{"id":13936,"date":"2006-12-12T13:22:40","date_gmt":"2006-12-12T18:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13936"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:10:17","slug":"ghost-town-by-susan-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13936","title":{"rendered":"Ghost Town (by Susan G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 It’s Joe’s turn to make the trip to Hawthorne, as Ben continues to repay a twenty-year old debt.\u00a0 Unknowingly, Joe encounters more than he bargained on.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (26,240 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ghost Town<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The old man shuffled out of the mine, walking slowly only because his legs refused to move any faster. If he could have done so, he would have danced with joy as he left the mine. His face, lined with age and covered with a thick white beard, was split by a grin as he rubbed his hands in anticipation. After twenty years, he had finally found the vein of silver he had seeking, a vein that was wide and deep. He knew it would bring more money than a man could spend in a lifetime. Certainly more than he could spend in the few years he had left. But the money wasn\u2019t important to the old man. He was happy simply because he had found the vein. He couldn\u2019t wait to tell those yahoo\u2019s at Bailey\u2019s about his strike. They had laughed at him for years, called him an old fool. He hadn\u2019t minded the old part. He was old and he knew it. But being called a fool had bothered him. Well, he thought smugly, they wouldn\u2019t be laughing any longer. The old man continued his shuffle toward the buildings in the distance, his gait a little faster than before. No, thought the old man gleefully, they wouldn\u2019t laugh at old Andy any more.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIt\u2019s time someone made a trip to Hawthorne,\u201d announced Ben Cartwright as he forked a piece of the pancakes from his plate into his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s turn to go,\u201d mumbled Hoss Cartwright without looking up. He picked up a piece of bacon from his plate and stuck into his mouth.<\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright\u2019s fork froze in mid-air. \u201cMy turn!\u201d exclaimed Joe. \u201cHow do you figure that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d answered Hoss as he continued to chew. \u201cI went last time, Adam went the time before that, and Pa went the time before Adam. So I figure it\u2019s your turn, little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe dropped his fork to his plate. \u201cPa, I can\u2019t go,\u201d said Joe in a slightly desperate voice. \u201cI\u2019ve got too much to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing that can\u2019t wait,\u201d replied Ben as he continued to eat his breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa,\u201d said Joe, the desperation in his voice growing. \u201cWith Adam in San Francisco, the work is really piling up. We\u2019ve got those fences to fix, and I\u2019ve got to check the herd in the south pasture. And we really should start cutting the hay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of that can wait a day or two,\u201d answered Ben firmly. \u201cOur obligation to Andy Miller takes precedence over everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Joe?\u201d asked Hoss in an innocent voice. \u201cYou scared to ride into Hawthorne? Ain\u2019t nothing there. It\u2019s just an old ghost town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not scared to ride to Hawthorne,\u201d replied Joe. \u201cIt\u2019s just that I got other things I\u2019d rather do.\u201d Joe turned to Ben. \u201cPa, why do I have to go?\u201d he asked in an exasperated voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know why,\u201d answered Ben patiently. \u201cI\u2019ve told you the story over and over. When I first arrived in this area, I was in a desperate situation. I got lost in the mountains, and the wagon broke down. I was almost out of supplies, and Adam was sick. Hoss was just a baby. I truly thought we would all die in those mountains until Andy came along. He helped me fix the wagon, then led me into Hawthorne. He bought me a load of supplies and lent me a little money. All he asked in return was that I repay the supplies when he needed them.”<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa, that was over twenty years ago!\u201d exclaimed Joe. \u201cWe\u2019ve been sending a wagonload of supplies down to Andy as long as I can remember. Surely the debt has been paid by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no limit to my debt to Andy,\u201d stated Ben. \u201cThat reminds me. Don\u2019t forget to stop at Bailey\u2019s Trading Post on the way back. You know my deal with Bailey. I\u2019ll pay for any whiskey or other items Andy has put on his bill there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa\u2026\u201d Joe started.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo buts,\u201d interrupted Ben firmly. He relented a bit as he saw the dismay on Joe\u2019s face. \u201cJoe, the vein in Andy\u2019s mine ran out just as the Ponderosa started to turn into a productive ranch. I sent him the supplies he needed so he could continue to work his mine. And I will continue to do so for as long as he needs them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think after twenty years, old Andy would get discouraged and give up,\u201d commented Hoss as he finished his breakfast. \u201cEveryone else left Hawthorne years ago. There\u2019s no one there by him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy is convinced that the vein is still in the mine,\u201d said Ben. \u201cHe\u2019ll look for it until he finds it. And we will give him what he needs to continue to look. Besides, a wagonload of supplies every few months is scant payment for what he did for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the supplies,\u201d complained Joe. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind taking them if it was just that. But every time I deliver the supplies, I end up having to listen to Andy\u2019s tales. He goes on and on about when Hawthorne was a boom town. He\u2019s told me those stories so many times, I can practically repeat them word for word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re lucky you just have to listen to his stories,\u201d countered Hoss. \u201cLast time I was there, he dragged me into that old mine of his. He made me move some of the heavier rock for him, and then I had to help him hide the entrance. He\u2019s convinced someone is going to try to jump his claim.\u201d Hoss shook his head. \u201cAs if someone would want that old dead hole of his.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think living all alone in that old ghost town has made him loony,\u201d Joe remarked. \u201cLook at the way he\u2019s always fixing up those old buildings. He says he wants the town to look good when everyone comes back. He\u2019s sure Hawthorne is going to be a boom town again someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he does act a bit strange sometimes,\u201d admitted Ben. \u201cBut Andy is an old man. He\u2019s got nothing left except his dream of finding that vein of silver. The least we can do is let him keep his dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but you\u2019re not the one who\u2019s going to have to listen to him,\u201d grumbled Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo I\u2019m not,\u201d said Ben in a stern voice. \u201cYou are. Now listen to me, Joseph. You will go into Virginia City and pick up a wagonload of supplies, and you will deliver those supplies to Andy Miller in Hawthorne. And you will listen to his stories, if he wants to tell them. And you will mind your manners while you listen. Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d answered Joe in a discouraged voice. Joe shook his head. \u201cHawthorne,\u201d he muttered. \u201cWhat a boring trip that\u2019s going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe bounced on the seat as the wagon hit yet another rut. As much time as old Andy spends fixing up that ghost town, thought Joe, you\u2019d think he\u2019d do something about this road. Joe shook his head, knowing he was just being contrary. He was aggravated about everything on this trip. It had taken him longer than he had planned to get the supplies in Virginia City. The general store had been busy and he had waited over an hour just to begin loading the wagon. Then he had decided to make the trip up to Bailey\u2019s to pay Andy\u2019s bill before heading into Hawthorne. He hadn\u2019t realized the road to the Trading Post up in the mountains was in such bad shape. Joe had gotten to Bailey\u2019s only to find the place locked up. A scrawled sign in the window simply said \u201cGone for Supplies\u201d. There was no telling where Bailey had gone or when he would be back. So Joe would have to make another visit to the Trading Post on his way home.<\/p>\n

By the time Joe had guided the wagon up to Bailey\u2019s, the day had turned late. Joe had no desire to drive a wagon full of supplies back down the mountain road full of ruts and rocks in the dark. So he had spent the night camping out at Bailey\u2019s, sleeping on the cold, hard ground. He had left the Trading Post at dawn, after eating an unappetizing breakfast of beans. When he had left the Trading Post, Joe knew he was in a foul mood. The thought of having to spend most of the day listening to old Andy\u2019s stories didn\u2019t improve his mood.<\/p>\n

Joe stopped the wagon as he came to the crest of the hill on the road leading down into Hawthorne. He wanted to take a look at the road ahead before starting down with a fully loaded wagon. He also wanted to steel himself for a day with Andy Miller. Joe felt a bit guilty about being so irritated about the trip. He knew that Andy looked forward to the visits from the Cartwrights. It wasn\u2019t the old man\u2019s fault that Joe\u2019s trip had been so miserable.<\/p>\n

For a minute, Joe looked down on Hawthorne from the top of the hill. Even in its heyday, Hawthorne hadn\u2019t been much of a town. Twelve buildings, evenly divided and neatly lined up against each other, made up the town. They had been built on just about the only flat piece of land in the area, and the back of the buildings pressed up against the mountains that loomed over the town. There was only one way in and out of Hawthorne, and that was on the road which ran through the center of town. Behind each of the buildings was nothing but the solid walls of the mountains.<\/p>\n

The buildings were all one-story structures, except for the hotel, which had a second floor. None were very big. Built out of neatly sawed lumber, the buildings had provided the essential needs of the miners in the area. The store, saloon, hotel, assay office, stable and other businesses gave the miners what they needed when they had had to come to town. There were no homes in Hawthorne; none of the miners had wanted to leave their claims for longer than absolutely necessary. As the miners left when the silver ran out, the town was abandoned. Abandoned, that is, by everyone except Andy Miller. He stayed, and in his spare time, he kept all the buildings in good repair. The town was empty but the buildings were was solid as the day they were built. Many of the buildings still had some furniture, fixed up by Andy when he got tired of prospecting for awhile. Hawthorne had everything it needed to flourish. Everything but people.<\/p>\n

Chucking the reins, Joe guided the wagon slowly down the hill. He kept his eyes glued to the road, making sure he avoided as many of the ruts and rocks as he could. As Joe drove, he was already thinking about how soon he could leave Hawthorne. He\u2019d unload the supplies and spend an hour or so with old Andy, then think of some excuse to have to leave. Joe sighed as he concentrated on the road. Even an hour with Andy would seem like a long time.<\/p>\n

The ground finally began to level out and Joe looked up at the town ahead. He was surprised to see some horses tied to the hitching post outside the hotel. It looked like Andy had some visitors. Joe smiled. Maybe Andy would be too busy to visit with him. He might be able to leave even sooner than he had planned.<\/p>\n

Joe stopped the wagon in front of the general store across from the hotel. He knew Andy had a funny notion of keeping things in their right place. He lived in the hotel, and kept his supplies in the store. He did his cooking and ate in the abandoned restaurant next to the hotel. Andy kept his mule in the stable at the end of the street. Joe shook his head as he climbed down from the wagon. It was an odd life old Andy led.<\/p>\n

Reluctantly, Joe walked across the wide street to the hotel. As he approached the door, he could hear a voice sounding angry and insistent. Joe frowned. He began to wonder who would be visiting Andy. He couldn\u2019t remember ever seeing anyone else in Hawthorne.<\/p>\n

Pushing open the door of the hotel, Joe stepped in side. He had taken no more than two steps when he felt the gun in his back. Joe instantly raised his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmart move, sonny,\u201d said a voice to Joe\u2019s left. He turned his head slightly and saw a man in a black shirt and dark pants. Two other men were standing near him. Joe didn\u2019t need to look to know there was someone behind him.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Joe turned his head to look into the room, and his eyes widened. At the back of the room, Andy Miller sat tied to a chair. His hands were pulled behind him, and two thick ropes wound around his chest. Andy\u2019s face was bruised and blood trickled from a cut over his eye. His lip was split and swollen. Andy\u2019s shirt was torn, and from the way the old man was leaning forward against the ropes, Joe guessed his stomach and ribs were sore.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you and what are you doing here?\u201d asked the voice to Joe\u2019s left.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just bringing a load of supplies to Andy,\u201d answered Joe slowly, keeping his hands in the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad for you,\u201d said the voice again. \u201cTake his gun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt his gun being pulled out of the holster on his hip. He could still feel the barrel of the pistol pressed against his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat should I do with him?\u201d said the voice behind Joe.<\/p>\n

The man in the black shirt was obviously in charge; Joe heard him giving the orders. \u201cTie him up next to the old man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt a hand pushing him roughly forward. He stumbled a bit as he walked across the room toward Andy. He stopped as he reached the old man and felt the gun in his back again. Andy looked up at Joe with sad eyes. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Andy mumbled apologetically through his swollen lips. Joe nodded understandingly.<\/p>\n

One of the men standing near the door grabbed a chair from behind a nearby table. The table was round, and covered by a neat but faded blue cloth. Heavy chairs had been placed around the table, waiting silently for hotel guests who never came.<\/p>\n

Dragging the chair across the room, the man put it next to Joe. Whoever was behind Joe pushed him down into the chair. \u201cWhat\u2019ll we tie him up with?\u201d asked the man who had brought the chair over. \u201cWe don\u2019t have any more rope?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man in the black shirt looked around. Some thick, decorative cord hung next to the curtains by the window. The man reached up and gave one of the cords a hard yank. It easily pulled off the curtain rod.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, use this,\u201d said the man, tossing the cord across the room. The second man caught the cord and walked behind Joe. Pulling Joe\u2019s arms back behind the chair, the man began to tie Joe\u2019s hands together.<\/p>\n

Briefly, Joe smiled at the irony of the situation. He was sitting on one of the chairs that Andy had been careful to keep in good repair. The back and seat had thick cushions. Joe\u2019s hands were being tied with a soft velvet rope. He could almost be comfortable, if the situation didn\u2019t seem so deadly.<\/p>\n

The man in the black shirt walked forward and stood in front of Andy. \u201cAll right, old man,\u201d snarled the leader. \u201cOne more time. Where is that mine of yours?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re doing this to find Andy\u2019s mine?\u201d asked Joe before Andy could answer. \u201cYou\u2019ve gone to a lot of trouble for nothing. That mine is a dead hole. There\u2019s nothing in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know different,\u201d said the black-shirted man. He turned to Andy. \u201cI saw that hunk of silver you gave to Bailey a few days ago. I\u2019ve done my share of prospecting and I know what a rock from a rich vein looks like. That silver you gave to Bailey was about as high grade as it comes. So, tell us. Where\u2019s the mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning his head, Joe looked at Andy in surprise. The old miner looked back at Joe and a small smile appeared on his face. \u201cYep,\u201d admitted Andy with a tinge of satisfaction in his voice. \u201cI found it, Joe. After twenty years of looking, I finally found the silver.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, old man, we\u2019ve wasted enough time on this already,\u201d insisted the leader. \u201cWe checked out some of the mines around here, and there was nothing in them. Now where is your mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t telling and you can\u2019t make me,\u201d said Andy in a defiant voice. \u201cYou kill me and you\u2019ll never find that mine. And there ain\u2019t nothing you can do to me to make me talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy\u2019s reply seemed to enrage the man in the black shirt. He balled his fist and punched Andy in the stomach, then hit him in the jaw. Andy\u2019s head went forward with the first punch, and snapped back when the second one landed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave him alone!\u201d shouted Joe. \u201cHe\u2019s an old man. You\u2019ll kill him if you keep this up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, kid,\u201d snarled the man standing next to Joe\u2019s chair.<\/p>\n

Eyes blazing with anger, Joe looked up at the man, \u201cOh, you\u2019re real tough, aren\u2019t you. Four of you taking on one old man. That\u2019s real brave of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said shut up!\u201d shouted the man standing next to Joe. He drew back his arm and hit Joe hard in the mouth. Joe\u2019s head snapped to the side. He winced in pain, then slowly raised his head again. Joe could taste the blood coming from his lip. \u201cLike I said,\u201d he muttered. \u201cReal brave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s comment drew another punch, this one to Joe\u2019s stomach. Joe\u2019s body jerked forward as the man\u2019s fist landed in his midsection. Joe could feel himself pulling against his tied hands. He also felt the ropes that held him give a bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it. Don\u2019t hurt him!\u201d cried Andy as he saw Joe gasping for breath. \u201cHe don\u2019t have nothing to do with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The black-shirted man put his fingers to his jaw and rubbed it thoughtfully. \u201cSo that\u2019s how it is,\u201d he mused. \u201cI don\u2019t know who this kid is, but he means something to you, doesn\u2019t he, old man.\u201d The man took a step over to Joe and roughly pushed Joe back up in the chair. He pulled a gun from his holster and held the barrel to Joe\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d said the leader. \u201cHere\u2019s how it is. You\u2019ve got ten seconds to tell us where the mine is. If you don\u2019t, I\u2019m going to pull the trigger and blow the kid\u2019s brains out. He don\u2019t mean nothing to me, and we don\u2019t need him to find the mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe froze. He had no doubt the man holding a gun to his head would carry out his threat. Joe wasn\u2019t sure what Andy would do. He didn\u2019t know if Andy would give up the silver for which he had searched for over two decades to save him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! Don\u2019t!\u201d shouted Andy in a desperate voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you\u2019d better start talking, old man,\u201d threatened the leader. He cocked his gun. \u201cYou\u2019ve got about five seconds left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Joe closed his eyes. He had heard that you never actually felt the bullet that killed you. He wondered if it was true. Joe prayed that he wouldn\u2019t find out.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo seconds, old man,\u201d cautioned the leader. \u201cTwo seconds and then I pull the trigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, all right,\u201d agreed Andy quickly. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you. Just don\u2019t hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s more like it,\u201d said the black-shirted man with a smile. He uncocked the gun but left the barrel against Joe\u2019s head. Joe let out a deep sigh and slumped against the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, where\u2019s the mine?\u201d demanded the leader.<\/p>\n

Andy took a deep breath, then explained, \u201cYou head west out of town and go about half a mile. You\u2019ll see an old sycamore tree that\u2019s shaped like a Y. Turn right and go about a hundred yards. There\u2019s a big clump of bushes against the side of the mountain. Pull back the bushes and you\u2019ll see the entrance to the mine. The silver\u2019s in there, but it\u2019s real deep. You\u2019ve got to go about a mile into the mine to find that vein.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, very good,\u201d observed the black-shirted man, nodding in satisfaction. He pulled the gun away from Joe\u2019s head. Then he stopped, as if struck by a thought. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t be lying to us, would you, old man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t lying,\u201d answered Andy in a tired voice. \u201cIt\u2019s there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll just go take a look,\u201d said the leader. He turned to the men standing near the chairs. \u201cYou two come with me.\u201d He turned again to the man who was still standing near the door. \u201cYou stay here and keep an eye on these two. If we don\u2019t find that mine, we\u2019ll come back and ask some more questions.\u201d The man turned once more and looked at Andy and Joe with a nasty grin on his face. \u201cIf we don\u2019t find that mine, old man, I\u2019m going to kill the kid,\u201d he promised Andy. \u201cAnd I\u2019ll make sure he dies screaming in pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe swallowed hard. He hoped Andy hadn\u2019t lied.<\/p>\n

The leader jerked his head toward the door. \u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d he ordered. He started walking to the door, and the other two men followed him. The fourth man watched as the other three walked out the door, then he walked over to the round table. Pulling out one of the chairs, he sat down at the table. He leaned back into the chair and pulled his feet from the floor, settling them on the table. By turning his head to his left, the man could see Andy and Joe. By turning to his right, he could see out the window. The man looked at Andy and Joe for a minute, then turned to stare out the window.<\/p>\n

Cautiously, Joe watched the man at the table. When he was convinced their guard had little interest in them, Joe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He twisted a bit in his chair, and was surprised to feel the ropes around his hands give a bit once more. The cord that had been used to tie Joe\u2019s hands had hung by the window for over twenty years. Time and the sun had caused the cord to begin to decay. Joe couldn\u2019t snap the cord, but he could feel it loosen a fraction each time he pulled against it. Joe began to pump his wrists back and forth, straining against the cord. If he could loosen the cord enough, he might be able to slip one – or both – hands out of his bonds. He watched the guard carefully as he worked, making sure the man didn\u2019t notice what he was doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d said Andy in a low voice. \u201cI never meant for you to get caught up in this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe paused in his efforts for a moment. \u201cAndy,\u201d he answered in an equally low voice. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? Who are these guys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe leader, the one in the black shirt? His name is Phillips,\u201d explained Andy. \u201cI don\u2019t know the others.\u201d Andy shook his head. \u201cI was so excited,\u201d he continued. \u201cI finally found it, Joe. After twenty years, I finally found that big vein. I just had to tell someone. So I grabbed a chuck of the silver and rode up to Bailey\u2019s. Figured I\u2019d pay him for all the whiskey and stuff he had given me over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Joe smiled ruefully. After all these years, Andy still didn\u2019t know that Ben Cartwright was paying his bills at the Trading Post. Joe began straining against the cord again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll admit it,\u201d said Andy. \u201cI also wanted to do a bit of bragging. Bailey and some of the other fellows who come by his Trading Post, they never thought I\u2019d find the vein. They used to laugh when I told them I was getting close. So I wanted to make them eat their words. I threw the silver down on the counter at Bailey, and told him about finding a big vein. Phillips and his friends were there, and they heard what I said. They showed up this morning and wanted to know where the mine was.\u201d Andy shook his head. \u201cI wasn\u2019t going to tell them. I didn\u2019t care if they killed me. I wasn\u2019t going to give them my mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stopped working on the ropes and looked at Andy. \u201cYou told them, though,\u201d he said softy. \u201cYou told them to save me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t let them hurt you,\u201d replied Andy, shrugging a bit. \u201cI owe your Pa too much. I couldn\u2019t repay him by letting them hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked away, feeling uncomfortable and not because of the ropes. \u201cWe haven\u2019t done that much,\u201d he muttered. \u201cJust brought you some supplies from time to time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, it ain\u2019t the supplies I owe your Pa for,\u201d replied Andy. \u201cSure, they\u2019ve been helpful, but that\u2019s not what I meant. I owe your Pa for his friendship, and for letting me watch you boys grow up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked at Andy in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching you boys grow up, well, that\u2019s meant more to me than almost anything,\u201d continued Andy. \u201cI never had a family, so your Pa kind of shared his with me. He made sure he brought you or Hoss or Adam with him every time he came. Most of the time, it was more than one of you. It gave me such pleasure to watch you boys over the years. Your Pa used to tell me all the things you were doing. While we was unloading the supplies, he\u2019d tell me about how you were doing in school, or what girl you was sparking, or whatever. It was kind of like being part of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know that,\u201d said Joe in amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you and Hoss, you usually were playing in the town while we was unloading,\u201d replied Andy. \u201cThat\u2019s why I always kept things in good repair. I wanted to make sure there was no way you boys could get hurt while you was exploring.\u201d Andy chuckled softly. \u201cYou two must have spent hours in every building in this town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. He and Hoss had explored all the buildings and had great fun doing it. They would play games or hide from each other in the various structures. Joe remembered begging to go with his father to Hawthorne and being excited when he was allowed to come along. Joe wondered when things had changed. He couldn\u2019t pinpoint when the adventure had turned into a chore.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you boys, you were so good to me, too,\u201d added Andy. \u201cYou used to listen to my stories. When you was little, you\u2019d beg me to tell you stories. I guess you must have heard them stories a hundred times over the years. But it gave me such pleasure to tell them to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked away, feeling ashamed of himself for complaining about Andy\u2019s stories. He did remember that when he was little, he\u2019d ask Andy to tell him about the boom times in Hawthorne. Andy obviously had enjoyed telling him the stories. It was such a small thing to listen to the stories for awhile and it gave the old man a lot of happiness. Joe could feel a flush creeping up his neck. \u201cI like your stories,\u201d mumbled Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cBless you, boy,\u201d said Andy with a wry grin. \u201cI know you got tired of hearing them. But you always listened.\u201d Andy took a deep breath. \u201cI\u2019m right proud of the way you all turned out. Your Pa, he made sure you boys kept coming over to see me even after you was grown, so I could see for myself that you were all right. I used to worry over you boys sometimes. I fretted for a long time after Adam went off that fancy school of his. I was never so happy as when he came over when he got back. It was good to see him home, all safe and sound. And Hoss, he\u2019s so big and strong. I guess I\u2019ve thought of dozens of excuses for him to help me out at the mine. I like watching him and knowing how he had grown from a little shaver to such a powerful man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you, you were always changing,\u201d continued Andy, looking straight at Joe. \u201cOne time, you\u2019d be all moony over some gal, then on the next visit, you\u2019d have forgotten all about her. You\u2019d tell me about some wild horse you\u2019d broke or how good you was getting with a gun. I never know from one visit to the next what you\u2019d be up to. I think I look forward to your visits most of all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amazed, Joe shook his head in almost disbelief. He never realized that all the small talk he had made with Andy over the years had been so important to the man. He had just been making conversation, doing something to fill up the time during his visits. He hadn\u2019t understood until now why his Pa had insisted they each continue to make the trips to Hawthorne.<\/p>\n

Andy turned to look at their guard. The man was still staring out the window, ignoring the murmur of conversation from the pair.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d said Andy softly. \u201cWe got to get out of here. Phillips will kill us when he gets back. I told him true about the mine. Now that he knows where it is, he\u2019ll have to get rid of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know,\u201d agreed Joe. He began working on the cords again with a renewed purpose. He could feel them stretching and loosening with each tug. Joe began straining his wrists against the cord with all the strength he had.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got to figure out a way to protect you,\u201d stated Andy in an almost distracted voice. \u201cI swear I ain\u2019t going to let anything happen to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was touched by the old man\u2019s concern for him, but he knew there was little Andy Miller could do to, even if he got free. Too many years had passed for the old prospector. Joe knew it was up to him to get them out of danger. He strained against the cords once more, and felt them loosen around his wrists. Joe put his wrists against the back of the chair and slowly rolled the cord up and down. He felt the cord slip on his left hand. Joe rolled his left wrist a bit more, then grabbed the cord with his right hand. He tugged his left hand sharply upward. His hand popped free of the cord.<\/p>\n

Careful to keep his hands behind the chair, Joe pulled the cord off his other wrist. He watched the man across the room, trying to decide how he could jump him. The man had his gun in his holster, but Joe knew he could easily draw and fire if Joe tried to cross the room. He was too far away to get to quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy,\u201d Joe hissed. \u201cWe need to get him over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d replied Andy with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust do what I say,\u201d ordered Joe. \u201cStart moaning like you were sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy looked at Joe with a quizzical expression, then shrugged. He began moaning softly, then a little louder.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey,\u201d shouted Joe. \u201cSomething\u2019s wrong with Andy. I think he\u2019s having a heart attack or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man at the table looked over at the captives. Andy was slumped forward, head down. He was moaning and gasping for breath. A worried crossed the face of the guard. He quickly pulled his feet off the table and got up from the chair. He crossed the room and stood over Andy. \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you?\u201d he growled to Andy.<\/p>\n

Ignoring the man, Andy continued to moan. As the guard bent forward a bit to check on the old miner, Joe sprang up from the chair and grabbed the man\u2019s arm. Joe spun him around and quickly landed two short jabs in the man\u2019s stomach. Before the man could even react, Joe hit him on the jaw as hard as he could. The man\u2019s head snapped back, and he started to slump toward the floor. Joe hit him once again on the jaw, then let the man crumple to the floor. Joe stood over the fallen guard for a minute, making sure the man was unconscious. Then he turned to Andy.<\/p>\n

Andy was grinning. \u201cPretty slick,\u201d he said with a chuckle. \u201cI always figured you had some pretty fast fists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grinned back at the man, then quickly moved behind Andy and began to untie him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get out of here before the others get back,\u201d advised Joe as he undid the knots on the rope that held Andy to the chair. \u201cThe wagon is across the street.\u201d As he untied the last knot, Joe pulled the ropes off Andy and helped the old man to his feet.<\/p>\n

Andy\u2019s knees buckled a bit as he tried to stand, and he swayed against Joe. Joe caught the old miner and helped him stand. Phillips and the others had worked him over pretty good. Joe began to worry about how badly they had hurt old Andy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d said Andy as he winced in pain. \u201cJust give me a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d agreed Joe. He looked at the old man with concern. \u201cThink you can stand by yourself for a minute?\u201d Andy nodded. Joe carefully released him and watched as Andy swayed. But the old prospector stayed on his feet.<\/p>\n

Walking quickly to the man on the floor, Joe knelt down and pulled the pistol from the man\u2019s holster and stuck the gun in his own holster. Then he rushed back to Andy. \u201cCome on,\u201d Joe said, putting his arms gently around the old man. \u201cLet\u2019s get out of here.\u201d Joe began guiding Andy slowly toward the door. The old man leaned against Joe, and his gait was more of a shuffle than a walk. Joe hurried Andy as much as he could. He knew Phillips and the others would be back soon. He wanted to be out of Hawthorne before they returned.<\/p>\n

When he and Andy reached the door, Joe stopped. He cautiously eased the door open and stuck his head outside. The street was deserted. Joe looked to the west end of the town, and was pleased to see no sign of horses riding in. Joe turned to Andy and gave a brief nod, then began to guide the old prospector out the door.<\/p>\n

As Joe led Andy onto the street, the man was leaning even more on Joe and his breathing sounded labored. Joe tried to hurry him across the street to the wagon, but the old prospector simply couldn\u2019t walk any faster. It seemed to Joe that it took an hour to get across the street, instead of just a few minutes. He anxiously glanced toward the west end of town as he helped Andy toward the wagon.<\/p>\n

As the pair reached the back of the wagon, Andy stopped. \u201cLet me rest a minute,\u201d he gasped. Joe nodded and eased Andy against the back of the wagon. The prospector stood with his eyes closed, breathing hard. Joe watched the old man with concern; Andy looked pale, although it was hard for Joe to be sure. Between the beard and all the bruises, he couldn\u2019t see much of Andy\u2019s face. A kind of wheezing was escaping from Andy\u2019s lungs as he gasped for air.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Andy,\u201d Joe urged in a gentle voice. \u201cWe have to get going. We have to get you to a doctor.\u201d Andy didn\u2019t say anything but he nodded his head. Joe slipped his arms around the old man and shifted Andy\u2019s weight from the wagon to himself. Once more, he began to guide Andy slowly around the wagon.<\/p>\n

The tall load of boxes and bags blocked Joe\u2019s view of the street as he eased Andy toward the front of the wagon. Joe couldn\u2019t hear much over Andy\u2019s wheezing breaths, either. As a result, Joe wasn\u2019t aware of the three riders who had returned to town and now were starting slowly up the street.<\/p>\n

Joe was helping Andy to climb up to the drivers seat when he heard the shout. He looked quickly to his left and saw Phillips and the other two men. They had stopped their horses in front of the livery stable, about 40 yards away. One of the men was pointing at him, and Joe saw all three reaching for their guns.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy, get down!\u201d shouted Joe, just as the shots rang out. He reached up to pull the old man off the wagon seat. Two bullets zinged into the wood of the wagon, startling the horses. The animals shifted nervously, causing the wagon to roll a few inches. Andy fell back off the wagon, knocking both himself and Joe to the ground. More bullets whizzed around, hitting the wagon and building behind Joe and Andy. Joe scrambled to his feet and pulled the pistol out of his holster. He crouched behind the wagon and fired two shots at the riders, noting with satisfaction that he scattered the three men. Joe was sure he hadn\u2019t hit anything but he knew he had distracted them for a minute.<\/p>\n

Shoving the pistol back into his holster, Joe turned back to Andy. The old man was laying face down on the ground, not moving. Joe wasn\u2019t sure if Andy had been hit or simply knocked out by the fall. But he didn\u2019t have time to check. Joe reached down and grabbed the prospector under the arms, then started dragging Andy toward the door of the store behind them. Joe stopped for a minute to push the door open. As he did, another spray of bullets hit the building. Ignoring the bullets, Joe reached back to tighten his hold on Andy. Several shots echoed through the town, and suddenly, Joe felt a searing pain in his right thigh. He cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground on top of Andy.<\/p>\n

For a minute, Joe could do nothing but lay on top of the old miner. His eyes were tightly closed as he tried to endure the pain that seemed to radiate up his leg. He gasped for air in ragged breaths and fought the nausea that seemed to suddenly well up in his stomach. He felt as if someone was sticking a hot poker in his leg. But even through the pain, Joe knew he and Andy had to get off the street if they wanted to survive. He gritted his teeth, and opened his eyes, then twisted a bit so he could look at his leg.<\/p>\n

He could see the blood running down his right leg from the bullet hole in his thigh. As Joe tried to get up., he cried out at the pain the movement caused, and spots of blackness seemed to dance in front of his eyes. Joe shook his head, trying to clear it. He knew he had to get moving or he would die.<\/p>\n

Then Joe heard another sound\u2026the sound of horses coming closer. He didn\u2019t bother to look in the direction of the sound. Joe knew he was running out of time. He grabbed Andy by the arm and dragged both himself and the old man into the building behind him.<\/p>\n

As soon as the two were inside the building, Joe dropped Andy. He dragged himself back to the front of the building and looked out the doorway. He could see the three riders coming toward the building. Joe fired twice, and the riders abruptly stopped. Joe fired once more. The three men quickly turned their horses and retreated. Joe eased himself back into the building and firmly shut the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Pulling himself up to a sitting position, Joe rested his back against the door. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. The pain in his leg was agonizing, and he could feel the blood trickling down his thigh. Joe shivered, and a feeling of lethargy seemed to creep through him. He couldn\u2019t move, couldn\u2019t think. All he could do was sit there and feel miserable.<\/p>\n

Slowly, the pain in Joe\u2019s leg eased to a dull ache. His breathing became more regular and the terrible weariness began to melt away. Joe slowly opened his eyes.<\/p>\n

As his vision cleared and focused, Joe saw the counter of the old store across the room, and the shelves lining the wall behind the counter. A few small sacks and cans sat on the shelves. Joe lowered his eyes and saw Andy laying face down, unmoving, in the middle of the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy!\u201d gasped Joe. He threw himself forward and crawled across the floor, dragging his injured leg behind him. Joe reached the old prospector and turned him onto his back. Joe could see the bullet hole in Andy\u2019s chest, just below the left collarbone. Blood covered the old man\u2019s chest. Joe felt Andy\u2019s neck and was relieved to feel the faint throb of a pulse.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy,\u201d Joe said again as he gently shook the old man. \u201cAndy, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

At first there was no reaction. Then Andy\u2019s eyes slowly fluttered open. He stared at Joe, as if he didn\u2019t recognize him. Hiss mouth worked as if he were trying to talk but no sound came out. Suddenly, the old man coughed violently, and a trickle of blood flowed from his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake it easy, Andy,\u201d comforted Joe in a soothing voice. \u201cTake it easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to gather strength. He opened them again and looked at Joe. \u201cAre…are you all right?\u201d asked the miner in a barely audible voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Joe lied. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy nodded. \u201cGood,\u201d he said softly. \u201cI\u2019ll\u2026I\u2019ll protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Andy,\u201d Joe reassured him. \u201cSure you will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2026won\u2019t\u2026.get\u2026 my mine,\u201d promised Andy in a fading voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no they won\u2019t,\u201d agreed Joe.<\/p>\n

Andy nodded again. \u201cTell your Pa\u2026\u201d said Andy in a barely audible whisper. He suddenly coughed again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell him,\u201d Joe quickly assured the old man. He lifted Andy\u2019s hand from the floor and held it tightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026won\u2019t\u2026let\u2026them\u2026\u201d Andy tried to get the words out, but he was too weak. He looked at Joe, a silent message in his eyes. Then Andy\u2019s eyes closed and his body went limp. Joe felt the old man\u2019s neck again. This time he could feel no pulse.<\/p>\n

Sadly, Joe lowered his head. He hadn\u2019t realized until now how much old Andy really meant to him. In the past few years, he had thought of Andy Miller as sort of an eccentric old uncle, someone to be humored and tolerated. But now, Joe knew Andy had been much more than that. Joe had never needed to worry or pretend when he was with the old prospector. Andy had always listened and never judged. The hours of exploring the town and the old stories were happy thoughts woven into the memories of Joe\u2019s childhood. Andy had watched over Joe and his brothers, and they had grown into manhood under his protective eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Joe said softly as he gently laid Andy\u2019s hand across the old man\u2019s chest. Joe could feel the tears stinging his eyes.<\/p>\n

The sound of harness jangling pulled Joe abruptly back to the present. He crawled back to the front of the store and eased himself near the window, then looked out onto the street. The wagon was no longer in front of the store. Joe could see it moving slowly down the street, the horses probably being led by one of Phillips\u2019 men. He looked around the street, trying to spot the other men. He couldn\u2019t see anyone, but he knew they were out there.<\/p>\n

Sitting back against the wall, Joe tried to think. The pistol was still in his hand. Joe knew he only had one bullet left, but he checked anyway. He looked up at the shelf across the room, but saw only sacks of flour and sugar, and a few tin cans. There was nothing that even resembled a box of cartridges. Joe knew Andy had never carried a pistol, so there was no need for him to have bullets for a handgun. The prospector had an old rifle around someplace but Joe had no idea where it might be.<\/p>\n

As he shifted his weight, a stab of pain radiated through Joe’s leg again. He looked down at the wound in his leg. The bleeding had slowed, but a trickle of dark red was still oozing out of his thigh. Joe knew he had to bandage the wound somehow. He stuck the pistol back in his holster. Then he slipped his jacket off his shoulders, and threw it aside. Joe reached up and tugged at the shoulder of his shirt. At first, the cloth wouldn\u2019t give. He tugged harder, and was rewarded by the sound of tearing cloth. One more sharp pull tore the sleeve away from the rest of his shirt. Joe pulled the sleeve off his arm, and wound the cloth around his thigh, wincing in pain as he did so. Then he tied the cloth as tight as possible. Joe knew the sleeve wasn\u2019t much of a bandage, but it was the best he could do.<\/p>\n

Glancing out the window again, Joe saw the wagon disappearing down the street. He knew it was only a question of time before the men outside attacked the store. He had only one shot to defend himself against the fusillade of bullets he knew would come. Joe looked around the building, trying to come up with a plan. He thought about crouching behind the counter, but that would only delay the inevitable. He wouldn\u2019t be able to stop Phillips and the others from breaking into the store, and once they did, there was no place for Joe to hide.<\/p>\n

A place to hide. The thought suddenly struck Joe. That\u2019s what he needed. Someplace to hide where the others couldn\u2019t find him. If they couldn\u2019t find him, they might give up and go away. Joe knew it was a slim chance, but it was the only chance he had.<\/p>\n

Joe thought hard, mentally reviewing all the nooks and crannies he had explored over the years. He needed someplace that wasn\u2019t obvious, someplace that the men outside would never think to look. A smile flickered across Joe\u2019s face. He knew just the place, if he could get to it.<\/p>\n

Shaking his head slowly with regret, Joe took one last look at old Andy. He hated leaving the old prospector like this, but he also knew that Phillips and the others couldn\u2019t hurt Andy any more. Joe said a silent goodbye to Andy, then began crawling across the floor to the back of the store.<\/p>\n

The old store had a back door, a door that probably hadn\u2019t been used in years. Joe wasn\u2019t sure it would open, but the door offered his only escape. He slid across the floor until he was by the door, then reached up and tried to turn the knob. The knob was stiff but it moved in Joe\u2019s hand. He closed his eyes and silently thanked Andy Miller for keeping the town in good repair. Joe turned the knob and pushed against the door. The rusty hinges screeched in protest, but the door opened.<\/p>\n

Grabbing the side of the door frame, Joe pulled himself up until he was standing. He leaned against the frame, keeping all of his weight on his uninjured leg. Then Joe looked cautiously out the door.<\/p>\n

A small path, no more than a yard wide, separated the back of the store from the mountain of solid rock behind it. Joe looked to be sure there was no one around. Then he eased himself out of the doorway, dragging his injured leg behind him.<\/p>\n

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

Phillips stood in the doorway of the hotel across the street from the store. He was watching the store, looking for some sign of movement. He also was waiting until the other three men were ready to join him. He had no desire to attack the store without help.<\/p>\n

Hearing a small groan behind him, Phillips turned to look. The man Joe had knocked out was slowly getting to his feet, rubbing his jaw as he stood. He looked around, confused by the empty room. Then he saw Phillips by the door.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThe old man and kid got away,\u201d replied Phillips, his voice tinged with disgust. \u201cSome guard you turned out to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot away!\u201d cried the man with alarm. \u201cNow what\u2019ll we do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLuckily, they didn\u2019t get very far,\u201d Phillips answered. \u201cThey\u2019re holed up in that building across the street. I think both of them are hit, but I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The would-be guard reached for his gun and was surprised to find his holster empty. \u201cThey\u2019ve got my gun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phillips nodded. \u201cYeah, I know,\u201d he said with a touch of irony. \u201cThe kid took some shots at us. But he can\u2019t have too many bullets left. That\u2019ll make it easy for us to take them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t going up against him or anyone else without a gun,\u201d stated the other man in alarm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not asking you to,\u201d replied Phillips. \u201cJim is moving the wagon down the street to the stable. He\u2019s got the kid\u2019s gun. When he gets back, you can take the kid\u2019s gun from him. Then I want you to sneak out to the side of this building. Billy is already down the street. We\u2019ll come at them from three directions. It will be over real quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too quick, I hope,\u201d said the man, rubbing his chin. \u201cI owe that kid something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not taking any chances, Sam,\u201d replied Phillips. \u201cWe saw the mine. It was just where the old man said it would be. And it\u2019s got a vein of silver that\u2019s a mile wide. That mine will be worth a lot of money. But to get it, we need to be sure that old man and kid are dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d agreed Sam. He looked out the window. \u201cHere comes Jim. Let\u2019s get this over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took only a few minutes for the four men to get into position. Phillips watched the store the whole time, not seeing any movement. He wondered if the two men in the store were already dead. Phillips shrugged to himself. If they weren\u2019t dead, they would be soon.<\/p>\n

Phillips checked once more to make sure his men were ready. Then he lifted his hand and pointed toward the store across the street. Immediately four guns began firing into the store, smashing window panes and splintering the wooden door. Each man emptied his gun firing into the store. As they stopped to re-load, Phillips watched the store carefully. He still saw no sign that anyone in the store was still alive.<\/p>\n

After reloading his pistol, Phillips started slowly out the door of the hotel. He crouched low, ready to dive to the ground if there were any shots. But no answering fire came from the store. Phillips became bolder as he neared the building, increasing his pace and raising himself almost to his full height. Still, the store was silent. Phillips finally reached the front of the store, his men close behind him. He kicked open the door and rushed in, his gun cocked and ready to fire.<\/p>\n

Stopping inside the store, Phillips looked around. He saw Andy Miller laying on the floor. He was sure the old man was dead, but motioned to one of the men to check. Phillips looked at the broken glass scattered on the floor and the bullet holes which had pierced the wooden walls. He saw Joe\u2019s jacket lying in a heap. But there was no sign of Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the kid?\u201d asked Sam, the man Joe had punched. \u201cWhere\u2019d he go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck behind the counter,\u201d ordered Phillips with a frown. The man walked across the room and looked over the counter. He turned back to Phillips and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like he just disappeared,\u201d said the one called Billy. He looked around uneasily.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t disappear,\u201d growled Phillips. \u201cHe got away again. That kid is as slick as grease.\u201d Phillips looked down to the floor again. Now he noticed the spots of blood trailing across the floor. He followed the trail with his eyes, and saw the door at the back of the store, half hidden in shadows. \u201cHe went out the back,\u201d added Phillips with disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe old man is dead,\u201d declared Sam as he walked away from Andy\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

Phillips nodded, his thoughts distracted. \u201cThe kid couldn\u2019t have gotten far,\u201d said Phillips. \u201cHe\u2019s bleeding pretty bad.\u201d He suddenly turned and looked out onto the street. \u201cThere\u2019s only one way in and out of this town. We\u2019d have seen him if he had tried to leave. That means he\u2019s still here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut where?\u201d asked Jim.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where!\u201d answered Phillips angrily. \u201cBut there\u2019s only a dozen buildings in this town. All we have to do is search them. We\u2019ll find him.\u201d Phillips turned to the two other men. \u201cBilly, you go down to the end of town by the stable. Stay there and keep your eyes peeled. If the kid tries to leave town, shoot him.\u201d Phillips turned back to Jim. \u201cYou go down to the other end of town and do the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you two going to do?\u201d asked Jim.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to search this town building by building,\u201d replied Phillips. \u201cWe\u2019ll flush the kid out. And then we\u2019re going to make him wish he never was born.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe had been in the alley behind the store when the volley of shots were fired. He had instinctively crouched against the building, listening to the sound of glass breaking and bullets cracking into wood amid the blasts from the pistols. It hadn\u2019t taken much imagination to picture the damage the bullets were causing. Joe shuddered slightly as he thought about almost being trapped in the store with those bullets flying around him.<\/p>\n

As soon as the shooting stopped, Joe peered cautiously around the corner of the store. He could see one man walking slowly toward the store, with his gun drawn. As soon as the man was out of sight, Joe began limping across the small alley to the building next door.<\/p>\n

The building next to the store was the old assay office. It had no back door because the building was built up against the mountain behind it. But there was a side door facing the alley. Joe hurried to the door as fast as his injured leg would allow him. He turned another stiff but working door knob, and pushed open the door. This time, the door made little sound as it opened. Joe hurried into the assay office, and quietly closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Inside the old assay office, Joe stood still for a minute. He was breathing hard, and the ache in his leg was getting worse. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. But Joe knew he had no time to lose. He took a deep breath and hurried across the room to the front door of the office. He pushed the door open and looked out onto a deserted street. Joe quickly limped out of the assay office and down the street. The building he wanted was the next one, the old saloon.<\/p>\n

Joe pushed open one of the swinging doors at the entrance to the saloon and hurried into the building. He had just gotten inside when he heard the sound of footsteps. Joe fell to the floor, gritting his teeth in pain as his wounded leg hit the hard wood. He pulled himself a foot or so into the shadows of the interior of the building and froze. Joe could see a pair of legs walking by the door of the saloon. He breathed a silent sigh of relief as the legs went past the door.<\/p>\n

Laying in the shadows for a moment, Joe rested and gathered strength to move on. He felt light headed, and knew he had probably lost a lot of blood. His arms and legs felt as if they were made of jelly. And the bullet wound in his leg throbbed constantly. Joe knew he was losing strength rapidly, but he only had a little further to go. Just rest a minute, he told himself, and then move.<\/p>\n

As Joe rested, he looked around the deserted saloon. This had been one of his favorite places, he thought with a touch of nostalgia. He and Hoss had spent hours playing in this place when they were young. They had taught themselves to play poker with a deck of faded old cards, and pretended to serve each other drinks as they played. They had imitated all the things they imagined that a grown up would do in a saloon, things that they would never have been allowed to do at home. And they had enjoyed every minute of it.<\/p>\n

Hearing the sound of footsteps outside, Joe cursed himself for stopping. He should have been hiding by now. He was afraid he wouldn\u2019t reach his safe haven before Phillips and the others came into the saloon. Joe began dragging himself across the floor toward the large oak bar. The bar was only a few feet away, but to Joe, it looked as if the distance was a mile. He tried to hurry, but he was too weak to do more than drag himself slowly across the floor.<\/p>\n

As he reached the end of the bar, Joe heard the voices outside the saloon. He could clearly hear two men. They sounded as if they were just about ready to enter the saloon. He wasn\u2019t going to make it, Joe thought as he pulled himself around the end of the bar. He wasn\u2019t going to have enough time to hide before the men entered the saloon.<\/p>\n

He only needed another minute, but Joe was convinced he wouldn\u2019t get that minute.<\/p>\n

As he clearly heard a voice say \u201cLet\u2019s check the saloon,\u201d Joe tensed his body, waiting for the sound of footsteps and the bullet he was sure was going to be fired into him. Instead, he heard an odd sound. It was the sound of wind, a big wind. The wind caused the saloon doors to swing and creak. A shower of dirt and dust blew against the building. The sign hanging outside the saloon swayed and fell to the ground with a crash.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t wait. He pulled *himself along the floor until he was behind the bar, then reached down and grabbed at what looked like just a small hole in the floor. He pulled on the hole, and a section of the floor lifted up.<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss had found the trapdoor in the saloon floor many years ago. He knew there was small crawl space under the trapdoor, seemingly large to a young boy but now just big enough for a grown man. When they had shown the trapdoor to their father, Ben had speculated that it was used to store whiskey and beer close by the bar, so a bartender could easily reach it.<\/p>\n

Pushing himself into the crawl space, Joe slowly lowered the trapdoor behind him. Almost as soon as the trapdoor was shut, the wind outside stopped.<\/p>\n

A few seconds later, Phillips and Sam walked into the saloon, brushing the dirt off of themselves as they entered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a pretty strange wind,\u201d commented Sam. \u201cCame out of nowhere. It almost knocked that sign right into us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phillips ignored Sam\u2019s comment. \u201cCheck behind the bar,\u201d he ordered as his eyes searched the deserted saloon. The saloon was dark, and full of shadows and the dark smear of blood on the floor melted into the shadows. Phillips glanced to the floor, but he didn\u2019t see the blood. Sam walked over to the large wooden bar. He peer cautiously over the top, then walked behind the wide counter.<\/p>\n

From his hiding place, Joe could hear the men. He peered up through the hole and saw a part of a boot just inches from the trapdoor. Joe held his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing here,\u201d declared Sam as he walked away from the bar.<\/p>\n

Phillips walked around the saloon, knocking over chairs and moving tables as he looked into the shadows. Finally he returned to the doors at the front. \u201cHe\u2019s got to be around here someplace,\u201d said Phillips in frustration. \u201cThat blood we saw led right to the old assay office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he wasn\u2019t in there,\u201d answered Sam. \u201cAnd we didn\u2019t see any more blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dirt that wind blew up probably covered it up,\u201d said Phillips. He looked around the empty saloon once more. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s try the next one.\u201d He turned and walked out of the saloon, followed by Sam.<\/p>\n

In his hiding place, Joe heard the men leave. He let out his breath slowly, weak with relief. Joe shifted a bit in the crawl space, trying to find a more comfortable position. He had no intention of leaving his hiding place for awhile. He knew he was safe, at least for the time being. And he was feeling dizzy and tired. Joe pillowed his head on his arm. He knew he should try to stay awake, to listen for his pursuers return. But staying awake took more energy than Joe could muster. His eyelids began to droop, and the feeling of lethargy once more seemed to descend on him. Joe closed his eyes, and in less than a minute, he was asleep.<\/p>\n

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

Ben Cartwright stopped his horse at the crest of the hill on the trail to Hawthorne. He was peering down at the town below as Hoss rode up and pulled his horse to a halt also.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks quiet enough,\u201d commented Ben as he gazed at the buildings below him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you sure you ain\u2019t overreacting just a bit to what Bailey told you in Virginia City yesterday?\u201d asked Hoss with a wry grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably am,\u201d admitted Ben. \u201cBut Bailey seemed so upset and worried about Andy. I\u2019d just feel better if I saw for myself that everything was all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly did Bailey tell you?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cJust what I told you. He said Andy Miller showed up at his place a few days ago with a chuck of high grade silver ore. Andy bragged that he had finally found that vein of silver that he had been searching for all these years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood for old Andy,\u201d interjected Hoss. \u201cHe deserves it after all those years of looking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cBailey said there were four other men in the Trading Post when Andy came in,\u201d he continued. \u201cHe said that they seemed unusually interested in Andy\u2019s talk about his big silver strike. Bailey said the four looked like trouble to him. And he knew one of the men, a man called Phillips. Bailey told me he had heard a rumor that Phillips tried to grab some gold claims in California after the original owners mysteriously died. According to what Bailey heard, Phillips left California in a hurry after the law started looking into how those owners died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Bailey was so worried, why didn\u2019t he go check on Andy himself?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was going to but he needed to get some supplies,\u201d explained Ben. \u201cThen his horse went lame, and he ended up being stuck in Virginia City for longer than he planned. Bailey told me he\u2019s been fretting about Andy the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa, even if they were bothering Andy, don\u2019t you think Joe could handle things?\u201d asked Hoss. \u201cJoe don\u2019t exactly shy away from trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother does seem to have a knack for getting involved,\u201d agreed Ben. \u201cAnd Joe\u2019s pretty handy with both his gun and his fists. But even so, if those men come after Andy and Joe, the odds are four against two. I\u2019d like to even the odds if there\u2019s trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still think we\u2019ve made a long ride for nothing,\u201d stated Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019re right,\u201d answered Ben in a worried voice. \u201cLet\u2019s get going.\u201d Ben kicked his horse forward and started down the hill. Hoss sighed and followed his father.<\/p>\n

As they pair neared the town, Ben looked anxiously toward the street that ran through the town. \u201cI don\u2019t see the wagon,\u201d said Ben as the two men neared the town. \u201cIt should be parked in front of the store like always.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe Joe decided to put it in the stable for awhile,\u201d suggested Hoss. \u201cYou know how Andy is about keeping things where they belong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d replied Ben. But his voice reflected the fact that he didn\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Joe\u2019s already headed for home?\u201d asked Hoss, trying to ease Ben\u2019s worry. \u201cHe could have unloaded the supplies and already headed for Bailey\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we would have seen some sign of the wagon,\u201d answered Ben with a shake of his head. \u201cBailey is still in Virginia City. If Joe went to Bailey\u2019s place, he\u2019d have found the Trading Post closed, and headed back down the trail. I\u2019m sure we would have seen him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss didn\u2019t say anything; he suddenly felt uneasy about the deserted street.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss rode to the edge of Hawthorne. They both stopped their horses in surprise when they saw someone lounging against the side of the first building of the town. The man hurried forward and blocked their path.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I help you fellows?\u201d asked the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d answered Ben in a wary voice. \u201cWe\u2019re just going to ride in and see Andy Miller.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t there,\u201d stated the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot there?\u201d said Hoss with a frown. \u201cOld Andy almost never leaves Hawthorne. Where\u2019d he go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know,\u201d replied the man. \u201cThe town\u2019s deserted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d asked Ben, his concern growing.<\/p>\n

The man bit his lip and seemed to be thinking. \u201cI\u2019m, um, I\u2019m just waiting for some friends,\u201d the man told the Cartwrights. \u201cThey\u2019re doing some prospecting. I figured it would be more comfortable to wait for them here than camped out in the mountains.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you don\u2019t mind if we ride in and look around for ourselves, do you?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

The man put his hand on his holster. \u201cMatter of fact, I do mind,\u201d he answered with a hint of menace. \u201cI don\u2019t want any strangers poking around my gear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just want to ride down to the hotel and take a look around for Andy,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cWe\u2019ll be in and out before you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI already told you he wasn\u2019t there,\u201d growled the man, his eyes narrowing. He lowered his hand to his gun. \u201cNow why don\u2019t you just turn around and ride out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, mister\u2026\u201d started Hoss in a threatening voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, he said Andy wasn\u2019t there,\u201d interrupted Ben. \u201cHe must be up at Bailey\u2019s. Why don\u2019t we ride up there and look for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s where he must be,\u201d agreed the man. He took his hand off his gun. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you try Bailey\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa!\u201d protested Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s ride up to Bailey\u2019s,\u201d said Ben in a firm voice. He turned back to the man in the street. \u201cSorry to have troubled you.\u201d The man just stared at Ben.<\/p>\n

Turn his horse, Ben started back up the trail. Hoss sat for a minute, frowning at the man standing in front of him. Then he turned his horse and rode up next to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, something ain\u2019t right,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Hoss,\u201d agreed Ben in a low voice. \u201cBut if Andy and Joe are in trouble, starting a gunfight isn\u2019t going to help them. That fellow was ready to shoot to prevent us from going into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you\u2019re right,\u201d stated Hoss. \u201cWhat are we going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s ride to the top of the hill, out of sight,\u201d replied Ben. \u201cWe\u2019ll double back on that old trail that comes in from the south.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not much of a trail,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cYou can barely get a horse down it. Besides, won\u2019t that fellow just stop us again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if he doesn\u2019t see us,\u201d observed Ben. \u201cIf we come in from the south, the buildings will block his view. We can hide the horses in that little alley behind the first couple of buildings. And then we\u2019ll do some searching on own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of risky,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes it is,\u201d agreed Ben, his voice suddenly grim. \u201cBut it\u2019s a risk we need to take if we want to get to Andy and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Phillips walked down the middle of the street until he reached the end of town where Ben and Hoss had been stopped. \u201cYou see any sign of the kid?\u201d he asked Jim. Jim shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn!\u201d swore Phillips. \u201cHe\u2019s got to be here someplace. We checked all those buildings on the side across from the hotel.\u201d He looked at Jim. \u201cAre you sure you didn\u2019t see him?\u201d he asked again. \u201cHe might of tried sneaking across the street.\u201d Phillips eyed the other man suspiciously. \u201cYou have been watching the street, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure I have,\u201d replied Jim. But his eyes shifted away from Phillips.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole time?\u201d demanded Phillips.<\/p>\n

Jim hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders. \u201cWell, I was busy for a couple of minutes,\u201d he admitted. \u201cTwo fellows rode up. Said they wanted to ride into town and see the old man. I discouraged them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo riders?\u201d said Phillips, a touch of alarm in his voice. \u201cWho were they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know,\u201d replied Jim indifferently. \u201cJust said they were looking for the old man. I told them he wasn\u2019t here. They must have believed me because they took off toward Bailey\u2019s place. They were going to look for the old man there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phillips studied the man in front of him with a thoughtful expression. \u201cHow long did this little conversation take?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a couple of minutes, like I said,\u201d replied Jim.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong enough for the kid to get across the street,\u201d said Phillips. He shook his head. \u201cNow we\u2019ve got to search all those other buildings, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t Billy have seen him?\u201d asked Jim.<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly,\u201d answered Phillips in disgust. \u201cHe\u2019s got no more brains than a bird. I came right up on him before he even noticed me. He was daydreaming. That kid could have walked right by him and Billy would have never seen him.\u201d Phillips sighed. \u201cI\u2019ll get Sam and we\u2019ll start on the other buildings.\u201d Phillips poked Jim in the chest with his finger. \u201cYou keep your eyes peeled, you hear? You see any sign of that kid, you holler out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d agreed Jim. He cocked his head. \u201cYou don\u2019t think the kid got away, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d said Phillips in a determined voice. \u201cHe\u2019s still in that town some place. He\u2019s playing some kind of cat and mouse game with us. Probably moving to one place while we\u2019re searching another. Well, he can play all the games he wants. It won\u2019t do him any good. This is one cat who is going to catch the mouse.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The sun was starting its afternoon descent by the time Hoss and Ben quietly led their horses to the alley behind the deserted buildings in Hawthorne. It had taken them some time to ride down the old trail. Hoss had been right; the trail was barely passable.<\/p>\n

When they neared the town, the two men had dismounted and led their horses. Leading the horses was quieter and made them more difficult to see. But it also added to the time it took to reach the town.<\/p>\n

Both Ben and Hoss had moved cautiously when they reached Hawthorne. The old buildings hid them from the stranger they had met, but the same buildings hid the man from the Cartwright\u2019s view also. They had no idea where the man was\u2026.or if his friends were around. Ben knew that moving slowly was necessary, but he chafed at the time it took to reach the alley. Increasingly, he had the feeling that Andy and Joe were in trouble.<\/p>\n

Finally, Ben and Hoss were able to lead their horses down the narrow path behind the buildings. They stopped behind the second building and tied the horses to a small bush growing in the path.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, what do we do now?\u201d asked Hoss in a whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind Andy and Joe,\u201d answered Ben in a low but firm voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how?\u201d asked Hoss. \u201cThe hotel is across the street. That fellow will spot us if we try to get over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben put his hand to his chin and thought. He wasn\u2019t sure what to do next. But he knew he had to find his son and his old friend. The question was how to do it.<\/p>\n

A sudden gust of wind blew up, spraying dust in the Cartwright\u2019s faces. As Ben turned his head to avoid the dirt, he saw the back door of the old store open and sway slightly in the wind. And just as suddenly as the wind blew up, it died.<\/p>\n

Grabbing Hoss\u2019 arm, Ben pointed to the open door.<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned. He couldn\u2019t think of a single reason why that door should be open. Without being told, Hoss started toward the door and Ben followed him.<\/p>\n

When he reached the door, Hoss stopped and peered cautiously inside. He stepped inside the building and then abruptly stopped again. Ben saw his son\u2019s body stiffen and knew something was wrong. He pushed past Hoss and went into the store.<\/p>\n

Ben saw the broken glass on the floor and the bullet holes in the door, but he only noticed them in passing. What riveted his attention was a pair of legs he could see spread out on the floor. Ben wasn\u2019t as tall as Hoss so he couldn\u2019t see over the counter as his son could. All Ben could see was a pair of boots and some tan pants. With his heart in his throat, Ben took a few more steps. Then he froze.<\/p>\n

For a minute, Ben merely stared at Andy\u2019s body on the floor, his brain refusing to believe the picture his eyes saw. He just couldn\u2019t comprehend that the battered and bloodied body sprawled on the floor was his old friend. When the realization finally sank in, Ben gave a choked cry and hurried forward.<\/p>\n

Kneeling next to Andy\u2019s body on the floor, Ben desperately checked for a pulse, even though he knew it was futile. Andy\u2019s lifeless body had a pale, bloodless look to it. Once Ben confirmed what he already knew was true, he dropped his hands to his side and lowered his head.<\/p>\n

As Hoss watched his father, a pained look crossed his face. He had known Andy Miller was dead almost as soon as he had seen the body. He felt a strong sense of anguish, both for the passing of old Andy and for the grief he knew his father was feeling. Finally, Hoss walked over and put his hand on his father\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said simply.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben sniffed as he wiped his hand across his face. \u201cAndy was a good friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked around the shot-up store. \u201cWhat do you think happened?\u201d he asked. \u201cWhere do you think Joe is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Slowly, Ben lifted his head. \u201cI think that man we met and his friends killed Andy, probably because they wanted the silver he found,\u201d he replied. He looked around the room, noting with relief what he had seen earlier. There was no one else in the store. \u201cJoe must have gotten away.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he continued to look around, Hoss didn\u2019t say anything. Suddenly, he turned and walked to the front of the store. He picked up Joe\u2019s discarded jacket from the floor. \u201cJoe was here,\u201d said Hoss, holding the jacket out to Ben.<\/p>\n

Once more, Ben\u2019s eyes searched the deserted store. He paled as he saw the pool of dried blood on the floor and the trail of blood smeared across the floor.<\/p>\n

Hearing a noise from the street outside, Hoss turned to look out the shattered window. He saw two men leaving the old restaurant across the street. The men stopped for a minute to talk, then went into the building next to the restaurant.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d said Hoss as he continued to watch the street. \u201cThere\u2019s two men out there. They came out of the restaurant and went into the hardware store.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting to his feet, Ben came over to the window. He watched the empty street for a minute, then saw the two men come out of the hardware store. Neither hesitated as they turned and went into the next building.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks to me like they\u2019re searching for something,\u201d remarked Hoss. A grim expression crossed his face. \u201cMaybe they\u2019re looking for Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe must have gotten away from them,\u201d Ben said again. He glanced down to the blood on the floor. He had no way of telling who had left the trail of blood across the floor of the store. Nevertheless, his stomach lurched with fear. He grabbed Hoss\u2019 arm. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to find him, Hoss,\u201d said Ben in a worried voice. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get to Joe before they do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded in agreement. \u201cWhere do we start?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d admitted Ben. He looked at Hoss. \u201cYou and Joe explored every inch of this town when you were boys. Where would he go to hide?\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Hoss looked thoughtful, then shook his head. \u201cPa, there must be a dozen places where Joe could hide,\u201d he said in a hopeless voice. \u201cHe could be anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced out the window to the still deserted street, then turned back to Hoss. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to start looking,\u201d he urged. \u201cWe\u2019ll search every building, look in every place you boys used to hide. He\u2019s here someplace, Hoss. All we have to do is find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Phillips and Sam walked down the empty street. They had searched every building in Hawthorne without finding a trace of the man they were seeking. Phillips felt the frustration and anger growing in him. He knew the kid was hiding someplace in the deserted town. He couldn\u2019t believe they had failed to find him.<\/p>\n

Anxiously, Billy watched as the two men walked toward him. He knew Phillips had been mad at him earlier for not paying attention, and he had tried to keep his attention on the street. But Billy had quickly lost interest in simply gazing at the empty street. He wanted to get out of Hawthorne. For some reason, the old ghost town made him uneasy. However, he knew better than to let Phillips know that.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee anything?\u201d asked Phillips as he came up to Billy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d answered Billy in a firm voice. \u201cI\u2019ve been watching the street. He ain\u2019t showed his face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got to be here,\u201d Phillips said, his voice full of frustration.<\/p>\n

Billy shifted uncomfortably. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we just give it up and ride out?\u201d he asked. \u201cWe know where the mine is. Who cares about the kid?\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Phillips stared at Billy in astonishment. \u201cYou pea brain!\u201d he screamed. \u201cIf we don\u2019t find that kid, we\u2019ll lose the chance of a lifetime. We\u2019ll have the law breathing down our necks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billy winced at Phillips angry words. \u201cI was just asking,\u201d he mumbled. \u201cBesides, the old man is dead. He can\u2019t sign his claim over to us now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolling his eyes, Phillips looked at Sam and shook his head in disgust. \u201cI explained this you twice,\u201d he said to Billy. \u201cWe don\u2019t need the old man to sign over his claim. The law says if a mine isn\u2019t worked for a month, it\u2019s considered to be abandoned. All we have to do is bury the old man and wait a month. Then we ride into Carson City and claim the mine. There\u2019s nobody who can dispute our claim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcept that kid,\u201d commented Sam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like the idea of having to work that mine,\u201d pouted Billy. \u201cI don\u2019t like being underground.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe aren\u2019t going to work that mine!\u201d cried Phillips in exasperation. \u201cI swear, if you weren\u2019t my brother, I\u2019d send you packing right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was only saying I don\u2019t like mining,\u201d said Billy in a sullen voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook,\u201d explained Phillips. \u201cWe claim the mine and all that silver. Then we turn around and sell it to one of the big mining outfits. They\u2019ll pay us maybe $10,000 each for that mine. And a percentage of the profits. Once we have that claim, we\u2019ll be set for life. All we have to do is sit back and watch the money roll in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcept that kid knows we killed the old man and stole his mine,\u201d said Sam, with a shake of his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if we don\u2019t find him, he\u2019ll send the law after us,\u201d agreed Phillips. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to high tail it to Mexico or face a rope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what are you going to do?\u201d asked Billy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to search this town again and we\u2019re going to keep looking until we find him,\u201d answered Phillips. He turned to Sam. \u201cLet\u2019s split up. You take the side where the store is and I\u2019ll take the side with the hotel. We\u2019ll start up at the other end of town and work our way back down here. You check every building and check it good. We\u2019ll flush that kid out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if we don\u2019t find him?\u201d asked Sam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll find him,\u201d promised Phillips. \u201cThere\u2019s no way he can get away. He may have given himself a few extra hours to live, but that\u2019s all. That kid will be dead by nightfall.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Under the floorboards in the old saloon, Joe wondered how much longer he could stay hidden. He desperately wanted to leave his underground sanctuary. The ache in his leg was getting worse. He was dirty, tired and thirsty. But the worst was the heat. Joe felt as if he were burning up.<\/p>\n

The air was thick in the crawl space and Joe thought that was the reason he felt so warm. He didn\u2019t realize that it was a fever that was causing his body to be drenched with sweat. In the dim light, he couldn\u2019t see the redness and swelling in his thigh. Joe knew he had slept, but he had no idea how long he had been asleep. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours. He wondered if Phillips and the other men were still searching for him. He hoped they had been discouraged and left Hawthorne, but he knew that was a faint hope. Phillips knew if Joe managed to elude him, Joe would send the law after the men. Joe thought about Andy Miller. He promised himself that Phillips and the others would hang for killing old Andy.<\/p>\n

As he moved his leg slightly, Joe winced at the pain. A trickle of sweat ran down his forehead and into his eye. As Joe wiped the salty moisture from his eye, he wondered again how much longer he could stand being in his safe haven. A noise from the room above froze Joe. He could hear the muffled sound of footsteps, and what seemed to be voices. Joe pulled his gun from his holster. He had one bullet left. He knew if Phillips and the others found him, they would kill him. Joe was determined that at least one of the murderers would die with him.<\/p>\n

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

Ben crossed the floor of the old saloon as Hoss stood watching by the door. They had carefully searched the store and the assay office next door, quietly opening closets and checking every place in which a man could possibly hide. After a fruitless search of the first two buildings, they had cautiously moved on to the saloon.<\/p>\n

Looking cautiously out the window of the assay office, Ben and Hoss had watched the three men talking at the end of the street. They also had seen the guard at the other end of street sit down to rest, his back turned on the town. When they were convinced that the four men outside were not looking, Ben and Hoss had quickly slipped out of the assay office and into the saloon.<\/p>\n

Now Hoss watched the street as Ben searched the saloon. Hoss saw the two men walking up the street, and whistled softly to his father. Ben quickly crouched down next to the bar, and Hoss pulled himself back into the shadows. The two men walked by the saloon without stopping.<\/p>\n

Both Ben and Hoss waited until they were sure the men were gone. Then Ben carefully rose to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not here,\u201d said Ben. \u201cI thought sure he would be hiding here. This was one of his favorite places to play in when he was little.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned. Something tickled at the back of his mind. He knew there was something he should remember about the saloon. He thought hard, but the memory remained elusive. His recollections of his boyhood explorations of Hawthorne were buried under years of other memories.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s try the next building,\u201d suggested Ben with a sigh.<\/p>\n

Silently, Hoss looked around the saloon again, trying to find something that would crystallize the nagging flicker in his head into a clear picture. But nothing seemed to help. Hoss shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ll check the street,\u201d he said, taking a step toward the door.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the floor swayed beneath Hoss\u2019 feet as a gentle rumble seemed to come from deep in the earth. An empty bottle fell from the shelf behind the bar and landed on the floor with a crash. Then everything was still.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at Ben in surprise. \u201cWhat was that?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cA mild earthquake, I guess,\u201d answered Ben. \u201cIt\u2019s a good thing this town is built on solid rock. If there were any basements or underground caverns, the buildings might collapse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stared at Ben. \u201cUnderground\u2026\u201d he said slowly. He looked toward the bar, and the shattered bottle on the floor. It had landed only inches from a small hole in the floor. Hoss frowned. The memory he had sought was becoming clearer in his mind.<\/p>\n

Puzzled, Ben looked at Hoss. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss didn\u2019t say anything. He cocked his head to the side as he tried to remember. And then, with a rush, it came to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where he is!\u201d said Hoss excitedly. He walked rapidly across the floor and knelt down behind the bar. Ben watched with growing confusion; he had looked behind the bar and found nothing. Ignoring his father’s puzzled expression, Hoss reached down and grabbed at the hole in the floor.<\/p>\n

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

Joe heard the footsteps coming nearer. His hand was searching desperately in the dark for the gun. He was so weak he had been barely able to grip the gun. The tremor had startled and scared him, and his arm had crashed against the side of the crawl space. The gun had fallen from his weakened fingers and slid down the crawl space. Joe knew the gun was someplace near, but he couldn\u2019t seem to find it.<\/p>\n

The footsteps seemed to be directly overhead, and Joe\u2019s search became more frantic. He wanted to put a bullet into whoever opened the trapdoor above him. He didn\u2019t want to die without a fight.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the trapdoor opened and light streamed into the crawl space. Joe looked up, trying to hide the fear he felt. The fear quickly turned into astonishment. Joe blinked his eyes and shook his head slightly; he thought he was imagining things. He looked up and stared into the face his brother Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d exclaimed Hoss. Hoss didn\u2019t wait for a reply. He reached down and grabbed Joe under the arms. Then he pulled his little brother from beneath the floor.<\/p>\n

In stunned silence, Ben watched as Hoss pulled Joe from the crawl space. Then he rushed over and knelt next to Joe. He felt almost weak with relief at having found his youngest son. But the knot of fear in his stomach returned as Ben got a good look at Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face was streaked with dirt, and rivulets of sweat ran down his head and chest. As Hoss pulled him out of the crawl space, Joe had grunted in pain. Ben could see the large, dark stain of blood on Joe\u2019s thigh. What seemed to be a dirty rag, also stained with blood, was wrapped around the thigh. Even in the dim light, Ben could see the unnatural brightness in Joe\u2019s eyes and the flush of fever.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Hoss pulled Joe up to a sitting position, and rested his brother\u2019s back against the bar. \u201cLittle brother, I didn\u2019t think we were ever going to find you,\u201d said Hoss, his voice filled with relief.<\/p>\n

Still shocked, Joe looked at Hoss, then turned his head to look at his father. He still couldn\u2019t believe they were really in Hawthorne. \u201cWhat…what are you doing here?\u201d he asked in a voice filled with surprise.<\/p>\n

Before answering, Ben reached over to stroke his son\u2019s head. He could feel the heat of fever and Joe\u2019s hair was damp with sweat. Ben\u2019s eyes searched his son\u2019s face with concern as he answered. \u201cBailey was in Virginia City. He told us about Andy\u2019s strike. He was worried that those men hanging out at his place would try to steal Andy\u2019s mine. We came over to see what was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

With sorrow in his eyes, Joe fixed his gaze on his father. \u201cAndy\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cI know,\u201d he replied. \u201cWe found him over at the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slowly, Joe lowered his eyes. \u201cAndy didn\u2019t want to tell them about the mine,\u201d explained Joe in a choked voice. \u201cHe only did it to save me.\u201d Joe shook his head. \u201cHe was a good friend, Pa. I never realized how good until now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, son,\u201d Ben comforted his son, gently stroking Joe\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe almost made it,\u201d added Joe in a tired voice. In his fevered state, Joe didn\u2019t realize he was rambling on. \u201cWe almost got away. Three of them went to look at the mine. I knocked out the one they left behind. I tried to get Andy out of there. But Phillips came back just as we got to the wagon. I tried to pull Andy down, but it was too late. There were too many bullets. Andy got hit, and so did I. All I could do was watch him die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Joe,\u201d Ben assured him softly. \u201cYou did the best you could. I\u2019m sure Andy knew that.\u201d Ben took his hand from Joe\u2019s head and laid it on his son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cAt least you were with Andy when it happened. I\u2019m sure that meant something to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe stiffened and winced in pain. Ben frowned with concern, then turned to his other son. \u201cHoss, check his leg,\u201d ordered Ben in a worried voice.<\/p>\n

Bending down, Hoss untied the cloth around Joe\u2019s leg. He tried to be gentle, but Joe groaned as Hoss undid the knot and eased the cloth off his brother’s leg. Hoss pulled open the torn cloth around the bullet wound. His eyes widened, and looked up at Ben. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty bad,\u201d he said as softly as he could. \u201cLooks like the bullet is still in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he leaned back against the bar, Joe closed his eyes. He was breathing rapidly, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead once more.<\/p>\n

Frantically, Ben looked around. \u201cWe need something to clean out that wound, and some clean cloth for a bandage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked thoughtful for a moment. His memories of exploring the old saloon had come back with a rush when he recalled the trapdoor. He sorted through the memories.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where we can find what we need,\u201d Hoss stated.<\/p>\n

Getting to his feet, Hoss took a large step across Joe\u2019s legs, then walked rapidly to the other end of the bar. Then he bent down and pulled out an old box from under the bar. He blew the thick layer of dust off the top of the box, then pulled the lid off.<\/p>\n

The box was filled with towels. The first towel in the box was yellow with age and sprinkled with dust. Hoss ignored the it, and plunged his hand deep into the box. He pulled a handful of towels from the bottom of the box. These towels had a slightly off-white color, but they were free from dust and dirt. Hoss carefully held the towels high as he pushed the wooden box back under the bar.<\/p>\n

As he unbent his large body, Hoss looked around. The bottles on the shelf behind the bar were covered with dust and cobwebs. All were empty. Hoss studied the shelf for a minute with a thoughtful. Then he stuck the towels under his arm and reached to move two empty bottles aside.<\/p>\n

Laying on its side behind the two bottles was another whiskey bottle. Only this one wasn\u2019t empty. A small amount of brown liquid was visible inside the bottle. It wasn\u2019t very much whiskey, not even enough to reach to the neck of the bottle. Hoss grabbed the bottle and turned to his father with a triumphant smile.<\/p>\n

Blowing the dust off the bottle, Hoss returned to Ben and Joe. Ben looked at his son with a question on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was mine and Joe\u2019s private stash,\u201d explained Hoss with a small smile. \u201cWe found it one day when we were playing in here. We hid it so it wouldn\u2019t get thrown out. We kept saying we were going to taste it, but neither one of us ever got up enough nerve to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would have blistered your backsides if you had,\u201d said Ben with mock sternness. He took the bottle from Hoss and held it up. Less than a half inch of whiskey sloshed around in the bottle. \u201cIt\u2019s not much,\u201d added Ben softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all we\u2019ve got,\u201d remarked Hoss as he took a step over Joe\u2019s legs. He looked at Ben with a grim expression as he knelt next to Joe and held out his hand for the bottle. \u201cYou\u2019d better hold him,\u201d Hoss suggested as he took the bottle from Ben\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

Laying against the bar with his eyes closed, Joe felt too weak and tired to care about what his father and brother were doing. He felt someone push him forward a bit and then felt two hands grabbing his shoulders. Joe\u2019s head flopped to the left and rested against the strong arm that held him.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe stiffened and gasped in pain as he felt a hot, searing liquid on his leg. The liquid seemed to be burning itself into his thigh. Joe gritted his teeth and tried to squirm away, but the hands on his shoulders held him firmly. For a minute, the pain seemed almost unbearable. Then it began to abate. Joe fell back limply against the arms that held him.<\/p>\n

Joe could feel a cloth being pressed against his leg. He opened his eyes and looked down. Hoss had folded one towel and pressed it against the bullet wound. Now he was wrapping the other towels around Joe\u2019s leg to hold the first one in place. Joe watched with a sense of detachment, as if it were someone else\u2019s leg being bandaged.<\/p>\n

After tying the knot on the last towel tightly, Hoss rubbed his hands against his pants. He looked up at Ben. \u201cThat should do for awhile. You can let him go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded but continued to hold his youngest son. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get him out of here,\u201d said Ben. \u201cHe needs a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d agreed Hoss. \u201cOnly I\u2019ve got a feeling that those four outside ain\u2019t going to just let us walk out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck the street,\u201d Ben ordered Hoss.<\/p>\n

Getting to his feet, Hoss walked over to the door of the saloon. He was careful to stay in the shadows by the door as he peered out onto the street. The street appeared deserted. Hoss leaned forward and looked to the west. The man standing guard at that end of town was looking out toward the mountains, away from the town. Hoss turned and looked to the east. The guard there was sitting down, but he was staring into the town. Hoss quickly pulled himself back into the shadows. Then he walked back to the bar.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a guard on both ends of the street,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cI couldn\u2019t see the other two. The one down by the stable ain\u2019t paying much attention. But the one we met is watching the town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked thoughtful, then shook his head. \u201cIf we try to go out the front, that guard will see us,\u201d he said. He looked around. \u201cIs there a backdoor to this place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d answered Hoss with a shake of his head. \u201cAt least, Joe and I never found one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can just get to the assay office,\u201d commented Ben, \u201cwe can go out the side door there, and down the alley to the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but how are we going to get there?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need something to distract that guard,\u201d said Ben. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get Joe down that alley, past the store and to the horses.\u201d He stared off into the dark shadows of the saloon. \u201cThe only thing I can think to do is for me to make a dash across the street. While the guard is watching me, you can get Joe out of here and into the assay office next door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa,\u201d protested Hoss. \u201cThose men will know we\u2019re here. They\u2019ll come after you. You\u2019ll never make it back to the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get there somehow,\u201d answered Ben with a shrug. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about me. You just get Joe on a horse and get him out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like it, Pa,\u201d said Hoss with a frown. \u201cI don\u2019t like it one bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you got a better idea?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

Hoss thought for a minute, then shook his head ruefully. \u201cNo. But there\u2019s got to be a better way.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a meaningful look, Ben glanced at Joe. His son’s face was now a pasty white; the only color in his face were the bright spots of fever. Rivulets of sweat were running down Joe\u2019s face. His eyes were barely open. \u201cWe haven\u2019t got time to find another way,\u201d said Ben grimly.<\/p>\n

Following his father’s look, Hoss stared at Joe and winced. With a sigh, he nodded his agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Joe,\u201d ordered Hoss, slipping Joe\u2019s arm over his shoulder. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get you to the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes fluttered opened. \u201cI don\u2019t\u2026I don\u2019t know if I can walk very far,\u201d said Joe in a weak voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, little brother,\u201d replied Hoss in a confident tone. \u201cI\u2019ll get you there.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Joe moaned softly, Hoss pulled him to his feet with Ben\u2019s help. Joe didn\u2019t even try to put weight on his injured leg. He stood the best he could on one leg and leaned into Hoss. Hoss wrapped his muscular arm around Joe\u2019s ribs and held his brother tightly, then looked at Ben with a grim expression.<\/p>\n

After slipping Joe\u2019s other arm over his shoulder, Ben also wrapped his arm around Joe\u2019s ribs. For a second, he held his son tightly to him. Ben knew attracting the four men outside to him was dangerous, might even cost him his life. But he was more than willing to take the risk to save his sons.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Ben looked at Hoss. He didn\u2019t say anything. He didn\u2019t have to. His eyes told Hoss everything he wanted to say. Hoss looked at his father with a pained expression on his face and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d said Ben softly. He and Hoss started across the saloon, carrying Joe. Joe\u2019s injured leg dragged behind him, and Joe\u2019s head fell forward until his chin was resting on his chest.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss stopped at the door of the saloon and looked out. The street was still deserted. Ben looked down toward the stable and saw the man there lounging against the building, his attention still fixed on something outside of town. Ben turned to look at the other end of town.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Ben stiffened as he saw a man come out of the first building on the other side of the street. The man said something to the guard and the guard turned to answer him. As the guard started talking to the man, he turned his back to the town.<\/p>\n

Ben had no idea where the fourth man might be, but he didn\u2019t care. He only cared that suddenly there was a chance for all three of them out of the saloon unseen. \u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d he said urgently to Hoss. Hoss instantly understood.<\/p>\n

Pushing the saloon doors open, Ben and Hoss dragged Joe out of the building. They hurried to the front door of the assay office next door. The distance was only a few yards, but with each step, both Hoss and Ben expected to hear an outcry from the men at the end of the street. Ben knew they were being rough with Joe; he could hear the soft moans from his son as they dragged him to the assay office. It pained Ben that he was causing his son further misery, but he knew they had no choice.<\/p>\n

As soon as they reached the building, Hoss pushed open the door of the assay office with his big shoulder. He pulled Joe inside without stopping. Joe\u2019s arm slid off his father\u2019s shoulder. Ben released his son and watched as Hoss dragged him into the office. Ben followed and closed the door quietly behind him.<\/p>\n

All three Cartwrights were breathing hard as they stood inside the assay office. It had taken them less than a minute to get from the saloon to the building next door but for Ben and Hoss, those seconds had been filled with the fear of discovery. Hoss looked at his father and gave him a shaky grin. Ben let out a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

Moving slowly, Hoss led Joe across the room. Against the wall was an old couch, used by the assayer for catnaps on slow days. The couch was the style without a back or arms, and one end was built up higher than the rest of it. A thick layer of dust cover the couch, but like the rest of the furniture left in Hawthorne, the couch as been kept in good repair by Andy Miller. Hoss slipped Joe\u2019s arm from around his shoulders, and eased his brother down onto the thickly padded piece of furniture. He gently positioned Joe\u2019s head on the higher end of the couch, then lifted his brother\u2019s legs from the floor and placed them on the lower end.<\/p>\n

After watching Hoss get Joe settled, Ben walked to the window of the assay office and looked out. He saw the two men were still talking at the end of town. As he watched, they finished their conversation. One man turned and entered the second building. The guard sat down and stared into the town.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just made it,\u201d said Ben with relief. \u201cThe guard is back watching the town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll give Joe a couple of minutes to rest,\u201d replied Ben. \u201cThen you take him to the horses while I keep watch.\u201d Ben saw the frown forming on Hoss\u2019 face. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d he added quickly. \u201cI\u2019m not going to let them see me. But I want to watch your back until you get Joe on a horse. We\u2019ve made it this far. I\u2019m not taking any chances that they\u2019ll catch us now.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Sam had searched the first building on the south side of town without success. He wasn\u2019t surprised he found nothing. Sam was beginning to believe they weren\u2019t going to find the kid. He was getting tired of looking. He also was getting nervous. If the kid had managed to get out of the ghost town, then it was only a question of time until the law showed up. Sam decided he\u2019d give his buildings a thorough search. If they hadn\u2019t found the kid by the time he was done, he was going to ride out of Hawthorne and head south. He\u2019d rather be poor and alive than a hanged man with a silver mine.<\/p>\n

As he started to enter the second building, Sam heard a horse snort. He stopped and frowned. The horse had sounded close, real close. He knew Phillips had put their horses in the old stable at the end of the street. Jim had moved the kid\u2019s horses and wagon down to the stable also. Sam looked around uneasily. He wondered who had ridden another horse into the town.<\/p>\n

Cautiously, Sam moved into the narrow alley between the first two buildings. The alley was barely wide enough for him to walk down. He stopped at the end of the building, and looked around to the back.<\/p>\n

Two horses \u2013 a buckskin and a big black \u2013 were standing behind the building, tied to a bush. The sight of two horses made Sam even more nervous. Two horses meant two riders. And two riders meant double trouble.<\/p>\n

Sam looked around but he saw no sign of the riders. He stood hesitantly, unsure what to do. He finally decided that he should show the horses to Phillips. He was sure Phillips would know what to do about them. Sam walked over to the shrub and untied the horses. He looked back at the alley he had come down, and knew it was too narrow for the horses. Sam decided to lead the horses to the alley between the store and the assay office, and lead them down that alley to the street. Sam pulled on the reins and led the horses forward.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss looked out the side door of the assay office and nodded in satisfaction at the empty alley. He ducked back into the office. A minute later, he appeared at the door again, this time with Joe.<\/p>\n

Once again, Joe\u2019s arm was thrown over his brother’s broad\u2019 shoulders, and Hoss had his arm wrapped tightly around Joe middle. Joe\u2019s head hung down and his eyes were closed; his face was covered with sweat. Air escaped his lungs in ragged breaths.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s only a little further now,\u201d Hoss said to Joe softly. For a moment, Joe had no reaction. Then he nodded his head slightly.<\/p>\n

After leading his brother out the door, Hoss started down the alley. He was unaware that one of Joe\u2019s pursuers was heading toward the alley from the path behind the buildings.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, as if an unseen hand had pushed them, Hoss and Joe were thrown against the side of the store. Joe moaned softly as he hit the wooden building and Hoss frowned. But Joe\u2019s moan wasn\u2019t what caused Hoss to frown.<\/p>\n

Hoss heard a voice coming from the path behind the building.<\/p>\n

Sam had been leading the horses toward the alley. At first, the horses followed him docilely. Then, for some unknown reason, the horses suddenly became terrified. The buckskin was rearing up and stomping the ground while the black was trying to pull away from the man leading it. \u201cWhoa!\u201d shouted Sam as he struggled to control the horses. \u201cHold still, you varmints!\u201d<\/p>\n

In the alley, Hoss edged to the end of the wall and looked around the end of the building.<\/p>\n

Sam was still struggling to control the two horses. His back was to the alley between the store and the assay office. \u201cCome on!,\u201dordered Sam sharply as he tried to jerk the animals forward. But neither horse wanted to obey him. They both tugged at the reins in his hand, trying to go backwards. The eyes of both animals were wide with terror.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Hoss pulled back around the building, and tried to decide what to do. He could easily take a shot at the man behind the store, but firing a gun would bring the others. If he tried to return with to the assay office, the man leading the horses might see them. But if they stayed here, the man also might walk right into them.<\/p>\n

As he shifted his weight onto his injured leg, Joe grunted in pain. Hoss winced at the sound. He wondered if the man behind the store had heard it. Joe moaned again. Quickly, Hoss reached up and put his hand over Joe\u2019s mouth, muffling his brother\u2019s moans.<\/p>\n

On the path behind the store, Sam was having no success in leading the horses. They refused to take another step forward. \u201cAll right, you stubborn critters,\u201d said Sam in defeat. \u201cWe\u2019ll go the other way.\u201d He took a step forward and the two horses moved aside. He continued walking, leading the horses back toward where he had found them. He walked with the horses until he reached the first building of the town, then he led the horses around the building and onto the street<\/p>\n

Hoss heard the sound of the horses moving off. He waited a minute, then dropped his hand from Joe\u2019s face. Hoss peered cautiously around the end of the building. The path was empty.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Hoss pulled Joe toward him and led his brother back into the assay office.<\/p>\n

As the side door of the office opened, Ben turned in surprise. He was standing at the front window, his gun in his hand, ready to take a shot at anyone who might head in the direction of the alley.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d asked Ben in alarm as he watched Hoss lead Joe back into the store. Hoss didn\u2019t answer at first. Joe\u2019s uninjured leg was buckling, and Hoss was trying to lay Joe on the couch before his brother fell from his grasp. He managed to ease his brother onto the couch. Joe\u2019s arms and legs flopped limply on the thick padding.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d asked Ben again. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you go to the horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey found the horses, Pa,\u201d answered Hoss. \u201cWe danged near walked right into one of them fellows. For some reason, the horses got scared. I heard the fellow yelling at them, and stopped just in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben blew out a breath of air. \u201cThat was too close,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d agreed Hoss. He frowned as he thought about being shoved up against the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d asked Ben as he saw Hoss\u2019 frown.<\/p>\n

Again, Hoss thought about the alley. He decided he had probably tripped and been thrown off-balance because of Joe\u2019s weight. \u201cIt\u2019s nothing, Pa,\u201d he answered with a shrug.<\/p>\n

Hearing Joe moaning softly on the couch, Hoss turned and knelt next to his brother. Ben hurried across the room to join his sons.<\/p>\n

As Ben knelt next to the couch, Hoss put his hand on Joe\u2019s forehead, then glanced over his shoulder at his father. \u201cHis fever is real high, I think he\u2019s getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need some water, something to cool him down,\u201d said Ben frantically. He quickly looked around the old office, searching for anything that might help Joe. But the office offered only a dusty old desk, a counter made of dark wood, a few chairs, and the couch. “There\u2019s nothing here,\u201d added Ben in frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, the only water pumps in this town are in the restaurant and the hotel,\u201d advised Hoss. \u201cEven if we could get to them, I\u2019m not sure it would help. The water coming out of those pumps was always kind of warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning back to Joe, Ben laid his hand on Joe\u2019s arm. \u201cHang on, son,\u201d said Ben. \u201cWe\u2019ll get you out of here soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laying on the couch with his eyes closed, Joe was breathing hard, and drenched in sweat. He was lost in a mist of pain and fever and couldn\u2019t hear his father\u2019s words.<\/p>\n

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

Sam led the now docile horses around the end of the building and down the main street. Jim saw him come from behind the building, and walked over to Sam with a surprised look on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you get those horses?\u201d demanded Jim.<\/p>\n

\u201cFound them tied behind the buildings,\u201d answered Sam. \u201cWhy? Do you know something about them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim studied the horses for a minute. \u201cThese look like the horses that those fellows I ran off were riding,\u201d replied Jim.<\/p>\n

Sam looked startled. \u201cAre you sure,\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d replied Jim, nodding. \u201cThey were riding a buckskin and a black, just like these two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking around uneasily, Sam said, \u201cI wonder where the riders are. I didn\u2019t see any sign of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim shrugged his shoulders. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen them. What are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll let Phillips decide,\u201d Sam stated. He started down the street with the horses in tow. As he walked, he yelled for Phillips. Phillips came out of the old hotel just as Sam was leading the horses past the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you find those horses?\u201d asked Phillips as he came bounded out onto the street. Sam repeated his story and told him of Jim\u2019s comment about the horses. Phillips swore, then turned and called to Jim. Billy heard the calls and saw the other three men coming together in front of the hotel. He hurried up the street to join them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose two riders must be hiding someplace in town too,\u201d Phillips was saying at Billy walked up. \u201cThey\u2019re probably helping the kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see them,\u201d declared Jim. \u201cI\u2019ve been watching, and I haven\u2019t seen anyone but you two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSame here,\u201d affirmed Billy, trying to conceal the guilt in his voice. In reality, he had been watching some deer grazing in a patch of grass outside of town. The deer hadn\u2019t done anything interesting, but they had been less boring to watch than the empty streets of the town.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do we do now?\u201d asked Sam.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we ought to give it up,\u201d suggested Billy. He looked around the empty streets and shivered a bit. \u201cI don\u2019t like this place. I want to get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not giving it up,\u201d said Phillips angrily. \u201cI\u2019m not giving up a chance at all that money. And I\u2019m sure not going to let that kid get away, not after all the trouble he\u2019s caused us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d agreed Sam, rubbing the bruise on his chin. \u201cI owe that kid something, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billy shifted his weight uneasily and looked down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, then, what do we do?\u201d asked Jim.<\/p>\n

Phillips looked down the empty street for a minute before answering. \u201cSam, you take those horses down to the stable. Jim, Billy, get back and keep watch. Sam and I will finish checking all the buildings. If we don\u2019t find the kid and the other two, I\u2019m going to burn this town to the ground. That\u2019ll force them out. They\u2019ll have to come out to the street where we can get them, or they burn. Once way or the other, those three are dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ben and Hoss watched the meeting in the middle of the street from the window of the assay office. They had heard the shouts, and moved to the window to see what was going on. Neither said anything as the meeting broke up. Two of the men, including the one leading the horses, headed down the street to the west end of the town. One went back to the east end. The fourth went back into the hotel.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like they\u2019re going to keep looking,\u201d remarked Hoss as he watched the men scatter.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d replied Ben in a distracted voice. He glanced over to the couch where Joe laid unmoving. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get him out of here, Hoss,\u201d added Ben. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get him to a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEasier said than done,\u201d replied Hoss. \u201cEspecially since they have the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d agreed Ben. He pursed his lips. \u201cMaybe we could carry Joe out of here,\u201d he suggested. \u201cIf we sneak behind the buildings and back down the old trail, they\u2019d never see us. We could head up the trail to Bailey\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, that ain\u2019t no good and you know it,\u201d stated Hoss. \u201cIt\u2019s ten miles to Bailey\u2019s Trading Post, more if we take the old trail. Joe\u2019s about at the end of his rope. Even with us carrying him, he\u2019d never make it that far. Besides, Bailey\u2019s probably still in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d said Ben with a sigh. He turned back to watch the street. Suddenly, Ben shrank back into the shadows next to the window. He watch as one of the men walked back up the street. The man paid no attention to the assay office as he strolled past the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like they\u2019re spreading out to search again,\u201d commented Ben as the man went out of view. He looked over to Joe again and made a decision. \u201cWe haven\u2019t got time to wait around any longer. We\u2019re going to have to go after them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s four of them, Pa,\u201d said Hoss doubtfully. \u201cThat\u2019s not very good odds. And if bullets start flying\u2026well, there\u2019s no telling what might get hit.\u201d He looked over toward the couch. \u201cJoe can\u2019t take much more, Pa,\u201d added Hoss softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t intend to start a gunfight,\u201d replied Ben. \u201cNot if I can help it. We\u2019ll go after them one at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Sam finished his search of the second building, not surprised that he didn\u2019t find anything. He left the building with a sigh, and started toward the one next door, the old store. Sam hesitate just a moment as he stood in front of the store. The bullet holes in the door reminded him of what was inside. Sam chided himself for worrying about a dead man and pushed the door open.<\/p>\n

Andy Miller\u2019s body was laying on the floor of the store, just as they had left it. Sam gave the body a cursory look, then started to search the store quickly. For some reason, being in the store with the old man\u2019s body made him uneasy. He checked behind the counter, then started looking into the shadows at the other end of the building. He found nothing of interest. Sam turned to walk to the front of the building and then froze.<\/p>\n

A rattling noise came from behind Sam. At first, he couldn\u2019t tell what the noise was or where it was coming from. Sam pulled his gun and wheeled around, his eyes searching the store. He heard the noise again, and realized it was coming from the door at the back of the store. Sam walked slowly toward the door, then stopped.<\/p>\n

The door knob on the back door was turning back and forth.<\/p>\n

Sam swallowed hard as he watched the door knob move. It made an odd, creaking noise, then stopped. The door rattled a bit, as if someone were trying to push it open. Then the door was silent. Once more, the knob became to move back and forth.<\/p>\n

Gripping the gun in his hand tightly, Sam took a deep breath. He walked slowly across the room to the door. The door knob stopped moving. Sam watched the knob for a few seconds, then cautiously began to reach for it. He stopped, and licked his lips nervously. Odd things had been happening in Hawthorne all day. Strange winds, earth tremors, and now this.<\/p>\n

Sam told himself that he was being silly. He steeled his nerves and reached for the knob. He turned the door knob slowly and pushed on the door.<\/p>\n

The old door creaked a bit as it came open. Sam looked out behind the building, but the area behind the building seemed empty. He pushed the door open a bit wider and started to step out.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the door was pushed violently into Sam, knocking him again the door frame. Before Sam could react, the door was jerked away from him. Sam saw something big coming at him from around the door, but he didn\u2019t have time to register what it was. A massive hand chopped down on his wrist, knocking his gun away. Then the biggest fist Sam had ever seen came toward his face. The fist landed on his jaw with a powerful force, knocking Sam\u2019s head against the door frame. Sam was unconscious before he hit the ground.<\/p>\n

Rubbing his hands in satisfaction, Hoss stood over the man crumpled in the doorway. He picked up the gun from the ground and stuck it in his belt. Then he reached down, grabbed the man he had hit and dragged him into the store.<\/p>\n

It took Hoss several minutes to remove the man\u2019s belt and tie the man\u2019s hands behind his back with it. Hoss searched the unconscious man and pulled a dirty bandanna from his pocket. He quickly wound the cloth around the man\u2019s mouth as a gag. He dragged the unconscious man behind the counter then dropped him to the floor with a thud. Quickly, Hoss turned and slipped out the back door of the store.<\/p>\n

After checking the alley, Hoss hurried down it to the side door of the assay office. He pushed the door open and went in.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne down,\u201d announced Hoss gleefully as he entered the building. He stopped as he looked across the room. Ben was kneeling next to the couch, stroking Joe\u2019s head. \u201cHow\u2019s he doing?\u201d asked Hoss as he crossed the room.<\/p>\n

Looking over his shoulder, Ben shook his head. \u201cWe\u2019re running out of time,\u201d he said softly. Hoss nodded grimly.<\/p>\n

After giving Joe\u2019s head a final pat, Ben stood. \u201cWe\u2019re both going to have to go this time,\u201d he stated. \u201cYou take the one at the east end, and I\u2019ll take the one down by the stable. As soon as you take out your man, sneak down and meet me at the stable. We\u2019ll get the horses and get Joe out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the fourth one?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s still in the hotel,\u201d said Ben. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of rooms for him to search. With any luck, we\u2019ll be out of Hawthorne before he\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at Joe on the couch. \u201cPa, we can\u2019t leave Joe here all by himself,\u201d he protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t do anything to help him here,\u201d replied Ben. \u201cHis best chance is for us to get the horses and come back for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what if that fellow over at the hotel decides to check this place,\u201d argued Hoss. \u201cJoe won\u2019t have a chance if that guy finds him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you think I\u2019ve thought of that!\u201d said Ben angrily. He shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I didn\u2019t mean to yell,\u201d he added contritely. \u201cI\u2019m just worried about Joe. His leg is badly swollen and his fever is very high.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Pa,\u201d Hoss told his father. \u201cI\u2019m worried, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only three of them now,\u201d stated Ben. \u201cIf we can get two of the out of the way pretty quickly and get out of here, we can get Joe to Virginia City by dark. The longer it takes for us to get him to a doctor\u2026.\u201d Ben took a deep breath. \u201cI know we\u2019re risking Joe by leaving him here alone. But we may be taking a bigger risk if we move slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cI understand, Pa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Ben saw the gun sticking out of Hoss\u2019 belt. \u201cGive me the gun,\u201d he said, pointing to pistol. \u201cWe\u2019ll leave it with Joe. I doubt if he\u2019ll be able to use it, but at least he\u2019ll have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quickly, Hoss pulled the gun out of his belt and handed it to Ben, who knelt next to the couch once more. \u201cJoe,\u201d he said, stroking his son\u2019s head. \u201cJoe, can you hear me?\u201d Joe didn\u2019t respond. \u201cJoe, listen to me,\u201d continued Ben. \u201cHoss and I are going to leave you for a bit. We\u2019re going to the stable to get the horses so we can get you out of here. We\u2019ll be back as soon as we can. Do you understand me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe still made no response. Hoss watched with a grim expression; he doubted if his brother could hear Ben\u2019s words.<\/p>\n

But Ben continued as if Joe had answered. \u201cI\u2019m going to leave you a gun,\u201d explained Ben. He put the pistol on the couch next to Joe\u2019s left hand. \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019ll need it, but you\u2019ll have it just in case.\u201d Joe continued to lay unmoving on the couch. \u201cWe\u2019ll be back as soon as we can,\u201d repeated Ben. \u201cYou just rest easy. We\u2019ll have you out of here soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave Joe\u2019s head one last loving stroke, then stood up. He turned abruptly and started toward the side door. \u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d he ordered Hoss as he walked across the room. Hoss gazed at his brother for a minute. Then he turned and followed his father to the door.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss walked quickly down the path behind the first few buildings, then stopped as he reached the end of the first building and peer around the corner. He could see the guard sitting on the ground across the street, his back against the first building on the other side. The man appeared to be watching the town.<\/p>\n

Cautiously, Hoss eased himself around the building, keeping himself as close to the side of the structure as possible. He moved quietly, trying not to attract the attention of the man across the street. His plan was to get to the end of the building, then sprint across the street. He hoped he could reach the guard before the man had time to pull his gun.<\/p>\n

As Hoss sidled along the building, his foot kicked a rock. He froze for an instant, wondering if the guard heard the noise. But the man across the street sat as before. Hoss let out a breath.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the rock near his foot, Hoss had an idea. He reached down and picked up the rock. It was round, about the size of his fist. Hoss turned the rock over in his hand, wondering if he could pull off his idea. He gripped the rock. With a nod to himself, he moved to the edge of the building.<\/p>\n

Hoss took a step away from the building then whirled his arm several times. After giving a quick nod of satisfaction, he pulled back his arm and took aim. He heaved the rock across the street as hard as he could.<\/p>\n

The guard saw the movement across the street out of the corner of his eye and started to turn to look. He had only moved his head a fraction when the rock smashed into the side of his head. The man fell to the ground instantly.<\/p>\n

Rushing across the street, Hoss was ready to add a knockout punch if needed. But as soon as he reached the guard, he knew the punch was unnecessary. The guard laid in a heap on the ground, the red mark of his head was already beginning to swell into a knot. Hoss knelt and put his fingers on the man\u2019s neck, wondering remorsefully if he had killed the man. He let out a small sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse. Hoss pulled the pistol from the man\u2019s holster and threw it far away. Then he pulled the man to the side of the building, out of sight. Hoss quickly removed the man\u2019s belt, and tied his guard\u2019s hands behind his back with the belt. As soon as he had finished, Hoss took a quick look down the street. Then he hurried back to the other side of the street.<\/p>\n

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

Ben stood at the end of the alley between the store and the assay office, as close to the street as he dared. He felt as if his head was on a swivel as his eyes darted back and forth between the two guards. The guard by the stable was still not paying any attention to the town. Ben prayed that he would continue to be disinterested.<\/p>\n

Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw a movement out at the other end of the street. He turned just in time to see the guard crumple to the ground. Turning his head, Ben took a quick look at the other guard, than ran across the street. He dashed into the narrow alley between the restaurant and hardware store, then stopped to catch his breath.<\/p>\n

Ben knew that there was path behind all the buildings on this side of the street. None were built up against the mountain as the assay office was. He quickly walked down the alley to the path, then turned to walk more slowly toward the stable a few buildings away.<\/p>\n

As he approached the stable, Ben moved even more cautiously. He didn\u2019t want to betray his presence to the guard before he was ready. Ben didn\u2019t know his caution was unnecessary. Billy was dozing in the warm afternoon sun.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Ben moved toward the guard sitting against the front of the stable. He waited until he was standing directly over the sleeping man before speaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d Ben yelled once he was directly in front of Billy.<\/p>\n

With a start, Billy woke and gave a small shriek when he saw the white haired stranger in front of him. That was all he time to do before Ben\u2019s gun crashed into the side of his head. Billy fell to the ground.<\/p>\n

As Hoss had done, Ben quickly dragged the unconscious man into the alley and out of sight. Ben also removed Billy\u2019s belt and tied his hands behind him with the leather. Then Ben dusted off his hands and hurried to the door of the stable.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss knew he was suppose to be heading down to the stable to help Ben with the horses. But he couldn\u2019t stop himself from checking on Joe. He quickly walked around the back of the buildings and into the side door of the assay office.<\/p>\n

Joe laid on the couch as before. As far as Hoss could tell, he hadn\u2019t moved since they left him. Joe\u2019s face was a pasty white, and the red fever spots seemed brighter than before. A fine sheen of sweat covered Joe. Hoss knelt next to the couch and put his hand on Joe\u2019s forehead. \u201cIt won\u2019t be long now,\u201d said Hoss softly to his brother. \u201cWe\u2019ll be back real soon to get you. I\u2019m going down to the stable and meet Pa.\u201d He gave Joe a pat on the head, then got to his feet. He hurried to the front of the assay office and out the door.<\/p>\n

Taking a quick look up and down the street, Hoss noted in satisfaction that it was deserted. His Pa must have gotten the guard down at the stable, and the fourth man was probably still in the hotel. For the first time in hours, Hoss was feeling that things might turn out all right after all. He hurried down the street toward the stable. The few extra minutes he had spent checking on Joe had made no difference, thought Hoss.<\/p>\n

Just Hoss got to the stable, Phillips came out of the hotel. He caught a glimpse of the big man going into the stable and frowned. Phillips looked up and down the street. Jim and Billy were no where to be seen. He wasn\u2019t surprised about Billy, but Jim was usually a steady hand. Phillips called Sam\u2019s name but didn\u2019t get an answer. A grim expression crossed Phillips\u2019 face. He eased his pistol out of his holster and started down the street.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss opened the barn door just wide enough to allow himself to enter, then quickly shut the door behind him and looked around the stable. Six of the old stalls had horses in them, all still saddled. Hoss was surprised to see a wagon, loaded with supplies and horses still harnessed, in the middle of the barn. It took him a minute to realize that this was the wagon that Joe had ridden into Hawthorne.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d called out Hoss. A dark figure moved from behind the wagon. Hoss reached for his gun, then relaxed when he recognized Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d said Ben in a relieved voice. \u201cI was getting worried.\u201d Ben cocked his head toward the wagon. \u201cI forgot about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo did I,\u201d admitted Hoss frankly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, it would better and easier on Joe if we could get him out of here in the wagon,\u201d suggested Ben. \u201cSitting a horse might be pretty hard on him.\u201d Hoss nodded his agreement. \u201cCome on and help me empty this wagon,\u201d continued Ben. \u201cThe sooner we can get Joe out of here and to a doctor, the better I\u2019ll feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding again, Hoss walked toward the back of the stable and to the end of the wagon.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Ben and Hoss started pulling the sacks and boxes out of the wagon, tossing the supplies into a pile on the ground. Both men were concentrating on emptying the wagon as fast as possible. Neither heard the barn door open.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold it!\u201d shouted Phillips, pointing his gun at the two men.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss froze. Ben had a sack of flour in his hands, and Hoss was holding a small box full of tin cans. They both knew that that the man in the front of the stable could easily shoot them if they tried to drop the goods in their hand and reach for their pistols. No one was fast enough to outdraw someone who had a gun already pointed at them. So Ben and Hoss stood still, watching Phillips warily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you two?\u201d asked Phillips. \u201cAnd where are the rest of my men?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced at Hoss. \u201cWe\u2019re, er, we\u2019re just after the supplies,\u201d lied Ben. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to get shot by accident, so we, uh, \u2018removed\u2019 your men. They\u2019re all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust after the supplies, eh?\u201d said Phillips with a cocked eyebrow. \u201cAnd that\u2019s why you\u2019re emptying the wagon? I think you need a better story than that.\u201d Phillips studied the two men in front of him. \u201cJim told me two men came riding in a few hours ago looking for the old man. You those two?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Ben looked at each other but neither answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you\u2019re the ones looking for the old man,\u201d stated Phillips positively. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you\u2019ve been helping the kid, too. I\u2019ve wasted a whole day looking for him. Now where is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Hoss and Ben remained silent.<\/p>\n

Phillips lifted his gun a fraction. \u201cThat kid has foxed me all day,\u201d remarked Phillips, the anger in his voice evident. \u201cI\u2019m tired of looking for him. And I\u2019m tired of playing games. Now, one of you better start talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss looked at the man with a steady gaze. Neither said a word.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not bluffing!\u201d shouted Phillips in a rage. He cocked his gun. \u201cIf you don\u2019t tell me where the kid is, I\u2019m going to shoot the big one. Now, you have about ten seconds! Talk!\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe stirred on the couch. He wasn\u2019t sure what had waken him. Joe winced. His leg throbbed unmercifully, and his head was aching. His eyes looked around the room as he tried to remember where he was. He couldn\u2019t remember much about what happened after Hoss had pulled him from the crawl space. He remembered seeing the blurry images of faces and hearing words that didn\u2019t seem to make sense.<\/p>\n

Joe was tired and thirsty, and he seemed to ache all over. His leg felt as if it were on fire.<\/p>\n

Disjointed pictures of being dragged around Hawthorne seemed to flicker in Joe’s brain. He didn\u2019t bother with sorting out the images. He was too tired to even try to remember what happened. He started to drift off to sleep again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stable!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe heard the words in his head. He wasn\u2019t sure where they came from. The voice sounded familiar but Joe\u2019s thinking was too fuzzy to recognize it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stable! You have to go to the stable!\u201d<\/p>\n

Once again, Joe heard the words. He wondered who had said them, but really didn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen and Hoss need you! Go to the stable!\u201d<\/p>\n

The words echoed in Joe\u2019s brain with a sense of urgency. This time, the words stirred Joe. His father and brother were in trouble. Joe knew it somehow. He knew he had to help them.<\/p>\n

Joe felt the gun by his hand. He grasped the gun, surprised at how heavy it felt. Slowly, he swung his legs off the couch, grunting in pain as he did so. Every time he moved, a wave of agonizing pain seemed to radiate up his leg.<\/p>\n

Moving slowly, Joe pushed himself up until he was standing, his weight on his good leg. He swayed as he stood, and felt as if he might fall back to the couch. But somehow he managed to stay on his feet. It was almost as if an unseen hand were holding him up.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes were glazed, and barely open. His mouth hung slack, and rivulets of sweat ran down his face and chest. Joe shivered a bit. Then he tried to remember what he was suppose to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stable!\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice in his head sounded almost frantic. Joe gripped the gun tighter in his hand and slowly moved across the room, dragging his injured leg. He was too feverish to be amazed that he could actually walk in his condition.<\/p>\n

Pushing open the door of the assay office, Joe looked out onto the empty street. He blinked his eyes, trying to remember where he was going.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stable!\u201d<\/p>\n

Once more, the voice echoed in Joe\u2019s head. He turned to look at the stable. The old barnd seemed farther away than just a few buildings. Joe didn\u2019t bother to think about it. He simply started limping slowly down the street, dragging his injured leg.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYou pull that trigger and you\u2019ll hang,\u201d Ben warned Phillips.<\/p>\n

Phillips laughed. \u201cMister, I\u2019m already facing a noose,\u201d he said. \u201cWon\u2019t bother me one bit to have another dead man to my name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben swallowed hard, trying to decide what to do. He faced an impossible choice. If he didn\u2019t tell the gunman about Joe, he would shoot Hoss. But if Ben did tell him where Joe was, the man would kill Joe. Either way, Ben faced loosing a son.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll show you where my son is,\u201d agreed Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa! No!\u201d protested Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour son, eh?\u201d said Phillips. \u201cAin\u2019t that cozy.\u201d He gestured to Hoss. \u201cThe big one is your son, too? You just got lots of family, haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take you to my son,\u201d repeated Ben.<\/p>\n

Phillips shook his head. \u201cYou think I have mush for brains?\u201d he replied. \u201cYou show me to some building and then jump me. That\u2019s the plan, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Ben didn\u2019t answer but the expression on his face gave him away. He had been thinking just that.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do,\u201d Phillips stated. \u201cYou\u2019re going to tell me where the kid is. I\u2019m going to fix it so you both have to stay here. Then I go take care of the kid. If he isn\u2019t where you tell me, I come back and shoot the big one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should we tell you anything?\u201d said Hoss angrily. \u201cYou\u2019re going to shoot us anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, I am\u201d agreed Phillips. \u201cBut this way, you live a little longer. Not much, but a little.\u201d Phillips aimed his gun at Hoss. \u201cYou ready to die now, big man?\u201d<\/p>\n

The stable door behind Phillips creaked open and the outlaw whirled at the sound. He gave a small shriek of both surprise and fear as he saw the figure in the door.<\/p>\n

Joe stood in the dim light of the doorway, gun raised. The afternoon sun was at his back, bathing him in an eerie light. His skin was ghostly pale. The light glistened off the sweat on Joe\u2019s face, giving him an unnatural look.<\/p>\n

Phillips wasn\u2019t sure who or what the apparition was and he didn\u2019t care. He raised his gun, ready to shoot the ghostly figure.<\/p>\n

Immediately, Ben threw the sack in his hands at Phillips. It hit the gunman just as he was pulling the trigger, sending his bullet wide of the figure in front of him.<\/p>\n

Standing in the doorway, Joe wasn\u2019t sure he had the strength to fire his gun. But he felt his finger squeezing the trigger. It was almost as if someone were pulling the trigger for him. The gun in Joe\u2019s hand fired, sending a bullet directly into Phillips\u2019 heart. Phillips staggered for a step, then fell face forward to the stable floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d shouted Ben, rushing forward. Hoss dropped the box in his hands and also hurried to the front of the stable.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at the two men in front of him with uncomprehending eyes. The gun fell from his hand, landing on the floor with a loud thunk. Joe swayed and his eyes seemed to roll up in his head. Ben caught his son as Joe fell forward.<\/p>\n

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

Sitting tensely in the overstuffed chair in the doctors office, Ben stared at the picture on the opposite wall, but really didn\u2019t see the picture. His mind was full of worry about Joe.<\/p>\n

Ben had known Joe was in bad shape when he carried him into Dr. Martin\u2019s office. If Ben hadn\u2019t realized it, though, the grim look on Paul Martin\u2019s face as the doctor examined Joe would have told Ben his son was in a critical condition.<\/p>\n

Uneasily, Ben shifted in the chair. Doctor Martin had sent Ben out of the examining room when he was ready to start working on Joe. Ben had expected he would be sent to wait, but it didn\u2019t make the waiting any easier. And the waiting gave Ben time to fill his head with worry and doubt.<\/p>\n

For about the twentieth time, Ben wondered if he had done the right thing, racing the wagon to Virginia City with Joe in the back and Hoss following with the horses. Even though he and Hoss had filled the wagon with mattresses and bedding from the hotel, he knew the trip had been hard for Joe. Ben had made the decision that speed was more important than comfort on the trip to Virginia City. He had bounced hard on the drivers seat as the wagon traveled over the rough mountain road. He knew Joe had been bounced around in the back of the wagon also. He only hoped the layer of mattresses had made the trip bearable for his son.<\/p>\n

Ben thought about the last thing he had done before racing the wagon out of Hawthorne. While Hoss had dragged the three surviving gang members into the hardware store, Ben had settled Joe in the wagon. He had forced as much water as possible into his son, and covered him with three blankets. Since Joe had seemed a bit more comfortable when Ben had finished is ministrations, Ben felt he could afford a few more minutes before starting for Virginia City. When Hoss had returned to the wagon, Ben had asked him to stay with Joe. Then he had walked down to the old store.<\/p>\n

Almost reverently, Ben had carried Andy Miller\u2019s body out of the store and over to the hotel. He knew he couldn\u2019t leave his old friend lying on that dirty floor. Ben had carried Andy to the room the old man had used as his bedroom, and placed the body on the bed. He had made sure Andy looked comfortable on the bed before he covered the body with a sheet. Ben thought about his last look at Andy. The old man had a peaceful expression on his face. Ben hoped that meant his friend had found in death the rewards he had sought but never seemed to find while he lived.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, any news?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked up, startled at the words. He hadn\u2019t heard Hoss come into the doctor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Hoss was standing just inside the door, with a tray in his hand. A coffee pot, two coffee cups, and several sandwiches wrapped in napkins were piled on the tray.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet,\u201d answered Ben with a shake of his head. \u201cPaul said it could be quite awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Hoss crossed the room and set the tray on a table next to Ben\u2019s chair. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you try and eat something,\u201d suggested Hoss. \u201cMrs. Robinson made up some of those roast beef sandwiches just the way you like them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry,\u201d replied Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you haven\u2019t eaten anything all day,\u201d stated Hoss. \u201cYou\u2019ll make yourself sick if you don\u2019t eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you eaten anything?\u201d asked Ben with a raised eyebrow.<\/p>\n

With a guilty expression, Hoss looked away. \u201cNo,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI guess I\u2019m not hungry either.\u201d He turned back to Ben. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be all right, Pa,\u201d said Hoss with more conviction than he felt. \u201cYou know Joe. He\u2019s tougher than old nails. He\u2019ll come through this all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded but didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n

Settling down in the chair on the other side of the table, Hoss tried to think of something to talk about other than Joe. It wasn\u2019t that he didn\u2019t care about his brother. In fact, the opposite was true. But talking and thinking about how sick Joe had been when they left Hawthorne tore up Hoss inside. He had tried to distract himself, to ease the nagging pain and worry, by going for food. The trip to the caf\u00e9 hadn\u2019t helped.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think those three fellows will still be in Hawthorne when Sheriff Coffee gets there tomorrow with the posse?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should be,\u201d replied Ben with a shrug. \u201cYou tied them up pretty good. Even if they get loose, there\u2019s only one door out of the hardware store, and you blocked that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, at least we know one of them will still be there,\u201d said Hoss grimly. Ben answered with a distracted nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy said he\u2019d find a nice place to bury Andy,\u201d added Hoss. \u201cSomeplace pretty on the edge of town. He\u2019ll let us know where.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d said Ben. \u201cIt\u2019s only right that Andy stay in Hawthorne. That\u2019s all he ever wanted, you know. To stay in Hawthorne. Even if he had cashed in that big strike, I doubt if he would have left. Hawthorne was his home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat rumble we heard when we left town, do you think that was another earthquake?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably,\u201d answered Ben. \u201cIt sounded like it came from farther away, though. It wasn\u2019t in town. Maybe up in the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Hoss tried to think of something else to say. His mind was blank, though, filled with nothing other than thoughts of his brother. Hoss stared at his hands in his lap and remained silent.<\/p>\n

For another thirty minutes, Ben and Hoss sat side by side, both silently contemplating what the doctor behind the closed door. Both men jumped to their feet when the examining room door opened, and Doctor Martin walked out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not out of the woods yet, but he\u2019s got a good chance,\u201d announced the doctor, answering the unasked question on Ben and Hoss\u2019 face. \u201cI\u2019ve removed the bullet and as much of the infected tissue as I could find. Luckily, the bullet missed the artery and only grazed the bone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen will we know?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoon as his fever breaks,\u201d replied the doctor. \u201cMy guess is that will take another day or so. He\u2019s a pretty sick boy.\u201d Doctor Martin saw the stricken look on Ben\u2019s and Hoss\u2019 face. \u201cBut Joe is young and strong,\u201d he added quickly. \u201cIf I were a betting man, I\u2019d bet on him coming out of this just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben let out a sigh of relief and Hoss\u2019 shoulders relaxed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good thing you got Joe here when you did,\u201d remarked Doctor Martin. \u201cAnother few hours and that infection would have been much, much worse. I\u2019m not sure I would have been able to save his leg\u2026or his life. You did the right thing bringing him in as quickly as you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded his thanks. It helped a little to know his decision to race over the mountain road from Hawthorne had been the right one. He only regretted he hadn\u2019t been able to get Joe to the doctor sooner.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you two go over to the hotel and get some rest,\u201d said Doctor Martin, knowing full well his suggestion would be ignored.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll sit with Joe,\u201d answered Ben, surprising no one.<\/p>\n

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

It took less than a day for Joe\u2019s fever to break, and only three days of being in bed before Joe started complaining about being bored. Doctor Martin had commented with heavy sarcasm that Joe had beaten his previous record by at least a day.<\/p>\n

The afternoon sunlight was streaming into the bedroom when Ben entered to sit with Joe for awhile. He wasn\u2019t surprised to see Joe sitting up in bed, his leg propped up on pillows under the blankets. Ben was surprised, however, to see the pensive frown on his son\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor said we can take you home tomorrow,\u201d Ben announced as he settled himself in the chair next to Joe\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d answered Joe in a distracted voice.<\/p>\n

Ben looked at his son. \u201cJoe, is something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Slowly, Joe shook his head. \u201cNo,\u201d he answered. \u201cNot really. It\u2019s just that Roy Coffee came by a little while ago to get my statement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me he was coming by,\u201d said Ben, surprised that the sheriff\u2019s visit would have upset Joe. \u201cRoy already got a statement from Hoss and me.\u201d Ben studied Joe. \u201cHe\u2019s sure those three will spend the rest of their lives in prison, at the very least, if that\u2019s what\u2019s worrying you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cIt\u2019s just that, well, giving Roy my statement got me thinking about what happened in Hawthorne. It\u2019s got me wondering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWondering?\u201d said Ben \u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, after I gave Roy my statement, he told me some of the things you and Hoss told him,\u201d explained Joe. He gave Ben a small smile. \u201cHe told me some of the things that I must have slept through.\u201d Joe looked at Ben with a confused expression. \u201cPa, what do you think really happened in Hawthorne?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you have to admit some strange things happened,\u201d answered Joe. \u201cFor example, that wind that came up just as Phillips was coming into the saloon. If it hadn\u2019t delayed him for a minute, he would have found me before I could get down that trapdoor. And the wind made the store door bang and that attracted your attention. Then there were the earthquakes and the horses spooking. And that voice I heard. How did I know to go to the stable? And how did I even get there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you getting at Joe?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure I know myself,\u201d admitted Joe. \u201cIt\u2019s just that I keep thinking about how Andy said he always watched over us, and even when he was dying, Andy said he would protect me.\u201d Joe looked at his father. \u201cDo you think old Andy had something to do with all that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked thoughtful. \u201cI\u2019m not sure there\u2019s an answer to that one,\u201d he admitted. \u201cThere\u2019s a logical explanation for everything that happened. The wind in those mountains have always been kind of funny, blowing up suddenly. And earth tremors aren\u2019t that unusual there, also. As far as the voice, well, Joe, you were delirious. With a fever as high as you had, you could have imagined almost anything. Hoss and I kept telling you that we were going to the stable. That might have stuck with you. Fever does funny things to people. Sometimes a man with a fever will do things without understanding he shouldn\u2019t be doing them. I\u2019ve seen men with high fevers wander around for miles, even when no one thought they had the strength to walk.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at his father with a skeptical expression. \u201cI guess so,\u201d he said, his voice sounding doubtful.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe point is,\u201d continued Ben. \u201cyou can believe whatever you want. There\u2019s no way to prove anything. You can accept that everything that happened had a logical explanation. Or you can believe that Andy somehow kept his promise to protect you. It\u2019s up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked thoughtful. \u201cYou know, I never realized until he died how much Andy was a part of my life,\u201d said Joe. \u201cI can\u2019t remember a time when he wasn\u2019t around. And all the stuff he did for us, like keeping the town in good shape so we could play in it as kids. I guess I just took it all for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s human nature, Joe,\u201d replied Ben. \u201cMost of the time, none of us appreciate the people around us like we should. We only realize what they meant to us when they are gone. It\u2019s too bad that we don\u2019t realize it when they are around, and tell them how much we think of them while we have the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019re right,\u201d agreed Joe. He looked at Ben. \u201cBy the way, what\u2019s going to happen to Andy\u2019s big strike? Who\u2019s going to get the silver?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt if anyone will ever get that silver,\u201d answered Ben.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at his father with a puzzled expression. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss told Roy Coffee where Andy\u2019s mine was,\u201d explained Ben. \u201cRoy checked it when he went to Hawthorne to pick up those three men. That last earthquake we heard must have been in the mine. It caved in. Roy said it looked like the whole mountain collapsed into the mine. There\u2019s probably a million tons of rock between the entrance and that vein Andy found. I don\u2019t think anyone is ever going to be able to get that silver.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy swore no one would get his mine,\u201d said Joe softly. He shook his head. \u201cPa, I don\u2019t believe in ghosts, but it sure is tough to think that everything that happened was just a coincidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at it this way, Joe,\u201d Ben advised his son. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of nice to think that Andy is still watching over us, isn\u2019t it? Whether it\u2019s true or not, that\u2019s a comforting thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, I guess it is,\u201d agreed Joe with a smile.<\/p>\n

Ben stood up. \u201cYou get some rest,\u201d he ordered. \u201cDoc Martin wants you out of here tomorrow. He told me all your complaining is starting to scare away his patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grinning, Joe slid down on the bed a bit. Ben watched as his son made himself comfortable, then he pulled the blankets up over Joe\u2019s shoulders, just as he had thousands of times when Joe was a little boy. Ben knew he did that more for himself than for Joe\u2019s comfort. It made him feel better to offer his son this small gesture of protection. He tried not to think about how all his efforts to protect his son in Hawthorne had almost failed. Ben started to walk out of the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe called from the bed.<\/p>\n

Ben turned. \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going over to Hawthorne to visit Andy\u2019s grave?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I thought I would,\u201d Ben answered. \u201cI want to make sure it\u2019s fixed up nice, and maybe say a few prayers.\u201d Ben didn\u2019t add what he thought privately. He needed to say thank you, also.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind if I went with you?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d said Ben. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind. I think Andy would have liked the thought of you visiting his grave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe gave Ben a small smile. \u201cYou know how I complained about going to Hawthorne? I don\u2019t think I\u2019m going to mind going this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The wind howled through the deserted town of Hawthorne. As Ben Cartwright had said, the wind in those mountains was an odd one. As it blew through the ghost town, the wind made an unusual noise. It almost sounded as if someone was sighing with satisfaction.<\/p>\n

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

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 It’s Joe’s turn to make the trip to Hawthorne, as Ben continues to repay a twenty-year old debt.\u00a0 Unknowingly, Joe encounters more than he bargained on.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (26,240 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10338,"featured_media":13937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[15,17,16],"class_list":["post-13936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-ben","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1301,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/ghost-town.jpg?fit=400%2C239&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13975,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13975","url_meta":{"origin":13936,"position":0},"title":"Precious Possessions (by Susan G)","author":"SusanG","date":"December 12, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 After spending twenty years in prison, has a man returned to Virginia City to exact revenge? 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