{"id":15950,"date":"2018-02-08T21:00:21","date_gmt":"2018-02-09T02:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15950"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:40:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:40:31","slug":"the-falling-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15950","title":{"rendered":"The Falling Out (by MissJudy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>: The Cartwright family should have returned to normal after Se\u00f1or and Delores Tenino left for Mexico, but it hasn’t. Hoss, Adam and Joe have been surly and avoiding one another since the lovely young woman left, and Ben can’t understand what’s driving it. He senses that what had started as a competition to win the young lady’s heart, had left some unexpected wounds behind. When circumstances and harsh words fracture his family even more, Ben decides he must force his sons to take stock of what they’re about to lose, in the one way he thinks will work.\u00a0A What Happened Later story, for Ponderosa Matador.<\/p>\n

Rating<\/strong>: K\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count:<\/strong>\u00a0 22,960<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Falling Out<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben released a heavy sigh and laid his book aside. He hadn\u2019t turned a page since he\u2019d opened it some time ago. The house was too quiet; a situation that left him edgy, and seemed to have no foreseeable end.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t understand the three-way impasse that was moving his sons to set up unbreachable walls around themselves, effectively shrouding the house in a pall of bitterness and silence. There\u2019d been disagreements and a few all-out brawls between two of them from time-to-time, but never anything like this.<\/p>\n

The falling out had sent its first invasive shoot into his family\u2019s tap root in an incident that occurred two days before the visit of his old friend, Francisco Tenino. \u00a0He recalled how he and Adam had rushed inside the house with guns drawn after hearing what sounded like a scuffle. They\u2019d found Joe on the floor under a collapsed book shelf, and Hoss surrounded by broken stove pipes and covered in soot. This sitaution had followed Joe\u2019s failed attempt to perform a veronica1<\/sup> with his blanket-turned-cape for Hoss\u2019s charging-bull impersonation.<\/p>\n

Another attempt<\/em> had been exposed in that moment: Hoss\u2019s attempt to conceal information his father had given him about the se\u00f1or\u2019s beautiful traveling companion.<\/p>\n

Ben had expected some jockeying between his sons as they\u2019d vied to be the lovely young Delores\u2019s escort, but he\u2019d never expected that the anticipation of her visit would begin tearing them apart. He imagined how an overly-tightened screw with the purpose of holding things together, often cracked the wood around it instead, causing the connection to fail. This visit had twisted his sons just as tightly, and splintered them in the aftermath.<\/p>\n

Knowing what he did of the Tenino\u2019s wealth and way of life, Ben had privately predicted that Adam\u2019s sophistication and charm, along with his knowledge of the Spanish language and music would hold sway with the young woman. But after she\u2019d arrived, he\u2019d observed a missing piece in Adam\u2019s polished presentation. The young woman had grown up on a ranch where the finest bulls in Mexico were raised for the arena, and she had become addicted to the excitement of the bull ring. Her eyes sparkled when she talked about the bravery of the matadors, and the dangerous dance performed between man and animal.<\/p>\n

Hoss could have had a step up on his brothers in this if he had been more thorough. His middle son knew that Se\u00f1or Tenino bred bulls, and bought a book about bullfighting to prepare for the visit. The contents of those pages had provided the impetus for the failed exhibition that he and Adam had walked in on, and spurred the endeavor that turned disastrous when Gigger Thurman\u2019s bull had rampaged through the city and over the countryside.<\/p>\n

Ben allowed himself a moment of fatherly, \u201cI should have seen this coming,\u201d as he considered that the mess those two made in the house should have forewarned of what was to come.<\/p>\n

Delores\u2019s interest in bullfighting would have given them an enthusiastic audience, had Hoss and Joe actually studied more about the discipline instead of pretending to know about it. After embarrassing themselves in a woefully uninformed conversation with Miss Tenino on the subject, they\u2019d done as they were prone to do: they dug themselves in even deeper by promising her a bullfight she\u2019d never forget.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s chuckle nearly echoed in the quiet room. He was certain neither<\/em> Tenino would ever<\/em> forget the \u201cperformance\u201d his sons had provided. He\u2019d seen Delores grin as she\u2019d offered her goodbyes and thanked them for a most \u201cinteresting\u201d few days.<\/p>\n

Over a week had passed since the Tenino\u2019s departure, and instead of his sons moving past the episode, their feelings had grown into quiet anger and suspicion.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t comprehend this, especially since he\u2019d revealed information on the day their guests had left that should<\/em> have put an end to their surliness.<\/p>\n

He remembered witnessing their stare-down at the table that evening, and the conversation that had ensued:<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, boys,\u201d Ben said as Hop Sing delivered desert. \u201cAfter our guests left today, I paid a visit to those who sustained property damage during the bull\u2019s\u2026visit. Three-thousand ought to take care of the rebuilding and restocking, with a little extra cash to help them forget the trauma they experienced.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThree-thousand\u2026dollars?\u201d Adam croaked. \u201cAre they planning to line their chicken coops with gold leaf?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben grinned behind his napkin. \u201cIt seems reasonable to me. But perhaps you three would like to rebuild the saloon, fences, coops and barn doors that were destroyed, to ensure they aren\u2019t trying to gouge you. If you do that in addition to your regular ranch duties, you\u2019ll be done by Christmas\u2026of next year.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss groaned. \u201cAnd you\u2019re expectin\u2019 us to come up with that much money?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026I didn\u2019t bring Gigger\u2019s bull to town in a flimsy trailer, or chase him through half of Nevada. I think you\u2019re getting off cheap. Knowing they had the Cartwrights on the hook for damages, they could have asked for a lot more.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe smiled sweetly at his father. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose you\u2019d advance my share.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben dabbed the coffee from his lips and shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve been paying you a wage since you were 1<\/sup>6, son.\u201d He nodded towards the other two at the table. \u201cYou all live here free of charge; your work supplies are provided by the ranch; you draw a good wage, and you get the same bonuses that the other hands receive. I\u2019ve encouraged you to save or invest what you don\u2019t need, but I\u2019ve left that up to you.\u201d He looked down at his plate while scooping a forkful of pie. \u201cPerhaps you could get a bank loan, using your bullfighting skills as collateral.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cVery funny, Pa.\u201d Joe nudged Hoss and the two of them looked at Adam. \u201cI think we have our own bank right here. How about it, Adam? You have money, so you can pay it. You\u2019d have our gratitude, and maybe one day we can pay back some of it.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Adam quietly laid his fork on his plate, finished chewing, and then eyed his brothers with a deadly stare. \u201cI\u2019m not even sure why I\u2019d be included in the restitution. I only tried to help when your scheme went bad.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe leaned his elbows on the table and matched his older brother\u2019s evil-eyed glare. \u201cIt seems you were more than willing to \u2018help\u2019. In fact it was you who chased Gigger\u2019s bull through most of the buildings, hoping it would slow him down.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah!\u201d Hoss\u2019s face brightened. \u201cYou might not\u2019a helped plan the bullfight, but you sure did enjoy chasin\u2019 that big ol\u2019 animal around the territory. That ought to account for an equal share of the damage.\u201d His smile turned sour as he stopped to think. \u201cSomethin\u2019 about this whole thing ain\u2019t right. Se\u00f1orita Delores was all sweet ta me afterwards. She seemed to like Adam\u2019s music and poetry purdy much too, and she thought Joe was brave in wantin\u2019 to fight the bull. But then she was laughing at us when she said goodbye.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think any of us so much as got a kiss from her for our efforts.\u201d Joe added.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben cleared his throat. \u201cIf you\u2019d remembered that there were two guests here, and had spent time with her father, you\u2019d have heard that he was going to announce his daughter\u2019s\u00a0 engagement to a famous matador who owns the finest training facility in Mexico when they got home.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe pushed his chair back and stood as his face turned crimson. \u201cSo\u2026she made fools of us?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, Joe,\u201d Ben commanded. He tried to suppress a smile but lost the battle. \u201cDelores Tenino was trying to be gracious, and I think it took every bit of goodwill she could muster to put up with your pestering. You didn\u2019t need her help to look foolish.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He now realized how in that moment they\u2019d each faced their folly, and it left them looking for something to ease the sting\u2014or at least someone to blame. It was also that moment when house became quiet. Worse was that the feather of ill-will from that evening became a sizeable barbell when other events raised the tension.<\/p>\n

The liniment Hoss used on Joe\u2019s back created what looked and felt like a mild sunburn, at first. But while chasing Gigger\u2019s bull, the friction of Joe\u2019s shirt on his irritated skin raised small blisters. Joe came to breakfast the morning after the Teninos departed, looking fevered and miserable. The blisters had enlarged into fluid-filled sacs that had exploded during the night, leaving his back covered with crusty scabs that smelled like sour milk. Paul Martin pronounced a serious infection, probably caused by the \u201cunsavory things\u201d his raw skin had contacted while pursuing the wayward animal.<\/p>\n

Paul confined Joe to bed, and sent a woman from town to apply hourly compresses. Staying on his stomach to prevent the sores from sticking to the sheets, and the constant interruption for the treatments, prevented Joe from sleeping well. That made him even less congenial.<\/p>\n

The infection cleared quickly, but Joe fixated on Hoss, saying he\u2019d intentionally used the wrong lotion to show Delores that his younger brother was too weak to endure rigorous training. Joe further believed that when that plan didn\u2019t work well enough, Hoss loosed the bull in town and rode its horn to become the hero. Despite Hoss\u2019s profuse apologies, the irrational anger grew until he refused to allow his middle brother anywhere near him.<\/p>\n

Ben knew Hoss didn\u2019t possess the deviousness or foresight to predict such a chain of events. Yet illness always made Joe as grouchy as a bear with heat rash.<\/p>\n

Adam stayed out of the conflict between his brothers on that front, but once he understood the seriousness of the impasse, he did something that was typical of him. Ben recalled Adam returning from town a few days earlier and setting a packet of cash on the desk. \u201cThis should cover the damages,\u201d he said softly before going back outside.<\/p>\n

Since then, Adam had absented himself from anything related to his family. He carried a supper tray to his room each night, saying he needed to work on side projects he was doing for an engineering firm in Virginia City. He offered no further explanation for the evening job, but Ben assumed the absence of $3000 from his son\u2019s investments left a hole Adam felt obligated to refill.<\/p>\n

Being a wise man, Ben suspected a darker truth. Somewhere in the maelstrom of the bull-chasing shenanigans, Joe\u2019s surliness and accusations, Hoss\u2019s sadness over being banished from Joe\u2019s presence, and the fact that his brothers hadn\u2019t seemed sincere about contributing to the restitution for their scheme-gone-wrong\u2026he\u2019d grown guarded, and a little weary.<\/p>\n

The one part Ben didn\u2019t understand was why Joe was mad at Adam. Competition ran hot between those two, and the visit of the pretty young woman pushed at that tendency. Joe\u2019s attempts to impress Delores were clumsy compared to his older brother\u2019s. Even he and Francisco had cringed when they\u2019d heard the boy playing his harmonica. But none of that was Adam\u2019s fault.<\/p>\n

A knowing sigh accompanied his thought that while Joe might hold Hoss accountable for his injured back, he probably held Adam accountable for his wounded pride. Of the two injuries, he knew which one hurt Joe the most.<\/p>\n

Dinnertime was when Ben noticed the silence the most. Since the day the Teninos left, he\u2019d had very little company at the evening meal. If Hoss or Adam were home, Joe stayed in his room, using his illness as an excuse. Hoss tended to work until dark, coming in once he thought the table would be empty. And if Hoss was<\/em> there, Adam took a tray to his room, claiming the need to work on his projects.<\/p>\n

Joe had actually joined him this evening, since neither other brother had returned yet. But he\u2019d eaten quickly, and returned to his dime novels and isolation. Ben sighed again as he sunk deeper into the chair in an effort to relax. He was dozing off when he heard the front door latch engage.<\/p>\n

A cool evening breeze blew in along with his oldest son. Adam grunted a greeting as he removed his coat and dropped his parcel, hat, and holster on the credenza. He was nearing the stairs when Ben spoke. \u201cHop Sing left a plate warming for you. You didn\u2019t mention that you\u2019d eat in town so I assumed you\u2019d want dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young man\u2019s cheeks turned pink as he perched on the arm of the blue chair. \u201cThanks, Pa. I\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think that?\u201d Adam asked peevishly, and then sighed into a grin. \u201cWhat gave me away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou rushed past me with your shoulders hunched and head down. You\u2019ve always done that when you don\u2019t want me to see that you\u2019re upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam slid onto the cushion of the chair but remained silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s bothering you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of excitement in town today.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI got there mid-afternoon, and the celebratory drinking was in full swing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you overindulge?\u201d A wide smile spread on Ben\u2019s face, but it vanished as he noted Adam\u2019s defeated expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cHardly, Pa.\u201d Silence settled in again as he considered how much to say. \u201cI got the money to pay the damages from Gigger\u2019s bull, by selling back my shares in the Winkelman mine. They paid a small dividend each year from small pockets of ore, but old man Winkelman never delivered the bonanza he\u2019d promised.\u00a0 The share value is decreasing because his costs are rising to produce the same amount of ore.\u201d Another head shake. \u201cIn light of this, I should have suspected something when Winkelman was happy to pay me cash on the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s curiosity was raised by Adam\u2019s last statement, and he was about to ask more when the front door opened again; this time with Hoss rushing inside. His middle son stopped when he saw Adam and started to laugh heartily.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d he choked out, giving a feeble point towards Adam as the volume of his laughter grew. \u201cYer oldest son is the talk of the town today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uneasiness stuck an icy finger down the neck of Ben\u2019s shirt. \u201cHow so?\u201d he asked while watching Adam for a clue as to whether he thought whatever was going on in town was as funny as Hoss did. His son\u2019s tight-lipped grimace confirmed that he didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems my wise ole\u2019 brother sold his shares of the Winkelman mine for $3000 a few days ago,\u201d Hoss continued while missing his brother\u2019s angry glare. \u201cBut yesterday, the old man found a mother-load of silver. The geezer was laughing his head off at the Bucket, proclaimin\u2019 that them shares are gonna be worth ten times what Adam sold \u2018em for. He kept saying he didn\u2019t know a college boy could be so stupid, but how maybe they don\u2019t teach common sense in fancy Eastern schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben closed his eyes, picturing the ugly commotion his eldest must have encountered in town. Adam wouldn\u2019t have sold his shares except that he\u2019d been pushed by his sense of honor. Hoss was still chuckling when Ben commanded, \u201cStop that! You know nothing of the situation. And more importantly; why would you participate in conversations that belittled your brother, or take any pleasure from talk meant to humiliate him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shrunk into himself at his father\u2019s admonition. \u201cAh, I, um\u2026Pa, I didn\u2019t say nothin\u2019 against Adam. I wouldn\u2019t do that! I meant to rib him a little now that we\u2019re both home is all. \u201d He turned toward his brother looking for reassurance that Adam wasn\u2019t upset, and gulped nervously. Adam always looked people in the eye. It\u2019s what unnerved them and let them know how serious he was. But his brother was looking down, picking at a thread on his pants leg. He wasn\u2019t sure whether this meant Adam was embarrassed or so angry he could only control himself by concentrating on something unrelated to the conversation.<\/p>\n

The big man\u2019s cheek color rose as he rethought his father\u2019s comment. \u201cWhat situation don\u2019t I know nothin\u2019 about?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced at Adam. \u201cHe sold them to pay\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t, Pa!\u201d Adam gave his father a cautionary glance before looking down again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d you sell them stocks?\u201d Hoss demanded as his brother stood and started up the steps. The amount of the sale finally registered. \u201cDid you do it to pay Pa for the damage we caused?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped his climb.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you say you was gonna do that?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cI got some money in the bank, and would\u2019a helped as much as I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

The older brother turned slowly. His voice was calm, but deadly. \u201cThen why didn\u2019t you say that the other night instead of asking Pa\u2026and then me\u2026to pony up the cash?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shifted from foot to foot. \u201cI guess we\u2026Joe and me\u2026didn\u2019t think Pa was serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam crossed his arms and blew out a long, slow breath. \u201cWell it got taken care of, because I knew Pa wasn\u2019t kidding.\u201d Adam scratched his head. \u201cSince the three<\/em> of us were<\/em> responsible, but I took care of it when you claimed you were unable to help; let\u2019s leave it that you and Joe each pay me back a third of the total. Here\u2019s the best part though. Lying about your inability to come up with cash caused me to sell all my stock instead of a third of it, so I think you two are responsible for replacing what I lost in profit on the extra two thousand. Old man Winkelman figures that at what\u2026ten times what I sold it at?\u201d Adam waited for Hoss to do the calculation, and finally said, \u201cThat\u2019s ten<\/em>–thousand<\/em>\u2026each.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t mean that.\u201d Hoss\u2019s face paled. \u201cHow can we come up with that kind of money?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s lip curled in a cynical smile. \u201cMaybe you could put on another bull fight. Nah. Just forget it. I can\u2019t count on you anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heart was racing. He could sense Hoss\u2019s growing humiliation over what was being said. His and Joe\u2019s actions had prompted Adam to go it alone, and it had inadvertently resulted in his brother becoming a laughing stock and costing what might have become a fortune. Ben knew the talk in town would wear off as soon as something more sensational happened, but he also knew the laughter stung his oldest son. Adam would never admit that, nor would he ever tell anyone the reason for his selloff. His mind continued to swirl as something the boy said earlier began to poke at him.<\/p>\n

He approached the stairs before Adam could retreat to his room. \u201cYou said Winkelman was a little too eager to re-purchase your shares. Do you think he already knew he had a lode?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course he did,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cIt takes more than two days to complete an assay, drill test holes, and make estimations on the value of the strike. I\u2019d even heard that the mine had been running with a limited crew for a couple weeks, and asked him about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s curiosity was raised even further. \u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat there\u2019d been minor flooding in a storage shaft, so he had to clear it out and get in an expert to advise them on a way to blast it shut. My guess is the only thing he had to clear out was the nosy crew who might have suspected something and spilled the beans too early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben harrumphed. \u201cWinkelman thought he\u2019d hit a bonanza twice when he could get your portion of the profits back. Yet he had a responsibility to disclose something that was already certain and could affect the price. He wasn\u2019t obligated to give you more than the current price if you needed to sell, since the value is purely speculatory until they start mining. But that decision was yours to make; not his.\u201d His brows neared. \u00a0\u201cHe was probably ready to announce the lode when you came in, and then waited a couple days to cover his dishonesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded slowly. \u201cHe\u2019s focusing rumors on my lack of business sense instead of his failure to disclose. It\u2019s a smart tactic. I can\u2019t refute this claim without solid proof or I\u2019d look like a sore loser, and that would just give people more to laugh about.\u201d He closed his eyes in thought, and then looked around his father\u2019s to the credenza where he\u2019d left the tubes containing the drawings he planned to work on. \u201cExcuse me,\u201d he said as he passed Ben on the steps. \u201cI knew I was forgetting something.\u201d He walked out of his way to avoid passing near Hoss, and wished his father a good night as he started back up the steps.<\/p>\n

Hoss had remained quiet though the discussion about the stocks, and realized his brother was about to disappear for the night. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam. I would\u2019a done things a lot different if I\u2019d known this would happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped at the landing, but didn\u2019t look back. \u201cI\u2019m sure you are sorry\u2026now. But it doesn\u2019t help, now. <\/em>What will help from now on is for you and Joe to take things seriously when they happen. No more looking for ways out of your responsibilities; no more big plans that end up in disasters, and no more apologies over the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were few times that Hoss got mad, but his father\u2019s reprimand about his loyalty and his brother\u2019s scolding broke something loose. His voice started soft but gained volume and intensity. \u201cI admited I was wrong, and there\u2019s even truth in what you just said. But while you\u2019re up on that high horse, maybe you oughta direct some of that annoyance toward your own actions. You have a way of rollin\u2019 yer eyes at the thought of us helpin\u2019 out; then you do it yerself, and finally, <\/em>you complain about havin\u2019 to do it alone. You must figger you\u2019re the only one smart enough to do anything.\u201d He gulped a breath. \u201cIf you was as smart as you think, you might of figured out that me and Joe are gettin\u2019 tired of bein\u2019 overlooked. We ain\u2019t like those brainy types you knew in Boston, but we ain\u2019t stupid neither.\u201d Moving to the bottom of the stairs, he took his deadliest blow. \u201cMaybe you should go somewhere folks live up to your expectations a little better than we do. You gotta wonder though; maybe no one can live up to your<\/em> expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had stopped in mid-step and gripped the rail harder as he\u2019d waited for Hoss\u2019s outburst to end. He neither turned nor spoke as he resumed his climb. Hoss\u2019s point that he didn\u2019t fit into this family was nothing new.\u00a0 Little Joe said it often, and sometimes he heard the same taunts in his own mind. But this<\/em> brother\u2014even during their worst disagreements\u2014had never voiced this conclusion. The words of Solomon came to his mind. He closed his eyes for moment as he thought; there may be a new thing under the sun after all2<\/sup><\/em>. Heaviness weighed on his mind and body as he continued upward to the sanctuary of his room.<\/p>\n

Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben hadn\u2019t slept as memories of the war of words between Adam and Hoss had ricocheted in his mind like bullets in a cave. His footfalls were heavy as he dropped from step to step on the way downstairs, and his spirits dropped even further when he saw that a rumpled napkin where Adam usually sat at the table, evidenced he\u2019d been there and gone.<\/p>\n

It was still dark, but Ben knew Adam hadn\u2019t slept either. He\u2019d seen light beneath his oldest son\u2019s door and heard paper rustling when he\u2019d gone for a drink of water around 2 AM. The remains at the table confirmed that Adam had abandoned his attempts to sleep even sooner than his father.<\/p>\n

Whether Hoss was able to sleep was unknown, but the big man seemed able to doze off no matter the circumstances. This capacity to shut out the chaos of life made Ben wonder if his son\u2019s size dictated periods of rest. Then again maybe Hoss was that rare individual who could clear his mind enough to relax in any situation. He concluded it was probably a little of both.<\/p>\n

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard pots banging in the kitchen accompanied by Hop Sing\u2019s loud grumbling. A wake of words followed the cook from the kitchen, and he stopped abruptly at seeing Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI not run restaurant. Make meal, no one come. Food from supper still on stove this morning, and number one son make own breakfast before I get to kitchen. He good man, but bad cook. Eggs burn; ham burn; pan burned too much to get clean. You tell Missa Adam he work cattle, not stove.\u201d Hop Sing took a deep breath. \u201cYou fix this\u2026bad thing\u2026with sons. Get family back like before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing could always tell when problems were brewing in the family, and this time there\u2019d been plenty of evidence to support the man\u2019s instincts. Ben walked his cook back to his domain and promised to have a talk with Adam. He didn\u2019t address the bigger problem that had been mentioned, because he wasn\u2019t sure what he could do about it. The quiet, uneasy house joined him at the table as he sat for another lonely meal.<\/p>\n

A shuffling in the hallways above him heralded Hoss\u2019s arrival at the top of the stairs. A smile tugged at his bad mood when he saw the big man clomp wearily down the steps. It seemed that his opinion on Hoss\u2019s ability to sleep through anything hadn\u2019t held true last night. \u201cGood morning,\u201d he offered as the tired looking man approached the table. \u201cDid you hear Joe moving in his room?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would I listen for Joe? He\u2019s been pretty clear about me payin\u2019 him no<\/em> mind.\u201d His brows pulled together as he walked past Adam\u2019s empty spot at the table.<\/p>\n

Ben saw the look but waited for words to clarify the expression.<\/p>\n

Hoss kept his eyes on the table as he asked, \u201cWas Adam still mad this mornin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was up with the roosters so I never saw him.\u201d With dawn beginning to light the shadowed corners of the house, he noticed a sheet of paper on his desk, and went to retrieve it. The scrawling penmanship on the white paper was discernable as Adam\u2019s from a few steps away, and a quick perusal of the note revealed that he\u2019d already left for Virginia City to return the engineering work while the gossiping revelers were still sleeping. From town he was heading to the north fenced pasture to divide that herd for the late fall beef orders. In the final portion, Adam confessed to upsetting Hop Sing; apologized for the storm he was sure he\u2019d left behind, and promised he\u2019d bring home a new pan as a peace offering.<\/p>\n

That was from Adam,\u201d he explained as he returned and poured more coffee. \u201cHe\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you say, gone, Pa,\u201d Hoss began before taking a loud swallow. \u201cYou don\u2019t mean for good, do ya? I probably shouldn\u2019t a said everything I did last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben told Hoss of Adam\u2019s plans, finishing with, \u201cYou sounded pretty sure of every\u2026thing\u2026last night.\u201d One eyebrow rose as he watched Hoss sit back and sort things out. \u201cYou had the right to say what was on your mind, son, as long as you accept the consequences of your words.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean the part about Adam bein\u2019 so uppity that he don\u2019t belong here. I\u2019d feel purely miserable if he ever left because\u2026.\u201d He sat straighter and met his father\u2019s gaze. \u201cBut I meant them other parts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Ben nodded, again waiting for Hoss to explain.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam don\u2019t tell us what he\u2019s thinkin\u2019 of doin\u2019.\u201d His frown deepened. \u201cAnd mostly I\u2019m tired of \u00a0him doing stuff on his own to make himself look like a hero, and me and Joe look like we got no sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sat back and crossed his arms. \u201cYou think Adam took care of that debt to make himself look good?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shrugged. \u201cMaybe so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that were the case, wouldn\u2019t he have told everyone why<\/em> he was selling those shares? And if he was looking for recognition, wouldn\u2019t he<\/em> have paid each person directly so they\u2019d know exactly which Cartwright to thank?\u201d He let Hoss consider this. \u201cI distributed the cash and said nothing about where it came from. And Winkelman is making Adam the target of every mean-spirited tongue in town to cover his own fraud, so your brother hardly comes out looking like a hero.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s cheeks turned bright pink as laid his fork on his plate and leaned onto his elbows. \u201cDon\u2019t you see, Pa? That\u2019s what so sneaky about Adam. Somehow, this will all turn around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d His sons were old enough now that he could only suggest what might be off kilter in their thinking. And he could see some truth in Hoss\u2019s words. Adam did take care of things without seeking consensus. He might request support or critique from those he trusted, but when Adam reached surety, he moved forward no matter what others might think or say. His son\u2019s capacity to withstand criticism and outright nastiness usually ended with the truth coming out, and ultimately, respect from those who might initially have held his ideas in contempt.<\/p>\n

The tired father sighed and took a sip of his coffee, finding it cool. He held the heavy pot up for a moment before pouring to observe the painted enamel. He insisted on having nice things in his household. This pot was one of them; the red-patterned china and crystal glassware were others that made this house into an inviting home, rather than a place to flop between cattle drives. He took pleasure in having a well-set table and eating as a family. The current fog of ill-will around him destroyed that.<\/p>\n

Hoss resumed eating, and while Ben was grateful that one son was with him, Hop Sing\u2019s words advising him to \u201cfix things,\u201d whispered in his ear. Yet the only way to fix anything was to let them<\/em> work through it because their fights were as complicated as their personalities. In this instance, Hoss made valid points about Adam\u2019s actions, but he was dead wrong about the motivation. Little Joe was completely wrong about Hoss\u2019s intentions in applying the harmful liniment, but he was right that it shouldn\u2019t have happened. And Adam had played the game as hard as his younger brothers during the Teninos\u2019 visit, and he was as accountable as his brothers for the way things went at the end. Yet he was right in feeling that Hoss and Joe should have stepped up immediately once the damages were known.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s musings spun in his mind as his coffee cup emptied again, and he was startled back to the present when he heard Joe coming down the steps. He took a quick look at Hoss and saw he was brushing toast crumbs from his chin and shirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back for supper, Pa, but I gotta get going,\u201d Hoss said as he rose. \u201cIf Adam\u2019s gonna separate that herd like he said in that note, he\u2019s gonna need that other fenced pasture to keep \u2018em in, and we still got some repairs to do there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t you stay and say good morning to Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss knew his father hadn\u2019t really asked<\/em> him to stay. He leaned in as he passed behind Ben\u2019s chair and said, \u201cNot just yet, Pa,\u201d before disappearing into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Little Joe made his way to the table as Ben warmed his coffee yet again. \u201cYou look well,\u201d he said as he offered him the covered bowl of eggs. \u201cYou\u2019re in work clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing appeared with a plate of hot bacon and a fresh bowl of scrambled eggs, grabbing the one from Joe\u2019s hand, grumbling, \u201cNo one eat cold food while Hop Sing cook,\u201d before hurrying away.<\/p>\n

Joe scooped a good portion from both receptacles. \u201cI have to ride to town first. Paul wants to check my back. If he gives the go-ahead, I\u2019ll finish the repairs I started on that far corral.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brothers will be working between here and town. Will you stop to see them?\u201d Ben asked casually.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would I do that?\u201d He chewed his food and grabbed a slice of toast while chuckling. \u201cI heard the shouting last night, and cracked my door to listen. Hoss was sure mad at Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou feel good about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s mouth was full, so he shrugged until he could speak. \u201cI agreed with what Hoss said, and I don\u2019t feel sorry for Adam. He was sneaky while Delores was here, and he was sneaky about paying the debt. This time he got caught in his own sneakiness. I could have come up with some cash to give him, just like Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re saying Adam should have assumed you were both lying about your financial resources?\u201d The confused father shook his head. \u201cAnd you think he deserved to lose money and be laughed at because he\u2019s\u2026sneaky<\/em>? You must think the same of Hoss if you believe he intentionally used the wrong liniment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph; I know you had a few rough days, but what you\u2019re saying isn\u2019t true of either of your brothers.\u201d He didn\u2019t say more, hoping he\u2019d planted a few seeds of doubt about Joe\u2019s perceptions.<\/p>\n

All he knew for sure was that what had started as bruised egos was now pushing all three sons into a boiling stew of resentment and skewed emotions. It was a mess, and as Hop Sing noted; it needed to be fixed. It was the \u201chow\u201d of the fix that remained elusive. He rose abruptly while Joe was still eating, excusing himself to go outside and clear his head. He was in the barn checking a new colt when his lead foreman, Hugh, walked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got back from Fish Springs last night, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d he reported. After answering a few questions about the trip to deliver two mares for breeding, he said, \u201cI rode through the far south pasture on the way home, and saw something you should know about.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Hugh described the problem, an idea took shape in Ben\u2019s mind. He waited until Little Joe was on his way to town, and then began preparing the proposal he\u2019d reveal at dinner.<\/p>\n

Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joe was first into the house come evening. \u201cHow\u2019d it go today?\u201d Ben asked as his youngest hung his coat and hat, and removed his holster.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine, Pa. I\u2019m itchy, but it didn\u2019t hurt.\u201d He blushed. \u201cI could have gotten back to work sooner.\u201d He looked toward the table. \u201cWill Adam and Hoss be back soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should be. Why don\u2019t you clean up and join me until they arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was still alone when Joe returned, and he offered him a glass of sherry. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen you since this morning. I assume Paul gave you a clean bill of health?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup. I can do anything I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you hear anything in town about\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Joe supplied. \u201cPaul asked about him, and then mentioned that he thought something smelled fishy about the whole thing. I stopped for a beer, and a couple of guys tried to goad me into talking, but I ignored them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI suppose Adam would face a lot more if he<\/em> showed up in town.\u201d He scratched his head. \u201cDo you think old man Winkelman knew about the strike when he took those shares back?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cThe truth will come out one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men continued talking as full darkness fell without the return of the two missing Cartwrights. Hop Sing hurried into the living room, announcing, \u201cYou two eat now or all be ruined.\u201d The small man sighed heavily. \u201cI keep some warm for other two\u2026again.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss walked in as Ben and Little Joe were finishing, his arrival sending the youngest son to the stairs, while claiming exhaustion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like you to stay a few minutes, Joe,\u201d Ben requested. \u201cThere\u2019s something I want to discuss with all three of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe turned back. \u201cAdam isn\u2019t home yet, so could we do this at breakfast instead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s lips formed a thin line as he struggled to control his temper. \u201cI\u2019m sure Adam will arrive shortly, and I doubt you\u2019ll be more inclined to be around your brothers in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were very few times that Little Joe refused his father\u2019s orders. But this time, he continued up the steps to the landing. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa. I won\u2019t want to have breakfast with my devious brothers either, but at least I\u2019ll be more awake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned to Hoss. \u201cIs that how you feel too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t rightly know, Pa. I was glad to see Joe when I got here, but I guess nothin\u2019s changed. And since Adam and his men moved the steers to our pasture some time ago, I\u2019d bet he\u2019s bidin\u2019 his time in gettin\u2019 home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss sat at his place when Hop Sing motioned him over. After a few bites, he frowned and looked over at his father. \u201cPa, maybe too much bad stuff was said this time, and the three of us will be moving our separate ways from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heart beat heavily at Hoss\u2019s comment. He wasn\u2019t about to allow this outcome, and he came to a decision on how to handle things. \u201cEat before your food gets cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam saw his brother and father talking at the table when he entered. He greeted both men pleasantly, and thanked Hoss for having the pasture ready when they\u2019d brought the steers. He stood behind his chair to address his father. \u201cWe\u2019re all set for Captain Newell\u2019s men to get their steers on Friday. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll need a few of our hands to go along back to the post since I\u2019ve never known the cavalry to be good drovers.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cIn fact a lot of the new recruits aren\u2019t even good horsemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down and eat!\u201d Ben encouraged as he indicated the large package in Adam\u2019s arms. \u201cIs that the new pan?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFresh from the mercantile. I\u2019ll give it to Hop Sing, but I got a little more work from the engineering firm. I\u2019d like to look that over while I eat. Please forgive my rudeness in not staying at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t raise a white flag often, but he knew Hoss would disappear if Adam joined them anyway, and he was tired of remaining at the table for multiple settings. He nodded, and let his eldest present his gift of contrition before carrying a tray up to his room.<\/p>\n

Hoss played a few hands of cribbage with his father, but yawned loudly as his eyes got heavy. \u201cSorry, Pa. I\u2019m fallin\u2019 alseep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes were drooping too, so he wished Hoss a pleasant rest before turning down the lights and heading upstairs himself. There wasn\u2019t peace in his house yet, but he was satisfied that it was calm. He grinned as he set his alarm clock for 4 AM, and then slipped between the sheets, thinking, it\u2019s calm all right;<\/em> the calm before the storm<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Four<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben was up and dressed by 4:15 AM, and he decided to check on his boys before heading downstairs. He opened the first bedroom door, and was struck with the thought that his sons were as different in their sleeping habits as they were in everything else. \u00a0Adam was on his side; the blankets tangled under him like he\u2019d pinned them in a wrestling match. In the next room, Little Joe was lying on his back; the covers hanging off the bed, and his arms and legs extended as if mid-cartwheel.<\/p>\n

He heard Hoss snoring like a saw taking down a century-old pine even before he cracked the door. Unlike his brothers who spurned the encumbrance of bed clothes and fought against their covers until their rooms got too chilly to go without their warmth, Hoss always wore a long nightshirt, and slept with the blanket tucked tightly under his chin.<\/p>\n

A soft snort escaped as he pulled his middle son\u2019s door closed again. It was too early for philosophical musings, and yet he finalized the comparison. His youngest was hot-blooded, vigilant and easily spurred to action\u2014tumbling head first into some scheme, or sticking up for himself, his family or an underdog. Adam was hot-blooded too, but it played out differently. He tangled with the injustices of the world just as he tussled with his sheets. But the conflict went on internally. On the outside he\u2019d appear cool with an absolute belief in his decision after wrestling with every angle of the problem.<\/p>\n

But Hoss\u2026 Ben took a deep breath while considering this son. Hoss was proving he could occasionally blow with the force of a cold north wind. He might need to compose his thoughts better to avoid saying things he didn\u2019t really mean, but that would come.\u00a0 He considered how Hoss also had the ability to make others feel sheltered. If he pictured what that would look like, it might resemble his son tucked into his bed.<\/p>\n

This uniqueness normally made his boys work well together. Yet this same independence could splinter them. It was time now to hand them a pot of glue.<\/p>\n

His wicked smile continued as he raised the flames on a few lamps downstairs while making his way to the kitchen. \u00a0It took some looking to find Hop Sing\u2019s deepest, thinnest cooking pot. He set that on the table and rummaged through the utensil drawer until he found the solid wooden mallet their cook used for tenderizing meat.<\/p>\n

Grabbing the instruments to sound Reveille, he trotted back upstairs and swung all three doors open, before hammering on the pan until the walls reverberated with the noise.<\/p>\n

A thump sent him toward Hoss\u2019s room as he continued beating his drum, and he saw what he expected; the big man had tripped in his covers as he\u2019d exited his bed, still half-asleep. Reversing direction, he made a quick sweep past Joe and Adam\u2019s room and saw each of them making a grab for their pants. Adam was the first to his door, and he didn\u2019t look happy.<\/p>\n

The oldest son looked around and gave his father a droopy-eyed glare, and hollered, \u201cI don\u2019t smell smoke, so I assume the house isn\u2019t burning,\u201d over the din.<\/p>\n

Hoss yawned loudly while scratching his stomach. \u201cYa, Pa, what\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe had taken time to slip on his boots and shirt, and with his presence, Ben finally stopped beating on the pot. He looked from son to son. \u201cNow that I have your attention, I\u2019d like you all downstairs for that family meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t it wait for breakfast?\u201d Joe whined. \u201cIt can\u2019t be more than 4:30!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about that,\u201d Ben said reasonably. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t count on the three of you showing up at the same time, and that makes having family <\/em>discussions impossible. I\u2019m also tired of remaining at the table while the three of you either pop in one-by-one, or duck out of meals entirely. This,\u201d he held up his makeshift drum, \u201cand the hour,\u201d he indicated the clock on the hallway table, \u201cwere my means of ensuring your attendance.\u201d<\/p>\n

He observed the open-mouthed stares reflecting back at him, and laughed. He turned towards Adam. \u201cI\u2019ll allow you time to put on a shirt and socks so you don\u2019t freeze, but you other two are wearing enough for now, so go to the table. We\u2019ll go over the business at hand while Hop Sing makes breakfast. Then all four of us will eat together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam mumbled, \u201cMaybe I can escape out the window,\u201d as he turned back towards his room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d Ben asked in a no-nonsense tone.<\/p>\n

His cheeks were turning pink as he looked over his shoulder. \u201cI said I\u2019d better close my window. It\u2019s getting chilly.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The three Cartwright \u201cboys\u201d were still yawning and stretching as they took their seats at the table. They weren\u2019t speaking, but they were exchanging shrugs and confused expressions.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing had gotten to the kitchen during Ben\u2019s call to assembly, and put the coffee on. He rejected Ben\u2019s apology for denting the pot, with the encouragement that it was a small price to pay for returning peace to the house. \u201cI bring coffee out, and get breakfast going. You don\u2019t let sons leave before they eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben took his seat at the head of the table. \u201cI know you\u2019re wondering why you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss was not usually the first to speak, but he sat back and crossed his arms. \u201cIf this is about what\u2019s goin\u2019 on with the three of us, then you can stop right there, Pa. We\u2019re grown men, and you can\u2019t force us to hold each other in regard again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d He looked pointedly at the two sons who had not spoken. \u201cI assume you agree with Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

They both nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell that\u2019s good, because I don\u2019t want to talk about that.\u00a0 Yesterday, Hugh told me about something that must be addressed. He rode past the line shack in our southernmost grass. We\u2019ll be wintering cattle in those pastures soon, and that building is a necessity if the weather turns bad while our men are out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with it?\u201d Adam asked, hoping to speed things up.<\/p>\n

Hugh thinks it was struck by lightning. It shows signs of fire damage, and parts have collapsed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan it be repaired?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe thinks it needs to be rebuilt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can pick up supplies for the crew today,\u201d Hoss offered.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled serenely. \u201cThat\u2019s not quite what I had in mind. In fact, since I\u2019ve had so much time to myself over the last couple of days, I\u2019ve already pulled out the lists for what you\u2019ll need. If the mill can fill our lumber order, you can leave tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at his brothers, and then back to his father. \u201cPa, when you say, \u2018you\u2019 can leave, which one of us are you speakin\u2019 to?<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s feigned a look of surprise. \u201cWasn\u2019t I clear? I mean all of you<\/em>.\u201d He sat back, crossing his arms with a look of satisfaction, and addressed Hoss. \u201cYou and Joe can take two wagons to town today and pick up supplies and lumber.\u201d He glanced at his eldest. \u201cYou\u2019ll stay here with me, so if you have engineering work to return, give it to your brothers. They\u2019ll let the firm know that you\u2019ll be unavailable for a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took a quick breath and spoke again before Adam could voice a complaint. \u201cYou and I will get the rest of the lists done and be ready to load when your brothers return.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rose in a fluid movement, and leaned forward onto the table. \u201cI\u2019ll take a crew out there and get it done in a day or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down Adam,\u201d Ben said gently. \u201cThe three of you will go.\u201d\u00a0 He turned toward the kitchen entry and saw Hop Sing\u2019s nod that everything was ready. He returned his attention to his eldest. \u201cI\u2019d like to speak privately after we all have breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The meal progressed in silence, but that didn\u2019t bother Ben. Reconciliation would begin with small steps. He was encouraged as he noticed the amount of food being consumed. These three might not be enamored with the plan he\u2019d laid out, but something\u2014perhaps the familiarity of all four of them around the table\u2014had notched its first chink in their armor, and it allowed them to enjoy the meal, even if not the company.<\/p>\n

As their plates emptied, Ben cleared his throat. \u201cDo any of you have questions before you get started?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss did a quick glance at his brothers. \u201cYou can say otherwise, Pa, but we all know why yer doin\u2019 this, and I\u2019m not sure it\u2019s a good idea. Things don\u2019t always go so good when the three of us work together. That\u2019s what started this mess between us in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben tilted his head to the side as his brows neared. \u201cI\u2019m sure I was clear. Any other questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Once Joe and Hoss went to prepare for their trip to town, Adam gave his father a squinty-eyed stare across the table. \u201cWhy do you want to speak to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis animosity between you and your brothers may have started with the competition for Delores Tenino\u2019s attention, but the aftermath raised other nagging issues. I\u2019ve listened to your brothers\u2019 claims, and tried to provide them with perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now it\u2019s my turn,\u201d Adam said with resignation.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cThe statement you made earlier about redoing the shack without them, is indicative of their complaints. There are certainly instances where they haven\u2019t held up their end of a project or left you to clean up their mess, but there are far more times when they\u2019ve come through for you. The good work you do together is far greater than any amount of horseplay can negate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and Joe are old enough that there should be no need to engage in\u2026horseplay.\u201d He sighed into a dry chuckle. \u201cBut then I\u2019ve been told that my expectations are set too high for mortals. And since neither of them wants me here anymore, it would seem the consensus in this house is that I\u2019m<\/em> the problem, not them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben drew a sharp breath, before moving behind his son\u2019s chair. He grasped Adam\u2019s shoulders. \u201cI don\u2019t think Hoss meant that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t hold it against him, Pa,\u201d he said turning to see his father\u2019s face. \u201cI\u2019ve<\/em> wondered whether I should have stayed so long since coming back from school. Not because I don\u2019t want to be<\/em> here, but because Hoss and Joe might become more responsible if I wasn\u2019t<\/em> here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t imagine Joseph acting differently no matter how much responsibility he has.\u201d Ben smiled at Adam\u2019s frown. \u201cJoe\u2019s impulsive, and he seems unable or unwilling to curb this. Yet I wouldn\u2019t want him to change just to get a better ranch hand. And I see something you don\u2019t, son. Your example has<\/em> helped him settle into good work habits. And while Hoss will never be as organized as you, he\u2019s learned plenty from you too. He thinks with his heart, and it seldom steers him wrong\u2026except when he lets Joe talk him into some scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re fine men, Adam, and you\u2019ve had a hand in that. They can learn even more from you if you\u2019d explain things.\u201d He saw Adam\u2019s rising right brow. \u201cI<\/em> know how thoroughly you plan before doing anything, but you don\u2019t allow Joe and Hoss to see that part of it. They don\u2019t feel the excitement you experience when a plan takes shape in your mind, and when they do hear about it, it often feels like you\u2019re talking to them as hired hands, not equals. It might go better if you\u2019d talk with<\/em> them, instead of to<\/em> them, and share your insights as you work through the plan.\u201d He gave Adam\u2019s shoulders a sturdy squeeze. \u201cOnly you can decide if they\u2019re worth the effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t wait for an answer. \u201cGet your work ready for them to take to town. I\u2019ll be with Hop Sing.\u201d He watched his eldest go upstairs, knowing that making Adam rely on his brothers to deliver his work was making his son squirm right now. Yet Ben was forcing this first step of trust, while petitioning the almighty for all to go well.<\/p>\n

Five<\/strong><\/p>\n

Accepting that their father wouldn\u2019t tolerate further argument kept the Cartwright sons on task. Their labors were made easier by using lists Adam had started compiling after returning from school, saying he\u2019d grown tired of starting from scratch each time they began a project. These lists weren\u2019t used for everyday tasks, but they proved invaluable when they were going far enough to preclude a quick trip back to the house for forgotten items.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe took lists to town to ensure they\u2019d have the lumber they\u2019d need, and the supplies to stock the shacks for emergency use. Adam used another list to gather the tools. If followed to the letter, they would have enough hinges, nails, mattresses, cooking and eating utensils, canned goods, stove pipe, mattresses, blankets and the various other items required to complete the job.<\/p>\n

Since this job was stationary, they could set up camp. There was also a list for a late-fall project that included a sturdy tent, cots with warm bedding, lanterns, and a supply of warm clothing. While father and son completed their preparations, Hop Sing worked from the list he\u2019d<\/em> created for a cook kit.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It was mid-afternoon when Adam walked around the pile of goods in the yard waiting to be packed on the wagons once his brothers returned. He laughed when his father brought a last crate out of the house. \u201cI think we have enough here to set up our own town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben examined their work. \u201cYou might be right.\u201d His expression became reflective. \u201cWe all helped perfect those lists, and I can send you off knowing you\u2019ll be prepared for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe pulled their heavy wagons into the yard as Adam and Ben were still talking,<\/p>\n

How\u2019d it go?\u201d Ben asked the sons on the wagons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got everything,\u201d Little Joe shouted before pointing. \u201cAre we supposed to get that pile of stuff onto these wagons too? It looks like we\u2019ll\u00a0 be gone for a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a little rearranging and careful packing of the remaining items, the two wagons were loaded, covered, and tucked in the barn for an early morning start by the time Hop Sing called them to dinner. The table conversation was polite and limited to ranch topics. The only information from town was a message from Alex at the engineering firm, wishing Adam a safe trip.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe promised to set things aside for you to do when you get back,\u201d Joe told his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Joe.\u201d A quick smile confirmed Adam\u2019s sincerity.<\/p>\n

With conversation at a minimum, the meal ended quickly. The sons lingered with their father for a brandy by the fire, but soon excused themselves, citing a long day and early morning to come.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben found his sons waiting at the table when he came down for breakfast, and made note of their personal kits waiting by the door. \u201cI\u2019m pleased you decided to avoid another wake-up call. You didn\u2019t need to worry though. Hop Sing hid his pans before he went to bed last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

They spent a few minutes going over their timetable and Ben\u2019s offered a final directive. \u201cWatch for anything else we should take care of before moving cattle over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sons were on their way by 8 a.m., hoping to arrive at their location before dark.<\/p>\n

Ben followed the wagons, and waited until they were out of sight while petitioning the Creator for a safe trip, and speaking to his wives; asking them to guide their sons to reconciliation.<\/p>\n

He was filled with hope\u2026along with a good dose of apprehension, and found he couldn\u2019t concentrate on the mundane tasks he tried to accomplish once he was alone. His pacing and avoidance of the paperwork on his desk, led him to a decision. There was no impending deadline to make him enter figures into a book. The truth was that the ranch would be just fine if he spent a day or two in town, and he decided to get organized and leave in the morning.<\/p>\n

Six <\/strong><\/p>\n

With two wagons and three people, Adam hadn\u2019t challenged his brothers when they climbed onto the driver\u2019s seats. He\u2019d slipped into the wagon bed instead where he\u2019d arranged a mattress and pillow along with a novel he wanted to finish. He\u2019d brought books to pass the evenings, since work stopped early on these shorter fall days. Sitting around a campfire on a chilly evening wasn\u2019t as idyllic as portrayed in dime novels or western paintings. The cold of darkness slid under your jacket and up the legs of your pants, leaving behind gooseflesh and misery. The fire might warm what was nearest to it, but it was of little benefit to anything more than a foot or two away. They would set up a tent on this trip, and he was looking forward to slipping into his bedroll, with a lamp on a crate next to his cot, and reading until he fell asleep.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d peeked inside that last crate his father had brought out, and knew it contained a checker board, cards, and bottle of good whiskey. It was Pa\u2019s way of setting a scene, hoping that the liquor would loosen their tongues, and the games would make them do something together. The thing his father seemed to have overlooked was that games usually involved flagrant cheating when played by his younger brothers, and that led to arguments. He preferred quieter entertainment.<\/p>\n

Adam dozed off in his comfortable wagon nest, and was startled when he heard Hoss\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about you spell me a bit,\u201d Hoss called over his shoulder as he pulled the heavily-loaded wagon to a halt.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Adam mumbled as shook off his slumber and climbed up front. \u201cAfter you rest, I\u2019ll take Joe\u2019s wagon and let him stretch the kinks out too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simple and necessary conversations had resumed. Adam slapped the reins against the rumps of the four draft horses up front, and recalled that this hadn\u2019t been true when his brothers were little. He thought back to refereeing fights between Hoss and Joe back then, and he laughed silently as he recalled the gist of them:<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, tell Hoss to stop looking at me funny!\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cAdam, tell Little Joe that if I look funny it\u2019s cuz I see him, and he\u2019s purdy funny lookin\u2019.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

He\u2019d never allowed those third-party conversations to continue for long, but they\u2019d been attempted repeatedly. He grimaced as he thought about how the three of them had used Pa as their buffer lately. They\u2019d each maintained they had a right to feel as they did, while spilling their grievances about each other to Pa like children.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hugh had described the damage he\u2019d seen in detail, yet Adam\u2019s jaw dropped when he cleared the final rise and got his first look at the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell I\u2019ll be,\u201d Hoss said as he looked over at Adam on the wagon seat. \u201cThat thing is flat as a pancake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cIt sure is.\u201d He pointed to the wagon ahead of them. \u201cPull up next to Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three men walked around the remains in silence, and then back towards the wagons. \u201cI was kind of hoping we brought all this stuff just to be safe,\u201d Joe said as he gazed up at two mountains of supplies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe building will go up fast, but there\u2019s a lot to do before we can start,\u201d Adam said as he surveyed the area. \u201cLet\u2019s lay the tent out over there.\u201d He indicated a spot on the other side of the wagons. \u201cIt\u2019s not completely level there, Joe, but there\u2019s enough soft ground to pound in the stakes.\u201d He nodded toward Hoss. \u201cYou can pull out the food and get something cooking for supper. I\u2019ll get some boards out of that mess to make a fire, and then help raise the tent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nudged Hoss\u2019s arm as he nodded towards Adam. \u201cWe\u2019ve been here five minutes, and he\u2019s already ordering us around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bit his lips as he realized his brothers had mended just enough fence to keep him outside. He sighed heavily. \u201cI gave a suggestion, not an order. If one of you has a better idea of how we can use our remaining light\u2026I\u2019ll follow your lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence was followed by shifting feet and another quick look exchanged between the younger men. Joe looked down as he answered. \u201cI didn\u2019t say it was a bad idea. I just don\u2019t like being ordered around.\u201d<\/p>\n

His father\u2019s suggestion itched in Adam\u2019s mind as he looked at the tangle of lumber that had once been a shelter. \u201cI figured out a plan to get things going once I saw what we were dealing with, but you can\u2019t read my mind. Maybe it would help if I explained.\u201d He pointed toward the wagon with the tent. \u201cThat canvas is so clumsy it\u2019ll take all three of us to move it. Once it\u2019s in place, it\u2019ll be easy for one person to stake it. You\u2019re the most agile of us, Joe, so you would get that done the quickest.\u201d He saw the tightness in Joe\u2019s jaw loosen slightly. \u201cAnd I figured Hoss should cook, since my tendency to burn everything is pretty well known.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss laughed as his posture became less rigid. \u201cYou\u2019re right about that. And I enjoy a good meal more\u2019n you two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked toward the foundation. \u201cI\u2019d like to get into that mess of wood. It looks bad, but I\u2019m hoping the floor is sound so we don\u2019t have to rebuild the foundation. If I can move a few things I might get a peek at what\u2019s underneath, and we\u2019ll know where we have to start.\u201d<\/p>\n

A resigned smile curled the left side of Joe\u2019s lips. \u201cYour brain is always working, brother, and it usually makes good sense. It is nice to hear the why, instead of just the what, how, and who.\u201d He looked toward Hoss, \u201cIf he lets one of us have a say now and then, we\u2019ll be heading home in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It was late by the time the camp was set up, the horses unhitched and tied near the woods, the meal warmed up, and his initial survey completed. His eyes were already heavy when Adam slipped into the tent to look at the plans he\u2019d done for the original shack. His sleepy brothers soon joined him, and they hunkered in for the night.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Sharing his thought process with his brothers the previous evening had been so effective that Adam decided to try again this morning. He swallowed his last bite of bacon and put his plate aside. \u201cThe good news is that from what I can see, the floor and foundation look sound. Two of us can clear off the remaining debris while someone gets lumber sorted for the frames. I\u2019d bet we can get the four sides built and anchored today.\u201d Adam smiled expectantly. \u201cWhat would you two like to tackle?\u201d His hope for a quick start and cooperation vanished as his question was met with silent glares.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell ain\u2019t that a fine how\u2019d ya\u2019 do.\u201d Hoss looked at Joe and shook his head. \u201cHe might be the smartest of us three, but he sure don\u2019t learn easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d Adam asked as his eyebrows joined into one with his scowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and I build things all the time,\u201d Joe told him. \u201cWe didn\u2019t need that little lesson about what we need to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

If they\u2019d had a saddle horse with them, he\u2019d have ridden away. Adam\u2019s shoulders sank in defeat. \u201cDo whatever you please.\u201d He stood up straighter as he thought further, and stared his brothers down. \u201cI\u2019m done apologizing for doing what I do well. I\u2019ve always been able to see through to the end of a project better than either of you. Normally, you\u2019d be glad to get directions that would speed things along. It\u2019s just now that you have these\u2026burrs under your saddles about other things that you find me overbearing.\u201d His hands were on his hips and he realized he was standing in the same wide stance his father used when he was making a point\u2026or scolding them. \u201cI\u2019m going to clear off the base.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not stupid, Adam,\u201d Hoss said as he looked down at his feet. \u201cSometimes the way you talk to us\u2026well\u2026I\u2019m not stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never said you were stupid.\u201d Adam\u2019s mouth hung open as he took a ragged breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say it all the time,\u201d Joe challenged. \u201cOr at least you imply it. You shake your head or laugh when you talk to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have\u2026never\u2026said you were stupid. In fact I\u2019ve told both of you both that you\u2019re smart many times. You each have had great ideas about projects and problems at the ranch. Yes, I scratch my head and laugh at times. But that\u2019s not a judgment on your intelligence. You do have to admit that you do get into some messy situations when your ideas get ahead of your reasoning.\u201d He knew he should stop there, but he also knew that unless his brothers would move past their pouting, they would never get done. \u201cAn intelligent person can do a stupid thing<\/em> from time-to-time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what I hate about you, Adam,\u201d Joe yelled. \u201cYou turned what started as a compliment into calling us stupid again. I\u2019m done listening to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss grabbed Joe as the younger man tried to walk away. \u201cI agree with ya to a point, Joe. But Adam does say how smart I am all the time, and he\u2019s got plenty of fine words for you too. And if you\u2019re honest, you know that other part he said is true too. You and me, well, we do get ourselves into a lot of fixes, even when we think we done planned it all out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe gave Hoss an evil-eyed glare. \u201cI never figured you\u2019d take his side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t takin\u2019 a side; I just don\u2019t want us fightin\u2019. It\u2019ll make things go slower. And there ain\u2019t no call to go sayin\u2019 you hate him. He\u2019s our brother.\u201d His pinched lip and raised cheeks dared the younger man to disagree. \u201cLet\u2019s just get workin\u2019 on those frames so we\u2019re ready when that platform is clear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sent Hoss a half-smile, as he dug a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and extended it toward the pair. \u201cYou\u2019ll need this. The layout of this shack is a little different than the rest of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve built as many of these as you have, Adam. You playing engineer now goes back to what I was just saying. Hoss and I are capable of doing this, so you can take that paper and shove it up\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Hoss said powerfully. \u201cThere ain\u2019t no need for that either.\u201d He turned his brother toward the wagon with the lumber and gave him a nudge. \u201cLet\u2019s just get goin\u2019. Them cots with the mattresses and extra blankets ain\u2019t bad for campin\u2019 gear, but I\u2019d like to get back to my own bed as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam headed toward the supply wagon for a saw, crowbar and hammer. He had a good reason for wanting them to check the plan. This shack was<\/em> different than the rest, and since they neither wanted to view the drawing nor assist with the collapsed building, they were going to \u201cbull\u201d ahead without a clue.<\/p>\n

A grin flirted with his lips momentarily as he considered his comparison. A bull had gotten them into this and now his two siblings were going to charge into this project with the same abandon shown by Gigger\u2019s animal. His brothers had been kids when the line shacks were originally built, and their \u201chelp\u201d consisted of hammering nails where they were told to do so. These small, but necessary shelters were battered by winds, and covered with heavy snow that could collapse a flimsy building. Because of this, line shack frames were set with studs at 16 inch intervals instead of using the 24 inch spacing they normally used.<\/p>\n

He wanted to grab Joe by the shoulders and force him to look at the plans he\u2019d snubbed. Instead, he did a few mental calculations to assure himself that this<\/em> shack would be fine as long as the back wall was done correctly. If the longer length of some of the boards didn\u2019t give them a clue by the time they began working on that back frame, he would have to intervene.<\/p>\n

His father\u2019s plan in forcing the communal building effort to rebuild their personal bridges was working\u2026to a point. The rift between his brothers was mending quickly as they concentrated on a common enemy. He did appreciate that Hoss provided restraint to Joe\u2019s fire. Hoss had speculated that their feelings toward one another might not ever return to what they were before this brouhaha. Still, he wasn\u2019t about to let them get any worse.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s engineer\u2019s mind made him try one more time to ensure a \u201cbuilding\u201d rather than an actual \u201cshack\u201d. He dug a wheel of measuring tape from the tool box and walked to the other wagon. \u201cYou\u2019ll need this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss reached for it, but Joe\u2019s withering look made him drop his arm to his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss\u2019s feet are twelve-inches long, so he can set a stud every two steps.\u201d The youngest brother\u2019s voice was surly; his look challenging. \u201cThat tape always gets tangled and takes more time than it\u2019s worth.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hadn\u2019t expected a positive response, but that hadn\u2019t kept him from hoping for one. Adam would have said that any project worth doing, was worth doing well, but he wasn\u2019t in the mood to fight. He tossed the reel back onto the wagon as he passed by, and headed toward the rubble.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The empty table last evening had filled Ben with the hope that his sons would rebuild their family ties along with the line shack. But sitting alone in the same spot this morning poked at his loneliness and concern. He shivered involuntarily as he pictured building something when each comment and suggestion was infused with emotional TNT. Adam would take the reins, but with the mood Joe was in, the youngster would push back against anything his oldest brother promoted. That would leave Hoss in the middle to see the value in Adam\u2019s methodical ways, while making sure Joe\u2019s thoughts were given equal consideration.<\/p>\n

The coffee in his stomach felt like a mound of hot lava waiting to erupt when he eyed the plate of food Hop Sing carried out of the kitchen. \u201cThat looks good, but I\u2019m not hungry this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou worry for sons,\u201d the smaller man replied with the familiarity of someone whose years of service made him a trusted adviser. \u201cNot eating not make things easier for them. You do good in making them go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so too; it\u2019s the waiting that\u2019s hard.\u201d After taking a bite of the perfectly browned toast, he called to the kitchen. \u201cI\u2019m going to town today. I\u2019ll take Sheriff Coffee out for dinner, and then spend the evening in the saloons listening to the scuttlebutt about Winkelman\u2019s silver strike. It\u2019ll be late, so I\u2019ll stay at the hotel. You take the day off too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing\u2019s smile appeared to engulf his face. \u201cI take laundry to cousin and visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seven<\/strong><\/p>\n

By midmorning, the flames of a bonfire were nearly kissing the clouds as Adam burned the unusable material he\u2019d extracted from the remains.<\/p>\n

His efforts had exposed the planks of the foundation, and confirmed that the fire had stopped before consuming the base. Hugh was likely correct in suspecting lightning in starting the blaze. The rain that eventually fell extinguished it, but there was too much structural damage by then to remain standing.<\/p>\n

He kept a covert eye on what his brothers were doing while he hammered down sharp ends of the exposed nails in the boards they could use for the campfire. Angry with his brothers or not, the last thing he wanted was for one of them to step on a nail or poke themselves while grabbing firewood.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe were nearly done with the third frame already. Using Hoss\u2019s feet as their measuring device was speeding things along, yet he wondered if the finished products would fit the base and butt up to one another correctly. It would mean tearing them apart and starting over if they didn\u2019t, but he was biting his tongue. In the dark corner of his brain where his less-than altruistic thoughts resided, he anticipated the moment they\u2019d have to confront the errors in their haphazard approach to construction.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d reached for last board on the far side of the structure, intending to \u201cdefang\u201d it, when he saw Hoss hesitate at the lumber wagon. He stopped what he was doing to listen.<\/p>\n

Hoss walked around the pile of remaining boards, scratching his head. \u201cWe just got a few of them stud-length boards left for the last side, Joe. On the other hand, we got lots a long boards and I don\u2019t know where they go.\u201d The head scratching continued. \u201cWe gave Zeke the list.\u201d He glanced over to see where Adam was, and lowered the volume of his voice to address Joe again. \u201cSo either Zeke made a mistake, or there was somethin\u2019 wrong on that list.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe joined Hoss at the pile. \u201cZeke probably ran out of the right lengths, but knew we were in a hurry and gave us these instead. You\u2019d think he\u2019d have said something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss leaned in closer. \u201cAdam don\u2019t make mistakes when it comes to things like this, and Zeke sure would have told us if he substituted.\u201d Their foreheads were nearly touching. \u201cMaybe we oughtta get a look at the plan after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t\u00a0 askin\u2019 him for help,\u201d Joe hissed in a whisper. \u201cJust give me a minute to figure this out.\u201d He carried one of the longer boards over to their construction area and laid it next to the sections they had finished. It extended beyond the completed frames by a good two feet. He motioned for Hoss to join him and hollered with a swagger he wasn\u2019t feeling. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to cut these down some when we run out of the short boards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam puffed his cheeks and blew out a long breath. He wasn\u2019t looking forward to the reaction that was about to come, but he couldn\u2019t allow them to destroy those boards. He faced the points of the long nails still protruding from the short plank in his hand downward, and dropped it as he hurried to his brothers. He\u2019d go back to finish it as soon as he got them back on track, and then sweep the foundation. What he didn\u2019t see as he stepped away was that the board bounced and flipped over when it hit the ground, facing the points upwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re making good progress,\u201d he began as he got to the other side of the foundation, and he added an encouraging smile. \u201cI\u2019m glad you noticed that the boards are longer for the back wall. It\u2019s such a mix of ground and boulders here that it was hard to find a flat space big enough to set this shack. The only way we could orient it was with a long side facing due south. If we\u2019d done a gabled roof like usual, the back side wouldn\u2019t have gotten sun in the winter, making it prone to collapse under a heavy snow. I redid this plan with a lean-to roof, pitched for optimal light.\u201d He blinked slowly and waded into water he feared might drown him in his brothers\u2019 anger again. \u201cI also must insist that this wall be done with 16-inch studding. It\u2019s a lot taller than the other sections, and handles more load.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled back. \u201cNow I remember that this shack looked different. Thanks, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe whispered a mocking, \u201cThanks Adam,\u201d to Hoss, once Adam grabbed a broom from the wagon and moved out of earshot. \u201cI would have figured that out,\u201d he continued with ferocity, \u201cif he\u2019d kept his nose out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not so sure about that,\u201d Hoss replied in a gentle tone. \u201cYou were gettin\u2019 ready to saw off them boards a minute ago.\u201d He glanced over and saw that Joe\u2019s face was still set in a scowl. \u201cYou might still be mad at Adam for whatever your reasons, but that don\u2019t change the truth of this. I\u2019m also thinking these extra short stud boards we got settin\u2019 around should\u2019a been in those frames we just finished, and somehow that\u2019s gonna bite us in the be-hind. About now I wish we\u2019d let Adam help us right from the beginnin\u2019. He can seem bossy, but ya can\u2019t ever say he don\u2019t know what he\u2019s talkin\u2019 about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss was sure he saw steam coming out of Joe\u2019s ears, but he wasn\u2019t sorry he had said what he did. Joe accused Adam of having a hard head, but his youngest brother had inherited that same trait. It came out in different ways than it did in their oldest brother, but when Joe got something in his craw, he played it to the bitter end. The framing they were doing was a good example. Joe\u2019s anger over a different situation led to his refusal to listen to good advice. Adam had backed off and let them do as they pleased, and that made Hoss nervous. It seemed likely that having their own way would confirm what upset Adam about their method of doing things in the first place: he and Joe made mistakes when they let feelings override good judgment.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t looking forward to seeing Adam\u2019s eyes roll when their mistakes were exposed, but they\u2019d deserve it. Still\u2026maybe it wasn\u2019t too late to salvage something. He located the tape reel and approached his older brother on the platform. \u201cHey, Adam, could you help me measure out the side for the tall frame and then set marks for the studs?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be glad to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss felt buoyed by his outreach. \u201cMaybe once we got that done, you can build up the campfire to warm the coffee and that soup Hop Sing sent.\u201d<\/p>\n

The smile continued as Adam reached for the end of the tape and glanced up at the sky. \u201cThat\u2019s a good idea. My stomach\u2019s been growling for a while, but I didn\u2019t realize it was noon already.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cYou managed not to burn the soup,\u201d Hoss teased his brother as he ladled a second helping out of the pot. \u201cWe\u2019ll make a camp cook outta you yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss asking for help and Adam accepting a task that he normally didn\u2019t do, had opened a gate between the two brothers. A tentative truce seemed to hold as they talked easily while slurping the egg dumpling and vegetable filled broth.<\/p>\n

\u201cLucky the weather\u2019s cool enough that Hop Sing could send along some prepared meals,\u201d Adam commented as he rinsed his bowl and refilled his cup with coffee. \u201cI can heat things up, but I sure can\u2019t cook from scratch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll show you how to fry some spuds and beef for dinner. It\u2019s not hard, but it takes a little more attention,\u201d Hoss said encouragingly. \u201cIt\u2019s time we all tried a few new things instead a just doin\u2019 what we know best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned back against a boulder and sipped his hot coffee. \u201cThat\u2019s the best idea I\u2019ve heard in a long time, Hoss. I\u2019ll try my best to make hash without turning it into a burnt offering.\u201d He took a longer draw from his cup. \u201cI don\u2019t recall that you\u2019ve ever mitered roof beams. How about I give you a quick lesson on angles when we get that far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe wore a distinctly sour look as he watched his brothers engage in the initial gestures of an affable reconciliation. He\u2019d remained silent but finally interjected, \u201cAnd where do I fit into all this goodwill?\u201d His voice rose in a surly snarl. \u201cMaybe I can butter the frying pan for Adam or tote lumber for Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

The smiles left the faces of the two as they stared at the third. \u201cYou\u2019re wrong about that,\u201d Adam began, as a kindly smile reappeared. \u201cYou were young when we first did the shacks, but you\u2019ve picked up great building skills by doing other projects. Just give a holler if you\u2019d like to learn something or want help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss snorted into a laugh. \u201cThat\u2019s if you ain\u2019t too hard-headed to ask.\u201d When Joe\u2019s posture and expression remained rigid, he added, \u201cWe all know Pa sent us out here so we\u2019d have get over what\u2019s eatin\u2019 at us. I don\u2019t know about you two, but being out here, workin\u2019 together, does makes me remember the good times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell that\u2019s fine.\u201d Joe\u2019s tone remained defiant. \u201cYou and older brother just keep on making your plans. I know what I\u2019m doing and I\u2019ll keep doing it.\u201d He turned abruptly and returned to the frame he\u2019d been hammering before lunch.<\/p>\n

Hoss spoke softly as he and Adam cleaned up and stowed their food. \u201cHe\u2019s hurtin\u2019 bad,\u201d he said as he nodded toward Joe. \u201cOne minute I think he\u2019s gettin\u2019 over it and the next he sounds as raw as he did the day Senorita Delores and her pa left. It ain\u2019t like him to carry on so long.\u201d He shook his head slowly. \u201cAnd one minute he\u2019s mad at you and talkin\u2019 to me normal like; the next he\u2019s thinkin\u2019 I\u2019d actually try to hurt him over a gal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam lifted the wooden box with their cooking supplies into the wagon bed and leaned against it as he considered Hoss\u2019s comment. \u201cI think he\u2019s embarrassed, but it shows up as anger. Joe has always thought he was grown up. He forgets that getting<\/em> older includes living through those years to gain experience, not jumping over them or pretending you know it all. I\u2019ve had twelve more years of making decisions\u2026as well as learning from the bad ones I\u2019ve made; you\u2019ve had six more. Yet Joe thinks he\u2019s on even ground with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes sense. This\u2019ll blow over just like them clouds up there.\u201d He looked upwards at the white fluff moving above them before grinning at Adam again. He leaned in closer. \u201cI\u2019m just wonderin\u2019 how far off we are on our building from what we should\u2019ve done?\u201d He laughed when his brother remained silent. \u201cI guess you\u2019re gonna let us find out on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

A low rumble started in Adam\u2019s chest and broke free in a gentle laugh. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean.\u201d He sent his brother a wink. \u201cBut then\u2026I\u2019m sneaky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss turned this information over in his mind. Part of him wanted to renew his anger at his older brother for not speaking up to prevent their mistakes. On the other hand, Joe had been plenty clear about working without Adam\u2019s direction. The one thing he knew for sure was that he didn\u2019t want to be mad anymore. He was tired of the acid burning away at his insides since that night when he\u2019d made fun of Adam. He\u2019d made that even worse when he tore a chunk out of the man\u2019s heart with his accusations and conclusions. This last hour of talking easy and hearing Adam laugh again had stitched together something in his heart that had been hanging by a thread. \u201cI ain\u2019t never known you to not have a backup plan, so I ain\u2019t too worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eight<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam found a thin coat of ice on the edge of the pond by their camp in the morning, and turned his attention skyward. The previous two days had been sunny and warm, but he felt a bite in the breeze today. The gray clouds on the horizon didn\u2019t promise any great improvement in temperatures. October was a month of transition in the eastern Sierra foothills. A sweltering day could be followed by flurries the next. He wasn\u2019t expecting snow, but a day of cold, strong winds would make work uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d managed to attach and anchor the four frames before dark yesterday. He\u2019d been amazed at how well the imprecisely measured units fit together, and he\u2019d complimented his brothers on their work as they\u2019d eaten his barely-burned dinner. If all went well, they could have the roof beams done by noon, along with the framing for the door and small window. Would the fates continue to be kindly towards them, they\u2019d get the roof finished by evening, thanks to a new product they were using for the first time: a composite board called plywood.3<\/sup> The product was in its infancy, but even this initial offering was making things easier. The squares of manufactured wood were evenly flat, easy to place, and covered a section of roof faster than nailing individual boards. Once the plywood was attached, the shakes could be added quickly.<\/p>\n

He was in such an optimistic mood that he let Hoss and Joe sleep while he got the coffee brewing and started cooking potatoes and ham for breakfast. He looked up when he saw Hoss exit the tent, sniffing the air like a coon hound on a scent.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re catchin\u2019 on to this cookin\u2019 thing real well,\u201d the big man offered as he made his way over to the fire. My belly\u2019s as empty as a cave, and the smell of that ham got it to rumblin\u2019 so hard I thought it best to get outside before it shook the tent down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam handed Hoss a cup of coffee, and looked back to the tent. \u201cIs the kid awake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is, but he\u2019s gotta comb his hair and tuck his shirt.\u201d Hoss pointed to his own messy mane. \u201cOnce I smelled breakfast, I wasn\u2019t concerned with how I\u2019d look eatin\u2019 it.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Once their meal was done and the supplies re-stowed, Adam took Hoss to the lumber wagon and grabbed a heavy length of board. \u201cI\u2019ll teach you to do those angles now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned back to Joe, who\u2019d put on the same crabby expression he\u2019d worn yesterday, along with his other clothes before he\u2019d exited the tent. He honestly didn\u2019t want to ruin the developing goodwill in camp, but there was no way to get started without getting organized. \u201cI\u2019ll work with Hoss to start, but you can help him nail in the truss beams, if you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rubbed at his neck. \u201cMy arm and shoulder feel stiff from hammering all day yesterday. \u00a0I\u2019ll sort out the rest of the lumber wagon so we\u2019ll be ready to start the roof once the beams are up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes widened for an instant. Joe\u2019s answer had been given without the edge that had become his norm, and the scowl had softened. Had his brother just blinked? It was too soon to tell, but he was glad to take a small gain.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam bit his tongue rather than discourage Hoss with an offhand comment while he was learning the mitering process. The big guy couldn\u2019t picture how the pieces would go together at first, and kept drawing the cut-lines backwards. Adam\u2019s frustration was only with the delay, not his pupil. When Hoss finally figured it out and was moving ahead on his own, Adam realized the delay seemed far longer than it actually was. This got him wondering how many times his<\/em> impatience with his brothers had added more time to their mastering of a new skill, than anything they<\/em> had done wrong.<\/p>\n

His good mood at how the day was going continued as they carried the first beam over to attach it. They couldn\u2019t use ladders until they got a few of the crosspieces secured to stabilize the frames, so Hoss made a stack of crates on the floor to allow him to reach the top of the tall side of the building. Adam was able to reach the opposite side using a single box.<\/p>\n

They got the first strut nailed quickly; shoved their crate-ladders over a foot or so, and climbed up to attach the second beam. Once they finished this one, they could switch to ladders for faster application. While waiting for Hoss to get an anchor nail in his end, Adam\u2019s mind strayed to calculating how long it would take to finish, based on the rate they were establishing. In his distracted state, he nearly toppled from his perch when the board flew out of his hands. He heard Hoss\u2019s shout and turned to see the loose beam smack the side of his brother\u2019s head as he half-jumped, half-fell from the top of his boxes.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s shift caused his crate to wobble too, and he leaned forward to regain his center of gravity. The attempt ended when the floor boards bounced at Hoss\u2019s impact, and he began to fall backwards. He swung his arms in an attempt to pull forward again but his feet were no longer firmly planted, and his backward tip continued. The box was placed about a foot in on the floorboards, and a quick glance down confirmed that if he fell now, some part of his anatomy would land on the sharp edge of the foundation below him. Hoping to avoid that bone-snapping conclusion, he bent down enough to push off the crate with his heels, adding just enough thrust to clear the platform, and try for a tuck and roll on the ground.<\/p>\n

It worked! He nearly shouted halleluiah as he cleared the structure and prepared to collapse as soon as his feet touched the ground. The odds were now in his favor to walk away unharmed other than a few bruises\u2026but Adam hadn\u2019t factored in the possibility of landing on the \u201cone thing\u201d that didn\u2019t belong in the landscape. Pain seared every inch of the nerves traveling up his leg into his groin and spine as his right foot came to rest on this \u201cthing\u201d, and his downward propulsion drove him onto it like a pile driver. His planned shout of praise turned into a shrieking howl as the pain continued snaking upward into his abdomen, finally exploding in his chest and making it hard to breathe.<\/p>\n

The pain made it difficult to concentrate, but as he came to a stop, he knew he had to roll sideways, requiring a solid push from his injured foot. To fall forward or backward would ensure more damage.<\/p>\n

Curled safely on his side, he was able to exchange air again, and he used his newfound breath to curse his own stupidity. He hadn\u2019t landed on uneven terrain or an unexpected rock; he\u2019d impaled his foot on the board he\u2019d tossed aside the day before. He hadn\u2019t gone back to finish hammering the last two nails in, and he now realized it hadn\u2019t landed face-down as he\u2019d thought. The irony of his situation stung nearly as much as the nails pulsing in his foot. He was the one who criticized his brothers for not anticipating the possible negative outcomes when they weren\u2019t careful. He groaned in mental pain while willing the physical pain to ease.<\/p>\n

Joe witnessed the tumbles of both brothers and wondered who needed help most. He thought Adam would land safely, but then heard him scream as he disappeared behind the foundation. Hoss got up immediately, and although he was rubbing his head, he was moving fine. Joe headed for Adam.<\/p>\n

Hoss shook off his shock and followed Joe. \u00a0He\u2019d heard Adam holler, but he\u2019d hoped that was a reaction of surprise, not damage. \u201cI don\u2019t know what happened,\u201d he said as he approached the brother who was lying on his side, holding his knees to his chest. \u201cI saw critters playin\u2019 on that nearby rise and I must\u2019a shifted too far to one side of that top box when I tried to take a better look.\u201d He touched Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth dropped open. \u201cDo I look all right? There\u2019s a board nailed to my foot!\u201d<\/p>\n

A quick grin flashed before Hoss\u2019s grimace returned. \u201cI\u2019m sorry ta say this, but just for a minute there I was thinking you was getting ready to go skiin\u2019.\u201d His color paled as he drew a sharp breath. \u201cWait\u2026did you said it\u2019s nailed to yer foot<\/em>?\u201d He swallowed hard. \u201cYou mean them nails go clear through the boot\u2026\u201d Hoss bent over to rest his elbows on his knees so he wouldn\u2019t pass out. He could handle nearly anything, but the thought that Adam had a board nailed to his body left him reeling. \u201cWhat should we do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam groaned, \u201cGet it off!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe remained silent during the exchange between his brothers, but he sprang to action once Adam gave permission to help. His question of whether the nails were deeply imbedded was answered with a weary nod. \u201cWell this\u2019s gonna hurt like hell, then,\u201d he joked, trying to take their minds from the task at hand. \u201cJust don\u2019t kick me with your good foot while I\u2019m pulling.\u201d<\/p>\n

The problem with the extraction became apparent as Joe tried a quick yank and elicited a loud yelp, but no separation. \u201cBoy, that\u2019s attached good,\u201d Joe said as he backed off. \u201cThe nails are stuck in the leather of your sole, and when I pull, the whole boot moves.\u201d He looked up at Hoss, concerned with how pale he<\/em> looked. A bump on the big man\u2019s temple was surrounded by a wide area of red, but Joe was pretty sure the sick-cow look was a response to Adam\u2019s dilemma rather than his own injury. \u201cI can\u2019t get any leverage unless maybe I shove my foot into Adam\u2019s\u2026\u201d He demonstrated what he meant, stopping short of contact.<\/p>\n

The two younger Cartwrights shivered, and Adam croaked, \u201cThat couldn\u2019t hurt any worse. Then again\u2026I might want children someday, so figure another way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss joined Joe in viewing the situation. \u201cWhat we gotta do is hold that boot in place so you\u2019re pullin\u2019 the board loose without nails movin\u2019 in and out of his foot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate that.\u201d Adam nodded and then threw his head back and moaned. \u201cGrab my leg and hold it straight, Joe. I\u2019m getting a cramp from my hip down to my ankle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe provided stretch to ease the cramping, and then nodded toward Hoss. Let\u2019s get this done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive me a minute to get set.\u201d Hoss knelt behind Adam, and when he was hunkered in, he instructed, \u201cBend yer knee and raise yer leg enough so\u2019s I can tug the boot towards me while Joe yanks the other end.\u201d The big man looked around as Adam took a minute to catch his breath after another cramp. \u201cWho left a board with nails, sittin\u2019 on the ground anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave Hoss a glassy-eyed, dirty look over his shoulder. \u201cThat\u2019s not important right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The younger brothers made eye contact and started to laugh. Hoss patted Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI recall you telling us how we don\u2019t think ahead enough to consider the consequences when we don\u2019t do somethin\u2019 right.\u201d He redirected the pat to Adam\u2019s cheek. \u201cAnd since your the only one who was working with them nailed boards, it seems like you just got\u2026nailed\u2026in one a them moments yerself. You don\u2019t do as many goofy things as we do, but when you do, it\u2019s always a doozie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Adam admitted as his cheeks turned crimson, and he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. \u201cI admit my lapse. Now, can we get this done\u2026please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss reached around his brother again and grabbed the tug-loops at the top of his boot. He ignored the painful cry when he pulled the boot up tight against Adam\u2019s foot, and rocked them both back against his legs. \u201cPull with all you got, Joe,\u201d he hollered.<\/p>\n

The nails served as plugs, and when the board finally gave way, blood began seeping through the holes in the sole. \u201cThis is probably gonna hurt just as bad, Adam, but we gotta get that boot off now.\u201d Hoss nodded towards his younger brother, locked his hands under Adam\u2019s knee, and Joe yanked the footwear off.<\/p>\n

The foot of Adam\u2019s heavy grey sock was soaked through with blood, so Joe pulled the ankle cuff down to absorb more while they figured out what to do next. \u201cWe gotta stop that,\u201d he said, echoing the concern that was making his heart beat in double-time.<\/p>\n

Hoss pointed to the puddle of blood on the ground. \u201cI suspect that having it bleed some will clean up them holes, but it does have ta stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

The color began returning to Adam\u2019s cheeks as he could finally stretch and ease the cramping that had accompanied the odd position he\u2019d maintained when he couldn\u2019t set his foot down. He relaxed back against Hoss and chuckled. \u201cYou make a good chair.\u201d He looked around while Joe ran to grab towels, and said, \u201cThat pond water is pretty cold. It could help slow things down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard what Adam said, and it makes sense,\u201d Joe said when he returned from grabbing towels from the kitchen supplies. \u201cGrab him under the arms, and I\u2019ll get his knees, Hoss.\u201d \u00a0They each hoisted a set of limbs and carried him like a human hammock to the edge of the pond. Hoss resumed his position behind his brother while Joe peeled off the saturated sock and eased Adam\u2019s bare foot into the water.<\/p>\n

Adam gasped and tensed as the icy liquid stung like a swarm of wasps, but then relaxed as it began to provide an anesthetic effect. \u201cHow did it look?\u201d he asked Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike you were bitten by a large-fanged rattler. The nails went into the fleshy part of your foot, just ahead of your heel. You\u2019re able to move your foot and wiggle your toes, so I don\u2019t they hit any bones in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The subsiding pain allowed Adam to think more clearly. \u201cThose holes have to be cleaned well. Check the medicine kit and bring the whiskey Pa sent along.\u201d He grabbed Joe\u2019s arm as he stood to go. \u201cThank you.\u201d His gaze swept upward toward Hoss. \u201cThank you both. I intended to pick up that board after we talked about the roofline yesterday, but I make mistakes too. I\u2019m sorry if I\u2019ve stepped on some toes, as well as nails, lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s support on Adam\u2019s shoulders tightened briefly. \u201cThere\u2019re plenty of apologies needed here, but maybe it\u2019s best we all just start fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nine<\/strong><\/p>\n

The tent reverberated with Adam\u2019s snoring and occasional strangled coughing when his \u201crelaxed\u201d tongue slipped over his windpipe. He was not prone to voluminous sleeping, but since the only antiseptic available had been the bottle of booze, he\u2019d dosed himself<\/em> as liberally with it as Hoss and Joe had his wounds. They\u2019d carried him to the tent after that; tucked him in with his foot elevated, and let him rest.<\/p>\n

He felt groggy and disoriented when he awoke, and was trying to get free of the blankets when he saw Joe stick his head into the tent. \u201cIs it morning?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Joe laughed. \u201cYou didn\u2019t sleep that long. The sun\u2019s starting to set, so Hoss and I called it quits. I picked the short straw to see who would check on you.\u201d He helped his brother sit on the side of the cot and saw him wince as his foot barely kissed the ground. \u201cIt hurts that bad, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tried to put weight on it, and backed off. \u201cI\u2019ll take it easy til tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose nails went deep, but once you had enough to drink that you\u2026ah\u2026didn\u2019t pay us much mind, Hoss and I washed the holes out good with soapy water, and then added a final flush of whisky. You shouldn\u2019t get an infection, but you can forget about walking anytime soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned up at Joe, his cheeks turning pink. \u201cI seem to remember a lot of yelling on my part.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough to scare the coyotes away: at least for tonight.\u201d Joe grabbed Adam\u2019s hand to help pull him up on his good leg. \u201cLet me help you hop over to the flap to see how much we got done.\u201d<\/p>\n

The taller man wrapped his arm around Joe\u2019s shoulder and leaned heavy against him as they inched toward the entrance. His eyes rounded and his mouth dropped open in surprise at what he saw. \u201cYou got the roof finished? It looks great.\u201d A look of concern replaced the surprise. \u201cI saw that bruise on Hoss\u2019s face. Should he have worked so hard?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed heartily. \u201cAll of us Cartwrights have hard heads. He\u2019s got a good-sized shiner developing, but he wanted to work. We decided to get as much done as we could so we get home before one of us kills ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam waved at Hoss who was getting pots from the wagon to make supper. \u201cGood job on the roof,\u201d he hollered. \u201cI\u2019ll do the cooking tomorrow, since I won\u2019t be much good on a ladder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat heavily back onto his cot and nodded toward Joe\u2019s bed across from him. \u201cSit down for a minute.\u201d He added, \u201cPlease,\u201d when Joe hesitated. \u201cAre we good, now? Your anger seems gone, but I want to make sure there\u2019s not more bull to cover.\u201d He grinned. \u201cGigger\u2019s bull that is.\u201d<\/p>\n

The silence solidified Adam\u2019s suspicion that Joe hadn\u2019t thrown in the towel. He closed his eyes and blew out a long breath. \u201cTell me what\u2019s eating you.\u201d While waiting for an answer, he laid down and turned onto his side to face the young man. \u201cIt\u2019s interesting how physical wounds heal faster than the ones that dig at our souls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d the younger man asked. His question pushed from curiosity rather than animosity.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t even mad at me when I shot you<\/em> instead of that wolf. Yet whatever I did this time hurts a lot more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t make eye contact. \u201dThat was different. I stepped in front of your shot because I wasn\u2019t paying attention. This thing with Delores\u2026\u201d Joe looked directly at his brother. \u201cI think she laughed at me behind my back. Worse yet\u2026I\u2019m pretty sure you laughed right along with her. You\u2019d already impressed her with your music and sweet talk. It didn\u2019t help you any to make fun of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyes were kind as he smiled across the divide between them. \u201cThat\u2019s not true, Joe. I teased you and Hoss about your methods of training, but neither Delores nor I laughed or made fun of you behind your back. \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI figured the two of you had a lot of time during your rides to talk about how clumsy I was in my romancing and bullfighting skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cDelores was a polite young woman with a good sense of humor who endured all<\/em> our clumsy efforts with dignity. She was also well educated, a fine horsewoman, and quite astute when it came to cattle, horses, and ranching. Those are the things we talked about on our rides.\u201d He rolled onto his back, crossing his arms behind his head. \u201cShe appreciated the softer things: the music and poetry of her heritage, but she loved the danger of the bullfight even more. She would have enjoyed what you were planning if it had worked out.\u201d He looked at Joe directly. \u201cBut no matter how well it went\u2026it would have made no difference. She had no interest in any<\/em> of us.\u201d He winked. \u201cWe\u2019ve had this conversation before, little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe never talked about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot this instance, but it comes back to gaining experience, and knowing what to do with it. This wasn\u2019t the first time I\u2019ve escorted a woman from Delores\u2019s social station, so I knew what she\u2019d enjoy. I already knew how to play a few Spanish tunes; I knew enough Spanish to converse, and I certainly knew plenty of poetry and literature. I used those things to make her feel comfortable. Where you went wrong was in trying to copy what I was doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew what I was doing,\u201d Joe snapped a little too quickly, causing his brother\u2019s eyebrows to rise along with the corners of his lips. The younger man smiled grudgingly. \u201cWhat should I have done instead; in your<\/em> opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe broke a bronco in her honor. You\u2019re a fine rider. She would have enjoyed seeing your tricks or hearing about some of your adventures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could have told me that.\u201d Joe\u2019s tone was mildly suspicious again, but it was accompanied by a wry smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019d have accepted my advice.\u201d He chuckled, before going silent in thought. \u201cWhat I\u2019m advocating is for you to always be yourself, Joe. Learn from each experience. Pay attention to what others have done to succeed or fail, but never look over your shoulder to see what others are doing.<\/em> You\u2019re an original; don\u2019t ever try to be a copy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ten<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss awoke sensing that his skin was too tight for his face. The vision in his right eye was blurry and he yipped when he tried to rub away the fog. A little prodding convinced him that his face had puffed up during the night, and as he woke more fully, he realized he couldn\u2019t open the sore eye more than a slit. \u201cHey, Joe,\u201d he whispered when he heard movement in the cot where his younger brother slept. \u201cWill ya take a look at my face?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grunted and shivered as he pulled himself from his warm nest and quickly drew his pants over his long underwear. It was light already, letting him know they\u2019d slept past dawn. After a long stretch and donning his heavy shirt, he made his way over and gasped.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s that bad then,\u201d Hoss moaned. \u201cI can feel how swollen it is and my eye won\u2019t open.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe touched Hoss\u2019s face gently. \u201cYour cheeks are lined like a map, so you must have burrowed your face into the creases of your pillow.\u201d He grinned. \u201cIt\u2019s a colorful map, with the blues, blacks and greens from the bruise looking like lakes, rocks and pastures.\u201d He handed Hoss his pants. \u201cGet dressed. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s ice on the pond again. I\u2019ll get you some to take that swelling down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Joe. Hey,\u201d he chuckled, \u201cDo any a them roads on my face lead to home?\u201d<\/p>\n

The younger man bent over and squinted as he gently traced a red mark from the corner of Hoss\u2019s eye down to his ear. \u201cSure enough. There\u2019s Pa waving at the end, and Hop Sing holding a platter of pancakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDang it, you made me hungry now. Hop Sing sent a pancake mix along so all\u2019s I gotta do is add an egg and water.\u201d He nodded towards the third brother. \u201cWe should roust him too. If he ain\u2019t doing good, we might have to head for a doctor in Carson and finish the shack another time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook Adam\u2019s shoulders, saying his name softly while checking his forehead for heat. He breathed a silent, \u201cThank you,\u201d at finding it cool. \u201cWe\u2019re going to check your foot to see if you need a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam uncovered his leg, and winced when he moved. \u201cIt hurts, but not more than yesterday.\u201d Joe stared at the exposed foot with a deepening frown. Adam observed his brother\u2019s reaction and pushed up onto his elbow to get a better look.\u00a0 He laughed \u201cIt looks like a sausage that\u2019s about ready to explode.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you said that,\u201d Joe replied as his worried look lessened.<\/p>\n

Hoss donned his pants and joined his brothers in their observation. \u201cIf you was a horse I\u2019d have to shoot you.\u201d The three men laughed until Hoss told Adam to roll on his stomach. \u201cWe have to see the bottom.\u201d He looked things over and concluded his exam by checking the foot and lower leg for heat or redness.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your diagnosis?\u201d Adam asked as he saw his brothers exchange a worried look.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s plenty raw.\u201d He looked to Joe for agreement. \u201cBut there\u2019s good news. Yer foot\u2019s swollen like my face, but it ain\u2019t movin\u2019 up yer leg. And it ain\u2019t red, ceptin\u2019 for right where you got nailed.\u201d He stopped to laugh. \u201cSorry, but that was funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYou look like you got nailed<\/em> with a hard right jab.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThem holes gotta heal from the inside out, so it\u2019s gonna look bad til that happens. How about for now, I put ice on my eye, and you stick your foot in that pond for a bit, and then we\u2019ll see where you stand.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cOr if you stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss fashioned an eyepatch out of an ice-filled sock tied to his head with a handkerchief, after he and Joe served as crutches to get Adam to the pond.<\/p>\n

The eldest sipped hot coffee while shivering under blankets on the bank; his foot floating in the cold water. \u201cI think that\u2019s enough,\u201d he called to his brothers. \u201cCould you help me to the fire?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it feel better?\u201d Joe asked as Adam hopped between them<\/p>\n

\u201cIt went numb a while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s the rest a you feelin\u2019?\u201d Hoss questioned with guarded concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is in working order. Stop looking like nervous Nellies and let\u2019s decide what to get done today.\u201d<\/p>\n

They talked as they ate breakfast, and Joe disappeared into the nearby grove of trees after he finished. He was carrying two long branches under one arm and two shorter ones under the other when he returned. \u201cIt\u2019ll take us all day if Hoss and I have to keep moving you, Adam, so I\u2019ll make some crutches.\u201d He blushed. \u201cIt\u2019s not like I expect you to be over there hammering siding with us, but at least you can get around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat idea!\u201d He pulled the blanket away from his puffy bare foot. \u201cI\u2019m going to need something over this. The swelling went down some, but I won\u2019t be able to wear a boot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat boot is ruined anyway, so why don\u2019t I cut it down and make a slipper. We\u2019ll wrap yer foot with some\u2019a them clean long johns you always bring, and then see how it all fits together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam enjoyed a second cup of coffee while his brothers prepared his devices. He allowed that when given a chance, his brothers came up with good ideas. He leaned back and dozed off as he waited, but jerked awake when he sensed someone standing over him. It was Hoss, holding a bowl containing strips of fabric in one hand, and the remains of the whiskey in the other. \u201cI\u2019ll save the rest of that for when I need it more,\u201d he said, pointing to the bottle.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry brother, this ain\u2019t for goin\u2019 in you, it\u2019s for pourin\u2019 on you. We gotta keep them punctures clean as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do?\u201d Adam gulped. He\u2019d been \u201caffected\u201d enough that he hadn\u2019t cared when they\u2019d cleaned the holes yesterday, but right now he was fully awake, and he could see there wasn\u2019t enough brown liquid left for use as both anesthetic and antiseptic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI been tendin\u2019 animal injuries for a lot of years, so trust me on this. Do you wanna stick yer foot back in the water a bit to numb it up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust get it done,\u201d he said resignedly while rolling onto his stomach again and bending his knee.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The surrounding acres were cleared of coyotes again by the time Hoss finished doctoring. He patted Adam on the back to let him know he could turn over. \u201cYou surprised me with all them cuss words you know,\u201d Hoss noted with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know them all right. I just reserve their use for extreme conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s eyes twinkled with mischief. \u201cWhat da you suppose them poor animals thought was makin\u2019 the awful howling noise?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re lucky I was on my belly, or I\u2019d have punched you in your good eye,\u201d Adam groused once he was sitting up examining the final product. \u201cYou did a nice bandaging job. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The altered boot fit over the long-john bandage, but it kept sliding off, so Hoss punched holes along both sides of the slit and slid twine through them to act as shoe laces. Joe brought his homemade crutches over once his brother was standing on his good foot, and both brothers stayed close as Adam made his maiden run to the bushes to rid himself of the coffee he\u2019d consumed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two did a great job\u2026and finished at the perfect time.\u201d His was smiling and looking much relieved when he returned. \u201cThat ice worked on Hoss too; he can see out of both eyes again. If you two want to work on the building, I\u2019ll assemble what goes inside.\u201d He looked away as he realized his brothers would soon be working on the part of the shack\u2019s finish that might set their joint reconciliation back to the beginning. He could only hope they\u2019d made enough progress that there wouldn\u2019t be hurt feelings or a blow-up once their error was exposed.<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled several bundles from the wagon that needed assembly and placed them within reach of the saw horses where Adam would work. He also made sure the work surface was sturdy enough to support his brother\u2019s weight as he leaned against it, and added padding to a box that was the right height for Adam to rest his knee on to keep his foot off the ground.<\/p>\n

Joe finished cleaning up from breakfast and put a pot of meat on to cook for dinner before joining Hoss at the lumber wagon. \u201cThose longer pieces must be siding for the back frame, and the rest are for the other three sides,\u201d he said with confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere should be a few shorter pieces for the shutters,\u201d Adam interjected. \u201cPut those aside and I\u2019ll make them this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

By lunch, the back side of the shack was sided and the Cartwrights ate at the newly assembled table and chairs. Adam\u2019s pinched look while eating made his brothers threaten to shove him in the pond if he didn\u2019t voluntarily soak his foot again.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe were separating the last of the siding boards when Adam hobbled back. He glanced up when he heard Joe cuss loudly\u2014using a word particularly hated and disallowed by their father\u2014and he knew the time of reckoning had arrived.<\/p>\n

Joe held his 16-inch wide section of siding up against his 24-inch stud spacing, and repeated the curse.<\/p>\n

Hoss rushed over. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? You hurt yerself, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

The young man\u2019s voice was defeated. \u201cThis siding is only 16 inches wide. We set the studs too far apart to attach it, so we\u2019ll have to add anchor boards in between the studs to have a place to set nails\u2026or start over and space them right.\u201d His eyes strayed over to his oldest brother, and he fired a look that would have killed, had it been bullet. But then he started to laugh. He laughed so hard he bent over to catch his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you laughin\u2019?\u201d Hoss moaned. \u201cIt\u2019ll be winter before we get home now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe pointed to Adam. \u201cI\u2019m just thinking how hard it must have been for him to keep quiet while he let us do those frames wrong.\u201d He nudged Hoss\u2019s shoulder. \u201cHe\u2019s come a long way. A week ago he\u2019d have grabbed the hammer away when I told him to butt out, told me to get lost, and then done the whole thing himself.\u201d He tipped his hat to the man in black. \u201cWell done, older brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

One side of Adam\u2019s face twisted upwards. \u201cSo, you\u2019re happy I let you do them wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe pursed his lips, before laughing again. \u201cYou told me yesterday that I should learn from the mistakes others make. But you learn best when you make them yourself. I didn\u2019t want your advice on how to do something I thought I knew. And I would have been right if this had been a shed. Hoss tried to tell me to pay attention, but I was too mad at both of you to listen to either of you. I was wrong. And you let me face that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was worth nailing myself to a board to hear you say that.\u201d Adam was finally able to join in the laughter, convinced that they\u2019d passed the final barrier to a lasting truce. \u201cAnd if we\u2019re making admissions\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on,\u201d Hoss encouraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been reminded that people can go about a project differently, and it still works out. I wouldn\u2019t want Hoss measuring the boards for an intricate construction by walking it out, but it worked fine here. And I could have just handed you those plans and let you work through them instead trying to organize every detail ahead of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss snickered. \u201cAre you sure that admission was just about the building?\u201d<\/p>\n

He sighed. \u201cAll right; I shouldn\u2019t have been mad at you for not giving me money when I didn\u2019t give you a chance to do so. I assumed you wouldn\u2019t help, and that feeling snowballed into anger after I made a bad business decision.\u201d Another sigh escaped as he shook his head. \u201cI realized that in my haste to take care things, I didn\u2019t pay attention to my gut regarding Winkelman.\u00a0 It was easier to accuse you of letting me down than to admit I\u2019d made a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now we\u2019re even.\u201d Hoss laughed. \u201cI\u2019d take a black eye to hear you admit that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at his bandaged foot. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019d like to have Paul look at this. We don\u2019t have to rush, but if we work steady we should finish the outside today, stock it tomorrow, and head home the next morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The youngest grabbed his hammer. \u201cI know something else about my oldest brother. He wouldn\u2019t let us make a mistake he didn\u2019t have a way to fix.\u201d He looked directly at Adam. \u201cSo\u2026what do we do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour idea to add anchor bars to hold the board and batten4<\/sup> nails was exactly right. There won\u2019t be enough wood to fix the entire structure though. We\u2019ll do that on one of the shorter sides.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t that take forever?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cAnd how do we finish the rest?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t despair, Hoss,\u201d Adam responded. \u201cI\u2019ll saw the anchor boards to the right length while you hammer them in. It\u2019ll go fast. When we get that part done, we\u2019ll lap the rest of the siding horizontally. There\u2019s a plane in the wagon I\u2019ll use to shave an angle along one edge of the siding boards to make them overlap better. And we\u2019ll use the remaining batten strips to tuck up the corners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleven<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben had returned from town with interesting information, and no one to tell. He tried to keep busy but the quiet still left him edgy. \u00a0The bunk houses were empty during the day, and other than chickens cackling and the mooing of nearby cattle, the only noise was the wind stirring up dust devils in the yard. Hop Sing was around, but upstairs doing fall-cleaning while bedrooms were unoccupied.<\/p>\n

By his reckoning, the shack would take 4 days to build. With a day on either end for travel, enough time had now elapsed that his sons could arrive home today. If<\/em> they didn\u2019t, he\u2019d have to assume that they\u2019d either encountered problems with the construction, or more probably, they\u2019d been unable to work together efficiently. This brought another \u201cif\u201d. He\u2019d ride out to see what was wrong if<\/em> they weren\u2019t home by tomorrow.<\/p>\n

He was finally able to concentrate on the ranch financials, but sitting made him stiff and he needed a walk. He saw a bowl of fresh vegetables on the kitchen counter when he stopped for a drink, and he wondered how they survived the frost of the last few nights. It drove his interest enough to head out back to view Hop Sing\u2019s garden. He chuckled when he saw the pile of old blankets at the edge of the plot that their cook must have used to shelter the plants from the cold.<\/p>\n

The horizon was unobstructed in this area of the yard, so he shielded his eyes from the afternoon sun and looked towards the southern horizon. \u00a0A small swirl of dust in the distance got his heart beating faster.<\/p>\n

Ben felt like a kid waiting to go fishing with his friends. He thought about saddling Buck and riding out to meet his sons, but restraint won the battle, and he walked to the house instead to call for Hop Sing, telling him, \u201cThere\u2019ll be four for dinner!\u201d when he appeared at the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n

The small man\u2019s look of irritation at being interrupted turned into a wide smile. \u201cLucky I making plenty food.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Distance was hard to gauge where the land stretched as far as the Ponderosa did, and time dragged while Ben waited for the cloud of dust to become recognizable objects. When he could finally hear the rumble of wheels, he positioned himself in the rocking chair at the front of the house, and tried to look nonchalant. A wisp of anxiety swirled in his stomach when he realized that there were no voices accompanying the sound of the wagons. Normally his sons were boisterous at the end of a trip. Hoss pulled in first, and Ben forgot his attempt at decorum, jumping up to meet his family in the yard and welcome them home.<\/p>\n

Joe shouted a hello as he brought his team to a stop behind the first wagon, and jumped down to join Hoss in greeting their father.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s forehead rose. \u201cDid you leave your brother out there?\u201d he asked when Adam didn\u2019t exit either wagon.<\/p>\n

\u201cNah,\u201d Hoss said as he nodded toward to his high-sided wagon. \u201cHe\u2019s asleep in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben caught his breath when Hoss turned, exposing the patch of blue and green bruising around his eye. He took hold of the big man\u2019s chin and turned his head for a better look. \u201cWhat in tarnation!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an accident, Pa,\u201d Hoss replied sheepishly. \u201cMe and Adam sort of tumbled into some trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTumbled\u2026or tussled?\u201d Ben asked warily. He gave Joe a once-over. \u201cYou look unscathed. I assume you stayed clear of this\u2026tumble?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe snickered. \u201dIt\u2019s not what you\u2019re imagining, Pa. It was coyotes that did Hoss in, not Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss was attacked by coyotes?\u201d Ben\u2019s eyes widened as he awaited an answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt weren\u2019t anything bad,\u201d Hoss admitted. \u201cAdam and me was up high laying roof beams when I started watchin\u2019 coyotes and lost track of what I was doin\u2019. I fell off my box, and got hit in the face with a timber. And Adam\u2026well he nailed his foot when he jumped clear of the foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he break it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both younger sons started laughing. \u201cNo, Pa,\u201d Little Joe choked out, \u201che really nailed his foot\u2026to a board.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he need a doctor?\u201d Ben asked as he hurried to the back of the wagon, stopping abruptly when he saw his eldest laid out on the folded tent; his swollen foot resting on a pile of their bedding. \u201cIs he\u2026drunk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had good reason,\u201d Hoss offered. \u201cThat foot\u2019s been hurtin\u2019 and we used most of the liquor you sent along to clean it, so he\u2019s been livin\u2019 with the pain. We found a bottle of whiskey when we packed in the supplies for the line shack and Adam brought it along to\u2026ah\u2026to take the edge off durin\u2019 the ride. He started singin\u2019 and recitin\u2019 poetry after downing half of it. Thankfully, he fell asleep after drinking a little more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like you took good care of him,\u201d Ben said while taking a better look at Adam\u2019s bandaged foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth Joe and I took good care\u2019a him.\u201d Hoss laughed as he nudged Little Joe. \u201cYou know what\u2019s funny? Adam\u2019s got the best voice of all of us. But when he drinks too much, he sounds like a cat what got its tail stuck under a rocking chair.\u201d<\/p>\n

The laughing outside the wagon roused the tipsy occupant, and he pushed up onto his elbows. He had difficulty focusing, until he rubbed over his eyes with his shirt sleeve. \u201cOh\u2026hi, Pa,\u201d he said enthusiastically. \u201cI didn\u2019t know we were home.\u201d His words sounded slurred and too exuberant, and he felt around until he found the bottle he\u2019d been using as anesthetic, hoisting it to see how much was gone. \u201cDid you two drink some\u2019a this too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the look and sound of you, I\u2019m pretty sure you were the only one drinking,\u201d Ben said as he climbed on the wagon. \u201cHow\u2019s your foot?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat foot?\u201d he asked until he tried to move his leg from its perch and yelped. \u201cOh, that one.\u201d He started giggling as he pointed towards the altered footwear. \u201cSteppin\u2019 on two nails cost me a good pair a boots, and all my clean long-johns. But Hossss,\u201d he giggled again as he heard the hiss he put at the end of his brother\u2019s name. \u201cAnd Liddle Joe, over there\u2026\u201d he tried to point, but his arm fell to his side with a thump. \u201cThey did good.\u201d His brief comments exhausted him, and he fell backwards into a full recline again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Relief flooded Ben as he observed the easy interaction between his sons. It seemed his plan had succeeded, and yet he wondered at what cost. He motioned Joe and Hoss over. \u201cLet\u2019s get our drunken sailor to bed so he can sleep off his\u2026medication.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

A few of the hands returned when Adam was being lugged into the house, and Ben enlisted two volunteers to ride into town for Paul Martin. He sweetened their mission with enough cash for dinner and a few beers before heading home.<\/p>\n

While Adam slept, Hoss and Joe recounted the high points of their expedition. Ben smiled as his youngest son confessed to not following Adam\u2019s plan, and he pictured the clash of wills when their anger was still leading their decisions. A shiver crawled from his neck to his feet when Hoss told of the accident.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of everything<\/em> you three accomplished,\u201d Ben said when the story was complete. His eyes twinkled as he teased, \u201cI know it\u2019s called a \u2018shack\u2019, but did it end up looking like one with the piecemeal finish?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss sat up tall with a look of pride and glanced at Joe. \u201cIt looked real good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Adam say?\u201d Joe\u2019s forehead puckered as he concentrated. \u201cOh yeah; he said it had \u2018geometric elegance\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three were laughing when Paul Martin walked in the front door and stopped short. \u201cOh, sorry. I didn\u2019t bother knocking since I thought you\u2019d be upstairs. Your man said Adam cut his foot while you were away building something, and he was so sick that you had to carry him inside. Was he mistaken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe stepped on a couple of nails and they stuck real good,\u201d Hoss explained. \u201cWe cleaned it up as best we could with what we had. But you know Adam. He wouldn\u2019t rest while there was work to do, and it\u2019s healin\u2019 slow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe nearly polished off a bottle of booze on the ride home. We carried him into the house because he was too drunk to walk; not because he can\u2019t walk,\u201d Joe added.<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s left eyebrow rose. \u201cI do know your brother,\u201d he said resignedly. \u201cTell me exactly what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Hoss related the story, the doctor side of Paul Martin immediately worried about infection. But his friendship with the hard-headed perfectionist upstairs sporting two holes in his foot, allowed him a gentle chuckle as he thought about Adam getting caught in a moment of imperfection. He nodded to the brothers. \u201cYou certainly did do the best with what you had. Has his foot gotten red or hot?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still swollen, but it\u2019s a nice pink, like a summer rose,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cIt\u2019s too bad he wouldn\u2019t give in and rest more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul looked directly at Ben. \u201cLike father, like son?\u201d His eyes moved toward the stairway. \u201cI suppose we better get up there. I\u2019m not a betting man, but I\u2019ll lay odds he won\u2019t be happy to see me.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The doctor was right. Adam eyed Paul warily and said he didn\u2019t want him poking around on his sore foot. The doctor ignored his patient, but held his breath as he removed the long underwear covering the wound. He exhaled in relief when he saw that Hoss\u2019s observation was correct. The wounds were starting<\/em> to heal. \u201cThis would be further along if you\u2019d have kept your foot up instead of dangling it while you worked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam met Paul\u2019s chastisement with a withering look. His nap had restored his sobriety, but not his good humor. He considered how to respond, and finally said, \u201cI couldn\u2019t let my brothers have all the fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou Cartwrights define fun differently than I do.\u201d Paul chuckled, but then laughed fully when he heard Hoss\u2019s stomach growl from across the room. He glanced out the window, noting the darkness. \u201cJudging from Hoss\u2019s internal rumbling, I\u2019m guessing it\u2019s supper time on the Ponderosa.\u201d He looked back to Adam. \u201cYou can sit up normally for meals, but the rest of the time I want your foot elevated. Soak it in a warm Epsom salt bath every few hours and leave it exposed to the air when you\u2019re not moving around. I know Joe made crutches for you, but I\u2019ve got sturdier ones you can use until you can bear weight without pain. Don\u2019t rush it. Make sure those wounds are healed before you start walking again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul turned next to Ben. \u201cI have no patients ready to give birth, and there are other doctors in town to handle emergencies, so if you\u2019d be willing to extend the invitation, I would appreciate spending the night at the Ponderosa instead of going back in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re always welcome, Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben beamed when his family, plus one, sat down to supper. Whatever had been driving his sons\u2019 animosity when they\u2019d departed had been left at the line shack. His oldest looked tired, and winced whenever he bumped his foot, but Paul had already promised to provide a pain reliever after dinner that would knock him out for the night. The doctor had offered something even more important: the assurance that the pain and swelling would ease quickly if<\/em> Adam followed orders.<\/p>\n

The reassembled family had Hop Sing making repeated trips between the kitchen and dining room to refill serving dishes. He smiled at Ben as he passed him with a third platter of chicken, and nodded in silent acknowledgement of the restored household.<\/p>\n

The conversation flowed easily as the sons recounted more stories about their trip, including Adam\u2019s newfound cooking skills. When they\u2019d exhausted their tales, Hoss asked about news from town.<\/p>\n

Adam followed up. \u201cIs everyone getting rich from Winkelman silver?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul eyed Ben knowingly. \u201cI imagine you haven\u2019t had a chance to tell him,\u201d Paul said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me what?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stayed in town a couple days while you were gone, hoping to find out when Winkelman actually found that vein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s interest was piqued. \u201cWas it before I sold?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cI plied Jeb Smyth with beer at the Bucket. He\u2019s been at that mine since it opened, and he\u2019s the one who called the \u2018old man\u2019s\u2019 attention to an odd coloration in a side shaft they used for storing supplies. It didn\u2019t have the usual coloration of silver ore, but something made Jeb wonder.\u201d Ben looked at the others. \u201cDoes anyone know whether Winkelman has a first name? I\u2019ve never heard him called anything but Winkelman or Old Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tapped his dessert fork on the table impatiently, waiting for Hop Sing\u2019s apple pie and his father\u2019s story. \u201cWhat else did Jeb say, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWinkelman took a sample and sent it away over two months back. A few weeks ago, he moved everything out of that section and blocked it off, saying there was flooding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas that true?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cJeb didn\u2019t see any water when they moved things out. What he did see was several strangers go in, supposedly to cap the seepage. Jeb figured the old man had sent the rock sample away so no one here would find out if it was ore, and those men looking around were from San Francisco, trying to gage how deep the vein might go. Then two days after you sold your stock back, Winkelman announced the strike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what I figured, Pa,\u201d Adam said with a sigh as he dropped his fork to the cloth and leaned back in his chair. \u201cHe has a good cover story. He could say he came on the silver when they tried to stop the leak.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t heard the whole story, Adam.\u201d Paul said and nodded toward Ben. \u201cTell him what happened the next day you were in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWinkelman was so anxious to get at the ore that he did a large blast.\u201d Ben grinned at his son. \u201cYou do have to love it when a person\u2019s lies come back to haunt them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d Joe asked eagerly as he inched forward on his chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe old man had lied about flooding to keep his men out of there. But when he blew that wall, he really did open an underground stream, and it flooded the mine for real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul took over. \u201cYou left town before the full story came out, Ben. The mine is nothing more than a cistern now. The water flow was so intense that it\u2019s snaking down the hill from the entrance like a waterfall. There\u2019s talk of other mine owners suing him for endangering their claims, and forcing him to collapse the shaft from above to drop enough rock in there to stop the water. He can\u2019t pump fast enough to get at the bonanza anyway. Those experts from earlier are back. They agree he\u2019ll have to blast it shut and try tunneling in from the backside. There\u2019s no guarantee he won\u2019t hit the water again, and the cost is prohibitive.\u201d Paul laughed heartily. \u201cHe can\u2019t even profit from all that water since it\u2019s fouled with TNT.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth hung open for a moment as he found his voice. \u201cSo he lost the lode, and he can\u2019t even mine the areas that were producing a steady income?\u201d Paul and Ben nodded in unison.<\/p>\n

Paul offered the conclusion. \u201cStock in the Winkelman mine is worthless for the foreseeable future. Shareholders are thinking of suing him for incompetent management.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam spoke softly. \u201cThey\u2019d have a good case. If he\u2019d done shallow blasts, he\u2019d have seen the first signs of water, and could have worked around it. I\u2019d question whether it\u2019s worth bringing a lawsuit since there won\u2019t be any money to recoup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul looked directly at Adam. \u201cEveryone knows now that Winkelman lied about you, and they now say you were smart to get out when you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss watched his oldest brother\u2019s face slip into a deep frown. \u201cKnowin\u2019 my older brother, that don\u2019t give him any pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned forward, resting his chin on his balled fists. \u201cI would be in the same position except that I needed the money. I\u2019d never wish harm to others to vindicate myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to feel badly,\u201d Ben said. \u201cThe other investors got the same dividends as you, son, so their \u2018loss\u2019 was only in the price of the stock. They can\u2019t know how much they might have<\/em> made.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat \u2018might have been\u2019 is always the most bitter pill to swallow,\u201d Adam pondered aloud. \u201cPa\u2019s right: I didn\u2019t make more than the rest of them; I just lost a little less.\u201d He smiled across the table at his brothers and then looked at his father again. \u201cBut then Pa\u2019s right about a lot of things. It was an interesting<\/em> week building that shack, but making us work together was the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss winked at his brothers. \u201cThere\u2019s somethin\u2019 else that should ease yer mind, Pa. The Cartwright boys have made an agreement that we won\u2019t never compete for a young lady\u2019s attention\u2026or at least not until the next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

1<\/sup> A veronica is a maneuver in\u00a0bullfighting\u00a0in which the matador stands with both feet fixed in position and swings the cape slowly away from the charging bull.<\/p>\n

2<\/sup> Ecclesiastes 1:9 – That which has been\u00a0is\u00a0what will be,
\nThat which\u00a0is\u00a0done is what will be done,
\nAnd\u00a0there is\u00a0nothing new under the sun.<\/p>\n

3<\/sup> Plywood received a patent in 1865. One source says that manufacturing soon followed. Other sources say the patent\u2019s owner didn\u2019t see its adaptation into building until later. The large sheets of plywood that we know weren\u2019t manufactured until the 20th<\/sup> century. But, since the Cartwrights liked the latest innovations, I\u2019m going to speed history a little. These would not have been smaller squares, but still faster than nailing individual boards.<\/p>\n

4<\/sup> Board and batten siding is a side-by-side vertical placement of long boards with a thin strip placed over the joint to keep out the elements. Lapped siding is horizontal boards \u201clapping\u201d over the lower board to form a barrier.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Ben Cartwright,\u00a0Hoss Cartwright,\u00a0Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: The Cartwright family should have returned to normal after Se\u00f1or and Delores Tenino left for Mexico, but it hasn’t. Hoss, Adam and Joe have been surly and avoiding one another since the lovely young woman left, and Ben can’t understand what’s driving it. He senses that what had started as a competition to win the young lady’s heart, had left some unexpected wounds behind. When circumstances and harsh words fracture his family even more, Ben decides he must force his sons to take stock of what they’re about to lose, in the one way he thinks will work.\u00a0A What Happened Later story, for Ponderosa Matador.<\/p>\n

Rating: K Word Count:\u00a0 22,960<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":15255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-whn","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-13-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":3046,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/vlcsnap-2015-12-12-23h05m13s150.png?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46618,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46618","url_meta":{"origin":15950,"position":0},"title":"The Lake Incident (by BettyHT)","author":"BettyHT","date":"November 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Ben isn\u2019t happy with how two sons decided to deal with a third who did something they didn\u2019t like.\u00a0 He\u2019s even more unhappy with the third though.\u00a0\u00a0 Rating: PG\u00a0 Word count: 1,259","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\/2023\/11\/Any-Friend-of-Walter-1.png?fit=600%2C501&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Any-Friend-of-Walter-1.png?fit=600%2C501&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Any-Friend-of-Walter-1.png?fit=600%2C501&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35279,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=35279","url_meta":{"origin":15950,"position":1},"title":"Family Treasures (by Sierras)","author":"Sierras","date":"December 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Ben and his young sons have received a box from Inger's brother Gunnar right before Christmas. 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