{"id":18901,"date":"2018-11-16T09:55:05","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T14:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=18901"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:40:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:40:09","slug":"the-healing-by-missjudy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=18901","title":{"rendered":"The Healing (by Missjudy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong> Adam’s unexpected illness; an unexpected visitor, and Ben’s unexpected reaction to a developing situation leaves the Cartwright home in upheaval. Can the information this stranger holds, bring healing to old and new wounds?<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> G\u00a0 \u00a0 Word Count<\/strong>: 25743<\/p>\n

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

One<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cartwrights couldn\u2019t ride into Virginia City without being stopped by someone needing \u201cjust a minute\u201d of their time. Hoss, Joe, and Adam made it halfway down the busy main thoroughfare this time before a shout from the boardwalk brought Adam to a halt. He waved his brothers on, saying he\u2019d meet them at the hardware store in a few minutes, and eased Sport to the side of the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi Fritz,\u201d he said from atop his horse, leaning forward onto the saddle horn, indicating his readiness to listen, while not giving the impression he would be sticking around long enough to dismount. \u201cDid you need something?\u201d<\/p>\n

Fritz Malory was the current president of the Cattlemen Association. Adam liked the man and admired his ranching practices, but he also knew Fritz could get long-winded when discussing business. While the eldest Cartwright son often enjoyed engaging in such dialogues, he wasn\u2019t up to it today.<\/p>\n

Fritz held up a finger, and said, \u201cDon\u2019t\u2019 move,\u201d when he saw Stephen Granger trying to step up onto the boardwalk. Grainger was a member of the association who\u2019d broken his leg after from being tossed off his horse. The poor man used his crutches with no more skill than he rode his horse, and always looked as though he was in mid-fall.\u00a0 While Fritz assisted the injured man into the building, Adam\u2019s mind wandered back to the events preceding his ride into town\u2014the ones that made him eager to finish the errands and settle down at a table in the Bucket of Blood for a cold beer and ham sandwich.<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights had gotten up at dawn to do a few projects before the early spring hot spell made working uncomfortable, but their efforts had been thwarted at every turn. The first job had taken longer than expected when the stock needing to be separated for a small order, refused to head into the containment pen. They\u2019d go as far as the gate, and then dart off. The brothers got tired of chasing them, and finally led them in one-at-a-time with a lasso around their neck.<\/p>\n

Their next job was no easier. The block and tackle pulley they were using to lift items into the barn loft broke, dropping a heavy wooden crate within inches of Hoss\u2019s head. Luckily the only injury was a small bruise on Hoss\u2019s shoulder and a few splinters in Little Joe\u2019s hand from shoving the box just enough to miss his middle brother\u2019s head. The worst part was that they couldn\u2019t finish the job because they\u2019d forgotten to purchase replacement parts after they\u2019d fixed it the last time.<\/p>\n

But those things paled in comparison to the grand finale, when Adam brought their newest bull in from the pasture to \u201cintroduce\u201d him to a few choice heifers. The two-year-old ladies were in heat, and while they weren\u2019t quite ready to avail themselves, the magnificent beast showed no interest. Adam had delivered the bull to the corral, fully prepared to jump the fence as soon as the bull got the scent and built up some steam. But the darn thing walked around the edge of the large pen, munching tufts of grass. Adam had purchased the bull and chosen the heifers, and he was beginning to think he might have overestimated their ability to create a stronger line of beef. While he\u2019d tried to shoo the bull towards the girls, his father and brothers had sat on the fence issuing an unending supply of advice.<\/p>\n

Hoss had shouted, \u201cHey, Adam, maybe you need to give that big ol\u2019 guy a few words of yer wooing advice. I bet he\u2019s just shy around them good-lookin\u2019 gals.\u201d<\/p>\n

The giggling from Joe had finally erupted into full-fledged laughter as he\u2019d suggested that his older brother had brought in a steer instead of a bull. \u201cDid you check real good to make sure that fella has all his parts?\u201d he\u2019d asked; his words barely discernable amid his guffaws.<\/p>\n

Even Pa had taken advantage of Adam\u2019s chagrin by recommending that he might get his guitar and play a few amorous ballads to get things started.<\/p>\n

In the end he\u2019d actually had to tug the big lug over and do pretty much as Hoss suggested, taking him near each cow to get their scent. \u00a0With a little interest built up, he\u2019d shooed everyone away, telling them no man could perform under such scrutiny. It hadn\u2019t taken long before the heifers had gone into standing heat, and their short courtship was consummated. He hoped they\u2019d conceive or there\u2019d be no end to the teasing.<\/p>\n

Even with the setbacks, they\u2019d finished the tasks by 10 a.m., and no one objected when Pa suggested that all three sons get away for a few hours to pick up a new pulley and stop at the bank. Hoss added in the requirement of getting lunch and a beer before heading back.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d drifted so far away in thought that he jumped when Fritz said, \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d he admitted sheepishly. \u201cHow can I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Their business was quickly dispatched with Adam agreeing that the Ponderosa would contribute towards trophies and cash prizes awarded in the best bull competition at the upcoming cattlemen\u2019s function. He grinned to himself as he headed Sport back into the street, knowing one reluctant bull that would not be entered.<\/p>\n

He heard the rumble of wheels as the approaching noon stage from Sacramento came up behind him, and he reined Sport a bit tighter so he wouldn\u2019t spook when it passed. The stage had slowed enough that it did little more than create a cloud of dust that surrounded everything nearby until it stopped in front of the Overland office.<\/p>\n

Adam waved and called, \u201cHey Amos,\u201d as the older driver rose by inches from his perch atop the vehicle until he was fully upright.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow you doing, Adam?\u201d the driver called back as he stretched. \u201cMan, I get stiff these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Sport stopped out of street traffic, Adam peered up the man he\u2019d come to know in his years of traveling the route this seasoned driver handled. \u201cYou\u2019ve been doing this so long you\u2019ve probably grown roots into that cushion. Ever think of retiring?\u201d There were many times when a crowded passenger compartment had sent Adam above to share the driver\u2019s seat. Amos Cassidy was an interesting man full of worldly wisdom and well-worn platitudes, all delivered with a wry sense of humor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd do what?\u201d The old man grunted and groaned as he turned and began his descent while hollering at the station master to get the luggage from the boot. He looked up at Adam once he was on the ground. \u201cThey\u2019ll have to pry those reins from my hands when I\u2019m cold and stiff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they will.\u201d He gave Sport a gentle nudge to make room for Amos to open the door after Jake from the stage office set the step. The first passenger to disembark was a woman Adam figured to be in her mid-40s. She smiled at him as she reached for Amos\u2019s hand, and Adam returned the mute greeting with a tip of his hat. He leaned toward his old friend to avoid shouting over the street noise, and was saying, \u201cI\u2019m going to Sacramento next week, so I\u2019ll see\u2026\u201d when he heard Amos call the woman by name, and caution her about the long drop to the step.<\/p>\n

The sweating began instantly, making Adam feel like a fire-heated blanket had been draped over him. He had trouble catching a full breath as he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away the beads of moisture dampening his forehead, cheeks and neck. An assault of vertigo struck next, spinning the street in front of him in an endless loop and making him grab the pommel with both hands to keep from slipping from his saddle. The sensation of movement, even while sitting as still as possible, was rapidly joined by another offering from this ala carte menu of woes. Tingling at the back of his throat was accompanied by an over-production of saliva. He swallowed repeatedly to keep from drooling, but this action became futile when the receptacle receiving the flood of liquid began refusing new deposits. Fortunately it had been hours since he\u2019d eaten, and the upward heave of his stomach produced nothing more than an uncomfortable retch that he hid behind the hanky.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mind and body were being overrun by physical stimuli. The only thing he knew clearly was was that he needed help, and that he\u2019d have to get to the hardware store. The passing traffic thinned for the moment, so he decided to go before he became too disabled to accomplish the move. He glanced up just long enough to locate the building amid the rotating landscape in front of his eyes. He grabbed the saddle horn with a shaky hand and held on tight as he carefully applied pressure on Sport\u2019s flanks to set him moving. The store was on the opposite side of the street, so he pulled the right rein to change his trajectory while praying there wasn\u2019t a wagon coming up behind him that wouldn\u2019t be able to stop before running him down.<\/p>\n

He gave thanks when the big gelding headed in the right direction, and then with a gentle prod on just his right side, Sport moved into a space at the hardware store\u2019s hitch rail between Chubby and Cochise. With the journey complete, Adam closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head, ending the visual cacophony. He shivered violently as a breeze cooled his skin beneath the sweat-soaked shirt, and when he couldn\u2019t hold back the nausea, he covered his mouth with his hanky again and retched as quietly as possible until his stomach calmed.<\/p>\n

Relief flooded him when he heard familiar voices, but he kept his eyes closed to avoid setting the world into motion. Hoss was laughing as he exited the store, but he stopped abruptly. This was followed by the sound of his solid footfalls moving quickly in Adam\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked immediately as he reached up and lent a steadying hand when realized that his brother\u2019s normal lean in the saddle was moving too far off center.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d He appreciated Hoss\u2019s solid grip, and thought how a person usually paid no attention to their body. Yet in this moment, he was aware of everything. The sound of his breathing echoed inside his head; he felt each heartbeat pulsing from the vessels in his neck straight down to his toes, and every nerve inside him seemed on fire.<\/p>\n

Hoss sprang into action. He knew when his older brother was sick. They all caught whatever bugs made the rounds through the crew and in town, and Adam usually suffered the most because he wouldn\u2019t give in to being ill. But this caught him off guard, because Adam had been fine no more than ten minutes before. Now his shirt was soaked enough to look like he\u2019d ridden through a rain storm, and he was hunkered over as though he\u2019d been gut shot. \u201cSomethings really wrong, ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s botherin\u2019 you the most?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe\u2019s sense of uneasiness was growing with each exchange between his brothers. \u201cCan you get down?\u201d<\/p>\n

As long as his eyes were closed, Adam had some equilibrium. \u201cI\u2019d rather not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty warm day,\u201d Hoss noted. \u201cDo you think you might\u2019a overheated?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but I\u2019m cold now, and I don\u2019t feel any better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked around, seeking a solution. \u201cWe can get you over to the International House, help you inside, and you can rest up in the lobby or we\u2019ll get a room.\u201d<\/p>\n

The response held a testy edge. \u201cYou\u2019re not dragging me off my horse into a hotel. I\u2019ll spend the two years dodging rumors about being too drunk to walk before noon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right\u2026\u201d Hoss took another minute to think, and turned to Joe. \u201cRun down the street and see if Doc Martin\u2019s in his office. If he\u2019s not there get Doc Small.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on, Adam,\u201d Hoss said soothingly, turning back to his older brother. \u201cYou\u2019ll be feelin\u2019 as fine as Little Joe\u2019s chin whiskers in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Paul Martin was eating his lunch when Little Joe charged through the office door. After hearing why the youngest Cartwright looked so upset, he told him to bring Adam over on Sport.<\/p>\n

He stood in on the porch, watching as the three maneuvered down the side street with Hoss and Joe flanking their brother. Paul could tell Adam was struggling to sit up, and thought he\u2019d have been better off if they\u2019d have brought him on a stretcher. Yet he understood why they were making this look as normal as possible. The Cartwright family was always under scrutiny. Ben and his boys were generally well-thought of as good and extremely generous people. But they didn\u2019t let anyone take what they didn\u2019t offer, and that made them targets for malicious gossip by those who envied their success and position. Any perceived flaw brought great excitement among those inclined to find fault.<\/p>\n

His friendship with the sick man atop the horse made him pray that they\u2019d get to his house before Adam collapsed. The doctor in him began assessing the obvious symptoms before they came to a stop. Although still upright, Adam\u2019s distinct list indicated issues with balance, and his complexion held a grayish undertone. \u201cHow are you doing?\u201d he asked as he reached up for Adam\u2019s wrist when they arrived, and felt a rapid pulse with recurring uneven beats.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure.\u201d Adam\u2019s reply was truthful\u2026and uninformative. \u201cI don\u2019t want to open my eyes; that much I\u2019m sure of.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two are going to have to ease him down,\u201d Paul charged Hoss and Joe, before addressing Adam again. \u201cDo you need them to carry you inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll walk between them,\u201d the patient growled. \u201cJust make sure the street is clear before you do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s clear now,\u201d Hoss told him as he reached up, getting a bear hug around Adam\u2019s chest to keep him upright and using his brother\u2019s belt as a handle to slide his legs over Sport\u2019s wide back. \u201cGive Joe a second to get over here, and we\u2019ll get you movin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even with his eyes closed, the movement made Adam sway between his brothers like a drunken sailor on deck in a storm. He breathed in relief when they finally lowered him onto the chaise in Paul\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea what might be causing this?\u201d Paul asked as he opened Adam\u2019s shirt and listened to his heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything was fine until I was talking to Amos by the stage 10-minutes ago. Then dizziness, sweating, and nausea struck like pellets from a shotgun blast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stood next to his brother, hat in hand, nearly rubbing a hole in the felt of the brim to calm his anxiety. \u201cI was thinkin\u2019 maybe he got too hot. It\u2019s a scorcher again. The weather\u2019s been off this spring. It went from, \u2018dang it\u2019s cold,\u2019 to \u2018holy cow it\u2019s hot,\u2019 without never stoppin\u2019 at \u2018gee it\u2019s nice,\u2019 for a few days in between.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a valid point, Hoss, and a good way to describe it.\u201d Paul was still laughing when he sat next to Adam. \u201cWhat have you done today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUsual ranch work before coming to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe laughed. \u201cHe forgot the part about chasing a less-than-amorous bull around the corral for an hour just before we headed in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have some water after that fun?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s tone remained surly. \u201cI don\u2019t remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember<\/em> imbibing last night?\u201d Paul asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWine with dinner: just a glass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee for breakfast and probably no water since?\u201d Paul smiled up at Hoss before patting Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou owe your brother the fee on this one. I\u2019m guessing the culprit is dehydration, and you overheated because of it.\u201d He went to his desk, pouring a glass of water from the carafe. \u201cTake a few swallows of this. Keep your eyes closed so you don\u2019t throw it up. I\u2019ll get some compresses to cool you down, and then have you drink more when you start to feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Paul waved from the doorway as the trio headed to their horses. He hollered, \u201cTake it easy for the rest of the day, Adam. You can chase bulls again tomorrow,\u201d before returning to his office, tidying the room and sitting at his desk to finish his sandwich. As he ate, he mentally chewed on his long-time acquaintance with this family.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been the only doctor when he\u2019d first come to the small town in the territory where the Ponderosa was quietly growing into one of the largest operations in the West. But things had changed when Henry Comstock discovered silver ore in the foothills of Mount Davidson. The rapidly expanding town, known by various names to various people, was renamed Virginia City, and the influx of people left the area sorely lacking in doctors. News of the need brought a few physicians into town, but there was still more work than doctors to do it. Patient calls to outlying settlers, or tending to the injuries and sickness in the mines often took them from their offices for hours and even days at a time. As a result, people used whichever physician was available when necessity arose. No territorial boundaries were erected between the men delivering medical care, although they each had their favorite families.<\/p>\n

A call to the Cartwright home was a boon for every physician. The family paid their bill quickly in cash, and a trip to the Ponderosa was an experience unlike any other. When the doctors in Virginia City gathered each month to compare their experiences, each would marvel at their treatment by Ben and his boys. Their horses were tended while they were inside, the buggies were wiped down of dust, and Hop Sing always made sure they either had something to eat and drink before leaving or a sandwich and sweets to enjoy while driving to their next appointment.<\/p>\n

Paul was still the Cartwrights doctor of choice when possible. <\/em>\u00a0He\u2019d treated Adam when he\u2019d returned home recovering from a gut wound after a tangle with Cochise and his braves. He\u2019d been called after Adam was found on the Mountain of the Dead with a festering wound in his leg, and an even deeper wound in his heart over the loss of the woman who\u2019d helped him. He\u2019d also become well acquainted with Adam\u2019s propensity to wait in seeking a doctor\u2019s care until he was galloping full speed toward the edge of cliff. Paul\u2019s experiences with Adam over the years had made him an expert on how this man reacted to his infirmities and<\/em> how he recovered. That was bothering him now.<\/p>\n

He grabbed the handkerchief from his pocket to sweep away the bread crumbs that had fallen on his shirt, as he thought about what he\u2019d just witnessed. The nagging uneasiness made the sandwich feel like a brick in his stomach.<\/p>\n

It was unlike Adam to seek an exam without delay. And while everything he was experiencing did point to dehydration, his recovery didn\u2019t uphold that diagnosis. The only treatment Paul had given him was those sips of water.<\/p>\n

When Adam put his head back to rest after that, the three brothers started talking while Paul gathered the supplies he needed. Their conversation turned toward an incident with Little Joe trying to escape the clutches of an overzealous female at last weekend\u2019s dance, and that prompted a round of rowdy laughter. Paul had gone into his kitchen to get a basin of water, and had been gone only minutes when he\u2019d re-entered the exam room to find Adam sitting on the edge of the couch\u2014symptom free.<\/p>\n

Consuming four ounces of water might have begun to reduce the severity of the symptoms associated with heat prostration, but it wouldn\u2019t have instantly removed the dizziness, extreme sweating, and urge to vomit. Paul recreated the visit in his mind, and came to other realizations. Someone experiencing \u201cheat\u201d induced symptoms would have felt warm to the touch. But Adam hadn\u2019t. There\u2019d been some cooling through evaporation, but Paul should have felt fever-like warmth when taking his pulse.<\/p>\n

He pictured what might support a different diagnosis. It hit him soundly that the set of Adam\u2019s jaw had been so tight that Paul had worried that he\u2019d crack his teeth. Adam\u2019s fists were clenched; he\u2019d had deep worry lines etched around his eyes and mouth, and there\u2019d been a look on his face…\u00a0 He now realized that what he\u2019d seen was not a man experiencing heat stroke, but a man who was frightened\u2014nearly in terror. Illness never made Adam happy, but he wasn\u2019t afraid of being sick or of being treated. There seemed to be nothing in the morning activities the brothers had described that would have provoked the response Adam exhibited. Moreover, the symptoms faded quickly once whatever triggered them was forgotten in conversation and laughter.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d allowed Adam to leave when he\u2019d finished another glass of water and had no further dizziness. His only other treatment had been to make them promise to stop for a quick bite to eat and more water before the ride home.<\/p>\n

A quick check of his appointment book and a glance at the clock confirmed that he was due at the boarding house to check on a patient who\u2019d sustained a self-inflicted gunshot after a daylong drunk at the Sazerac yesterday. Paul looked over the contents of his bag, tossing in a few rolls of cotton to redress the wound. Another wave of uneasiness struck him like a hot poker as he passed the chaise Adam had vacated.<\/p>\n

Returning to his desk, he paged forward, penciling in a stop at the Ponderosa for the following afternoon. His uneasiness was palpable, and he was suddenly filled with dread for his friend.<\/p>\n

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

Adam was the last to come down for breakfast. He blew a long breath from the side of his mouth as he noted the tall, ruby-and-crystal glass sitting next to his coffee cup. Hop Sing always served water with their evening meal, but the addition of this very full tumbler to his breakfast setting suggested treason.<\/p>\n

He sat and raised the glass, nodding first to Little Joe and then to Hoss. \u201cI propose a toast to my brothers, Judas Iscariot, and Benedict Arnold.\u201d He took some satisfaction in watching his brothers turn as rosy as the glass he set back onto the table after taking a long drink. \u201cYou know,\u201d he began while Hop Sing poured him a steaming cup of coffee, \u201cI distinctly recall asking you two not to say anything to Pa about our detour to Paul\u2019s office yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe bent over his plate, shoveling food into his mouth as his cheeks continued to blaze, but Hoss looked his older brother in the eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe intended to honor that, but then you went up for bed early last night, nearly draggin\u2019 yourself up them steps.\u201d Hoss squirmed in his chair as his eyes darted towards his father and then back to Adam. \u201cPa saw that, and then must\u2019a seen Little Joe and me exchange a worried look, and he locked on us like Jigger\u2019s bull did on that red handkerchief.\u00a0 We had to tell him or face his horns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nearly spit coffee as he tried to hold back a laugh at Hoss\u2019s depiction. Once he swallowed, he focused on his eldest. \u201cYou might be able to withstand my scrutiny, Adam, but I can still get Judas and Benedict to talk. Yet it\u2019s not fair to think of them as traitors in this case. I know you don\u2019t like anyone knowing your troubles, but what you experienced brought up an important point. This unseasonably hot weather has caught us all off guard, and what happened to you could happen to any of our men if they aren\u2019t careful. I\u2019m going to have a quick talk with the hands this morning and make sure they each take a full canteen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The eye roll was brief, but Adam\u2019s sigh was not. \u201cYour concern for the men is justified. But\u2026\u201d he addressed his brothers. \u201cInstead of tattling, you could have sent Pa to talk to me. I would have explained what happened\u2026without the glorious embellishments of nearly carrying me into Paul\u2019s office after dragging me down from Sport so I didn\u2019t fall on my face.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lopsided grin grew on Ben\u2019s face. \u201cActually they just said you felt dizzy, and even though Hoss was pretty sure you were overheated, you had Paul confirm that before heading home. But thank you for providing those details, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Adam\u2019s turn to blush, and then laugh. \u201cHow about someone pass me the eggs to enjoy with my foot.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The snow still atop the Sierras at this time of year usually provided a cooling breeze, but not today. Ben glanced up at the blazing sun and shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m sure not ready for this heat,\u201d he grumbled while making his way behind the barn to where Hoss and Adam were repairing feed bins the field mice had chewed into over the winter. Fortunately the tall building afforded shade as the afternoon temperatures continued to rise. Adam had seemed well while helping his brothers fix the pulley and get the crates stored in the loft after breakfast, but Ben knew that his hard-headed son wouldn\u2019t allow himself to slow down. He felt compelled to make an appearance now-and-then to remind him to take care of himself. He grinned when he heard Adam groan as he rounded the corner to where they were working.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to keep checking up on me,\u201d Adam groused. \u201cIf I pass out, Hoss can toss me over his shoulder and carry me to the house.\u201d He had meant for his statement to sound humorous, but it came out in such a petulant tone that his father laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re all grown up, but sometimes I forget that when you sound like the little boy who argued with me about going to bed at night.\u201d He laughed again when Adam turned away with a hint of a smile lingering below his pink cheeks. \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re doing well, and I promise this is the last time I\u2019ll check.\u201d He whispered, \u201cUntil the next time,\u201d under his breath, as he inspected their work. His sons were men, but that didn\u2019t take away his right to worry. They would understand that once they had children of their own.<\/p>\n

Hoss pointed to the bin they\u2019d been working on. \u201cThe mice got into every last one of them boxes, and in more\u2019n one place, so Adam and me are gonna attach a strip of metal over the wood at the bottom edge where them critters like to gnaw,\u201d Hoss told his father. \u201cI\u2019ve got Jimmy firing up the forge. He can straighten some of them curved iron strips we use to reinforce the bigger wagon wheels, and poke some nail holes in \u2018em while the two of us keep fixin\u2019 the holes.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben had talked a little more with his sons before heading back inside to do paperwork. His green ledgers remained piled on the corner of his desk when he got sidetracked reading through the business section of the newspaper the boys had brought back from town. He was engrossed in an article about a new president being named at one of the banks used by the Ponderosa. It was a person he\u2019d dealt with at the main branch in San Francisco, and he was mentally composing the congratulatory note and invitation to the ranch he\u2019d write later, when he was startled by the sound of wheels turning on the hard-packed ground in the yard. He rose quickly to peer out the small windows near his desk and saw a stranger pulling to a stop.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a hot day for a ride,\u201d he told the woman in the buggy as he exited the house.<\/p>\n

The middle-aged woman untied the bow of her large-brimmed hat and set in on the seat next to her. \u201cThis monstrosity,\u201d she said, pointing to the headgear, \u201ckept me shaded, and I moved fast enough to create a pleasant breeze, so it wasn\u2019t bad.\u201d She turned in the seat and looked around the yard. \u201cIt is as lovely here as the people in town described it, but being a city-girl, all this vastness is a bit daunting.\u201d She refocused on the man by the house. \u201cAre you Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben approached the buggy. \u201cThere are four Mr. Cartwrights living here, but let me help you down and we\u2019ll go inside where it\u2019s more comfortable.\u201d He steadied her descent and led her into the house. \u201cHave a seat while I arrange for a cool drink. Would you prefer water or lemonade?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWater would be nice. Thank you.\u201d She got comfortable on the settee, and set her large handbag next to her before removing her gloves and opening the top button of her cotton dress to let in a little cool air. \u201cSo, which of the four are you?\u201d she asked when her host returned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Ben. And you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

She extended her hand. \u201cPatricia Matson. I\u2019m looking for Adam Cartwright.\u201d She smiled. \u201cMight he be one of the other three?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sat on the arm of his red leather chair. \u201cAdam is my eldest\u2026\u201d he did a quick scan of the woman, noticing her thin, gold wedding band, and the strands of gray mixed in with her blond hair. \u201cMay I ask why you\u2019ve come all the way out here in the heat of the day, Mrs. Matson?\u201d<\/p>\n

He eyes narrowed as her nose wrinkled. \u201cThe most spoken of topic since I arrived in town yesterday, has been the heat. Nevada is known to be hot, so I\u2019m not sure why everyone seems so shocked that it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laughed even as he noted that his guest had ducked his question. \u201cNevada gets extremely hot in some areas, but even the deserts are cooler in the winter months. And this this ranch sits high in the Sierra foothills. Spring here is usually a mixture of mild weather combined with rain and snow flurries. We expect extreme heat in July and August, but not in April. Then again, weather is as unpredictable as anything else in life.\u201d He looked up as Hop Sing brought out a tray with glasses and a pitcher and served the guest. Ben\u2019s, \u201cthank you,\u201d sent the cook bustling back to the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u201d Patricia\u2019s eyes widened after taking a sip. \u201cThis is wonderfully cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur well is fed from mountain streams, and they run cold this time of year.\u201d Ben hadn\u2019t realized how thirsty he was and drained his glass before concentrating on his guest again. \u201cYou were about to explain why you need to see Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d prefer speaking to Adam directly about the details, but I believe Adam was the last man to have seen my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t sure why, but Ben was suddenly suspicious. His protective nature prompted concern about his son walking into a retributional ambush. \u201cMight I<\/em> have known your husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled, but her bearing and tone was as hard as flint. \u201cI need to speak with your son. If he\u2019s not nearby I can return at another time or he can meet me in town at his convenience. I\u2019ll have to stay in Virginia City until I see him.\u201d<\/p>\n

His instinct was to send her back to town, but he knew Adam would be curious enough to go after her. Better to let her speak to him here where his family could keep an eye on the situation. In the meantime, he was not about to be \u201chandled\u201d by an uncooperative guest. \u201cMy sons are often away for weeks at a time on ranch business. Life in this\u2026vastness\u2026isn\u2019t as predictable as it is in the city, and I\u2019d have expected that you\u2019d send a wire or note of introduction.\u201d He watched the color rise in her cheeks, but there was a fire in her eyes that seemed to flame with his admonition too. \u201cThat being said, you have been favored despite your lapse of forethought. Adam is working close enough that I can get him.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cHer name is Matson?\u201d Adam asked his father as they walked toward the house. \u201cAnd she thinks I knew her husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what<\/em> she said: but that\u2019s all<\/em> she said too. I\u2019d say she\u2019s in her mid-forties. She\u2019s pleasant looking, well-spoken, and she seems nice, except for this mysterious game she\u2019s intent on playing.\u201d Ben pointed to the buggy. \u201cShe drove that out by herself. Looks like a rental from Zeke\u2019s. She did let it slip that she lives in a city and that she arrived in town yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged and chuckled. \u201cI don\u2019t recall anyone named Matson, but I suppose the best way to find out what she wants is to ask her.\u201d He entered the house and was halfway to the sofa when the woman stood and turned, making him stop so fast that his father ran into his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the man on the horse who was talking to the Overland driver.\u201d She smiled broadly. \u201cI wish I\u2019d known it was you. We could have had our talk right then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI, ah\u2026my father said your name is Matson? I thought I heard Amos call you by a different name.\u201d<\/p>\n

She breathed deeply and exhaled. \u201cPlease come sit down and I\u2019ll explain why I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave his father a quick eyebrow lift and shrug before perching on the arm of the blue chair.<\/p>\n

Patricia resumed her seat on the settee. \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t mean to seem mysterious, but the information you might provide is most important for my future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled as his eyes widened and he sought his father with another quick glance. \u201cI\u2019ll gladly help if I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all I ask.\u201d After chewing on her lip for a second, she sat ramrod straight and took a quick breath. \u201cMy husband came west many years ago and lived alone during that time. During his absence, I received letters about twice a year, and I replied by sending my correspondence to a store in a small town where he purchased supplies. I received the last letter from him over two years ago, but I continued to write until I received a packet with my unclaimed letters. The owner of the store included a note saying he hadn\u2019t been to town for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cThey gave no thoughts as to why that was?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone.\u201d Mrs. Matson reached for the handbag she\u2019d set next to her, and gripped it tightly. \u201cThe description my husband gave of that town was that it was no more than a \u2018wart on the hindquarter of stray dog,\u2019 but he\u2019d mentioned speaking to a sheriff in one of his letters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you write to the sheriff and ask for information?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did. His reply echoed what that shopkeeper wrote: that my husband hadn\u2019t been around in some time, but that he might know someone who could verify his fate. This may sound callous, but I\u2019d begun to think his great adventure would end badly. He hadn\u2019t been able to find gold as he\u2019d thought he would, and he\u2019d been gone over ten years by then. It mattered little whether I was still married or a widow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam adjusted his position on the chair\u2019s arm, crossing one leg over the other, and flashed his guest a half-smile. \u201cI\u2019m assuming there is now a reason to know your marital status?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are intuitive, Mr. Cartwright. I looked into having him declared dead, but it takes seven years without signs of life, leaving five more to go. However, if someone witnessed his death and signs an affidavit swearing to that, he can be declared dead immediately. I\u2019ve followed the leads I was given, and I think you\u2019re the last piece of the puzzle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was never with anyone named Matson when they died,\u201d Adam said as he closed his eyes to take a quick mental journey back over the times he\u2019d been in the situation this woman had described. When he looked up again, he saw a look of apprehension in Patricia Matson\u2019s eyes, and he knew she wasn\u2019t being honest about something.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m quite sure you were,\u201d she responded solidly, and then chuckled. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. It\u2019s been a long journey to get to this point and I\u2019m anxious to know the truth. We can speak later of the process, but what I\u2019ve found leads to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head and lifted the collar of his shirt to send a waft of air down his back. The room that had been comfortably cool when he\u2019d entered was now feeling oppressively hot, and he feared he was experiencing a recurrence of the illness from the day before. Anxious to be done with this, he pressed her. \u201cPerhaps I\u2019d remember if you\u2019d be less vague. I have<\/em> been with people when they died, but never a Matson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMatson is my maiden name,\u201d Patricia confessed. \u201cI know this conversation is odd, but the lawyer I contacted about the proof I\u2019d need to make the affidavit valid, told me that your identification can\u2019t be based on a name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sweat began meandering down Adam\u2019s temples as he demanded, \u201cThen how on earth can I give you what you need!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s rising anger seemed to have no effect as Patricia calmly answered, \u201cI have something better: something conclusive.\u201d She pulled a small paperboard folder from her handbag, and slid it across the low table separating her from Adam. \u201cI realize the man you met was some years older than he is in this photograph, but I feel he wouldn\u2019t have changed so much you won\u2019t recognize him. He was always particular about his grooming habits, and I doubt that changed even in the wilderness.\u201d<\/p>\n

The room began to spin as Adam opened the folder and he got his first look at the face of the man in the wedding picture. He breathed deeply to halt the rotation, but his hands started shaking so violently that the photograph fell from his fingers. Every symptom he\u2019d experienced the previous day returned with such force he had to grab the table edges to keep from falling forward onto his face. Adam\u2019s heart was beating irregularly and the dizziness was replaced by darkness crowding the periphery of his vision. The room closed in around him like the walls of a cave; the heat and stillness overwhelming his ability to inhale. He whispered, \u201cExcuse me,\u201d and stumbled toward the door, crashing into the credenza before finally reaching the latch and flinging the door open. He sucked in a deep breath as he exited and ran in as straight a line as he could away from the house.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s watched in horror while feeling paralyzed. His son was already outside when he finally moved toward the door. He saw Adam cut through bushes at the side of the yard before he disappeared. He wasn\u2019t sure what had caused the unexpected departure, although two options presented themselves in rapid succession. The dizziness seemed to fit the description of the illness Adam had experienced in town yesterday. Yet\u2026what Ben had seen most prominently when Adam darted a look towards him after viewing the picture\u2026was terror.<\/p>\n

Hoss had exited the barn with an armload of metal strips and was talking to Jimmy, who was stoking coals in their small forge. Both men looked up when they heard the front door open and saw Adam stagger out and head into the yard beyond the house. Hoss handed off his load, and trotted to his father, who\u2019d come out shortly after his brother. \u201cWhat\u2019s goin\u2019 on? You\u2019re as white as a sheet, and Adam looked like he was runnin\u2019 from the devil himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease find your brother, Hoss. I think he\u2019s getting sick again\u2026or….\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr\u2026?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I know for sure is that something is very wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big man looked past his father and nodded towards the woman standing in the doorway. \u201cWho\u2019s that?\u201d he asked quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll explain later. Find Adam and see how you can help.\u201d He grabbed Hoss\u2019s arm as he turned to go. \u201cKeep your brother away from the house until I get that woman on her way.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Adam\u2019s safety assured, Ben took a deep breath, clenched his fists at his side, and strode purposefully back towards the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to Adam?\u201d Patricia asked in a shaky voice.<\/p>\n

He walked past her without saying a word and headed towards the table where the picture had fallen from his son\u2019s hands. \u201cOh dear God,\u201d he moaned as he realized what his son had just seen. The photo held the image of a serious looking man in a suit, but in Ben\u2019s mind, the image transfigured into a sun-scorched corpse lying on the travois being dragged by his nearly-dead son. He held the picture up and pointed to it as he bellowed. \u201cThis\u2026is your husband? Peter Kane?\u201d He skidded the cardboard folder across the table towards her. \u201cI hope you got what you wanted out of this little performance, but now you should leave. Don\u2019t try to contact us again.\u201d His outburst and sudden fear for his son drained him, and he dropped into the blue chair, holding his head in his hands.<\/p>\n

Patricia walked quickly around the low table, and sat directly in front of Ben. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to cause you or your son such distress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked up and met her stare, his eyes blazing like the coals in the forge outside. \u201cThen why didn\u2019t you just show Adam the picture and ask if he knew him?\u201d He snorted angrily. \u201cI can confirm that the man in this photo is dead. I didn\u2019t see him die, but I did bury him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d she said sincerely while not moving. \u201cI have waited a long time to hear that. I\u2019m sorry the memory of Peter brings so much pain, but that\u2019s a common occurrence with those who\u2019ve known him.\u201d<\/p>\n

He rubbed his head and looked up at her. \u201cYou sound sincere, so why did you lie about your name and deflect our questions? You were obviously hoping for a reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hoping for an indication<\/em> that Adam was the man I needed: the one who could release me from my fears and give me a new start. Please understand that my method was not to abuse Adam, but to protect myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s laugh was cynical; his glare hard as nails. \u201cWhy would you need protection from Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

She swallowed hard. \u201cI\u2019ve faced continuous roadblocks and mandates from those who\u2019ve possessed the information I needed. In Adam\u2019s case, I knew he had what I needed most. I wanted proof that he was the right person before he made demands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat sort of demands did you think he\u2019d make?\u201d Ben\u2019s question was now driven by curiosity.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me tell you what I\u2019ve experienced.\u201d Patricia rose, stretched her shoulders and walked to the fireplace. \u201cWhen I contacted the sheriff in Salt Flats, that town where Peter went for supplies, I assumed that as a public servant, he would offer what he knew without requital. I was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s brows slid together as he relaxed back into the chair. \u00a0\u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned abruptly, facing Ben squarely. \u201cMy husband took delight in playing mind-games. He was arrogant about this ability to control people, and he neither acknowledged the pain he caused nor felt responsible for the chaos he left in his wake. This I can attest to from first-hand experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben allowed a brief nod and knowing smile. \u201cThis sounds like the man who tortured my son with his games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia\u2019s eye widened and she blew out a long, shaky breath while she arranged the pleats on her skirt. \u201cThe sheriff\u2019s response indicated he might have useful information, but Peter had left behind so much debt and ill-will in town that the only way he might be more inclined to remember what he\u2019d heard was if those debts were satisfied. I felt mildly responsible. I had been sending Peter money for supplies, but the last letter he actually picked up, contained no cash and<\/em> my intention to stop financing his project.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou paid the debts for the information?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cI don\u2019t want to wait another five years to marry. Neither I nor my fianc\u00e9, Jason, knows this area, so he suggested we travel to Sacramento and hire a Pinkerton man. The agent went to Salt Flats; paid the debt, and kept us informed. The sheriff explained that the town needed every cent it was owed to keep going, and after receiving our money, he sent the agent to a blacksmith\u2019s place located between Salt Flats and Peter\u2019s claim. This man was just as sincere as the sheriff, yet he showed the agent Peter\u2019s purchase agreement on a mule, and asked for the remaining payments first. That was money well spent. The blacksmith told the story of holding a lame horse for a young man named Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was my youngest son, Joseph.\u201d Ben offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it was Joseph who recognized a horse this man had purchased as being his brother\u2019s, and they both knew something bad had happened. The \u2018kid\u2019 rode on to Salt Flats to get help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wired me,\u201d Ben explained. \u201cMy middle son and I went to help. After we found Adam, Joseph went back to get his horse. I\u2019d guess that\u2019s how the blacksmith knew what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat fits the story the agent told us. When the blacksmith went to town later, he told the sheriff that when the kid returned, he said his brother had been found, even though barely alive, and that he\u2019d been with another man who\u2019d died during their attempt to get to water. Your son described the dead man as a miner who\u2019d been working a claim out there. The only miner still working in that area was Peter. The Pinkerton returned to Sacramento then, and asked if I wanted him to go to Virginia City and get the affidavit. He assured me that the Cartwrights were well known in the West, and by all accounts, a good and honest family. I decided this last leg of the journey was mine to take.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was convinced that her story rang true. \u201cDid you think Adam was owed something too, and that he\u2019d<\/em> demand payment as the others had?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone I spoke with in town says wonderful things about your family. And when I described the incident to a Sheriff Coffee yesterday, he thought it was Adam I needed to see. But I knew<\/em> what Peter was like, and based on your son\u2019s reaction, I must owe him more than I can possibly repay.\u201d She walked to the settee and retrieved her purse. \u201cI should go now so you can see to Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben escorted Patricia towards the door. \u201cWhat Kane took from my son can\u2019t be repaid. Seeing that picture was a shock, but his departure was precipitated by a recurring illness. I will share what you\u2019ve told me, but he needs to rest now. Have the affidavit prepared and one of us will come to sign it. Where are you staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe International House,\u201d she replied before taking Ben\u2019s hand. \u201cYou mentioned that Peter tortured your son. I assume his wounds weren\u2019t visible; that the scars were left on his soul?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s brows drew close as he tipped his head. \u201cI\u2019m beginning to think that\u2019s very true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam was the last person Peter tortured, Mr. Cartwright, but he wasn\u2019t the first. Please encourage him to come speak with me. I may be able to repay him after all.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss stopped at the edge of the garden, removed his hat and used his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead before muttering, \u201cHop Sing ain\u2019t gonna be happy about this.\u201d He followed his brother\u2019s footsteps visually through the row of green onion tops, and cringed at how many were now flattened. Hop Sing was already bemoaning the fact that hot weather was rushing the spring vegetables, making the lettuce and radishes bitter, and the spinach tough. Hoss knew Adam hadn\u2019t done this maliciously. He was pretty sure his brother had been more interested in getting away from something, than in getting to somewhere.<\/p>\n

Not wanting to add insult to injury, he walked across the unplanted area of the plot and tried to pick up Adam\u2019s trail on the other side. \u201cWhere did you get to?\u201d Hoss mumbled as he tried to find a footprint in the loose stones beyond the garden. The bright sun reflecting off the hard surfaces in the distance made it impossible to distinguish anything, so he used his hand as a visor, extending the shade already provided by his hat brim. There were a few trees close by, but none of them were wide enough to hide a person. Reason suggested his brother must be behind one of the boulders dotting the landscape. His instincts were right, and he picked up a set of footprints as he headed towards the closest ones.<\/p>\n

Hoss slowed as he rounded the corner of a wide rock, and eased down next to Adam. \u201cWhat\u2019s goin\u2019 on, brother,\u201d he asked softly. Adam didn\u2019t move. He was curled into a ball, grasping his legs as he rocked back-and-forth. \u201cAre you feelin\u2019 like you did yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

The rocking stopped, but Adam didn\u2019t look up. \u201cHe\u2019s was in the house, and\u2026.\u201d He sighed raggedly. \u201cI thought he was dead, but he\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s here?\u201d I saw a buggy, but only a woman by the door. How\u2019s about we go back to the house.\u201d Hoss rose and extended his hand, his mouth nearly dropping open when Adam raised his head. His brother\u2019s eyes were glassy and furtive and his mouth was set in a hard, thin line. He couldn\u2019t tell if it was caused by pain or fear. His question was answered as he saw that Adam was trembling from head to foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go anywhere. He\u2019s got my ankles hobbled.\u201d Adam sat back and extended his legs. \u201cSee?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss bent down and looked carefully at his brother\u2019s legs, even pulling his pants up a bit to make sure they weren\u2019t hiding a rope. \u201cMaybe you fell asleep fer a minute when you got out here, and dreamed you was tied up. There ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 there now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is! I can feel it!\u201d Adam said firmly, while pointing towards the house. \u201cHe\u2019s back, and he did this!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s back, Adam?\u201d Hoss knelt down and took Adam\u2019s shoulders. \u201cWho do you think tied you up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter Kane! Didn\u2019t you see him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter Kane is dead,\u201d the younger man said soothingly. \u201cWe buried him more\u2019n two years back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think you buried him,\u201d Adam snapped back. \u201cIt was another game. He pretended to be dead, and you couldn\u2019t bury him very deep so he crawled out after we left. He probably had food and water stashed out there. He\u2019s been waiting for a chance to come after me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss imagined Adam was stuck in a dream fueled by illness. Whatever was driving this, he figured he had to address it. He reached down and moved Adam\u2019s legs further apart. \u201cWell, whatever was there seems to be gone now, so I\u2019ll help you to that bench by the barn and I\u2019ll go in and make sure Kane isn\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and grabbed Hoss\u2019s arm to stand. The walk back was accomplished quickly, and Hoss began to think that maybe the dream had passed. He got his brother settled in the shade, close to where Jimmy was working at the forge. \u201cTake it easy now, and I\u2019ll be back as soon as I know what\u2019s going on.\u201d The buggy was gone, making Hoss assume the guest he\u2019d seen earlier had left.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you find him?\u201d Ben asked as he walked towards the door when Hoss entered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir. But something\u2019s sorely wrong. Adam told me that Peter Kane paid him a visit, and he thought he was tied up. It was spooky as all get out.\u201d Hoss shook his head. \u201cI feel silly asking this, but was Kane here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben walked over and leaned on the edge of his desk. \u201cIt was Kane\u2019s wife. She gave us her maiden name, and remained vague while saying Adam had been with her husband when he died. When Adam pressed for a name, she said he would have to make the identification from a picture. It was a photograph of Kane. Adam looked uncomfortable from the time he set eyes on her, and seeing that picture drove him over the edge.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI tore into her for her subterfuge, but then she told me all she\u2019s been through to get information, and I believe she meant no harm.\u201d Ben scrubbed his face with both hands. \u201cIs Adam sick like yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but this is different. Adam don\u2019t give into fear, but he looked scared bad just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam leaned back against the rough barn siding and breathed deeply. Being with Hoss had helped him think straighter. It was a picture he\u2019d seen in the house. A picture brought by Kane\u2019s wife, not the man himself. The fact that Kane had a wife was as big a shock as seeing the picture. The dizziness and sweating had ended, but he was still trembling. He accepted that Kane was dead, yet he could still feel the ropes around his ankles; the ropes he thought Kane had tied… The ropes Hoss had proved weren\u2019t there.<\/p>\n

He could hear Jimmy using the bellows to add air to the fire in the forge pan, making the coals sizzle and pop. The young man was becoming a very good blacksmith. Adam had liked to work the fire and metal at one time, but it had been a while since he\u2019d been able to do it. Something about the clang of hammer against iron. It was a hot job anyway, and he thought it good to let other people learn new skills.<\/p>\n

Adam opened one eye when it became quiet and he looked to where Jimmy had been working. He was gone, and Adam wondered why he disappeared with the fire blazing. But then he heard a rumbling, and Jimmy rounded the corner of the barn pushing a wheelbarrow with a feed bin balanced on the tray. He smiled wanly and nodded. \u201cI guess it would help to know how those metal strips should fit onto the boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jimmy chuckled. \u201cHoss described what he wanted, but I figured it best to bring a box up here and try out my idea. He thought I could flatten out those wheel rims, but I found a pile of flat pieces in the shed that we use to reinforce joints in the heavy-haul wagons. All I gotta do to those is heat \u2018em up to enough to punch nail holes. That strip oughtta break off a couple teeth if a critter gets a mind to try chewing through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour plan will go much quicker, and you\u2019ll be ready by the time we\u2019re done with the repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jimmy looked around the yard. \u201cWill Hoss be back soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s talking to Pa. Do you need something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could use some help.\u201d Jimmy grabbed a medium-length tongs and used it to point towards the fire. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to keep such a narrow strip of material in place. I\u2019ll have to clamp it down, unless\u2026\u201d He grinned good-naturedly. \u201cUnless you could lend a hand? You\u2019d just need to man the tongs and keep that strip from moving while I pound the punch through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can handle that.\u201d Adam was feeling his old self when he joined Jimmy by the fire and took the implement from the young man. \u201cYou want me to pick that strip out of the fire and lay it on the anvil?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup, but give me a minute.\u201d Jimmy slipped a heavily padded leather glove on his left hand and then fit a short-handled clamp around the punch, shaking the combined pieces it to make sure the grip was secure. While he grabbed his hammer, he explained, \u201cI\u2019ll have to dunk this punch in the bath after a few strikes. It\u2019ll heat up quick, and I\u2019ll lose the point if I don\u2019t cool it down. Just keep the strip in place when I do that.\u201d He gave Adam a final nod. \u201cAll right, bring it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cShould I bring Adam inside now?\u201d Hoss asked his father.<\/p>\n

Ben looked around the room as he chewed his lip. \u201cLet\u2019s make sure there\u2019re no reminders of Mrs. Kane\u2019s visit before you do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Ben gathered the glassware and pitcher, Hoss walked around the seating area in front of the fireplace. He wasn\u2019t sure what he was looking for, but he saw something gray and flat sticking out from under the settee. He was retrieving it as his father got back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, heavens. I\u2019m glad you found that before Adam came in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it,\u201d Hoss asked as he handed it over.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the photograph. I tossed it across the table, and it must have slid off and under the couch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me see that before you put it away, Pa.\u201d Hoss opened the folder and drew a sharp breath. \u201cMan-o-man. I can see why Adam got a fright.\u201d He carried it over to the window for a better look. \u201cYou know what\u2019s so eerie about this? He has that dead-pan look you have to keep on yer face for a photograph, and exceptin\u2019 for his eyes being open here, he looks pretty much like he did on that travois when he was stone-cold dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben joined Hoss by the window. \u201cHis eyes are cold. I can\u2019t imagine the fright Adam got when he opened it, and saw that face staring back at him. I\u2019ll put it in my desk for now, and we\u2019ll both go out and get your brother. The more familiar everything seems to him right now, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss waited by the credenza while his father secured the photograph. Ben was on his way over when they were both startled by a howl from outside. \u201cThat was Adam,\u201d Hoss shouted as he grabbed the latch and ran.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in tarnation,\u201d Ben muttered when he saw Jimmy trying to hold Adam up. Both men were dripping wet.<\/p>\n

Hoss scooped his brother from the startled looking young man, and carried him to the bench where he\u2019d left him earlier.<\/p>\n

Free of his burden, Jimmy ran to Ben, flailing his arms while jabbering a rush of words.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalm down and tell me what happened.\u201d Ben shook the boy\u2019s shoulders when he kept babbling.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d Hoss called from the bench. \u201cAdam\u2019s hand is burned bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jimmy nodded and was finally able to calm himself with a deep breath. \u201cI told him that punch would get hot\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStart from the beginning,\u201d Ben instructed before looking over at Hoss and asking, \u201cCan you manage while I figure out what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s out cold, Pa. I\u2019ll get his hand back in cool water and go for Doc Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

With some order reestablished, Ben locked Jimmy in a stare. \u201cStart talking, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked Adam to hold the tongs on that iron while I punched the nail holes. He was in a good mood when we got started. I was pounding through the last hole on that strip when Adam got a look on his face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of look?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike he was mad at me, but maybe more scared than anything. His eyes got all squinty and he said he\u2019d helped me all he was gonna, and then some more stuff that didn\u2019t make any sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care how little sense it made, just tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said there wasn\u2019t any gold in the cave anyway, and then something like he wasn\u2019t gonna be my pack mule or play any more games.\u201d Jimmies eyes widened and he grimaced. \u201cThat\u2019s when he dropped the tongs and grabbed my hammer with one hand and the punch with the other. He hollered that I couldn\u2019t make him keep working if there were no tools to work with.\u201d He looked down and shook his head. \u201cI was just gonna cool that punch when he took it, so it was doggoned hot. He didn\u2019t even seem to notice that his hand was burning for a second or two, and then he screamed. I yanked him over to the water tub and shoved his arm in. I don\u2019t think he understood and he tried fighting me off, but I held on tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Jimmy. You probably saved his hand doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d Jimmy said softly. \u201cDid I do something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben squeezed Jimmy\u2019s shoulder and patted it again as he released his grip. \u201cAdam hasn\u2019t been feeling well. Sometimes being sick can play tricks on the mind. Thank you again for your quick thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope he feels better and that burn ain\u2019t too bad.\u201d He looked down at his feet, and added, \u201cI know what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you said about a mind playin\u2019 tricks. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s laying heavy on Adam\u2019s mind, but when I was a kid, my brother and me were supposed to get to bed while my folks finished chores outside. We got to roughhousing and knocked the oil lamp to the floor. It started a fire that spread so fast we barely got out before the whole house was blazing. Ma and Pa hollered, but Ma always said she was just thankful we were safe, and living with what happened would be punishment enough. I dreamed about that fire a lot, and it was always worse when I was sick. I\u2019d try to grab that lamp before it hit the floor over and over in my fevered dreams. I\u2019d scream for everyone to get out of the house, and start pulling them out of bed. It was so real. For some year just looking into a fireplace could make my skin nearly crawl off and hide a corner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was anxious to get to his son, yet there was something about what this young man was saying that seemed important. \u201cI\u2019m surprised you took up blacksmithing,\u201d Ben told him. \u201cDoesn\u2019t working with fire bring back those memories?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jimmy shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of the opposite. \u201cMy dreams were always about being helpless to stop what happened. In blacksmithing, I control<\/em> the fire, and that makes it all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben lifted Adam\u2019s hand from the bucket of water, and inspected the damage. \u201cThank goodness the punch wasn\u2019t heated in the forge. It would have burned clear through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s blistering deep, but the top layer of skin is still there,\u201d Hoss replied as he eased his brother\u2019s hand back into the water. \u201cHe ain\u2019t comin\u2019 to, Pa, but he keeps mumbling things I can\u2019t make out. Seems like his brain is still pushing like a steam engine while his body kind of shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben found himself smiling at Hoss\u2019s simple, dead-on assessment, even while his forehead remained furrowed with worry. \u201cLet\u2019s get him in the house so you can go for help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father and son were working out the details of the move when Paul Martin drove his buggy into the yard. Ben hurried over to welcome the doctor. \u201cI don\u2019t know why you\u2019re here, but your timing is perfect.\u201d He nodded back at the figure laid out on the bench with his hand in a bucket. \u201cAdam burned his hand pretty bad, passed out, and\u2026.\u201d The worried man\u2019s face collapsed in a look of agony. \u201cBut that\u2019s the end of the story, not the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul hurried out of the vehicle and came to Ben\u2019s side. \u201cStay here for a minute. I want to talk to you after I check Adam.\u201d He trotted to the bench and did much the same as Ben had done minutes earlier, lifting Adam\u2019s hand to check the wound. He removed a clean, white handkerchief from his pocket, wrapping it loosely over the palm and rested Adam\u2019s arm on his chest, before addressing Hoss. \u201cWhat did he do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was helping Jimmy at the forge and grabbed onto the hot punch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded. \u201cIt looks like the burn you get grabbing a pan handle that\u2019s been over the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was hot from being hammered into hot metal, but luckily not hot from the forge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Adam grab it when it slipped?\u201d Hoss looked away, prompting Paul to take his shoulder and turn him back. \u201cYou have to be honest. I stopped today because everything about yesterday bothered me. I had a hunch we\u2019d only seen the beginning of whatever caused those symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss finally nodded. \u201cHe got to feelin\u2019 poorly again and I left him out here while I went inside to see Pa. Jimmy didn\u2019t know anything was wrong and asked him to help. He said Adam grabbed the hammer and hot punch away from him when he sort of went crazy, shouting about not doin\u2019 any more work or playin\u2019 games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s face pulled into a pucker. \u201cAdam was confused?\u201d Hoss nodded. \u201cGet that young man to help carry Adam inside, and put him in the downstairs bedroom for now. Then ask Hop Sing to warm some water. I\u2019ll be in as soon as I talk to your father.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Paul motioned for Ben to follow him to the house as he passed by, saying \u201cWait here,\u201d when they got through the door. He made his way to the guestroom to open the French doors so Hoss could bring Adam inside without going through the house, and then asked Ben to take a seat at his desk when he returned. After pulling a chair over, Paul rested his elbows on the desktop. \u201cHoss explained how Adam burned his hand, but you need to tell me what happened before that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave a condensed version of the unexpected guest, her request, and Adam\u2019s reaction to seeing the photograph. \u201cWhen he stumbled out of here, I assumed his illness from yesterday had returned,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would make sense,\u201d Paul responded. \u201cExcept that I had second thoughts about that diagnosis. It concerned me enough to follow up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam was having \u2018symptoms\u2019 that corresponded with dehydration and heat stroke, but his recovery didn\u2019t uphold that. It seemed like he forgot that he was dizzy and nauseated when his brothers got him thinking about other things.\u201d Paul paused to think. \u201cSomething set those symptoms off yesterday, just as something set them off today. You said he seemed ill after seeing a picture?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, Adam seemed tense as soon as she mentioned that he had been with her husband when he died. I imagine that Peter Kane was someone who came to mind with that description. The photograph was what sent him running.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when he told Hoss that Kane was alive and had come back to torture him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shivered and nodded.<\/p>\n

The shiver was contagious. Paul remembered his concern two years ago when he heard that Adam had gone missing in the wilderness. The family had gone in search, and the talk in town during their absence had been the unlikelihood they\u2019d ever find the oldest son alive. He\u2019d been thrilled when Little Joe had shown up at his door with the news that they\u2019d done just that. His joy ended immediately when he got his first look at the man they\u2019d brought home. Paul had feared the worst when he saw the severely dehydrated, malnourished, and unconscious man in the bed. But with Ben\u2019s permission to try \u201canything,\u201d he\u2019d initiated some new measures that had managed to keep Adam alive long enough to begin an actual recovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he ever tell you what happened to him out there?\u201d Paul asked.<\/p>\n

Ben sniffed as his eyes filled with hot tears at the memory of his son crawling away from him before he recognized that he was safe, and then collapsing into his arms in relief. \u201cAll he could tell us at first were broken phrases about games, and gold. As he fell asleep that first night, he mumbled something about a mule being shot and knowing he was going to die. I told you as much as I knew when we returned with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded repeatedly as he recalled those days of working nonstop to keep Adam alive. \u201cAnd he said nothing when he recovered?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think he remembered anything. When he was better, he just went back to work. You were here; isn\u2019t that what you saw?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul gave another quick nod. \u201cIt\u2019s probable that when a body is so severely stressed, the physical needs override the mental horrors. It\u2019s a protective thing: a means of allowing the body to heal first by locking away the memories that could prevent recovery. It\u2019s the only way people survive in those situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd seeing that picture today unlocked those horrors?\u201d Ben asked with a sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say that was true, but it doesn\u2019t explain the reaction yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben slouched further into his chair while making an inventory of the conversation he\u2019d witnessed between Patricia Kane and his son. The answer hit him just as surely as he\u2019d bumped into Adam when they\u2019d walked into the house earlier. \u201cThere might be a connection.\u201d He stood and walked around the desk, visualizing the scene as it had played out. \u201cAdam recognized the woman when he first walked in.\u201d He pointed to a spot in front of the credenza. \u201cHe stopped there\u2026abruptly\u2026like a horse shying back when it\u2019s sees something that frightens it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas this woman unfriendly or confrontative?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. She laughed, and said she could have saved a trip out here if she\u2019d have known who he was when she saw him the day before. She used the name Matson when she introduced herself to me, but Adam mentioned that he\u2019d heard a different name in town. Perhaps someone called her Mrs. Kane.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul became excited, as the puzzle came together. \u201cDid she come to town by stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right!\u00a0 She mentioned seeing him by the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Adam was in my office yesterday, he told us he was fine until he was talking to the Overland driver. I\u2019ll bet he heard her called Mrs. Kane there. The name alone could have turned the key to those locked-away fears, letting them begin oozing to the surface. His body created physical symptoms to deal with the mental upheaval. Today, that picture opened a floodgate of memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conversation between Paul and Ben ended when Hoss exited the bedroom and headed their way. \u201cHe\u2019s still out cold, Paul, and Hop Sing\u2019s gettin\u2019 things ready for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go check him while your father explains what we think is happening.\u201d Paul began walking away, but turned back. \u201cIf we\u2019re right, we\u2019d best prepare for a bumpy road. There\u2019s going to be a war between his body and mind, and only time will tell which comes out the victor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Paul built lather on the square of soap Hop Sing had provided, and carefully worked the bubbles over Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cWhat did you do,\u201d he murmured as he got his first good look at the inch-wide blistering burn running across the entire palm with more blisters going up the inside of each finger. He continued speaking in a soft voice. \u201cThis could have been a lot worse. So if you behave yourself while it heals, it won\u2019t give you any permanent problems.\u201d After rinsing the wound with fresh water, he put the bowl on the floor next to the bed and gently patted everything dry.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing bustled into the room with a clean bowl containing a cool, wet cloth, and nodded briefly at Paul before grabbing the basin from the floor. \u201cHe be all right?\u201d he asked in a soft voice.<\/p>\n

Paul wasn\u2019t sure how to answer. \u201cHis hand should heal, as long as he doesn\u2019t do something he shouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

A grin reversed the worried look on Hop Sing\u2019s face for a moment. \u201cHe very good at doing thing he shouldn\u2019t.\u201d The smile faded. \u201cBut something more wrong, I think. In here and here.\u201d The cook indicated his head and heart. \u201cI saw him run outside through garden. He look worried\u2026lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know him well. He is a little lost right now.\u201d He touched the cook\u2019s arm. \u201cThank you for your help. He\u2019ll need some water to drink when he wakes, and I\u2019ll need bandages to wrap his hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI get anything you need; just say.\u201d Hop Sing stopped in the doorway, turned back, and sighed. He had helped this family through a myriad of illnesses and injuries, and he knew this was more than burned hand. He shivered as he walked towards the kitchen, having felt the darkness that surrounded the oldest son. \u201cDoctor Paul treat body,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cBut who heal soul?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Alone with his patient, Paul used the wet cloth to wipe away the beads of sweat that were trickling down Adam\u2019s face, and then draped it across his forehead.<\/p>\n

The coolness penetrated Adam\u2019s stupor and his eyes fluttered open. His quick perusal of his surroundings landed on Paul, and his lip twitched into a question mark. \u201cWhat are you doing here\u2026and by the way\u2026where is \u2018here\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul snorted as he nodded toward each side of the room. \u201cI know your family doesn\u2019t come in here often, but you should recognize your own guestroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took a better look around. \u201cWell, the first thing I saw was your face, and that sort of scared me enough that I didn\u2019t look further.\u201d His face pulled into a deep grimace. \u201cWhat happened? My left hand feels like it\u2019s on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was\u2026\u201d Paul\u2019s grin reversed to a deep frown. \u201cDo you remember what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam poked at the puffy blisters.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet those be or you\u2019ll get an infection, the doctor ordered. \u201cDo you remember what happened before burning your hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

A wave of emotions assaulted Adam, ranging from a sheepish shrug at first to full-blown terror as he tried to pull it all together. He bolted into a sitting position, cradling his injured hand close to his chest. \u201cHe was here!\u201d he finally whispered.<\/p>\n

Paul shook his head. \u201cWho was here?\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyes darted furtively around the room. \u201cKane. He pretended to be dead. He was here with his wife today. He came outside and tied me up and then Hoss found me and brought me\u2026\u201d He looked upwards trying to recall. \u201cNo, that\u2019s not right. Hoss said Kane wasn\u2019t here. I remember\u2026it was a picture of him\u2026just a picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSlow down, Adam,\u201d Paul soothed. \u201cLet it come without forcing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss found me and took me to the barn while he went inside to make sure they were gone. But after he left, Kane came around and asked if I\u2019d help him for a few minutes.\u201d Adam\u2019s breath was coming in ragged spurts as the scene played in his mind. \u201cI agreed to help him for three days, but then there was incessant hammering. It got so hot in the cave I couldn\u2019t breathe, and I knew he was going to keep me there pounding on that drill until I died this time. So I grabbed it away from him and\u2026that\u2019s\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul pulled the pillows up behind Adam\u2019s back. \u201cSit back and relax. Breathe slowly until the panic passes. Then I\u2019ll tell you what really happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just told you what really happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tortured look on his friend\u2019s face made him want to hold back the truth, but it was important to see if Adam could pull back into a firm reality. \u201cHoss told you the truth; Mrs. Kane was the only one who came to the house. Your family buried Peter Kane where they found you. He was most certainly dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026it\u2019s so real.\u201d Adam looked down at his injured hand and sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it seems that way, but I believe that hearing Kane\u2019s name and seeing his picture opened up some hidden passages in your memory, and now you\u2019re stuck between what happened back then and what\u2019s happening now. You burned your hand when your memories caused a hallucination where you were back in Kane\u2019s mine, and you grabbed a hot punch from one of your crew that you were helping at the forge.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tortured look turned to outrage as Adam\u2019s eyes flew open. \u201cYou think I\u2019m crazy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I think something is clouding your thoughts right now. You need to rest your mind, and then we\u2019ll talk more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat forward, bringing his face within inches of the doctor\u2019s. \u201cHe was here, Paul. Kane was here, and I don\u2019t think he\u2019s gone.\u201d He reached, grabbing Paul\u2019s arms with both hands. \u201cDon\u2019t you see? Kane liked mind games. Playing dead and waiting a couple of years to come back\u2014letting me think I was in the clear\u2014is the perfect final game!\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul felt the warmth seeping through his shirtsleeve where Adam\u2019s left hand was clamped on his arm like a vise. \u201cLet go, Adam, he said softly. You\u2019re tearing open the blisters.\u201d The words had no effect and Adam gripped even tighter while seeming transfixed and unhearing. \u201cLet go, Adam,\u201d Paul said louder, while trying to pry the fingers loose. He was aware of movement next to the bed, and realized Adam\u2019s shouts must have alerted Ben and Hoss. He turned to see that Little Joe was with them, and instructed, \u201cGet his hand free! But be careful!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam hollered over the attempts at restraining him. \u201cKane\u2019s out there!\u201d He squirmed against Hoss\u2019s grasp. \u201cDon\u2019t hold me, go look for him. He\u2019s not dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss managed to release Adam\u2019s left handhold, while Ben did the same on the other side. They lowered him onto the pillows and kept a grip on his arms while he continued to thrash. His cries for help now diminished to agonized moans.<\/p>\n

Ben saw the large area of wetness and blood on Paul\u2019s white shirt where Adam\u2019s hand had been. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d he asked loudly, nodding toward the stain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ripped his hand open.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking back to his son made the man nearly sob. Adam was struggling against their grip and his hand was dripping blood onto the pink bedspread. What tore at Ben\u2019s heart even more was that Adam\u2019s spirit seemed to be seeping out of him along with his blood. \u201cCan\u2019t you do something?\u201d he implored Paul.<\/p>\n

Once freed from Adam\u2019s grip, Paul moved quickly to the dresser where he\u2019d left his bag. He withdrew a vial of clear liquid and a small leather box. He continued searching until he found a bottle labelled alcohol, a wad of cotton and a small tray. The box contained a metal syringe and a thin needle which he quickly assembled, and inserted into the vial of morphine. Pulling back on the plunger, he withdrew half of the strong opiate before putting everything onto the tray. \u201cGet the shirt off his arm,\u201d Paul told them as he headed to the bed.<\/p>\n

Little Joe unbuttoned Adam\u2019s shirt while his father and brother held him. With a shoulder exposed, Paul quickly saturated cotton with alcohol and cleansed a swatch of skin before sliding the needle into the muscle, injecting the contents of the syringe.<\/p>\n

Adam yelped and tried to yank away but Hoss kept him pinned. \u201cThank you,\u201d Paul told the strong man. \u201cThis hurts. I\u2019ve had people jerk so hard, the syringe flew across the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Martin kept up on the latest advancements in medicine. The syringe as a method of administering medication had been around for nearly ten years, and although the size of the needle bore had been reduced enough to make it feel less like being stabbed by a pitchfork tine it was still an uncomfortable proposition. He knew this because he\u2019d given himself injections of sterile water to hone his technique. The bolus of morphine he\u2019d just pumped into Adam\u2019s arm would have pushed at the straining muscle tissue, feeling like it was tearing it apart in order to disperse the liquid. The morphine solution stung too, so the injection hurt\u2026a lot. What offset the pain was the quick effect.<\/p>\n

The sedation was nearly instant and Adam yielded to its calming power. His head dropped back to the pillow, and the strained look on his face dissolved.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can let go now,\u201d Paul told the others. \u201cHe\u2019s down for the count.\u201d He quickly disassembled the syringe, placing it on the tray, and handed it to Little Joe. \u201cI\u2019m glad you got back. We couldn\u2019t have done that without you. Would you ask Hop Sing to put these in a pan of boiling water for ten-minutes and then let them air-dry.\u201d As Joe neared the door, he nearly bumped into Hop Sing, who was on his way in with towels and a pitcher of water.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see what happened,\u201d he explained as he set down his load. The final item atop the linens hanging over his arm was a clean, white shirt. He held it out to the doctor. \u201cChange shirt. I wash yours before stains dry. Then I boil that\u2026contraption.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul did as commanded, and when the Chinese powerhouse left, he laughed. \u201cYou don\u2019t win any arguments with him, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNary a one,\u201d Ben responded with a soft chuckle. \u201cAnd he always knows what we need before we know we need it.\u201d He took a deep breath, relieved that Adam was resting comfortably and the tension in the room had neutralized. \u201cWhat do we do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll clean and bandage his hand and then we\u2019ll let him rest. I\u2019d bet he didn\u2019t sleep last night, even though he didn\u2019t know why that was. That physical upheaval yesterday, little sleep, and the shock of seeing that photograph today, has left him exhausted. A mind can\u2019t work that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat made him so upset with you?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe recognized me and the house when he came to. I thought everything was fine until he started telling me that Kane had tricked you all into thinking he was dead, and had come to finish what he\u2019d started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo he\u2019s still stuck in that dream,\u201d Hoss offered.<\/p>\n

Paul nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s a good way to think of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill rest cure this?\u201d Ben\u2019s forehead had drawn up into a mountain range of wrinkled concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might, but the woman\u2019s visit today seems to have opened a Pandora\u2019s Box of memories Adam didn\u2019t even know he had. We\u2019ll have to be patient and see how this progresses.\u201d Paul handed the basin to Hoss and asked him to hold his brother\u2019s hand over it while he repeated the wash he\u2019d done earlier. \u201cI\u2019m glad Hop Sing had a jar of Dr. Kam\u2019s ointment,\u201d He said as he examined the ripped flesh and raw-looking wound. \u201cThat stuff has miraculous powers on something like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Paul bandaged Adam\u2019s hand and allowed his family to get him undressed and tucked under the covers before moving everyone from the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you leaving now?\u201d Ben asked, in a tone indicating the answer should be no.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave him enough morphine to knock him out for several hours, but I\u2019ll need to check him frequently. If you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019ll bunk here for the night. I always carry a portfolio of office work and reading material in my buggy, so I\u2019ll do that while you finish up the afternoon chores.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at his two sons and back at Paul. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel right to resume normal things. Yet there is work to finish before dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe had been unusually quiet throughout the incident in the bedroom. \u201cPa, you were telling Hoss and me about that woman\u2019s visit when we had to help Paul. Did you say she left the picture of Kane behind?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul was about to sit in one of the soft leather chairs but he popped back up with Joe\u2019s request. \u201cI\u2019d like to see that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben retrieved the folder from his desk drawer. \u201cDo you think it might help to show this to Adam again to prove it was just a picture?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s head moved side-to-side. \u201cLet\u2019s see how he does.\u201d He took the folder from Ben and looked it over. \u201cWhen I took care of Adam while he recovered from what this man did to him, I pictured a monster.\u201d He held it up in the light coming through the westerly facing panes. \u201cThere is something eerie about his eyes though. He almost looks\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDead?\u201d Hoss supplied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it!\u201d Paul grimaced and handed the picture to Little Joe.<\/p>\n

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

With assurances that he needed to keep an eye on Adam anyway, Paul ordered the other Cartwrights to bed. Knowing the sedative effects of morphine on the respiratory system, Paul had made frequent trips to check Adam\u2019s pulse and breathing throughout the evening, and continued to do so in as it edged into deep night.<\/p>\n

When he checked at midnight, he found Adam sleeping on his side, indicating that he\u2019d roused himself enough to get more comfortable. Paul took this as a sign that the sedating effects of the morphine were wearing off, and Adam was now sleeping soundly on his own. He brushed his hand across the slumbering man\u2019s temples, checking for fever, and brought the lamp closer to inspect the bandage on his hand, finding it clean and dry.<\/p>\n

The tired doctor took the opportunity provided by Adam\u2019s improvement to stretch out on the settee, and was startled when he heard the clock strike three. The steady tick of the grandfather clock was all he heard, yet he sat up, feeling that something was off. He\u2019d left a lamp burning on the table by the couch and he noticed the flame briefly grow and flicker.\u00a0 When it happened again, he noted the slight breeze that was causing the change. A quick glance towards the kitchen confirmed it was still dark, but while looking in that direction, he saw the edge of the dining room tablecloth flutter with another wisp of passing air. His eyes were adjusted to the low light, so he could see the outer walls of the dining area well enough to confirm that the windows were shuttered. When he realized there was only one place the breeze could be originating, he quickly slid into his boots.<\/p>\n

Paul knew what he\u2019d find before he entered the room. The breeze became more evident as he got to the doorway of the guestroom, and the dimmed lamp he\u2019d left burning in there, cast enough light to confirm the empty bed and open outer doors. His hasty self-reassurance that Adam had gone to the outhouse was overridden by his fear that he could be wandering outside in the dark, confused and lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God,\u201d he said quietly when he saw his missing patient across the yard, sitting on the ground by the hitch-rail. Adam\u2019s feet were bare and he was wearing only the flannel drawers his family had decided were enough bedclothes, considering how warm the day had been. The doctor shivered as a cool breeze swirled around him, an indication that the wind had shifted, bringing along more normal spring temperatures.<\/p>\n

He tugged a spare blanket from the quilt rack before heading outside. The moon was washing the yard with light as he crouched next to Adam, and offered the cover. \u201cIt seems the heatwave has broken,\u201d he said casually. \u201cI thought you might like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam draped it around himself the best he could, and laughed when the nubby fabric stuck to the dressing and pulled off of him when he moved his left hand away. \u201cYou have a tendency to overdo your bandaging, Paul,\u201d he said, grinning. \u201cI remember getting clobbered on my melon one time, and you put so much fabric on my head, it looked like I was wearing a turban.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul helped get the blanket back in place while grumbling good-naturedly. \u201cI don\u2019t know why you\u2019re complaining now<\/em>. That turban got you a lot of sympathy from the ladies as I recall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that you mention it, I did get some use out of it.\u201d He became quiet as he examined Paul\u2019s wary, expectant expression. \u201cYou can ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you doing now that you\u2019ve had some good sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter in some ways; worse in others. I know where I am and that this whole soul-searching, mind-boggling mess started with an unexpected visit from Kane\u2019s wife, who brought a picture of him\u2026and<\/em> that he\u2019s dead. What I don\u2019t understand is why<\/em> it\u2019s happening now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you recall from when you were out there with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remembered hardly anything\u2026until today. Of course my family never talked about it after I recovered. I had flashes of being hot, hungry, thirsty and confused in the weeks after I was back to work, with no recollection of why I should feel that way. It passed with time. Being robbed has always been clear, and I remember walking for help…. Then my family found me\u2026dragging Kane behind me. I thought they were a vision I was having as I died.\u201d He snorted softly. \u201cBack when I finally recovered, I mentioned to Pa that I couldn\u2019t recall anything, and he said it was just as well forgotten.\u201d Another snort. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to forget what you don\u2019t remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like to know more? I don\u2019t know what happened out there, but I can explain why your memories are scarce.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snugged further under the blanket and stretched his legs straighter. \u201cI would\u2026if you don\u2019t mind talking out here. Memories of Kane are returning in jarring scenes I seem to have to play out to understand. I recall things without context at first, and right now I feel that if I go back into the house, my family will be in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s expression took on a puzzled squint. \u201cYou said you know Kane is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop looking so worried. I told you things were better, but it\u2019s still hard to keep what\u2019s real and what\u2019s not from colliding like two bighorn rams running towards each other at full speed. I know that I grabbed that hot punch from Jimmy, not Kane, and that it was the sound of the hammer pounding on it that brought back memories of being in that airless mine, trying to set timbers and drill holes while Kane accused me of being a lazy, worthless liar. I just had to stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grew silent for a moment before being able to continue. \u201cAnd when I woke up just now, something kept whispering that I had to sleep tied up outside, not in a bed.\u201d He looked over at the doctor. \u201cI remember now that it was how Kane made me sleep once he was keeping me there against my will. It seems so real that I thought there were ropes around my ankles and wrists until you came over here and sort of shocked me out of it. And what\u2019s laying on my mind now is that Kane will shoot my family if they should come downstairs to check on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s eyes widened but he continued to listen without offering interpretations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been able to reconstruct what happened back then by going through the motions of what\u2019s plaguing my mind now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you remember what\u2019s driving the fear of your family dying?\u201d Paul asked.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and breathed deeply. \u201cIt came back as I\u2019ve been talking to you. I\u2019d been with Kane about a week when Pa, Hoss, and Little Joe rode by above the canyon where we were.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul pulled back; his jaw dropping. \u201cDid that actually happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was before they found you and brought you home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome days before, I\u2019d reckon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you holler back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew Kane would kill them. I\u2019m not sure why, but it was all part of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you ever tell them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just remembered.\u201d He stood, wrapping the blanket around himself, and relocated to the step of the porch where Paul was sitting. \u201cWeren\u2019t you going to tell me why<\/em> I don\u2019t remember much?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul patted Adam\u2019s blanketed arm. \u201cI\u2019m going to be brief\u2026and blunt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t expect anything less from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou took sips of water when your family found you, but when they gave you some later, you began vomiting violently. They knew that didn\u2019t bode well, so they packed up and rode for home. \u00a0Pulling a travois and having to rest the horses took more than a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t recall that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul chuckled. \u201cI\u2019m not surprised. You were slipping away rapidly when they arrived, and I had no more luck getting things to stay down. Luckily I read my journals, and I\u2019d seen an article about hydrating someone in your condition. Ben permitted me to thread a rubber tube down your esophagus into your stomach, and I started instilling an ounce of water every ten-minutes. That stayed down, but it didn\u2019t stay put. You got nearer to dying when the rapid exit of fluids from the opposite end of the digestive system made the dehydration worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I don\u2019t want to hear this after all.\u201d Adam\u2019s lips took a decidedly sour turn before he winked at Paul. \u201cI was starved and dehydrated. Why would my body reject food and water or get rid of what little came in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cScience can explain what happens, but not exactly how. Going a few days without food wouldn\u2019t cause the severe reaction you experienced. But Ben said you were working for 18 hours or more a day without nourishment or water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember telling him that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou talked in your sleep the first night. It was a jumble, but that was the gist. The heavy physical labor had the same effect as being starved for weeks. A person\u2019s system begins to operate differently during starvation. Any extra weight you have is used first, and then your body \u2018digests\u2019 its own muscle to keep vital organs nourished enough to function. This completely alters the way a body works, and scientists propose that things get is so far off kilter that your system eventually sees anything coming into the body as a threat\u2014the same way it does when you get a cold or the flu\u2014and it goes to war against itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes sense. So how did you get things working again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sent a telegram to a friend who teaches medicine in St. Louis. He suggested adding small amounts of sugar to the water, and then using a diluted broth made with sugar and salt. That turned things around, but it still took another two weeks before I knew your kidneys weren\u2019t shutting down and the rest of your organs hadn\u2019t been damaged. During this fight to stay alive, your memories got pushed away deep to let the vital things keep working.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds like I should have thanked you,\u201d Adam said sincerely. \u201cDid I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou recovered. That\u2019s the best thanks a doctor can get.\u201d He smiled at his friend. \u201cDo you think you might sleep a little more now\u2026inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try.\u201d Both men stood but Adam took Paul\u2019s arm before he could walk away. \u201cThere\u2019s still so much of that time missing or coming back in pieces. Will I continue to act out what I\u2019m remembering before I can understand, like grabbing that hot punch or thinking I had to sleep tied to post?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ll stick around while you find out. But you\u2019re doing better already. More rest might help.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

He\u2019d left the French doors open when he\u2019d come inside, and slept soundly until noise in the dining room alerted him that others were up. \u201cMight there be enough for one more?\u201d Adam asked as he stepped into the dining room and saw his family plus the good doctor having breakfast. \u201cI hibernated through dinner last night and I\u2019m hungry as a spring bear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss jumped up to get the extra chair from the corner while Little Joe disappeared into the kitchen to alert Hop Sing to another hungry Cartwright. While waiting for things to be readied, Adam glanced into the living area, spotting a grayish-brown folder on the low table.<\/p>\n

Ben choked on a sip of coffee as he saw where Adam was headed and mentally kicked himself for leaving the picture out. They\u2019d passed it around for another look while talking after dinner, and he\u2019d forgotten to store it before going up to bed. Now he wondered if there\u2019d be a repeat of yesterday\u2019s reaction. He held his breath as Adam took a long look at the photograph, and then returned it to the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t look much different alive or dead,\u201d he said as he sat down and asked for the coffee pot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I said too,\u201d Hoss offered. \u201cBut you<\/em> look a whole lot better than you did the last couple\u2019a days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRest will do that,\u201d Paul chimed in before Adam could answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s the burn, son?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels tight but I think that\u2019s just the abundance of bandaging Paul used.\u201d He held his hand up for emphasis. \u201cAlthough it looks like I have puffy sausages instead of fingers, so I\u2019d guess it has a ways to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s sausage-filled fork stopped halfway to his mouth. \u201cCould we talk about something other than meat-shaped fingers and burns until after breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cSorry kid. I forgot your tender stomach doesn\u2019t allow for such conversations during meals.\u201d The apology appeased the youngster and the fork progressed to its destination. \u201cSo what are you all planning to do today?\u201d The quick, uneasy glances exchanged by his family told Adam all he needed to know. \u201cSo you plan to hover around me in case I lose my mind again,\u201d he said tightly. \u201cPaul said he\u2019d stick around and knock me out with morphine again if I get rowdy.\u201d He hadn\u2019t meant for anger to seep into his tone, but it had, and his jaw felt like it had fused to solid granite.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll probably get back to them feed bins so we can fill them,\u201d Hoss said quickly, glancing up at Joe. \u201cMaybe you can toss the bags of seed down from the loft, so we\u2019re ready to go when Jimmy and me finish addin\u2019 them gnaw strips.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s posture and tone eased as he teased his brother. \u201cIt sounds like we could make money with a new product line, Hoss. Feed bins with \u2018gnaw strips\u2019.\u201d Everyone was laughing when Hop Sing set a plate loaded with eggs and sausage in front of the eldest. \u201cThank you. That looks great.\u201d<\/p>\n

He felt the sweat drenching his hair and forehead before he was even aware his mind was turning again. He was reaching for his fork when his line of sight returned to the picture lying in the other room. His stomach rumbled with emptiness, but he heard Kane telling him he wasn\u2019t fit to eat with people. He grabbed his plate without a word and headed into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Paul looked across the table and shrugged. When Ben began to rise, he said, \u201cGive him a minute before we send in the cavalry.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam didn\u2019t return by the time the others were finishing, Ben gave Paul a look that dared him to say anything. He stopped short after cracking the door and seeing his son crouching just outside the French doors, scooping eggs into his mouth with his fingers.<\/p>\n

Paul told the two brothers to stay put while he went to see what was making their father stare open-mouthed. He laid a hand on Ben\u2019s shoulder and whispered, \u201cStep away and let him work this through.\u201d Gently pushing Ben aside, he pulled the door further shut, and tugged the startled man into the living area.<\/p>\n

Shaking off his shock, Ben grabbed Paul\u2019s arm and nearly shouted, \u201cHow long will these\u2026episodes\u2026keep happening?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell you that. You always thought he\u2019d been tortured. You\u2019re seeing the proof of that now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s hands locked on his hips as he assumed the wide-legged stance he used when demanding answers. \u201cBut why must he act so strangely? Yesterday he staggered out of here like a drunk, claiming a dead man had come back to life and followed him to tie him up. He nearly destroyed his hand in another fit, and I saw<\/em> him outside last night, sitting in the dirt, holding his arms behind that post as though he was tied to it. You came out then and he seemed to snap out of it, so I stayed put rather than intruding. He seemed better today, but now he\u2019s acting like a wild animal, eating with his hands and cowering like we\u2019re going to take away his food.\u201d He folded his arms across his chest. \u201cJimmy probably told the men about the \u2018accident,\u2019 and if one of the more cynical hands sees Adam out there now, they\u2019ll laugh their heads off and there\u2019ll be no end to gossip in town. We\u2019ll become the source of disgusting rumormongering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t know why he\u2019s doing these things!\u201d Paul drew himself up until his posture mirrored his host\u2019s. \u201cDuring the night he told me that he feels compelled to follow through with what his mind is reconstructing. It\u2019s only as he goes through\u2026relives\u2026these physical elements that he begins to understand the circumstances behind them. Kane\u2019s widow and that picture of him may be why his memories began to overwhelm him now, but they\u2019ve been festering deep inside for over two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it would be best if he would go somewhere else to \u2018relive\u2019 these situations. Somewhere without witnesses\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it, Ben!\u201d Paul\u2019s forehead pulled into a confused crease. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you fear what others \u2018might\u2019 say.\u201d He waited for a response, but when none came, he added. \u201cHe\u2019ll come with me. He needs to be safe, with someone who won\u2019t judge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Hoss waited a second, and repeated, \u201cPa!\u201d to get his father\u2019s attention, and nodded toward the open door where Adam was standing.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s cheeks flushed to crimson. \u201cI suppose you heard all that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam set his empty plate on the table. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I embarrass you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul offered a verbal nudge. \u201cLast night you told me how sitting out there helped you remember being tied up at night, and the same thing has driven each episode you\u2019ve re-constructed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stayed put in the doorway, but he nodded at Paul before looking towards his father. \u201cI\u2019m acting like an animal because Kane intended I become one. I\u2019ve remembered that it started reasonably. He was friendly and concerned when I walked into his camp, and after asking how I ended up out there alone, he supposed that I\u2019d kill the thieves who\u2019d left me to die should I ever find them. I replied that I was a logical man, who would let the law handle it. That poked something in him, and he countered that any man could act on pure, instinctual rage.<\/p>\n

Ben held up his hand to stop Adam\u2019s narrative, and motioned towards the sitting area. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you get comfortable while you finish this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s quick glance into the bedroom confirmed that the outer doors were still open. He gripped the door frame and shook his head. \u201cThere is nothing in what I\u2019m telling you that is comfortable, Pa, so I\u2019d prefer standing right here where I can feel the breeze coming in from outside.\u201d He took a long breath and blew it from his puffed cheeks. \u201cPicking up where I left off, Kane had heard of our family, and remarked that the Cartwrights were well known for our \u2018empire,\u2019 to which I replied that our success was built on years of hard work. I had no reason to suspect that I\u2019d said anything to offend him, and offered to help for three days in exchange for the use of his mule to go for help. He accepted without a hint of animosity, but he\u2019d already decided that my money and privilege had made me soft and spoiled, and it wouldn\u2019t take much prodding to make me act in uncontrolled rage, just as he predicted. When I worked 18 hours a day, he accused me of laziness because I couldn\u2019t last 19. When I said I was leaving, he shot the mule, made me his prisoner, and reduced my rations to one lump of beans and water. In those few days, I accomplished what would normally take a crew to do. I shored up an entire new section of cave, and then hammered in holes for dynamite so he could blow out what he promised was his motherlode vein. Then he forced me to carry that worthless rock from the mine in the bags he\u2019d taken off the dead mule, all the while taunting me about how I\u2019d become the animal in camp. Each thing he did to demean me; each shred of dignity he took away, was meant to make me go after him so he\u2019d \u2018win\u2019 his insane game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bent down, resting his arms on his knees and drew a long breath. He began speaking again as he stood and resumed his grasp on the frame \u201cSeeing his picture this morning reminded me of being held at gunpoint while he said animals didn\u2019t use eating utensils. It made me sick inside, but I was expected to do the work of a crew and a mule, so I ate\u2026like an animal. That didn\u2019t last long; he stopped all food after that, saying it was all gone. But he\u2019d hidden some to dangle in front of me later when I was nearly insane with hunger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked down at his feet. \u201cI suspected it was bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI played his games, hoping to get away. I figured I\u2019d die anyway, but I wanted to be away from that hellhole.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe shifted in his chair and shot Hoss a pained look before addressing his family. \u201cYou know what always bothered me was that we found you walking out of the same area we\u2019d searched for over a week. We rode nearly every mile of that flat. \u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded in agreement. \u201cYou never said exactly where that mine was, but we must\u2019a<\/em> been near it at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul glanced at Adam, raising his brows in silent encouragement. \u201cYou need to tell them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell us what?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mine was in a small canyon that wasn\u2019t visible from horseback,\u201d Adam explained. \u201cFrom where you were riding, it looked like a rise with nothing beyond except more rocks. It wouldn\u2019t have seemed a logical path for someone on foot either, but I walked up there for a better view, and found a drop-off with Kane\u2019s camp tucked below the ridge. I did hear you calling one day when you rode by.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you could hear us, then why couldn\u2019t we hear you?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried getting up that cliff, but I was too worn out to get ahead of Kane. I saw the look in his eyes when he grabbed me, and I understood that his \u2018game\u2019 had turned deadly. If I\u2019d called out, he\u2019d have shot you when you got to that ledge above us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you let us go and faced what was coming on your own,\u201d Hoss said sadly as he silently pounded his fist on the table, turning away so no one would see the anguish on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaking the decision to stay quiet was the one thing I did willingly and without regret.\u201d Adam had been inching his way forward while he spoke, but came to a dead stop.<\/p>\n

Every head in the room snapped toward Ben as he roared, \u201cSo you never gave us a chance to rescue you? You had no right to make that decision for us!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood taller and fought to explain even as his thoughts blew apart like the dynamited rocks in the cave. \u201cI knew\u2026you\u2019d\u2026be fine\u2026without me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes blazed as he stared at his eldest son. \u201cHow dare you put an order of priority on my consideration for you three boys!\u201d<\/p>\n

The wellbeing he\u2019d felt after a good night\u2019s sleep and the ability to work through some memories waned quickly. He stepped sideways, bracing himself against the wall with his good arm and hung his head; struggling first to understand the disquieting statements he\u2019d overheard his father make, and now the feeling he had to defend himself against the man\u2019s angry accusations. He righted himself suddenly, focusing on the man causing his distress. \u201cDidn\u2019t you just establish that priority<\/em> ten minutes ago when you told Paul I was crazy and should leave instead of causing this family undue embarrassment?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026I just\u2026I don\u2019t want you to become a laughingstock because of these crazy antics.\u201d Ben said with a little less volume and a lot more hesitation than his previous comments.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s laugh sounded more like a moan. \u201cI\u2019ve seen you laugh at the crazy antics<\/em> of my younger brothers any number of times with no worry of how they would be perceived. Those two once brought an elephant home, and you rode it back to town without concern for how you\u2019d<\/em> be talked about in the bunkhouse or feeling compelled to explain yourself<\/em> to anyone in the city.\u201d His burned hand and head were throbbing as he swallowed hard and tried to catch a decent breath.<\/p>\n

He looked directly at his father while walking over to him. \u201cYou searched nearly two weeks to find me and then did everything you could to save me. But now you want me to get out because my returning memories of what happened during those two weeks embarrasses you? Fine, Pa.\u201d His walk continued to the stairs, shaking off his father\u2019s attempt to stop him. He paused on the landing. \u201cHoss, if you\u2019d saddle Sport, I\u2019ll be out of here in ten-minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It was as silent as an undertaker\u2019s back room for several seconds until Ben harrumphed. He took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen,\u201d Paul broke in before the man could speak. \u201cI warned you that Adam would be raw. He\u2019s remembering, and he feels every ugly thing that happened. What\u2019s even harder is that he\u2019s trying to understand why Kane did that to him<\/em>. If you\u2019re embarrassed by his memories of what he had to do to survive, then he assumes you\u2019re judging him: not just now, but for how he acted back then. He sees himself as weak and pitiful in your eyes; someone to be done with, hidden away, and not worth defending. Your support should be the one thing he would never have to question, but your anger and disgust are adding to his burden. I understand what\u2019s driving you, but you have to rein this in, and then explain it to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d Ben eyed Paul with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuilt.\u201d Paul replied softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I feel guilty about?\u201d The fire was gone, and Ben\u2019s question was sincere.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat you couldn\u2019t rescue your son from the torture. And after what he\u2019s just told you, you\u2019re guilty that you didn\u2019t get off your horse and search on foot. You\u2019re guilty that he chose to die to protect you over himself, and that he nearly did because you got to him so late. And that\u2019s just the start. You feel guilty because it hurts so much to watch him go through it all again while you feel as helpless now as when it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss moved towards his father and looked up the steps. \u201cPaul\u2019s right, Pa. I feel guilty for all them same reasons, and It was my suggestion to give up the search. If we\u2019d left a minute sooner, we\u2019d a missed him and he would\u2019a\u2026.\u201d \u00a0He touched his father\u2019s arm. \u201cAnd\u2026well\u2026what Adam heard you say just now might make him wish he had<\/em> died out there. This ain\u2019t like you, and guilt is the only thing that explains it.\u201d The big man waited for a response, but Ben continued looking at the empty stairs in silence. \u201cI\u2019ll go up, Pa. Me and Adam\u2026maybe I can help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go, son.\u201d He looked at Paul and back to Hoss. \u201cThank you both for your honesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam hadn\u2019t shut his bedroom door, so Ben stood out of sight, watching his son toss personal items onto his bed next to the large saddle bags he used for trips. He was having trouble using his injured hand, and Ben\u2019s fatherly concern finally outweighed not knowing what to say when he saw bright red blood soaking through the bandage.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve reopened your wounds,\u201d he said as he walked inside and turned Adam\u2019s hand over to expose the saturating fabric.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s cheeks took on a rosy tint. \u201cI pulled the dresser drawer so hard with my good hand that it flew out and I caught it by a sharp corner.\u201d He held up his hand, and chuckled wryly. \u201cIf I get gangrene and lose it, people could find irony in calling me \u2018Lefty\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben shook his head. There was a dark side to his oldest son\u2019s humor at times. This was typical and would have struck him as funny had it not been shrouded by the ugliness of the recent conversation. \u201cSon, I need\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Pa,\u201d Adam broke in. \u201cI know you\u2019re sorry, even if only for the tone rather than the message. And as far as where I plan to go\u2026\u201d He wrapped a handkerchief around his hand to keep his gear clean while shoving things into his saddlebags. \u201cI\u2019m going back to where it happened. Maybe if I walk through the memories where they took place, it\u2019ll help me understand what I did <\/em>to make him to treat me as he<\/em> did<\/em>. I think Kane won after all. He didn\u2019t have to reincarnate; he just had to leave me with enough ugly memories\u2026and your disgust\u2026to make me wish I was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s mind was in turmoil, yet something was pushing for recognition among the chaos. He closed his eyes to concentrate while his thoughts calmed. \u201cYou can\u2019t go back, son. You left that place with dignity despite what you endured. Going back will mire you there for good. I don\u2019t believe you did anything<\/em> to provoke Kane, and I know someone who might help you see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho would that be?\u201d Adam\u2019s response came in a mixture of doubt and hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cKane\u2019s wife.\u201d Ben had finally remembered her parting comment. He sighed heavily. \u201cI don\u2019t understand what\u2019s happening to you, and I\u2019m handling it badly. I said things I didn\u2019t mean\u2026things so outrageous I couldn\u2019t believe they were coming from my mouth, even as I was saying them. Paul suggested my reaction stems from my guilt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped his father\u2019s words with a touch on his arm. \u201cWhy would you feel guilty?\u201d<\/p>\n

The older man smiled at his son for the first time in two days. \u201cI didn\u2019t get to you in time to prevent Kane from inflicting physical and mental torture\u2014torture you had to deal with in any way possible to survive. And I feel just as helpless, useless and angry watching you relive the experience. I lashed out at you instead of recognizing that I can\u2019t always stop bad things from happening to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A single nod. \u201cThat\u2019s a logical response from a man who thinks he should fix everything when his sons are concerned.\u201d A smile returned. \u201cSo what about Mrs. Kane?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe implied that you weren\u2019t the only one Kane tortured, and she said you could benefit from talking with her. It\u2019s worth a visit.\u201d Ben\u2019s smile became a devilish grin. \u201cLet\u2019s get your hand tended\u2026Lefty. After that we\u2019ll head to town. If you agree, I\u2019ll listen in. I think I need to hear this as much as you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate you being there. Let me shave and wash up before Paul redoes the mitt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perspective shed light on the truth behind the things his father had said, but Adam\u2019s feelings were still stinging at him like wasps stuck in the weave of his clothing. There was no embrace given to seal the beginning reconciliation, but Adam did grasp his father\u2019s arm sturdily. \u201cI want to explain something too. I didn\u2019t mean to imply that you care less for me than my brothers. But when you seemed so angry at me, I became defensive instead of saying what I\u2019d intended.\u201d He laughed at his father\u2019s uncomfortable grimace. \u201cI desperately wanted to call out for you. As your voices got more distant and I thought I\u2019d die without seeing you again, I reached the lowest point of my life. \u00a0But in that instant when I had to decide whether to call out and hope for the best, I pictured what would happen. We both know Joe would have flown off his horse as soon as he heard me and made it to that ledge first. Hoss moves slower than Joe, but faster than you, so he\u2019d have been next to arrive\u2026and not realizing what was happening\u2026he\u2019d have died next. Even if I\u2019d managed to get Kane\u2019s gun away, he\u2019d have gotten Joe. My decision to protect my family was<\/em> my right<\/em>, Pa. It\u2019s what each one of us would have done. Had I not made it out, I know you would have grieved forever. But the three of you would have carried on. It\u2019s what Cartwrights do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twelve<\/strong><\/p>\n

Patricia Kane was startled to see five men in the hotel hallway when she opened the door to her suite. \u201cWhat a pleasant surprise,\u201d she said as she shook Ben\u2019s hand, and then moved to Adam. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you\u2019re feeling better and decided to come.\u201d Taking a step back, she grinned at the two men she recognized. \u201cI assume the young man in the green jacket who had the lame horse in the Peter Kane story, and I got a glimpse of this tall gentleman at the ranch yesterday. But now there\u2019s one extra person, so I\u2019ll have to decide which of you two is the fourth Cartwright. But please\u2026won\u2019t you all come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul slipped ahead of Hoss, took the woman\u2019s hand, and offered a cordial smile. \u201cI\u2019m too old to be Ben\u2019s son, so I\u2019ll save you the embarrassment of eliminating me on that basis. The tall young man is Hoss Cartwright, Ben\u2019s middle son, and I\u2019m Paul Martin. I asked if I might be included in this conversation. Adam agreed, but it is your privilege to send me packing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Noticing her slight squint and rising cheek, Adam explained. \u201cPaul is better known as Dr. Martin in Virginia City. He\u2019s our family physician, and he\u2019s been tending me the last couple of days. Paul\u2019s offer to leave if you\u2019re not comfortable, applies to my family as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re all welcome,\u201d she said, motioning them inside. Nodding towards Adam\u2019s bandaged hand, she asked, \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a long story.\u201d Adam avoided divulging more by getting everyone seated. The stinging wasps were still busy in his head, and he found himself unable to follow suit, leaning against the mantle instead. \u201cI\u2019m sorry you had a hard time finding out what happened to your husband, but my father said you might be willing to tell me a few things about the man I met\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia nodded slowly. \u201cI was naive when I married that monster. But I\u2019m stronger now because I met a man who put clarity to what I endured in the two years I lived with Peter. This man is my fianc\u00e9, Jason Freeman. He\u2019s a physician doing research in the field of mental disease, and trying to build on the theories of Benjamin Rush*.<\/p>\n

Paul leaned forward, smiling broadly. \u201cI\u2019ve read everything Dr. Rush wrote on psychiatry.\u201d He turned toward Adam. \u201cI used his textbook when Ross Marquette began acting so differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoss was a friend of mine who began doing horrendous things no one could fathom,\u201d Adam explained to Patricia. \u201cPaul theorized that while Ross had been the decent man I\u2019d known, somewhere\u2026somehow, he\u2019d taken a turn through a dark gate in his mind where he saw everyone as an enemy.\u201d He sighed raggedly. \u201cNone of that was real.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t find a name for it,\u201d Paul added. \u201cBut Rush described this change exactly as it happened with Ross. Does your fianc\u00e9 think this happened to your husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter didn\u2019t change<\/em> from being a decent, reasoning man,\u201d She responded quickly. \u201cJason believes that Peter was born with a condition that made him unable to be reasonable. People like Peter can\u2019t see another person\u2019s pain and they neither understand nor care that their own behavior is not in line with the rest of humankind.2<\/sup> These people do unthinkable things to get a reaction, and they have no regrets when they create self-loathing and confusion in those they target. They walk away when there\u2019s nothing more to take, and find someone else to torment.\u201d<\/p>\n

She saw the stunned faces on the others, but that didn\u2019t bother her. She\u2019d been just as stunned the first time she heard the theory. \u201cJason and I will leave for Germany as soon I am free of Peter. He\u2019ll work there with a young doctor named Julius Cook, who has begun classifying types of mental illness.\u201d She took a deep breath and winked at Adam. \u201cBut for now, let\u2019s get back to describing the one insane person we both came to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul rubbed his hands together while Adam gave him a sidelong look and shook his head. \u201cWell, this conversation has gotten Paul\u2019s attention. How do you want to do this, Patricia?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me how you came to meet Peter, but stop before you describe anything he did to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first part involves Little Joe too.\u201d Adam looked at his youngest brother. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you give the recap.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe spent a few minutes telling about the cattle drive to East Gate; their plans to meet up in three days; Adam\u2019s failure to arrive, and the numbing shock at finding Sport with the blacksmith along with penning the unthinkable telegram to their father.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo after those thieves took everything, you went looking for water and stumbled into Peter\u2019s camp?\u201d Patricia asked Adam.<\/p>\n

He nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you thought you\u2019d met an intelligent and cordial man.\u201d Patricia\u2019s comment elicited another nod. \u201cI stumbled onto Peter Kane too.\u201d She rose and paced as she spoke. \u201cMy mother died when I was young, but Papa kept me with him. He made sure I got a good education, and when he developed a heart ailment, he put our house in my name, and made sure there was cash in the bank for me to live on. Even better, he taught me bookkeeping, and got me hired at the company where he worked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere was this?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn St. Louis. I lived quietly after Papa died, but while eating out with a friend, I was approached by a man from my firm. Rodney was showing a new teacher from his son\u2019s school around town. Peter Kane had just arrived from Baltimore, and as a board member at the school, Rodney had volunteered for the tour. Peter was handsome, intelligent, mannerly, and I was instantly smitten.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia stopped at the table containing a carafe of water and poured a drink for herself, while offering her guests something stronger from an adjacent bottle. With no takers, she continued.\u00a0 \u201cPapa warned me about men who\u2019d be more interested in my means than my heart, but since Peter was new to the area, I assumed he didn\u2019t know about my financial situation. I let him sweep me off my feet, and we married within the month.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben held up his hand. \u201cIt sounds like you now believe he did marry you for money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t do it for love.\u201d Patricia laughed bitterly. \u201cAfter Peter cleaned out my accounts and left to find gold, Rodney admitted to telling Peter about my finances when he expressed interest shortly after meeting me. Rodney worked under my father so he knew of the arrangements, and thought Peter might be more inclined to court me if he knew I was set enough that we wouldn\u2019t have to rely solely on his small teacher\u2019s salary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d he want yer money, ma\u2019am?\u201d Hoss\u2019s crinkled nose, displaying his disdain for any man who\u2019d take money that he hadn\u2019t earned.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe took our marriage license to the bank the day after our wedding and used it to add his name to my account and have the house signed into his name as well. With this access, he began \u2018investing\u2019\u2026badly. I was not wealthy, but I had enough for him to play with. About eighteen months into the marriage, store owners began demanding cash because the checks I\u2019d given them had been declined for insufficient funds. I went to the bank and was told the account was empty. Peter didn\u2019t have the decency to look embarrassed when I confronted him. In fact he said that I should be grateful that at least he\u2019d tried to make it useful instead of stuffing in a sock like I had.\u201d She sat suddenly, and folded her hands in her lap. \u201cBut that was the least of my problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have children?\u201d The question came from Adam as he tried to imagine what a child of Peter Kane would be like.<\/p>\n

Patricia choked back a laugh as her cheeks pinked. \u201cPlease don\u2019t think I\u2019m crass in telling you this, but Peter never took me as his wife\u2026in a physical sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever?\u201d Adam said without thinking, and added a hasty, \u201cI\u2019m sorry. That was rude.\u201d<\/p>\n

She chuckled. \u201cNever. His failed efforts on our wedding night were attributed to me for being too much of a child. He slept in a different room after that. However,\u201d she winked at Adam, \u201cI did hear that he \u2018invested\u2019 much of my money at the brothels in St. Louis, and then in the upstairs rooms of the saloon at Salt Flats.\u201d<\/p>\n

The room silenced until Patricia suggested that she could do with a break and would continue after lunch.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

They decided to order room service rather than going to the dining room where strangers might pick up parts of their conversation. Ben went down to make the arrangements, taking Hoss and Joe along to help carry up a few of the items they\u2019d need rather than stripping the restaurant of its wait staff to deliver the large, unexpected order. While they were gone, Paul and Patricia talked about St. Louis and the work her fianc\u00e9 was doing, and Adam sat off by himself, mulling over what he\u2019d heard about Kane so far. Patricia had shared only the initial facts, but he was already seeing the portrait of a man who was impotent in many ways, including being human. The theory that some people were born without a conscience was taking shape. He shivered unexpectedly, and walked to the window, viewing the street below and tapping the frame to calm his anxiousness to continue.<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t think he was hungry, but when his family arrived with coffee and rolls, he felt a rumbling in his stomach and was the first to pour a cup of hot coffee and butter a bun. He couldn\u2019t help but notice the quick glances his father gave him once the full meal arrived and they each had a plate. He was about halfway through when he finally looked over. \u201cI\u2019m doing fine, Pa. There won\u2019t be a repeat of this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Patricia gave him a questioning look, Adam explained, \u201cKane liked to call me an animal.\u00a0 He reinforced that by making me sit in the dirt and eat with my fingers. This morning at breakfast, I had a memory of him telling me that animals ate by themselves. My father was a little taken aback when I left the table and he saw me huddled in the doorway eating with my hands, as I\u2026relived\u2026that situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia sighed heavily. \u201cPeter loved to belittle people and bully them into positions where he could claim superiority. He called me an animal too, and my memories are similar to yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry.\u201d Adam\u2019s agonized expression was a mirror of the woman sitting across from him. \u201cI\u2019d just met the man, but for you to have loved him, and then be treated that way. It must have been heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important for you to hear what I\u2019ve been through so you know there was nothing you could have done to change what he did to you.\u201d Patricia set her empty plate on the tray and moved her chair closer to Adam. \u201cYou talked about reliving what happened. You\u2019re instinctively doing what helps most with your recovery. Coming to Virginia City is my final pilgrimage\u2014the last step to end those memories for good. If I couldn\u2019t have confirmed Peter\u2019s death, I\u2019d have continued looking over my shoulder, expecting that he\u2019d show up one day and end every good thing I\u2019d claimed in my life since he\u2019d left. Last night, with Ben\u2019s confirmation of Peter\u2019s death, I slept with both eyes closed for the first time in nearly 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thinking there was great fortune in forgetting about what happened to me until you were here to help.\u201d The two survivors shared a nod and silent moment until Adam asked, \u201cWas Peter ever<\/em> truthful with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked towards the ceiling and shook her head. \u201cHe didn\u2019t always lie, but I can\u2019t say he ever gave a direct answer. He was sketchy about his past. While obviously educated, he never told anyone where he\u2019d studied. I suspect he didn\u2019t want anyone asking after him, wherever it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did he manage to get a job as a teacher?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cRodney said Peter had given them a list of the schools where he\u2019d taught rather than any actual background. Their school desperately needed a teacher, and since Peter was willing to work for a low wage and had experience, they hired him.\u201d Her forehead pulled into a map of worry lines. \u201cOne outright lie he told me was that his family had died in a flu epidemic, but a year ago, I received a letter from his brother, containing a check for his share of the estate following the recent death of their father. The brother was unwilling to meet with me, but he did write to explain that Peter had put his family through such hell that his father had demanded he leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to imagine a father rejecting a son,\u201d Ben said as he looked lovingly at his three boys. His gaze settled on Adam. \u201cAlthough I make mistakes with them at times, I would be less a man without each of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that you\u2019re a close family.\u201d Patricia began pacing again, but stopped at the fireplace and rested a hand on the mantel. \u201cThis will be hard to talk about, but It\u2019s time I get specific about Peter\u2019s games during those two years in St. Louis.\u201d A heavy sigh. \u201cI made a casual remark during our courtship, telling Peter I \u2018feared\u2019 I had much to learn about being a homemaker, since Papa had always hired ladies to keep our house. The first change he made after our wedding was to fire my housekeeper. He said it was time to grow up, take care of myself and try to please him. He became a different person from that day on. What continued to unnerve me all his entire time with me was how he would say these mean-spirited things with that ingratiating smile. It was like he looked straight through me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he ever manhandle you?\u201d Paul asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis abuse was aimed at my confidence. He wanted me to cower, constantly apologize, and try to get things right. But there was no right way to do anything. He took that single fear I\u2019d mentioned, and turned it into his justification for everything ugly thing he said and did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds familiar,\u201d Adam told her. \u201cI made the claim that as a logical man, I couldn\u2019t be pushed into a gut reaction. After that, he set out to prove that I was an animal who\u2019d react when provoked enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was Peter.\u201d Patricia took a deep breath. \u201cHis first complaint was that I was unorganized and undisciplined, so he offered to teach me better habits. This would start by him giving me instructions each morning on what to prepare for his dinner. It sounded reasonable, and that first night I hurried home from work to have it ready when he arrived.\u00a0 He looked at his plate, and calmly told me that wasn\u2019t what he\u2019d asked for. He \u2018forgave\u2019 me, and things were all right for a few nights. But then it happened again\u2026and again, and I began to fear the nights he arrived home looking unsettled. The last time I allowed that ploy was the night he stated that I must be either too stupid to remember or intentionally fixing the wrong thing to disrespect him. First I ran and cried, knowing I\u2019d always done exactly as he\u2019d asked. But then I went back and told him that he needed to write out exactly what he wanted so I wouldn\u2019t get confused. He refused, saying that I might as well cook what I wanted if I couldn\u2019t handle simple verbal directives. I felt relieved and thought we\u2019d move on from that odd hiccup. But then he began picking on the quality of my meals, declaring my food fit only for animals. He\u2019d pick at it, and scrape the rest in the garbage.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled wryly. \u201cOnce Peter went west, the floodgates of information opened, and I found out that he stopped to eat at a saloon on the way home every evening, and often used those services I spoke of earlier. I always wondered why he was so late returning from a job that ended at 3 PM. He told me he corrected papers at school rather than bring work home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid this go on the entire time he was with you?\u201d The question came from Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe would lose interest when I stopped playing a game. After I told him to purchase our food to ensure the quality, he stopped complaining and then directed his attention to my housekeeping. He was an orderly person but not strange about it. Suddenly he demanded to have towels folded and hung by the wash basin in a certain way. I didn\u2019t mind doing that, and I was so excited that he might actually be pleased. He gave me that \u2018tolerant\u2019 smile when we went to his room that evening. He threw everything on the floor, explaining that I was obviously too stupid to do that right either. That demand for orderliness expanded to how the knickknacks were set out on the tables, where the dishes were kept in the cupboard, and how the furniture was placed. I\u2019d get everything straightened before bed, and swore it moved just enough during the night for him to complain about in the morning. I honestly thought I was losing my mind until I snuck down one night and saw him switching things around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe set me up too,\u201d Adam told the group. \u201cI just remembered that. He left a gun and a canteen out one night, and then \u2018caught\u2019 me when I tried to leave. Of course the gun was empty and the canteen filled with sand. He took great delight in how easily he had fooled me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure that\u2019s when you<\/em> realized he was horribly insane.\u201d Patricia said sadly. \u201cYet knowing that gave me a backbone. The next morning when he pointed out my errors, I told him to make sure everything was exactly as he wanted it. He fussed and arranged things\u2026and then I went around with a brush and bottle of India ink and made small dots on the floor beneath each leg of furniture and every item on a surface, telling him that this way things would always be just so. I even did a quick drawing of where the dishes were placed in the cupboard. He called me impudent, and said I was just proving my stupidity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grimaced. \u201cI have to admire your spunk. It makes me wish I\u2019d fought back a little more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia laughed and patted Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cRemember that I saw his patterns developing over months. And it changed nothing. If I ended one of his games, he\u2019d just come up with another. The night following that bit of fun for me, he sat down to supper, inspected his silverware, and held up the fork. He told me it hadn\u2019t been washed properly, and that if I was too much of an animal to clean his utensils, then I deserved to be treated like one. He grabbed my arm and my plate and dragged me into the kitchen. After dumping the stew on the cupboard, he commanded me to eat it with my fingers. His previous games humiliated me, but he\u2019d been verbal, not physical. That night he grabbed my head and shoved it down into the food while yelling at me to grunt like a pig. The look in his eyes that night scared me, and I did what he said. Afterwards he stood there laughing like a madman. It was the lowest point of my life. I ate before he arrived home after that, and never set a table or offered him a meal again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe broke the tension by saying, \u201cI would have poisoned his food.\u201d<\/p>\n

The others laughed when Patricia seemed to enjoy the comment. \u201cI thought about it, but he never ate enough for it to have killed him.\u201d Her smile faded. \u201cI knew that these games came from a sick mind, but I kept on playing, hoping maybe I could pass his test and it would all end with a normal life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam blew out a long breath \u201cWhat finally made him leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe money was gone; I refused to play his games, and he lost his job. He began tormenting his students when I stopped playing. I didn\u2019t know he\u2019d been fired until I stopped there with the briefcase I thought he\u2019d forgotten at home. After leaving the school, I happened to see him through the window of a bar on my way to work, and confronted him there. He said he\u2019d thought so little of the job that he hadn\u2019t seen any reason to note its passing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s tone was fueled with concern when he asked, \u201cWhat was he doing to those kids?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe headmaster told me that they\u2019d received several complaints about Peter abasing any student who questioned him or confided their fears about their performance. He\u2019d give special assignments and then berate the student in front of class for doing the wrong thing when the poor child presented it. The school didn\u2019t care what Peter had to say in his defense. He\u2019d poked a few prominent families who made threats.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul interrupted. \u201cSounds like Kane had problems coming up with original ways to torment people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia nodded and grinned. \u201cThe best thing to come from it was that he decided to leave. I\u2019d made arrangements to move in with a friend, and thought I was saved from that when he told me about an opportunity to go west to mine in the territory east of California. He could buy a large claim cheaper there, and he\u2019d been assured that gold had been found already. All he needed was four-thousand-dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss rubbed his chin. \u201cHe\u2019d cleaned out your bank account by then, hadn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia nodded. \u201cI said that if he hadn\u2019t squandered that money, he\u2019d have had plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKane told me he got the money by selling everything he had,\u201d Adam offered with a confused squint.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems odd that I can laugh about this now, but I can\u2019t shed any more tears. I came home one night to find a family moving into my house. I was frantic for them, thinking they\u2019d been duped. I was the fool. Peter had sold my house, all the furnishings; the buggy and horse we kept at the livery, and found where I\u2019d hidden cash I\u2019d been saving from my paychecks.\u201d She shook her head and chuckled. \u201cHe said I didn\u2019t deserve a house. I should live in a boarding house where people took care of me. I was so relieved that he was gone, I didn\u2019t mourn the loss. But he wasn\u2019t done. About nine months later, a letter came demanding money for supplies. If I didn\u2019t comply, he\u2019d return home. I moved into a cheaper boarding house and took a second job on weekends to keep him on the other side of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe groaned painfully. \u201cThat\u2019s some story. I\u2019m surprised you\u2019re not jaded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI found love, Joe. The company where I worked did Jason\u2019s books and we started talking when he came by. He knew I was married, but when he heard we were estranged, he asked me to dinner. I think he was sent from God to help me understand what I\u2019d endured.\u201d She moved behind Adam again, placing her hands on his shoulders. \u201cIt\u2019s your turn now. Tell me what happened in that camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thirteen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t like talking about himself, but the more details he revealed, the more he remembered, and the calmer he felt. Patricia was right; hearing the similarities between their stories helped him understand that he he\u2019d merely represented an opportunity for Kane\u2019s insanity to be deployed.<\/p>\n

Patricia sighed as she sat across from Adam again. \u201cIt must have hellish when those memories began returning with such force. But you are blessed with a loving family\u2026and doctor\u2026to support you.\u201d She wondered why her statement made Ben look away. Yet she knew how crazy this all sounded to people who hadn\u2019t gone through it, even to a family as strong as the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least I had breathers between his games,\u201d Patricia added. \u201cAnd as I saw his patterns, I got strong enough to push back. Peter got a sick satisfaction from observing fearful, confused responses to his manipulation. I was fortunate he left when he did, because Jason is convinced that had Peter stayed, his games would have taken a deadly turn for me. You\u2019re the proof of that, Adam. He used everything in his arsenal on you in less than two weeks without breaking you. At some point, he decided it would have to end with your death or at least leave you too destroyed to have a normal life.\u201d She shivered. \u201cIt must have felt like hell had opened again and was sucking you in when I slid that picture across the table yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted softly. \u201cA line from The Tempest<\/em> kept running through my head while I was with Kane. Hell is empty and all the devils are here<\/em>.3 <\/sup>\u201cHe looked around the room at those who\u2019d come to share this revelation. \u201cMy family will attest that I thought Satan had grabbed onto my ankle from the grave the last two days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI began to heal when Jason allowed me to reconstruct each ploy Peter used against me. Then he helped me see what that devil hoped to take from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am happy for you.\u201d Adam\u2019s smile was sincere.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you\u2019ll heal faster since Peter\u2019s influence was a short distraction in an otherwise good life. I hope you feel better for coming today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do; thank you,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cI see now that if he could have provoked me into that act of illogical rage, his prize would have been my soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked this morning about something maybe you can explain, Mrs. Kane,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cAdam told you how he let us go on by so Kane wouldn\u2019t kill us. But why didn\u2019t your husband call us and do just what Adam figured? That would have hurt my brother the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia looked at Adam and saw that he now knew the answer. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you explain it, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKane knew that I would have defended my family any way I could. However, that would have been a logical<\/em> reaction, and it would have proved my point, not his.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe tilted his head even as he nodded. \u201cBut all those things he did to you put you in a position of self-defense, Adam. A logical<\/em> man would have been entitled to save himself too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked to his hostess, and gave a quick nod. \u201cKane had the airs and fine words of an intelligent, educated man, but he approached life with the animal instincts he claimed he could produce in others. In some ways, bringing people to his level of reaction was comforting\u2014like looking in a mirror. I don\u2019t believe he understood the concept of self-defense. He only saw the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMisery loves company,\u201d Hoss offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell said.\u201d Patricia rose and stretched. \u201cI think it\u2019s time we get that affidavit signed, and go downstairs for a drink to seal new friendships and understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul witnessed the signatures, with Adam adding an approximate location of the grave before penning his name.<\/p>\n

Ben stretched. \u201cC\u2019mon Hoss\u2026Little Joe. We\u2019ll head down and get a table off to the side of the dining room and order a bottle of champagne.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be nice,\u201d Patricia said as she reached for Adam\u2019s arm. \u201cAnd I will use that time to speak privately to your son and Dr. Martin. I promise we\u2019ll be down in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fourteen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam stood with one foot on the hearth, poking the logs to bring up a cozy blaze.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad it\u2019s cool enough for a fire again. I miss it during the summer.\u201d Ben smiled up at his oldest son. \u201cYou\u2019ve been relaxed since we got home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe had gone up to bed, citing the long day. But Adam knew they were allowing time for their father and brother to talk. \u201cI\u2019m glad you remembered Patricia\u2019s suggestion, and that we heard her story together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s odd that Kane was so predictable, even though I\u2019m sure he thought he was quite clever.\u201d Ben shook his head. \u201cSuch an evil man.\u201d\u00a0 After a moment of silence, he asked, \u201cDid Patricia offer further information after we left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said she owed me an apology, but didn\u2019t feel comfortable explaining why in front of Little Joe and Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes widened as the corners of his mouth moved upwards into a grin. \u201cYou\u2019ve got me curious now. Are you able to tell me about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce she understood that Kane had never loved her, she decided to press for a divorce. A lawyer friend of Jason\u2019s drafted a divorce document that she sent to Peter, along with the details of what they\u2019d do if he refused.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI assume she claimed abandonment?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned widely. \u201cEven better. She wrote that she\u2019d take care of all the expenses for the divorce. But\u2026if he refused, she\u2019d file for an annulment.\u201d He winked at his father. \u201cThis is the part she didn\u2019t want Joe to hear. She threatened to submit to an exam by a court-approved doctor to verify that Kane had never consummated their marriage. And once she had an annulment, the lawyer would present the financial evidence to the courts alleging fraud since he\u2019d obviously married her only to access her assets. He felt Kane would be forced to return the money, and maybe even do some time in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWow! That must have gotten his attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe figures it was the last mail he picked up before I arrived. Jason had warned her that people with Kane\u2019s personality never make things easy. What she couldn\u2019t know was that Kane was also facing the fact that he\u2019d put many years into that claim and it had yielded nothing. He\u2019d reached the end of his control over the two biggest parts of his life, and I walked into his rage.:<\/p>\n

\u201cFacing failure must have been impossible for a man like that,\u201d Ben offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cPatricia played a strong hand, and when he realized he couldn\u2019t win in a legal fight, he chose the one means of control still available. He decided to let himself die without witnesses, knowing she\u2019d have to wait another seven years to be free. When I came along, he decided he didn\u2019t have to die alone and could have one last chance to play his games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s complexion paled. \u201cYou would<\/em> have died too except for Little Joe finding Sport and realizing you were in trouble. Your will to live, coupled with Joe\u2019s quick thinking, and later, Paul\u2019s medical knowledge, gave you the chance to survive. You did the rest.\u201d He tucked the bowl of his pipe with tobacco and struck a match. After pulling in a few puffs from the fragrant leaves, he rested his arm on the chair and looked back up at Adam. \u201cI am sorry I couldn\u2019t understand what was happening to you the last few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven I didn\u2019t understand what was happening, Pa. What matters is that you were willing to listen and learn.\u201d Adam\u2019s sincere response was followed by a quick lift of his brows with an accompanying smile. \u201cOne last thing\u2026 I\u2019m going away for a week or two. Jason has written a case study on Patricia\u2019s experience with Kane, and he wired her, hoping she could convince me to accompany her to Sacramento. He\u2019d like to hear about Kane\u2019s last days directly from me. It will provide a clear picture of this\u2026disorder of the mind\u2026to use when he gets to Germany. She suggested that Paul come too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to do this,\u201d Ben said solemnly. \u201cWe learned a lot today, but talking this out with a professional will help even more.\u201d He allowed a grin. \u201cI imagine Paul was bouncing like a toddler over the chance to be a part of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and chuckled.<\/p>\n

Ben waited for his son to offer more, and finally prompted, \u201cSo, it was a good day, even though it had a rocky start?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes it was, but there\u2019s one last thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the cardboard folder with Kane\u2019s picture from his pants pocket and held it up. \u201cI tried to return this, but Patricia said I might like to dispose of it as she did with the few things Kane left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

He tossed it into the fire and watched as it curled and then disintegrated into ashes. \u201cBy returning one devil back to hell where he belongs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Story Notes<\/strong>: \u00a0I struggled with where to place East Gate, Salt Flats, Kane\u2019s mine, Signal Rock and Pyramid Lake to make sense in the canon story. I\u2019d assumed they\u2019d gone south to California on that drive because of the desert and gold. However, the episode has Ben and Hoss arriving quickly with Hoss saying Adam had left East Gate two-weeks prior\u2026after they\u2019d already been searching several days. The CA deserts were too far to arrive in time for that scenario. After Googling Eastgate in several states, I actually found a place that fits what happened. There was\/is an Eastgate about 150 miles east of Reno. There were salt flats and deserts between the two, and even an actual trading posts\/stage stop called Salt Wells, between Eastgate and Reno. Pyramid Lake is north of Reno, and whatever they called signal rock would have been an easy 3 days ride from Eastgate. Deserts and rocks abound in that area. And finally, I found that there was mining activity in that section of Nevada. This if from a site called, Cowboy Country:<\/p>\n

In Cowboy Country (a section of Nevada going east and north from Reno), the Old West meets the Gold West. During the 1800s, some of the pioneers lured to California for the gold rush settled in Cowboy Country and established ranches and trading posts. Later, after the gold rush ended in California, prospectors explored northern Nevada and discovered gold in the majestic mountains of Cowboy Country. <\/em><\/p>\n

I found that people began mining earlier than this snippet says.<\/p>\n

I attached a map to this, but my maps don\u2019t usually come through the formatting for the story. It shows that this is a viable location. I doubt the writers put this much effort into placing the episode, but I always have fun establishing some reasonable setting.<\/p>\n

*Dr.\u00a0Benjamin Rush<\/strong>, the “father of American psychiatry,” was the first to believe that mental illness was a disease of the mind and not a “possession of demons.” His classic work, Observations and Inquiries upon the Diseases of the Mind, published in 1812, was the first psychiatric textbook printed in the United States.<\/p>\n

2<\/sup> German psychiatrist, J.L.A. Koch (1841-1908), coined the term\u00a0psychopastiche, or psychopath, in 1888. Koch claimed that psychopathy arose from a flaw in one\u2019s constitution at birth.\u00a0Constitutional psychopathy\u00a0became a popular disorder in the literature of the early 1900s.<\/p>\n

This is a little outside the framework of my story, although the condition was recognized much earlier. Philippe Pinel (1745-1826), the founding father of modern psychiatry, first described a group of patients afflicted with\u00a0mania sans d\u00e9lire\u00a0(insanity without delirium, 1801). This described individuals who had no intellectual problems with a profound deficit in behavior typified by marked cruelty, antisocial acts, alcohol and drug use, irresponsibility, and immorality. This \u201cmoral insanity\u201d occurred in the absence of confusion in mind and intellect, differentiating it from patients with psychotic behaviors.<\/p>\n

3<\/sup> <\/em>William Shakespeare \u2013 The Tempest<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: Adam’s unexpected illness; an unexpected visitor, and Ben’s unexpected reaction to a developing situation leaves the Cartwright home in upheaval. Can the information this stranger holds, bring healing to old and new wounds?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rating: G\u00a0 \u00a0 Word Count: 25743<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":15258,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,41,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-whn","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-13-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":4021,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adam-traurig.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5635,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5635","url_meta":{"origin":18901,"position":0},"title":"A Brother is Forever (by Dogwood)","author":"Dogwood","date":"May 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Ben's reflections as a brother. Rated:\u00a0K (550 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Ben Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Ben Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1004"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ben.jpg?fit=264%2C281&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6325,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6325","url_meta":{"origin":18901,"position":1},"title":"Best Laid Plans (by Cheaux)","author":"Cheaux","date":"May 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0A rift between father and sons is healed in an unexpected way. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 T -- WC \u00a0650","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza16.jpg?fit=334%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":46976,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46976","url_meta":{"origin":18901,"position":2},"title":"The Shiny Surprise: The Hair-Raising Christmas Prank (by ElayneA)","author":"Elayne","date":"December 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Not even Christmastime is safe from pranksters. Rating:\u00a0 G Words:\u00a0 855 Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2149,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2149","url_meta":{"origin":18901,"position":3},"title":"The Fire and the Night (by pony)","author":"pony","date":"December 8, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Tempers flare as Joe and Adam find themselves in conflict ... but then discover an unexpected harmony. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K (1,260 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza13.jpg?fit=300%2C270&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9732,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9732","url_meta":{"origin":18901,"position":4},"title":"Lessons (by Belle & Mumu)","author":"Belle and Mumu","date":"September 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 When Ben finds himself in a dire situation, he finds he has to draw upon unexpected resources.\u00a0 A\u00a0Camp Pines 2014 collaboration by Belle and Mumu74. Rating: K+\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (1,420 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Didnt-pay-to-be-Ben.jpg?fit=467%2C341&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5621,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5621","url_meta":{"origin":18901,"position":5},"title":"Little Ray of Sunshine (by Stetson1859)","author":"Stetson1859","date":"May 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Adam is trying to come to terms with Inger's death, and finds comfort from an unexpected source. \u00a0 Rated: K+ \u00a0WC 897","rel":"","context":"In "Adam \/ Hoss"","block_context":{"text":"Adam \/ Hoss","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1090"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/adam-baby.jpg?fit=436%2C290&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18901"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18901\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}