{"id":14985,"date":"2000-09-14T13:56:33","date_gmt":"2000-09-14T17:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14985"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:04:41","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:04:41","slug":"did-i-by-starlite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14985","title":{"rendered":"Did I? (by Starlite)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0Adam has been shot, did Little Joe do it?<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/strong>\u00a0 PG\u00a0 (10,950 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Did I?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hearing the quick footfalls followed by an insistent pounding upon the front door, Hoss looked over to his father.<\/p>\n

“Wonder who that could be at this hour?” Ben questioned, taking the pipe from his mouth and looking up from his book to his middle son.<\/p>\n

Both he and Hoss were still awaiting the arrival of his two other sons from their trip to town.\u00a0 But neither man was expecting guests at this hour of night.<\/p>\n

“Don’t know.\u00a0 I’ll get it.”\u00a0 Hoss offered as he rose from the fireplace hearth.\u00a0 Placing his knife and the piece of wood that he’d been whittling on the low table in front of the settee.<\/p>\n

Hoss crossed the room and opened the door to find one of the ranch hands standing anxiously before him.<\/p>\n

“Hey Clay, whatcha need?”\u00a0 Hoss asked, wondering why the man looked so nervous.<\/p>\n

“Hoss,” Clay answered as he addressed the large man before him, then turning his attention to the silver-haired man sitting in the red leather chair across the room.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, the sheriff sent me to fetch ya.\u00a0 Adam’s been shot!”<\/p>\n

“Shot?”\u00a0 Ben was stunned and horrified.<\/p>\n

“Um, yessir, and he says ya need to come real quick.”\u00a0 The ranch hand started to twist his hat in his hands.<\/p>\n

“I’ll ready the horses Pa.”\u00a0 Hoss stated grabbing his hat, coat and gun belt while making his way past the hand, through the door and out into the cold dark night.<\/p>\n

“How, when?”\u00a0 Ben muttered, still too shocked to be able to make any sense of the entire situation.<\/p>\n

“Earlier this evenin’ sir.\u00a0 The sheriff will be able to tell ya more.”\u00a0 The frightened ranch hand answered.\u00a0 He hoped that his answer would suffice, as he really didn’t want to be the barer of any more bad news.<\/p>\n

“Yes, thank you.”\u00a0 Ben replied, not really hearing the man’s answer.\u00a0 He stumbled across the room to retrieve his own coat, gun belt and hat before exiting the house.<\/p>\n

Following his stunned boss, the hand closed the door behind them.\u00a0 He was grateful to be going back to the bunkhouse instead of what he knew would be a very long ride into town.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss rode their horses hard down the road into town.\u00a0 Neither man spoke as they tied their horse’s reins to the hitching ring in front of Doctor Martin’s office.\u00a0 Ben practically ran up the stairs with Hoss close on his heels.\u00a0 Not even stopping to knock, Ben charged into the waiting room.<\/p>\n

Ben quickly surveyed the room and found his friend, Sheriff Roy Coffee, waiting in a chair by the window.\u00a0 Roy quickly stood to greet his old friend.<\/p>\n

“Ben.”\u00a0 Roy said while he nervously fingered the brim of his hat.<\/p>\n

Ben noted his friend’s nervous actions and his heart sank.\u00a0 Realizing that his youngest son was not in the room, he wondered if Joe had been injured too.<\/p>\n

“Is he\u2026” Ben choked on his own words afraid to say them aloud.<\/p>\n

“No Ben.\u00a0 He’s still holding on as far as I know.”\u00a0 Roy soothed.<\/p>\n

Seeing his friend’s panicked expression and hoping to calm him down, Roy took Ben by the arm and directed him over to the chair where he’d been sitting moments before.<\/p>\n

Hoss followed to stand beside his father and offer his silent support.\u00a0 He too had noticed Joe’s absence from the room and looking at the sheriff he had a funny feeling there was more to this than what they already knew.<\/p>\n

Roy cleared his throat to speak.\u00a0 He tried in vain to come up with a way of telling his friend the details of Adam’s shooting and was at a loss.\u00a0 He decided the best way was to just come right out and say the plain truth as he knew it.<\/p>\n

“Ben.”\u00a0 Roy waited until he had the other man’s attention.<\/p>\n

Ben looked up to the sheriff in response.<\/p>\n

“Adam has a serious wound to the chest.\u00a0 Doc’s working on him right now, but it don’t look good.”\u00a0 Roy decided to tell him the worst news first, but he really wasn’t sure there was any good news for this man tonight.<\/p>\n

Roy watched as Ben’s eyes filled with tears.\u00a0 Ben then dropped his head to stare vacantly across the room to the closed door of the surgery.<\/p>\n

Hoss was enraged and balled his large hands into fists.\u00a0 Clenching his jaw he addressed the sheriff.<\/p>\n

“Who?”\u00a0 Hoss demanded.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee took a deep breath and let it out slowly.\u00a0 He could see the fury in the big man’s eyes.\u00a0 This was not going to be easy.\u00a0 He turned his attention back to the older man.<\/p>\n

“Ben, this is just about gonna kill ya.\u00a0 But I don’t know what else to tell ya\u2026” Roy continued, pausing until he again had his friend’s attention.<\/p>\n

“Who shot Adam?”\u00a0 Ben looked up to his friend.\u00a0 He too needed to know.\u00a0 Ben saw the sheriff’s hesitation and could tell that Hoss was near the exploding point.<\/p>\n

“Little Joe.”\u00a0 Roy Coffee answered, he wasn’t proud of the fact.<\/p>\n

“What?”\u00a0 Hoss thundered incredulously.<\/p>\n

“Roy that’s preposterous!\u00a0 Joe would never\u2026” Ben objected.<\/p>\n

Roy held up his hands to silence both men.\u00a0 He’d expected this reaction, but would wait until he had their full attention before continuing.\u00a0 Once they had quieted, he resumed.<\/p>\n

“I’m sorry Ben.\u00a0 I know you don’t want to believe it, I don’t want to believe it myself.\u00a0 But I got a witness who says he saw the whole thing\u2026” Roy tried patiently to explain.<\/p>\n

“Witness, what witness?\u00a0 Joe would never shoot Adam!”\u00a0 Ben interrupted his mind and soul a conflicting mass of emotions.\u00a0 He was worried sick over Adam, and furious at the sheriff’s ridiculous accusation about Joe.<\/p>\n

Hoss was stunned by the sheriff’s statement.\u00a0 He couldn’t believe that his little brother would ever intentionally harm their older brother.<\/p>\n

The sheriff again waited until Ben had quieted down before proceeding.<\/p>\n

“Jake Wilson says he saw Joe shoot Adam.\u00a0 He says that he watched Adam drag Joe from the saloon and try to put him on his horse.\u00a0 Joe took a swing at Adam, then pulled his gun and shot him.”\u00a0 Roy finished shaking his head sadly.<\/p>\n

“Well he’s a liar!\u00a0 He ain’t nothin’ but a drunk who’d say anything cus we fired him!”\u00a0 Hoss bellowed as he grabbed Roy by the arms and shook the older man.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, I hate to tell ya this but when I got there, Joe was still holding his gun and it had recently been fired.\u00a0 Tweren’t no one else around and I only heard the one gunshot.”\u00a0 Roy explained slightly frightened of the big man’s actions.<\/p>\n

Ben could only shake his head in confusion.\u00a0 He was too stunned to speak.\u00a0 Could Joe have actually shot his brother?\u00a0 He knew there were times that Adam and Joe had their disagreements and sometimes fought each other, but not like this.\u00a0 My God, could Joe have done this?\u00a0 No, he shook his head to clear it of the thought.\u00a0 He knew that Joe loved and adored his oldest brother and would never intentionally cause him harm.<\/p>\n

“What does Joe say?”\u00a0 Ben demanded as he stood.\u00a0 Reaching out to calm his middle son and remove Hoss’s hands from the sheriff’s arms.<\/p>\n

“Nothing Ben.\u00a0 He don’t remember.”\u00a0 Roy shook his head sadly.<\/p>\n

“Nothing!\u00a0 What do you mean he don’t remember?”\u00a0 Ben exploded, throwing the man’s words back at him.<\/p>\n

“Just that Ben.\u00a0 Joe was pretty liquored up when I found him.\u00a0 He doesn’t remember a thing.”<\/p>\n

Ben legs suddenly weakened beneath him and he fell heavily into the chair.\u00a0 He was bewildered and frightened.\u00a0 He wanted to go to his youngest son and comfort him, but he needed to stay here for Adam.<\/p>\n

“Ben, I’m rightly sorry.”\u00a0 Roy comforted, placing a hand on Ben’s shoulder.\u00a0 “I’ll be getting back over to the jail now should you need me.”<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee placed his hat on his head and made his way to the door.<\/p>\n

“Wait sheriff, I’ll go with ya.”\u00a0 Hoss announced looking down to his father for confirmation.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded his acceptance.\u00a0 When he heard the door close behind the men as they departed, he lowered his head to his hands and began to pray for both his sons.<\/p>\n

Little Joe glanced up from the stool he was sitting on in the stark cell when he heard the front door slam.\u00a0 His head was pounding and he was sick to his stomach.\u00a0 But he was more worried about Adam than he was for himself.<\/p>\n

“Hey little brother.”\u00a0 Hoss greeted Joe as he walked back to the cells.<\/p>\n

Hoss waited for his brother to respond.\u00a0 To Hoss, Joe looked miserable.\u00a0 Even though Hoss had wanted to talk to his little brother, he now found himself at a loss for words.\u00a0 He truly believed that Joe would never hurt Adam.<\/p>\n

Joe didn’t dare speak and could barely look at his older brother.\u00a0 He was so ashamed and could feel the tears forming in his eyes.\u00a0 He knew that Hoss knew the terrible truth, and if Hoss knew, his Pa did too.<\/p>\n

“I’m sorry Hoss.”\u00a0 Joe finally managed to mumble after several minutes of agonizing silence.<\/p>\n

Hoss closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he felt his heart sink over Joe’s words.\u00a0 Glancing about, he found a stool and pulled it close to the bars so he could sit and face Little Joe.\u00a0 Reaching through the bars, he placed his large hand on his brother’s shoulder and squeezed.<\/p>\n

“Talk to me Joe.”\u00a0 Hoss quietly instructed.<\/p>\n

“I don’t know Hoss.\u00a0 I just don’t know.”\u00a0 Joe looked up as the tears spilled onto his cheeks.\u00a0 “How’s Adam?”<\/p>\n

Hoss shrugged in response, he didn’t want to tell Joe what little he knew.\u00a0 He felt it best to just offer his brother the comfort of his companionable silence.<\/p>\n

Both men’s minds wandered back over the day’s events.\u00a0 It was hard to believe that just that morning they’d been out on the range together, rounding up the herd in preparation for the move down to the winter pasture.<\/p>\n

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

Adam surveyed the herd, it’d been a good summer and there were plenty new little calves dancing among the steers on the range.\u00a0 This was the largest number of newborns that they’d ever had.\u00a0 If all went well in the next couple of months and they had an easy winter, the ranch would prosper greatly when they drove them to market in the spring.<\/em><\/p>\n

Scanning across the pasture Adam found Joe riding point, exuberant as usual.\u00a0 Where does he get all that energy?\u00a0 Adam wondered to himself as he yawned and stretched in the saddle trying to work out the kinks that had formed in his shoulders and back.<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking back to his left, he found his father and his other brother, Hoss riding the other side of the herd driving them down the range.\u00a0 He grinned as he saw Hoss yawn and his father stretch.\u00a0 As least he wasn’t the only one feeling tired, he mused.<\/em><\/p>\n

Turning Sport, he went to check the men riding drag.\u00a0 He wasn’t too keen about those two and suspected them of taking a nip here and there.\u00a0 Without any real proof of their drinking and the fact that they needed the extra hands, were the only reasons why Adam hadn’t let them go already.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam decided to drop back and keep an eye on the two men.\u00a0 Normally, he would ride up and surprise them, but this time he would just follow and see if his suspicions played out.\u00a0 Adam had no sooner come up behind them, when he watched Jake Wilson pull out a bottle from inside his coat jacket and hand it over to his friend who took a sip and passed it back.\u00a0 Adam observed Jake as he downed in a couple of gulps the last of the clear liquor, laughing he carelessly threw the empty bottle away.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam watched in horror as the bottle crashed into a small boulder and shattered, sending glass flying into the faces of several of the steers.\u00a0 With a frightened roar, the terrified animals bolted and charged causing a stampede.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam’s full attention turned to the charging herd.\u00a0 He kicked Sport into a run, as he yelled instructions to the men and his family to try and turn the herd before they went over into the nearing ravine.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss and Little Joe saw and heard the cattle as they bolted and ran.\u00a0 The bellowing of the terrified animals along with the heavy beating of hooves all but drown out the sound of Adam’s frantic yells.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss rushed toward the front of the charging mass, hoping to stop the animals by firing their guns to turn them back.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe glanced over and as point man realized the danger of the nearing ravine.\u00a0 Figuring that if he rode into the herd, he might be able to split them into two more manageable sections.\u00a0 He decided his father and brothers could stop the forward group and he would turn the ones still at the back.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam stared in disbelief as he noticed Joe riding into the center of the herd.\u00a0 Why didn’t he just stay at point and try to head them off?\u00a0 Adam could see the imminent danger his little brother had placed himself into and spurred Sport hard.\u00a0 He charged into the center of the stampeding herd hoping to divide the animals further and away from his foolish little brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe realized too late that his rash idea was not a good one as Cochise began to fight and stumble against the ramming push of the terrified animals.\u00a0 Joe found himself being helplessly carried along towards the ravine.\u00a0 No longer able to direct his horse, Joe grabbed onto the mane hoping to just stay on the animal’s back.<\/em><\/p>\n

Without warning, Cochise was butted in the side sending the horse into a panic.\u00a0 Rising up on its hind legs, Cochise began to buck and stomp.\u00a0 Surprised, Little Joe lost his grip and was thrown clear landing near the cliff’s edge by some large boulders.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dazed, Joe shook his head and looked up to see the herd coming for him.\u00a0 Scrambling he quickly made his way on hands and knees towards the nearest boulder and began to climb.\u00a0 He gasped as he felt something tightly grab the back of his green jacket and swung him around, lifting his feet from the stone.\u00a0 Suddenly his feet no longer touched the ground, as he was pulled from the boulder and carried away towards the rear of the herd.<\/em><\/p>\n

From the position in which Joe was held, he couldn’t look up to see who had rescued him.\u00a0 He could only watch as the stampeding herd, gradually calmed and turned as the hands skillfully stopped them.\u00a0 Joe felt like a sack of potatoes as he was unceremoniously passed to Hoss with a “Here, you take him.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe recognized his oldest brother’s thoroughly unamused voice and knew he was in for it.\u00a0 Hoss grabbed Joe under the arm and swung him effortlessly onto Chubb\u2019s back behind him.\u00a0 Joe saw Hoss shake his head in disgust before turning the horse towards their father.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe saw the look of fear and anger in his father’s face as they approached.\u00a0 Ben Cartwright jumped from his horse and ran over to meet his younger sons.\u00a0 Hoss swung Joe down from behind him, then dismounted to stand beside his younger brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Are ya alright boy?”\u00a0 Ben asked as he clasped his son’s arms and visually inspected him for injuries.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Hey Pa, just dandy.\u00a0 Shook up that’s all.”\u00a0 Joe responded with a shaky voice and ran his hand nervously through his hair.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss gave his brother the once over and confirmed Little Joe’s assessment.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Yeah Pa, he’s alright.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Why of all the hair-brained, foolish\u2026” Ben started to scold his youngest for scaring him needlessly.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam rode up to his family with Cochise in tow, he was angry and half-scared out of his mind.\u00a0 Jumping from Sport he raced over to check his little brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Is he hurt?”\u00a0 Adam demanded, striding briskly up to his family while looking intently at Little Joe.\u00a0 He rubbed his very sore wrist that he’d twisted when he pulled his little brother from the rock.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Nah, he ain’t hurt a bit.”\u00a0 Hoss offered waving a hand at their little brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe grinned sheepishly back at his very distraught brother.<\/em>
\n He knew Adam’s concern was going to be short-lived.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam stopped just a few feet from his littlest brother and groaned.\u00a0 He took a deep breath and turned his back away to try and calm the racing confusion of emotions running rampant in his mind.\u00a0 He began to stomp off, then stopped and without warning, in a flash Adam turned and smashed his right fist soundly into Little Joe’s face.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Next time, you’d better be more careful.”\u00a0 Adam pointed his finger in warning down at his baby brother who was now sprawled on his backside in the browning grass.<\/em><\/p>\n

Stunned, both Hoss and Ben watched with their mouths gaping as Adam grabbed his now sore hand and strode away to find Jake Wilson.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You better go after him Hoss.”\u00a0 Ben advised as he bent over to help Joe to his feet.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss quickly complied with his father’s wishes.\u00a0 He knew the mood Adam was in, meant trouble.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You alright boy?”\u00a0 Ben asked, helping Joe get to his feet then dusting him off, before checking his son’s eye.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Why’d he do that for Pa?”\u00a0 Joe questioned, he couldn’t believe that Adam would just deck him in front of their father.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You know why.\u00a0 He’s the ramrod out here and you pulled a very stupid stunt that could’ve gotten you both killed.\u00a0 If you weren’t my son, I’d have done the same.”\u00a0 Ben stated as a matter of fact, before picking up his son’s hat and handing it to him.\u00a0 Walking away, he left Joe to rub his sore face.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben walked over to where Adam was dressing down the hands responsible.\u00a0 He found a circle of ranch hands surrounding two men lying on the dry grass with Adam standing over them.\u00a0 Hoss was hovering in the background nearby.\u00a0 The two men were looking up at his very irate son, one with a bloody lip the other a bloody nose.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You’re both through here on the Ponderosa, you pick up your gear and be off the place within the hour.”\u00a0 Adam warned.<\/em><\/p>\n

“What about our pay?”\u00a0 Jake Wilson ventured, he figured he was owed a couple of days for his trouble.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You’ve cost us a couple of head of beef, so it seems to me that you’re the one that owes us.\u00a0 I suggest you get out of my sight before I decide to take it out of your sorry hide.”\u00a0 Adam threatened moving toward the two men.<\/em><\/p>\n

Realizing they would not win this battle, Jake grabbed his friend’s arm and pulled the other man to his feet.\u00a0 Without a backward glance, they made a beeline for their horses and took off at a gallop.<\/em><\/p>\n

“How many did we lose?”\u00a0 Ben quietly asked Hoss as he pulled his son to the side.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Five, Pa.\u00a0 Including Adam’s prize bull from last spring.”\u00a0 Hoss replied eyeing his brother as Adam again rubbed his sore wrist and hand.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam addressed the men and ordered them back to work before walking over to join his father and brother.\u00a0 He figured he would be hearing a few choice words from his father over his treatment of Joe.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Now Pa, before you say anything\u2026” Adam began holding up his hand to stop his father’s down dressing.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe’s stunt had totally scared Adam.\u00a0 Adam was certain that he’d have a head of hair as gray as his father’s pretty soon, that’s if it didn’t all fall out first.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I wasn’t going to say a thing Adam.\u00a0 But maybe next time you might try just a word or two instead.”\u00a0 Ben suggested as he took Adam’s right arm and began to examine his son’s hand and wrist.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss whistled as he saw the purplish bruising and swelling of Adam’s injury.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I twisted it.\u00a0 It’s just a sprain.”\u00a0 Adam pulled his arm back from his father and pronounced his own diagnosis.<\/em><\/p>\n

“What is?”\u00a0 Joe inquired as he walked up to his family and pulled Adam’s arm to look at it.\u00a0 He offered his own whistle, glancing at the swollen wrist.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Nothing.”\u00a0 Adam responded, trying to pull his arm free from his little brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Don’t look like nothing to me.”\u00a0 Joe teased as he poked his finger at the bruise on Adam’s wrist and held the arm closer to Hoss for his opinion.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Looks broken to me Adam.”\u00a0 Hoss suggested his own diagnosis of the situation.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Who asked ya?”\u00a0 Adam retorted again trying to pull his injured arm free.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sensing that Adam would try to free his arm, Joe released it and watched as Adam grimaced when his hand slammed into his own chest.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Well, the only diagnosis that I’m interested in, is Doc Martin’s.”\u00a0 Ben declared after seeing Adam’s painful expression.\u00a0 He put up a hand to forestall any further argument from his son.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You have to go into town anyway and see if you can find a couple of hands to replace the two you just fired.\u00a0 Hoss and I can oversee the rest of the move of the herd.\u00a0 Joe you ride into town with Adam and make sure he goes to the doctor.\u201d\u00a0 Ben instructed in a tone that meant business.\u00a0 As an afterthought added: \u201cOh and check the mail while you’re at it.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe broke out into a wide grin.\u00a0 He was glad to be going to town, even if he had to escort Adam to the doctor.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes in displeasure and groaned, he knew why his father was sending Joe in with him.\u00a0 His father would expect him to apologize to Joe for decking him.\u00a0 Adam studied his handiwork that was becoming quite evident upon Little Joe’s face.\u00a0 Well maybe he’d hit him a little too hard Adam contemplated.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam grunted as he found Hoss now had a hold on his injured arm and tried in vain to pull it free.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Hold still.”\u00a0 Hoss ordered as he gently but firmly wrapped a handkerchief about his brother’s injured wrist and hand.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe smirked watching Adam’s expression of disgust over all the attention he was receiving.<\/em><\/p>\n

As soon as Adam’s wrist was bandaged to Hoss’s satisfaction, Adam and Joe mounted their horses and rode off towards Virginia City.\u00a0 Ben and Hoss watched until they were almost out of sight before turning for their own horses.<\/em><\/p>\n

“You ‘spose they’ll be alright?”\u00a0 Hoss pondered, he knew how hotheaded those two brothers of his were.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Don’t worry Hoss, they’ll be fine.”\u00a0 Ben reassured his big son by placing an arm across his shoulders and directing him to his mount.\u00a0 Turning, he glanced back down the path to the retreating forms of Joe and Adam.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam and Little Joe rode into town, on the way Adam had offered his apology for Joe’s black eye and Joe had returned the gesture by apologizing for his stupid stunt.\u00a0 They were both in good spirits as the entered the city limits.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Joe, why don’t you head off to check the mail and I’ll see about replacing those lost hands.”\u00a0 Adam offered.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Adam, I’ve a better idea.\u00a0 Why don’t you see Doc Martin about your hand and I’ll see to the mail and the hands.”\u00a0 Joe half giggled and grinned back at his brother.\u00a0 He knew Adam was trying to put off the visit to the doctor, but he was also fairly certain that Adam had broken his wrist.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam knew his back was to a wall, and even though he didn’t want to admit it, his hand was throbbing pretty unmercifully now.\u00a0 With a sardonic grin, Adam nodded his agreement and turned his horse in the direction of Paul Martin’s.<\/em><\/p>\n

That’s where Joe found Adam an hour later.\u00a0 Doc Martin was out making his rounds and Adam was still waiting for his return.\u00a0 In the meantime, Joe had managed to complete the tasks of the mail and even finding a couple of new replacement hands while Adam still waited to see the doctor.<\/em><\/p>\n

“So Adam, what’s next?”\u00a0 Joe ventured, seeing that Adam was about to bolt.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Nothing, I guess you can just head on home and I’ll continue to wait for Paul.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“No can do, Pa told me to make sure you saw the Doctor.”\u00a0 Joe smiled widely and supplied a little too helpfully.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Well, what do you propose you do then?”\u00a0 Adam inquired sarcastically.\u00a0 He knew what his brother preferred to do.\u00a0 Without allowing Joe to respond, Adam offered his own suggestion.\u00a0 “Tell ya what, as soon as I’m done here, I’ll meet you at the Silver Dollar, then we’ll grab a bite to eat before heading home.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe grinned eagerly at his brother’s suggestion.\u00a0 That was more like it, Adam was beginning to show a little potential.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Sounds like a plan to me.\u00a0 See ya in an hour or so.”\u00a0 Joe practically bounced from the office.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam shook his head at his brother’s overly happy response and went back to staring at his swollen hand.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe quickly departed the room before his brother changed his mind.\u00a0 He was grateful that Adam didn’t want him to keep him company.\u00a0 Joe was not fond of doctor’s waiting rooms even if he wasn’t the patient.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe swung himself up gracefully onto Cochise’s back and turned him in the direction of the saloon, he valiantly restrained himself from letting out a whoop of excitement.\u00a0 Trotting his horse down the main street, he stopped in front of the saloon and jumped down from his horse.\u00a0 After tying the reins over the rail he entered the establishment.<\/em><\/p>\n

The room was dusty but not too noisy as it was the middle of the week.\u00a0 Joe scanned the room for friendly faces and maybe a potential poker game.\u00a0 He frowned when he saw Jake Wilson and his buddy sitting at a back table by the wall.\u00a0 Changing his line of sight to the bar, Joe made his way over to where the bartender, Sam, stood and ordered a beer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe was thirsty from a long day and drank half the mug in one swallow.\u00a0 He consciously kept one eye out for Jake and his friend as he turned his attention back to the room.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe hadn’t noticed when the saloon girl that had been sitting at Jake’s table had crossed the room.\u00a0 He only realized she was now at the bar when he turned back to have his glass refilled.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Here honey, I can get that for ya.”\u00a0 The painted woman offered as she took Joe’s mug.<\/em><\/p>\n

Reaching below the bar, she poured the mug half full of a clear liquid from a Mason jar before topping it off with beer.\u00a0 She handed it back to the young handsome man with a smile and a flirtatious wink.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe took a large swig as he stared at the pretty woman before him.\u00a0 He noted the unusual taste, but dismissed it.\u00a0 He watched as the woman came from around the bar and took his arm.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Come over here and tell me about your day, honey.”\u00a0 She crooned as she led Joe to a nearby table.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mesmerized and with nothing else to do, Joe obligingly followed.\u00a0 With no poker games worth any interest, Joe relished the attention the bar girl paid to him; it sure beat drinking alone.<\/em><\/p>\n

With encouragement from the lovely lady, who was becoming more attractive by the minute, Joe quickly downed his second beer.\u00a0 Ever helpful, the saloon girl rose to quickly refill it for him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Glancing about the room and feeling pretty good, Joe all but forgot about Jake Wilson and his pal sitting in the back of the saloon.\u00a0 He never even noticed that the smile and wink that the saloon girl flashed him were actually for the men sitting near the rear wall.<\/em><\/p>\n

Smoothly and gracefully the woman rejoined Joe at the table and placed the replenished mug into his hands.\u00a0 Running her hand through his curly locks she encouraged him to drink up.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe lost track of time and was feeling quite lightheaded and tipsy.\u00a0 But he couldn’t be drunk he’d only had a couple of beers.\u00a0 His attention was drawn from his beer and female companion, when he heard someone clear their throat near him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe blinked and glanced up to find a very unhappy older brother standing over him.\u00a0 He offered a silly grin with a goofy laugh and his mug to his brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

“What the Doc say?”\u00a0 Joe hiccuped before taking another swig of his beer that Adam had refused.<\/em><\/p>\n

“It’s broken.”\u00a0 Adam answered holding up his casted hand for Joe to see.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam couldn’t believe that Joe was drunk in such a short time.\u00a0 But then again, both of them had missed lunch and he had been at the doctor’s office for a couple of hours.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Ah, that’s too bad.”\u00a0 Joe slurred and turned teary eyes to his brother as he ran one hand over Adam’s plaster cast.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam would’ve been amused if his hand didn’t ache so.\u00a0 Reaching down with his left hand, he took the almost empty mug from Joe and placed it on the table.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I think you’ve had enough.\u00a0 Time to go home.”\u00a0 Adam tipped his hat to the lady before pulling Joe to his feet.<\/em><\/p>\n

“But I’s thought, we was gonna get sometin to eat?”\u00a0 Joe pleaded he didn’t want to go home so early in the evening.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam rubbed the temple of his now throbbing head with the fingers of his bad hand.\u00a0 He was in no mood to deal with a very drunken baby brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

“We’ll see.”\u00a0 Adam pulled Joe from the saloon and toward their horses.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe realized that Adam was taking him home and he wasn’t ready to go just yet.\u00a0 He started to resist and tried to pull away from his brother’s grasp.\u00a0 As the two men struggled, Adam lost his hold on Joe causing the younger man to fall onto the walkway with a resounding smack.\u00a0 Joe’s gun fell from its holster and his hat toppled from his head.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam shook his head in disgust and bent over to pick up his brother’s hat with his bad hand and his baby brother with the other.\u00a0 Joe still tried to resist and swung out his arm striking Adam in the face.\u00a0 Adam had lost what little amusement he possessed over the situation, which wasn’t much, and clobbered Joe in the chin knocking him out.<\/em><\/p>\n

Just as Adam bent down to heft his brother onto his shoulder, he heard the distinctive click of a gun being cocked.\u00a0 Straightening, Adam drew himself up to face the oncoming threat and found himself staring down the barrel of Joe’s colt.\u00a0 Fumbling with the awkwardness of the cast on his hand and mentally chastising himself for not turning the gun so he could use it with his left hand, Adam could only stare at his attacker and wait for his imminent fate.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam heard a loud pop then felt a sharp pressure in his upper chest, followed by the sensation of blinding pain as he was thrown backwards onto the wooden sidewalk.\u00a0 He struggled to right himself and only managed to roll over to watch his attacker as he proceeded to stand over the unconscious form of his little brother with the gun still in his hand.<\/em><\/p>\n

“No!”\u00a0 Adam groaned as blackness overtook him.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Ben sat next to his oldest son’s bedside clutching tightly to Adam’s left hand.\u00a0 Adam had not roused and the only sound he made was a painful rasping as he fought to draw in every breath.<\/p>\n

The doctor had not given the elder Cartwright a promising prognosis of Adam’s condition.\u00a0 Adam had been shot clean through the chest tearing his right lung and breaking his shoulder blade as it exited.\u00a0 The wound had caused a considerable amount of blood loss and Adam was in extreme shock.<\/p>\n

Ben looked up when Hoss entered the room quietly.\u00a0 He could tell by the expression that Hoss wore, that the news wasn’t promising.<\/p>\n

“Joe?”\u00a0 Ben worried aloud.\u00a0 He hadn’t dared leave his eldest son to check on his youngest.<\/p>\n

“He’s been better Pa.\u00a0 He’s awfully sorry about what happened.”\u00a0 Hoss explained pointing to Adam lying prone on the bed.\u00a0 He didn’t know of anyway to ease his father’s worry.<\/p>\n

Ben couldn’t accept and wouldn’t accept the notion that Joe could be responsible for harming his brother.\u00a0 He returned his attention to his unconscious son.<\/p>\n

“Pa, the sheriff is gonna hold a hearing tomorrow.”\u00a0 Hoss stated quietly while he placed his hand onto his father’s shoulder in support.\u00a0 Not really wanting to add to his father’s misery, Hoss knew his Pa needed to know Joe’s fate.<\/p>\n

“A hearing, a hearing for what?”\u00a0 Ben looked up from Adam’s face.<\/p>\n

Ben looked across the room when he heard someone clear their throat.\u00a0 He saw Roy Coffee and Paul Martin standing in the open doorway.<\/p>\n

“It’s just an inquiry Ben, informal like\u2026” Roy began to inform the distraught man.<\/p>\n

“On what charge?”\u00a0 Ben interrupted indignantly.<\/p>\n

“Attempted murder.”\u00a0 Roy solemnly replied, meeting Ben’s fiery gaze with a cool calmness.<\/p>\n

Roy hadn’t wanted to cause the man any more grief than he’d already suffered.\u00a0 But he was the law in this town, and as the law he had a sworn duty to see that it was upheld.<\/p>\n

Ben was about to rebuke the sheriff’s accusation when he heard his son moan softly while trying to shift his position in the bed.<\/p>\n

“Adam, son.\u00a0 Don’t try and move, just lie still.”\u00a0 Ben advised, rubbing his son’s arm to soothe and comfort him.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin quickly moved forward to assess his patient’s condition.\u00a0 He was surprised, but pleased that Adam was already beginning to come around.\u00a0 Must be that stubborn Cartwright streak he inherited from his old man, he mused quietly to himself.<\/p>\n

Adam’s eyes flickered open and he winced at the bright light that assaulted his vision.\u00a0 He was in unbelievable pain with every breath he took.\u00a0 To him, his very existence was extreme agony.<\/p>\n

“Adam, can you hear me boy?”\u00a0 Ben prodded gently as he took Adam’s hand and clasped it tightly to his chest.<\/p>\n

Adam’s eyes looked up to see his father’s distraught face.\u00a0 He was confused by his surroundings and dazed by the mind numbing pain that he was enduring.\u00a0 He forced his pain-filled mind to try and remember what had happened to him.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee moved closer to the bed.\u00a0 He had to know if Joe had shot his brother.\u00a0 Adam was the only one who could free Joe now.<\/p>\n

“Adam, who shot ya boy?”\u00a0 Roy Coffee inquired standing at the foot of Adam’s bed.<\/p>\n

Adam heard the word, shot, and it started his mind to working.\u00a0 He remembered leaving the saloon and Joe falling to the sidewalk.\u00a0 He saw the flash of the barrel then the realization of the bullet entering his chest.\u00a0 His last vision was of his assailant standing over his brother with the gun pointed at his curly head.\u00a0 In a panic, Adam quickly scanned the room for his baby brother.\u00a0 Disregarding the sheriff’s inquiry, Adam made his own plea.<\/p>\n

“Joe?\u00a0 Oh God no, Joe.”\u00a0 Adam pleaded, fearful that the gunman had killed his little brother.\u00a0 Adam struggled to rise and found a sharp tearing pain rip through his chest.\u00a0 The agony now unbearable, he slunk back into the pillow unconscious.<\/p>\n

Ben felt a hot knife tear through his gut at Adam’s words.\u00a0 He felt dizzy and light headed as his world spun out of control.\u00a0 Joe had shot Adam, oh dear God.<\/p>\n

Hoss reached out and placed strong hands onto his father’s shoulders to offer him strength.\u00a0 He’d seen his father reel when hearing Adam’s words.\u00a0 His own world seemed knocked off kilter as he gazed down upon his older brother in disbelief.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin quickly assessed his patient’s current condition and replaced the bedding over the man’s heavily bandaged chest.\u00a0 He placed Adam’s broken arm down next to his side then looked up to Hoss.\u00a0 Nodding his head toward the door, Paul Martin indicated that he would be outside should the Cartwrights need him for anything.<\/p>\n

Sadly, Roy looked at the devastation he had wrought on Ben Cartwright.\u00a0 He was not pleased with the task he’d just performed and quietly berated himself over the results.\u00a0 He truly wished that Adam could offer a different explanation.\u00a0 Shaking his head in frustration and regret he followed the physician out the door.<\/p>\n

Without a word, Roy Coffee placed his hat onto his head and left the doctor’s office and headed for the jail.\u00a0 He had plenty of work to do in preparation for tomorrow’s inquest.<\/p>\n

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

Ben and Hoss Cartwright resolutely entered the courtroom among the myriad of whispers from the townspeople.\u00a0 Neither man acknowledged any person in the room as they made their way to the front.\u00a0 Ben sat down on Little Joe’s right side while Hoss took a seat to Joe’s left.<\/p>\n

Ben reached out and placed a comforting hand on Joe’s right forearm.<\/p>\n

Nodding solemnly, he asked,\u00a0 “How are ya doing son?”<\/p>\n

Due to Adam’s grave condition, Ben had been reluctant to leave his eldest son’s side.\u00a0 Now his youngest needed his support and he would be there to offer whatever comfort he could provide.<\/p>\n

Joe looked over to his father with tears threatening to spill from his eyes.\u00a0 He didn’t know what to say.\u00a0 He was afraid his father would hate him for what he’d been accused of.<\/p>\n

“How’s Adam?”\u00a0 Joe finally asked when he felt he could voice his question without breaking down.\u00a0 He was more concerned over his brother’s well being than his impending fate.<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head sadly before responding.<\/p>\n

“The same son, the same.”<\/p>\n

Hoss turned an angry stare as he glanced about the room at the gossiping townsfolk.\u00a0 He wasn’t surprised to some of the people who had turned out to see a Cartwright taken down a notch.\u00a0 Hoss found Jake Wilson standing near the rear and found him to be just a little too pleased with himself at the moment.<\/p>\n

Jake Wilson saw Hoss’s incensed glare and quickly turned to the woman standing next to him.\u00a0 He tried in vain to ignore the big man’s warning glance.<\/p>\n

Hoss’s attention was drawn back to the front of the room, as the entrance of the judge was announced.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee entered the room and took a stance near the front by the judge’s chambers.\u00a0 Calling out, he brought the room to order.<\/p>\n

“All right, everyone simmer down.”\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee spoke with authority.<\/p>\n

Judge Wilkins entered the room in front of the sheriff and made his way to the table at the head of the room.\u00a0 Taking his gavel in hand, he banged it upon the table to insure quiet before proceeding.<\/p>\n

“We’re here today for a formal inquest into the charge of assault and the attempted murder of Adam Cartwright.\u00a0 This is not a trial, but based upon the outcome of this hearing a trial could be forthcoming.”\u00a0 The judge announced to the room in general but directing his comments to Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Joe hung his head and studied his hands.\u00a0 He was totally lost and confused.\u00a0 He couldn’t remember anything about the night before.\u00a0 He felt his father squeeze his shoulder in support.<\/p>\n

“Sheriff call your first witness.”\u00a0 The judge instructed.<\/p>\n

“I call Jake Wilson to the stand.”\u00a0 Roy Coffee stated, pointing to the former Ponderosa ranch hand who was standing near the back of the room.<\/p>\n

Nodding and smiling, Jake Wilson cheerfully made his way to the front of the room.\u00a0 He stopped grinning when he saw Hoss’s angry scowl.\u00a0 He sat carefully down in the chair indicated by the sheriff.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee extended a bible for the man to place his hand upon then held up his right hand.\u00a0 Trying to follow the sheriff’s lead, Jake put his right hand on the bible and lifted his left hand.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee stared back impatiently at the ignorant man before him.\u00a0 The sheriff cleared his throat and motioned for the man to raise his other right hand as the room erupted into laughter.<\/p>\n

Chargined, Jake realized his error and quickly changed hands on the bible.<\/p>\n

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth so help ye God?”\u00a0 Roy asked for affirmation.<\/p>\n

Jake nodded in response.\u00a0 Roy raised one eyebrow while waiting for the man to answer properly.<\/p>\n

“I do.”\u00a0 Jake replied a little too loudly, now a little embarrassed for his initial failure to answer correctly.<\/p>\n

“Tell us in your own words what you saw yesterday?”\u00a0 The judge demanded as he studied the man sitting next to him.<\/p>\n

“Well, it was like I told the sheriff.\u00a0 I came out of the saloon.\u00a0 I was wanting to talk to Adam about getting my job back and all, and there was Little Joe\u2026” Jake stopped and pointed to the youngest Cartwright.\u00a0 “He was madder than a hornet’s nest over his brother pulling him out of the saloon, and he done took a swing and knocked ole Adam to the ground.”<\/p>\n

That’s how Adam got the black eye, Ben noted glancing over to his downcast son.<\/p>\n

“Then when Adam got to his feet, Joe just pulled out his gun and shot him square in the chest.\u00a0 Just like that he did.”\u00a0 Jake continued with smug satisfaction, stopping only to snap his fingers to emphasize his point.<\/p>\n

Murmurs and whispers flooded the room as the townspeople responded to the accusation.\u00a0 Ben stared straight ahead, while Hoss stared back at the citizens of Virginia City in disgust.<\/p>\n

Joe slumped lower onto the bench.\u00a0 He desperately wanted to run away and hide.\u00a0 The words he was hearing made his stomach recoil.\u00a0 Sickened, he couldn’t believe the words.\u00a0 How could he have shot Adam?\u00a0 God, why couldn’t he remember?<\/p>\n

“Order, we’ll have order in this courtroom!”\u00a0 The judge demanded banging the gavel to bring attention and quiet back to the room.<\/p>\n

“What happened next?”\u00a0 The judge prodded glancing over at the accused to gage the young man’s reaction.<\/p>\n

“Well I rushed up to him like, and struck him hard on the face to stop him.”\u00a0 Jake sat up straight, proud of his bravery.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked over to his little brother.\u00a0 He remembered the bruise he’d seen on Joe’s right jaw the night before, which was in addition to the black eye that Adam had given him earlier that day.<\/p>\n

Joe could feel his father and brother’s eyes watching him.\u00a0 He fumbled with his fingers unable to look up to meet either man’s eyes.<\/p>\n

“Do you have anything else to add?”\u00a0 The judge asked impatiently, he was unimpressed by the man’s cockiness.<\/p>\n

“Well, ah, no sir.\u00a0 I mean your Honor.”\u00a0 Jake replied, caught a little off guard by the judge’s sour tone.<\/p>\n

“Then take your seat.”\u00a0 The judge instructed pointing the gavel back towards the gallery of the room.<\/p>\n

Again whispering and quiet talking began to flood the room as Jake made his way to the back where he’d been standing earlier.\u00a0 Once again the judge pounded the gavel calling the room to order.<\/p>\n

“Call your next witness sheriff.”\u00a0 The judge instructed after the room had quieted.<\/p>\n

“I call Dr. Paul Martin to the stand.”<\/p>\n

Ben’s head shot up when he heard the name of the family doctor being called.\u00a0 Paul Martin shook his head apologetically at his friend when he crossed the room in front of him.<\/p>\n

Ben watched in consternation as Paul took the oath and sat in the indicated chair.<\/p>\n

“Could you tell us the condition of Adam Cartwright?”\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee intoned emotionlessly.<\/p>\n

“Grave.\u00a0 In fact, I should be at my office tending to his needs instead of spending my time here.”\u00a0 Paul Martin fired back at the sheriff.\u00a0 He resented the position that the lawman had placed him in.<\/p>\n

Ben drew in a shuttered breath over the doctor’s pronouncement and felt Joe flinch when he heard the word ‘grave’.<\/p>\n

“Has Adam regained consciousness since his wounding?”\u00a0 The sheriff probed.<\/p>\n

Ben knew where this was headed and stood to voice his objection.<\/p>\n

“Judge this is uncalled for, this man is my son’s doctor\u2026” Ben objected fervently.<\/p>\n

“I don’t see where this line of questioning has anything to do with your son’s confidential medical condition Mr. Cartwright.”\u00a0 The judge replied.<\/p>\n

“But your Honor, you don’t understand\u2026” Ben again tried to plead his case but was interrupted by the judge.<\/p>\n

“Please retake your seat, or I’ll have you escorted from the courtroom.”\u00a0 The judge ordered in a tone that sufficiently quieted the man before him.<\/p>\n

Subdued, Ben retook his seat and glared over Joe’s head to Hoss.\u00a0 Hoss stared at Roy Coffee with unadulterated anger.<\/p>\n

“Please restate your question.”\u00a0 The judge instructed the sheriff after again calling the room to order.<\/p>\n

“Has Adam woken up since being shot?”\u00a0 Roy Coffee asked, ignoring the looks from the Cartwright family.<\/p>\n

“Yes, yes he has.”\u00a0 Paul Martin answered looking to face Ben Cartwright.<\/p>\n

“Did he say who had shot him?”\u00a0 Roy pressed.<\/p>\n

Hearing the question, Little Joe turned pleading eyes to the family doctor.<\/p>\n

“Yes, yes he did.”\u00a0 The doctor stated, not offering anymore information than he was asked for.<\/p>\n

“And who did he say shot him?”\u00a0 Roy again pressed, frustrated with the lack of cooperation from the town’s physician.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin drew in a slow breath and turned away from Joe’s pitiful glance before answering.<\/p>\n

“He said Joe did.”\u00a0 Paul Martin stated quietly and shook his head sadly; he hated to be the instrument of such torture for his dear friends.<\/p>\n

Joe was crushed by the doctor’s words.\u00a0 He’d hoped that the doctor would say that someone else shot Adam.\u00a0 He looked to his father for confirmation.\u00a0 Seeing his father’s now downcast eyes, Joe’s world crumbled.\u00a0 Dazed, he suddenly felt dizzy as the nausea he felt the night before almost reclaimed him.<\/p>\n

The mumbling and angry words now filled the room as the judge tried in vain to reclaim control.\u00a0 Surrendering to the futility of the situation, the judge asked the sheriff if he had anymore witnesses.\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee responded to the judge with a silent shake of his head.<\/p>\n

“It is the finding of this inquiry\u2026” the judge started as the room fell silent to hear his pronouncement.\u00a0 “That Joseph Cartwright be held over for trial on the charge of assault with the attempt to commit murder.\u00a0 This court is adjourned.”\u00a0 The judge slammed the gavel and stood quickly to depart from the courtroom.\u00a0 He’d been an acquaintance of Ben Cartwright’s for many years, and this whole affair left a bitter taste in his mouth.<\/p>\n

Ben sat stunned in silence, he reached out to offer his son some measure of comfort.\u00a0 Joe pulled away from his father’s embrace.\u00a0 How could his father comfort him after the horrendous thing he’d done to his own brother?<\/p>\n

Hoss was still glaring at the family doctor, feeling betrayed by the man’s words.\u00a0 He was angry and confused over this whole situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u00a0 Did I, did I\u2026\u201d Joe intoned unable to complete his question and looking to his father for some type of reassurance.\u00a0 He’d heard the decision of the judge, but he still couldn\u2019t believe that he was capable of actually shooting Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo son, no.\u201d\u00a0 Ben replied with confidence as his eyes met his son\u2019s.\u00a0 Not only in his heart and soul, but also in his mind, he truly believed his son was not responsible no matter what had been said or implied.\u00a0 His faith in his son was much stronger than anyone’s words and he tried to convey that belief to his youngest son.<\/p>\n

Hoss watched the interaction between his father and brother, and was gratified to know that his father also believed in his brother\u2019s innocence.\u00a0 He knew in his heart that Little Joe could never intentionally harm Adam.<\/p>\n

Out of the corner of his eye, Hoss noticed as Shaughnessy, an old and dear family friend, crossed the room and spoke quietly to Paul Martin.\u00a0 Hoss saw the doctor frown and his expression turn to deep concern before he approached his father.<\/p>\n

“Ben, you have to come with me.\u00a0 Adam\u2026” the doctor paused glancing sideways to Little Joe who was listening intently.\u00a0 Knowing he had no time to waste on Joe’s feelings he continued.\u00a0 “Adam has taken a turn for the worst Ben and is bleeding again.\u00a0 We need to hurry.”\u00a0 The doctor stated as he grabbed Ben’s arm to pull him along.<\/p>\n

Ben was stunned by the doctor’s information.\u00a0 He was almost frozen in place then found himself being dragged from the room.\u00a0 Turning back he called out his instructions to his middle son.<\/p>\n

“Stay with him Hoss!”\u00a0 Ben yelled over the hubbub of voices.<\/p>\n

Nodded that he understood, Hoss closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for his older brother.<\/p>\n

Joe’s head fell to his hands.\u00a0 Please dear God, he prayed, don’t let Adam die.\u00a0 He was brought out of his silent plea by a strong hand on his shoulder.\u00a0 Looking up, he saw the sad expression of regret upon Roy Coffee’s face.<\/p>\n

Quietly and without restraint, Joe Cartwright allowed himself to be led from the room back to his cell.\u00a0 Joe was resigned to his fate.<\/p>\n

Hoss followed aimlessly behind, not wanting his brother to be left alone.<\/p>\n

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

Ben Cartwright looked up to the clock in the waiting room of the doctor’s office.\u00a0 It had been over three hours since Paul Martin had rushed Adam back into surgery.\u00a0 Ben was in total despair; he couldn’t lose Adam, not his first-born son.\u00a0 If Adam should die, God forbid, Joe would be tried and possibly hanged for murder.\u00a0 He couldn’t bear to lose either son, let alone both of them.<\/p>\n

Ben had only been allowed a couple of minutes with his son before Adam had been taken back into Doc Martin\u2019s surgery.\u00a0 He was haunted by the memory of his son\u2019s very pale complexion and his unbearable struggling as he practically gasped for every breath.\u00a0 Once more, he turned his thoughts to prayer for his children.<\/p>\n

His head shot up as he heard a door opening.\u00a0 He turned his head in disappointment as Hoss entered the room.<\/p>\n

Hoss saw the distressed look upon his father’s face.\u00a0 He ambled over to his father and placed a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder.<\/p>\n

“How’s Joseph?”\u00a0 Ben mumbled staring down at his boots.\u00a0 All this waiting was taking its toll upon his weary soul.<\/p>\n

“Not so good, Pa.”\u00a0 Hoss shrugged in response the dejection clearly evident in his voice.<\/p>\n

Ben gazed over to his middle son, but Hoss answered his unspoken question before his father had the chance to voice it.<\/p>\n

“He threw me out Pa.\u00a0 Said he wanted to be alone.”\u00a0 Hoss recalled the incident and Joe’s vehemence at his presence.<\/p>\n

Ben glanced about the room thoroughly bewildered and confused.\u00a0 Torn and totally at a loss, he no longer knew what to do.\u00a0 He needed to be here for Adam, but Joe needed his reassurance as well.\u00a0 His family was crumbling before his eyes and he was helpless to stop it.<\/p>\n

Ben was brought out of his turmoil by the creaking of an opening door.\u00a0 Jumping from his chair, he rushed over to where Paul Martin stood.<\/p>\n

“How is he?”\u00a0 Ben begged as he grabbed the tired physician’s arm.<\/p>\n

“Alive and holding his own.”\u00a0 Paul Martin replied with a large smile.\u00a0 He truly believed that Adam would survive.<\/p>\n

Ben’s heart soared at the words and the doctor’s expression.\u00a0 He reached out to hug his middle son.<\/p>\n

Hoss was elated over the doctor’s pronouncement.\u00a0 He knew Adam was too ornery a cuss to just roll over and die.\u00a0 Hoss returned his father’s embrace, slapping his father on the back the two men made their way to Adam’s bedside.<\/p>\n

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

Two days passed as Ben and Hoss Cartwright kept their silent vigil between Adam and Little Joe.\u00a0 Each man took turns either sitting with Adam as he slept or keeping Joe company in his jail cell.<\/p>\n

Ben watched, as Joe grew more and more despondent with each passing day.\u00a0 He still had faith in his youngest son, no matter what he was accused of.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee had put off the trial until Adam recovered; he too still had hope that Joe Cartwright was innocent.\u00a0 Something just didn’t sit right with the sheriff over the whole incident and the resulting turmoil gave him a sour stomach.<\/p>\n

The way that Jake Wilson had been carrying on, all his bravado and bragging about saving a Cartwright bothered the elderly lawman.\u00a0 Roy couldn’t figure out why the man hadn’t stepped in sooner to stop Joe Cartwright before he’d shot Adam.\u00a0 If Joe had shot Adam in cold blood as Jake described, why hadn’t he just shot Joe instead of risking his life to knock Joe out?\u00a0 Then again, why wouldn’t Joe have just shot Jake as well?\u00a0 No matter how many times he went over the man’s story, things just didn’t add up in his mind.<\/p>\n

Then there was Hoss’s accusation that Jake Wilson had a motive for wanting to harm Adam because of his firing from the Ponderosa.\u00a0 But then again, so did Little Joe for Adam’s abrupt treatment in front of the hands and again at the saloon, not to mention Adam’s near deathbed accusation.\u00a0 Roy hoped that Adam would again regain consciousness and be able to provide more useful information.<\/p>\n

Hoss had begun to pressure his little brother.\u00a0 He couldn’t accept that Joe just didn’t remember anything about Adam’s shooting.\u00a0 Joe was beginning to lose all patience with his older brother’s persistent prodding.<\/p>\n

“Look I already told you a hundred times.\u00a0 Can’t you get it through your thick skull already!”\u00a0 Joe thundered, his nostrils flaring as he glared angrily at his brother.<\/p>\n

Hoss patiently shook his head in response and waited for Little Joe to cool down.<\/p>\n

“Alright, one more time for the slow witted.\u00a0 I went to the saloon for a couple of beers. Adam met me there.\u00a0 We went outside and that’s all I remember!”\u00a0 Joe’s voice started off in an incensed tone, getting louder with each word.<\/p>\n

“How many beers?”\u00a0 Hoss asked intently, not willing to give up.<\/p>\n

“I dunno, two or three.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 It’s not important.”\u00a0 Joe answered running his hand through his curly locks then plopping down onto the cot.<\/p>\n

Two or three beers, Hoss pondered.\u00a0 He knew Joe to tie one on from time to time, but his little brother could certainly hold more than a couple of beers.<\/p>\n

“Ya sure all ya was drinking was beer?”\u00a0 Hoss asked in confusion.<\/p>\n

“Yeah just beer.\u00a0 The new barmaid was pouring them for me.”\u00a0 Joe answered as he threw himself out onto the cot and placed his arm over his eyes to block out the lamplight.\u00a0 He just wanted Hoss to go away and leave him alone.<\/p>\n

“What new barmaid?\u00a0 What’s her name?”\u00a0 Hoss probed, Joe had never mentioned a barmaid before.<\/p>\n

“You know, I don’t think I ever got her name.”\u00a0 Joe replied curiously, pulling his arm back from his face to glance over to his brother.<\/p>\n

“What’d she look like?”\u00a0 Hoss continued to pester.<\/p>\n

“Don’t bother, she ain’t your type.”\u00a0 Joe taunted.<\/p>\n

“Shucks, short shanks, I don’t want to date her.\u00a0 I just wanna talk to her.”\u00a0 Hoss blushed, he knew his brothers were better with the girls than he was.<\/p>\n

“Why do ya wanna talk to her for?”\u00a0 Joe asked, sitting back up to look at his brother.<\/p>\n

“I dunno, maybe she saw something too.”\u00a0 Hoss offered helpfully.\u00a0 He knew he was probably grasping at straws, but he had to something to help his little brother.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Joe complied and gave Hoss the best description he could of the woman he’d met at the saloon the night of the shooting.<\/p>\n

With his newfound information, Hoss left the jail in search of the barmaid.\u00a0 He had no trouble in spotting the young woman as he entered the saloon.\u00a0 She was sitting near the back wall by a very intoxicated miner.<\/p>\n

The woman felt an ominous presence behind her, looking up she saw a very large and very sedate Hoss standing over her.<\/p>\n

“Can I buy ye a drink Miss?”\u00a0 Hoss politely inquired as he took the woman’s arm and led her to a table in a far corner of the room.<\/p>\n

Within the hour, Hoss had the information he’d sought so desperately.\u00a0 He escorted the woman from the saloon over to the jailhouse, where he encouraged her to tell the deputy all about the night of Adam’s shooting and the moonshine she had put in Joe’s beer.<\/p>\n

Leaving the woman in custody.\u00a0 Hoss made his way over to the doctor’s office to find his father.\u00a0 He entered Adam’s room and was pleased to find his older brother now awake.<\/p>\n

Ben stared up at Hoss as he entered the room.\u00a0 He could tell by the look on his middle son’s face that he too now knew the truth.\u00a0 The truth he had just minutes before learned from his oldest son.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at Adam and asked one simple question.<\/p>\n

“Jake Wilson?”<\/p>\n

Seeing Adam’s nod in response, Hoss’s face darkened and he turned to leave the room.<\/p>\n

Ben watched in shock as Hoss departed.\u00a0 He’d never seen a look of such unadulterated hatred displayed in the big man’s face.<\/p>\n

Even Adam was stunned by his brother’s expression.\u00a0 Reaching out he grabbed his father’s arm to get his attention.<\/p>\n

“Go after him Pa.”\u00a0 Adam pleaded.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded before reaching out to Adam.\u00a0 He was torn, now that his eldest was awake he didn’t want to leave his side.<\/p>\n

“I’ll be fine, Pa.\u00a0 You’ve got to stop Hoss before he does something he’ll regret.”\u00a0 Adam was insistent as the doctor entered the room.<\/p>\n

Doc Martin had seen Hoss depart his office and was certain the look on Hoss’s face meant serious trouble.<\/p>\n

“Look after Hoss, Ben.\u00a0 I’ll stay with Adam.”\u00a0 The doctor reassured his friend.\u00a0 The Cartwright family had suffered enough pain over the last week they didn’t need anymore.<\/p>\n

Ben quickly rose and headed for the door in pursuit of his middle son.\u00a0 He scanned the road and could not make out any sign of the large man on the street.\u00a0 Almost at a slow run, he strode down the road toward the Silver Dollar.\u00a0 Before reaching the door, he heard the sheriff calling out to him.<\/p>\n

“Hold up there a minute Ben.”\u00a0 Roy Coffee yelled.\u00a0 He’d just come from his office and was in search of Ben’s middle child.<\/p>\n

Ben stopped briefly in his quest to acknowledge the sheriff’s request.<\/p>\n

“Where’s that boy of yours?”\u00a0 Roy asked, he was worried that Ben’s son was looking for revenge.<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head in response and looked questioning over to the saloon.<\/p>\n

Both men were startled by the sound of breaking glass coming from within the establishment.\u00a0 Ben and Roy broke into a run and headed for the swinging doors.<\/p>\n

Stopping short, they both stared in astonishment at the sight before them.\u00a0 Strewn about the room were overturned tables with broken chairs lying nearby and broken glass adorned the dusty floor.\u00a0 In the middle of the devastation, Hoss had Jake Wilson in a bear hug, and was demanding that the other man confess to the shooting of Adam.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee and Ben Cartwright pushed their way through the crowd to the two combatants.<\/p>\n

“Let him go son.”\u00a0 Ben ordered as he tried to pull Hoss’s arms from around the other man’s chest.<\/p>\n

“But Pa, he shot Adam.”\u00a0 Hoss was incredulous, he wanted to squeeze the life out of the man who had almost killed his older brother and blamed Little Joe.<\/p>\n

“I know son, let him go.”\u00a0 Ben quietly instructed sadly.<\/p>\n

Not wanting to cause his father any more pain, Hoss complied and the man fell to the floor in a lump.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee bent over and pulled the man to his feet.\u00a0 Unable to stand, the man fell unceremoniously into a chair.<\/p>\n

“Well, what do ya have to say for yourself?”\u00a0 Roy questioned with undisguised disdain.<\/p>\n

Jake Wilson shook his head in silence unwilling to speak.<\/p>\n

Infuriated, Roy grabbed the man by the arm and drug him from the saloon and over to the jail.<\/p>\n

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

Adam had fought sleep waiting for his father’s return, hoping that his father had stopped his brother in time.\u00a0 He turned weary eyes to the door of his room as he heard it open, smiling broadly he sighed deeply as Ben, Hoss and Little Joe entered.<\/p>\n

Little Joe came over and plopped down on the bed next to Adam’s right leg.\u00a0 He was never so happy to see his oldest brother and reached out to touch the cast on Adam’s right arm.<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at his baby brother and winked before turning his gaze to his father who had retaken his seat next to the left side of his bed.<\/p>\n

Ben reached out and took Adam’s hand giving it a gentle squeeze.\u00a0 He could see how exhausted Adam appeared.<\/p>\n

Adam scanned the room and found Hoss standing by the far wall with his hands thrust deep in his pockets.\u00a0 He turned a questioning glance to his father, who shook his head and furrowed his brows in response.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, why don’t you pull up a chair and join us?”\u00a0 Ben requested indicating a chair near the door.<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled out his large hands and complied with his father’s wishes.\u00a0 He placed the chair on the right side of Adam’s bed and sat down facing his father.<\/p>\n

Adam had just begun to doze, when Little Joe broke the ominous silence of the room.<\/p>\n

“I still don’t understand Pa, how did Jake shoot Adam with my gun and why don’t I remember.”\u00a0 Joe looked first to his father and seeing no response forthcoming he followed his father’s stare to look at Hoss.<\/p>\n

Waking, Adam too looked to his brother for explanation.<\/p>\n

Hoss fumbled with the edge of the blanket covering his older brother before looking up to answer his younger brother’s question.\u00a0 Taking a calming breath he began the tale.<\/p>\n

“Well, ya see Joe, that little gal put in a little extra kick to that beer of yours.\u00a0 That’s what got ya so drunk so fast.\u00a0 The plan was to just get ya drunk to try and embarrass Adam into rehiring Jake and that other fella.”\u00a0 Hoss paused looking at Adam.\u00a0 “Then when they followed ya two outside and saw Adam struggling with you, Jake just decided to take things up a notch or two and get rid of Adam permanent like.”<\/p>\n

Hoss paused to look at Adam, realizing how close they’d actually come to losing him.<\/p>\n

Joe swallowed and looked over to his oldest brother’s face.\u00a0 He studied it as though seeing it for the first time; grateful that Jake Wilson’s plan had failed.<\/p>\n

“But how did he get my gun?”<\/p>\n

“When we struggled, it fell from your holster to the sidewalk.”\u00a0 Adam supplied, closing his eyes at the memory of staring down the weapon’s barrel.<\/p>\n

Watching Adam’s response, Ben clasped his son’s hand tighter to give him strength and reassurance.<\/p>\n

“Then why don’t I remember Jake shooting Adam?”\u00a0 Joe pressed still trying to fill in the blanks.<\/p>\n

“Because you were already out of it.\u00a0 I had to deck ya so I could get you up onto Cochise.”\u00a0 Adam beamed proudly at his little brother.\u00a0 He was quite pleased that he’d actually gotten the best of his baby brother twice in one day without retribution.<\/p>\n

Joe reached up to rub his sore jaw as his father and other brother broke out into laughter at his reaction.<\/p>\n

“Then that’s two I owe you!”\u00a0 Joe joked as he threatened his brother.<\/p>\n

“Hey, there will be none of that, do you hear me young man?”\u00a0 Ben warned in a playful tone pointing his finger across the bed to his youngest son, still somewhat protective of his injured oldest son.<\/p>\n

“Nah, you only owe him one.”\u00a0 Hoss corrected, pointing across to Adam’s black right eye.\u00a0 “You already gave him that purty one right there.”<\/p>\n

“I did?”\u00a0 Joe was confused again, because he didn’t remember the fight.\u00a0 “Does it count if I don’t remember it?”<\/p>\n

“Oh, it counts alright, little brother.”\u00a0 Adam informed him in a no nonsense tone.<\/p>\n

Hoss, Ben and Joe chuckled in response to Adam’s response.\u00a0 No longer able to hold his eyes open, Adam began to drift into peaceful sleep.<\/p>\n

“Pa.”\u00a0 Hoss dipped his head toward a now sleeping Adam.<\/p>\n

Seeing his son’s action, Ben looked down and found Adam’s eyes closed.\u00a0 Jerking his head to the door, Ben indicated that Hoss and Joe should leave, mouthing that he would stay with Adam while he slept.<\/p>\n

Hoss draped a large arm across his little brother’s shoulders as he led the smaller man from the room.\u00a0 Stepping out of the room, Hoss looked over to Joe.\u00a0 Joe gazed back at the big man next to him before breaking into a silly grin.<\/p>\n

“So Hoss, how bout we go get a beer?”\u00a0 Joe chimed in mischievously, breaking the silence of the night.<\/p>\n

Hoss growled in response, a beer is what got them into this mess to begin with.\u00a0 Little Joe began to giggle and cackled at his brother’s annoyed reply.<\/p>\n

“Joe, so help me, I’m gonna tan your worthless hide if you so much as step one foot into a saloon anytime soon!”\u00a0 Hoss warned following his giddy brother down the dusty street.<\/p>\n

The End<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright, SAS<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0Adam has been shot, did Little Joe do it?<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 PG\u00a0 (10,950 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10520,"featured_media":3223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1091,23,41,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-joe","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-mystery","wpcat-1091-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-32-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2566,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam_11.jpg?fit=796%2C638&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":22994,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=22994","url_meta":{"origin":14985,"position":0},"title":"Jeremiah (by Hart4Ben)","author":"Hart4Ben","date":"June 26, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Hoss has an unusual gift for Little Joe. A prequel challenge piece. Rating: K WC: 510","rel":"","context":"In "Hoss \/ Joe"","block_context":{"text":"Hoss \/ Joe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1092"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bullfrog-2.jpg?fit=694%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bullfrog-2.jpg?fit=694%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bullfrog-2.jpg?fit=694%2C451&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13143,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13143","url_meta":{"origin":14985,"position":1},"title":"The Shooting (by the Tahoe Ladies)","author":"Tahoe Ladies","date":"July 12, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 There's a robbery and hostages.\u00a0 Decisions to be made and the consequences to suffer. Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (870 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Hossb.jpg?fit=444%2C339&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12721,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12721","url_meta":{"origin":14985,"position":2},"title":"Yesterday’s Child (by Arrenall)","author":"Arrenall","date":"April 6, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A quiet night of reflection, and maybe they just might relive the past. Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,990 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/brothers.jpg?fit=399%2C299&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5519,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5519","url_meta":{"origin":14985,"position":3},"title":"The Christmas Surprise (by deansgirl)","author":"deansgirl","date":"December 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0The first Chrismas after Marie died was going to be a sad one.\u00a0 Can Adam and Hoss make the season bright after all? Rated: K+ (2,240 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12099,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12099","url_meta":{"origin":14985,"position":4},"title":"A Royal Pain (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"January 25, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Adam and Hoss think their littlest brother is a royal pain...but Ben is beginning to think all three of his sons are a royal pains, and the knowledge soon leads him to taking refuge in the hayloft. Rated:\u00a0 G (9,075 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"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":10232,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10232","url_meta":{"origin":14985,"position":5},"title":"Ho… Ho… Ho… (by bahj)","author":"bahj","date":"December 5, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: When Little Joe comes up with another one of his infamous \"bright ideas\"; The Cartwright brothers find themselves in yet another \"jam\" in this fun-filled Christmas story. Rated: K (4,410 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10520"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14985\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}