{"id":4223,"date":"2002-11-06T16:20:14","date_gmt":"2002-11-06T21:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4223"},"modified":"2026-01-20T15:53:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T20:53:47","slug":"mind-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4223","title":{"rendered":"Mind Games (by Rona)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>On the way home from Placerville, Joe and Ben are held up. Ben is kidnapped. When Adam and Hoss get the ransom demand, they assume Joe is with their father. But is he?<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0\u00a0 T \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>(10,770 words)<\/p>\n

Disclaimer:\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0Mind Games<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt sure is a nice day, Pa,\u201d Little Joe Cartwright said, smiling across at his father. \u201cIts been a good trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it has,\u201d agreed Ben, although he hadn\u2019t thought that on the first day. He and Joe had been on a trip to Placerville, looking at horses, and on the first day out, Joe had been in a fit of dark depression, after breaking up with his girl the night before they left. Ben had been so disgusted with the young man\u2019s attitude, that he\u2019d almost turned round and gone home. However, as was so often the case, Joe\u2019s mood had changed overnight, and he was back to his normal, irrepressible self by morning. \u201cI think we\u2019ve picked out a lot of good horses there, son,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so, too,\u201d Joe smiled. \u201cWe make a good team, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

They made good time as they rode back home. The day was sunny and warm, and the summer beckoned. About noon, they stopped for lunch, and ate the sandwiches provided by the hotel. They chatted casually about the ranch and the horses they\u2019d bought, and which hands would accompany Joe went he went back to collect the horses later in the month. Ben drank a second cup of coffee, while Joe went to fill the canteens at the river, and water the horses. He and Joe didn\u2019t get this kind of time together often enough, Ben thought. In fact, he didn\u2019t get this kind of time together with any of his sons. Ben made a mental note to try and do this more often.<\/p>\n

Setting out again on the last leg of their journey, Ben smiled as he listened to Joe crooning to himself almost under his breath. Adam was the recognised singer of the family, but Joe could hold a tune well enough, and his voice wasn\u2019t unpleasant. After a few minutes, Ben found himself humming along, and as they reached the end of the song, they shared a smile.<\/p>\n

Silently, from the trees ahead, a group of six horsemen appeared. They stopped in the middle of the road, facing the Cartwrights. Looking round, Ben saw them, and he felt uneasy. There was nothing immediately menacing about these men, but Ben had a strong instinct for trouble. To him these men seemed like trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are they?\u201d Joe asked, quietly, and Ben saw that his son was taut, too. Joe was very perceptive towards feelings and atmospheres, and had picked up on his father’s unease without being aware of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, son, but let\u2019s just be a little wary,\u201d Ben advised. \u201cThey may simply be lost.\u201d A quick glance at Joe showed that Joe believed that no more than Ben did himself.<\/p>\n

Pulling up the horses, Ben smiled at the men in front of him. \u201cIs there something we can do for you?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI expect there is,\u201d replied one, and another laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re Ben Cartwright, ain\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if I am?\u201d asked Ben, feeling distinctly nervous now. He kept his gaze on the spokesman.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen its you we want!\u201d the other responded. He made a movement, and found himself under the steady aim of Joe\u2019s pistol.<\/p>\n

The speed of Joe\u2019s draw caught them by surprise, Ben noted. He had often deplored the time Joe had spent learning a fast draw when he was younger, but there were times it came in useful, like now. \u201cBack off!\u201d Joe warned.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, mister, settle down,\u201d the man said, nervously. His horse began to sidle away, and he curbed it viciously. The animal reared in protest.<\/p>\n

The other horses began to mill around anxiously, picking up on the first\u2019s concerns. Cochise wasn\u2019t immune to the anxiety spreading through the horses. He began to sidle away, too. Joe tried to soothe him, while still keeping the men covered. Ben ran a hand down Buck\u2019s neck, and moved him to try and grab Joe\u2019s rein. But Buck\u2019s sudden movement startled the pinto, who sidled closer to the group of men, so that Joe was now closer to them than he was to Ben.\u00a0 One of the men took the opportunity offered him, and lunged at Joe. Cochise reared, and Joe was dragged from the saddle by one of the men.<\/p>\n

Reaching for his gun, Ben found it was too late. One moment he was sitting on Buck, trying to help Joe, the next he went down under a flurry of blows. Desperately, he fought back as best he could, but there were too many of them. Before long, Ben was firmly tied.<\/p>\n

As his captors stepped back, Ben looked around frantically for Joe. He soon spotted his youngest son lying in a crumpled heap at the edge of the road.\u00a0 \u201cJoe!\u201d he exclaimed and tried to get to his feet to go to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do you think you\u2019re going, old man?\u201d asked the leader, pushing him back. \u201cYou leave the boy be. He ain\u2019t dead. You\u2019ll see him again, once he\u2019s paid your ransom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRansom?\u201d Ben gasped, his eyes fixed on Joe.<\/p>\n

Yanking Ben to his feet, the leader pushed him over to Buck. \u201cSure. I reckon those boys of yours will pay handsomely to get you back. $20,000 ought to do it.\u201d Laughing at Ben\u2019s horror, he whipped of his bandanna and blindfolded Ben. Shortly after, Ben found himself mounted and riding off into the unknown, leaving Joe lying on the road behind them.<\/p>\n

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

Quite some time passed before Joe regained consciousness. As he gradually regained his senses, he was aware of the heat of the sun beating down on his neck. He opened his eyes slowly and squinted around. He was totally alone. For a moment, Joe couldn\u2019t remember what had happened, but as he forced himself to his knees, he saw his father’s hat lying in the dust, and memory came rushing back. \u201cPa!\u201d he called, knowing it was hopeless.<\/p>\n

Retrieving his own hat from the side of the road, Joe looked around in the hope that Cochise might still be somewhere close. There was no sign of the pinto. Joe whistled, but he didn\u2019t appear. \u201cGuess I\u2019ll have to walk, then,\u201d Joe told himself, and began to trudge in the general direction of home.<\/p>\n

It seemed to Joe that the sun had grown very hot while he lay in the road. Sweat ran down his face, and his head throbbed. Several times, he had to stop and rest, and by sundown, he had travelled barely a mile.<\/p>\n

Somewhere deep within, Joe knew he was concussed. It wasn\u2019t the first time, and he recognised the symptoms. Lying down, he made no attempt to light a fire, even though he knew the spring nights were still cold, and he fell asleep at once. It was fully dark when Joe woke. His head ached a little less, and he wondered what had roused him. Normally, once he was asleep, it practically took dynamite to rouse him.<\/p>\n

The sound came again, and Joe realised that it was a wagon on the road. Sitting up, he saw the bobbing of a lantern, and pushed to his feet. \u201cHey!\u201d he called. \u201cHey! Can you help me?\u201d<\/p>\n

The wagon drew to a lumbering stop, and Joe distinctly heard the click of a safety catch being removed. \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d came a gravely male voice.<\/p>\n

Slowing his impetuous rush, Joe moved into the range of the lantern. \u201cMy name is Joe Cartwright,\u201d he said, lifting his hands to show he was unarmed. \u201cMy Pa and I were bushwhacked this afternoon, and my horse was stolen. My pa has disappeared, and I was wondering if you could give me a lift to Virginia City so I can tell the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, eh?\u201d said the man. His face was deep in a shadow cast by the large brim of his hat. Joe felt that he was familiar, but couldn\u2019t place him. \u201cThat the same Cartwright as has the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Joe agreed, relieved that the name was known. \u201cCan you help me, please?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon I can at that, sonny,\u201d the man replied, and Joe bit back his indignation at being called \u2018sonny\u2019. \u201cLooks like you took a beating yourself. Hop into the back of the wagon there and rest while we go to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Joe said, gratefully, and it was a relief to stretch out in the back of the wagon. Despite all the jolting Joe was asleep again within moments.<\/p>\n

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

All afternoon, Ben was forced to ride with the men who had kidnapped him. He had made an attempt to remove the blindfold, but he had been stopped, and his wrists bound to the saddle horn. All the while, he worried about Joe. Finally, they stopped, and Ben knew by the chill in the air that it was evening. He was forced from the saddle, and tied to a tree. Later, a hot meal was brought to him, and he was fed, whether he liked it or not. His own comfort immaterial to him, Ben wondered if Joe was all right.<\/p>\n

Much to his own surprise, Ben slept that night. He was woken by a kick, and given something to eat and drink. Once more, he was made to mount, his hands tied, and they rode on. Fear nicked at the corners of his mind. He hated the thought of Adam, Hoss and Joe having to deal with this. He hoped that Joe had arrived safely home, not realising that Joe\u2019s pinto was in the group with which he rode.<\/p>\n

At what felt like mid-morning, they stopped, and Ben was taken from his horse and pushed up a few steps into a building. He was pushed along until hands stopped him, the blindfold was snatched off, and a door banged shut behind him. Blinking furiously, Ben saw he was in a small room of a cabin. There was a window, but it was almost totally boarded up. A little light came through the gaps between the boards. There was a cot, and that was it. This, he guessed, was to be his prison until his ransom was paid. Sinking down upon the bed, Ben said a silent prayer for strength for his sons to deal with this crisis. He added an extra one for Joe\u2019s safety and well-being.<\/p>\n

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

When Joe woke later that night, his body felt strangely heavy, and his mind was foggy. For a while, it was too much for him to deal with and he slept again. But somewhere deep within, Joe\u2019s mind was working and he woke again a short while later. This time, his mind was clearer, and his body didn\u2019t feel so heavy. As he tried to roll over, he suddenly became aware of the clanking of chains, and to his horror realised that they were on his body!<\/p>\n

Panic brought Joe to full wakefulness, and he recognised the after effects of ether. The man who picked him up on the road must have drugged him while he slept, and then chained him up. It was pitch black, but Joe knew from the feel of the air that he was inside. Feeling along the chains, he discovered that his ankles were shackled together, very short, and his wrists were firmly attached to a chain that went round his waist and down each leg to his ankles. For along time, Joe fought against his bonds, knowing full well it was hopeless. It wasn\u2019t until his wrists were chafed and bleeding that he gave up and lay back down. Tears seeped out from beneath his closed eyelids. It had been a long day, and too much had happened. After a time, his mind slipped into neutral, and Joe slept.<\/p>\n

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

The morning came before Joe was ready to face it. One moment he was asleep, the next someone was kneeling beside him, fastening a blindfold round his head. Joe fought as best he could, but he was unable to prevent it from happening. \u201cHey!\u201d he protested, at the top of his voice. \u201cWhat are you doing? Why are you doing this? What harm have I ever done you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, sonny,\u201d said the gravely voice from the previous night, and a hand cuffed Joe around the head. \u201cI got a little payback due your daddy, and I\u2019m gonna work the debt outa your hide!\u201d<\/p>\n

A hand grabbed his shirt at the shoulder, and Joe was yanked to his feet. The same hand gave him a push in the small of his back, and Joe stumbled forwards. His ankles were shackled so tightly together that he couldn\u2019t get his feet underneath him, and he crashed to the ground. The man laughed as he yanked Joe upright again.<\/p>\n

With great difficulty, Joe shuffled the way he was told to go, and found himself outside. He stood warily, awaiting developments. \u201cI\u2019ll treat you real good if you work for me, sonny,\u201d said the man. \u201cBut if you don\u2019t work, this is what you\u2019ll get.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt the sting of the whip bite into his legs before he heard the sound. He let out a cry of pain, and the whip wrapped itself round his shoulders. Fire burned where the whip had bitten into his flesh. As he gained control over the pain, Joe discovered he\u2019d bitten his lip. He licked the blood, to stop it from running down his face.<\/p>\n

Standing there, waiting to find out what abuse he faced next, Joe strained his ears. There came more rattling of chains, and he tensed, waiting. He heard someone come up to him, and swung round, trying to face whomever it was, just in case he got a chance to defend himself. He could smell the sweat on the man\u2019s body, and his nose wrinkled involuntarily. Something touched his neck, and Joe stiffened even further, as a leather collar was fitted round his neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, sonny,\u201d the man urged, and Joe felt the pressure on his throat. With the options of resist and be whipped, or follow and hope, Joe opted to follow.<\/p>\n

Deprived of his sight, Joe made more use of his other senses. He could smell the sweat on the man, and on himself. From somewhere nearby, and growing stronger, came the smell of horses. After a few moments, the tug on the collar stopped, and Joe sensed it being fastened to something. He was finding it very frustrating not to be able to give names to the objects round about him. Moments later, a bar was thrust into his hands, and a thong was tied round his wrists to keep them in place. Joe was frowning, totally perplexed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the horse whim, sonny,\u201d said the man, his voice very close. \u201cYou\u2019d better keep walking, or who knows what might happen to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, the bar in Joe\u2019s hands gave a jerk, as did the leash on the collar, and he found himself stumbling round. In his mind\u2019s eye, Joe could picture perfectly the horse whim. Behind and in front of him were horses, and they would walk endlessly round in a small circle, raising water, or threshing wheat or any one of a number of things. If Joe fell, he would be dragged round, and probably stepped on, if not trampled outright. His mouth suddenly dry from more than just lack of water, Joe concentrated on putting one foot past the other.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAdam! Hey, Adam!\u201d Hoss shouted. He thrust open the door to the house and went in. Adam wasn\u2019t, as Hoss had expected, at the desk. \u201cAdam!\u201d he called again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all the noise about?\u201d enquired Adam, coming from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hand. \u201cWhat\u2019s got you so riled up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis!\u201d Hoss responded, and shoved a piece of paper at Adam.<\/p>\n

Taking it, Adam laid down his cup, and gave Hoss a long look before opening it. His younger brother looked agitated, and when Adam read the contents of the paper, he fully understood why. It was a ransom demand for $20000 for their father \u2013 and to be delivered by noon tomorrow without fail. \u201cWhere did this come from?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cFred brung it with the rest of the mail,\u201d explained Hoss. \u201cWhat are we gonna do, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell Roy, first and foremost,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cThen we\u2019d better start getting the money together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, this here note says it\u2019s a ransom for Pa. What about Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, and giving a short sigh, Adam replied, \u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss. Send a couple of the hands to look for him, just in case he wasn\u2019t taken. More than that, I don\u2019t know what to do. He might be with Pa. He might\u2026\u201d Adam turned away abruptly, not finishing his sentence. Hoss knew why. The same thought had occurred to him.<\/p>\n

Joe might be dead.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThere\u2019s no sign of Joe anywhere,\u201d Adam concluded. \u201cAt the moment, we\u2019re working on the theory that he\u2019s with Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding gravely, Roy Coffee eyed the two young men in front of him. Hoss\u2019 anxiety was clear to read on his face. Adam looked as calm as ever, but a certain tightness around the mouth gave away his worries. \u201cI\u2019ll get some men out looking, Adam,\u201d Roy said. \u201cBut you\u2019d best gather that money together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bank is already working on it,\u201d admitted Adam. \u201cIs there anything else we should do?\u201d<\/p>\n

After a moment\u2019s thought, Roy shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t think there is,\u201d he said. \u201cGet the money and go on back to the ranch. If we find anything, we\u2019ll let you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Roy,\u201d they said, and shook hands with him. Wearily, they made their way back to the bank building. There, Hoss took possession of $20,000, and together, the brothers rode home. They had nothing to do now but wait and pray.<\/p>\n

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

When the horse whim was finally brought to a stop for the day, Joe was reeling with exhaustion. He\u2019d had two short breaks, while they changed the horses over, and had been given water on both occasions, but no food. His hands were untied, and his leash tugged to make him follow. He\u2019d been led back to the building where he\u2019d been all the previous night, and the chain was made fast to the wall. When he bent over to try and removed the blindfold, he discovered that the leash was fastened too tightly to allow this manoeuvre.<\/p>\n

Despair swept over him, and a few tears escaped his control. \u201cOh, Pa, I need you,\u201d he whispered. \u201cWhere are you? Are you all right?\u201d He was desperately hungry, thirsty and tired, and his heart leapt when he heard footsteps approaching his cell. As he heard the door open, the smell of bacon and beans hit his nostrils, and his stomach rumbled loudly. \u201cYou done work well enough for a start today,\u201d said the gravely voice. \u201cSo here\u2019s your food.\u201d A tin plate and cup were put into Joe\u2019s hand, and the man left.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take Joe long figure out that he had no knife and fork. It was almost impossible for him to get the food to his mouth, as he couldn\u2019t bend. After a time, Joe realised that he was supposed to put the plate on the ground and eat like a dog. He wasn\u2019t yet hungry enough for the prospect to appeal to him. He managed to eat a couple of pieces of bacon, and left the rest. He drank the water thirstily, and it was soon gone. Shortly after that, Joe could stay awake no longer, and fell into an exhausted sleep.<\/p>\n

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

The crack of a whip woke him fractionally before it bit into his flesh. With a startled cry, Joe jerked upright, confused and momentarily unable to remember where he was. Unfortunately, memory came back with a rush. \u201cYou done wasted good food!\u201d Gravel Voice was shouting. A second crack from the whip, which landed across Joe\u2019s chest. \u201cNo food for you today!\u201d<\/p>\n

Sore and angry, Joe fumbled to try and catch hold of his captor as he passed by to unfasten the leash. He failed, and earned himself a kick in the ribs. Before long, Joe was forced outside, and again led to the horse whim. There was no sun today. There was a cold wind whipping across the land, and Joe shivered. He wished he still had his jacket, but it had been on the back of his saddle, and who knew where it and Cochise were now? His wrists were tied again, tighter this time, and the whim began to move. Joe ached all over from the continuous struggle to keep his feet the previous day, and he stumbled and nearly fell several times before he rediscovered the knack for keeping moving.<\/p>\n

Soon, the cold was the least of Joe\u2019s problems. Rain began to fall, lightly at first, then more heavily, until finally it turned into a storm of impressive magnitude. As the thunder and lightning roared and crashed around him, Joe realised that hail was falling. Winter hadn\u2019t quite lost its grip of the land. A chunk of hail sliced down Joe\u2019s cheek, leaving a thread of blood behind it. Exhausted, dehydrated, and despairing, Joe tucked his head down and laboured on. As always when in trouble, Joe thought about Ben. Not knowing where his father was, or even if he was alive, was eating the heart out of Joe. Grief wore him out almost as much as the physical labour.<\/p>\n

By the end of the day, Joe could barely stand. He trudged back to his cell, falling several times on the way. He gulped the small amount of water he was allowed, and fell at once into a deep sleep.<\/p>\n

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

As his second day of captivity began, Ben Cartwright woke slowly. He had spent a good deal of the previous day leaning up against the door to his room, listening. He had hoped he would be able to her his captors speaking, but the voices he did hear were pitched too low for him to catch more than the sound. Frustration and worry had worn him out and he had slept the night before, but he didn\u2019t feel rested. The only comfort he could glean from the situation was that his boys were dealing with this together.<\/p>\n

About mid-morning, as close as he could guess, they came for him. Whenever someone had come into his room, they had had bandannas over their faces, and there was no change today. Yet he was blindfolded again, and propelled out of the cabin. It was nice to get fresh air again, and Ben drew several deep breaths.<\/p>\n

They hadn\u2019t ridden very far when all hell broke loose. Blindfolded, Ben couldn\u2019t see what was going on, but the gunshots and shouting left him in doubt. Someone was attacking the group he was with. Ben ducked low in his saddle, hoping that a stay bullet wouldn\u2019t hit him. The horse he was riding \u2013 he assumed it was Buck – twisted beneath him, and Ben spoke as soothingly as he could manage. Whoever had been leading his horse had dropped the rein. Moments later, somebody grabbed it again, and a familiar voice said, \u201cAre you all right, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

The blindfold was slipped off, and Ben looked with disbelief at Roy Coffee. \u201cRoy!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cAm I glad to see you!\u201d He grinned broadly at his friend and looked round to see what was going on.<\/p>\n

There were a couple of bodies on the ground, and the posse had the other four men rounded up. Ben felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Roy untied his wrists, explaining that they had spotted the hideout the previous night, and Ben rubbed them until his hands felt more normal. \u201cAre the boys all right?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

An odd look flitted across Roy\u2019s face, but was gone before Ben could interpret it. \u201cAdam and Hoss are waiting a mile or so back,\u201d Roy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Joe?\u201d demanded Ben. \u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d hoped he was with you,\u201d Roy said, slowly. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t been seen since you left Placerville. We assumed that he\u2019d been kidnapped with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The colour had gone from Ben\u2019s face. His shoulders slumped. \u201cWhen I saw Joe last, he was lying unconscious by the side of the road,\u201d Ben said, and told Roy exactly where. At the look on Roy\u2019s face, Ben knew that they hadn\u2019t found any trace of Joe near there. An icy hand clutched his heart. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to find him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will, Ben,\u201d Roy said, \u201cbut first we got to get you checked out by the doc.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The relief on his sons\u2019 faces brought tears to Ben\u2019s eyes as he rode into view. For several moments he held his sons in his arms, as they reassured him and each other that they were fine. It was only when they realised that Joe was not with the returning posse that the joy faded from their faces. Clem, Roy\u2019s deputy, had gone back to check the cabin where Ben had been held, and he returned trailing Cochise behind him.<\/p>\n

It seemed an interminable ride back to the city to Ben. He saw Doc Martin, who gave him a clean bill of health, then Ben remounted and the Cartwrights rode off to begin the search for Joe. First stop was the Ponderosa, where Ben had a bath, a change of clothes and a hot meal. They packed up enough supplies to last for several days, and then left.<\/p>\n

Just before they left, Roy rode into the yard. \u201cWell, Ben I just thought I\u2019d let you know that we\u2019ve discovered the identity of your kidnappers. The ringleader is young Lafferty, who\u2019s father used to own that little place just to the north of here that went bust a few years back. He seems to think that it was your fault that his father went bust. Thought he\u2019d get some money the \u2018easy\u2019 way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLafferty,\u201d repeated Ben, thoughtfully. \u201cEdward Lafferty?\u201d At Roy\u2019s nod, Ben said, \u201cYes, I remember him. Wasn\u2019t the son at boarding school back East? No wonder I didn\u2019t recognise him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not all,\u201d Roy said. \u201cEd Lafferty has a new place \u2013 over near the Placerville road.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights exchanged glances. \u201cThanks, Roy,\u201d Ben said. \u201cWe\u2019ll check it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be sending somebody that way myself, tomorrow,\u201d Roy said. He needed to add no more. The Cartwrights understood the warning clearly enough. They mounted as one, and rode out.<\/p>\n

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

The night had been cold, and Joe wasn\u2019t feeling well come morning. He had been soaked through the previous day, hadn\u2019t eaten in 24 hours, and ached in every limb. The thought of even sitting up was too much for him, and he barely reacted when he heard the door to his prison open. To his surprise, he was given some water, but not unchained. Curious, Joe lifted his head. \u201cWhy are you doing this?\u201d he asked, hoarsely.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, sonny,\u201d said Gravel Voice, and cuffed Joe around the head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t!\u201d Joe retorted, angrily. \u201cI want to know why you\u2019re doing this to me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Footsteps, and Joe completely lost his temper. \u201cCome back here, you coward!\u201d he yelled, and paid for it a moment later when the whip sliced into him again. \u201cYou can\u2019t silence me like that!\u201d he cried, and a moment later a fist crashed into his face.<\/p>\n

Stunned, Joe sagged back, and felt a gag being forced into his mouth. He fought and struggled against it to no avail. When Gravel Voice stepped back, Joe had been silenced. \u201cYou\u2019re pathetic,\u201d Gravel Voice commented. \u201cSmall wonder your brothers have to spend all their time looking out for you!\u201d<\/p>\n

All that day, Joe stayed in his prison, fighting to try and get the blindfold and gag off. He knew it was hopeless, but couldn\u2019t prevent himself from trying. He wondered why this day was different to the previous two days. He decided it was because he hadn\u2019t eaten, and this was another way to punish him.<\/p>\n

At some point in the day, Joe heard horses arrive in the yard. Joe fought the gag even harder, screaming into the cloth, trying desperately to be heard. He was sure that a few ragged whimpers might have been heard had someone with keen ears been standing right outside his prison, but as it was, nobody heard, and the horses soon left again. Joe wondered if the riders were his family, but he had no way to find out.<\/p>\n

That was when Joe began to despair.<\/p>\n

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

They had been tracking now for a couple of days, but had found nothing. The hailstorm of a few days ago had obliterated all traces Joe might have left. Stopping at every dwelling, no matter how far from the road, the Cartwrights asked for information about Joe, but no one had seen him. The only place they hadn\u2019t stopped was Lafferty\u2019s place. Clem finally caught them up, and told them about their visit there.<\/p>\n

\u201cLafferty was real cut up about what his son did,\u201d Clem said. \u201cHe hadn\u2019t seen the boy in a few days. Didn\u2019t know what he was planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas there any sign of Joe?\u201d Ben asked. He looked tired and old. Worry was robbing him of sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Clem admitted. \u201cBut we could hardly demand to search the place. We don\u2019t know that he ever saw Joe. Roy says to stay away from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frustration and anger tightened Adam\u2019s mouth, and he turned away from his friend. \u201cThat\u2019s easy for Roy to say,\u201d he grated.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, its not easy for Roy to say,\u201d Clem flared back. \u201cBut it could cause problems at the trial if you go charging in there and accuse him of kidnapping Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, the two men stood nose-to-nose, alike in age and build and colouring. Also in common sense, for they both backed down at the same moment, and muttered apologies to each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Clem, we\u2019ll do as Roy asks,\u201d agreed Ben, reluctantly.<\/p>\n

Watching Clem ride away, Adam turned to Ben. \u201cYou agreed to that very easily,\u201d he commented. \u201cDo you have something in mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben said. \u201cI plan to set up watch on Lafferty\u2019s place.\u201d He looked at his sons\u2019 faces. \u201cIt\u2019ll be cold and unpleasant. Are you with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou jist try and stop us, Pa,\u201d Hoss declared, and Ben gave him a grim smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d Ben suggested.<\/p>\n

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

For another day, Joe was left alone. He was given no food, and no water. By then, he was feeling the effects of not enough food. So when he was given some food and water the next morning, he simply ate it, not wasting energy he didn\u2019t have in fighting. Gravel Voice fed Joe, then dragged him to his feet and outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour Pa has more of a debt to pay than I figured,\u201d Gravel Voice said. \u201cMy boy has just been arrested for kidnapping him. I figure it\u2019ll be a long while afore you see your family again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll find me,\u201d Joe said, defiantly. The news gave him hope. It didn\u2019t sound like Ben was dead. \u201cMy Pa and brothers won\u2019t rest till I\u2019m back with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh,\u201d commented Gravel Voice, and forced the gag back in Joe\u2019s mouth. \u201cThat\u2019s what you think!\u201d<\/p>\n

This time, Joe wasn\u2019t fastened to the horse whim. He could smell horse very strongly, and feel the warmth coming from the horse on his left side. His leash was fastened to the horse, Joe thought, and his hands were bound to a smooth pole on his right side. Feeling it, Joe thought the feel familiar. It wasn\u2019t until the horse began to walk that Joe realised what it was. He\u2019d been harnessed to a buckboard, along with the horse.<\/p>\n

Joe swiftly found that if he didn\u2019t hold the shaft, the weight of it hung from his bound wrists. He stumbled along, his muscles trembling with the effort of keeping hold of the shaft, and staying on his feet. The stopping and starting as the buckboard was loaded with what Joe assumed to be bales of hay, took a toll on his weakened body, and after an hour, he could barely stay on his feet. He finally stumbled and fell, and for several steps was dragged along by the horse. Then he heard a curse, and hands took hold of him, placing him on his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t get much work out of you,\u201d Gravel voice complained. \u201cI can see why they call you little Joe. You\u2019re puny. Small wonder your father has to do all your fighting for you. You\u2019re too weak to be much good to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sound remarkably like a growl issued from behind the gag. Gravel Voice didn\u2019t seem to notice. \u201cAt least my boy had a bit of gumption. I suppose it musta been a relief to your Pa that his other two boys are at least big and strong, even if that second one isn\u2019t too strong in the head. Better a strong back than a strong head I always say. But you! What a waste of space!\u201d<\/p>\n

Had he been feeling even a fraction better, Joe would have made some effort to get at his captor. But standing upright was taking everything he had, so he had to let the slurs on himself and Hoss stand. It hurt him to hear his big, gentle brother damned as being stupid. Hoss was many good things, and stupid was not one of them. Joe suddenly felt an urgent desire to weep. He quelled it as best he could. He couldn\u2019t let this man see his tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet walking, sonny,\u201d Gravel Voice said, and the horse began to move. Joe had no choice but to follow.<\/p>\n

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

It was almost dark before Ben and the boys reached a vantage point above Lafferty\u2019s place. They settled themselves as best they could, and prepared a cold supper. By then, it was full dark, and they wrapped themselves in their bedrolls. Sleep didn\u2019t come easily to any of them, and come morning, they were all hollow eyed.<\/p>\n

After the last few cold days, spring was again flirting with summer, and the sun soon became quite hot. It was quiet on the Lafferty place. Once, a man that Ben identified as Lafferty, walked across to a shed near the barn. He was there for quite a while, before finally coming out. \u201cNew outhouse?\u201d Adam suggested.<\/p>\n

There was no sign of Joe. Lafferty\u2019s few horses milled about in the corral, and a few skinny cows mooed endlessly in the dusty field. Finally, long after lunchtime, Lafferty forked some hay onto the almost barren pasture. \u201cSmall wonder he went bust,\u201d Hoss commented. \u201cIf\u2019n that\u2019s the way he looks after his cattle.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

For several days, Joe had been locked in his prison. He was still gagged and blindfolded. He still did not know who was holding him prisoner. He hadn\u2019t spoken to another human being for longer than he could remember. With no sight to tell him if it was day or night, and nothing except the temperature to differentiate the two, Joe\u2019s body clock began to lose track of time. If it was warm, it was daytime, but he had no way of telling if it was morning or afternoon. Joe could no longer keep warm and had started running a low-grade fever. His mind played tricks on him, and sometimes he thought he heard Ben\u2019s voice. At other times, he imagined that Adam was blaming him for Ben\u2019s death. He had been a prisoner for so long, he wondered if his family had given up looking for him. Yet deep inside, a tiny spark of hope remained, a spark that whispered to him that his family would never give up looking.<\/p>\n

Gravel Voice had taken to coming at odd times and taunting him about being useless. Joe was consumed with anger, and he tried not to listen. But then the taunts changed. No longer did Gravel Voice just say that Joe was useless. He told Joe his family had given up looking for him. It was Joe\u2019s worst nightmare come true.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve decide that the Injuns have taken you,\u201d Gravel Voice said. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to tangle with Injuns. You\u2019re not worth it. They\u2019re back home on the Ponderosa, and nobody\u2019s missing you at all.\u201d He laughed. \u201cIf they could only see you now, sitting there in your own mess! Even the injuns wouldn\u2019t want you like that! You\u2019re pathetic, sonny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some sound must have escaped past Joe\u2019s gag, for Gravel Voice suddenly didn\u2019t sound amused at all. \u201cGot something to say have you, sonny? Let\u2019s hear it then.\u201d He ripped the gag off.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s voice was hoarse, but there was no mistaking the venom in it. \u201cYou\u2019re lying, old man!\u201d he grated. \u201cMy family would never give up on looking for me! Never! Just because your son was as stupid as to try kidnapping and got caught, you\u2019re taking it out on me! Why? I don\u2019t even know who you are!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t going to know who I am either, sonny,\u201d Gravel Voice replied. \u201cYou don\u2019t like not being able to see, do you? Or to talk. Well, I intend to make sure you don\u2019t ever see or talk again. One of these days I\u2019m gonna put your eyes out with a hot awl, and cut your tongue out with scissors.\u201d He laughed as his young captive blanched. \u201cYou\u2019ll never know when. Each time I come, that might be the time I do it. You ain\u2019t ever getting out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo your worst!\u201d Joe shouted, surprising himself at the volume he could manage after days gagged. \u201cYou\u2019ll pay for this!\u201d<\/p>\n

The crack of the whip as it curled round his shoulders made Joe flinch. He was covered in weals, he knew. Everything he did caused him to receive at least one lash as punishment. He no longer tried to avoid it, knowing it was pointless. \u201cGo on, beat me!\u201d he cried, his voice going. \u201cIt\u2019s the only way you can hurt me!\u201d<\/p>\n

A fist caught Joe by surprise and knocked him to the ground. The gag was forced back into his mouth with a great deal of unnecessary force, and Gravel Voice\u2019s foul breath was on his face as he said, \u201cYour daddy has been telling everyone the truth at last – that you were adopted. He don\u2019t miss you at all! He\u2019s glad you\u2019re gone! You ain\u2019t even his!\u201d<\/p>\n

With that last, cruel taunt, Gravel Voice left. Alone in the unending darkness, Joe gave in to his tears.<\/p>\n

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

Five days after their vigil began, the Cartwrights were still no nearer finding Joe. Lafferty showed scant interest in his animals, causing all the family to wrinkle their noses in disgust at his slovenly, careless ways.<\/p>\n

But it was on that day, Ben announced he\u2019d had enough waiting, and was going in, regardless of what Roy said. It was then that they heard shouting from the shed that Lafferty spent so much time in. \u201cJoe!\u201d Ben said, and he was mounted in a second. Adam and Hoss were right behind them.<\/p>\n

The area where they had camped was too hilly for them to gallop, so they allowed their horse to pick their way down. The slow pace was very hard to bear. None of them knew for sure that it was Joe in that shed, but some instinct told them that it was.<\/p>\n

As they galloped onto Lafferty\u2019s place, the man himself appeared, brandishing a shotgun. \u201cDon\u2019t come no closer!\u201d he ordered. \u201cThe sheriff told me you wasn\u2019t supposed to come here! Now git!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got my son in there!\u201d Ben yelled back. \u201cAnd I\u2019m not leaving until we have him!\u201d<\/p>\n

Enraged, Lafferty swung the shotgun round on Ben, who dived ungracefully from the saddle to avoid the shot. Adam drew his gun and fired back. His aim was a bit off, since Sport decided to rear, but he still managed to clip Lafferty\u2019s arm. Hoss put his heels to Chubb\u2019s side and raced across the yard. He jumped on Lafferty, and the danger was over.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Adam was at Ben\u2019s side. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m fine,\u201d Ben gasped. \u201cHelp me up.\u201d With Adam\u2019s assistance, he got to his feet, and looked round. He spotted the shed and ran across to it.<\/p>\n

Flinging open the door, he looked in and a gasp was torn from his throat. Joe was lying on the floor, in chains, blindfolded, gagged and wearing a collar and leash. The stench of the place was truly appalling. Joe flinched back from the opening of the door, and Ben clearly heard him whimper. \u201cJoe!\u201d he said, and saw the pitiful captive\u2019s head come up. \u201cJoe!\u201d Ben hurried to his son\u2019s side, and stripped off the blindfold and gag.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe whispered in a tone of wonder and disbelief. He turned his head from the light, making a distressed sound. \u201cSo bright,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp me, Adam,\u201d Ben said, and between them, they released Joe from the chains. Gently, they eased him to his feet, but Joe had been too many days without food, and his legs wouldn\u2019t hold him. Ben gently picked him up.<\/p>\n

Emerging into the daylight, Joe\u2019s true condition became apparent. His clothes were little better than rags. He was covered in weals and cuts from a whip. He stank to high heaven, and had obviously been forced to sit in his own mess. Joe had been in darkness for over a week, and he found the light very painful. The chains had chafed his wrists raw, the flesh was red and inflamed. He felt warm to the touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get him home,\u201d Ben said. He looked up to meet Adam\u2019s dark gaze. \u201cLafferty must go to the sheriff, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll do it,\u201d Adam said, and began to organise it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Paul Martin was waiting as Ben rode slowly into the yard. Joe was slumped on the saddle in front of him, wrapped in Ben\u2019s coat. The journey had been too much for him, and he drifted in and out of consciousness. He was still filthy, for Ben hadn\u2019t wanted to waste any time trying to find a bathtub at Lafferty\u2019s place. Hoss had taken Lafferty to Roy Coffee, alerting the doctor on the way. Adam had galloped for home, to alert Hop Sing. A tub of steaming water was waiting for Joe.<\/p>\n

With gentle, loving hands, Ben and Adam bathed Joe, easing the fabric away from the crusted welts all over his body. The pain was bad, and Joe couldn\u2019t help but cry out. But he didn\u2019t speak, and in fact hadn\u2019t spoken apart from those few words when Ben first found him. Ben and Adam exchanged concerned glances, then wrapped Joe in warm towels, and carried him to his room, where Paul began to examine him. It was now growing dark outside, but Joe still seemed to find the light disturbing. Paul looked closely into Joe\u2019s eyes, but couldn\u2019t see any signs of damage. Thereafter, he cleaned up Joe\u2019s injuries, bandaged them, and gave him something for the pain. When Joe was safely asleep, he went down to join the rest of the family.<\/p>\n

The other members of the Cartwright family had taken the chance to clean up, and all looked better than when Paul had first seen them. He sat down and accepted a brandy from Ben. \u201cI\u2019m not going to beat about the bush,\u201d he said, after his first sip. \u201cJoe is very weak. He has lost a lot of weight, as I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve noticed. He is quite badly dehydrated. He has been whipped a few times, and there is some sign of infection. It doesn\u2019t appear too bad, really, given the condition he was in when you brought him home. There are no broken bones, and his eyes will right themselves, given a few days. That\u2019s the physical side. As for how he is mentally? I couldn\u2019t get Joe to talk to me at all. He\u2019s going to need lots of reassurance. He was held in appalling conditions for far too long. Don\u2019t be surprised if he\u2019s totally silent, or cries a lot. Just be there for him. Call me if you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d Ben said. He rose to his feet. \u201cI\u2019ll go and sit with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

It was morning before Joe woke. For several seconds he wondered where he was. He felt different. Then he realised that the chains and blindfold had gone. He was lying on a soft bed. Joy bounded through his heart. He opened his eyes, and the light struck him like a blow. He let out a cry and crammed his eyes shut, flinging an arm over them. The joy disappeared. \u201cIts all right, Joe,\u201d said Ben\u2019s voice. \u201cYou\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cautiously, Joe eased his arm away from his eyes, and used it to shade them. \u201cPa?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

Smiling, Ben reached out to stroke Joe\u2019s head, and was horrified when his son flinched away. \u201cHow do you feel? Would you like something to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe whispered. He had longed to be home. Why wasn\u2019t he happy any more? Tears welled in his eyes, and moments later, he was silently crying, totally unable to stop himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, son, its all right,\u201d Ben crooned, gathering his sobbing son into a warm embrace. \u201cYou\u2019re safe now. Lafferty is in jail, and you\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lying in his father\u2019s arms, Joe felt safe. Then a small doubt appeared in his mind. \u201cPa,\u201d he whispered. \u201cAre you really my father?\u201d<\/p>\n

Totally stunned, Ben moved slightly so he could see Joe\u2019s face. \u201cYou know I am, Joe,\u201d he said, gently. \u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not adopted?\u201d Joe throat was sore and dry, but he persevered. \u201cYou did want me back?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tears welled in Ben\u2019s eyes as he began to get a glimpse of the mental torture Joe had had to endure. He blinked them away. \u201cSon, I definitely wanted you back. We all did. Adam, Hoss and I spent a week camping out looking for you. And you aren\u2019t adopted. You were born in that room across the hall. You know that. You are as important to me as the air I breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doubtful green eyes squinted up at Ben. \u201cTruly?\u201d he faltered. Joe desperately wanted to believe, but his self-belief had been rocked by his captivity.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruly!\u201d Ben said, firmly. \u201cJoe, we all love you.\u201d He hugged the youth close as Joe dissolved into tears again. \u201cSon, I don\u2019t know what Lafferty told you, but none of it is true.\u201d<\/p>\n

A small, tired sigh escaped Joe, and Ben remembered that his son hadn\u2019t eaten or drunk much since his return home the previous afternoon. Gently laying Joe down, Ben patted his arm. \u201cI\u2019ll go and get you some broth,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd tell your brothers that you\u2019re awake. Would you like to see them?\u201d<\/p>\n

The hesitation and the mild look of panic in those green eyes gave Ben pause, but Joe resolutely nodded. \u201cAll right,\u201d he whispered, and Ben could hear the fear in his voice. As the door shut behind Ben, Joe shuddered violently. \u201cI\u2019m home, I\u2019m safe and Pa loves me,\u201d he whispered aloud.<\/p>\n

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

Downstairs, Adam and Hoss looked up as Ben appeared. \u201cWell, how is he?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cHe wanted to know if he was adopted, and if we\u2019d been looking for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d Hoss said, scratching his head. \u201cWhy\u2019d he want to know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben admitted. \u201cLafferty must have been poisoning his mind towards us. Telling him that we had abandoned him.\u201d Ben bit his lip. \u201cHe\u2019s agreed to see you, but go easy. He looked terrified when I suggested it. No jokes. He can\u2019t take it. I\u2019ll get him some broth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching Ben go to the kitchen, Adam and Hoss then exchanged concerned glances before heading for the stairs. Joe sounded like he was in a bad way.<\/p>\n

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

As the door opened, Joe flinched awake from a half doze, and was part of the way out of the bed before he realised that it was Adam and Hoss who had come in, not Gravel Voice. His reaction hadn\u2019t been missed by his brothers, and Adam crossed the gap to pull Joe into a tight embrace. \u201cEasy, buddy,\u201d he soothed. \u201cIts just us. Sorry we startled you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Easing away from Adam, Joe winced. Adam had inadvertently put pressure on his injuries. Swallowing against the fear he felt rising in his throat, Joe said, \u201cAdam, can you remember me being born?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure I can,\u201d Adam said, readily. \u201cYou were born in that room across the hall. You came early, and were really small. Marie gave you to me to hold, and that was when I realised I didn\u2019t resent her any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were as cute as a button,\u201d Hoss put in.<\/p>\n

Those words, the same ones Adam always used when telling Joe stories about his birth, were very reassuring. Even Hoss\u2019 interjection was as familiar as old clothes. Somehow, the simplicity of the tale gave Joe more reassurance than more details would have done. He felt one of the burdens he carried easing.<\/p>\n

The door opened again, and Ben came in carrying the broth. Again, Joe flinched. Ben pretended not to see. Adam and Hoss eyed each other worriedly. \u201cDo you want some help to sit up?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so,\u201d Joe agreed, after trying. Adam eased Joe upright while Hoss sorted his pillows. As Adam let him go, he was shocked to see tears running down Joe\u2019s face. \u201cJoe, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked, the concern apparent in his voice. \u201cDid I hurt you, buddy? I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Joe fought the tears. \u201cNo, you didn\u2019t hurt me,\u201d he sobbed. \u201cBut I can\u2019t do anything for myself. I\u2019m useless!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that\u2019s not true, Joe,\u201d Ben said. \u201cYou\u2019ve been through a hard time, and you\u2019ve barely eaten for days. No wonder you can\u2019t sit up unaided. You\u2019re not useless.\u201d Giving Joe a searching look, Ben saw that his son didn\u2019t believe him. He offered the broth, unsure what to say. \u201cDo you want help drinking this?\u201d<\/p>\n

A flash of anger sparked from Joe\u2019s eyes, and was gone. \u201cI can manage,\u201d he said, and took the bowl. He met each set of eyes with something like a challenge in his own eyes. \u201cI can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Joe struggled with his meal, the others brought him up to date on their search for him. He listened intently, although it was obvious that he was tiring very quickly. Finally, he had eaten all that his shrunken stomach could hold, he gave the bowl back to Ben, and slid gratefully down the bed. His eyes were heavy with sleep. \u201cPa,\u201d he said. \u201cYou weren\u2019t hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe, they didn\u2019t hurt me,\u201d Ben said, reassuringly.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Joe murmured. His eyelids closed involuntarily. He heard the others rise to leave. \u201cPa, don\u2019t shut the door, please?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Ben agreed, as if this was a common request. \u201cSleep well, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

It was a forlorn wish. Joe slept fitfully, and often wakened screaming from a nightmare, where voices taunted him from the darkness, where a whip was always ready to cut at him. Ben began to leave a light burning low in Joe\u2019s room all night. He regained his strength gradually, although his natural ebullience was missing. His injuries all healed, and soon he was fit enough to ride into town with Ben, in the buckboard at first, and later on horseback. He had never again asked about his birth, and seemed to accept that he was really Ben\u2019s son. But his self-esteem was at an all time low. He had no belief in his ability to do anything. While he was still off work, he never volunteered an opinion on any of the ranch work that the others talked about. In fact, he rarely spoke unless spoken to. The family were very concerned, and Ben consulted Paul about it several times. All that Paul could suggest was that they continued to treat him normally, and show they loved and wanted him.<\/p>\n

About 8 weeks after his return home, Joe rode back towards the house. He had gone to visit his mother\u2019s grave, the first time he had been there in weeks. He had been unable to say anything to her, which was unusual, but he did derive some comfort from his visit. Now, he rode slowly home. He knew that he would have to start taking on his share of the ranch work again soon. He was doing his yard chores every day, and he had re-built most of the muscle he had lost during his captivity. Yet he didn\u2019t feel better. He felt as though he was on one side of a sheet of glass, and everyone else was on the other. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but one Joe didn\u2019t know how to tackle.<\/p>\n

Sport was standing in the yard, and Joe dismounted beside him, and hitched Cochise\u2019s rein to the post. \u201cAdam?\u201d he called. Silence. Joe shrugged, and headed towards the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe? Did you shout?\u201d Adam appeared at the door of the barn, covered in dust and little bits of hay.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wondered where you were,\u201d Joe replied, feeling the distance between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just loading some hay into the loft. You couldn\u2019t give me a hand, could you?\u201d Adam looked down at his black clothes in disgust, and brushed at the dust clinging to them. As his hand was equally dusty, all he did was move it around a little.<\/p>\n

Shrugging, Joe said, \u201cI suppose,\u201d in an unenthusiastic tone, and turned around.<\/p>\n

Watching, Adam saw that Joe\u2019s head was down, and he scuffed his feet as he walked. It was totally different from the high-spirited youth who always looked you in the eye, and almost bounced when he walked, because of his love of life. \u201cHoss was supposed to help me do this,\u201d Adam complained, \u201cbut he ended up clearing out a waterhole in the South 40.\u201d<\/p>\n

No response. Adam stifled a sigh, and turned back to the wagon loaded high with hay bales. He had dragged it into the barn, and had been standing on it, throwing the bales into the loft.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou jump onto the wagon and throw them up to me,\u201d he suggested, and climbed up the ladder.<\/p>\n

For a while, the hard worked soothed Joe into a feeling of near normality. He and Adam worked smoothly together with no more than the odd word to help them along. But Joe still wasn\u2019t as fit he would have liked, and he had to call to Adam for a rest.<\/p>\n

Climbing part way down the ladder, Adam saw Joe sitting on the bales that were left and smiled at him. \u201cI could do with a break, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI was doing this alone until you happened along.\u201d Reaching out with one leg, Adam dropped gracefully onto the back of the wagon. His foot slipped, and he plunged to the ground. On the way down, he caught the bale sitting ready to go up to the loft, and pulled it down on top of him. He knocked his head hard against the loft ladder.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Joe exclaimed, leaping to his feet. For a second, he stood, irresolute, unsure how to deal with the crisis. Then he jumped down to Adam\u2019s side, and heaved the bale off his brother. \u201cAdam!\u201d he said again, and felt for a pulse.<\/p>\n

It was there, strong and steady, and Joe realised that Adam had just knocked himself cold. Getting to his feet, Joe ran over to the house. He burst through the door. \u201cPa! Hop Sing!\u201d No answer. \u201cPa! Hop Sing!\u201d There was nobody at home. Joe remembered that Pa was in town seeing Roy Coffee, and Hop Sing had gone to collect the supplies.<\/p>\n

Running back outside, Joe tore off the bandanna he wore, and soaked it in the horse trough. Going back to the barn, he knelt by Adam, and washed the blood off his brother\u2019s face. Adam groaned. Joe continued his ministrations for a few minutes longer, and Adam gradually came round. \u201cJoe?\u201d he said, dazedly. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fell,\u201d Joe explained, and Adam nodded briefly, before groaning again. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s get you into the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heaved Adam to his feet, but Adam let out a cry, and leant heavily against the ladder. \u201cI\u2019ve hurt my ankle,\u201d he groaned. \u201cGive me a minute.\u201d Joe stood tautly beside him as Adam took several deep breaths, hoping the searing pain in his ankle would subside. It didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Realising this, Joe took charge. \u201cCome on, lean on me. You can\u2019t stay here, and I\u2019m not up to carrying you yet!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d agreed Adam, and looped his arm round Joe\u2019s slim shoulders. In this fashion, they slowly crossed the yard.<\/p>\n

Once in the house, Joe eased Adam into a seat, and gently pulled off his boot. Adam hung on to the arms of his chair, and tried not to yell too loudly. \u201cLooks like a sprain,\u201d Joe said, after examining Adam\u2019s ankle. Rising, he found a stool and a cushion, and propped Adam\u2019s ankle on it while he went to get cool water and some bandages.<\/p>\n

It was only when Joe was finished tending to his older brother that he became aware that Adam was looking at him thoughtfully. \u201cWhat?\u201d he asked, flushing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what you\u2019ve done?\u201d Adam asked, gently.<\/p>\n

With wide eyes, Joe shook his head. He obviously expected some detrimental comment. \u201cWhat have I done?\u201d he asked, defensively.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust exactly what I would have expected you to,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cYou took charge, and helped me, doing all the right things. For someone who has spent the last few weeks protesting his uselessness, I\u2019m impressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

A frown crept over Joe\u2019s face as he absorbed the meaning of Adam\u2019s words. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d he asked, warily.<\/p>\n

Smiling slightly, Adam said, \u201cI mean, Joe that you aren\u2019t in the least useless. There isn\u2019t anybody I\u2019d rather have on my side when the chips are down. Remember when I got shot when we were protecting Captain Johnson from Cochise? You came down to get me, risking your own life to do so. And when we went hunting those cougars? You put aside your own injuries to get me safely back here. If that\u2019s uselessness, Joe, then I wish we had a useless lot of hands!\u201d<\/p>\n

Staring at Adam, Joe\u2019s face was totally blank. Adam suddenly wondered if he should have said anything. Then, like a sunburst after a storm, Joe\u2019s face cleared and lightened, until a smile played around his lips. It had been so long since Adam saw Joe smile, that he had forgotten what an attractive smile it was. \u201cLafferty was wrong,\u201d Joe said, like it was a revelation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he told you you were useless, he certainly got it wrong,\u201d Adam said, and there was anger in his voice. \u201cHe was a bitter, twisted old man, who spent his whole life blaming someone else for his own problems.\u201d Adam shook his dark head. \u201cHe was jealous of you, Joe. That\u2019s why he tried to make you feel bad about yourself and others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Adam!\u201d Joe cried suddenly, and launched himself at his brother, wrapping his arms around Adam\u2019s waist and burying his head in Adam\u2019s chest. \u201cIt was awful!\u201d And the story of his captivity, bottled up until now, poured out of him.<\/p>\n

Holding Joe, Adam listened with growing horror and comprehension. He knew his brother\u2019s desperate clinging was because Joe was afraid that Adam would pull away, and prove Lafferty right. But Adam had no intention of doing that. He drew Joe closer, and hugged him tightly, tears standing in his eyes. Finally, the words slowed, and Joe began to cry in earnest. But these were healing tears, washing away the pain and loneliness he\u2019d felt in these last weeks, isolated from his family by an invisible barrier erected in his mind.<\/p>\n

As the tears slowed, Joe slid gently from Adam\u2019s grip to the floor, totally exhausted, but feeling more like himself after the catharsis of tears. Adam, reluctant to break the contact completely, kept his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder, squeezing gently. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry you had to go through that, buddy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Leaning against Adam\u2019s leg, Joe rested his head on his brother\u2019s thigh. \u201cI went to him for help,\u201d he said. \u201cOf all the people in the world, I chose the wrong one.\u201d Sliding his head, he looked into Adam\u2019s face. \u201cI never asked, but what happened to him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went to jail,\u201d Adam said, matter of factly. \u201cHe pleaded guilty. His son went to jail, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to protect Pa,\u201d Joe said, miserably.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were out numbered,\u201d Adam reminded him. \u201cAnd remember, Lafferty junior didn\u2019t mean for anything to happen to you. He was counting on you coming home and telling us about the kidnapping, so that we would do exactly as he said. But when Ed Lafferty met you on the road, his desire to hurt Pa took over, and he took you captive. There was nothing you did that could have made this happen, and you did nothing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

The house door opened, and for the first time in weeks, Joe didn\u2019t flinch. He lifted his head and turned to see Ben and Hop Sing coming in. Just behind them was Hoss. \u201cBoys?\u201d Ben said, sounding surprised. \u201cIs everything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam fell and hurt his ankle,\u201d Joe said, sitting up a little straighter. \u201cI got him in here and patched it up as best I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Ben said, coming across to look anxiously at Adam, who smiled back. \u201cWhat a good thing you were here, son,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d Joe said, and there was in his voice the old bubble of laughter. He rose in one fluid motion. \u201cI guess I\u2019d better go finish stacking those bales,\u201d he added, and strode purposefully to the door, giving a surprised Hoss an affectionate slap on the back. \u201cOnce you\u2019re out of those dirty clothes, you could help me,\u201d he suggested.<\/p>\n

There was a moment\u2019s hiatus as Joe left, then Ben sat down in the nearest seat. \u201cAm I hallucinating, or is that our Joe back?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam gave a mischievous smirk. \u201cYou noticed a difference then?\u201d he joked. \u201cPa, I think this accident was the best thing that could have happened.\u201d Ben made a face, but Adam ploughed on. \u201cNo, listen. Joe had no one here to help him, and he just did what had to be done. I told him that for someone who insisted he was useless, he had done well. And it all came out, all the mind games Lafferty had used on him.\u201d Adam told them everything that Joe had said, and his listeners\u2019 faces grew grim.<\/p>\n

\u201cDadburnit!\u201d Hoss spat, when Adam finished. \u201cI wish I could get my hands on that Lafferty!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we all feel rather like that,\u201d Ben agreed heavily. \u201cBut the law has taken care of him. Adam, do you think Joe will be all right now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not a doctor, but I certainly think he\u2019ll be better. After all, he\u2019s finally let it out. It won\u2019t be eating away at his soul any more.\u201d Adam shifted uncomfortably as his ankle began throbbing anew. \u201cJust give him my chores to do, and let him get back to normal. We\u2019ll see how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, son,\u201d Ben said, huskily, and crossed to the door to look at his youngest son lifting hay bales in the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa!\u201d Joe called.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell Hoss to hurry up, will ya? I don\u2019t want to do all this myself!\u201d Joe\u2019s bright grin was swiftly followed by his unique, high-pitched giggle.<\/p>\n

Smiling, Ben turned back to the house. He was sure that Joe was going to be all right now.<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 On the way home from Placerville, Joe and Ben are held up. Ben is kidnapped. When Adam and Hoss get the ransom demand, they assume Joe is with their father. But is he?<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0\u00a0 T \u00a0 \u00a0(10,770 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":10192,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,41,1007],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-joe-cartwright","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-1007-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1864,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/A-H.jpg?fit=276%2C284&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7641,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7641","url_meta":{"origin":4223,"position":0},"title":"None Were The Lovingest (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Ben and Little Joe discuss his father's three wives. Rated:\u00a0K\u00a0 Word count:\u00a0658","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6768,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6768","url_meta":{"origin":4223,"position":1},"title":"A Deadly Day (by rosecartwright)","author":"rosecartwright","date":"November 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Joe is home sick, but things go downhill for this young Cartwright. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ (635 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":47236,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=47236","url_meta":{"origin":4223,"position":2},"title":"Anything for Family (by Lynnette Smith)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"May 31, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: When Richard Darvey is out for revenge on Ben Cartwright for the death of his son, Joe must decide how much he is willing to give to protect his father. When Darvey fails to claim his revenge on the Cartwrights it becomes quite clear that someone other then Darvey\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Action\/Adventure"","block_context":{"text":"Action\/Adventure","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23450,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=23450","url_meta":{"origin":4223,"position":3},"title":"The Shanghai Rooster Inn (by Hart4Ben)","author":"Hart4Ben","date":"August 27, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Ben and the boys are spending the night in Placerville and are surprised when they meet the owners of the inn. A piece based on Sweet Betsy From Pike written by John A. Stone before 1858. Rating: K WC: 670","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/crowing_rooster-copy-3.jpg?fit=433%2C365&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16264,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=16264","url_meta":{"origin":4223,"position":4},"title":"Becoming A Man (by Christy)","author":"Christy","date":"March 9, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0\u00a0When the Cartwright brothers have to face their worst nightmare, Little Joe decides to take matters in to his own hands. Will he survive to show his family he really is the man his father raised? Rating\u00a0 G\u00a0 (10,520 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\/02\/ben3.jpg?fit=320%2C240&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13707,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13707","url_meta":{"origin":4223,"position":5},"title":"A New Perspective (by Gillian)","author":"Gillian","date":"June 24, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Hoss' birthday present goes missing, and retrieving it gives both Adam and Ben an opportunity to find a new perspective on\u00a0 important matters in their lives. Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (9,745 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Action\/Adventure"","block_context":{"text":"Action\/Adventure","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/serious-Hoss.jpg?fit=269%2C298&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\/4223","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\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4223\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}