{"id":13999,"date":"2007-12-12T19:08:26","date_gmt":"2007-12-13T00:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13999"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:11:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:11:08","slug":"the-hand-of-fate-by-susan-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13999","title":{"rendered":"The Hand of Fate (by Susan G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>The stage on which Joe is riding home is held up and robbed, sending Ben and Hoss on a mission to rescue Joe.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (19,900 words)<\/p>\n

The Hand of Fate<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As The Virginia City stage bounced and swayed along the road, the occupants of the stage endured the jolting ride in companionable silence. \u201cI\u2019ll sure be glad to get to town,\u201d Joe Cartwright muttered when the stage hit yet another rut in the road, causing its passengers to be thrown roughly against the side of the coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis road seems to get rougher every year,\u201d sighed the older man sitting next to Joe. He turned to Joe. \u201cIs your Pa meeting you in town?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, Mr. Bartlett,\u201d Joe replied with a grin. \u201cOtherwise, it\u2019s going to be a long walk home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walter Bartlett smiled. \u201cBring him over the to bank before you leave Virginia City,\u201d he suggested. \u201cI want to talk to him about the new mill he wants to build.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Joe agreed. \u201cI have to visit your bank to deposit the money from selling that bull anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

“You know, you shouldn\u2019t be carrying that much money in cash,\u201d Bartlett said with a frown. \u201cA bank transfer would be safer.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I know,\u201d answered Joe. \u201cBut by the time I left the Carson ranch and got to Yuma, there was barely time to catch the stage. And I didn\u2019t want to spend another day in Yuma waiting for the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been too trusting of banks myself,\u201d offered the young man sitting across the coach. He smiled apologetically. \u201cSorry,\u201d he said apologetically to Bartlett.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be, Mr\u2026.,\u201d Bartlett hesitated. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019ve forgotten your name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly, Billy Olsen,\u201d the young man replied.<\/p>\n

Bartlett nodded. \u201cDon\u2019t be sorry, Mr. Olsen,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of people still feel that way since several of the banks failed a few years ago. But it really is a lot safer to way to transport money.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I suppose,\u201d replied Billy. \u201cBut I saw too many men in the gold fields hit it big and then lose their money in some fly-by-night bank.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry about Mr. Bartlett\u2019s bank,\u201d Joe assured Billy. \u201cMr. Bartlett is the most honest bank president I know.\u201d Joe grinned. \u201cOf course, he\u2019s the ONLY bank president I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The coach bounced again and the trio of riders were once more thrown against the side of the coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long did you spend in the gold fields?\u201d Joe asked as the men tried to right themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost two years,\u201d Billy answered. \u201cI got pretty discouraged for awhile, but then I finally found a good strike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo years!\u201d exclaimed Bartlett. \u201cYou don\u2019t look old enough to have spent two years prospecting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was only sixteen when I left home,\u201d Bill admitted. \u201cAfter my Pa died, my Ma wanted to move into town. I don\u2019t like towns much, so I lit out.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s still pretty young to be prospecting,\u201d insisted Bartlett.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019re probably right,\u201d Billy agreed. \u201cBut it was the best way I knew of making a lot of money honestly.\u201d Billy smiled shyly. \u201cI got a girl back home in Fall\u2019s River. She and I are gonna get married. Her Pa said he wouldn\u2019t let her marry me until I got me a good stake. Well, I got it now. Enough to buy a nice ranch and some cattle,\u201d Billy patted the breast pocket of his jacket.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo years?\u201d Joe said skeptically. \u201cThat\u2019s a long time for a girl to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d replied Billy. \u201cBut Carrie\u2019s waiting for me. She wrote me a lot while I was gone. I didn\u2019t get all her letters, but most of them found me. She\u2019s waiting for me.\u201d Billy reached into his jacket and pullet out a leather wallet. \u201cCarrie\u2019s the prettiest girl in the county,\u201d Billy said. He opened his wallet and showed the two men a picture. Joe looked at the tintype. A dark haired girl wearing a white dress smiled back at him. Joe had to admit she was a very attractive girl. \u201cShe\u2019s a beaut,\u201d Joe said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe sure is,\u201d Billy stated, putting his wallet back in his jacket. \u201cAnd sweet as sugar. I can\u2019t wait to surprise her. She doesn\u2019t know I\u2019m coming home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bartlett had noted the thick wad of bills in the wallet. \u201cYou\u2019d better come by the bank when we get to Virginia City,\u201d he advised. \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of money to be carrying around. I\u2019ll arrange a bank transfer for you, and the money will be waiting for you in Fall\u2019s River.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks,\u201d Billy answered, declining the offer with a shake of his head. \u201cI want to show Carrie and her Pa that I can take care of her proper. I don\u2019t know if a bank transfer will convince them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bartlett looked out the window, studying the countryside. \u201cWe\u2019ll be in Virginia City soon,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you change your mind, come see me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, a shot rang out. The single shot was quickly followed by three or four other shots. Joe stuck his head out the window of the coach and saw four riders galloping toward the stage. All had guns drawn and were firing at the stage. Joe felt the stage pick up speed, trying to outrun the men chasing them. Pulling his gun from his holster, he fired a shot at the men, but they were too far away for him to hit anything. Quickly, Joe pulled himself back into the coach. \u201cOutlaws!\u201d he shouted to the other men. Billy pulled a gun from his holster, preparing to shoot.<\/p>\n

The stage lurched hard to the right as the racing horses followed a bend in the road and the passengers were thrown against the side of the coach. Suddenly, the horses screamed and the stage came to an abrupt stop. The coach lurched forward, then swayed, and finally fell on to it\u2019s side. Joe felt himself slammed hard into the side of the coach, and then felt Walter Bartlett land on top of him. His right leg was bent beneath him, and he winced as his knee was pinned between the coach and Bartlett.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrow out your guns and come out with your hands in the air,\u201d a voice outside the coach demanded. Billy was struggling to right himself. He still had his gun in his hand, but he seemed unsure what to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter do as they say,\u201d Bartlett advised as he pulled himself off of Joe. Bartlett looked at Joe. \u201cSorry,\u201d he added apologetically.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and tried to straighten his leg. He felt a sharp pain in his knee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not waiting,\u201d the voice outside the coach said. \u201cThrow the guns out or we\u2019ll fill the stage full of lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bartlett snatched the pistol from Billy\u2019s hand, then turned and grabbed Joe\u2019s gun. He pushed the door above him open and threw out the guns.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmart move,\u201d said the voice. \u201cNow come out with your hands in the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slowly, Bartlett climbed out of the stage. It was difficult to get out of the fallen coach, but the banker managed. Billy followed him, moving much more agilely than the banker. As Joe tried to stand, he winced again at the pain in his knee, and decided to use his arms to pull himself out of the coach. Joe was about halfway out of the stage when he felt a hand grab his arm and pull him forward, causing him to lose his balance and tumble to the ground. He sat up quickly and looked around.<\/p>\n

Four men were standing in a semi-circle around the coach. Joe took a quick look at each man, hoping to remember them. One was about thirty, with dark hair, wearing a blue shirt and red bandanna. The man standing next to him was younger and blonder, and was wearing a gray shirt. A big man — bigger than even Joe\u2019s brother Hoss — stood by the blonde man. He was wearing a checked shirt and dark vest. The final man was small, with black hair, black mustache and a swarthy complexion. Joe had the impression the man was Mexican, probably because he was wearing a big sombrero. Each outlaw had a gun pointed toward Billy and Walter Bartlett, who were standing near the stage with their hands in the air Joe saw the driver lying on the ground a few feet away, face down in the dirt. Joe couldn\u2019t tell if the man was alive or dead. Joe looked around and noted the horses pulling the stage had disappeared. He could see some trees across the road. He guessed the horses must have come around the bend at full speed and panicked when they saw the trees. The horses must have jumped the barrier, causing the stage to crash, then bolted.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet over by them trees,\u201d one of the outlaws ordered the passengers, gesturing with his gun. Billy and Walter Bartlett walked slowly in the direction the man had indicated. Joe tried to stand but his leg buckled under him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you?\u201d demanded one of the outlaws.<\/p>\n

\u201cHurt my leg,\u201d Joe replied as he rubbed his knee. \u201cI don\u2019t think I can walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDanny, drag him over with the others,\u201d shouted a dark-haired outlaw. The man with blonde hair grabbed Joe\u2019s arm and roughly dragged him across the ground, dropping Joe in a heap a few feet away from the stage.<\/p>\n

Laying on his right hip, Joe propped himself up on his right elbow. He rubbed his sore knee as he watched the robbers.<\/p>\n

\u201cReno, get the strong box,\u201d the dark-hair man ordered. He seemed to be the leader. The Mexican turned and walked back to the stage. \u201cAnd check that driver,\u201d the leader called after him. Then the leader turned back to the passengers. \u201cNow nobody do anything silly, and nobody will get hurt,\u201d he promised. \u201cDanny, see what they\u2019re carrying,\u201d the man said over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

The young blonde man walked forward. He pulled open Bartlett\u2019s jacket, and took the banker\u2019s wallet. He pulled about $50 dollars out of the wallet, pocketing the cash and throwing the leather billfold to the ground. Then he moved to Billy. As he reached for Billy\u2019s jacket, Billy knocked the outlaw’s hand away. The robber brought his gun up quickly and cracked Billy across the head with its barrel. Billy staggered a few steps, but kept his feet. He put his hands to his head as the outlaw pulled him forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cStand still,\u201d the robber snarled. He reached into Billy\u2019s jacket and pulled out the young prospector\u2019s wallet. \u201cWell, looky here,\u201d the outlaw said as he opened the billfold and pulled out a large wad of bills. \u201cMust be six, seven thousand here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive it back!\u201d Billy cried out desperately, reaching for the money. \u201cThat\u2019s my stake.\u201d<\/p>\n

The outlaw pushed Billy back a few steps. \u201cIt\u2019s MY stake now,\u201d he sneered.<\/p>\n

Angrily, Billy balled his fist as if to take a swing at the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly, let him have it,\u201d Joe said sharply. \u201cIt\u2019s not worth getting killed over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billy looked at Joe and then at the armed men around him. He dropped his hands to his side as a look of defeat crossed his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow there\u2019s a smart man,\u201d the dark-haired outlaw said. \u201cDanny, don\u2019t forget about the one on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the outlaw stuck the wad of bills in his pocket, Billy stood with his head down, his dejection evident. The outlaw laughed and moved to Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe laid still. He wasn\u2019t happy about being robbed, but he knew it was foolish to try to resist four armed men. Joe’s face was dark with anger as the outlaw pulled open his jacket and snatched the leather billfold from the inside pocket. \u201cLooks like we hit the mother lode,\u201d the outlaw said as he opened wallet. \u201cAnother couple of thousand.\u201d Joe glowered at the man.<\/p>\n

The man called Reno joined the others, carrying a strong box. He dropped it to the ground, then shot the lock open. The Mexican pulled two small sacks out of the box, opened one, and shook a few gold coins into his hand. \u201cYou were right, Johnny,\u201d he said gleefully. \u201cThe money is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, Reno,\u201d the leader snarled. \u201cWhat about the driver?\u201d<\/p>\n

“He ain\u2019t going to cause us any trouble,\u201d Reno answered with a laugh. \u201cHe\u2019s dead. Looks like he broke his neck when he fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDanny, get the horses,\u201d the man named Johnny said. The younger outlaw nodded and walked to where four horses were waiting patiently behind the coach.<\/p>\n

As the horses were brought forward, Johnny stared at the passengers thoughtfully. Reno and Danny put the sacks of coins into the saddle bags of one of the horses, then mounted. The big man had stood silent during the whole robbery. Now he holstered his gun, turned, and mounted also.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Johnny,\u201d shouted Reno. \u201cLet\u2019s ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Johnny didn\u2019t move, then abruptly nodded. He turned and mounted the last horse, his pistol still in his hand.<\/p>\n

Joe let out a sigh of relief. It looked like the outlaws were going to ride off. He was going to look forward to riding with the posse that would go after them.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing,\u201d Johnny said. \u201cWe don\u2019t like no witnesses.\u201d With that, he pulled his gun up and shot Walter Bartlett in the chest.<\/p>\n

Shocked, Joe looked over his shoulder and saw Bartlett fall to the ground. Before Joe could react further, he heard another shot and saw Billy fall also. Joe tried to scramble to his feet, but he felt a bullet slam into him, knocking him back to the ground. Joe felt a searing pain, then went limp.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss Cartwright was dozing in the seat of the buckboard as he waited outside the stage depot. He had delivered the horseshoes to the blacksmith, then treated himself to a beer. Now all he had to do was wait for the stage to arrive. Joe was due on the afternoon stage, and it was Hoss\u2019 job was to ferry his little brother back to the ranch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss? Are you still here?\u201d Hoss heard a familiar voice ask.<\/p>\n

Opening his eyes slowly, Hoss let a grin form on his face. \u201cHi, Pa,\u201d he greeted Ben Cartwright. \u201cYep, I\u2019m still here. That danged stage ain\u2019t arrived yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should have been here over an hour ago,\u201d Ben said with a trace of disgust. \u201cIf I had known it was going to be this late, I wouldn\u2019t have had you wait around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Pa, somebody has to wait on Joe,\u201d Hoss offered. \u201cWe don\u2019t want him stranded in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think your brother could find his way home,\u201d replied Ben with a wry grin. \u201cOf course, knowing him, it could take him awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Ben and Hoss\u2019 attention was drawn to a man shouting as he rode down the middle of the street. The man looked like a farmer, and he was leading a team of six horses.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff,\u201d the man shouted as he rode slowly down the street. \u201cWhere\u2019s Sheriff Coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Ben and Hoss recognized the harness on the horses; it was the type normally worn by horses pulling a stage. Without a word, both Cartwrights ran down the street after the farmer.<\/p>\n

The farmer stopped in front of the sheriff\u2019s office. Once more, he shouted Roy Coffee\u2019s name. Ben and Hoss arrived just as Sheriff Coffee emerged from his office.<\/p>\n

\u201cJessie, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d asked the sheriff.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found these horses wandering around,\u201d the farmer explained. \u201cLooks like they\u2019re from the stage. I thought I\u2019d better tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you look for the stage?\u201d Ben asked the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t,\u201d the farmer said firmly. \u201cAin\u2019t my job to waste time looking for some broken down stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

A crowd of people had gathered around the sheriff\u2019s office. At the farmer\u2019s words, a murmur broke out. Some people sounded angry while others sounded worried.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee held up his hand. \u201cNow, folks, don\u2019t start imaging things,\u201d the sheriff said to the crowd. \u201cLot\u2019s of things could have happened. Maybe the wheel broke, or something. But I\u2019m going to go looking for that stage, and I\u2019d appreciate some of you riding with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going,\u201d Ben said instantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe too,\u201d added Hoss.<\/p>\n

Several other men also shouted their willingness to go.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d agreed Coffee with a nod. \u201cGet your horses, and meet me back here in ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I got to get a horse from the livery,\u201d Hoss said as he and his father started up the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, why don\u2019t you just follow us with the buckboard,\u201d suggested Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa, I won\u2019t be able to keep up with you,\u201d Hoss protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but Roy\u2019s right,\u201d answered Ben. \u201cWe don\u2019t know what\u2019s happened. If somebody got hurt, it\u2019ll be better to have the buckboard.\u201d Ben silently prayed his son was all right. \u201cEven if everyone\u2019s all right, they\u2019ll need a ride to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Hoss agreed reluctantly.<\/p>\n

Putting his hand on Hoss\u2019 shoulder, Ben added in a reassuring voice, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019m sure Joe is fine.,\u201d Hoss nodded, but his face showed his worry.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Ben found his horse which was tied up in front of the bank. He rode back to the sheriff\u2019s office, and joined the other six riders who were waiting there. As soon as he saw Ben, Roy Coffee raised his hand and led the posse out of town.<\/p>\n

With the worried look still on his face, Hoss watched the posse ride out. After giving out a small sigh, he climbed into the buckboard and snapped the reins. Hoss turned the horses, and followed the posse out of town.<\/p>\n

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

The posse followed the Virginia City road, riding at a slow lope as they looked for some sign of the stage. Ben fought the urge to send his horse down the road at a gallop. He wanted to reach his son as soon as possible. But he also knew he could ride right by the stage if he went too fast.<\/p>\n

The posse was no more then five or six miles outside of town when Roy Coffee saw the trees across the road and the wrecked coach behind them. He shouted and pointed ahead of him. The posse picked up speed.<\/p>\n

The riders stopped their horses just before the trees across the road. Ben\u2019s heart went to his throat as he saw the bodies laying on the ground. He quickly dismounted and rushed forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Ben cried as he spotted his son. He jumped the trees and ran to his son.<\/p>\n

Joe was laying on his right side; the left side of his shirt was stained with a large circle of dried blood. Ben knelt next to his son and put his fingers on Joe\u2019s neck, afraid of what he would feel\u2026or not feel. But Ben felt a faint throb. Joe was alive.<\/p>\n

Gently, Ben turned his son onto his back. He tore open Joe\u2019s shirt, and blanched at the jagged wound on Joe\u2019s ribs, just below the breastbone. The wound was crusted with dried blood, although a trickle of fluid continued to run down Joe\u2019s body. \u201cGet me some water!\u201d Ben yelled over his shoulder. \u201cJoe\u2019s still alive!\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning back to his son, Ben quickly untied his bandanna and balled the cloth. He pressed the bandanna hard against the wound and heard Joe moaned softly.<\/p>\n

Someone handed a canteen to Ben; he didn\u2019t bother to look up to see who it was. Pulling the top off the canteen with his teeth, Ben took his hand off Joe\u2019s wound so he could lift his son\u2019s head. Then he trickled some water over Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

At first, Joe had no reaction to the water on his face. Then, slowly, his head turned. Ben put the canteen to Joe\u2019s lips and trickled some water into his son\u2019s mouth. Joe swallowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d Ben said softly. \u201cJoe, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t answer. His face was pale and his eyes were closed. Ben shook his son\u2019s head gently, hoping to rouse him. He was rewarded when Joe\u2019s eyes fluttered opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake it easy, son,\u201d Ben said in an even voice, hoping to hide his fear. \u201cEverything is going to be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe asked. His voice was barely a whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here, son,\u201d Ben answered quietly.<\/p>\n

Reaching up, Joe grabbed Ben\u2019s arm. \u201cPa,\u201d he said again in a whisper. \u201cI can\u2019t breathe.\u201d Joe\u2019s grip tightened. \u201cIt hurts, Pa,\u201d he added. \u201cIt hurts bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laying the canteen aside, Ben gripped Joe\u2019s hand. \u201cWe\u2019re going to get you to the doctor, Joe,\u201d Ben reassured his son. \u201cYou\u2019re going to be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t seem to hear Ben. He looked at his father with glazed eyes. \u201cPa, I\u2019m glad\u2026.glad you\u2019re here,\u201d Joe stopped and seemed to be gathering his strength. \u201cI didn\u2019t\u2026.want to be alone\u2026when I\u2026.\u201d Joe\u2019s voice trailed off.<\/p>\n

Ben gripped his son\u2019s hand tightly. \u201cJoe!\u201d he cried, desperation creeping into his voice. \u201cHang on, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked into Ben\u2019s eyes. \u201cI love you,\u201d he said in a barely audible voice.<\/p>\n

Nothing Joe said could have scared Ben more. He knew his son wouldn\u2019t have said those words unless Joe believed he was going to die. Ben gripped Joe\u2019s hand even more tightly than before.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe others are all dead,\u201d said Roy Coffee as he came up behind Ben. \u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s alive, barely,\u201d Ben answered, his eyes never leaving his son\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is coming up the road,\u201d Coffee advised. \u201cWe\u2019ll get Joe back to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t answer. He felt Joe\u2019s grip loosen on his hand, and saw his son\u2019s eyes begin to close. \u201cJoe!\u201d Ben said loudly, shaking his son. Joe\u2019s eyes fluttered open. \u201cJoe, you stay awake,\u201d Ben ordered in a firm voice. \u201cYou understand me? You stay awake.\u201d Ben was afraid if Joe closed his eyes, he would never open them again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll\u2026..try,\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n

Ben heard Roy Coffee shouting to Hoss to turn the buckboard around, so it was facing toward town. He also heard the sheriff calling several men over. Ben\u2019s eyes never left Joe\u2019s face. He stared hard at his son, as if he was keeping him alive by the force of his will. Joe stared back at his father with dull eyes; he also felt it was important to keep Ben\u2019s face in his vision, although he wasn\u2019t sure why.<\/p>\n

From the corner of his eye Ben noted several pairs of legs standing around him. He felt a hand placed gently on his shoulder. \u201cBen, we have to get him to town,\u201d Coffee told him in a gentle voice.<\/p>\n

As Ben nodded his understanding, several pairs of hands reached down and gently lifted Joe. Ben never loosened his grip on his son\u2019s hand, and his eyes never left Joe\u2019s face. Joe moaned as he was lifted off the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cGently! Gently!\u201d Ben urged the men, as he saw the pain in Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

The men carried Joe slowly to the buckboard. Someone handed Roy Coffee a blanket. Ben wasn\u2019t sure where it came from, and frankly, he didn\u2019t care. The sheriff put the blanket on bed of the buckboard, and the men laid Joe on top of it. Ben wrapped the blanket tightly around his son, then climbed into the buckboard.<\/p>\n

Sitting with his back against the driver’s seat, Ben pulled Joe to him. He positioned his son so Joe’s head was resting against his shoulder. Then he wrapped his arm tightly around Joe.<\/p>\n

Moving his head slowly, Ben looked up and over his shoulder. He could see Hoss staring at him, his face mirroring the worry and the terror his father felt. \u201cDrive fast,\u201d Ben said softly. \u201cAs fast as you can without bouncing us out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Hoss turned back to the team. He snapped the reins and the horses started trotting. Hoss snapped the reins again and the horses began to pick up speed.<\/p>\n

Ben turned his attention back to Joe, whose eyes were now closed. Ben put his hand on his son\u2019s cheek and gently stroked it. Then he took Joe\u2019s jaw in his hand and gently shook it. As Joe\u2019s eyes opened a bit, Ben shook his son\u2019s head again. Lifting his head a bit, Joe looked at his father with dull, unfocused eyes. Ben could almost see the light fading from his son\u2019s eyes. Ben\u2019s heart was in his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, listen to me,\u201d Ben said to his son. \u201cYou have to hang on. It\u2019s only a little way to Virginia City. You have to hang on until we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no reaction on Joe\u2019s face. He simply stared at his father.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Ben looked around, taking note of the area, then turned back to Joe. \u201cWe\u2019re passing the Carter ranch,\u201d he told his son in a desperate voice. \u201cYou know how close to town that is. It\u2019s only a little way now. Just a little bit longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben kept a steady stream of talk, describing to Joe exactly where they were, and how close they were getting to Virginia City. Joe didn\u2019t react, but he kept his eyes firmly fixed on his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I can see the town,\u201d Ben said as the buckboard sped along the road. \u201cI can see the livery stable. We\u2019re almost there. It\u2019s only a little while now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Again, Joe didn\u2019t react to his father’s words. His dull, almost lifeless eyes simply stared up. Only the occasional blink told Ben his son was still with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, we\u2019re coming to the edge of town,\u201d Ben advised in an encouraging voice. \u201cWe almost to the livery. It\u2019s only a couple of blocks until we get to the doctor\u2019s office. We\u2019re almost there, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snapping the reins, Hoss urged the horses to even more speed now that he was on the smooth road of the town. People on the street hurried out of the way as the buckboard raced by.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, we\u2019re here,\u201d Ben said as the buckboard approached the doctor\u2019s office. \u201cWe made it. You\u2019re going to be all right now.\u201d Ben wished he could believe his words.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe\u2019s head slumped forward. It was if Joe had been hanging on until the buckboard reached town, but now he no longer needed to stay awake. In a panic, Ben felt for a pulse on his son\u2019s neck. At first, he couldn\u2019t feel anything. Ben pressed harder, and felt a faint throb. He breathed a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled the buckboard to a skidding stop in front of the doctor\u2019s office. He shouted for the doctor as he scrambled out of the seat and ran to the back of the buckboard. He stopped when he saw the look on his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, is he\u2026\u201d Hoss couldn\u2019t say the words.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019s alive,\u201d Ben answered. \u201cHe\u2019s still alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaching into the buckboard, Hoss pulled Joe toward him. He gathered his little brother in his massive arms, and carried him toward the doctor\u2019s office. Dr. Martin was opening the door as Hoss approached. The doctor motioned the big man into the office.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Ben slowly climbed out of the buckboard, his knees weak. He walked toward the office in an unsteady gait.<\/p>\n

Hoss was coming out of a back room as Ben entered the office. \u201cThe doc\u2019s working on him already,\u201d Hoss said in a grim voice. Ben nodded and sat down in a chair near the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, he\u2019s going to be all right,\u201d Hoss stated, hoping to reassure his father. \u201cJoe\u2019s going to be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded but he didn\u2019t believe Hoss. He had seen the look in Joe\u2019s eyes. Ben believed he had managed to keep his son alive for a little while, but he was afraid he had held his son in his arms for the last time.<\/p>\n

As Hoss paced the waiting room, Ben stared at the closed door at the back of the office. Ben fully expected the door to open at any minute and the doctor to tell him that Joseph, his beloved youngest son, was dead. As the minutes passed and the door remained closed, Ben felt a surge of hope. As long as the door stayed closed, Ben knew his son was still alive.<\/p>\n

The minutes turned into an hour, and still the door was closed. Ben began to feel that maybe he was wrong, maybe his son would survive. But he was afraid to allow the hope to grow. Too many of the people Ben loved had left him. He was afraid what it would do to him if he allowed this hope to take hold, and then had it dashed in tragedy. Ben sat, unable to move, staring at the door.<\/p>\n

Almost two hours passed, and still the door was closed. A new worry began nagging at Ben. What was taking the doctor so long? Why didn\u2019t he come out and tell them about Joe? Ben felt the faint hope in his heart begin to fade. The doctor was trying to save his son, but it was taking too long. Ben began to think the doctor was working in vain to save Joe.<\/p>\n

Hoss was no longer pacing. He sat in a chair by the front door of the office. He too wondered why the doctor was taking so long. He glanced at Ben, and the look on his father\u2019s face told him what Ben was thinking. Hoss prayed his father was wrong.<\/p>\n

Finally, the door opened. Ben and Hoss jumped to their feet as Doctor Martin walked out. The doctor knew how worried the two men in his waiting room must be. \u201cHe\u2019s alive,\u201d he declared. \u201cI don\u2019t know how, but he\u2019s still alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s shoulders sagged in relief. Hoss put his head down and said a silent prayer of thanks.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d Ben asked. \u201cIs he going to be all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Ben,\u201d he answered. \u201cThe bullet hit him square in the ribs. That prevented the bullet from hitting his heart or lungs or other vital organs, but it shattered the rib. I had to do a lot of digging to get the bullet out, as well as the pieces of the rib. He must have been in a lot of pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, remembering how Joe said he was hurting bad.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe lost a lot of blood,\u201d the doctor continued. \u201cA lot. Maybe too much. He\u2019s very weak, and all that probing I had to do didn\u2019t help. Joe\u2019s heart is young and strong, but I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s strong enough to overcome this. We\u2019ll just have to wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMaybe by morning,\u201d Doctor Martin answered. \u201cIf he makes it until morning, he\u2019s got a good chance. I\u2019ll have to keep forcing liquids into him to help replace the lost blood. Hopefully, that will keep his kidneys and other organs going until his body can replace its own fluids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we see him?\u201d Ben asked in a grim voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d replied the doctor. \u201cIn fact, I\u2019m going to need you and Hoss to help me move him to the bedroom. I want to be as gentle as possible with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben pushed past the doctor. He walked purposely into the room at the back of the office, then stopped in the doorway. Joe was lying on a table, covered to his shoulders by a sheet. Ben could see a pile of bloody clothes laying on the floor in a heap. He walked forward slowly, then stopped. For a moment, Ben merely stood by the table, watching his sleeping son. Joe was pale, almost as white as the sheet that covered him. His breathing was shallow but steady. Ben could hear the soft intake of breath through Joe\u2019s open mouth. He put his hand on the top of Joe\u2019s head and patted it lightly. \u201cYou made it this far, son,\u201d Ben said in a soft voice. \u201cDon\u2019t quit on me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin and Hoss had entered the room behind Ben. \u201cBen, he can\u2019t hear you,\u201d advised the doctor gently. \u201cI\u2019ve given him a strong sedative.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ignoring the doctor\u2019s comment, Ben stroked his son\u2019s head. \u201cYou\u2019re going to be all right, Joe,\u201d Ben encouraged his son. \u201cYou can do it. I know you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling a stretcher out from behind the door, Martin walked over to the table. \u201cHoss, I want you and Ben to lift Joe so I can slip this under him,\u201d the doctor instructed. \u201cAnd watch how you lift his legs. His right knee is twisted and bruised. It\u2019s pretty swollen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did that happen?\u201d Ben asked in astonishment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Ben,\u201d answered the doctor. He smiled briefly. \u201cI\u2019m a good doctor, Ben. I check my patients thoroughly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, I think you are the best doctor in the world,\u201d Ben stated.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin blushed a bit. \u201cI bet you say that to all the doctors,\u201d he said gruffly, trying to hide his embarrassment at Ben\u2019s praise. \u201cCome on,\u201d he add briskly. \u201cLet\u2019s get him settled in the bed in the next room.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took awhile for the three men to transfer Joe to the bed in the next room. Ben and Hoss lifted Joe gently, afraid that they might hurt him if they weren\u2019t careful. Once Joe was settled on the stretcher, the men carried him slowly through the waiting room to a bedroom. There they repeated their movements, with Ben and Hoss raising Joe gently from the bed as the doctor slid the stretcher out from underneath the unconscious man. Doctor Martin checked Joe\u2019s bandages briefly, and was satisfied that his stitches had held. He pulled some blankets from the bottom of the bed over Joe, covering him to his shoulders. Joe never stirred during the whole process. Ben and Hoss stood over the bed, watching Joe as the doctor went to get some water.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he\u2019s going to be all right?\u201d Hoss asked, knowing there was no real answer to his question.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d Ben replied fervently.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin returned in a few minutes with a cup and spoon, and sat on the bed next to Joe. \u201cLift his head for me, Ben\u201d the doctor ordered. Ben reached down and lifted Joe\u2019s head. The doctor slowly spooned the water into Joe\u2019s mouth, being careful not to cause any choking. \u201cI\u2019ve put a lot of sugar and salt into this water,\u201d the doctor said as he worked. \u201cThat should help him until his own body starts producing what he needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Ben and Hoss watched intently, the doctor spooned about half the cup into Joe. When the doctor put the cup on a small table next to the bed, Ben lowered Joe\u2019s head back onto the pillow. All three men were so intent on the patient on the bed that they were startled to hear a voice at the doorway.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he, Doc?\u201d Roy Coffee asked as he stood in the doorway.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin turned to the sheriff. \u201cHe\u2019s still alive, Roy. That\u2019s about all I can say at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Coffee swallowed hard. \u201cI took the other bodies over to the funeral parlor,\u201d he explained. \u201cI had to tell Mrs. Bartlett about her husband. She took the news pretty hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Bartlett?\u201d the doctor said with a frown. \u201cWalter Bartlett was on that stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

Again, Coffee nodded. \u201cYes he was. He was shot in the chest, and so was the other passenger, a young fellow. Looks like the driver got killed when the coach crashed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin shook his head. \u201cWalter Bartlett,\u201d he said sadly. \u201cWalter was a fine man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was startled by the news. He had been concentrating on Joe and hadn\u2019t bothered to look at the other bodies. Now he was saddened by the untimely death of an old friend. \u201cRoy, are you forming a posse?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d answered the sheriff. \u201cGot more than twenty men. We\u2019re going back to where the stage crashed, to see if we can pick up some tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou tell those men that I\u2019m offering a $1,000 reward for the capture of the men who did this,\u201d Ben said in a grim voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, they don\u2019t need any reward,\u201d Roy answered. \u201cEverybody in town is mad about what happened. I could have had fifty men if I wanted them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNevertheless, I\u2019m offering a reward,\u201d Ben stated firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, I\u2019m riding with you,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI figured you would,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cI got a horse outside for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss turned to his brother who laid still sleeping on the bed. \u201cI\u2019m going to get the men who did this to you, little brother,\u201d he said softly. \u201cI want you here waiting for me when I get back, you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Doctor Martin exchanged looks. They knew that if he left now, there was a chance Hoss would never see his brother alive again. \u201cHoss\u2026\u201d Ben started.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Hoss put up his hand. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hear it, Pa,\u201d he said decisively. \u201cJoe\u2019s going to be all right. I know it. Besides, I\u2019ll do more good riding with the posse than hanging around here.\u201d Hoss started to walk across the room. As he reached the doorway, he stopped and looked back, giving his brother a long look. Then he turned toward the door. \u201cCome on, Roy,\u201d he said, pulling his hat down firmly on his head. \u201cLet\u2019s go get those varmints.\u201d Roy Coffee followed Hoss out of the room.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin looked at Ben who was standing near the bed. \u201cBen, it\u2019s going to be a long night,\u201d he advised. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go over to the hotel and get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not leaving,\u201d Ben replied. He looked around the room and spotted a chair against the far wall. Ben walked over and pulled the chair next to the bed, then sat purposely on the chair. The doctor hadn\u2019t really expected Ben to leave. He knew how Ben felt about his boys.<\/p>\n

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

For the next few hours, Ben and Doctor Martin watched over Joe. Every half hour or so, the doctor spooned more water laced with sugar and salt into the injured man. Ben worried that Joe showed no reaction, but the doctor assured Ben that his son was heavily sedated. Doctor Martin checked Joe\u2019s breathing, pulse and temperature almost constantly, looking for some sign of change. The fact that Joe\u2019s condition didn\u2019t seem to be deteriorating encouraged him.<\/p>\n

Standing and stretching a bit, Bend walked across the room. Curtains draped a window on the wall a few feet from the bed. Ben lifted the curtain and looked out on the seemingly deserted streets of Virginia City. He wondered briefly where everyone was, then realized the day was fading into evening. He supposed most people were eating supper. Ben shook his head. Eating supper. He thought of all the meals he had shared with his sons. He wondered how he would ever eat another meal at the Ponderosa if Joseph wasn\u2019t there. Doctor Martin walked over to Ben. \u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want to go over to the hotel for awhile?\u201d he asked. \u201cJoe seems stable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. \u201cNo,\u201d he said in a firm voice. \u201cI\u2019m not leaving.\u201d Ben turned and walked back to the chair by the bed. The doctor watched as Ben pulled Joe\u2019s hand out from under the covers and held the hand firmly in his own. It was almost as if Ben was trying to give some of his strength to his son. Then Doctor Martin heard the front door of his office open, followed by a young voice calling, \u201cDoctor, doctor, where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking to the doorway, the doctored looked out into the reception area. \u201cHere I am,\u201d he called back.<\/p>\n

A boy about ten ran up to the doctor. \u201cDoctor, Ma says you got to come see Mrs. Bartlett right away. Her chest hurts and she says she can\u2019t breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll be right there,\u201d he said. He turned back to Ben. \u201cI\u2019d better check on Catherine. I\u2019ll be back as soon as I can. You come get me if there\u2019s any change.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

For a moment, the doctor hesitated. He hated leaving a critically ill patient, but he was the only doctor in town. Doctor Martin was used to making painful choices, but he never liked doing it. \u201cGive him some of that water in a half hour if I\u2019m not back by then,\u201d he instructed Ben.<\/p>\n

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

As the doctor left the room, Ben gripped Joe\u2019s hand tightly. \u201cRemember what I told you, son,\u201d he said in a soft voice. \u201cYou have to hang on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evening had turned into night by the time Doctor Martin returned. He had stayed with Catherine Bartlett much longer than he had intended. With quick steps, he hurried back into the sick room where Joe was. The lamp on the table was lit. Other than that, the scene was the same was when the doctor had left. Joe lay sleeping on the bed, with Ben holding his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny change?\u201d the doctor asked as he entered the room. Ben looked up, then shook his head. The doctor sat on the edge of the bed and checked Joe\u2019s pulse and breathing. Both were faint but steady.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave him some of that water twice,\u201d Ben advised in a tired voice. \u201cI used it all up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll make up some more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Catherine Bartlett?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s fine,\u201d answered the doctor. \u201cOr as well as she can be under the circumstances. She didn\u2019t have a heart attack. It was just the worry and grief that caused her problems. I finally gave her a sedative and sent her to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Catherine,\u201d Ben commented sadly. \u201cShe\u2019s going to be lost without Walter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin nodded. Privately, he thought the same about Ben. If Joe didn\u2019t pull through, Ben would be lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, it\u2019s funny what you think about,\u201d Ben continued. \u201cI was remembering when Joe first started breaking horses. He was battered and bruised all summer. On some mornings, he was so sore he could barely get out of bed. I thought sure he would give it up. But he kept telling me that he wanted to be the best horse breaker on the ranch. He kept at it, and he learned. It wasn\u2019t long before he WAS the best horse breaker on the Ponderosa.\u201d Ben looked up at the doctor. \u201cWhen he wants something, Joe is as stubborn as a mule.\u201d Ben looked down at his son. \u201cWe just have to convince Joe that he needs to get well. If we do that, nothing will stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin stared at Ben. He was becoming worried about his old friend. \u201cBen, you need to get some rest,\u201d he said gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoon,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cAs soon as Joe wakes up.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Doctor Martin woke with a start. He hadn\u2019t realized he had fallen asleep in the chair. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around. He could see the rays of the sun coming through the curtains by the window. Turning his head quickly, he looked toward the bed. Joe and Ben looked as if they had been frozen in time. Joe lay sleeping while Ben sat holding his son\u2019s hand. The doctor stretched and walked over to the bed. As he sat on the edge, he once again checked Joe\u2019s pulse and breathing. He was surprised to find both much stronger. The doctor put his hand on Joe\u2019s forehead and was pleased to find it only slightly warm. Suddenly, Joe stirred. He moaned softly as he tried to shift his body on the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLie still,\u201d Doctor Martin ordered his patient. Joe didn\u2019t seem to hear the doctor. He shifted on the bed again, and grunted at the pain it caused. Joe\u2019s eyes squinted, then opened. He looked at the two men peering down at him, then his eyes focused on Ben. \u201cHi Pa,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi yourself,\u201d Ben answered with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess I made it,\u201d Joe said in a weak voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure did, son,\u201d replied Ben heartily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept hearing your voice in my head,\u201d Joe murmured. \u201cI kept hearing you tell me to hang on.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor looked at Ben with a surprised expression. He knew Joe had been heavily sedated and he doubted the boy could have heard Ben. But somehow Ben\u2019s message got through to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the others?\u201d Joe asked softly. \u201cMr. Bartlett? Billy? Are they all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben hesitated a moment before answering. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about them,\u201d he replied in a soothing voice. \u201cYou just concentrate on getting well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe studied Ben\u2019s face. \u201cThey didn\u2019t make it, did they?\u201d he said in a sad voice.<\/p>\n

Ben took a deep breath. \u201cNo, they didn\u2019t make it.”<\/p>\n

Slowly, Joe closed his eyes. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said in a tired voice. Then, abruptly, Joe opened his eyes again. \u201cPa, we have to get them,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to get the men who did this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will, son,\u201d Ben agreed in a grim voice. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we will.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

It was late in the day when the posse rode back into Virginia City. The tired, discouraged look on the face of the men told everyone who saw them that they hadn\u2019t found the outlaws. Hoss rode directly to the doctor\u2019s office as the rest of the men scattered. He tried to tell himself that there would be good news waiting for him. But he felt the gnaw of worry in his stomach. Hoss dismounted in front of the office and tied his horse to the hitching post there. He walked to the door, then stopped. Taking a deep breath before opening the door, Hoss walked into an empty waiting room. He stood there for a minute, unsure of what to do. He heard the door open behind him and saw Roy Coffee walk in.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d the sheriff asked.<\/p>\n

Before Hoss could answer, the door to the bedroom opened. Ben Cartwright walked out of the room, a relaxed and smiling expression on his face. Hoss felt the knot in his stomach dissolve.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s gonna be all right, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Hoss said with a grin.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cHe\u2019s still very weak, but he\u2019s awake and talking. The doctor thinks his chances are good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, Pa,\u201d Hoss stated enthusiastically. \u201cI told you he was going to be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you told me,\u201d Ben replied with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we talk with him?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a minute,\u201d Ben answered. \u201cThe doctor\u2019s changing his bandages.\u201d His face turned serious. \u201cDid you find anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head. \u201cNo, not really,\u201d he replied. \u201cWe found tracks of four riders and followed them. But they got up in that hard rock country, and we lost the trail. We looked around for awhile, but we couldn\u2019t find anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not giving up?\u201d Ben said with alarm.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019re not giving up,\u201d Roy assured him. \u201cWe just came back to get some supplies and fresh horses. We\u2019re going back out first thing in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door to the bedroom opened again, and Doctor Martin walked out. He was carrying some soiled bandages in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc, can we talk to Joe?\u201d Roy asked quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust for a minute,\u201d the doctor answered. \u201cHe needs plenty of rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

With rapid steps, Hoss and Roy walked past the doctor and into the bedroom. The two men saw Joe was sitting up in bed. His ribcage was wrapped in bandages, and he had dark circles under his eyes. But Joe’s face lit up when he saw his big brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, brother,\u201d Joe said in a thin voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss sat on the edge of the bed. \u201cHi yourself. You\u2019re looking a lot better than the last time I saw you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m feeling better,\u201d Joe stated. \u201cI\u2019ll be out of here in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure you will,\u201d Hoss agreed in an encouraging voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa told me you were riding with the posse,\u201d Joe said. \u201cDid you find them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Hoss answered with a shake of his head. \u201cWe found some tracks, but we lost the trail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you have to find them,\u201d Joe said, with an urgency in his voice. \u201cYou have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, we don\u2019t even know who we\u2019re looking for,\u201d Coffee offered from the doorway.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up. \u201cThere were four of them, Roy,\u201d he replied. \u201cFour real mean hombres.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff walked to the end of the bed. \u201cJoe, can you tell us what happened?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Looking down, Joe swallowed hard and gathered his thoughts before answering. He briefly described the stage wreck and the robbery. Joe\u2019s voice shook a bit as he described how the outlaws had callously shot the passengers.<\/p>\n

Coffee nodded as he listened. \u201cCan you describe them?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

For a minute, Joe thought about the men. He had a picture of each of them in his mind; he didn\u2019t think he would ever forget them. The sheriff listened thoughtfully as Joe described the four outlaws, naming three of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure about those names?\u201d Coffee asked as Joe finished.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI heard them. One was Reno, another Danny and the third was Johnny. They never said the name of the fourth man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that gives me something,\u201d Coffee said. \u201cI\u2019m going over to the office and start looking through some posters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin stepped forward. \u201cThat\u2019s enough for now,\u201d he ordered firmly. \u201cJoe needs to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it all right if I come back later?\u201d Roy asked. \u201cI want Joe to look at some wanted posters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the morning,\u201d the doctor answered. \u201cNot before then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right, doc,\u201d Joe said from the bed, although his voice sounded weak and tired. \u201cI can look at those posters now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d the doctor stated. \u201cYou\u2019re going to rest. I did some of my best work patching you up and I\u2019m not going to have you ruin it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled weakly and nodded.<\/p>\n

As he stood, Hoss patted his brother\u2019s leg. \u201cYou get some sleep, Joe,\u201d he suggested. \u201cI\u2019ll see you later.\u201d Hoss looked at his father, sending Ben a silent question. Ben jerked his head toward the outer room and Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n

As the doctor was helping Joe slide down under the covers, the others left the room. Ben closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he really going to be all right?\u201d Hoss asked immediately. \u201cHe looks pretty bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor said it\u2019s going to take awhile,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cbut he\u2019s confident Joe will be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, but his face still showed concern.<\/p>\n

Turning to the sheriff, Ben said in a grim voice, \u201cRoy, I don\u2019t want the men who did this to get away. Whatever it takes, I want them caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Ben,\u201d Coffee answered, his voice equally grim. \u201cWe\u2019ll get them. I have a pretty good idea of who we\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want them caught,\u201d Ben repeated. \u201cNo matter what it takes.”<\/p>\n

True to his word, Roy Coffee was back at the doctor\u2019s office early the next morning. He carried several sheets of paper in his hand as he walked to the bedroom door. Coffee smiled briefly as he stood in the doorway. Ben was washing Joe\u2019s face with a wet cloth, just as he used to do when Joe was a little boy. Coffee had seen Ben do it many times. Only this time, Joe wasn\u2019t squirming away or protesting. He was sitting quietly in the bed with several pillows behind his back, his hands lying limply on the covers. The sheriff\u2019s smile quickly disappeared as he thought of the men who had brutally shot down three unarmed men. Coffee waited until Ben had dried Joe\u2019s face with a small towel, then rapped the door jamb lightly. \u201cMorning,\u201d he said in a hearty voice.<\/p>\n

Both Ben and Joe turned to look at Roy. Ben smiled, but Joe\u2019s face was passive. He looked even more tired than the day before.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you feeling today, Joe?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had kind of a rough night,\u201d Ben answered for his son. \u201cJoe didn\u2019t get much sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coffee\u2019s eyes arched as he looked at Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess talking about the robbery brought it all back for him,\u201d Ben explained briefly. The sheriff nodded, understanding what Ben was trying to tell him. Joe\u2019s sleep had been interrupted by nightmares about the robbery.<\/p>\n

Walking slowly, Coffee came into the room. \u201cWhere\u2019s the doc?\u201d he asked, looking around.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went to check on Catherine Bartlett,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cWalter\u2019s funeral is today, and he wanted to make sure she\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving a quick nod, Coffee turned to Joe. \u201cJoe, do you feel up to looking at some posters?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Joe reached for the papers in the sheriff’s hands. \u201cI\u2019m up to it,\u201d he said briefly. Coffee handed him the flyers.<\/p>\n

As Ben and the sheriff watched, Joe looked at each poster, carefully studying the picture on each sheet. He put several aside, then went back and studied four sheets again. Finally, he handed the sheets to Coffee. \u201cThese are the men,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

Taking the sheets, the sheriff paged through them. \u201cJohnny Keene and his gang,\u201d Coffee said. \u201cI kinda of figured they might be the ones. They\u2019re wanted for robbery and murder in four states.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happens now?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to wire every sheriff within a hundred miles to keep an eye out for them,\u201d answered Coffee. \u201cThen I\u2019m taking a posse out. They might be hold up someplace around here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, be sure to tell those sheriffs about the reward I\u2019m offering,\u201d said Ben. \u201cA thousand dollars might help them look harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Ben, only now the reward is $10,000,\u201d the sheriff replied.<\/p>\n

\u201c$10,000!\u201d Ben exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, the stage line put up $5,000 and the bank is adding another $4,000,\u201d Coffee said. He looked at Joe. \u201cWe all want to catch them. We want them real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff picked up the other posters from the bed and started to leave the room. He stopped and turned back to Joe. \u201cJoe, I almost forgot,\u201d he said. \u201cThat young fellow who was on the stage with you. Do you know anything about him? We couldn\u2019t find any identification on him. I want to notify his kin, but I don\u2019t know who to contact.\u201d<\/p>\n

A look of pain crossed Joe’s face and he lowered his eyes. \u201cHis name was Billy Olsen,\u201d Joe told the sheriff in a strained voice. \u201cHe said he was going home to Fall\u2019s River. His mother lives there. And the girl he was going to marry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFall\u2019s River, eh,\u201d Coffee said . \u201cI know the sheriff over there. I\u2019ll send him a wire and ask him to tell the boy\u2019s mother about what happened.\u201d The sheriff turned and walked out.<\/p>\n

As Joe continued to stare down at the bed, Ben put his hand on his son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cJoe, are you all right?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up. \u201cYeah, Pa,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m all right.\u201d But Joe\u2019s face belied that statement. His eyes had a pinched look and his mouth had a grim set to it. \u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d he repeated in a soft voice.<\/p>\n

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

Four men lounged around a fire inside a cave. The outlaws were relaxed, confident that no posse would find their hideout. Two were stretched out on blankets, while the third idly fed some sticks into the fire. Johnny Keene sat sipping a cup of coffee, a thoughtful expression on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cReno, I want you to ride into Virginia City tomorrow,\u201d Johnny said. \u201cHang around town and find out what\u2019s going on. See if the posse is still out looking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow come Reno gets to go?\u201d complained Danny. \u201cWhy can\u2019t I go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I said so,\u201d Johnny answered in an angry voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny is sending me because he wants to know what\u2019s going on,\u201d Reno said with a grin. \u201cHe don\u2019t want to send somebody who\u2019s going to spend time drinking and dancing with saloon girls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny\u2019s the boss,\u201d added the big man, his voice deep. \u201cHe\u2019s done all right by us so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Danny sat up. \u201cI\u2019m tired of just sitting around here,\u201d he grumbled. \u201cWhy can\u2019t we just ride out? Nobody knows who robbed that stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I don\u2019t want to get stopped by some posse,\u201d Johnny said. \u201cIf we get stopped, they\u2019ll search us. If they find those gold coins, they\u2019ll know we were the ones who robbed the stage. I don\u2019t fancy getting hung.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should have just kept riding,\u201d Danny continued his complaint. \u201cIt was a bad idea to hold up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKept riding, eh,\u201d Johnny said. \u201cDanny, you\u2019re dumber than you look. If we kept riding, we would have had to stop someplace out in the open. That posse would have found us in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know there\u2019s a posse looking for us,\u201d Danny mumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a posse,\u201d Johnny stated. \u201cWhen that stage didn\u2019t show up, they went looking for it. They\u2019re going to be looking for whoever robbed that stage.\u201d He turned to Reno. \u201cYou keep your ears open and your mouth shut. And be back by night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Johnny,\u201d Reno said. \u201cI\u2019ll let you know what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two hours later, Reno sat in the Silver Dollar saloon, nursing a beer. He had spent most of the morning walking around town, eavesdropping on people as they gossiped in the street. So far, he had heard nothing of interest. He figured he\u2019d spend a little time in the saloon and see what he could pick up there. But the saloon was almost empty. He thought about asking the bartender about the stage robbery, but decided that might arouse suspicion. He was better off just waiting to see if someone else brought it up. So far, no one had. Reno decided to wait a bit longer to see if he could learn anything. He sipped his drink. He figured to finish his beer, then head back to the hideout.<\/p>\n

The sound of footsteps and the rumble of voices caught the outlaw’s attention. Reno looked up as a crowd of men pushed open the saloon doors. Six dusty men walked in and stood at the bar. \u201cBeer,\u201d ordered one of them. \u201cMake it cold and wet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bartender started filling some beer glasses from a keg. \u201cYou boys been riding posse?\u201d he asked as he filled the glasses. Reno sat up and listened hard.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d said one of them. \u201cDidn\u2019t find a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bartender set the glasses on the bar. \u201cYou fellows going to quit looking?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, at least not for awhile,\u201d answered one of the men, sipping his beer. \u201cWe\u2019re heading out again in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fellows must want that $10,000 reward awful bad,\u201d the bartender suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the money would be nice,\u201d agreed another man. \u201cBut I ain\u2019t doing it for the money. Joe Cartwright\u2019s a friend of mine, and I don\u2019t like the idea of whoever shot him getting away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear the doc\u2019s going to let him out of bed for awhile today,\u201d the bartender said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d replied Joe\u2019s friend. \u201cThat\u2019s good news. Sounds like he\u2019s doing real well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good thing Joe was able to describe those outlaws,\u201d said one of the men. \u201cOtherwise, we wouldn\u2019t even know who we were looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frowning, Reno pulled his hat down over his face. Johnny wasn\u2019t going to like what he would have to tell him. A persistent posse, a $10,000 reward and one of the men still alive. No, Johnny wasn\u2019t going to like this at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re wasting our time,\u201d said one of the men at the bar. \u201cThose outlaws are probably a hundred miles from here. We\u2019ll never find them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe we won\u2019t,\u201d replied another man. \u201cBut somebody will. I was out there when Ben Cartwright found his boy. I saw the look on old Ben\u2019s face. He\u2019s not going to let someone shoot his son and get away with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right there,\u201d the first man agreed. \u201cBen Cartwright\u2019s a big man in these parts. He\u2019s going to have every sheriff west of the Mississippi looking for those outlaws. Hell, he\u2019ll probably have the army out looking for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quickly, Reno threw some coins on the table and stood up. He glanced at the bar, and saw the men had their backs to him. He left the saloon in a hurry.<\/p>\n

As he stood on the sidewalk outside the saloon, Reno wasn’t sure what to do next. His first instinct was to ride back to the hideout quickly. But he knew Johnny would want more. He\u2019d want to know where Joe Cartwright was.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Reno walked down the street, trying to look unconcerned. His eyes searched each of the buildings as he walked. He finally spotted a sign proclaiming \u201cPaul Martin, MD\u201d. Reno crossed the street and leaned against a post. He looked like any cowboy, just killing time. But his eyes were glued on the building across the street.<\/p>\n

In the bedroom in the doctor’s office, Joe was sitting in a chair by the window at the end of the bed. He was wearing a brown robe, and a blanket covered his legs. His right leg was stretched out, his foot was resting on a small stool. A tray holding a bowl of stew, some bread, and a cup of coffee sat on his lap. Joe was pushing the spoon around in the stew. He stared at the tray, his thoughts far away from the meal in front of him. Ben walked into the room, prepared to take an empty tray back to the caf\u00e9. He was surprised to see the tray was still full.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you haven\u2019t eaten your lunch,\u201d Ben said with a frown.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up. \u201cI\u2019m not very hungry,\u201d he answered briefly.<\/p>\n

Ben walked over to his son, concern showing on his face. \u201cAre you feeling all right?\u201d he asked quickly. \u201cAre you feeling some pain?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Joe said in a low voice, \u201cNo, it\u2019s nothing like that.”<\/p>\n

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ben moved closer to his son. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, then?\u201d he asked as he perched on the end of the bed. Joe had seemed unusually quiet during the past two days. Ben had thought that his son was just trying to regain his strength. But now he wondered if something else was bothering Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d Ben said when his son didn\u2019t answer. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked again.<\/p>\n

Joe looked away. \u201cIt\u2019s nothing,\u201d he replied briefly. \u201cI was just thinking about Mr. Bartlett and Billy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could have gone to the funerals,\u201d Joe continued. \u201cI wish I could have told them how sorry I am about what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Ben studied the troubled look on Joe\u2019s face. \u201cAre you feeling guilty because you\u2019re alive and they\u2019re dead?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at Ben with surprise. \u201cYeah, I guess,\u201d he admitted. \u201cSomething like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you shouldn\u2019t feel guilty,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI\u2019m very grateful you\u2019re alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa, why me?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cI mean, why should I still be here when they\u2019re dead. Mr. Bartlett was a good man. He helped a lot of people around here. And Billy had his whole life ahead of him. He was going to marry a girl back home and start a ranch. Why are they dead and not me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gently, Ben put his hand on Joe\u2019 shoulder. \u201cJoe, I don\u2019t know the answer to that,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one does. I once saw a clipper ship go down, a ship that was manned with experienced sailors. Everyone drowned except a young cabin boy. Men who were in the war tell stories of battles where the soldiers all around them were shot down and they came out without a scratch. No one knows why it happens. Maybe it\u2019s luck, maybe it\u2019s fate. For whatever reason, the hand of fate sometimes picks out one person and protects them. I\u2019m very grateful that you were chosen this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why, Pa?\u201d Joe pressed his question. \u201cI mean, am I suppose to do something special with my life? Am I suppose to go around doing good deeds or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grinned wryly. \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019d make a very good candidate for sainthood, Joe. No, I don\u2019t think you\u2019re suppose to do anything but live your life the best you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t help thinking there\u2019s more to it than that,\u201d Joe insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you\u2019re trying to make sense out of something that doesn\u2019t make sense,\u201d Ben said. \u201cYou were lucky. The doc says because you were lying on the ground, the bullet hit you at an angle. Walter Bartlett and that young man weren\u2019t as lucky. They died. They weren\u2019t any better or worse people than you are. They were just unlucky.\u201d Ben looked at his son. \u201cDo you understand why I\u2019m trying to tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess,\u201d Joe replied, but his voice was full of doubt. He looked toward the window. Joe pulled the curtain back and looked out onto the street. He wasn\u2019t thinking about the scene before him; his mind was full of questions that seemed to have no answers. Gradually, though, Joe began to focus on the people on the street. He looked at the man leaning against the post across the street. Frowning, Joe stared at the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Joe shouted abruptly. \u201cThat\u2019s one of them. That\u2019s one of the outlaws!\u201d<\/p>\n

Springing to his feet, Ben looked out the window. \u201cWhere?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Joe pointed to a man who suddenly stood up straight, pulled his hat down over his face and began walking rapidly away. \u201cThat\u2019s him,\u201d Joe said pointing to the retreating figure. \u201cThat\u2019s the one they called Reno.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning quickly, Ben ran from the room. He raced out of the building and stood on the street, looking up and down. The man Joe had pointed out was nowhere to be seen. Ben ran across the street and down the alley next to a building. The alley was deserted. He returned to the street and looked around again. Ben walked rapidly up the street, his head twisting as he searched for the outlaw. He finally realized the man that he was seeking had somehow managed to get away. Ben turned and slowly walked back toward the doctor\u2019s office. He saw Hoss and Roy Coffee coming down from the opposite direction, also heading toward the doctor\u2019s office. Ben reached the office just as the other men entered the building.<\/p>\n

Inside the office, Doctor Martin was standing in the waiting room. He had heard Ben rush out and was curious. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d the doctor asked as Ben entered the office. The sheriff and Hoss turned and looked at Ben, surprised to see him coming in behind him. Before Ben could answer, Joe limped to the door of the bedroom. He was clutching his side and dragging his injured leg. \u201cDid you get him?\u201d Joe answered as he leaned against the door jamb.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you trying to do, kill yourself?\u201d exclaimed Doctor Martin. He rushed over to Joe and grabbed his arm. \u201cSit down before you fall down,\u201d said the doctor. He led Joe to a chair a few feet from the bedroom door. Joe leaned heavily on the doctor as he limped to the chair. The doctor eased the youngest Cartwright down into the chair slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get him?\u201d Joe asked again once he was seated.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet who?\u201d Roy Coffee asked in a puzzled voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe spotted one of the outlaws in town,\u201d Ben explained. \u201cI tried to catch him but the man disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of them outlaws in town?\u201d Hoss said. \u201cAre you sure, Joe?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d Joe replied in a emphatic voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would one of them be in town?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey might have heard Joe was still alive,\u201d Coffee replied thoughtfully. \u201cThey might be trying to figure out where he is. After all, Joe\u2019s the only witness. He\u2019s the one who can put a noose around their neck.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think they\u2019ll try something?\u201d Ben asked in alarm. He had come close to losing his son once. He didn\u2019t want it to happen again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Ben,\u201d the sheriff admitted. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t think they\u2019d try something right here in town. But then, that fellow was able to sneak into town right under our noses. I don\u2019t know what they\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to protect Joe,\u201d Ben stated in a worried voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get a deputy over here right away,\u201d Coffee said in a reassuring voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow wait a minute, Roy,\u201d interjected Dr. Martin. \u201cThis is a doctor\u2019s office. I can\u2019t have your deputy stopping my patients from visiting me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we could move Joe over to the hotel,\u201d Hoss suggested. \u201cWe could put a guard on his room over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a better idea,\u201d Joe said from the chair. He looked at Ben. \u201cTake me home, Pa. I want to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Reno spurred his horse at a full gallop back toward the hideout. He knew he was lucky to have gotten out of town. He had seen Joe pointing to him from the window and seen the white haired man rush out of the office. Reno had hidden behind some crates a few doors away from where he had been standing. He had watched the white haired man rush down the street, then return to the doctor\u2019s office. Reno also had seen the sheriff and another man go into the office. He was sure the sheriff now knew he had been in town.<\/p>\n

As he rode, Reno worried about what to tell Johnny. When he neared the cave, he decided to tell Johnny everything. Johnny would know what to do, he thought. Johnny was smart. Reno rode his horse to a hidden rope corral a few feet from the cave. He dismounted, leaving his sweaty horse to fend for itself, and rushed into the cave.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny!\u201d he shouted. \u201cWe\u2019re in trouble. We\u2019re in big trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three men who were relaxing in the cave sat up suddenly, their attention focused on Reno. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Johnny asked.<\/p>\n

Reno took a deep breath, wondering where to start. \u201cThey\u2019ve got a $10,000 reward out for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201c$10,000?\u201d laughed Danny. \u201cYou\u2019d better be careful Reno. For that kind of money, I might turn you in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up,\u201d snapped Johnny. He looked at Reno. \u201cThat kind of money will keep a posse looking for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reno nodded. \u201cBut that\u2019s not all. One of the fellows we shot, his father is Ben Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big man frowned. \u201cBen Cartwright?\u201d he said in his deep voice. \u201cI know about him. He\u2019s got a big spread right outside of Virginia City. He\u2019s an important man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cImportant enough to have every sheriff in the West looking for us,\u201d agreed Reno . \u201cThere\u2019s talk of bringing in the army.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three outlaws looked at each other, worry creasing their faces. \u201cNow wait a minute,\u201d Johnny said. \u201cThey don\u2019t know for sure we\u2019re the ones who robbed that stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes they do,\u201d Reno replied. \u201cOne of the fellows we shot, the one who hurt his leg? He\u2019s still alive. And he\u2019s Ben Cartwright\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he told them about us?\u201d Danny asked, panic filling his voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told them,\u201d Reno asserted. \u201cI saw him. He was sitting by the window in the doctor\u2019s office. If he\u2019s well enough to sit up, he\u2019s well enough to tell the sheriff about us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid they see you?\u201d Johnny asked.<\/p>\n

Reno hesitated. He thought briefly about lying to Johnny about being spotted in town, but decided the other man\u2019s anger at his carelessness was less important that giving him all the facts. Johnny would need to know what had happened if he was going to get them out of this. \u201cHe saw me,\u201d Reno finally admitted, lowering his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fool!\u201d shouted Johnny. \u201cNow they know for sure we\u2019re still around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny, we\u2019ve got to get out of here,\u201d Danny said in a panic. He stood up. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to ride to Mexico as fast as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big man nodded in agreement. \u201cDanny\u2019s right. We\u2019ve got to make tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what a minute,\u201d Johnny said, turning to the other men. \u201cWe\u2019re hid out good here. The posse will never find us. If we head for Mexico, we\u2019re liable to ride right into them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe posse ain\u2019t going out again until tomorrow,\u201d Reno added. \u201cIf we left now, we could get a head start on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just how far do you think we\u2019d get?\u201d Johnny said with disgust. \u201cIt\u2019ll be dark in a couple of hours. I don\u2019t fancy riding those rough mountain trails in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we going to do?\u201d asked Reno.<\/p>\n

Johnny sat back. \u201cI don\u2019t know yet,\u201d he answered thoughtfully. \u201cBut somehow I got a feeling it\u2019s going to involve killing a Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe\u2019s suggestion about going home started a raucous argument in the doctor\u2019s office. Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and no one agreed with anyone else. Finally, Ben put up his hand. \u201cHold it!\u201d he shouted at the top of his voice. The other men abruptly stopped talking and looked at Ben. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to accomplish anything if we keep arguing like this,\u201d Ben continued in a firm voice. He looked at Doctor Martin. \u201cWhen do you think it will be all right for Joe to travel?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can go now,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, the decision is not yours to make,\u201d Ben stated firmly. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not open to debate.\u201d He turned back to the doctor. \u201cWhat do you think, doc?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin looked thoughtfully at Joe. \u201cWell, if he doesn\u2019t pull any more crazy stunts like this, Joe should be strong enough to go home in three or four days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well enough to go now,\u201d Joe insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you heard what I said,\u201d Ben said to his son in a voice that brooked no discussion. \u201cYou\u2019re not leaving here until the doctor says you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe slumped back in the chair with an angry look on his face.<\/p>\n

Ignoring his son\u2019s pouting, Ben turned to Roy Coffee. \u201cRoy, how quick can you get a posse back out?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can probably round up some men right away,\u201d the sheriff replied in a puzzled tone. \u201cBut why? We\u2019re going out again in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause that outlaw probably got out of town and is heading back to their hideout,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cThey might just get worried enough to take off right away. If they do, the posse will find them.\u201d<\/p>\n

“added\u201cI believe you\u2019re right, Ben,\u201d Coffee agreed with a nod. \u201cI\u2019ll round up as many men as I can, and I\u2019ll send them out in all directions. They can keep any eye out for any strangers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, what about Joe?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cAre we going to get a deputy to guard him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Hoss,\u201d Ben answered. \u201cWe don\u2019t need a deputy. You and I are going to guard Joe. One of us is going to be with him every minute until those outlaws are caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

As the twilight turned to night, Ben sat in the bedroom with a rifle across his lap. The room with dimly lit; the lantern on the table had been turned low. Ben was sitting next to the bed in which Joe was sleeping. Although Joe insisted he was fine, it had taken both he and the doctor to get his son back to bed. Joe had barely been able to walk, still weak from his injury. His side and his leg were hurting also, Ben knew; he could tell by the way Joe had gritted his teeth as he slowly made his way back to the bedroom. Joe had fallen asleep almost instantly after Ben and Doctor Martin got him settled in the bed. His son had awaken briefly when Hoss brought him some dinner but he went back to sleep as soon as the tray was taken away. Ben worried that Joe was so tired after so little exertion. The doctor had assured Ben that this was to be expected, but Ben still worried. He shifted in the chair, trying to get into a more comfortable position. His eyes were constantly darting around the room, looking for any sign of trouble. His muscles tensed as he heard a click and saw the door open.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just me, Pa,\u201d Hoss said in a soft voice as he entered the room. Ben relaxed. \u201cJoe still sleeping?\u201d Hoss asked looking down at the bed.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t stirred all night,\u201d Ben said. He looked at the sleeping figure on the bed. \u201cHe\u2019s not near as well as he says he is,\u201d Ben added.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know Joe,\u201d Hoss replied with a smile. \u201cHe hates idea of someone watching over him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to have to get used to it,\u201d Ben stated. \u201cI\u2019m not taking a chance on anything else happening to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you don\u2019t really think those outlaws would try anything, do you?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cI mean, right here, in Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I don\u2019t know what they\u2019d do,\u201d Ben admitted. \u201cThey robbed a stage and shot three unarmed men. Shot them for no reason. You can never tell what men like that might do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Hoss agreed. He watched his brother sleep for a minute, his hand unconsciously gripping the pistol his holster. Then he turned back to Ben. \u201cIt\u2019s almost midnight,\u201d he said. \u201cYou go get some sleep. I\u2019ll stay with Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Ben could answer, his attention was drawn to the sound of a horse galloping. The sound kept coming nearer and nearer. Ben stood, preparing to walk to the window. Suddenly, two shots rang out, breaking the window with a crash. The bullets hit the wall above the bed. Both Hoss and Ben instinctively hit the floor. But the noise woke Joe. He sat up in bed, a confused expression on his face. Ben stood and grabbed his son by the shoulders, pulling Joe out of the bed and on to the floor. Joe hit the floor with a thud, his head banging the hard wood. Two more shots came through the window. One of the bullets hit the headboard of the bed. The other bullet shattered the lantern next to the bed. Instantly, flames spread across the table as the oil spilled and the flames leaped the short distance to the bed. The blanket on the bed caught fire and started to burn.<\/p>\n

Ignoring the smoke and flames, Hoss crawled across the room, then sat up. His back was against the wall next to the window. He slowly pulled the curtain back. A dark figure fired another shot, then spurred his horse down the street. Hoss stuck his arm out the window and took two shots at the retreating figure, missing with both bullets.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss! Get over here and help me!\u201d Ben shouted. He was laying on the floor, his body draped protectively over Joe. The flames from the broken lantern were starting to spread across the bed.<\/p>\n

Quickly, Hoss took another look out the window. The street was filling with people attracted by the noise. Satisfied that the danger was gone, Hoss stuck his gun back in his holster and rushed across the room. Smoke and heat were rapidly filling the room. Ben was struggling, trying to raise Joe\u2019s limp body from the floor. \u201cWe have to get him out of here!\u201d Ben shouted. Hoss pushed his father aside and bent down. He scooped Joe into his arms, then stood up. With rapid steps, he carried his brother out of the room.<\/p>\n

Once he was sure Hoss had Joe, Ben snatched the burning blanket off the bed and threw it on the floor. He stamped on the flames quickly, putting them out. Then he took the burned cloth and began smothering the rest of the fire. In a less than a minute, the flames were gone.<\/p>\n

For a minute, Ben stood in the middle of the room, coughing from the smoke. He check the room quickly, making sure the fire was completely out. Then he threw the blanket on the floor and hurried out of the room. Joe was sitting in a chair in the waiting room, holding his head with his left hand. The thin nightshirt he was wearing offered him little warmth and Joe shivered a bit. Doctor Martin was kneeling next to him, peering intently at Joe. The doctor\u2019s hair was tousled and he was wearing a nightshirt tucked halfway into a pair of pants. The shots had awaken the doctor from his sleep in his living quarters above the office. Seeing Joe\u2019s shiver, the doctor stood and walked across the room. He opened a chest and pulled a blanket from it, then returned to Joe and wrapped the blanket around the young man’s shoulders.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe coughed, and instantly grabbed his side. He grimaced with pain as he continued to cough and gasp for breath. Hoss stood next to his brother, with a comforting hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fire\u2019s out,” Ben said. \u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, the doctor didn\u2019t answer. Then he turned to Ben. \u201cHe swallowed some smoke, and banged his head. But it doesn\u2019t look like he\u2019s any worse off than before.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door behind the doctor opened and several people crowded into the room. \u201cDoc! What happened? \u201c asked a tall thin man.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody took some shots at Joe,\u201d Ben answered grimly. \u201cThey missed but they hit the lantern. It started a fire. We got it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas it one of them outlaws?\u201d another man asked.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up. \u201cWell, it wasn\u2019t a friend,\u201d he answered sarcastically. Joe coughed again, and once more grimaced with pain.<\/p>\n

Abruptly, Doctor Martin stood up and started ushering people out of the office. \u201cEverything\u2019s under control,\u201d he said firmly. \u201cYou can go on your way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two men stood in the doorway. \u201cMaybe we ought to stay,\u201d one of them said in an uncertain voice. \u201cThey might come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen and Hoss can handle things,\u201d the doctor replied. He took the man\u2019s arm and firmly pushed him out the door. Then he shut the door behind him. Doctor Martin turned to the Cartwrights. \u201cWell, Ben,\u201d he asked. \u201cWhat do we do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Reno rode at full speed as he left Virginia City. He stopped his horse about a mile outside of town, near some large rocks. \u201cDanny?\u201d he called in a loud whisper.<\/p>\n

Another rider guided his horse from behind the rocks. \u201cDid you get him?\u201d Danny asked. \u201cDid you kill the Cartwright kid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Reno replied. \u201cI put a few shots into the doctor\u2019s office, but I don\u2019t think I hit him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA few shots into the office? Why did you do that?\u201d asked Danny in an angry voice. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you go in and kill him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there were men all around that office,\u201d Reno explained his voice rising in an equal anger. \u201cI saw a big fellow going in, and another man sitting in the room. I didn\u2019t want to get caught. So I just rode by and shot a few times into the window.\u201d Reno looked at the ground. \u201cThis was dumb idea anyway,\u201d he muttered. \u201cJohnny\u2019s going to be mad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho cares what Johnny thinks?\u201d Danny sneered. \u201cI\u2019m finished with him. I\u2019m heading for Mexico. If you\u2019re smart, you\u2019ll come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reno hesitated, unsure what to do. He didn\u2019t want to return to the hideout and face Johnny\u2019s wrath. Besides, he was tired of hanging around that cave. On the other hand, he was worried about running into the posse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Danny,\u201d Reno said. \u201cJohnny says\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny says, Johnny says,\u201d Danny interrupted. \u201cDoes Johnny do all your thinking for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Reno stiffened at Danny\u2019s taunt. \u201cI can think for myself,\u201d he stated in a bold voice. The thought of Johnny\u2019s anger again flashed through Reno\u2019s mind. \u201cCome on,\u201d he said with a grin. \u201cLet\u2019s head for Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Sunlight filtered through the window of the hotel room where Joe was sleeping. Hoss and Ben had literally carried him to the hotel after the fire. The bedroom at the doctor\u2019s office was no longer useable\u2026or safe. For now, Ben guarded his son in a room high on the second floor, facing an alley. It would be impossible for shots to be fired through the window. But Ben was convinced the hotel was no safer than the doctor\u2019s office. He and Hoss still stood guard, Ben in the room and Hoss outside, sitting in a chair by the door. The sound of riders and shouts from the street below attracted Ben\u2019s attention. He went to the window and looked out. By twisting his body, he could see the main street. Six or seven riders were coming down the street. Roy Coffee was leading the group, so Ben assumed it was part of the posse. He saw one of the riders leading a horse with a body draped over it. Another rider led a horse carrying a light haired man. The man\u2019s hands were tied behind his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa? What\u2019s going on?\u201d Joe asked sleepily from the bed.<\/p>\n

Ben pulled himself back into the room. \u201cLooks like the posse\u2019s back,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid they find anything?\u201d Joe asked in a tired voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben answered cautiously. He suspected that two of the outlaws had been caught, but he wasn\u2019t sure. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go back to sleep?\u201d Ben said to Joe. \u201cI\u2019ll send Hoss to find out what happened with the posse, and we can talk about it later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Joe snuggled under the covers. \u201cAll I seem to do is sleep,\u201d he muttered. But his eyes closed, and in a short time, Ben could hear his gentle snore. Ben was worried about Joe. The doctor kept telling him that it would take some time for Joe to recover, to get his strength back. He also told Ben that last night\u2019s events hadn\u2019t helped any. Ben thought the doctor was probably right, but he was anxious to have the old Joe back. He wanted the Joe with the boundless energy and mischievous smile. He wanted a good argument with his son. Ben looked at the weak and tired boy sleeping in the bed. His face turned grim. He wanted those outlaws caught and made to pay for what they had done to his son. He hoped that what he saw on the street meant his wish was being fulfilled. Ben was startled out of his thoughts by a sharp knock on the door. Ben walked quickly to the door. \u201cYes?\u201d he asked through the closed door.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, Roy Coffee\u2019s here.\u201d Ben heard Hoss\u2019 voice muffled by the door. \u201cHe needs to talk with you and Joe,\u201d Hoss continued.<\/p>\n

Unlocking the door, Ben pulled it open a crack. He cautiously looked out the door, but saw no one but Hoss and Roy in the hallway. Ben pulled the door open.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe caught two of them outlaws!\u201d Coffee exclaimed excitedly as he walked into the room. \u201cIt was just like you said, Ben. They were riding south. They rode right into some of the posse. We tried to arrest them, but they started shooting. One of them was killed. I\u2019ve got the other one over at the jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich two did you get?\u201d asked a voice behind Ben. He turned to see Joe sitting up in bed. \u201cWhich two?\u201d Joe asked again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one we killed, he was the Mexican. The other one is young and blonde,\u201d the sheriff replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDanny,\u201d Joe said with a nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we think,\u201d Roy agreed. \u201cI was hoping Joe could come over to the jail and make a positive identification.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throwing back the covers, Joe swung his legs onto the floor. \u201cPa, get me some clothes,\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow wait a minute,\u201d Ben said. \u201cThose outlaws aren\u2019t going any place. You need to get some more rest. Maybe you can take a look at them tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m tired of resting,\u201d Joe insisted. \u201cI\u2019m going over to the jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026\u201d Ben started to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you better get me some clothes,\u201d Joe said firmly. \u201cBecause if you don\u2019t, I\u2019m walking over to the jail in this nightshirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben argued with Joe for twenty minutes but he wasn\u2019t able to shake his son\u2019s resolve to get to the jail. Joe stubbornly refused to give in to his father\u2019s request to wait until he was feeling better. Ben wondered briefly how he ever thought he missed his arguments with Joe. Ben finally agreed to get Joe some clothes when his son stood and started limping toward the door. Joe was prepared to carry out his threat to walk to the jail in his nightshirt. Roy and Hoss had watched the scene with barely concealed amusement.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, stay with Joe while I get him some clothes,\u201d Ben finally said in exasperation to his other son. Joe grinned triumphantly as he sat down on the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you\u2019d better let me get them,\u201d Hoss offered with a grin on his face. \u201cI have a feeling you\u2019re not exactly in the mood to go shopping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet me something that looks good,\u201d Joe called after Hoss as the big man started to leave the room. Ben rolled his eyes and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d better get back over to the jail,\u201d Roy Coffee said. \u201cI\u2019ll see you fellows there in a little while. Joe, I\u2019ve got the one we shot in the back room at the jail. I\u2019d like you to take a look at him, too. You can tell the judge at the trial if he was one of the men, just to make everything legal and clear.\u201d<\/p>\n

The smile suddenly faded from Joe\u2019s face. \u201cAll right,\u201d he agreed in a quiet voice. The sheriff left the room without seeming to notice the change in Joe. But Ben did.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, are you sure you\u2019re up to this?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

For a minute, Joe didn\u2019t answer. Then he looked up at his father. \u201cYeah, I\u2019m up to it,\u201d he stated. He took a deep breath. \u201cI was just thinking. I wished the posse had killed both of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, that\u2019s awfully blood-thirsty,\u201d Ben said in alarm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Joe admitted. \u201cBut I can\u2019t help it. I keep thinking about what they did to Billy and Mr. Bartlett.\u201d Joe looked away. \u201cPa, I want those men dead,\u201d he added in a quiet voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I want those men to pay for what they did,\u201d Ben said. He thought about how the outlaws had shot down his son. \u201cI want it just as much as you do, maybe more.\u201d Ben looked at Joe. \u201cJoe, why do you want those men dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty obvious, isn\u2019t it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d Ben answered. \u201cBut I have a feeling there\u2019s more to it than just revenge for the killing of Walter Bartlett and Billy Olsen. If those outlaws go to trial, you\u2019ll have to testify. You\u2019ll have to stand up in court and tell what happened. And everyone will remember that two other men died and you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked down at the floor said nothing. His silence confirmed what Ben had said. Ben put his arm around his son’s shoulders. \u201cJoe, you should be happy you survived,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cHoss and I are very thankful you\u2019re still with us. We\u2019re doing everything we can to make sure nothing happens to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t help how I feel, Pa,\u201d Joe stated, shaking his head. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to be happy about being alive when I think about the others who died.\u201d Joe looked at Ben. \u201cPa, I should have died out there,\u201d he added bitterly. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, listen to me,\u201d Ben said sternly. \u201cYou did nothing wrong. You have nothing to feel guilty about. You managed to stay alive, that\u2019s all. And by staying alive, you are helping to see the men who did this terrible crime are brought to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think that\u2019s why?\u201d Joe asked, a tinge of hope in his voice. \u201cDo you think I\u2019m alive to make sure those men pay for what they did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Joe,\u201d Ben admitted. \u201cNobody knows why things happen the way they do. But I do know you have to be grateful for every minute of life that is given to you. And you can\u2019t squander that time by wishing you were dead. It\u2019s not right. You have to live your life. Live every day. Do you understand what I\u2019m saying?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath, wincing slightly at the pain in his side. \u201cI guess,\u201d Joe said. But his voice lacked conviction.<\/p>\n

Two hours later, Joe was walking slowly down the street toward the Virginia City jail. He was leaning heavily on a wooden cane that Hoss had brought him along with a blue shirt, gray pants and tan boots. Ben and Hoss followed, each ready to help him if he should falter. But Joe march grimly down the street, determined to make it to the jail on his own power. He wasn\u2019t going to have his father or brother carry him to the jail, like they had carried him to the hotel. He had had enough of that. Joe stopped briefly at the bottom of the steps to the jail. He was breathing hard and sweating. His side ached and his leg was sore. The walk to the jail had seemed like a twenty mile hike. Ben put his hand on Joe\u2019s arm, preparing to help him, but Joe brushed his father\u2019s hand away. He took a deep breath and started slowly up the steps.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee was sitting at his desk when the Cartwrights came into the jail. \u201cHello, boys!\u201d he said in greeting as the three men walked into the office. Then Roy frowned. He could see Joe looked pale and tired. He also could see the beads of sweat on Joe\u2019s face. \u201cJoe, are you all right?\u201d he asked in alarm.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t answer as he slowly walked across the office. \u201cWhere is he?\u201d Joe said in a grim voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, maybe you ought to rest for a minute,\u201d Hoss said with concern. He could see how much effort it had taken Joe to get to the office.<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cNo, I want to get this over with,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n

Coffee looked past Joe at Ben. Ben shrugged his shoulders and nodded. \u201cHow about taking a look at the fellow in the back room first?\u201d the sheriff suggested to Joe. He led the Cartwrights to a room in the back of the office. A body lay on a cot in the room, covered with a blanket. Coffee lifted the blanket so Joe could see the man\u2019s face. Joe looked at the man on the cot for only a moment. \u201cThat\u2019s him,\u201d He said. \u201cThat\u2019s the one they called Reno.\u201d Joe turned abruptly walked out of the room. Coffee quickly covered the body and followed Ben and Hoss out of the room.<\/p>\n

Joe was standing in the middle of the office with his head down, breathing hard. Ben walked up to his son and put his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder. \u201cJoe?\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Joe looked up at Ben. \u201cI thought seeing him dead would make me happy,\u201d he said to Ben. \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t help. It doesn\u2019t help at all.\u201d Ben nodded in understanding.<\/p>\n

With rapid steps, Coffee walked to the far side of the jail and pushed open another door. \u201cJoe, come take a look at this fellow,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Joe limped to the cell block. Danny was sitting on the bed in a jail cell. He stood when he saw Joe walk in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of them,\u201d Joe said almost at once. \u201cThat\u2019s the one they called Danny. He took the money off of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

An angry look grew on Danny’s face as he looked at Joe in anger. \u201cYou!\u201d he spat out. \u201cI thought you was dead like the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe ignored Danny\u2019s comment. \u201cHe was there when Walter Bartlett and Billy Olsen were shot,\u201d Joe told the sheriff. \u201cHe sat on his horse and watched it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should have killed you when we had the chance,\u201d Danny said to Joe with a sneer. \u201cI should have put a bullet in you myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staring hard at the outlaw in the cell, Joe spoke directly to the man for the first time. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said. \u201cYou should have.\u201d Joe turned and walked out. He limped across the room and eased himself down on a chair next to the sheriff\u2019s desk. He suddenly felt drained.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, what\u2019ll happen now?\u201d Ben asked as the other men came over to the desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe circuit judge will be here next week,\u201d Coffee explained. \u201cWe\u2019ll hold the trial then. With Joe\u2019s testimony, I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any question he\u2019ll be convicted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill he hang?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cI mean, he didn\u2019t actually shoot anyone. The leader, the one they called Johnny, he\u2019s the one who did the shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t make any difference,\u201d the sheriff replied. \u201cHe was part of the gang. I don\u2019t doubt he\u2019ll hang.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, did he tell you where the other two are?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

Roy shook his head. \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t say, at least for now. He may be thinking he can make a deal.\u201d Coffee\u2019s face looked grim. \u201cI won\u2019t make a deal with him, not on this one. He\u2019s going to hang.\u201d The sheriff turned to Joe. \u201cJoe, we\u2019re going to catch those other two. I promise you. They\u2019ll all hang.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. He slowly pulled himself up from the chair and started limping across the room toward the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll let you know when the trial is set,\u201d Coffee called after Joe. Joe didn\u2019t seem to hear the sheriff. He simply kept walking toward the door. Ben and Hoss quickly followed him.<\/p>\n

Joe walked out of the sheriff\u2019s office, then stopped. His shoulders slumped. He suddenly felt tired. Ben walked up and put his hand on Joe\u2019s arm. \u201cJoe?\u201d he asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

With a bitter expression on his face, Joe looked up at Ben. \u201cWhy, Pa?\u201d he asked harshly. \u201cFour men are dead and three are going to hang. And for what? Some money they\u2019re never going to get to spend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Joe,\u201d Ben said in a comforting voice as he placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. \u201cIt all seems so pointless. I wish I could explain why something like this happens. But I can\u2019t. I don\u2019t understand it any more than you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. He felt so tired. He thought about the walk he had to make to the other end of town, where the hotel was. The hotel seemed a hundred miles away. Joe\u2019s legs began to tremble, as if they were having a hard time supporting his weight. He tried to take a step, but his legs wouldn\u2019t obey him. He felt dizzy and started to sway; he felt hot and cold at the same time. Joe heard someone calling his name but the voice seemed to be coming from a long way off. Joe felt as if a dark cloud was descending on him. He felt two hands grab him just as his knees started to buckle. Then, Joe felt nothing at all.<\/p>\n

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

Johnny paced nervously in the cave. He was all alone; Danny and Reno had disappeared. Sometime during the night, the two had taken their share of the loot and ridden off. Johnny cursed them, and cursed himself for not hearing them leave. He had sent his last companion to look for the two deserters. The man had been gone a long time and Johnny began to worry that he too would not return. He pulled his gun from his holster as he heard the sound of approaching hoof beats. Crouching down, he ran to the entrance of the cave, ready to shoot the approaching rider. Johnny relaxed and holstered his gun when he saw the rider with the big man who had also taken part in the robbery.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you find them?\u201d Johnny demanded at the man dismounted and approached the cave.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not exactly,\u201d the man replied.<\/p>\n

“What does that mean?\u201d Johnny asked angrily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I didn\u2019t see Danny and Reno,\u201d the man explained. \u201cBut I saw some of the posse. They were sitting a round a campfire, eating. I snuck up close to them, real close. I heard them talking.\u201d The man looked Johnny straight in the eye. \u201cJohnny, Reno is dead and Danny is in the Virginia City jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew it!\u201d exclaimed Johnny. \u201cI knew those two fools would get themselves caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWe can\u2019t stay here,\u201d Johnny said. \u201cThat Danny is a weasel. He\u2019s liable to tell the sheriff where we are to save his own skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere will go?\u201d the big man asked. \u201cThe posse is all around here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to go someplace where they\u2019ll never think to look,\u201d Johnny said. He looked off, trying to think. Then he grinned. \u201cAnd I know just the place,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBen, what were you thinking?\u201d Doctor Martin said in an angry voice. He held a glass of water to Joe\u2019s lips, forcing him to drink. \u201cHe shouldn\u2019t even be out of bed, much less walking around town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, doc, I know,\u201d Ben agreed in a weary voice. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t keep him down. He threatened to go down to the jail on his own if we didn\u2019t help him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe pushed the glass away from his mouth. He was lying on a table in the doctor\u2019s office, his head propped up by several pillows. Joe had no idea how he got here. The last thing he remembered was standing outside the sheriff\u2019s office. \u201cDon\u2019t blame Pa,\u201d he said to the doctor in a tired voice. \u201cIt was my idea. And he\u2019s right. He couldn\u2019t have kept me away from that jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin shook his head. \u201cYou\u2019re bound and determined to kill yourself, aren\u2019t you,\u201d he said to Joe with disgust. The doctor was surprised when Joe turned his head and didn\u2019t answer. He had only meant to scold the boy into being more cautious. He hadn\u2019t meant Joe to take his words seriously. \u201cJoe,\u201d he said in a much gentler voice. \u201cYou\u2019re going to be fine. But you have to take it easy for awhile. You have to give your body some time to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded but continued to stare at the far wall.<\/p>\n

Puzzled, Doctor Martin looked at Ben and Hoss. He had seen the worry on both their faces when Hoss had carried an unconscious Joe into the office. Both had hovered anxiously around the table as the doctor had checked over Joe. They had breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor woke Joe by putting some smelling salts under his nose. But the doctor could see both men were still concerned.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s all right,\u201d the doctor reassured them. \u201cHe just overdid it. There\u2019s nothing wrong with him that a long nap over at the hotel won\u2019t help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Joe turned his head and looked at the doctor. \u201cI don\u2019t want to go back to the hotel,\u201d he said. \u201cAll I want to do is go home.\u201d Joe looked at Ben and Hoss. \u201cPlease, take me home,\u201d he pleaded. \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at the doctor. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d he asked. \u201cCan we take him home?\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor gazed at Joe thoughtfully. He could see the boy was upset. The stress of the past few days wasn\u2019t helping Joe\u2019s recovery. \u201cAll right,\u201d the doctor agreed with a sigh. \u201cYou can take him home. Maybe he\u2019ll follow orders and rest if he\u2019s in his own bed for a change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t count on that, Doc,\u201d Hoss said with a grin.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Doctor Martin turned back to Joe. \u201cNow you listen to me, young man,\u201d he said sternly. \u201cYou can go home but you\u2019re going to get there lying in the back of a wagon. No riding or sitting in the driver\u2019s seat. And when you get home, you\u2019re going to spend the rest of the day in bed. Do you understand me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, doc\u2026.\u201dJoe started to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo arguments,\u201d the doctor interrupted in a firm voice. \u201cEither you do exactly as I say, or I\u2019m going to keep you right here where I can keep an eye on you. I don\u2019t like patients who have relapses. It hurts my reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled weakly. \u201cAll right, you win,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll follow orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d the doctor stated. He turned to Ben and Hoss. \u201cI\u2019m counting on you two to make sure he does.\u201d Ben and Hoss nodded solemnly.<\/p>\n

Once more, the doctor turned back to Joe. \u201cJoe, if you spend the rest of today in bed, you can get up for a while tomorrow,\u201d he said in a gentler voice. \u201cBut I want you to get a lot of rest. The minute you feel tired, you take a nap, you hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, I promise,\u201d Joe promised.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin sighed. \u201cAll right,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s against by better judgment, but you can go back to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe was as good as his word. He followed the doctor\u2019s orders and obediently rode in the back of the wagon as Hoss drove him home. He even dozed a bit as the wagon headed toward the Ponderosa. Ben followed the wagon on his horse, keeping an eye peeled for any sign of danger. He didn\u2019t really expect any trouble. He felt sure the other outlaws would get out of the territory quickly when they heard what had happened to the two who ran into the posse. Ben was both relieved and upset by this thought. He wanted those last two men caught, especially the one who had shot Joe. But even more, he wanted his son safe.<\/p>\n

Hoss drove the wagon into the yard in front of the ranch house. The house looked strangely deserted. \u201cWonder where everyone is?\u201d Hoss asked as he pulled the wagon to a stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing is still in Sacramento,\u201d Ben reminded Hoss. \u201cI sent word to Charlie to keep the men working. They\u2019re probably out looking for strays.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019re right,\u201d Hoss agreed. He climbed down from the seat of the wagon and walked around to the back. Hoss smiled as he looked at Joe sleeping in the wagon. His brother looked so untroubled as he slept. In fact, Hoss thought he looked better than he had in a week. Coming home was the best medicine for Joe, Hoss decided. He reached into the wagon and gently shook Joe\u2019s leg. \u201cWake up, little brother. We\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stirring, Joe opened his eyes slowly. He pushed himself up on one elbow and looked around. He nodded to himself in satisfaction as he saw the familiar ranch house before him.<\/p>\n

Hoss opened the back of the wagon. \u201cI\u2019ll carry you in,\u201d he offered as he reached for his brother\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I can walk,\u201d Joe insisted. He scooted down the mattress in the back of the wagon on which he had been laying. \u201cJust give me a hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben had been tying his horse to the hitching post in front of the house. Now he hurried over to the wagon, eager to help his son. He eased Joe\u2019s right arm over his shoulder, while Hoss firmly grasped Joe\u2019s left elbow. The trio walked slowly to the house. Ben was happy to see that Joe was barely limping.<\/p>\n

Hoss lifted the latch and pushed opened the front door with his hip. As he turned to help his brother into the house, he saw a look of surprise on Ben and Joe\u2019s faces. Hoss turned around quickly and saw two men standing in the living room, guns drawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome home,\u201d Johnny said with a grin.<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights stood still in the doorway.<\/p>\n

“Come one in,\u201d Johnny invited. When none of the men moved, Johnny cocked his pistol. \u201cCome on in, I said,\u201d he barked. The big man standing next to Johnny was silent, but he cocked his pistol also. Hoss moved into the room, helping Joe as he walked. He stopped a few feet inside the door. Ben and Joe halted with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice to see you again,\u201d Johnny greeted Joe with a grin. \u201cNow you two, drop your guns,\u201d he said to Ben and Hoss. Ben looked at Hoss and nodded. Both men pulled their pistols out their holsters and dropped them to the floor. \u201cThat was real smart,\u201d Johnny said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, are these the men\u2026\u201d Ben started to ask.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa,\u201d Joe answered. \u201cThey\u2019re the ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d Ben asked the men, although he was afraid he knew the answer.<\/p>\n

“We need a place to hide out for awhile,\u201d Johnny explained. \u201cJust till things cool off a bit. We figured this would be the safest place.\u201d<\/p>\n

“You figured wrong, mister,\u201d Hoss said in a grim voice. \u201cWe got a whole crew of men on this ranch. They\u2019ll be coming back soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw \u2018em,\u201d Johnny answered. \u201cWe waited until everyone rode out. Then we made ourselves at home. We figure they won\u2019t be back until tonight. By then, we\u2019ll be nice and cozy. Now, nobody do anything silly, and nobody will get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stiffened at the outlaw\u2019s words. He remembered Johnny saying that phrase when he was robbing the stage. He looked at Johnny and the big man standing next to him. He knew they meant to kill him, as well as his father and brother. Joe leaned heavily on Ben. \u201cPa, I\u2019ve got to sit down,\u201d he said in as pitiful a voice as he could manage. \u201cMy leg is aching.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Joe with concern, then he looked up at Johnny. \u201cCan I take him over to the sofa?\u201d Ben asked. Johnny nodded.<\/p>\n

Hoss moved to help Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot you!\u201d Johnny shouted to Hoss. \u201cYou stay put.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Hoss stood and watched, Ben helped Joe slowly across the room, surprised at how heavily Joe was leaning on him. His son appeared to be barely able to walk. As they neared the two outlaws, Joe put his head down. Ben felt his son tense his muscles. Before he could figure out what Joe was doing, Ben felt his son push off of him. Joe pushed himself violently into Johnny, hitting the outlaw square in the chest with his shoulder.<\/p>\n

Johnny staggered back. He tried to bring his gun around to shoot, but Joe grabbed his arm. Joe heard Ben rushing up behind him to help. Johnny kicked out his leg and tripped Ben, sending Ben crashing to the floor. When Hoss saw Joe push himself into Johnny, he lowered his head and rushed the big man. The man turned to meet the rushing Hoss, but Hoss grabbed the big outlaw by the arms. The two big men grappled, titans locked in a gigantic struggle.<\/p>\n

Joe tried to loosen Johnny\u2019s grip on the gun, but Johnny held on to the pistol. Suddenly, the outlaw reached down and punched Joe in the middle of his belly. Normally, Joe would have been able to take such a blow in stride. But in his weakened state and with injured ribs, Joe couldn\u2019t handle the punch. He grunted in pain and doubled over. Johnny kicked Joe\u2019s leg and the youngest Cartwright fell to the floor. Johnny glanced to his right and saw Ben on the floor, stunned by his fall. He glanced to his left and saw the two big men struggling. Johnny turned toward Joe and aimed his pistol at the young man crouched on the floor. As Joe looked up, he was sure that pistol was going to be the last thing he ever saw.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d came a roar from Johnny\u2019s right. Ben sprang at Johnny with a speed he didn\u2019t know he possessed. He hit the outlaw in the ribs with his shoulder, knocking the man down just as he fired. Joe flinched when he heard the shot, but the bullet went wide of him. Ben jumped on top of Johnny, and landed a vicious punch to the outlaw\u2019s jaw. He followed that punch with another to the outlaw\u2019s face. Ben was pummeling the man unmercifully when he felt his arm being grabbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa! Pa!\u201d Joe was shouting as he grabbed Ben\u2019s arm. \u201cHe\u2019s had enough! Stop! Do you hear me! You\u2019re going to kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben froze and looked at the man underneath him in shock. Johnny was unconscious, his face bloody and bruised. Ben turned back to look at Joe, shaken by what he had done. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d Ben asked his son in a trembling voice. Joe had obviously dragged himself across the floor. He was sitting on his hip, legs sprayed out behind him. He had both hands wrapped around Ben\u2019s arm. Now Joe let his father\u2019s arm go.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d Joe assured his father.<\/p>\n

A crash drew both men\u2019s attention to Hoss and the big outlaw who were still struggling with each other. Hoss held the man by the wrists, and he had pushed the outlaw up against the door. \u201cHoss, stop fooling around and bring that man over here,\u201d Joe said with a slight smile.<\/p>\n

Hoss glanced over his shoulder at his brother. \u201cI\u2019d be happy to,\u201d Hoss said \u201cif you\u2019d tell me how.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scrambling to his feet, Ben grabbed the gun Johnny had dropped. He rushed over to the big man, and stuck the gun in the man\u2019s ribs. The man instantly stopped struggling and put his hands in the air. Hoss released the man, and bent over, gasping for air.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two looked like you were dancing,\u201d Joe said to his brother, still grinning.<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned at his brother. \u201cYou know how much I hate to dance,\u201d he muttered. Hoss looked around the room and saw Johnny laying on the floor. \u201cGuess we finally got them outlaws for you, little brother,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The grin left Joe\u2019s face. \u201cYeah, I guess you did,\u201d he agreed in a solemn voice.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss drove the wagon back to town, with the two outlaws securely tied up in the back. Ben watched him drive off, confident that Hoss would deliver the men to town without incident. He turned and walked back into the house, quickly climbing the stairs to Joe\u2019s room. Joe was sleeping on the bed, stretched out and fully clothed, on top of the covers. After tying up the two outlaws, Ben had helped Joe up to his room, insisting that his son rest. Joe had protested, but Ben had sensed the protests weren\u2019t serious. He could see how tired Joe was. Now, Ben pulled a blanket from the end of the bed and gently laid it over his son. He stood watching Joe sleep. It seemed that he had been watching Joe sleep a lot lately. But for the first time in over a week, Ben could watch him without worry and concern. Joe was safe at home. Ben reached down and stroked Joe\u2019s head gently. Joe stirred again and opened his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe, \u201c Ben said softly. \u201cI didn\u2019t to wake you.\u201d<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s all right,\u201d Joe replied in a sleepy voice. \u201cI was going to get up anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to stay in bed,\u201d Ben ordered sternly. \u201cRemember what you promised Doctor Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled. \u201cYeah, I remember,\u201d he said. He winced as he shifted on the bed. \u201cBesides, I think staying in bed might be a good idea,\u201d he admitted. \u201cMy side is pretty sore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Immediately, Ben pulled back the covers and reached down to feel Joe\u2019s ribs. He suddenly remembered the punch Joe had taken, and was afraid his son had been injured further. He was relieved to see no sign of blood, no sign that the stitches had pulled loose. Ben gently felt Joe\u2019s ribs and was relieved that everything seemed to be where it was suppose to be. Ben pulled the covers back over his son.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you\u2019re going to stay in this bed for awhile,\u201d Ben instructed his son. \u201cI\u2019m going to make sure you get well, in spite of what you seem to be determined to do to yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abruptly, Joe looked down. He seemed uncomfortable with Ben\u2019s words. After a minute, he looked back up at Ben. \u201cPa,\u201d he said, \u201cyou know something? For the first time, I really do want to get better. I want things back to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben didn\u2019t say anything. He just let Joe talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was all mixed up,\u201d Joe continued. \u201cI felt bad about what happened to Billy and Mr. Bartlett. At the same time, I was glad I didn\u2019t die out there. But somehow, it didn\u2019t seem right to be happy about being alive when the others were dead. And I hated those outlaws, not only for what they did, but for making me feel miserable about still being alive. I wanted to come home because I thought being home would make me feel better. But I was afraid to feel too good because that didn\u2019t seem right, either.\u201d Joe shook his head. \u201cI kept thinking if I could find the reason why I was alive and the others were dead, then it would all make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, sometimes things happen that just don\u2019t make sense,\u201d Ben told his son. \u201cThey just\u2026happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think I know that now,\u201d Joe said. \u201cWhen I saw those two men downstairs, I knew they wanted to kill all of us. Us dying, well, that didn\u2019t make any sense, either. I suddenly realized that sometimes bad things happen. There\u2019s no grand plan or anything. Like you said, they just happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be too quick to dismiss some sort grand plan,\u201d Ben advised Joe. \u201cThere may be reasons for why things happen that we just can\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d Joe agreed, nodding thoughtfully \u201cBut I don\u2019t think I\u2019m smart enough to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think any of us are that smart,\u201d Ben said. He reached down and pulled the blanket up to Joe\u2019s shoulders. \u201cThe important thing now is for you to take care of yourself and get better. You rest now, and I\u2019ll bring you some dinner later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Pa,\u201d Joe assured his father. \u201cI\u2019ll be back on my feet in no time.\u201d Then Joe grinned mischievously. \u201cI wonder how long I get Hoss to do my chores for me,\u201d he mused. \u201cI bet I can milk this for quite awhile if I try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo to sleep,\u201d Ben ordered with a laugh. He watched as Joe closed his eyes and settled comfortably on the bed. Then he walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.<\/p>\n

As he walked down the stairs, Ben thought about what Joe had said. Was there some sort of grand scheme or was it just the hand of fate that caused things to happen? Ben shook his head. Those kind of weighty thoughts were beyond him. Ben eased himself into his favorite chair by the fire. Joe was home, he was safe, and he was going to get well. For Ben Cartwright, that was enough.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 The stage on which Joe is riding home is held up and robbed, sending Ben and Hoss on a mission to rescue Joe.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (19,900 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10338,"featured_media":13072,"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":[23,41],"tags":[15,17,16],"class_list":["post-13999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","tag-ben","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":4250,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Fathers-Day.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6768,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6768","url_meta":{"origin":13999,"position":0},"title":"A Deadly Day (by rosecartwright)","author":"rosecartwright","date":"November 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Joe is home sick, but things go downhill for this young Cartwright. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ (635 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14373,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14373","url_meta":{"origin":13999,"position":1},"title":"In Memoriam to Borelli (by Robin)","author":"profrobinw","date":"January 1, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0A WHN for The Deadliest Game. \u00a0They've come from all over to pay their respects, and we find that really nothing is sacred to this group. Rating: \u00a0T \u00a0(2,940 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Crossover"","block_context":{"text":"Crossover","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=24"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62233,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=62233","url_meta":{"origin":13999,"position":2},"title":"Captured Minds – PTL – Rita","author":"rita","date":"May 31, 2001","format":false,"excerpt":"Synopsis: The second in a series about Joe and Anna. Anna is abducted and Joe is hurt in her rescue,leaving him with severe headaches and loss of memory of the incident. Anna is upset that every time someone hurts Joe, she has to suffer along with him and decides to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13987,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13987","url_meta":{"origin":13999,"position":3},"title":"San Francisco (by Susan G)","author":"SusanG","date":"December 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 After delivering herd of cattle to San Francisco, the Cartwrights plan to enjoy a little of what the city has to offer, not realizing what all that included. Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (28,560 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/4Cs.jpg?fit=400%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11839,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=11839","url_meta":{"origin":13999,"position":4},"title":"Do as I Say (by frasrgrl)","author":"frasrgrl","date":"September 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Ben has always tried to teach by example, tried to get it through to his sons how he expects them to act. But do they ever listen? 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