{"id":48782,"date":"2024-05-04T15:43:20","date_gmt":"2024-05-04T19:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48782"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:37:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:37:17","slug":"lil-one-by-pkmoonshine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48782","title":{"rendered":"Li’l One (by pkmoonshine)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: Early one morning, Ben finds a baby left at the kitchen door of the Cartwrights’ home. In Sacramento, meanwhile, Adam and his family receive devastating news.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 MA\/R\u00a0 For language, violence, and graphic descriptions of physical abuse of a minor<\/span><\/p>\n

WC\u00a0 91,143<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are property of the author. The author is not in any way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise, and makes no money from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bloodlines Series
\nBloodlines (by pkmoonshine)<\/a>
\nThe Lo Mein Affair (by pkmoonshine)<\/a>
\nThe Wedding (by pkmoonshine)<\/a>
\n<\/span>S<\/span>acrificial Lamb<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Poltergeist II<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Independence Day<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Virginia City Detour<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>The Guardian<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Li’l One <\/a>
\n<\/span>Young Cartwrights in Love<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>San Francisco Revisited<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>There But for the Grace of God<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Between Life and Death<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Orenna<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>Clarissa Returns<\/span><\/a>
\nTrial by Fire<\/a>
\nMark of Kane<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0Prologue<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the dark early morning hours, she crept from the barn and empty stall, where she had made her bed for the last three nights, and shambled across a yard of frozen mud, heavily favoring her left leg.\u00a0\u00a0 She gently cradled her tender burden in her arms, wrapped in the brilliantly hued quilt snatched from the darkest, farthest corner of the old armoire, where Grandmother had always kept the blankets and other bed linens.\u00a0\u00a0 It was the only thing left to her that had belonged to a mother who had died suddenly in a Virginia City street accident when she was but a small child.\u00a0\u00a0 She took cover amid a thicket of sapling trees and a tangle of scrub brush and vine growing near the back of the log house, keeping the kitchen door well within her sight.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSoon, Little One . . . .\u201d she whispered very softly to the tiny bundle, now stirring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSoon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little One.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All she gave him, all she COULD give him, was life.\u00a0\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t even give him a proper name, this tiny being she loved with a ferocity, and a passion that sometimes frightened her.\u00a0\u00a0 Bitter tears welled up, stinging her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 She quickly buried her face against the edge of the quilt, to stifle the sounds of her sobbing.\u00a0\u00a0 A thin, high pitched wail rose from the little one\u2019s open mouth, as he sensed his mother\u2019s distress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShhh, Little One, don\u2019t cry,\u201d she whispered, her voice breaking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease . . . PLEASE . . . don\u2019t cry . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Not now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not just yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

She hugged him closer, greedily savoring the memory of the warmth of his tiny body next to hers, the way he moved, his gentle weight resting in her arms.\u00a0\u00a0 She began to rock back and forth slowly, her eyes never straying from the kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s going to be all right, Little One, I promise,\u201d she crooned very softly, \u201ceverything\u2019s . . . going to be . . . all . . . right \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Ben Cartwright, dressed and ready for a full day\u2019s work, stepped out onto the porch, with a mug of freshly made coffee, and drew in a long, slow breath of fresh, cold morning air.\u00a0\u00a0 Overhead, the brilliant oranges, pinks, and gold, heralding the sunrise, had begun to fade into clear blue sky and the bright yellow light of day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though the cold of winter yet remained, small, subtle signs of spring had begun to manifest.\u00a0\u00a0 The temperature more often than not climbed above freezing during the day, melting the thin sheen of ice that had formed on the ponds overnight, and forcing the snow\u2019s retreat from all but the highest mountain peaks and places in the forests cast in deep shadow.\u00a0\u00a0 New leaf buds, still tightly wrapped, had begun to appear on some of the trees, and tiny purple crocus buds had pushed their way up through the soil in the flower garden Joe\u2019s mother, Marie, had planted many years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Pa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 He strode briskly from the barn toward the house, bundled up in an old jacket and scarf, the pants he generally wore when tackling the dirtiest jobs life a ranch had to offer, and his oldest pair of boots.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Hoss,\u201d Ben returned his middle son\u2019s greeting and warm smile.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes dropped slowly to what remained of a filthy, tattered garment, loosely clasped in the big man\u2019s hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProof positive someone\u2019s been sleepin\u2019 in our barn last two or three nights,\u201d Hoss replied, his smile fading.\u00a0\u00a0 He held up the garment in hand for his father to see.\u00a0\u00a0 It was the remnant of a green and yellow plaid flannel shirt, its colors faded to pastel as a result of many washings and exposure to the sun.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m . . . pretty sure this ain\u2019t one o\u2019 OURS.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . it\u2019s not,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 An anxious frown deepened the lines and furrows already present in his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019d you find it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn that empty stable by the door . . . just under the straw.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnything missing?\u201d Ben anxiously pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Sir,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou checked?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded with an amused grin tugging hard at the corner of his mouth and a wry roll of the eyes heavenward.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Pa . . . I checked.\u00a0\u00a0 All the animals\u2019re present \u2018n accounted for—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone of them have been harmed in any way?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNone of our tools are missin\u2019, \u2018n the tack room\u2019s just the way Li\u2019l Brother \u2018n I left it when we got through stablin\u2019 our horses last night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny sign of trail?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhoever our, ummm . . . \u2018guest\u2019 is . . . always seems t\u2019 get himself up \u2018n out before the sun\u2019s had a chance t\u2019 thaw out the mud.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Son?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . could be wrong about this, but my gut tells me the man who\u2019s been sleepin\u2019 in our barn last couple o\u2019 nights doesn\u2019t mean us any harm,\u201d Hoss ventured as he and his father turned and ambled slowly back toward the house.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe hasn\u2019t taken anything, \u2018n he could\u2019ve with the way he moves so quietly in \u2018n out, \u2018n nobody\u2019s been hurt.\u00a0\u00a0 I think he\u2019s more \u2018n likely some poor fella down on his luck.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re probably right, Son,\u201d Ben had to agree, \u201cbut all the same, I\u2019D feel a lot better if we knew who our star boarder was and a little something about him, especially since Doctor Martin\u2019s finally given your sister the go ahead to ride a couple of days ago, which reminds me . . . did Stacy—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou betcha, Pa,\u201d he chortled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLi\u2019l Sister was almost done saddlin\u2019 Blaze Face when I came out t\u2019 do the barn chores.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say I\u2019m surprised,\u201d Ben sighed, inwardly relieved that, in all likelihood, his daughter didn\u2019t encounter the man who had been sleeping in their barn the past few nights.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just hope she didn\u2019t ride all the way out to Ponderosa Plunge, not after being sick as she was nearly all winter.\u00a0\u00a0 If she HAS . . . I\u2019ll have her hide, so help me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t worry none \u2018bout THAT,\u201d Hoss quickly assured his father.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy told me she was just gonna ride out t\u2019 that li\u2019l meadow that\u2019s about half way between here \u2018n Ponderosa Plunge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe one with that little stream running through it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

The anxious frown on Ben\u2019s face deepened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s a little MORE than halfway between this house and Ponderosa Plunge,\u201d he said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope she bundled up well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe did, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 I<\/strong> saw t\u2019 that,\u201d Hoss replied with an emphatic nod of his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid she give you any trouble?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOhhh, she muttered somethin\u2019 under her breath about knowin\u2019 what one o\u2019 them wrapped up mummies in a museum feels like,\u201d Hoss replied with a chuckle, \u201cbut she did what I told her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Son,\u201d Ben murmured softly, relieved by the knowledge that Stacy was dressed properly, even if she had ventured out further this morning than he would have liked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . I\u2019d best get this thing out t\u2019 the trash heap,\u201d Hoss declared, as he favored the tattered shirt he still held in hand with a grimace.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019d have my hide if I brought it in the house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe would indeed,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see ya inside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As father and son parted company, a thin, high pitched wail broke the early morning stillness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss immediately froze in his tracks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d he queried, as he turned once again to face his father.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat was THAT?!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d almost swear it sounded like a newborn kitten.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne way to find out.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben stepped down off the porch and made his way around toward the kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe sound seems to be coming from around this way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss silently fell in step behind his father.\u00a0\u00a0 The wailing grew steadily in volume, and seemed to be coming from within the shelter of a wild bush that had taken root a few feet beyond the kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCareful, Pa,\u201d he warned, as he watched his father kneel down and gingerly part the dried leaves and branching stems.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside the bush was a basket, covered over by a quilt.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ben braced himself, then slowly lifted the edge of the quilt and peered inside.\u00a0\u00a0 He smiled upon seeing the pale cherubic face, with fat pink cheeks, and a downy covering of light brown across the top of the head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, who have we here?\u201d he murmured as he reached inside and gently lifted the squirming bundle from the basket into his arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss stared down at the bundle nestled in his father\u2019s arms with an almost comical look of disbelief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs that\u2014?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Hoss, this IS a baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss bent down and retrieved the basket out from under the sheltering bush.\u00a0\u00a0 It was old and worn.\u00a0\u00a0 Some of the reeds used in its making were broken, opening up a large gaping hole on one side. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cHey, Pa . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Son?\u00a0\u00a0 What is it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a note in the bottom o\u2019 this basket,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt says . . . \u2018Dear Cartwrights . . . please love my baby . . . \u2018n look after him . . . \u2018n give him a good home.\u00a0\u00a0 He has no name . . . just Li\u2019l One.\u00a0\u00a0 Please don\u2019t think me bad.\u2019 \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDear God . . . .\u201d Ben murmured softly, shaken to the core of his being.\u00a0\u00a0 He unconsciously hugged the baby lying in his arms a little closer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I can\u2019t believe this,\u201d Hoss muttered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomebody left a baby . . . right here . . . at OUR back door?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt would seem so,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s still warm, thank the good Lord.\u00a0\u00a0 That tells me he\u2019s NOT been out here by himself all that long, but we\u2019d still better get him inside pronto.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Morning, Pa!\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Morning, Big Brother!\u201d\u00a0 Stacy greeted Ben and Hoss with a cheerful smile and wave as she walked Blaze Face into the yard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Mornin\u2019 yourself, Li\u2019l Sister,\u201d Hoss waved back, and returned her smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Stacy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy dismounted, then crossed the yard on an intercept course toward her father and big brother, leading Blaze Face behind her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWha\u2019cha got in that bundle, Pa?\u201d she asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned toward his daughter and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome see for yourself, Young Woman.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy kept a firm hold of her horse\u2019s lead with one hand, while carefully parting the thick folds of the quilt with the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a baby!\u201d she exclaimed in surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm hmm,\u201d Ben responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoy or girl?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFigures!\u201d Stacy quipped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019d he come from?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and I found him in a basket under a bit of scrub brush around the side of the house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, that\u2019s not the answer you gave ME the first time I asked you where babies come from . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned and found his youngest son standing at his elbow, wearing his green jacket over his nightshirt.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes sparkled with impish delight and there was a naughty grin on his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I<\/strong> recall,\u201d Joe continued, falling in step alongside Hoss, \u201cit was some long, convoluted story about pink and blue cabbage leaves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben halted mid-stride, and drew himself up to the very fullness of his height as he turned to face his youngest son.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoseph Francis, I\u2019ve never . . . EVER . . . not in all my born days told you, or your brothers either, a . . . a ridiculous story like that,\u201d he returned, outraged and highly indignant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, umm . . . think your memory\u2019s a mite faulty, Li\u2019l Brother,\u201d Hoss chuckled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPA didn\u2019t tell ya that story . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSurely not Mama or Hop Sing?!\u201d Ben queried, horrified at the very thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoss Marquett[i]<\/a> did the night, we . . . uhhh . . . that we . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His voice trailed off into strained silence upon feeling the rush of blood to his face.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes shifted very quickly from his father\u2019s face to his own feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWas it the night you, Adam, and Ross took Joe to that burlesque show . . . when you were supposed to be at home watching him?\u201d Ben asked, turning to his middle son with face set into an impassive mask, and left eyebrow slightly upraised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 jaw dropped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHuh-huh-huh-how . . . how\u2019d ya find out about THAT?!\u201d he demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s just say I have my ways, and leave it go at that,\u201d Ben said with a complacent smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed nervously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Hoss, you\u2019ve got nothing to worry about,\u201d Joe quipped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe statute of limitations has to\u2019ve run out on that little incident a long time ago, and besides . . . you\u2019re \u2019way too big for Pa to be dragging out to the barn for a necessary talking to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be too sure of THAT, Young Man.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The impish gleam in Ben\u2019s dark brown eyes gave lie to his stern tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I SWEAR . . . the ONLY things I remember about that night\u2019s the music and the sparkly costumes,\u201d Joe said very quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe you, Son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE I do.\u00a0\u00a0 After all, you WERE only about six or seven at the time,\u201d Ben said with a chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Stacy ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re we going to do with him?\u00a0\u00a0 The baby, I mean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst thing I\u2019M going to do is take him inside and get him cleaned up,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . think . . . this young man\u2019s in need of a change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHooooo-wheee!\u00a0\u00a0 He sure \u2018nuff is, Pa!\u201d Hoss declared, wrinkling his nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow soon can you be ready to ride into town?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot long . . . just give me five minutes to throw on some clothes and splash some water on my face,\u201d Joe replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to go and fetch Doc Martin,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTell him about the baby and ask him if he can come out and give the little guy a once over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . I\u2019m ALREADY dressed, and Blaze Face is still saddled,\u201d Stacy protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want YOU overdoing things, Young Woman,\u201d Ben admonished his daughter sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s only been a couple of days since Doctor Martin told you that you could ride.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo buts!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m not taking ANY chances on you suffering a relapse, heaven forbid,\u201d Ben succinctly nipped her protest in the bud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou WERE pretty sick this past winter . . . .\u201d he added, his tone softening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and speaking for myself, it\u2019s a heckuva lot easier trying to live with an ornery, cantankerous, fire breathing ol\u2019 mule than it is trying to live with YOU, especially when you\u2019re on the mend,\u201d Joe teased.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou of all people teasing me about that\u2019s like the pot calling the kettle black, Grandpa,\u201d Stacy immediately returned, then stuck out her tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe returned the gesture.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Joe, YOU need to get going,\u201d Ben exhorted his youngest son.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Joe murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned, with the intention of heading back toward the house, then paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShould I ask Doc Martin about a wet nurse?\u00a0\u00a0 That little guy\u2019s gonna be hungry after you get through cleaning him up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, absolutely,\u201d Ben said gravely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile you\u2019re gettin\u2019 yourself dressed, Li\u2019l Brother, I\u2019ll g\u2019won in the barn \u2018n saddle Cochise,\u201d Hoss promised, \u201cand I\u2019ll stable Blaze Face, too, whilst I\u2019m at it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hoss, but I<\/strong> can take care of Blaze Face,\u201d Stacy protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know y\u2019 can, Li\u2019l Sister, but right now y\u2019 need t\u2019 take care o\u2019 YOURSELF, just like Pa said,\u201d Hoss gently reminded her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys are gonna spoil me rotten!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGONNA spoil you rotten, Stace?\u201d Joe quipped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy stuck her tongue out at Joe once again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe grinned and this time thumbed up his nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Children, settle down,\u201d Ben admonished his youngest son and only daughter with a big smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m going,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned, and beat a straight path across the yard to the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for YOU, Young Woman . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you know it, Doctor Martin\u2019s going to give you his official clean bill of health,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen he does, you\u2019ll be expected to fend for yourself.\u00a0\u00a0 So my advice to YOU in the meantime is sit back and ENJOY being spoiled rotten while you can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Stacy acquiesced reluctantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBesides . . . I could use some help getting THIS little one cleaned up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy blanched, and for a moment appeared to be unsteady on her feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, uhhh . . . sure hope YOU know what to do, Pa,\u201d she said nervously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBecause I don\u2019t know anything about taking care of babies . . . HUMAN babies, that is . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t worry about a thing,\u201d Ben hastened to assure his daughter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy skills may be a little rusty, but I\u2019ve had plenty of experience in looking after human babies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBreakfast ready two minutes,\u201d Hop Sing greeted father and daughter as they entered the house together.\u00a0\u00a0 He scowled upon catching sight of the old, well-worn basket Stacy carried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 What you do?!\u201d he demanded, pointing an accusing finger at the basket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing just put that on trash heap . . . and . . . where Mister Hoss?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss will be right in,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cjust as soon as he\u2019s finished stabling Blaze Face and saddling Cochise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The scowl on Hop Sing\u2019s face deepened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSaddle Cochise?!\u201d he echoed, unable to quite believe his ears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy Mister Hoss saddle Cochise?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo I<\/strong> can ride into town and fetch Doc Martin,\u201d Joe replied, as he sauntered down the stairs, with face washed and wearing the clothing he had worn the previous day, donned in haste.<\/span><\/p>\n

The tirade sitting right on the very tip of Hop Sing\u2019s tongue died a quick and sudden death.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoc Martin?!\u201d he queried, then groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUh oh!\u00a0\u00a0 If Miss Stacy have another relapse—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t worry about THAT, Hop Sing,\u201d Stacy said very quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen who—?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s anxious gaze moved from Stacy to Ben, then over to Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

A high pitched wail rose, as if in answer, from the soft bundle of quilt nestled in the arms of the Cartwright family patriarch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing started violently, jumping backward about three feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat make all that racket?\u201d he demanded, glaring murderously at the quilt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, come on, Hop Sing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe, his eyes twinkling with pure, unadulterated mischief, moved toward his father and gently pulled back the edge of the quilt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBaby!?\u00a0\u00a0 First it stray cat, then it stray puppy, next bird with broken wing, then stray raccoon that get out of cage and make mess of Hop Sing\u2019s kitchen!\u00a0\u00a0 NOW it stray baby!\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Cartwright, when you gonna tell Mister Hoss . . .\u00a0 NO MORE STRAY<\/strong>?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019M the one who found this little one,\u201d Ben freely admitted, \u201cbut, it\u2019s not like he wandered onto the place like the stray cat . . . puppy . . . and raccoon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOk, so baby have help!\u201d Hop Sing growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut no matter.\u00a0\u00a0 Baby STILL stray . . . and stray baby need diaper.\u00a0\u00a0 Lots and lots and lots of diaper.\u00a0\u00a0 Lots of diaper for baby mean lots of laundry for Hop Sing!\u00a0\u00a0 Too much laundry!\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing quit!\u00a0\u00a0 Go to San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 Help number six cousin in restaurant!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, he stormed back into the kitchen muttering under his breath in Cantonese.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll things considered, I\u2019d say THAT went very well just now,\u201d Joe said quietly, after Hop Sing had returned to the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it did . . . all things considered,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . uhhh, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind going out to the kitchen and asking Hop Sing to boil some water so I can get this young man cleaned up properly?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy looked over at her father through eyes round with horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa . . . y-you want me to walk right out into that kitchen and ask Hop Sing to boil water after . . . after all THAT?!\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s like asking me to walk into a lion\u2019s den!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you rather walk into a lion\u2019s den or change this guy\u2019s diaper?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWalk into a lion\u2019s den, Pa,\u201d Stacy immediately replied, almost without thinking, \u201cany day of the week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI kinda thought so . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Dio?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas Aunt Elena had the baby yet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright turned to his young daughter and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t heard,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI sure hope THIS time Aunt Elena and her baby will be ok,\u201d Dio murmured softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUntil I hear something definite, I\u2019m going to assume that no news is good news,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, Princess, YOU need to get yourself dressed and ready for school.\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. Cortez told me a few minutes ago that breakfast is almost ready.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dio groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I HAFTA go to school?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE you do,\u201d Adam replied, taken aback by her question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa . . . I was kinda hoping\u00a0 . . . that you \u2018n Ma\u2019d let me stay home until we hear about Aunt Elena and her baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re worried, Princess,\u201d Adam replied, his tone and manner softening, \u201cwe ALL are.\u00a0\u00a0 However, you\u2019re not going to do Aunt Elena, her baby, or yourself any good by staying home from school and worrying yourself sick.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould it be ok for me to say a prayer for Aunt Elena, Uncle Miguel, and the baby when we have chapel today?\u201d Dio asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes . . . that WOULD be all right,\u201d he replied, \u201cand very much appreciated.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After eating breakfast with his son and daughter, named respectively Benjamin Eduardo and Dolores Elizabeth for their grandparents, Adam prepared their lunches while the children gathered together schoolbooks, pencils, paper, and their homework assignments due that day.\u00a0\u00a0 He took them to school along with Ramon and Joachim Mendez, the sons of the man who worked for him as gardener and handyman, as was his custom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHullo, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Juan Mendez greeted Adam upon his return home with a big smile after his employer had set the brake on the two-seater buckboard and jumped down.\u00a0\u00a0 He was a short, stolidly built man, aged ten years Adam\u2019s senior.\u00a0\u00a0 Juan had married late in life to a woman much younger, who had died not long after the birth of their youngest son, Joachim.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny word about Mrs. Elena and the baby?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mister Mendez,\u201d Adam replied, shaking his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t heard a thing.\u00a0\u00a0 Did Mrs. Cartwright by chance return home while I was taking the kids to school?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Juan shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNeed a hand stabling the horses?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank you,\u201d Adam replied, grateful for the offer.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been meaning to ask you . . . how\u2019s your mother doing?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d heard she was ill this past winter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine . . . just fine, Mister Cartwright, thank you for asking,\u201d Juan replied, as he and Adam set to work unhitching the horses from the buckboard.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn her last letter, my sister said that Mama\u2019s up, \u2018n around, issuing orders like an army drill sergeant, driving them all CRAZY.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chuckled softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour mother sounds a lot like my father when HE\u2019S on the mend,\u201d he observed lightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Juan threw his head back and laughed out loud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSpeaking of your papa . . . how\u2019s HE doing these days?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s doing very well,\u201d Adam replied as the two men led the horses into the stable, and there set themselves to the task of giving them a thorough brushing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen we visited Pa and the rest of the family last summer, he . . . well, he was looking a mite older and grayer around the edges, but from what I can see, he\u2019s not slowed down any.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got that young brother of yours to keep him on his toes,\u201d Juan reminded with a wry chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and my young sister does HER part in keeping Pa on his toes, too,\u201d Adam added.\u00a0\u00a0 He led Sinbad, a big black even tempered gelding, to his stall.\u00a0\u00a0 Juan placed Sinbad\u2019s brother, Agamemnon, Aggie for short, into the adjoining stall.\u00a0\u00a0 Aggie was big like his older brother, black, with four white socks reaching nearly to his knees.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of your brothers . . . and sister, too . . . when\u2019s your papa going to bring THEM for a visit?\u201d Juan asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat big brother of yours owes me a rematch throwing horseshoes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNext time I write, I\u2019ll be sure to tell HOSS what you said,\u201d Adam promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTHAT\u2019LL get him here like a shot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uhhh . . . Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He turned and found his wife, Teresa, standing at his elbow.\u00a0\u00a0 Her red, swollen eyes and cheeks stood out in stark contrast against her pale, drawn face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no,\u201d he murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe baby . . . . ?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA boy,\u201d Teresa replied, her voice catching.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe . . . he died a few minutes after birth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Juan immediately crossed himself and murmured a quick prayer for the repose of the young soul who had taken leave of this life so soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiguel was able to baptize him before he died[ii]<\/a>, and . . . and when the priest came, he gave him the last rites,\u201d Teresa continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad . . . for Elena and Dolores\u2019 sake,\u201d Adam said softly.\u00a0\u00a0 His wife\u2019s young sister-in-law and her mother were the only remaining devout members of the family these days.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Mendez?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very sorry to hear about Mister Miguel and Mrs. Elena\u2019s baby,\u201d Juan very solemnly offered his condolences.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know she wanted this baby so badly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Teresa responded, while very sadly shaking her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 Poor Elena . . . she\u2019s yearned for a baby of her own since she was a small child playing with dolls.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou be sure to tell them if there\u2019s anything I can do . . . anything at ALL . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Mendez, I\u2019ll be sure to let them know,\u201d Teresa promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Teresa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to g\u2019won in and lie down for a while,\u201d Teresa said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so exhausted . . . it\u2019s a wonder I\u2019m not falling asleep on my feet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou go ahead in,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be along as soon as Mister Mendez and I finish taking care of the horses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, please.\u00a0\u00a0 You g\u2019won in . . . see to Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll finish stabling these two . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He inclined his head toward Sinbad and Aggie.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . and I\u2019ll see to Sunshine over there, also.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last he added with a pointed glance over at the placid buckskin gelding still hitched to Teresa\u2019s buggy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Mendez, I—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can manage,\u201d Juan hastened to reassure.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow you g\u2019won.\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. Cartwright needs you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Adam said gratefully.\u00a0\u00a0 Leaving the care of their horses in Juan Mendez\u2019s capable hands, he left the stable and crossed the back yard to the kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 He found his wife standing before the large bay window in the family room that faced out onto the formal flower garden that was the absolute pride and joy of the Mendez family, father and sons.\u00a0\u00a0 He wordlessly crossed the room, gently slipped his arms around her waist, and held her close.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa closed her eyes and for moment of time leaned against him, drawing upon the loving strength and comfort he offered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, Adam,\u201d she murmured at length, her voice tremulous, \u201cit\u2019s . . . it\u2019s NOT fair!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam heartily agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI-I can\u2019t understand it,\u201d Teresa continued, as one tear, then another slipped down over her eyelids and began to flow down her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy do people who . . . who already h-have more children than they want or . . . or c-can possibly care for . . . why do THEY go right on h-having child . . . after child . . . after child every year, while . . . while a woman like Elena . . . who yearns s-so desperately for a child . . . is denied?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I knew the answer to that myself,\u201d Adam replied . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . everything appears to be in order, Mister Lindsay,\u201d Alpheus McKinley, Esquire, said quietly, as he placed the last page of the contract he had just read on the table before him.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached his pudgy hand into the inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew an envelope.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the thousand dollars we agreed upon up front, plus reimbursement for all of your out of pocket expenses to date,\u201d Alpheus continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUpon delivery you\u2019ll be paid the remaining nine thousand dollars owed you, plus any other expenses incurred between now and the date final delivery is made to my clients.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias Lindsay took the proffered envelope and placed it securely in the inside pocket of his own jacket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister McKinley?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister and Mrs. Cunningham are very anxious as you might imagine,\u201d Alpheus said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI realize there\u2019s no way of knowing the exact date, but can you give me a reasonable estimate as to when they can expect delivery?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m told it\u2019ll be any day now,\u201d Tobias replied, with a smug, triumphant grin.\u00a0\u00a0 He rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was a pleasure having lunch with you, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be in touch . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE you will, you greedy, cold hearted, self-serving son-of-a-bitch!\u201d<\/em> Alpheus silently responded, as he watched Tobias Lindsay\u2019s retreating back with a glare filled with angry, self-righteous contempt.\u00a0\u00a0 Procuring infants who had been orphaned, or who had come from families too poor to adequately care for them was one thing.\u00a0\u00a0 But a man of obvious means, like Tobias Lindsay, selling his own flesh and blood . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Alpheus shook his head and grimaced.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias made his way back to the Grand Victoria Hotel, savoring the fruits of his hard won victory.\u00a0\u00a0 He was a big man, tall, with broad shoulders tapering down to a trim narrow waist, a head full of thick, blonde, wavy hair and piercing grayish green eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 He might have been looked upon as a very handsome man, with his wide face, even features, and cleft chin, had it not been for the rigidly set jaw and scowl permanently etched into his brow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood afternoon, Mister Lindsay,\u201d the concierge greeted him politely, as he stepped up to the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to see whether or not there\u2019s any messages for me,\u201d Tobias said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 There is,\u201d the concierge replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned and withdrew the plain envelope addressed to \u201cMister Lindsay, Room 326,\u201d from that room number\u2019s mail slot.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Western Union man delivered it about an hour or so after you left for your appointment with Mister McKinley.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It took nearly every last ounce of will Tobias Lindsay possessed to keep from snatching the envelope right out of the hand of that prissy little man standing behind the desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 I hope it\u2019s GOOD news.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s had the baby . . . finally!\u201d<\/em> Tobias silently mused, nearly salivating in anticipation as he flipped up the unsealed envelope flap and withdrew a piece of paper neatly folded in half.\u00a0\u00a0 His elation, however, was very short lived.\u00a0\u00a0 The message was short and to the point:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTobias Lindsay, Esq.,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Grand Victoria Hotel,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 San Francisco, California<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara missing.\u00a0\u00a0 Ran away from home.\u00a0\u00a0 Reported to sheriff.\u00a0\u00a0 Search underway.\u00a0\u00a0 Any instructions?<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian Crawleigh,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carson City, Nevada.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat bitch!\u00a0\u00a0 That damned stupid little BITCH!\u201d Tobias swore under his breath.\u00a0\u00a0 The scowl on his face deepened, and he crumpled the message and envelope together into a tight ball.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mister Lindsay?\u00a0\u00a0 Is . . . everything all right?\u201d the concierge ventured warily, then mentally braced himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d Tobias snapped.\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately straightened his posture and took a deep breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d he apologized through clenched teeth, laboring valiantly to keep his voice calm and even.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA business matter has come up at home requiring my immediate attention,\u201d he continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be checking out within the hour.\u00a0\u00a0 If you would be so kind as to make arrangements for my luggage to be delivered to the Overland Stage depot and prepare my bill?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctor Paul Martin carefully placed the baby down into the bassinet, borrowed from one of the married ranch hands whose young son had recently outgrown it.\u00a0\u00a0 The Cartwright offspring stood together at the head of the bassinet, while their father sat down on the edge of his bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe seems to be perfectly healthy, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a scale, but he feels good and solid when I pick him up.\u00a0\u00a0 No sign whatsoever of any kind of disease, sickness, or physical abuse.\u00a0\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t appear to be malnourished, although the little one IS hungry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of hungry, were you able to find a wet nurse?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIrma Fielding,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe had a baby girl within the last couple of months or so.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s able and willing to provide for this little one along with her own.\u00a0\u00a0 I sent Lily in my buggy to fetch Mrs. Fielding at the same time I rode out here with Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 They should along any minute.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d Ben said gratefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea who the mother is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone.\u00a0\u00a0 I was hoping that YOU might be able to tell ME.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Ben.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Paul shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d say this little guy was born sometime in the past four or five days . . . a week, perhaps at the very outside.\u00a0\u00a0 The last babies I<\/strong> helped deliver were Irma Fielding\u2019s and Eleanor Keene\u2019s . . . both girls, both born six and eight weeks ago, respectively.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo one due to give birth any day now?\u201d Ben pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have only two patients at the moment who are expecting,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOne\u2019s due sometime within the next six months, the other in three or four.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s no possibility of those two patients being this li\u2019l one\u2019s mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ben?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to find the baby\u2019s mother . . . if possible,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think SHE needs help every bit as much as that li\u2019l one lying in the bassinet in front of ya.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re probably right,\u201d Paul agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou think maybe you CAN help her and this little one here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I\u2019d sure like to try . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFather Brendan, that\u2019s another thing I\u2019m going to miss when I leave for Saint Jo,\u201d Mother Catherine Margarita said with a wistful smile, gesturing with a broad sweep of her right arm toward the magnificent vista of mountain, sky, tree, and field that stretched out before them.<\/span><\/p>\n

She and the semi-retired monsignor had taken their mid-day meal together every Wednesday, since her elevation eleven and a half years ago to mother superior of the nursing order that served Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital.\u00a0\u00a0 Friends and colleagues, both had been exiled to the wild western frontier by their respective bishops; he for choosing to err on the side of mercy, and she for following the spirit of the law, rather than the letter.\u00a0\u00a0 They were a pair of not-so-young idealists, passionate and zealous in their service of the God both of them worshiped, blessed with an abundance of vim and vigor . . . \u201cand chock full of piss and vinegar,\u201d as Father Obadiah Kramer, present monsignor of Saint Mary\u2019s and the man to whom both answered, oft times wryly observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the things that\u2019s KEPT me here,\u201d Father Brendan Rutherford said quietly, with a beatific smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou also have good friends here,\u201d Mother Catherine observed, \u201clike the Cartwrights, for instance.\u00a0\u00a0 Interesting thing that . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve NEVER been members of Saint Mary\u2019s . . . nor do I recall ever having seen them attend Mass.\u00a0\u00a0 How in the world did you ever become such good friends with them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Brendan smiled.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cActually, two of the Cartwrights WERE regular attendees in years past,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen\u2019s late wife, Marie, and their son, Joe,\u201d the priest said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was born and raised as a Catholic.\u00a0\u00a0 She left the church for a time, then returned soon after Joe was born.\u00a0\u00a0 She started\u00a0 bringing Little Joe as soon as he learned to walk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat, of course, was a bit before my time here at the convent.\u00a0\u00a0 He must\u2019ve been a real holy terror back then,\u201d Mother Catherine said, remembering some of the stories her late older sister, Hazel Gibson, Joe\u2019s teacher up through the eighth grade, had told.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHazel said on many occasions that boy couldn\u2019t sit still for five minutes if his life depended on it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was true most of the time,\u201d Father Brendan agreed with a chuckle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStill is.\u00a0\u00a0 But in church, that boy was good as gold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow, I find that very difficult to believe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI might also, had I not seen for myself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you account for that, Father?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d the priest said thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe it had to do with the Mass itself . . . the bells, the incense, the guilt work, the pictures in the stained glass windows at each Station of the Cross, our robes, the Latin.\u00a0\u00a0 Then again, it may have been Marie\u2019s influence.\u00a0\u00a0 Little Joe Cartwright\u2019s always been a rough and tumble youngster, very rambunctious, always sticking his hands into everything, but while Marie was still alive, he was more settled somehow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMOTHER!\u00a0\u00a0 MOTHER!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A young woman, garbed in the white habit of postulant, bolted out through the French doors, standing wide open.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMOTHER, YOU\u2019VE GOT TO CO\u2014\u201d She stopped abruptly, mid-sentence upon seeing the priest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mother,\u201d she meekly apologized, \u201cI did not know Father Rutherford was here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite all right, Bridget,\u201d Mother Catherine said, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwo men just came in with a young girl, Mother.\u00a0\u00a0 They found her along the side of the road barely conscious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are they now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne took them to one of the hospital rooms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u00a0\u00a0 Tell Sister Anne I\u2019ll be there directly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBobby and I found her lying by the side of the road, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Mitch Cranston, one of the Ponderosa ranch hands, said.\u00a0\u00a0 He held his hat in front of him, its rim clasped tight in both hands, and nervously shifted from one foot to the other, and back again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe were out along the main road, headin\u2019 back from takin\u2019 fence supplies to Candy, one of our foremen.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . . \u201d He looked over at Bobby Washington, standing beside him stiffly erect with hands clasped in front of him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought she was dead, \u2018cause she was lyin\u2019 so still.\u00a0\u00a0 But when Bobby an\u2019 I jumped down to make sure?\u00a0\u00a0 She moved her head, \u2018n kinda groaned, too, like she was in pain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was alone when you found her?\u201d Mother Catherine asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u00a0\u00a0 Bobby \u2018n I . . . when we saw she was alive . . . we brought her here straight away, knowing you have a place to care for her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you . . . you did the right thing,\u201d Mother Catherine said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sister Anne?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMay I speak with you . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes darted over toward Father Brendan and the two Ponderosa ranch hands, standing together at the foot of the girl\u2019s bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Catherine, do you have further need of either of these gentlemen?\u201d Father Brendan asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at the moment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you DO need us for anything, Ma\u2019am, you can reach us at the Ponderosa,\u201d Mitch said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cIf you wish, Mother Catherine, I<\/strong> can see these gentlemen out,\u201d Father Brendan offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Father.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 After the men had gone, Mother Catherine turned her attention to Sister Anne.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Sister, you may speak freely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne swallowed nervously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe girl\u2019s entire body is like ice, Mother, and her feet are severely frostbitten,\u201d she began.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re trying to warm her with that fire in the fireplace, and the extra blankets.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s drifting in and out of consciousness, calling for a little one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA little one?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA baby, I think.\u00a0\u00a0 HER baby, Mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHER baby?!\u201d\u00a0 Mother Catherine echoed, incredulous.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s just given birth . . . sometime within the past few days, I think.\u00a0\u00a0 She shows no sign of hemorrhaging, at least nothing that I can see from a cursory exam, and she is lactating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine turned to Sister Wilhelmina, a young novice, who was assisting Sister Anne in caring for their new patient.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister, if you hurry, you might be able to catch Father Brendan and the two men from the Ponderosa.\u00a0\u00a0 I would like you to send one of them to find Doctor Martin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . the good news is, she\u2019s expelled the afterbirth.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s no hemorrhaging, no sign of infection or other complications related to childbirth,\u201d Paul Martin reported upon completion of his examination.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and the bad news, Doctor?\u201d Mother Catherine wryly prompted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe bad news is . . . she\u2019s suffering from hypothermia . . . both feet are badly frostbitten . . . she\u2019s malnourished . . . and she\u2019s running a low grade fever,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . trust you and the sisters caring for that poor child have seen the wounds under her clothing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed we HAVE,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, her brows coming together, forming a dark murderous scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhoever was responsible ought to be taken out and horsewhipped within an inch of his . . . or her life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with you one hundred percent,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI cleaned out the open, infected stripes on her back and bandaged them.\u00a0\u00a0 They should be cleaned again and the bandages changed this evening.\u00a0\u00a0 Beginning tomorrow morning and continuing for the next week, I recommend cleaning the wounds and changing the bandages at least twice a day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will, Doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m deeply concerned about what appears to be a severe burn on the back of her left leg, below the knee,\u201d Paul continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI opened the wound, drained it, and cleaned it out as best I could, but the infection goes deep.\u00a0\u00a0 Between that and the severe frostbite in the toes of the same foot . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His voice trailed away to an ominous silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat poor, poor child,\u201d the mother superior moaned softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI knew the toes on her left foot were a foregone conclusion the minute I saw them, but . . . are you also saying there\u2019s no chance at all of saving her leg?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA slim one, perhaps,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI instructed Sister Anne and that young novice assisting her . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned, trying to recall the name of the latter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou must mean Sister Wilhelmina.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . Sister Wilhelmina,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI gave them complete instructions as to how to drain and clean the leg wound.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be around to see the patient again later on tonight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition to following my instructions for treating her leg and the infected wounds on her back, keep up your efforts to gradually warm her, try to get some liquids in her, as much as you can . . . as OFTEN as you can.\u00a0\u00a0 Water . . . weak tea . . . chicken broth . . . anything!\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHas she given you her name?\u00a0\u00a0 Told you where she\u2019s from?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The mother superior shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThough she stirs from time to time . . . she\u2019s not yet roused to full awareness.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Martin . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother Gibson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout that leg wound . . . to be blunt, Sir, it is MY considered opinion that it was no accident, but was inflicted intentionally.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re asking me whether or not I agree . . . I do.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s no doubt in my mind whatsoever that burn on her left leg was inflicted on purpose,\u201d he said curtly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He turned and found Sister Anne standing at his elbow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Sister?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe girl was wearing these when the men from Ponderosa brought her in,\u201d Sister Anne reported, holding up a pair of brown pants, threadbare, with ragged cuffs, and a hole in one knee, along with what appeared to be an oversized heavy flannel shirt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe also had a large pair of woolen socks on her feet that seemed to be in one piece, and rags wrapped tight around the socks.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . instructed Sister Wilhelmina to throw the socks and the rags in the trash bin.\u00a0\u00a0 Both were soaking wet and filthy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She grimaced upon uttering that last.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Martin took the shirt from Sister Anne and silently studied it for a moment, noting that although filthy, it seemed to be in one piece.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis shirt\u2019s miles too big for that young girl,\u201d he quietly observed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis HAD to have been taken from a clothes line somewhere along the way . . . and the pants, more than likely, removed from someone\u2019s trash heap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor, are you saying this girl\u2019s a runaway?\u201d Sister Anne queried with a frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTaking into account these ill-fitting garments AND her grievous injuries, I\u2019d say THAT\u2019S a pretty foregone conclusion,\u201d Paul replied, \u201cand to be frank, Sister, I can\u2019t say as I blame her.\u00a0\u00a0 I have no way of ascertaining exactly how long she\u2019s been out there fending for herself, but if I were to hazard a guess?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019D say she more than likely left home BEFORE giving birth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat poor child!\u201d Sister Anne murmured softly as she stole a quick glance over her shoulder at their mystery patient, who had just sunk back into unconsciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat of her baby?\u201d Mother Catherine asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDear God, I . . . I hope she didn\u2019t simply abandon it somewhere . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mother . . . .\u201d Paul said slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe DIDN\u2019T abandon her baby, leaving it somewhere to die.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He favored the nuns with a weary smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, I think I know EXACTLY where her baby is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa . . . I . . . I think he likes me,\u201d Stacy murmured, awestruck, as the baby lying safely ensconced in her arms reached up and touched her chin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben glanced up from the ledger lying open before him on his desk, and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOf COURSE he likes you,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s warm, he\u2019s had a nice bath, his belly\u2019s full thanks to Mrs. Fielding, and right now, he feels very secure.\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019s NOT to like?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t seem so fond of me earlier this morning when we were trying to get him cleaned up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because you weren\u2019t real sure of yourself, and he could sense that,\u201d Ben explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow, you know a little more about what you\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and he can sense that, too?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm hmm.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Li\u2019l Sister, YOUR time\u2019s up!\u201d Hoss declared as he strode from the kitchen, through the dining room, and on into the great room.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe trotted briskly at his older brother\u2019s heels, wiping his wet hands on his shirt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMY turn to hold the li\u2019l one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOUR turn?!\u201d Joe echoed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhaddya mean it\u2019s YOUR turn?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou sat right there . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss inclined his head toward the blue chair, \u201call mornin\u2019 long holdin\u2019 the li\u2019l one . . . leastwise \u2018til it was time for Mrs. Fielding t\u2019 give him his breakfast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah!\u201d Joe growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTHAT was all of FIVE minutes!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was five minutes more \u2018n the rest of us got,\u201d Hoss immediately returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben laid the pencil in hand down on his desk next to his ledger, then rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBoys . . . and you, too, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019M gonna settle this matter in a fair and impartial way,\u201d he said, as he crossed the room toward the fireplace where his three younger children were now gathered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhaddya gonna do, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHave us draw straws?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m invoking \u2018Pa\u2019s Privilege.\u2019 \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . uhhh . . . what\u2019s \u2018Pa\u2019s Privilege\u2019 . . . exactly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Pa\u2019s Privilege\u2019 means . . . it\u2019s MY turn to hold the li\u2019l one!\u201d Ben declared, as he held out his arms expectantly toward Stacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm hmm!\u00a0\u00a0 Yep!\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s real fair \u2018n impartial,\u201d Hoss observed with a grin and tongue very firmly planted in cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy gently placed the baby into Ben\u2019s outstretched arms with a doleful sigh, then sat down on the settee.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s a cute li\u2019l one isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAww, he sure is,\u201d Hoss agreed, with a big smile.\u00a0\u00a0 He waited until his father had settled himself comfortably in the big red chair, before leaning over and gently chucking the baby\u2019s chin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOochie, woochie, coochie, coo,\u201d he cooed, his voice rising to a near melodious high falsetto.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOochie, woochie, coochie, coo-ooo-oooo . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOochie . . . w-woochie . . . coochie coo?!\u201d Joe echoed, before dissolving into peal after peal of uproarious laughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss turned and glared murderously at Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDadburn it, Li\u2019l Brother!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If you don\u2019t quit that cacklin\u2019 like a hysterical hyena . . . you\u2019re gonna end up scarin\u2019 this poor li\u2019l one outta ten years growth, \u2018n givin\u2019 him nightmares t\u2019 boot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOochie . . . w-woochie . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe rolled right off the settee, with tears of mirth streaming down his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acting purely on animal instinct and a potent rush of adrenalin, Stacy leapt to her feet less than a heartbeat from being dragged down to the floor along with her brother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 Watch it, Grandpa!\u201d she growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I<\/strong> recall, Joseph Francis . . . I distinctly heard someone who sounded an awful lot like YOU cooing something along the lines of \u2018oohh da widdy biddy boo\u2019 just before you left to get Doctor Martin earlier,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss threw back his head and roared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have the lot of ya know THAT happens to be one hundred percent, pure, honest-to-goodness genuine baby talk,\u201d Joe immediately retorted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and how, exactly, does \u2018oohh da widdy biddy boo\u2019 translate into plain English, Grandpa?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her question elicited another peal of laughter from their biggest brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uhhh . . . Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss immediately sobered upon glancing up and finding Irma Fielding standing in their midst.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for me to give him his lunch and put him down for a nap,\u201d Irma said as she reached down to take the baby from Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you just get through feeding him?\u201d Ben asked with a puzzled frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was breakfast . . . nearly three hours ago,\u201d Irma said primly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m . . . sure I needn\u2019t tell YOU how important it is to keep babies on schedule.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right about that, Little One,\u201d Ben said quietly, as he surrendered the baby lying peacefully in his arms over to the wet nurse.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have yourself a good lunch and a nap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPleasant dreams, Little One,\u201d Stacy said wistfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irma Fielding settled the baby in her arms, then turned and started for the stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh!\u201d she exclaimed, as she stopped suddenly and turned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Fielding?\u201d Ben responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, umm . . . know it\u2019s not MY place to tell you how to . . . to, ummm run your household, but . . . my daughter . . . well, she\u2019s not exactly used to . . . to high spirited family members . . . not while she\u2019s, ummm . . . trying to take her nap?!\u201d Irma ventured, hesitant and unsure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll do our best to be quiet, Mrs. Fielding,\u201d he promised, \u201cwon\u2019t we?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last was uttered with a pointed glare at his two younger sons and only daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Course we will, Pa,\u201d Hoss immediately promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, Ma\u2019am.\u00a0\u00a0 I hope we didn\u2019t disturb ya too much just now . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite all right,\u201d Irma replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy seated herself on the arm of the red chair next to her father, and watched as Irma carried the baby boy upstairs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d she ventured, after the wet nurse and baby had disappeared from view.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would a mother stick her helpless newborn in a basket half falling apart and just leave him on some stranger\u2019s door step?\u201d she asked, perplexed and bewildered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Fielding seems to think she\u2019s some kind of cold hearted, selfish . . . uhhh . . . sorry, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 If I told ya exactly what Mrs. Fielding said, I have a feeling you\u2019d be hauling me out to the kitchen to wash my mouth out with soap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Stacy . . . I think I have a pretty good idea of what Mrs. Fielding might have said,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo YOU have any thoughts on the matter?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I can understand where Mrs. Fielding\u2019s coming from . . . a little,\u201d Stacy said slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I don\u2019t think she\u2019s right.\u00a0\u00a0 Not after reading that note.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with YOU, Young Woman . . . one hundred percent,\u201d Ben said very quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are YOUR thoughts about whoever left the li\u2019l one upstairs out on our doorstep?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter reading that note, I\u2019m inclined to think that li\u2019l one upstairs was left by s-someone . . . who . . . who loved him so much, she . . . she w-was willing to give him up so that h-he might have a better life than she\u2019s . . . than she feels able to g-give him,\u201d Ben replied, his voice all of a sudden unsteady.\u00a0\u00a0 He was astonished at the depth of emotion he felt welling up inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy quietly reached down and took Ben\u2019s hand in both of her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe?\u201d Hoss queried as he placed his hand on his father\u2019s shoulder and gently squeezed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben swallowed and took a shallow breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe,\u201d he reiterated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe more I think about it, the more I\u2019M convinced that the baby\u2019s mother\u2019s the one who left him with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you figure, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think all three of ya read the note found in the baby\u2019s basket.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, Joe, and Stacy nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe could barely write . . . but she knew our names,\u201d Ben continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll betcha anything she\u2019s been out there . . . watching us . . . making sure we\u2019re the kind of people who could be trusted to give her baby a good home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . \u2018n I\u2019LL just betcha anything SHE\u2019S the one who\u2019s been sleepin\u2019 out in our barn the last few nights,\u201d Hoss said slowly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat baby was warm, too, when I lifted him out of that basket,\u201d Ben continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe must\u2019ve been waiting out there near the back door, holding him in her arms to keep him warm, until she was sure we were up and about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds to me like she needs help, too . . . every bit as much as her baby does,\u201d Joe observed quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019D like to find her,\u201d Ben said.<\/span><\/p>\n

A knock on the door brought the conversation between the members of the Cartwright family to a halt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get it,\u201d Stacy said, as she slid off the arm of the red chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

The caller was Doctor Paul Martin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood afternoon, Stacy,\u201d he said after she had invited him inside.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m delighted and pleasantly surprised to see you following doctor\u2019s orders for a change, and taking things easy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBetween Pa, Hoss, Joe, and Hop Sing, I\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t have much choice,\u201d she said with a long suffering sigh and a wry roll of her eyes directed\u00a0 heavenward.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood for them!\u201d Paul declared with an emphatic nod of his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s right over there . . . next to the fireplace,\u201d Stacy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and both of his sons rose as the doctor made his way across the room to the fireplace, around which the family was gathered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease . . . sit down, Paul,\u201d Ben invited.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019ll be serving lunch soon, if you\u2019d care to stay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ben, I will,\u201d Paul eagerly accepted the invitation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind going out to the kitchen and asking Hop Sing to set an extra plate?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy nodded, then turned heel and headed for the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what brings ya back OUR way, Doc?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I know where that baby\u2019s mother is,\u201d Paul Martin said coming straight to the reason for his return visit.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat down on the settee next to Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned and favored the sawbones with a sharp glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s at the convent hospital under the care of Mother Gibson and two of the sisters,\u201d Paul said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems a couple of your men found her out along the road somewhere between here and Virginia City.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was half frozen to death by all accounts when your men found her and took her to the convent, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 By the time I<\/strong> arrived, the nuns had her stabilized and resting comfortably enough, but she\u2019s still in a very bad way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re certain this girl is the mother of that li\u2019l one upstairs?\u201d Ben pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReasonably,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBased on what the mother superior and the other nuns told me, this girl HAS given birth within the past week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea who she is?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStrange thing that . . . .\u201d Paul murmured softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t for the life of me recall ever having ever met her before, but . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Paul sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t quite shake the feeling I know her or that I\u2019ve seen her around somewhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas she been able to tell ANYONE her name, or where she\u2019s from?\u201d Ben pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson said that she stirs from time to time, but hasn\u2019t fully regained consciousness,\u201d Paul explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI asked the mother superior to send me word when she does.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSay, Doc . . . y\u2019 think it\u2019s possible this gal\u2019s a runaway?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m reasonably certain she IS a runaway, Hoss,\u201d Paul replied, \u201cthough as I told Mother Gibson, I have no way of knowing how long that girl\u2019s been out fending for herself and that baby.\u00a0\u00a0 Given her physical state however, I\u2019m of the mind she left home BEFORE her baby was born.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean to say that she had that baby out along the road somewhere?!\u201d Ben demanded, appalled, frightened, and angry at the very thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand it!\u00a0\u00a0 What in the ever lovin\u2019 world could she have been thinking of . . . running away from home . . . knowing full well she was so close to giving birth!\u201d Ben exclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in MY mind it was an act of desperation,\u201d Paul said in a grim, somber tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, shared with Ben, Joe, and Hoss the details concerning the girl\u2019s injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc . . . are you sayin\u2019 that gal\u2019s ma \u2018n pa . . . .?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf NOT her parents, Hoss, then someone else close to her . . . someone who\u2019s more than likely a member of her family,\u201d Paul replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I can\u2019t believe it!\u201d Hoss murmured softly, while slowly wagging his head back and forth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cH-How can ANY Ma \u2018n Pa turn on their own flesh \u2018n blood like that?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His face was nearly white as a sheet and he had drawn his hands together into a pair of tight, rock hard fists to quell their trembling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately . . . I\u2019m afraid such is all too common,\u201d Paul said sadly as he reached out and placed a comforting hand against the big, sensitive man\u2019s forearm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you do somethin\u2019 about it?\u201d Hoss demanded, appalled and very angry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish to high heaven I could, but the law looks upon children as being little more than their parents\u2019 possessions.\u00a0\u00a0 The thought of a man going to the gallows for stealing a horse, but walking away scot free for beating his own child to death . . . because in the end it all comes down to being HIS word against his wife\u2019s . . . or the doctor\u2019s . . . infuriates me like nothing else can, Hoss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMakes ME appreciate all the more that we . . . Adam, Hoss, Stacy, and I . . . were brought into this world and raised by a real good man like our pa,\u201d Joe said soberly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou took the words right outta my mouth, Li\u2019l Brother,\u201d Hoss agreed whole heartedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Boys . . . for your vote of confidence,\u201d Ben said quietly, still feeling sick at heart over everything Paul Martin had just shared with them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPaul?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ben?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould it be possible for me to see this girl?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have to get permission from Mother Gibson, of course, but I don\u2019t see any reason why she wouldn\u2019t allow you a brief visit at least,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI told her I was reasonably sure the girl had left her baby here with you and your family.\u00a0\u00a0 However . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Ben demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it might be a good idea for you to bring Stacy along,\u201d Paul suggested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?!\u201d Ben echoed, incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . can half-way understand this girl\u2019s reluctance to talk to me . . . and perhaps the nuns as well, since they\u2019ve, more than likely, never been married or had children . . . but I\u2019d think someone like Mrs. Fielding, or better yet, your wife, Lily, would be more appropriate.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy . . . .\u201d he paused for a moment to cast a quick glance over his shoulder in the direction of the dining room and kitchen door, \u201cPaul, my daughter\u2019s NOT much more than a child, for heaven\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNeither is that girl,\u201d Paul declared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m guessing, Ben . . . but my gut tells me she\u2019s Stacy\u2019s age, maybe a year older at the very outside.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 An exasperated sigh escaped from between the sawbones\u2019 lips, thinning now with his rising anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I could have but one wish . . . it would be that EVERY young woman out there was as fortunate as your daughter . . . AND mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI-I\u2019ve always tried to protect Stacy as much as I could,\u201d Ben stammered, taken aback by Paul Martin\u2019s sudden burst of anger, \u201cand I know you and Lily have done the same for Janie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s MORE than simply protecting them, a LOT more,\u201d Paul said vehemently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s loving them, respecting them, treating them as valuable, cherished members of the family, and most important accepting them as they are.\u00a0\u00a0 If you knew how many people . . . even people we\u2019re well acquainted with who try and force their daughters into being something they\u2019re not\u2014\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He broke off suddenly, and favored his old friend with a contrite, sheepish half smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t mean to climb up on my soapbox just now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Paul . . . NOW,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think I would have if Stacy hadn\u2019t come to live with us, however.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you still willing to try and help this girl?\u201d Paul asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He turned from the half completed house plan spread out on the drawing table before him and wordlessly held out his hand to the woman standing framed in the open door to his study, clad in nightgown and robe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa immediately and without hesitation stepped over the threshold and crossed the room.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sleep had been fitful at best, filled with strange, disturbing dreams.\u00a0\u00a0 Though the images and content fled from her memory upon waking, the vague uneasiness invoked by those dreams remained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was just about to g\u2019won out to the kitchen and ask Mrs. Cortez if she might fix me a sandwich,\u201d Adam said, as he took hold of his wife\u2019s hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you care to join me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m . . . not really hungry, Adam,\u201d Teresa replied, punctuating her words with a yawn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven so, you need to eat something, Sweetheart,\u201d Adam gently admonished her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Cortez came to the door and reminded me in no uncertain terms that here it is well into the afternoon and YOU haven\u2019t had so much as a bite to eat.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused briefly, then added, \u201cShe\u2019s worried.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A tiny, wry smile tugged hard against the corner of Teresa\u2019s mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBless her heart,\u201d she murmured softly, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . guess I can manage a couple slices of toast and a cup of tea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, I\u2019m so sorry to hear about your brother and sister-in-law\u2019s baby,\u201d Adela Cortez said very quietly, as Teresa and Adam ventured into the kitchen.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow are they . . . uhhh . . .?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor gave my sister-in-law a sedative . . . a very strong one,\u201d Teresa replied, her voice filled with sadness and deep concern.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHopefully she\u2019ll sleep the rest of the day and through the night.\u00a0\u00a0 Poor Miguel . . . . \u201d she sighed and dolefully shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s devastated of course, and . . . very concerned about Elena.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuch a terrible shame,\u201d Adela murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWill you be returning to your brother\u2019s home?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLater . . . this afternoon . . . after Benjy and Dio return home from school.\u00a0\u00a0 Mother and Elena\u2019s sisters are there now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou and Mister Cartwright seat yourselves at the dining room table,\u201d Adela said briskly, as she dabbed her eyes against the sleeve of her cornflower blue blouse.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll serve up lunch— \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cortez, I\u2019m not very hungry—\u201d Teresa started to protest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChicken soup . . . a slice of toast, and a good strong cup of tea,\u201d Adela said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou need something more substantial than a just slice of toast, Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right, Teresa,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re going to be any kind of help to Miguel and Elena, YOU need to keep up YOUR strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright and I . . . well, we don\u2019t see eye to eye on a lot of things, but on THIS, we agree,\u201d Adela said firmly, before shooing them out of her kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam dutifully escorted his wife out to the dining room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Adam . . . .\u201d she moaned very softly, then buried her face in her hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam immediately gathered Teresa in his arms and held her close while she wept.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s right, Sweetheart,\u201d he murmured softly, his own voice breaking as he reached up and stroked her long, coal black hair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s right . . . let it out.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m here . . . I\u2019m right here.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He felt her arms encircling his shoulders, her fingers tightly grasping the material of his shirt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adela Cortez nodded with approval as she turned and very quietly closed the door between the kitchen and dining room, leaving the Cartwrights to their grief.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the meantime, she would see to keeping the chicken soup warm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . after . . . after the priest left?\u201d Teresa said haltingly much later, when the two of them at long last sat down to a light repast of hearty chicken soup, buttered toast, and hot tea.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe doctor told Miguel, Mother, and me that . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She fell silent, upon feeling again the acrid sting of tears in her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam placed his hand over top hers and patiently waited for her to continue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa closed her eyes for a moment, and swallowed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe d-doctor said that . . . that Elena . . . that in all likelihood she\u2019ll NEVER bring a healthy . . . l-living baby into this world,\u201d she said, her voice shaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a moment, Adam felt as if he had just been sucker punched below the belt.\u00a0\u00a0 Had he not already been sitting, he was almost certain he would have fallen.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no, no,\u201d he murmured softly, his head wagging slowly back and forth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa, is he . . . is he sure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa vigorously nodded her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter all the miscarriages . . . and . . . and t-two babies now . . . carried to . . . t-to full term, yet born still as if . . . as if they\u2019d come too early . . . h-he\u2019s sure,\u201d she replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe did tell Miguel that h-he . . . that he knows of a specialist in S-San Francisco, if . . . if they want another opinion . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess it\u2019s much too soon for them to decide whether or not they want to see a specialist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think either one of them should be making that kind of a decision right now,\u201d Teresa said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey need time, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, indeed,\u201d Adam voiced his whole hearted agreement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Love?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the children come home from school . . . do you want me to break the news to them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa silently thought the matter over, then slowly shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think BOTH of us need to tell them,\u201d she decided.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure you\u2019ll be up for it?\u201d Adam gently pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . I will,\u201d Teresa promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just need some time on my own to pull myself together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got it,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He leaned over and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you need me . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I know exactly where to find you,\u201d Teresa said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following morning, right after breakfast, Ben and Stacy left for the convent hospital to see the young woman Paul Martin strongly suspected to be the mother of the baby boy left at their kitchen door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, please come in.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Mother Catherine stood in the open door to her private office and gestured for Ben and Stacy to enter with a broad sweep of her arm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been expecting you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Ben said politely as he stepped into the spacious office, sparsely furnished.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy quietly followed close at her father\u2019s heels.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson, I\u2019m sure you remember my daughter, Stacy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course,\u201d Mother Catherine responded with a warm smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood seeing you again, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 Your friends, Molly O\u2019Hanlan and Susannah O\u2019Brien, told me you\u2019ve not been well this past winter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was down with a cold over Christmas, but I\u2019m doing much better now,\u201d Stacy replied, deliberately omitting that her illness had worsened as the result of a mad ride into the cold and snow to search for her brother, Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 Just after the first of the year, her cold had gone into pneumonia.\u00a0\u00a0 She grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, Doctor Martin told me a couple of days ago I can go out for short rides on Blaze Face.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very glad to hear that you\u2019re doing so much better,\u201d the mother superior said, returning Stacy\u2019s smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Stacy said politely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMolly and Susannah told me that you\u2019re . . . leaving Virginia City?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 My sister, Louisa, is very ill . . . too ill now for her husband and daughter to care for her properly,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, her smile fading.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSince I am the only one in the family with nursing skills, it makes sense that I should go to her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to hear that, Mother Gibson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Stacy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs am I,\u201d Ben said, as he and Stacy seated themselves on the tall, straight back chairs facing Mother Catherine\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf there\u2019s anything we can do, please . . . don\u2019t hesitate to ask.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright, but apart from prayer, there\u2019s nothing much anyone can do.\u00a0\u00a0 Louisa\u2019s in God\u2019s hands now,\u201d Mother Catherine said quietly, \u201cand as Father Brendan observed yesterday afternoon, she\u2019s in the best place she CAN be.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . presume you\u2019ve come about the girl your men found along the road?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYesterday morning, I found a young baby, no MORE than a week old, left just outside our kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul . . . Doctor Martin . . . is of the opinion that your patient may be the baby\u2019s mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, may I speak frankly?\u201d the mother superior asked, casting a sidelong glance in Stacy\u2019s general direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, please . . . feel free,\u201d Ben replied, hoping the mother superior hadn\u2019t noticed the sarcastic rolling of Stacy\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur young mystery patient upstairs has INDEED given birth,\u201d she began, \u201cwithin the time frame corresponding to the age of the baby in YOUR custody.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne, the nurse in charge of the young woman\u2019s care, told me that from all indications, the birth was largely without complications.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Martin\u2019s examination confirmed this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank the Lord for that,\u201d Ben murmured softly, his voice filled with a mixture of gratitude and deep, profound relief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d Mother Catherine whole heartedly agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas the girl yet regained consciousness?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, though she sleeps a great deal,\u201d the mother superior replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSometimes, in her sleep, she cries out for a little one.\u00a0\u00a0 We assume this little one is her baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Stacy exchanged troubled glances.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere was a note with the baby left on our door step,\u201d the former said, reaching into the inside pocket of his vest.\u00a0\u00a0 He withdrew the folded slip of paper and handed it to the mother superior.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine accepted the proffered slip of paper, and carefully unfolded it.\u00a0\u00a0 She read over it once, then once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, it would appear that my mystery patient is, indeed, the mother of the baby presently in your care.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She carefully refolded the note and handed it back to Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very relieved to know for certain now that she didn\u2019t simply abandon the child somewhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas your patient told you her name?\u00a0\u00a0 Where she came from?\u201d Ben asked, as he took the note from Mother Catherine and returned it to his vest pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Mother Catherine shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe refuses to tell us.\u00a0\u00a0 When we press, she becomes very agitated, insisting she can\u2019t tell us . . . that her baby\u2019s safety depends on her silence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you asked her about her little one?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 The only thing she\u2019ll tell us is that he\u2019s safe, that no one can harm him where he is now.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She closed her eyes for a moment, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t blame her for not wanting to say where she came from, however.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Cartwright . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother Gibson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat . . . exactly . . . did Doctor Martin tell you about the young patient in our care?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shared with the mother superior everything that Paul Martin had told him the day before, when he had returned to tell them about the girl their own men had found lying by the side of the road.\u00a0\u00a0 This included the doctor\u2019s theory about the girl being a runaway, and the reasons that drew him to that conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy, upon hearing this for the first time, was visibly shaken by this revelation.\u00a0\u00a0 She quietly reached over and took hold of her father\u2019s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Young Woman,\u201d Ben murmured ruefully, as he gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe should have talked about this yesterday, after Doctor Martin left.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson,\u201d Ben said, returning his attention once again to the mother superior, \u201cif you\u2019ve been expecting us, as you say . . . then you must know why my daughter and I are here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin told us that you\u2019d probably want to do something to try and help this girl and her baby,\u201d Mother Catherine said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do . . . if she\u2019ll let me,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould it be possible for us to see her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll need to check with Sister Anne.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s the one largely responsible for the girl\u2019s care,\u201d the mother superior said, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 The Cartwrights followed suit.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019ll both follow me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I think I KNOW her,\u201d she whispered, stunned, shaken to the very core of her being.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-You do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy nodded. \u00a0\u00a0She and her father stood just beyond the threshold of the mystery patient\u2019s room.\u00a0\u00a0 The girl they had come to see was in the bed, lying on her back, propped up by three large downy pillows.\u00a0\u00a0 Her head was turned toward the door just enough to allow Stacy to see her face.\u00a0\u00a0 Mother Catherine and Sister Anne stood between the open door and their patient, conferring in low voices, darting occasional glances at the patient, who appeared to be sleeping, and the Cartwrights.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho is she?\u201d Ben asked, sotto voce.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara.\u00a0\u00a0 Cara Lindsey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara,\u201d Ben murmured very softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara . . . Cara Lin—!!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He abruptly broke off and looked over at Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTobias Lindsey\u2019s daughter?!\u201d he queried, taken completely by surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A decade ago, Tobias Lindsey was a bright young man, a lawyer, who had just won a stunning upset in the court room, clearing Mitch Devlin[iii]<\/a>, a close friend of Joe\u2019s, of a murder charge.\u00a0\u00a0 The evidence against Mitch, though largely circumstantial, was nonetheless very compelling and damning.\u00a0\u00a0 Tobias had worked diligently to unearth the truth, risking not only his reputation and future, but his life as well.\u00a0\u00a0 His diligence paid off very handsomely.\u00a0\u00a0 He not only succeeded in clearing his client of all charges, but found out who the real guilty party was in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hailed by the Territorial Enterprise<\/u> as a brilliant young lawyer with a very promising future, Ben\u2019s own lawyer, Lucas Milburn, offered Tobias Lindsey a junior partnership in his own law firm.\u00a0\u00a0 Tobias, desiring to link with Lucas\u2019 rock solid reputation and prestige, already well established, had eagerly accepted the offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three years later, Tobias Lindsey drowned that bright promising future at the bottom of a whiskey bottle, on the heels of his wife\u2019s sudden, tragic demise.\u00a0\u00a0 Their only child, Cara, had turned almost overnight from a bubbly, outgoing little girl to a child shy to the point of withdrawn.\u00a0\u00a0 A few months after Ben and his sons had brought Stacy home with them from Fort Charlotte, Tobias\u2019 mother, Matilda Lindsay, took her son and granddaughter to live with her in Carson City.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright . . . Stacy . . . you may see the girl now.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Mother Catherine.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne stood behind her with a sour look on her face and arms folded tightly across her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mother Gibson,\u201d Ben responded politely.\u00a0\u00a0 He gestured for Stacy to enter the room first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust a moment,\u201d Sister Anne said curtly, as she moved to block the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sister?\u201d Ben queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I\u2019m sure you and your daughter mean well,\u201d Sister Anne continued in a tone of voice ever so slightly condescending.\u00a0\u00a0 She focused her entire attention on Ben, ignoring Stacy as if she weren\u2019t there.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut . . . well, to be blunt, Sir, if the matter were left entirely to MY discretion, I would NOT allow you to visit the girl at this time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her words drew a sharp glance from the mother superior.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mother,\u201d Sister Anne said, defiant, yet very much on the defensive, \u201cbut I would be less than honest if I didn\u2019t say so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs there any reason why I should NOT allow Mister Cartwright and his daughter a short visit?\u201d Mother Catherine demanded, with hands firmly planted on her hips and left eyebrow slightly up raised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe patient is still VERY weak,\u201d Sister Anne replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a chore just to get her to take broth and water, as YOU well know.\u00a0\u00a0 Because she\u2019s still so weak, she sleeps a great deal.\u00a0\u00a0 More often than not, she falls asleep in the middle of prayer or conversation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last she said with a pointed glance in Ben\u2019s direction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s also depressed . . . distressingly so.\u00a0\u00a0 One wrong word . . . one wrong look, the child bursts into tears and weeps for . . . for hours, sometimes.\u00a0\u00a0 A couple of times, we\u2019ve had to sedate her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister, as a nurse, I\u2019m sure you know that . . . sometimes . . . though not always . . . a new mother will fall into a bout of depression,\u201d Ben said very quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMore often than not, it passes after a few weeks, but occasionally those bouts can be very severe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis girl seems to be growing WORSE,\u201d Sister Anne said bluntly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be ONE reason she\u2019s depressed is because she loves her baby, but feels she HAS to give him up,\u201d Stacy quietly observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/strong> think Stacy makes a valid point,\u201d Mother Catherine immediately interjected, upon taking due note of Sister Anne\u2019s sarcastic roll of the eyes heavenward.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister Anne . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother?\u201d she responded in a sullen, angry tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease bear in mind that Mister Cartwright and his family want to HELP this girl and her baby,\u201d the mother superior said in a very quiet, yet very firm tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019m sure Mister Cartwright and his family MEAN well—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister,\u201d Ben interjected, \u201cmy daughter and I are well aware that your patient is still very weak and that she tires easily.\u00a0\u00a0 I promise you that we\u2019ll keep our visit brief . . . and we\u2019ll do our best NOT to upset your patient.\u00a0\u00a0 I can see very clearly that you care about this girl a great deal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, of COURSE I do,\u201d Sister Anne said brusquely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI see this girl . . . and any other patient given to my care as a trust from my mother superior and from God as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the same token, that young lady placed her baby into OUR care,\u201d Ben continued to press his case.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe members of my family and I see that li\u2019l one as a trust also.\u00a0\u00a0 A trust given to us by his mother and by the God who watches over all of us, too.\u00a0\u00a0 The best way for my sons, my daughter, and I to honor that trust is to do what we can to help that baby AND his mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne silently mulled over Ben\u2019s words for a moment, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Mister Cartwright,\u201d she said, as she reluctantly stepped aside, \u201cyou and your daughter may see the girl.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne and I will be right here if you should have need of us,\u201d Mother Catherine said, her glance taking in father and daughter as she spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy entered the room a few steps ahead of her father.\u00a0\u00a0 As she approached the bed, Stacy saw the patient as she was a little more than five years ago, with a big, thick mane of chestnut brown hair, matted from having gone many days without benefit of brush or comb, framing a thin, pale face, with delicate elfin features and sharp chin.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy was eleven years old at the time, and Cara, twelve.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara?\u201d Stacy said the girl\u2019s name very softly, as she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

The girl gasped upon hearing her name spoken.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned from the wall, and she gazed up at Stacy through round, terror filled eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Stacy said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 She was dismayed to find the girl\u2019s entire body trembling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara, I\u2019m Stacy Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 You may not remember me very well, since you and your pa left Virginia City not long after I came . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Cara exhaled a soft sigh of relief, then closed her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 I DO remember you,\u201d she said sadly, \u201cI . . . I remember you very well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cR-Really?\u201d Stacy queried, taken aback by this revelation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember the very first day Mister Cartwright brought you to school as if . . . as if it were yesterday,\u201d Cara said wistfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI remember because M-Mister Cartwright looked at YOU that day the same way . . . the s-same way Mama used to look at ME before . . . before she—\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Cara abruptly broke off, unable to continue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy sat down carefully on the edge of the bed and took Cara into her arms and held her just as Pa did whenever she was troubled, upset, or frightened.\u00a0\u00a0 Cara tensed for a moment, then with a very soft sigh allowed her head to drop down onto Stacy\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery night . . . until Grandma came . . . I\u2019d go to bed, wishing on the first star I saw that I\u2019d wake up the next morning . . . and I\u2019d be YOU,\u201d Cara confessed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems kinda silly now, I s\u2019pose . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . really . . . wanted . . . to be ME?\u201d Stacy ventured, shocked by Cara\u2019s revelation.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou were loved,\u201d Cara said simply.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Cara?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . you never knew my mama . . . did you?\u201d Cara asked, as tears began to well up in her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe died before Pa, Hoss, and Joe brought me home from Fort Charlotte,\u201d she replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThings were so different when . . . when M-Mama . . . when SHE was alive,\u201d Cara said, her voice tremulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe . . . oh, Stacy, she was beautiful . . . so beautiful . . . and Papa loved her very much.\u00a0\u00a0 They were happy together.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A wistful smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, as tears began to slip down over her eyelids and flow down her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPapa used to smile all the time.\u00a0\u00a0 H-He . . . he had such a nice smile . . . and every morning?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d hear him sing while he . . . while he washed and shaved.\u00a0\u00a0 After M-Mama died . . . Papa . . . P-Papa stopped singing, and . . . and I never saw him smile again either.\u00a0\u00a0 Not like the way he . . . the way he d-did before Mama—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Cara,\u201d Stacy whispered, wincing against the sting of newly formed tears filling her own eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so sorry . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes . . . s-sometimes I wish that I<\/strong> h-had been the one who died that day,\u201d Cara continued, sobbing piteously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I know PAPA would\u2019ve been happier if . . . if h-he\u2019d had MAMA, instead of . . . instead of me, and they c-could\u2019ve always h-had another little girl, or . . . or m-maybe the BOY Papa always w-wanted . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara, no!\u201d Stacy protested, all of a sudden feeling as if she had just been dumped into the deepest part of Lake Tahoe, with a huge millstone tied to her feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was MY fault you know . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was your fault?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy mama dying the way she did.\u00a0\u00a0 It w-was . . . it was all . . . MY fault.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I . . . oh, Stacy,\u201d she sobbed, \u201cI killed her!\u00a0\u00a0 M-My own mama . . . and I KILLED her!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon hearing her father\u2019s quiet voice issuing from the other side of the bed, Stacy slowly exhaled a sigh of deep, profound relief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara, please?\u00a0\u00a0 I want you to look at me,\u201d Ben continued, laboring mightily to speak calmly in the face of the fury now swiftly rising within him . . . not toward the sad, wounded child-woman his daughter still held clasped within her arms, but toward the father who, in his own mind, had never bothered to set the girl straight with regard to the circumstances surrounding her mother\u2019s tragic, untimely death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara swallowed nervously, then clutching Stacy\u2019s hand tight in both of her own, forced herself to turn and meet Ben Cartwright\u2019s eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 Where she expected to see censure, disdain, and condemnation, she saw, much to her astonishment, kindness and compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I want you to listen very closely to what I have to say,\u201d Ben continued, as he pulled up a chair alongside Cara\u2019s hospital bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was in Virginia City that day . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

. . . the sound of a child\u2019s carefree laughter and the rhythmic beating of the patent leather soles of her high buttoned shoes echoed once again in his ears, invoking images one after the other after the other . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

. . . a young girl running up the board walk, fast as her legs could carry her, with her mother, growing more annoyed and exasperated with each passing moment, trailing behind, walking as briskly as decorum allowed . . . .<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPAPA!\u00a0\u00a0 LOOK, MAMA . . . IT\u2019S PAPA!\u00a0\u00a0 HI, PAPA!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHellfire \u2018n damnation!\u201d Roy Coffee groused.\u00a0\u00a0 There was a note of urgency mixed with his rising ire.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I told them Bonner boys once, I musta told \u2018em a thousand times . . . .\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

. . . directly across the street, just outside the law office of Ben\u2019s attorney, Lucas Milburn, a young man waved, just as Jeff and Rick Bonner[iv]<\/strong><\/a> came roaring around the corner on their horses, racing a loaded buckboard, driven by their neighbor, Mort McConnell.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThat tears it!\u00a0\u00a0 THIS time, I\u2019m gonna throw their sorry asses in jail for the next thirty—!!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy\u2019s words ended in a horrified gasp, when the running, laughing child, suddenly turned and darted out into the street right into the path of the Bonners\u2019 horses and Mort McConnell\u2019s buckboard.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cCARA!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The child\u2019s mother cried out in horror.\u00a0\u00a0 She lifted her skirts and without hesitation, ran after her exuberant young daughter, who still seemed blissfully ignorant of the imminent danger bearing down upon her.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>More images . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . Mort McConnell, his face white as a sheet, eyes round with horror, jaw set with fierce, grim determination, trying his hardest to bring the team drawing his buckboard to a stop . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . Jeff Bonner\u2019s horse rearing, toppling its rider to the dusty street, then plunging on, resuming its path toward the girl . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

. . . a mother pushing her child with all her might, with all the physical strength she could summon, the force of her own momentum toppling her down on her hands and knees before a street filled with onlookers, all of them paralyzed . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . a child half running, half flying, screaming with a mixture of outrage and astonishment, landing in an ungainly heap on the other side of the street, well out of harm\u2019s way . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . Mort\u2019s horses, frightened and startled by the child\u2019s scream, suddenly bolting, moving now at a fast gallop, as Mort labored valiantly in vain to bring the animals under control . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . a mother rising to her feet, amid a huge collective sigh of relief, then tripping on the hem of her long skirt before she had gone a half dozen steps.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>A thick cloud of dust rose from the street, stirred up by the horses, obscuring the mother as she once again pitched forward.\u00a0\u00a0 When the dust finally cleared . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I saw what happened,\u201d Ben said, his own face a few shades paler than was the norm.\u00a0\u00a0 He clasped his hands tightly in his lap to hide their trembling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was an accident, Cara,\u201d he implored, \u201can ACCIDENT.\u00a0\u00a0 What happened that day WASN\u2019T your fault.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara stared up into Ben\u2019s face for a moment through eyes round with astonishment and shocked horror.\u00a0\u00a0 Then, she began to wag her head slowly back and forth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNuh-nuh . . . n-no . . . n-no one\u2019s ever t-told me that . . . ever . . . .\u201d she murmured softly, \u201cn-no one.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With a strangled gasp, she buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly.<\/span><\/p>\n

A long string of colorful invectives passed through Sister Anne\u2019s mind, words she had often heard her own mother use as a matter of course, though she refrained from giving them utterance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was AFRAID of this,\u201d she muttered, as she moved toward the open door to Cara Lindsay\u2019s hospital room, with every intention of removing the Cartwrights, even if she ended up having to bodily eject father and daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWait, Sister Anne,\u201d Mother Gibson said very quietly, \u201cplease.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother,\u201d she growled through clenched teeth, knowing full well the mother superior\u2019s words, when spoken in that tone of voice, at that precise decibel, amounted to a strict order to be obeyed immediately, without explanation, discussion, or argument.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, meanwhile, took Cara into his arms and held her as she wept.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy, with tears streaming down her own cheeks reached out and gently placed her hands on the older girl\u2019s shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I WANT t-to . . . to believe you,\u201d Cara sobbed, \u201cI . . . I want more than . . . than j-just about ANYTHING to believe you . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou CAN believe me, Cara, because I w-was there,\u201d Ben reiterated, his voice shaking as much from anger as empathy with the troubled, grieving young woman he held in his arms.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI saw everything.\u00a0\u00a0 Yes, your mother saved your life . . . and lost her own doing it . . . but YOU didn\u2019t kill her . . . any more than my son, Adam, killed HIS mother because she died bringing him into this world.\u00a0\u00a0 What happened that day was an accident.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-You . . . you don\u2019t hate Adam because . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The eagerness and intense yearning Ben saw in her eyes and face broke his heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he said gently, \u201cAdam\u2019s all the more precious because he was the very last gift his mother, may God rest her soul, gave me.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s so much of her in Adam . . . he\u2019s got his mother\u2019s eyes . . . her smile . . . that dimple in his right cheek when he smiles . . . her love of books and learning . . . her wry sense of humor . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cN-No one\u2019s ever said this to me before,\u201d Cara murmured, awestruck, her voice barely audible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She lifted her head from Ben\u2019s chest, and turned toward Stacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother also died saving my life,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomewhere in Pa\u2019s Sacred Book it says the greatest act of love is when someone gives up their own life for someone ELSE.\u00a0\u00a0 Our mothers . . . yours and mine . . . must have loved us very much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cR-Really?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . remember Mama being . . . well, kinda mad at me that day,\u201d Cara said sadly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes mothers and fathers DO get angry and exasperated with their children,\u201d Ben quietly explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know I<\/strong> have . . . with all four of \u2018em at one time or another.\u00a0\u00a0 But I\u2019ve NEVER stopped loving them, and I KNOW your mother never stopped loving YOU.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara knew he meant every word by the earnestness she saw shining with an almost blinding intensity in those dark brown eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo one\u2019s ever said that to me . . . . \u201d she murmured softly, speaking more to herself than to either of her visitors, while shaking her head in bewildered wonderment of it all, \u201c. . . not since that day . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Fresh tears began to slip down over her eyelids and fall down her cheeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara,\u201d Stacy said, as she took hold of the older girl\u2019s hand, \u201cPa and I want you to know your little one\u2019s safe and doing very well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Cara murmured, looking away, her cheeks flushed scarlet, \u201cI . . . oh, Stacy . . . M-Mister Cartwright, I hope you . . . that you don\u2019t think me bad f-for . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes dropped to her hands resting in her lap.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Cara, none of us . . . Stacy, her brothers, Hop Sing, or me . . . haven\u2019t for one minute thought of you as being bad or having done something bad,\u201d Ben hastened to reassure the distraught girl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen I look at you, I see a mother who loves her baby so much, she was willing to give him up to someone she knows is able to give him all of the things she feels she can\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI g-gave him life . . . I b-brought him into this w-world,\u201d Cara sobbed softly, \u201cbut I . . . I can\u2019t give him anything ELSE . . . except love.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I c-couldn\u2019t even give him a proper name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara . . . if you\u2019ll let us . . . we want to help you,\u201d Stacy said, \u201cBOTH of you!\u00a0\u00a0 When you\u2019re better, you can come back with Pa and me to the Ponderosa—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Cara whimpered, as the blood drained right out of her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDear God, no!\u00a0\u00a0 I wish I could . . . with all m-my heart I wish I COULD, but I CAN\u2019T.\u00a0\u00a0 After I\u2019m better, I have go away . . . FAR away.\u00a0\u00a0 My baby\u2019s life DEPENDS on it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be all right,\u201d Stacy insisted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re in danger, my pa, my brothers, and I can and will protect you and the baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t, Stacy, I can\u2019t!\u00a0\u00a0 If . . . if HE finds us together—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf . . . WHO finds you together?\u201d Ben asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara, are you speaking about the father of your baby?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Gabe—!!!\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019d never—!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s MY father, Mister Cartwright!\u201d she replied, her entire body trembling with fear.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf he finds me, he\u2019ll take my little one away from me and . . . and SELL<\/strong> him like . . . like YOU might sell a horse at an auction!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She buried her face in her hands once again and wept.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT DOES IT!\u201d Sister Anne roared.\u00a0\u00a0 She charged into the room like a troop of cavalry men before Mother Catherine could even think of stopping her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOUT!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She took hold of Stacy by the forearm and yanked the girl off the bed, eliciting a cry of pain and outrage.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYOU, TOO, MISTER CARTWRIGHT!\u00a0\u00a0 GET OUT!\u00a0\u00a0 NOW!\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy angrily wrenched her arm free and stood, with hands clenched into a pair of rock hard fists, ready to stand her ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy . . . easy!\u201d Ben ordered in a very quiet, yet very firm tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy very slowly, one finger at a time, relaxed her hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara, we\u2019ll come back again,\u201d she said, casting a defiant glare in Sister Anne\u2019s direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot if I<\/strong> have anything to say about it,\u201d Sister Anne angrily vowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cMother Gibson, I honestly don\u2019t know WHAT to say,\u201d Ben said, nonplussed, as he, Stacy, and the mother superior entered her office together.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt certainly WASN\u2019T our intention to upset her as we did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright . . . Stacy . . . first of all, I think you both need to understand that Sister Anne comes from a very troubled background,\u201d Mother Catherine said quietly as she pulled out the chair from under her desk.\u00a0\u00a0 She also invited the Cartwrights to sit with a gesture.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t go into specific detail, nor WOULD I if I were allowed; but I feel I owe it to both of you to tell you that much so that you can perhaps try and understand . . . at least a little . . . where she\u2019s coming from.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine dropped heavily into her chair and began to slowly massage the bridge of her nose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The mother superior fell silent for a moment, searching for the right word.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProtective,\u201d she murmured a moment later.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister Anne is protective of the patients entrusted to her care . . . fiercely so . . . especially of mothers and their newborns.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Ben said slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister Anne must feel especially protective of Miss Lindsay, knowing full well the abuse that poor young woman has suffered.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . AND what\u2019s generally known about the girl\u2019s father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not quite sure what you mean, Mother Gibson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I rarely venture into town,\u201d Mother Catherine explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut in the weeks and months following the death of that poor child\u2019s mother, I heard from parishioners and from their children very disturbing things about Mister Lindsay and his daughter.\u00a0\u00a0 I discounted most of what was said in the beginning because I knew I was hearing things second . . . probably third and fourth hand.\u00a0\u00a0 But, as time passed, the stories not only continued, but had a certain continuity about them that I couldn\u2019t entirely dismiss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . don\u2019t mean to be disrespectful or anything like that, but . . . if you and other people knew the terrible stories about Cara and her father were true, how come no one stepped in to help them . . . or at least help HER?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI heard that people offered . . . your father and brothers among them,\u201d the mother superior replied, taking no offense at the question Stacy had asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe . . . Cara\u2019s father . . . refused any and all offers of help.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBack then, I could say that I knew Mister Lindsay if I saw him, but that\u2019s about it.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . understand he had a great deal of pride about him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he did,\u201d Ben confirmed with a curt nod of his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid Mister Lindsay have the same kind of pride my mother, Miss Paris, had?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben very reluctantly nodded his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t anyone try to help Cara?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Cara was, and still is under the age of majority,\u201d Ben patiently explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat means her father, for good or ill, has custody over her.\u00a0\u00a0 Though a lot of us WANTED very much to do something to help Cara, without her father\u2019s permission, our hands were tied by law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and THAT, Mister Cartwright, now puts your family and my order between a proverbial rock and a hard place,\u201d the mother superior said grimly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Stacy demanded, all of a sudden feeling very much afraid.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Cara Lindsay is still a minor, your father and I both are required by law to notify her father as to HER whereabouts and the whereabouts of her baby,\u201d Mother Catherine ruefully explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Stacy cried out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa . . . Mother Gibson, you can\u2019t!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, please believe me . . . sending that poor child and her baby back to her father is the very last thing in the world I<\/strong> want to do,\u201d Mother Catherine declared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis business of him wanting to sell her baby . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She shook her head in grim wonder and bewilderment, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind whatsoever that Miss Lindsay believes it to be true, but I . . . to be frank, I just plain and simply can\u2019t even begin to fathom such a thing.\u00a0\u00a0 However, I DID see the scars on her back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf her father\u2019s the one who put them there, couldn\u2019t Cara press assault and battery charges against him?\u201d Stacy ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sadly shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Stacy . . . I\u2019m afraid she can\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?!\u201d Stacy demanded, appalled and outraged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs Cara\u2019s custodial parent, Mister Lindsay\u2019s required by law to provide for his daughter as best he\u2019s able, until she reaches the age of majority,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPart of that provision includes meting out discipline.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately the letter of the law makes little or no distinction between what defines discipline and what defines cruelty,\u201d Mother Catherine added with a dark, angry scowl.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou two mean to tell me that the law can\u2019t protect Cara?!\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ben replied, with a heavy heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe law can\u2019t protect her from a cruel, abusive father until she reaches the age of majority.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . AND, according to the letter of the law, Miss Lindsay\u2019s father has legal custody over her baby as well,\u201d Mother Catherine added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u201d Stacy groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa . . . that\u2019s not FAIR!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Young Woman . . . it\u2019s NOT fair,\u201d Ben heartily agreed.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cMother Gibson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA favor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I can,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, as she mentally braced herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true that the letter of the law obligates us to inform Mister Lindsay as to the whereabouts of his daughter and infant grandson,\u201d Ben said, \u201cbut are YOU aware of any law or provision that says anything . . . anything at all . . . about WHEN you and I hafta let Mister Lindsay know where his daughter and grandson are?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be up front and honest, Mister Cartwright, I . . . don\u2019t know,\u201d the mother superior replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think it would be wise to stretch things out indefinitely, however . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no intention of stretching things out for an indefinite length of time,\u201d Ben hastened to assure the mother superior.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTwo weeks, Mother Gibson.\u00a0\u00a0 Just give me two weeks to find out whether or not there\u2019s substance to Miss Lindsay\u2019s allegations, and find proof that will stand up in court if there IS.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine mulled the matter over silently for a moment, then slowly nodded her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 You have two weeks.\u00a0\u00a0 If Sister Anne or any of the others responsible for Miss Lindsay\u2019s care are able to get any more information from her, I\u2019ll see that it\u2019s passed on to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mother Gibson,\u201d Ben said as he and Stacy rose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t ask what you intend to do.\u00a0\u00a0 To be honest, I\u2019m half way AFRAID to ask,\u201d Mother Catherine said with a touch of wryness, \u201cbut I\u2019ll keep you in my prayers as you do . . . whatever it is you\u2019re planning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u00a0\u00a0 I would appreciate that very much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Stacy queried, as she and Ben climbed into their buggy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have some kinda plan in mind to find out whether or not everything Cara said about her pa really IS true?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUmm hmmm,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell ME?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I can count on you to be discreet, Young Woman,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFirst thing I\u2019m going to do is head straight for the Western Union office and send a wire to your brother, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can Adam help us, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope Adam can tell us how to get in touch with a real good friend of his, who just so happens to be a Pinkerton man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm hmmm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe any good?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the best, or so Adam tells me,\u201d Ben replied . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister.\u00a0\u00a0 Cartwright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam set his pencil aside and looked up from the drawings of a house he was designing for a client who would soon be settling in the Sacramento area.\u00a0\u00a0 Ebenezer McCrumby, secretary and bookkeeper for the architectural firm of Cartwright and Ames, stood just outside the door of his private office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister McCrumby?\u201d Adam queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ebenezer pulled himself stiffly erect.\u00a0\u00a0 He was a thin, wiry man, standing all of five feet five and seven eighths inches tall.\u00a0\u00a0 He was neatly attired in what Adam\u2019s partner, Eli Ames, referred to as his uniform of choice:\u00a0 a black suit, with pants, almost painfully creased, jacket, and vest, white shirt, black string tie, and shoes, polished to a high glossy shine.\u00a0\u00a0 No matter what the weather, he never removed his jacket, unbuttoned his vest, loosened his tie, or, heaven forbid, rolled up the shirt sleeves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, there\u2019s a man without,\u201d Ebenezer reported in a tone of voice a child\u2019s nanny might use to scold her charge of wrong doing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe CLAIMS he\u2019s a friend of yours, but doesn\u2019t have an appointment—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 Adam Cartwright, y\u2019 old sea dog!\u00a0\u00a0 Long time no see!\u201d a man roughly the same age as Adam pushed his way past the flummoxed secretary and sauntered into Adam\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll be . . . Jack Cranston, you sly ol\u2019 son uva sea cook!\u201d Adam rose and greeted the man with a broad grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister McCrumby, it\u2019s quite all right.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Cranston IS an old friend of mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf YOU say so, Sir,\u201d Ebenezer sniffed with haughty disdain, as his eyes slowly, reluctantly took in the big man, standing nearly a whole head taller than his employer, with huge barrel chest, a thick, unruly mop of dark brown hair and full beard, both liberally mixed with strands of silver.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan I get you anything?\u201d Adam offered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA cup of coffee, perhaps?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you, Adam,\u201d Jack replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, you may go back to your own work, Mister McCrumby,\u201d Adam politely dismissed his secretary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ebenezer immediately turned heel and left the room, moving as fast as propriety and decorum allowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo.\u00a0\u00a0 What brings you to Sacramento, Jack?\u201d Adam asked, as he gestured for the man to sit down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBusiness . . . pleasure . . . or both?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBusiness, Adam,\u201d Jack said as he pulled up a chair alongside Adam\u2019s drawing table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy firm\u2019s been hired by a couple out in San Francisco to investigate an attorney living in Carson City,\u201d he explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019VE drawn the assignment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and what does a Carson City lawyer have to do with ME?\u201d Adam queried, as he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe lawyer\u2019s name is Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 Tobias Lindsay,\u201d Jack explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou know him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, in that Tobias and I went to school together and you could say I had a nodding acquaintance with the man until I left Virginia City and the Ponderosa,\u201d Adam replied, \u201cbut I can\u2019t say he and I were ever friends.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven though you went to school together?\u201d Jack pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTobias was two, almost three years older than me,\u201d Adam explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat small number wouldn\u2019t make much difference now, I suppose, but when we were both school boys, it was a deep abyss almost impossible to cross.\u00a0\u00a0 Furthermore, the lives we led at the time, he was living in town with his family and me out on the Ponderosa, couldn\u2019t have been more different.\u00a0\u00a0 Jack . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell me what this is about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t give you my clients\u2019 names, of course, but the reason they\u2019ve hired the Pinkerton Agency, and by extension me, to investigate Mister Lindsay is three years ago, they purchased goods from Mister Lindsay that they believed to be of the highest quality,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTHEIR words, Adam, not mine.\u00a0\u00a0 What they actually received was . . . well, let\u2019s just say what they got was \u2018way less than perfect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam heard the wry, sarcastic note in Jack\u2019s voice loud and clear.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat kind of goods did Tobias sell the couple who\u2019ve hired you?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay\u2019s a baby broker, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . a . . . what?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA baby broker.\u00a0\u00a0 A lawyer who buys babies and sells them to wealthy families,\u201d Jack explained, \u201csame as black men, women, and children were bought and sold as slaves not so terribly long ago.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re sure about this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs sure as I can be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 He wasn\u2018t sure which he found most disturbing:\u00a0 the charge itself or rock firm conviction he heard in the voice of one John Oglethorpe Cranston when he\u2019d leveled so heinous an accusation against an acquaintance from his distant past.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s a pretty serious charge,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have any kind of proof to back that up?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack ruefully shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNone that would hold up in court, I\u2018m afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen what makes you so sure—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . that Tobias Lindsay\u2019s in the business of what amounts to peddling flesh?\u201d Jack queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, all I have to go on is a real strong gut instinct,\u201d Jack said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs I just said, that won\u2019t stand up as evidence in a court of law, but it\u2019s never let me down, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Never!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“How hard can it be to find proof that\u2019ll hold up in court?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a very fine line between a legitimate private adoption handled by a lawyer and what amounts to selling babies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre the babies in question orphans?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you ever hear about a case in Baltimore involving a nun, whose vocation name was Sister Augustine?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say that I have,\u201d Adam replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis happened . . . I think it would\u2019ve been around the time you were getting yourself ready to go east to Harvard,\u201d Jack replied, then grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI would\u2019ve just finished my first year at Yale.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what about this Sister Augustine?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time she was a novice with a nursing order based in Baltimore called the Little Sisters of Mercy and Compassion,\u201d Jack began.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSame order that runs Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital in Virginia City,\u201d Adam said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe very same.\u00a0\u00a0 To make a very long, very sordid story short, Sister Augustine along with Sister Catherine, another novice, and a gorgon of a woman, by all accounts, whose vocation name was ironically Sister Mercy, headed up an institution called Our Lady of Charity Maternity Hospital.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAm I correct in assuming that the patients who entered this hospital were unmarried girls who found themselves in the family way?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot entirely,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIts intention was to provide a place where poor women, married or not, could go to get proper care during the time they were with child and when the time came for them to give birth.\u00a0\u00a0 They would also give families, who wished it, assistance in putting their babies up for adoption.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s thoughts drifted back to the terrible dark days immediately following Marie\u2019s death and burial, and the cruel pressure \u201cwell meaning\u201d friends and neighbors at that time brought to bear on his grief-stricken father to allow them to adopt his youngest brother, Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s young,\u201d they insisted, particularly the wives.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe needs a MOTHER\u2019S love and care . . . .\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re . . . thinking about that time, aren\u2019t you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Though posed as a question, Jack\u2019s words were a statement of fact.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know by that look on your face.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa almost relented,\u201d Adam said in a tight, angry voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost is as good as a mile in my book, Adam,\u201d Jack quietly pointed out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank God he didn\u2019t for Joe\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmen to that,\u201d Adam replied, his voice barely audible.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa\u2019s proved himself over the years to be not only a good father, but a good mother as well.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe thrived growing up on the Ponderosa with Pa, Hoss, Hop Sing, and me . . . and in MY opinion, he\u2019s turned out a far better man than he would have had he been raised by any one of those people who were so bound and determined to take him off Pa\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery few men, my own father among them, have the kind of strength your father does,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor many facing calamity . . . death of the mother in childbirth, perhaps, and the burden of yet another mouth to feed . . . couple with that family and friends pressuring them same as they did your father, it\u2019s a lot easier to give in and tell yourself later that it was best for the child.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem to speak as a man who knows,\u201d Adam observed with a puzzled frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I AM a man who knows,\u201d Jack candidly admitted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was young, barely nineteen years old, and my wife had just died giving birth to our son.\u00a0\u00a0 She had no family to speak of . . . my father, may God rest his soul, was sick and dying at the time.\u00a0\u00a0 As for my mother . . . all of HER energy was spent in caring for my father.\u00a0\u00a0 My older brother wanted to take him and raise him, but his wife was adamantly against it.\u00a0\u00a0 With no money and few prospects, I . . . well, at the time I felt I had no choice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Jack.\u00a0\u00a0 I had no idea,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a long time ago,\u201d Jack said, suddenly brusque, \u201cand though I don\u2019t know who adopted my son, I\u2019ve heard from sources I trust that the couple who took him in were very good, kind, and loving people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank the good Lord for that,\u201d Adam murmured with heartfelt gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt any rate, getting back to Sister Augustine and the Our Lady of Charity Maternity Hospital,\u201d Jack continued, \u201ccomplaints were made against them by several women who claimed they had signed papers consenting to allow their infants to go up for adoption while still woozy from sedatives given during or right after childbirth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid anything come of those complaints?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, miracle of miracles,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThanks to testimony given by Sister Catherine—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was the other novice nun working with Sisters Augustine and Mercy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 Thanks to her testimony, the prosecuting attorney and the police found evidence supporting not only the cruelty alleged by Sister Catherine, but of coercing mothers to give up their children for adoption, and kidnapping local children as well,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe hospital was forced to shut down, Sisters Mercy and Augustine were sentenced to fifteen years in prison, and I believed they were excommunicated from the church as well.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Mercy died in prison not long after.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Augustine escaped from prison a couple of years after she was incarcerated.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s not been seen or heard from since.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m almost afraid to ask this, but . . . what, exactly, happened to your clients\u2019 baby?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe died of syphilis less than a year after they \u2018adopted\u2018 her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam let out a long, slow whistle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTobias sold your clients a baby born to, well, to put this politely, a woman who makes her living selling her charms?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt would appear so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that risky?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely, for obvious reasons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJack . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI received a wire from my father earlier this afternoon that I think may interest you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam removed the envelope from his drawing table and handed it to Jack.<\/span><\/p>\n

The message read:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBenjamin Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Virginia City, Nevada<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sacramento, California<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam,<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you tell me how to get in touch with Jack Cranston.\u00a0\u00a0 Matter urgent.\u00a0\u00a0 Need to make inquiries about Tobias Lindsay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say this is one hell of an interesting coincidence . . . IF I were a believer in coincidence,\u201d Jack said as he refolded the slip of paper and placed it back into the envelope.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Jack?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo YOU have any idea as to why your father wants me to investigate this Tobias Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Fraid not, Jack,\u201d Adam replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . can\u2019t give your father my clients\u2019 names,\u201d Jack said slowly, \u201cbut since he\u2019s ALSO interested in this Tobias Lindsay, I see no reason why I can\u2019t share with him the same information I share with them, as long as their anonymity isn\u2019t compromised.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u00a0\u00a0 My father, I\u2019m sure, will appreciate that very much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack rose from his seat and stretched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019d tell me how to get to the telegraph office, I\u2019ll send your father a wire, letting him know I\u2019m willing and able to take the case.\u00a0\u00a0 After I take care of THAT little chore, you, uhhh . . . mind if I invite myself to your home for dinner?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The ingratiating smile and great big sad puppy dog eyes immediately put Adam in mind of his youngest brother, Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chuckled softly for a moment, then turned serious.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re certainly more than welcome to come for dinner, Jack . . . IF you can stomach MY cooking and you feel up to fielding questions from a couple of inquisitive kids,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Cortez left this morning for Placerville to care for an aunt who fell ill suddenly and my wife will be staying the night with her brother and sister-in-law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa\u2019s sister-in-law had a baby a couple of days ago. He died a few minutes after he was born.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very sorry to hear that, Adam,\u201d Jack said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf my coming for supper\u2019s going to be too much of an imposition—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d Adam hastened to reassure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell THAT being the case, YOUR cooking sure can\u2019t be any worse than the swill that swabbie used to serve up when we were mates aboard the ol\u2019 Maggie Mae Brunner back in our seafaring days,\u201d he chuckled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLead on, MacDuff!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Irma Fielding barely heard the grandfather\u2019s clock downstairs in the great room strike the hour of three o\u2019clock . . . in the morning.\u00a0\u00a0 She had spent what seemed like the last eternity and a half, walking up and down, back and forth, from one end of her room to the other . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . ad nauseum,\u201d<\/em> she silently, wryly mused . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

. . . with her baby daughter, Cicely Amelia, Cissy for short, cradled in her arms, her face beet red from screaming.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, Lord . . . please, please, please, please . . . .\u201d<\/em> she silently, desperately prayed, \u201c. . . ooohhh please!\u00a0\u00a0 Grant the members of the Cartwright Family the blessed miracle of sleep in the midst of all this terrible racket at this unholy hour of the morning.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Irma Fielding\u2019s heart and spirits sank when she heard the soft, yet insistent knocking on the fast closed door of her room.\u00a0\u00a0 She swallowed nervously, then with fatalistic aplomb, walked over and opened the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cartwright clan patriarch stood just on the other side of the threshold, clad in robe, nightshirt, and slippers, staring at her through eyes half closed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mister Cartwright!\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . oh dear, I\u2019m so sorry . . . so very sorry,\u201d Irma immediately stammered out an apology.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . \u2018s aw\u2019ride,\u201d Ben half yawned, half groaned, \u201c. . . bou\u2019 duh colic?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mister Cartwright, it\u2019s NOT colic.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s teething,\u201d Irma replied with helpless resignation, raising her voice in order to be heard above the wailing of the baby lying in her arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe . . . whad ya say?\u201d Ben asked, wincing against Cissy\u2019s agonized cries, now rising steadily in volume.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s TEETHING, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Irma repeated.\u00a0\u00a0 Two irregular spots of scarlet blossomed upon her pale cheeks and began to spread.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry she woke you . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTee\u2019din\u2019??!\u201d Ben queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 Teething.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 wan\u2019 me t\u2019 ask Hop Sing t\u2019—??!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, no, no please, Mister Cartwright!\u00a0\u00a0 DON\u2019T wake up Hop Sing!\u201d Irma begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll quiet soon . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually.<\/span><\/p>\n

How eventually, she had no idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 sure y\u2019 don\u2019 wan\u2019 me t\u2019—??\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mister Cartwright, please don\u2019t trouble Hop Sing.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll have Cissy quiet soon . . . very soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 need anything . . . lemme know,\u201d Ben said, punctuating his words with a big yawn.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . uhhh . . . s\u2019cuse me . . . I . . . gonna g\u2019won downstairs.\u00a0\u00a0 G\u2019 nide, Miz Fieldin\u2019 . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . sorry,\u201d Irma meekly called after him, as he turned and started toward the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Ben was surprised to find his three younger children and Hop Sing clustered together by the fireplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, uhhh . . . Pa!\u201d Joe half snorted, half yawned upon catching sight of his father.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat on the coffee table, cradling the baby boy the family had come to affectionately refer to as Li\u2019l One in his arms, clad in a pair of red and white striped pajama bottoms, robe securely belted and a pair of slippers.\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately straightened his posture and yawned again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cG\u2019 mornin\u2019, Pa . . . .\u201d he groaned softly, grimacing as if in agony.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sharp, piercing whistle of a tea kettle on the stove out in the kitchen quickly roused a dozing Hop Sing from his lethargy.\u00a0\u00a0 He scrambled to his feet from his place on the settee, nearly losing his balance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGo now . . . in kitchen . . . Hop Sing make tea for crying baby . . . not care if baby mama like it or not,\u201d he muttered under his breath, as he stumbled out from around the settee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and how long\u2019ve the lotta ya been down here?\u201d Ben demanded as he collapsed heavily into \u00a0the big red chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh dunno, Pa,\u201d Hoss groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 He half sat, half slouched in the blue chair, clad in his green and white gingham nightshirt and a pair of slippers, with head resting against the back of the chair, and eyes closed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFeels like all night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing passed through a few moments later, muttering a long string of unintelligible words under his breath, with a teaspoon in one hand and a mug of . . . something . . . in the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s OUR Li\u2019l One doin\u2019, Gran\u2019pa?\u201d Stacy asked with a big yawn.\u00a0\u00a0 She sat curled up on the settee, wearing a warm pair of pajamas and robe, with her feet tucked up under her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno HOW, but he\u2019s fas\u2019 asleep,\u201d Joe murmured softly, his face and manner softening as he gazed down into the face of the sleeping infant he held in his arms.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSay, uhhh . . . Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . unnngh?\u201d Ben grunted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long izzat kid upstairs gonna be cuttin\u2019 teeth?\u201d Joe asked, as he turned and gazed at the steps and the environs above with an annoyed frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019 remember,\u201d Ben groaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 really don\u2019 remember . . . or y\u2019 don\u2019 WANNA remember?\u201d Hoss moaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uh ohhhh,\u201d Stacy gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou guys hear THAT?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHear WHAT, Kiddo?\u201d Joe demanded, tired, sleepy, and irritable.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019 hear a . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His voice trailed off into the near deafening silence that had all of a sudden descended upon the entire household.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWha\u2019 happened?!\u201d Hoss snorted, as he wearily straightened his posture and gazed around the room in complete bewilderment.<\/span><\/p>\n

A moment later, Hop Sing appeared at the top of the stairs with a smug, triumphant grin on his face, humming softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Hop Sing,\u201d Hoss quietly called out to the Chinese man as he passed by, \u201cyou have anything t\u2019 do with why it\u2019s so quiet all uva sudden?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing make special tea,\u201d he explained, \u201cChinese mama give to baby cutting teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 Help make pain go \u2018way, help baby sleep.\u00a0\u00a0 Help MAMA sleep, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hop Sing,\u201d Joe said with deep, profound, heartfelt gratitude.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon, Li\u2019l One, wha\u2019 say we g\u2019won back t\u2019 bed \u2018n salvage wha\u2019 we can uva good night\u2019s sleep?\u201d he cooed to the tiny bundle still sleeping soundly in his arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?\u201d Ben queried, noting that his daughter hadn\u2019t stirred from her place on the settee.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou coming?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn a little while, Pa,\u201d she murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d best be goin\u2019 up,\u201d Hoss grunted as he hauled himself out of the blue chair to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI gotta lot o\u2019 work t\u2019 get done t\u2019morrow, so I\u2019d best get what rest I can.\u00a0\u00a0 G\u2019 night, Pa . . . Joe . . . Hop Sing . . . \u2018n don\u2019t you be stayin\u2019 up too long, Li\u2019l Sister, y\u2019 hear me?\u00a0\u00a0 You need your rest, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou listen to what Biggest Brother say, Miss Stacy,\u201d Hop Sing added his own two cents worth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAlmost well, but not all the way well.\u00a0\u00a0 STILL need plenty lotsa rest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t stay up too long,\u201d Stacy dolefully promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cG\u2019 night, Hoss . . . Gran\u2019pa . . . \u2018n Hop Sing . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou boys g\u2019won up,\u201d Ben exhorted his sons after bidding Hop Sing good night.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be along in a few minutes.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 After the rest of the family had trudged back to their respective beds, Ben sat down on the settee next to his daughter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEverything all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . .\u201d Stacy sighed very softly and shook her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou feel like talking about it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow\u2019s as good a time as any,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t help but notice you were awfully quiet on our way home from Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital this afternoon . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Cara, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m worried about her,\u201d Stacy freely confessed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI really AM very sorry I didn\u2019t talk with ya about the evidence of cruelty Doctor Martin and Mother Gibson found on her back and leg before we went to see her,\u201d Ben said ruefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was shocked when I heard about it, but . . . that\u2019s not what\u2019s bothering me,\u201d Stacy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat IS bothering you?\u201d Ben prodded gently.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI keep thinking if I<\/strong> were in Cara\u2019s place . . . having a baby without being married?\u00a0\u00a0 You might not be real happy about that . . . you might even be mad at first, but you\u2019d still LOVE me . . . and the baby, too,\u201d Stacy responded, her voice barely audible, \u201cand I know YOU\u2019D be there for us.\u00a0\u00a0 It can\u2019t be an easy thing for a woman or a girl the same age as Cara and me to go through something like that, but knowing you have someone in your corner, who loves you and cares about you can make a terrible circumstance halfway bearable.\u00a0\u00a0 Cara doesn\u2019t have anyone in her corner, Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the sound of things, she doesn\u2019t have HER father in her corner,\u201d Ben said sadly, \u201cand I hafta admit that bothers me, too . . . a lot . . . because Cara needs her father now more than she ever has in her whole life.\u00a0\u00a0 But, she DOES have someone in her corner . . . at least TWO someones in fact . . . who care about her and the Li\u2019l One very much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho, Pa?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou and me,\u201d Ben replied with a weary smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . .\u201d Stacy said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe DOES have the two of us . . . AND she\u2019s got Hoss, Joe, and Hop Sing, too.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed she does,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . hope we can stay in their corner, Pa,\u201d Stacy said, remembering the disturbing conversation between her father and the mother superior after their visit with Cara.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to do everything in my power to make it so, Young Woman,\u201d Ben promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A bare hint of a smile tweaked the corner of her mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know, Pa,\u201d she said with a mock long suffering sigh, \u201cDoctor Martin\u2019s not yet given me an official clean bill of health, and until he does . . . I still need my rest.\u00a0\u00a0 Right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s EXACTLY right,\u201d Ben said firmly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m STILL not sleepy,\u201d Stacy said as she and her father rose from the settee to their feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right if I read for a little while?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a better idea,\u201d Ben said as they walked across the room toward the stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow about you getting yourself under the covers, laying your head down on the pillow, and just closing your eyes?\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s always worked well for your brothers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Pa,\u201d she said dubiously, \u201cI\u2019ll give it a try . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Hoss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss glanced up sharply from his place near the water trough, then grinned upon seeing Sheriff Coffee enter the yard on his horse, Tin Star.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cG\u2019 morning, Roy,\u201d he affably returned the greeting, as he straightened and shook the excess water from his hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re just settin\u2019 down t\u2019 breakfast, if \u2019n you\u2019re of a mind t\u2019 join us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid this ain\u2019t a social call,\u201d Roy said as he climbed down from his horse\u2019s back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour pa around?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s probably inside at the table,\u201d Hoss replied, while blotting his wet hands against his shirt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy silently fell in step alongside Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey . . . Pa?\u201d Hoss called out as he and the sheriff entered through the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy Coffee\u2019s here—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, Roy,\u201d Ben invited, rising from his place at the head of the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Hop Sing cried, indignant and outraged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou invite guest come, eat breakfast, and NOT tell Hop Sing?!\u00a0\u00a0 No good! \u00a0\u00a0Hop Sing quit!\u00a0\u00a0 Go back to—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy held up both hands, as if to ward off physical blows.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018S ok, Hop Sing,\u201d he begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo need t\u2019 git yourself worked up into a lather . . . I ain\u2019t stayin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmpf!\u00a0\u00a0 Wha\u2019sa matter?\u00a0\u00a0 You not like Hop Sing cooking??!\u201d the Chinese member of the Cartwright family sniffed with angry disdain, then turned heel and stomped back toward the kitchen muttering a long string of colorful invectives in his native tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Ben . . . didn\u2019t MEAN t\u2019 set him off,\u201d Roy immediately apologized.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Roy,\u201d Ben sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s nothing personal . . . he\u2019s just a mite out of sorts this morning due to lack of sleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat baby y\u2019 folks found on your doorstep keepin\u2019 the lotta ya up?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Stacy sighed, trying her best to stifle the yawn that suddenly threatened to manifest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s . . . .\u201d she cast a quick, furtive glance over her shoulder toward the stairs, then lowered her voice, \u201cit\u2019s Mrs. Fielding\u2019s baby,\u201d she sighed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA li\u2019l fussy, eh?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOhhh brother,\u201d Stacy groaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for ya, Roy?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI got a wire from Sheriff Dudley this mornin\u2019 . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe the sheriff over in Carson City?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy nodded his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems a young lady from there\u2019s gone missin\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Roy?\u201d Ben ventured warily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe young lady was . . . she was expectin\u2019,\u201d Roy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAccordin\u2019 to that wire from Amos . . . Sheriff Dudley . . . she was due t\u2019 give birth any day when she disappeared.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Ben queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou folks got any idea . . . any idea at all as t\u2019 who left that baby at your back door?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . mind if we talk privately?\u201d Ben queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOutside?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Ben.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Hop Sing brings the food to the table, you three dig in,\u201d Ben instructed his three younger offspring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a few minutes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Roy walked across the yard to the corral next to the barn and took up position beside the fence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis missing young lady Sheriff Dudley wired you about . . . she have a name?\u201d Ben asked, hoping against hope the wire from Carson City was about another young, expectant mother, who had gone missing.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew deep down that such was highly unlikely, but there was always an outside chance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy\u2019s answer shattered that slim, desperate hope into a thousand million pieces:\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you remember the Lindsays, Ben . . . Tobias . . . Eleanora . . . \u2018n Cara?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d Ben replied with sinking heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy silently studied his old friend for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou SURE you ain\u2019t got any idea as t\u2019 who left that baby on your door step?!\u201d he finally ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone HAS been sleeping in our barn the last few nights,\u201d Ben hedged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s possible whoever it was MIGHT have left the baby at our back door, but . . . .\u201d\u00a0 he shrugged, \u201cI can\u2019t tell ya that for absolute certain.\u00a0\u00a0 I never even saw who our mystery guest was.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny possibility someone else did?\u201d Roy asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour sons, daughter, or Hop Sing, p\u2019rhaps?\u00a0\u00a0 One of the men who works for ya?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnything\u2019s possible, of course,\u201d Ben reluctantly allowed, \u201cbut if they had, they would have told me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . \u2018n you never saw fit t\u2019 report it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The sheriff\u2019s words sounded more like an accusation than an inquiry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, no one was hurt or threatened in any way . . . nothing was stolen or vandalized . . . I just figured it was some poor fella, down on his luck, looking for a place to get in out of the cold,\u201d Ben explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI freely admit that given my druthers, I\u2019d rather our star boarder had come to me first before taking up residence in one of our empty horse stalls.\u00a0\u00a0 I would have offered him food at the very least, and work, if he was of a mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut seein\u2019 as t\u2019 how no laws were broken, except maybe for trespassin\u2019 . . . \u2018n there\u2019s no law against a man bein\u2019 down on his luck, you didn\u2019t see fit t\u2019 report it,\u201d Roy said curtly, growing more certain with each passing minute that Ben Cartwright knew more than he was telling.\u00a0\u00a0 A LOT more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about the size of it,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen,\u201d Roy suddenly decided upon the direct approach, \u201cyou ain\u2019t harborin\u2019 Cara Lindsay HERE, at the Ponderosa, \u2018are ya?\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Cause if you are—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT,\u201d Ben said curtly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better NOT be,\u201d Roy warned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d be in a whole world o\u2019 trouble if y\u2019 ARE, what with her bein\u2019 underage \u2018n all.\u00a0\u00a0 At the least, Ben . . . at the very least, you\u2019d be lookin\u2019 at a kidnappin\u2019 charge.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re found guilty, it\u2019s a minimum o\u2019 ten years hard labor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, Cara Lindsay is NOT here . . . and unless or until someone comes forward and ADMITS to leaving a baby on my door step, I have no way of knowing where that baby came from or who he might belong to,\u201d Ben insisted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow . . . let me ask YOU something.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Roy growled back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho reported that girl missing?\u201d Ben demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWas it Tobias?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure he was notified—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNotified?!\u201d Ben pounced on that with both feet, metaphorically speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s all Amos said,\u201d Roy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems a woman, apparently hired by Tobias t\u2019 look after his daughter reported the gal missin\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 Her name\u2019s . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned for a moment trying to remember.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think it was Crawl . . . oh, dang it all, Crawl-Somethin\u2019-Or-Other . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A chill shot down the entire length of Ben\u2019s spine, leaving the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWas it . . . Roy . . . was that woman\u2019s name Crawleigh?\u00a0\u00a0 VIVIAN Crawleigh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u00a0\u00a0 Amos said her name IS Crawleigh, but he didn\u2019t give her first name,\u201d Roy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen, you . . . you ain\u2019t thinkin\u2019 this woman\u2019s the Widow Danvers\u2019 cousin now . . . are ya?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be less than honest if I didn\u2019t admit the thought\u2019s crossed my mind,\u201d Ben said grimly, remembering how terrified Stacy was toward the end of the last school year, when Myra Danvers tried to blackmail him into doing her bidding by threatening his daughter with the prospect of being placed in that woman\u2019s custody.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI s\u2019pose I can find out, but it ain\u2019t gonna make a shred o\u2019 difference,\u201d Roy said sternly.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThe law says Tobias Lindsay\u2019s got legal custody o\u2019 his daughter AND her baby what with her bein\u2019 a minor,\u00a0 . . . unless YOU can come up with proof . . . \u2018n by proof, I mean SOLID proof, somethin\u2019 that\u2019s gonna stand up in court that shows him t\u2019 be unfit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna lay all my cards on the table,\u201d Ben decided.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, you’ve got to promise me you\u2019ll hear me out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy Coffee straightened his posture and folded his arms across his chest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOk, Ben . . . I\u2019m listenin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I said before, Cara Lindsay\u2019s not HERE . . . at the Ponderosa,\u201d Ben began.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s a patient at Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital.\u00a0\u00a0 Two of my men found her out on the road between here and town, nearly frozen to death day before yesterday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe very same day you found that baby on your doorstep,\u201d Roy quietly, yet very pointedly, observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cSo that baby you got inside IS Cara Lindsay\u2019s baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 She admitted to leaving her son outside our kitchen door.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The scowl on Roy\u2019s face deepened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve SEEN Miss Lindsay?\u201d he demanded,<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy and I visited her at the hospital yesterday afternoon,\u201d he replied, then, related the details of that visit, including the information given him by Mother Gibson.\u00a0\u00a0 He also shared everything Paul Martin had told him and his sons a couple of days before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou actually see the wounds on Cara\u2019s back \u2018n leg?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of COURSE not,\u201d Ben said curtly, \u201cbut Paul Martin and the sisters presently caring for her HAVE . . . something I\u2019m almost certain they\u2019d be willing to testify to in a court of law, if it comes down to that . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, her wounds ARE proof positive SOMEONE\u2019S been beatin\u2019 up on her, I\u2019ll grant ya that,\u201d Roy said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut it AIN\u2019T proof Tobias was the one who done it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAww, come ON, Roy,\u201d he snorted derisively, \u201cno one ELSE could\u2019ve—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s the woman Tobias hired t\u2019 look after the gal,\u201d Roy argued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSHE had plenty o\u2019 opportunity t\u2019 hurt that gal . . . more \u2018n Tobias when ya consider he went t\u2019 work six days outta the week . . . \u2018n if she\u2019s the same Mrs. Crawleigh who was all set t\u2019 take Stacy out t\u2019 Ohio \u2018til you \u2018n your boys showed up at Fort Charlotte . . . well, from what YOU told me yourself, Ben, she\u2019s got a whole long history o\u2019—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDammit, Roy, so does Tobias!\u201d Ben angrily shot right back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou know as well as I do, after Eleanora died, if he wasn\u2019t neglecting that li\u2019l gal of his, he was beating her within an inch of her life for . . . for things she didn\u2019t even do most of the time . . . all because he blamed that poor child for her own mother\u2019s death.\u00a0\u00a0 I heard him say so many times . . . and so have YOU.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . \u2018n so did just about every Tom, Dick, \u2018n Harry, livin\u2019 here at the time,\u201d Roy said, his voice rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut we couldn\u2019t prove it in a court o\u2019 law then, \u2018n ten\u2019ll getcha one, we can\u2019t NOW.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that mean you intend to hand Cara and her baby over to Tobias when he comes for them?\u201d Ben demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like it any more \u2018n YOU do, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 But unless you can come up with proof Tobias is unfit, the LAW says that\u2019s EXACTLY what I gotta do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, there\u2018s GOT to be evidence that proves Tobias is unfit, and I mean to find it,\u201d Ben declared with far more confidence than he felt, \u201cbut I need time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can give ya ten days, Ben.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTen days?!\u201d Ben echoed, dismayed and incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s all?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Fraid so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not very much time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all I can give ya,\u201d Roy said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAssumin\u2019 Amos wired Tobias same time as he wired me, I figure it\u2019s gonna take him that long t\u2019 travel from San Francisco t\u2019 Carson City.\u00a0\u00a0 I can\u2019t hold off wirin\u2019 Amos as t\u2019 that gal\u2019s whereabouts any longer \u2019n THAT.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack Cranston\u2019s gut instincts told him time was of the essence.<\/span><\/p>\n

After spending what turned out to be a delightful evening and restful night at the home of his old friend and shipmate, Adam Cartwright, he had left Sacramento early the following morning . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . much to the chagrin of those two youngsters of his,\u201d<\/em> Jack mused silently with a broad grin.\u00a0\u00a0 Benjy and Dio Cartwright couldn\u2019t get enough his and their father\u2019s stories about their harrowing adventures on the high seas and in various ports of call around the world.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBeen a long time since I\u2019ve had such a captivating captive audience . . . .\u201d<\/em> \u00a0\u00a0It seemed they\u2019d barely started when Adam firmly reminded the two children that the next day was a school day, and he\u2019d already allowed them to stay up an hour past their bedtime.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack had left the Cartwright abode early next morning after a quick breakfast of toast and coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 As he rode back to town intent on purchasing a ticket for the next stage out, his thoughts turned to the wealthy couple who had hired him.<\/span><\/p>\n

His clients were Mister and Mrs. Reginald Alfonse Wyndham, a pair of socialites who reminded him of the pickle faced Mister and Mrs. Andrews, whose portraits had been rendered by an English painter named Gainsborough.\u00a0\u00a0 Theirs . . . the Wyndhams . . . was a marriage of convenience linking the name of a venerable, though impoverished, old family to wealth accumulated by a ruthless business man and his social climbing wife.\u00a0\u00a0 Though they had been married the better part of the last decade, they yet remained without issue, to put matters in Biblical terms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three years ago, the Wyndhams decided to adopt a baby, and were put in contact with Tobias Lindsay, Esquire, through the cousin of a woman who had been a close friend of Mrs. Wyndham\u2019s mother for many years.\u00a0\u00a0 The attorney procured them a baby girl in amazingly short order, much to the delight of the adoptive parents and grandparents.\u00a0\u00a0 Their joy was extremely short lived, for less than two years later, the child was dead.\u00a0\u00a0 The Wyndhams\u2019 physician declared the cause of death to be an illness passed through intimate contact, to use the polite words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost from the minute their child was declared dead, the Wyndhams began to seek redress from Mister Lindsay, to no avail.\u00a0\u00a0 Now . . . finally . . . as a last resort, they had turned to the Pinkerton Agency, at the urging of Mrs. Wyndham\u2019s mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to the report, the Wyndhams agreed to pay this Mister Lindsay nine thousand bucks up front . . . and nine thousand more on delivery,\u201d Jack silently mused.\u00a0\u00a0 Plus expenses.\u00a0\u00a0 Quite a bit, in his own humble opinion, to pay a lawyer to simply draw up adoption papers . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon arriving back in Sacramento, Jack learned that the very next stage scheduled to leave that morning was carrying freight consisting of six bags of mail bound for Carson City and three large trunks on the first leg of a journey from Sacramento to some big city back east, but no passengers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . when does the next stage after THAT leave?\u201d Jack asked the ticket agent at the stage depot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTen o\u2019clock tomorrow morning,\u201d the small, rotund little man replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToo late,\u201d Jack muttered under his breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019d you say, Mister?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI said I\u2019m in a hurry,\u201d Jack replied as he placed two five dollar bills on the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u00a0\u00a0 You rob a bank or something?\u201d the ticket agent queried, favoring Jack with a suspicious glare.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, and for the record, I\u2019ve not KILLED anybody either,\u201d Jack said, \u201cbut I DO need to reach Carson City as soon as possible if not sooner,\u00a0 and I\u2019m more than willing to make it worth your while.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He took another five dollar bill from his wallet and placed down on top of the two lying on the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna hafta charge you by the pound, Mister,\u201d the ticket agent said firmly, as he grabbed the three five dollar bills from the counter and stuffed them into his shirt pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok,\u201d Jack agreed with an indifferent shrug, \u201cthe folks I\u2019m working for can well afford to pick up the tab.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t often I find myself haulin\u2019 people on the mail run,\u201d the driver off handedly remarked to the big man riding shotgun beside him, with a freight ticket pinned to his jacket, after they had passed beyond the city limits of Sacramento.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack Cranston looked over at the driver and grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLike I told the man behind the ticket counter back in Sacramento, I need to be in Carson,\u201d he replied, \u201csooner as opposed to later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStill \u2018n all, big fella like YOU payin\u2019 by the pound, must\u2019ve cost a pretty penny,\u201d the driver said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . uhhh, you ain\u2019t some kinda lawman or somethin\u2019 . . . ARE ya?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2018m NOT a lawman,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned and held out his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cName\u2019s Jack Cranston.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAngus Dawson,\u201d the driver replied, as they quickly shook hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour trip t\u2019 Carson City . . . is it business or pleasure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope to combine a little bit of both,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA good friend of mine told me I should look up a man by the name of Lindsay . . . Tobias Lindsay . . . after I\u2019ve taken care of business.\u00a0\u00a0 Said this guy could show me a very good time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus snorted derisively.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat ol\u2019 sourpuss?!\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Cranston . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAww, you might as well call me Jack,\u201d the Pinkerton man said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got a long trip ahead of us and besides . . . I\u2019ve always tended to think of Mister Cranston as being my PA\u2019S name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine \u2018n dandy with me, if YOU\u2019LL call me Angus,\u201d the driver said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou, uhhh . . . sound as if you don\u2019t care too much for this Mister Lindsay,\u201d Jack remarked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJack, I\u2019m gonna be up front \u2018n honest.\u00a0\u00a0 Either that \u2018good\u2019 friend o\u2019 yours is pullin\u2019 real hard on your leg or he ain\u2019t the good friend you think he is,\u201d Angus said bluntly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay\u2019s a good enough lawyer, I s\u2019pose, if ya want a man t\u2019 help ya draw up a will . . . or maybe look over a contract to make sure everything\u2019s on the up \u2018n up, but he\u2019s no one\u2019s friend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Fraid so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess the biggest reason is the way he thinks he\u2019s worlds better \u2018n everybody else,\u201d Angus said, grimacing as if he had just bitten into something incredibly sour.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis ma, God rest her soul, was the exact same way.\u00a0\u00a0 Nobody good enough to associate with \u2018em.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds lonely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c . . . sure does, now that ya say so,\u201d Angus said wryly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStill \u2018n all, I can\u2019t say I feel sorry for him or that ol\u2019 battle axe he called Ma.\u00a0\u00a0 I mean a man . . . and a woman, too . . . reap what they sow, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s very true,\u201d Jack agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSad perhaps, but true nonetheless.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe one I DO feel sorry for is that li\u2019l gal of his,\u201d Angus continued, his voice softening a mite.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay has a daughter?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u00a0 Now mind, I\u2019ve only seen her in passing,\u201d Angus said, \u201cbut when I HAVE seen her?\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s always looked so sad.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the child\u2019s mother?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDead \u2018n buried, may God rest her soul,\u201d Angus replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI heard tell she was killed in some kinda street accident in Virginia City . . . , \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned, while he silently worked out the time.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a good ten years at least.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe eleven.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVirginia City?\u201d Jack echoed, as he turned and looked over at the driver with left eyebrow slightly upraised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cKind of a long way from home, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVirginia City WAS home back when his wife was still livin\u2019,\u201d Angus explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe made quite a name for himself, too, not long before his wife died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u00a0\u00a0 How so?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeems he proved a young man . . . a local boy . . . innocent o\u2019 murder \u2018n saved him from a sure hangin\u2019 \u201d Angus replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat boy didn\u2018t have ONE deck stacked against him . . . he had two, maybe three.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and this Tobias Lindsay got him off?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe not only got that boy off, but found out who really done it t\u2019 boot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cImpressive,\u201d Jack murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cVery impressive.\u00a0 He must have quite a reputation for himself as a defense attorney by this time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe would\u2019ve, I suppose, if his wife hadn\u2019t died the way she did,\u201d Angus said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know all the details, but damn near everyone over there says he saw her die, but couldn\u2019t do anything to stop it.\u00a0\u00a0 He took to drinkin\u2019, \u2018n by all accounts damn near drunk himself t\u2019 death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a shame,\u201d Jack said, not without a small measure of sympathy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOl\u2019 Miz Lindsay, his ma that is, went t\u2019 Virginia City \u2018n brought him and his li\u2019l gal t\u2019 live with HER in Carson,\u201d Angus said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe went on t\u2019 HER reward . . . I think it\u2019s been two years now, maybe three.\u00a0\u00a0 Caught cold just after Christmas that turned t\u2019 pneumonia.\u00a0 \u00a0Caught a lot o\u2019 folks by surprise, though . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep!\u00a0\u00a0 Folks said she was so mean she didn\u2018t merit heaven \u2018n the devil wasn\u2019t real anxious to have her around,\u201d Angus guffawed.<\/span><\/p>\n

An amused smile pulled at the corner of Jack Cranston\u2019s mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA woman like that . . . .\u201d he chuckled softly and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, uhhh, hope her shade\u2019s not come back to haunt the ol\u2019 homestead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmen t\u2019 THAT!\u201d Angus muttered, as he hurriedly crossed himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what\u2019s Tobias doing these days now that his mother\u2019s gone, his daughter\u2019s grown, like as not, and he\u2019s not gone on to be a stellar defense attorney?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said, he does lawyer work . . . nothin\u2019 fancy like being a trial lawyer, mind, just the everyday, hum-drum stuff,\u201d Angus replied.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAlthough . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough . . . what?\u2019 Jack prompted when the stagecoach driver didn\u2019t immediately resume.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I shouldn\u2019t say anything,\u201d Angus said ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cT\u2019 was a rumor goin\u2019 around awhile back . . . nothin\u2019 but idle gossip, like as not . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you\u2019ve really got me curious,\u201d Jack said with a grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno . . . .\u201d Angus murmured, shaking his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI assure you, I\u2019m the soul of discretion,\u201d Jack said, then shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, if you don\u2019t feel right in telling me . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe there\u2019s no harm, since nothin\u2019s ever come of it,\u201d Angus hedged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow mind, I ain\u2019t that well acquainted with Mister Lindsay . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, uhh, s\u2019pose a lawyer like Mister Lindsay can make a decent enough livin\u2019 doin\u2019 what he does \u2018n all . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean drawing up wills, things like that?\u201d Jack queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Angus replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSome folks though . . . Miss Barnes mostly . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s Miss Barnes?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer name\u2019s Iva Mae Barnes.\u00a0\u00a0 Works at the post office.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s the kind who makes a point o\u2019 knowing everybody\u2019s business, if ya get what I mean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSounds like the town gossip.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDang walkin\u2019 newspaper, that\u2019s what she is,\u201d Angus said rancorously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPiece of advice. Jack?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cIf you have the misfortune o\u2019 runnin\u2019 into that woman when ya hit Carson?\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t speak, don\u2019t tip your hat, don\u2019t look her in the eye,\u201d Angus said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou do, she\u2019ll talk your ear right off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for telling me, Angus,\u201d Jack said, while making himself a mental note to seek out this Iva Mae Barnes as soon as possible after reaching Carson City.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo what\u2019s Miss Barnes have to say about Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe prattles on \u2018n on about how Mister Linday\u2019s livin\u2019 beyond his means,\u201d Angus explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGot a point about his clothes, I reckon . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnytime I\u2019VE ever seen him, he\u2019s ALWAYS in his Sunday best,\u201d Angus replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReal fine material, \u2018n custom made t\u2019 boot, takin\u2019 into account how well everything seems t\u2019 fit him.\u00a0\u00a0 None o\u2019 that comes cheap y\u2019 know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, believe me,\u201d Jack said with a sigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe also bought himself a real fine house not long after the old lady died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHis mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSold her house in town \u2018n moved into a real fancy place out in Gold Hill.\u00a0\u00a0 That I know for fact.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment, then added as an afterthought, \u201c \u2018Course it\u2019s possible the old lady left him a big pile o\u2019 money when she went to her reward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWealthy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHad more gold than ol\u2019 King Midas, so I\u2019ve heard, \u2019n a miserly ol\u2019 bag t\u2019 boot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like my ma\u2019s oldest sister,\u201d Jack observed with a chuckle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAunt Jennie.\u00a0\u00a0 My pa once said she was so grasping, she could squeeze two bits together and come up with a buck in change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus threw back his head and roared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYep.\u00a0\u00a0 Sounds like the late Mrs. Lindsay \u2019n your Aunt Jenny had a lot in common.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Barnes swore up \u2018n down the ol\u2019 lady bought her furniture \u2018n clothes second hand from the church thrift shop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo did Aunt Jenny.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t rightly know how much ol\u2019 Mrs. Lindsay had put by, but she must still be rollin\u2019 over in her grave at the way her son ran through it all like water,\u201d Angus continued, \u201cwhat with that big house he bought . . . the fancy duds, \u2019n all the trips he\u2019s been makin\u2019 out t\u2019 San Francisco.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSan Francisco, \u2018ey?\u201d Jack queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBusiness or pleasure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t rightly know,\u201d Angus grunted, \u201cbut if I was to guess?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d say business \u2018cause the man\u2019s been sober as a judge since he and his li\u2019l gal moved in with the ol\u2019 lady, \u2018n . . . well, takin\u2019 into account how he thinks himself better \u2018n everyone else, he ain\u2019t the type to take up with a lady o\u2019 the evenin\u2019 if you, ummm . . . get my drift?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d Jack said, \u201cI do indeed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember hearin\u2019 a rumor goin\u2019 \u2018round . . . ohh, not long after the ol\u2019 lady went to her reward, God bless her soul,\u201d Angus continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomethin\u2019 \u2018bout him buyin\u2019 babies \u2018n sellin\u2019 them to rich folks out in San Francisco.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack turned to Angus with left eyebrow slightly upraised.\u00a0\u00a0 According to the report given him by his immediate supervisor that little piece of scuttlebutt would have been making the rounds when the Wyndhams\u2019 adopted their baby daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . I know . . . sounds kinda silly when ya say it out loud,\u201d Angus continued with a sheepish grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomebody, like as not, took it the wrong way when he looked over adoption papers f\u2019r someone else \u2018n told Miss Barnes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . out of curiosity . . . you know anything about Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter?\u201d Jack asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cApart from the fact that she looks very sad every time you\u2019ve seen her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe ain\u2019t much of a LI\u2019L gal actually.\u00a0\u00a0 Old enough t\u2019 leave school, I think,\u201d Angus replied, \u201cbut y\u2019 know . . . now that I think on it, I ain\u2019t seen much of her since . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment to do a bit of mental figuring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess it\u2019s been since last fall.\u00a0\u00a0 Saw him \u2018n that ol\u2019 grouch of a housekeeper in church back in November, on the day Mister Lincoln, may God rest his soul, declared t\u2019 be a day for givin\u2019 thanks,\u201d Angus said slowly, \u201cbut not the girl.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas she been ill?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI really can\u2019t say . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After breakfast, Ben retreated his favorite chair next to the fireplace with Roy Coffee\u2019s words still echoing in his ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can give ya ten days, Ben.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cTen days?!\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s all?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201c \u2018Fraid so.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThat\u2019s not very much time.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThat\u2019s all I can give ya . . . .\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

A week and a half . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Ten days!<\/span><\/p>\n

Assuming Adam DID know how to reach his friend, the Pinkerton Detective, it was highly unlikely that man could reach Virginia City in time to help Ben unearth the evidence needed to prevent Tobias Lindsay from resuming custody of his daughter and infant grandson.<\/span><\/p>\n

A knock at the door drew the head of the Cartwright household from his doleful musings, much to his relief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019LL get it, Hop Sing,\u201d he called out as he rose and stretched.<\/span><\/p>\n

The caller was Father Rutherford.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBrendan!\u00a0\u00a0 Good to see you.\u00a0\u00a0 Please . . . come in,\u201d Ben invited, greeting the priest with a warm smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ben,\u201d Father Brendan replied, as he stepped into the house and divested himself of his coat and hat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGeorge at the telegraph office asked me to bring you this . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fished an envelope out of the inside pocket of his coat before hanging it along with his hat on one of the pegs beside the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Ben responded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProbably from Adam . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s he doing, Ben?\u201d Father Brendan asked as the two men walked over toward the furniture clustered around the fireplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe, Teresa, and the children are doing fine,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He invited the priest to sit with a broad sweeping gesture of his arm, then resumed his place in the red leather chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Brendan smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very glad to hear it,\u201d he murmured softly with a complacent smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo more interactions with the, ummm . . . supernatural?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank heaven,\u201d Ben replied, as Father Brendan sat down on the end of the settee nearest the red leather chair.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper, neatly folded in half.\u00a0\u00a0 The message was indeed the expected reply from Adam:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sacramento, California<\/span><\/p>\n

Benjamin Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Virginia City, Nevada<\/span><\/p>\n

Pa,<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack Cranston already investigating T Lindsay for unnamed clients, willing to share information.\u00a0 Heading for Carson, will contact you on arrival.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . hope it\u2019s not bad news . . . .\u201d Father Brendan ventured, as Ben returned the slip of paper to the envelope.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo . . . not bad news,\u201d he replied, \u201cthough it still may end up being too little too late to help Cara Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shared the contents of the wire with Father Brendan.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, Roy Coffee got a wire from the sheriff in Carson City informing him of the girl\u2019s disappearance.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s given me ten days to come up with proof that Cara has good reason to be afraid of Tobias . . . and that his intentions toward his grandson may not be in the boy\u2019s best interests,\u201d Ben explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAm I to assume you believe Miss Lindsay\u2019s allegations?\u201d Father Brendan asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike I told Roy earlier . . . I don\u2019t know WHAT to believe,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOn the one hand, I find it very difficult to imagine that a man would actually sell his grandchild . . . his own flesh and blood . . . to the highest bidder, even if that child WAS born out of wedlock.\u00a0 However . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter talking with Cara, there\u2019s no doubt in MY mind that SHE believes her own allegations,\u201d Ben continued in a somber tone of voice, \u201cand those beliefs have led her to make reckless and desperate decisions that could have all to easily ended up costing her life and the life of her baby.\u00a0\u00a0 That and the physical abuse she\u2019s suffered tells me something\u2019s very wrong, Brendan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with you one hundred percent, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 Mother Catherine told me this morning that Miss Lindsay opened up a little to Sister Anne last night . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m listening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe father of her child is a young man by the name of Gabe Jarvis,\u201d Father Brendan began.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGabe Jarvis . . . Gabe Jarvis,\u201d Ben repeated the name slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI feel I should know that name . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did, too,\u201d Father Brendan said, \u201cso I did some checking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the baptismal records, dated roughly seventeen going on eighteen years ago, I found an infant, aged three months, by the name Gabriel Harrison Jarvis,\u201d Father Brendan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis parents were Raymond Jarvis and the former Abigail Harrison.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRay Jarvis?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Brendan nodded his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . NOW I remember . . . .\u201d Ben said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRay Jarvis came to work for me . . . had to be within a year or two after Adam left to attend college.\u00a0\u00a0 They had three daughters, then, and a year or so later, had a son, whom they named Gabriel, for Ray\u2019s oldest brother, who died young in a hunting accident.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Jarvis family left a few years later,\u201d Ben continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRay said an uncle had died and left him a substantial sum of money . . . more than enough to buy the farm he\u2018d always dreamed of.\u00a0\u00a0 Last I heard the Jarvis family purchased a respectable plot of land a few miles north of Carson City,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2018d heard that, too,\u201d Brendan said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara told Sister Anne she met Gabe for the first time at the general store when she and her grandmother stopped in to make a few purchases.\u00a0\u00a0 The both of them were almost thirteen.\u00a0\u00a0 They were friends at first, something she kept from her father and grandmother because she knew they wouldn\u2019t approve.\u00a0\u00a0 Over time, their friendship deepened, and grew into . . . something more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT being the case, I\u2019d sure like to know where Gabe IS in all of this,\u201d Ben said with a scowl on his face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Ray Jarvis I<\/strong> remember was a decent, honorable man.\u00a0\u00a0 I can\u2019t imagine he\u2019d allow his son to turn away from HIS responsibility to Cara and that li\u2019l one upstairs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, Ben, I have the feeling that Ray Jarvis died some years ago,\u201d Father Brendan said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen Cara met Gabe, he was WORKING for the man who owns the general store to help support his family.\u00a0\u00a0 Second, Sister Anne told me that Gabe knows nothing about the baby, and that Cara\u2019s quite adamant that he NEVER know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u00a0\u00a0 Did she say why?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brendan shook his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid Cara say whether or not TOBIAS knows about Gabe being the father of her child?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to Sister Anne, Cara refused to tell him who the father of her child is,\u201d Brendan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Brendan?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s anything I<\/strong> can do to help . . . anything at all . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A wry smile tugged hard at the corner of his mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI could even go to Carson City and nose around what with Monsignor Kramer going through his annual \u2018you\u2019re supposed to be retired, Father Brendan, it\u2019s past time you acted like it\u2019 phase about three weeks early.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s leaving for Carson City tomorrow morning to do just that,\u201d Ben said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll pass on to him everything you just told me, and ask him find the Jarvis family and pay Gabe a visit.\u00a0\u00a0 If that young man honest \u2018n truly DOESN\u2019T know about that li\u2019l one upstairs . . . I<\/strong>, for one, think it\u2019s high time he DID, Cara\u2019s protestations aside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m with YOU, Ben,\u201d Father Brendan said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not right for Cara to be carrying this burden alone.\u00a0\u00a0 When I return to the rectory, I\u2019ll certainly keep my ear to the ground.\u00a0\u00a0 If I find out anything else about the Lindsays, I\u2019ll send you word.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Ben said gratefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, if you\u2019re in no hurry to return to town, Hop Sing will be serving up lunch in about another hour or so, if you\u2019d care to stay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ben,\u201d Father Brendan responded with a broad grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think I WILL take you up on your invitation.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s been far too long since I last sat down to one of Hop Sing\u2019s fine meals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh NO!\u00a0\u00a0 No!\u201d Mother Catherine groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 She stood behind the desk in her office, with head bowed, eyes closed, gingerly massaging her temples against what she hoped and prayed wouldn\u2019t turn into another migraine.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFather Kramer . . . please!\u00a0\u00a0 Tell me you DIDN\u2019T!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Monsignor Obadiah Kramer took a deep breath and pulled himself up to the very fullness of his height of three inches shorter than the mother superior.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI most certainly and assuredly DID!\u201d he declared stoutly, with an emphatic nod of his head and beefy arms folded defiantly across his broad chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou had no right!\u201d Sister Anne cried out, anguished and alarmed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had EVERY right, Sister, and a moral OBLIGATION,\u201d Monsignor Obadiah returned in a lofty, imperious tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre either of you aware that Miss Lindsay is a runaway?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Miss Lindsay may be or may NOT be for that matter is completely irrelevant, Monsignor,\u201d Mother Catherine countered, all the while laboring valiantly to keep her swift rising anger from getting the better of her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAt the moment, Miss Lindsay is our PATIENT.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWere you aware that the sheriff of Carson City sent Sheriff Coffee a wire inquiring as to Miss Lindsay\u2019s whereabouts?\u201d the monsignor continued his interrogation, very pointedly focusing his entire attention on the mother superior.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems someone over there reported her missing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did NOT know that,\u201d Mother Catherine replied quite truthfully, \u201cand even if I DID, it wouldn\u2019t have mattered.\u00a0\u00a0 Miss Lindsay is in desperate need of medical attention and care, which WE\u2019RE morally obligated to provide no matter what her circumstances.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t alter the fact that YOU were required BY LAW<\/strong>, Mother Gibson, to notify that child\u2019s father as to her whereabouts the instant you learned of her identity,\u201d Monsignor Obadiah stubbornly maintained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour refusal to do so left me no choice BUT to send a wire to Mister Lindsay myself, informing him that his daughter is here in your hospital.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow COULD you?!\u201d Sister Anne demanded, leveling a murderous glare at the monsignor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you realize that girl\u2019s father is . . . well, if he\u2019s NOT evil incarnate, he comes damned close.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her entire body trembled with rage toward the monsignor, and fear for her patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will NOT have one such as YOU speaking to me in that manner, Sister,\u201d Monsignor Obadiah said stiffly, \u201cand if you\u2019re referring to Miss Lindsay\u2019s ridiculous assertions about her own father wanting to sell her baby—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and how would YOU know about that?\u201d Mother Catherine demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 She stood with her back straight as a poker with fists planted firmly on her hips.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI<\/strong> didn\u2019t—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, YOU didn\u2019t, Mother Gibson,\u201d Monsignor Obadiah returned, \u201cand you were very remiss in your duties by not keeping me informed.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank the Lord there\u2019s someone among you who IS aware of her place and her duty, else your community, your entire order, and MY church would have almost certainly ended up in a whole world of trouble with the law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and did Sister Gertrude ALSO tell you about the scars and open wounds\u00a0 on her back . . . or about the burn on her leg that\u2019s become badly infected, Monsignor?!\u201d Mother Catherine asked, taking perverse satisfaction in seeing the shocked look on his face when she named the informer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cH-How—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s NO secret that Sister Gertrude\u2019s been toadying up to you almost from the minute you arrived at Saint Mary\u2019s in the hope that you\u2019ll appoint her as MY successor,\u201d Mother Gibson said with a touch of rancor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT decision is not mine to make, as YOU very well know,\u201d Monsignor Obadiah returned.\u00a0\u00a0 Though he looked her straight in the face, his eyes fell very short of meeting hers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe governing counsel in Baltimore and the diocesan bishop who oversees them decide who is to become mother superior in your place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cApparently Sister Gertrude has forgotten,\u201d Mother Catherine wryly observed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI DO hope you\u2019ll see fit to remind her at some point in time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson . . . are you accusing her father of inflicting the grievous wounds you speak of on the person of his daughter?\u201d Monsignor Obadiah growled, pointedly ignoring her previous remark.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Sister Anne angrily shot right back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho ELSE could have beat her so cruelly?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have anything to offer as PROOF?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Mother Catherine responded through clenched teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen let me give you both OTHER food for thought.\u00a0\u00a0 Though we\u2019ve no idea for sure how long that girl\u2019s been on the run, it\u2019s more than clear she\u2019s been on her own for quite a while.\u00a0\u00a0 With no money, I would imagine, and nothing but whatever clothing she had on her back, she almost certainly had to STEAL food . . . and clothing, too, as her own wore thin . . . OR the money to buy them,\u201d Monsignor Obadiah said, his voice filled with smug contempt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHas it ever occurred to either of you that the marks on Miss Lindsay\u2019s back are the result of a well-deserved beating from someone who caught her stealing from him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I\u2019m forced to admit that it\u2019s possible Miss Lindsay came by some of her most recent wounds that way, it does NOT account for the scarring left by older wounds,\u201d Mother Catherine countered, \u201cnor does that adequately explain that burn wound someone inflicted on her leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, for the sake of argument, Mother Gibson, let\u2019s assume someone WAS cruel to that girl,\u201d the monsignor said stiffly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou still have no proof her father was the person responsible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . any more than YOU have proof, Monsignor, of Mister Lindsay\u2019s innocence,\u201d Mother Catherine shot right back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Monsignor Obadiah glared murderously at the mother superior for a long moment, rendered speechless by what he saw as a blatant challenge on her part to the power and authority, which rightfully belonged to HIM.\u00a0\u00a0 He abruptly cleared his throat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson, in view of your record, I CAN and SHOULD by all rights have you excommunicated for your involvement in this disgraceful affair, but I won\u2019t since you\u2019ll soon be leaving our community to care for your ailing your sister,\u201d he said stiffly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for YOU, Sister Anne,\u201d he continued, \u201cI\u2019ll chalk up YOUR involvement in this to having been under influence that\u2019s been VERY questionable THIS TIME<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 But mind . . . YOU tread on thin ice.\u00a0\u00a0 On VERY thin ice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, the monsignor abruptly turned heel and strode briskly out of the mother superior\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mother . . . NOW what\u2019ll we do?!\u201d Sister Anne wailed, wringing her hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m reasonably certain we can make a good, solid case for keeping Miss Lindsay HERE given her precarious physical condition,\u201d Mother Catherine said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll need Doctor Martin\u2019s testimony, but I foresee no difficulty with that.\u00a0\u00a0 He was every bit as incensed as WE were when he saw Miss Lindsay\u2019s wounds.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cREASONABLY certain?!\u201d<\/em> Sister Anne repeated those words over and over in her mind, as she twisted her cincture in her hands.\u00a0\u00a0 Though the mother superior\u2019s words were meant as comfort and encouragement, she was very far from feeling reassured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI must get word to Mister Cartwright . . . and Father Rutherford, too . . . about this latest development,\u201d Mother Catherine continued, \u201cas soon as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere IS Father Rutherford?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Ponderosa,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe left right after breakfast to see Mister Cartwright and to bring him up to date on the things Miss Lindsay told us last night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShall I send the stable boy out to the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019LL dispatch the stable boy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A scowl black as a dangerous thundercloud deepened the lines and creases already present in her brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, you\u2019d best get back to your patient, but for now say nothing about Father Kramer\u2019s actions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother,\u201d Sister Anne murmured softly, her thoughts churning a mile a minute.\u00a0\u00a0 She was bound and determined that Cara Lindsay NOT be handed over to her father, law or no law, damn the consequences AND Monsignor Kramer, come what may.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright . . . if you, um . . . don\u2019t mind my asking . . . what do you intend to do with that baby boy upstairs?\u201d Irma Fielding ventured hesitantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo YOU plan to adopt him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d Ben hedged, as he, his daughter, Mrs. Fielding, and Father Brendan sat down together at the dining room table for the noon meal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s NOT out of idle curiosity, of that I can assure you,\u201d Irma returned, indignant, yet very much on the defensive.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure you know my sister, Lucille Ames . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben did indeed.\u00a0\u00a0 She had married William Ames, a dour, taciturn man and owner of a small spread called Easy Eight, and in the nine years following, gave him seven, healthy, robust children . . . all girls.\u00a0\u00a0 The birth of the youngest, however, had proved exceedingly difficult, and Doctor Martin had sternly cautioned the Ames against having more children.\u00a0\u00a0 Billy Ames never forced the issue with his wife, not wanting the prospect of her death in childbirth to burden his conscience, but the physician\u2019s pronouncement nonetheless left him a bitter, disappointed man for he had desired a son above all else.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you suggesting that I allow your sister and her husband to adopt the li\u2019l one upstairs?\u201d Ben asked, appalled by the very thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Irma replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThough not rich, Billy and Lucille make a decent enough living with the Easy Eight Ranch, and are well able to provide for—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut . . . don\u2019t they already HAVE seven children!?\u201d Stacy gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 The members of the Ames family kept to themselves by and large; and though they had always been polite enough anytime she had a chance encounter with them in town, they didn\u2019t strike her as being a very happy family or a loving one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they do indeed have seven children,\u201d Irma replied, \u201cbut ALL of them are GIRLS.\u00a0\u00a0 A man needs a SON to carry on his name, otherwise his line dies with him.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed and shook her head mournfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . and poor Lucille, bless her dear heart, can\u2019t have any more children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cB-But Mister Ames\u2019 line WON\u2019T die with him,\u201d Stacy argued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis blood . . . and your sister\u2019s, too . . . WILL continue through their daughters\u2019 children and grandchildren.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Dear, but that\u2019s NOT quite the same,\u201d Irma said primly, in a faintly condescending tone of voice that made Stacy\u2019s blood boil.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore giving any consideration to allowing someone to adopt that young man upstairs, I want to find out who his natural parents are . . . if I can,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright!\u00a0\u00a0 Surely y-you\u2019re not thinking of . . . of giving that poor child upstairs back to the people who abandoned him?!\u201d Irma gasped, horrified by the very notion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa said THEY probably need help, too . . . just like that li\u2019l one upstairs,\u201d Stacy quietly took up for her father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps that\u2019s so,\u201d Irma had to agree, then, all of a sudden, her whole face brightened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf that child\u2019s natural parents prove to be unfit . . . and frankly, Mister Cartwright, I for one would be very surprised if they weren\u2019t.\u00a0\u00a0 Unfit, I mean.\u00a0\u00a0 At any rate, I DO hope you\u2019ll keep my sister in mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Ben said evasively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 He ambled into the dining room from the kitchen, with Hoss following close behind.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He grinned upon seeing Father Brendan seated at the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLong time no see, Padre!\u00a0\u00a0 How\u2019ve you been keeping yourself?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Brendan rose, and shook hands first with Joe, then with Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been keeping myself quite busy, for a man who\u2019s supposed to be semi-retired,\u201d he replied, returning Joe\u2019s smile with a warm one of his own.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow about YOU?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTired, and glad to see spring\u2019s well on her way now,\u201d Joe replied, his emerald green eyes sparkling with mischief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTired?\u201d Father Brendan queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep . . . tired,\u201d Joe replied, his face a comically grotesque caricature of extreme weariness.\u00a0\u00a0 He pulled out his chair from under the table and plopped himself down. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cYOU would be, too, if you had someone like li\u2019l sister over there . . . who was sick all winter . . . keeping you on YOUR toes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally, Grandpa, you oughtta be grateful,\u201d Stacy returned with mock severity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGrateful?!\u201d Joe echoed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGrateful?\u00a0\u00a0 For what?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor all the exercise you got from my keeping you on your toes,\u201d she replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is gonna be the first springtime ever we won\u2019t hafta hear you griping about the love handles you usually grow during the winter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmpf!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll have YOU know, Kiddo, that I have never, not in my whole life, EVER, had love handles,\u201d Joe immediately returned in a lofty tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 The snooty look on his face, affected for his sister\u2019s benefit, quickly underwent a transformation to one of pure mischief, as he turned his attention toward Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow Big Brother on the other hand . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss opened his mouth to give voice to the snappy retort sitting at the very tip of his tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Ben said sternly, noting with a measure of relief that his big son immediately closed his mouth without uttering a word.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe . . . Stacy, you, too.\u00a0\u00a0 We have guests.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last he said with a pointed glance over at Father Brendan and at Irma Fielding\u2019s beet red face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Joe and Stacy responded in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing served up a scrumptious meal of pork roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, applesauce, hot fluffy biscuits fresh from the oven, and apple pie left over from supper the night before.\u00a0\u00a0 As the Cartwright family and their guests began eating their noon meal, there was a loud, insistent knocking on the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get it,\u201d Joe offered.\u00a0\u00a0 He rose to his feet and in very short order reached the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Standing on the porch outside was a young man, tall and reed slender.\u00a0 He clutched his hat in one hand, as he shifted nervously from one foot to the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . uhh . . . you Mister Cartwright?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m one of three,\u201d he replied.\u00a0 \u201cWhich one are you looking for?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a message from Mother Superior for . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned for a moment trying to remember.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think she said to tell Mister BEN Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa?\u201d Joe turned toward the dining room and called out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, there\u2019s someone here to see you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAsk him in,\u201d Ben replied, then turned to his daughter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy, would you please ask Hop Sing to set another place?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa,\u201d she replied, rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul!\u201d Father Brendan exclaimed, mildly surprised to see the rectory\u2019s stable boy, Paul Klein, following Joe into the dining room.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs . . . everything all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul shook his head as he seated himself at the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother Superior sent me here with a message for Mister Cartwright, but she also told me that you might be here . . . and if you were?\u00a0\u00a0 She said I should tell YOU, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYoung Man, does your message have anything to do with the patient my daughter and I visited yesterday?\u201d Ben asked, with a sidelong glance over at Irma Fielding, who had placed her fork on the table alongside her place, and now watched Paul and Father Brendan with keen interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Paul replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Lin—?!<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben placed his hand on the priest\u2019s shoulder and shook his head, effectively stopping him from uttering the patient\u2018s name.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBrendan . . . and you, too, Young Man . . . why don\u2019t we step over to my study?\u201d he suggested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe rest of you . . . .\u201d he continued, turning his attention to his sons, daughter, and Irma Fielding, \u201cplease excuse us.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ll be back in a few minutes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell!\u00a0\u00a0 I wonder what THAT\u2019S all about.\u201d Irma murmured softly, her eyes glued to the retreating backs of clan patriarch, priest, and stable boy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe did . . . WHAT?!\u201d Father Brendan roared, angry and incredulous, less than a moment later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mother Superior said to tell Mister Cartwright . . . and you, too, Father . . . that the monsignor sent a wire to the father of that girl Sister Anne\u2019s been lookin\u2019 after, tellin\u2019 him where she is,\u201d Paul nervously repeated his message, taken completely aback by the priest\u2019s emotional outburst.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy that . . . that pompous—!!!\u00a0\u00a0 So HELP me, when I get my hands on that self-righteous little toad—!!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSimmer down, Brendan,\u201d Ben warned, sotto voce.<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Brendan\u2019s anger immediately evaporated upon seeing the astonishment in Ben\u2019s face and the wariness in Paul\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d the priest ruefully apologized.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just that I—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben placed his hand on Father Brendan\u2019s shoulder and gently squeezed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Brendan, I understand,\u201d he said, before turning his attention to Paul.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you for bringing us Mother Gibson\u2019s message, Son,\u201d Ben continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have a few things I\u2019d like to talk over with Father Rutherford, so why don\u2019t you g\u2019won back to the table and have something to eat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Sir . . . thank you, Sir,\u201d Paul stammered with deep, profound relief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u00a0\u00a0 One more thing, Son . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate it if you kept Mother Gibson\u2019s message to yourself for the time being,\u201d Ben said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 I will,\u201d Paul promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happens now, Ben?\u201d Father Brendan asked, after Paul had returned to the dining room table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy Coffee came by this morning to tell me that a woman apparently hired to look after Miss Lindsay reported her missing to the sheriff in Carson City a few days ago,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe ALSO told me that the girl\u2019s father was in San Francisco at the time.\u00a0\u00a0 To make a long story short, Brendan, though Mister Lindsay WAS notified about his daughter\u2019s disappearance, it\u2019s going to take him a good week and a half, maybe two, to reach home.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy\u2019s given me ten days to find out whether or not there\u2019s any substance to Miss Lindsay\u2019s accusations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anything I can do to help you, Ben?\u201d Father Brendan asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnything at ALL?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Brendan,\u201d Ben said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can pray . . . because as things stand now?\u00a0\u00a0 If what Miss Lindsay said about her father is true, I have a real strong feeling it\u2019s gonna take a miracle to come up with the evidence to prove it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon returning to the table with Father Brendan, Ben was surprised to find only his two younger sons, and daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Fielding\u2019s gone upstairs t\u2019 look after her baby \u2018n our Li\u2019l One,\u201d Hoss explained, \u201c \u2018n Paul high tailed it on back t\u2019 the rectory.\u00a0\u00a0 Is . . . everything all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss . . . Stacy . . . I\u2019ll fill the both of YOU in later,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned his attention to Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know you\u2019d planned to leave for Carson City first thing in the morning, but time\u2019s of the essence now.\u00a0\u00a0 You said you were packed and ready to go?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0\u00a0 If ya leave NOW, I think you\u2019ll just make it to town in time to catch the two o\u2019clock stage out,\u201d Ben said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Son . . . I\u2019ll walk ya out to the barn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Father and son crossed the yard together, side by side, in silence.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon entering the barn, Ben asked, \u201cYou remember Ray and Abigail Jarvis?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Ray and Mrs. Abigail?\u00a0\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0\u00a0 I remember \u2018em,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTheir son, Gabe, is the li\u2019l one\u2019s father,\u201d Ben explained.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, shared with Joe everything Father Brendan had told him before lunch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo if Gabe IS the li\u2019l one\u2019s father, where is he and why is he NOT with Miss Lindsay?\u201d he demanded, outraged and righteously indignant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m hoping YOU can find out,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cSister, no . . . please . . . that\u2019s too tight,\u201d Cara Lindsay moaned.\u00a0\u00a0 She was freezing cold one minute, burning up the next, and feeling lightheaded, almost nauseatingly so.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt . . . it HURTS, Sister, I . . . I c-can\u2019t BEAR it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSsshhh!\u201d Sister Anne furiously shushed her patient.\u00a0\u00a0 For a time she remained perched on the edge of Cara Lindsay\u2019s bed, unmoving, her entire body stiff as a board, her ears straining to catch even the slightest sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne closed her eyes and exhaled the breath she had been holding.\u00a0\u00a0 A quick glance at the regulator clock hanging on the wall above her patient\u2019s head showed the time to be almost midnight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister?\u201d Cara sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease?\u00a0\u00a0 Can\u2019t you . . . c-can\u2019t you loosen the b-bandage just a LITTLE?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Sister Anne reluctantly acquiesced.\u00a0\u00a0 She unwound the long strip of white cloth, noting with sinking heart that the bandage was already stained with oozing from the badly infected burn.\u00a0\u00a0 Worse, the girl\u2019s leg was swollen now to nearly twice its normal size from her knee on down to toes already blackened from severe frostbite.\u00a0\u00a0 The skin covering the entire lower leg had turned from snow white to a sickening grayish purple in the space of half a day.<\/span><\/p>\n

The nun stared down at the stained bandage she held clasped tight in her hands, paralyzed by indecision.\u00a0\u00a0 It was more than clear her patient was in desperate need of a doctor\u2019s care . . . immediately, if not sooner.\u00a0\u00a0 On the other hand, informing Mother Superior as to the girl\u2019s fast deteriorating condition would be tantamount to handing her and her baby, as well, over to the man who had more than likely beaten and tormented her so cruelly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat to do?\u00a0\u00a0 What to do?\u00a0\u00a0 What to DO?\u201d<\/em> Sister Anne silently agonized.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara felt him before she actually saw him:\u00a0 the mattress sagging under the his weight as he gingerly eased himself down beside her . . . the warmth of his close proximity . . . the featherlike\u00a0 touch of his lips against her forehead . . . .\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGabe,\u201d she sighed contentedly . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Gabe?!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cG-Gabe?\u00a0\u00a0 Gabe, no!\u00a0\u00a0 Please!\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve GOT to go . . . NOW!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara\u2019s voice, hoarse and barely above the decibel of a whisper, roused Sister Anne from the paralysis of indecision that, for a time, had possessed her.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned, and to her astonishment saw, not her patient, but the vision of another young woman, in and around the same age, who had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl, with the pinkest cheeks she had ever seen, a halo of fine, light brown curly hair surrounding a plump, cherubic face, and a pair of bright sapphire blue eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cG-Gabe, if he . . . if he FINDS you, he\u2018ll KILL you . . . love you . . . love you too much . . . .\u201d Cara persisted, her head tossing back and forth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gabe shook his head and placed his finger to his lips, slightly pursed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve come for you, Cara.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Miss Lindsay?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Cara\u2019s eyes snapped wide open.\u00a0\u00a0 She was astonished to find herself gazing up into Sister Anne\u2018s tear stained face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGabe!\u00a0\u00a0 Where\u2019s Gabe!\u201d she frantically demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Miss Lindsay . . . Gabe\u2019s not h-here,\u201d Sister Anne stammered taken aback by her patient\u2019s round, staring eyes, and her breath coming in ragged gasps.\u00a0\u00a0 Cara, bless her heart, had been heard speaking with the father of her child since the end of Matins this morning . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . make that YESTERDAY morning,\u201d<\/em> Sister Anne silently amended, as her eyes strayed again to the clock, begging him to leave.\u00a0\u00a0 The frequency of these conversations and the desperation in her voice had escalated as the day wore on, and her physical condition steadily worsened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve GOT to find him,\u201d Cara insisted as she pushed aside her bedclothes.\u00a0\u00a0 She sat up with a loud grunt, and slipped her legs, one at a time, over the edge of her bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDear God!\u201d Sister Anne gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 She immediately moved in and placed restraining hands on Cara\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Lindsay, please!\u00a0\u00a0 Y-You\u2019re in NO shape to—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara gritted her teeth and shoved Sister Anne aside with surprising strength given her deteriorating physical condition.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou DON\u2019T understand!\u201d she implored, her voice shaking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got to find Gabe NOW, and WARN him before . . . before my father—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara, LISTEN to me!\u201d Sister Anne begged, as she moved in once again to restrain her patient.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGabe is NOT HERE!\u00a0\u00a0 You . . . you were dreaming!\u00a0\u00a0 You MUST have been!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara\u2019s shoulders slumped.\u00a0\u00a0 For a long moment she remained seated on the edge of her bed, unmoving, staring over at Sister Anne through eyes round with disbelief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut,\u201d she finally, at length, whispered, \u201che seemed so REAL.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes dreams DO seem very real,\u201d Sister Anne said briskly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow you close your eyes and rest, Miss Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 We have a long trip ahead of us and . . . you\u2019re going to need your strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Child?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d you say we\u2019d be going?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome place safe,\u201d Sister Anne replied, as she set herself to the task of bandaging Cara\u2019s leg wound once again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is he?\u201d Cara demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cW-Where is . . . who?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGabe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s SAFE, Miss Lindsay, I promise you . . . he\u2018s safe.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne fervently hoped and prayed this was so, wherever the young man might be.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow, you close your eyes and rest, while I finish gathering together everything we\u2019re going to need.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d ya say we\u2019re going?\u201d Cara asked once again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m taking you to a friend,\u201d Sister Anne lied right through her pearly white teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 She found it amazing, yet deeply disturbing how much easier the act of lying became with each telling.\u00a0\u00a0 The woman, with whom Sister Anne had planned to seek shelter for herself and her patient, was no friend, not by any stretch of the imagination, and worse, their parting, to put it mildly, had been less than amicable.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne was banking heavily on the fact that the woman in question hated the institution of Mother Church and the good Monsignor Kramer in particular more than she hated her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara closed her eyes and slipped into a fitful sleep, much to the great relief of her caretaker.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne quickly packed all of her patient\u2019s medicines, about a half dozen or so rolls of fresh bandages, and an extra clean nightgown into a small, brown leather valise.\u00a0\u00a0 Once that task was completed, she picked up the oil lamp from its place on the night table beside Cara\u2019s bed, and carried it to the window.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBE there, Paul.\u00a0\u00a0 Please, PLEASE . . . BE<\/strong> there!\u201d<\/em> Sister Anne silently, fervently prayed, as she placed the lamp in the window, and signaled by banking the light, then turning it up again three times.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now came the hard part.<\/span><\/p>\n

The waiting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about damn time,\u201d Paul Klein muttered under his breath when he saw Sister Anne\u2019s signal.\u00a0\u00a0 He stepped up to the gate, which opened out onto the driveway leading to the front entrance of the convent hospital, and signaled with his own lantern.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, moved back into the deep shadows to wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne flew across the room to her patient\u2019s bedside.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara . . . .\u201d she ventured in as loud a voice as she dared, \u201cCara!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s time!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She put out her hand with the intention of gently shaking the girl to rouse her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara, wa—!!!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her words abruptly terminated in a started gasp.\u00a0\u00a0 The girl\u2019s temperature had spiked in the brief time it had taken her to signal Paul.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara!\u00a0\u00a0 Cara, wake UP!\u201d Sister Anne implored as she shook her patient more vigorously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDear Lord, please . . . you\u2019ve GOT to wake up!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome ON, Sister Anne,\u201d<\/em> Paul, in the meantime, silently, earnestly begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDang it all, this is takin\u2019 \u2018WAY too long.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 He had no idea as to how long he had actually waited, only that it seemed to be forever; and to be frank, he was anxious to have this whole mad venture over and done.<\/span><\/p>\n

At length, the front door finally opened, and Sister Anne emerged, half dragging, half carrying her patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFinally,\u201d Paul whispered, deeply relieved, yet a little angry, too, for having allowed the desperate nun to talk him into this crazy idea of hers.\u00a0 Yes, her intentions were good and noble, but even so, nothing but trouble could possibly come of all this.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBuckboard\u2019s just outside the gate,\u201d he continued, as he scooped the near insensate Cara up into his strong, wiry arms.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s burnin\u2019 UP!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, will you for heaven\u2019s sake keep your voice down?!\u201d Sister Anne sternly admonished the young man.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDammit, Sister, this gal\u2019s so hot she\u2019s burnin\u2019 ME,\u201d Paul argued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe gotta get her back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, I didn\u2019t come this far to turn back NOW,\u201d Sister Anne rudely cut him off.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI AM a nurse—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW y\u2019 are, but this gal needs a DOCTOR,\u201d Paul said, his voice filled with fear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can care for her,\u201d Sister Anne declared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow please . . . for the love of GOD, Paul . . . get her into that buckboard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul knew only too well there was no arguing with Sister Anne when she spoke in that tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 Resigning himself to whatever consequence was to come of this insane venture, he turned without a word and strode resolutely toward the buckboard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid anyone see you?\u201d Sister Anne demanded as she settled her patient in the back of the conveyance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Paul said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister Anne . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d she snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou given any thought to what we\u2019re gonna do if she won\u2019t let us stay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll let us stay,\u201d Sister Anne replied with a calm complacence she was very far from feeling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell what if she DON\u2019T?\u201d Paul demanded as he climbed up into the driver\u2019s seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll cross THAT bridge . . . IF and WHEN we reach it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw-ride, aw-ride, aw-ride, aw-ready,\u201d Polly McPherson grumbled through clenched teeth, as she stumbled her way to the front door of the small, yet lavishly appointed town house she called home.\u00a0\u00a0 She paused to light the lamp placed on the small cherry wood table next to her favorite overstuffed armchair, then stole a glance at the grandfather\u2019s clock set against the wall between the fireplace and the narrow staircase leading to the second floor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAin\u2019 even quarter uh three inna mornin\u2019,\u201d<\/em> she silently groused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhoever that is . . . it bedder damn\u2019 sight be good.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Polly took a moment to tie the sash of her robe, then threw open the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 The angry reprimand, complete with a liberal sprinkling of colorful epithets, died before she could give them utterance the instant her eyes fell upon Sister Anne\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 For what seemed an eternity, Polly stood frozen in place staring down at the young nun through eyes round as dinner plates.\u00a0\u00a0 Though her mouth flapped up and down, no sound issued forth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMay we . . . come in?\u201d Sister Anne ventured hesitantly, as she eyed the older woman standing before her with an anxious frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uhhh . . . yeah.\u00a0\u00a0 Sure.\u00a0\u00a0 Why not?\u201d Polly murmured softly, not quite knowing what else to say.\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, stepped aside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne and Paul quickly ushered Cara inside.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTake her on over to the settee and sit her down,\u201d the nun told the stable hand in a low voice before turning to face Polly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . if you AIN\u2019T the very last person I ever expected t\u2019 darken my door ever again . . . you\u2019re near the top o\u2019 the list,\u201d Polly remarked in a wry tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cInstead o\u2019 BURNIN\u2019 in Hell, I guess this means we\u2019re all gonna freeze our asses off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould be,\u201d Sister Anne sighed wearily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s your friend?\u201d Polly demanded, inclining her head toward the settee, where Cara remained, half sitting, half leaning over.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer name is Cara,\u201d Sister Anne replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot . . . Cara Lindsay . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne\u2019s heart sank.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-You . . . know about, uhhh . . . .?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d be surprised at all the things I hear, \u2018n long before the likes o\u2019 Mrs. Kirk \u2018n that damned church organist,\u201d Polly declared, grimacing upon making mention of the two women most charitably referred to as a pair of walking newspapers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need your help, Mother,\u201d Sister Anne begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf we could just hide out here, until . . . well, until I can figure out what to do . . . please?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly folded her arms across her ample bosom and glared down at her daughter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy should I?\u201d she demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t ya hide her out in your convent, or better yet . . . give her sanctuary in your church?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you really know about Cara Lindsay, then you know very well why I can\u2019t hide her in the convent or in the church,\u201d Sister Anne returned with a touch of asperity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, I know.\u00a0\u00a0 I know all about it,\u201d Polly sighed, as she unfolded her arms.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI also hope ya realize the lot of us could end up \u2018way in over our heads in hot water if the sheriff, or somebody else finds her here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Aunt Polly?\u201d Paul added his own voice to his cousin\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNobody\u2019ll know she\u2019s here . . . in fact, when they find out Mag—, I, uhh mean Sister Anne . . . \u2018n Cara are missin\u2019 . . . this is gonna be the very last place folks\u2019ll think o\u2019 lookin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s for DAMNED sure,\u201d Polly had to agree.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right.\u00a0\u00a0 Cara can stay . . . for now.\u00a0\u00a0 Take her on up t\u2019 the guest room.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, returned her attention to Sister Anne.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaggie,\u201d Polly continued, addressing her daughter by her given name, \u201cyou can have your old room.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul, you\u2019re gonna hafta sleep on the settee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Aunt Polly.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s better \u2018n where I usually sleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Polly yawned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaggie, you get Cara settled upstairs, then get t\u2019 bed yourself.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ll talk later, at a more reasonable hour o\u2019 the mornin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail Jarvis overslept that morning . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Again.<\/span><\/p>\n

She was rudely awakened out of a sound sleep by the lowing of her stock, just as the grandfather\u2019s clock in her great room downstairs struck the hour of eleven.\u00a0\u00a0 Seemed ever since the day all her dreams, her hopes, and aspirations for her son, Gabe, were finally realized, the blessing of a good night\u2019s sleep eluded her more and more.\u00a0\u00a0 She dragged herself out of bed, threw on the clothing she had worn the day before, and made her way out to the barn after pausing at the kitchen sink to splash a handful of cold water on her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail had just turned the cows out into the pasture behind the barn, when her ears picked up the faint thundering of horse hooves in the distance.\u00a0\u00a0 She latched the pasture gate, then headed toward the front of her house, moving at a brisk pace.\u00a0\u00a0 There was something vaguely familiar about the green jacketed young man now dismounting from the back of his horse.\u00a0\u00a0 Still, a woman living alone, nearly two miles from her nearest neighbor, couldn\u2019t be too careful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Young Man . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe turned and found himself staring into the barrel of a revolver held in the trembling hand of a thin, careworn woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I\u2019ve never killed a man before, but there\u2019s a first time for everything,\u201d Abigail warned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you need to water your horse, the trough\u2019s over there by the hitching post.\u00a0\u00a0 Do it, and be quick about it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mrs. Abby?\u201d Joe queried warily.\u00a0\u00a0 If the frightened old woman leveling that revolver at the center of his chest was indeed the Mrs. Abby he remembered, she sure had changed since she and her family had left the Ponderosa . . . and not for the better.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe could pass for Adam\u2019s mother easily . . . and he\u2019s not but a couple of years younger,\u201d<\/em> he silently mused.\u00a0\u00a0 Her flaming red hair had turned prematurely gray in the intervening years, and her voluptuous, woman\u2019s body had withered away to a thinness that bordered on emaciation.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . guess you don\u2019t remember me, Mrs. Abby,\u201d he said, striving to speak in a calm, even tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Joe Cartwright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She peered into his face for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry . . . .\u201d Abigail apologized, as she slipped her revolver into one of the deep pockets of her apron.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA woman living out here alone can\u2019t be too careful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlone?!\u201d Joe echoed, his heart sinking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow that Gabe\u2019s gone,\u201d Abigail replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGone?!\u00a0\u00a0 G-gone WHERE?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLooks like we\u2019ve got some catching up to do,\u201d she observed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you come on in?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve some of that raisin walnut cake you used to like so much left over from last night\u2019s supper, and I . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She yawned, right in Joe\u2019s face, much to her embarrassment.\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d Abigail meekly apologized, \u201cit\u2019s NOT the company, it\u2019s . . . well, I\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t sleep very well last night . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe hesitated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to put you out, Mrs. Abby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not,\u201d Abigail insisted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI<\/strong> can do with a cup of coffee right now, and it won\u2019t be any trouble to fix up a little extra.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe followed Abigail into the small, yet well maintained farm house, and seated himself at the kitchen table, just big enough to accommodate two.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo.\u00a0\u00a0 How\u2019ve you been, Mrs. Abby . . . since ya left the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRay, God rest his soul, and I have done all right, I s\u2019pose,\u201d Abigail replied as she set a pot of water on the stove to boil and ground enough beans to supply four cups of coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 A proud smile tweaked at the corner of her mouth as her gaze took in the warm, inviting, kitchen with its bright yellow walls, a brand new stove, and the recently added water pump at the sink.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRay . . . well, he died . . . been a number of years now . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry to hear that,\u201d Joe murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess ALL the kids are up \u2018n grown now . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 There was a wistful note in her voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStill, there\u2019s the grandkids.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Abigail winced upon making mention of her grandchildren.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow many do ya have now?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail removed the revolver from her apron pocket and carefully tucked it into one of the kitchen drawers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s Mary Jane\u2019s six . . . seven come late June or early July . . . Annabelle\u2019s four, and Karen\u2019s due to have HER first sometime this summer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow about Gabe?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess that\u2019s the biggest news,\u201d Abigail said, with a weary, yet proud smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe left last fall to attend a big university back east.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s not the same one Adam attended, but a fine Ivy League school nonetheless.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a dream come true, Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 After all the years he spent working so hard to support me and his sisters after Ray died . . . Gabe\u2019s FINALLY got the chance now to make something wonderful of himself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s great,\u201d Joe said with far more enthusiasm than he felt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGabe has always been a very bright kid, and . . . and I\u2019m glad he was able to go.\u00a0\u00a0 How\u2019s he doing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery well,\u201d Abigail replied a mite too quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe, umm, should be coming up on the end of his first semester, so any day now I should be getting a letter from him telling me he\u2019s made the dean\u2018s list.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She didn\u2019t add that apart from a note, hastily scrawled, from one of the way stations along the way east, she\u2019d not heard anything from Gabe at all.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnother reason, no doubt, for my sleepless nights,\u201d<\/em> she ruminated anxiously, in silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I\u2019m impressed,\u201d Joe quietly responded, as he watched her place the ground coffee beans into the water to set for a while.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMust have cost a real pretty penny to send him all the way back east, though . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His offhand comment drew a sharp glare from Abigail.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe . . . why HAVE you come here?\u201d she demanded warily.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll of a sudden, I\u2019ve got the feeling you didn\u2019t come all the way out here . . . after all these years especially . . . just to inquire about my heath.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe admitted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI came out here to see Gabe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail\u2019s jaw dropped, and her face all of a sudden lost every bit of what little color it had.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . uhhh . . . what ABOUT Cara Lindsay?\u201d she demanded, trying her best to ignore the sudden disconcerting flutter of the proverbial butterflies in her stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Abby, I\u2019m gonna lay all my cards on the table . . . no beating around the bush,\u201d Joe said very quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe . . . my family and I . . . know that Cara Lindsay had a baby, and that Gabe is the father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy family\u2019s PRIVATE business is none of YOURS or anyone else\u2019s,\u201d Abigail said stiffly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve not broken any laws, which means I don\u2019t have to answer any more of your questions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her face had turned a sickly ashen gray, and she stared at Joe through rounded eyes, with the unblinking intensity of a reptile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara\u2019s father bought you off, didn\u2019t he.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe\u2019s words were an accusation, not an inquiry.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTHAT\u2019S why you were able to send Gabe off to a big fancy university back east.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, it was good of you to drop by, but I think you need to go now,\u201d Abigail said with a pointed glance in the direction of the kitchen door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Abby, maybe no laws have been broken, but what about duty and obligation?\u201d Joe demanded, his ire beginning to rise.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCara shouldn\u2019t be facing what she is right now all by herself.\u00a0\u00a0 If Gabe IS the father of her baby, then he has a responsibility AND a moral obligation to—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . to WHAT?!\u201d Abigail angrily demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo marry the girl though he\u2019s not yet eighteen . . . to take on a man\u2019s burden of supporting a wife and child while he\u2019s yet still a boy . . . and worst of all, to have nothing more to look forward to in life than working a small farm, day in and day out, living in a ram-shackle shack— \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis house doesn\u2019t look ram shackle to me,\u201d Joe observed, \u201cand if I\u2019m not mistaken, that\u2019s a brand new stove.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGabe doesn\u2019t know,\u201d Abigail said curtly, \u201cand he\u2019s not going to know.\u00a0\u00a0 Ever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not right, Mrs. Abby.\u00a0\u00a0 If he\u2019s old enough to . . . to . . . well, to help get a girl in the family way—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll his life,\u201d Abigail said through clenched teeth, her body trembling now with fear and anger, \u201call his LIFE, Joe . . . Gabe\u2019s broken his back working this farm, and working odd jobs in town, too, when he could find them, to support his sisters and me.\u00a0\u00a0 Though he was a very bright young man, who loved school, he had to leave at the age of eleven because all the work he had to do left him so bone weary, he couldn\u2019t even eat properly most of the time.\u00a0\u00a0 Yet, hard as he worked . . . and as much as he sacrificed, he never once complained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, one afternoon, Mister Lindsay came,\u201d Abigail continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe told me about his daughter carrying Gabe\u2019s child, then, much to my amazement, he turned right around and offered me the chance of a lifetime for Gabe.\u00a0\u00a0 Four years at the college of his choice, as long as it WAS somewhere back east, along with the tutoring necessary for him to pass the entrance exams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and as a bonus, Mister Lindsay had this place fixed up and bought you a new stove,\u201d Joe added rancorously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Abigail angrily admitted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 In return, Gabe\u2019s not to know about the child, or see Cara ever again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Abby . . . did your son love Cara?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe SAID he did,\u201d Abigail replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe even went so far as to say he wanted to marry her once or twice.\u00a0\u00a0 But . . . honestly, Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 What does a seventeen year old boy know about love?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot more than you think,\u201d Joe responded, his face darkening with his own fast rising anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was around the same age as Gabe when I fell in love with Amy Bishop.[v]<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 I KNEW . . . almost from the moment I saw her . . . that SHE was the girl I wanted very much to marry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and what did your PA think of that?\u00a0\u00a0 Or did you even tell him?\u201d Abigail demanded, as she favored Joe with a jaundiced glare and defiantly folded her arms across her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to admit that he may not have been entirely happy about the idea because of the quarrel between him and Amy\u2019s father,\u201d Joe replied, \u201cbut Pa . . .\u00a0 and my older brothers, too . . . made it real clear that my happiness meant more to them than their fight with Mister Bishop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGabe will have plenty of time to find happiness with a lovely wife and children . . . AFTER he graduates,\u201d Abigail argued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe, can\u2019t you see that Mister Lindsay\u2019s offer is the ONLY chance Gabe\u2019s ever likely to have of making a better life for himself?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you don\u2019t expect him to be grateful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and what\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt means when Gabe finds out that YOU decided he was never to see Cara again, and on top of that, as good as sold his firstborn so he could attend a fancy college back east, he\u2019s going to HATE you for it,\u201d Joe said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI TOLD you . . . he\u2019s NEVER going to find out,\u201d Abigail immediately shot right back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes he WILL, Mrs. Abby,\u201d Joe insisted, \u201cbecause the truth ALWAYS has a way of making itself known.\u00a0\u00a0 It may not be today . . . tomorrow . . . next month . . . or even next year.\u00a0\u00a0 It might not be for many years, but someday . . . Gabe WILL find out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you said what you\u2019ve come to say?\u201d Abigail demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBecause if you have?\u00a0\u00a0 I want you to leave.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve \u2018way overstayed your welcome.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe abruptly turned heel and strode briskly out of the house, without a word, without even turning to look back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail walked over toward the window, and remained, unmoving, her back straight as a poker, watching as Joe mounted his horse and rode out of her yard, back toward the road leading to town.\u00a0\u00a0 When at long last the sound of his horse\u2019s hooves finally died away to silence, she turned away from the window, and wept.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Pa . . . looked up folks like you asked . . . son away attending school back east . . . knows nothing . . . have no way to contact,\u2019 \u201d<\/em> Joe silently read the brief message he had just finished writing down, then signed his name.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, walked up to the telegraph operator.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to send this wire to Ben Ca—!?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A woman clad entirely in black rudely cut Joe off mid-sentence.\u00a0\u00a0 She unceremoniously pushed the young man out of her way and stepped up to the window.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uhhh, Ma\u2019am?\u00a0\u00a0 This gentleman was here FIRST,\u201d the telegraph operator said with a touch of asperity and a nod over in Joe\u2019s direction.\u00a0\u00a0 He was a young man, roughly the same height and build as Joe, with short cropped carrot red hair that stuck out in all directions and a pair of bright emerald green eyes, magnified twice their normal size by spectacles with lenses the thickness of the bottoms of sarsaparilla bottles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019M in a hurry,\u201d the woman snapped, the scowl, perpetually etched into her dry, brittle flesh, deepening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Mister,\u201d Joe said with a shrug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can wait.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 There was something unsettlingly familiar about that sour old woman . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre there any messages for me?\u201d the woman demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 Though she spoke to the telegraph operator in a lofty, imperious tone of voice, Joe heard a note of fear there as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

The telegraph operator exhaled an audible sigh of the long-suffering.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust a moment, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe intently studied the old woman standing with back stiffly erect, gloved hands tightly clasped with fingers interlacing, and eyes glued to the telegraph operator\u2019s back as he carefully looked through the stack of messages lying on his desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you hurry it up?\u201d the woman impatiently demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust a moment, Ma\u2019am,\u201d the telegraph operator responded irritably.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned and continued his search while she drummed her fingers on the counter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mrs. Crawleigh . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s shuddered.\u00a0\u00a0 Crawleigh.\u00a0\u00a0 The only Crawleigh, with whom he and his family were acquainted, unfortunately, was the woman his sister referred to as a monster from hell, who was all set to whisk her all the way out to Ohio until he, his father, and brother had intervened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . there\u2019s no response to that wire you sent your cousin.\u00a0\u00a0 Would you like to send another wire?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d the woman responded in a sullen tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVivian Crawleigh . . . in the flesh, big as life, and about a hundred times as ugly,\u201d <\/em>Joe silently observed upon catching a clear glimpse of her face when she turned to leave. <\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The haughty grimace of the perpetually righteous he remembered still remained on her face, but the look in her eyes . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . like a trapped wild animal,\u201d Joe murmured very softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m real sorry \u2018bout that,\u201d the telegraph operator meekly apologized after Vivian Crawleigh had left.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe sent a wire to some cousin o\u2019 hers over in Virginia City . . . I think it was shortly after the Lindsay girl turned up missing, though, I guess you, being a stranger to town \u2018n all, probably wouldn\u2019t know anything \u2018bout that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cActually, I HAVE heard,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs . . . is that woman the, uhhh missing girl\u2019s mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The telegraph operator immediately shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Sir,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat gal\u2019s mother died a long time ago, when she was a kid.\u00a0\u00a0 That woman who was just here?\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Lindsay . . . he\u2019s the missing girl\u2019s father . . . he hired her to look after his daughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeems the girl\u2019s been sickly this past year or so. Leastwise that\u2019s what Miss Barnes says . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Barnes?\u201d Joe queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe works over at the post office,\u201d the telegraph operator explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFount of all knowledge.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s what my pa, God rest his soul, used to call women like her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFount of all knowledge?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 Every town\u2019s got one, I s\u2019pose, same as just about every town\u2019s got a drunk,\u201d the telegraph operator said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGot one . . . what?\u201d Joe asked with a puzzled frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU know . . . one o\u2019 those women who can\u2019t keep her mouth shut t\u2019 save her own life?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe laughed out loud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOohh yeah.\u00a0\u00a0 I know,\u201d he said as his mirth died away.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere I<\/strong> come from?\u00a0\u00a0 We have TWO ladies like your Miss Barnes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have my deepest sympathies, uhhh . . . Mister?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust call me Joe,\u201d the youngest Cartwright son said, extending his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy name\u2019s Tom,\u201d the telegraph operator said, as he shook hands with Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou . . . have a message for me to send?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but I need to add something . . . .\u201d Joe replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what, Pa . . . while you \u2018n li\u2019l sister here are visitin\u2019 Cara Lindsay, I\u2019m gonna give Virgil Jared a hand with loadin\u2019 the supplies after Amelia gets our order t\u2019gether,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll also stop by the post office \u2018n go to the bank.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll say hello to Jason for me?\u201d Stacy asked.\u00a0\u00a0 Jason O\u2019Brien and his family had been friends and neighbors of the Cartwrights for many years.\u00a0\u00a0 His father, Hugh, owned a small, but lucrative spread named Shoshone Queen in honor of his late wife, Angelina Thundercloud Woman.\u00a0\u00a0 Over the course of the past summer, Stacy had come to care for Jason very much.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou bet I will,\u201d Hoss promised with a broad grin and a wink.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, his middle son, and only daughter had left for town early that morning to lay in supplies and take care of a few errands, leaving the Li\u2019l One in the care of Irma Fielding and Hop Sing.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out his watch.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a quarter before the hour,\u201d he told Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t we meet at the C Street Caf\u00e9 for an early lunch before starting back?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine with ME, Pa,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 It was all he could do to keep from smacking his lips.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI ain\u2019t had a hunk o\u2019 one o\u2019 Miss Maxine\u2019s pies for a powerful long time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good to ME, too,\u201d Stacy added her two cents\u2019 worth.<\/span><\/p>\n

After his father and sister had left, Hoss turned and walked into the general store, where Amelia and her eldest daughter, Lilly Beth, were putting together the Cartwrights\u2019 order.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cExcuse me, Amelia . . . Lilly Beth?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two women turned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Hoss?\u00a0\u00a0 What can I do for ya?\u201d Amelia asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted t\u2019 let ya know I\u2019m gonna take a run over t\u2019 the bank, then swing by the post office,\u201d Hoss explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll give Virgil \u2018n Burt a hand with loadin\u2019 the buckboard when I get back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Hoss . . . Lilly Beth \u2018n me\u2019ll have your order together by the time you get through takin\u2019 care o\u2019 your business,\u201d Amelia promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss left the store, but had gone no more than a dozen steps when he heard someone, a man, frantically calling his name.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon turning, he saw George Ellis, who worked at the telegraph office running down the board walk, waving an envelope, clasped in his left hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u00a0\u00a0 I KNEW I\u2019d seen you folks in town!\u201d George wheezed upon catching up with the big man.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGotta wire here for your pa . . . marked urgent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, George,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately tore open the envelope with his father\u2019s name hastily scrawled across its front and read the message:<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carson City, Nevada<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Virginia City, Nevada<\/span><\/p>\n

Pa,<\/span><\/p>\n

Looked up folks like you asked.\u00a0\u00a0 Son away attending school back east.\u00a0\u00a0 Knows nothing.\u00a0\u00a0 Have no way to contact.\u00a0\u00a0 Also can confirm V Crawleigh hired to care for someone we know.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHooo-leee . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uuhhh . . . what was that, Hoss?\u201d George queried with a bewildered frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter the holy, I mean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever you mind,\u201d Hoss said, his face red as a beet.\u00a0\u00a0 He dug into his pocket and pulled out a half dollar.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere y\u2019 are, George . . . a li\u2019l something for your trouble.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Hoss,\u201d George said with a grin as he pocketed the tip.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs there gonna be a reply?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss shook his head as he stuffed the message back into its envelope.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLeastwise not right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, Hoss . . . see ya later,\u201d George said, then turned and headed back to the telegraph office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVivian Crawleigh,\u201d Hoss muttered under his breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNever in a million years did I ever think we\u2019d see or hear from HER again.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa needs t\u2019 see this message now.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He turned, and with a grim, determined scowl on his face, made his way toward Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital to find his pa and sister.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?!\u201d Mother Catherine shrieked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s GONE, Mother,\u201d Sister Wilhelmina said, anxiously wringing her hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Lindsay is gone, and . . . and so is Sister Anne!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d Mother Catherine groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI should\u2019ve known . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShould we search the grounds?\u201d Sister Wilhelmina asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey can\u2019t have gotten TOO far . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, though a tiny voice deep within her heart insisted that such a search would fail to turn up Sister Anne and Cara Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 Still, no harm in being thorough.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhile I organize the search, Sister, I want YOU to find Father Brendan, and let him know what\u2019s happened.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and see to it you speak with him privately,\u201d the mother superior added as an afterthought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Wilhelmina nodded, then turned and ran out of the mother superior\u2019s office, nearly colliding head on with Ben Cartwright and his daughter, Stacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEasy, Sister,\u201d Ben cautioned as he reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m SO sorry, Mister Cartwright, please excuse me.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Wilhelmina\u2019s words tumbled out in a rush.\u00a0\u00a0 Without waiting for a reply, she turned heel and fled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson?\u201d Ben queried as he and Stacy ventured through the wide open door leading into the mother superior\u2019s office.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs . . . everything all right?\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy and I wanted to see if you might allow us another visit with Miss Lindsay, but we CAN come back another time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright . . . and you, too, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 Please, come in,\u201d Mother Catherine invited.\u00a0\u00a0 She closed her eyes and took a deep ragged breath in a valiant attempt to regain at least some small modicum of composure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Mother Gibson?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara Lindsay\u2019s missing,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, \u201cand so is Sister Anne.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Stacy whispered, her eyes round with shocked horror.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I trust you got my message yesterday?\u201d Mother Catherine asked as her visitors seated themselves in the two chairs set facing her desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout the monsignor sending a wire to the girl\u2019s father informing him as to her whereabouts?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine dolefully nodded her head, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI should\u2019ve KNOWN she\u2019d do something like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Stacy exchanged troubled glances.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson,\u201d the former said, \u201cI know Miss Lindsay would have been very upset upon learning that her father had been told of her whereabouts, but . . . I don\u2019t see how you could have possibly known that she\u2019d run away . . . especially when you take her physical condition into account.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m NOT speaking of Miss Lindsay,\u201d she explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs far as I know, she knew nothing about the wire Monsignor Kramer sent.\u00a0\u00a0 I was speaking of Sister Anne.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne?!\u201d Stacy echoed with a bewildered frown.\u00a0\u00a0 It was beyond her comprehension that the young sister, who seemed so very set in her ways, had it within her to run away from the convent hospital, taking her patient with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I told you both when you came day before yesterday, Sister Anne\u2019s life was a very troubled one before she joined our community . . . with a number of similarities to Miss Lindsay\u2019s, I might add, assuming the accusations she made against her father were true,\u201d Mother Catherine explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The three glanced up, and to their surprise found Hoss standing just inside the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben and Stacy immediately rose to their feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u00a0\u00a0 What is it?\u201d Ben queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWire from Joe in Carson City,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He crossed the room in less than the amount of time between one heart beat and the next.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGeorge gave it to me as I was leavin\u2019 the general store.\u00a0\u00a0 I think you need t\u2019 see this, Pa . . . now instead o\u2019 later.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He placed the envelope containing the message into Ben\u2019s outstretched hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy moved around behind her father so that she might read over his shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no!\u201d she gasped, her eyes round with sheer horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see it,\u201d Ben said somberly, feeling dreadfully sick at heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh dear!\u201d Mother Catherine said, as she also rose to her feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, I . . . hope it\u2019s not BAD news.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid it may be as far as Miss Lindsay\u2019s concerned,\u201d Ben said sadly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFirst off, the young man who\u2019s the father of her child\u2019s gone back east to attend school, and according to Joe\u2019s wire here, he apparently knows nothing about the child, but worse . . . the woman Tobias hired to look after his daughter . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s . . . she\u2019s . . . I\u2019m sorry, Mother Gibson . . . you, too, Pa and Hoss . . . but the woman Cara\u2019s pa hired to look after her is a horrible monster from HELL!\u201d Stacy declared, her face pale.\u00a0\u00a0 She drew her hands into a pair of tight, rock hard fists to quell their trembling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss immediately slipped his arm around Stacy\u2019s shoulders and gave her a gentle, reassuring squeeze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEasy there, Li\u2019l Sister,\u201d he murmured in a low, soothing tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou KNOW that woman can\u2019t hurt ya.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Stacy said, her voice shaking, as she slipped her arm around Hoss\u2019 waist and held tight.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s because I\u2019ve got you, Pa, Joe, Hop Sing . . . AND Adam . . . to protect me.\u00a0\u00a0 Cara . . . oh, Hoss . . . if everything you said about her pa\u2019s true, Cara has no one to protect her from . . . from the likes of Vivian Crawleigh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you say Vivian Crawleigh?\u201d Mother Catherine asked with a dark, angry scowl.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . they did,\u201d Ben said very quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis Vivian Crawleigh . . . does she have an orphanage and foundling home out in Ohio somewhere?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe DID, Mother Gibson,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter her cousin, Mrs. Danvers, threatened Stacy with the grim prospect of being placed in that woman\u2019s custody, I hired a good friend of my oldest son, Adam, to investigate Mrs. Crawleigh and the home she ran out in Ohio.\u00a0\u00a0 He found enough evidence of cruelty to have that home of hers shut down, AND send her to prison.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do YOU know her, Mother Gibson?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe served as postulant and the first two years of our novitiate at a convent and charity hospital for . . . for girls like Miss Lindsay . . . who are in trouble and have nowhere to go . . . no one to turn to for help,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe . . . I\u2019ll be charitable, Stacy, and just say she was terribly cruel . . . then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t anyone put a stop to her cruelty?\u201d Stacy asked, appalled by the very thought of a woman like Vivian Crawleigh being accepted into a nursing order of all things.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI tried my best,\u201d Mother Catherine said ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI reported her to the mistress of novices so many times, I actually lost count after the first dozen or so.\u00a0\u00a0 Unfortunately, Sister Mercy was a very stern, unyielding woman, who, in her own way, was every bit as cruel as the woman you know as Mrs. Crawleigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe very last time I went over Sister Mercy\u2019s head to Mother Superior herself,\u201d Mother Catherine continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat started me on the long journey that eventually brought me here.\u00a0\u00a0 I found out recently that Sister Augustine, the woman YOU know as Vivian Crawleigh, had escaped from prison, and somehow ended up in Ohio running an orphanage and foundling home.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Cartwright . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother Gibson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis may be very uncharitable and unchristian of me, but I can\u2019t help feeling a deep sense of gratitude and relief upon hearing that the man you hired to investigate Mrs. Crawleigh found enough evidence to shut down that home she ran,\u201d the mother superior said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m surprised she wasn\u2019t sent to prison out in Ohio.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was,\u201d Ben said, \u201cbut the judge declared she be returned to Baltimore to finish serving her prison sentence THERE.\u00a0\u00a0 She must\u2019ve escaped en route.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was wonderin\u2019 . . . takin\u2019 into account everything Mother Gibson here said about that Crawleigh woman, AND what Adam\u2019s friend, Jack, found out in Ohio . . . y\u2019 think maybe that might help keep Tobias from getting custody of Cara \u2018n Li\u2019l One?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s the slightest chance it WILL help, Mister Cartwright, I\u2019d be more than willing to give testimony to everything I<\/strong> know about Vivian Crawleigh,\u201d Mother Catherine offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mother Gibson,\u201d Ben murmured gratefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps YOUR testimony, coupled with Jack Cranston\u2019s on what HE found out in Ohio just might keep Cara and her baby out of her father\u2019s clutches.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . guess it\u2019s time for us to face the music,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat music, Pa?\u201d Stacy queried with a bewildered frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u2018music\u2019 Sheriff Coffee\u2019s gonna make when we tell him that Cara Lindsay \u2018n Sister Anne have gone missin\u2019,\u201d Hoss said, his voice filled with weary resignation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u00a0\u00a0 Do we HAVE to tell Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Stacy asked, with sinking heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so, Young Woman . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Elena di Cordova said in a very quiet, very firm tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 She was still confined to bed following the birth of the longed for son, who had died within a few minutes after making his appearance in this world.\u00a0 Elena leaned back into the mound of pillows piled behind her and folded her arms across her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Elena . . . Darling . . . .\u201d Miguel begged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI said no.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of the adult members of the family were present.\u00a0\u00a0 Miguel\u2019s older sister, Teresa Cartwright, sat in the hard backed chair on the right side of the bed, with her husband, Adam, standing directly behind her.\u00a0\u00a0 Her mother-in-law, Dolores di Cordova, stood at the foot of the bed, wringing her hands, while her beloved husband sat perched on the very edge of the bed facing his sister and brother-in-law.\u00a0\u00a0 Papa Eduardo was downstairs in the family room entertaining Benjy and Dio, respectively her husband\u2019s nephew and niece.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut . . . Darling . . . a specialist might be able to . . . to . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo WHAT, Miguel?\u201d she demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo fix me?!\u00a0\u00a0 No.\u00a0\u00a0 I think NOT.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease?\u00a0\u00a0 We won\u2019t know . . . we CAN\u2019T know . . . until we see him,\u201d Miguel begged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow many doctors have we already seen?\u00a0\u00a0 Twenty?\u00a0\u00a0 Thirty, perhaps?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed very softly and shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiguel . . . my Beloved . . . I love you.\u00a0\u00a0 I love you so very much, and I want more than anything to give you a child, but . . . I . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiguel, I think we need to face the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat truth?!\u201d Miguel demanded, angry yet fearful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s NOT meant to be,\u201d she half sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiguel, we\u2019ve seen doctor after doctor after doctor . . . seen specialist after specialist.\u00a0\u00a0 Each time, we . . . you and me . . . we hoped . . . I<\/strong> prayed . . . that this time . . . surely THIS time would be different, but no.\u00a0\u00a0 They ALL said the same thing.\u00a0\u00a0 I can\u2019t go through this again, getting our hopes up so high, only to see them cruelly dashed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Elena . . . Child . . . it may be this man in San Francisco knows something the others do NOT,\u201d Dolores implored.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs Miguel said you won\u2019t know that until you see him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother . . . Miguel . . . perhaps this isn\u2019t the time to make that decision,\u201d Teresa pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow is as good a time as any, Teresa,\u201d Elena said, \u201cand I\u2019ve decided first, I am NOT going to go through the discomfort and expense of traveling all the way to San Francisco . . . . \u201d she grimaced, \u201conly to have yet another specialist tell me what all the others have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cB-But—\u201d Miguel started to protest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have also decided that I\u2019d like to adopt a child, a baby if that\u2019s possible,\u201d Elena continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdopt!?\u00a0\u00a0 Madre di Dios!\u201d Dolores gasped as she hurriedly crossed herself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no, Elena, no, you . . . y-you CAN\u2019T.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Adam spoke up for the first time.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI believe Miguel and Elena would make wonderful parents, and there\u2019s so many children and babies out there, orphans, some left as foundlings—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFoundlings!\u201d Dolores moaned softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBabies left on the door steps of orphanages and churches, no one knows where they\u2019ve come from, what kind of people their REAL parents were—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, Dolores, IF Miguel and Elena decide to adopt a child . . . or children . . . THEY are the real parents, because they will be the ones who would raise that child, love him, teach him right from wrong, be there when that child is sick or hurting,\u201d Adam immediately pointed out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for where the child may have come from or who the mother and father responsible for bringing that child into this world were . . . none of that should matter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you SAY that?\u201d Dolores groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam, what if . . . dear God, what if that foundling\u2019s father\u2019s a murderer and the mother a . . . a woman of loose morals?!\u00a0\u00a0 Father Velasquez used to say \u2018The sins of the father—\u2019 \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mama Dolores, don\u2019t you see?\u00a0\u00a0 Adam is RIGHT when he says simply bringing a child into this world does NOT make a man and woman a real father and mother,\u201d Elena pressed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the man and woman who do all the other things Adam said who are the REAL mother and father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like this.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t like this one bit,\u201d Dolores said, as she wagged her head slowly back and forth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder if perhaps THIS is the reason God has seen fit to deny me the joy of having children born of my own body,\u201d Elena argued, \u201cso that perhaps Miguel and I might open our home . . . and our hearts . . . to a lost, abandoned child out there who needs us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI STILL don\u2019t like this,\u201d Dolores moaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa rose from her chair and walked over to her mother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think perhaps we should leave now, and let Elena get some rest,\u201d she firmly suggested as she steered her mother toward the bedroom door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAn excellent suggestion,\u201d Adam immediately agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 He, his wife, and his mother-in-law said their good-byes to Elena.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Adam,\u201d she whispered very softly as he bent down to place a kiss on her forehead.<\/span><\/p>\n

Miguel saw their visitors out, and returned a few moments later.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cElena, are you sure you want to adopt?\u201d he asked, as he once again seated himself on the edge of her bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve not—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiguel, the only thing that breaks my heart more than having doctor after doctor tell us I can\u2019t have children is learning I\u2019m with child, only to suffer a miscarriage, or worse . . . bringing a child into the world only to see him leave it again,\u201d she said, her voice breaking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, My Love, I BEG of you . . . don\u2019t ask me to go through it all again?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cElena, grant me this,\u201d Miguel said very quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen you are better, we go to San Francisco, and see the specialist.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He held up his hand upon seeing her open her mouth to protest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, Love, hear me out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cI promise you, if this man in San Francisco says the same as the others, this will be the last time we ever see another doctor or specialist regarding whether or not you will be able to have children,\u201d Miguel continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll also begin doing what we need to do in order to adopt a child or a baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see the specialist in San Francisco, if as you say, this IS the last time,\u201d Elena wearily agreed, \u201cbut I want us to begin doing what we need to do in order to adopt sooner, not later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow MUCH sooner?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow lemme get all this straight!\u201d Roy said through clenched teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood in the middle of his office, with arms folded across his chest, glaring at Mother Catherine, Ben, Hoss, and Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re tellin\u2019 me this Monsignor Kramer took it on himself t\u2019 wire Mister Lindsay\u00a0 \u2018bout his daughter bein\u2019 in YOUR hospital, Mother Gibson . . . \u2018n if THAT ain\u2019t bad enough, y\u2019 also tell me that gal \u2018n the sister lookin\u2019 after her . . . have gone missin\u2019?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDa—uhhh, dog gone it, Ben!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Two red splotches appeared on Roy\u2019s cheeks upon remembering that two women were present, one of them being a mother superior of her order, no less.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI KNEW I shouldn\u2019t have let ya talk me into givin\u2019 ya that week \u2018n a half, I KNEW it.\u00a0\u00a0 NOW, thanks t\u2019 you, \u2018n yeah . . . my own stupidity for listenin\u2019 to ya . . . I\u2019M in a whole world o\u2019 trouble.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, I\u2019m sorry . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot half as sorry as you\u2019re GONNA be!\u201d Roy snapped, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Mother Gibson, let\u2019s have the particulars.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He walked over to his desk and procured pencil and paper.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFirst off, when did ya discover the Lindsay gal \u2018n this Sister Anne had gone missin\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis morning,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, \u201cabout . . . I guess maybe ten or fifteen minutes before Mister Cartwright and Stacy arrived.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy sat down behind his desk, and began jotting down the mother superior\u2019s reply.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey . . . must have left during the night or perhaps the dark hours of early morning,\u201d Mother Catherine continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, I\u2019m reasonably certain they DID.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne asked permission to be excused from supper and Compline last night . . . said she was feeling poorly.\u00a0\u00a0 She had plenty of time to plan things out, Sheriff.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou search the hospital \u2018n grounds outside?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine nodded her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFather Rutherford is overseeing that now, though frankly, I\u2019d be surprised if they turned up there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Sister Anne have any family or friends around?\u00a0\u00a0 Somewhere she could go?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, \u201cher mother lives right here in Virginia City, but they\u2019re estranged.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019ve not spoken for five, maybe six years now, Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Roy murmured softly. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cSo, you\u2019re sayin\u2019 there\u2019s not much chance o\u2019 her showin\u2019 up on her mother\u2019s doorstep?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, actually.\u00a0\u00a0 I think there\u2019s every chance in the world,\u201d Mother Catherine said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister Anne has nowhere ELSE to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right . . . who IS Sister Anne\u2019s mother?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPolly McPherson,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . believe she runs an establishment here in town called the Virginia City Social Club.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly McPherson, madam of the very lucrative establishment known as the Virginia City Social Club, leaned against the door jamb of the guest room, watching her daughter care for the young girl tossing and turning on the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBurning with fever,\u201d Sister Anne replied, fearful and growing more so by the minute.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you need to send for the doc,\u201d Polly said, as she stepped into the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne was adamant.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo one can know she\u2019s here, apart from US.\u00a0\u00a0 NO one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mean to in any way question your ability as a nurse, Maggie, but that gal needs a DOCTOR,\u201d Polly insisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf we bring the doctor, he\u2019ll tell the sheriff she\u2019s here,\u201d Sister Anne argued, as she worked frantically to bathe Cara\u2019s face and neck.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you rather she died?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe won\u2019t die,\u201d Sister Anne insisted with a calm she was very far from feeling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother, please!\u00a0\u00a0 If I can just keep her cool until her fever breaks—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw that leg, Maggie,\u201d Polly said, \u201clast night when you changed the bandages.\u00a0\u00a0 That fever\u2019s going to keep climbing higher and higher, unless her leg is seen to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne threw the cloth she had been using to bathe Cara\u2019s face into the near empty bowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI need more water,\u201d she said in a sullen tone, as she grabbed hold of the bowl and rose.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly sidestepped, effectively blocking her daughter\u2019s path.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaggie, I\u2019m NOT a nurse, I\u2019ve had no training to speak of in the healing arts, but even I<\/strong> can see that girl\u2019s fever is dangerously high.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne hour, Mother, please,\u201d Sister Anne begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust give me one hour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that gal\u2019s GOT an hour,\u201d Polly said bluntly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou got until I get dressed, and THAT\u2019S goin\u2019 against my better judgment.\u00a0\u00a0 If there\u2019s no sign of improvement, I\u2019m sending Paul for the doc.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She stood aside to allow her daughter to pass.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne bolted for the open bedroom door, with both arms wrapped tight around the bowl.\u00a0\u00a0 A loud pounding on the front door below froze both women in their tracks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProbably a client,\u201d Polly said grimly, as she pulled the flaps of her silk robe together and securely tied the sash.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou take the backstairs down to the kitchen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Klein, meanwhile, tossed aside his aunt\u2019s latest copy of the Territorial<\/u> Enterprise<\/u>, and ran to answer the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon throwing it open, he was shocked and heartily dismayed to find Sheriff Coffee, the Cartwrights, and Mother Gibson standing on the door step outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul?!\u201d Mother Catherine exclaimed with a perplexed frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are YOU doing HERE?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf y\u2019 don\u2019t mind, Mother Gibson, I\u2019LL ask t\u2019 questions,\u201d Roy said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, returned his attention to the chagrinned young man standing framed in the open door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSon, I\u2019d like a word with Miz McPherson.\u00a0\u00a0 She in?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, uhhh . . . I dunno, I . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Paul swallowed nervously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, YOU g\u2019won out to the kitchen and help Maggie,\u201d Polly ordered, as she slowly descended the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Paul murmured softly, before turning tail and running in the direction of the kitchen with shoulders hunched, and head hung.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen . . . Ladies . . . please come in,\u201d Polly invited in a cool, but polite tone.\u00a0\u00a0 She stood aside, allowing her unexpected visitors to enter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee fell in step behind the lady of the house.\u00a0\u00a0 Mother Gibson followed behind the sheriff, while the Cartwrights brought up the rear.\u00a0\u00a0 Polly led her visitors to the small, formal parlor at the back of the house and invited them to sit.\u00a0\u00a0 She, herself, took up position before the fireplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for you, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Polly asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re lookin\u2019 for a very sick young lady \u2018n her nurse, one o\u2019 the sisters who works at Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital,\u201d Roy replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA sick young lady and a nun,\u201d Polly echoed, with a wry smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat makes you think they\u2019re HERE?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the nurse we\u2019re looking for is Sister Anne,\u201d Mother Gibson immediately spoke up.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour daughter, Mrs. McPherson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and where in the ever lovin\u2019 world didja get the idea she\u2019d show up HERE of all places?\u201d Polly demanded in a tone of voice insultingly condescending.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe has nowhere ELSE to go,\u201d Mother Gibson quietly replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. McPherson, the young lady in the company of Sister Anne has a leg that\u2019s badly infected,\u201d Ben pleaded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf she\u2019s not returned to the hospital, where that leg can be properly cared for . . . she might die.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf that young lady dies under your roof, Ma\u2019am, Sister Anne will more \u2018n likely wind up bein\u2019 charged with manslaughter . . . \u2018n YOU as an accessory,\u201d Roy warned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re here,\u201d she reluctantly confessed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe young lady you speak of IS upstairs . . . and she\u2019s in a very bad way.\u00a0\u00a0 I was about to send Paul for the doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, would YOU mind fetching Doctor Martin?\u201d Ben asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d also appreciate it if you\u2019d remain at the Martins until your brother and I come for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo arguments, Young Woman,\u201d Ben said firmly in a tone of voice that brooked no further argument.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Stacy responded with a sigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. McPherson, if you\u2019d be so kind as to tell me where Sister Anne and her patient are, I\u2019d be more than happy to lend a hand in caring for the girl until the doctor comes,\u201d Mother Catherine offered, after Stacy had left.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUpstairs,\u201d Polly replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGuest room\u2019s at the end of the hall, on the right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Mother Catherine said rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI WAS telling the truth when I said I was about to send for the doc,\u201d Polly said, very much on the defensive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 should\u2019ve sent f\u2019r ME when Sister Anne showed up on your doorstep with Cara Lindsay,\u201d Roy said sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy didn\u2019t ya?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe unholy hour of the morning they showed up for one thing,\u201d Polly replied, \u201cand for another I<\/strong> happen to believe Maggie\u2019s story about Miss Lindsay\u2019s father wanting to sell her baby.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned and looked Ben square in the face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou believe it, too, Mister Cartwright,\u201d she half observed, half accused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can see it in your face.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be perfectly honest, Mrs. McPherson, I\u2019m not sure whether I believe Miss Lindsay\u2019s father really intends to sell her baby to the highest bidder or not,\u201d Ben said firmly.\u00a0 \u201cI AM reasonably certain, however, that Miss Lindsay believes her accusations are true, and as Roy here said to me yesterday, I\u2019M of the mind that where there\u2019s smoke, there\u2019s fire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and what stake do YOU have in this, Mister Cartwright . . . if you don\u2019t mind me asking?\u201d Polly demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy family and I want to help Miss Lindsay . . . if she\u2019s of a mind to let us,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 That was all he was prepared to say at that moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiz McPherson, I couldn\u2019t help but notice y\u2019 sounded real sure o\u2019 yourself just now when ya said y\u2019 believe Miss Lindsay\u2019s story,\u201d Roy quietly observed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMost, includin\u2019 me, are shocked, \u2018n at best don\u2019t honestly know WHAT t\u2019 believe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, I know for fact Mister Lindsay has been serving as a baby broker to the very rich in San Francisco . . . oohh, I\u2019d say for the better part of the last five . . . maybe six years now at the very least,\u201d Polly said grimly.\u00a0 “Maybe longer.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t tell me the ladies workin\u2019 f\u2019r YOU have . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Polly shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEven at the best of times . . . under the very best of circumstances, brokering with one of MY girls, who finds herself in the family way, is a very chancy business.\u00a0\u00a0 I do all I can to protect my girls of course, but I\u2019m afraid even my best efforts amount to being little more than doing nothing at all.\u00a0\u00a0 I trust we ALL understand each other?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d Roy snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Ben merely nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI DID have occasion to make use of Mister Lindsay\u2019s services once, however,\u201d Polly continued in a very quiet, very subdued tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought y\u2019 just got through sayin\u2019 y\u2019 never used him when one o\u2019 the ladies workin\u2019 for ya found herself in the family way,\u201d Hoss said with a bewildered frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t,\u201d Polly affirmed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo . . . the mother-to-be was NOT one of my working girls . . . she was my daughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne?!\u201d Ben queried, astonished and shocked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Sister Anne.\u00a0\u00a0 Her given name is Margaret.\u00a0\u00a0 I call her Maggie.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was the one thing in my life untouched by what I\u2019ve become,\u201d she sadly continued, \u201cor so I thought.\u00a0\u00a0 Maggie\u2019s father . . . . \u201d A wistful half smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA charmer, that one, with all his pretty words, and his poetry.\u00a0\u00a0 He was the only \u2019decent\u2019 man who ever talked to me about marriage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat . . . happened to him, Miz McPherson?\u201d Hoss ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d Ben admonished.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly held up her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018S ok, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Lord above knows I\u2018m not welcome in this town\u2018s many circles of \u2018polite\u2019 society,\u201d she said with a touch of rancor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNever have been . . . never will be.\u00a0\u00a0 My telling the truth after all these years won\u2019t change anything for me, but if it can help my daughter . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She looked over at Roy Coffee expectantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cT\u2019 be up front \u2018n honest, Ma\u2019am, what happens t\u2019 Sister Anne . . . Maggie . . . is gonna be up t\u2019 a jury of her peers,\u201d Roy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRight now, she stands charged o\u2019 kidnappin\u2019 Miss Lindsay . . . a minor in t\u2019 eyes o\u2019 the law, \u2018n recklessly puttin\u2019 her life in danger.\u00a0\u00a0 If Miss Lindsay dies, your daughter could be lookin\u2019 at a manslaughter charge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThough I can\u2019t condone what Maggie\u2018s done, after talking with Miss Lindsay myself, I can understand why she took the action she did,\u201d Ben anxiously pressed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour daughter can\u2019t stop Tobias Lindsay from claiming custody of his daughter and her baby, but maybe . . . just maybe . . . YOU can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and takin\u2019 into account the fact that your daughter don\u2019t have any kind o\u2019 criminal record prior t\u2019 all this, if she IS found guilty by her peers in a court o\u2019 law, anything you hafta say might incline a judge t\u2019 be lenient when it comes t\u2019 handin\u2019 down a sentence,\u201d Roy added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly sighed, and turned toward the window in her downstairs parlor that looked out upon a back alley strewn with garbage.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess it all boils down to what it says in The Good Book about the sins of the father being visited upon the son,\u201d she began.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOnly in THIS instance, it\u2019s the sins of the mother being visited upon the daughter.\u00a0\u00a0 Godfrey McPherson, Maggie\u2019s father, walked out on me . . . on US . . . soon after I told him I was with our child.\u00a0\u00a0 He never even said goodbye.\u00a0\u00a0 I woke up one morning, and he was gone.\u00a0\u00a0 I found out later he was married to a very wealthy woman and, though he tended to stray . . . a lot . . . sooner or later, he ALWAYS went back home to Mama and her money.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had Maggie in a charity hospital in St. Louis,\u201d Polly continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMost women in my position would\u2019ve let the baby go for adoption, but I couldn\u2019t.\u00a0\u00a0 I LOVED her father, and God help me, I still do to this day.\u00a0\u00a0 I figured if I couldn\u2019t have the man, I\u2019d take consolation in having his child.\u00a0\u00a0 The minute I was back on my feet, Maggie and I left St. Louis, she with a handful of baby things given us by the folks running the charity hospital and me with little more than the clothes on my back and a stolen name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA stolen name?!\u201d Hoss echoed with a puzzled frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI listed Godfrey as Maggie\u2019s father on her birth certificate, and, though I never married him, I, nonetheless, claimed to be his widow,\u201d Polly replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI took any job that was offered me . . . emptying bedpans in a hospital . . . waiting tables . . . cleaning houses . . . but the pay was . . . I\u2019ll be charitable and just say it wasn\u2019t near enough to support me AND Maggie.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . felt I had NO choice but to . . . to offer the only commodity I had to offer . . . namely myself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time I arrived here in Virginia City, I had enough put by to pay rent on a small house on D Street and set out my shingle as it were,\u201d she continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt wasn\u2019t easy . . . in fact, at times it was damned near impossible, but I shielded Maggie as best I could from my, shall we say less than sterling reputation?\u00a0\u00a0 When she turned six, I sent her to a good boarding school out in San Francisco, where very few, if any, had even heard about Polly McPherson and the burgeoning Virginia City Social Club.\u00a0\u00a0 Summers and school holidays were spent with my older sister and HER family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul Klein\u2019s mother?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t visit often, but I wrote . . . sent birthday and Christmas presents . . . supported her financially, and as my business began to flourish, I was able to help out my sister and her family a little, too.\u00a0\u00a0 Maggie was all set to leave for a very fine finishing school back east, when she became involved with a young man who ended up leaving HER in the family way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWas HE married, too, like Sist— like . . . Maggie\u2019s pa?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but he was ENGAGED to be married,\u201d Polly replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe planned wedding, in MY humble opinion, amounted to being more of a business venture, one that united new money and impoverished nobility together in Holy Matrimony.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs THAT when you went t\u2019 Tobias Lindsay?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cActually?\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Lindsay came to ME, Sheriff,\u201d Polly replied, \u201cwith an offer from the boy\u2019s father of twenty thousand dollars in gold, in return for my letting Maggie\u2019s baby go for adoption.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . \u2018n the both of ya agreed t\u2019 this?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/strong> did,\u201d Polly said bitterly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaggie, bless her heart, wanted to keep that baby, more than just about anything.\u00a0\u00a0 She loved the father, she claimed, and though she never came right out and said so, I think she entertained fanciful notions about that boy coming back to claim her and the child.\u00a0\u00a0 I, at least, had no such illusions about Godfrey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo YOU in effect SOLD your own grandchild for twenty thousand in gold?\u201d Roy demanded, shocked and appalled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Polly shot right back, defiant and angry, yet very much on the defensive, \u201cand if I had it to do over, I\u2019d do the exact same thing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay assured me that Maggie\u2019s baby would be placed in a good home . . . where she would have a mother and a father . . . she would be well fed, clothed, educated, and would lack for nothing,\u201d she continued, with eyes still closed and jaw tightly clenched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for the twenty thousand in gold . . . that was for Maggie and me to put as much distance as we possibly could between us and Virginia City, and have something to live on until I received the money from the sale of my assets here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaggie, though . . . .\u201d Polly chuckled mirthlessly, and shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen she found out about the devil\u2019s bargain I struck with Mister Lindsay, she swore . . . on the grave of the father I\u2019d for so many years told her was dead . . . that she wanted nothing more to do with me.\u00a0\u00a0 I expected she\u2019d be angry, but she was only sixteen years old.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m not so stupid as to think she\u2019d get over it . . . a woman NEVER truly gets over putting a child up for adoption, even if it IS in the best interests of that child.\u00a0\u00a0 But I honest and truly believed she\u2019d at some point pull herself together and move on, even if she never forgave me for what I\u2019d done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe left ya?\u201d Hoss gently asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor three years, I heard nothing from her or about her,\u201d she continued, her voice tremulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThen, a year . . . maybe a year and a half ago, I was a patient in the convent hospital suffering from female troubles.\u00a0\u00a0 The n-nurse who looked after me . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cMrs. McPherson, are you willing to testify to all this in a court of law?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright, I am . . . but on one condition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and that is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t name the man who sired my daughter\u2019s baby,\u201d Polly said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy silence was also part of the agreement and I mean to honor it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiz McPherson, you might be able t\u2019 help your daughter if she\u2019s found guilty \u2018n the judge hearin\u2019 the case happens t\u2019 be inclined toward leniency,\u201d Roy said candidly, \u201cbut, I\u2019m afraid your testimony alone ain\u2019t gonna be enough t\u2019 keep Miss Lindsay \u2019n her baby outta Tobias\u2019 hands.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We need evidence . . . good, solid, concrete evidence that shows him t\u2019 be guilty o\u2019 what amounts t\u2018 peddlin\u2019 human flesh.\u00a0\u00a0 Otherwise, it comes down t\u2019 being his word against yours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDadburnit it, Roy . . . what\u2019s it gonna take?!\u201d Hoss demanded, outraged at the prospect of handing Cara Lindsay and The Li\u2019l One over to the likes of Tobias Lindsay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gonna take a lot more \u2018n we got right now,\u201d Roy growled back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI got a wire from Joe earlier,\u201d Ben said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached into the pocket of his shirt and drew out a folded piece of paper.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere.\u00a0\u00a0 Read for yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy took the paper from Ben\u2019s hand, unfolded it, and silently read the message over a couple of times.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis Miz Crawleigh Joe mentions . . . she that cousin o\u2019 Miz Danvers?\u00a0\u00a0 The one you \u2018n that Pinkerton friend o\u2019 Adam\u2019s put outta business?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Roy, she is,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam\u2019s friend found enough evidence of cruelty against that woman to close down her orphanage and foundling home for good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeems t\u2019 ME, Jack found enough t\u2019 lock her up for the next ten years or so, too,\u201d Hoss grimly added his two cents worth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, for one, would be real interested in knowin\u2019 why she\u2019s runnin\u2019 around loose, free as a bird.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna look into that, Hoss,\u201d Roy said, \u201cbelieve you me!\u00a0\u00a0 Ben?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Roy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need t\u2019 know more about the investigation that friend o\u2019 Adam\u2019s conducted at the orphanage \u2019n foundling home Miz Crawleigh ran out in Ohio,\u201d Roy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a copy of Jack\u2019s report at home, locked up in my safe,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be out soon as I can t\u2019 look it over,\u201d Roy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTakin\u2019 Miz Crawleigh\u2019s past history into account, if . . . \u2019n it\u2019s a real big if . . . we can prove Tobias knew about that woman\u2019s past when he hired her t\u2019 look after his daughter, then y\u2019 just might be able t\u2019 show him t\u2019 be an unfit father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine, meanwhile, stood just outside the open door to the guest room, and for a moment watched Sister Anne care for the young girl, now tossing and turning amid crumpled, sweat soaked bed linens.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I do to help?\u201d the mother superior asked as she stepped into the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cM-Mother S-Superior!\u00a0\u00a0 H-How . . . when did you—?!\u201d she stammered, nearly dropping the cloth she had been using to bathe Cara\u2019s face and neck.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d thought . . . I\u2019d HOPED—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . this would be the very last place anyone would think of looking for you?\u201d Mother Catherine queried with eyebrow slightly upraised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou were right,\u201d Mother Catherine said quietly, as she walked over and took her place on the other side of the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo one WOULD think to look for you here . . . unless they realized you had no place ELSE to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGabe . . . .\u201d Cara moaned, her voice hoarse.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo . . . y-you can\u2019t . . . you can\u2019t stay . . . danger . . . if . . . if m-my father finds you . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been talking to Gabe since daybreak yesterday morning,\u201d Sister Anne confessed in a very small, very frightened voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve sent for the doctor,\u201d Mother Catherine said as she drew up a chair close to the bed and sat down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cW-We?\u201d Sister Anne queried with fast sinking heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh Dear Lord, n-not . . . not Monsignor Kramer . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBy this time, I\u2018m sure the \u2018good\u2019 monsignor knows you and Miss Lindsay are missing . . . no keeping that from him, I\u2018m afraid, but he doesn\u2018t know where you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen who—?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Cartwrights,\u201d Mother Catherine replied, as she gently eased the bedclothes away from Cara\u2019s bad leg, \u201c. . . AND Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne swallowed nervously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat of Miss Lindsay\u2019s father?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was told that he was in San Francisco on business when he finally received word of his daughter\u2019s disappearance a couple of days ago,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAssuming he left immediately, he won\u2019t reach Carson City for another five days at the very least.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister Anne?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen was the last time you changed Miss Lindsay\u2019s bandages?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Sister Anne replied, dolefully wagging her head back and forth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThree . . . maybe four hours ago . . . I\u2018ve been concentrating on trying to bring down her fever, I . . . I guess I forgot about her bandages.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see to it,\u201d the mother superior said, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere might I find hot water and clean bandages?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s plenty of hot water on the stove in the kitchen downstairs, and clean bandages in the armoire behind me,\u201d Sister Anne replied, in the tone of one utterly defeated, and resigned to whatever consequence was about to befall her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mother Catherine nodded, then started for the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Child?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m truly sorry for any trouble I\u2019ve brought to you and . . . and to our order,\u201d Sister Anne said, \u201cbut even so . . . if I had it to do over?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d have done EXACTLY the same.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last was spoken with a touch of defiance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Sister.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A soft, but insistent knock against the guest room door drew the attention of the two women from their conversation.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes?\u00a0\u00a0 Who is it?\u201d the mother superior called out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctor Paul Martin threw the door open and strode briskly into the room.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson, I\u2019d be much obliged if you\u2019d stay and assist,\u201d he said, taking charge of the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Mother Catherine immediately assented.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor, what ab—!?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul turned and glared at Sister Anne.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think it would be best if YOU waited downstairs,\u201d he said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Doctor Martin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to need boiling water, and lots of it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s already on the stove,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go fetch some.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Paul said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhile you\u2019re downstairs, would you please ask Hoss to remain in case we have need if him?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes moved to Cara\u2019s badly infected leg and lingered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Doctor,\u201d Mother Catherine promised . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Anne leapt to her feet the instant her sharp ears picked up the soft, rhythmic slapping of feet descending the stairs in the narrow corridor just outside Polly McPherson\u2019s formal parlor.\u00a0\u00a0 She bolted from the room, nearly colliding head on with Mother Catherine as she moved from the last step onto the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, Ben, and Roy, also rose, one at a time, and followed at a slower pace.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul Klein remained on the settee, his heart racing, and eyes glued to the backs of the three older men as they filed out of his aunt\u2019s parlor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother!\u201d Sister Anne cried out in anguish.\u00a0\u00a0 She reached out and seized hold of Mother Catherine\u2019s forearm with a painful, vice like grip.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother, please . . . how IS she?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid Miss Lindsay\u2019s in a very bad way, Child,\u201d the mother superior replied.\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, raised her head, making eye contact with Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin asked that you stay . . . in case he\u2019s . . . he\u2019s forced to amputate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA-Amputate?!\u201d Sister Anne gasped, as she released her hold on the mother superior.\u00a0\u00a0 She sank down onto the next to last step, wagging her head back and forth very slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDear God in Heaven . . . WHAT have I done?\u201d she moaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour actions haven\u2019t HELPED Miss Lindsay,\u201d Mother Catherine said, quiet and firm, yet not without a measure of kindness, \u201cbut, in all likelihood, it\u2019s MY opinion we\u2019d be facing this eventuality anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mother Gibson . . . you tell Doc Martin I\u2019ll be right here, if \u2018n when he needs me,\u201d Hoss said, feeling dizzy and sick to his stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell him,\u201d Mother Catherine promised.\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, turned, and quickly made her way down the short length of corridor to the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy Coffee silently walked over to Sister Anne, who remained seated on the step, with arms wrapped tight around her knees, staring off into space through eyes, round and unblinking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMargaret McPherson, you\u2019re under arrest,\u201d he said, placing his hand on her shoulder, \u201cyou \u2019n Paul Klein both.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Sister Anne, Maggie, protested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot PAUL!\u00a0\u00a0 He had no idea I . . . well, that I w-was taking Miss Lindsay from the hospital without permission.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had a pretty good idea, Cousin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy turned, and much to his surprise, found Paul Klein standing in their midst.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . this business of sneaking the buckboard outta the rectory stable \u2018n meeting YOU outside the hospital in the dead o\u2019 night . . . you bringing Miss Lindsay HERE of all places . . . .\u201d Paul continued, \u201cwell, I\u2019ll put it THIS way . . . it doesn\u2019t take a genius to put two \u2018n two together \u2018n come up with four.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, no!\u201d Sister Anne begged, with tears streaming down her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, I don\u2019t want YOU getting into trouble for . . . well, f-for something I practically had to twist your arm to—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . you twisted my arm alright, but still \u2018n all I went along with ya,\u201d Paul said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Roy very quietly asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you knew what Sister Anne here was up to, and you\u2019d like as not end up in hot water \u2018way in over your head if ya got caught . . . why\u2019d you decide t\u2019 go along with this crazy scheme SHE . . . .\u201d he inclined his head towards the young nun, still seated on the next to last step, wringing her hands, \u201c. . . cooked up?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t get out much, Sheriff Coffee, but I\u2019ve heard bits \u2018n pieces about that gal\u2019s father,\u201d Paul said grimly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour intentions were good, \u2018n . . . maybe your hearts were in the right place \u2018n all, but I\u2019m still gonna hafta arrest ya for kidnappin\u2019 \u2018n at this point, endangerin\u2019 Miss Lindsay\u2019s life by removing\u2019 her from the hospital,\u201d Roy said with a heavy heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf Miss Lindsay DIES . . . the both of ya could be lookin\u2019 at a possible charge o\u2019 manslaughter in addition t\u2019 everything else.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo you both understand that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Sheriff,\u201d Sister Anne replied, her voice a dead monotone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA-Are you taking Ma—uhhh, Sister Anne \u2018n me to down to the jail right now?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Son,\u201d Roy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe doc \u2018n mother superior have everything in hand upstairs, so there\u2019s no reason for either one of ya to remain here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne . . . Paul . . . I\u2019ll let you know about Miss Lindsay as soon as I<\/strong> hear something,\u201d Ben promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Paul murmured, then turned and gallantly helped his cousin to her feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cara walked arm-in-arm with Gabe through a dream garden suffused with a gentle white light that seemed to emanate from every leaf, every flower petal, every blade of grass.\u00a0\u00a0 For the first time since the untimely death of her mother, she felt happy . . . honestly and truly happy . . . and at peace.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cGabe, if my father comes and finds you—\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cHe won\u2019t,\u201d Gabe said with a quiet confidence filled with all the strength of the mightiest fortress.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . and at long last, Cara believed him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGabe?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cYes, Cara?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThere\u2018s someone waiting for you,\u201d Gabe replied.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThere is?\u201d Cara queried with a puzzled frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cSomeone who loves you every bit as much as I do.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Somewhere in the far distance, she heard another take a deep ragged breath, hold, then exhale; and in that other world so very far away . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama,\u201d a young child-woman by the name of Cara Lindsay whispered, then breathed her last.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s gone,\u201d Paul Martin murmured softly, his heart heavy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Mother Catherine traced a small cross on the dead girl\u2019s forehead with her thumb, and murmured a quick prayer:\u00a0 \u201cMay you find rest, peace, and happiness in the arms of our Lord.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d Paul responded.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, gently pulled the sheet up over Cara\u2019s head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . wish I could have done more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou did everything you could, Doctor,\u201d Mother Catherine said very quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLooking at that poor child\u2019s leg . . . to be brutally frank, I don\u2019t honestly think it would have mattered if Sister Anne HADN\u2019T taken her from the hospital.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT talking about now, Mother Gibson,\u201d the doctor said bitterly, \u201cI\u2019m talking about right after that poor child\u2019s mother died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed nervously, then rose to his feet the minute he saw Paul Martin emerge from the dark shadows of the narrow hallway, and step across the threshold into the parlor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoc,\u201d he ventured his face pale, and voice filled with grim resignation.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I guess I\u2019m as ready as I\u2019ll ever be for . . . well, for somethin\u2019 like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Hoss,\u201d the doctor said, his voice barely audible.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Lindsay . . . well, it seems she won\u2019t be needing that amputation after all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben leapt to his feet, nearly giddy with relief, believing that Paul Martin had at the eleventh hour found a miracle lying somewhere at the bottom of that black bag of his.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPaul . . . thank the Lord, that\u2019s wonderful—\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His words of gratitude abruptly ended in a soft, anguished moan when the sawbones lifted his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he murmured softly upon catching a good hard look at Paul Martin\u2019s pale, stricken face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, Dear God, no . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc, does that mean that M-Maggie . . . I m-mean Sister Anne\u2019s going to be charged with . . . with murder?\u201d Polly demanded, her face white as a sheet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow mind, Mrs. McPherson . . . your daughter acted irresponsibly when she took Miss Lindsay from the hospital, and to that end, she IS guilty of abducting a young lady, not yet the age of majority . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . but, it\u2019s my opinion as a doctor that the actions of Sister Anne and Paul Klein did NOT cause her death,\u201d Paul Martin grimly told the sheriff an hour after pronouncing Cara Lindsay dead.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lawman and doctor stood before the fireplace in Polly McPherson\u2019s parlor facing each other with backs almost painfully erect, arms hanging loosely at their sides, and faces set with the same grim resolve as a pair of fighters in a ring getting ready to square off.\u00a0\u00a0 Polly McPherson and Mother Gibson sat together on the ornate French provincial settee, with Ben and Hoss standing directly behind them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . YOU\u2019RE sayin\u2019 had Sister Anne \u2018n Paul Klein NOT taken Miss Lindsay from the hospital . . . that she\u2019d have died anyhow?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2018s EXACTLY what I\u2018m saying,\u201d Paul replied with a curt nod of his head for emphasis.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow, don\u2019t get me wrong, Roy . . . Sister Anne\u2019s actions . . . and Paul Klein\u2019s as well . . . WERE ill considered and reckless, but in my opinion did NOT cause Miss Lindsay\u2019s death.\u00a0\u00a0 If ANYONE\u2019S directly responsible, it\u2019s the individual who inflicted that burn on her leg, and I\u2018m willing to testify to THAT in a court of law if necessary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna need a report after you\u2019ve done your post mortem exam, Doc,\u201d Sheriff Coffee said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have it before noon today,\u201d Paul vowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff?\u201d Mother Catherine ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow that Miss Lindsay is no longer with us . . . what happens to her baby?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSince Tobias is his daughter\u2018s next o\u2019 kin, I\u2018m legally bound t\u2019 turn that baby over to him when he comes t\u2019 claim his grandson,\u201d Roy replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?!\u201d Ben exclaimed, angry and outraged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy, no!\u00a0\u00a0 You can\u2019t!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I don\u2019t like it any more \u2018n YOU do,\u201d Roy shot right back, his voice rising, \u201cbut unless you can prove Tobias t\u2019 be unfit, the law I\u2019VE sworn t\u2019 uphold \u2018n defend says that\u2019s exactly what I gotta do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u00a0\u00a0 Joe Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The youngest of Ben\u2019s sons glanced up sharply upon hearing his name.\u00a0\u00a0 He had spent the better part of the last hour seated at one of the tables in the back of the Silver Morgan Saloon in Carson City, gently nursing a mug of beer with a heavy heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJack Cranston . . . right?\u201d he queried as he rose and politely offered his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Jack replied, as he firmly took Joe\u2019s proffered hand.\u00a0\u00a0 He grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m pleasantly surprised you remembered after all these years.\u00a0\u00a0 Last time I saw YOU . . . well, you couldn\u2019t have been any older than your young nephew.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not the kind of guy a starry eyed kid\u2019s likely to forget,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 He invited Jack to sit with a gesture toward the unoccupied chair to his left.\u00a0 \u201cI got a wire from Pa saying you were headed this way.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t figure on you getting here so quickly, though.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI took a freight wagon out of Sacramento,\u201d Jack explained, as he and Joe sat down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFewer stops that way, and when we DID stop, it was just long enough to change horses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA freight wagon?!\u201d Joe echoed, with a chortle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBig guy like you?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll bet THAT cost a pretty penny . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . chump change for the Pinkerton clients who have engaged my services,\u201d Jack returned with a wry smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa also said in his wire that you\u2019re willing to share information you\u2019ve already dug up on Tobias Lindsay,\u201d Joe said as they sat down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as it doesn\u2019t compromise the identity of my clients,\u201d Jack said, before turning and signaling to one of the saloon girls circulating among the tables.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou mind me asking what your father\u2019s interest in Tobias Lindsay is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a long story, Jack, and given my druthers, I\u2019m thinking I\u2019d like to go someplace where we can talk privately,\u201d Joe said, casting a pointed glance over toward a half dozen cowhands now taking their seats at a nearby round table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m checked in at the Comstock Hotel across the street.\u00a0\u00a0 We could go to my room if you\u2019d like . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack flashed Joe a roguish grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m checked in at the Comstock Hotel, too . . . in the presidential suite,\u201d he said, as he and Joe rose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe presidential suite?!\u201d Joe echoed incredulously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re joking, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m dead serious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe chuckled softly and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour clients picking up the tab for this, too?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHave you eaten yet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was just about to g\u2019won over to the restaurant at the Comstock Hotel when I got this wire from Pa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He reached up and patted overtop the inside pocket of his green jacket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter I read it . . . well, I lost whatever appetite I had.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . hope it wasn\u2019t bad news . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, leastwise not as far as my family\u2018s concerned,\u201d Joe hastened to reassure, \u201cbut what Pa had to say DOES have to do with Tobias Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s g\u2019won back to my room,\u201d Jack suggested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe can have the hotel\u2019s room service send us up a couple of nice juicy steaks and a good bottle of whiskey to wash \u2019em down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good to me,\u201d Joe replied . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reaching Jack\u2019s room at the Comstock Hotel, Joe shared everything he knew, beginning with the morning his pa and big brother found the baby on their doorstep and concluding with everything he had learned from Abigail Jarvis, seeing Vivian Crawleigh at the telegraph office, and the wire he\u2019d not long ago received from Ben informing him of Cara Lindsay\u2019s passing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack silently ruminated upon everything Joe had just told him, as he cut what remained of his\u00a0 enormous slab tender prime rib steak into bite sized pieces.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe actually told your father and sister that Mister Lindsay . . . her father . . . wants to sell her baby . . . in so many words?\u201d he finally ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe slowly nodded his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what Pa said.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s . . . quite an accusation for a young lady to make against her own father.\u00a0\u00a0 Does your pa believe her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s not sure WHAT to believe,\u201d Joe replied, as he jabbed the last piece of steak from his plate with his fork, \u201cbut he IS of the mind that Miss Lindsay believed her allegations were true.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack took hold of the whiskey bottle sitting on the table between them and held it up.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMore whiskey?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but not much . . . just half a glass maybe . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSay when.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Jack picked up Joe\u2019s glass and began to pour.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2018s enough,\u201d Joe said when the glass was about a third of the way full.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe thought of a man doing what amounts to selling his own flesh and blood\u2019s enough to boggle the mind,\u201d Jack mused, as he poured the remainder of the whiskey into his own glass.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can say that again,\u201d Joe wholeheartedly agreed before raising the glass in hand to his lips and downing its contents in a single gulp.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven so, I\u2019M actually inclined to agree completely with the late Miss Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Joe queried, mildly surprised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you by chance unearthed proof that Mister Lindsay plans to sell his daughter\u2018s baby?\u201d Joe asked hopefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Jack replied with a doleful sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll I have is a real strong gut feeling, which, unfortunately, won\u2019t hold up in a court of law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, how, exactly, do your clients figure into all this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I told Adam, they\u2019re a couple of wealthy San Francisco socialites, who, for whatever reason can\u2019t have children of their own,\u201d Jack explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbout six . . . maybe seven years ago now, they adopted a baby girl through Tobias Lindsay, who died just before her second birthday of what\u2018s commonly known as bad blood.[vi]<\/a>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe\u2018s jaw dropped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat?!\u201d he exclaimed, incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cH-How in the world could a . . . an innocent baby—?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer mother would\u2019ve passed the illness on to her either in the womb or at birth,\u201d Jack replied with a touch of rancor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy clients want to sue Mister Lindsay for delivering damaged goods.\u00a0\u00a0 THEIR words, Joe, not mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and they hired YOU to find evidence to support their case?\u201d Joe asked, appalled at the thought of a baby being looked upon as nothing more than a marketable commodity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTHEY hired the Pinkerton Agency.\u00a0\u00a0 I<\/strong> got the assignment,\u201d Jack replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou said they adopted this baby six or seven years ago?\u00a0 If they were going to sue Mister Lindsay . . . why did they wait so long?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder about that myself,\u201d Jack admitted, then shrugged, \u201cbut mine is not to question why.\u00a0\u00a0 I saw something very interesting among the adoption papers my clients have in their possession, however . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Joe queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd what might THAT be?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA copy of their baby\u2019s birth certificate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . do the parents turn out to be anyone I know?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

That wry, sardonic tone of voice and eyebrow slightly upraised, so reminiscent of one Adam Stoddard Cartwright, brought a smile to Jack\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, that all depends, Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 Are you acquainted with a man by the name of \u2018Father Unknown\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommon name, but no.\u00a0 I\u2019m not acquainted with anyone with that moniker,\u201d Joe replied with a chuckle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTell me something, Jack. Is this guy a wealthy man, with a wife who doesn\u2019t understand him and a whole passel of kids?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore likely a young man born into a nouveau riche family, whose social climbing parents seek to merge their financial assets to a family of nobility living in genteel poverty that would otherwise be looking down their long, aristocratic noses at them,\u201d Jack added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds to me more like a business merger than a marriage,\u201d Joe observed with a grimace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about the size of it,\u201d Jack agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, who\u2019s the mother?\u201d Joe asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOr is SHE listed as unknown, too?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe MOTHER of the baby my clients adopted was a young girl just out of school, who was living with relatives in San Francisco at the time,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was about to leave for a prestigious finishing academy for young ladies back east somewhere when her delicate condition was discovered.\u00a0\u00a0 Her name is Margaret McPherson, and I recently found out she\u2019s living in YOUR neck of the woods, Joe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVirginia City?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe only McPherson in Virginia City that I know of is Polly McPherson,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s the madam of the Virginia City Social Club, and, too old, I think, to be the mother of a child who\u2018d be around seven or eight years old now, if she were still alive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, but this Polly McPherson you just mentioned is plenty old enough to be that child\u2019s grandmother,\u201d Jack pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHer grandmother?!\u201d he echoed, bemused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell doesn\u2019t that beat all.\u00a0\u00a0 I<\/strong> was under the impression Mrs. McPherson was left widowed shortly after she was married and never had any children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChances are most of the good people of Virginia City were never acquainted with Margaret McPherson or they\u2019ve forgotten all about her because her mother packed her off to a posh boarding school in San Francisco,\u201d Jack explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSummer vacations and holidays were spent with Mrs. McPherson\u2019s older sister.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll things considered, I can\u2019t say as I blame Mrs. McPherson one bit,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 For a moment, his thoughts drifted to Lotus O\u2018Toole, a very good friend of his, now dead, and her son, Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHad that child stayed with her mother, she would\u2019ve had a very difficult time of it growing up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou speak like someone who knows,\u201d Jack quietly observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSecond hand, I suppose,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA good friend of mine named Lotus O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 She went to work at the Silver Dollar Saloon after both her parents and her maternal grandparents died in a fire that burned down the part of town where the Chinese live.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus was only fifteen years old.\u00a0\u00a0 Like Miss Lindsay, she also had a son born out of wedlock.\u00a0\u00a0 The both of \u2018em had a very rough time of things.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI tried my best to help, but she always turned me down,\u201d Joe continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn HER mind, it was accepting charity and . . . and she w-was bound and determined to pay her own way in this world . . . and Timmy\u2019s w-way— \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He abruptly broke off, and angrily wiped his eyes against the heels of his hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, she . . . Lotus DIED last fall, Jack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe,\u201d Jack offered kindly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Joe murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLotus and Timmy both had a real rough time of things.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s good Mrs. McPherson had someplace to send her daughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what\u2019s become of Margaret McPherson since she had the baby and let her go for adoption?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI found out she took the veil not long after.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a nun?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNursing order, I think, since she\u2019s presently serving at Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 My, umm, sources tell me she attends church at Saint Mary\u2019s in the Mountains, but rarely ventures into town otherwise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMargaret . . . Sister Margaret . . . Jack, I don\u2019t think there IS a Sister Margaret serving at Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital,\u201d Joe said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Margaret McPherson took her final vows, she took Sister Anne as her vocation name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSister Anne?\u201d Joe gasped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, you DO know her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know OF her,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa and Stacy said she was one of the nurses who was caring for Cara Lindsay, and—\u00a0\u00a0 Dear God!\u00a0\u00a0 Jack, I just realized . . . Miss McPherson . . . Sister Anne has bad blood . . . and she\u2019s in a nursing order of nuns?!\u00a0\u00a0 She could\u2019ve spread what she has to . . . who knows?\u00a0\u00a0 Hundreds of patients?\u00a0\u00a0 Thousands, maybe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo my knowledge, there\u2019s only two ways someone infected with bad blood can pass it on to another,\u201d Jack said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThrough intimate relations, or an infected mother passing it to her child in the womb or when she gives birth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs there a cure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0\u00a0 Not really . . . and a mutual friend of your brother\u2019s and mine, an old sawbones on one of the ships we crewed together, said that virtually all of the methods people tout as cures DON\u2019T cure and more often than not, they\u2019re actually worse than the disease itself,\u201d he said with a shudder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw a couple of very good friends die of bad blood,\u201d Joe said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2018s . . . let\u2019s just say it\u2018s not a real good way to go and leave it at that.\u00a0\u00a0 How much longer do you figure Sister Anne has?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHard to say.\u00a0\u00a0 Some people live for many years with the disease and end up dying from complications associated with old age,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOthers go through periods of remission and suffering relapses, and some end up dead within a year or two.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKind of like hauling a whole buckboard full of nitroglycerin over rough terrain, on a hot summer day isn\u2019t it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe\u2019s words were more a statement of fact rather than a question.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA man\u2019s got every chance of reaching his destination alive, IF he\u2019s very careful . . . but there\u2019s every chance he could end up being blown to bits along the way because his horse stumbled . . . one of the wheels of his buckboard rolled over a small rock in the road the wrong way and jostled one of the barrels a little too much . . . or the temperature climbed a mite too high.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat pretty well sums it up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t help but feel sorry for Sister Anne,\u201d Joe mused aloud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEven if she CAN\u2019T pass her illness on to the patients in her care, I kinda doubt she\u2019d be allowed to continue serving as a nurse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not,\u201d Jack agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou think she knows?\u00a0 About being infected with bad blood, I mean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOff hand, I\u2019d say that chances are she DOESN\u2019T know,\u201d Jack said, \u201cbut she needs to be told . . . sooner as opposed to later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI s\u2019pose,\u201d he agreed with a doleful sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJack?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are your plans for tomorrow?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst off, I\u2019d like to see if I can run down our old \u2018friend\u2019, Vivian Crawleigh,\u201d Jack said with a scowl, grimacing upon uttering her name, as if he had just bitten into a morsel of food with an incredibly foul taste.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGiven her reputation for cruelty, that woman needs to, at the very least, answer for the scars on Miss Lindsay\u2019s back and the burn on her leg your father said was intentionally inflicted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and perhaps for Miss Lindsay\u2019s death as well.\u201d Joe added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure I like what you gentlemen are implying,\u201d Vivian Crawleigh said primly the following morning.\u00a0\u00a0 She stood in front of the fireplace in the formal parlor of Tobias Lindsay\u2019s home, clad in a plain long sleeved white cotton blouse, and a full skirt made from wool dyed brown.\u00a0\u00a0 Her back was straight as a poker and her hands were folded, with fingers tightly interlaced, just below her bosom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not implying anything,\u201d Jack Cranston said blandly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI merely asked a simple, straightforward question.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian closed her eyes and exhaled a long, drawn out sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor the third and LAST time, Mister Cranston, I was hired to look after Mister Lindsay\u2018s daughter,\u201d she responded, sparing no energy to conceal her annoyance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was responsible for preparing her meals . . . seeing that she was properly bathed, dressed, and groomed every morning . . . making sure she took her medicine according to the doctor\u2019s instructions, and that she got a decent night\u2019s sleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about discipline?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re asking me whether or not I disciplined Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter, the answer is NO,\u201d Vivian replied, meeting Jack\u2019s steely glare without flinching.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay made it quite clear that HE would be the one to mete out discipline if his daughter required it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen . . . YOU\u2019RE saying that Mister Lindsay was responsible for the scars on his daughter\u2019s back and the burn on her leg?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI said NOTHING of the kind!\u201d Vivian shot right back, her face all of a sudden a shade or two paler than was the norm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t appreciate you putting words in my mouth, Mister Cranston.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Crawleigh, which is it?\u201d Joe demanded, his voice deadly calm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDid you burn her leg and put those scars on her back or did her father?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and what\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d Vivian imperiously demanded as she turned and glared murderously down at Joe, seated before her in the middle of the settee directly facing the fireplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright and I KNOW that Cara Lindsay hasn\u2019t set foot out of this house from the time she was found to be with child until the night she ran away from home,\u201d Jack explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and how in the world would you know THAT?\u201d Vivian demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 The wariness in her eyes gave lie to the bluster and blow heard in her tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour neighbors,\u201d Joe said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat busy body at the post office, like as not,\u201d Vivian growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter,\u201d Jack said blandly.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe fact remains that you and Mister Lindsay were the only two people who came in contact with that girl.\u00a0\u00a0 If HE\u2019S not responsible for the scars on her back and the wound on her leg, then YOU are.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2018s as simple as that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cranston . . . Mister Cartwright . . . this conversation is OVER,\u201d Vivian said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI trust you can find your own way out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack rose to his feet with a languid grace surprising in a man of his size.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe followed suit.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Crawleigh, you\u2019re coming with us,\u201d the former said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2018re joking!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary, Ma\u2019am, I\u2018m dead serious.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Cartwright and I placing you under citizen\u2019s arrest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCitizen\u2019s arrest?!\u201d Vivian echoed incredulously.\u00a0\u00a0 She pulled herself up to the very fullness of her height and slammed her balled fists down on her hips.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOn what charge?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow about we start with murder, Mrs. Crawleigh?\u201d Joe queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s absurd!\u00a0\u00a0 Now if you gentlemen, and I use that term very loosely, will excuse me, I have a lot to do and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not as absurd as you might think, Ma\u2018am,\u201d Joe argued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Lindsay\u2019s dead.\u00a0\u00a0 She died sometime yesterday morning, according to a wire sent by my father.\u00a0\u00a0 He also told me that the cause of her death was a burn on her leg that became gangrenous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re LYING!\u201d Vivian accused, her voice rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe dug into the inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew a slip of paper folded in half.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere\u2019s the message I got from the telegraph office,\u201d he said curtly as he unfolded the message and thrust it in her direction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRead it for yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian snatched the proffered sheet of paper out of Joe\u2019s hand, and opened it.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right . . . so Miss Lindsay IS dead, may God rest her soul,\u201d she grudgingly acknowledged, \u201cbut I had nothing . . . nothing whatsoever to do with that poor child\u2018s death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, frankly, Ma\u2019am, I find that very difficult to believe,\u201d Joe said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTaking into account what my sister\u2018s told me, and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you WANT from me?\u201d Vivian cried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cranston, isn\u2019t it ENOUGH that you and Mister Cartwright\u2019s father have deprived me of my livelihood . . . something\u00a0 I\u2019d worked and trained very hard for . . . something I\u2019d dedicated my entire life to— \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done a lot of things in my life, which I\u2019ve come to deeply regret, Mrs. Crawleigh,\u201d Jack freely admitted, \u201cbut shutting down that so called orphanage you were running out in Ohio doesn\u2019t number among them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian\u2019s jaw dropped, and her eyes went round as a pair of large serving platters.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe was half afraid those orbs of deep violet were going to explode right out of their sockets at any moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing I DO regret is that I failed to unearth sufficient evidence to convict you of murder as well,\u201d Jack continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow DARE you, Sir!\u201d Vivian exclaimed, angry and highly indignant.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow dare you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMa\u2019am, need I remind you that the evidence against you for cruelty is a matter of public record out in Ohio?\u201d Jack immediately interjected, hoping against hope to silence that self-righteous tirade sitting on the tip of her tongue before she could even think of giving it utterance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFurthermore, if memory serves, you were sentenced to a lengthy prison term, as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor things I was wrongly accused of,\u201d Vivian immediately shot right back, the instant she found an opening, \u201con trumped up charges—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Crawleigh, the way I see it,\u201d Jack pressed, raising his voice slightly, \u201cyou have two choices.\u00a0\u00a0 You can tell us what you know about Miss Lindsay\u2018s injuries or you can tell it to judge and jury when you go on trial for murdering her, AFTER you\u2018ve finished serving out your prison sentence in Ohio.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou arrogant, insufferable—\u201d Vivian cried, her face beet red.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Crawleigh, if Mister Lindsay\u2019s the one responsible for inflicting that burn on his daughter\u2019s leg, it\u2019s in YOUR best interests to testify against him,\u201d Joe pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHOW is my testimony against Mister Lindsay in my best interests, Mister Cartwright?\u201d Vivian demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve made it quite clear that you\u2019re going to had me over to Sheriff Dudley after we\u2019re through with our little chat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re required to do so by law, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou ARE a wanted fugitive.\u00a0\u00a0 However, if Mister Lindsay\u2019s guilty of inflicting the burn that led to his daughter\u2019s death, HE will go on trial for murder, not you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou still haven\u2019t answered my question,\u201d Vivian returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as I recall, you were sentenced to twenty years in prison after being found guilty for cruelty and a few other assorted charges,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWith, oohhhh maybe another five years added for taking flight, you\u2019re looking at twenty-five years, with maybe a year or two off for good behavior.\u00a0\u00a0 A long time to be sure, but far better than being sentenced to life in prison or death for murdering Miss Lindsay, don\u2018t YOU think, Mrs. Crawleigh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see your point,\u201d Vivian responded with the air of one utterly and completely defeated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll tell you everything I know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re listening,\u201d Jack said, as he folded his arms across his chest . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Vivian Crawleigh began to pace in front of the fireplace, her feet beating a slow, even rhythm against wood floor and bricked hearth.\u00a0\u00a0 She unconsciously clasped and unclasped her hands, which remained positioned just beneath her bosom.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve not the slightest idea who was responsible for the scarring and open wounds on Miss Lindsay\u2019s back,\u201d she began, \u201cand that, Gentlemen, is the God\u2019s honest truth.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, lapsed into a cold, stony silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Crawleigh . . . .\u201d Jack quietly prompted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian abruptly stopped, turned, and glared down at the two men seated together on the settee, Joe first, then Jack.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had absolutely nothing to do with that burn on her leg,\u201d she fearfully blurted out the words.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was entirely Mister Lindsay\u2019s handiwork.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe\u2018s posture immediately straightened.\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou saw him do it?\u201d he demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Upon hearing her reply, Joe felt a sudden, dizzying rush of blood to his head.\u00a0\u00a0 His hands began to shake.\u00a0\u00a0 He slowly drew his fingers together, forming a pair of rock hard fists in a desperate attempt to keep them steady.\u00a0\u00a0 He squeezed his eyes tight shut for a moment and drew in a deep ragged breath.\u00a0 A moment later, he opened his eyes, slowly, and asked in a voice, deadly calm, \u201cDo you mean to say you just stood there and watched without doing anything to STOP him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in the world could I<\/strong> have done to stop HIM?\u201d Vivian demanded, flinching away from the raw fury burning in Joe\u2019s emerald green eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay is a big, robust man, while I\u2019m . . . well, I\u2019m not a young woman anymore and my health is no longer what it was.\u00a0\u00a0 He could have swatted the likes of me aside, just as easily as he could\u2019ve swatted a gnat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou could\u2019ve gone for the sheriff,\u201d Joe returned, his voice rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . AND WHAT COULD HE<\/strong> HAVE DONE?\u201d Vivian yelled back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMISTER LINDSAY WOULD\u2019VE TOLD HIM HE WAS METEING OUT PUNISHMENT!\u00a0\u00a0 PUNISHMENT, MISTER CARTWRIGHT THAT, I MIGHT ADD, WAS RICHLY<\/strong> DESERVED<\/strong>!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0 Joe hotly protested, as he shot right off the settee to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDOESN\u2019T MATTER WHAT<\/strong> MISS LINDSAY DID OR DIDN\u2019T DO!\u00a0\u00a0 SHE DIDN\u2019T DESERVE TO BE HURT LIKE THAT!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack reached up and took firm hold of Joe\u2019s wrist.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe, please!\u00a0 Calm down,\u201d he admonished in a very quiet tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe glared at Jack for a moment, before dropping back down into his seat, in manner not unlike a very heavy rock plummeting from a high mountain place to the earth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe girl had it coming,\u201d Vivian declared, righteously indignant, yet very much on the defensive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth to respond, but immediately slammed it shut again when Jack turned and shot him a warning glare.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Crawleigh, what did Miss Lindsay do to merit such harsh punishment?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t anything Miss Lindsay did or didn\u2019t do,\u201d Vivian replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was what she said.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and that was?\u201d Jack prompted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThings no young girl has any business saying to her father,\u201d Vivian hedged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did she say, Mrs. Crawleigh?\u201d Joe demanded through clenched teeth, the angry scowl already on his face deepening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I am a pious woman,\u201d Vivian passionately declared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI simply can\u2019t bring myself to repeat—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Ma\u2019am, let me ask you this,\u201d Jack interjected.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAm I correct in assuming she condemned her father to an eternity in what The Good Book refers to as an unquenchable lake of fire, and perhaps suggested her paternal grandmother\u2019s moral character was, um, less than sterling?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, among other things,\u201d Vivian replied, \u201cbut the final straw . . . .\u201d\u00a0 she shuddered delicately, \u201cwas when she accused her father of . . . of . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf what?\u201d Joe impatiently snapped out the question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat girl accused her own father of fouling upon her mother\u2019s memory!\u201d Vivian cried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOnly she didn\u2019t put it so politely!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs that when Mister Lindsay . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cranston,\u201d Vivian replied, \u201cthat\u2019s when Mister Lindsay grabbed her by the hair, dragged her out to the kitchen, lifted one of the covers from the stove top, and held it against her leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow hot was the stove?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery hot,\u201d Vivian answered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had just finished cooking our supper.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her reply left both men were too stunned to speak.\u00a0\u00a0 Jack had seen more than his share of the horrifying consequences wrought by the violence men and women were capable of inflicting upon one another during his years as a Pinkerton man.\u00a0\u00a0 He had, to a small degree, learned to harden himself against what he saw in order do his job.\u00a0\u00a0 But, the thought of a father so grievously wounding his own daughter . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack shuddered.\u00a0\u00a0 A quick glance at Joe\u2019s face, and those round, staring eyes, told him the younger man was equally horror struck.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian recoiled from the shock, anger, and revulsion she saw in their faces.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t look at me like that,\u201d she snarled, raising her hands as one might to ward off a rain of physical blows.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI told you before that Mister Lindsay\u2019s a big, strong, powerful man.\u00a0\u00a0 There was nothing I could have done!\u00a0\u00a0 Absolutely nothing!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe the sheriff\u2019s hands were tied legally, Mrs. Crawleigh, but you STILL could\u2019ve insisted on fetching the doctor,\u201d Joe returned through clenched teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you HAD?\u00a0 Miss Lindsay might still be alive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay would\u2019ve sent for the doctor, well, if not that night, then certainly the very next day, if he\u2019d felt the need,\u201d Vivian insisted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf he hadn\u2019t by the time he left for San Francisco on a business trip a few days after, I had every intention of doing so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you?\u201d Jack demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat fool girl took it into head to run away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you blame her?\u201d Joe argued, his voice shaking with anger, and the deep, profound sadness now welling up inside him for a young girl who, based on all he learned since the morning she had left her baby at the kitchen door of his family\u2019s home, had wanted nothing more than to be loved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cranston . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Vivian turned to appeal to the older, bigger man, \u201cMister Lindsay needed that girl and her baby ALIVE.\u00a0 He had plans—\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She abruptly broke off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Jack said in a polite, yet frigid tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe planned to sell his own grandson and broker his daughter into a loveless marriage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no great love for Mister Lindsay,\u201d Vivian said stiffly, with a sour grimace, \u201cbut, even so, I MUST take exception to you accusing him of peddling his own flesh and blood.\u00a0\u00a0 Everything he did . . . all the plans he made were for his daughter\u2019s own good and that of her bastard child as well.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s too bad that stupid, ungrateful girl couldn\u2019t see that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t tell me that Mister Lindsay had nothing to gain from the plans he made for his daughter and grandson,\u201d Joe argued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all a moot point now that Miss Lindsay\u2019s dead and her son is out of Mister Lindsay\u2019s reach,\u201d Jack observed.\u00a0\u00a0 For the time being at least.\u00a0\u00a0 He rose and took Vivian none too gently by the forearm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cranston!\u201d Vivian cried, outraged and highly indignant.\u00a0\u00a0 She tried to pull her arm free from his grasp, but her struggles were in vain.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUnhand me this instant!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to the sheriff\u2019s office, Mrs. Crawleigh,\u201d Jack said, his face set with grim resolve.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe sheriff\u2019s office?!\u201d Vivian echoed, incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u00a0\u00a0 I TOLD you I didn\u2018t—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Jack said, \u201cyou told us you didn\u2019t murder the girl, and I believe that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen why—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou ARE a fugitive from justice, Mrs. Crawleigh, and if you want to avoid being charged with anything related to Miss Lindsay\u2019s death, you need to tell Sheriff Dudley exactly what you told us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sheriff Amos Dudley extinguished his cigar stub against the heel of his boot upon hearing the front door of his office open; and, after dropping it into the metal bucket placed alongside his desk, he glanced up.\u00a0\u00a0 Two men, one aged in his mid-twenties, if he was to hazard a guess, the other older, late thirties at least, maybe forty-ish, both looking grim as a schoolmarm about to lower the boom on an unruly pupil, approached his desk ushering in a sour faced old woman between them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The duly elected lawman of Carson City was roughly the same age and height as his old friend, Roy Coffee, but weighed in somewhere between thirty to forty pounds heavier.\u00a0\u00a0 His hairline began to recede when he was seventeen, and his hair, what remained, had turned completely gray before the age of thirty.\u00a0\u00a0 Amos pushed back his chair and rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Gentlemen . . . Mrs. Crawleigh, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for ya?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have information about a young lady who disappeared from her home about a month ago,\u201d Joe said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe young lady\u2019s name, Mister . . . . ?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 My friend here is Mister Cranston, \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe inclined his head toward the Pinkerton man, \u201c. . . and it seems you already know Mrs. Crawleigh.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0He paused for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe young lady\u2019s name is . . . WAS . . . Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 Miss Cara Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWas?\u201d Amos queried with left eyebrow slightly upraised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLast night, I got word from my father that Miss Lindsay died sometime the day before yesterday in Virginia City,\u201d Joe replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGrab a couple of chairs and sit down,\u201d Amos said, gesturing to the half dozen hard backed chairs lined up against the wall to his left.\u00a0\u00a0 He resumed his seat and waited while Joe walked over, grabbed two chairs, one for Jack, the other for Vivian, then made a second trip to get a chair for himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right . . . suppose you gentlemen tell me what you know about Miss Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shared everything he knew beginning with the discovery of Cara\u2019s baby lying in a tattered basket next to the kitchen door of the Ponderosa ranch house, and ending with Miss Lindsay\u2019s untimely death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his broad chest.\u00a0\u00a0 He ruminated over everything Joe had just told him, then slowly lifted his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Lindsay\u2019s baby still with your pa, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cranston, you mind telling me what YOUR interest in this is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew his badge.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI work for the Pinkerton Agency, Sheriff,\u201d he explained, \u201cand I\u2019m currently working a case that involves Mister Tobias Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know you can\u2019t name the clients you\u2019re working for, but can you at least give me an idea as to how Mister Lindsay figures into your case?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLong story short, Sheriff, I\u2019m working for a couple of San Francisco socialites who adopted a baby girl using Mister Lindsay as mediator,\u201d Jack explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTheir daughter died two years later of bad blood, and now they want to sue Mister Lindsay for, in THEIR words, delivering damaged goods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey sound like real nice people,\u201d Amos sardonically observed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat about Mrs. Crawleigh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a wanted fugitive, Sheriff,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you send wires to the Police Department in Baltimore and the Delaware County Sheriff\u2019s Office out in Ohio, they\u2019ll confirm it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can vouch for Delaware County,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was hired by Mister Cartwright\u2019s father to investigate Mrs. Crawleigh and an institution she ran there called the Lucia Churchill Hayes Home for Orphans and Foundlings.\u00a0\u00a0 I found more than enough evidence to charge her with numerous counts of cruelty and shut down that home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Dudley, none of this is true!\u201d Vivian hotly protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWire the Delaware County sheriff, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s ALL a matter of public record,\u201d Jack argued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have every intention of doing so, Mister Cranston,\u201d Amos heartily assured Jack and Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, Mrs. Crawleigh, I\u2019ll have to hold you here until I hear back from the Delaware County Sheriff and the Baltimore City Police Chief.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He reached out to take hold of her forearm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian blanched and took a step backward.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSurely you don\u2019t intend to lock me up in your jail.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no choice, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Amos said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf the Delaware County Sheriff and the Baltimore City Police Chief don\u2019t back up Mister Cartwright and Mister Cranston\u2019s allegations, you\u2019ll be free to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian turned and glared at Joe and Jack now standing in front of the sheriff\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe both of you can go to blazes if you think I\u2019m going to give testimony against Mister Lindsay NOW,\u201d she sneered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s your choice, Ma\u2019am, but, as I said before, if you don\u2019t give testimony against Mister Lindsay, YOU\u2019RE the one who\u2019s going to be charged with and be tried for murdering his daughter,\u201d Jack was quick to remind her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re found guilty, and I think the chances are good you WILL be, you\u2019ll go to prison for the rest of your life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the judge doesn\u2019t sentence you to hang, Mrs. Crawleigh,\u201d Joe added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vivian immediately changed her mind and agreed to make a statement.\u00a0\u00a0 She might be a very old woman by the time she finished serving out her sentences in Ohio and Baltimore, plus extra time for her escapes, but at the very least, she had a chance of breathing free air again, even if that chance was a slim one.\u00a0\u00a0 The sheriff asked the president of the bank across the street and his deputy to hear her testimony, then sign the deposition as the two requisite witnesses in accordance with the law.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe and Jack waited outside, the latter seated on the bench next to the door of the sheriff\u2019s office, while the former impatiently paced back and forth.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Sheriff Dudley finally stepped outside, his face was a shade or two paler than was normal for himself, and he felt a slight twinge of nausea.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe immediately stopped pacing, and Jack rose slowly from his place on the bench.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was a harrowing account to say the least,\u201d he murmured softly, while wagging his head slowly back and forth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI understand now why that poor girl ran away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Dudley . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWill Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s testimony be enough to challenge Mister Lindsay\u2019s fitness to be guardian for his infant grandson?\u201d Joe asked eagerly, as a spring of hope began to well up inside him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos collapsed heavily into the bench Jack had just vacated.\u00a0\u00a0 He pulled a fresh cigar from his shirt pocket, bit off one end, then spit it out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou . . . intent on suing Mister Lindsay for custody?\u201d he asked, as he shifted slightly, and pulled a small box of matches from his right back pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy pa is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos mournfully shook his head, then struck a match against the sole of his boot.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, to be up front \u2018n honest . . . . \u201d he paused just long enough to light his cigar \u201c. . . if your pa goes to court with only Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s testimony, horrifying though it may be, he just might have a snowball\u2019s chance in hell of winning his case.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For a moment, all Joe could do was stare down at the sheriff, through eyes, round and unblinking.\u00a0\u00a0 Amos winced against the young man\u2018s intense, reptilian like stare.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-You\u2019re kidding . . . right?!\u201d Joe demanded his voice barely audible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I was, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 I wish to high heaven I was,\u201d the sheriff replied in a somber tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Dudley, what more do we need in the way of evidence?\u201d Jack asked, as he placed a firm, steadying hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom where I sit, your pa\u2019s case would be a hellvua lot stronger if Mister Lindsay confessed to inflicting the injury on his daughter—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, for one, ain\u2019t holding my breath on that score,\u201d Jack grumbled, his heart plummeting like a millstone suddenly dropped into a very deep lake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . OR,\u201d Amos pushed on, \u201cif you boys could scare up a witness or two who can corroborate Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s story.\u00a0\u00a0 Otherwise . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Sheriff,\u201d Jack said dolefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe case boils down to his word against hers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d Amos replied, \u201cand taking into account Mrs. Crawleigh ain\u2019t exactly the most reliable witness in the world . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying we should just throw in the towel?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen,\u201d Amos said, his face brightening with the light of a sudden flash of inspiration, \u201cperhaps you should take a copy of Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s deposition to a good lawyer.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve got nothing to lose, and who knows?\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe he can find a trick or two up his sleeve that\u2019ll help you out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s lawyer, Lucas Milburn\u2019s, a good man,\u201d Joe said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned his attention to Jack.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think you \u2018n I\u2019d better head out for Virginia City first thing tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have a copy of Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s deposition ready for you tomorrow morning,\u201d the sheriff promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust stop by my office before you leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sheriff . . . we will,\u201d Jack replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Tom McGovern, the young man who worked at the telegraph office, approached the lawman a few moments after Joe and Jack had left.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Tom?\u201d Amos queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man swallowed, as he nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, um, just got a wire for Mrs. Jarvis from the Marshal in Princeton,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s about her son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . take it the news isn\u2019t good?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Jarvis\u2019 son is, well, he\u2019s dead, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seems he was in some kinda street accident back last September.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeptember?!\u201d Amos echoed incredulously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat marshal sure took his good sweet time sending that wire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“Says here there were a lot of downed lines between here and there through a good bit of the winter, and they, well, they had some trouble identifying him,\u201d Tom explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos scowled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny idea as to WHY they had so much trouble identifying him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you\u2019d better read the message.\u201d\u00a0 Tom placed the small scrap of paper into the sheriff\u2019s outstretched hand, before collapsing into the nearest chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

The wired message from Princeton was short and right to the point.\u00a0\u00a0 The Jarvis boy had been killed in a street accident, just as Tom had said, and the marshal did, indeed, have a difficult time identifying him.\u00a0 His body was found in an alley, presumably not far from where the accident had taken place.\u00a0 There was no wallet; nothing that offered a clue as to the identity of the young man or his next of kin.\u00a0 A drawing had been made post mortem, and placed in the local newspaper.\u00a0 The police had also handed out flyers with the young man\u2019s picture and posted them in public places.<\/span><\/p>\n

But no one came forward to identify the dead man or claim his body.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man was finally given a temporary burial until his next of kin could be notified.\u00a0\u00a0 Shortly after Christmas last year, a couple, aged in their mid-forties by all appearances, happened to see a flyer with the young man\u2019s picture, and were able to identify him.\u00a0\u00a0 They were returning home from San Francisco, after having spent most of the summer visiting their eldest son and his family.\u00a0 The Jarvis boy had apparently met them when he boarded a train east in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and traveled with them as far as Princeton, New Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos sat down at his desk, opened the top drawer to his right, and drew out pencil and paper.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want to send a message right back to the marshal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d Tom murmured, as he began to fidget.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos glanced up sharply with an exasperated sigh the fifth time the young telegraph operator uncrossed his legs and crossed them once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTom, this\u2019ll only take another minute.\u00a0\u00a0 Can\u2019t you sit still for—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Dudley, please!\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve GOT to do me a favor,\u201d Tom begged as he leapt to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Jarvis set a lot o\u2019 store by that son of hers, and I . . . I . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Lad.\u00a0\u00a0 Spit it out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould you, maybe see y-your way clear to, um . . . well to delivering this message to her?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Tom\u2019s hand, holding tight to the transcribed message, trembled slightly as he gazed earnestly into the lawman\u2019s face through eyes round as saucers, desperately pleading.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amos sighed again, then reached out his hand to take back the message.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll take care of it,\u201d he agreed with much reluctance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow you keep still \u2018til I finish writing out my reply to Princeton\u2019s marshal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail Jarvis started violently out of a deep slumber upon hearing what sounded like someone, a very big, very strong man perhaps, pounding\u00a0 against her front door with a sledge hammer.\u00a0\u00a0 The door opened, eliciting a cry borne of pure horror.\u00a0\u00a0 With heart pounding, she unconsciously seized hold of the arms of the overstuffed chair she occupied with white knuckled intensity, and pushed herself hard against its back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mother?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was her second daughter, Annabelle Carter, clad in an old, faded blue gingham housedress and a white apron.\u00a0\u00a0 Her face was pale and drawn.\u00a0\u00a0 A fine sheen of flour covered her hands and arms clear up to her elbows.<\/span><\/p>\n

An anxious frown deepened the lines and creases already etched into the flesh covering her brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnnabelle, what is it?\u201d Abigail queried, and she reached out and took hold of her daughter\u2019s trembling hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not . . . oh dear!\u00a0\u00a0 Surely Brett\u2019s not taken a bad turn!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle vigorously shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett, her youngest, had been a sickly child almost from the day he was born.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Brett\u2019s fine,\u201d she said, her voice tremulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust fine.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She closed her eyes and took a deep, ragged breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother, it\u2019s Gabe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A bright, if weary, smile lit up Abigail\u2019s care worn face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve heard from him?\u201d she queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, thank the Good Lord, I\u2019ve . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The remaining words sitting right at the tip of her tongue abruptly died before she could utter them upon catching sight of the sheriff standing behind Annabelle, a little to the right.\u00a0\u00a0 All of a sudden she felt light headed and dizzy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWh-What about Gabe?\u201d a voice demanded from a far distant place, a voice she barely recognized as her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, Sheriff Dudley just received word that . . . that Gabe\u2019s dead,\u201d Annabelle said with tears streaming down her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cL-Last September . . . some kind of street accident.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail\u2019s complexion lost what little color she had, leaving her feeling horribly light headed.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes darted back and forth between her daughter\u2019s face and that of the sheriff, in manner not unlike a trapped, frightened wild animal caught in the light.\u00a0\u00a0 She struggled for breath against muscles within her chest that had, all of a sudden, changed from flesh and blood into thick slabs of hard, immovable granite.\u00a0\u00a0 There was an intense surge of blinding panic, followed by a strange sense of relief at the thought she was about to keel over and join her beloved son in death.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mother?\u201d Annabelle fearfully prompted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 She squeezed her eyes tight shut against agony that rose up, consuming her with all the sudden intensity of a flash flood in the dry arroyos out in the desert.\u00a0 She raised her head slowly, and howled like an angry, terrified animal caught in a trap.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following morning, Joe and Jack decided that renting a couple of good fast horses from a livery stable would see them home quicker than taking the stage.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe had wired Ben the day before informing him that he and Jack Cranston would arrive home by suppertime the next day.\u00a0\u00a0 Jack, in the meantime, arranged to have their bags sent to Virginia City on the next Overland stage out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe and Jack stopped by the sheriff\u2019s office at eight o\u2019clock sharp, following a big, filling breakfast at the hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s your copy of Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s deposition, Gentlemen,\u201d Amos said, while handing a sealed envelope to Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever, I feel I should warn you there may be a new wrinkle in this case.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI sure hope it\u2019s one that\u2019ll help us,\u201d Joe said, as he tucked the envelope into the inside pocket of his jacket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest, I have no idea what bearing it may have on your case,\u201d Amos said, \u201cbut yesterday afternoon, not long after we parted company, I got word from Princeton that the father of Miss Lindsay\u2019s baby is dead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d\u00a0 Joe exclaimed, incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen?\u00a0\u00a0 How did it happen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was killed in a street accident sometime last September,\u201d Amos replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeptember?\u201d Joe echoed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny idea why it\u2019s taken until now for the marshal in Princeton to send word of Gabe\u2019s death?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe wire mentioned downed wires last winter and some difficulty identifying him,\u201d Amos answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDear God,\u201d Joe murmured. \u00a0\u201cH-How did Mrs. Jarvis . . . ?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot well, I\u2019m afraid,\u201d Amos said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so glad I thought to ask her daughter to go with me.\u00a0\u00a0 The doc ended up having to sedate her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff, would you mind giving Mrs. Jarvis my condolences?\u201d Joe asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd let her know, too, that if there\u2019s anything my family and I can do for her . . . . anything at all, not to hesitate to ask.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment, then added.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d tell her myself, but I\u2019m afraid we didn\u2019t part too amicably when I visited her yesterday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Amos promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, I wish you, and your father, too, Mister Cartwright, all the best when you take Mister Lindsay to court.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sheriff,\u201d Joe said as he and Jack shook hands with the lawman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and if there\u2019s anything I can do to help YOU, let me know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe sure will, Sheriff Dudley,\u201d Jack promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

At a few minutes past noon, Abigail Jarvis slowly opened her eyes to a strange room, made dim by the curtains pulled over the windows.\u00a0\u00a0 Her throat burned, her entire face ached, and her eyelids felt as if they were swollen as happened on those occasions . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I cried and cried and feared I\u2019d NEVER stop crying,\u201d she murmured very softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

. . . like the day she received news of her parents\u2019 deaths during an influenza epidemic out in Topeka . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . the day her beloved husband, Ray, up and keeled over suddenly in the midst of spring plowing from what the doctor later said was due to brain hemorrhage . . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . and yesterday, when she learned that Gabe—<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Gabe?<\/span><\/p>\n

No.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gabe was in Princeton, studying at the College of New Jersey[vii]<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 He ought to be finishing up for the semester soon, if he hadn\u2019t already . . . in fact, she expected a letter from him any day now, telling her that he had made the dean\u2019s list.\u00a0\u00a0 It DID trouble her that apart from the one letter she received from a way station somewhere along the way . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

But, NO!\u00a0\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t possibly be . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

A soft knock on the door set into the wall directly facing the curtained window mercifully scattered her confused, troubling thoughts to the four winds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was Annabelle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMay I please come in?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d she croaked, astonished at how hoarse her voice sounded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt must have been a dream,\u201d <\/em>Abigail silently mused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll this nonsense about Gabe . . . it HAS to be a dream.\u00a0\u00a0 A monstrously horrible dream!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle entered the room.\u00a0\u00a0 The waning sunlight streaming in around the edges of the curtains gave just enough light to enable Abigail to see her daughter\u2019s pale face and swollen red rimmed eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 She moaned softly as grief again pierced her heart like a sword.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With heart in mouth, Annabelle bounded across the short distance between the open door and the bed on which her mother lay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s . . . it\u2019s NOT a dream . . . is it,\u201d Abigail sobbed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s not a dream?\u201d Annabelle queried anxiously, as she drew up a chair alongside the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cG-Gabe.\u00a0\u00a0 I thought . . . . I HOPED . . . it was all just a . . . just a horrible, horrible dream, but it\u2019s not, is it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle closed her eyes for a moment and vigorously shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d she murmured, her voice barely audible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail began to weep once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDear God!\u201d she sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cD-Dear God, what have I . . . what have I done?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Frowning, Annabelle reached out and placed a gentle, comforting hand on Abigail\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother?\u201d she queried, bewildered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve wronged your brother,\u201d Abigail replied, her voice filled with despair, \u201cand all of us, too . . . in the worst way possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re blaming yourself for Gabe\u2019s death because you sent him off to college—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail buried her face in her hands and shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, I don\u2019t blame myself for that,\u201d she moaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen what—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail took a deep breath, then told her daughter about the devil\u2019s bargain she had struck with one Mister Tobias Lindsay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee, Mister Cartwright?\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing just make fresh pot,\u201d the Chinese member of the Cartwright family announced as he ambled into that area of the great room designated as Ben\u2019s study, where the family patriarch had been working the better part of the day to bring his ledgers up to date.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank you, Hop Sing,\u201d Ben responded, grateful for the momentary distraction.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed his pencil on the desk alongside the open book before him, rose to his feet, and stretched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I smell peanut butter cookies baking?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing just take out of oven.\u00a0\u00a0 Will bring when they cool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben\u2019s voice trailed off to silence upon hearing the sound of a horse entering the yard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho that?\u201d he demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould be Hoss and the men finished rounding up the calves early,\u201d Ben speculated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh oh.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The ferocious scowl on his face evaporated into a comical look of horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing better hide cookies!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The almost insistent pounding against the front door a moment later quickly dispelled the notion that Hoss had finished up his work and returned home early.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see who it is, Hop Sing,\u201d Ben said, as he briskly moved out from behind the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon opening the door, he found Kevin O\u2019Hennessey, one of the younger ranch hands, standing just beyond the threshold.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour mail, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Kevin said, as he handed Ben copies of the Territorial<\/u> Enterprise<\/u> and the Clarion<\/u> from the town of Gunlock [viii]<\/a>, along with a few assorted bills and advertisements, \u201cand George at the telegraph office asked me to bring you this,\u201d he continued, drawing Ben\u2019s attention to the small envelope on top of the pile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe said it\u2019s from Joe, and that it\u2019s urgent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Kevin,\u201d Ben said as he placed the stack of mail down on the credenza.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kevin nodded his head and politely touched the rim of his hat, then took his leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben closed the front door, then scooped up the mail from the credenza.\u00a0 As he slowly meandered back to his desk, he slipped a single sheet of paper out of the envelope from the telegraph office.\u00a0\u00a0 The message read:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom:\u00a0 J\u00a0 Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carson City<\/span><\/p>\n

To:\u00a0 B Cartwright\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Virginia City<\/span><\/p>\n

Pa,<\/span><\/p>\n

V Crawleigh in jail.\u00a0 On way home with deposition.\u00a0 Need to see Mr Milburn at once.\u00a0\u00a0 Will explain on arrival.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben placed Joe\u2019s message down on top the ledger lying open on his desk, then called for Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright?\u201d Hop Sing queried, as he bounded from the kitchen into the great room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just got a wire from Joe telling me he\u2019s on his way home,\u201d Ben quickly explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going into town to meet him then we\u2019re going to pay Lucas Millburn a visit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis about Little One?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think so.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just hope and pray it\u2019s good news for our side.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing hope and pray so, too,\u201d Hop Sing solemnly promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and Little Joe come home for supper?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben thought the matter over for a moment, then shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think we\u2019d better plan on having dinner in town,\u201d he replied, as he buckled his gun belt on and grabbed his Stetson off its customary peg next to the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo just Mister Hoss, Miss Stacy and Mrs. Fielding for supper?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Ben confirmed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucas Milburn placed Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s deposition on the roll top desk before him, then paused momentarily, long enough to remove his reading glasses and gently massage his eyelids.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d Joe impatiently prompted, as the lawyer turned to face the three anxious men seated in a half circle behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

It had been a very full day for Lucas Milburn, Esquire, with a court date that took up most of the morning, reading over three contracts to make certain all was on the up and up for all parties concerned, drawing up a will for one Wilberforce McKinley . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . finally, after months and months of nagging on my part,\u201d <\/em>the lawyer grimly mused, his thoughts momentarily turning to the man\u2019s money grubbing second wife, and the two spinster daughters by the first who almost certainly would have been left impoverished in the absence of a last will and testament . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

. . . and beginning the first draft for an upcoming court case, the Widow McClure[ix]<\/a> . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . bless her soul . . . .\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>. . . vs. one Caleb Durfee McCormick, nephew and heir of the late, unlamented Durfee brothers, Flint and Ev[x]<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 Incredibly, Caleb\u2019s greed, stinginess, his arrogance and conceit made Uncle Flint seem a humble, generous man by comparison.\u00a0\u00a0 Lucas had readily agreed to meet with the Cartwrights and Jack Cranston at five thirty, after he had officially closed up shop for the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I have good news and bad news,\u201d Lucas said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow that both of the babe\u2019s parents are deceased, any agreement between Mister Lindsay and Mrs. Jarvis regarding their grandson can be set aside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A bright smile illumined Ben\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLucas, that\u2019s wonderful!\u201d he exclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucas raised his hand in manner like a policeman, intending to bring street traffic to a stop.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf the child\u2019s parents have not made their wishes regarding custody known . . . in writing . . . the law favors the father\u2019s next of kin, unless, of course, Mister Lindsay can prove them unfit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . can\u2019t say I think much of Mrs. Abby for making the deal she did with Mister Lindsay,\u201d Joe said, \u201cbut I know she did it because she thought it best for her son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn MY humble opinion, that\u2019s certainly no worse than the idea of Mister Lindsay allowing a couple of socialites out in San Francisco to adopt his grandson for a large sum of money,\u201d Lucas observed wryly. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cAt any rate, if Mrs. Jarvis herself or her daughters\u2019 families wish to assume custody of Gabe\u2019s son, the law would, more than likely favor their petition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Milburn . . . suppose none of Gabe\u2019s next of kin wants to take custody of the Li\u2019l One?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, I\u2019m afraid that custody would be granted to Mister Lindsay . . . unless, of course, you can prove him unfit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLucas . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ben?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTaking into account Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s deposition and everything else we\u2019ve told you . . . what are our chances of proving Mister Lindsay unfit?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucas\u2019 gaze took in all three men sitting before him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUnless you can scare up a witness who can corroborate Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s testimony or somehow prove that Mister Lindsay was aware of her penchant for cruelty, I\u2019m afraid your chances are slim to none,\u201d Lucas replied, his voice filled with sorrow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s penchant for cruelty is a matter of public record out in Ohio,\u201d Joe protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that Mister Lindsay was aware of it when he hired her to care for his daughter,\u201d Lucas explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen, it might behoove you to ask Roy to wire the sheriff of Delaware County, Ohio and ask whether or not Mister Lindsay inquired about Mrs. Crawleigh\u2019s references . . . lawman to lawman.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent idea,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll see Roy after we\u2019ve finished our business here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Milburn?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cranston?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould it be ethical for you to wire Mrs. Jarvis and appraise her of her rights regarding her grandson?\u201d Jack asked, as he, Ben, and Joe slowly rose to their feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt would not only be ethical, but my bounden duty,\u201d Lucas replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI will be more than happy to take care of that for you, but the final decision, of course, is Mrs. Jarvis\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand,\u201d Ben said wearily, as he, Joe, and Jack shook hands with the lawyer in turn.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Lucas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2018re more than welcome, Ben,\u201d Lucas said, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll of our efforts five years ago to save Cara, may God rest her soul, failed, but maybe . . . just maybe . . . we can do something now to help her young son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After concluding their business in Virginia City, and sharing a meal at the International Hotel Restaurant, Ben, Joe, and Jack set out for the Ponderosa and the log ranch house the Cartwright family called home.\u00a0\u00a0 The three men rode in companionable silence for a time, each one mulling over all they had shared with one another concerning the baby the Cartwrights affectionately knew as the Li\u2019l One, Polly McPherson and her daughter, aka the former Sister Anne; and the Pinkerton clients on whose behalf Jack was investigating Tobias Lindsay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOoooo da widdy biddy boo boo,\u201d Joe cooed to the baby lying securely in his arms late the following morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

After devouring a big breakfast, one fit for a king, the Cartwrights and their guest adjourned to the living room, taking the settee and the two chairs by the fireplace.\u00a0\u00a0 Irma Fielding had hastily excused herself to tend to her baby daughter upstairs, while Hop Sing set himself to the task of clearing the table, washing the dishes, and setting the pots and the frying pan to soak.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you miss me, Li\u2019l One?\u201d Joe murmured softly.\u00a0 The baby\u2019s mouth curved upward when he tickled his chin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 Will ya look at that look at that!\u201d he crowed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s smiling!\u00a0\u00a0 He DID miss me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmph!\u00a0\u00a0 Fat lot YOU know, Grandpa!\u201d Stacy chortled.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s gas!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSince when did YOU become such a high \u2018n mighty expert on babies, Little Sister?\u201d Joe demanded, favoring Stacy with a withering glare.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not,\u201d Stacy admitted with a smug, cat-that-ate-the-canary grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, Mrs. Fielding is . . . so\u2019s Pa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe turned expectantly to his father.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, Pa?\u201d he queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid your sister\u2019s right,\u201d Ben admitted, trying very hard not to smile.\u00a0 His success in that endeavor was questionable at best.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGas,\u201d Joe said with a frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so, Son,\u201d Ben said with an amused half smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf Mrs. Fielding were to go away for a few days, he might miss HER, because she feeds him, but as far as the rest of us are concerned, at his age right now, one face is like another.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBite your tongue!\u201d Joe responded with mock severity.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, returned his attention to the infant still resting in his arms.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you listen to them, Li\u2019l One,\u201d Joe crooned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust because you\u2019ve got a little gas doesn\u2019t alter the fact that you must\u2018ve missed me something awful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt that,\u201d Hoss guffawed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWith Pa, Li\u2019l Sister, Hop Sing, Mrs. Fielding, \u2019n me t\u2019 spoil him rotten, why I\u2019d be real surprised if he even gave YOU a moment\u2019s thought.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, I admit that yes, Mrs. Fielding DOES feed him, and yes, the lot of you gave him lots of love and cuddles while I was gone,\u201d Joe magnanimously allowed, \u201cbut none of YOU speak his language.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss turned to Stacy, grinning from ear to ear, his blue eyes sparkling with impish delight.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY\u2019 wanna know somethin\u2019 Li\u2019l Sister?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Hoss?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we shouldn\u2019t be surprised about Joe here bein\u2019 the only one who speaks the Li\u2019l One\u2019s language,\u201d Hoss pointed out, with a wicked grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe IS our BABY brother after all . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor YOUR information, Biggest Brother of Mine, I happen to be the YOUNGEST SON,\u201d Joe retorted without missing a beat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOur KID sister, who, I might add, is mighty disrespectful to her elders, is the official BABY of this family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy responded by sticking out her tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBack at you, Kid,\u201d Joe said, before returning the gesture.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, the three of ya settle down,\u201d Ben admonished his younger offspring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe have company, remember?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019re not admonishing them on MY account, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Jack said with a bold grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and speaking for myself, I\u2019m becoming well accustomed to Hoss, Stacy, and Joe teasing each other,\u201d Irma Fielding added, as she made her way down the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s taken some getting used to on my part, but I can\u2019t deny that here, it seems to be the hallmark of a happy home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe IS a cute little guy,\u201d Jack remarked with a wistful smile, as he turned his attention to the baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he sure is,\u201d Stacy agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . .\u00a0 uh, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThink maybe WE could adopt him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, no, no!\u201d Hop Sing answered Stacy\u2019s question as he entered the living room bearing a tray with a pot of just brewed coffee, cream, sugar, and six cups, saucers, and spoons.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo adopt!\u00a0\u00a0 No sir!\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing spend all day, every day, do nothing but cook, es-specially if baby end up with appetite like Number Two Son!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe threw back his head and laughed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019s gotta point there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery funny,\u201d Hoss growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d\u00a0 Stacy ventured as the mirth began to fade.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat did Mister Milburn say?\u00a0\u00a0 Do we have a chance of getting custody of the Li\u2019l One?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shared with her and Hoss everything that the family lawyer had told them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Milburn\u2019s sending a wire to Mrs. Jarvis letting her know she or her daughters can sue for custody with a very good chance of winning,\u201d he concluded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSheriff Coffee will also send a wire to the sheriff of Delaware County out in Ohio to find out whether or not Mister Lindsay asked about Mrs. Crawleigh before he hired her to look after Cara.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean whether or not he knew about her being a monster from hell?\u201d Stacy asked with a shudder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 I mean exactly that,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t worry about her one bit, Kiddo,\u201d Joe said quietly, taking due note of her pale face, and trembling hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSheriff Dudley has her locked up tight in the Carson City Jail.\u00a0\u00a0 The only question now is, does she get shipped back to Baltimore or Delaware County first to serve out her jail sentences.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and if you add time for breaking jail . . . well, I strongly doubt that monster from hell\u2019s going to ever draw a breath of free air again, Stacy,\u201d Jack added.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot in this lifetime anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Irma Fielding, meanwhile, stole a glance at the watch pinned to her blouse.\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, rose to her feet and walked over to Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, it\u2019s time for me to put this Li\u2019l One down for a nap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face fell.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan\u2019t I hold him for just a few more minutes?\u201d he begged.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irma resolutely shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI believe we\u2019ve had this discussion before about the importance of keeping babies on schedule, Mister Cartwright,\u201d she reminded him as she held out her arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe sighed.\u00a0 \u201cYou have a good nap, Li\u2019l One,\u201d he said wistfully, as he handed the baby over to Irma.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mrs. Fielding started for the stairs, then abruptly stopped and turned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright?\u201d she queried, focusing her attention on Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Fielding?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I overheard you telling the others that Mister Milburn said the father\u2019s family has prior claim on this child over and above Mister Lindsay\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 Is that right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . IF the father\u2019s next of kin, his mother and sisters\u2019 families in this case, WANT to adopt him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember the Jarvis family, of course, but I can\u2019t say I knew them all that well,\u201d Irma said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre they decent people?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey were when Mister Jarvis worked for us,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irma nodded, satisfied with things as they stood for the time being at least.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so relieved,\u201d she murmured softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a given, Mrs. Fielding,\u201d Ben hastened to remind her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve not heard from the Jarvis Family . . . probably won\u2019t until later on today or sometime tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh come now, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Irma admonished.\u00a0\u00a0 Her mouth curved slightly upward forming a Mona Lisa kind of smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow could they NOT want this child?\u00a0\u00a0 After all, this child\u2019s father was their only son and brother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can, I will, and I shall!\u201d Abigail Jarvis resolutely declared with a sharp, emphatic nod of her head.\u00a0\u00a0 She stood before her place at the foot of the small kitchen table in the home of Annabelle and Wayne Carter, respectively her daughter and son-in-law, with posture almost painfully erect, arms folded tight across her chest, glaring murderously down at her two older daughters and their husbands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother,\u201d she wearily begged, \u201cwould you please stop and think for a minute?\u00a0\u00a0 Caring for a new baby is hard enough on a mother, who\u2019s young and healthy.\u00a0\u00a0 You aren\u2019t a young spring chicken anymore, and you\u2019ve NOT been well since Papa died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m not a young woman anymore,\u201d Abigail grudgingly admitted, \u201cbut I\u2019m doing much better health wise.\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor said so when I saw him last.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe ALSO said you need lots of rest,\u201d Annabelle argued, \u201csomething you\u2019re not going to get trying to take care of a new baby.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused, and in that moment of silence, earnestly beseeched the Almighty that her mother would, for once in her life, listen to reason.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, Annabelle\u2019s right,\u201d Mary Jane Stryker, the eldest of Ray and Abigail\u2019s offspring, said wearily.\u00a0\u00a0 She had recently passed her thirtieth birthday, and was due to give birth to her seventh, and, from all appearances, the biggest of the babes she had already brought into the world.\u00a0\u00a0 Her hands and fingers were red and swollen.\u00a0\u00a0 The simple gold wedding band on the third finger of her left hand had was now two or three sizes too small,\u00a0\u00a0 The plain, well-worn light green wrapper she wore, stretched tight across her well rounded belly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll find a way!\u201d Abigail stubbornly held her ground.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat child is all I have left of Gabe, and I\u2019ll be damned if I\u2019m going to let him go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

None of this was going as Abigail had hoped or planned.\u00a0\u00a0 Yesterday evening, Sheriff Dudley had presented her a wire from a lawyer in Virginia City informing her that, if she or her daughters wished to sue for custody of Gabe\u2019s baby, they stood an excellent chance of having their petition granted.\u00a0\u00a0 For the first time since hearing the devastating news of Gabe\u2019s demise, she felt a slender, fragile ray of hope pierce through the suffocating veil of grief that had settled upon her heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail had asked the sheriff if he might stop by Annabelle\u2019s house to ask her if she might invite her sisters and their husbands to her home so that she, Abigail, might impart to all of them the good news concerning Gabe\u2019s baby son.\u00a0\u00a0 He had graciously agreed to do her bidding.\u00a0\u00a0 When she had gone to bed last night, Abigail was so sure that one of her daughters would jump at the chance to adopt this baby.\u00a0\u00a0 He was all that remained now of their brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps she should have taken it as a warning things would not go well when her youngest daughter, Karen, had begged off at the last minute, citing a severe migraine.\u00a0\u00a0 But poor Karen, bless her heart, had been prone to sick headaches almost from the instant her menses began.\u00a0\u00a0 Now that she and her husband, Albert Harris, were expecting their first, those headaches came with greater frequency.\u00a0\u00a0 Her older daughters, Annabelle and Mary Jane were present, however, along with their husbands.\u00a0\u00a0 But, much to Abigail\u2019s anger and bitter disappointment, both made it clear they were not amenable to adopting their brother\u2019s child.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, I wish we could, but we CAN\u2019T!\u201d Mary Jane moaned softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot with six children and a new baby of our own!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut Naomi and Elsie Mae are old enough to help out,\u201d Abigail ardently pressed.\u00a0\u00a0 They were Nathaniel and Mary Jane\u2019s eldest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey DO help out!\u201d Mary Jane returned irritably.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey help me with the house cleaning, the laundry, gathering eggs, and milking our cows.\u00a0\u00a0 They also mind the younger children while I fix our meals, and on top of all that, they\u2019re doing quite well in school.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re a big help, and not once have they ever complained.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Abigail . . . surely you\u2019ve not forgotten that Mary Jane\u2019s had a much harder time with this baby than she did with any of the others,\u201d Nathaniel said very quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter the baby comes, Naomi and Elsie Mae are going to have their hands full doing their mother\u2019s work along with their own until Mary Jane\u2019s back on her feet.\u00a0\u00a0 Caring for TWO new babies . . . it\u2019s too much!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s plain and simply too much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow about YOU, Annabelle?\u201d Abigail turned hopefully to her second born.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and Gabe were always very close—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbigail, have you forgotten that we\u2019re on the edge of financial ruin?!\u201d Wayne exclaimed, angry and incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cALL of us . . . Annabelle and me . . . Nathaniel and Mary Jane . . . our neighbors . . . even YOU . . . lost all of our crops last year to draught!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut you said you got a loan from the bank,\u201d Abigail cried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat loan was just enough to buy seed for this year\u2019s crop and keep food on the table,\u201d Wayne shot right back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, as things stand now, David desperately needs a new pair of boots,\u201d Annabelle rushed to her husband\u2019s defense.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe ones he has now are nearly worn through the soles.\u00a0\u00a0 I hope and pray he doesn\u2019t outgrow them before we sell our harvest in the fall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also the medicine and doctor\u2019s visits for Brett,\u201d Wayne added.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe costs of both are very dear.\u00a0\u00a0 I thank God the doc lets us pay him as we can, but the pharmacist isn\u2019t so forgiving.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about that agreement with Mister Lindsay?\u201d Mary Jane asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

A strangled, guttural cry escaped from Abigail\u2019s throat.\u00a0\u00a0 She had completely forgotten about that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAgreement or no, Mister Lindsay has as much claim on Gabe\u2019s son as we do, seeing as how he\u2019s the baby\u2019s maternal grandfather,\u201d Nathaniel said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was told the law usually favors the father\u2019s family,\u201d Abigail said hopefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUsually?\u201d Wayne echoed, not unkindly.\u00a0 \u201cSounds to ME like we\u2019ll need to hire a lawyer and go to court to get custody of Gabe\u2019s child.\u00a0\u00a0 That costs money, Abigail . . . money none of us have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother . . . didn\u2019t you tell me yesterday that your agreement with Mister Lindsay includes him placing the babe in a good home?\u201d Annabelle ventured cautiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen we have to be satisfied with that,\u201d Annabelle said firmly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail angrily pushed back from the table and jumped to her feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNO!\u201d she yelled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNO, NO, NO, NO!\u00a0\u00a0 I WON\u2019T HAVE IT, DO YOU HEAR ME?\u00a0\u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0 WON\u2019T.\u00a0\u00a0 HAVE IT!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, please!\u201d Mary Jane begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish we COULD take Gabe\u2019s child, but the reality—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019M SICK TO DEATH OF HEARING ALL OF YOUR \u2018I WISHES\u2019 AND ALL OF YOUR \u2018WE CAN\u2019TS!\u2019 \u201d Abigail shouted, her face turning beet red, and contorting with raw fury.\u00a0\u00a0 She glared murderously at Annabelle first, then over at Mary Jane.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYOU\u2019RE ALL NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF SELFISH—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mary Jane buried her face in her hands and began to cry softly.\u00a0 Her husband, Nathaniel immediately left his place at the table and took up position behind his distraught wife.\u00a0\u00a0 He began to gently massage her shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle slowly rose from her chair, her entire body trembling with her own rising anger.\u00a0 \u201cNOW LOOK WHAT YOU\u2019VE DONE!\u201d she yelled back, inclining her head toward her sister and brother-in-law.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnnabelle, sit down,\u201d her husband, Wayne, said in a firm tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle glared at Wayne for a moment, then did as he\u2019d asked, angrily crossing her arms over her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail opened her mouth to respond, with a glitter of triumph shining amid the fires of rage burning in her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and that\u2019ll be enough out of you, too, Abigail,\u201d Wayne said curtly, favoring his mother-in-law with a warning glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very sorry about Gabe.\u00a0\u00a0 I really am.\u00a0\u00a0 I loved him.\u00a0\u00a0 He was the baby brother I never had.\u00a0\u00a0 But we have to face the facts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine!\u201d Abigail contemptuously spat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSince it would appear that all of you are too selfish to do your duty by your brother, then it falls to ME!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She stepped away from the table and strode briskly toward the back door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, where are you going?\u201d Annabelle demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHome,\u201d Abigail snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Abigail, give me time to hitch the team—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t bother!\u201d\u00a0 Abigail rudely cut Wayne off.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll walk!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle exhaled a loud, exasperated sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother, for heaven\u2018s sake—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring her daughter, Abigail turned and beat a straight path toward the kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 She threw the door open, and as she stepped across the threshold, she collided headlong with her grandson, David.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMa!\u201d David cried, as he ably danced around his grandmother, without offering excuse or apology, and ran straight to Annabelle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa!\u201d he cried, grabbing hold of her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve gotta come outside quick!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle opened her mouth, intending to scold her son for his complete lack of manners toward his grandmother.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon catching sight of his pale face and eyes round with fear, her admonition evaporated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDavid?\u201d she queried.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Brett!\u00a0\u00a0 He can\u2019t breathe!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go fetch the doc,\u201d Wayne said, his own face all of a sudden a few shades paler than was his norm.\u00a0\u00a0 He paused at the kitchen door just long enough to grab his hat, coat, and holstered revolver.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWayne, I\u2019m going with you,\u201d Abigail said as a plan of action began to take shape in her mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbigail, this trip\u2019s going to be hard and fast over some pretty rough ground,\u201d Wayne said curtly as he strapped on his holster, then slipped on his coat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care.\u00a0\u00a0 I coming with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuit yourself,\u201d Wayne sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, if you\u2019re not in the barn by the time I\u2019m ready to go—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be there as soon as I grab my coat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnnabelle, is there anything Mary Jane and I can do?\u201d Nathaniel asked, after Abigail ran out of the common room, where the Carter family took their meals and spent their evenings together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Annabelle shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou g\u2019won.\u00a0\u00a0 Get Mary Jane home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A tense, uneasy quiet descended upon Abigail and her son-in-law, Wayne, like a heavy pall, almost from the instant the buckboard began to move.\u00a0\u00a0 Abigail sat as far from Wayne as the confines of the seat allowed, with arms folded tight across her chest, and eyes fixed straight ahead.\u00a0\u00a0 Her troubled, angry musings churned a mile a minute.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI WILL get custody of Gabe\u2019s son!\u201d <\/em>Abigail silently vowed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs God is my witness, I will, no matter what it takes!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

It was grossly unfair that Gabe would never have the chance now to study, to make something better of himself than that small plot of dirt upon which Ray, may he rest in peace, had spent every last cent of the inheritance he had received from his uncle.\u00a0 To make matters worse, Gabe had, more than likely, been laid to rest in an unmarked pauper\u2019s grave.\u00a0\u00a0 Abigail wished with all her heart they could bring Gabe\u2019s body home and lay him to rest alongside his father, as would be proper, but disinterring and transporting him clear across the country was far beyond their woefully inadequate means.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Abigail . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She started violently upon hearing her name spoken.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Wayne continued, as he eased his horses from the narrow road that led to the farm house in which he and his family lived, onto the road that led into Carson City.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know how you feel—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Wayne!\u201d Abigail angrily cut him off.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUnless YOUR only son dies, leaving behind a child . . . the ONLY child he\u2019ll ever have in this life, and you come to find out he\u2019s out of your reach—\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She abruptly broke off, unable to continue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right!\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe I DON\u2019T know entirely how you\u2019re feeling,\u201d Wayne said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish Annabelle \u2019n me could do something, but we just can\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Abigail replied, in a tone of voice stone cold.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and Annabelle both made that quite clear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis past winter has been hard on Brett,\u201d Wayne continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI swear, he\u2019s had more asthma attacks since just before Christmas, than he\u2019s had all last year, and lately, those attacks have been getting WORSE.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know,\u201d Abigail murmured softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat with Mary Jane having so much trouble with this baby,\u201d Wayne continued, \u201cand YOU being sick yourself, Annabelle \u2019n me . . . we didn\u2019t want to add to your troubles.\u00a0 Now can you understand why we can\u2019t take Gabe\u2019s child?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbigail, what about Karen and Al?\u201d Wayne suggested hopefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll that money he inherited when his mother died—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAl\u2019s gambled away most of that inheritance, Wayne,\u201d Abigail said contemptuously, \u201cand what little he\u2019s not lost playing cards, he spends on rotgut.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s still got that job at the hotel,\u201d Wayne pointed out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt might not pay a whole lot, but it\u2019s still a steady income.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf Al\u2019s still got that job at the hotel, and mind you, that\u2019s a very big if, he\u2019s not going to have it for long,\u201d Abigail said bitterly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cKaren told me last week that Al\u2019s boss said the next time he comes to work drunk, he\u2019s fired.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Abigail.\u00a0\u00a0 I had no idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKaren begged me not to say anything to Annabelle or Mary Jane,\u201d Abigail said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems SHE doesn\u2019t want to add to your troubles either.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two fell silent once again, and remained so for the duration of the trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI must go to the telegraph office first thing,\u201d <\/em>Abigail silently mused.\u00a0\u00a0 She had to let that lawyer in Virginia City know that she WAS interested in suing Mister Lindsay for Gabe\u2019s son.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was, of course, the matter of getting herself to Virginia City and paying for the lawyer.\u00a0\u00a0 If she sold her farm, the cattle, buckboard, tack, and the two horses, she figured she ought to get enough to pay those expenses and buy a small town house in Carson City, with enough back yard to keep a few chickens, grow a kitchen garden just outside the back door, and maybe, just maybe have some room to spare for a toddler to play.<\/span><\/p>\n

For income, she could sell some of the eggs, and take in sewing.\u00a0\u00a0 She was an excellent seamstress, after all.\u00a0\u00a0 When her daughters were little, she had made all of their clothes, and received many compliments on a job well done.\u00a0\u00a0 She hadn\u2019t picked up needle and thread in recent years, except to mend a hem, perhaps, or sew on a button, but surely, she\u2019d not lost her skill.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know it won\u2019t bring in much,\u201d <\/em>Abigail silently, reluctantly admitted, but surely it would be enough to take care of herself and Gabe\u2019s baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

That evening in Virginia City, Tobias Lindsay arrived on what would have been the four o\u2019clock stage had it not been delayed nearly three hours by a slide of rocks, mud, and ice, which had to be cleared from the narrow mountain road.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Though wearied, physically and emotionally, due to all the changes wrought by his daughter\u2019s disappearance and subsequent death, he was gratified, nonetheless, to see that the end of what he perceived to have been a long, arduous journey was at long last in sight.\u00a0\u00a0 His immediate plans for the evening were to find suitable lodging . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . then supper and early to bed,\u201d <\/em>he silently mused.\u00a0\u00a0 He toyed with the possibility of paying a visit to his wife\u2019s final resting place, then almost immediately dismissed the idea with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019d be dark before I could even reach the livery stable let alone ride all the way out to the cemetery.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe tomorrow . . . IF he could find the time.\u00a0\u00a0 There was much to be done, after all, beginning with the disagreeable task of disposing his daughter\u2019s remains.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDamned stupid little bitch!\u201d Tobias angrily muttered under his breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter all that I\u2019ve done for her and that bastard child she whelped . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He had arranged a brilliant marriage for her . . . that is, as brilliant as could be arranged given her circumstances.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Quentin Forsythe Glover, aged a mere half dozen years younger than Tobias himself, was, to borrow his father\u2019s words, \u201can insipid weakling of a man,\u201d who seemed bound and determined to retain his bachelorhood.\u00a0\u00a0 His father, Forsythe P. Glover, was equally bound and determined that not only would his only son take a wife, but that they would provide him with at least one grandchild before he went to his grave.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d have been set . . . very WELL set . . . for the rest of our lives,\u201d Tobias muttered, his voice filled with bitter regret.\u00a0\u00a0 Forsythe P. Glover was the senior partner of Glover, Lattimer, and Drake, one of the most prestigious law firms in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 The Monday following their children\u2019s wedding, he would have gone to work as a lawyer in said firm, giving him, finally, at long last, a real, honest to goodness chance of reclaiming the high pinnacle that was his until the death of his beloved wife.<\/span><\/p>\n

And in due course . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe firm would\u2019ve become known as Glover . . . Lattimer . . . Drake . . . and LINDSDAY,\u201d Tobias murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 Closing his eyes, he could almost see himself standing once more in a courtroom, brilliantly defending some rich man\u2019s son who had landed himself in trouble with the law and winning . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . against all odds . . . in the face of the most damning and compelling of circumstantial evidence . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>He could almost smell the sweet fruits of victory, and taste them upon his tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Cara\u2019s death, brought about by her own stupidity and gross negligence on the part of that ineffectual woman he had hired to care for her, had robbed him of all that.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA viper!\u201d he spat contemptuously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was a viper my wife, may God rest her soul, and I nursed to our bosoms.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The girl had killed, no!\u00a0\u00a0 MURDERED! her own mother; and now, just when he stood upon the threshold of what promised to be a fresh start and a very lucrative living, Cara had as good as slammed the door of opportunity shut right in his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

The nine thousand dollars he anticipated receiving from the Cunninghams . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . Percy Shelley . . . .\u201d Tobias muttered with a grimace of utter disgust, \u201cand his once lovely wife, Hyacinth . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

. . . coupled with the proceeds from the sale of all his assets in Carson City would have been more than enough for him to go elsewhere.\u00a0\u00a0 But for a man of his age . . . given his limited credentials, the prospect of starting over now, entirely from scratch, was every bit as daunting as slogging through the Sierra Nevadas in the dead of winter on foot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . of course there\u2019s ALWAYS money to be made in the kind of work I\u2019ve BEEN doing since Eleanora died,\u201d <\/em>he silently observed, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cQuite a come down though for a man once destined for greatness . . . .\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias waited until the other passengers, among them two young men from Sacramento headed for an ivy league university back east; a nervous, not-so-young mail order bride bound for Mormon Springs in the company of a dour looking older woman; and a harried young mother with two cranky young children in tow, exited the stage coach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen\u2019s the next stage for Carson City?\u201d Tobias demanded as he stepped up to the ticket window.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNoon tomorrow,\u201d Hiram Peabody[xi]<\/a>, the station manager affably replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwo o\u2019clock.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny after that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d\u00a0 Hiram shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLast stage for Carson tomorrow leaves at two.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias slapped a couple of paper bills down on the counter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGive me a ticket for the two o\u2019clock stage bound for Carson City tomorrow,\u201d he ordered.\u00a0\u00a0 He would be horribly pressed for time to make that stage given all that he had to do, but right now, more than just about anything, he wanted to shake the dust of Virginia City from his boots and be gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere y\u2019 are, Sir,\u201d Hiram said as he held out the ticket.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias snatched the proffered ticket right out of Hiram\u2019s hand, then strode briskly over to the driver, who, with the help of another man, was taking the passengers\u2019 luggage down from the top of the stagecoach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow that\u2019s what I call a real nice, friendly fellow,\u201d Hiram sardonically muttered under his breath with a wry roll of his eyes heavenward.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias grabbed his carpet bag, then looked around for Angus Dawson, the stagecoach driver.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey . . . YOU!\u201d he called out the instant he spotted him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan you direct me to the International Hotel?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus bristled against the rude, condescending form of address.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDown the street \u2018n—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Mister Dawson.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019LL see to it Mister Lindsay here gets t\u2019 the International Hotel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Angus nodded and politely touched the rim of his hat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMuch obliged, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d he said with gratitude deeply heartfelt.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019d had more than enough of Mister Lindsay and his grand, high falootin\u2019 ways.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned his attention back to helping the other passengers sort out their luggage and find decent lodging for the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . to what do I owe the \u2018honor\u2019 of you coming to meet me at the stage, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Tobias, meanwhile, inquired, his voice heavily laden with sarcasm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve come t\u2019 take custody o\u2019 the baby boy, who\u2019s in Ben Cartwright\u2019s care out at the Ponderosa,\u201d Roy evenly replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you ASKING me or ACCUSING me?\u201d Tobias demanded in the same imperious tone of voice a proud king or a very rich man might use when addressing the lowliest servant in his household.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy brought his hands up to chest level, with thumb and finger tips touching, then lifted his head and met Tobias\u2019 intense gaze without flinching.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust askin\u2019,\u201d he calmly responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, then . . . yes,\u201d Tobias said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI HAVE come to assume custody of my grandson.\u00a0\u00a0 According to the LAW, Sheriff—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW what the law says,\u201d Roy adroitly cut him off, in the hope of nipping a potential long winded tirade square in the bud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re thinking\u2019 you\u2019re gonna be able t\u2019 just ride out to the Ponderosa come morning, \u2019n take that baby . . . I\u2019m afraid it ain\u2019t gonna be that simple.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust what the hell\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d Tobias demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst off,\u201d Roy drawled, \u201cthere\u2019s been a challenge as t\u2019 your fitness as guardian t\u2019 that young man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom WHO?!\u201d Tobias queried, outraged and highly indignant.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen Cartwright?\u00a0\u00a0 Or . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A mirthless chortle exploded from between his lips, slightly parted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c. . . is it that quack, son-uva-bitch, Paul Martin?\u00a0\u00a0 He was relentless in his attempts to have Cara taken away from me, almost from the instant my wife died until the day my daughter and I moved to Carson City.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I<\/strong> recall, \u2018bout half the folks livin\u2019 in Virginia City at that time were of the same mind,\u201d Roy observed in a bland tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d Tobias reluctantly allowed, \u201cbut no one was as persistent as the \u2018good\u2019 doctor . . . except maybe Ben Cartwright.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He grimaced as one might upon inhaling an exceptionally foul odor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, be that as it may, Sheriff,\u201d he continued, his voice rising, \u201cNO one . . . not Paul Martin, not Ben Cartwright . . . nor anyone ELSE in this damned backwater of a mining town could prove I was unfit then, and they sure as hell won\u2019t NOW.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat, o\u2019 course, remains t\u2019 be seen,\u201d Roy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut that ain\u2019t the only fly in the ointment, Mister Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 Seems the father o\u2019 that grandson o\u2019 yours—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about my grandson\u2019s father?\u201d Tobias demanded warily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cT\u2019 make a long story short, Mister Lindsay,\u201d Roy said, taking perverse joy in the news he was about to impart to the arrogant son of a rattlesnake standing before him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLucas Milburn got a wire from Mrs. Jarvis a few hours ago sayin\u2019 she intends t\u2019 sue for custody o\u2019 her son\u2019s baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStupid woman!\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s wasting her time and money.\u00a0 Mrs. Jarvis and I have an ironclad agreement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know all about that agreement,\u201d Roy replied.\u00a0 \u201cWhat YOU don\u2019t seem t\u2019 realize is Mrs. Jarvis stands a good chance o\u2019 getting custody o\u2019 her grandson, agreement or no.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias frowned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt appears that the law more often than not favors the claims of t\u2019 FATHER\u2019S family in cases like this one,\u201d Roy elaborated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what?\u201d Tobias returned, all bluff and bluster.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs the boy\u2019s maternal grandfather, at the very least, I have equal claim; and given that the mother was my ONLY child, while Mrs. Jarvis still has three daughters, and many grandchildren—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll be up t\u2019 Judge Faraday t\u2019 decide,\u201d Roy rudely cut him off.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes, then, dropped to the carpet bag valise Tobias held before him, its handle clasped in both hands so tightly his knuckles had turned a bloodless white.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat all your luggage?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Tobias replied through clenched teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought I\u2019d be concluding my business here in time to leave on the two o\u2019clock stage tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like ya figured wrong!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy ignored the dark, murderous scowl Tobias leveled in his direction upon his stating the painfully obvious.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned slowly and began to amble in the direction of the International Hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias unconsciously fell in step alongside the sheriff, his troubled thoughts churning along with his stomach.\u00a0\u00a0 The only good to come out of this recent turn of events was he no longer had to make good on paying for an Ivy League college education for the boy who had sired his bastard whelp upon his daughter.\u00a0 But, with Cara dead, the wedding between her and Quentin Forsythe Glover was off, which meant no position with the Glover, Lattimer, and Drake law firm, no second chance to pursue the greatness that should have been his, and no handsome salary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, all wasn\u2019t completely lost.\u00a0\u00a0 The nine thousand dollars he stood to collect from the Cunninghams upon delivery of his daughter\u2019s baby and what he would realize from the sale of his assets in Carson City would be enough to head somewhere . . . anywhere . . . that was far, far away from Virginia City, a dead wife and child, and all his shattered dreams of what might have been.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for seeing me safely to the International Hotel, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Tobias said sardonically when he and the lawman reached the steps leading up to the main lobby entrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy pleasure,\u201d the sheriff responded in a wry tone.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust a moment, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Tobias said curtly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you can appreciate my wanting to get this farce of a custody hearing over and done as soon as possible,\u201d Tobias began, grimacing when he spoke the words custody hearing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cVirginia City holds nothing for me but a lot of painful memories.\u00a0\u00a0 The sooner I can leave for good and all, the better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy dutifully refrained from adding that he could hardly wait to see the last Tobias Lindsay\u2019s retreating back when he finally left Virginia City \u201cfor good and all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, if you would be so kind as to tell me WHEN that custody hearing is to be?\u201d Tobias demanded in a sullen tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo date\u2019s been set just yet,\u201d Roy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be headin\u2019 straight t\u2019 Judge Faraday\u2019s office t\u2019 let him know you\u2019re here.\u00a0\u00a0 Then, I expect, you\u2019re gonna need a reasonable amount of time t\u2019 prepare . . . maybe hire yourself a lawyer t\u2018 represent—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you see Judge Faraday, you can tell him that I AM fully prepared to go ahead with this . . . this ludicrous exercise in \u2019justice\u2019, and that I intend to represent myself,\u201d Tobias rudely cut the lawman off mid-sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Something about a man representing himself in matters of law having a fool for a client flitted through Roy\u2019s mind.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Mister Lindsay, I\u2019ll Tell Judge Faraday you\u2019re ready t\u2019 go, sooner the better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would appreciate that very much, Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Boys,\u201d Annabelle Carter, weary and irritable, admonished her three older sons, the following morning.\u00a0\u00a0 She had honest and truly thought they were going to lose Brett yesterday afternoon.\u00a0\u00a0 Thankfully, he rallied, but the fear and anxiety lingered.\u00a0\u00a0 She was also filled with remorse about the altercation they had all had with Mother during the course of that hastily called family meeting, and guilt over her adamant refusal to adopt Gabe\u2019s infant son.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTime to get yourselves dressed and ready for school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAww, Ma!\u00a0\u00a0 Do we hafta?\u201d Arthur Carter, Artie to family and friends, whined.\u00a0\u00a0 He was Annabelle and Wayne\u2019s second youngest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t get no sleep last night—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny,\u201d Annabelle snapped, \u201cand yes, you DO have to go to school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Maaa-aaaahh . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

David, the oldest, rose, and quietly pushed back his chair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Artie,\u201d he gently urged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa says we gotta go to school, we gotta go to school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow come Brett gets to stay home?\u201d Artie whined.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cArthur Simon Carter, you know very well that the doctor said Brett\u2018s to stay home and get plenty of rest,\u201d Wayne said curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow do what your mother said.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Artie murmured softly, instantly cowed upon hearing his father say all three of his names.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cArtie . . . and, you, too, Quentin!\u00a0\u00a0 Brett suffered a very bad attack yesterday . . . the worst he\u2019s ever had!\u201d Annabelle sternly admonished her two middle sons.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDavid?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou and your brothers g\u2019won and get dressed in OUR room,\u201d she said, addressing her eldest in a tone of voice less stern.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve laid out your clothes on our bed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

David nodded, then ushered his younger brothers into the bedroom shared by their parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wayne rose, after his three older sons had left the room, and downed the last of his coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll g\u2019won and get the wagon hitched,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWayne?\u201d Annabelle queried, as she set herself to the task of clearing away the breakfast dishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wayne paused at the kitchen door.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Annabelle?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid Mother . . . h-how was she when you left her off in town yesterday?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAngry,\u201d Wayne replied, \u201cvery angry . . . and hurting.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed and dolefully shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBetween you \u2018n me, I can\u2019t say as I blame her,\u201d he continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFirst, she finds out Gabe\u2019s dead, then she\u2019s told he left a son, but none of us can take him in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel awful about that, too,\u201d Annabelle said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know . . . maybe we should take Gabe\u2019s son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish we could, Annabelle,\u201d Wayne said, equally as miserable, \u201cbut we can\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused for a moment, just long enough to cast a furtive glance toward the open door to his and his wife\u2019s bedroom.\u00a0\u00a0 When he resumed, he lowered his voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hate myself for even thinking this, but I can\u2019t help worrying how much further that doctor visit yesterday and the new medicine are going to set us back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Annabelle replied, fearful and anxious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell you what.\u00a0\u00a0 After I drop the boys off at school, why don\u2019t I stop by and look in on your mother?\u201d Wayne offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Wayne, would you?\u201d Annabelle cried, feeling a small measure of relief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d appreciate that very much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cWhat in the hell does a man have to DO around here to get himself a damn lousy cup of coffee?\u201d <\/em>Tobias silently groused, while drumming his fingers against the top of the table.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes darted from the entrance to the International House Restaurant over to the closed door of its kitchen.\u00a0\u00a0 Not a single waitress in sight!\u00a0\u00a0 He yanked his watch out if his vest pocket with enough force to sever the chain to which it was attached.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh for the love of \u2026.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He stuffed the chain back into his vest pocket with a long string of monosyllabic invectives, then, with an exasperated sigh, flipped up the watch cover.\u00a0\u00a0 The time was exactly three minutes later than when he had last checked.<\/span><\/p>\n

The restaurant was crowded, more so than was typical for a Thursday morning.\u00a0\u00a0 The patrons, most of them locals, amicably chatted amongst those within their own party and with others seated at nearby tables.\u00a0\u00a0 At the door, friends and neighbors warmly greeted each other while patiently waiting to be seated.\u00a0\u00a0 Tobias felt a pang of loneliness, and for a moment, he feared it would completely overwhelm him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . not OUR sort of people!\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

His mother\u2019s voice, imperious and filled with disdain, echoed in the ears of his inward hearing.\u00a0\u00a0 His jaw clenched, and that tiny soft place deep within his heart once again hardened into stone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Sir . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias straightened his posture and favored the waitress, a young woman by the name of Patty Lynch, with a cold, withering glare.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m grateful you deigned to show yourself,\u201d he rudely cut her off, his voice filled with sarcasm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI-oh dear!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m so sorry,\u201d Patty meekly stammered out an apology.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s, well . . . we don\u2018t usually have so many people at this time of the morning, and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . you\u2019re short of staff,\u201d Tobias finished with a melodramatic sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrankly, Miss, I could care less.\u00a0\u00a0 Now if you\u2019d be so kind as to bring me a cup of coffee?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Patty made note of that on her order pad.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHave you decided on what you\u2019d like to have for breakfast?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust bring me the damned coffee!\u201d Tobias ordered through clenched teeth and rigid jaw.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patty unconsciously took a step backward upon getting a good look at his murderous scowl, round, bulging eyes, his pale complexion, and the bright scarlet patches now appearing on his cheeks and neck.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, uhhh . . . y-yes, Sir . . . sorry,\u201d she stammered, shocked and frightened by the intensity of emotion she saw reflected in his face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI-I\u2019ll get your coffee right away.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned and fled toward the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few seconds after the waitress had departed, Tobias began to drum his fingers once more against the table top.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He had hoped to get word about the date of the custody hearing last night, or this morning, but so far, none had come.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias had slept very little the night before, which was small wonder given the lumpy mattress and walls thinner than the wallpaper covering them.\u00a0 Still and all, he would\u2019ve likely dozed off anyway, being as exhausted as he was from his journey to this God forsaken pit of a city, had it not been for the big nasty fly that seemed to have dropped into what should have been a very fine, smooth ointment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDamn that Jarvis woman!\u201d Tobias cursed very softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without her that damned custody hearing would have amounted to nothing more than an annoyance, and a couple of days delay.\u00a0\u00a0 The law stated unequivocally that his daughter\u2019s next of kin, himself, be granted custody of his grandson, unless it could be shown he was unfit.\u00a0\u00a0 Not even the high and mighty Ben Cartwright could change that . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . nor can he prove it,\u201d <\/em>Tobias silently groused, \u201cnot all those years ago after my wife died . . . and not now!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

But Abigail Jarvis suing for custody changed everything.\u00a0\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee was absolutely right about the law more often than not, favoring the next of kin of the orphaned child\u2019s father.\u00a0\u00a0 Should that happen, the loss of that nine thousand dollars due upon delivery of Cara\u2019s baby would be the very least of his worries.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I lose custody, the Cunninghams will sue, that\u2019s certain,\u201d <\/em>Tobias silently ruminated, with a shudder.\u00a0\u00a0 A judge would, like as not, find in their favor.\u00a0\u00a0 Even if they sued only to recover the money already paid him . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . fat chance of THAT!\u201d<\/em> he groused silently.\u00a0 \u201cGreedy, money grubbing, rubes like the Cunninghams will never be happy unless and until they\u2019ve bled me dry!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell upon my soul . . . Mister Lindsay?\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Tobias Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The rude jolt from his fearsome musings left him dazed and visibly shaken.\u00a0\u00a0 He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in a desperate attempt to calm himself and regain a small measure of composure.\u00a0\u00a0 A moment later, Tobias opened his eyes, turned, and found himself gazing up into the dismayed faces of an older couple, aged perhaps in their mid to late fifties, standing at his elbow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh dear,\u201d the woman murmured contritely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so sorry—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I know you?\u201d Tobias demanded in a peevish tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s, umm, been a while,\u201d the man said sheepishly, \u201cbut you defended our youngest boy, Mitch, when he was accused of murdering a card sharp . . . what . . . .?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFive years ago?\u00a0\u00a0 Six or seven maybe??\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDevlin,\u201d Tobias murmured softly, his voice filled with bitterness.\u00a0\u00a0 The last thing he wanted was to be confronted by that high pinnacle from which he had fallen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou DO remember,\u201d John Devlin said with a friendly smile, wholly oblivious to Tobias\u2019 emotional state.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe had no idea you were in town—\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His words abruptly terminated in the face of his wife\u2019s warning glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh,\u201d he murmured, his voice barely audible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, we\u2019re so sorry to hear about your daughter\u2019s passing,\u201d Martha Devlin kindly offered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf there\u2019s anything we can do . . . anything at all . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for your kindness, Mrs. Devlin, but there\u2019s nothing—\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Tobias abruptly stopped mid-sentence, as the nebulous early stages of a plan began to form in his mind.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOn second thought . . . perhaps there IS something you can do,\u201d he said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 He inclined his head toward the two empty chairs at his table, then signaled to Patty.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease . . . won\u2019t you sit down?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Patty mentally braced herself against another round of verbal abuse as she reluctantly crossed the room to Tobias\u2019 table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-Yes, Sir?\u201d she queried warily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister and Mrs. Devlin, will be joining me for breakfast,\u201d Tobias informed her in an imperious tone of voice. \u201cSee that it\u2019s put on my hotel tab?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Patty turned expectantly toward the Devlins.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mister Lindsay . . . we couldn\u2019t impose—\u201d Martha immediately protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias favored her with a mirthless smile that gave Patty the shivers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease.\u00a0\u00a0 I insist,\u201d he said smoothly, as he rose and held out the chair for Martha.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Martha,\u201d John quietly urged.\u00a0\u00a0 He pulled out the chair on the other side of Tobias and sat down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell . . . I s\u2019pose,\u201d Martha murmured, feeling very uncertain.\u00a0\u00a0 She sat down in the chair that Tobias so gallantly held for her, and allowed him to gently push it and her under the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m . . . not real hungry,\u201d she said, turning her attention now to Patty.\u00a0\u00a0 Her words, demurely spoken, drew a look of astonishment from her husband.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like a slice of toast with butter, maybe a dollop of preserves on the side, and a cup of coffee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Patty murmured, as she flipped the pages of her order pad back to Tobias\u2019 and jotted down Martha\u2019s order.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I get you, Mister Devlin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, uhh . . . speaking for myself, I\u2019m hungry as a bear,\u201d John proclaimed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA couple of eggs, over easy, a slice of ham, fried potatoes, a couple slices of toast, and coffee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Patty dutifully jotted down John Devlin\u2019s order, then, with fear and trepidation, turned to Tobias.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cH-Have you, ummm . . . changed your mind about . . . about h-having breakfast, Sir?\u201d she ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still not very hungry, but I should eat something, I suppose,\u201d Tobias drawled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you simply double what Mrs. Devlin ordered?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Patty made note of that on her order pad, before turning and briskly making her way across the dining room toward the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re, umm . . . here to get your grandson?\u201d John ventured after a moment of uncomfortable silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJohn!\u201d Martha gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 Two splotches of red blossomed on her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHonestly!\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s none of our—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias held up his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s quite all right, Mrs. Devlin,\u201d he said quietly, then returned his attention to John.\u00a0 \u201cTo answer your question, Sir, yes.\u00a0\u00a0 I AM here to assume custody of my grandson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad to hear it.\u00a0\u00a0 The boy should be a real comfort to you—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid it\u2019s not going to be so easy,\u201d Tobias quickly interjected.<\/span><\/p>\n

Martha frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy ever not?\u201d she demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou ARE the boy\u2019s only next of kin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid not,\u201d Tobias responded with, he hoped, was the right amount of pathos.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe babe\u2019s paternal grandmother has decided to sue for custody as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s awful!\u201d Martha cried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Martha,\u201d John said quietly as he reached over and patted his distraught wife\u2019s hand, \u201cit could be she\u2019s lost her only child, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf that were the case, Mister Devlin, I would relinquish my claim on the boy in her favor in a heartbeat,\u201d Tobias lied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I know for fact she has three grown daughters and several grandchildren.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not right,\u201d John said with a scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay, perhaps the judge might take that into consideration.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt it,\u201d Tobias said morosely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a horrible, selfish woman!\u201d Martha heatedly declared, with an emphatic nod of her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . as strange as this may seem, Mrs. Devlin, I can\u2019t bring myself to blame HER,\u201d Tobias said very quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew for certain that he was coming across as sincere, and perhaps generous as well, by the shocked look on her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe probably wouldn\u2019t be suing for custody at all, if someone else hadn\u2019t been pushing her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea as to who that someone else might be?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know exactly who\u2019s behind this,\u201d Tobias replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen Cartwright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John and Martha exchanged glances filled with shock and dismay.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s terrible,\u201d the former declared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI never thought for a minute Ben could be so cruel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven so,\u201d Tobias sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t fault Mister Cartwright entirely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI must say that\u2019s very generous of you, Mister Lindsay,\u201d Martha said, highly indignant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you remember how things were after Eleanora died . . . before my daughter and I moved to Carson City . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be less than honest if I said I didn\u2019t,\u201d John reluctantly admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI lived with my mother until her passing a couple of years ago,\u201d Tobias said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe . . . well, to make a long, sad story very short, she saved my life.\u00a0\u00a0 Got me off the drink . . . got me going to church, too, even if I WAS kicking and screaming at the beginning . . . . \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSudden tragedy\u2019s laid many a man low . . . and many a woman, too,\u201d Martha said briskly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe important thing is you\u2019ve changed . . . and for the better by the looks of things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Devlin,\u201d Tobias said quietly, while resisting an inclination to sardonically roll his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrankly, I\u2019m SURPRISED at Ben,\u201d Martha continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe, of all people, is no stranger to sudden tragedy and death.\u00a0\u00a0 John and I know for a fact how much comfort his sons . . . and that daughter of his, too . . . have been over the years.\u00a0\u00a0 To try and take all that\u2019s left of Mister Lindsay\u2019s wife and daughter—!\u201d she angrily sputtered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow could Ben do that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John, noting that his wife\u2019s eyes blinked to excess, deftly reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, and withdrew a clean, neatly folded handkerchief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere, there, Martha, don\u2019t be getting yourself so worked up,\u201d he said briskly, as he thrust his handkerchief into both of her outstretched hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Devlin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anything we . . . .\u201d John inclined his head toward Martha, \u201c. . . can do to help?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you and Mrs. Devlin could put in a good word for me with Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d John agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the least we can do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u00a0\u00a0 Hey, Ben . . . Stacy . . .\u00a0 please!\u00a0\u00a0 Would you wait up a minute?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and his daughter turned, then smiled upon catching sight of Lucas Milburn, lawyer and a very good friend of the Cartwrights for many years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mister Milburn,\u201d Stacy said by way of greeting, while the portly man, aged in his late forties, paused to catch his breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Stacy,\u201d Lucas huffed and puffed.\u00a0\u00a0 He closed his eyes, straightened, then drew in a deep ragged breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019re you doing?\u00a0\u00a0 I heard you were pretty sick this past winter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine!\u201d Stacy stoutly proclaimed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Martin said I could g\u2019won back to school starting today . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed and wryly rolled her eyes heavenward.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa keeps telling me I still have to get my rest—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m only following doctor\u2019s orders, Young Woman,\u201d Ben chided her gently.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo glad I ran into you,\u201d Lucas said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSaves me a trip out to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s smile immediately faded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucas took another deep breath, then smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon’t worry, Ben.\u00a0 It\u2019s NOT bad news!\u201d he said, as he pulled out a clean, white handkerchief from his coat pocket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cQuite the opposite, in fact.\u00a0 I got a reply to the wire I sent to Mrs. Jarvis yesterday—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe and her family want the baby!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy exclaimed.\u00a0\u00a0 It took every ounce of strength and will to keep from jumping up and down.\u00a0 Upon catching the scowl her father leveled in her direction, however, her exuberance immediately evaporated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOops!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry, Mister Milburn.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t mean to interrupt you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite all right, Stacy,\u201d Lucas graciously accepted her apology, as he dabbed at the beads of sweat dotting his forehead.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, yes.\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. Jarvis intends to file for custody of her son\u2019s baby,\u201d he confirmed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe left Carson City this morning, and will be arriving today on the afternoon stage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s wonderful!\u201d Stacy said with a big smile.\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, turned to her father.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, we have a chance now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo guarantees,\u201d Lucas quickly warned, \u201cbut, yes.\u00a0\u00a0 We have a very good chance of keeping that baby out of Mister Lindsay\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, you need to get a move on,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Johnson will be ringing the bell in a few minutes.\u00a0\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to be late for school your first day back. \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I suppose not,\u201d Stacy had to agree.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee you at home later?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have a good day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try,\u201d Stacy said without enthusiasm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBye, Pa . . . and you, too, Mister Milburn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like that daughter of yours isn\u2019t very eager about going back to school,\u201d Lucas remarked with an amused grin, as he and Ben turned and ambled back to his office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ben admitted, \u201cbut she understands that a good education is a necessary thing, and I see to it she does her best.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know you do, Ben,\u201d Lucas quietly observed, though privately, he was of the opinion that anything beyond learning just enough alphabet to enable her to read and sign her name, and enough of sums to perform simple addition and subtraction was wasted on a girl.\u00a0\u00a0 His eldest, Carol, would be leaving school at the end of the year, and come summer would begin learning from her mother what a young woman truly needed to know:\u00a0 how to keep an orderly, well run household.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you heard anything from Judge Faraday about a hearing date?\u201d Ben asked when they reached Lucas\u2019 office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucas shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot yet, but I expect we\u2019ll have a date later on today, now that Mister Lindsay\u2019s in town and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay\u2018s here?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen did HE arrive?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy said yesterday evening, around seven o\u2019clock,\u201d the attorney replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems he was counting on getting custody of his grandson something of a foregone conclusion.\u00a0\u00a0 He . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Lucas grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, let\u2019s just say he wasn\u2019t in the best of moods when he found out Mrs. Jarvis intends to sue for custody.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He chuckled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou want to know something, Ben?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Lucas?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know this ill becomes me,\u201d Lucas ventured with a touch of regret, \u201cbut I sure wish I could\u2019ve seen the look on Mister Lindsay\u2019s face when Roy told him about Abigail Jarvis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be less than honest myself, if I didn\u2019t admit to wishing the same thing,\u201d Ben replied with an amused half smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDamn that Jarvis woman!\u201d Tobias muttered under his breath, when, after parting company with the Devlins, he began making his way from the restaurant to the hotel lobby.\u00a0\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t his fault that stupid son of hers got himself killed because he hadn\u2019t the good sense, more than likely, to look before crossing a busy street.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to having that agreement with Mrs. Jarvis, one she entered into eagerly of her own free will, he remembered sourly, Tobias knew that she and her daughters were a bunch of dirt poor farmers, nearly drowning in debt.\u00a0\u00a0 Furthermore, the woman herself was in poor health.\u00a0\u00a0 Logically any judge with an ounce common sense would deny her petition for custody on those grounds, but there were no guarantees.<\/span><\/p>\n

A bark of a woman\u2019s mirthless laughter assailed Tobias\u2019 ears as he exited the hotel, jolting him from his troubled musings.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, Honey . . . that\u2019s OLD news!\u201d she said scornfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cB-But . . . Mrs. Kirk just told me that this morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias turned and saw two women seated primly on the bench next to the hotel entrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger woman . . . Tobias judged her to be around his age, maybe a bit older . . .\u00a0 was a complete stranger to him, but her companion, that portly woman with snow white hair . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2018ll I\u2018ll be!\u201d <\/em>Tobias mused with a predatory smile.\u00a0\u00a0 The Devlins putting in a kind word to their good friend, Ben Cartwright on his behalf would be all well and good, of course, but if that white haired old biddy was as he remembered, then maybe . . . just maybe, she could single handedly turn this whole sordid mess back around in his favor.\u00a0\u00a0 This wouldn\u2019t be the first time a judge would be swayed by public opinion, and it would be far from the last.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias removed his hat and approached the two women seated on the bench.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cExcuse me, Ladies,\u201d he ventured politely.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, focused his attention on the elderly, white haired woman.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHave I the pleasure of addressing Miss Clara Mudgely?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The old woman\u2019s head snapped upward, and for a moment, she leveled an imperious, yet wary scowl at the well dressed, slender man standing before her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho\u2019s askin\u2019?\u201d she snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTobias Lindsay, Esquire, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Tobias responded, holding out his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a long time . . . you may not remember me . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The scowl evaporated, as a sly smile oozed its way across her thin lips.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, I remember YOU, Sir,\u201d Clara replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to, umm, visit a while, if you have a few minutes,\u201d Tobias replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clara\u2019s companion rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps I should be on and about my own business,\u201d she said hastily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t let me chase you away,\u201d Tobias said, his bland tone betraying none of the revulsion now rising up from the pit of his stomach.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat down on the bench beside Clara Mudgely, then patted the empty place beside him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease sit down, uhhh . . . . ?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Adams,\u201d the other woman replied, as she resumed her place on the bench.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. SETH Adams.\u00a0\u00a0 My husband is president of the First Mercantile Bank of Virginia City.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last she added with a proud puffing of her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Adams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo!\u201d Clara interjected, effectively putting an end to the polite small talk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat, exactly, do you want to talk with me . . . I mean with US . . . about, Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhat in the world is Miss Mudgely prattling on about now?\u201d <\/em>Maxine Pettigrew, who with her sister, Letty Mae Harris, owned and ran the C Street Caf\u00e9, silently wondered, as she stepped inside the general store.<\/span><\/p>\n

The church organist seemed to be in very animated conversation with Amelia Jared, the proprietress, and Audrey Schmidt, widow of the recently deceased Lionel Schmidt, a farmer who, for the better part of the last decade, had made a very good living selling vegetables, milk, and eggs to some of the restaurants and boarding houses in town.\u00a0\u00a0 Audrey had sold the farm after Lionel\u2019s death, and purchased a small but comfortable house in one of the more respectable neighborhoods.\u00a0 She made her living by taking in sewing and selling eggs from chickens she kept in her tiny backyard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s disgraceful!\u201d Clara declared, her voice rising.\u00a0 She punctuated her words with an emphatic nod of her head.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I think about how Ben Cartwright just about bent himself over backwards to give the likes of Culley Mako[xii]<\/a> . . . and . . . and that Trace Cordell[xiii]<\/a> . . . .\u201d Clara shuddered delicately \u201c. . . the benefit of the doubt, but he won\u2019t a respectable man like Tobias Lindsay—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTobias Lindsay,\u201d Maxine murmured softly, as she stepped up to the counter.\u00a0 \u201cNow THERE\u2019S a name I\u2019ve not heard in a dog\u2019s age.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Pettigrew . . . what do YOU think?\u201d Audrey demanded in a booming baritone voice that could have easily carried an entire city block, had the door to the general store had been standing open.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout WHAT?\u201d Maxine asked warily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout Ben Cartwright refusing to give Tobias Lindsay the same benefit of the doubt he gave those two ex-convicts,\u201d Audrey was only too happy to elaborate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst off, Culley Mako was an innocent man,\u201d Maxine pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut Trace Cordell wasn\u2018t,\u201d Clara declared with a smug grin, \u201cand I<\/strong> say if THEY were deserving of a second chance, then how much more so is Tobias Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmpf!\u00a0 It\u2019s too bad no one was able t\u2019 help that daughter o\u2019 his, poor li\u2019l lamb,\u201d Amelia declared with righteous indignation.\u00a0 \u201cHe beat that poor child within an inch of her life right here in the middle of this store once just \u2018cause she asked me for a piece o\u2019 penny candy.\u00a0 I saw him do it with m\u2019 own two eyes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it NOT occur to you, Mrs. Jared, that perhaps Mister Lindsay was spanking his daughter for being forward?\u201d Audrey challenged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI KNOW the difference between a spankin\u2019 \u2018n a beatin\u2018,\u201d Amelia returned in a frosty tone of voice.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I saw was a beatin\u2019 pure \u2018n simple.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/strong> saw the deplorable way he treated that child of his, too,\u201d Clara admitted with much reluctance, \u201cbut all that was . . . what?\u00a0 Five years ago now . . . six?\u00a0 That\u2019s more than enough time for a man to mend his ways.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very true, Miss Mudgely, but I, for one, trust Ben Cartwright,\u201d Maxine maintained.\u00a0 \u201cIf HE\u2019S raising questions as to whether or not Tobias Lindsay\u2019s a fit guardian for his grandson, then, he must have a very good reason.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU just say that because without HOSS Cartwright and his big appetite, that li\u2019l caf\u00e9 you and your sister run would go out of business in less than five minutes,\u201d Audrey accused.\u00a0 \u201cAs for YOU, Mrs. Jared, the Ponderosa does a lot of business with you and Mister Jared.\u201d\u00a0 A sly smile slowly spread its way across her lips.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve ALSO heard JOE Cartwright\u2019s sweet on your Lilly Beth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat may be so, Mrs. Schmidt, but I\u2019d STILL agree with Miss Pettigrew even if the Cartwrights\u2019d never set foot in this store,\u201d Amelia declared.\u00a0 \u201cBen Cartwright\u2019s got a good head on his shoulders \u2018n he\u2019d never go chargin\u2019 into somethin\u2019 like this if there wasn\u2019t somethin\u2019 to it, if y\u2019 get what I mean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with you one hundred percent, Mrs. Jared,\u201d Maxine said, \u201cand, Ladies . . . .\u201d she turned, her eyes coming to rest on Audrey\u2019s face for a moment, then shifting to Clara\u2019s \u201c. . . for the record?\u00a0 Although the Cartwrights occasionally patronize the C Street Caf\u00e9, they\u2019re far from being my best customers, because as good a cook as my sister is, Hop Sing\u2019s even better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I<\/strong> still say Ben Cartwright\u2019s WRONG!\u201d Clara said, then turned to Amelia.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow much do I owe you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA pound of coffee . . . half pound of sugar . . . three cans of beans . . . that\u2019ll be a dollar seventeen, Miss Mudgely,\u201d Amelia replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmpf!\u00a0 Highway robbery!\u201d Clara snorted as she opened her reticule and groped for the change that had settled on its very bottom. \u00a0She dropped the coins into Amelia\u2019s outstretched hand one at a time, before turning heel and leaving with her purchases, walking at a very brisk pace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what\u2019s got her so all fired up about Tobias Lindsay of all people?\u201d Maxine queried, her eyes glued to the church organist\u2018s retreating back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard about that baby left by the Cartwrights\u2019 kitchen door?\u201d Amelia asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . .\u201d Maxine answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018n you also know that the babe\u2019s mother\u2019s Tobias\u2019 daughter, Cara?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0 I heard that, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell Miss Mudgely just got through tellin\u2019 us that Mister Lindsay\u2019s in town,\u201d Amelia said curtly.\u00a0 \u201cSomethin\u2019 about a custody hearin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCustody hearing?!\u201d Maxine echoed with a bewildered frown on her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right . . . a custody hearing!\u201d Audrey declared with an emphatic nod of her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSurely Ben Cartwright\u2019s not trying to take Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter away from him after all these years!\u201d Maxine exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cThat child must be of age by now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost, but that\u2018s a moot point,\u201d Audrey said, eager to bring Maxine up to date on the latest news.\u00a0 She paused dramatically, then, with a smug, victorious smile, continued, \u201cMister Lindsay\u2019s daughter\u2018s dead, Miss Pettigrew.\u00a0 She died . . . .\u201d\u00a0 Audrey fell silent again, this time to do some mental figuring.\u00a0 \u201cI think it\u2019s been two, maybe three weeks now . . . not long after giving birth to a baby boy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChild bed fever?\u201d Maxine asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t rightly know,\u201d Audrey confessed with an indifferent shrug.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, how does Ben Cartwright figure into all this?\u201d Maxine asked, looking from one woman to the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter she left her baby on the Cartwrights\u2019 doorstep,\u201d Audrey replied, \u201cthe girl somehow . . . ended up in Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmph!\u201d Amelia derisively snorted.\u00a0 \u201cIf y\u2019 ask ME, Clara Mudgely\u2019s either makin\u2019 the whole thing up or some o\u2019 her own gossip\u2019s just come back full circle on her,\u201d she vigorously declared.\u00a0 \u201cWouldn\u2019t be the first time . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right!\u00a0 So Miss Mudgely tends to exaggerate a bit,\u201d Audrey reluctantly admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA bit?\u201d Amelia echoed, incredulous.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Schmidt, if that woman exaggerated any more, she\u2019d be out \u2018n out lyin\u2019 right through her pearly white teeth!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe so,\u201d Audrey grudgingly allowed, \u201cbut that doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s not a kernel of truth in what she said.\u00a0 But THAT’S not the point!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat IS the point, Mrs. Schmidt?\u201d Maxine asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe point is . . . a man CAN mend his ways in five or six years,\u201d Audrey argued, \u201cand I, for one, think Ben Cartwright ought to give Mister Lindsay the same benefit of the doubt as he did to Cully Mako and Trace Cordell, especially since his baby grandson can be of great comfort to him now with his wife and daughter BOTH gone.\u00a0 Next time I see Mister Cartwright, I have every intention of giving that man a piece of my mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maxine wanted very much to question whether or not Audrey Schmidt could afford such a loss, but decided to keep her peace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Pettigrew, you orderin\u2019 for yourself \u2018n your sister, or are ya orderin\u2019 for the C Street Caf\u00e9?\u201d Amelia asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoth,\u201d Maxine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have two lists.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou just leave \u2018em both with me,\u201d Amelia said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll get Virgil \u2018n Bert t\u2019 deliver your orders once Lilly Beth \u2018n I get everything together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Jared, much obliged to you,\u201d Maxine said as she handed Amelia her lists.\u00a0 She started across the room to the door, then paused after she had taken less than half a dozen steps.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Schmidt?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid Miss Mudgely happen to mention how and why Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter ended up in Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital?\u00a0 It runs in MY mind she and her father moved to Carson City not long after Mrs. Lindsay died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she didn\u2019t,\u201d Audrey replied with a bewildered frown.\u00a0 She silently pondered the question Maxine had raised, then shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cOf course the girl DID have a baby after all . . . .\u201d she ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat still don\u2019t explain how in the ever lovin\u2019 world that gal ended up HERE . . . in Virginia City,\u201d Amelia argued.\u00a0 \u201cLike Miss Pettigrew just said, the Lindsays live in Carson City.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d Audrey queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . Carson City\u2019s got a doctor, even if they don\u2019t have a hospital, \u2019n he\u2019s a real fine one, too, from what Doc \u2019n Mrs. Martin\u2019ve told me,\u201d Amelia said.\u00a0 \u201cWhy would that gal come all the way here . . . to Virginia City to have her baby?\u00a0 It don\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe so,\u201d Audrey acquiesced, \u201cbut that\u2019s still not the point.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that IS the whole point,\u201d a new voice said very quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three women glanced up and found Jolynn Potter standing in their midst, with her two youngest children in tow.\u00a0 Her husband worked as a bookkeeper for Seth Adams at the First Mercantile Bank of Virginia City.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean by THAT?\u201d Audrey demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Blanchard . . . the woman who comes in and cleans my house once a week?\u00a0\u00a0 Well, she also cleans Kirk\u2019s Hostelry,\u201d Jolynn began.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo WHAT?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Schmidt, will you for heaven\u2019s sake shut your mouth and let Mrs. Potter finish?\u201d Maxine sternly admonished.\u00a0 She, then, turned to Jolynn.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, go on,\u201d she urged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Mrs. Blanchard happened to overhear Mrs. Kirk and her daughter talking, and . . . to, um make a long story short, it seems Mister Lindsay hired Myra Danvers\u2019 dreadful cousin, of all people, to take care of his daughter,\u201d Jolynn eagerly imparted the information to a captivated audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs she the same cousin Mrs. Danvers threatened to wire about taking custody of Stacy if Ben refused to marry that insipid little school teacher who found herself in the family way without benefit of a husband?\u201d Maxine asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe very same!\u201d Jolynn confirmed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . \u2018n how did the Kirks come t\u2018 find out \u2018bout all this?\u201d Amelia demanded, favoring Jolynn with a jaundiced glare.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to Mrs. Blanchard, Mrs. Kirk just happened to be outside the telegraph office when Sheriff Coffee sent a wire asking someone out in Ohio asking whether or not Mister Lindsay\u2019d wired about . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Jolynn frowned, as she tried to recall the name of Myra Danvers\u2019 cousin.\u00a0 \u201cIt was . . . I think it was Crawl . . . something . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCrawleigh?\u201d Maxine asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jolynn brightened.\u00a0 \u201cYes!\u00a0 That\u2019s it!\u00a0 Crawleigh!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmm!\u00a0 Curiouser and curiouser,\u201d Amelia muttered under her breath as she returned to the counter with Audrey Schmidt\u2019s order.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elmer McFarlane, secretary to Judge John Faraday, rose from his place on the bench next to the door of Lucas Milburn\u2019s office, upon catching sight of the attorney and Ben Cartwright approaching.\u00a0 Standing roughly the same height as Joe Cartwright, he had a frame reed slender, coal black hair that he most fastidiously kept short, and grayish brown eyes, magnified three times their normal size by a pair of thick lens glasses, worn to correct an astigmatism and severe near sightedness.\u00a0 Though popular with the ladies in town, none, to date, had apparently caught his fancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mister Milburn,\u201d Elmer greeted the attorney, then, upon catching sight of Ben Cartwright in his peripheral vision, he turned to include the rancher in his gaze as well.\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright!\u00a0 Good!\u00a0 I\u2019m glad YOU\u2019RE here, also.\u00a0 This saves me having to find someone to take me out to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Elmer\u2019s fear of horses had become the stuff of legend among the citizenry of Virginia City.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can we do for you, Elmer?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBarring any unforeseen happenstance befalling Mrs. Jarvis, Judge Faraday has set the day after tomorrow as the date for the hearing . . . his chambers, at ten o\u2019clock,\u201d Elmer informed the two older men.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat should allow ample time for her to rest from her trip and for you, Mister Milburn, to bring her up to date on how things stand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Lucas agreed, \u201cmore than enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, the judge asked me to find out whether you still intend to sue for custody of the baby,\u201d Elmer said, turning his attention to Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m willing to withdraw my petition in favor of Mrs. Jarvis,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elmer quickly made mental note of that, then asked, \u201cMister Milburn, does that mean you\u2019ll be representing Mrs. Jarvis?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will if she wants to retain my services,\u201d Lucas replied.\u00a0 \u201cTell John . . . Judge Faraday . . . I\u2019ll let him know later this afternoon, after I\u2019ve had a chance to meet with Mrs. Jarvis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid y\u2019 wipe your feet?\u201d Clarice O\u2019Neill, the judge\u2019s housekeeper and cook, said by way of greeting as her employer, Judge John Faraday, trudged through the front door.\u00a0 She was a plump Irish woman, aged in her mid-forties, with frizzled red hair and a pair of luminous emerald green eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mrs. O\u2019Neill, bless her heart, was every bit as bossy as she was efficient.\u00a0 This character trait had caused a great deal of friction early on, especially with his late wife, Opal, but she had proved herself invaluable when Opal out of the clear blue collapsed from what Doctor Martin later diagnosed as softening of the brain which resulted in apoplexy[xiv]<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 She cared for his wife with \u2018all the patience of a saint,\u2019 to borrow her own words, cooked meals, cleaned house, and after Opal died, she ran interference when the steady stream of sympathizing friends became too much.\u00a0 As time passed, John Faraday learned to see the humor in Mrs. O\u2019Neill\u2019s heavy-handed ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am . . . I wiped my feet,\u201d John replied.\u00a0 His dealings with one Mister Lindsay had left him feeling drained and irritable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou look a mite under the weather,\u201d Clarice bluntly observed, as she dutifully took his hat and coat.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not comin\u2019 down with somethin\u2019 . . . are ye?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m NOT ill,\u201d John replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to go upstairs for a little while and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Clarice hung the judge\u2018s coat and hat on the brass rack placed in the corner beside the front door.\u00a0 \u201cYou SURE you\u2019re feelin\u2019 all right?\u201d she pressed with a dubious frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps a nice hot toddy with a bit o\u2019 brandy—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2018m NOT sick, just tired,\u201d John said firmly, laboring mightily to keep his rising ire in check.\u00a0 \u201cA short rest will be more than sufficient.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be keeping\u2019 your meal warm, then,\u201d Clarice replied.\u00a0 She turned, intending to return to her domain, that being Judge Faraday\u2019s large yellow kitchen, then paused before having gone half a dozen steps.\u00a0 \u201cUmm, Judge Faraday?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. O\u2019Neill?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something I need t\u2019 be gettin\u2019 off me chest,\u201d Clarice said, as she straightened her posture and folded her arms across her ample bosom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou may speak your peace,\u201d John invited taking note of the solemn look that had appeared on her face and the gravity in her tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clarice closed her eyes and took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cChildren can be a great comfort when a beloved wife or husband dies,\u201d she began.\u00a0 \u201cLord above knows, I don\u2019t know how in the world I would\u2019ve carried on after Trevor, may God rest his soul, died . . . if I hadn\u2019t had our youngest daughter, Brigid.\u00a0 Same can be said o\u2019 grandchildren, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes . . . that\u2019s very true,\u201d John had to agree, his thoughts momentarily flitting to the late Frank Owens and the young granddaughter everyone called June-Bug.\u00a0 He\u2019d found a great deal of solace and a new lease on life as well in the lively, outgoing golden haired child, after learning that his daughter, Margie, had died bringing the babe into the world[xv]<\/a>.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. O\u2019Neill . . . is there a point to this?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . well, I s\u2019pose I\u2019m tryin\u2019 t\u2019 ask ye if . . . if you might find it in your heart t\u2019 . . . well, t\u2019 grant Mister Lindsay custody o\u2019 his grandson,\u201d Clarice stammered, all of a sudden feeling flustered.\u00a0 \u201cPoor man . . . with his wife, \u2019n daughter both gone, may God rest their souls, that boy\u2019d bring him a whole lot o\u2019 comfort now . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, I\u2019ll bear that in mind,\u201d John said, taking great care to keep his tone of voice neutral while he inwardly seethed.\u00a0 \u201cMay I ask you a question?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI s\u2019pose,\u201d she agreed with an indifferent shrug.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you come by this information?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout Mister Lindsay and the custody hearin\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I took a couple o\u2019 Brigid\u2019s dresses t\u2019 Mrs. Schmidt for mendin\u2019, I overheard her \u2019n that banker\u2019s wife . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She frowned for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor the life o\u2019 me, her name\u2019s just gone right out of me head.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Adams, perhaps?\u201d John prompted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes!\u00a0 Mrs. Adams!\u201d Clarice proclaimed joyfully.\u00a0 \u201cShe and Mrs. Schmidt were talking about it when I walked into the house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“The hearing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Clarice nodded.\u00a0 \u201cNeither of them were very happy with Ben Cartwright . . . not in the least,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAm I correct in assuming that they feel I should grant Mister Lindsay custody of his grandson as well?\u201d the judge asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, Mrs. Schmidt was,\u201d Clarice replied.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Adams . . . well, she seemed more shocked by the whole thing, especially when she heard that Mister Cartwright of all people was tryin\u2019 to take Mister Lindsay\u2019s grandson from him, what with his circumstances, \u2018n all . . . .\u201d\u00a0 Her voice trailed off briefly upon seeing the troubled, angry look on the judge\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cHave I spoken out of turn, Judge Faraday?\u201d she queried, with a touch of defiance, yet wary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mrs. O\u2019Neill, you\u2019ve said nothing out of turn,\u201d John said stiffly, \u201cbut I would appreciate it very much if you not discuss this with anyone else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d Clarice solemnly promised . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

The day set for the custody hearing dawned bright and sunny with an icy nip in the air.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSnow in air!\u201d Hop Sing proclaimed as he served up a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, fried potatoes with green peppers, and hot, fluffy biscuits fresh out of the oven.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, come on, Hop Sing,\u201d Hoss protested with a grimace.\u00a0 \u201cIt ain\u2019t gonna snow.\u00a0\u00a0 Why Spring\u2019s just around the corner—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSnow!\u201d Hop Sing insisted.\u00a0 \u201cOld Man Winter last blow of trumpet!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHorn, Hop Sing,\u201d Joe corrected with an amused grin.\u00a0 \u201cOld Man Winter\u2019s last blow of the HORN.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHorn . . . trumpet . . .\u00a0 same thing,\u201d Hop Sing said with a dismissive wave of his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStill snow.\u00a0 Hop Sing make sure everybody dress warm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know it\u2019s going to snow?\u201d Stacy asked, with a dubious frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing knee ache,\u201d he replied.\u00a0 \u201cAlways ache when snow coming.\u00a0 Also, Mister Hank say Missus Everett joints hurt, more than usual.\u00a0 Also ache when snow come.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true . . . .\u201d Stacy murmured softly, as she cast an anxious eye out of the dining room window.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, snow or no snow, we need to eat up,\u201d Ben admonished his offspring and Jack Cranston.\u00a0 \u201cThat hearing starts at ten o\u2019clock sharp, and Judge Faraday doesn\u2019t take very kindly to tardiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmph!\u00a0 Judge Faraday sounds a lot like Miss Johnson,\u201d Stacy chortled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll the more reason YOU need to get a move on, Young Woman,\u201d Ben said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSchool starts promptly at NINE o\u2019clock.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

First came the voices, women most of them judging by timbre and pitch, all talking at once, though neither Roy nor Clem could make out any words.\u00a0 The consonants and vowels blended into a mish mash of humming, not unlike that of angry hornets.\u00a0 The sheriff exchanged a bewildered glance with his deputy as he reached for the coffee pot, warming on the stove, to pour himself a second cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, all hell broke loose.<\/span><\/p>\n

The early morning stillness was abruptly shattered when the double doors at the entrance to the sheriff\u2019s office flew open and slammed against the wall with a thunderous bang.\u00a0 Roy started violently, dropping the nearly full pot of coffee on the floor.\u00a0 His right arm also jerked upward, causing him to spill an entire mug of coffee all down the front of him.\u00a0 Clem, who was seated at the sheriff\u2019s desk, leapt to his feet, sending an assortment of reports, wanted posters, and unopened mail flying, creating a debris field measuring roughly three feet out from the desk in all directions.<\/span><\/p>\n

A stream of irate women surged into the sheriff\u2019s office, with one Della Mae Wyatt in the lead.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aged in her late forties, Della Mae quite literally stood head and shoulders above most of her peers, men as well as women.\u00a0 She saw the world around her in stark contrasts of black and white, thanks to her father and mother, respectively an itinerant preacher and school teacher turned helpmeet.\u00a0 Right was right, and wrong was wrong, no exceptions, no quarter allowed for extenuating circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Della Mae had become president of the Virginia City Christian Church Ladies\u2019 Guild the day after the fiasco folks in Virginia City still referred to as The Wedding of the Century, after Myra Danvers stepped down in disgrace, with the blessing of the church pastor, Reverend Daniel Hildebrandt.\u00a0 The good reverend had never publicly expressed his opinion on the matter, but it was common knowledge that he STILL blamed Mrs. Danvers for the installation of a still in the church basement and the fire caused by the explosion of said still that burned the church to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGREAT JUMPIN\u2019 JEHOSAPHAT!\u201d Roy bellowed, as shock gave way to anger.\u00a0\u00a0 With a murderous scowl on his face, he beat a straight path across the room on an intercept course with Della Mae, with his back poker straight, shoulders back, jaw jutting forward, and mouth set with grim determination.\u00a0 \u201cI DON\u2019T KNOW WHAT THE SAM HILL YOU LADIES THINK YOU\u2019RE DOIN\u2019—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a petition, Sheriff Coffee, that demands a terrible wrong be set right,\u201d Della Mae rudely cut the lawman off mid-sentence.\u00a0 She held out a single sheet of paper neatly folded in thirds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWE DEMAND THAT YOU PRESENT IT TO JUDGE FRADAY,\u201d Janet Greeley, wife of he who owned a lucrative silver mine christened Vein Glorious, shouted from the back of the gathered crowd of angry women at the same time Roy angrily snatched the petition from Della Mae\u2018s out stretched hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Janet\u2019s words set off a flurry of angry, discordant murmuring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy placed thumb and forefinger into the sides of his mouth and let out a shrill whistle, which easily carried above the din.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow you ladies just settle yourselves down!\u201d he ordered.\u00a0 \u201cFirst off, I ain\u2019t givin\u2019 this petition or anything else t\u2019 Judge Faraday, \u2018til I\u2019ve had a chance t\u2019 read it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy all means, Sheriff,\u201d Audrey Schmidt, standing behind Della Mae, just a little to the right, said, \u201cyou\u2019ll find it short, sweet, and right to the point.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy unfolded the sheets of paper, and saw that the petition itself was as Audrey Schmidt had said.\u00a0 \u201cJudge Faraday,\u201d he read aloud, \u201cwe the undersigned citizens o\u2019 Virginia City demand you grant Mister Lindsay sole custody o\u2019 his baby grandson.\u00a0 Now that he is alone, bereft o\u2019 wife \u2018n daughter, it is the only right \u2018n moral thing t\u2019 do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDO WHAT\u2018S RIGHT!\u201d Janet Greeley shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

A half dozen women immediately took up the chant at the top of their voices.\u00a0 Two or three others joined, then, suddenly, all of them were shouting, \u201cDO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u00a0 DO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u00a0 DO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u201d\u00a0 Della Mae began to clap her hands in time with the chanting.\u00a0 Audrey Schmidt and Hannah Adams began to stamp their feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIF YOU LADIES DON\u2019T SETTLE DOWN RIGHT NOW, SOOO HELP ME, I\u2018M GONNA THROW THE LOT O\u2019 YOU IN JAIL!\u201d Roy Coffee roared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cON WHAT CHARGE?\u201d\u00a0 That was Audrey Schmidt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDISTURBIN\u2019 THE PEACE\u2019LL DO FOR A START!\u201d Roy angrily shot right back.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sullen, angry silence descended upon the sheriff\u2019s office and hung there, like a pall.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy quickly glanced at the signatures covering the next four pages, noting that most belonged to the irate women now thronging his office.\u00a0 An exasperated sigh escaped from between his thinning lips.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, I\u2019ll deliver this t\u2019 Judge Faraday—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The women broke into loud, raucous cheering, as they turned to one another hugging and shaking hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . but I hafta warn ya, you\u2019re wastin\u2019 your time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Della Mae stepped directly in front of Roy Coffee, and glared down into his face.\u00a0 \u201c. . . and what\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d she imperiously demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt means Judge Faraday\u2019ll rule accordin\u2019 t\u2019 what the law says . . . period,\u201d Roy returned, unmoved by Della Mae\u2019s posturing.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t matter none how many names y\u2019 get on that petition, or how much you ladies yell \u2018n scream, y’ ain\u2019t gonna influence him one way or t’other.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Della Mae snatched the petition out of Roy\u2019s hand with a powerful sweep of her arm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, we\u2019ll just see about that!\u201d she vowed.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go, Ladies.\u201d\u00a0 She turned heel and marched out of the sheriff\u2019s office, her eyes blazing with righteous indignation, head held high, and arms vigorously swinging at her sides.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other women silently fell in behind their leader and filed out in a single line.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClem,\u201d Roy said, after the last had left.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Roy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d best get on down t\u2019 the courthouse \u2018n warn Judge Faraday . . . \u2018n Ben Cartwright, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Judge Faraday,\u201d Joe Cartwright wearily greeted the judge as he, his brother, and Jack Cranston filed into the judge\u2019s chambers in a single line.\u00a0 Doctor Martin, Mother Gibson, Mrs. McPherson, and Mister Lindsay were already present and seated around the circular table in the center of the room.\u00a0 \u201cMy father—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias, who had, for the last few minutes, seemed very intent on studying his left thumbnail, glanced up sharply.\u00a0 \u201cJudge Faraday,\u201d he began, rudely cutting off Joe mid-sentence, \u201cI<\/strong> was given to understand that this hearing was to begin promptly on the dot of ten.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour watch must be running a few minutes fast, Mister Lindsay,\u201d the judge said with a pointed glance over at the regulator clock hanging on the wall to his left, centered above the enormous roll top desk given him by his late wife in honor of his appointment to the bench.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure the elder Mister Cartwright will be here momentarily.\u201d\u00a0 He, then, turned his attention to the Cartwright brothers and the Pinkerton man in their company.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGentlemen, please come in and take a seat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The three men nodded their thanks, then began to divest themselves of coats, hats, scarves, and gloves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Faraday . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it NOW, Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can understand why the Cartwright boys are here, but I demand to know who that man is . . . .\u201d\u00a0 Tobias thrust arm and pointing finger at Jack Cranston, \u201c. . . and what he has to do with this hearing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cranston at your service, Sir,\u201d Jack coolly introduced himself.\u00a0 He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pinkerton badge.\u00a0 \u201cThis hearing may have some bearing on a case I\u2019m presently working.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI ob—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, sit down, Mister Cranston,\u201d John very quickly interjected in the hope of forestalling yet another tirade from the pretentious Tobias Lindsay.\u00a0 His tendency toward vitriolic long windedness since his arrival in town a few days ago had left the judge with more than a belly full.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor,\u201d Tobias pressed.\u00a0 \u201cI object—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour objection will be duly noted, Mister Lindsay, but for the time being, I\u2019VE decided to allow Mister Cranston to remain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A moment later, much to Judge Faraday\u2019s relief, Elmer McFarlane, Abigail Jarvis, and Lucas Milburn, whom Abigail had officially engaged to represent her, arrived, with Ben Cartwright bringing up the rear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight on time, Mrs. Jarvis . . . Mister Cartwright, and you, Lucas,\u201d John greeted them, as he very pointedly glanced once more at Tobias, just as the clock began to strike the hour of ten.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of the men present rose, as Elmer gallantly held Abigail\u2019s chair, with the exception of Tobias.\u00a0 He glared murderously at the slight, frail looking woman, as she took her place at the table.\u00a0 She, though inwardly trembling, maintained a calm, aloof outward fa\u00e7ade.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis hearing to determine custody of the foundling child—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat child is no foundling, Your Honor,\u201d Tobias interjected with just enough condensation to make the judge\u2019s blood boil.\u00a0 \u201cHe is MY grandson.\u00a0 I think it would be more appropriate to refer to him as Baby Lindsay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis hearing to determine custody of the FOUNDLING child left at the kitchen door of the Cartwright residence is in session,\u201d John repeated through clenched teeth.\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay, if you interrupt me again, I will have you removed.\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias cast a sullen glare over at the judge, but said nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo.\u00a0 I.\u00a0 Make.\u00a0 Myself.\u00a0 Clear!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

An exasperated sigh exploded from between Tobias\u2019 thinned lips and clenched jaw.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Your Honor,\u201d he responded, taking no pains to conceal his rising ire and frustration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday silently counted to ten, then took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cPlease rise,\u201d he instructed all of the witnesses, adding, \u201cas you are able,\u201d upon taking due note of Abigail Jarvis\u2019 weakened physical condition.\u00a0 He, then, turned to his secretary.\u00a0 \u201cMister McFarlane, if you would administer the oath?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Elmer immediately rose to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cLadies and Gentlemen, please raise your right hands?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The witnesses silently complied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo each of you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, so help you God?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The witnesses responded, \u201cI do,\u201d in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be seated,\u201d the judge said.\u00a0 After everyone had resumed their seats, John turned his attention to Ben. \u00a0\u201cMister Cartwright, please tell us about the baby found at your kitchen door.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and I found him lying in a basket . . . an old, worn out one that Hop Sing had recently put out on our trash heap next to our kitchen door,\u201d Ben began.\u00a0 \u201cThere was a note tucked inside asking us to care for the baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have that note with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do.\u201d\u00a0 Ben reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and withdrew a sheet of paper, neatly folded in half, and quietly handed it to Judge Faraday.<\/span><\/p>\n

John nodded his thanks as he took the proffered note.\u00a0 He unfolded and read it aloud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat condition was the baby in when you found him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was warm, so I figured he hadn\u2019t been out there for very long,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cand when Doctor Martin came out to examine the baby, he said—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll question Doctor Martin about the baby\u2019s physical health later,\u201d John said.\u00a0 \u201cHow did you come to the conclusion that Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter, Cara, was the mother of the baby left on your doorstep?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben quietly, and with reluctance, shared with the judge and the others gathered, how he and Doctor Martin had come to the conclusion that Cara Lindsay was, in fact, the baby\u2019s mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, according to your deposition, you and your daughter, Stacy, went to Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital to see Miss Lindsay.\u00a0 That right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter reading that note, it was clear . . . to ME anyway . . . that the baby Hoss and I found at our kitchen door was left by his mother.\u00a0 I wanted to help her and the baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you and your daughter visited Miss Lindsay, she admitted to leaving the baby at your kitchen door?\u201d the judge asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she did,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid Miss Lindsay tell either you or your daughter WHY she chose to abandon her baby at YOUR kitchen door?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cShe told us she didn\u2019t want her father to find her baby because he intended to sell him to the highest bidder out in San Francisco.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor, I OBJECT!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday frowned.\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay, I\u2019m warning you—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias slowly rose to his feet, the smooth, languid movement of his body at disconcerting odds with the muscles of his face so rigidly set and the intensity of his glare.\u00a0 \u201cJudge Faraday, if you think for one minute I\u2018m going to sit here silent and allow Ben Cartwright to malign me and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, if you don\u2019t sit down right now, this instant, I WILL ask Sheriff Coffee to remove you from these proceedings,\u201d John stated his voice calm, yet with a firmness that conveyed he would countenance no further discussion on the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias dropped back down into his chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the record, Sir, Mister Cartwright did not accuse you of anything,\u201d John said stiffly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe merely repeated what your daughter told him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t know that for certain,\u201d Tobias petulantly argued, \u201cseeing that his only collaborating witness is HIS own daughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, that\u2019s not true!\u201d Mother Gibson declared, angery and indignant.\u00a0 \u201cThe sisters who cared for her and I—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLadies and Gentlemen, if we can continue?\u201d the judge queried, glaring over at Tobias first, then at the mother superior.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Your Honor,\u201d Mother Gibson murmured, embarrassed and contrite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias\u2019 scowl deepened, and his fingers slowly curled, forming a pair of rock hard fists, but he said nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Satisfied that all was in order, for the moment at least, John returned his attention to Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, how many times did you and your daughter visit Miss Lindsay at the hospital?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust the one time,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cWhen we went back the next day, Mother Gibson told us that Cara and the sister caring for her had disappeared sometime during that night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d John murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Martin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou were called out to the Ponderosa to examine the baby left at the Cartwrights\u2019 kitchen door, is that correct?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat condition was the baby in when you examined him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had no scale on which to weigh him, but he felt good and solid when I took him into my arms,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0 \u201cI saw no signs of malnourishment, injury, illness, or frostbite.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 As he uttered this last, he turned and glared at Tobias.\u00a0 \u201cA miracle, considering his mother\u2019s situation and physical condition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and just what the hell\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d Tobias demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt means exactly that,\u201d Paul growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin, how old would you say the babe was?\u201d John asked, raising his voice slightly, with the intention of steering proceedings back on the right track and avoiding a bitter argument between the sawbones and Tobias.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo more than a week old,\u201d Paul said curtly.<\/span><\/p>\n

John paused for a moment to glance down at his notes.\u00a0 \u201cYou were also summoned to Saint Mary\u2019s Hospital later on that day,\u201d he quietly observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I was.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was told that two of Ben\u2019s men found a young woman lying by the side of the road near death,\u201d Paul answered.\u00a0 \u201cBy the time I reached the girl, the nuns at the hospital had begun the task of warming her, and she was drifting in and out of consciousness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe results of your examination, Doctor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe girl showed signs of malnourishment and she had very recently given birth,\u201d Paul replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow recently?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time within five days to a week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnything else, Doctor Martin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0 \u201cThe girl was suffering from hypothermia, made worse, more than likely, by her eating snow in order to provide milk for her baby, and her feet were severely frost bitten.\u00a0 I also found evidence she had been beaten, with a stick or a cane or over a long period of time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long a period?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYears!\u201d Paul snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin, if you\u2019re insinuating that I mistreated my daughter, so help me—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, if you were quicker to listen than you are to speak, you\u2019d realize that Doctor Martin has NOT accused you of anything, either,\u201d John angrily cut Tobias off.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s merely reporting what he observed when he examined your daughter.\u201d\u00a0 The judge turned to Paul.\u00a0 \u201cPlease continue, Doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer back was covered with a mix of old scars, wounds newly healed, red wheals, bruising, some of it fresh, some fading; and fresh wounds barely scabbed over,\u201d Paul continued, his face darkening with anger.\u00a0 \u201cWorst of all was a burn on the back of her left leg that was gangrenous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John shuffled through his notes, until he found the desired page.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve noted here that you allege the burn on the back of Miss Lindsay\u2019s leg was intentionally inflicted.\u00a0 Is that correct?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is, Your Honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brought you to that conclusion?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe edge of the curving line defining the top of the burn was sharp and clear,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0 \u201cThat tells me the burn was inflicted with a man-made object.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould that be consistent with a stove cover?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it would!\u201d\u00a0 He, then, turned and glared at Tobias.\u00a0 \u201cThat and the other signs of cruelty led Mother Gibson and me BOTH to conclude that Miss Lindsay was a runaway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin is correct, Your Honor,\u201d Mother Catherine confirmed in a quiet, yet very firm tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias shot right out of his chair, his face contorted with raw fury.\u00a0 \u201c. . . and what proof do you have of THAT slanderous allegation?\u201d he demanded, his voice rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy reports on my initial examination of your daughter at the hospital and on her post mortem contain more than enough proof,\u201d Paul immediately responded.\u00a0 \u201cThat poor girl was desperate and frightened.\u00a0 Why else would she venture into the freezing cold, so near her time—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDOCTOR MARTIN . . . MISTER LINDSAY, ENOUGH!\u201d John roared.\u00a0 He quickly sifted through the stack of papers lying on the table before him and pulled out Cara Lindsay\u2019s death certificate along with Paul Martin\u2019s report on her post mortem examination.\u00a0 \u201cDoctor,\u201d he queried, looking the sawbones straight in the eye, \u201cyou allege the infected burn on her leg caused Miss Lindsay\u2019s death?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes!\u201d Paul declared with an emphatic nod of his head.\u00a0 \u201cAs I said in my post mortem, Miss McPherson\u2019s actions didn\u2018t help matters any, but she did NOT cause the girl\u2019s death.\u00a0 If anyone was responsible for Miss Lindsay\u2019s death it was the man who burned that girl\u2019s leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU DAMNED LYING SON-OF-A-BITCH!\u201d Tobias snarled.\u00a0 \u201cHow DARE you accuse me of . . . of murdering my own daughter!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t accused YOU of anything, Mister Lindsay!\u201d Paul angrily shot right back.\u00a0\u00a0 Not yet, anyway.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve only stated the facts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo you said on numerous occasions six years ago, when you and Ben Cartwright tried to take my daughter AWAY from me,\u201d Tobias vehemently argued.\u00a0 \u201cWell, let me remind you of something, Doctor.\u00a0 You couldn\u2019t prove me unfit years ago when my wife died, and you sure as hell won\u2019t prove me unfit now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister.\u00a0 Lindsay.\u00a0 Sit down and shut-up NOW!\u201d John ordered through clenched teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias, his entire body trembling with rage, resumed his seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin, a hypothetical question, if I may?\u201d John queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor?\u201d Paul responded warily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour post mortem examination states that Miss Lindsay\u2019s leg was gangrenous,\u201d John stated.\u00a0 \u201cHad Miss McPherson not removed her patient from the hospital, and you\u2019d had opportunity to amputate the leg, would Miss Lindsay be alive now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul sighed.\u00a0 \u201cDifficult to say,\u201d he replied.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll note in my report that I stated Miss Lindsay had what\u2019s called gaseous gangrene.\u00a0 Symptoms appear suddenly and it moves very quickly.\u201d\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0 \u201cTo answer your question, yes . . . it\u2019s possible Miss Lindsay WOULD be alive now, but it\u2019s also quite possible that by the time Ben\u2019s men found her and took her to the hospital, it was already too late to save her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Doctor,\u201d John said.\u00a0 He, then, turned his attention to the mother superior.\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson, you assisted Doctor Martin with his examination of Miss Lindsay when she was brought to the hospital by the two men from the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Is that correct?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you corroborate the testimony Doctor Martin has just given?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can,\u201d Mother Catherine said firmly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou also assisted Doctor Martin when he was summoned to Mrs. McPherson\u2019s home to tend to Miss Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did,\u201d Mother Catherine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was in a very bad way—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson, would you please explain what you mean when you say that Miss Lindsay was \u2018in a very bad way\u2019?\u201d the judge asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe poor child was running a very high temperature . . . so high, her hands and face felt hot to the touch,\u201d Mother Catherine quietly explained.\u00a0 \u201cShe was also suffering a lot of pain, given the intensity of her moaning and her restless tossing about on her bed.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Martin and I tried very hard to save her, but our efforts were in vain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson, you knew!\u201d Tobias said, his voice low and menacing, as realization began to dawn on him.\u00a0 He blithely ignored the angry glare Judge Faraday leveled in his direction.\u00a0 \u201cYou and the other sisters . . . you KNEW she was my daughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at first,\u201d Mother Catherine hedged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNO, Your Honor!\u00a0 I will NOT sit down and be silent!\u201d Tobias ardently declared.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe . . . .\u201d he rudely thrust an accusing finger at the Mother Superior, \u201cit was her bounden duty to inform me that my daughter was in her hospital.\u00a0 That\u2019s the law!\u00a0 But she said nothing about my daughter being in her damned hospital, and neither did Mister Cartwright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking for myself, Mister Lindsay, no!\u00a0 I didn\u2019t,\u201d Mother Catherine returned, her ire beginning to rise once again, \u201cand if I had it to do over?\u00a0 I would do exactly the same thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou . . . you vicious, spiteful—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMISTER LINDSAY, YOU FORGET YOURSELF!\u201d John yelled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor,\u201d Mother Catherine turned, hoping she might appeal to the judge, \u201cmy first duty, and that of the other sisters as well, was to our patient.\u00a0 Miss Lindsay adamantly refused to tell us her name because she was afraid her father might find her and her baby.\u00a0\u00a0 Her emotional well-being—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a good mind to sue you AND your order for slander, as well as having the lot of you jailed for kidnapping and holding a girl not yet the age of majority—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMISTER LINDSAY, SIT DOWN!<\/strong>\u00a0 NOW!<\/strong>\u201d John roared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOUR HONOR, THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE FARCE OF A CUSTODY HEARING, YOU\u2019VE IGNORED ME, BELITTLED ME—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSHERIFF COFFEE, PLEASE REMOVE MISTER LINDSAY FROM MY CHAMBERS IMEDIATELY!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/strong> Tobias shouted.\u00a0 His intense fury contorted his face into something ugly and frightening, barely recognizable as human.\u00a0 \u201cYOU CAN\u2019T DO THIS!\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI CAN \u2019N I WILL,\u201d Roy Coffee responded as he quickly stepped over to Tobias\u2019 side and slipped a pair of handcuff on his wrists.\u00a0 \u201cPERHAPS A FEW HOURS IN JAIL WILL COOL YA OFF!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn what charge?\u201d Tobias demanded through clenched teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst things that come t’ mind are contempt \u2019n disturbin\u2019 the peace,\u201d Roy answered, “but gimme time.\u00a0 I’ll like as not be able t’ come up with more.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis hearing is in recess until ten o\u2019clock tomorrow morning,\u201d John declared, angry and very, very weary.\u00a0 He leaned forward, touching his elbows to the table before him, and gingerly began to massage this temples against what promised to be one mother of a headache to end all headaches, as the others began to silently file out of his chambers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright?\u201d Jack queried as he and the Cartwrights left the courthouse together.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Jack?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019ll excuse me,\u201d he said, \u201cbut, I . . . need to have a word with that lady . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He inclined his head toward Polly McPherson\u2019s retreating back, as she made her way across the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs it about—\u201d Joe quietly asked, remembering the conversation he and Jack had in the latter\u2019s hotel room in Carson City.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0 \u201cShe needs to be told about her daughter sooner, as opposed to later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want me to go with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Joe, but I think it would be better if I spoke with her alone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll be at the C Street Caf\u00e9.\u00a0 Just ask anyone here in town . . . they\u2018ll point you in the right direction.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Joe.\u00a0 I\u2018ll join you as soon as I can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After parting company with Jack Cranston, Ben and his two younger sons turned and started down the board walk toward the C Street Caf\u00e9, located down the block and around the corner for lunch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBenjamin!\u00a0 Yoo-hoo, Benjamin!\u00a0 Hold up a minute!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben involuntarily cringed upon hearing the sound of THAT voice.\u00a0 He swallowed and slowly, almost reluctantly lifted his head, and saw Clementine Hawkins[xvi]<\/a> running up the board walk with a new purchase from the milliner\u2019s shop clasped tight in her gloved hand.\u00a0 \u201cGood afternoon, Clementine,\u201d he responded with an air of fatalistic resignation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to give you fair warning,\u201d she said briskly.\u00a0 \u201cBe on your guard, watch your back, and be prepared to duck.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Hawkins, what in the world are you talking about?\u201d Joe queried with a bewildered frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a mob about town who\u2019s out for your pa\u2019s blood, Ducky,\u201d Clementine replied darkly.\u00a0 \u201cBenjamin, you need to watch your step!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow why in the world would folks be out for Pa\u2019s blood?\u201d Hoss demanded, equally as bewildered as his younger brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCoo, ain\u2019t you heard?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout you suin\u2019 Mister Lindsay for custody o\u2019 his grandson,\u201d Clementine replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot that I<\/strong> blame you, mind.\u00a0 I remember all too well how he mistreated that poor tyke o\u2019 his after his wife died, may she rest in peace.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2018s jaw dropped, and for a moment all he could do was he stare at Clementine through eyes round with shock.\u00a0 \u201cYou, uhhh, mind my asking how YOU happened to find out about all this?\u201d he asked the instant he recovered his power of speech.\u00a0 \u201cI’m sure Judge Faraday said this hearing’s supposed to be private.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPrivate?!\u201d Clementine mirthlessly chortled.\u00a0 \u201cLast couple o\u2019 days, folks ain\u2019t talked about anything else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t Mister Lindsay arrive a couple days ago?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not jump to conclusions, Joe,\u201d Ben warned, even as he filed the question his youngest son had just raised on a back burner within his mind.\u00a0 \u201cClementine?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Benjamin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho told you about the custody hearing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo one told me,\u201d Clementine replied.\u00a0 \u201cI overheard Mrs. Jared, Miss Pettigrew, Mrs. Potter, and the Parsons sisters talking about it when I popped into the general store for some tea and a tin of peaches.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for the warning,\u201d Ben quickly interjected, making a mental note to question Maxine Pettigrew when they reached the C Street Caf\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh coo, Benjamin, think nothing of it,\u201d Clementine said dismissively, then smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter all, what are good friends for?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think if ol\u2019 Adam were here, he\u2019d would be quoting from Shakespeare about something being rotten in Denmark,\u201d Joe observed, as Clementine continued her way down the board walk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen!\u00a0 Ben Cartwright, please . . . hold up.\u00a0 I\u2018d like a word with you . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mere seconds after parting company with Clementine Hawkins, Ben turned and found Janet Greeley and her husband, Enoch, standing at his elbow.\u00a0 Enoch was the owner of the Vein-Glorious Mining Company, in which Ben had a vested interest.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, Janet,\u201d Ben replied, as he politely reached up and touched the rim of his hat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, how could you?\u201d Janet angrily demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow c-could I . . . what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSue Mister Lindsay for the only family he has left in this world!\u201d Janet blustered, her cheeks, neck and forehead flushed with anger and righteous indignation.\u00a0 \u201cHasn\u2019t that poor man suffered enough?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While Ben tried to defend himself against Janet Greeley\u2018s verbal barrage, Hoss and Joe turned their attention to Enoch Greeley, who, judging by his flaming scarlet cheeks and the way he so pointedly turned his back on his wife, must have been utterly mortified by the way Janet so brazenly accosted their father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uhh, Mister Greeley?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, Pa, \u2019n me thought this custody hearin\u2019 was supposed t\u2019 be kept private,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have any idea as t\u2019 how Mrs. Greeley found out about it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea, but if I was to hazard a guess?\u00a0 I\u2019d say from Eloise Kirk or Clara Mudgely, more \u2018n likely,\u201d Enoch replied with the drawn out sigh of the long suffering.\u00a0 \u201cThough up until now, my wife\u2019s always had more common sense than to believe the tall tales spun by those two walking newspapers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon hearing Enoch\u2019s reply to Hoss\u2019 inquiry, Janet whirled around glared venomously at her husband.\u00a0 \u201cFor YOUR information, I did NOT hear this from either of those two blabbermouths,\u201d she declared, shaking her finger in his face.\u00a0 \u201cI overheard Mrs. Adams . . . wife of the man who owns the bank where WE do business, I might add . . . discussing the matter with Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Blanchard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . as if that pompous, arrogant woman\u2019s any better!\u201d Enoch groused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen, don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 Mister Adams is a good man of business . . . very unassuming and down to earth, but that wife of his . . . .\u201d\u00a0 He shuddered.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s the worst kind of snob and she\u2019s always parroting Myra Danvers of all people, because she\u2019s incapable of coming up with an original thought of her own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s NOT true!\u201d Janet argued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome along, Janet!\u201d\u00a0 Enoch took firm hold of his wife\u2019s forearm.\u00a0 \u201cI think we\u2019ve wasted enough of Ben\u2019s valuable time.\u201d\u00a0 He stepped off the board walk and started across the street, dragging along his wife, still sputtering angrily, right behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoo boy!\u201d Joe muttered under his breath, as he watched the Greeleys crossing the street.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI sure hope that\u2019s not a taste of what\u2019s in store for—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen . . . .\u201d\u00a0 It was John Devlin and his wife, Martha.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJohn Devlin . . . I declare, it\u2019s been a dog\u2019s age since I last saw ya!\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled and greeted John enthusiastically.\u00a0 He held out his hand.\u00a0 \u201cHow have you been?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d John said curtly.\u00a0 He pointedly ignored Ben\u2018s outstretched hand.\u00a0 \u201cMartha and I are doing just fine.\u00a0 Ben, I\u2019m not one for beating around the bush so I\u2019ll come straight to the point.\u00a0 Martha and I heard that you\u2019re fighting Tobias Lindsay for custody of his own grandson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou and everybody else in town,\u201d Ben stiffly observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, it\u2018s true?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuppose it is?\u201d Ben hedged, wary, yet defiant.\u00a0 He had no intention of adding to the scuttlebutt already going around town about this custody hearing by telling the Devlins he had withdrawn his petition for custody in favor of Abigail Jarvis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I, for one, am very surprised,\u201d Martha declared, \u201c. . . and disappointed.\u00a0 Now, mind . . . I don\u2019t condone the way he treated his daughter right after Eleanora died, but that was five years ago now . . . almost six!\u00a0 Ben, John and I had breakfast with him at the hotel the day after he arrived in town.\u00a0 He\u2019s a changed man . . . clean . . . sober . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJohn and Martha, both of you have reason to be grateful to Mister Lindsay . . . good reason,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cHe not only cleared Mitch of a murder charge wrongly brought against him, but he found out who the real perpetrator was.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and risked his own life doing it,\u201d John quickly added.\u00a0 \u201cMartha and I . . . and Mitch, too . . . we owe that man a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand that,\u201d Ben said, laboring to keep his tone of voice calm and even, \u201cand I agree that he IS a changed man, but I\u2019m not so sure he\u2019s changed for the better, even though he is clean and sober.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen . . . dear God!\u201d Martha cried out in despair.\u00a0 \u201cWith Eleanora gone, and now his daughter, poor thing, well . . . surely you can see that man needs your compassion, not your scorn,\u201d she implored.\u00a0 \u201cI know YOU\u2019VE had more than your share of tragedy and grief throughout your life, but you\u2019ve still got three fine sons . . . a lovely daughter . . . AND, by all accounts, a couple of wonderful grandchildren.\u00a0 Mister Lindsay has no one now . . . no one in the world except that baby.\u00a0 How can you in all good conscience—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Devlin, perhaps you haven\u2019t heard that Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter died from a burn to her leg that became badly infected and turned gangrenous,\u201d Joe said, his anger rising.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat burn was inflicted either by her own father or by the woman he hired to care for her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d Ben growled, his teeth clenched and jaw rigid.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, it seems everyone in town knows you\u2019re challenging Tobias Lindsay\u2019s fitness to be guardian for his grandson,\u201d Joe hotly defended himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m beginning to think it\u2019s only fair they know WHY.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I know you believe your words are true,\u201d John Devlin said.\u00a0 \u201cI can see that.\u00a0\u00a0 However, my wife and I . . . well, to be up front \u2018n honest, we find it difficult to accept that the man who believed in Mitch, when he was accused of murdering Ralph Whittaker . . . despite the mountain of damning circumstantial evidence against him . . . who worked so diligently to prove our son innocent . . . would do such a dreadful thing to his own flesh and blood!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, almost without thinking, interposed himself between John Devlin and his younger brother.\u00a0 \u201cMister Devlin, the Tobias Lindsay who\u2019s come t\u2019 take custody o\u2019 his daughter\u2019s baby ain\u2018t the same man who saved Mitch from the hangman\u2018s noose,\u201d he said in a very quiet, very somber tone of voice.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019M of the mind THAT man died same day \u2018n time as his wife did almost six years ago.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you\u2019re a real fine judge of character,\u201d John grudgingly admitted.\u00a0 \u201cSo many times, folks, including me, thought you were plumb loco because you saw good in men, like that Jamie Wrenn[xvii]<\/a> fella . . . and in the end, we found you were right all along.\u00a0\u00a0 But not this time!\u00a0 I think this time, you\u2019re dead WRONG!\u201d\u00a0 That said, he pushed past Hoss, and strode briskly down the board walk, with his wife following behind, nearly running to catch up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think we need to get to the C Street Caf\u00e9 immediately and talk to Maxine,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just hope to heaven we can get there without someone ELSE accosting us . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . I overheard Clara Mudgely telling Amelia Jared and Audrey Schmidt about the custody hearing at the general store this morning,\u201d Maxine ruefully confessed.\u00a0 She stood at the head of a table set for four, clad in white blouse, dark blue skirt, and a large clean white apron.\u00a0 \u201cBen, I\u2019m so sorry I spoke out of turn . . . I had no idea it was a private matter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo apology necessary, Maxine,\u201d Ben said kindly, \u201cyou didn\u2019t speak out of turn.\u00a0 Mrs. Schmidt asked your opinion, and you gave it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll not say anything more about it to anyone else,\u201d Maxine earnestly promised, \u201c. . . and for what it\u2019s worth?\u00a0 I<\/strong> believe you have good reason for challenging Tobias Lindsay\u2019s fitness to be his grandson\u2019s guardian.\u00a0 I hope Judge Faraday sees that, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for your vote of confidence, Maxine,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cAs for Judge Faraday, he\u2019s going to take all the testimony into account and rule according to the law.\u00a0 I just hope to high heaven we can make our case.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maxine nodded her head.\u00a0 \u201cYes . . . above all else, Judge Faraday IS a fair man, who puts the law first,\u201d she agreed.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you can make your case, too.\u201d\u00a0 She, then, reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a small pad of paper and a pencil.\u00a0 \u201cAre you gentlemen ready to order?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cartwright men placed their orders.\u00a0 Maxine Pettigrew dutifully wrote them down, then hurried back to the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like it all goes back to Clara Mudgely,\u201d Joe sardonically observed.\u00a0 \u201cMY question is . . . how in the ever lovin\u2019 world did SHE find out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf she\u2019s the one who spread the word about Pa suing for custody o\u2019 the Li\u2019l One, I\u2019d say it\u2019s a real good bet she got it straight from the horse\u2019s mouth,\u201d Hoss said grimly.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three men fell silent upon seeing one of the younger waitresses approach their table with four mugs in one hand and a fresh pot of hot coffee in the other.\u00a0 They waited while she had served them their coffee, then, after she left, they resumed their conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, how do you figure?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Mudgely getting her information about the custody hearing straight from the horse\u2019s mouth?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone knows Miss Mudgely spends many a fine afternoon sittin\u2019 on that bench right by the International Hotel door, just watchin\u2019 the world go by,\u201d Hoss explained, \u201c \u2019n it just so happens Mister Lindsay\u2019s stayin\u2019 there.\u201d\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0 \u201cWe all know Miss Mudgely ain\u2019t one for keepin\u2019 secrets.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss . . . are you saying that Tobias told Miss Mudgely about that hearing?!\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Hoss said grimly, \u201c \u2018n dollars t\u2019 donuts says he was countin\u2019 on Miss Mudgely t\u2019 spread it all over town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 know . . . what Hoss just said makes a whole lotta sense,\u201d Joe observed.\u00a0 \u201cThe only thing I don\u2019t quite understand is why Mister Lindsay would as good as tell the world his business like that.\u00a0 I remember him as the kind of guy who kept a lot to himself, especially after his wife died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPublic opinion,\u201d Ben muttered, his face darkening with anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPublic opinion?\u201d Hoss echoed with a bewildered frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, public opinion,\u201d Ben repeated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf Tobias has told Miss Mudgely about the custody hearing he\u2019s either trying to pressure me into withdrawing my petition by turning half the people in this town against me,\u201d Ben replied, \u201cor he\u2019s trying to bring public opinion to bear against Judge Faraday to pressure HIM into granting him custody of the Li\u2019l One.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A discreet cough from Maxine Pettigrew brought all conversation to a complete halt.\u00a0\u00a0 With the able assistance of the waitress, who had brought the coffee, she quickly served up lunch and refilled their coffee cups.\u00a0 \u201cWill there be anything else, Gentlemen?\u201d she asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBe sure t\u2019 save us all a hunk o\u2019 Miz Letty\u2019s peach pie,\u201d Hoss said, grinning from ear-to ear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maxine smiled back.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s one in the oven now that ought to be ready right when you gentlemen finish up your lunch,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t wait!\u201d Hoss quipped, rubbing his large hands together in gleeful anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uh, M-Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned and found Molly O\u2019Hanlan, one of his daughter\u2019s closest friends standing next to the table, her strawberry blonde hair mussed, her jacket and the front of her skirt covered with mud.\u00a0 \u201cMolly?\u201d he queried, surprised by her disheveled appearance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat in the world happened to YOU?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a fight in the schoolyard after Miss Johnson let us go outside for lunch,\u201d Molly explained.\u00a0 \u201cStacy . . . oh, Mister Cartwright, I . . . I\u2019m afraid she took a horrible beating—\u201d Her voice caught on that last word.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben threw down his napkin and shot right out of his chair.\u00a0 \u201cWhere is she?\u201d he demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Johnson asked Susannah and Julio to take her to Doctor Martin\u2019s office,\u201d Molly replied.\u00a0 \u201cShe sent me to find you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That meant Stacy was able to walk the short distance from the schoolhouse to Paul\u2019s office.\u00a0 A small mercy, but one for which he was grateful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou fellas g\u2019won \u2018n see to Stacy,\u201d Hoss suggested.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll settle up with Miss Pettigrew \u2018n wait here for Jack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Hoss,\u201d Ben said gratefully.\u00a0 \u201cSuppose you and Jack meet us at the doctor\u2019s office.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reaching the home of Paul and Lily Martin, Ben and Joe were surprised to find the Martins\u2019 housekeeper, Miss Graves out on the front porch waiting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hilda Mae Graves had worked for the good doctor and his wife since the birth of their eldest, a son named John Wilcox for his maternal grandfather, then recently deceased.\u00a0\u00a0 She was tall, standing a few inches shorter than Paul Martin; thin, with iron gray hair, worn neatly in a chignon at the nape of her neck; deep violet eyes that missed absolutely nothing, and an abundance of energy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, Stacy\u2019s back in the doc\u2019s office with him and the missus,\u201d Hilda Mae said briskly, with no preamble.\u00a0 \u201cDoc said to send you folks on back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Miss Graves,\u201d Ben said, touching the rim of his hat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben charged into Paul Martin\u2019s examination room in manner not unlike Jigger Thurmond\u2019s bull[xviii]<\/a> whenever the animal saw anything red, with Joe following close at his heels.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoly jumpin\u2019 Hannah, Kiddo!\u201d Joe exclaimed upon noting his sister\u2019s swollen left eye, the dried trickle of blood that had flowed from her mouth down to her chin, and bloodied nose.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened to YOU?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat stuck-up Millicent Adams happened,\u201d Stacy growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease . . . hold still, Stacy,\u201d Paul Martin admonished the girl for what had to be the hundredth time.\u00a0 \u201cJust a couple more stitches to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d she murmured contritely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned.\u00a0 \u201cMillicent did all that?!\u201d he queried, while taking in his sister\u2019s injuries and disheveled appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe had help!\u201d Stacy replied in a sullen, angry tone of voice.\u00a0 \u201cFortunately, so did I or I\u2019d be a lot worse off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFinished!\u201d Paul sighed, weary and relieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d Ben said gratefully.\u00a0 \u201cYou mind if I have a private word with my daughter?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHelp yourself, Ben,\u201d Paul readily assented.\u00a0 \u201cIf you need me for anything, I\u2019ll be upstairs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded his thanks, and waited until Paul had left the room.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Young Woman, what happened?\u201d he asked, as he pulled up a chair beside the doctor\u2019s examination table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLong story, Pa,\u201d Stacy murmured, fighting back a sudden urge to vomit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen I suggest you start at the beginning,\u201d Ben said . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

After Miss Johnson had dismissed class for lunch and recess, Stacy started across the schoolyard to join her friends, Molly and Susannah, both seated on the stone bench placed under the venerable, old Douglas fir tree, growing next to the school\u2018s southern face.\u00a0 She had scarcely gone a half dozen steps when a pair of hands smacked up hard against her back, eliciting a cry of astonishment, pain, and outrage.\u00a0 She pitched forward, and landed on her hands and knees in the midst of an exuberant group of younger children, who were playing tag.\u00a0 Stacy immediately scrambled to her feet, and turned to face down her attacker.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

It was Millicent Adams.\u00a0 She stood with her back stiffly erect, her gloved hands clenched into a pair of tight rock hard fists.\u00a0 Her complexion, a few shades paler than was normal for her, and her blue eyes, round and staring, lent her face the uneasy appearance of a deadly rattlesnake, poised to attack.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou stupid idiot!\u00a0 What did you do THAT for?\u201d Stacy demanded, her face darkening with anger.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I FELT like it,\u201d Millicent sneered..\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The haughty disdain Stacy heard in Millicent\u2019s voice fueled her rising ire.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re nothing but a . . . a . . . a useless, simpering, spoiled brat in need of a good tanning!\u201d Stacy turned on her tormenter, sparing no energy whatsoever to hide her contempt for the girl.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOUR PA\u2019S THE ONE WHO NEEDS A GOOD TANNING!\u201d Millicent yelled back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWHO DOES HE THINK HE IS ANYWAY, TRYING TO TAKE AWAY THE ONLY FAMILY MISTER LINDSAY HAS LEFT IN THIS WORLD?\u00a0 HASN\u2018T THAT POOR MAN SUFFERED ENOUGH!?\u201d <\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNOT NEARLY ENOUGH!\u201d Stacy yelled back.\u00a0 \u201cHE HATED<\/strong> CARA . . . HIS OWN DAUGHTER!\u00a0 HE HATED HER SO MUCH, HE . . . HE AS GOOD AS MURDERED<\/strong> HER!\u00a0 TOBIAS LINDSAY\u2019S A MONSTER<\/strong>!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLIAR!\u00a0 YOUR PA\u2019S THE REAL MONSTER!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Stacy lashed out with a powerful right cross to Millicent\u2019s left jaw.\u00a0 The force of the blow sent Millicent reeling backwards, until the heel of her boot caught the hem of her long skirt.\u00a0 Millicent fell into the dirty melting snow and mud, shrieking at the top of her lungs.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cTake it back!\u201d Stacy ordered, as she advanced on Millicent, still sitting where she had fallen.\u00a0 \u201cYou take back what you said about my pa, or so help me—!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A large, well-muscled hand clapped down hard on Stacy\u2019s right shoulder, eliciting a cry of surprise.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cI won\u2019t have the likes o\u2019 you stuck-up, high \u2018n mighty Cartwrights beating up on MY girl!\u201d\u00a0 That deep voice belonged to Jubal Harkness.\u00a0 He stood almost as tall as Hoss and was nearly as strong.\u00a0 Millicent had been simpering and making cow eyes over him since last September.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTurn me loose right now, you no-good, yellow bellied coward!\u201d Stacy snarled, as she struggled in vain to free herself.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot \u2019til you tell Millicent you\u2019re sorry!\u201d Jubal ordered, his long fingers squeezing Stacy\u2019s shoulder.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy gritted her teeth and jabbed her left elbow into Jubal\u2019s belly, just above his belt buckle with all her strength and might, bringing forth a near deafening bellow not unlike that of an angry, outraged mule.\u00a0 Though he didn\u2019t let go, his grip loosened just enough for her to pull free.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As she turned to face Jubal, Stacy had a vague awareness of the younger children backing away, their game of tag completely forgotten.\u00a0 A semi-circle, comprised of older children, mostly boys, aged between nine and eleven years of age, began to form between Stacy, Jubal, Millicent, and the steps leading up to the schoolhouse.\u00a0 One small boy, his face white as a sheet, his eyes round with terror pushed his way past the gathering spectators, and tore up the steps screaming for their teacher, Miss Johnson.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s one thing I can\u2019t stand it\u2019s an uppity woman!\u201d Jubal said, his voice low and menacing.\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Bout time someone taught you some manners!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u00a0 YOU!?\u201d Stacy sneered eying him with loathing and contempt.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Jubal\u2019s beefy right arm snapped out like a whip, his face contorted now with rage.\u00a0\u00a0 Acting purely on instinct and a large dose of adrenaline, Stacy stepped back out of reach.\u00a0\u00a0 Millicent, her eyes gleaming with an unholy light, lips curved upward in smug triumph, stepped in behind Stacy and pushed her toward Jubal.\u00a0 Before Stacy could begin to realize what was happening, Jubal grabbed a fist full of jacket and hit Stacy square in the face with his balled fist.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU BIG BULLY!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU OUGHTTA BE PICKING ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE YOU NO-GOOD, COWARDLY GOBSHITE!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Those were Stacy\u2019s friends, Susannah and Molly respectively.\u00a0 They began to pummel Jubal\u2019s back and shoulders with their fists, all the while screaming the worst insults they knew in his ears.\u00a0 Jubal tried desperately to escape the onslaught of pounding fists, kicking feet, and verbal abuse, but no matter which way he turned, escape was impossible.\u00a0 The fingers still gripping Stacy\u2019s jacket relaxed.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As she stumbled out of Jubal\u2019s reach, Stacy glanced about for something . . . anything that she might grab to steady herself against her precarious balance brought on by an intense bout of dizziness.\u00a0 The young spectators laughed and raucously cheered Molly and Susannah on as Jubal dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms about his head in a futile attempt to ward off the rain of rock hard fists, now pummeling his head and shoulders.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOooohhhhh NO!\u201d Millicent growled, upon seeing Stacy edge toward the schoolhouse steps.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not getting away THAT easily!\u201d\u00a0 She beat a straight path toward Stacy, running at top speed, decorum be damned.\u00a0 Upon reaching Stacy, Millicent wrapped her arms around the girl\u2019s slender waist, and brought both of them down.\u00a0 The side of Stacy\u2019s head struck the edge of the first riser of the schoolhouse steps.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT<\/strong> WILL BE QUITE ENOUGH!\u201d\u00a0 It was their teacher, Miss Esther Johnson.\u00a0 She stood on the top landing glaring down at everyone, combatants and spectators alike, looking for all the world like a giant, angry Goddess, ready to exact some form of terrible vengeance.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Aged in her mid-forties, Esther Johnson was a diminutive woman in stature, barely reaching five feet tall, with girth measurement to match.\u00a0 She wore her light brown hair, slightly wavy, pulled away from her plump, round face, and styled in a very tight, very severe chignon.\u00a0 Normally, her eyes were as Joe Cartwright\u2019s . . . hazel, with the chameleon ability to change color according to her emotional state or whatever she might be wearing on a given day.\u00a0 As she slowly, deliberately descended the steps to the school yard, those eyes appeared obsidian with cold anger.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Every last student standing in the schoolyard had gone utterly silent.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSTACY CARTWRIGHT STARTED IT!\u201d Millicent yelled, shattering the uneasy stillness like a clap of thunder<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSHE DID NOT<\/strong>, YOU LYING MAGGOT!\u201d Molly yelled back, her face beet red from anger as well as exertion.\u00a0 \u201cYOU<\/strong> DID!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou children will go inside, sit down, and remain quiet with your hands folded on top of your desks,\u201d Esther sternly ordered.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be with you directly.\u201d\u00a0 She, then, turned, and glared at Susannah, Molly, Jubal, Stacy, and Millicent in turn as the other students filed up the steps in an orderly, single file line behind her.\u00a0 \u201cThe five of YOU will remain here with me.\u201d\u00a0 She waited until all of the other children had entered the schoolhouse.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

At that moment, Julio Fernandez entered the schoolyard, moving at a dead run, his schoolbooks clasped under his left arm.\u00a0 He stopped dead upon seeing Stacy Cartwright seated on the bottom step, flanked by Miss Johnson on her left, Molly O\u2019Hanlan on her right.\u00a0 Jubal Harkness sat on the ground, with head in hands, elbows resting on his knees with Millicent Adams looking on anxiously.\u00a0 Susannah O\u2019Brien alternated between glaring at Millicent and Jubal one minute, and gazing anxiously over at Stacy the next.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM-Miss Johnson, s-sorry I\u2019m so late,\u201d Julio stammered.\u00a0 \u201cPa took sick last night, and—\u201d <\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite all right, Julio, your brothers have already explained,\u201d Esther said, in a tone of voice more kindly.\u00a0 \u201cWould you and Susannah please escort Stacy to Doctor Martin\u2019s office?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Julio murmured.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Susannah nodded.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMolly, you\u2019d better let Mister Cartwright know what\u2019s happened,\u201d Esther said.\u00a0 \u201cI think you\u2019ll find him at the courthouse . . . .\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I let my temper get the best of me, Pa,\u201d Stacy wearily apologized after she had told her father and brother everything that had happened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds to ME like Millicent Adams started the whole thing, and Stacy had no choice but to defend herself,\u201d Joe said firmly.\u00a0 He looked over at Ben, as if daring him to challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m inclined to agree,\u201d Ben said, making a mental list of things to do that so far included a chat with Miss Johnson, jailing Jubal Harkness for assault and battery, and having a chat with Millicent\u2018s parents.\u00a0 First and foremost, however, he fully intended to confront Tobias Lindsay about the consequences of his campaign to sway public opinion in his favor.\u00a0 \u201cStacy . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to stay here with Mrs. Martin until I come for you,\u201d he ordered.\u00a0 \u201cI have a few things to take care of, but that shouldn\u2019t take any more than about an hour or two.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor once, you won\u2019t get any argument from me,\u201d Stacy agreed, wincing against the pain and tenderness of her swollen eye, now showing the first signs of the lurid bruising soon to manifest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, your accusations are . . . well, they\u2019re ludicrous!\u201d Tobias sputtered, with righteous indignation.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry to hear about your daughter\u2019s misfortune, but I<\/strong> had absolutely NOTHING to do with it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot directly, no,\u201d Ben had to agree, \u201cbut I hold you responsible nonetheless.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two men stood facing each other in the hotel, just outside the door to Tobias\u2019 room.\u00a0 Both stood, with postures rigidly erect, Ben with his arms folded across his chest, Tobias with hands firmly planted on his hips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you calling me a liar?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the shoe fits . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The angry scowl on Tobias\u2019 face deepened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you make any of those accusations public, Mister Cartwright, I\u2019m going to haul your sorry ass into court and sue you for slander,\u201d he threatened.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s longing to beat Tobias Lindsay within an inch of his miserable life surged within him with all the raw strength and power of a flash flood coursing through the dry arroyos in the desert.\u00a0 It took every last ounce of his formidable strength of will to simply stand there and not allow those primal urges to overwhelm him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no intention of making my accusations public, Mister Lindsay.\u00a0 Leastwise, not yet!\u201d Ben responded, speaking in that low, deadly calm tone of voice that set those who knew him best to trembling in their boots.\u00a0 \u201cI have every intention of filing a complaint with Judge Faraday, however.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t prove a damned thing!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t bet on that if I were you.\u00a0 All I have to do is find Miss Mudgely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou go to Judge Faraday accusing me of exerting undue influence on some gossipy old biddy, he\u2019s going to laugh you right out of his chambers,\u201d Tobias declared with a smug grin.\u00a0 \u201cNow stand aside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Tobias reached for the doorknob, Ben\u2019s arm snapped like a whip, and seized hold of the Carson City attorney\u2019s forearm in an agonizing vice-like grip.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnhand me, you . . . you hooligan!\u201d Tobias demanded, as he tried in vain to pry Ben\u2019s fingers from around his arm.\u00a0 \u201cUnhand me at once!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you listen to me and you listen good,\u201d Ben said, his voice low and menacing.\u00a0 He pulled Tobias closer until their faces were barely three inches apart, noting with a perverse satisfaction that the younger man\u2019s gaze immediately dropped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf any more harm comes to my family because of your attempt to pressure Judge Faraday into granting you custody of the baby left at my kitchen door,\u201d he continued, \u201cyou\u2019ll answer to me.\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you threatening me, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mister Lindsay, I\u2019m not threatening you,\u201d Ben replied, as he shook Tobias\u2019 arm from his grasp, grimacing as one might after touching something cold and slimy with his bare hands.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m making you a promise.\u201d\u00a0 He, then, turned and started down the hall, without sparing Tobias so much as a backward glance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not the only one who\u2019s going to be filing a complaint with Judge Faraday,\u201d Tobias called after Ben\u2019s retreating back before slipping into his room and slamming the door shut.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday returned to the courthouse feeling on edge and out of sorts.\u00a0 On his way home for the noon meal, he had been accosted by Della Mae Wyatt, her eldest daughter, and two other women, known to keep close company with Della Mae, though in that moment, their names had escaped him . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYoo-hoo, Judge Faraday!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

John had cringed upon hearing Della Mae\u2019s voice.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Faraday . . . wait!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

He reluctantly stopped in his tracks and waited.\u00a0 \u201cGood afternoon, Mrs. Wyatt,\u201d he greeted her in a cool, yet polite tone.\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get our petition?\u201d Della Mae\u2019s daughter, Portia, angrily demanded, drawing a sharp, warning glare from her mother.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday winced against the shrillness in the young woman\u2019s voice.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Ladies, Sheriff Coffee presented me with your petition this morning.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do about it?\u201d Della Mae had demanded.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

He was strongly tempted to tell them he had torn the thing into very small pieces and tossed it in his waste basket, but wisely refrained.\u00a0 \u201cLadies, I strongly suggest that you and the others who signed that petition go about your OWN business.\u00a0 This hearing doesn\u2019t concern any of you in the least.\u00a0 Now, if you\u2019ll excuse me . . . .\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As John turned to leave, one of the other women quickly circled around and blocked his path.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re WRONG, Judge Faraday,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cAn injustice is about to be committed—\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

He frowned.\u00a0 \u201cMa\u2019am, if you don\u2019t stand aside—\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Faraday, I wouldn\u2019t dismiss this out of hand, if I were you,\u201d Della Mae warned as she took up position alongside the friend who had initially blocked his honor\u2019s path.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy husband, as you know, is a very influential man here in Virginia City—\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you threatening me, Mrs. Wyatt?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust know there\u2019s a lot of people in this town, people decent and law abiding, like my husband and myself, who won\u2019t take kindly to Mister Cartwright taking away the only family a poor, bereft man has left in this world,\u201d Della Mae said firmly.\u00a0 She, then, turned to her companions and said, \u201cLet\u2019s go, Ladies.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Upon arriving home, the judge found that he had little appetite for the meal that Mrs. O\u2019Neill had prepared, much to that good lady\u2019s consternation.\u00a0 He had two cups of coffee, and half a bowl of soup, that last at Mrs. O\u2019Neill\u2019s insistence, before leaving again for the courthouse.\u00a0 En route he was accosted again by Carrie Blanchard, a widow who made her living cleaning the homes of some of the more well to do in Virginia City, and her long suffering mother, who had been one of his late wife\u2019s closet friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Faraday, did you get our—\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour petition?\u00a0 Yes, Mrs. Blanchard, I did,\u201d he rudely cut her off in a desperate bid not to prolong this encounter.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you intend to do about it?\u201d she had demanded.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Badly as he wanted to take her to task for involving herself in a matter that was plain and simply none of her business, the sight of her mother\u2019s blood red cheeks, hunched shoulders, the way the older woman half turned away from her daughter, forestalled his doing so.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI asked what you were going to do about it,\u201d Carrie impatiently pressed when no reply was immediately forthcoming.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d John snapped.\u00a0 \u201cGood day, Mrs. Blanchard.\u201d\u00a0 He paused, just long enough to politely nod and tip his hat to her mother, then continued on his way to the courthouse.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As the judge stepped into the small anteroom, adjacent to his chambers, his secretary immediately came to take his coat, hat, and scarf.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . um, Judge Faraday?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister McFarlane?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel I should warn you . . . Mister Cartwright and Mister Lindsay are waiting inside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John closed his eyes for a moment, sighed, and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cAny idea what they want?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Elmer nodded.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems they want to file a complaint against each other,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny ideas as to why?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Sir.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter . . . I have a sick feeling I just might have a real good idea as to why,\u201d John angrily muttered under his breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Faraday,\u201d Ben angrily pounced the instant his honor stepped into his chambers, \u201cI want to swear out a complaint—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I!\u201d Tobias declared, as he shot right out of the seat he had occupied that morning, raising his voice that he might be better heard over Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

John wearily raised both hands as if to ward off a rain of physical blows about to descend upon him.\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay . . . sit down!\u00a0 You, too, Ben,\u201d he ordered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben did as asked, seething.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I think I\u2019ve got a real good idea as to what YOU\u2019RE about to say—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat man assaulted me!\u201d Tobias cried, thrusting arm and pointing finger at Ben.\u00a0 \u201cI demand that he be jailed at once!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMISTER LINDSAY, SIT DOWN!\u201d John roared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor, if you think for one minute I\u2019m going to allow you to put me off—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI.\u00a0 Said.\u00a0 Sit.\u00a0 Down.\u00a0 NOW!<\/strong>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias dropped down into his chair, glaring at the judge, then over at Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

John closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then another.\u00a0 Upon opening his eyes, he straightened his posture, while slowly, in silence counting to ten, and folded his arms across his chest.\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay,\u201d began, laboring to keep his voice calm and even, \u201cI was accosted twice between my home and the courthouse.\u00a0 Both times I was asked about a petition, which Sheriff Coffee gave me this morning, demanding that I grant you custody of the baby left at the Ponderosa.\u201d\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you know about that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I told Mister Cartwright just a short while ago, I know absolutely nothing,\u201d Tobias said stiffly.<\/span><\/p>\n

John thought he saw an ever so slight tug upward at the corner of Tobias\u2019 mouth . . . there for an instant, then gone just as quickly.\u00a0 He scowled.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s also the matter of my housekeeper . . . who, so far as I\u2019m aware, doesn\u2019t even know you from Adam\u2019s housecat . . . making an impassioned plea for me to grant you custody of that baby,\u201d he continued, \u201cthe afternoon after you arrived in Virginia City.\u00a0 What do you make of THAT, Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCoincidence, Your Honor, pure and simple.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCoincidence my ass!\u201d Ben vehemently disagreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright how many times do I have to tell you that I had nothing to do with petitions, people accosting you on the street, or about your daughter getting beat up in the school yard?\u201d Tobias argued. \u201cNow unless you have proof—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned to appeal to the judge.\u00a0 \u201cJohn, my sons and I hadn\u2019t gone a dozen steps from the courthouse door when we were accosted first by Clementine Hawkins warning us to watch our backs, then by Janet Greely bawling me out for initiating this custody hearing, and last by John and Martha Devlin trying to put in a good word for Mister Lindsay.\u00a0 That was annoying, but something I was willing to let go.\u201d\u00a0 He paused briefly.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I won\u2019t stand for is my daughter suffering a beating in the schoolyard this afternoon from the Adams girl and that bullying thug, Jubal Harkness, over this custody hearing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I\u2019m sorry to hear about your daughter . . . truly,\u201d John said, his tone softening a bit.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope she\u2019s going to be all right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin assures me she will be,\u201d Ben said stiffly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m relieved to hear it,\u201d John replied.\u00a0 \u201cGentlemen, I\u2019m going to ask Sheriff Coffee to look into this.\u00a0 And Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I find out these allegations are true, I\u2018m going to have you jailed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn what charge?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition to contempt and disturbing the peace, how about I add inciting to riot?\u201d John immediately replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook!\u00a0 I told you . . . BOTH of you . . . that I had absolutely nothing to do with petitions, the both of you being accosted on the street, or of Miss Cartwright suffering a beating in the schoolyard,\u201d Tobias vehemently protested.\u00a0 \u201cI swear, on my honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour \u2018honor\u2019 isn\u2019t worth a plugged nickel,\u201d Ben growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cT\u2019 was the worst thing I\u2019ve ever had to do, Hoss,\u201d Jack said mournfully, as he absent mindedly scraped his slice of peach pie into a gooey mess on his plate.<\/span><\/p>\n

He and Hoss were seated together in the C Street Caf\u00e9.\u00a0 The hour was nearing two in the afternoon, and except for Hoss and Jack, the caf\u00e9 was deserted.\u00a0 After Hoss had paid the bill, and Jack had been served his meal, Maxine Pettigrew quietly withdrew to the kitchen, leaving the two gentlemen to converse privately.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow did they take it?\u201d Hoss warily ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy all appearances, Miss McPherson took the news very stoically,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0 \u201cNo sadness, weeping, or any kind of hysterics.\u00a0 She simply asked me if I knew how long she had same as you might ask someone about the weather.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t surprise me none, if she knew or maybe suspected she had the bad blood,\u201d Hoss said somberly.\u00a0 \u201cThat poor li\u2019l gal was a nurse for quite a while.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded, then continued.\u00a0 \u201cMRS. McPherson, though . . . . Hoss, to say she took it very hard would be to understate the matter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss placed a gentle, comforting hand upon the stricken man\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cPoor woman,\u201d he said quietly, upon remembering again all that the proprietress of the Virginia City Social Club had told him, his father, and Doc Martin about her daughter.\u00a0 \u201cAin\u2019t no question she loved that li\u2019l gal o\u2019 hers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin finally had to give her a sedative,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0 \u201cShe and her daughter were taken back to the convent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee let Miss McPherson outta jail?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCall me a softie, Hoss, but she begged the sheriff to let her be with her mother, so I—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou paid her bail,\u201d Hoss said with a knowing smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d have done the same thing, like as not, had I been in your shoes.\u201d\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment, then asked, \u201cYou got any idea what\u2019s gonna happen t\u2019 the McPhersons?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure Mister Lindsay\u2019s going to see that Margaret McPherson is charged with kidnapping his daughter,\u201d Jack said with a touch of anger and bitterness, \u201cbut at least she won\u2019t be facing a murder charge thanks to the doctor\u2019s testimony.\u201d\u00a0 He sighed.\u00a0 \u201cApart from that, I\u2019m afraid your guess is as good as mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That evening, Ben, his two younger sons, daughter, and Jack had dinner with the Martins.\u00a0 Lily Martin and Hilda Mae\u2019s slow cooked pot roast was so tender it melted in one\u2019s mouth.\u00a0 Roasted potatoes and carrots, green beans, hot biscuits just out of the oven, and pound cake with strawberry preserves completed the meal.\u00a0 The doctor\u2019s wife and their housekeeper had canned the beans and preserves toward the end of fall the previous year, just before the first snow fell upon Virginia City.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Doctor Martin\u2019s behest, Stacy\u2019s meal was considerably lighter, consisting of beef broth, toast with strawberry preserves, and a cup of peppermint tea.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust a precaution,\u201d Paul explained apologetically.\u00a0 \u201cSometimes the dizziness that comes from a head injury can leave a body with an upset stomach.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018S ok, Doctor Martin,\u201d Stacy replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not very hungry anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can resume your normal diet tomorrow,\u201d Paul promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Lily, you and Miss Graves have outdone yourselves,\u201d Ben complimented the chefs, after finishing his second helping of pound cake and preserves.\u00a0 \u201cWonderful dinner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou bet!\u201d Hoss heartily agreed.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you dare tell Hop Sing, but your cookin\u2019 is every bit as good as his.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s it worth to you, Big Brother?\u201d Joe chortled, his emerald green eyes sparkling with pure mischief.<\/span><\/p>\n

A feral smile spread across Hoss\u2019 lips, as his blue eyes danced with his own impish delight.\u00a0 \u201cLi\u2019l Brother, you\u2019re askin\u2019 the wrong question,\u201d he quipped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah?\u201d Joe returned.\u00a0 \u201cNow what question should I be asking?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s it worth to ya t\u2019 NOT tell Hop Sing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOk, what IS it worth to me not to tell Hop Sing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, y\u2019 get t\u2019 keep that pretty smile o\u2019 yours,\u201d Hoss said in a tone of voice a mite too sugary sweet as he very pointedly flexed his fingers and thumbs on both hands.\u00a0 His \u2018threat\u2019 drew forth a wry roll of the eyes from Ben, hearty laughter from Paul and Jack, and an amused grin from Stacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s quite a compliment, Hoss, thank you,\u201d Lily said, as the laughter began to fade.\u00a0 She daintily blotted her lips with her napkin, then rose.\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you folks g\u2019won and make yourselves comfortable in the parlor?\u00a0 Miss Graves and I will bring you coffee after we\u2019ve cleared the table.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan I give you a hand with clearing the table, Lily?\u201d Paul asked, as he and the others rose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Paul, but Miss Graves and I can manage.\u201d\u00a0 She affectionately patted his cheek, then called for Hilda Mae.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Stacy ventured as Paul escorted the guests into the parlor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we going to do about Millicent Adams and Jubal Harkness?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would YOU like to do about them?\u201d Ben responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

An amused half smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cHow about I take Millicent one on one after I\u2019m better, and we let Hoss have five minutes alone with Jubal?\u201d Stacy quipped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLi\u2019l Sister, the same thought just crossed my mind,\u201d Hoss said with a chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad Pa\u2019s taught the lot of us better than to go around picking fights,\u201d Stacy said with a sigh so mournfully melodramatic, her brothers, their house guest, and the doctor laughed out loud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly have,\u201d Ben said with mock sternness, while trying very hard not to smile himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest,\u201d Stacy said, when everyone sobered a moment later, \u201cI haven\u2019t even thought about what to do with Millicent and Jubal.\u00a0 How about you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have every intention of speaking to Millicent\u2019s parents and Mister Harkness about this, after the custody hearing\u2019s over tomorrow afternoon,\u201d Ben said firmly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m also thinking of having Jubal jailed assault and battery.\u00a0 Perhaps a few days in the Virginia City Jail, keeping company with Roy Coffee, might teach him a few lessons about bullying and hitting girls.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me . . . uh, Mister Cartwright?\u201d\u00a0 It was Hilda Mae Graves, stepping from the top landing through the open door to the Martins\u2019 parlor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Miss Graves?\u201d Ben queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe school teacher is here to see you,\u201d Hilda Mae said as she wiped her hands against her apron.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s waiting downstairs.\u00a0 Shall I ask her to come up?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben quickly reached over and gave Stacy\u2019s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze, then rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Miss Graves, but I think it would be best if I went downstairs and talked with her privately.\u00a0 If everyone would excuse me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, feel free to use my office,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be more comfortable than standing in the hall by the front door.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded his thanks, then went downstairs to see Stacy\u2019s teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben found the school teacher, Esther Johnson, standing next to the front door, with back straight, and a calm, but determined look in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cGood evening, Miss Johnson.\u00a0 Doctor Martin said we can speak in his office, if you\u2019ll follow me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Esther replied, falling in step behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reaching the doctor\u2019s office, Ben took the chair at Paul\u2019s desk, leaving Esther a choice between the settee and a sturdy, oversized chair.\u00a0 Esther chose the latter, after divesting herself of coat, hat, and scarf.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Stacy doing?\u201d Esther politely asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was pretty banged up, as you no doubt saw, but the doctor says she\u2019s going to be fine,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m relieved to hear it,\u201d Esther said.\u00a0 She, then, came right to the purpose of her visit:\u00a0 \u201cI want to talk with you about the incident out in the schoolyard this afternoon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 He leaned back and folded his arms across his chest.\u00a0 \u201cStacy told me Millicent Adams started this whole fracas, and when she tried to defend herself, the Harkness boy grabbed hold of her and punched her square in the face with his fist,\u201d he continued, clipping his words as his ire began to rise anew.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s pretty much what Stacy\u2019s friends, Susannah O\u2019Brien and Molly O\u2019Hanlan, told me,\u201d Esther said, \u201cand the other children who witnessed the whole thing, as well.\u201d\u00a0 She paused.\u00a0 \u201cThey also said that Susannah and Molly beat up on Jubal to force him to let Stacy go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0 Stacy told me that, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what the fight was about, Mister Cartwright?\u201d Esther asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy told me, it has to do with a custody hearing that began this morning,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes.\u00a0 The custody hearing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know?\u201d Ben queried, with sinking heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Esther nodded.\u00a0 \u201cSomething about you suing for custody of a baby,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s all I know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben told the school teacher about the baby his family referred to as Li\u2019l One and about Tobias and Cara Lindsay, respectively the babe\u2019s grandfather and mother, which included their past history.\u00a0 \u201cI blame Mister Lindsay most for what happened in the schoolyard earlier this afternoon,\u201d he said with a touch of rancor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u00a0 Why is that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo make a long story short, Miss Johnson, I believe that schoolyard brawl was consequence of Mister Lindsay\u2019s barefaced attempt to sway Judge Faraday\u2019s ruling by turning people in this town against me,\u201d Ben explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be quite an undertaking, Mister Cartwright, for one man to speak to everyone who lives in Virginia City,\u201d Esther caustically observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ma\u2019am, it would be all too easy,\u201d Ben countered with a touch of asperity.\u00a0 \u201cOne word to our esteemed church organist, and within an hour, maybe two, everyone would know what Mister Lindsay told Miss Mudgely, and believe the worst.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor a moment, I\u2019d forgotten all about Miss Mudgely,\u201d Esther said, not without sympathy.\u00a0 \u201cTaking HER into account, I\u2019m sorry I doubted you, but I\u2019m afraid that makes what I have to say next a trifle awkward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well aware that sometimes one must resort to physical violence in self-defense,\u201d Esther explained, \u201cbut I try my best to teach and encourage the children to try other ways first\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, Miss Johnson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well aware Millicent Adams initiated the fracas, but am not entirely convinced that Stacy couldn\u2019t have walked away,\u201d the school teacher continued.\u00a0 \u201cTherefore, I\u2019ve suspended everyone involved until I meet with their parents.\u00a0 That includes Stacy, Molly, and Susannah along with Millicent and Jubal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Esther rose.\u00a0 Ben followed suit.\u00a0 \u201cI sent notes home with the others,\u201d Esther continued, as she reached into her reticule and pulled out an envelope.\u00a0 \u201cHad Stacy not had to leave school to come here and see Doctor Martin, I would have sent this home with her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben took the proffered envelope.\u00a0 \u201cWhen would you like to meet with the parents?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow\u2019s Friday,\u201d Esther said slowly.\u00a0 \u201cIn that note . . . .\u201d she pointed to the envelope, \u201cI\u2019ve asked the parents to meet with me Monday afternoon at four o\u2019clock.\u00a0 That way, the children can all be back in school by Tuesday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be there, Miss Johnson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul?\u201d Ben ventured upon his return to the Martins\u2019 parlor.\u00a0 \u201cCan I impose upon you and Lily to let Stacy spend the night here?\u201d\u00a0 His question drew a sharp glance and sharp intake of breath from his daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . uhh, Pa?\u00a0 Doctor Martin?\u00a0 Is there something you\u2019re not telling me?\u201d Stacy asked with an apprehensive frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Young Woman,\u201d Ben hastened to assure.\u00a0 \u201cYou might be a bit worse for wear for a few days, but the doctor says you\u2019re going to be just fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy exhaled a very audible sigh of relief, eliciting a round of chuckles from everyone else present.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo answer your question, Ben, of course Stacy can stay,\u201d Lily Martin answered with a smile, \u201cand you\u2019re not imposing in the least.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Lily,\u201d Ben said gratefully.\u00a0 \u201cThe rest of us will be checking into the International Hotel for the night,\u201d he continued.\u00a0 \u201cStacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll head for home tomorrow afternoon after that custody hearing\u2019s over for the day,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cThat is . . . .\u201d\u00a0 He turned and glanced over at Paul.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely, Ben,\u201d Paul said with a smile, \u201cthough I would suggest renting a buggy.\u00a0 At this point, I can safely say Stacy doesn\u2019t have a concussion, but I have a feeling she\u2019s going to feeling a bit too stiff and sore to sit a horse all the way back to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be right, Doctor Martin,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0 \u201cMay I be excused, Pa?\u00a0 My head\u2019s really starting to hurt, and I\u2019m feeling a bit sleepy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course,\u201d Ben readily assented.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lily rose, and quickly took charge of the situation.\u00a0 \u201cStacy, you come with me,\u201d she said warmly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll show you to our guest room, then I\u2019ll ask Mrs. Graves to brew you a cup of willow bark tea.\u00a0 That will help your headache, and keep your stomach settled, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Martin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cDO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u00a0 DO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u00a0 DO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heart sank upon catching sight of the group, nearly half a hundred strong, mostly women, lined up in front of the courthouse.\u00a0 Della Mae Wyatt, Audrey Schmitt, Janet Greeley, and Della Mae\u2019s daughter, Portia, stood lined up together in front of the gathered assembly.\u00a0 A dozen men, deputized earlier that morning by Roy Coffee, silently maintained order and made certain no laws were broken.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and mentally braced himself.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go, Boys,\u201d he said quietly, feeling grateful, all of a sudden, that he had elected not divulge the fact that he had withdrawn his petition for custody in favor of Abigail Jarvis.\u00a0 It was clear that the poor woman wasn\u2019t in the best of health, and he silently wondered whether she was up to facing the people lined up outside the courthouse, demanding that Judge Faraday grant custody of her infant grandson to Mister Lindsay.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cartwrights and Jack Cranston were greeted with a discordant chorus of boos, mixed with insults and a few epithets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU\u2019RE A CRUEL MAN, BEN CARTWRIGHT!\u201d Carrie Blanchard cried out, raising her voice so that she might be heard above the booing, and pointing an accusing finger right at Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED!<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 That was Clara Mudgely, standing at the very edge of the crowd, near the courthouse door, shaking her fist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u201d Della Mae took up the chant, clapping her hands in time with the spoken rhythm, as she walked back and forth in front of the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u00a0 DO WHAT\u2019S RIGHT!\u201d\u00a0 Little by little, the others fell in until everyone was again chanting in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon entering the courthouse, Ben, his sons, and Jack exhaled a collective sigh of relief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mister Cartwright . . . Joe . . . Hoss . . . and you, too, Mister Cranston,\u201d a stressed and harried Elmer McFarlane greeted them.\u00a0 \u201cI, uh . . . hope you weren\u2019t unduly put-upon?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fine, Elmer,\u201d Hoss said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cHow long have those ladies been out there anyhow?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Wyatt and a few friends were there when I arrived at a few minutes past seven,\u201d Elmer replied, as he led them to the judge\u2019s chambers.\u00a0 \u201cThe others have been arriving in drips and drabs all morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m . . . a little worried about Mrs. Jarvis,\u201d Ben ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, and Judge Faraday\u2019s grateful you\u2019ve kept the fact that she\u2019s petitioning for her grandson to yourself, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Elmer said.\u00a0 \u201cSheriff Coffee and Deputy Foster managed to sneak her in through the back door.\u00a0 She\u2019s aware of the protests, of course, but we\u2019ve tried to spare her as much of the details as we can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Ben murmured softly . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday called the hearing to order promptly at ten o\u2019clock.\u00a0 The orderliness by which the proceeding initially began seemed a stark, almost surreal contrast against the undercurrents of tension among the participants, and voices outside, occasionally raised enough to be heard in the judge\u2019s chambers.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the Cartwright men and Jack Cranston, the others present were the judge and his secretary; Abigail Jarvis, in the company of Lucas Milburn; Mother Gibson, Polly McPherson, along with her daughter, the former Sister Anne, who sat primly beside her mother, Doctor Paul Martin, and Tobias Lindsay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Faraday, is there any way we can clear away that rabble outside from around the courthouse?\u201d Tobias petulantly queried.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re making so much noise, I can barely hear myself think.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you want to get rid of them, Mister Lindsay?\u201d Joe sardonically returned, with upraised eyebrow, and a jaundiced glare directed at Tobias, seated directly across the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re your supporters after all . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d Ben growled, sotto voce, as he directed a warning glare at his youngest son.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, as far as I\u2019m aware, those people outside are conducting themselves in an orderly manner and they\u2019ve not broken any laws,\u201d John said, his tone of voice ever so slightly condescending.\u00a0 \u201cYou should know as well as I do that my hands are tied.\u201d\u00a0 He, then, cleared his throat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLadies and gentlemen, I\u2019m well aware that you want this hearing over and done as quickly as possible,\u201d the judge continued, \u201cand I sympathize.\u00a0 At the same time, I want everyone to bear in mind that the decision I render will determine the life and future of an innocent babe.\u00a0 I will not make that decision lightly, unadvisedly, or in a hurry; but only after long and careful deliberation.\u201d\u00a0 This last he said with a pointed glare at Tobias.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I make myself clear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A soft murmuring of ascent moved quickly around the table in manner not unlike the dance of sunlight across the ripples of sea or lake.<\/span><\/p>\n

Satisfied, the judge turned his attention to the mother superior.\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson, according to the depositions—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust a moment, Your Honor,\u201d Tobias interrupted, his voice cold as ice, \u201cwhat is SHE doing here?\u201d\u00a0 He inclined his head toward Margaret McPherson.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe asked to be with her mother, and I gave my permission,\u201d Judge Faraday replied.\u00a0 \u201cThey received some heartbreaking news yesterday, and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t give a damn what kind of news they received yesterday,\u201d Tobias said with disdain.\u00a0 \u201cI want her removed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John frowned.\u00a0 \u201cI beg your pardon!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor, that girl murdered my daughter,\u201d Tobias accused.\u00a0 \u201cForcing me to sit here and look at her throughout this entire proceeding is nothing short of cruel and barbaric.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“Miss McPherson did NOT murder your daughter,\u201d Paul angrily shot right back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour daughter died from a horrific burn that had gone gangrenous.\u00a0 Whoever inflicted that burn—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you accusing me?\u201d Tobias demanded as he very slowly rose from his chair, with fists tightly clenched, and chest heaving.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Martin also rose, meeting Tobias\u2019 intense angry glare without flinching.\u00a0 \u201cWhen you get right down to it, Mister Lindsay,\u201d he returned, his voice filled with loathing and contempt, \u201cby all accounts only two people could\u2019ve inflicted that burn on her leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU PETTY, VENDICTIVE QUACK!\u201d Tobias shouted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYOU AND THE ESTEEMED MISTER CARTWRIGHT COULDN\u2019T TAKE MY BELOVED DAUGHTER FROM ME AFTER MY WIFE DIED—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBELOVED DAUGHTER MY AUNT MATILDA!\u201d\u00a0 Paul yelled back, his face contorted with fury.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIF YOU WEREN\u2019T BEATING THAT POOR CHILD WITHIN AN INCH OF HER MISERABLE LIFE—,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT WILL BE ENOUGH!\u201d Judge Faraday roared, his face beet red with anger.\u00a0 He closed his eyes and counted to ten.\u00a0 Slowly.\u00a0 Very slowly.\u00a0 Once, then twice.\u00a0 \u201cOne more interruption, Mister Lindsay, I will ask Mister McFarlane to summon one of the deputies outside to come and escort you back to your hotel room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cME?!\u201d Tobias protested, enraged.\u00a0 \u201cWHAT ABOUT—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, I\u2019ve had more than enough of your histrionics,\u201d John said bluntly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrom the very beginning, you\u2019ve interrupted these proceedings, making threats and baseless accusations.\u00a0 I will NOT stand for it any more.\u00a0\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias folded his arms tight across his heaving chest and glared at the judge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo.\u00a0 I.\u00a0 Make.\u00a0 Myself.\u00a0 Clear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs glass,\u201d Tobias contemptuously spat right back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Desperately hoping he had finally put an end to Mister Lindsay\u2019s constant interruptions, the judge wearily returned his attention to the mother superior.\u00a0 \u201cMother Gibson,\u201d be began once again, \u201caccording to the depositions made by you and the sisters, who cared for Miss Lindsay, she was brought to the hospital by two of Ben Cartwright\u2019s men.\u00a0 Is that correct?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor,\u201d she replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou, Sister Anne . . . .\u201d John paused for a moment to glance down at his notes \u201c. . . and a Sister Wilhelmina . . . examined Miss Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s correct.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you find?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe poor girl was near death from the cold,\u201d Mother Gibson elaborated.\u00a0 \u201cThe men who found her told us they had initially thought she WAS dead, until one of them noticed she was barely breathing.\u00a0 She was suffering from varying degrees of frostbite, and across her back we found injuries from old scars to wounds recently scabbed over.\u00a0 We also found an open wound on her leg, the result of a terrible burn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else did you find when you, Sister Anne, and Sister Wilhelmina examined Miss Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe found that she had given birth, Your Honor, within a week\u2019s time before Mister Cartwright\u2019s men brought her to our hospital,\u201d the mother superior replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Martin confirmed this when he examined her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you or the two sisters assisting you know Miss Lindsay was a runaway?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but we suspected as much,\u201d Mother Catherine said bluntly.\u00a0 “Sister Anne and I didn\u2019t know for certain until we overheard Miss Lindsay tell the Cartwrights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe burn on her leg. \u00a0Sister Anne, Sister Wilhelmina, and I determined it to have been inflicted upon her by another.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother Gibson, how could you possibly know that the burn on my daughter\u2019s leg was purposely inflicted and not the result of an unfortunate accident?\u201d Tobias demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to answer that question, if I may, Your Honor?\u201d Mother Catherine requested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy all means,\u201d John assented.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe curving line at the top of the wound had a clean edge,\u201d Mother Catherine said, directing a ferocious glare at Tobias.\u00a0 \u201cThat clean edge means the object used was man made.\u00a0 A wound resulting from \u2018an unfortunate accident,\u2019 to borrow Mister Lindsay\u2019s words, would, more than likely, have left more of an uneven, jagged edge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid it occur to you that perhaps my daughter might have inflicted that burn on herself?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d Mother Catherine immediately replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGiven the placement of the burn on the back of the girl\u2019s leg, the man or woman who burned Miss Lindsay had to have been holding her face down, bent over a chair, I suspect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI concur, Your Honor,\u201d Paul said quietly, \u201cand I said as much in both of my reports.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

John made note of that, and made a quick mental note to look for that when he again read over Doctor Martin\u2019s reports on Miss Lindsay\u2019s physical examination at the hospital and her post mortem a few days later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mother Gibson,\u201d John said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. McPherson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been told that you just received some bad news,\u201d John said gently, taking due note of her pale complexion, her red, swollen eyelids, and evidence of a toilette, hastily made, in her sparse application of cosmetics and long hair secured with a fancy gold barrette at the nape of her neck.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very sorry to hear it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Polly murmured softly, her voice catching.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you wish, I can postpone hearing your testimony until—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly resolutely shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cIf it\u2019s all the same to you, Your Honor, I\u2019d just as soon have it over and done,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d the judge acquiesced, \u201cI\u2019ll do my best not to upset you further.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced over his notes, then asked, \u201cAccording to your deposition, Ma\u2019am, Sister Anne and Paul Klein sought refuge with you when they took Miss Lindsay from the hospital.\u00a0 Is that correct?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it is,\u201d Polly replied.\u00a0 She, then, haltingly gave account of the early morning hours when her daughter and nephew brought Cara Lindsay to her home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew Maggie and Paul both were courting some kind of trouble when they came to me that morning with Miss Lindsay, may God rest her soul,\u201d Polly somberly concluded her testimony, \u201cbut I didn\u2019t know the full extent of it until the sheriff, the Cartwrights, and Maggie\u2019s mother superior turned up on my doorstep later on that morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and if you had known?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d have taken \u2019em in just the same,\u201d Polly responded with a touch of defiance.\u00a0 \u201cYour Honor, Maggie had nowhere else to go, and even though I\u2019ve had no medical training, I could see Miss Lindsay was terribly sick, but, God help me, I had no idea that poor child was so close to death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened next?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright told his daughter to go \u2018n fetch Doctor Martin, and to stay with the doctor\u2018s wife, until he came for her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. McPherson . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Your Honor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy your own admission, you knew that Miss Lindsay was very ill,\u201d John said.\u00a0 \u201cWhy didn\u2019t YOU send for the doctor when your daughter and Mister Klein showed up on your doorstep with Miss Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Your Honor,\u201d Margaret McPherson begged.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t blame my mother.\u00a0 I\u2019ve served God as a nurse with the Little Sisters of Mercy and Compassion for three years.\u00a0 I thought I could care for Cara . . . for Miss Lindsay—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . but surely . . . at some point you must have realized my daughter\u2019s condition was far beyond your meager skill, Miss McPherson,\u201d Tobias derisively interjected.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you send for the doctor THEN?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I was afraid he\u2019d send for YOU!\u201d Margaret replied, her voice rising.\u00a0 The intense glare she levelled at Tobias was filled with raw fury and hatred.\u00a0 \u201cCara\u2019s whole reason for leaving home as she did was because she was afraid you\u2019d take her baby from her and sell him like . . . like a piece of meat to the highest bidder out in San Francisco.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias\u2019s face turned deathly white for a moment, then to a sickly shade of purple.\u00a0 \u201cHow . . . DARE . . . you—\u201d he whispered, his entire body trembling with rage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCara WANTED that baby,\u201d Margaret pressed on with tears streaming down her face, \u201cand she wanted to marry the baby\u2019s father more than . . . more than j-just about anything in this world . . . s-same as . . . s-same as ME!\u201d\u00a0 After half choking out those last few words, Margaret buried her face in her hands and began to sob piteously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . um, Judge Faraday?\u201d Abigail hesitantly ventured.\u00a0 This was the first time she had spoken since the start of the custody hearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Jarvis?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did that young lady mean when she said that Mister Lindsay sold her baby to the highest bidder in San Francisco . . . and that he wanted to do the same with . . . with Gabe\u2019s son?\u201d Abigail asked.\u00a0 Her hands trembled, and her face had turned a deathly pale white.\u00a0 She gazed over at Tobias through eyes round with shock and revulsion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t look at me like that, you . . . you foul hypocrite!\u201d Tobias growled, as he recoiled from the intensity of her gaze.\u00a0 \u201cEveryone has a price, Mrs. Jarvis, and when I met yours, you couldn\u2019t sign on the dotted line fast enough!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut my son is dead,\u201d Abigail protested, \u201cand the babe Mister Cartwright found at his kitchen door is all I have left of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s YOUR hard luck, Mrs. Jarvis,\u201d Tobias returned.\u00a0 \u201cYou and I have a contract—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have a copy of that contract, Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly do, Your Honor,\u201d Tobias responded, his eyes alight with a hope, suddenly rekindled, that the outcome of this hearing just might be in his favor after all.\u00a0 He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, whipped out a single sheet of paper, legal sized, and neatly folded four times, and slapped it down on the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Lindsay,\u201d John said as picked up Tobias\u2019 copy of the contract and placed it on top of the other reports and depositions in front of him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow I have a few questions for you.\u201d\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0 \u201cIn her deposition, Mrs. Vivian Crawleigh said that you inflicted the burn on your daughter\u2019s leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat, Sir, is a monstrous lie!\u201d Tobias angrily declared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying that Mrs. Crawleigh burned your daughter\u2019s leg with the stove cover?\u201d John pressed.\u00a0 \u201cRemember, Sir, you ARE under oath.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, well, I can\u2019t really say,\u201d Tobias hedged.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t actually see her do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, exactly, did you KNOW about Mrs. Crawleigh when you hired her to care for your daughter?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe told me that she\u2019d had training as a nurse and that she had a great deal of experience caring for young expectant mothers like my daughter,\u201d Tobias replied.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cShe worked in some charity hospital back east somewhere . . . Philadelphia maybe . . . perhaps New York or Baltimore . . . I can\u2019t remember.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWere you aware that she also ran an orphanage and foundling home out in Ohio?\u201d John asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe mentioned something about caring for orphans and foundlings in some kind of home, but I can\u2019t remember right off where it was,\u201d Tobias replied, feeling very much on the defensive.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour Honor, why are you asking me all these questions about Mrs. Crawleigh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout a year ago, maybe two, Mister Cranston was hired to investigate Mrs. Crawleigh and the home she ran out in Ohio,\u201d John replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe unearthed enough solid evidence to have that home shut down and for authorities to charge her with multiple accounts of cruelty.\u00a0\u00a0 She was arrested, tried, and sentenced to serve a lengthy prison term.\u00a0\u00a0 Until her arrest in Carson City, she was also a fugitive from justice.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is all a matter of public record, Mister Lindsay.\u00a0\u00a0 Were you aware of this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right!\u201d Tobias growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t check her references as thoroughly as I should have, but, at the time I desperate to hire someone to look after my daughter because I had to leave for San Francisco on very short notice.\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. Crawleigh was the only one who answered the ad I placed in the newspapers in Carson City, the Territorial Enterprise here, and a couple of papers out in San Francisco.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d John murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201cOne more question, Mister Lindsay . . . if I may?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you intend to raise your grandson?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I intend to . . . what?\u201d Tobias stammered, taken aback by the judge\u2019s question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you intend to raise your grandson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I . . . I . . . y-you see, Your Honor—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a simple yes or no question, Sir.\u00a0 Do you intend to raise your grandson?\u201d John pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . uhh, no,\u201d Tobias reluctantly admitted, \u201cbut I\u2019d arranged for his adoption into a fine home, with parents who can give him everything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d the judge said very quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor, the Cunninghams are very fine, upstanding citizens,\u201d Tobias began.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, they attend church every Sunday, they\u2019re involved in any number of charitable endeavors—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCunningham!\u201d Margaret McPherson murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201cN-Not Percy . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaggie, don\u2019t be silly!\u201d Polly chided her daughter severely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSan Francisco\u2019s a big city. Surely there\u2019s more than one family by the name of—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring her mother, Margaret shot right out of her chair.\u00a0 \u201cYour Honor, please!\u201d she begged.\u00a0 \u201cI must know Mister Cunningham\u2019s name!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Polly\u2019s face turned white as a sheet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaggie, please!\u201d she hissed, as she reached up and took hold of her daughter\u2019s forearm with the intention of pulling her back down into her chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Margaret wrenched her arm free of her mother\u2019s grasp, eliciting a cry of astonishment.\u00a0 \u201cYour Honor, is Mister Cunningham\u2019s full name Percy Shelley Cunningham?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes it is, what of it?\u201d Tobias snarled back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen Cara\u2014Miss Lindsay\u2019s child must NOT under any circumstances go to the Cunninghams,\u201d Margaret adamantly declared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d the judge asked, casting a jaundiced glare at Tobias.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI recently learned that I . . . that I have the bad blood,\u201d Maggie said, her voice shaking, her eyes brimming with tears.\u00a0 \u201cHe . . . Percy Cunningham is . . . h-he\u2019s the only man I\u2019ve . . . that I\u2019ve ever loved.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She collapsed into her chair, buried her face in her hands sobbing heart wrenchingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tobias rose from his chair very slowly, his entire body trembling.\u00a0 \u201cDo you realize what you\u2019re saying?\u201d he demanded, his voice barely above the decibel of a stage whisper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOff hand, I\u2019m of the mind that Miss McPherson just said that Mister Cunningham passed the bad blood to her and to their child,\u201d Paul Martin scathingly observed as Mother Catherine immediately gathered the grief stricken former Sister Anne into her arms almost without thinking, \u201cand my guess is that Mister Cunningham has also passed the disease on to his wife.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a monstrous lie, Doctor!\u201d Tobias sneered.\u00a0 \u201cMargaret McPherson is nothing but a . . . A CHEAP WHORE . . . same as her mother, for God\u2019s sake!\u00a0 Percy and Hyacinth Cunningham on the other hand—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, Percy Cunningham is hardly the paragon of virtue you obviously take him to be,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0 \u201cGo into any number of bars and brothels in the Barbary Coast and—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow DARE you speak of your betters in that manner, Sir!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay, money alone doesn\u2019t make a man anyone\u2019s better,\u201d Ben said, angry, outraged, and feeling sick to his stomach.\u00a0 \u201cI know many men . . . ranchers, miners, prospectors, merchants . . . who are far better than most of the elite in San Francisco, including, it would seem, your Mister Cunningham.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cranston, I assume you have proof of your allegations against the Cunninghams?\u201d Judge Faraday asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely!\u201d Jack snapped out the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u00a0 I\u2019ve heard enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For Tobias, Judge Faraday\u2019s words, softly spoken, carried all the finality of the very last nail pounded into a coffin just before it is taken to the cemetery for burial.\u00a0 He collapsed into his chair with a dull thud.<\/span><\/p>\n

John, meanwhile, turned his attention to the babe\u2019s paternal grandmother.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Jarvis—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re about to ask me if I intend to raise my grandchild, the answer is yes, Your Honor,\u201d Abigail vehemently declared.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s all I have left now of my only son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMa\u2019am, I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever regarding your intention to raise your grandchild,\u201d the judge said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen what—?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was about to ask if you are able.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A puzzled frown deepened the lines already etched into the pale flesh covering her brow.\u00a0 \u201cAm I able?\u201d she repeated.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not sure I understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you physically able?\u201d John replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not a doctor, Mrs. Jarvis, but . . . if you\u2019ll excuse my bluntness, you, um . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t look well,\u201d Abigail voiced the words which John was unable, rendered so by decorum and good manners.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what you were trying to say, isn\u2019t it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo tell the truth, I\u2019ve NOT been well of late,\u201d she reluctantly confessed in a small, quiet voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut I . . . well, I have every reason to expect I\u2019ll be feeling better very soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d John replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Jarvis, I know you have three daughters, now grown with their own families.\u00a0 If, at some point, you find yourself physically unable to care for your grandson, would any of them be willing to adopt him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail closed her eyes and hung her head.\u00a0 \u201cI . . . it shames me to say this, Sir, but no.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid they\u2019re not,\u201d she replied, her voice filled with bitterness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Jarvis,\u201d John said.\u00a0 \u201cLadies and Gentlemen, I believe I have all the information I need to study the matter and in good time render a decision.\u00a0\u00a0 This hearing is adjourned until further notice.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He rose.\u00a0\u00a0 The others in the room, excluding Mrs. Jarvis, followed suit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDeputy Foster, if I might trouble you to return the McPhersons and myself to the convent?\u201d Mother Catherine asked, with one arm still firmly around Margaret\u2019s shoulders, though the younger woman\u2019s heart wrenching grief had finally begun to subside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo trouble at all, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Clem replied, then looked over toward Abigail.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Jarvis, I can see you back to the hotel, too, if you wish.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s on the way to the convent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Deputy,\u201d Abigail wearily accepted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI would appreciate that very much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gallantly held Abigail\u2019s chair as she rose, leaning heavily on the table before her for support.\u00a0 She felt horribly lightheaded as she stepped away from the table.\u00a0\u00a0 She closed her eyes, took a deep, ragged breath, then, with a soft moan, collapsed like a marionette, whose strings had just been cut.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben caught Abigail as she started to fall.\u00a0 \u201cElmer, see if you can catch Doctor Martin,\u201d he ordered, as he scooped up the unconscious woman in his arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Martins\u2019 home was a long, narrow townhouse, with two stories, a cellar, and an attic.\u00a0 The doctor\u2019s practice, which included his private office, examination room, and the small parlor that served as a waiting room, occupied the first floor, and their living quarters the second.\u00a0 The attic was divided into two rooms.\u00a0 The larger room served as their housekeeper\u2019s quarters, and the other as a storage room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday had gone straight to Paul Martin\u2019s office the minute he had received word that Mrs. Jarvis had taken ill.\u00a0 Hilda Mae politely greeted him at the door, and, after hanging his coat, hat, and scarf, on the brass coat tree to the left of the front door, showed him to the waiting room.\u00a0 The judge found Ben seated in one of the arm chairs, posture slouched, with arms folded across his chest, and head bowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d John ventured.\u00a0 \u201cAny word yet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben glanced up and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow is your daughter faring?\u201d John asked, as he took a seat in the middle of the Queen Anne settee facing the small, white painted brick fireplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s stiff and sore, with a shiner the color of an eggplant, but, thank the Lord, she\u2019s going to be fine,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m relieved to hear it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

A strained silence fell between the two men, once close friends.\u00a0 Though judge and rancher maintained a mutual respect for one another, their friendship had cooled in the ensuing years since the former\u2019s unsuccessful bid for the governor\u2019s chair.\u00a0 Ben\u2019s refusal to endorse John\u2019s candidacy was, in large part, due to the man running his campaign and backing him financially:\u00a0 Samuel Endicott, a wealthy businessman and politician, as corrupt as they come.<\/span><\/p>\n

John had withdrawn from the campaign upon realizing that everything Ben had said about Sam Endicott was true.\u00a0 Truth be known, he was very grateful he had learned about his campaign manager and benefactor before the man had even the slightest opportunity to use him to fatten his largesse, financially and in terms of political power, at the State of Nevada\u2019s expense.[xix]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

But the whole affair rankled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n

At that moment, Paul Martin stepped into the waiting room, looking grim.\u00a0 \u201cJudge Faraday!\u201d he exclaimed, mildly surprised, as Ben and John rose to their feet.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re here.\u00a0 It\u2019ll save me from having to send for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d John queried, with eyebrow slightly upraised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Jarvis is a very sick woman, I\u2019m afraid,\u201d Paul said quietly, as he crossed the room from the open door.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s severely anemic, and, from what she\u2019s told me, I suspect she has been so for quite a while.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying that Mrs. Jarvis is too ill to care for her grandson?\u201d John asked, as he and Ben resumed their seats.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve asked our housekeeper, Miss Graves, to send a wire to the doctor in Carson City,\u201d Paul explained.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll know more when I hear back from him, but as things stand now, it\u2019s a very real possibility that in the very near future, Mrs. Jarvis is going to have a difficult time looking after herself, let alone a baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for your candor, Doctor,\u201d the judge said, rising.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d appreciate it if you\u2019d see that I get the information from the Carson City doctor as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have it to you as soon as I can,\u201d Paul promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d John said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cIf you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to return to the court house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul,\u201d Ben ventured, \u201chave you sent word to Mrs. Jarvis\u2019 family about her taking ill?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0 \u201cShe begged me not to send for them.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to honor her wishes, for the time being at least.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs she ready to go back to the hotel?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to keep her overnight for observation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s agreed to this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a few errands to run, but I should be finished within an hour or so,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back to collect Stacy then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Ben.\u00a0 See you later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s first order of business was to pay Jubal Harkness\u2019 father, Ezra, a visit.\u00a0 Ezra\u2019s wife, the former Sarah Mae Smith, had died almost a year ago of malignant tumors in her bowels.\u00a0 On the one hand, Ben couldn\u2019t help but admire the passionate, single minded devotion by which Ezra had gently cared for his wife throughout the course of her long illness; but on the other hand . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . Ezra was so devoted to Sarah, he neglected his son,\u201d<\/em> Ben silently mused.\u00a0 Worse, after his wife died, Ezra had taken to drink to ease his grief, leaving Jubal alone to grieve and come to terms with his own loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a moment Ben felt an upwelling of pity for the boy, immediately followed by a pang of guilt upon remembering that Jubal was responsible for the bruising on his daughter\u2019s face and her eye being nearly swollen shut this morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reaching the Harkness homestead, Ben tethered Buck to the hitching post out front, then started toward the front door of the small, yet sturdy farmhouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He stopped upon hearing his name.\u00a0 Turning, he saw Ezra coming around the eastern corner of the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I heard someone ride up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ezra Harkness was of stocky build, standing roughly the same height as Ben\u2019s youngest son and tipping the scale at nearly two hundred pounds.\u00a0 Most of that mass was pure, iron hard muscle, honed from the years he had spent making his living by swinging a hammer for the railroad and, later, an ax felling trees for timber.\u00a0 He had a full head of sandy brown hair, disheveled and half falling in his face, thick eyebrows, which sheltered a pair of startling bright blue eyes, and a ragged three days\u2019 growth of facial hair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood afternoon, Ezra,\u201d Ben greeted him coldly.\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019s Jubal?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019d better damned sight be in school,\u201d Ezra replied, angry, yet very much on the defensive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019s NOT in school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe playing hooky?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben curtly shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been suspended along with my daughter and three others,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuspended?\u201d Ezra echoed.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyebrows came together, forming a near single, ragged line.\u00a0 \u201cWhat the hell do you mean he\u2019s been suspended?\u201d he demanded, his voice rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJubal was suspended for fighting in the schoolyard during lunch recess,\u201d Ben said curtly, \u201calong with my daughter, two of her friends, and Millicent Adams.\u201d\u00a0 He related to Ezra everything that Stacy had told him the day before.\u00a0 \u201cThe teacher sent a note home with everyone.\u00a0 Surely you saw it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t see any blamed note!\u201d Ezra vigorously denied it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben reached into the left hand pocket of his jacket and pulled out the note Miss Johnson had delivered the evening before, and wordlessly handed it to Ezra.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDamn!\u00a0 I knew that gal was gonna be trouble!\u201d Ezra muttered, after he had read over the note twice.\u00a0 He refolded it, then handed it back to Ben.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said, his voice a mixture of anger and guilt.\u00a0 \u201cYou, um . . . gonna have him jailed?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve thought about it,\u201d Ben admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ezra sighed.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe I\u2019M the one you ought to have jailed,\u201d he said contritely.\u00a0 \u201cJubal\u2019s been running wild since his ma took sick, and I did nothing to stop him.\u00a0 It shames me to admit this, Ben, but I . . . I couldn\u2019t look after Sarah \u2018n ride herd on Jubal, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Ezra . . . only too well,\u201d Ben said, wincing against a pang of guilt as he remembered again that very dark time in his own life, and his sons\u2019 lives, too, after Marie was so suddenly taken from them.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you want me to do about Jubal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I\u2019ve got no right to ask this, but I want you to leave Jubal to me,\u201d Ezra said very quietly, with determination.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve not been much of a father for the last three years, and I\u2019m thinking it\u2019s about time I changed that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Ezra,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll leave him in your hands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After leaving the Harkness farm, Ben returned to Virginia City and headed straight to the First Mercantile Bank of Virginia City, of which Seth Adams, Millicent\u2019s father, was president.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPA!\u00a0 HEY, PA!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben glanced up sharply and spotted his youngest son running down the board walk, pausing here and there to dodge passers-by heading in the opposite direction.\u00a0 He quickly tethered Buck to the hitching post outside the bank, stepped up onto the board walk, and moved to meet Joe half way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Joe?\u201d Ben asked, when they met.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Martin just got an answer to that wire he sent to the doc in Carson City,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0 \u201cLong story short . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . it\u2019s my considered opinion that Mrs. Jarvis is dying,\u201d Paul Martin somberly told the assembly gathered in his office, which included the Cartwright men, Jack Cranston, and Judge Faraday.\u00a0 \u201cIn his reply to my wire, Neil . . . Doctor Grossmann . . . told me that he has been treating her for severe anemia off and on for the better part of the last couple of years or so.\u00a0 She stabilized about seven months ago, then, all of a sudden, took a sharp turn for the worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDear God,\u201d Ben murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201cDoes she know?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNot that I\u2019m aware,\u201d he replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m holding off until I receive her medical records, which Doctor Grossmann\u2019s sending by messenger.\u00a0 I want to compare the results of the blood count I took a short while ago to previous counts to make certain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she doing now, Doc?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, she\u2019s resting comfortably upstairs in our guest room.\u201d\u00a0 Paul half smiled.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Graves, Lily, and Stacy are, at this moment, trying to ply her with some chicken soup.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope Stacy\u2019s not making a nuisance of herself,\u201d Ben remarked with a frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo need to worry on that score, Ben,\u201d Paul immediately reassured with a broad grin.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Jarvis seems to be enjoying the attention.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin, if it turns out that Mrs. Jarvis is, indeed, dying . . . how much time does she have?\u201d Judge Faraday asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say, Your Honor,\u201d Paul replied.\u00a0 \u201cIf what I<\/strong> suspect is true . . . then at best, she might have six months to a year.\u00a0 At worst . . . three, maybe four months.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Doctor,\u201d the judge said very quietly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to review all of the testimony, of course, but barring any more new revelation, I\u2019ll give my decision Monday morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben decided to hold off speaking to Seth Adams until after that meeting with the school teacher and the other parents.\u00a0 He rented a horse and buggy from Tony Grainger\u2019s livery stable, and, while he settled up with the proprietor, Stacy hitched their horses, Buck and Blaze Face, to the back of the conveyance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Stacy ventured, as they set off down the road toward home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you decide what we\u2019re going to do about Jubal Harkness and Millicent Adams?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben quietly shared Jubal\u2019s circumstances during the years his mother was ill, and the year following Mrs. Harkness\u2019 death with his daughter.\u00a0 \u201cNow mind, Young Woman, none of that excuses Jubal\u2019s actions or his father\u2019s neglect,\u201d he continued, \u201cbut after talking with Mister Harkness earlier this morning, I\u2019m of the mind they deserve another chance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy recalled the circumstances surrounding her mother\u2019s death, and the dark days following, during which Pa had emotionally withdrawn from her and her brothers.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t recall a time, before or since, when she had felt so dreadfully empty inside or so utterly alone.\u00a0 That time, mercifully, was very short.\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d she ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think maybe Jubal and his father deserve a second chance, too,\u201d she said, then changed the subject.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about Mrs. Jarvis?\u201d she asked.\u00a0 \u201cIs she going to be able to take care of our Li\u2019l One?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben took due note of the anxious frown on her face.\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d he responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not well, Pa,\u201d Stacy said bluntly.\u00a0 \u201cHer face is so pale . . . not like Mrs. Wilkens, who\u2019s mostly inside, but pale like someone who\u2019s been sick.\u00a0 She also gets very tired whenever she does the least little thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very perceptive, Young Woman.\u00a0 Mrs. Jarvis has been ill for quite a while,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Martin said he has an idea as to what might be ailing Mrs. Jarvis, but won\u2019t know for certain until he gets more information from her doctor in Carson City.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it turns out that Mrs. Jarvis isn\u2019t able to take care of Li\u2019l One . . . does that mean Judge Faraday will have to give custody to Cara\u2019s father?\u201d Stacy asked, horrified by the very thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a feeling we don\u2019t have to worry about that,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 As he shared with his daughter everything that had come out during the course of the hearing the day before, his first inclination was to withhold the part about the couple Tobias had arranged to adopt his grandson having bad blood, and that the husband had passed the disease on to Margaret McPherson.\u00a0 Instead, he took a deep breath, and shared that with her as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy silently reflected upon everything her father had just told her.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you don\u2019t think me horrible for saying this, Pa,\u201d she quietly ventured, at length.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry the couple Mister Lindsay arranged to adopt Li\u2019l One have the bad blood, but, at the same time, I can\u2019t help but feel relieved because it means Judge Faraday probably won\u2019t let him have custody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Stacy, I don\u2019t think you\u2019re horrible,\u201d Ben gently reassured her.\u00a0 \u201cI feel the same way, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going to happen to Li\u2019l One if it turns out that Mrs. Jarvis can\u2019t take care of him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think there might be a good chance Judge Faraday will let us have custody,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cAfter all, his mother entrusted him to us when she left him at our kitchen door.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if he doesn\u2019t?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll formally petition for custody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A half-smile tweaked at the corner of her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, it might be kinda nice to have a baby around the house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0 \u201cIt might at that,\u201d he agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Sister Anne . . . I mean Miss McPherson?\u201d Stacy asked, her smile fading.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s going to happen to her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, I\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Surrendering to what he knew to be the inevitable, Tobias Lindsay withdrew his petition for custody of the baby his daughter had left at the Cartwrights\u2019 kitchen door.\u00a0 Jack Cranston agreed to provide him proof that the Cunninghams were, in fact, infected with the bad blood in exchange for his dropping all charges against Paul Klein and Margaret McPherson for removing Cara from the hospital.\u00a0 Having that evidence in hand, Tobias figured he stood an excellent chance of making a deal with the Cunninghams, should they decide to sue him for failing to deliver his daughter\u2019s baby.\u00a0 Their peers would cut them dead socially if the nature of the disease both of them carried became public knowledge.\u00a0 The money they had already paid him for delivery of his daughter\u2019s baby would be a very small price to pay for his silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following morning, Tobias Lindsay, shook the proverbial dust of Virginia City from his boots, and caught the first stage bound for Carson City, and left without looking back.\u00a0 Upon his return home, he planned to sell all of his assets and move on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where?<\/span><\/p>\n

He had no idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just somewhere . . . ANY where . . . in which no one had ever heard of Virginia City, the Cartwrights, or of a young lawyer, who, in a very real way, had died in the same street accident that claimed his wife all those years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later that morning, as Tobias Lindsay waited to board the stage for his return trip to Carson City, a passenger disembarked, carrying an overnight brown leather valise.\u00a0 He walked over to the ticket counter, then, after asking one Hiram Peabody directions, set out for Doctor Martin\u2019s home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes? May I help you?\u201d Hilda Mae Graves responded to the man standing on the Martins\u2019 front stoop.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCletus Taft, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he replied, touching the rim of his bowler.\u00a0 \u201cI have information from Doctor Grossman concerning one of his patients for Doctor Martin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been expecting you.\u00a0 Please, come in.\u201d\u00a0 Hilda Mae stepped aside, allowing Cletus to enter.\u00a0 After showing him to the waiting room, she went upstairs to fetch the doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he read over the information sent by Abigail Jarvis\u2019 physician, Paul Martin found, much to his sorrow, that his suspicions were confirmed.\u00a0 Mrs. Jarvis\u2019 white blood cell count, taken the day before, was significantly higher than the last count taken by Doctor Grossman a month ago.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She had leucocythemia, also known as white blood,[xx]<\/a> a disease for which there was no cure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail fell silent for what seemed to Paul Martin a horrible eternity after he had given her the grim prognosis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin?\u201d she finally ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Jarvis?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long do I have?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s difficult to say for certain,\u201d Paul hedged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen given me a rough estimate,\u201d Abigail pressed.\u00a0 \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul closed his eyes and took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cGiven the information sent to me by Doctor Grossman and the blood sample I saw under the microscope yesterday . . . I would estimate between six to nine months,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut I remind you that\u2019s a very rough guess.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Doctor.\u00a0 I appreciate your candor,\u201d Abigail responded with all sincerity, then sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI guess this means Judge Faraday won\u2019t grant me custody of Gabe\u2019s son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul reluctantly shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very sorry, Mrs. Jarvis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose I can take a measure of comfort in knowing that I\u2019ll likely be seeing my son again before the year is out,\u201d she wryly observed.\u00a0 \u201cDoes this mean that the judge will grant custody to Mister Lindsay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say for certain, Mrs. Jarvis, but I have a feeling that the answer to your question might be no.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail leaned back into the mound of pillows behind her head, and closed her eyes.\u00a0 Thinking that she had fallen asleep, Paul quietly rose from the chair beside her bed, intending to leave the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin?\u201d she murmured softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan I trouble you to send a wire to my daughter, Annabelle Carter, in Carson City?\u201d Abigail asked.\u00a0 \u201cPlease tell her that I\u2019ve taken ill.\u00a0 We can tell her the rest when she comes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo trouble at all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul went straight to the telegraph office after his conversation with Abigail concerning her physical state.\u00a0 He sent a wire informing Mrs. Jarvis\u2019 daughter that her mother had suddenly taken ill, and wired her the money needed to purchase a round trip ticket to Virginia City.<\/span><\/p>\n

After due consideration, Judge Faraday decided to publically announce his decision.\u00a0 He felt he owed that to Ben Cartwright.\u00a0 Abigail Jarvis, may God bless her, was too frail to shoulder the additional stress brought to bear by Della Mae Wyatt and others, as they acted upon their belief that Tobias Lindsay would have been terribly wronged if custody of his grandson was denied him.\u00a0 Ben knew that and chose not to let it be generally known that he had actually withdrawn his petition for custody in favor of Mrs. Jarvis, despite the harassment, he and his family had endured from people, some of whom the Cartwrights had considered to be good friends, least wise up until now.<\/span><\/p>\n

John asked Elmer McFarlane to issue summons for the Devlins, Seth Adams, his wife, and daughter, Della Mae Wyatt, the Greeleys, Miss Mudgely, and his housekeeper, among others, to appear in court.\u00a0 When asked to enforce those summons, Sheriff Coffee smiled and said, with perverse relish, that it would be his pleasure to ensure compliance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Court convened the following Monday morning, promptly at ten o\u2019clock.\u00a0 The room was packed.\u00a0 Those unable to find a seat or a place to stand milled around outside.\u00a0 Judge Faraday\u2019s \u201cinvited guests\u201d filled the first few rows to the left of the entrance into the court room.\u00a0 The Cartwright family, Ben, his sons, and daughter, sat in the first row on the right side of the room, with Jack Cranston, Elmer McFarlane, and Paul Martin.\u00a0 The McPhersons, Mother Catherine Gibson, Father Brendan Rutherford, and Paul Klein sat in the row behind.\u00a0 The remaining seats and the standing room in the back were taken up by friends and supporters of those involved, along with the morbidly curious.\u00a0 Tobias Lindsay had left town day before yesterday, much to Judge Faraday\u2019s relief, and Abigail Jarvis was resting comfortably in the Martins\u2019 guest room, with her daughter, Annabelle, at her side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll rise,\u201d Sheriff Coffee bellowed at two minutes past the hour.\u00a0 \u201cThis hearing to determine custody o\u2019 the baby left at the Cartwrights\u2019 kitchen door is now in session with Judge John Faraday presiding.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Those gathered in the courtroom, who\u2019d had the good fortune to find seats, rose to their feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

John entered the room, clad in the black robe of his office, and took his place behind the judge\u2019s bench.\u00a0 \u201cYou may be seated,\u201d he said in a somber tone.\u00a0 He waited until everyone had resumed their respective seats, then turned his attention to the people present at his behest.\u00a0 \u201cDuring the course of this custody hearing, a lot of rumors and gossip have been circulating around town besmirching the integrity and character of some of the principals involved in this case.\u00a0 I intend to use this opportunity to set matters straight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Faraday\u2019s words set off a flurry of loud chattering among those seated in the first rows on the left side of the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

John tapped his gavel three times, then called for order.\u00a0 \u201cBy this time, every last one of you is well aware that a month ago now, Mister Lindsay\u2019s daughter, Cara, left her baby at the Cartwrights\u2019 kitchen door,\u201d he began, once everyone in the room had quieted, and returned their attention to him.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Lindsay died not long after of exposure to the elements and a grievous wound to her leg that had become gangrenous.\u00a0 The father of her child, Mister Gabriel Jarvis, died sometime last fall in a street accident back east.\u00a0 The babe\u2019s next of kin, Mister Lindsay, his maternal grandfather, and Mrs. Jarvis, his paternal grandmother, sued for custody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Della Mae immediately leapt to her feet.\u00a0 \u201cWHAT?!\u201d she shrieked.\u00a0 With eyes fixed on the judge\u2019s face, she half turned and thrust her arm and accusing finger at Ben.\u00a0 \u201cI thought Mister Cartwright—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI DID sue for custody initially, Mrs. Wyatt,\u201d Ben said, \u201cbut I withdrew my petition when I found out that Mrs. Jarvis intended to sue for custody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, for heaven\u2019s sake, why didn\u2019t you say so?\u201d Janet Greely angrily demanded, as she turned and glared at Ben square in the face, without flinching, her cheeks flushed scarlet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if we HAD said so, Mrs. Greeley?\u201d Joe returned, as he rose to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cWould you, Mrs. Wyatt, and everyone else have hounded her the way you hounded my father?\u201d\u00a0 He, then turned and glared murderously at Millicent Adams, seated primly between her parents on the other side of the room.\u00a0 \u201cAnd YOU, Miss Adams . . . would you have asked Jubal Harkness to pin HER arms so you could beat her within an inch of her life the way you did my sister?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Millicent arrogantly tossed her head, then pointedly turned away.\u00a0 Janet Greeley resumed her seat, and fixed her gaze upon her gloved hands resting in her lap.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I remember the Jarvis family very well,\u201d Della Mae said, \u201cand I\u2019m sorry . . . truly, I am, about the passing of her son, but as tragic as his death may be, the fact remains she has three grown daughters, and many grandchildren.\u00a0 Am I right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, poor Mister Lindsay has no one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and poor Mister Lindsay has no one but himself to blame for that,\u201d Paul Martin said curtly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Della Mae gasped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow DARE you, Doctor Martin!\u201d Audrey Schmidt severely admonished the sawbones.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you remember the day Mrs. Lindsay was killed out there in the street?\u201d Paul queried, pointing toward the windows lining the left side of the courtroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I do,\u201d Audrey answered brusquely.\u00a0 \u201cI was in town that day and saw it happen.\u00a0 What of it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen you surely must remember what happened after,\u201d the doctor pressed, addressing her as he might an obstinate four year old, with whom any kind of reasoning was impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Audrey scowled, but held her tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTobias . . . Mister Lindsay blamed his daughter for his wife\u2019s death,\u201d Paul angrily continued.\u00a0 \u201cWhen he wasn\u2019t neglecting that poor child, he was beating her within an inch of her life for things she didn\u2019t even do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know all that,\u201d Audrey sneered.\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay also took heavily to the drink.\u00a0 I know that, too.\u00a0 ALL of us . . . . \u201d she spread her arms, taking in everyone gathered in the courtroom \u201c. . . knew it.\u00a0 But why dredge all that up now, Doctor?\u00a0 That was what?\u00a0 Five years ago?\u00a0 Six?\u00a0 Plenty of time for a man to mend his ways, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lindsay stopped drinking,\u201d Paul admitted, his complexion ruddier than was his norm.\u00a0 \u201cI give him that, but I have my doubts as to whether he stopped blaming his daughter for what happened.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy rose, and politely raised her hand, same as she would had she been in class with Miss Johnson presiding from the front of the room.\u00a0 \u201cYour Honor, may I<\/strong> say something?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course, Miss Cartwright,\u201d John immediately gave his permission.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Pa and I went to the hospital to see Cara?\u201d she began.\u00a0 \u201cWe talked about how her mother died, and Pa told her that none of it was her fault.\u00a0 It was a tragic accident.\u00a0 She told Pa and me that no one else had ever told her that before.\u00a0 That makes ME think Pa\u2019s right.\u00a0 Mister Lindsay never stopped blaming Cara for her mother\u2019s death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what he told Mrs. Adams and me,\u201d Clara Mudgely insisted, as she turned in her seat and glared over at Stacy.\u00a0 \u201cHas it not occurred to you, Young Lady, that maybe his daughter was lying?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Stacy replied through clenched teeth.\u00a0 Angered by Miss Mudgely\u2019s form of address, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to count to ten.\u00a0 She barely made it to five.\u00a0 \u201cHas it not occurred to YOU, Miss Mudgely, that maybe Mister Lindsay was lying to get custody of Cara\u2019s baby so he could take him out to San Francisco and sell him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Kid, I think you\u2019d better sit down now,\u201d Joe said just loud enough to be heard over the din of angry voices that his sister\u2019s words provoked.\u00a0 Truth be known, he was proud of her for speaking her mind, not caring whether or not his pride was appropriate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacy sat down, still seething.<\/span><\/p>\n

John banged his gavel down hard against the bench three times in rapid succession.\u00a0 \u201cORDER!\u201d he yelled to make himself heard above the rising buzz of angry voices.\u00a0 \u201cI WILL HAVE ORDER!\u201d\u00a0 He banged his gavel again.\u00a0 \u201cORDER!\u201d he shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

The people began to quiet themselves, and one by one resumed their seats.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnymore outbursts like that, and I\u2019ll ask Sheriff Coffee to clear the courtroom of everyone but those directly involved in this case,\u201d John said sternly.\u00a0 \u201cDo I make myself clear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

People nodded their heads and murmured ascent to the judge\u2019s ultimatum.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor?\u201d John Devlin ventured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Devlin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe thought . . . I mean the very idea of a man like Mister Lindsay peddling his grandson\u2019s flesh,\u201d John stammered.\u00a0 \u201cIt can\u2019t possibly be true . . . can it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to depositions from Miss McPherson, Mother Gibson, Mister Cartwright and his daughter, Cara Lindsay did accuse her father of that,\u201d John replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe ravings of a spiteful young girl!\u201d Della Mae declared with an emphatic nod of her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps,\u201d the judge allowed.\u00a0 \u201cHowever, Mister Lindsay himself admitted that he had not the means to properly raise his grandson, and that he had arranged with a couple in San Francisco, who are wealthy but childless, to adopt the babe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Audible gasps of shock were heard from the people Judge Faraday had summoned to this hearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what he told US,\u201d Clara Mudgely insisted sotto voce.\u00a0 Della Mae and Audrey pointedly ignored her.<\/span><\/p>\n

John held up his hand, calling again for silence.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a common practice for adoptive parents to engage a lawyer to handle the arrangements and pay him a fee for his services,\u201d he continued, after everyone had quieted.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all perfectly legal and above board.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe LIED to us,\u201d Clara murmured, horrified, her face beet red with shame.\u00a0 \u201cMister Lindsay lied to us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf he led you and Mrs. Adams to believe that he intended to raise his grandson, then yes.\u00a0 He lied,\u201d John replied.\u00a0 \u201cIt may also interest you to know, Miss Mudgely, that the couple Mister Lindsay arranged to adopt his grandson have been found to be unfit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Clara very quickly shifted from deep shame to intense interest upon hearing the judge\u2019s pronouncement, a fact not lost on the judge or anyone else acquainted with the church organist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn any case, Mister Lindsay withdrew his petition for custody, and left early this morning for Carson City,\u201d John Faraday replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Mrs. Jarvis, Your Honor?\u201d Jack Cranston asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Jarvis is not a well woman, I\u2019m afraid,\u201d John said with sadness.\u00a0 \u201cShe collapsed at the end of our last session, and for now is with one of her daughters at the Martins\u2019 home.\u00a0 Though she had every intention of raising the child, she is unable to do so physically; nor does the rest of her family have sufficient means to adopt and raise the babe.\u00a0 She, too, has withdrawn her petition for custody.\u201d\u00a0 He paused briefly, then turned to Ben.\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, do you wish to renew YOUR petition for custody?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben immediately replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen custody is immediately granted to Mister Benjamin Cartwright,\u201d John stated, weary and heartily grateful this custody case was finally settled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Audrey Schmidt slunk out of the courtroom, with shoulders hunched, head bowed, vowing over and over that she would never, ever, not until certain nether regions known for very warm temperatures were hit by a deep freeze, give credence to anything that issued forth from Clara Mudgely\u2019s mouth.\u00a0 Della Mae shot right out of her chair and began to rudely push her way past people now milling in the aisle, talking among themselves, with her daughter, Portia following meekly in her wake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The elder Cartwright turned and found Enoch Greeley standing at his elbow, looking grim.\u00a0 His hand was clasped firmly around his wife\u2019s wrist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife has something to say to you and your family,\u201d Enoch said.\u00a0 He turned and glared over at his wife, standing beside him with head bowed, and eyes fixed to the floor.\u00a0 \u201cJanet!\u201d he prompted when she didn\u2019t immediately speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

Janet swallowed nervously, then slowly, reluctantly raised her head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she meekly apologized.\u00a0 \u201cI honestly thought Mister Lindsay was about to suffer a terrible injustice, but I was wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned to his two younger sons and his daughter.\u00a0 \u201cApology accepted?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cApology accepted, Pa,\u201d Joe said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too,\u201d Stacy replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll make it unanimous,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0 He, then, held out his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a tremulous smile, Janet shook Ben\u2019s hand, then followed suit with Joe, Hoss, and Stacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ben,\u201d Enoch said with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cJanet,\u201d he continued, turning to his wife, \u201clet\u2019s go home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She nodded, uncharacteristically subdued for the moment.\u00a0 There was no doubt in Ben\u2019s mind that she would revert to her pragmatic, outspoken nature before long.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno know \u2018bout you Li\u2019l Sister \u2018n Baby Brother, but I\u2019m ready to head for home,\u201d Hoss declared with a tired smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too,\u201d Stacy heartily agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe three!\u201d Joe quipped, then turned to his father.\u00a0 \u201cHow about you, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need to speak to Mister Milburn about drawing up the papers that will make Judge Faraday\u2019s decision to grant me custody of the Li\u2019l One legal and binding,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cTell you what . . . suppose you three . . . and you, too, Jack,\u201d head on over to the C Street Caf\u00e9,\u201d Ben suggested.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be along directly.\u00a0 We can have a nice lunch, then head for home.\u00a0 How\u2019s that sound?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds great, Pa,\u201d Joe replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, may I have a private word before you see Mister Milburn?\u201d Jack asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Jack,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s on your mind?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m out of line, please say so,\u201d Jack said, \u201cbut suppose I told you that I know of a wonderful young couple, not wealthy, but well to do, who aren\u2019t able to have children and would dearly love to adopt your Li\u2019l One?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben mulled over Jack\u2019s question for a moment.\u00a0 He certainly had the means to provide for the Li\u2019l One entrusted to him by his desperate mother, but thinking in practical terms . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaring for and raising a child is a full time job in and of itself,\u201d<\/em> Ben silently remembered, wondering, for a moment how he had managed to raise three healthy, rambunctious boys alone, without benefit of a mother, while working hard to build the Ponderosa into what it was today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth was, neither he nor Hop Sing were getting any younger.\u00a0 Though legally, Stacy was still considered a minor, in a couple of years, she, too, would reach the age of majority.\u00a0 Was he really up to raising another child at this point in his life?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho do you have in mind, Jack?\u201d Ben finally asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s brother-in-law and his wife,\u201d Jack replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiguel and Elena?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 Jack shared with Ben everything that Adam had told him about the baby Elena had recently brought into the world only to watch him die a few moments later, and of her wish to adopt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur Li\u2019l One would be best off with a loving father and mother,\u201d Ben mused aloud, \u201cand I\u2019ve met Miguel and Elena a few times when I stopped to visit Adam and Teresa.\u00a0 They\u2019re wonderful people, and they\u2019re very good with Benjy and Dio.\u00a0 Jack?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou g\u2019won to the C Street Caf\u00e9.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be along just as soon as I get a wire off to Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Epilogue <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The baptism of the infant, affectionately known to the Cartwrights as Li\u2019l One, took place in the privacy of the small chapel in the elder di Cordovas\u2019 home.\u00a0 The mid-morning sun shone through the many pieces of brightly colored stained glass in the rose window above the altar, scattering a wide array of colored light across the altar, to the floor, and to the baptismal font placed in the very center of the small room.\u00a0 Thirty people were in attendance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The simply designed altar, and font as well, were remarkably beautiful with their clean, austere lines.\u00a0 Both were hewn from the plain wood of a red oak tree, and covered with a fixed oil varnish that enhanced the natural color of the wood.\u00a0 A white Irish linen runner covered the altar.\u00a0 Placed in the center was an unadorned triptych, depicting Christ as the good shepherd on the center panel, and on the right and left panels the saints, whose names Eduardo and Dolores had taken when they were confirmed into the Roman Catholic Church many years ago.\u00a0 Two burning candles flanked the triptych.<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Domenic Alverez stood before the font facing the half circle of family and close friends with the babe cradled in the crook of his left arm.\u00a0 The parents, Miguel and Elena de Cordova, stood to Father Alverez\u2019s right, their faces shining with joy and happiness.\u00a0 To the priest\u2019s left stood the godparents, Mateo Navarro, Elena\u2019s brother, and his wife, Lucinda.\u00a0 Their children, Rosalia, Sophia, and Emmanuel, aged respectively ten, seven, and thirteen years old stood, solemnly with their parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cName this child,\u201d Father Domenic said softly, as he turned expectantly toward the baby\u2019s godparents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe give this child the name his parents have chosen for him,\u201d Mateo said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNicolas Alejandro, for our father . . . Elena\u2019s and mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNicolas Alejandro de Cordova, ego te baptize in nomine Patris . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The baby, who, up until that very moment had lain peacefully cradled in the priest\u2019s arm, gasped as the cool water, thus far administered in the name of God the Father, slid down the back of his head; then let out a lusty wail.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elena, driven by maternal instinct, stepped toward the priest and her new son.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Elena,\u201d Miguel whispered softly, as he placed a gentle, yet firm restraining hand on her shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cOur son will be quite the orator when he grows up.\u201d\u00a0 This last he added with a proud smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot in the middle of the Mass, he won\u2019t,\u201d Elena tartly responded.\u00a0 \u201cI will see to that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiling, Father Domenic, meanwhile, gently quieted the baby.\u00a0 \u201c. . . et Filii,\u201d he resumed, \u201cet Spiritus Sancti.\u201d\u00a0 This time, he dipped a white handkerchief into the water and touched it to the infant\u2019s head, as he named the Son and the Holy Spirit, the last two members of the Triune God, in whom he, and most of those gathered, believed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The priest turned and approached the altar, with the babe, Nicolas, still cradled in the crook of his arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Domenic picked up the white candle lying before the triptych, and raised it to the flame of the candle to his right.\u00a0 After lighting the candle, he returned to his place before the baptismal font.\u00a0 There, the priest handed the candle to Miguel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNicholas Alejandro,\u201d Father Domenic said, turning his attention to the baby, \u201caccipe lampadem ardentem, et irreprehensibilis custodi Baptismum tuum: serva Dei mandata ut cum Dominus venerit ad nuptias, possis occurrere ei una cum omnibus Sanctis in aula caelesti, habeasque vitam aeternam, et vivas in saecula saeculorum.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReceive this burning candle as a reminder to keep your baptismal innocence.\u00a0 Obey God’s commandments, so that when our Lord comes for the joyous wedding feast you may go forth to meet Him with all the saints in the halls of heaven, and be happy with Him forevermore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d those assembled responded in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n

Father Domenic returned the baby to the arms of his mother, then turned to address those gathered.\u00a0 \u201cVade in pace et Dominus sit tecum,\u201d he said, bringing the rite to its conclusion.\u00a0 \u201cGo in peace and the Lord be with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After the final amen, everyone congregated around the new parents to admire the baby and offer their best wishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSen\u00f5r Cartwright, Elena and I want to thank you and Adam\u2019s friend, Sen\u00f5r Cranston, for thinking of us,\u201d Miguel said with heartfelt gratitude as he shook Ben\u2019s hand.\u00a0 He cast a sidelong glance over toward his wife, standing a few feet away, in animated conversation with their goddaughter, Gabriella, and her mother, who had grown up with Elena and, over the years, had remained close friends.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a long time since I\u2019ve seen her so radiantly happy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and I\u2019m grateful you and your wife agreed to adopt him,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cI know that you\u2019ll both be wonderful parents to him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sir,\u201d Miguel responded, proud and very pleased that a man such as Adam\u2019s father held so much confidence in him and his wife.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, meanwhile, wandered over to Elena and the baby, now standing with her mother-in-law, Dolores, and her own mother, Luca Navarro.\u00a0 After offering heartfelt congratulations on becoming a mother and for the baby\u2019s baptism, he gazed affectionately down at the little one who had been left at the Cartwright\u2019s back door as winter had begun her changeover to spring.\u00a0 \u201cNow you be good for your ma \u2018n pa, Li\u2019l One, \u2018n mind what they say,\u201d he murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Cause if ya don\u2019t, well, you\u2019re gonna hafta answer t\u2019 Uncle Hoss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiguel and I expect you to stop in to check up on him now and again,\u201d Elena said.\u00a0 \u201cThat goes for the rest of your family, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou bet we will,\u201d Hoss solemnly promised.\u00a0 \u201cY\u2019 know?\u00a0 I\u2019m gonna miss that li\u2019l one somethin\u2019 fierce.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes \u2018m?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe quilt that your father sent with our baby . . . it\u2019s so lovely,\u201d Elena said, \u201cand I can see that a lot of love went into its making.\u00a0 Any idea as to where it came from and who might\u2019ve made it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLi\u2019l One . . . Li\u2019l Nicholas, that is, was wrapped up in that quilt when Pa found him lyin\u2019 in a basket by our kitchen door,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure Mrs. Lindsay made it.\u00a0 She was real good with needle \u2018n thread.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she was,\u201d Elena agreed.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a small quilt, just the right size for a child.\u00a0 I wonder if Mrs. Lindsay made it for her own child.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould very well be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that poor child,\u201d Elena murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t begin to imagine how she must\u2019ve felt . . . so desperate . . . so frightened . . . and so horribly alone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not anymore,\u201d Hoss said with quiet conviction.\u00a0 \u201cCara\u2019s in heaven now with her own ma \u2018n Gabe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe young man who fathered this child?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll say a prayer and light a candle for all three of them when we go to Mass on Sunday,\u201d Elena promised.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very sorry that Cara and Gabe are no longer with us, but at the same time, I\u2019m grateful for this gift with which they . . . and your father as well . . . have blessed Miguel and me.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled down at the babe lying in her arms, who had just fallen asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 know?\u00a0 I like t\u2019 think that maybe Cara, \u2018n Gabe are grateful, too, from their place in heaven, \u2018cause the babe they\u2019ve given life to, is in very good hands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and maybe my father looks down on his namesake from heaven, too,\u201d Elena said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t surprise me none if he was,\u201d Hoss agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Dolores\u2019 urgent prompting, Eduardo cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cLadies and Gentlemen,\u201d he began, raising his voice so to be heard over the many conversations going on at the same time, \u201cmy wife and I have had a repast prepared for everyone . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The de Cordovas\u2019 great room was bedecked with white flowered garlands interlaced with blue silk ribbons.\u00a0 A sign, neatly lettered in cursive by Adam\u2019s son, Benjy Cartwright, read, \u201cWelcome Home, Nicholas.\u201d\u00a0 It had been set in the place of honor in the middle of the fireplace mantle, flanked on either side by two matching ceramic vases filled with white, blue, and yellow flowers.\u00a0 The letters were a bright royal blue, surrounded by a frame of white and yellow flowers, drawn by Elena, and meticulously painted by Miguel and Dio.<\/span><\/p>\n

The living room furniture, divan, settee, three easy chairs, coffee table, and three end tables were arranged in a rough semi-circle in the center of the room.\u00a0 Miguel, Elena, and Nicholas, were escorted to the settee, which had been designated place of honor by a chain made of blue paper, to which was attached cutouts of babies, rattles, lettered blocks, horses, and toy soldiers.\u00a0 Elena carefully placed her sleeping child in a cradle, designed by Adam and crafted by Hoss.\u00a0 It was made of ponderosa pine, stained cherry, and covered by a protective coat of clear varnish.<\/span><\/p>\n

The long table had been taken from the de Cordovas\u2019 formal dining room, and placed against the wall perpendicular to the same into which the fireplace, had been set.\u00a0 It was covered with a white Irish linen table cloth.\u00a0 Serving plates from Dolores\u2019 good china cabinet were stacked at one end of the table, along with napkins, and sterling silver cutlery.\u00a0 A marble half-sheet cake occupied the center of the table, and had been placed on a slightly raised stand for everyone to admire.\u00a0 It was covered with white icing, and tiny roses of blue and yellow on a bed of green leaves ringed the edge of the cake.\u00a0 In the center, the inscription, written in blue icing, read:\u00a0 Nicholas Anthony de Cordova Baptized, with the date given.\u00a0 There also were several large cut glass platters heaped generously with small, fancy tea sandwiches of cucumber, chicken, ham, roast beef, and egg salad; three smaller serving plates with apple and orange slices, sugar cookies, and Pettit fours.\u00a0 A large bowl of punch, Dolores\u2019 special recipe known only to herself, had been placed at the other end of the table, with thirty matching punch cups neatly arranged.<\/span><\/p>\n

After Father Domenic gave thanks for the repast, Adam\u2019s wife, Teresa, and Lucinda Navarro, the baby\u2019s godmother served Miguel and Elena from the enormous banquet table.\u00a0 The others very quickly formed a line, children first, then the adults, and began to serve themselves.\u00a0 The Cartwrights, Adam, Teresa, their son, Benjy, Ben, and Hoss found a corner together, after helping themselves from the buffet.\u00a0 Dio had run off to join some of her cousins.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I can\u2019t believe you left Joe and Stacy to hold down the fort,\u201d Adam teased, as they began to eat.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure you remember what happened the first time you left Joe in charge.\u201d[xxi]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI try not to,\u201d Ben dryly retorted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs that the time he and Hoss over here robbed a bank?\u201d Teresa asked with a saucy grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Hoss!\u201d Benjy exclaimed, his dark brown eyes round with astonishment.\u00a0 \u201cDid you and Uncle Joe really rob a bank?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Hoss replied with a smile, \u201cbut it was for a good cause.\u201d\u00a0 He flinched away from Ben\u2019s withering glare, much to Adam\u2019s amusement, then added, \u201cI\u2019ll tell you \u2018n your sister all about it tonight after supper.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt any rate,\u201d Ben said, \u201cwe had to leave Stacy home because at this point, she can\u2019t afford to miss any more school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I remember you telling me terribly ill she was,\u201d Adam responded, sobering.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and Hoss had the good luck of drawing the short straw,\u201d Ben continued, \u201cthough I could\u2019ve sworn JOE had drawn the short straw.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe did, Pa,\u201d Hoss confessed with a chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben frowned.\u00a0 \u201cThen how—?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI ended up with the short straw after I chewed off about an inch or so,\u201d Hoss confessed, not the least bit remorseful.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed out loud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u00a0 Mister Hoss!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss turned, and found Juan Mendez standing at his elbow.\u00a0 His sons, Ramon and Joachim and Adam\u2019s daughter, Dio, clustered around him looking on expectantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe you owe me a rematch, Amigo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPapa anticipated this,\u201d Teresa said with a broad grin as she rose to her feet.\u00a0 \u201cEverything\u2019s all set up in the horseshoe pit out back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTen dollars on Mister Mendez\u2019s nose,\u201d Eduardo declared as he approached his Cartwright in-laws.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, will you keep track?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u00a0 I\u2019ve come prepared,\u201d Adam replied as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, and withdrew a small pad of paper and a sharpened pencil.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTen dollars on Hoss!\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 He looked over at Juan and grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you don\u2019t take this personally, Mister Mendez, but, as they say blood is thicker than water.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo offense taken, Sen\u00f5r,\u201d Juan retorted good naturedly, his eyes sparkling with mischief, \u201cjust YOU remember that a fool and his money are oft times soon parted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Ben returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSen\u00f5r Cartwright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ramon?\u201d Adam responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother and me—\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother and I,\u201d Juan automatically corrected his eldest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother and I want to put two bits on our father,\u201d Ramon said proudly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not,\u201d Juan said gently.\u00a0 \u201cI appreciate the vote of confidence, Boys, but you\u2019re too young to be gambling.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAm I too young?\u201d Benjy asked, gazing hopefully up into his father\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you are,\u201d Adam immediately replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

One by one, people drifted over and placed their bets, including Father Alverez, who, after much deliberation, had decided to put his money on Juan Mendez\u2019 nose.\u00a0 \u201cSorry, My Son,\u201d the priest apologized to Hoss, \u201cbut Sen\u00f5r Mendez is a member of my parish after all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cElena and Nick are staying inside with the other ladies,\u201d Miguel said, loping alongside Adam, as the men, boys, a few of female persuasion, Dio and Teresa among them, made their way outside to the horseshoe pit.\u00a0 \u201cMy wife asked me to place ten dollars on your brother\u2019s nose.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNoted,\u201d Adam replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . and you can put me down for ten dollars on Mister Juan,\u201d Miguel continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGot it,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cThe books are now closed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

End Notes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

[i]<\/a>\u00a0 Ross Marquett appears in Bonanza episode #56, written by Ward Hawkins.<\/span><\/p>\n

[ii]<\/a>\u00a0 According to The Code of Canon Law (CIC 867 \u00a72), \u201can infant in danger of death is to be baptized without delay.\u201d\u00a0 https:\/\/www.catholic.com\/qa\/baptism-in-an-emergency<\/span><\/p>\n

Michelle Arnold further states \u201cIn life-and-death situations in which a priest or deacon is not available, anyone\u2014including Catholics, non-Catholics, non-Christians, and non-theists\u2014may baptize so long as they do so in the correct manner and with the correct intention (to baptize). See Catholic Answers at\u00a0 https:\/\/www.catholic.com\/qa\/baptism-in-an-emergency<\/span><\/p>\n

[iii]<\/a> Joe\u2019s friend, Mitch Devlin appeared in Bonanza episode #177, Between Heaven and Earth, written by Ed Adamson.<\/span><\/p>\n

[iv]<\/a> Rick and Jeff Bonner appear in Bonanza episode #166, The Pressure Game, written by Don Tait.<\/span><\/p>\n

[v]<\/a> Joe falls in love with AMY Bishop in Bonanza episode #11, The Truckee Strip,: written by Herman Groves.<\/span><\/p>\n

[vi]<\/a> Bad Blood was another name for syphilis during Bonanza\u2019s time period.<\/span><\/p>\n

[vii]<\/a> Princeton University was chartered in 1746, and known as the College of New Jersey until 1896, when the college achieved University status and was officially renamed Princeton University.<\/span><\/p>\n

[viii]<\/a> Ben\u2019s old friend, Ruth Manning, is editor of Gunlock\u2019s newspaper, The Clarion, to which he subscribes.\u00a0 See Bonanza Episode #323, The Clarion, written by John Hawkins and Frank Chase.<\/span><\/p>\n

[ix]<\/a> The Widow McClure appears in Bonanza Episode # 67, The Smiler, written by Lewis Reed.<\/span><\/p>\n

[x]<\/a> The Durfee brothers appear in Bonanza Episode #179, A Man to Admire, written by Mort R. Lewis.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xi]<\/a> Hiram Peabody appears in Bonanza Episode #337, A Lawman\u2019s Lot Is Not a Happy One, written by Robert Vincent Wright.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xii]<\/a> Culley Mako appears in Bonanza Episode #284, The Trackers, written by Louis Bercovitch and Fredric Louis Fox.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xiii]<\/a> Trace Cordell appeared in Bonanza Episode #199, The Return, written by Ken Pettus and Frank Chase.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xiv]<\/a> Softening of the brain is an old time reference to the softening that happens in an area of the brain following a stroke or hemorrhage.\u00a0\u00a0 Apoplexy refers to the paralysis resulting from a stroke.\u00a0\u00a0 Reference:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.disease.pricklytree.co.uk\/<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

[xv]<\/a> See Bonanza Episode #82, The Tall Stranger, written by Ward Hawkins.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xvi]<\/a> Clementine Hawkins appears in Bonanza Episode #71, The Burma Rarity, written by M. B. Stone, Jr.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xvii]<\/a> Jamie Wrenn appears in Bonanza Episode #114, The Jury, written by Robert Vincent Wright.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xviii]<\/a> Jigger Thurmond\u2019s bull runs amok in Bonanza episode #185, Woman of Fire, written by Suzanne Clauser.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xix]<\/a> This happened in Bonanza Episode #291, The Late Ben Cartwright, written by Walter Black.<\/span><\/p>\n

[xx]<\/a> Early names for leukemia<\/span><\/p>\n

[xxi]<\/a> See Bonanza Episode #51, Bank Run, written by N. B. Stone, Jr. for the full story.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Early one morning, Ben finds a baby left at the kitchen door of the Cartwrights’ home. In Sacramento, meanwhile, Adam and his family receive devastating news.
\nMA\/R\u00a0 For language, violence, and graphic descriptions of physical abuse of a minor
\nWC\u00a0 91,159
\nBloodlines Series<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":48975,"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_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[7,23,1008,690],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","category-family","category-ma-rated","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-690-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/The-Survivors-01.jpg?fit=458%2C379&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48782","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\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=48782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48782\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/48975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=48782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=48782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=48782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}