists to the post. \u201cYou\u2019re pretty good at judging others, aren\u2019t you, Cartwright? Well, I claim that same privilege for myself. In spite of your advantages of being a Cartwright, I\u2019m as good a man as you. In fact, I\u2019m gonna prove that I\u2019m a better man.\u201d He emphasized this last statement by yanking hard on the ropes, cutting them deeply into Adam\u2019s flesh. Adam clenched his jaw again and refused to flinch. Kane then picked up the canteen still at Adam\u2019s feet, removed the lid, and poured the contents out onto Adam\u2019s boots. The canteen was full of sand. Adam looked away, ashamed and furious that he had been bamboozled twice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ran out of the last of the water and food today,\u201d Kane informed him. \u201cNow the real test begins.\u201d He flung the canteen to the ground and sat at the table, where he stared at Adam for the rest of the night.<\/p>\n

The next day, Kane kept his rifle trained on Adam as he dragged himself in and out of the mine. By midmorning, Adam could no longer stand. He hauled one last load of rocks from the worthless cave and collapsed, his face falling into the dirt. His hunger pangs had faded, but his throat still burned as his body cried out for water.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you still so sure of yourself, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d Kane asked. Adam raised his dirty face and glowered at his jailer. \u201cDon\u2019t you want to kill me yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam lay panting in the dirt for several long moments before forcing himself back onto his feet. He had taken two staggering steps toward Kane when a shot rang out. Adam looked down at his chest thinking Kane had finally decided to finish him off, but there was no blood spreading across the remnants of his shirt. A second shot rang out from somewhere on the mesa, and Kane and Adam both looked up. When he heard a third shot, Adam knew his family was near. Three shots in a row had been their signal to each other for years. He lurched toward the rock face and began to climb. Kane tore after him and grabbed his ankle. Adam did not have enough strength left to hold onto the rock, and Kane threw him to the ground, where he lay still.<\/p>\n

A voice echoed across the desert. \u201cADAM!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rolled onto his back. He would know his father\u2019s voice anywhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d Ben\u2019s voice called again.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Adam thought desperately as he tried to rise. But he could get his head no more than a few inches off the ground before falling back. He was so tired; if he could just rest\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d a higher voice shrieked.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie!\u201d Adam screamed inside his head. His family was mere meters away, and he did not have the strength to reach them. He tried to call out to them, but his throat was too choked with dust. He lay in the dirt and bit back tears of rage; he felt so impotent. He heard his father call out to him again, but his voice was farther away now. They were moving on.<\/p>\n

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

That afternoon, Ben, Hoss, Josie, and Little Joe tried retracing Joe\u2019s tracks from his previous search in hopes they would find some sign that Joe had missed. As they approached the large boulder where, unbeknownst to them, Adam had been held up, Pip\u2019s nose hit the dirt, and he began sniffing furiously. He followed the scent to a clump of scrub brush and barked. Ben slid down from Buck and walked over to the dog, where he discovered a black gun belt nearly hidden by the bush. He knew even before he examined it that it was Adam\u2019s. He took it back over to Hoss, Josie, and Little Joe and stared down at it grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s,\u201d Hoss observed, glancing at the gun belt.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Ben said, his voice shot through with exhaustion. \u201cTracks show three horses, one man on foot. Tracks peter out there by the rocks.\u201d He gestured in the direction Adam had traveled. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to spread out, cover every direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe and Hoss shared a glance. They were all drained, and Ben looked ready to drop. The younger Cartwrights had not been sleeping well the past several nights, but Ben had not been sleeping at all. Josie was amazed her uncle had not begun hallucinating.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d Hoss said gently. \u201cYou need to get some rest. You ain\u2019t had no sleep in three days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot \u2018til we find him,\u201d Ben declared. Hoss looked at Josie in hopes she would support his efforts to force Ben to rest, but Josie shook her head. She, too, would drive herself into the ground to find Adam. \u201cNot \u2018til we find him,\u201d Ben repeated. He gestured behind him. \u201cHoss,\u201d he instructed, \u201cyou go around by these rocks. Joe, go in that direction.\u201d He pointed off to his left. \u201cJosie and I are following this trail,\u201d he finished, indicating Adam\u2019s tracks. He hauled himself wearily back onto Buck, and the four of them rode on.<\/p>\n

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

Adam lit another charge in the mine and dashed out to the entrance, hoping the sound of the blast might alert his family and bring them back. As the smoke cleared, he turned toward his captor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell that\u2019s it, Kane. Now let\u2019s see what you\u2019ve got in that stinkin\u2019 pit!\u201d he shouted. Kane stared at him in hatred as Adam wobbled back into the mine. He was dizzy from hunger and his head pounded from dehydration. Kane was growing fatigued, too, and sat down heavily at his table, his revolver in his hand. He stared at it for a moment, then unloaded the rounds and put them into the rifle. He tossed the now-useless Colt aside as Adam emerged from the mine with a rock in each hand. Seeing the malice in Adam\u2019s eyes, Kane cocked the rifle.<\/p>\n

Adam held the rocks up for Kane to see. \u201cAll there is, Kane,\u201d Adam growled. \u201cJust rocks! There\u2019s no vein in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Cartwright,\u201d Kane said. \u201cI\u2019ve known for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared in disbelief. This man had enslaved and starved him for nearly two weeks. And for what? A pile of worthless rocks. Adam dropped the stones. \u201cThen why?\u201d he asked. \u201cWhy all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I realized that this wouldn\u2019t be my strike, either,\u201d Kane began, \u201cjust another failure like all the rest, I knew that my time was up.\u201d He shook his head in defeat. \u201cI\u2019d run out of everything. I never had the breaks like you, Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam suddenly understood. It all came down to jealousy, plain and simple. Kane was jealous of the Cartwrights\u2019 good fortune and was taking his anger out on Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t know what to do with them if you had them,\u201d he retorted.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still think you\u2019re a better man than I am, don\u2019t you?\u201d Kane said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Adam replied, never once breaking eye contact. He had considered giving up so many times over the past two weeks, but now he knew he could not let this madman win. Whatever it took, Adam was going to prove he was still a civilized man and, more importantly, he was going to get home to his family.<\/p>\n

But Kane was determined, too. \u201cI\u2019m going to prove it\u2019s the other way around,\u201d he said. \u201cI claim that you can be driven to kill like anyone else. I\u2019m going to give you a fair chance to kill or be killed.\u201d He rose slowly from the table, still aiming the rifle at Adam, and stepped over to the wagon, where he picked up a shovel. He took the shovel and the rifle to a small outcropping of rocks. Adam watched as Kane dug down a few inches and pulled up a small sack of food and a canteen full of water that he had hidden there a few days before. He laid both items on the rock.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes grew wide, and he staggered forward, reaching desperately for the food and water. He collapsed against the rock, gasping for air, and grabbed at the canteen. \u201cThere was food and water all this time, huh?\u201d he asked, struggling to keep his voice from fading.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll part of the plan,\u201d Kane said. \u201cThere\u2019s just enough there to get one of us out of here alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up and prayed he had the strength left for what he knew was coming.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis gun,\u201d Kane continued, firing the rifle into the air, \u201cis loaded. I\u2019m gonna put it between you and me, and we\u2019ll both go for it at the count of five.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s head lolled against the rock. He could barely stand, and now he was expected to fight for his life. He shook his head. He could not do it. He was too weak. Kane was going to win. Kane set the rifle on the ground and stepped back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Adam stayed draped over the rock face, wishing Kane would just shoot him and get it over with when images flashed before his eyes. A husky blond boy knocking him down at a train station in Cambridge. A skinny, curly-headed boy leaping into his arms in Carson City. A raven-haired little girl resting her head on his shoulder as she munched on a peppermint stick. And a gray-haired man with dark brown eyes and strong arms embracing him after three years apart. All at once, Adam had the strength he needed. And he was not waiting for a count of five.<\/p>\n

As soon as Kane said \u201ctwo,\u201d Adam sprang.<\/p>\n

\u201cNO MORE GAMES!\u201d he howled as he threw himself onto Kane. The man fought back, but Adam was burning with rage and wrestled him to the ground. He pinned him and wrapped his long fingers around his captor\u2019s throat. \u201cNo more games!\u201d he repeated, now half-mad himself. Kane\u2019s eyes bulged. \u201cNo more games,\u201d Adam snarled again. \u201cNo guns! No games!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKill me!\u201d Kane demanded as Adam tightened his grip on his throat. \u201cKill me!\u201d he gasped again. \u201cEither way, I win!\u201d He thrashed one last time and lay still.<\/p>\n

Adam jumped back in horror and stared at the man. He was relieved when Kane began gasping for air. The man was only half conscious, but he was alive; Adam had not killed him. Adam dragged himself away from Kane and through the dirt to the rifle that had kept him prisoner for so long. He grabbed the weapon and smashed it against a rock over and over again until it lay in pieces on the ground. At least he could destroy that. Forcing himself to his feet, he snatched the food bag and canteen and stumbled out of the camp.<\/p>\n

As Adam staggered away, Kane came to and shouted \u201cCartwright!\u201d in a hoarse croak. \u201cCartwright!\u201d he repeated. Adam fell, and as he lay on the ground catching his breath, he heard Kane shout, \u201cCartwright! You\u2019re leaving me here to die just like those two animals left you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShit,\u201d Adam thought. He watched Kane haul himself to his feet and take two shaky steps toward him. The man was a lunatic, but right now he was a lunatic with a valid point. If Adam left him, he would be abandoning a man in the desert with no food, water, or transportation: the exact offense that had so angered him two weeks ago. Right then, Kane lost his footing and fell, dashing his head against a rock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI win!\u201d he cried and then blacked out.<\/p>\n

Reluctantly, Adam rose to his feet and tripped his way back toward Kane. Kane\u2019s head was bleeding where it had hit the rock, but he was still breathing. Adam knew if they stayed in the camp they would both die, so he used the poles and canvas tarp from the shelter to construct a travois. He dragged Kane onto the travois and allowed himself two sips of the precious water before picking up the poles and setting off into the desert, dragging his enemy behind him.<\/p>\n

Adam trudged through the hot sun for hours, hoping he was headed toward a town and praying that his family was still out there looking for him. He rationed his water carefully, occasionally pouring a little into Kane\u2019s mouth as well, but by midafternoon, the canteen was empty and the now-familiar symptoms of advanced dehydration returned. His head ached and his stomach churned, yet he dragged himself along. If he could just hold on long enough, his family would find him. He distracted himself from his pain by picturing each of their faces and trying to remember the sounds of their voices, especially their laughter. But by late afternoon, he could no longer concentrate on anything. His mind went blank, and it was all he could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other.<\/p>\n

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

Ben, Hoss, Little Joe, Josie, and Pip had regrouped after finding no traces of Adam on their separate paths. It had been two days since they had found Adam\u2019s gun belt, and the trail had gone cold. Even Josie was ready to admit that they had to stop and rest, but every time she was about to open her mouth to say so, a little voice in her head would whisper that Adam might be just over the next rise, so they had to keep going.<\/p>\n

A cadence \u201cI can\u2019t lose him, I can\u2019t lose him, I can\u2019t lose him,\u201d swirled around and around in her head until she thought she might scream.<\/p>\n

In the late afternoon, they reached the top of another hill, and Ben slumped forward in his saddle, his energy finally spent. The cousins stared at one another, each of them unwilling to say what had to be said. Little Joe and Josie looked over to Hoss, who understood that he was to take Adam\u2019s place as their spokesman. The thought pained him; he did not like the idea of being the oldest brother. Finally, he spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d he said gently, \u201cyou can\u2019t go on. You can\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna have to face it, Pa,\u201d Joe added, his voice trembling. \u201cWe\u2019re not gonna find Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Josie whimpered. Surprisingly, she did not cry, but bile rose in her throat, and she forced herself not to vomit. \u201cHe\u2019s out there,\u201d she insisted. \u201cI know he is. The world would feel different if he wasn\u2019t still in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, it\u2019s been two weeks since he left Eastgate,\u201d Hoss continued, forcing himself to block out Josie\u2019s heart-wrenching pleas.<\/p>\n

Ben sat silently on his horse and stared, unseeing, down at the ground. At long last, he nodded weakly. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said. \u201cI suppose you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie knew it was over. If Uncle Ben was giving up, then Adam was truly lost. She leaned over to one side and retched. Little Joe pulled Cochise alongside her, patted her back, and handed her a canteen so she could rinse her mouth. Ben watched dolefully, thinking that vomiting did not sound like such a bad idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d he said when Josie stopped heaving. \u201cLet\u2019s go home.\u201d He sat up and tightened his grip on his reins to turn Buck around when a bit of movement on the desert floor below caught his eye. Pip noticed it, too, and sniffed the air. His tail wagged, and he let out two sharp barks.<\/p>\n

Ben squinted and made out the figure of a man staggering across the desert and dragging a load of some sort. He sat up straighter in his saddle. The man\u2019s gait was all wrong, but his thatch of black hair was unmistakable. Hoss, Joe, and Josie followed his gaze, and their jaws dropped open, all three of them stunned speechless.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben squeaked. Then more strongly, \u201cADAM! ADAM!\u201d He spurred Buck and took off down the rocky hill, the rest of the family right behind him.<\/p>\n

Adam heard his father call his name but did not look up. He had had so many hallucinations over the past few hours that he no longer trusted his senses. He ignored the voice and continued plodding along, his head down. He leaned back briefly against the travois, trying to summon strength that was not there. He could not catch his breath, and he thought that perhaps he should just lie down for a little while. This idea struck him as hilarious, and he dropped to all fours, cackling.<\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss, Josie, and Little Joe thundered down the hill and jerked to a stop a few feet from Adam and the travois. They raced for him as Adam fell to the ground laughing hysterically. Ben grabbed him and picked him up. Adam thrashed wildly, so Hoss and Little Joe grabbed hold of him, too, and called his name to try to snap him back to reality. Josie was stunned. Not two minutes ago she had begun grieving for Adam, and now here he was in front of her, alive. She wanted nothing more than to fling her arms around him and never let go, but she held back until her uncle and cousins could get him under control. Adam clearly needed medical attention, and Josie would be no good to him if she got knocked out by one of his flailing hands. She wrapped her arms around Pip instead and waited, still staring at her cousin in disbelief as tears streamed down her face.<\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe kept shouting Adam\u2019s name to get his attention, but it was no use; he was delirious.<\/p>\n

Adam felt several pairs of arms grabbing hold of him, and he giggled harder. \u201cThere was no gold!\u201d he babbled. He did not understand why the people holding him were not laughing along. The situation really was comical when you thought about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben shouted in his son\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s maniacal, darting eyes slowed and focused as he realized he was not imagining the people surrounding him. The strong arms that held him were familiar, and it slowly dawned on him why. Those arms had rocked him to sleep in the back of a covered wagon when he was a small boy. They had handed him two baby brothers. They had comforted him after the woman he wanted to marry broke his heart. As the realization sank in, Adam\u2019s laughter evolved into sobs, and he collapsed into his father\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa!\u201d he sobbed. Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe lowered him to the ground, and Josie darted over. Little Joe poured water from his canteen into his hand and wiped it gently across his brother\u2019s cracked lips as Josie reached a hand in to feel Adam\u2019s pulse. His heartbeat was fast and fluttering, and he kept trying to push Josie\u2019s hand away.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was draggin\u2019 a dead man, Pa,\u201d Hoss said after checking the man on the travois. Josie looked over at the prone figure and felt a small pang of guilt. In her haste to reach Adam, she had completely forgotten that she might have a second patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been through some kinda hell,\u201d Little Joe said grimly. Ben took the canteen from Joe and supported Adam\u2019s head while he poured a little water into his son\u2019s mouth. Adam continued to sob, and Ben gathered him up in his arms, pulled him into his chest, and held him tightly. Hoss, and Little Joe reached out and placed a hand on their father\u2019s shoulder, but Josie lay her hand on Adam\u2019s forehead. She was alarmed at how hot and dry Adam\u2019s skin was.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben,\u201d she said urgently. \u201cWe have to get him out of the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement. Hoss leaned over to pick up Adam, but Ben waved him off. \u201cI\u2019ve got him,\u201d he said. \u201cYou bring that other man.\u201d Ben put one arm under Adam\u2019s knees and the other around his shoulders and stood up more easily than he had expected to. He carried his son to a small copse of trees a few yards away and laid him in the shade.<\/p>\n

The moment Adam was on the ground, Josie sprang into action. She gave him a once-over with her eyes and shook her head. His face was sunburned and blistered, his lips cracked, and he was covered in dirt. Two weeks\u2019 beard growth shrouded the lower half of his face, and through the tattered remains of his shirt, Josie could see that his arms and chest were covered in scrapes and bruises. The palms of his hands were torn open where blisters had formed, broken, reformed, and broken again. Adam\u2019s head lolled slowly from side to side as he muttered incoherently. Ben leaned down and gave his son another sip from the canteen.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more for a little bit, Uncle Ben,\u201d Josie said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t do him any good if it comes right back up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cWhat do you need me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust hold him,\u201d Josie said as she knelt next to her cousin. \u201cKeep him calm. Let him know he\u2019s safe.\u201d Ben sat down, rested his son\u2019s head in his lap, and stroked his matted hair while Josie examined him. Hoss and Little Joe dragged the travois to a spot in the shade a few feet away and then sat down next to their father.<\/p>\n

Josie reached for her pocketknife to cut away what was left of Adam\u2019s shirt and then decided a tool was not necessary. She gripped the front of his shirt in both hands and tugged. The threadbare fabric fell apart, and Josie tossed the frayed, reeking garment aside. \u201cPhew,\u201d she said. \u201cYou need a bath, my friend.\u201d She glanced down at Adam\u2019s bare torso and was aghast to see that he had lost at least twenty pounds. Ben noticed, too, and grimaced.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t been eatin\u2019,\u201d Hoss observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Josie agreed.<\/p>\n

Apart from the weight loss and the scrapes and bruises, though, Adam seemed to be intact. Josie ran her hands expertly across his ribcage to check for broken ribs, but found none. Quickly palpating his abdomen, she found no evidence of internal injuries, either. She sighed in relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d Ben asked, his brown eyes brimming with concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo major injuries,\u201d she said. \u201cBut he\u2019s suffering from sunstroke and shock. Lucky we found him when we did. He wouldn\u2019t have survived another hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill he be ok?\u201d Little Joe queried, sounding more like a boy than the twenty-year-old man he was.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can cool him down,\u201d Josie said. She dug some rags out of her medical bag and doused a couple with water from her canteen. She handed one to Ben, instructing him to bathe Adam\u2019s face. She took a second one and began wiping down his chest. Adam shivered as the water hit his skin, and he tried to push their hands away, but Hoss and Joe each pinioned an arm, and Adam lay still again. Josie opened her second canteen and poured the water slowly over Adam\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm,\u201d Ben said, looking down. Adam\u2019s head still rested in his lap, and Josie had just soaked his trousers.<\/p>\n

Josie giggled for the first time in more than a week. \u201cOh, sorry Uncle Ben. I didn\u2019t think about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok,\u201d Ben said. \u201cIt\u2019s hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie checked Adam\u2019s vitals again. He was still much too warm, but his heartbeat and breathing were a bit slower and stronger. \u201cAtta boy,\u201d she said, smiling down at Adam, who had, mercifully, passed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long until he\u2019s able to ride?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough this country?\u201d Josie asked. \u201cSeveral days, at least. He needs to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben thought for a moment. \u201cHoss, Joe,\u201d he said as he gently shifted Adam\u2019s head to the ground so he could stand up. \u201cYou\u2019ve got four or five hours of daylight left. Think you can make it to Salt Flats and bring back a wagon in that much time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss did some quick calculations in his head. \u201cIt\u2019ll be close, but we can do, Pa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood man,\u201d Ben replied, clapping him on the shoulder. He pulled out his wallet and gave Hoss a wad of bills. \u201cPay whatever they ask, and if you have time, stop at the hotel and tell them we\u2019ll need three rooms starting tomorrow. And bring back some more water and a shovel, too.\u201d He gestured toward the corpse still lying on the travois.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd some broth for Adam,\u201d Josie added.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe nodded in acknowledgement, mounted up, and took off for town twenty miles away.<\/p>\n

After they left, Ben sat down next to Adam again as Josie continued tending to him. He marveled at the young lady and felt guilty for underestimating her. He had feared she would be frantic on this journey, but Josie had been stalwart. She had never once complained about the heat or the difficulty of the ride, though Ben knew she had to be in pain. And seeing as how he himself had wanted to vomit when he agreed to end the search, Ben could not blame Josie for emptying her stomach. Now he watched admiringly as she calmly and expertly treated Adam. His memory drifted to the day Adam arrived home from college and he had been filled with relief knowing that if anything ever happened to him, Adam would care for his little brothers. Watching Josie work, Ben now knew that if anything happened to him, the burden would not shift entirely to Adam. His sons and niece would all care for each other.<\/p>\n

Josie roused Adam enough to give him another small sip of water, after which he promptly fell back asleep. She dampened another rag and began wiping some of the dirt off of his arms. When she reached his left wrist, she cringed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben, look at this,\u201d Josie said, holding up Adam\u2019s left forearm. Ben stepped over Adam to sit next to Josie and examine his son\u2019s arm. An angry red gash ran all the way around Adam\u2019s left wrist. \u201cIt looks like a burn,\u201d Josie said, studying it.<\/p>\n

Ben reached over and picked up Adam\u2019s right arm. As he expected, there was a matching burn on that wrist. \u201cHe\u2019s been tied up,\u201d Ben said grimly.<\/p>\n

Josie flinched in disgust. \u201cTied up?\u201d she repeated. \u201cRope burn. Of course.\u201d She looked at Adam\u2019s wrists again. \u201cThose ropes must have been awfully tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr he was struggling to get loose.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lump rose in Josie\u2019s throat at the thought of Adam straining to get free from an abductor. She reached out with another damp cloth and gently cleaned the gashes on each wrist before bandaging them. \u201cWho would do that?\u201d she asked in a wavering voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably the same men who took his money and his horse,\u201d Ben surmised.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they\u2019ve been dead for days,\u201d Josie said. \u201cThese wounds are fresh.\u201d An epiphany struck her like lightning, and Josie leapt to her feet and walked over to the dead man. She pulled off the blanket Hoss had covered him with and stared into the lifeless face. Ben watched with curiosity as Josie lifted the dead man\u2019s right forearm and manipulated his elbow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing how long this man has been dead,\u201d Josie replied without turning around.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can tell that by wiggling his arm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Josie said. \u201cRigor mortis hasn\u2019t set in yet, so he couldn\u2019t have died more than about two or three hours ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie examined the body. This man was also covered in dirt, and his face, like Adam\u2019s, was sunburnt and blistered. She reached for his head to examine the back of it when she noticed ten long, thin bruises on the man\u2019s throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben! Come look at this!\u201d she called.<\/p>\n

Ben hustled over and knelt next to his niece. He did not fancy playing around with a corpse, but Josie seemed to have made a discovery of some kind. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at the bruises on his throat,\u201d she said, pointing. \u201cDon\u2019t they look to be about the same size and shape as Adam\u2019s fingers?\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite his revulsion, Ben leaned closer to the body for a better look. Josie was right; the bruises matched Adam\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam choked him to death?\u201d Ben asked in shock as he glanced over his shoulder at his sleeping child.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Josie said. \u201cThis man didn\u2019t die of strangulation. You can tell by looking at the whites of his eyes, see?\u201d She pried open one of the man\u2019s eyelids. Ben recoiled but forced himself to look.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat am I supposed to see?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Adam had strangled him to death, his eyes would be bloodshot. But they\u2019re not. Plus,\u201d she added, \u201cthe capillaries \u2013 those are the tiny blood vessels near the surface of your skin \u2013 would have burst, too, so his face would also be bloodshot, but it isn\u2019t. He\u2019s just sunburned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Adam started to strangle him but stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Josie said, sitting back on her haunches and scratching her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Adam kill him some other way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Josie replied. \u201cThis man died of dehydration and exposure. It\u2019s strange, though. It\u2019s as if Adam started to kill him and then changed his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was perplexed. Things were not adding up. \u201cIf Adam didn\u2019t kill him, why couldn\u2019t this man walk out under his own power?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably because of this,\u201d Josie answered, turning the corpse\u2019s head so Ben could see the bloody gash toward the back on the right side. \u201cIt\u2019s not bad enough to kill an otherwise healthy man, but it\u2019s certainly enough to knock one out for several hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why drag him out, then?\u201d Ben\u2019s voice rose with frustration. \u201cIf they were fighting that viciously, why didn\u2019t Adam just leave him behind? Adam would know he\u2019d have a better chance at survival on his own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie shrugged her shoulders. \u201cI don\u2019t know. We\u2019ll have to wait until Adam wakes up to get the full story.\u201d She peered closely into the dead man\u2019s face. \u201cWho are<\/em> you?\u201d she asked. Then she glanced back at Adam. \u201cAnd why weren\u2019t the two of you getting along?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stirred, so Josie flung the blanket back over the body and returned to her patient. Ben held up Adam\u2019s head and gave him a little more water. Adam tried to take the canteen as Ben pulled it away from his lips, but Ben pushed his son\u2019s hand back down.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too much at once, son,\u201d he said gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cKane,\u201d Adam muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat that\u2019s Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKane,\u201d Adam said. \u201cWhat happened\u2026\u201d he trailed off.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean your friend on the sled?\u201d Josie asked. Adam nodded weakly, his eyes nearly closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot my friend,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s dead, son,\u201d Ben said. \u201cJosie thinks he died a couple hours ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes shot wide as an expression of horror crossed his face. He grabbed the front of his father\u2019s shirt with both hands. \u201cI didn\u2019t kill him, Pa!\u201d he cried. \u201cI didn\u2019t! I\u2019m not an animal!\u201d He broke out sobbing again and buried his face in his father\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n

Ben wrapped his arms around his son and let him cry, though Adam was still too dehydrated to shed tears. He looked over Adam\u2019s head at Josie, hoping for some sort of medical explanation, but Josie shrugged her shoulders helplessly. She sat down on the ground next to Ben and rubbed Adam\u2019s back. Adam calmed quickly under the loving touches of his father and cousin, and Ben lowered him back to the ground. Josie indulged him with a few more sips of water, and Adam soon fell back to sleep.<\/p>\n

Adam drifted in and out of consciousness for the next few hours as Josie and Ben took turns bathing his face and chest to keep him cool. Josie thought he would run a fever for a day or so but felt that he was past the worst of the danger. She and Ben decided they would all camp there for the night, and the following morning they would take Adam in the wagon to Salt Flats, where they could rest for a few days before riding home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll give Joe time to go back for Cochise, too,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Just before nightfall, Hoss and Little Joe returned with a wagon, shovel, a small keg of water, and broth. Little Joe drove the wagon, having left Sport behind at Salt Flats\u2019 livery stable for a well-deserved rest.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Adam?\u201d Hoss asked and smiled when Josie said he was a little better. Hoss handed Josie a small pail of broth. \u201c\u2019Fraid it\u2019s cold by now,\u201d he apologized. Josie assured him the temperature did not matter and skipped back to Adam with the pail in hand.<\/p>\n

Little Joe looked down at the shrouded corpse.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink we should wait until tomorrow to bury him?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Adam exclaimed, struggling to sit up. Josie jumped in surprise. She had had her back to him as she pried open the lid to the broth. She turned around to Adam and slipped an arm behind his shoulders for support. \u201cNo,\u201d he repeated more quietly as everyone stared at him. \u201cGet him away from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got it, Older Brother,\u201d Little Joe said. \u201cC\u2019mon, Hoss.\u201d Little Joe grabbed the shovel, Hoss picked up the travois, and the two of them set off in the dark to dig a grave for Peter Kane.<\/p>\n

Ben knelt again by Adam\u2019s side and took over from Josie as his son\u2019s support. \u201cHow are you feeling, son?\u201d he asked softly. Seeing Adam lucid again brought him a huge surge of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cTerrible,\u201d Adam said, massaging his temples. \u201cMy head won\u2019t stop pounding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the dehydration,\u201d Josie said. Adam\u2019s head snapped up at the sound of Josie\u2019s voice. His face lit up as he noticed her presence for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie!\u201d he cried and flung his arms around her. \u201cI thought I was never going to see you again,\u201d he said, his voice muffled in Josie\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the feeling,\u201d she replied and held tightly to him for several long moments as tears coursed down her face again. \u201cCome on now,\u201d she said at last as she wiped her eyes. \u201cHave a little of this broth Hoss brought for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took a few sips of the broth and a few more of water before closing his eyes in exhaustion. Ben laid him back down, and Josie untied her bedroll from Scout\u2019s saddle and spread the blanket over her cousin. Then she took the remaining rags from her medical bag and tied them in a bundle to create a makeshift pillow, which she slipped under Adam\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam murmured before drifting off to sleep again.<\/p>\n

Once they were certain Adam was asleep, Josie and Ben pulled some jerky and stale biscuits from their saddlebags and ate for the first time that day. Little Joe and Hoss soon joined them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it done?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it\u2019s done,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cHe ain\u2019t gonna bother no one else.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four of them ate quietly, each lost in their own thoughts and too exhausted for conversation anyway. Josie hardly tasted the food, and as soon as it was gone, she grabbed a spare bedroll and snuggled up next to Adam. She thought she should feel some emotion \u2013 relief, joy, gratitude \u2013 but the fatigue was overwhelming. She threw one arm protectively across Adam\u2019s chest and within seconds was fast asleep for the first time in days. Little Joe wrapped up in his own bedroll, flopped down next to Josie, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He, too, was soon asleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow there\u2019s a good idea,\u201d Hoss said. He stood and stretched, then collapsed next to Little Joe and closed his eyes. Even Pip flopped onto the ground next to Hoss and began to snore softly.<\/p>\n

Ben gazed through the pale moonlight at the four sleeping cousins and said a silent prayer of thanks. Then, succumbing to his own weariness, he lay down on Adam\u2019s free side and slept deeply.<\/p>\n

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

Josie awoke every few hours throughout the night to check on Adam and give him more water. Adam slept well, though when dawn broke the next morning, he jerked awake and cast about wildly, fear ripping through his body. It took him several moments to remember where he was and how he had come to be reunited with his family, and the deep concentration made his head pound again. He dropped his head into his hands and groaned.<\/p>\n

Ben and Josie both awoke when Adam sat up, and Ben laid a hand on his son\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you feeling, Adam?\u201d Josie asked as she laid a hand on his forehand to check his temperature.<\/p>\n

\u201cDizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s to be expected,\u201d Josie assured him. She handed him the pail of broth, and Adam downed it in two greedy gulps. He glanced sadly down at the empty pail and then up at his father and Josie. \u201cWe\u2019ll get you more food when we get to town,\u201d Josie said. \u201cLet\u2019s see how that settles first.\u201d Adam nodded, suddenly exhausted again. He lay back down and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

Ben pulled Josie aside. \u201cHow is he?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Josie glanced over her shoulder at Adam, who had fallen back asleep. \u201cHe\u2019s still a bit warmer than I\u2019d like,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s also malnourished, dehydrated, and exhausted, but I don\u2019t think he\u2019s in any immediate danger. We should put him in a cool bath when we get to town and then get him more broth. He won\u2019t be able to stomach solid food for at least another day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, and after a quick breakfast, he, Hoss, Little Joe, and Josie packed up camp and prepared to head back to Salt Flats. Hoss and Little Joe had spread a thick layer of clean straw in the back of the wagon, and they now spread one of their blankets over top the straw to create a bed for Adam. In a burst of ingenuity, Hoss took a second blanket and secured it to the back of the seat and to both sides of the wagon to create a roof over the wagon bed so Adam would be out of the sun. Josie complimented him on his good thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t nothin\u2019,\u201d Hoss said bashfully, shrugging his shoulders. \u201cJust wish there was something we could do to keep from jostling him around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie agreed. The rocky ground was not going to provide a comfortable ride for Adam\u2019s already battered body. She thought for a moment and returned to Adam\u2019s side, where she dug a bottle out of her medical bag. She poured some of the reddish-brown liquid into a spoon, which she crammed into Adam\u2019s mouth. His face screwed up in disgust as the bitter medicine hit his taste buds and woke him up. Josie rubbed his throat, and as she\u2019d hoped, Adam instinctively swallowed the offending liquid before he could think to spit it out.<\/p>\n

\u201cUgh!\u201d he gagged. His eyes blinked open, and he glared at Josie. \u201cWhat was that?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

Josie held a canteen to his lips and gave him some water to wash the taste out of his mouth. \u201cLaudanum,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Adam scowled. \u201cI don\u2019t need any medicine!\u201d he protested. \u201cJust a little food, and I\u2019ll\u2026 be\u2026 just\u2026\u201d his head dropped back onto his rag-pillow, and he began to snore.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight, Adam,\u201d Josie said, patting his head. She looked up at Ben, who was gazing down at her questioningly. \u201cHe\u2019ll sleep all the way to town now,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled in approval. \u201cLet\u2019s get him there,\u201d he said. He picked Adam up and laid him carefully in the wagon bed, where he crawled in next to him. Little Joe tied Buck to the back of the wagon and climbed into the seat to drive, while Josie and Hoss mounted up on their horses. Joe clucked to the team, and the entourage set off for Salt Flats.<\/p>\n

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

It took nearly four hours for them to traverse the twenty miles to town. Hoss and Little Joe had made the trip much faster the night before, but now Joe drove slowly to limit how much Adam got bounced around. Ben lay stretched out in the wagon bed next to his son the entire way. As Josie had predicted, Adam did not stir even once, but Ben refused to leave his side. Wishing there was room in the wagon bed for her, too, Josie often circled around behind the wagon to peer in at her cousin and ask Ben if he needed anything. When they were within a couple miles of town, Hoss rode ahead to secure their hotel rooms and ask them to draw a bath for Adam.<\/p>\n

They pulled up in front of the hotel, and Ben climbed stiffly down from the back of the wagon. Josie crawled in to check on Adam and was pleased to see he was beginning to stir.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell done, Dr. Cartwright,\u201d she complimented herself on her dosage estimation.<\/p>\n

Hoss emerged from the hotel. \u201cWe\u2019re in rooms four, five, and six on the second floor,\u201d he announced. \u201cAdam\u2019s bath is ready; we can take him straight up to the washroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was still groggy from the laudanum, so Ben and Hoss each draped one of his arms around their shoulders and half-carried him into the hotel. The desk clerk leapt to his feet in alarm at the sight of the five filthy, sunburnt Cartwrights, one of whom was being dragged in by the others and looked like he had been living with a pack of wolves.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood heavens!\u201d he exclaimed, staring at Adam. \u201cShould I fetch the doctor?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you,\u201d Ben called cordially over his shoulder as he and Hoss lugged Adam up the stairs. \u201cWe\u2019ve already got one.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man stared open-mouthed after the Cartwrights as they made their way up the stairs. That was when he noticed the enormous, shaggy dog that had followed them inside and was close at the heels of the dark-haired young lady who was bringing up the rear.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d he called. \u201cYou can\u2019t bring that animal in here!\u201d He started up the stairs toward Josie and Pip.<\/p>\n

In one swift motion, Josie whirled around, drew her Colt, and jabbed the muzzle into the man\u2019s belly. Pip\u2019s upper lip curled back, revealing a row of huge, glistening teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said sweetly. \u201cI didn\u2019t catch that. What did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man stared nervously down at the gun and then over at the growling dog. \u201cI, uh,\u201d he stammered. \u201cI said I\u2019d, uh, bring you a bowl of water for your dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you!\u201d Josie said. \u201cThat\u2019s too kind of you.\u201d In an excellent imitation of Little Joe, she curled her lip up at the man and glowered at him before holstering her gun and recommencing her ascent.<\/p>\n

All five Cartwrights and Pip tumbled into the washroom, where Josie tested the temperature of the bath water and deemed it suitable. It was cool, but not cold. She turned around to her family, Adam still leaning heavily on Hoss and Ben, and was met by four uncomfortable gazes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d she asked. \u201cGet him undressed and chuck him in.\u201d She jerked her head toward the bathtub. The four men continued to stare at her, and Josie finally caught on. \u201cOh for goodness sake,\u201d she said impatiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a bath waitin\u2019 for you in room six,\u201d Hoss said kindly. He sensed Josie\u2019s reluctance to part from Adam. \u201cGo get yourself cleaned up. You\u2019ll feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie stalked out, muttering something about how they were all family and she was a doctor besides. Pip followed her out of the washroom, and Josie closed the door a little harder than was necessary.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed as his father and brothers helped him settle into the bathtub. The water stung as it seeped into the scratches that covered his chest and arms, but he could feel the heat leaching out of his body. He leaned his head back and rested it on the back of the tub. He was still fuzzy from the laudanum and barely noticed as his father produced a brush and a bar of soap and began scrubbing the filth off of him. In any other situation, Adam would have been mortified to have his father bathing him, but right then he was too tired to care. He dozed off half a dozen times and let out only a feeble \u201cOw,\u201d when Hoss nicked him as he shaved the scruff from Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

After fifteen minutes of intense scrubbing, Ben was satisfied that he had gotten all of the dirt off his son. Without the protective layer of grit, however, Adam actually looked worse as now there was nothing hiding the cuts and bruises that peppered his chest and arms. The bathwater was black with grime, so Hoss and Ben hauled Adam out of the tub and helped him dry off and put on the clean clothes Josie had so thoughtfully brought along for him.<\/p>\n

Down the hall in her own room, Josie finished off a bath, too. She pulled on her spare outfit and looked over at Pip, who was lying on the floor near the tub. He rose and ambled over to her. She marveled at the dog, just over a year old, who had run tirelessly alongside them for ten days as they searched for Adam. He had reached his full height of three feet at the shoulders, though his body was still lanky. Adam had predicted he would put on twenty or thirty more pounds before he finished growing. Josie knelt next to her pet and scratched his ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did a good job out there, Pip,\u201d she praised him. Pip\u2019s tail thumped on the wood floor. \u201cYou did such a good job.\u201d Unexpectedly and all at once, the stress Josie had been holding in for the past week and a half broke free. She threw her arms around Pip\u2019s neck, buried her face in his wiry fur, and sobbed. \u201cWe almost lost him, Pip!\u201d she cried. \u201cHow would I live without him? I\u2019ve never been so frightened in my life!\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie cried for ten solid minutes until her tear ducts dried out and she began hiccupping. Pip sat nobly throughout as his mistress clung to him and soaked his rusty fur with her tears. A knock at her door brought her back to the present, and she wiped her nose on her shirtsleeve.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Hoss stepped into the room. He, too, had bathed and was now clad in clean clothes. \u201cWe got Adam all settled in his room if you wanna check on him,\u201d he said. Josie nodded and swallowed hard, hoping Hoss did not notice her tearstained face. He did. He held out his arms to her. \u201cC\u2019mere, Little Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie raced into Hoss\u2019s arms and held him fast. She was all cried out, but she sagged against him in fatigue and relief. The cousins stood there, arms around each other, for several minutes until Hoss stepped back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got some food coming,\u201d he said with a big grin. \u201cReal food, not jerky and rock-hard biscuits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie smiled back. \u201cI can\u2019t wait,\u201d she said. She realized she was hungry for the first time since she had received Little Joe\u2019s telegram. She and Pip slipped past Hoss, and Josie knocked softly on the door to the next bedroom. Ben opened the door and ushered her into the room.<\/p>\n

Adam was asleep on one of the room\u2019s two beds. Josie crept over to him and examined him again, making sure she had not missed any injuries that had been concealed by dirt. He was once again clean-shaven, and Hoss had managed to comb the knots out of his hair. His face was still red and blistered from the sun, and the scrapes on his arms and chest were more apparent now that the dirt was gone, but he no longer looked like a wild man. Due to the hot day, Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe had not bothered to put a shirt on him, and Josie watched his bare chest rise and fall evenly for a few moments before reaching out to feel his forehead. The cool bath had done the trick. Adam\u2019s skin was still warm from the sunburn, but his overall temperature was almost back to normal. His eyes fluttered open at Josie\u2019s touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey there, sleepyhead,\u201d Josie said, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey yourself.\u201d Adam smiled back. \u201cNo, wait a second, I\u2019m angry with you,\u201d he said and rolled over to face away from Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat for?\u201d Josie demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou drugged me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should thank me for that,\u201d Josie said, smiling. She knew Adam must be feeling better if he were pretending to be angry with her. \u201cThe rest of us were awake for that ride. It was unpleasant.\u201d She had never ridden as hard as she had the past ten days, and it was a miracle she was still able to walk.<\/p>\n

Adam rolled back over and looked up at Josie. \u201cThank you,\u201d he said formally. Then his face softened and he repeated, \u201cThank you. Thank you for taking care of me out there.\u201d His eyes glistened, and he swallowed a rising lump in his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mention it,\u201d Josie said, her eyes watery. \u201cWe have a deal, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled at her again and held out his arms. Josie sat on the edge of the bed and hugged him. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Josie,\u201d Adam said, his voice husky. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry I put everyone through this. All I could think of the entire time was getting back to all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Josie asked as she let go of her cousin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a long story,\u201d Adam sighed. \u201cYou\u2019re gonna have to feed me before I have the strength for that tale.\u201d<\/p>\n

As if on cue, Little Joe popped into the room. Behind him was the front-desk clerk, now pushing a cart laden with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits, and a large chocolate cake. There was also a big, juicy steak for Pip. Adam\u2019s heart soared, then sank as Little Joe handed Josie a small pot of chicken soup, and he knew he would not be partaking in the feast. Maybe if he played his cards right he could at least get a bite of the cake.<\/p>\n

The scent of the food wafting down the hall lured Hoss into bedroom, and after paying the man from the desk, Ben invited the family to tuck in. He propped up some pillows so Adam could sit up and handed him the pot of soup and a spoon. Josie poured him a tall glass of water and set it on the table next to his bed. Adam watched sadly as Hoss took a giant bite out of a chicken leg.<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm-mmm!\u201d Hoss exclaimed. \u201cIf that ain\u2019t just the best thing I\u2019ve ever tasted!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared forlornly into his little pot of soup. \u201cHey, Joe,\u201d he said, \u201chand me a piece of that chicken, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe obediently reached for a wing to give Adam, but Josie grabbed his hand. \u201cNo way, mister,\u201d she told Adam. \u201cYou try eating any of this heavy food just yet, and you\u2019ll be seeing it twice. You\u2019re stickin\u2019 to soup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked to Ben, hoping his father would override Josie\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, son,\u201d Ben said. \u201cDoctor\u2019s orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and dunked his spoon into his soup, reminding himself that after the past two weeks, he should be grateful for food of any kind. If only that fried chicken didn\u2019t smell so good.<\/p>\n

Josie looked over at Adam and giggled. He looked so pathetic, sitting there on his bed, glumly spooning soup into his mouth. She grabbed another plate and placed a tiny dollop of mashed potatoes and half a dozen green beans on it and took it over to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere,\u201d she said, handing him the plate. Adam grinned, set aside his soup, and took the plate. The mashed potatoes and beans lasted less than twenty seconds, and his spirits now lifted, Adam polished off the entire pot of soup and two glasses of water. Revitalized by the food, Adam felt better than he had since leaving Eastgate.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d he began when the rest of the family finished eating, \u201cI guess you\u2019re all wondering what the hell happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

All eyes turned to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to talk about it if you don\u2019t want to, son,\u201d Ben said, crossing the room to Adam\u2019s bed. He pulled an armchair up next to the bed and sat down.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Pa. I didn\u2019t do anything I\u2019m ashamed of.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the next thirty minutes, Ben, Hoss, Josie, and Little Joe sat enrapt as Adam told them of being robbed, how he stumbled upon Peter Kane just before he keeled over, and how Kane had held him prisoner and forced him to work his worthless mine.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst part was that I heard you calling for me, Pa,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou and Josie. And I couldn\u2019t get to you. I tried, but I couldn\u2019t. Kane threw me on the ground, and I didn\u2019t have the strength to get up.\u201d All five Cartwrights dabbed at their eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry we didn\u2019t ride down off that mesa,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI\u2019m sorry we didn\u2019t save you then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you did, Pa,\u201d Adam insisted. \u201cYou all did.\u201d Ben raised an eyebrow. \u201cWhen Kane threw the rifle down between us and started counting, I thought I was done for. I could barely stand, and I was just waiting for him to shoot me. But then I saw you. I saw all of you, as clearly as I do right now, and I knew I could do it. I knew I could get away. Because the four of you were out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone\u2019s tears flowed openly now, and Ben moved from the armchair to the edge of Adam\u2019s bed and pulled his son into his arms once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I lost the money,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

Ben took Adam\u2019s chin in his hand and turned his son\u2019s face up to meet his gaze. \u201cOh, Adam, I don\u2019t care about the money,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can make more money. You<\/em> are my true treasure, and you can\u2019t be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and leaned back into his father\u2019s chest, suddenly drained both physically and emotionally.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I don\u2019t understand,\u201d Little Joe said, \u201cis how Adam survived but this Kane fellow didn\u2019t. Don\u2019t get me wrong, Adam, I\u2019m pleased to pieces you\u2019re ok, but Kane had to have been in better shape than you by that point, and he wasn\u2019t even walking. You were doing all the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe he just didn\u2019t have anything to live for<\/em>,\u201d Hoss suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably true,\u201d Josie chimed in. \u201cI\u2019ve seen it happen with patients. A person\u2019s morale has a lot to do with his ability to survive. Sometimes people just give up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone sat silently for a few moments, processing Adam\u2019s story and feeling thankful that they were all still together. Finally, Ben gently shifted Adam back onto his pillows.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet some more rest, son,\u201d he said, brushing the hair from Adam\u2019s forehead. \u201cWe\u2019ll stay here for a few days before heading home, so you just sleep.\u201d Adam nodded and closed his eyes and was asleep within seconds.<\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss, Josie, and Little Joe rose as one and met in the center of the room, where they fell into a group hug. When they at last stepped back, Ben said, \u201cYou three stay here and rest. I\u2019m going down to the telegraph office to wire Hop Sing and let him know we found Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at his father\u2019s pale and careworn face and shook his head. \u201cNo, Pa,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll do it. You stay here in case Adam wakes up. You\u2019ll be the first one he looks for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was too tired to argue. He nodded and let Hoss go. When Hoss returned twenty minutes later, he found the rest of the family still together in one bedroom. Adam was sound asleep with Josie stretched out on the bed next to him, her arm draped across his chest like it had been the previous night. Ben was sprawled diagonally across second bed, and Little Joe was snoring in the armchair with his bare feet propped up on the edge of Adam\u2019s bed. Pip was curled up on the rug between the beds and wagged his tail when he saw Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t leave us no room, did they, boy?\u201d he whispered to the dog.\u00a0\u00a0 Pip wagged again in reply. \u201cNo matter,\u201d Hoss said. He pulled a couple pillows out from under his father, who did not even stir, and settled himself on the floor next to Pip. \u201cYou wake me up if anything happens, ya hear?\u201d he ordered. Pip licked his face, and Hoss, too, was soon fast asleep.<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights slept right through the afternoon and into the early evening, when Josie went downstairs to order up more food. After supper, at which Josie graciously allowed Adam three bites of roast beef and a biscuit in addition to his soup, they fell asleep again \u2013 still all in one room \u2013 and slept soundly until morning.<\/p>\n

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

The Cartwrights spent most of their next three days in Salt Flats sleeping and eating. By the end of the second day, Adam felt well enough to eat supper in the hotel restaurant, and on the third day, Little Joe and Hoss rode back to the small village where Joe had left Cochise. The pinto\u2019s hoof had healed enough that Little Joe could ride him as long as he was careful, and the Cartwrights had no plans to ride hard back to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

By the fourth day, they were ready to head home. Adam was eating normally and had regained a good deal of his strength, though he looked even worse than he had when they had first cleaned him up. The scrapes and gashes on his wrists, arms, and chest had scabbed over, and his sunburnt face had begun to peel. But his good humor had returned, though he tended to startle easily and gave the strangers in Salt Flats a wide berth.<\/p>\n

It took them three days to cover the same distance that Ben, Hoss, Josie and Little Joe had covered in a day and a half. Joe was worried about Cochise\u2019s hoof on the rocky ground, and Adam tired quickly, but he was thrilled to be riding Sport again. He loved his horse and had agonized over the animal\u2019s fate when he was stolen. Adam bit back tears as they crossed onto Ponderosa land. He was home.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing was waiting in a rocking chair on the porch when they rode into the front yard and dismounted. Hoss had sent him a second telegram before they left from Salt Flats so he would know when to expect them home. The cook sprang to his feet and rushed to Adam, tears streaming down his cheeks. Adam gave him a tired smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Hop Sing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, are you all right?\u201d Hop Sing asked, peering into Adam\u2019s burnt and peeling face. In his relief at seeing his boy ride into the yard under his own power, he forgot to speak in broken English, but Adam was so worn out from the long ride that he did not notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ok,\u201d he said. \u201cJust hungry. Hope you\u2019ve got something good planned for dinner.\u201d Even after a week, Adam felt ravenous nearly all the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing no cook,\u201d Hop Sing said, shifting into pidgin. \u201cAll Virginia City bling food! Come see! Come see!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights followed Hop Sing into the house, deposited their hats and guns, and stepped into the kitchen. Their eyes bugged out at the sight that greeted them. All of the counters and the small preparation table in the center of the kitchen were groaning under the weight of dozens of covered dishes of meats, vegetables, bread, biscuits, pies, cookies, and cakes. Everyone\u2019s mouths began watering, and Hoss unconsciously rubbed his stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did all of this come from?\u201d asked a stunned Ben.<\/p>\n

Josie checked a paper tag hanging from one of the dishes. \u201cWell, this one\u2019s from Mrs. Larson,\u201d she said. She moved to the next dish. \u201cAnd this one\u2019s from Delphine Marquette.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe started reading tags on the other side of the kitchen. \u201cWidow Hawkins,\u201d he called out. \u201cMrs. Lovejoy, Sally Cass, Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Bailey, the Crawfords, Abigail Myers\u2026\u201d he continued down the line, reading tags.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople hear Mr. Adam coming home, and ladies start blinging food,\u201d Hop Sing explained. \u201cLots and lots of food. Hop Sing run out of room!\u201d He opened the pantry door to reveal still more covered dishes.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes filled with tears for what seemed the hundredth time that week. The generosity of his friends and neighbors was overwhelming. It would have been touching enough had their kindness been directed toward him, but the fact that this outpouring was for his child made it that much sweeter. Adam was overwhelmed, too. His recent experience had shaken his faith in the fundamental goodness of humanity, but the people of Virginia City were restoring it, one covered dish at a time.<\/p>\n

There was so much food that while Adam went upstairs for a bath, the other four, aided by Hop Sing, took a dozen or so dishes out to the men in the bunkhouse. The hands were more than happy to help the Cartwrights consume all the food, though even with their help, the family had enough food to last a week.<\/p>\n

That evening, after everyone had stuffed themselves silly, the family was sitting in the great room when they heard two horses gallop into the yard. Ben opened the door and was greeted by Ross Marquette and Simon Croft. Ross\u2019s face was pale and drawn, but Simon grinned and handed Ben a pie.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy ma made this for Adam,\u201d he said. \u201cSaid she thought apple was his favorite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s first thought was \u201cOh, Lord, not more food!\u201d but he thanked Simon and ushered him and Ross into the house.<\/p>\n

Ross glanced frantically around the living room, where Josie, Hoss, and Little Joe were rising to greet their guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d he demanded, frightened that his friend was not among his family in the great room.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went to bed already,\u201d Josie said, approaching Ross. \u201cHe\u2019s pretty tired, but I\u2019m sure he\u2019d be happy to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without another word, Ross darted up the stairs.<\/p>\n

Josie turned to Simon as Ben took the pie into the kitchen. \u201cThank you for coming all the way out here, especially so late,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd your mother was right about the apple pie. Adam will love it. Would you like something to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon grinned and nodded enthusiastically, so Josie led him into the kitchen, where there was just enough space at the small table for the two of them to sit down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa!\u201d Simon exclaimed when he saw the offerings of the ladies of Virginia City.<\/p>\n

Josie laughed. \u201cWhat would you like? We have quite a selection!\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon opted for some of Delphine\u2019s pot roast and Mrs. Lovejoy\u2019s potatoes, finished off with a slab of Sally Cass\u2019s chocolate cake. As he ate, Josie told him the story of the past two weeks.<\/p>\n

Simon shook his head in amazement. \u201cIt\u2019s a miracle you found him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know,\u201d Josie whispered, casting her eyes to the floor. She willed herself not to cry in front of Simon.<\/p>\n

Simon cupped Josie\u2019s chin in his hand and tilted her face back up. \u201cHey,\u201d he said softly. \u201cIt\u2019s ok. You found him. Adam\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie nodded and gave Simon a small smile. She had never before noticed the gold flecks sprinkled throughout his deep brown eyes, and they enchanted her. She and Simon gazed at each other for several moments until Little Joe burst into the kitchen and broke the spell.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Simon!\u201d he said, completely unaware that he was intruding on a moment. \u201cPa wants to know if you\u2019d like some coffee or brandy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon dropped Josie\u2019s chin and looked over at Little Joe. \u201cNo, thanks. I should be heading home.\u201d Josie could not hide her disappointment, and Simon noticed. \u201cBut I could come back in a couple days,\u201d he suggested.<\/p>\n

Josie grinned. \u201cI\u2019d like that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, then,\u201d Simon said as he rose. He kissed Josie swiftly on the cheek and headed out of the kitchen to say goodbye to Ben and Hoss.<\/p>\n

Josie sat silently, her fingers touching the spot on her cheek Simon had kissed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n

Josie dropped her hand. \u201cNothing!\u201d she insisted. \u201cJust too much sun lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Joe drawled, and he darted out of the kitchen before Josie could reply.<\/p>\n

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

In the days and weeks that followed, Adam regained his strength and started to put back on some of the weight he had lost. For the most part, he seemed to suffer no long-lasting effects from his ordeal, though sometimes in the middle of a conversation or a game of chess, he would sigh heavily and go off by himself for the rest of the evening. But as time wore on, even this subsided.<\/p>\n

Hoss seemed completely unfazed by the incident. Once they had Adam home safe and sound, the whole trial was over in his mind. For Ben, Josie, and Little Joe, however, the effects lasted a bit longer. The three of them often bumped into each other in the hallway in the dead of night as they all went to peek in on Adam to reassure themselves that they really did have him back. During one such midnight sojourn, Josie heard Little Joe thrashing around in his bed across the hall and rushed in to wake him from a nightmare. Ben found the two of them the next morning curled up together in Joe\u2019s bed, arms wrapped around each other.<\/p>\n

Simon also became a more familiar presence around the Ponderosa. Initially, he and Ross both rode over frequently to help with Adam\u2019s share of the work while he recovered, but once the eldest Cartwright cousin was back on his feet, Simon came just to call on Josie. He kept the visits platonic, but by the end of summer, he and Josie were a common sight strolling around the Ponderosa\u2019s duck pond or having lunch together in Virginia City on days Josie worked in the clinic. Adam kept a leery eye on the situation, but Josie had proven herself more than self-sufficient during their trek through the desert in July, so even he gave his cousin a bit of space. A bit.<\/p>\n

By the time September rolled around, life had returned to normal on the Ponderosa. Little Joe and Hoss drove the rest of the Ponderosa cattle to market in San Francisco, and Josie was kept busy delivering a bumper crop of babies.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goodness,\u201d she sighed one evening when she returned home from delivering her fourth baby that week. \u201cWhat got into everyone nine months ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a cold winter,\u201d Adam observed.<\/p>\n

Little Joe snickered. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said, \u201cyou gotta keep warm somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike you\u2019d<\/em> know so much about it,\u201d Adam teased.<\/p>\n

Josie giggled as Little Joe pulled off one stinky sock and chucked it at his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappens during wartime,\u201d Ben said, not looking up from his newspaper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry?\u201d Josie asked.<\/p>\n

Ben folded his paper and looked up at her. \u201cThere\u2019s always more babies born during wartime. The future gets uncertain and people think they better take advantage of the present. Your own father was born during the War of 1812.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie had not thought of this. \u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d she agreed. \u201cSpeaking of the elder Dr. Cartwright, I\u2019m posting a letter to him tomorrow if anyone would like include a note.\u201d Ben grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen and quickly scrawled out a short letter to his brother, which he handed to Josie to tuck into the envelope.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll ride into town with you tomorrow,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind doing a little shopping for a certain young lady\u2019s upcoming birthday.\u201d He smiled at Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, shucks,\u201d she replied, grinning back at him.<\/p>\n

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

When Ben and Josie arrived in Virginia City the following morning, the town was in an uproar. Ben sought out Sheriff Coffee and asked what was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been another battle, Ben,\u201d Roy answered.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face darkened, and Josie clutched his hand. While they had been away searching for Adam, the Union Army had been defeated once again in the Second Battle of Bull Run, and President Lincoln had fired General John Pope and reinstated General George McClellan. Given McClellan\u2019s reluctance to take action during his first stint as the Union commander, no one had expected him to engage the Confederates so soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere was the battle?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t remember the name of the place,\u201d Roy said. \u201cSomewhere in Maryland.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie blanched. \u201cPapa\u2019s with the main army in Maryland,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

Ben grasped Josie\u2019s elbow and hustled her over to the telegraph office to get the full story.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappened two days ago. They\u2019re calling it the Battle of Antietam,\u201d Morris said as he handed Ben a copy of the story that had come in over the wire from New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy god,\u201d Ben said as he read the details.<\/p>\n

The Confederate army had crossed into Maryland in an attempt to win the state for the Confederacy. Unfortunately for him, a Union corporal found a copy of General Robert E. Lee\u2019s orders wrapped around three cigars and took them directly to Union General George McClellan. The orders gave General McClellan a complete picture of Lee\u2019s plans to divide his army and spread out across Maryland. McClellan had the perfect opportunity to march through the gaps and defeat the Confederate army one little piece at a time. So he sat and did nothing for eighteen hours, giving Lee\u2019s men time to regroup near Sharpsburg, where the two armies clashed in the early hours of September 17.<\/p>\n

Both sides fought badly. Lee\u2019s defense was hastily and poorly planned, and McClellan refused to put all of his men on the battlefield at once, instead allowing them to be cut down one chunk at a time. By the end of the day, 4,100 men lay dead with another 2,500 mortally wounded. In all, the battle claimed more than 22,000 casualties. It would be the bloodiest single day of the American Civil War.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least the Union won,\u201d Morris said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no winners,\u201d Ben said, not looking up from the story.<\/p>\n

Chastised, Morris sat quietly for a few moments before he remembered he had a telegram for Josie. \u201cHere you are, Dr. Cartwright,\u201d he said, sliding it across the counter to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s from Papa!\u201d she exclaimed, and Ben\u2019s head snapped up. \u201cWell, sort of. It\u2019s from one the soldiers on his behalf. It says he\u2019s all right and not to worry about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho was worried?\u201d Ben said, hugging Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t envy him his job,\u201d Josie said grimly.<\/p>\n

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

All of the Cartwrights were saddened by the news of Antietam, but Adam took it especially hard. His stomach clenched in a hard knot as he read the story his father had brought home from town.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much more do people have to do to each other to prove that humanity is irreparably depraved?\u201d he snarled as he crumpled the paper and hurled it into the fire.<\/p>\n

Ben and Josie shared a glance, both of them knowing that Adam was talking about more than the battle. Ben sighed. He thought that Adam had come through that summer\u2019s ordeal with no lasting effects, but now he realized that his reserved son was carrying scars he had not let anyone see.<\/p>\n

Adam spent the next few days keeping to himself even more than usual. His work, appetite, and sleep were unaffected, but he spoke as little as possible and would retire to his room immediately after supper in the evenings. He cheered briefly on the twenty-third when the family had Simon, Patience, Margaret, and Sally over for supper to celebrate Josie\u2019s twenty-second birthday, but the next day, he drew back into his shell.<\/p>\n

On Saturday the twenty-seventh, Ben answered a knock at the door and was surprised to see Margaret standing on the porch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Mr. Cartwright!\u201d she greeted him with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, hello, Margaret!\u201d Ben was always glad to see Josie\u2019s friends at the ranch and invited the young lady inside. \u201cJosie\u2019s over at the old bunkhouse with a patient right now. Would you like to wait for her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly!\u201d Margaret replied. \u201cYou might like to see this now, though.\u201d She handed Ben a newspaper from San Francisco. \u201cMy father asked me to bring this by. He said you and Josie and Adam would be interested.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ben skimmed the front page, his jaw dropped. He looked over at Margaret, who was fluffing her curly brown hair in the mirror over the sideboard. \u201cIs this true?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Margaret turned to him. \u201cI would imagine so,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s right there in black and white.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben called up the stairs for Adam. When Adam reached the living room and greeted Margaret, Ben handed him the newspaper. Adam\u2019s eyes widened as he read the story. Little Joe ambled in from the kitchen and asked what the big news was.<\/p>\n

Adam read aloud from the paper: \u201cOn the first day of January in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Lincoln\u2019s setting the slaves free?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what it sounds like,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t work,\u201d Adam said cynically, handing the paper back to his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at it,\u201d Adam said, pointing to the story. \u201cIt says \u2018any state\u2026 the people whereof shall then be in rebellion again the United States.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d Adam huffed, \u201che\u2019s freeing the slaves only in the Confederate states.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t that where the slaves live?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot all of them,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou\u2019re forgetting Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and Delaware. They all have slaves, and they\u2019re all still with the Union. Besides, the Confederate states don\u2019t recognize Abraham Lincoln as their president. They\u2019re not going to abide by this. It\u2019s just a symbolic gesture to make President Lincoln appear to be a humanitarian. Nothing more than politics.\u201d He turned and stalked back upstairs without another word to anyone.<\/p>\n

Ben turned to Margaret. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. He\u2019s been like this for days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Margaret said. \u201cJosie told me. She\u2019s worried about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes two of us,\u201d Ben said, gazing up the staircase.<\/p>\n

When Josie arrived home an hour later, she found Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe entertaining Margaret in the living room. She greeted her friend and apologized to her family for being out later than she had expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Bryson came in with her little boy Michael just as I was locking up,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ok?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will be,\u201d Josie replied. \u201cHe swallowed his pocket money, and Mrs. Bryson was worried it would make him sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone laughed, especially Ben, who had dealt with little boys swallowing foreign objects plenty of times himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much did he swallow?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout seventeen cents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d Margaret asked, genuinely curious. She still assisted Josie at the clinic from time to time and soaked up every bit of medical knowledge that came her way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing I could<\/em> do,\u201d Josie answered. \u201cI gave him a big dose of magnesium hydroxide and told him to keep his eyes peeled for it to reappear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEw!\u201d Margaret, Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe exclaimed in unison.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that I\u2019d want it back after that,\u201d Hoss mused.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeventeen cents is a lot of money to a five-year-old,\u201d Josie said.<\/p>\n

Ben turned to his middle son. \u201cHoss, when you\u2019re in town tomorrow, stop by the general store and tell Will Cass that if Michael Bryson comes in and tries to pay for anything with coins, don\u2019t accept them. Just put it on my bill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got it, Pa,\u201d Hoss acknowledged.<\/p>\n

Margaret then showed Josie the newspaper, and Josie screamed in excitement. She hugged Margaret as the two young ladies jumped up and down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe it!\u201d Josie said, wiping tears from her eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll have to write to Aunt Rachel! She and her abolition society must be beside themselves!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam didn\u2019t think it was such a big deal,\u201d Little Joe said, and Ben explained Adam\u2019s assessment of the event to Josie.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a point,\u201d Josie admitted. \u201cBut he\u2019s also been a big killjoy the past week. No, this is still a good thing.\u201d She grinned, but Ben could tell that beneath her smile, Josie was worrying about Adam.<\/p>\n

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

Adam\u2019s melancholia lasted into October. Josie was able to coax him into spending more time with the family, but he typically sat at the far end of the settee, not engaging in conversation. She consulted all of her medical books, trying to find a treatment that would bring him back around. Unfortunately, all of her books suggested the same thing: a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and hard work, all of which Adam already partook in. When one book suggested horseback riding as an effective therapy, Josie nearly threw her book into the fireplace. She gave up on the \u201cexperts\u201d and returned to getting Adam out of the house and among friends as often as she could.<\/p>\n

One evening in mid-October, Josie was in the kitchen with Ben peeling apples to be made into applejack for Christmas when there was a frantic pounding on the front door. Hoss beat them both to the door where Sheriff Coffee\u2019s deputy, Henry, stood, panting.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Cartwright!\u201d he said, catching sight of Josie. \u201cDoc Martin sent me. He needs you at the clinic. Seems a whole passel of miners came in from the camps, every single one of them with influenza.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAngels and ministers of grace, defend us,\u201d Adam quoted softly from behind Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be right there!\u201d Josie said. She raced upstairs and grabbed her medical bag as well as a carpetbag that she stuffed with extra clothes; she knew she would be in town for several days, at least.<\/p>\n

When she returned to the living room, Josie gathered her uncle and cousins together. \u201cListen to me,\u201d she said, making eye contact with each one of them in turn. \u201cNone of you is to step foot off of this ranch until I say it\u2019s clear, do you understand? Influenza is highly contagious, and I\u2019ll not have any of you catching it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four men nodded their assent. Even Ben was willing to concede his authority to Josie in this situation. He had lived through epidemics before and was not about to take any chances.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat goes for Hop Sing and the hands, too,\u201d Josie told Ben. \u201cI\u2019ll be back as soon as I can.\u201d She turned to leave, but Adam caught her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t go, Josie,\u201d he said, his eyes burning with anxiety. \u201cYou could get sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go, Adam,\u201d Josie replied, brushing his cheek with her palm. \u201cI\u2019ll be fine.\u201d She pulled out of his grasp, kissed each of them goodbye, and then she and Pip sped out of the house behind Henry.<\/p>\n

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

The situation in town was as bad as Josie could have imagined. Six miners, four women, and three children had flooded Dr. Martin\u2019s clinic late that afternoon. They all had the same symptoms: fever, chills, headache, cough, body aches, and runny noses. Dr. Martin immediately diagnosed influenza and sent for Josie. Thirteen seriously ill patients were enough for any doctor, and Paul Martin knew the situation would only get worse. Once influenza took hold in a town, it would sweep through like wildfire.<\/p>\n

When Josie arrived, Dr. Martin and a few townsmen were in the process of moving the ill people from the clinic to Widow Hawkins\u2019 boardinghouse across the street. There were not enough beds in the clinic for everyone, and the widow had graciously offered the use of her boardinghouse. Josie tossed her carpetbag in the bedroom over the clinic and rushed to the boardinghouse.<\/p>\n

Josie and Dr. Martin worked through the night trying to lower fevers and keep their patients comfortable. Even Pip assisted, sticking close to the three sick children and barking for Josie whenever one of them needed something. By morning, all the patients were showing signs of improvement except for one of the children. The four-year-old had already developed pneumonia by the time his parents brought him into town, and despite the best efforts of Virginia City\u2019s two doctors, the little boy died in Josie\u2019s arms around three a.m. There was no time for grief. Josie pulled a sheet over the child\u2019s face and returned to work.<\/p>\n

As the day wore on, six more people arrived at the boardinghouse, all of them sick with the flu. Josie wiped her weary brow and turned to Dr. Martin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is going to get worse before it gets better, Paul,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need more help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Martin agreed and sent Widow Hawkins to round up as many people as she could who would be willing to help tend to patients. She came back two hours later with three young ladies in tow. Josie nearly burst into tears when she saw Sally Cass, Patience Lovejoy, and Margaret Crawford coming to her rescue. She hugged them all and ushered them inside, where she gave Margaret instructions for quinine dosages and Sally for sponge baths. She set Patience to work heating up chicken broth and brewing pot after pot of willow bark tea, which Widow Hawkins delivered to the patients.<\/p>\n

By the end of the third day, twenty-seven patients were crammed into the boardinghouse. The two doctors and four nurses took turns sleeping in three-hour shifts so there were always at least four people looking after patients. By then, however, several of the ill, particularly the oldest and the youngest, were succumbing to pneumonia, and Sally visited the undertaker with the solemn request that he begin building coffins.<\/p>\n

On the fourth day, Sheriff Coffee and his deputies began carrying bodies to the undertaker, freeing up the beds for the patients who continued to stream into the boardinghouse.<\/p>\n

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

Back on the Ponderosa, the Cartwright men had obeyed Josie\u2019s orders to stay put. Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe used the time to relax, read, and play checkers, but Adam couldn\u2019t sit still. Josie had sent Pip home on the fifth day with a note describing the situation in town and reiterating her command for them to stay on the ranch. Adam had sent Pip back to town with a note telling Josie they loved her and to let them know if she needed anything, but it felt so inadequate. He was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace on the sixth night when his father finally reached the end of his rope.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben barked, looking up from his book. \u201cWould you please quit wearing a rut in the floor and sit down?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa,\u201d Adam said. He dropped onto the settee and began jiggling his right leg up and down as he tapped his fingers on his knee.\u00a0\u00a0 Little Joe and Hoss looked over from their game of cards and snickered.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cSon, what\u2019s eating you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben set his book aside. \u201cYes, you do. Ever since the Battle of Antietam you\u2019ve been melancholy and irritable. Now you\u2019re fidgeting like a schoolboy in a boring lecture. So either come out with it or let it go!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam heaved a sigh of his own. \u201cIt\u2019s just people, Pa.\u201d When Ben said nothing, Adam reluctantly continued. \u201cI always thought that humanity was fundamentally good. Even after this summer, when I saw all the food the ladies from town had brought, I could still believe that. But Antietam proved me wrong. Even President Lincoln proved me wrong, Pa. I\u2019m sure he means well with this Emancipation Proclamation, but even he wouldn\u2019t issue it out of the goodness of his heart. Even he has an ulterior motive. The world just isn\u2019t the good place I thought it was.\u201d His jeremiad concluded, Adam dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s what it is,\u201d Ben said. He had expected Adam\u2019s troubles were something along this line.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, that would be it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSon,\u201d Ben began, \u201cyou want the world to be a good place? Then go make it one. Stop moping about the house, and go make the world a good place, like I\u2019ve always known you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up at his father, a new light in his hazel eyes. \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea!\u201d he exclaimed. He jumped from his seat and took off for his bedroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d Ben asked in surprise. Impulsivity was Little Joe\u2019s department, not Adam\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo pack up some clothes!\u201d Adam called down the stairs. \u201cI\u2019m going into town!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben cried. \u201cYou can\u2019t! The influenza epidemic! Josie said to stay on the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam reappeared at the top of the stairs. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m going, Pa. You read Josie\u2019s note. They\u2019re up to their ears in patients over there. She would never say so, but I know she needs more help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cThat\u2019s not exactly what I meant about making the world a good place, Adam,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful that you want to help, but influenza is highly catching and dangerous. You can\u2019t go putting yourself at risk-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Adam interrupted. \u201cJosie is. Even when there isn\u2019t an epidemic, Josie puts herself at risk every single day for the good of others.\u201d He paused, then continued more quietly. \u201cJust like all those Union soldiers at Antietam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed again. \u201cAll right, son,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you feel that\u2019s what you have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned at Ben and ducked back into his room to finish throwing some clothes and a couple books into his carpetbag. Within thirty minutes, he was mounted up on Sport and heading for Virginia City.<\/p>\n

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

It was just after ten p.m. when Adam and Sport trotted into town. Most of the houses were dark, but Widow Hawkins\u2019s boardinghouse was lit up like a Christmas tree, and Adam could see silhouettes through the windows. He recognized Josie\u2019s immediately as she rushed from room to room. He left Sport at the livery stable, apologizing to the stable boy for the late hour, and swept back to the boardinghouse. He dithered on the porch, uncertain if protocol dictated that he knock in this situation, then decided it probably did not. Adam let himself in.<\/p>\n

The sight that greeted him nearly knocked him back onto the porch. The lobby, usually an inviting room with a lovely little tea table, several squashy armchairs, and a display of the Widow\u2019s late husband\u2019s weightlifting memorabilia, had been stripped of its decorations, and the floor was now covered with patients, some on cots, but most on the floor. Many were delirious with fever and were moaning and shouting nonsense. Others, whose illness had progressed to pneumonia, were hit with violent spells of a wracking cough that made Adam\u2019s throat and chest hurt just to hear them. One young lady shivered violently, despite being covered by three thick blankets. Adam was stunned. This was worse than anything he could have imagined, and this was only the lobby. The boardinghouse had three stories.<\/p>\n

As Adam stood by the front door deciding where he should start looking for Josie, Patience entered the room carrying a large tray of steaming tea cups. Adam\u2019s nose wrinkled as he recognized the bitter odor of willow bark tea.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Patience,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Patience was so startled she nearly flung her tray in the air. \u201cAdam!\u201d she exclaimed as she brought the wobbling tea cups back under control. \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d Worry creased her face. \u201cAre you sick?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam said, stepping over a prostrate patient and taking the tray from Patience. \u201cI\u2019m here to help. Do you know where Josie is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Patience studied him for a moment. Josie had told her about Adam\u2019s recent mood, but his eyes shone with a genuine interest and concern. \u201cI\u2019ll go get her,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I can\u2019t promise she\u2019ll be glad to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patience was correct. When Josie flew into the lobby a few minutes later, she was furious. \u201cWhat do you think you\u2019re doing here?\u201d she demanded. \u201cI told you all to stay on the ranch!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to help,\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got so many patients here. I just wanted to help.\u201d The explanation sounded lame when he spoke it aloud.<\/p>\n

Josie wanted nothing more than for Adam to turn around and go home. She could not bear the thought of him contracting the flu; in his current mood she was not sure he would fight it off. But when her eyes met his, she saw the same bright interest and concern Patience had recognized. It was the first time in a month those familiar hazel eyes had been anything but dull and apathetic. \u201cWe could use more help,\u201d Josie admitted. \u201cEspecially since Margaret came down sick yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and sighed at this bad news. \u201cHow is she?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say,\u201d Josie said flatly. \u201cEveryone\u2019s bad at first. We\u2019ll know more in another day or two. Either she\u2019ll start to get better, or she won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, amazed by Josie\u2019s professional detachment. If Ross or Delphine were seriously ill, Adam knew he would be beside himself. He said a silent prayer for mercy, not only for Margaret, but for everyone lying sick in the boardinghouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

As Josie thought where best to place him, Adam noticed how pale and thin she was, as if she had not been eating or sleeping properly for the past week \u2013 which, he realized, she probably hadn\u2019t been. Her typically shiny black hair was dull and lank, and she had deep, dark circles under her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome with me,\u201d Josie said at last. \u201cI\u2019ll put you to work on the third floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie led Adam up to the third floor and put him in charge of checking fevers, delivering tea, broth, and quinine, and alerting either her or Dr. Martin if someone took a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s in that room?\u201d Adam asked, pointing to a closed door at the end of the hall. Josie had taken him into every other room on the floor to introduce him to the patients, but she had skipped that one.<\/p>\n

Josie sighed. \u201cDo you know the Pearsons?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. Bert Pearson ran a small farm outside of town, and his wife, Amy, was an accomplished seamstress; nearly every lady in town owned a dress she had sewn. Adam knew they had a young daughter, but he could not remember her name. \u201cThey all sick?\u201d he asked, envisioning the room on the other side of the door packed with the ill family and wondering why Josie had not taken him in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were,\u201d Josie replied. \u201cBert died three days ago, and Amy followed him the next morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood Lord,\u201d Adam breathed.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir daughter, Elizabeth, is still sick,\u201d Josie continued. \u201cShe was doing a lot better; Paul and I both expected her to make a full recovery, until we had to tell her yesterday that both her parents were dead. She\u2019s refused all food and water since then. She won\u2019t even talk to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam swallowed a hard lump in his throat. \u201cHow old is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSix. Paul wants to try force-feeding her tomorrow, but I\u2019ve never seen that work very well. At this rate, she isn\u2019t going to last more than another day or two. We hoped that putting her in a private room where she could grieve openly would help, but it hasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the lack of will to live we talked about this summer, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, yes,\u201d Josie said. \u201cI have to get back downstairs, so I\u2019ll leave you to it. Sally and the Widow are sleeping right now, so you and I can have a break in about three hours. I\u2019ll come get you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie started to leave, then turned back to Adam and gave him a big hug. \u201cI am glad to see you, all things considered,\u201d she said. \u201cThank you for doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything for you, Little Sister,\u201d Adam said, smiling down at her.<\/p>\n

Josie returned to the second floor, and Adam began his rounds. After one lap of the floor, he poked his head in on little Elizabeth Pearson. He opened the door quietly, expecting the child to be asleep \u2013 it was just past midnight \u2013 but she lay on her side with her back to the door, her large green eyes open and staring blankly at the wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey there,\u201d Adam said softly, but tiny girl did not respond. He set his tray of tea and broth on the table next to the bed and pulled up a chair. He laid a hand on the girl\u2019s forehead. Her fever did not seem to be too high, but she had the sallow complexion that accompanies dehydration. \u201cI\u2019m Adam,\u201d he introduced himself. \u201cAdam Cartwright. What\u2019s your name?\u201d He knew very well what her name was, but it seemed polite to ask.<\/p>\n

Still no response.<\/p>\n

Adam tucked a strand of the girl\u2019s limp, light-brown hair behind her ear and tried again. \u201cIf you won\u2019t tell me your name, I\u2019ll just have to guess.\u201d He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling in thought. \u201cIs it Rumpelstiltskin?\u201d<\/p>\n

No response.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think so, but better safe than sorry,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIs it Seamus McGillacutty? No? That\u2019s all right, I\u2019ll keep trying. How about George Washington? No, that can\u2019t be it, you\u2019re a little young for wooden teeth.\u201d This elicited a small smirk from the slight figure in the bed. \u201cAm I at least getting close?\u201d Adam asked, encouraged by this small acknowledgement. \u201cWhat about Loony McGee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cElizabeth Pearson,\u201d the little girl whispered in a feeble voice.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes lit up. \u201cElizabeth!\u201d he exclaimed in mock exasperation as he threw his hands up in the air. \u201cThat was going to be my next guess. Honest.\u201d The little girl smiled fully now. \u201cMy mother\u2019s name was Elizabeth,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cI\u2019ve always thought that was the most beautiful name in the whole world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Elizabeth rolled over to look at him, her green eyes lighting up.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally,\u201d Adam confirmed. \u201cAnd it only gets bestowed on the most beautiful little girls.\u201d Elizabeth smiled again.<\/p>\n

As Adam coaxed Elizabeth into telling him her name, Josie had come up the stairs to see if he wanted a snack. She paused outside Elizabeth\u2019s door and smiled to herself as she heard Adam guessing silly names; it reminded her of the way he used to cheer her up when she was small. When Elizabeth replied, Josie\u2019s mouth dropped open in surprise, and she lingered outside the door to eavesdrop.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d Adam continued, \u201cElizabeth is also Dr. Cartwright\u2019s middle name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth scowled. \u201cDr. Cartwright\u2019s mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re telling me, kid, I live<\/em> with her,\u201d Adam commiserated.<\/p>\n

Josie considered poking her head into the room so she could stick her tongue out at Adam, but she did not want to disrupt the progress he was making with the little girl.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell you what,\u201d Adam said, turning back to his patient, \u201chow about you have some of this broth I brought in?\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth shook her head. \u201cAin\u2019t hungry,\u201d she said and pursed her lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cFunny thing about hunger,\u201d Adam said, picking up the bowl of broth, \u201cyou let it go on long enough, and you quit feeling it. Believe me, I know.\u201d His face darkened briefly. \u201cBesides, the fastest way to get Dr. Cartwright to quit being so mean is to do what she says, so sit up and have a few spoonfuls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth wrinkled her freckled nose. \u201cDo I have to drink the tea, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cAbsolutely not! I wouldn\u2019t wish that stuff on anybody. But if Dr. Cartwright asks, you drank the whole cup, all right?\u201d He winked at the little girl, and she winked back.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth tried to sit up, but after two days with no food or water, she did not have the strength. Adam shifted from his chair to the edge of her bed so he could lift her into a sitting position. He put his left arm around her for support and leaned her back against his chest. He held the bowl of broth in his left hand and carefully spooned the liquid into Elizabeth\u2019s mouth with his right.<\/p>\n

Josie could hardly believe what she was seeing. She raced to the stairs and called down for Dr. Martin.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul!\u201d she hissed, not wanting Elizabeth and Adam to hear her. \u201cPaul, you\u2019ve got to see this!\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Martin jogged up the stairs and started to ask what was going on, but Josie hushed him. She led him down the hall and indicated that he should peek into Elizabeth Pearson\u2019s room. Dr. Martin\u2019s eyes widened as he saw Adam feeding Elizabeth, who not only was eating, but was also carrying on a conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d Dr. Martin asked, turning back to Josie.<\/p>\n

Josie smiled. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd frankly, I don\u2019t care. She\u2019s eating.\u201d The two doctors watched a few moments more before heading downstairs to see to the rest of their patients.<\/p>\n

Over the next ten minutes, Elizabeth finished off the entire bowl of broth and a large glass of water. Adam eased the little girl back onto her pillows and told her to get some sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, my folks is dead,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Adam was surprised by this sudden change of topic and shifted his weight from foot to foot for a moment while he collected his thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d he said. \u201cDr. Cartwright told me. I\u2019m so sorry, Elizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

A fat tear rolled down the little girl\u2019s cheek. \u201cWhat am I gonna do? I\u2019m all alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not,\u201d Adam said, pulling the covers up to her shoulders. \u201cYou\u2019ve got a whole town full of people who will make sure you\u2019re taken care of. I will personally make sure you\u2019re taken care of. So right now, you just go to sleep and don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you stay with me until I fall asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you be back tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth closed her eyes and reached for Adam\u2019s hand. He held it tightly until she loosened her grip, and he knew she was asleep. He gazed down at the sleeping child and could not help feeling proud of himself. He hummed quietly as he slipped out of the room and closed the door.<\/p>\n

Sally and Widow Hawkins had returned by the time Adam made it back downstairs, so he and Josie retired to Josie\u2019s room above the Dr. Martin\u2019s clinic for a few hours\u2019 sleep. Adam thought they might chat a bit before turning in, but as soon as they reached the room, Josie dropped onto the nearest of the two beds and fell asleep instantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen in Rome,\u201d he thought, and he set an alarm clock for four-thirty a.m., lay down on the second bed, and fell asleep.<\/p>\n

When the alarm went off three hours later, Adam groaned and slapped at it until it quit clanging. Josie slept right through it. Adam looked fondly over at his cousin on the other bed a few feet away. She had not even taken off her shoes before falling onto the bed, and her right arm dangled off the side. Adam knew she was exhausted and he wished he could let her continue sleeping, but he was not willing to face her wrath when she discovered he had not woken her for her next shift. He got up and shook her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie,\u201d he said softly. \u201cWake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s eyes fluttered open, and she looked confusedly up at Adam. \u201cAdam?\u201d she asked. \u201cWhat are you doing here? Oh right,\u201d she finished as the memory came back to her. \u201cSorry; the days are all bleeding together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok,\u201d Adam said as Josie sat up and rubbed her eyes.<\/p>\n

Josie sighed heavily. \u201cLet\u2019s get back to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

They returned to the boardinghouse to relieve Dr. Martin and Patience, who told her that Margaret was growing worse. Dr. Martin pulled Josie aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer fever\u2019s still climbing, Josie,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if she can fight through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie nodded resignedly. This strain of influenza was fast-moving. A patient could go from healthy to dead in a matter of days. As with any epidemic, it hit children and the elderly hardest \u2013 about eighty percent of the patients they had lost so far had been either younger than six or older than sixty \u2013 but some young adults had succumbed, too. Adam laid a comforting hand on Josie\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo check on Elizabeth,\u201d Josie told him, pulling away from his hand. \u201cIf she\u2019s awake, give her more broth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam understood; Josie could not afford to be comforted right now. He mounted the stairs to check on his little patient. Elizabeth was still asleep, but Adam thought she looked a bit better. He tucked another strand of hair behind her ear and left the room to check on the rest of the third-floor patients. One of the older women was gasping for breath, so Adam ran down to the second floor to get Josie.<\/p>\n

He found Josie bent over Margaret, who was lying motionless on a cot on the floor of one of the bedrooms. Josie was dabbing her friend\u2019s forehead with a damp rag.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot good,\u201d Josie said without turning around. \u201cPaul was right; she\u2019s getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at Margaret, whose curly brown hair swirled around her head like a halo. He could not believe that just a few days ago she had been healthy and vibrant and tending to patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to pull you away, but Mrs. Peterson upstairs is having trouble breathing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d Josie said. She rose heavily to her feet and followed Adam upstairs.<\/p>\n

Josie checked Mrs. Peterson and told Adam that the woman had only hours left.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she wakes up, talk to her,\u201d Josie said. \u201cLet her know she\u2019s not alone. But she probably won\u2019t wake up.\u201d She made a quick round of the other patients on the third floor and then headed back downstairs.<\/p>\n

Adam continued sponging off fevered foreheads and giving sips of tea and broth to the patients who were awake. He checked on Elizabeth a couple more times, but the little girl was still sleeping peacefully. Around eight a.m. he returned to Mrs. Peterson, whose gasping had turned into a deep, gurgling, rattle. Adam knew a death rattle when he heard one, so he sat next to the elderly woman, took her hand in his, and waited. He did not have long to wait. Twenty minutes later, Mrs. Peterson took one last breath and then breathed no more. Adam said a quiet prayer and pulled the blankets up over the woman\u2019s head. When Sheriff Coffee and his deputies came by shortly thereafter, they carried Mrs. Peterson to the undertaker, along with three other patients who had died during the night.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth finally awoke shortly before ten a.m. and called for Adam. He raced into her room with more broth, which the little girl slurped right up. After the previous night\u2019s food, water, and sleep, Elizabeth was able to sit up unassisted, and the color was returning to her freckled cheeks. As she ate, Adam entertained her with stories about Boston and Washington, DC. Elizabeth was particularly fascinated by the idea that the \u201cmean\u201d Dr. Cartwright had once been a young girl, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was Dr. Cartwright like when she was little?\u201d the girl asked.<\/p>\n

Adam thought about this for a second. \u201cShorter,\u201d he answered. Josie had matured, certainly, but she still had the same spirit and stubbornness she had exhibited as a child.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth found Adam\u2019s answer hilarious and giggled herself into a coughing fit. Adam handed her a glass of water and rubbed her back until her coughing settled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should get some more sleep,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth scowled but laid back down, nuzzling her face into her pillows. \u201cAdam?\u201d she asked as he turned to go.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWould you sing to me? Pa always sang me to sleep.\u201d The little girl\u2019s eyes filled with tears that spilled over onto her pillow. Adam marveled at how she could go from giggling to grieving so quickly, but then he remembered Little Joe in the months after his mother had died. One minute the boy would be laughing and chasing around after Hoss, and the next he would be climbing into Adam\u2019s lap and sobbing. Children grieved in fits and starts, he supposed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Adam said. He sat down next to the bed again and launched into the first song that popped into his head.<\/p>\n

One floor below, Josie\u2019s ears pricked up when she heard a familiar baritone wafting down the stairs. She listened in amazement as Adam made his way through the first verse: \u201cEarly in the morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard a maiden singing in the valley below. \u2018Oh, don\u2019t deceive me. Oh, never leave me. How could you use a poor maid so?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Martin heard him, too, and glanced over at Josie, who was staring at him wide-eyed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked. \u201cA little music could do us all some good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t understand,\u201d Josie said. \u201cAdam hasn\u2019t sung in over a month. I couldn\u2019t even get him to sing me a song on my birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Martin smiled. \u201cWelcome back, Adam,\u201d he said, and turned back to his patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd welcome back, Elizabeth,\u201d Josie added.<\/p>\n

When the song ended, Elizabeth smiled up at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cIt\u2019s just too bad I don\u2019t have my guitar with me. Now go to sleep.\u201d He kissed her forehead and slipped out of the room.<\/p>\n

Adam and Josie took another three-hour rest from eleven to two, establishing the pattern they would follow for the next several days: six hours on, three hours off. Adam marveled that Josie had been able to keep up such a schedule for more than a week. Adam was wiped out after the second day, and all that kept him putting one foot in front of the other was the way little Elizabeth Pearson\u2019s face lit up when he stepped into her room. The child was improving rapidly under Adam\u2019s care, but six more patients died over the next couple days, and by Adam\u2019s fourth day at the makeshift hospital, Margaret Crawford was ready to join their ranks.<\/p>\n

Around noon that day, Adam stepped into the room where Margaret lay with four other patients and found Josie, Dr. Martin, Sally, and Patience all crowded around Margaret\u2019s cot. Josie dabbed at her friend\u2019s forehead with a cool compress as she begged her to wake up.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Margaret, don\u2019t go,\u201d Josie whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cPatience,\u201d Dr. Martin said, \u201cwould you please fetch Miss Crawford\u2019s parents?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bring my father, too,\u201d Patience said and rushed out of the room, nearly colliding with Adam in her haste.<\/p>\n

Adam swallowed hard and stepped over to Dr. Martin.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Martin turned to look at Adam and shook his head. By the time her parents arrived, Margaret was gasping for air. Reverend Lovejoy arrived just in time to say a prayer over the girl before she gasped her last and lay still. Mrs. Crawford let out a wail that shook the windows as Patience and Sally clung to each other and wept. Silently, Josie caressed her friend\u2019s cheek a final time and pulled the sheet over the young woman\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she whispered to her friend\u2019s lifeless form.<\/p>\n

When Josie tried to stand, her strength finally gave out, and her knees buckled. But her Cousin-Cousin was not going to let her fall. Adam caught her and held her tightly for a few moments before leading her from the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie,\u201d he said, \u201cyou need to rest. You can\u2019t go on like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie shook her head and drew in a deep breath. \u201cNo,\u201d she said weakly, \u201cthere are other patients who need me.\u201d She took two steps away from Adam before her knees buckled again. Once more, Adam caught her. This time, however, he picked her up and carried her downstairs and out the door of the boardinghouse. He bore her across the street to the clinic and up to their room. Just before he laid her on her bed, Josie broke out in violent, body-wracking sobs. She clutched the front of Adam\u2019s shirt, which was soon soaked through with her tears. Still holding his cousin in his arms, Adam sat down on the edge of Josie\u2019s bed and let her cry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Josie said at last, her nose stuffy from crying. \u201cI don\u2019t know what came over me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Adam said, though they both knew full well what came over her. She was exhausted beyond the limits of endurance, and one of her best friends had just died. Adam laid Josie down on her bed and pulled off her shoes. \u201cYou sleep for a while. I\u2019ll go back to the boardinghouse to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie was too tired and overcome with grief to argue. She closed her eyes and drifted off. Adam lingered a few moments to make sure she was truly asleep and then went back to the boardinghouse. He met Sheriff Coffee on the porch; the lawman had come to take Margaret Crawford\u2019s body to the undertaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry to hear about Margaret, Adam,\u201d Roy said. \u201cHow\u2019s Josie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExhausted. She\u2019s sleeping right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s good. Wouldn\u2019t want her getting sick, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shuddered at the thought. \u201cHey, Roy,\u201d he said, \u201cI\u2019ve been wanting to ask you something. Elizabeth Pearson. What\u2019s going to happen to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s got an aunt and uncle in Sacramento,\u201d Roy said. \u201cI was going to wire them tomorrow, but it\u2019ll probably be several weeks before the stage comes back to town. They\u2019ve refused to come through while the influenza\u2019s here. Why do you ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust curious. She\u2019ll be well enough to leave here in another day or two. Wasn\u2019t sure where she\u2019d go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure we can find someone to take in a little girl for a few weeks until her family can fetch her,\u201d Roy replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take her to the Ponderosa,\u201d Adam said. \u201cShe\u2019ll like it there. She\u2019s used to being on a farm, and she\u2019ll have fun playing with Hoss and Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy\u2019s eyebrows went up. \u201cYou talked to your pa about this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can make decisions without consulting Pa,\u201d Adam huffed. \u201cBesides, he wouldn\u2019t turn away an orphaned little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy agreed, and the two men went inside. Adam went straight to Elizabeth\u2019s room. She squealed with delight and threw her arms around Adam\u2019s neck when he told her she would come home with him and Dr. Cartwright for a few weeks. Adam felt happier than he had in months.<\/p>\n

Adam let Josie sleep for a solid eight hours before he went back across the street to wake her up. He brought some venison stew and biscuits that the owner of the International House had sent over for the doctors and nurses. After the long sleep and the hearty meal, Josie felt like a new woman and accompanied Adam back to the boardinghouse, where they relieved Dr. Martin.<\/p>\n

That was the first night they had no new patients arrive at the boardinghouse, and Josie allowed herself to hope that the epidemic was slowing. Over the next five days, they received only two new patients, and most of those already in the boardinghouse recovered sufficiently to return home. Charlotte Larson offered to take Elizabeth to her house until Josie and Adam were ready to return to the Ponderosa, but Adam and the little girl enjoyed each other\u2019s company so much that they kept her at the boardinghouse, where she played with Pip and helped deliver tea to the patients. As the workload continued to lighten, she, Josie, and Adam would often entertain the remaining patients in the evening with songs and silly stories they made up. Elizabeth even decided that Dr. Cartwright was not so mean after all when one evening Josie presented her with a doll she had purchased during a quick run to the general store.<\/p>\n

Finally, in early November, after three and a half weeks, the last patient returned home, and Widow Hawkins was able to reclaim her boardinghouse. In all, the makeshift hospital had treated 117 patients, thirty-two of whom had died. Josie was proud of the eighty-five people they had been able to save, but her heart ached for every patient they had lost, especially her dear Margaret. Josie nearly sobbed with relief as she and Adam saddled up Scout and Sport and, swinging Elizabeth into Sport\u2019s saddle with Adam, headed home at last.<\/p>\n

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

Pip had run home with a note about Elizabeth\u2019s arrival, so Ben ensured that the downstairs guestroom was ready for the little girl. Hoss had ridden out to the Pearsons\u2019 farm to collect Elizabeth\u2019s clothes and a few toys, and the men had put all of these away in the drawers in the guestroom. Ben had been surprised to read Adam\u2019s note about the little girl, but he was pleased. Adam\u2019s enthusiasm had shone through his writing, and Ben was looking forward to seeing his son happy again, though he was filled with sorrow for the thirty-two people the epidemic had claimed.<\/p>\n

When Adam, Josie, and Elizabeth finally rode into the front yard, Ben was startled to see how thin his son and niece were. Adam had lost the weight he had regained after the summer\u2019s trial, and Josie appeared to have lost ten pounds off her already slim frame. Both of them slouched in their saddles as if they did not have the energy to sit up properly. Only the little girl seemed well fed and rested. She waited patiently atop Sport while Adam slid to the ground and reached up for her. Josie nearly tumbled off of Scout and gratefully handed the horse\u2019s reins over to Jimmy. She trudged over to the porch and fell into her uncle\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome home, Josie,\u201d Ben said, stroking his niece\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been so glad to be home,\u201d Josie admitted as she drew a deep, shuddering breath.<\/p>\n

Adam walked over to them with Elizabeth perched in his arms. \u201cHey, Pa,\u201d he said, shifting the little girl to his left side so he could shake his father\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood to have you home, son,\u201d Ben said, smiling. \u201cAnd this must be Elizabeth!\u201d He tweaked the girl\u2019s cheek. Elizabeth giggled and buried her face in Adam\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

Adam introduced Elizabeth to his father as well as to Hoss and Little Joe, who had wandered out to the porch when they heard Adam\u2019s and Josie\u2019s voices.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s get you all inside,\u201d Ben said, rubbing his arms vigorously. \u201cIt\u2019s cold out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam set Elizabeth on the ground and took her hand as they entered the house. Her eyes widened as she gazed around the enormous home; the living room alone was as big as the farmhouse she had lived in her entire life.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam led her into the guestroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is your room!\u201d he announced. He was pleased to see that Hoss had set out a few of Elizabeth\u2019s own toys in plain sight. She raced over to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy blocks!\u201d she squealed delightedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got your clothes in the bureau there, too,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth went over to the bureau and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out a blue gingham dress, buried her face in it, and inhaled deeply. \u201cStill smells like Ma\u2019s laundry soap,\u201d she whispered and burst into tears.<\/p>\n

Ben instinctively reached for the crying child, but Adam beat him to her. He scooped Elizabeth up in his arms and sat down with her in the nearby rocking chair, where he rocked her and spoke soothingly to her.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled sadly. He remembered how after the death of Little Joe\u2019s mother, Adam would often rock the then four-year-old in that very chair. Adam clearly had not lost a step in the past sixteen years, and Ben caught himself daydreaming of grandchildren. He shook his head to clear the thought and whispered to Adam that supper would be ready in a few minutes. Adam nodded as he continued to rock the weeping girl, and the rest of the family left the room.<\/p>\n

Josie made a beeline for the washroom, where she filled the bathtub nearly to the brim with steaming hot water. She sank into it and sighed deeply. She sat in the bath so long that Little Joe came upstairs and banged on the washroom door.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Josie! What happened? You drown?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes!\u201d Josie shouted back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell resurrect yourself and come have supper!\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie groaned and heaved herself from the bathtub. By the time she dressed and made her way back downstairs, Elizabeth was all cheered up and was chasing Hoss around the coffee table. Josie laughed as Hoss let Elizabeth catch him and tackle him to the ground with a ground-shaking boom.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, you two!\u201d Ben called. \u201cSupper\u2019s ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone raced to the table except Josie and Adam, who plodded to their seats. Hop Sing had roasted two chickens to celebrate the end of the epidemic and Josie and Adam\u2019s return home. After Ben blessed the food, everyone dug in. Ben suppressed a chuckle as Elizabeth gave Adam very specific instructions for the correct placement of the chicken, potatoes, and carrots on her plate. Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe tried to engage Adam and Josie in conversation, but it was apparent that neither of them had the energy for much beyond lifting food to their mouths. By the time Hop Sing served the pumpkin pie he had made for dessert, Josie\u2019s eyes were drooping. A few minutes later, her head dropped toward the table, and Hoss snatched her plate away just before Josie\u2019s face landed in her pie. Josie\u2019s head snapped up as soon as it hit the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d she shouted, her eyes wild. \u201cWhat is it?! It\u2019s ok! I\u2019m awake! I\u2019m awake!\u201d She blinked her eyes a few times, looked around at her very amused family, and remembered where she was. Ben, Hoss, Little Joe, and Elizabeth broke out in giggles, and even Adam joined in with a tired chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie,\u201d Ben said once he brought his own laughter under control, \u201cgo to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGladly,\u201d she replied. She excused herself from the table, kissed everyone goodnight, and headed upstairs, where she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep fully clothed.<\/p>\n

Once the dinner dishes were cleared, Adam took Elizabeth into her room and helped her change into her nightgown. As had already become their custom, he tucked her into bed and sang her a song \u2013 tonight\u2019s selection was \u201cCome Where My Love Lies Dreaming.\u201d Ben smiled as his son\u2019s voice drifted through the door and into the living room. Like Josie, Ben had missed hearing Adam sing.<\/p>\n

When the song ended, Adam kissed Elizabeth\u2019s forehead and headed back into the living room. Ben handed him a brandy, but Adam waved it away. \u201cBedtime for me, too,\u201d he said and started for the stairs.<\/p>\n

Ben grabbed his arm and turned Adam to face him. \u201cSon,\u201d he said, \u201cit\u2019s good to have you back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled; he understood his father\u2019s meaning. \u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d he said and turned once more toward his bedroom.<\/p>\n

When he heard Adam\u2019s door close, Little Joe turned to his father. \u201cHe saved that little girl\u2019s life, didn\u2019t he, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they saved each other,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

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

Everyone enjoyed the three weeks Elizabeth Pearson spent on the Ponderosa. The child still had bad moments as she continued to grapple with the loss of her parents, but she always had an honorary big brother or sister on hand to comfort her. She enjoyed chasing around the front yard with Pip and jumping out at Little Joe from around corners. She tried this on both Hoss and Adam, but Little Joe had the best reactions; he screamed louder than anyone else in the family. But Elizabeth\u2019s favorite pastime was following Adam around the ranch. This impeded his work a bit, but he managed to find little chores she could do to help him out. Elizabeth particularly enjoyed the day she spent helping Adam patch up some holes in a few of the line shacks. He handed her a paintbrush and a pail of pitch and told her to have fun. Josie shook her head when Adam and Elizabeth returned home that evening, and she saw the little girl was coated in the sticky resin.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you think I\u2019m<\/em> bathing her tonight, you\u2019ve got another think coming,\u201d Josie told Adam as he guided the filthy child into the house.<\/p>\n

It took Adam forty-five minutes to scrub all the pitch off of Elizabeth while Josie watched and laughed.<\/p>\n

Once Elizabeth finally emerged from her bath, her skin pink from all the scrubbing, Adam dressed her in her nightgown and carried her downstairs for a bedtime story. Elizabeth insisted he read to her in the living room rather than her bedroom so the entire family could hear the story, too, so Adam sat down in Ben\u2019s burgundy armchair, and Elizabeth snuggled up in his lap and rested her head against his chest. She would not let him begin reading, however, until Ben, Hoss, Josie, Little Joe, and Hop Sing were all seated quietly in the living room.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Adam said, opening a battered volume of fairy tales, which fell open to a familiar, much-loved story. \u201cThe Steadfast Tin Soldier,\u201d he announced and began to read.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth fell asleep in Adam\u2019s lap only halfway through the story, but Hoss insisted he finish the tale. When the story was over, Adam handed Hoss the book and picked up Elizabeth so her head rested on his shoulder. He carried her to her bedroom, laid her in bed, and pulled the covers up to her chin. He stood there for a moment, gazing wistfully at the sleeping little girl. After several long minutes, he kissed Elizabeth\u2019s forehead and left the room.<\/p>\n

The weeks followed in much the same pattern with Elizabeth tagging along after Adam like a tiny shadow. One day, watching Elizabeth riding on Adam\u2019s shoulders as he walked out to the barn, Hoss remarked to Josie, \u201cLooks like you been replaced, Little Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s what I get for growing up,\u201d she replied, smiling. There was something very fitting and natural about seeing Adam carry a little child around with him, and as much as she loved having the whole family living together at the ranch house, Josie thought perhaps it was time Adam moved on with his own life.<\/p>\n

The day in late November when Elizabeth\u2019s aunt and uncle arrived from Sacramento to claim her was a sad one for the Cartwrights. But when Elizabeth saw her father\u2019s sister step off the stage in Virginia City and screamed \u201cAunt Peggy!\u201d as she rushed into the woman\u2019s arms, they knew the little girl was going where she belonged. They all hugged her goodbye and wished her well. Elizabeth held onto Adam a long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna miss you,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll miss you, too, kid,\u201d Adam replied, blinking back tears. \u201cI\u2019ll visit you every time I come through Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPromise?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam kissed Elizabeth\u2019s forehead one last time, and lifted her into the stage beside her aunt. As they watched the stage drive away, Ben put an arm around Adam\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all right, son?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cShe belongs with her family. I have to admit, though\u2026 No, never mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s silly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cComing from you? I doubt that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled; his father knew him well. \u201cIt\u2019s just that part of me had hoped Roy wouldn\u2019t be able to locate her family. I had it all planned out. I thought I\u2019d adopt her and build us a little house down by the lake. Maybe Josie would like to live out there, too.\u201d He dropped his head in embarrassment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not silly, Adam,\u201d Ben said. \u201cThat\u2019s beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cI want a family, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you call us?\u201d Ben asked in mock bemusement as he gestured to Adam\u2019s brothers and cousin, who were chatting with one another a few feet away.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what I mean,\u201d Adam said, smiling as he kicked at a dirt clod.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, get on with it then. Do you have young woman in mind to assist you with this endeavor?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up at his father, a dopey grin spreading across his face. \u201cNo,\u201d he said and broke into a laugh.<\/p>\n

Ben laughed, too, and clapped his son on the back. \u201cYou\u2019ll just have to start looking, then. Come on, let\u2019s have lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

They turned around and rejoined the family, Ben\u2019s arm still draped across Adam\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n

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

Though they missed Elizabeth, the entire Cartwright family looked forward to Christmas. As it was only the first week of December, it was much too early to bring in a tree, but Josie and Hop Sing sat down one afternoon and began planning the food and drinks for the Christmas party. Josie wanted to try her hand at making her mother\u2019s famous minced pies, and Hop Sing had plans for a punch that would use rum instead of brandy, which pleased Josie immensely.<\/p>\n

Late in the evening of the twelfth, just as a light snow was beginning to fall, the Cartwrights heard a wagon thundering into the yard. Ben hurried over and opened the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Cartwright! Dr. Cartwright!\u201d a man\u2019s voice called from out of the darkness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsaiah?\u201d Ben hollered back. \u201cIs that you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah! We need Dr. Cartwright!\u201d the man replied urgently. Isaiah Jenkins and his wife, Ellie, lived in the mining camp, and Isaiah occasionally did odd jobs around the Ponderosa to earn a little extra money.<\/p>\n

Josie rushed outside with Ben to discover a hugely pregnant Ellie Jenkins panting in the back of the wagon. \u201cBring her inside!\u201d Josie ordered Ben and Isaiah.<\/p>\n

Ben pulled Josie aside. \u201cDon\u2019t you think she\u2019d be better off in your clinic over at the old bunkhouse?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Josie pointed to the moaning, crying woman. \u201cYou want to tell her she has to ride another half mile in the back of that wagon in the snow, or shall I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted. \u201cGood point,\u201d he agreed. After three sons, Benjamin Cartwright knew better than to cross a woman in labor. He helped Isaiah carry Ellie into the downstairs guestroom. They laid her down on the bed and Josie sent Little Joe for her medical bag.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long has she been in labor?\u201d Josie asked Isaiah.<\/p>\n

\u201cFew hours,\u201d the man replied, crimping the brim of his hat between his fingers. \u201cI wanted to come for you right away, but Ellie made me wait. Said babies take a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right,\u201d Josie said. She turned to her patient. \u201cEllie, how many babies have you had?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo,\u201d Ellie gasped. Another contraction seized her, and she cried out in pain. Josie felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck crawl, and she turned around to see Ben, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe, now clutching Josie\u2019s medical bag, staring at her wide-eyed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, everybody out,\u201d Josie ordered. \u201cExcept you, Hoss. I may need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grabbed Isaiah\u2019s arm and dragged him out of the room. Adam followed, but Little Joe stood frozen in place, clinging to Josie\u2019s medical bag and staring fearfully at the laboring woman. \u201cJoe!\u201d Josie snapped to get his attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d he asked, slack-jawed.<\/p>\n

Josie pried her bag from Joe\u2019s grasp. \u201cI need you to do a very important job for me,\u201d she said. \u201cI need you to go into the kitchen and start boiling pots of water. Lots and lots of water. As much as you can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk,\u201d Joe said stupidly and left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the hot water for?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor getting rid of Joe,\u201d Josie replied and turned back to Ellie. She knew a woman on her third baby would be likely to deliver a bit faster, and a quick examination of Ellie confirmed this. But when Josie felt the woman\u2019s abdomen, her brow furrowed in concern.<\/p>\n

Hoss noticed the change in Josie\u2019s expression before Ellie did. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Josie laid a gentle hand on Ellie\u2019s sweaty brow. \u201cEllie,\u201d she said softly. \u201cYour baby hasn\u2019t turned. I need to try to turn him. I\u2019m going to push on your stomach pretty hard. You won\u2019t like it, but I have to try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellie nodded bravely and clutched Hoss\u2019s outstretched hand. Josie moved into position next to Ellie, placed her hands on the woman\u2019s abdomen and pushed with all her might.<\/p>\n

Out in the living room, Isaiah Jenkins was drinking his way through Ben\u2019s brandy supply and pacing in increasingly crooked lines in front of the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy third one, and this don\u2019t get any easier,\u201d he slurred.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know the feeling,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Ben opened his mouth to offer up some words of encouragement to the drunk father, but just then, Little Joe came tearing out of the kitchen with a pot of boiling water.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie!\u201d he called excitedly, though he was several paces from the closed guestroom door. \u201cI got the water! I got the- oops!\u201d As he passed the dining room table, he tripped over a chair leg and fell hard to the floor, spilling the scalding water all over his lap. \u201cYow!\u201d he yelled and leapt to his feet. \u201cHot! Hot!\u201d Completely forgetting that they had company, Little Joe dropped his trousers to get the wet, burning fabric off of his skin. He stood there in his undershorts with his pants around his ankles and sighed in relief.<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam watched the scene unfold from their seats in the living room. Adam covered his eyes with one hand while Ben stared in disbelief.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d Ben barked. Little Joe turned toward his father with an innocent expression on his face. \u201cWe have a guest!\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe\u2019s wide-eyed innocence evolved into wide-eyed horror as he remembered the presence of Isaiah Jenkins, who was staring at him through glassy eyes. Joe grabbed his pants and yanked them back up. His eyes watered as the still-hot fabric connected with his legs, and he raced upstairs to his room for dry trousers.<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019ok, Ben,\u201d Isaiah said, swaying on his feet. \u201cI know you done your best with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Isaiah, that means a lot,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Adam rose to mop up the water when the three men heard a sharp cry of pain from the guestroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cEllie!\u201d Isaiah cried and staggered toward the door.<\/p>\n

Adam caught him. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Isaiah,\u201d he tried to reason with the drunken man. \u201cIf Ellie needs you, Josie will send Hoss out for you. Now sit down before you fall down.\u201d He steered Isaiah into the blue armchair near the fire, where the man sat wringing his hands. Sensing the man\u2019s distress, Pip rose from his position in front of the fireplace and sat down next to the armchair. Isaiah dropped his hand onto the dog\u2019s head and swirled one finger through Pip\u2019s wiry fur.<\/p>\n

In the guestroom, Josie was having no luck getting Ellie\u2019s baby to turn. She wiped sweat from her brow and looked over at Hoss. \u201cHe just won\u2019t budge!\u201d she exclaimed in frustration. She looked down at Ellie. The woman was pale, and her breathing was shallow. When Josie asked if either of her other two babies had been born breech, Ellie gazed up at her as if she did not know where she was or who was speaking to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Isaiah?\u201d she asked fuzzily. \u201cMy head hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie\u2019s stomach dropped at Ellie\u2019s last statement, and she made a quick decision. \u201cHe\u2019s just outside the door,\u201d she answered. \u201cI\u2019ll go get him.\u201d She beckoned for Hoss to follow her and stepped out of the room.<\/p>\n

All three men in the living room leapt to their feet when Josie stepped out of the guestroom with Hoss and closed the door behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe baby here?\u201d Isaiah asked excitedly. \u201cI didn\u2019t hear no cryin\u2019. It a boy or a girl? Ellie\u2019d be pleased as punch to have a little girl after two boys,\u201d he babbled, giving Ben a knowing wink.<\/p>\n

Adam could tell from the look on Josie\u2019s face that she was not bearing good news. He grabbed Isaiah\u2019s arm and steered him back to the armchair.<\/p>\n

Once they were all seated, including Little Joe who had returned wearing dry pants, Josie explained that the baby had not turned.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what?\u201d Isaiah said. \u201cLots of babies don\u2019t turn, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d Josie said. \u201cAnd while a breech birth is dangerous, a mother and baby can typically pull through it if there are no other complicating factors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEllie\u2019s got complicatin\u2019 factors?\u201d Isaiah asked in confusion.<\/p>\n

Josie looked up grimly at her uncle, who laid a hand on Isaiah\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYes,\u201d she said. \u201cI believe she\u2019s suffering from a condition called eclampsia. It happens sometimes; there are a number of theories why, but no one\u2019s really sure. But what it means is she has to deliver this baby now \u2013 right now \u2013 or she and the baby may very well not make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gripped the back of Isaiah\u2019s armchair with his free hand as terrible memories flooded his mind. Losing Elizabeth to childbirth had been bad enough, but to have lost Adam, too\u2026 Ben could not imagine the pain.<\/p>\n

Isaiah did not notice his host\u2019s distress behind him. \u201cSo deliver it already!\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bit more complicated than that,\u201d Josie said. \u201cBecause the baby hasn\u2019t turned, he isn\u2019t in a position where I can pull him out with my forceps. I need your permission to attempt a cesarean section.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam drew in a sharp breath. He had heard Jacob mention the procedure once or twice during his time in Washington, but even his uncle had never attempted one.<\/p>\n

\u201cA what?\u201d Isaiah asked, giving his brandy snifter a dirty look as if it were to blame for the strange words coming from the young doctor\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cA cesarean section,\u201d Josie repeated. \u201cIt\u2019s a surgical procedure for delivering a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isaiah understood the word \u201csurgical.\u201d \u201cYou mean you\u2019re gonna cut her open?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one way to put it, yes,\u201d Josie replied. \u201cI\u2019ll make an incision in her abdomen, remove the baby, and stitch her up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyebrows shot up. \u201cYou can do that?\u201d he asked in amazement.<\/p>\n

Josie nodded, though Ben could see it was not her usual confident affirmation. His niece had doubts about this procedure, but he knew that if she was suggesting it, then the mother in the guestroom was out of options.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut she could die!\u201d Isaiah protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she could,\u201d Josie agreed. \u201cBut this is the best chance she\u2019s got. If I don\u2019t at least try, you\u2019re going to lose them both.\u201d<\/p>\n

A stunned silence settled over the living room while Isaiah processed what Josie had told him. He looked up at Ben for help.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie,\u201d Ben said, \u201chave you ever done this before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Josie replied confidently. \u201cTwice. Successful both times, though every mother is different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded down at Isaiah.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Isaiah said, his shoulders sagging. \u201cGive it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Jenkins,\u201d Josie said. \u201cWould you like to see her first?\u201d<\/p>\n

Isaiah nodded and darted into the guestroom. The Cartwrights stayed in the living room to give him and his wife a few moments of privacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosie, have you really done this twice?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Josie looked up at her uncle indignantly. \u201cOf course I have!\u201d she huffed. Then quietly, she added, \u201cOn dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDOGS?!\u201d Ben shouted. The others immediately shushed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the same principle,\u201d Josie argued. \u201cAnd it\u2019s the only chance Ellie Jenkins has.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rested his hands on Josie\u2019s shoulders. \u201cI know you can do this, Josie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Adam,\u201d she said. \u201cCome on, Hoss, let\u2019s get started.\u201d She grabbed Hoss\u2019s elbow, and the two of them returned to the guestroom, from which Isaiah Jenkins made a reluctant exit. Ben guided him back to the armchair and gave him another brandy.<\/p>\n

Josie gave Ellie a quick explanation of the procedure, but the woman was too confused to understand much of what was going on, so Josie nodded at Hoss, who administered the chloroform to put Ellie out. Josie drew a scalpel out of her bag and let it hover over Ellie\u2019s abdomen for a moment. She took a deep breath and began her incision.<\/p>\n

Hoss had seen plenty of blood in his day \u2013 much of it his own \u2013 but he had never seen it drawn so deliberately. Josie had to pause frequently to wipe away the blood so she could see what she was doing. Her hands and apron were soon coated red. Her stomach churned with fear, but she forced herself to remain calm. At last, after what felt like hours but Josie knew could have been only a few minutes, she spotted the baby. She called Hoss over and handed him the spreader to keep the incision open as she reached in and lifted the tiny infant out of its mother\u2019s womb. Much to Josie\u2019s relief and delight, the child let out an ear-splitting wail. Hoss looked up at Josie, a huge grin spreading across his face and tears trickling from his bright blue eyes. Josie smiled back and gave Hoss instructions for cutting the umbilical cord. He gently removed the spreader from the incision and picked up Josie\u2019s surgical scissors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere you go, little one,\u201d he said as he snipped the cord. He carried the infant over to the washstand where he proceeded to clean her up while Josie stitched Ellie\u2019s incision closed. \u201cLook how tiny she is, Josie!\u201d Hoss exclaimed as he carefully wiped down the squalling infant. \u201cYou think I was ever this tiny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Hoss,\u201d Josie giggled as she continued stitching. \u201cI highly doubt you were ever that tiny.\u201d<\/p>\n

She finished her stitches, bandaged the incision site, and removed the chloroform rag from Ellie\u2019s face. \u201cCome on, Ellie, wake up,\u201d Josie whispered. She was pleased that Ellie\u2019s breathing and pulse were strong, and she prayed that she had delivered the baby in time to prevent further complications from the eclampsia. The chloroform wore off quickly, and Ellie blinked as she came to.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Cartwright?\u201d she whispered as she gazed up at Josie. \u201cMy baby\u2026 what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie nearly cried with relief. \u201cIt\u2019s ok, Ellie,\u201d she said. \u201cYou have a beautiful baby girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tears streamed from Ellie\u2019s eyes as a grinning Hoss handed her the swaddled baby. \u201cCome on, Josie,\u201d Hoss said, putting an arm around her shoulders. \u201cLet\u2019s go tell everyone the good news.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four men in the living room \u2013 five, counting Pip \u2013 had heard the infant\u2019s first cries and had raced to the guestroom door, where they were waiting anxiously when Josie and Hoss emerged. Isaiah nearly fell over onto Josie, but Little Joe grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him back.<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations, Mr. Jenkins,\u201d Josie said. \u201cIt\u2019s a girl!\u201d Isaiah broke into a huge grin as Ben slapped him on the back and congratulated him. Pip let loose with a few happy yips.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Ellie?\u201d Isaiah asked urgently.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs all right,\u201d Josie said. \u201cShe\u2019ll need to stay here a few days so I can ensure her incision doesn\u2019t get infected, but she\u2019s already cooing over your daughter in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isaiah grinned again and shoved his way into the room, slamming the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Ben handed Josie a brandy, which she passed to Hoss. \u201cWell done, Dr. Cartwright!\u201d Ben declared, slapping Josie\u2019s back so heartily that she stumbled. \u201cOh, sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well done, Dr. Cartwright!\u201d Adam echoed, his face beaming. \u201cI\u2019d hug you, but\u2026\u201d he gestured to Josie\u2019s bloody apron and hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Josie said slowly. \u201cAbout that. Uncle Ben, I\u2019ll buy new bedding for that room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam grimaced at that image, and Little Joe\u2019s upper lip curled up in disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d Josie apologized. Ben assured her it was all right, given the circumstances, and Josie excused herself to clean up, feeling happier than she had in a long time.<\/p>\n

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, including the new baby and her parents, Josie slipped back downstairs for a glass of milk. She was surprised to see Ben sitting in his burgundy armchair and staring into the dying fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben?\u201d she inquired softly.<\/p>\n

Ben jumped. \u201cSorry, Josephine. I didn\u2019t hear you come downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs everything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes, everything\u2019s fine,\u201d Ben replied, glancing up at Josie with a halfhearted smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a worse liar than Hoss, you know,\u201d Josie said with a smile. \u201cAnd he\u2019s a pretty bad liar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben chuckled and knew he was caught. \u201cJust lost in thought,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were you thinking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe night Adam was born,\u201d Ben admitted as he shifted in his chair. \u201cAfter what you did for Ellie tonight, I can\u2019t help but think if the doctor in Boston had known about that procedure\u2026\u201d He could not look up at his niece, who looked so very like his dear Elizabeth, so he stared into the fire again instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben, don\u2019t do this to yourself,\u201d Josie said. \u201cThat doctor probably did know about cesarean sections, but it wouldn\u2019t have saved Aunt Elizabeth. Her illness had weakened her too much to even carry Adam to term. She never would have survived the procedure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you aren\u2019t just saying that to make your old uncle feel better?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t insult me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie rose quietly and slipped into the kitchen where she heated up some milk on the stove, which was still hot from all the water Little Joe had boiled earlier that evening. She poured the milk into two mugs, dusted the top of each with a bit of cinnamon, and took them into the living room, where she handed one to Ben. He thanked her, and uncle and niece sat sipping their milk and watching the fire sputter. When they finished their drinks, Josie took the mugs back to the kitchen and set them in the sink and then returned to the living room and bid her uncle goodnight. Ben stood and hugged her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud of you,\u201d he said, resting his chin lightly on the top of her head. \u201cAnd not just for what you did tonight. I don\u2019t know how the boys and I ever got along without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie smiled, though her face was hidden by the front of Ben\u2019s dressing gown. \u201cThanks,\u201d she said, her words slightly muffled by the fabric.<\/p>\n

Ben kissed the top of her head. \u201cGoodnight, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight, Uncle Ben.\u201d Josie released her uncle and hopped up the stairs. As she made the left-hand turn on the landing halfway up, she saw Ben sit back down in his armchair to finish watching the fire die, and she suddenly missed her father terribly.<\/p>\n

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

Ellie Jenkins and her baby stayed at the Ponderosa for five days until Josie felt confident that her incision was healing well and would not become infected. As the Cartwrights helped Isaiah get Ellie settled in their wagon for the ride home, Ben asked the couple if they had decided what to name their little girl.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sure have,\u201d Ellie said, her face beaming.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell? What\u2019s the name?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Ellie looked proudly over at her husband, who puffed out his chest and announced, \u201cWe\u2019ve named her \u2018Josephine Elizabeth\u2019 after the doctor who saved her ma\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, how about that!\u201d Hoss said, his eyes sparkling.<\/p>\n

Josie blushed. \u201cOh, that\u2019s really not necessary,\u201d she sputtered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCourse it is!\u201d Isaiah exclaimed, looking slightly hurt. \u201cWhy, my Ellie would have died if it weren\u2019t for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recovering her manners, Josie grasped Isaiah\u2019s hand. \u201cI\u2019m honored,\u201d she said, her hazel eyes glistening. \u201cThank you for your faith in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isaiah patted her hand, bid goodbye to the Cartwrights, and took his wife and new baby home.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you like that, Josie?!\u201d Little Joe crowed. \u201cYou got yourself a baby named after you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I hope we don\u2019t get the two of you mixed up,\u201d Hoss ribbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith all the red hair that baby\u2019s got, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s too likely, Hoss,\u201d Adam said, tugging playfully on a lock of Josie\u2019s raven hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness for small mercies,\u201d Josie quipped. The men laughed, and the family went back into the warmth of their home.<\/p>\n

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

Their guests gone, the Cartwrights could begin preparing for their Christmas party that Saturday. Josie rode out with Ben to collect some pine boughs for decorating, while Adam accompanied Hoss and Little Joe to ensure they selected a tree of appropriate size this year. Josie and Ben returned home well before the others, and they enjoyed hanging the pine boughs without Adam\u2019s nagging about aligning them symmetrically.<\/p>\n

It was suppertime when the three brothers returned with the tree, so they set it up next to the fireplace and left it there untrimmed while they ate their meal. Afterward, the Cartwrights returned to their Christmas tree and sang carols as they decorated it. When they finished putting on the ornaments and candles, Hoss and Josie climbed to the staircase landing to attach the star like they had done the previous year. Josie clambered up onto Hoss\u2019s shoulders and leaned over the railing to place the star at the top of the tree. As her face drew near the tree, however, she caught a glimpse through the branches and saw a pair of beady black eyes staring back at her. Josie let loose a bloodcurdling scream and scrambled off of Hoss\u2019s shoulders and clung to his back so he was between her and the tree, nearly knocking him over the staircase railing in the process.<\/p>\n

The three Cartwrights on the ground, along with Pip, charged up the stairs toward Hoss and Josie, who was pointing toward the tree with the star still in her hand and sputtering nonsense.<\/p>\n

Adam reached her first. \u201cJosie! What is it? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d He pried her off of Hoss\u2019s back and set her on her feet on the landing.<\/p>\n

\u201cEYES!\u201d Josie shrieked, still pointing toward the tree. \u201cThere are eyes in the tree!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cartwright men exchanged puzzled looks.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t be no ice left in this tree, Josie,\u201d Hoss said as he rubbed at the fingernail marks Josie had left in his shoulders. \u201cIt\u2019s been in the house for hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie stared at him in bewilderment for a moment. \u201cNot ice!\u201d she exclaimed when she figured out Hoss\u2019s mistake. \u201cEyes! EYES!\u201d she pointed wildly at her own eyes, nearly poking one out with the sharp tip of the Christmas tree star.<\/p>\n

\u201cEyes?\u201d Adam asked, still confused.<\/p>\n

\u201cYES!\u201d Josie shouted in frustration. \u201cThat\u2019s what I said! EYES!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam exchanged a skeptical glance, but Ben stepped forward to inspect the tree anyway. He leaned over the railing and pushed aside some of the branches. He hollered in surprise and jumped backward, landing on Hoss\u2019s foot, as a squalling brown-and-black blur flew out of the tree and took off up the stairs and down the second-floor hallway.<\/p>\n

The room erupted into chaos. Barking madly, Pip tore off down the hallway after the creature. Each of the five Cartwrights started shouting orders at the other four, but all they succeeded in doing was tripping each other and falling into a precarious heap on the landing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it? What is it?\u201d Little Joe shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a raccoon!\u201d Ben shouted back. \u201cQuick! Catch it before Pip rips the bedrooms apart!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss disentangled themselves from the family pile and ran upstairs to the bedrooms while Little Joe ran downstairs and grabbed his gun off the sideboard. Ben sat up and rubbed his forehead where someone \u2013 he never would figure out who \u2013 had elbowed him as they all fell. Josie, meanwhile, was hopping from foot to foot yelling \u201cGet it! Get it! Get it!\u201d to her cousins. Hearing the commotion from the great room and thinking there was real danger, Hop Sing charged out of the kitchen, brandishing his cast-iron skillet like a club.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing help! Hop Sing help!\u201d he shouted as he raced up the stairs, leaping neatly over his employer, who was still sitting, dazed, on the floor. The cook dashed down the hall to where Pip, Adam, and Hoss were creating a horrible racket in Little Joe\u2019s bedroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t let that raccoon in my bed!\u201d Joe yelled as he, too, leapt over his father and ran, gun in hand, into his bedroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d Ben thundered in alarm. \u201cDon\u2019t fire that gun in the house!\u201d<\/p>\n

He was too late. The resounding blast of Little Joe\u2019s .44 nearly deafened everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou idiot!\u201d Adam screeched over Pip\u2019s barking. \u201cYou\u2019ll kill us all!\u201d Ben and Josie heard a scuffle from the bedroom as Adam wrestled the revolver from his youngest brother\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s getting away!\u201d Hoss bellowed.<\/p>\n

The terrified raccoon shot out of Little Joe\u2019s room and raced down the stairs. Josie screamed again as it scrambled over her feet. Pip led the pack as he, Adam, Hoss, Hop Sing, and Little Joe stampeded behind the animal, all four of the humans squawking different plans to one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorner him! Corner him behind Pa\u2019s desk!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, get him into the kitchen! We can close the door!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShoot it! Shoot it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOpen door! Open door! Hop Sing get bloom! Sweep him out of house!\u201d<\/p>\n

Deciding Hop Sing had the safest plan, Josie leapt down the stairs and opened the front door, ignoring the blast of icy air that rushed in and struck her. Hop Sing flew into the kitchen, exchanged his skillet for his straw broom, and dashed back into the great room, where the brothers and Pip had, in fact, managed to corner the growling, snarling raccoon behind Ben\u2019s desk. Working together at last, they made a human-and-canine wall to prevent the animal from darting back into the main part of the house while Hop Sing used his broom to shuffle the raccoon across the living room and out the front door, Pip growling all the while. Adam and Hoss slammed the door shut, then turned and slid down it to sit on the floor, their chests heaving. Pip trotted over to them and began bathing Hoss\u2019s face, while Adam reached one hand up and plunked Little Joe\u2019s revolver onto the sideboard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell!\u201d he panted. \u201cThat was\u2026 an adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

By this time, Ben had regained his feet, dusted himself off, and now made his way toward his youngest son.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright!\u201d he roared.<\/p>\n

Little Joe tried to cower behind Josie, but she reached behind her, grabbed the front of his shirt, and dragged him out in front of his father. Adam and Hoss grinned at each other and stepped into the living room to get a better view of the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa,\u201d Little Joe said in a small voice.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Hey, Pa!\u2019\u201d Ben sneered. \u201cFor twenty years I have worked to instill a sense of responsibility in you, and one raccoon gets in the house and everything I\u2019ve taught you goes slap out of your head! What in the world were you thinking, firing your gun in the house?! You could have killed someone!\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe hung his head like a little boy. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n

Ben grunted, his countenance losing some of its sternness. \u201cI should hope so,\u201d he grumbled. \u201cYou pull a foolish act like that again, and I\u2019ll turn you out into the snow.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAll right, then,\u201d Ben said. \u201cNow, let\u2019s get that star on top of the tree and hope we don\u2019t have any more unexpected visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The remainder of the decorating went off without the appearance of additional wildlife. When they were all finished, Josie helped Hop Sing make some hot chocolate, and then she snuggled up on the settee next to Adam as he read A Christmas Carol<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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

The Christmas party three days later was the largest the Ponderosa had ever hosted. After the influenza epidemic, the townspeople felt closer than ever before and were eager to come together to celebrate the holiday. There was sadness, too, though, as everyone felt the absence of those who had died. When Patience and Sally arrived, Josie pulled them into a tight hug. Their quartet was now reduced to a trio, and three survivors missed Margaret terribly.<\/p>\n

As the applejack and rum punch began to flow and the band began to play, however, everyone\u2019s spirits lifted. The guests roared with laughter as Adam and Josie regaled them with the tale of the raccoon in the Christmas tree, and several couples were surprised to discover they were standing under a sprig of mistletoe Little Joe had hung from the ceiling near the dining room, though Simon was less than pleased when Joe kissed his younger sister. He stamped over to them and ripped Rebecca away from Little Joe, giving his friend a scathing glare. Adam laughed as he watched the scene from across the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, how do you<\/em> like it?\u201d he muttered under his breath.<\/p>\n

While Adam basked in his Schadenfreude, Dr. Paul Martin approached Josie and congratulated her on her successful cesarean section.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to say, Josie,\u201d he told her, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have attempted it, but I\u2019m certainly glad you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you!\u201d Josie said, beaming at the compliment. \u201cI was terrified!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want all the details the next time you come into the clinic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Josie promised to give him a full report, and then went off to dance with Ben.<\/p>\n

Just as Josie and Ben finished off a lively dance, they heard a familiar voice resounding from the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, \u2018ello, Ducky!\u201d Widow Hawkins practically sang as she swept into the house. \u201cOh, it\u2019s so lovely to be \u2018ere in your \u2018ome!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s jaw dropped, and he gathered his niece and sons around him. \u201cAll right, who invited Widow Hawkins?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Pa, that\u2019s a downright unneighborly thing to say,\u201d Hoss chastised.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you say that, Hoss?\u201d Ben asked suspiciously. \u201cDid you invite her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCourse not, Pa, I wouldn\u2019t do that to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t look at me, Pa. She\u2019d be happy to sink her claws into me, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cPa, I avoid her whole end of town,\u201d Little Joe insisted.<\/p>\n

Four sets of eyes turned to Josie, who tried unsuccessfully to shrink into the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2026 It didn\u2019t seem right not to invite her,\u201d Josie said in a tiny voice. \u201cAfter all she did to help during the epidemic, opening her boardinghouse and all, and she sent a dish when Adam came home\u2026\u201d she trailed off.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Josephine,\u201d he admitted. \u201cShe certainly has been a good friend this year. I guess I better go and greet her.\u201d He turned to head over to the widow.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Little Joe cried in alarm.<\/p>\n

Ben looked back over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch out for the mistletoe!\u201d Little Joe pointed at the sprig of berries hanging near the dining room.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, goodness gracious,\u201d Ben muttered as he went to greet their latest arrival.<\/p>\n

Widow Hawkins was pleased to pieces to see Ben Cartwright approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Ducky, \u2018appy Christmas!\u201d she cheered. Ben moved to shake her hand, but the widow got right in his face and kissed his cheek. \u201cIt\u2019s so good to see you and under \u2018appier circumstances. Why, when your Adam showed up at my boardinghouse during the epidemic, I was so frightened \u2018ee\u2019d take ill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Josie was there, too-\u201d Ben began, but the widow cut him off.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the way \u2018ee \u2018elped that little girl, why, me \u2018eart just soared! I said to myself, \u2018Clementine,\u2019 I said, \u2018Now there\u2019s a young man \u2018oo\u2019s been raised right, \u2018ee \u2018as!\u2019 and I so wanted to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well, that\u2019s very kind-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when the good doctor \u2013 that\u2019s what we all calls \u2018er now, your niece \u2013 when the good doctor invited me \u2018ere to the Ponderosa, why I just knew I \u2018ad to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re delighted you could make i-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now, Benjamin Cartwright, are you going to stand around all night talking, or are you going to introduce me to your other guests?\u201d She linked her arm through Ben\u2019s and gestured toward the living room. Ben had no choice but to escort her in, though he was careful to give the mistletoe a very, very wide berth. Ben stuck with the widow for a quarter of an hour to avoid seeming impolite, but he passed her off on Sheriff Coffee at his first opportunity.<\/p>\n

Simon and Josie spent a good portion of the party catching up. Due to the epidemic, they had seen little of each other since Josie\u2019s birthday, and Simon expressed relief that Josie had made it through the epidemic without getting ill.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really worried about you,\u201d he said, tucking a lock of hair that had come loose from Josie\u2019s chignon behind her ear. Josie smiled at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe Cartwrights are a tough bunch,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that,\u201d Simon said, noticing Adam keeping a close watch on them from across the room. \u201cCome on, Josie, let\u2019s dance.\u201d He grabbed her hand and led her to the center of the living room.<\/p>\n

Simon and Josie danced song after song, pausing only long enough to grab another cup of punch or to laugh at Ben and Adam as they tried to avoid being cornered by Widow Hawkins. Adam fared better than Ben did in this endeavor. By the final number when Adam cut in on Simon to dance with Josie, Ben had spent most of the evening dancing with Widow Hawkins who, much to Ben\u2019s embarrassment, announced to all the guests how grand it was to be in the arms of a big, strong man again.<\/p>\n

At the end of the evening, as Ben and the Cartwright brothers headed outside to bid their guests farewell, Josie told Simon to wait a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have something for you,\u201d she said. Simon\u2019s eyes lit up as Josie scampered over the Christmas tree and pulled a small tin container from under it. \u201cIt\u2019s not much,\u201d she apologized as she handed it to him.<\/p>\n

Simon opened the tin, revealing a dozen miniature minced pies. \u201cThank you!\u201d he said. \u201cDid you make these?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Josie said, suddenly shy. \u201cIt\u2019s my mother\u2019s recipe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ll be delicious,\u201d Simon said as he replaced the tin\u2019s lid. \u201cI\u2019ll have to hide them from Pa, though, or I won\u2019t get any!\u201d He grinned at Josie, who smiled back. Then something caught his eye, and he looked up. \u201cOh,\u201d he said, blushing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Josie asked.<\/p>\n

Simon cleared his throat. \u201cWe\u2019re, uh, we\u2019re standing under the mistletoe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie looked up. Simon was right. They were directly under Little Joe\u2019s mistletoe. \u201cYou better check it,\u201d Josie said. \u201cThe plants my cousins bring inside tend to be full of wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon laughed and gazed at Josie, who stared back, a coy smile flitting about her lips. Simon set the tin of pies on the floor next to his feet and took Josie\u2019s face gently in his hands. He leaned toward her, and this time she did not turn away. Josie felt a little shiver shoot down her spine as their lips met, and she wrapped her arms around Simon\u2019s neck. When Simon finally drew back from the kiss, he rested his forehead against Josie\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Josie,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Simon.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stayed thus for several long moments until they heard a throat clearing loudly from just behind Simon. Josie and Simon jumped apart, and Simon experienced a brief, yet terrible, moment in which he was certain Adam was about to murder him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour folks is leavin\u2019, Simon,\u201d Hoss said, and Simon breathed a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Hoss,\u201d he said, smiling again at Josie, who giggled. He took Josie\u2019s hand and kissed her cheek. \u201cGoodnight, Josie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon grabbed his tin of pies and made a hasty exit, leaving Josie standing beneath the mistletoe, her face glowing.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice party this year,\u201d Hoss observed slyly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Josie agreed. \u201cYes it was.\u201d Hoss nudged her in the ribs, making Josie giggle as Adam came back inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a good party!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cDid you see the look on Simon\u2019s face when Little Joe kissed Rebecca?\u201d He laughed delightedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Josie said, biting back a smile. \u201cHe was furious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cI can\u2019t even imagine how angry you\u2019d be if you caught someone kissin\u2019 Josie.\u201d He and Josie broke into giggles, and Adam raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeeessss,\u201d he said slowly, thinking Josie and Hoss had drunk too much punch. \u201cAnyway, we should start cleaning up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josie was only too happy to distract Adam from the subject of kissing and dived into the cleanup, leaving Adam none the wiser.<\/p>\n

When Christmas morning rolled around five days later, Hoss and Little Joe had the good sense not to try to wake Josie up at four-fifteen again, and they let the family sleep all the way to five-thirty. Everyone was delighted with their gifts \u2013 Adam especially enjoyed the set of ebony chessmen from his father, and even Pip seemed pleased with the leather collar Josie had bought for him \u2013 but it was Adam\u2019s gift to Josie that stole the show that morning. After all the other presents had been opened, Adam handed Josie a large rolled-up piece of thick paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, just what I\u2019ve always wanted,\u201d Josie said wryly. \u201cParchment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnroll it, silly,\u201d Adam urged.<\/p>\n

Staring suspiciously at Adam, Josie pulled the string off the paper and unrolled it on her lap. She immediately recognized the technical drawing as a blueprint, but it took her a moment to realize what it was a blueprint for. Finally, she noticed the title at the top of the page: \u201cJosie\u2019s Clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d she sputtered, even as understanding descended upon her.<\/p>\n

Adam grinned. \u201cPa and I decided it\u2019s high time you had a proper clinic here,\u201d he said. \u201cEspecially after you delivered Ellie Jenkins\u2019 baby in the guestroom. You can\u2019t drag all your patients over to the old bunkhouse, especially if they have to come here first to find you. We\u2019re gonna build this new clinic just a quarter mile down from our barn. You\u2019ll be on the main road but also close to the house if you need anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe plans and the labor are your gift from Adam,\u201d Ben said. \u201cThe materials are your gift from me. Merry Christmas, Josephine.\u201d He smiled at his niece.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, I won\u2019t be able to start building until the spring thaw,\u201d Adam said. \u201cBut it\u2019s a pretty basic frame building, so it should go up quickly. I have a couple men in mind who will probably help me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Josie whispered, still staring at the blueprint. Then the reality of what she was looking at sank all the way in, and she leapt from her seat and squealed with excitement. \u201cThank you!\u201d she shrieked, throwing her arms around Adam and Ben at the same time. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to write to Papa and tell him! My own clinic!\u201d<\/p>\n

That was the moment Josie decided she would never return to the East. She was a Cartwright on the Ponderosa, and that was where she would stay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Ben Cartwright,\u00a0Family,\u00a0Hoss Cartwright,\u00a0Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: As 1861 draws to a close, the Cartwrights enjoy their first Christmas with Josie on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 But 1862 brings a number of challenges, from Adam disappearing in the desert to an influenza epidemic that threatens the entire town.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Simon Croft continues to express romantic interest in Josie, much to Adam’s consternation.\u00a0 Parts inspired by “The Crucible.”<\/p>\n

Rating: T\u00a0\u00a0 Word Count: 50,379<\/p>\n

A House United Series, links to stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8061,"featured_media":12946,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actionadventure","category-drama","wpcat-2-id","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1334,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/BONANZA-MARVIN-2-.jpg?fit=599%2C324&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11593,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=11593","url_meta":{"origin":12945,"position":0},"title":"The Hardest Goodbye – Book 1 of “A House United” (by Pulitzer2016)","author":"pulitzer2016","date":"September 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: As the Civil War approaches, Adam reflects on his college years and the relationship he cultivated with his younger cousin, Josephine. After graduation, Josephine and her parents visit the Ponderosa for a month of fun, after which Adam must say the hardest goodbye of his life. 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