{"id":13848,"date":"2007-01-27T08:57:11","date_gmt":"2007-01-27T13:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13848"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:10:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:10:14","slug":"thunders-echo-by-helenb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13848","title":{"rendered":"Thunder’s Echo (by HelenB)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 A WHN for the episdoe, The Thunderman.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (15,425 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Thunder’s Echo<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The earth shook with the force of the explosion. Joe coughed trying to clear the dust from his lungs. His eyes stung and he rubbed them, only succeeding in making them sting more.<\/p>\n

Suddenly the pain hit. Joe clutched at his head, feeling like his head itself was going to explode. He fell to his knees, his legs no longer able to support him and was violently sick. Taking deep breaths he tried to overcome the nauseous feeling. He was startled when he felt a gentle hand on his back.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up and stared at Adam in alarm as he watched his brother\u2019s lips moving but could hear no sound.<\/p>\n

Adam held onto Joe\u2019s arms as he sought to calm him. Joe turned his head slightly and Adam felt his stomach clench when he saw blood start to trickle from Joe\u2019s left ear. He gently turned his brother\u2019s head so he could look at the other ear. It was also bleeding. At that moment, Joe felt the wetness and wiped at it with his hand. The horror showed in his eyes when he pulled his hand away and saw the blood on his fingers.<\/p>\n

The pain in Joe\u2019s head wasn\u2019t decreasing, he felt like he was going to pass out and before that occurred, Joe wanted to make sure that Adam knew what had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it was Poole who killed Ann Wilson,\u201d Joe swallowed before continuing, \u201cHe killed Mrs Gibson as well. He tried to make it look like an accident but it wasn\u2019t. He killed her. She\u2019s in the house. I had to shoot him, Adam, he had nitro in his hand he was going to throw it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words had come out in a rush and Joe hoped that his brother had understood.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, guessing the nitro had exploded after Joe shot the man and that Joe had then been caught in the explosion. \u201cLie down,\u201d Adam said as he looked at his brother and tried to form his words clearly in the hope that Joe would understand him.<\/p>\n

Adam tried to maneuver Joe into lying down on the ground but Joe brushed his brother\u2019s hands away and shook his head. Joe quickly realized the movement of his head was a mistake. Blackness closed in and Joe slumped unconscious into his brother\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

Adam carefully laid his brother on the ground and ran his hands over the young man\u2019s body to check for broken bones. He sighed with relief at finding no other injuries, the head injury worried him enough.<\/p>\n

Adam looked around in frustration, worried about how he was going to get Joe home. He thought about taking Joe into the house but he knew he couldn\u2019t leave his injured brother alone while he went for help so the only alternative was to get Joe home to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Adam ran inside the house, stopping as he saw Mrs Gibson\u2019s body, he could see immediately that she was dead. He ran into a bedroom and grabbed two blankets. Going through the house again, he covered Mrs Gibson with one and then went to Joe and wrapped the other blanket around him.<\/p>\n

Adam ran to the barn, knowing Mrs Gibson had a carriage. He quickly harnessed the horse to it and led it over to his brother. As carefully as he could, Adam lifted Joe into his arms, placed him in the carriage and then climbed in beside him.<\/p>\n

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

Adam pulled into the Ponderosa yard and was calling for his father before the carriage came to a stop. \u201cPa! Pa!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben pulled open the front door, knowing by the tone of his eldest son\u2019s voice that something was wrong. \u201cAdam, what\u2026.\u201d Ben\u2019s words trailed off when he saw his youngest son slumped on the seat next to his brother. Ben ran to the carriage, reaching out to touch Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Ben stared in horror at the blood still slowly leaking from Joe\u2019s ears. The worried father raised his eyes to meet those of his eldest son. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d Ben asked anxiously, \u201cHow was he hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was caught in an explosion, Pa. Let\u2019s get him inside and I\u2019ll tell you what I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s worried eyes raked his young son\u2019s body and Adam said, \u201cHe doesn\u2019t seem to have any broken bones. I think it\u2019s safe to move him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded and reached into the carriage to take Joe into his arms. Adam jumped down and ran around to the other side. \u201cI\u2019ll take him Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s all right, Adam. I\u2019ve got him.\u201d Ben turned and quickly carried his son into the house. Adam went ahead to open the doors.<\/p>\n

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

Ben lay Joe gently on the bed and stroked the hair away from his face. \u201cHas he been conscious?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cFor a short time. I was on my way home and I heard the explosion.\u201d Adam had been away buying some stock. \u201cIt seemed close to Mrs Gibson\u2019s house so I went to check it out. Joe was conscious and coherent enough to tell me what had happened. He told me that Poole was the killer, Poole killed Ann and \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoole!\u201d Ben interrupted, sharply.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and continued, \u201cPa, Joe said Poole killed Mrs Gibson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben drew in a shocked breath and shook his head. \u201cThat poor woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know the whole story. We\u2019ll have to wait until Joe\u2019s able to tell us more but he said that Poole was threatening to throw nitro. Joe had to shoot him. There was an explosion and Joe was caught in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Adam and asked, \u201cIs Poole dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam replied, \u201che is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded and turned back to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d Adam rested his hand on his father\u2019s shoulder, \u201cJoe can\u2019t hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben bit his lip and then said, \u201cGo for the doctor, Adam. Tell him we need him here immediately.\u201d Ben hoped that Doctor Martin would be in town and not off somewhere at another ranch. \u201cThen go and see Clem Foster. Tell him what you know. Go out to Mrs Gibson\u2019s place if he needs you to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned worried eyes to his little brother. \u201cBut, Pa, I \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re worried, Adam,\u201d Ben broke in, \u201cBut there is nothing you can do for Joe right now. I\u2019ll take care of him and I\u2019m sure the doctor will know what to do to help him,\u201d Ben silently prayed he was right, \u201cand we need to know what happened out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and turned to leave, but Ben called, \u201cAdam, one more thing. Hoss is in town getting supplies. Tell him what\u2019s happened and that he\u2019s to go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Pa,\u201d Adam replied, he didn\u2019t say it out loud but he knew there was no way that Hoss wouldn\u2019t return straight home when he found out Joe had been hurt.<\/p>\n

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

Adam rode into town at a speed his father would have deemed unsafe. He was relieved to find Doctor Martin in his office and quickly told the man what had happened and what he knew of Joe\u2019s injuries. The doctor was soon on his way out to the ranch.<\/p>\n

Adam then went over to the Sheriff\u2019s office but Clem wasn\u2019t there. He walked around town trying to locate him, finally walking back to where he had started from, Adam saw Clem walking into the office.<\/p>\n

Starting across the street, Adam looked over at Miller\u2019s general store and saw the Ponderosa buckboard parked there. He debated whether he should go and tell Hoss about Joe first or go and talk to Clem. The decision was taken out of his hands when Hoss came out the door and saw him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d the big man called, \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked over and drew his brother down the street, out of earshot of other people before saying, \u201cSomething\u2019s happened, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked into his brother\u2019s eyes, fearfully. \u201cWhat?\u201d he asked, anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s been hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s happened!\u201d Hoss all but shouted.<\/p>\n

As quickly as he could, Adam told Hoss what had occurred at Mrs Gibson\u2019s house and the condition he\u2019d found Joe in.<\/p>\n

When Adam had finished, Hoss immediately turned and strode towards the buckboard. Adam grabbed his arm. \u201cPa wants us to see if Clem needs us to go out to Mrs Gibson\u2019s place with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his brother\u2019s hand off his arm. \u201cYou go,\u201d he said, \u201cI\u2019m going to Little Joe.\u201d Adam let Hoss go, knowing there was no way he could stop him. In truth he wished he could go with Hoss but he still had to go and see Deputy Foster.<\/p>\n

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

Once again Adam told the story of what had happened at Mrs Gibson\u2019s house. Sheriff Roy Coffee was out of town, Deputy Clem Foster was in charge. Adam was relieved when Clem said it wouldn\u2019t be necessary for Adam to accompany him out there. The deputy knew the Cartwright family well and he could see how anxious Adam was to return to his family. Clem said he could find a couple of men to go out to Mrs Gibson\u2019s with him and told Adam, \u201cAs soon as we\u2019ve finished out there, I\u2019ll call out to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cThanks, Clem. I\u2019ll let Pa know,\u201d he said, as he walked out the door and then ran to his horse.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss had driven the team hard and Adam caught up to him not far from the house.<\/p>\n

Ben had taught his boys that a man always looks after his horse before anything else but as they arrived at the house, both men had only one thing on their minds, Joe. Leaving the horses in the yard, they rushed inside.<\/p>\n

Ben had heard the horses run into the yard and now he heard feet pounding up the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d Hoss asked as he rushed into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill unconscious,\u201d Ben replied, worry evident in his voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss turned anxious eyes towards the doctor. \u201cDoc?\u201d he asked, questioningly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry but at the moment I just don\u2019t know how serious his injuries are. If it was a broken arm or leg, I could set it and tell you he\u2019d be fine but with a head injury it\u2019s just impossible to know what damage has been done until he wakes up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss knelt beside the bed and reached for his brother\u2019s hand, squeezing it gently. \u201cHe\u2019ll be all right,\u201d Hoss said, quietly, almost to himself. \u201cHe has to be. He just has to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bleeding from his ears has stopped,\u201d Doctor Martin said, wanting to give the family some encouragement. \u201cThat\u2019s a good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rubbed a hand across his eyes and fought to get his emotions under control. Wanting to be by himself for a while, he said, \u201cI\u2019ll take care of the horses.\u201d He walked out of the room and Ben followed him. Half way down the stairs, Adam was stopped by his father. \u201cAdam,\u201d Ben called, \u201cI thought you were going to go with Clem?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t turn around as he replied, \u201cHe said he didn\u2019t need us to. He\u2019s going to come out and see you after he\u2019s been to Mrs Gibson\u2019s. You didn\u2019t really expect me to stay away did you?\u201d Adam added quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ben shook his head, he knew his boys well, \u201cI didn\u2019t think you would.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took another step down and his father said, \u201cI\u2019ll call you if there\u2019s any change.\u201d Adam nodded abruptly, quickly finished walking down the stairs and out the front door. Yes, Ben knew his boys well. Where others outside the family thought Adam emotionless and cold, Ben knew his eldest son\u2019s feelings ran as deep as anyone\u2019s, he just found it hard to express those feelings. Ben had caught the tears in Adam\u2019s eyes before he had turned away in Joe\u2019s bedroom. He knew Adam sought solitude now to get those feelings under control.<\/p>\n

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

Two hours later, Adam returned to the house. Deputy Clem Foster came out to the Ponderosa to let the Cartwrights know that he\u2019d had the bodies of Mrs Gibson and William Poole taken to Virginia City. He had also collected Adam and Joe\u2019s horses from Mrs Gibson\u2019s and brought them with him to the Ponderosa. Clem then left quietly, leaving the family to their vigil.<\/p>\n

Hour by hour, day drifted into night and night into day, still there was no change in the young man who lay so still in his bed. Joe had not so much as moved.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin hadn\u2019t voiced his fears yet but he was beginning to believe that Joe would never wake. The others didn\u2019t need him to voice those fears though, that fear was already their own.<\/p>\n

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

They had all been taking turns talking to Joe, hoping to rouse him. They\u2019d managed to force some water down his throat but the doctor knew it wasn\u2019t enough. He watched as Adam once again tried to get water into Joe while Hoss supported him. Ben wiped away the water that spilled down Joe\u2019s chin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not getting enough water into him,\u201d Doctor Martin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can we do?\u201d Ben asked, anxiously. \u201cHe won\u2019t swallow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d the doctor nodded. \u201cWe could force some tubbing down his throat and that would allow us to slowly pour some water in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben visibly shuddered, not liking the thought of doing something that would cause Joe pain or distress. \u201cIs it dangerous?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

The doctor nodded. \u201cIt\u2019s something I would only do if I thought there was no other alternative. I\u2019d have to be very careful when inserting and removing the tubbing and we\u2019d need to go very slowly so that he doesn\u2019t choke.\u201d Ben looked uncertain and Doctor Martin continued, \u201cIf we don\u2019t do something soon, he will become severely dehydrated, his body won\u2019t be able to withstand that,\u201d the doctor paused, \u201che\u2019ll die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not something I want to do to Joe either, Pa,\u201d Adam said slowly, \u201cbut we have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish we didn\u2019t have to do it,\u201d Hoss said sadly, \u201cHe\u2019s defenceless now. He\u2019s relying on us to help him and we\u2019re goin\u2019 ta hurt \u2018im.\u201d Hoss\u2019 words were pain filled.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa and I feel exactly the same way, Hoss, you know that. But you have to tell yourself that we are doing this to help him,\u201d Adam added quietly, \u201cHe\u2019s unconscious, Hoss. He won\u2019t feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was sitting in a chair by his son\u2019s bedside. His older sons had tried at different times to get him to take a break but he had refused to leave. Hoss walked to the other side of the bed and picked up his younger brother\u2019s hand, squeezing it gently, he said, \u201cCome on, Little Joe. Wake up. Please just open your eyes for me. Please Joe.\u201d There was no response from Joe.<\/p>\n

Ben looked over at Doctor Martin. \u201cDo it,\u201d he said simply, and then he turned back to Joe.<\/p>\n

The doctor started to pull what he would need from his medical bag, the family kept their eyes on Joe. Suddenly Adam frowned, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him and then he saw it again. \u201cPa!\u201d he shouted excitedly, \u201cJoe moved his leg!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked down towards the foot of the bed and held his breath as he waited. When the movement happened again, three faces broke into relieved smiles.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, come on now,\u201d Ben encouraged, holding his son\u2019s hand and stroking the hair back from his forehead. \u201cYou\u2019re so close, you can do it. Come on, son, wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin had moved back to the bed and waited as anxiously as Joe\u2019s family. Joe\u2019s eyelids flickered and finally after what seemed to be a monumental struggle, he finally opened his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Joseph,\u201d Ben said lovingly, caressing the side of his son\u2019s face. \u201cHow do you feel?\u201d Ben looked at Joe\u2019s face and prayed his son could hear him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThirsty,\u201d Joe said softly, \u201cCan I have a drink?\u201d he barely managed to croak the words out.<\/p>\n

Joe began to wonder if his family had gone crazy when they all laughed and Adam and Hoss nearly knocked each other over in their rush to get to the water jug.<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned as Adam reached the jug first and started to pour some water into a glass. He was soon happy again though, helping to rearrange some pillows behind Joe, while Ben supported him. Once Joe was propped up a little bit, Adam handed their father the glass, Ben held it while Joe drank.<\/p>\n

When the glass was empty, the doctor stepped up to the bed. \u201cWell, young man, let\u2019s take a look at you. He carefully looked into Joe\u2019s ears and asked, \u201cCan you hear me all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe replied quietly, to the great relief of his family.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember what happened?\u201d Doctor Martin asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe said slowly, as he thought, he looked at his father, \u201cPoole was the killer, Pa. He killed Ann and Mrs Gibson.\u201d Joe\u2019s breathing quickened as he remembered what had happened.<\/p>\n

Ben sought to calm him. \u201cTry not to think about it, Joe. Just concentrate on getting well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin was trying to examine Joe but the young man kept weakly trying to brush the doctor\u2019s hands away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my fault, Pa,\u201d Joe said, clearly upset.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son,\u201d Ben replied comfortingly, \u201cYou didn\u2019t\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe cut his father off. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand. You know I asked Mrs Gibson if she knew that tune, New Orleans Woman?\u201d When Ben nodded, Joe continued, \u201cWhen I went over there, I found the sheet music for that song ripped up and thrown on the floor. Then Poole came in and told me that Mrs Gibson had been accidentally caught in an explosion and killed. I knew he\u2019d murdered her though, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, calm down,\u201d Doctor Martin said firmly. Joe didn\u2019t take any notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I hadn\u2019t asked her about that music she\u2019d still be alive. She told me she\u2019d heard it somewhere, she must have remembered and let on to Poole. It\u2019s my fault, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor shook his head in frustration and looked at Ben. \u201cHe needs to calm down. Now! I don\u2019t want to have to give him something to knock him out after he\u2019s been unconscious for so long but he can\u2019t go on like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gently pulled Joe to him and held him tightly in his arms, whispering, \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault, Joseph. I was the one who suggested you go over to Mrs Gibson\u2019s and ask her about the music. It\u2019s not your fault. It\u2019s going to be all right. Come on now, shhh.\u201d He slowly rubbed his son\u2019s back and it wasn\u2019t long until he felt Joe\u2019s body relax and Ben knew he\u2019d fallen asleep. Ben held his son a while longer and then carefully laid him down, arranging the pillows and blankets to make him comfortable.<\/p>\n

Ben turned to Doctor Martin. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he didn\u2019t let me do much of an examination but his hearing seems to be fine. The force of the explosion must have caused some temporary loss of hearing but that\u2019s settled down now. We\u2019ll need to keep an eye on him but I think he\u2019ll be all right. I better get back to town. I\u2019ll come out again tomorrow to check on him. Send for me if you need me before then. I\u2019ll leave some sleeping powders with you. Try to avoid using them if you can but use them if you have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The following day, Ben was sitting with his youngest son, talking about all that had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel so guilty, Pa. Like it\u2019s all my fault. If only I hadn\u2019t talked Mr Wilson into bringing Ann to my birthday party, they would all still be alive. Ann, Mr Wilson, Mrs Gibson, Pa, they\u2019d all still be alive!\u201d Tears pooled in Joe\u2019s eyes and he raised his left hand to wipe them away.<\/p>\n

Ben reached out to grab Joe\u2019s right hand and held it tightly encased in his own. \u201cDon\u2019t, Joseph. Don\u2019t take this on yourself. We talked about this after Ann died and we were looking after her uncle, remember? I told you that we all do things that we are sorry for but we can\u2019t torment ourselves over them for the rest of our lives. Joseph,\u201d Ben said, firmly, \u201cyou were doing a kindness when you asked Ann\u2019s uncle to bring her to your party. You had no way of knowing what would happen. You can not blame yourself, it\u2019s not your fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe turned away, making no reply.<\/p>\n

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

A week later, Joe was up and around, albeit on still shaky legs. He was still suffering from headaches so bad they made him physically ill.<\/p>\n

Walking down the stairs late that afternoon, Ben looked up as he heard the front door open. As his two eldest sons were about to call out a greeting to him, Ben raised a finger to his lips.<\/p>\n

Adam frowned and asked quietly, \u201cAnother one?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, grimly.<\/p>\n

While walking over to his sons, Ben looked at the clock, \u201cIt started about two hours ago. He\u2019s just gone to sleep.\u201d Ben sat down in his leather chair and shook his head. \u201cI just wish there was something we could do.\u201d When Joe first started suffering the headaches, Doctor Martin had told them that they could stop at any time but there was also a possibility that Joe would continue to have them for the rest of his life. \u201cI want one of you to ride into town tomorrow and ask the doctor to come out again. He might know of another doctor somewhere who might be able to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat down in the blue chair across from his father and steepled his fingers in thought. \u201cDo you think that Joe would be up to a trip, Pa? He can\u2019t even sit up when one of those headaches hits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have to see what Doctor Martin thinks. Hopefully we could get a doctor to come here. Cost is no object if we can find someone who could help your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ben looked up from his meal and saw Joe slowly walking down the stairs. He got up and pulled his son\u2019s chair out. When Joe reached him and sat down, Ben ran a hand across Joe\u2019s back and then took his own seat, asking, \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA bit better, thanks, Pa.\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you feel like something to eat, Little Joe?\u201d Hoss asked, \u201cWe\u2019ve kept yours warm in case you woke up. I\u2019ll get it,\u201d he said as he stood up.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks, Hoss.\u201d Joe replied quietly, \u201cI don\u2019t feel like anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to try and eat something, Little Joe,\u201d Hoss said with concern.<\/p>\n

Ben agreed, \u201cYour brother\u2019s right. At least try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without saying a word, Hoss left to get Joe\u2019s meal. When the food was placed in front of him, Joe toyed with his fork before finally starting to eat. After a few mouthfuls, he put the fork down, avoiding eye contact with his family who watched him worriedly.<\/p>\n

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

The next morning Adam rode into town to ask Doctor Martin to go out to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

After Adam rode back, he and Hoss had stayed around the yard and when Doctor Martin came out later that afternoon, they went inside to hear what he had to say.<\/p>\n

After examining Joe, Doctor Martin sat in the great room talking to him and his family. \u201cSo, you get no warning before the headaches start?\u201d the doctor had asked the same questions before but wanted to go over them again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe shook his head, \u201cOne minute I feel fine and the next the pain is so bad that I have to stop whatever I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what happens?\u201d Doctor Martin prompted, \u201cIs your vision clear when it happens?\u201d<\/p>\n

Once again Joe shook his head, \u201cEverything goes fuzzy and then black, I don\u2019t know where I am or what\u2019s happening around me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put him to bed,\u201d Ben said, \u201cafter a couple of hours sleep, the headache is mostly gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you are still getting the headaches everyday, Joe?\u201d the doctor asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe confirmed, \u201c And sometimes I have more than one a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry that I can\u2019t be of more help, Joe, but I just don\u2019t know of anything that might stop them. I\u2019ll contact some of my colleagues and see if they have any ideas or suggestions. It may take a few weeks though.\u201d Before Joe could ask, Doctor Martin continued, \u201cI know you want to start riding again but I just don\u2019t think that\u2019s wise at the moment. So, no, riding is out and no working, I want you to take it easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTaking it easy doesn\u2019t help,\u201d Joe snapped, \u201cI haven\u2019t done any work all week and they still keep happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben said reproachfully, \u201cIt\u2019s not the doctor\u2019s fault.\u201d He understood his son\u2019s frustration but couldn\u2019t allow rudeness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe apologized, \u201cI\u2019m just sick of feeling this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d the doctor replied. \u201cTry not to worry. They could just stop suddenly at any time but I\u2019ll go back to town now and get some letters written and we\u2019ll see what comes of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

A few days later, Joe was in the barn brushing his horse. He was chaffing at the confinement and his family\u2019s constant vigil of him. Joe had fought his father almost every step of the way to the barn. Ben constantly worried when Joe was out of his sight but he knew his son needed some time to himself though so he had finally allowed the trip to the barn.<\/p>\n

Joe frowned as he heard a sound, wondering if he was imagining things. He shook his head, \u2018No,\u2019 he thought, \u2018I can definitely hear it.\u2019 It was someone whistling a tune. A tune he knew. Joe\u2019s skin rose in goose bumps. The tune was New Orleans Woman.<\/p>\n

Joe looked around him, wondering where the sound was coming from. Suddenly the whistling stopped. Ben walked in and found Joe pale and shaking, frantically turning one way and then the other as if searching for something.<\/p>\n

Quickly going to his son\u2019s side, Ben asked, \u201cJoe, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you hear it?\u201d Joe asked, \u201cDid you hear it, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHear what, Joe?\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhistling,\u201d Joe frowned, \u201csomeone was whistling New Orleans Woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ben said calmly, taking Joe\u2019s arm, \u201cThere\u2019s no one here but us, Joe. You must have been mistaken. You\u2019re tired, come inside and \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his father\u2019s hand off his arm angrily. \u201cI heard it, Pa! I heard it!\u201d Joe threw down the brush he was using and walked away.<\/p>\n

Ben followed. Joe was walking around the surrounding area, obviously searching for the source of the noise he said he had heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, son,\u201d Ben tried again, \u201cYou know it\u2019s not possible. It\u2019s just your mind playing tricks. Things like that happen sometimes. You\u2019re overtired that\u2019s all it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was confused, now he was beginning to wonder if he really had heard the whistling after all. Joe returned to the house with his father.<\/p>\n

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

Hop Sing was in San Francisco visiting some relatives and wasn\u2019t due back for a few weeks. Ben had thought about getting someone else in but had decided they could manage on their own. Ben had cooked the meal that night and after they\u2019d eaten, Joe took some dishes through to the kitchen to make a start on the washing up. Putting the dishes down, he scrapped the leftovers onto one plate and took them out to the scrap barrel, as he turned to go back inside, he heard it again, the whistling. The same tune.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s there!\u201d Joe shouted.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Hoss had gone into the kitchen to give Joe a hand. Finding no one there, he went outside in search of his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d he called, \u201cLittle Joe, are you out here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe swung around at the sound of his brother\u2019s voice. \u201cHoss, did you hear it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHear what, little brother?\u201d Hoss asked when he reached Joe. \u201cWhat are you doin\u2019 out here in the dark?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard someone whistling New Orleans Woman, Hoss. I heard it earlier, too, I know I did,\u201d Joe replied firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t hear nothin\u2019, Joe,\u201d Hoss said honestly, \u201cand who\u2019d be out here whistling. Have you been eating that loco weed?\u201d Hoss joked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re as bad as Pa!\u201d Joe shouted angrily, \u201cI\u2019m not crazy. I know what I heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ben and Adam were at Ben\u2019s desk working on a contract when Joe stormed inside and walked up the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben called, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss came running into the room, calling, \u201cLittle Joe, wait! I\u2019m sorry, I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Their only reply was the slamming of Joe\u2019s bedroom door.<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam turned their eyes to Hoss, who hung his head down guiltily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe wasn\u2019t in the kitchen so I went outside looking for him. When I found him, he asked me if I had heard whistling\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew Orleans Woman?\u201d Ben interrupted.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and Adam looked from one to the other. \u201cWhat\u2019s this about?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarlier today when Joe was in the barn, he said he heard someone whistling that tune,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you hear it?\u201d Adam asked his father. Ben shook his head and Adam looked over at his brother. \u201cWhat about you, Hoss, did you hear anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t,\u201d Hoss replied, flushing guiltily he continued, \u201cI told Joe he must have been eating loco weed. I was only joking,\u201d he rushed on to say, \u201cbut I shouldn\u2019t have said it. That\u2019s what made Joe so mad.\u201d He looked at his father, \u201cJoe told me I was as bad as you and stormed off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cI told Joe he was just tired and imagining things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he really did hear it?\u201d Hoss asked, \u201cIt ain\u2019t like Joe to be hearin\u2019 things that aren\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem likely,\u201d Ben replied quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t hurt to ask the hands,\u201d Adam said, \u201cI\u2019ll go out to the bunkhouse and ask. They may think it\u2019s a strange question to be asking them but as least we\u2019ll know, one way or the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam went out to talk to the men and when he came back in, he shook his head slowly. \u201cIt was none of the men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019s nothing to worry about,\u201d Ben said, trying to convince himself as well as his sons, \u201cHe\u2019ll be fine tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Breakfast was quiet the next morning. Joe was still angry and refused to listen to Hoss\u2019 apology.<\/p>\n

Later, after Adam and Hoss had left for work, Ben sat at his desk. Joe hated feeling like he was being watched but with the severe headaches and blackouts he\u2019d been having, Ben wouldn\u2019t leave him at the house alone.<\/p>\n

Still thinking about what he had heard the day before, Joe walked towards the barn. As he got closer, someone stepped out from behind the side of it. Joe looked at the man in shock and confusion. \u201cPoole,\u201d Joe whispered. The man smiled and waved before turning and running out of sight.<\/p>\n

Joe started to follow but suddenly a headache struck and sent him to his knees. Joe stumbled to his feet, fighting the darkness that was closing in on him. He felt hands trying to grab him and pushed them away. \u201cPoole!\u201d Joe shouted, lashing out with his fists.<\/p>\n

The pain intensified and Joe could no longer stay on his feet. Joe started to sway and this time didn\u2019t feel the hands that reached for him again.<\/p>\n

Ben lowered Joe to the ground and knelt with Joe\u2019s head in his lap. \u201cOh, Joseph, what are we going to do?\u201d he said worriedly to himself, gently stroking Joe\u2019s forehead.<\/p>\n

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

Ben managed to get Joe up to his room and into bed. He sat with his son until he heard horses ridden into the yard. Looking out the window and seeing it was Adam and Hoss, he went downstairs to talk to them.<\/p>\n

Ben walked into the barn where his elder sons were unsaddling their horses. \u201cHello, boys,\u201d he said, \u201cHow was your day?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine, Pa,\u201d Adam replied. Turning to greet his father, he stared in shock, \u201cPa, what happened to your eye?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho hit you?\u201d Hoss asked, angrily. Ben\u2019s eye was swollen and bruised.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe had a bad headache again today, when I went to help him, he was confused. He didn\u2019t know it was me with him,\u201d Ben said, quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe hit you?\u201d Adam asked, shocked.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cLike I said, he didn\u2019t know it was me.\u201d Ben knew he had to tell them all of it. \u201cI think he thought I was Poole. He shouted that name just before he hit me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss were silent for a moment and then Adam asked, \u201cPa, do you think we should get the doctor out to take a look at Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. I just don\u2019t know what to do. I think he still blames himself for the deaths of Ann and her uncle and now Mrs Gibson. It\u2019s on his mind all the time. I don\u2019t think there is anything a doctor can do to help but then we can\u2019t just stand by and do nothing when Joe seems to be getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Joe say after he found out he hit you?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe hasn\u2019t woken up yet,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cWe still have that to face.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

An hour later, Ben was back sitting with Joe in his room while Adam and Hoss were downstairs. Ben knew Joe would be upset when he saw his father\u2019s black eye and learnt how the man had gotten it and Ben wanted to talk to him alone.<\/p>\n

Joe started to move restlessly and finally woke.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe\u2019s hand reached out and grabbed his father\u2019s arm, he said one word, \u201cPoole.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben leant forward. \u201cWhat do you mean, son? What about Poole?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was here, Pa. I saw him. He\u2026.\u201d Joe broke off, \u201cWhat happened to your eye?\u201d Joe asked as he stared at his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nothing, son. It doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Ben tried to brush Joe\u2019s concern away, he himself worried about something else. \u201cWhat do you mean, Poole was here, Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it sounds impossible,\u201d Joe said urgently, \u201cbut I saw him, Pa. Out by the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming into the room to check if his father needed anything, Adam was at first relieved to see Joe awake and then concerned when he overheard the conversation.<\/p>\n

Joe saw the troubled look that passed between his father and eldest brother and his temper flared. \u201cI know you don\u2019t believe me and I don\u2019t know how it\u2019s possible but I am telling you what I saw!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly did you see?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no point in telling you more,\u201d Joe snapped, \u201cI\u2019ve already told you and you don\u2019t believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss had heard Joe\u2019s voice and went upstairs, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked, coming into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe says he saw Poole,\u201d Adam answered him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026.\u201d Hoss started.<\/p>\n

Joe cut him off. \u201cThere\u2019s no point in talking to any of you. I\u2019ve told you what I saw, I can\u2019t do more than that. I can\u2019t make you believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCalm down, little brother,\u201d Hoss said as he sat on the edge of Joe\u2019s bed. \u201cYou saw Poole die. You saw his body. You know he\u2019s dead. Whoever you saw, Little Joe, it wasn\u2019t Poole.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head, his eyes showing his own confusion. \u201cCommon sense tells me that he\u2019s dead but I saw him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get a good look at this person?\u201d Adam asked, \u201cMaybe there was just something about them that reminded you of Poole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw his face,\u201d Joe said, firmly. \u201cIt was him. He smiled at me and waved. Then he ran out of sight around the side of the barn. I started to chase after him and\u2026\u201d Joe\u2019s words trailed off, as he was unable to recall what had happened after that. Joe rubbed at his head, \u201cI don\u2019t remember what happened after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wanted Joe to understand that he was confused about what he\u2019d seen and he told Joe, \u201cPa found you near the barn. You didn\u2019t know who he was. You thought he was Poole. You\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Ben snapped. \u201cThat\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has to know,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t Poole he was fighting, it was you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hit you?\u201d the words were spoken quietly but the shock in Joe\u2019s voice was plain.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss both shot Adam a glare and Adam avoided their eyes, feeling guilty enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Pa,\u201d Joe said, shocked at learning what he\u2019d done.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing to be sorry about. It was an accident, Joe. You didn\u2019t realize it was me. I know you didn\u2019t mean it, don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d Ben comforted, \u201cIt\u2019s nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember,\u201d Joe was clearly confused, \u201cWhy can\u2019t I remember hitting my own father? Pa, what\u2019s happening to me?\u201d Joe\u2019s hands were clenched, \u201cI feel like I\u2019m going crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say that,\u201d Ben stroked Joe\u2019s arm, \u201cDon\u2019t even think something like that. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s an answer to this. We\u2019ll sort it out. You just try not to worry.\u201d Ben continued to talk to Joe until he finally went back to sleep. Ben, Adam and Hoss then went downstairs to talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we need to ask Doctor Martin to come out,\u201d Adam said, seeing his father about to protest, Adam continued, \u201cPa, Joe is hearing and seeing things that aren\u2019t there. He is getting worse not better. We need to get a doctor\u2019s opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded reluctantly. \u201cRide in tomorrow and ask him to come out.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The next morning, Ben, Adam and Hoss were eating breakfast before Adam left to ride into town. There was a knock on the door. Adam opened the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d one of the ranch hands said, frantically, \u201cthere\u2019s a fire in the North pasture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss both jumped up. \u201cI\u2019ll saddle the horses,\u201d Hoss said and ran out to the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet going,\u201d Adam told the hand, \u201cRound up as many men as you can. We\u2019ll catch up.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the man left, Adam turned to his father, \u201cAre you coming with us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. \u201cI can\u2019t leave Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Joe asked, walking down the stairs still wearing his nightshirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a fire in the North pasture, your brothers are just leaving to go out there now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe knew that if the wind got behind the fire, the damage it could do would be massive. \u201cYou go too, Pa,\u201d Joe said, firmly. \u201cIt\u2019s bad enough that I can\u2019t help out. You need to go.\u201d Joe knew there was no way his family would let him go with them, they would spend more time keeping an eye on him rather than fighting the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I can\u2019t\u2026\u201d Ben started.<\/p>\n

Joe cut him off. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about me, Pa. I\u2019ll stay in bed. If I do get a headache, I\u2019ll be in bed and it won\u2019t matter.\u201d Ben didn\u2019t look convinced and Joe added, \u201cPlease, Pa. I don\u2019t want us to lose everything because of me. You\u2019re needed there. I\u2019ll be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben knew that if he didn\u2019t go and the fire wasn\u2019t stopped, unreasonable as it would be, Joe would blame himself. \u201cSaddle my horse,\u201d he said to Adam, who nodded and quickly left.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Joe,\u201d Ben said, \u201cLet\u2019s get you back to bed.\u201d He put his hand on his son\u2019s back as they went up the stairs.<\/p>\n

When he got Joe back in bed, Ben was ready to leave. \u201cI won\u2019t be long. I\u2019ll come back as soon as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPromise me that you will stay in bed, Joe,\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded again and said, \u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

It was four hours later when Ben rode into the Ponderosa ranch yard.<\/p>\n

The fire was out. Adam and Hoss had stayed there with some of the men to make sure they didn\u2019t miss any burning embers.<\/p>\n

Leaving his horse, Ben rushed inside and upstairs to check on Joe. He quietly opened the bedroom door in case Joe was asleep and was shocked to see an empty bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat boy,\u201d Ben mumbled to himself, \u201cWill he never learn to do as he\u2019s told.\u201d<\/p>\n

The worried father walked out of the room, calling, \u201cJoseph! Joseph! Where are you!\u201d He walked down the stairs and through the kitchen, still calling for his son. He received no answer.<\/p>\n

Ben walked out to the barn, praying he would find Joe\u2019s horse there. His heart sank when he saw that Cochise\u2019s stall was empty. Ben walked around to the corral in case Joe had turned the horse out there but Cochise wasn\u2019t there either. Ben slammed his hand down on the rail. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have left him,\u201d he muttered to himself.<\/p>\n

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

Two hours later, Ben met up with Adam and Hoss as they rode home.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Hoss called when he saw his father riding towards them, \u201cWhat are you doin\u2019 out here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking for your brother,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat!\u201d Adam asked, shocked, \u201cWhy isn\u2019t he at home? Where is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019d like to know,\u201d Ben replied, both worry and anger lacing his words. \u201cWhen I got home, he wasn\u2019t there. I\u2019ve been out searching for him since then.\u201d Ben clenched the reins tightly, \u201cI\u2019m worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

With darkness descending upon them, Ben\u2019s worry was growing. They had decided to ride back to the house in the hope that Joe had returned.<\/p>\n

As they rode up to the house, a man stepped down from the porch and called, \u201cHello, Mr Cartwright, I\u2019ve been waiting for you.\u201d It was Deputy Sheriff Clem Foster.<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights dismounted and Ben asked, \u201cClem, what are you doing out here?\u201d Intuition told Ben it was bad news.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need you to come into town, Mr Cartwright,\u201d the deputy said, \u201cIt\u2019s Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s happened?\u201d Ben asked, anxiously. \u201cIs he all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr Cartwright, I don\u2019t know any way to tell you this other than just to tell you straight out. I\u2019ve got Joe locked up in my jail. He murdered Lucy Myers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat!\u201d Ben shouted, \u201cThat\u2019s utterly ridiculous!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mr Cartwright, but there\u2019s no doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no doubts either,\u201d Ben\u2019s voice rose even louder, \u201cI have no doubt that my son didn\u2019t murder anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glared at Deputy Foster and asked, \u201cWhy do you think it was Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLucy was at home alone today,\u201d Clem Foster told the family, \u201cWhen her parents returned from town they found her dead in the house. She\u2019d been stabbed. Joe was lying next to her on the floor, unconscious, the knife in his hand. He had her blood all over him. He\u2019s lucky Tom Myers didn\u2019t kill him there and then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben drew in a deep breath, trying to calm down.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr Cartwright,\u201d Deputy Foster said, hesitantly, \u201cBefore Lucy was killed, she was \u2026.\u201d the deputy paused, uncomfortably, \u201cWell, she was attacked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow dare you!\u201d Ben raged, when he realized what the sheriff was hinting at. \u201cYou know Joseph, how can you believe my son capable of such filth. Get off my land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d Adam put a hand on his father\u2019s arm and asked the deputy, \u201cWhat does Little Joe say happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe says he doesn\u2019t remember. He\u2019s not making much sense, actually. I\u2019ve had Doctor Martin over to the jail to check him out.\u201d Clem was worried about how Ben would take his next piece of news. \u201cMr Cartwright, Joe told me that the last thing he remembers was seeing Poole in his room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deputy Clem Foster saw the look that passed between the three Cartwrights. \u201cYou don\u2019t seem surprised to learn that Joe is seeing dead men,\u201d Clem said, wondering what was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Joe say happened after that?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe says he remembers a struggle and that Poole pulled a gun on him. After that he says he doesn\u2019t remember much except a pain in his head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever\u2019s happened, Joe ain\u2019t murdered anyone,\u201d Hoss said, his faith in his brother unshakable, no matter what the evidence, \u201cAnd he\u2019d never touch a woman like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement. \u201cWe need to get into town and get this mess sorted out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you see Joe,\u201d Clem Foster said and took a step back as though worried one of the Cartwrights would strike him, \u201cDoctor Martin sedated him. He says Joe\u2019s delusional.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t say another word as anger consumed him. He just turned, mounted his horse and rode towards Virginia City. Adam and Hoss followed.<\/p>\n

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

Deputy Clem Foster led the men into the jail, the second deputy jumped to his feet anxiously as the door opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cClem,\u201d said Deputy Mark Richards, \u201cI\u2019m sure glad your back. There\u2019s been talk by some of the men about taking matters into their own hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I want to see my son,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Clem Foster nodded to Mark Richards. \u201cLet them through,\u201d he turned back to Ben, \u201cI\u2019m sorry about this Mr Cartwright, but rules are rules. Your guns stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you doing this, Clem?\u201d Ben asked, \u201cI thought you knew Joe better than to believe him capable of something like this. Are you trying to prove your authority because Joe questioned your competency when you were unable to find Ann\u2019s killer?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clem scowled. \u201cThat has nothing to do with my arrest of Joe, Mr Cartwright. Right now the evidence points to Joe. I\u2019m just doing my job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without a word, Ben, Adam and Hoss removed their gunbelts, the dark looks the family shot at the deputy though left him in no doubt how angry they were at him. They followed Deputy Richards into the cell area.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes went immediately to Joe who was asleep on one of the beds in a cell. Doctor Martin was sitting in a chair in the same cell. Deputy Richards opened the cell door so they could go in.<\/p>\n

Ben squatted down beside the bed and gently tried to wake his son. When he got no response he looked questioningly at the doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve given him a powerful sleeping draught. He\u2019ll probably sleep for a few more hours yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you believe this rubbish Clem Foster is saying, that Joseph killed that girl?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder normal circumstances, I would say of course not,\u201d Ben frowned, starting to think he was not going to like what the man said, the doctor continued, choosing his words carefully, \u201cBut there have been cases where after a severe head injury someone\u2019s personality has completely changed. I\u2019m sorry, but I do believe it might be possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph would never do what they are accusing him of. Never!\u201d Ben said, furiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe seems to have some kind of obsession with William Poole,\u201d the doctor said, \u201cWhen Joe was brought in here, he was out of it. I can only guess that he was struck by another headache. When I was examining him, he woke up. He just kept going on about Poole. He said that he\u2019d seen Poole, talked to him. The doctor looked at the family sadly, \u201cThat\u2019s not rational. You have to admit that there is something seriously wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben seemed to be ignoring the doctor\u2019s words. He was gently stroking the hair away from Joe\u2019s forehead when he saw a bruise and abrasions where it had bleed near his temple, a lump had formed there. \u201cWhat happened here?\u201d Ben asked, looking over at Doctor Martin. \u201cHow did he get this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin shook his head. \u201cI did see that. I cleaned the area up. I don\u2019t know for sure how it happened. It might have occurred when Joe blacked out, he could have hit his head when he fell or \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the doctor\u2019s voice trailed off, Adam asked, \u201cOr what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr Lucy might have hit him, trying to fight him off,\u201d Doctor Martin said, quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s already guilty in your mind, ain\u2019t he!\u201d Hoss snapped. \u201cAre you going to help Clem Foster build the gallows!\u201d Hoss\u2019 face was red with rage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Hoss,\u201d Adam said, trying to calm his brother. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what they think, we know Joe didn\u2019t do it and we have to concentrate on finding a way to prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was just as angry as Hoss but he knew that letting Hoss pound the living daylights out of Clem Foster or Doctor Martin wouldn\u2019t help the situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out,\u201d Ben said angrily to Doctor Martin, then turned away from the man.<\/p>\n

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

It was another two hours before Joe woke. He blinked sleepily, trying to focus on his father. Ben had been sitting on the other bunk across from Joe with his two older sons, when they had noticed Joe starting to move around. Ben immediately went to squat beside the bed again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Ben comforted when Joe\u2019s eyes opened, \u201cYour brothers and I are with you now. It\u2019s going to be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was struggling to sit up, Ben helped him and then sat beside him. Ben\u2019s arm rested comfortingly and supportively around Joe\u2019s waist, his hand gently rubbing Joe\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

Joe looked over at his brothers. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019ve dragged you all into now. Pa,\u201d he looked at his father, \u201cwhat Clem\u2019s saying. I didn\u2019t \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben quickly cut him off. \u201cJoseph, I know you didn\u2019t. The three of us are as confused as you as to what happened but we know you are innocent. I don\u2019t want you to doubt that for a second.\u201d Ben looked into Joe\u2019s eyes to make sure he understood, \u201cWe know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s for dang sure, little brother,\u201d Hoss said, firmly, \u201cAnd don\u2019t you go frettin\u2019, we\u2019ll get this all sorted out, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d Joe coughed, as he spoke and rubbed his throat.<\/p>\n

Hoss grabbed the canteen they\u2019d asked Clem to get for them. He pulled the stopper out and handed it to his brother. \u201cHere ya go, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe drank greedily, thankful to sooth his dry throat. He managed to smile slightly as he handed it back. \u201cThanks, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo ya want me to get you somethin\u2019 to eat?\u201d Hoss asked, wanting to do anything that would help his brother to feel better.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thanks, Hoss. I don\u2019t think I could keep any food down,\u201d Joe replied, honestly, his stomach roiling at the mere thought of food.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were you going to say, Joe?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Joe was silent for a moment and then he said, \u201cThe three of you believing in me means everything to me. I want you to know that. I don\u2019t think I could stand it if you thought I was guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss tapped his little brother\u2019s knee. \u201cWell, you don\u2019t have to worry about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and Ben prompted, \u201cBut?\u201d he asked, sensing there was more Joe wanted to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou believing in me won\u2019t help much if everyone else thinks I\u2019m guilty,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d Ben started, searching for words that might comfort.<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cI know what they\u2019re saying, Pa.\u201d Joe looked into his father\u2019s eyes and the worried father clearly saw his son\u2019s distress.<\/p>\n

\u201cLucy and I went to school together, Pa. We were friends. I\u2019d never hurt her but her parents believe I killed her. That I \u2026.\u201d Joe\u2019s voice trailed off and his face turned pale.<\/p>\n

\u201cBucket!\u201d Ben called out.<\/p>\n

Adam quickly grabbed the bucket that had been left in case Joe needed it. Joe was still retching long after there was nothing left to bring up.<\/p>\n

Ben kept up a continuous one sided conversation. \u201cThat\u2019s it, Joe. Deep breaths. That\u2019s it. You\u2019re doing fine, son. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, Joe was able to lift his head. Hoss handed Ben the canteen and Ben wet his bandana, wiping Joe\u2019s face, he asked, \u201cHow do you feel? Do you want us to get the doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cNo, I\u2019ll be all right.\u201d Ben handed him the canteen and Joe rinsed his mouth out before taking a drink.<\/p>\n

After Joe handed the canteen back, Ben noticed him rubbing his head and frowning. \u201cDo you have a headache?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not really,\u201d Joe replied, \u201cNot like I have been getting. My head hurts but like someone hit me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam moved to sit on the other side of Joe on the bunk. \u201cYou\u2019ve got a bruise on the side of your head like someone hit you,\u201d Adam said, \u201cDo you remember how you got it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe replied as he rubbed his head again.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we should leave the questions for a while,\u201d Hoss said, noting his young brother\u2019s still pale face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish we could,\u201d Adam said, \u201cBut we don\u2019t have time. We need to find out what happened out at the Myers place.\u201d He looked at Joe, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe. I know you don\u2019t feel like it but you need to tell us everything you remember. Everything. It could be one little thing that\u2019s the clue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw Poole,\u201d Joe said, quietly but firmly. He stopped, waiting for them to tell him it wasn\u2019t possible but no one said anything. In truth they didn\u2019t know what to say. Finally Adam nodded. \u201cAll right, Joe. I want you to tell us exactly what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes turned to his father and Ben nodded encouragingly, \u201cGo on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath and thought back.<\/p>\n

Joe reached for the book on the table beside his bed. He felt like getting up but he knew how worried his father had been about him lately and Joe didn\u2019t want to break the promise he\u2019d made him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Without realizing it, Joe had fallen asleep. He was woken by a sound outside his door. Thinking it was his father, he sat up. His jaw dropped open in shock when the door opened and Joe saw William Poole.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe kicked the blankets aside and started to get out of bed but Poole was on him in a moment. Joe saw a gun in the man\u2019s hand and started to grapple for it. Suddenly pain exploded in Joe\u2019s head and everything went black.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s voice trailed away, he looked at his family, \u201cThat\u2019s all I remember.\u201d He looked pleadingly into his father\u2019s eyes, \u201cI don\u2019t know how to explain it, Pa. I don\u2019t know what else I can say. I know Poole\u2019s dead but I\u2019ve seen him and he\u2019s alive! It doesn\u2019t make sense\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly they heard raised voices coming from the outer office. \u201cMurderer! Let us through, Deputy. We want to string us up a murderer. The only reason he\u2019s not hanging is that he\u2019s a Cartwright! Maybe Joe Cartwright killed Ann and Mrs Gibson and blamed it on Poole!\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside the Cartwrights heard the shouting. \u201cHow can they say such things, Pa,\u201d Hoss asked, disbelievingly, \u201cLittle Joe was at his own birthday party when Ann was killed. There\u2019s no way he could have even been there and they know that,\u201d Hoss nodded his head towards the raised voices outside, \u201cSo how can they believe what they are saying now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a mob gets together, common sense is usually forgotten, Hoss,\u201d Ben sighed with resignation, \u201cRight now, they don\u2019t care what the truth is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clem Foster\u2019s voice shouted over the other voices. \u201cThere hasn\u2019t been a trial yet. Break it up. I want you all to go back to your houses. Break it up now.\u201d There was the sound of a scuffle and then Clem was at the cell door. \u201cThey\u2019ve gone,\u201d he paused, \u201cfor now. This town\u2019s running wild with the news and there\u2019s a lot of anger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet us take Joe home,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mr Cartwright,\u201d Deputy Foster replied, \u201cI can\u2019t do that. Joe will have to stay here until the trial.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen will that be?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCircuit Judge will be here in a week,\u201d Clem answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s not well, you can\u2019t keep him locked up here,\u201d Ben said angrily and glared at the deputy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Clem replied and truly meant it, \u201cbut that\u2019s the way it\u2019s got to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of us will stay with him then,\u201d Adam said, \u201cIf that\u2019s all right with you, Deputy,\u201d he added sarcastically.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine,\u201d Clem nodded and left the room.<\/p>\n

Despite having been asleep for hours, Joe was still feeling the effects of the sedative and was finding it hard to keep his eyes open.<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam got up from the bed and Ben gently pushed Joe into lying down. \u201cYou go back to sleep for a while. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll be here when you wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

As soon as Joe\u2019s eyes closed and he was asleep, Ben turned to his older sons. \u201cGo and see Hiram Wood and see if there is anything he can do to get Joe out of here now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to find a way to prove that Joe\u2019s innocent,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

Hiram Wood, the Cartwrights lawyer had been on the way to the jail, having heard what had happened, when Adam and Hoss found him. There was nothing he could do to get Joe released from jail but he set to work on the case.<\/p>\n

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

Adam and Hoss got a room at the hotel and ordered a meal to be delivered so they could eat and talk privately.<\/p>\n

\u201cYa know,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cI can\u2019t help thinkin\u2019 about the other time Mr Wood defended Little Joe against murder charges. He was accused then of pushing Mary Parson off a cliff but it was Mr Wood\u2019s young assistant who had set Joe up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and the brothers eyes locked in thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo ya reckon someone is settin\u2019 Little Joe up again?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cSeems the most likely thing. But how does it explain that Joe says he\u2019s seen Poole?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Mary Parson was murdered, they blamed Joe because Mr Hardner said he\u2019d seen Joe but it turned out that he was going on Joe\u2019s clothes and stuff, he never actually saw Joe\u2019s face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Adam nodded, \u201cBut we\u2019ve asked Joe repeatedly and he insists he saw Poole\u2019s face.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither man really felt like eating, they just pushed the food around their plates.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do ya reckon is goin\u2019 ta happen, Adam?\u201d Hoss asked sadly.<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, at a loss for an answer. \u201cLet\u2019s go back to the jail,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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

Two days passed and things remained much the same. Either Ben, Adam or Hoss were with Joe in the jail constantly. They never left him alone for fear that the townspeople would get past Clem Foster and the other deputy and take matters into their own hands, carrying out their threat of hanging Joe. Since they weren\u2019t allowed to keep their guns with them while they were at the jail, while one of them stayed with Joe, another would keep watch from the hotel window. The third working with Hiram Wood to clear Joe but things weren\u2019t looking good. Hiram had told Ben that he should be prepared that things could turn out badly. The only positive thing was that Joe had not suffered another headache.<\/p>\n

That morning, while Hoss was with Joe at the jail, Ben took the opportunity to talk to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Ben said, \u201cthere\u2019s something I need to discuss with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Adam asked, knowing by the tone of his father\u2019s voice that it was something serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019ve always taught you boys not to go against the law. That the law is the law even if we don\u2019t always agree with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded slowly, beginning to guess where this conversation was leading. \u201cYou also told me, Pa, that there are times when rules do have to be broken. Hoss and I stand with you on this, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, if Joe is found guilty, I intend to break him out of jail. I won\u2019t let them hang my boy. I don\u2019t know where we will go, somewhere in the South, maybe even to Europe. I can\u2019t ask you and Hoss to be a part of that. To leave everything here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t be able to do it alone. You\u2019ll need our help,\u201d Adam said, firmly, \u201cYou\u2019re not asking us to do this, Pa. I\u2019m telling you we are with you. Joe\u2019s our brother and there\u2019s no way we could let him be hung. He\u2019s innocent. He shouldn\u2019t be going through this. No matter what happens, Pa, we\u2019ll be together.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Ben talked to Hoss later that day, the conversation was practically the same. As much as Hoss would miss the Ponderosa, he would willingly give it up to save Joe.<\/p>\n

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

Ben spent the night with Joe. The next morning, Joe was very quiet, finally he said, \u201cPa, I know you, Adam and Hoss are doing everything you can but the evidence against me is bad. I don\u2019t want you to feel guilty if,\u201d Joe paused, \u201cwell, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben grabbed Joe\u2019s arm and gently squeezed it, \u201cI don\u2019t want you to worry about that, do you hear me? We are going to get you out of here, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut \u2026.\u201d Joe\u2019s voice trailed off when his father shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo buts. Your brothers and I talked about this yesterday,\u201d Ben glanced at the door leading to the sheriff\u2019s office, making sure it was closed and they couldn\u2019t be overheard. \u201cIf the worst happens and you are found guilty, we will get you out. Do you understand what I\u2019m saying, Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Joe said, softly, \u201cBut you can\u2019t do that. You\u2019d all have to leave here with me, leave the Ponderosa. I can\u2019t let you give that up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ponderosa would mean nothing to me without my sons. It\u2019s a piece of land, Joseph, it can be replaced. You, cannot. It doesn\u2019t matter where we go, as long as we\u2019re together. We can start again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d Joe looked into his father\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

Ben pulled his son to him and hugged him tightly. \u201cVery sure,\u201d he whispered into Joe\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n

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

Adam went over to the jail to relieve his father. He noted how tired both men looked. \u201cDidn\u2019t you get any sleep last night?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Ben glanced sympathetically at Joe. \u201cJoe had a couple of nightmares last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not surprising,\u201d Adam said understandingly. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go and get some sleep for a bit, Pa, before you go and see Mr Wood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be all right. I\u2019ll see you later,\u201d Ben patted Joe\u2019s arm, \u201cYou remember what I said,\u201d he smiled when Joe nodded.<\/p>\n

Deputy Foster unlocked the cell door, Adam and Ben traded places.<\/p>\n

After Ben and Clem Foster had left, Adam turned to Joe. \u201cHow do you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Joe replied listlessly.<\/p>\n

Adam was worried that Joe was starting to become discouraged. \u201cWe are going to get you out of here, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam saw the sadness in his brother\u2019s eyes when Joe turned to look at him. \u201cPa told me what you are going to do. I appreciate all you are doing but I don\u2019t want you to give up your lives for mine. It\u2019s not fair to you and it\u2019s not worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur lives don\u2019t consist of just the Ponderosa, Joe. We don\u2019t consider that leaving it is giving up our lives,\u201d Adam sat down beside Joe on the bed and looked into his brother\u2019s eyes, \u201cAnd on top of all that, Joe, we do consider that it\u2019s worth it. You are worth it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe ran a hand across his eyes, wiping away the tears that had sprung into them. \u201cThank you, Adam,\u201d he replied quietly.<\/p>\n

Before Joe had a chance to say more, Adam patted him on the back and said, \u201cWe haven\u2019t given up on clearing you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no way to prove I didn\u2019t do it, Adam,\u201d Joe shook his head, \u201cEven I\u2019m beginning to have doubts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned. \u201cDoubts about what, Joe?\u201d When his brother didn\u2019t answer, Adam asked more forcefully, \u201cAbout what, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoole,\u201d Joe replied simply.<\/p>\n

When Joe didn\u2019t say anymore, Adam tried to keep his frustration in check, he asked, \u201cWhat about him? Don\u2019t you think you did see him now? Is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe got up and started to pace the floor as he talked. \u201cLast night I kept dreaming of that day in my room, when he came in. I\u2019d have sworn on the bible that it was him, Adam, but now \u2026.\u201d his voice trailed off.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now?\u201d Adam prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept seeing his face in my dreams last night. Every time I closed my eyes it was there. There was something not quite right about it though,\u201d Joe found it difficult to explain what he meant. \u201cIt\u2019s like the two of them look the same but there\u2019s something about them that makes them different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly Joe spun around and went back to the bed. Sitting next to his brother, he grabbed Adam\u2019s arm. \u201cThe man in my room, he had blue eyes! Poole\u2019s eyes were brown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re positive about this, Joe?\u201d Adam asked excitedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe said firmly, \u201cbut how can two people look so alike?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has to be more than just someone who looks like him, Joe. He\u2019s deliberately made you look guilty. It\u2019s someone who for some reason wants to punish you for Poole\u2019s death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA brother?\u201d Joe asked, understanding where Adam was leading.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam nodded, he patted Joe on the back. \u201cI told you that one little clue was all we needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how do we find him?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou let us handle that,\u201d Adam replied confidently, \u201cWe\u2019ll find him.\u201d He patted Joe\u2019s back, \u201cI have to tell Pa and Hoss this and then I\u2019ll be right back, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and smiled, the first he\u2019d smiled in days.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeputy! Deputy!\u201d Adam shouted. When Clem Foster opened the door, Adam said, \u201cLet me out, Clem.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Clem Foster unlocked the door, Adam walked out and through the office, going to stand outside. He looked up to the hotel room that the family was occupying and saw Hoss at the window. He signalled him to come down.<\/p>\n

When Hoss crossed the road to meet him, Adam asked, \u201cWhere\u2019s Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWent to talk to Mr Wood,\u201d Hoss replied. Adam wasn\u2019t surprised to hear their father had skipped having a sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Adam said, grinning, \u201cJoe\u2019s remembered something very important.\u201d Adam told his brother what Joe had remembered and the conclusion they had reached.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s great,\u201d Hoss said, happily, but then he frowned in thought. \u201cIs that enough though? What does Clem say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t talked to him yet,\u201d Adam said, \u201cGo and get Pa and Mr Wood. I\u2019ll wait here. We\u2019ll talk to Clem together.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThat\u2019s not evidence,\u201d Deputy Foster replied, regretfully, when he heard what had gotten the Cartwrights so excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut don\u2019t you see,\u201d Ben said, in exasperation, \u201cThis explains everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clem shook his head. \u201cIt explains nothing, Mr Cartwright. Joe\u2019s horse was found out at the Myers place You\u2019re telling me that Joe now remembers the man in his room wasn\u2019t Poole because he had blue eyes but he can\u2019t tell us how he got from your place to the Myers. He can\u2019t tell us what happened there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can\u2019t tell us what he doesn\u2019t know,\u201d Adam snapped, angrily. \u201cAre you deliberately being obtuse or are you really just that stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deputy Foster\u2019s eyes popped wide open in surprise. He\u2019d been on the receiving end of the youngest Cartwright son\u2019s anger, he hadn\u2019t expected to face it from the eldest. Even more surprising to the lawman was that Ben didn\u2019t reprimand Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind me some real evidence,\u201d Clem said, trying to stay calm, \u201cAnd then I\u2019ll listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t have to find the evidence, Deputy, that\u2019s your job, remember?\u201d Adam was furious.<\/p>\n

Clem Foster pointed his finger at Adam. \u201cNow you listen here, Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam knocked the Deputy\u2019s finger away and Ben stepped between them. \u201cThat\u2019s enough,\u201d Ben said, \u201cThis isn\u2019t getting us anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned to his father. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa.\u201d He rubbed a hand across his forehead as he thought. \u201cWe know Poole was in Carson City, why don\u2019t we send a wire there and find out if anything happened while Poole was there and if anyone saw another man that looked like him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thinking, Adam,\u201d Ben said. \u201cWe\u2019ll wire surrounding towns as well, something might have happened before Carson. Someone might have seen something as he passed through.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The following day, the family waited anxiously for replies to come. Ben was in the sheriff\u2019s office, when Adam stormed in, throwing a newspaper on the desk, he pointed to the front page and said, \u201cLook at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked down at the headline that read, \u2018Blue Eyed Apparition Sought in Murder Case.\u2019 Ben read the article and then threw the paper against a wall. \u201cThey\u2019ve made it sound like we\u2019ve made this man up. How did they get the story, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I know how they got it,\u201d Adam said, angrily, \u201cArthur, in the telegraph office and after we told that little worm to keep it to himself. I\u2019ve just been down there and confronted him about it.\u201d He rubbed his hand, leaving no doubt as to what the confrontation had entailed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter though, does it?\u201d Clem Foster asked. \u201cIf you think there is another man, wouldn\u2019t publicity help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019d want to wait around until after the trial, to make sure Joe\u2019s found guilty,\u201d Ben said, \u201cThere are a thousand places he could hide in or around Virginia City. We\u2019d never find him just searching. Now, if he suspects we\u2019re onto him he might bolt or be more careful about staying concealed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Late that night, Ben sat in the sheriff\u2019s office. Roy Coffee had finally returned after being away for weeks. Roy had escorted a prisoner to another town and stayed for the trial. Arriving back in Virginia City he had found the town in an uproar.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee had been shocked when he heard the details of what had happened while he\u2019d been away.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you\u2019re back, Roy, there might be a bit more common sense shown around here,\u201d Ben said, \u201cSurely you can see that Joe has to be released.\u201d Ben stood, placing his palms on the desk, learning forward, he faced his friend.<\/p>\n

Roy rose from the seat behind his desk to stand up. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ben, but until I have a chance to talk to everyone involved and do some investigating of my own, Little Joe has to stay where he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is ridiculous,\u201d Ben shouted, \u201cI \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stopped speaking when the door was flung open. \u201cPa!\u201d Adam waved some papers and handed them to his father. Some telegrams had finally come through. They pieced part of an awful story together. There had been other young women murdered in towns while Poole had been there but if any suspicion had ever fallen on him, he\u2019d had an alibi. No one had ever seen Poole with a man who looked like him but some of the telegrams said Poole had brown eyes while others said he had blue eyes.<\/p>\n

After they\u2019d read them, Ben put the telegrams down in a pile on Roy Coffee\u2019s desk. \u201cTwo different sets of colored eyes,\u201d he said, thumping his hand down hard on the papers, \u201cbecause there are two different men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee shook his head in disbelief. \u201cI owe you an apology.\u201d He picked up the telegrams and looked through them again. \u201cTo me this is evidence that Joe\u2019s innocent but it might not be enough to satisfy other people in this town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly there was a loud explosion and dirt and debris went flying around the office as everyone ducked for cover.<\/p>\n

At the same moment, Ben and Adam had the same thought; Joe. \u201cKeys!\u201d Ben shouted at Roy Coffee, the sheriff threw his keys to Ben, who then tried to open the door leading to the cells, only to find that it wouldn\u2019t open.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on!\u201d Adam shouted and ran for the front door of the office. Going out the door they met Hoss who was just running across the street. Hoss had been keeping watch and had seen and heard the explosion. He\u2019d started to run down the stairs before the dust had cleared. Clem Foster also came running, he had been away from the jail getting something to eat.<\/p>\n

When they reached the back of the jail, the men were shocked. The jail section was gone, it had been demolished in the explosion. It was some debris that was blocking the door to the area from Roy\u2019s office. \u201cJoe!\u201d the men called, \u201cJoe! Where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

People who had heard the explosion came running from everywhere. The Cartwrights were still searching for Joe but some of the townsmen turned on Sheriff Coffee. \u201cLet him go, didn\u2019t you,\u201d one of the men shouted, \u201cJust because he\u2019s a Cartwright you are going to let him get away with murder.\u201d Other voices shouted in agreement.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam and Hoss, who at first had been afraid that Joe had been hurt or killed by the explosion, now realized he wasn\u2019t there. \u201cPa,\u201d Hoss called from where he was looking, he held up his hand and in the lantern light, Ben saw Hoss\u2019 palm was red. Wherever Joe was, he was hurt.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelped your son escape, Cartwright,\u201d someone yelled, \u201cMight have known you\u2019d think you were above the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned to Roy and said, urgently, \u201cI\u2019m giving you my word, Roy, my boys and I had nothing to do with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good enough for me, Ben,\u201d the sheriff replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to find Little Joe,\u201d Hoss shouted, knocking some men aside so he could get past them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going anywhere, Cartwright,\u201d a man pulled a gun on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalm down, everyone!\u201d Roy Coffee raised his voice to be heard over the crowd and held up his hands, \u201cCalm down and listen to me.\u201d He quickly told the gathered crowd about the telegrams and what they\u2019d found out. Some people clearly didn\u2019t believe what Roy was saying while others were beginning to have doubts about Joe\u2019s guilt.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy,\u201d Ben said, urgently, \u201cJoe\u2019s not here. Someone must have set this explosion to get to him and they\u2019ve taken him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever you believe,\u201d Roy called out to the gathered men, \u201cWe have to find Joe. I need some volunteers for a posse.\u201d Men volunteered and left to saddle their horses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do we even begin to start looking?\u201d Adam asked, \u201cWe didn\u2019t see anything. We don\u2019t know where he\u2019s taken Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo ya think it\u2019d be worth lookin\u2019 out at Mrs Gibson\u2019s place. Where Poole was killed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam nodded, \u201cThat\u2019s a good idea, Hoss. We\u2019ll try there first.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe woke slowly, disorientated. The last thing he remembered was the explosion. His hands were bound tightly behind his back. He had cuts and bruises all over him, there was some blood on the floor from wounds that were still bleeding. Looking slowly around, he knew he wasn\u2019t at the Ponderosa but he was in a house. As his eyes moved to the piano, he realized it was Mrs Gibson\u2019s house. His eyes focused next on a pair of legs and he looked up into the face of a blue eyed Poole.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou killed Lucy,\u201d Joe said, quietly.<\/p>\n

The man smiled evilly. \u201cYes,\u201d he answered proudly, \u201cI did, I surely did.\u201d The smile vanished and he kicked Joe hard in the ribs, \u201cAnd you killed my brother.\u201d Joe curled his body in on himself as much as the bonds would allow, gasping in pain when Matthew Poole delivered another kick.<\/p>\n

Joe knew he had to try and get away. He knew it was unlikely that he could escape but Matthew Poole would certainly kill him if he didn\u2019t so he could lie there and let Poole kill him or he could die trying to escape.<\/p>\n

Joe kicked out at Poole as hard as he could, thankful the man had not tied his legs together. Joe struggled to his feet and shoved the off balance Poole over.<\/p>\n

As Joe went to run past the fallen man, Poole grabbed his ankle and tripped him over. With his hands tied behind his back, Joe had no way to break his fall and he hit the floor hard.<\/p>\n

Winded, Little Joe struggled to pull air into his lungs. Poole was on him in a moment, he grabbed Joe and twisted him onto his back. Joe brought his knee up hard into Poole\u2019s stomach and when the man fell away in pain, Joe struggled to his feet and this time he managed to get out the front door.<\/p>\n

In a tackle from behind, Poole brought Joe down again. This time Poole straddled the young man as Joe turned over onto his back and immediately put his hands around Joe\u2019s throat, squeezing. Joe struggled hard but tied and injured, he was no match for the madman\u2019s strength.<\/p>\n

On the verge of passing out, Joe could make no sense of what happened next. Poole had heard horses coming closer and with no time to hide anywhere, he pulled Little Joe to his feet and held Joe in front of him.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam, Hoss, Sheriff Coffee, Clem Foster, Tom Myers and four other posse members rounded the bend and came upon the scene. \u201cJoseph!\u201d Ben shouted. Poole was backing towards the house. A knife that he had pulled from his boot, held to Joe\u2019s throat. Poole\u2019s hand was gripping hard at Joe\u2019s hair and pulling his head back painfully. \u201cCome any closer,\u201d he shouted \u201cand I\u2019ll cut his throat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s stomach churned. He was so relieved that his son had survived the explosion at the jail but he was terrified about what might happen now.<\/p>\n

Joe was barely conscious and had trouble just staying on his feet but he had become aware of what was happening and he knew his father was there.<\/p>\n

\u201cKill him, Pa!\u201d Joe shouted as loudly as he could.<\/p>\n

Matthew Poole cruelly pulled Joe\u2019s head back further and the knife cut a line across his throat, blood trickled out.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it!\u201d Ben screamed at the man, \u201cStop it before you kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Poole laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s the idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least tell us why,\u201d Adam said, trying to divert the man\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe killed my brother,\u201d Poole said, \u201cMy twin brother. William was only ten minutes older than me but I always looked up to him. We did everything together. We surely did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven murder?\u201d Roy Coffee asked.<\/p>\n

Matthew Poole didn\u2019t reply and Mr Myers called out, \u201cWhy did you kill Lucy? Why did you kill my daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was always William who did the killing. If he thought he might need an alibi, I\u2019d make sure I was seen around town somewhere. He messed up here. He was always whistling, if it hadn\u2019t been for that he wouldn\u2019t have got caught, he surely wouldn\u2019t have.\u201d The blue eyed Poole started to whistle New Orleans Woman but then suddenly broke off to continue talking, \u201cI wanted to prove I was as good as William, I surely did. That I could kill and get away with it, too. And I had to make Joe Cartwright pay for killing my brother.\u201d He yanked Joe\u2019s head back again, \u201cThat was the bonus, being able to set him up.\u201d Poole laughed, \u201cI bet you all thought he was crazy, didn\u2019t you.\u201d He looked down at Joe. \u201cI set that fire and I waited for an opportunity to get you alone. I hit you with my gun, that\u2019s how I knocked you out. Got you dressed, saddled your horse. I took you with me and afterwards I put the blood on you and left you there. I wanted to see the Cartwright name ruined. For that I was willing to deprive myself of killing you with my own hands and let the gallows do the job but since you escaped that, I\u2019ll have to do it myself now. I surely will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew Poole moved the knife and Joe\u2019s family frantically looked for an opening to shoot Poole but there was no way without hitting Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Hoss yelled, as the knife cut into the side of Joe\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes met Adam\u2019s. With Poole standing close behind him, Joe\u2019s fingers found Poole\u2019s groin and he clutched tightly, twisting with all the strength he had. Poole loosened his grip in shock as he bellowed in pain and rage. It was enough for Joe to pull free and in that moment, Adam took the shot. Matthew Poole went down.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam and Hoss were at Joe\u2019s side in an instant. Ben yanked off his bandana, holding it against Joe\u2019s neck, trying to stem the bleeding. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Joseph. It\u2019s all right,\u201d he comforted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll hold that, Pa,\u201d Adam said, taking over from Ben, so that Ben could lift Joe\u2019s head and shoulders from the ground. Ben supported his son while Hoss cut the ropes that held his hands bound behind his back. Careful of the welts on his brother\u2019s wrists caused by the ropes, Hoss chaffed Joe\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoole\u2019s dead,\u201d the Sheriff said as he went over to the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Hoss replied, feeling no sorrow for the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen,\u201d Sheriff Coffee said, \u201cDo you want to take Joe inside the house and I\u2019ll send someone for the doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe reached up and grabbed his father\u2019s wrist. \u201cI want to go home.\u201d Ben looked over at Adam who pulled the bandana aside to check the wounds. \u201cThe bleeding here\u2019s under control,\u201d Adam said, looking down at the other wounds that covered his brother\u2019s body, noting that none were bleeding too badly now, he said, \u201cWe can patch him up enough to get him home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben patted Joe\u2019s arm. \u201cAll right, Joe. We\u2019ll take you home.\u201d He looked at Sheriff Coffee and asked angrily, \u201cIf that\u2019s all right with you, Roy? Joe is free now, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee looked uncomfortable as he nodded. \u201cOf course, Ben. I\u2019m sorry about all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I, Sir,\u201d Deputy Foster looked over at them guiltily.<\/p>\n

Ben ignored the lawmen and Roy walked away to start getting Matthew Poole ready to tie on a horse so they could take the body back to town. The Cartwrights had been friends with Roy Coffee for years. Roy considered Ben one of his best friends, but now the sheriff wondered if that friendship was over.<\/p>\n

The rest of the men in the posse looked as uncomfortable and guilty as the sheriff and his deputy, they also mumbled their apologies, feeling ashamed for the way they\u2019d acted and what they\u2019d believed about Joe. \u201cWe\u2019ll go back to town,\u201d one of the men said, \u201cI\u2019ll send Doctor Martin out to your place, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben simply nodded that he\u2019d heard. Mr Myers, knelt down on the ground beside the Cartwrights and held his hand out to Ben. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ben. I know it isn\u2019t much to say but I hope you know I mean it. I should have known things weren\u2019t the way they seemed. I hope you can forgive me, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was still angry with everyone who had believed his son guilty but his heart went out to Tom Myers for the man\u2019s loss of his daughter. He shook hands with the man.<\/p>\n

Tom Myers then patted Joe\u2019s arm. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Little Joe. I hope one day you will be able to forgive me, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Mr Myers,\u201d Joe said, \u201cI know how it must have looked to you. But I\u2019d never have hurt Lucy. I\u2019m sorry she\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom patted Joe\u2019s arm again. \u201cI know, son. I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss had gone into the house to get a sheet that they tore into strips to make bandages. Once they had finished patching Joe up, Adam brought his horse over to where Ben and Hoss waited with Joe, and asked, \u201cReady to go, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben nodded and looked down at Joe. \u201cDo you think you can stand up? We\u2019ve got to get you onto Adam\u2019s horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and started to push himself up but Ben and Hoss\u2019 hands were soon there to help him. Adam held his horse steady while Ben and Hoss helped Joe to mount and then he swung up behind his youngest brother.<\/p>\n

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

Arriving in the front yard of the Ponderosa, Adam quickly dismounted and reached up for his brother. \u201cEasy, Joe,\u201d he said as he helped Joe to dismount, \u201cCan you walk?\u201d Joe nodded and Ben was quickly at Joe\u2019s other side, helping him inside and up the stairs to his room.<\/p>\n

After removing Joe\u2019s dirty and blood stained clothes and cleaning him up, they got him as comfortable as they could in bed. Pulling the covers up, they waited for Doctor Martin to come.<\/p>\n

Joe was in pain and the family talked to him to try and distract him from it. \u201cHey, Joe, what did you do to get him to let you go?\u201d Hoss asked. Joe\u2019s body had been blocking their view and they hadn\u2019t been able to see what Joe had done.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face flushed and he looked a bit embarrassed as he said quietly, \u201cI grabbed him hard where it hurts a man the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took the other men a couple of seconds to get Joe\u2019s meaning and then they all burst into laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s nothing to be embarrassed about, Joe,\u201d Ben said after he had stopped laughing. \u201cThat was quick thinking and a very smart thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s right, Joe,\u201d Adam said and Hoss nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at his eldest brother. \u201cYou always said that I should fight dirty if it meant staying alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat I did,\u201d Adam agreed, nodding, \u201cAnd I\u2019m pleased that you are finally taking my advice,\u201d he joked, then he grew serious, reaching out to gently squeeze Joe\u2019s hand, \u201cYou did great, kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Finally after Hoss had looked anxiously out of the bedroom window a dozen times, the doctor arrived.<\/p>\n

After Doctor Martin checked Joe over he gave him something to help with the pain and then set to work, putting some stitches in Joe\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n

The doctor looked guiltily at the young man he was working on. \u201cJoe, I owe you an apology,\u201d Doctor Martin stopped work for a moment, glancing at Ben, Adam and Hoss, \u201cAll of you,\u201d he added, before turning back to Joe and continuing to put the stitches in.<\/p>\n

No one replied and the silence stretched awkwardly. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Doc,\u201d Joe said, finally, when the doctor had finished the stitches and started to wrap a bandage around Joe\u2019s neck, \u201cI guess I can\u2019t blame you for thinking I was seeing things,\u201d Joe said, then continued, jokingly, \u201cbut I hadn\u2019t even been drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s family laughed, relieved that he was feeling well enough to joke. Doctor Martin breathed a sigh of relief that Joe was letting him off the hook. The doctor didn\u2019t think he would ever be completely forgiven by the family though.<\/p>\n

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

A week later, Ben, Adam and Hoss were at the table eating breakfast, they looked up when they heard Joe on the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning,\u201d Joe said, walking over to the table to sit down.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Joseph,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cI didn\u2019t expect you up this early. How are you feeling today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, Pa,\u201d Joe answered, helping himself to eggs and bacon. \u201cI thought I\u2019d help Adam and Hoss out with the \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell you thought wrong,\u201d Ben cut his son off, firmly. \u201cI know you want things to get back to normal,\u201d Ben continued, understandingly, \u201cand they will but not just yet. Joe, the doctor said it\u2019s going to be at least another couple of weeks before you can even start to think about going back to work.\u201d To the relief of everyone, the headaches that had been plaguing Joe had stopped but he now had stitches in his neck, cracked ribs and bad bruising across his stomach which had been inflicted by Poole as well as numerous cuts and bruises from the explosion. Hoss looked across the table at his younger brother, hating the thought of all that his brother had been through and the pain he knew Joe was still feeling. Every time Hoss thought of the Poole twins, he felt his anger build. Trying to force the dark thoughts away, Hoss joked, \u201cHey, Joe, you\u2019re usually tryin\u2019 ta get outa work, not talk your way into it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed and said, \u201cHoss is right, Joe. Enjoy it while you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

The smile died on Hoss\u2019 lips when he found himself staring at the bruises still visible above the bandages around Joe\u2019s neck where the blue eyed Poole had tried to choke the life out of Joe. Joe self consciously raised a hand to his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, little brother. I\u2019m so sorry we didn\u2019t get to you sooner,\u201d Hoss blinked away the tears that had formed in his eyes. He\u2019d apologized repeatedly in the last week, feeling guilty that Poole had gotten to Joe. On top of already feeling guilty that he had laughed when Joe first told him that he\u2019d seen Poole.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Hoss. Really,\u201d Joe looked into his brother\u2019s eyes, \u201cYou had no way of knowing what would happen. No one could have known he\u2019d blow up the jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam knew exactly how Hoss felt, they felt the same way. They\u2019d been protecting Joe from the townspeople but let him fall into the hands of a madman.<\/p>\n

Joe looked around the table at his family and said, \u201cI\u2019m so grateful to you. You blame yourselves because Poole got to me but you saved my life. If you hadn\u2019t found me when you did he would have killed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry that I didn\u2019t believe you, Joseph, when you first said you heard the whistling,\u201d Ben said, \u201cIf I had, we might have prevented all that followed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe too, little brother. I can\u2019t tell ya how sorry I am that I laughed when you told me that you\u2019d seen him,\u201d Hoss added, sadly.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at this father and smiled as he said, \u201cA wise man told me that we all do things we\u2019re sorry for but we mustn\u2019t torment ourselves over them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben returned the smile. \u201cThat sounds like a very wise man indeed, Joseph. And are you taking that advice, too?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss saw the look that passed between their father and young brother and guessed who the wise man was.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe nodded, \u201cFinally.\u201d He looked at his family and continued, \u201cOf course you had doubts. I can\u2019t blame you for that. I actually saw him standing there by the barn and I still had a hard time believing it. But even though you had your doubts that I\u2019d seen Poole, you knew I hadn\u2019t killed Lucy. That you believed me and were willing to give up so much for me, means everything to me. Thank you isn\u2019t enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to say thank you,\u201d Adam said, \u201cThere is no way that we would ever have believed you would murder someone. No matter what evidence there was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s lucky I had a family who believed in me because a lot of other people were ready to hang me on that evidence.\u201d Joe looked at his father. \u201cEven Clem and Doctor Martin thought maybe I had. Roy, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded slowly. \u201cYes,\u201d he agreed, sadly, \u201cSometimes friends let us down.\u201d Even though Doctor Martin had apologized the night they\u2019d brought Joe home and Roy Coffee, Clem Foster and some of the townspeople had also come out to apologize, the Cartwrights hadn\u2019t completely forgiven them. Perhaps in time they would.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo family,\u201d Adam said, Joe\u2019s right hand was resting on the table. Adam reached out, putting his hand over Joe\u2019s, \u201cthe people you can count on when everyone else lets you down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo family,\u201d Hoss said, putting his hand over Adam\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo family,\u201d Ben smiled at each of his sons and put his hand over Hoss\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo my family,\u201d Joe said, tears sparkling in his eyes, \u201cthe best I could have hoped for,\u201d he put his left hand over his father\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

Note: The characters of Mary Parson, Hiram Wood and Mr Hardner are from the episode \u201cThe Secret.\u201d<\/p>\n

January, 2007<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

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

Summary:\u00a0 A WHN for the episdoe, The Thunderman.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (15,425 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10321,"featured_media":5894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_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":""},"categories":[23,13],"tags":[14,15,17,16],"class_list":["post-13848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-whn","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-ben","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-13-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2128,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Lake-Tahoe-Sunset-Blue.jpg?fit=300%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6768,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6768","url_meta":{"origin":13848,"position":0},"title":"A Deadly Day (by rosecartwright)","author":"rosecartwright","date":"November 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Joe is home sick, but things go downhill for this young Cartwright. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ (635 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2162,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2162","url_meta":{"origin":13848,"position":1},"title":"Shelter (by pony)","author":"pony","date":"December 8, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0\u00a0Adam and Joe Cartwright are lost in a blizzard. Their only hope ... shelter. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K (1,390 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15348,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15348","url_meta":{"origin":13848,"position":2},"title":"Joe Cartwright – Magician! (by Questfan)","author":"Questfan","date":"October 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"SUMMARY: A Bonanza story celebrating that fun side of Michael in his role as Joe Cartwright. 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