Summary: A follow up to “Another Season”. When Hoss falls in love with Drucilla Carrington it leads to trouble when Little Joe remembers where he met her and it’s not where a lady should’ve ever been. Rating T, WC 27,000<\/p>\n
Every Purpose Under Heaven Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n Every Purpose Under Heaven<\/a> <\/p>\n Dru<\/strong><\/p>\n Ben Cartwright stood in the middle of Virginia City\u2019s dusty Main Street impatiently pacing that hot July afternoon. The noon stage was late, as always, and he got the usual non-committal shrug from Pete Larkins at the Overland Depot office. The patriarch of the Ponderosa was normally a patient man, but he had things to do and people to see, foremost, his youngest son who was to arrive after three months spent visiting relatives in St. Louis. He had missed the young man immensely, and couldn\u2019t wait to tell him his brother Hoss\u2019 big news.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There hadn\u2019t been enough time to send a letter to inform Joseph that his brother was about to be married. Ben figured that by the time the letter got to St. Louis that his son would be leaving for home, so he decided to wait until he returned. Now the anxious father was about to burst with excitement over two very important events that were to take place that day. First, the wild twenty-one year old would be arriving back to hearth and home, and second, Hoss was going to announce his engagement that night at a celebration at the Ponderosa Ranch. Before long Virginia City and all points in each direction would be spreading the joyous news that a woman had landed one of the Cartwright boys. Ben smiled in spite of himself, thinking of how nervous Hoss had been when he had told him of his plans to wed. He knew that Joseph would be just as surprised as his father had been by the whirlwind courtship and proposal.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By the time Ben stepped back up onto the sidewalk and had peered into the window of the telegraph office, seeking Pete once more, the stagecoach rounded the edge of town. Hearing the fast approach of horses, he stopped his efforts and hurried to where Joe would be disembarking soon. The driver pulled back hard on his reins and the stage came to an abrupt stop in front of the depot. Will Jeffers climbed down from his perch and set the wooden steps in front of the door and slowly people began to descend from the stage. Ben waited, and craned his neck for a peek at his son. Joseph finally came into view, after he assisted a small child down to its mother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa!\u201d Joe chimed out loudly and hopped down from the stage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood to see you, Son!\u201d Ben\u2019s voice boomed out cheerily as he pulled his son into an embrace. He hugged him briefly and then pulled back to get a good look at the boy. \u201cNow what is this?\u201d Pa asked, as he pointed towards the long shaggy hair, which fell almost to his son\u2019s shoulders. Joe also sported what looked like the beginnings of a mustache.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey Pa\u2014you know you always said I looked like a cheap riverboat gambler,\u201d Joe laughed and retrieved his bags quickly from the driver. \u201cI actually had the chance on this trip to get on one of those river boats\u2014and well\u2014you know I wanted to look the part!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVery funny,\u201d Ben sighed and draped his arm around his son\u2019s shoulder as they moved towards the waiting buckboard, \u201cI suppose you won some money then?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNaw\u2014but I only lost ten or fifteen\u2014\u201d Joe paused and waited for his pa to take the bait.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTen or fifteen dollars?\u201d Ben went for it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo ten or fifteen thousand,\u201d Joe replied and waited for the explosion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014well\u2014that\u2019s not so bad,\u201d Ben nodded, knowing good and well that Joe was trying for a shocked reaction to his claim. \u201cGuess I\u2019ll just have to raise your wages to make up the difference!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou ARE my father \u2014Ben Cartwright\u2014right?\u201d Joe shot back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben laughed and pulled the brim of Joe\u2019s hat down over his eyes. \u201cI\u2019ve missed your awful sense of humor, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve missed your over reacting too, Pa!\u201d Joe quipped. \u201cHey\u2014by the way\u2014where\u2019s my welcoming committee? You know the fan fare \u2014my brothers\u2014Hop Sing? You\u2019d think no one even cared I was back but you!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014well\u2014that\u2019s a long story. Don\u2019t worry though; they all missed you. Your brothers especially, since they had to do your chores!\u201d Ben laughed and sent the team of horses towards the end of town.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOkay, so what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust a minute\u2014no story until you go in there,\u201d Ben pointed as the buckboard pulled up in front of the barbershop.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cC\u2019mon, Pa! I bet it will grow on you,\u201d Joe grinned and swiped his mustache with his left index finger for effect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014and it\u2019s not going to grow on YOU either! Now go on get in there. I think I\u2019ll get a trim and a shave while you\u2019re getting more presentable. We have a party to go to tonight and I want to look good,\u201d Ben replied. He tied the reins of the team and then climbed out of the buckboard. When Joe didn\u2019t come down from his seat Ben took on a paternal stance, with his hands on his hips and his feet spread. \u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright!\u201d he bellowed. <\/p>\n \u201cSorry Joseph, the party isn\u2019t for you this time. But, I\u2019ll explain the whole thing on the way home. Looks like it\u2019s gonna take awhile to cut through that mane of yours, so we\u2019d better get in there right now,\u201d Ben announced and opened the door to the barber shop and pushed his son in ahead of him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The dense forests of the Ponderosa loomed in the distance as Ben and Joe made their journey home. After some adventurous tales of his trip were told, Joe settled back and let his father fill him in on the big news of Hoss\u2019 engagement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe it!\u201d Joe beamed. \u201cHoss found a gal\u2014what\u2019s she like, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh she\u2019s pretty\u2014but you\u2019ll see for yourself tonight. Hoss even bought a new suit for the occasion and Hop Sing is busy decorating the house trying to gussy it up for the big announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s her name? Anyone I know?\u201d Joe\u2019s curiosity was at its zenith now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDrucilla Carrington\u2014of course your brother shortened that down to Dru,\u201d Ben smiled and reined the team of horses towards the road, which led to the homestead.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNever heard of her\u2014where\u2019s she from, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph\u2014relax you\u2019ve got plenty of time to learn all the details,\u201d Pa sighed. He had forgotten how inquisitive his youngest could be at times.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey it isn\u2019t every day that I get a sister you know,\u201d Joe returned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben patted his son\u2019s knee and chuckled, \u201cOkay, she\u2019s from Kentucky. Drucilla\u2019s an only child and her parents are deceased. She came to Virginia City via San Francisco where she was staying with an old maid aunt. Mrs. O\u2019Malley rented out a room to Dru at her boarding house and that, Joseph, is about the extent of it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah but what does she look like?\u201d Joe repeated, not satisfied yet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a red head and very petite. I can\u2019t tell you her eye color\u2014but I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll fill me in after tonight!\u201d Ben grinned and watched as Joe finally sank back against the seat and pulled his hat over his eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been dating her for two months you said earlier\u2014so isn\u2019t this jumping the gun a bit? I mean what\u2019s the hurry?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThey are young and in love, and that\u2019s all that matters now isn\u2019t it, Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014I guess\u2014just glad they waited for me to get home.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow, do you really think your brother would get married without his pesky baby brother around to pester him?\u201d Ben asked ironically.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNope\u2014not Hoss. Hey\u2014betcha he will want me to be his best man, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, you know Adam is hoping the same thing,\u201d Ben reminded the boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell older brother is okay for a groomsman, but I do cut quite a figure in my blue suit you know? I would make a much more impressive best man than him!\u201d Joe replied in true conceited fashion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben snapped at the reins to send the team into a trot. He wanted to get home and see to the last minute details of the party. Ben also needed a headache powder after listening to his son go on and on about the wedding and the woman who had stolen Hoss\u2019 heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pulling up into the front yard, Joe told his father to go ahead into the house and he would tend to the team of horses. Ben knew that it was just an excuse made by his son so he could have some time in the barn to see his prized pinto. He acquiesced and entered the ranch house to see Hop Sing diligently at work decorating the living room. It wasn\u2019t long before Adam came down the stairs and informed his father that things were running along fine in preparation for the engagement party. He also let Ben know that Hoss was out with Dru, but that he would be back home shortly to get ready.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After unharnessing the team of horses and putting away the buckboard, Joe stood next to his pinto brushing it as he told the horse all about his trip. He didn\u2019t hear the approach of Hoss, and it wasn\u2019t until he was swept up into a huge bear hug that Joe knew he was there.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLittle Brother am I glad to see you!\u201d Hoss exclaimed, still holding his brother tightly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014me too\u2014but you want to ease up a bit\u2014I can\u2019t breathe!\u201d Joe laughed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014sorry. How you doing, Joe? Did you have a good trip?\u201d Hoss asked, and released his brother from his vice-like grip.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSure\u2014it was great. But, enough about me\u2014what\u2019s this about you getting hitched? I could hardly believe it when Pa told me. So some gal finally got you in her sights huh?\u201d <\/p>\n Joe laughed and playfully punched at his brother\u2019s rib cage. \u201cI expect she is\u2014if you are fixing to tie the knot so soon. Hey\u2014am I best man or not?\u201d Joe asked seriously.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow now\u2014I\u2019m still figuring that one out, Joe!\u201d Hoss chuckled. \u201cI mean\u2014you, Adam, Pa, heck even Hop Sing wants that honor. Now you tell me how to satisfy all of you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh that\u2019s easy\u2014elope!\u201d Joe retorted, grinning at the exuberance displayed all over Hoss\u2019 face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cUh uh, nothing doing! My bride\u2019s gonna have the works! The church, the flowers, the whole nine yards,\u201d Hoss insisted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe put his hand on his brother\u2019s massive shoulder and smiled. \u201cI don\u2019t reckon I\u2019ve ever seen you this happy. And\u2014well\u2014I\u2019m happy for you\u2014you big lug!\u201d Joe replied seriously, and hugged his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, what are we doing out here anyhow?\u201d Hoss said, and wiped at his misty eyes. \u201cLet\u2019s go inside and get purdied up! I want to announce to the whole world tonight that Eric Hoss Cartwright is gonna marry Drucilla Carrington.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDah dum dum dum, dah dum dum dum, dah dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum,\u201d Joe hummed the wedding march and walked out of the barn with his brother at his side.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The two Cartwright brothers<\/strong> hurried inside the ranch house to start preparations for the big night. Joe only had a minute to shake hands with Adam before Hop Sing pulled him away and into the kitchen. His initial thought was that the Chinese member of the family was happy to see him after such a long absence, but soon he learned the real reason. Hop Sing began to order the youngest member of the family around, telling him what to do and where to go. Joe, indignant at first, warmed up to the loud banter when Hop Sing smiled and handed him a homemade cookie and hugged his arm. As long as he was appreciated, Joe would do anything for his former babysitter. Soon the both of them had the entire living room glowing with candles and had set flowers on all the tables. Joe moved the furniture wherever Hop Sing directed, and all without the assistance of the other family members who had welcomed the additional help by heading to their rooms to get dressed in their best suits. After two hours, Joe also jumped ship and left Hop Sing to his own devices so that he could grab a quick bath before the guests started to arrive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe idled into his teal colored suit coat and stood looking at himself in the mirror on his bureau. He smiled at the reflection, as he did feel he looked much better than he had earlier in the day. Joe didn\u2019t want his father to catch on, but he had been looking forward to a haircut once he arrived back home. Though he did miss the mustache, thinking it made him look much older, Pa had paid for it all, so he decided not to say anything about the man\u2019s request. Having washed away the trail dust and put on a good amount of Bay Rum cologne, Joe felt he would have no trouble catching a few dances with the unattached women at the party.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam knocked on Joe\u2019s bedroom door, and walked in, not waiting for the young man\u2019s approval. He smiled as he watched his brother fighting to get his string tie to sit right on his shirt. Joe fumbled with it awhile before his big brother moved in to help.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhen you gonna learn to fix your tie, Joe? I swear you are going to be eighty years old and one of us will still be tying it for you,\u201d Adam fussed as he stepped in closer and made the loop and brought it into a small bow. \u201cThere.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks Older Brother. By the way, you won\u2019t have to do these in a few years. No sir\u2014I will be getting a filly to marry me just like brother Hoss! Yep, then she can tie these blasted things for me,\u201d Joe replied smiling.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFilly? You going to marry your horse?\u201d Adam joked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVery funny\u2014besides\u2014if Cochise were a woman\u2014well\u2014she\u2019d be the prettiest gal around,\u201d Joe defended what he had said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam broke out in laughter and patted his brother\u2019s shoulder. \u201cJoe\u2014sometimes I really worry about you, Kid!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t it about time YOU found someone Adam? I mean\u2014you are the ELDER around here. What\u2019s it gonna take, a female Bill Shakespeare?\u201d Joe teased.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust stop jawing and get your butt downstairs. And\u2014Joe?\u201d Adam asked as he raised his eyebrows and held his nose.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Joe turned, wondering what his brother was doing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou might want to take some of that Bay Rum off you. You smell like the Sunday Women\u2019s Social Club!\u201d Adam announced and waved his hand in front of his face to ward off the strong odor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014does that mean you attend the Sunday Women\u2019s Social Club, Big Brother?\u201d Joe quipped.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam tossed one of the pillows from Joe\u2019s bed at his brother and ducked out of the bedroom. Joe tried to get out of the way of the assault, and in doing so; he accidentally got his fingers caught in his tie, pulling it loose again. <\/p>\n Ben had heard a commotion and saw Adam hurrying out of his little brother\u2019s room. He decided to check things out, and made it to the door just in time to get a hairbrush thrown at him. Luckily Pa had grown accustomed to such things, having raised three boys by himself, and his reflexes were sharp. He was able to catch the hair brush in mid air before it hit him. He turned towards Joe and saw the young man scrunch up his face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGee\u2014sorry about that, Pa. It was meant for Adam,\u201d Joe explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben walked across the room trying to keep his stern visage. He was, in fact, very amused by the antics of his two sons, especially the ones who most often fought. Ben was beginning to feel the pangs of age creeping up on him, now that Hoss was soon to leave the nest. He wondered how long it would be before he would be alone in the house. Ben tried to get a grip on his emotions as he turned and stared at his youngest. The night was one for celebrating and not for sad reflection. Showing a stiff upper lip, he put his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder and directed his gaze.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust keep this on that bureau or I might find another use for it, Joseph,\u201d Ben warned sternly, but couldn\u2019t help but to break into a smile as he set the brush down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIs that a threat or a promise?\u201d Joe quipped.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBoth. Now be on your best behavior tonight, okay?\u201d Pa asked, as he moved closer and automatically began to adjust his son\u2019s tie.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNeed you ask? Aren\u2019t I always the most eloquent member of this family?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben felt his son\u2019s forehead and then frowned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Pa? I don\u2019t have a fever\u2014do I?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014just feeling to see if you had hit your head. Obviously your recollection has been affected by something,\u201d Ben answered chuckling.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVery funny. Just what Drucilla needs, a comedian for a father-in-law!\u201d Joe retorted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCome on\u2014eloquent one. Let\u2019s see you dazzle the guests as usual,\u201d Ben announced, and pushed Joe towards the door. <\/p>\n Almost an hour into the partying, Ben met Joe over by the punch bowl where he was ladling refreshments to some of his friends. After the crowd died down around the buffet table, Pa spoke to his youngest.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Joseph? You almost look nervous,\u201d Ben smiled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014but I am anxious to see Dru for myself. Wonder what\u2019s keeping them so long?\u201d Joe asked, looking around.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben was just about ready to respond when the front door opened and in walked Hoss with his bride to be. \u201cThere you have her, Joe,\u201d Ben winked and moved over to the happy couple.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry we\u2019re a bit late, Pa. Dru was kinda nervous about this. But, I convinced her that she\u2019d be among friends,\u201d Hoss explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou certainly are, Young Lady,\u201d Ben grinned and took the woman\u2019s hand. He tucked it into the fold of his elbow and moved to address the room. \u201cI\u2019d like to present to you all Miss Drucilla Carrington, my future daughter-in-law!\u201d Ben called out happily.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but she\u2019s my gal, so I\u2019ll take that hand, Pa!\u201d Hoss sang out and took Dru\u2019s arm. The crowd laughed at the gentle tug of war going on and Drucilla bowed towards them all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI just want to tell you all how happy I am. Hoss is the love of my life. Thank you all for joining us on this joyous occasion,\u201d Dru spoke out smiling.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There was a loud wave of applause and then the band fired up with a song for the two love birds and they began dancing. Ben and Adam moved back over to where Joe was standing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, Joseph\u2014we\u2019ll have to introduce you after this dance,\u201d Pa said, and patted his son\u2019s shoulder. When he didn\u2019t get a response from the young man he stared at his face. \u201cJoe? You in there?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014yeah, Pa,\u201d Joe mumbled, still unable to take his eyes off the girl on the dance floor with his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCat got your tongue, Kid? If so, it will be the first time!\u201d Adam teased and helped himself to the punch.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I\u2019m fine\u2014just fine,\u201d Joe answered, but had a hard time convincing his family. <\/p>\n \u201cNice to finally meet you, Joe. I\u2019ve heard so much about you,\u201d Dru said as she outstretched her hand to meet his.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe shook the woman\u2019s hand and he swallowed hard, trying to regroup his emotions before replying, \u201cYeah\u2014and I\u2019ve heard a lot about you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014good I hope?\u201d Dru asked, still showing off her dazzling smile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014all good,\u201d Joe nodded and then turned back towards the punch bowl. \u201cCan I get you some punch?\u201d Joe asked, but refused to look into the woman\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat would be lovely,\u201d Dru nodded, \u201cit was awfully dusty on the ride in. I guess it\u2019s the drought like Hoss said.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam, Hoss and Pa all noticed how ill at ease Joe seemed around the young lady and confused glances passed between the three of them. Finally, Ben cleared his throat and motioned to indicate Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid we kinda sprang this whole party on Joseph right as he got off the stagecoach. I think he\u2019s a bit tired from the journey,\u201d Ben tried for a save, since Joe\u2019s facial expression had turned quite glum as he handed the cup of punch to Dru.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014I\u2019m sure you are, Joe. My that\u2019s some trip you took\u2014all the way to St. Louis I heard,\u201d Dru tried to avoid the tense atmosphere that was suddenly overwhelming.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014it wasn\u2019t so bad,\u201d Joe re-entered the conversation, trying to be as tactful as he could muster, \u201cI think my father summed it up\u2014guess it did tucker me out a bit. I was anxious to meet you, though, Dru. Hoss told me you were from Kentucky.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, well\u2014I was born there, but I went to live with my aunt at a very young age. She\u2019s in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe finally got up the nerve to look deeply into Dru\u2019s dark blue eyes. \u201cI might be mistaken\u2014but haven\u2019t we met somewhere before?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014no I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Dru shook her head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cC\u2019mon Little Brother, don\u2019t go using that old line on my gal like you use it on those fillies in Virginia City!\u201d Hoss laughed and pulled Dru closer to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI just thought that\u2014well\u2014I\u2019ve been to San Francisco quite a few times\u2014and that maybe we had met before,\u201d Joe explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Dru grinned and put her arm around her fianc\u00e9e waist, \u201cI am sure I would remember you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMy mistake,\u201d Joe nodded and looked away from the woman at last.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben tried to figure out what exactly was wrong with Joseph and why he was behaving so strangely. He decided to break up the little party around the punch bowl and move towards the other guests.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI believe that I\u2019d like to have a dance with my future daughter. If that\u2019s okay with you, Hoss?\u201d Ben asked, smiling proudly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, guess it\u2019s okay with me\u2014that is\u2014if it\u2019s okay with you, Honey?\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNothing I\u2019d like more,\u201d Dru answered, with typical charm. She let Ben lead her onto the dance floor as another round of music began.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Adam walked back over to their little brother, who was downing another glass of spiked punch at the time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re gonna drown in that punch bowl if you keep drinking like that, Joe,\u201d Adam warned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014this is my last one. Listen Hoss, I hate to do this, but I have to get some shut eye. I didn\u2019t know how tired I was until now. I hope you will give Dru my apologies.\u201d Joe asked, setting down his empty glass.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSure, Joe. I\u2019m sorry\u2014guess this party being on the same day as your homecoming wasn\u2019t such a good idea. I sure wanted you to have a good time,\u201d Hoss said, feeling bad that he had overshadowed his little brother\u2019s reappearance. He thought that Joe might be feeling a tad bit upset over that fact.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey\u2014no problem. You go on and have fun. I think Big Brother here will want a dance with Dru, so you\u2019re gonna have your hands full trying to keep him away,\u201d Joe replied, and turned for the staircase.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d Hoss began, and grabbed his brother\u2019s elbow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell what do you think? I done good didn\u2019t I? Dru\u2019s some gal huh?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe tried to pull a smile from out of his gut. At the time he was having a hard time doing it, as he was besieged with fear over what might happen if he told his brother what he suspected about the girl.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, she\u2019s some girl, Hoss,\u201d Joe nodded and quickly ascended the stairs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The ranch house stood quiet as Ben settled into his red leather chair by the fireplace and reflected on what a smashing success the night had been. Hop Sing had finished with cleaning up and putting the furniture back into place and had retired, while his boss had decided to wait for Hoss\u2019 return from dropping Dru back at the boarding house in town. A smile creased his face as he stared into the burning embers of the fireplace. Drucilla seemed a good match for his middle boy and he looked forward to walking her down the aisle, as she had requested that night. She seemed to make a good impression on the guests and Ben hoped that soon the married couple would move into the house. He knew it would be short lived, as Hoss had already chosen the desired land he wanted to carve out of the Ponderosa\u2019s one thousand square acres. Now it was just the business of selecting the desired floor plan for his own house, and Adam had volunteered his talents in architecture to help his brother with that chore. Ben thought on the future and the fact that there might be some grandchildren soon delighted him. He was deep in thought when he heard the voice on the staircase calling out to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph? I thought you turned in hours ago,\u201d Ben said looking over at his son, who was still dressed in his suit pants and white dress shirt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I couldn\u2019t sleep,\u201d Joe responded, and in his tone of voice his father could tell there was a problem.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCome over here.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe descended the staircase and took a seat on the settee opposite his pa.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow\u2014what\u2019s the trouble?\u201d Ben asked, as he reached over and patted Joe\u2019s arm. He noticed the forlorn look on his son\u2019s face and wondered what was going on. Pa also knew that Joe wouldn\u2019t have reappeared if he didn\u2019t want to talk about whatever it was that had bothered him all evening.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI hardly know where to start, Pa,\u201d Joe confessed and looked down at the wood planking of the floor and sighed. <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014no\u2014I wish that were true, Pa. But it\u2019s not. Where\u2019s Hoss by the way?\u201d Joe asked as his eyes scanned the room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh he\u2019s out taking Dru back to the boarding house. Why?\u201d Ben questioned, raising his eyebrows in characteristic fashion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Cause I wouldn\u2019t want him to hear what I\u2019m gonna tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on, Joe? You acted a bit strange at the party, does this have to do with Dru?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014it has A LOT to do with her!\u201d Joe exclaimed, stood, and paced in front of the fireplace.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben approached his son and stopped his progression. He put his hand on the boy\u2019s shoulder and turned him so he could read Joe\u2019s facial expression. It was then that Ben realized that there had to be an awful secret forthcoming.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d Ben asked worriedly. If there was something wrong with Hoss\u2019 selection for a bride it might have a serious outcome and dread was starting to fill the anxious father\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2014this isn\u2019t going to be pretty,\u201d Joe stammered and glanced over to the table in front of his father\u2019s study. \u201cMind if I get some brandy?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead,\u201d Ben nodded and watched as his son walked across the room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe poured two glasses of the potent amber liquid and returned to the living room, handing his father one of them. \u201cYou might need this too before I\u2019m through,\u201d Joe said somberly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s sit down then,\u201d Ben replied and pointed towards the settee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe sat as he had been directed and his father moved in next to him. He could feel Pa\u2019s hand on his neck trying to offer him some consolation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYour neck is as stiff as a board, Joseph. You must be awfully afraid to tell me something,\u201d Ben said as his fingers massaged the boy\u2019s neck slowly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid for Hoss\u2019 sake, Pa\u2014not my own.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, yeah I know,\u201d Joe nodded, and took a sip of his brandy. He fought to put the whole event from his past in order to explain it thoroughly to his pa. \u201cYou remember\u2014a little more than a year ago\u2014that trip I took to Sacramento by myself?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI seem to recall something like that,\u201d Pa nodded and thought on it a few minutes while waiting for Joe to continue. He didn\u2019t want to hurry the boy up, as Ben could tell that he was struggling with his emotions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014you were gonna go with me\u2014but at the last minute you had to go to San Francisco for that timber contract. So\u2014I went on myself.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014yeah\u2014that\u2019s right. Go on,\u201d Ben urged.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014it was kinda a tough time in my life\u2014and I didn\u2019t want to stay away from here too long. I just handled the paperwork for the horse deal with the army and came back. I was only gone a week,\u201d Joe continued.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben thought back to the past and remembered how hard that year had been on his son. He had dealt with some very severe depression after having a run in with the law. It had all been caused by one evil man who had come into their lives. The man had been hired under false pretenses; his name was Luke Thrasher. Joe had killed the man in self-defense a short time later, after Luke had blackmailed him. Ben cringed when he remembered how his son had almost left the Ponderosa as well as the country after that event, but had been brought back to Virginia City to stand trial for murder. The trial had brought out everything that Joe and his entire family wanted to forget. Ben could still see Joe sitting on the witness chair in tears as he related how Luke had come to be killed in the fight. He could hear his son\u2019s words as Joe described the awful details of the assault he had endured at the hands of Luke\u2019s brother, one Cade Burroughs. It was in fact, the worst time in his son\u2019s life, and it had been a miracle that the boy had survived it all. Ben now understood why Joe hadn\u2019t stayed in Sacramento with strangers. He knew that the boy felt safer with his family than with anybody else. But, Ben was puzzled as to why Joe would bring up the trip to Sacramento if his problem had to do with Drucilla Carrington.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that trip to Sacramento have to do with Dru, Son?\u201d Ben asked quietly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, that last night that I was there I stayed at one of the local saloons. All the rooms in town were booked due to some convention at the time, so I just got one above the saloon. It wasn\u2019t anything fancy, but I only needed it that one night. I wish now that I had just headed back here\u2014but by the time I had talked to Colonel Evans it was already dark. I just figured I would head home the next morning,\u201d Joe began his explanation of events, but he was having trouble with his words already. He hoped that his father would continue to be patient with him while he regrouped a bit. <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014not in the saloon, Pa\u2014it was up in my room actually,\u201d Joe whispered and watched as his father\u2019s face went white.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben slowly recovered from his son\u2019s announcement. He knew the boy, knew him as well as any father could know a son. But, he wondered why Joe seemed so upset. Now he was saying something about a woman who had been in his room, a room that happened to be above a saloon? Continuing to process the information, he stared directly into his son\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo Pa\u2014I didn\u2019t do anything wrong, if that\u2019s what that look is for,\u201d Joe explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I didn\u2019t think you did, Joseph. But, I think you do need to explain that statement further. What was Dru doing up in your room?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI guess I need to tell you the whole thing\u2014\u201d Joe began but quickly cut off in mid-sentence.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPlease do!\u201d Ben exclaimed and his hand squeezed his son\u2019s neck a little harder than he had intended.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOkay. I ate some dinner, then I played a couple hands of poker. I won about twenty-five dollars and called it quits. I wasn\u2019t drunk by any means\u2014only had a few beers. Compared to the whiskey I had been chugging a few weeks before then, I had cut down a whole lot! Anyway, I guess I was in bed before midnight. It wasn\u2019t very comfortable in that room and the bar downstairs made a lot of noise, but I was so tired that I fell off right away. I was sleeping real good when all of a sudden I could feel someone laying next to me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat!?\u201d Ben cut his son off once again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet me tell you I was just as surprised!\u201d Joe replied and leaned back on the settee. His father stopped the massage of his neck and chugged the brandy down swiftly. \u201cI had the lamp in the room turned down real low, but not completely out. As I started to come around I felt hands on me\u2014touching me\u2014in places I didn\u2019t want anyone to touch.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh no\u2014Joseph\u2014after what you had gone through\u2014I can imagine what you thought,\u201d Ben whispered, knowing the many nightmares his son had been plagued with during the time he was on trial for killing Luke.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014I know what you mean,\u201d Joe frowned and finished his drink. He set the glass on top of the coffee table and then stared up at his pa. \u201cI was scared, Pa\u2014real scared. It was like I was in another awful dream\u2014and this time there wasn\u2019t the convenience of running to you! It only took a minute or two to realize that everything was very real. That\u2019s when the woman spoke to me. She told me not to be shy\u2014can you believe that?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014no I can\u2019t\u2014but go on,\u201d Ben answered, shaking his head in disbelief.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI got out of bed immediately. I figured that the woman had gotten a hold of the wrong room, you know? I mean\u2014it was a saloon and all\u2014I figured it was one of \u201cthose\u201d girls\u2014and she got confused or something. When I told her that\u2014that she\u2019d gotten the wrong room\u2014she said no she hadn\u2019t. Then she walked over to me\u2014I was only wearing my long johns\u2014and she began to loosen the buttons. I pushed her away\u2014and told her to get out of the room. Then I walked to the lamp and raised the wick. I got a good long look at her, Pa\u2014I saw more than I ever wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd\u2014it was Drucilla? Are you sure, Son?\u201d Ben asked, praying that he was wrong.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt was her all right\u2014though when I saw her earlier today\u2014well\u2014at least she had her clothes on!\u201d Joe exclaimed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben stood and walked over to the brandy decanter. He refilled his glass and called over to his son, \u201cYou want more?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHeck yeah,\u201d Joe replied and moved to stand next to his father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben filled his son\u2019s glass and then handed it over to him. He stared at Joe hard. Ben knew what it had taken for his son to have made the confession that he just had. Joe wouldn\u2019t want to hurt his brother Hoss for all the money in the world, and he would know what such a revelation would do to the man. \u201cWhat happened then, Joseph?\u201d Ben finally choked the words out, though his heart was breaking.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI told her to get her clothes on. She said I should reconsider, and that it would only cost me twenty dollars for her to stay and\u2014well\u2014you know. Anyway\u2014I said I didn\u2019t want her to stay. She got mad, Pa\u2014REAL mad!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat did she say? Did she leave then?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cShe said there had to be something wrong with me to turn her down,\u201d Joe said, and in his voice his father could tell that the remark had hurt the young man\u2019s ego.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThere wasn\u2019t,\u201d Ben interjected, and touched his son\u2019s arm sympathetically.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d Joe nodded towards the man and then sipped more brandy. \u201cAfter what I had gone through with Cade\u2014well\u2014I wasn\u2019t sure if there wasn\u2019t something wrong with me to tell you the truth. But, it made me mad \u2014someone slipping into my room like that\u2014touching me\u2014then saying I was wrong to ask them to leave. I found her clothes over on the table and tossed them to her. I told her she had five minutes to get dressed and out of there or I was gonna get the sheriff. She said some words\u2014that I won\u2019t repeat to you\u2014but I tell you, Pa, they would make a sailor blush!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe Dru could be like that. You\u2019re sure, Joe\u2014very sure that it was her?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2014do you think I would tell you this story if I wasn\u2019t?\u201d Joe replied and stared directly into his father\u2019s brown eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben knew what his son was getting at. Joe had kept the whole event a secret for over a year out of embarrassment; there wasn\u2019t any reason for him to tell it that night other than the appearance of Drucilla Carrington. \u201cNo\u2014no you wouldn\u2019t. Go on\u2014tell me the rest of this awful story,\u201d Ben sighed and took a seat once more on the settee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe moved to the hearth and looked into the dying embers. \u201cShe said if she showed up downstairs without the money that the bartender would smack her around.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you paid her?\u201d Ben asked, shocked by the implication.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014heck yeah I paid her! I had to get her out of there you know? Besides\u2014I didn\u2019t want to stand there and debate her. I wanted her dressed and out of there. I handed her my poker winnings and she went to the door. That\u2019s when she laughed at me and told me how stupid I was to pass up her offer. Then she just left. I packed my gear and slept over in the livery stable with Cochise after that. The next morning I headed back here. That\u2019s it, Pa,\u201d Joe sighed and sat on the edge of the coffee table exhausted from the emotion he had displayed by his confession. He dropped his face to rest in his hands as the room fell hushed once more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben tried to take in everything his son had told him. He processed it in his mind over and over again. It would have such serious repercussions that Ben\u2019s heart raced. How could he tell Hoss? Would the big man believe that his fianc\u00e9 could do such a thing? He shook his head, paced the living room for a few minutes, and then looked over at his son. Joe seemed so forlorn that his father decided he needed to handle that situation first. He moved and stood over the boy and gently placed his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou did everything that I would have, Son. None of this is your fault. I\u2019m sorry that happened to you\u2014especially so soon after all you went through with Cade.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow am I gonna tell Hoss? He\u2019s so in love with that woman!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want YOU to say anything, understood?\u201d Ben instructed as he sat down next to Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHuh? Don\u2019t you believe what I told you, Pa?\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to be so crushed by this, Pa. I hate that I ever ran into her in Sacramento. If I hadn\u2019t gone there\u2014\u201d Joe began but was cut off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t gone there we might never have known that she was like that. How do you think Hoss would feel to find this out after the wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cProbably even worse than he will once he\u2019s told. But, you think he\u2019ll believe it when you tell him? You know Hoss, when he falls in love he falls hard.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll tell him what you\u2019ve said\u2014then the rest is up to him. Is there anything\u2014anything else you can think of that will confirm your story?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe thought for a minute and then replied, \u201cThere is one thing\u2014when I was handing her the money. I had to get my billfold\u2014it was over by the light. She walked over to me\u2014after getting her clothes back on\u2014and reached for the money. I saw a scar on the inside of her right wrist\u2014it was about three or four inches long. This evening\u2014when she reached towards me to shake my hand\u2014I saw the same scar, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben let out his breath slowly and shook his head. \u201cHow did she think she could pull it off? I mean\u2014when she saw you tonight\u2014you\u2019d think she would\u2019ve known that you would tell someone about it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, she\u2019s probably at her place thinking about it right now, Pa. I betcha she\u2019s figuring out how she\u2019s gonna handle it when Hoss finds out the truth. Best thing would be for her to catch the next stage out of town\u2014but I don\u2019t think she\u2019s the kind who runs away. If that night in my room was any example\u2014I bet there are lots of other guys who could tell the same tale. She\u2019s a lot of things, but she sure ain\u2019t shy!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Both men turned towards the door when they heard the loud footsteps coming from the porch. They knew it had to be Hoss returning from dropping off his fianc\u00e9.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll wait until tomorrow, Joseph. Perhaps you\u2019d better go turn in?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d Joe nodded and headed for the stairs. He didn\u2019t want to be around his brother until he knew the facts about Dru. Joe was afraid he couldn\u2019t hide the truth from Hoss, as it would be very apparent on his face that there was trouble.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGoodnight Joseph\u2014try not to worry,\u201d Ben called over to his son as he disappeared up the stairs. <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014I was just about ready for bed,\u201d Ben replied, and had to clear his throat to do it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014it\u2019s been a long night, but a fun one. I sure appreciate all you did to make it memorable for Dru and me. She was so happy when I left her!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben looked up into the innocent face of his middle boy, and it broke his heart to have to take his happiness away. Deciding to speak with his son the next morning, he stood and patted Hoss\u2019 back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014it is rather late, Hoss. Why don\u2019t we both turn in?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSounds good, Pa. I\u2019ve got to meet Dru in town for breakfast,\u201d Hoss agreed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBreakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we\u2019re gonna eat at the International House and then go talk with Reverend Hastings about the ceremony,\u201d Hoss explained as the two men moved towards the stairs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014well\u2014are you coming home after that?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014don\u2019t worry none\u2014I ain\u2019t forgot about my chores!\u201d Hoss laughed and threw his arm around his father as they began to ascend the staircase. \u201cBut, don\u2019t get too used to it, I mean\u2014after I get the house built I won\u2019t be helping out here as much. I\u2019ll have my own place to take care of you know?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014yes of course you will, Son. I kinda wanted to talk with you tomorrow\u2014when you get back,\u201d Ben replied, and tried not to sound too ominous.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnything important? Nothing\u2019s wrong is it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014just some things have come up that we need to discuss. So\u2014if you don\u2019t mind\u2014after you and Dru finish\u2014come and find me\u2014I\u2019ll be working on paperwork in my study tomorrow afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSure thing, Pa. Goodnight,\u201d Hoss replied and patted his father on the back before turning into his bedroom.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben stood in the hallway for a few minutes trying to erase the picture of his son from his mind. Hoss was so very much in love that he would be totally crushed when he learned the truth about Drucilla. It was every father\u2019s nightmare, having to hurt one of his own children for his own good. Ben sighed and moved into his own room dreading the upcoming day. <\/p>\n \u201cMorning Pa\u2014Adam,\u201d Joe said as he sank down in his chair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMorning Joseph,\u201d Ben replied and handed his son a cup of coffee from the head of the table.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey Kid, Pa just told me about your little talk last night,\u201d Adam began, \u201cI hope you know what the ramifications will be?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe stared over at his brother like he had said the most idiotic thing he had ever heard. Angered, he shot back, \u201cAdam\u2014you think I\u2019m lying?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPull in the quills, Joe\u2014I was only saying that Hoss is going to be hurt by all this,\u201d Adam tried to ease out of what he had said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell that\u2019s not my fault! You can blame that on his fianc\u00e9e!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSettle down the both of you,\u201d Ben commanded. \u201cWe have enough trouble\u2014I don\u2019t need you two to be at each other\u2019s throats today!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Pa. And, to answer you, Joe\u2014I wasn\u2019t putting the blame on you to begin with.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe sipped his coffee and tried to calm his frayed nerves. He looked back over at his father and said, \u201cWhen you gonna tell Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis afternoon. Hoss had some business in town first thing, I told him to come home as soon as he was done.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou want me to stick around? I can put off paying the men up with the herd if I have to,\u201d Adam asked his father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014no you go on ahead. I think it would be better if I spoke to him alone. Speaking of which, Joseph, I want you to go and mend that corral up at the South bend line shack.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI thought Hank was doing that today?\u201d Joe asked, wondering why his pa would want him to trade jobs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI told Hank to do your work. It\u2019s better that you\u2019re nowhere near here when I tell your brother what happened in Sacramento,\u201d Ben said somberly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know why he would be mad at me! I only told the truth,\u201d Joe answered indignantly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust do as I\u2019ve asked, okay?\u201d Ben asked, and there was sadness in his voice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe saw how hurt his father was over what he had to do, and he decided that the man had enough trouble, he wouldn\u2019t add to it. \u201cAll right, Pa\u2014if you want me to stay up there for awhile I\u2019ll do it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps just overnight\u2014take some provisions with you just in case.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014I\u2019m not exactly hungry\u2014so I\u2019ll just go and get ready,\u201d Joe said, pulling himself to standing. \u201cJust send word when you want me back home, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Joseph, I will let you know,\u201d Ben smiled gratefully and watched as his youngest left the room. \u201cThis hasn\u2019t been easy on him either, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014I can imagine. Too bad he didn\u2019t tell us about this last year, maybe somehow it could\u2019ve prevented all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh? Do you tell me everything that happens to you on your trips?\u201d Ben asked, raising his eyebrows.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014no\u2014guess not,\u201d Adam fought back a grin, \u201cI see what you mean. Well, I guess I\u2019d better get to the bank and see to the payroll. I\u2019ll be back by nightfall to see how you made out with Hoss. Good luck, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you, I think I\u2019m going to need it,\u201d Ben nodded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben worked on various chores<\/strong> that morning to keep his mind occupied and by the time he settled in behind his desk in the study he was well played out. It wasn\u2019t often that he chose to clean the stables by himself, but the tedious work helped to clear his mind in order to try and get through to Hoss later in the day. Ben realized that there was no easy or perfect way to tell the young man about his fianc\u00e9e. No matter how he chose to say it, it wouldn\u2019t be well received. As the time ticked away, Ben grew more and more jittery and none of the daily expense journals matched by the time he had checked them for the tenth time. He decided to simply stop trying to work on the figures and await Hoss\u2019 arrival.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That event came a little past two that afternoon. Ben heard his son as he came in and hung up his hat and holster by the front door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHi Pa! Sorry it took me so long\u2014but you know how women are!\u201d Hoss explained, smiling ear to ear as he moved into the study.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s fine, Hoss. Why don\u2019t you sit over here,\u201d Ben directed his son to the chair next to his desk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss sank down hard on the wooden seat and stared over at his father. He could tell that the other man was tense and Hoss couldn\u2019t figure out why. Hoss also saw that the brandy decanter had been moved next to his father\u2019s desk, and that was a sign that there had to be serious trouble brewing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d Hoss worriedly asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben stood over his son and leaned against the corner of his desk. He was quite sure that there would be an outburst once Hoss was told the whole story about Drucilla, and he tried to prepare for the onslaught.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss\u2014I have to tell you something. It\u2019s not going to be pleasant\u2014and I ask that you hear me out before you interrupt,\u201d Ben began.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIs this about why Joe was acting so strangely last night?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014as a matter of fact it is,\u201d Ben nodded. He was surprised that Hoss had even noticed his brother\u2019s glum demeanor. Ben believed his son had only Dru on the mind lately and Joe\u2019s behavior had gone unnoticed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2014Little Joe in trouble already?!\u201d Hoss exclaimed. \u201cHe just got back home\u2014you\u2019d think\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben cut his son off and placed his right hand on Hoss\u2019 shoulder to stop him before he said too much about Joe. \u201cNo\u2014no Joseph isn\u2019t in any trouble. This concerns Drucilla actually.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDru? What does she have to do with all this?\u201d Hoss asked, shocked by what his father stated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss, please\u2014please listen to me before jumping to the wrong conclusions,\u201d Ben pleaded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss leaned back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest. He nodded towards his father and said, \u201cGo ahead\u2014tell me what\u2019s wrong. But\u2014I\u2019ll tell you now that nothing\u2019s gonna stop me from marrying that gal. If Joe has a problem with her\u2014or me getting hitched\u2014well he needs to talk to me about it!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet me explain,\u201d Ben began and slowly and carefully he began to tell his son the story he had heard from Joe the previous night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben was amazed that, once he had told the entire story to Hoss, the young man remained seemingly calm. He never interrupted, nor moved from his position in his chair. Finally, with Joe\u2019s story out in the open, Ben leaned back against his desk and waited. Hoss wasn\u2019t forthcoming with words, but his father could tell that a slow burn was starting behind his son\u2019s pale blue eyes. He also saw both hurt and fire in those same eyes, and Ben wasn\u2019t sure who that anger was directed at, Joseph or Dru. After several muted moments, Hoss slowly stood from his chair and stared down at his father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe is lying!\u201d Hoss yelled. \u201cHe can\u2019t stand to see me happy\u2014that\u2019s all it is! No\u2014he\u2019s the one who always gets the girls\u2014now I have one and he\u2019s jealous!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss\u2014please\u2014please sit down and we\u2019ll discuss this,\u201d Ben pleaded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhere is the little liar? I\u2019m gonna tell him what I think of him!\u201d Hoss continued his outrage, totally directed at his brother and not Dru.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not a liar! You know that\u2014but you\u2019re so much in love you can\u2019t see it!\u201d Ben defended his youngest son. If anyone else had called Joe a liar, Hoss would\u2019ve torn them from limb to limb. But, his upcoming marriage was in jeopardy and he was completely overwhelmed with rage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell he\u2019s lying about Dru! You don\u2019t think I would know if she was that type a woman? I\u2019ve spent the last two months with her, Pa\u2014every single day\u2014and there\u2019s no one in the world more sweet\u2014more pure than my fiancee! Now I don\u2019t know why Joe is lying\u2014but I DO know that he is! I want to see him right now!\u201d Hoss screamed, and as he vented his anger, his hands clenched into fists.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYour brother would never want you hurt\u2014don\u2019t you understand? He only told me this to try to help warn you\u2014\u201d Ben started but was cut off by his son.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou think this doesn\u2019t hurt me? This is the woman I love, Pa\u2014more than I\u2019ve ever loved anyone! He\u2019s gonna eat those words or I will beat them outta him!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCalm down, Young Man, you will not\u2014I repeat\u2014NOT harm your brother in any way! Do you understand me?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDo you understand ME Pa? I don\u2019t think so\u2014not if you\u2019ve chosen to believe Joe over me! Now\u2014do I have to look all over this ranch for Joe or are you gonna tell me where he is?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo I\u2019m not. You need to get a grip on that temper first. I suggest you take a little while and then talk to Dru about this. Perhaps\u2014after seeing Joe last night\u2014she will be ready to be honest with you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss reeled back, making a fist with his right hand. It took all of his will power not to strike his father. \u201cIf you believe what Joe said then you don\u2019t care about me\u2014or Dru neither! She\u2019s got nothing to confess to me\u2014and I\u2019ll be damned if I\u2019m gonna mention Joe\u2019s vile lies to her! I\u2019m leaving!\u201d Hoss announced and headed for the front door to get his hat and holster.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben raced to catch up with his son at the door. He reached for his elbow but Hoss pulled out from the hold. \u201cDon\u2019t do something that you\u2019ll regret, Hoss. Please\u2014for me if not anyone else. Just talk to Dru and see what she says before you confront your little brother,\u201d Ben pleaded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss wiped away a few stray tears. His mind was busy processing his father\u2019s story while his heart was beginning to break. He hated the fact that he could never forgive his little brother for what he had said. Hoss had never wanted to choose between his brother and his fianc\u00e9, but if he had to make a choice it had to be in Dru\u2019s favor. Still, he listened to his father\u2019s urgent plea, and wondered if he should go into town and have a talk with his bride to be.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPlease?\u201d Ben reiterated in a whisper.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going into town,\u201d Hoss replied quietly, and there was a large lump in his throat when he pulled the door open and stepped outside. He felt as though he was going to throw up. Sullen and appearing bereft beyond comparison, Hoss moved across the yard to where his horse waited. He sprang into his saddle and headed towards Virginia City.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n One thing that could be said of Drucilla Carrington, she was a very thorough person. She had honed the skills over the years and was a proficient liar. Dru had started on her landlady right away, once she had come to Virginia City. She wanted to know all about the citizens of the town and naturally, the name Cartwright came up right off the bat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dru had arranged to get a job at the local dress shop, it was one way to show she was respectable enough to land a prominent man, preferably a rich prominent man. Shortly thereafter, she had arranged to be introduced to all of the Cartwrights, other than Little Joe, who she was told was away on vacation. She set her sights on Hoss right away. He appeared to be the most gullible of the clan and the big man was known for his good hearted nature.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Soon they had become a couple and were going to local events together. Dru knew how to win men\u2019s hearts and it wasn\u2019t more than a couple of weeks before she had Hoss looking around for engagement rings. Of course back then she had no idea that Joe Cartwright knew her in her past life as a lady of the night. It had come as some surprise to the young lady when she met her fianc\u00e9e youngest brother at their engagement party, but she played it off well. But, from the time she had gotten home from the party, until Hoss Cartwright showed up the next morning to take her to breakfast, Dru dug in deeper trying to get any goods that she could on Joseph Cartwright. <\/p>\n From that point, she went on to tell about all three boys, including Adam, who had gone away to college. Dru took it all in, never giving up her secret desire to find some skeletons in Joe\u2019s closet. That information came out in regards to the trial, which had been held in Virginia City almost two years previous. In a hushed whisper Mrs. O\u2019Malley told Dru all about the two brothers who had come into Joseph Cartwright\u2019s life. Her face blushed with a bit of embarrassment, the woman told her renter all about what had happened to Joe at the hands of both Cade Burroughs and his half-brother Luke. Dru tried to hide her pleasure over learning such dreaded details. At last she had found Joe\u2019s Achilles\u2019s heel. Dru knew how to play the game now. She would turn any details that Joe would come up with against him. By the time she had told her fianc\u00e9 about what had happened it would look as though she was the victim, not Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss showed up at Mrs. O\u2019Malley\u2019s Boarding House before dark. He hated what he had to do, but knew if he didn\u2019t confront Dru about it, that it would be forever hanging over their heads. Dru was calm as she bid Hoss inside her room and settled down next to him on the end of the bed. Before Hoss could come forward with the version that he had heard from his pa, Dru began to cry and confessed to a life that was not very lady like. She told Hoss that she had been robbed at gun point as she began her trip back east. Alone and unable to obtain employment elsewhere she had been forced to take a job at the Black Hawk Saloon in Sacramento. She hated the job, but she made sure that Hoss knew that all she did there was hand out drinks. Dru swore that she never had any gentlemen callers the whole time she was in that town. It was at that point in the story where she recalled meeting Joe Cartwright. Dru told her fianc\u00e9e that she never mentioned it to him because she was unaware that Joe was his brother. She also said that she had thought on it all night and had decided to come clean with the story before Hoss heard a different version.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The whole time Dru spoke Hoss held her hand and kept his secret. He never let on that he knew what she was going to say. By the time she got to that one particular night, Dru knew that Hoss was falling for it hook line and sinker.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With tears streaming down her pale face, Dru spoke of being sound asleep in her small room over the saloon when a young man had simply walked in. That man was Joe Cartwright. Dru said that he had awakened her and she could smell the potent stench of rotgut on his breath. She fought to get out of the bed, but he had held her down. Dru said that he kept saying that he had something to prove. She said she had asked the man what he was talking about and he kept on repeating the name of Cade Burroughs. Pushing the tears from her eyes, she looked up at Hoss and asked him who the man was. Hoss just shook his head and urged her to tell him the rest of the story.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She continued by saying that she finally got Joe to leave the room, but that he was very mad at her for not putting out for him. Dru finished by saying that the very next day she wired her aunt and had begged the old woman to try to send stage fare so that she could leave the horrible town. After a few days, the money had arrived and Dru went back to San Francisco. She had worked as a tailor\u2019s assistant until she had enough saved to push east. As she stared into Hoss\u2019 eyes she knew that she had won him over. Dru apologized for keeping such a dark secret from him, but that she wanted to spare him the shame that she felt. She said that she was worried that Joe might try to take up where he had left off in Sacramento if she didn\u2019t say something to his brother about it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss pulled Dru into his arms and hugged her fiercely. He promised that nothing would ever happen to her as long as he was around. Hoss also told her that he promised to love her forever and that no matter what had happened he still intended to marry her. Of course Dru played her part to the hilt, even offering Hoss his engagement ring back. Hoss simply pushed the ring back onto her finger and kissed her deeply. He said they were going to get married as planned and that he would have a good long talk with both his brother Joe and his father as well. By the time Dru walked Hoss to the door to kiss him goodbye her heart was full of joy. She had won, won over Hoss\u2019 own flesh and blood and she loved it. There would never be a chance for Joe to counter with his claim now, Dru had made it all the more believable by bringing Cade\u2019s name up in the confession. Surely she thought, no one would suspect that she would know about what had happened between Joe and the man. Waving goodbye to Hoss, Dru turned back into her room. She was elated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss Cartwright walked across the street to get his horse with a determined set to his jaw. He had one thing in mind and that was getting a hold of his brother Joe. By the time he made it in front of the Silver Dollar Saloon he ran into one of the ranch hands. The man waved to him and called a quick hello.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHank? Do you happen to know where my brother Joe is?\u201d Hoss asked, forgetting to even return the howdy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSure I do!\u201d Hank exclaimed and moved to stand next to the large man. \u201cYour Pa switched jobs on us today. Joe went to the line shack at south bend to repair the corral and I went on to check on those steers up on the Concho.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Hoss briefly replied and swung into his saddle. Leaving Hank behind wondering why the usually friendly young man simply rode off, Hoss sent his horse into a fast clip towards the ranch.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Darkness fell over the lonely line shack<\/strong> down at the south shore of Lake Tahoe. Joe had gotten most of his assigned duties done, and had decided to call it a night, when he heard the sound of a horse approaching the small cabin. Hoping that it was a messenger from his pa telling him to head home, Joe stepped out onto the porch. He was surprised to find his brother Hoss riding up to the hitching post.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHi Brother!\u201d Joe sang out and moved over to welcome Hoss.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss dismounted and strode briskly over to his little brother. Before Joe could say another word, he found himself half carried up to the line shack and all but thrown inside. He was beginning to wonder why his father had told Hoss where he was when a fist came precariously close to his nose. Joe ducked and tried to talk but Hoss intervened by putting a hand up to his brother\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to hear nothing from you other than an apology, Joe!\u201d Hoss fumed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSimmer down, Hoss,\u201d Joe warned. \u201cDon\u2019t do something you\u2019re gonna regret in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI said apologize for them lies you told about Dru!\u201d Hoss repeated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t tell any lies about her. Everything I told Pa was the truth. Go on\u2014ask her yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know what you did to her, Joe. I could hardly believe my own brother could be that evil. Now you take back that made up story you told our pa!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss she came into MY room. She grabbed me\u2014she told me she wanted twenty dollars. I threw her out of there! It\u2019s all true!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss reared back and planted a fist underneath Joe\u2019s left eye, splitting the skin open from the assault. Joe slumped back against the wall and tried to defend the oncoming attack. Hoss was like a loose cannon and when he got riled there was nothing that a much smaller person could do to stop him. Joe ducked as Hoss sent another punch towards his mid-section. He was caught right under the ribs as he turned towards the interior of the cabin. Joe, reeling due to his wind being knocked from his lungs, felt another blow to the back of his neck. He collapsed onto the floor gasping for air.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSay it! Say you made it all up!\u201d Hoss demanded as he drew his brother by his jacket up from the floor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t\u2014it\u2019s the truth,\u201d Joe muttered and wiped at the blood streaming down his cheek.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI said apologize!\u201d Hoss screamed and sent another punch, which knocked Joe out cold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh my God!\u201d Ben\u2019s baritone voice shot out from the cabin\u2019s open doorway. He rushed to aid his fallen son. \u201cWhat have you done, Hoss?\u201d Ben asked shaking. He drew Joe up towards his chest and surveyed the damage caused by the boy\u2019s own brother\u2019s fists.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI gave him the chance to take it all back and he wouldn\u2019t. I ain\u2019t standing around for no lecture, Pa. You want to talk to me\u2014I\u2019ll be at the International House!\u201d Hoss replied hotly and stormed out of the cabin.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben lifted his youngest son up in his arms as Hoss slammed the cabin door. He carried the boy over to a cot across the room and carefully set him down. Slowly he unlaced the ties to Joe\u2019s green corduroy jacket to survey the damage. He had already noticed the large gash underneath his son\u2019s eye and the knot under his chin from the punch, which had knocked Joe cold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDear Lord\u2014this can\u2019t be happening,\u201d Ben cried as he stood and stared down at his son. He left the cabin and readied the buckboard, which Joe had driven up to the line shack. He knew Joe needed to be tended, but decided getting the boy to his own bed would be better than trying to doctor him in the cabin. Ben wasn\u2019t even sure how severe the boy\u2019s injuries were, and hoped that he could make it home before too long. After removing his horse\u2019s saddle, Ben drew out the blanket that was underneath and placed it inside the wagon. Then he tied Buck\u2019s reins to the back of the buckboard and returned inside the cabin to fetch Joe. The anxious father\u2019s hands trembled as he scooped the boy up into his arms again and hurried out to lay him down. Joe never flinched as his body hit onto the hard wood frame of the bed of the buckboard. He was as limp as a rag doll, and totally unaware of his father\u2019s presence. I\u2019ve got to get you home, Joseph, <\/em>Ben thought to himself as he launched himself up to the driver\u2019s bench and sent the horses down the path that led back to the Ponderosa ranch house.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam heard the loud shouts for help coming from the front yard. He quickly tossed down the book he had been reading and ran towards the door. The lantern on the porch revealed the silhouette of his father pulling up in the buckboard. Adam\u2019s thoughts raced as he jogged out to assist his pa. He wondered what Ben was doing with the buckboard. Hadn\u2019t it been Joe who took it out earlier to make the repairs down at the southernmost border of the ranch?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHelp me get your brother upstairs!\u201d Ben sang out, and in his voice was heavy concern for the boy laying in the back of the wagon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened to the kid, Pa?\u201d Adam asked, as he followed his father into the house, closing the door behind them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNever mind that right now\u2014go and tell Hop Sing to bring up something to bandage Joe with. I need some salve and grab that bottle of brandy by my desk in case he comes around while we\u2019re working on him,\u201d Ben called out his requests as he took the stairs up to the boy\u2019s room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam did as he had been instructed, summoning Hop Sing from his bedroom to help them as well. The two men quickly gathered what they thought Ben might need to do his doctoring and hurried up to Joe\u2019s bedroom. By the time they had made it there, Ben had already removed his son\u2019s boots and jacket and was working on the buttons of Joe\u2019s shirt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBring that lamp over closer will you?\u201d Ben requested, as he bit down on his bottom lip. He could already see the bruising starting under his son\u2019s rib cage and worried that there might be a broken bone or two.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHere, Pa. Who worked him over?\u201d Adam repeated his original question, as he stood at the top of the bed with the lamp in his hand staring down at his battered brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before Ben could reply, Joe started becoming more alert and was fighting the prodding and poking that was going on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSettle down now, Joseph. Let me have a look at you,\u201d Ben whispered and gently felt the boy\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cH\u2014he was s-so mad\u2014s-so mad at me, Pa,\u201d Joe stuttered and then arched his back when his father\u2019s fingers hit on a tender spot.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be okay, Son. You just lay back and try to rest easy while I see if you\u2019ve got any broken ribs,\u201d Ben again whispered.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam looked from his father to Hop Sing and back down at his youngest brother. He was starting to lose all patience with them. He wanted some answers, and he wanted them fast. If someone had pummeled his brother then there was a matter of settling the score.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam gave up on asking his father, so instead he reached down and put his hand underneath Joe\u2019s chin and called to him, \u201cWho did this to you, Kid?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cH-Hoss\u2014H-Hoss,\u201d Joe responded, as tears streaked down his battered face due to the awful memories of the fight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam\u2019s mouth fell open in shock and disbelief. There was no way possible that Hoss would ever cause that much injury to his younger brother! Hoss had spent most of his life taking care of the boy to ever let something like that happen. Adam\u2019s burning gaze was cast upon his father, who, just shook his head and waved his hand to reveal he didn\u2019t want to talk about it just yet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph\u2014sit up a bit\u2014let me check something,\u201d Ben continued his examination.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe eased off the pillows and soon felt his father\u2019s fingers prodding and poking his back. His own vision was obscured due to the black eye which was rapidly closing his left eyelid, but Joe could see enough to notice how frightened his father looked at the time. He groaned again and then Ben lowered him back onto the propped pillows.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGive to Little Joe!\u201d Hop Sing insisted, and handed his boss a shot of brandy. <\/p>\n Pulling the glass to his lips, Joe drank what he could before handing it back to his pa. The strong alcohol burned his throat going down and soon he was swept up in a coughing spell.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2014chase it with some water,\u201d Adam jumped into the situation, and handed his brother a glass of water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe waved off the additional drink, he felt as though he was going to throw up anyhow and didn\u2019t want to increase the urge in the pit of his stomach to let loose its contents.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnything busted?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Ben sighed and reached for the salve, which Hop Sing held, in his hands. He doctored the cuts and bruises and stated, \u201cI think he\u2019s just going to be real sore tomorrow\u2014he\u2019s got a lot of bruising.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWish I had never come home,\u201d Joe whispered, still fighting the mental images from earlier that evening. \u201cHow could he, Pa? How could he believe her and not me?\u201d Joe asked, and then began to cry again. He felt betrayed by his brother, betrayed and hated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben could tell that his son was emotionally unable to handle the situation, so he decided to afford him some privacy. He wanted to know what had happened at the line shack before he had gotten there, but didn\u2019t want to make the boy go through any more distress at the time. He motioned for Adam and Hop Sing to leave the room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be down in a few minutes,\u201d Ben said, staring directly at his eldest son. He knew that Adam wanted to know the details, but it would be done out of the ear shot of Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Hop Sing\u2014let\u2019s go rustle Joe up some broth, shall we?\u201d Adam urged, and shot the cook a retreating look.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben continued to patch his son up, and while he did, he couldn\u2019t help noticing how distraught the boy seemed. Joe had turned his face away from his father and stared towards the wall. It pained the anxious father to see the re-appearance of tears streaking down his son\u2019s face. He knew how close Joe and Hoss had always been, and also knew that it had to be killing the boy on the inside that someone had interfered with their relationship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou want to tell me about it, Joe?\u201d Ben asked patiently.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe believes Dru\u2014not me. H-Hoss\u2014h-he called me evil, Pa! I can\u2019t believe he would think I would attack a woman\u2014but I guess that\u2019s what she told him I did,\u201d Joe sobbed. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just confused, Joseph. I bet you that once he gets into town he will be full of regret for what he did,\u201d Ben whispered and tenderly pushed away the tears from his son\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014no he won\u2019t, Pa,\u201d Joe insisted, staring up at his father. \u201cYou didn\u2019t see him\u2014didn\u2019t hear what he said to me. Hoss hates me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben pulled his son close again, trying to take away his heartbreak. \u201cNo\u2014you might think that right now\u2014after what you\u2019ve just been through it\u2019s to be expected. But, I\u2019m very sure, Son\u2014very sure\u2014that once your brother has time to think it all out\u2014he will realize that you would never lie about something as important as this. Now, let\u2019s lay you down so you can get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe settled back on the pillows and his father pulled up the covers around his shoulders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou just try to sleep awhile, Joseph. I\u2019m going downstairs for a few minutes\u2014and I want to find those eyes closed when I come back. Okay?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll try,\u201d Joe whispered, but his heart wasn\u2019t in his statement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be all right\u2014I promise you, Joe,\u201d Ben vowed. He waited in the room until he saw the boy\u2019s eyes close. Before leaving, Ben pushed back his son\u2019s fallen bangs and softly kissed his brow. He hoped that he could keep the promise that he had just made.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben descended the staircase full of regret. He blamed himself for not having gotten through to his middle son. If he had handled it differently, he assumed that Joseph would not have been harmed. It had been only fatherly instinct, which had propelled him to go to the line shack that evening. Now he was glad that he had listened to the voice inside his head, which beckoned him out there. He was mad, mad at the whole terrible situation, but foremost he was mad at Drucilla. She had apparently poisoned his son\u2019s mind and sent him off to have a one on one with his little brother. Dru held the key to the whole awful situation between Hoss and Joe and Ben wished he could go to her house and have it out with the young woman. But, he knew it wouldn\u2019t be a wise decision at the time. By the time Ben made it down to the living room, he was fighting with his own heart to figure out how to handle the problem.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa? Hop Sing made some coffee. Why don\u2019t you come over here and we\u2019ll try to decipher all that\u2019s gone on today,\u201d Adam offered. He felt awful about what had happened and knew that his father was beating himself up for not having more control of Hoss. <\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2014I put some of your brandy into the cup before I filled it with coffee,\u201d Adam said and handed his father the drink.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben sipped at the hot brew and tried to get his thoughts in order.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo? What did Joe say? And how did Hoss find him out there?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how Hoss knew\u2014unless he happened to run up on Hank. I kinda had a bad feeling that something like this might happen. I just wish I had gotten to the line shack before Hoss got a hold of the boy.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe sure did work him over,\u201d Adam announced as he drank from his cup of coffee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014yes he did. But, we all know that if Hoss wanted to do some more serious damage that he could have very easily. He hurt the boy\u2014that\u2019s not a question\u2014but Hoss must\u2019ve pulled his punches not to have broken any bones. Joe\u2019s gonna be sore, very sore\u2014but fortunately he\u2019s in no danger. I still can\u2019t believe Hoss would ever think that of his brother!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThink what?\u201d Adam asked bewildered by his father\u2019s off the cuff remark.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe said that Hoss called him evil for some reason. He also mentioned that Dru must\u2019ve told Hoss that he had attacked her\u2014not the other way around. I don\u2019t know how she managed to sound so convincing\u2014he ought to know Joseph a lot better than that! That boy would never hurt a woman\u2014it\u2019s not in him to do such a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat woman must have spent her whole life conniving and lying is all I can think, Pa,\u201d Adam replied, shaking his head wearily. \u201cDid Joe say where Hoss ran off to?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss told me that he was going to stay at the International House. I got there right after the fight ended. He knocked the boy out cold. Apparently, Hoss tried to get his brother to apologize for what he had said about the girl. You know your little brother\u2014he would never give in\u2014even if it would save him from a beating.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI ought to go and have a word with Hoss myself,\u201d Adam responded sharply. He knew that someone had to stop the young man before things got worse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben reached over and grabbed Adam\u2019s elbow, to prevent him from leaving the house. \u201cNo\u2014not now anyway. Let\u2019s give him the night to simmer down. Then\u2014well\u2014perhaps he might listen to you? He sure won\u2019t listen to anything I\u2019ve got to say right now. He thinks I\u2019m against him for believing Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThen it\u2019s settled\u2014I\u2019ll go into town tomorrow and have a long talk with him. I\u2019ll try to reason with him, and if that doesn\u2019t work I might just have to do to my little brother what he did to his!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want any more violence, Son. We are a family! This fighting has got to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, it will once we find out what Dru told Hoss. There\u2019s got to be some hole in her story and I\u2019m gonna find it! If I have to ride to Sacramento to get at the truth I will,\u201d Adam vowed vehemently.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you, but let\u2019s hope it doesn\u2019t come to all that.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut the wedding is less than two weeks away. We can\u2019t let Hoss marry that\u2014that\u2014woman!\u201d Adam protested. The more he thought on what Dru had done to the family the more angered he got.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAll we can do is try to stop her, Son. I pray that we can somehow. If not she\u2019s going to put a wedge between your brother and us that we will never be able to break through,\u201d Ben warned and set down his empty coffee cup. \u201cI think I\u2019ll go and sit with Joe for awhile,\u201d Pa announced and stood from his chair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou ought to get some rest, Pa. I know how upset you\u2019ve been the last two days.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fine\u2014just tired. You be careful when you speak to Hoss. I don\u2019t want another son hurt like he hurt Joseph,\u201d Ben warned as he turned for the stairs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I\u2019ve been riding herd on Hoss for a whole lot of years now. He knows better than to go off on me!\u201d Adam smiled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI hope so. Goodnight, Son,\u201d Ben replied and wearily ascended the staircase.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam, like his father,<\/strong> had spent a restless night. In his mind, he tried to think of a way to get through to Hoss the next day. He knew he would have to be as tactful as possible in order to get his brother to tell him all that Dru had said about the incident with Joe. Grabbing a quick breakfast, Adam hurriedly saddled his horse and headed into Virginia City. He hoped that somehow he could figure a way out of the terrible situation that had torn the family apart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss heard the loud knock on his hotel room door. He figured it was probably his pa. The plain fact was that he expected the man the night before, but he had never shown up. Hoss knew how upset his father had been, once he had taken a look at Joe laying on the floor of the line shack. He knew that he was in for a serious lecture eventually. Drawing open the door, he stared down at his brother Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam? What are you doing here?\u201d Hoss asked, still standing in the threshold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMind if I come in for a few minutes?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got to get cleaned up\u2014I\u2019m meeting my fianc\u00e9 for breakfast,\u201d Hoss still held his ground.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt won\u2019t take long,\u201d Adam replied and watched as his brother reluctantly stepped aside.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss walked over to the end of his bed and sat there, shoulders slumped and with a defeated look on his face. Adam could tell that his brother hadn\u2019t gotten any more sleep than the rest of the family, and he looked it. There were dark circles under the big man\u2019s eyes and he hung his head as he stared at his scraped knuckles. Though he was still very angry with Little Joe, it did kill him on the inside to realize that he had harmed the boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow is he?\u2019 Hoss choked out, still refusing to look at his brother. He didn\u2019t want to see the disappointment in his eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou worked him over pretty good, Hoss. Good thing nothing\u2019s broken,\u201d Adam answered, as he sat down next to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t trying to kill him, Adam! I just wanted him to stop lying about the woman I love.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou know our little brother\u2014probably as much as anyone who\u2019s ever known the kid. He\u2019s a sneak, and a shyster at times, but he\u2019s not a liar, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss\u2019 demeanor changed with his brother\u2019s words having been spoken. He clenched his fists and finally looked directly at Adam. \u201cYou saying that Dru is lying to me?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I\u2019m not saying that. I just would like to know both stories before I make a judgment one way or the other,\u201d Adam tried for the diplomatic approach. Truth being said, he believed Joe\u2019s version one hundred per cent. But, if he told Hoss that, he was afraid that he would never learn the details of Dru\u2019s story.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss stood and paced the room. He wanted to talk to someone, and Adam was saying that he was impartial and all. Hoss decided to confide in his brother to get it all out on the table. He hated that the family wasn\u2019t happy about the upcoming wedding, and hoped that maybe Adam could act as some sort of a mediator to change all that. <\/p>\n \u201cGo on\u2014I understand,\u201d Adam nodded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014she was just gonna wait tables until she got up enough money to keep going on her trip. Dru hated having to go to that place and work\u2014but she did. And, she confessed all this to me before I said anything about Joe\u2019s story!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam took in the additional information and as he did, he fought back a grin. Dru was, just as he had thought, an accomplished liar. She obviously knew that Hoss was about to tell her Joe\u2019s story, and instead, she chose to present her own version to draw first blood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOkay\u2014she told you before you let her know that Joe had talked to Pa. Go on tell me the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014she said she had a little room upstairs\u2014above the bar. It\u2019s all she could afford, Adam\u2014there wasn\u2019t anything wrong with that!\u201d Hoss insisted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014you gotta do what you have to when you are in a pinch. So, what did she say about Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014she was sleeping one night when this cowboy entered her room. She said she smelled rot gut on his breath and instantly woke up. You do remember how much our little brother was drinking back then, right?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014after what he went through with Cade and then his brother Luke\u2014well\u2014it was understandable don\u2019t you think? I mean\u2014if that had happened to either one of us\u2014we would\u2019ve done the same thing most likely!\u201d Adam defended Joe\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014that\u2019s the one thing that she said that made sense.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHuh? What she said about what?\u201d Adam asked, confused.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cShe said that the man held her down and said he had something he had to prove. Then he kept mentioning the name Cade Burroughs! Now\u2014how would she have known about that? It only convinced me even more that Dru\u2019s story was true and Joe had covered what he did in his confession to Pa the night before!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know\u2014haven\u2019t got a clue,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell I\u2019ll tell you how! Because everything my girl said was the pure truth!\u201d Hoss yelled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSettle down, Hoss\u2014come on\u2014sit over here and finish the story,\u201d Adam pointed towards the bed, where Hoss finally sat down again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDru said that she finally got Joe to leave her room\u2014but that he was very angry at her for not\u2014well\u2014you know. Anyway\u2014she wired her aunt for more funds the next day and soon she was back in San Francisco trying to earn back the money for her trip. That\u2019s it\u2014other than the fact that she had no idea that it was my brother Joe who had tried to attack her! She was very upset when she met him at the engagement party.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo? What made her decide to tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014once she was introduced to Joe the night before last she was worried that he might want to finish what he started a year ago. She even offered me my ring back\u2014she was so afraid that I would look down on her for spending a few months waiting tables. That\u2019s the kind of girl she is, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath and stood. He didn\u2019t want to rile Hoss, as it would serve no purpose. Now that he had some information, which might help the family\u2019s effort to get to the bottom of the lies that Dru had spouted to Hoss, Adam chose to pretend he was satisfied with the woman\u2019s story.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know how hard this all is, Hoss. But, we are family\u2014don\u2019t forget that.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014I know that! But, Dru\u2019s gonna be family soon too! If Joe doesn\u2019t come clean with Pa and the rest of us\u2014I\u2019m not going to be able to come home. All he has to do is tell Pa what he did and apologize to Dru. That ain\u2019t asking much now, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s give it a few days, Hoss. You know\u2014let things calm down a bit?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAre you gonna tell Pa what I just told you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014I\u2019ll tell him,\u201d Adam nodded and turned for the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know he\u2019s not gonna want to believe this of our little brother\u2014but if he wants me to come home he\u2019s gonna have to. Pa thinks the sun rises and falls over that kid\u2014and YOU know that! But, he\u2019s human\u2014and we all make mistakes.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI know that Joe had gone through a hard time\u2014and maybe it messed up his head. I ain\u2019t defending him\u2014I\u2019m still upset over what he done to Dru. But, considering what happened with Cade\u2014maybe Joe was drunk and was really trying to prove himself as a man\u2014like Dru said he kept repeating to her?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam shook his head and sighed, \u201cI don\u2019t know about all that\u2014give me some time to think on it, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTell Pa\u2014if he wants to talk\u2014to come here and see me. But, if he still thinks that Joe is a danged angel\u2014well\u2014he don\u2019t have to bother,\u201d Hoss stated seriously as he led Adam to the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll tell him. See you, Hoss,\u201d Adam said and patted Hoss\u2019 shoulder before he walked into the hall. Once the big man had closed his door, Adam slumped against the wall wearily. I can\u2019t believe you fell for that story, Hoss. That girl has addled your brain, Brother<\/em>! Adam thought to himself. Well\u2014let\u2019s just check some of this out, <\/em>he mused to himself as he headed out of the hotel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben sat in the living room<\/strong> of the ranch house later that afternoon and listened to Adam recount all he had learned from Hoss earlier. He was glad that his middle boy had confided in his brother, as it might help them to piece the story together and find out something that would shake Dru\u2019s version of the event.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2014then he said that Dru told him that Joe held her down and kept on repeating that he had something he wanted to prove. Hoss said that she mentioned the name of Cade Burroughs, and that Joe kept on bringing him up that night in her room,\u201d Adam continued telling his father the facts as he knew them to be, according to Drucilla.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI WHAT?!\u201d came the loud voice from the top of the staircase.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam and Ben looked towards the sound and saw Joe standing there. They could see how upset he had become on hearing the name that had been conjured up once again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou should be in bed, Young Man!\u201d Ben protested.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe painstakingly eased down the stairs and moved over to the other two men. He held onto his bandaged rib cage as he slowly sat down next to his brother on the settee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat all did she say about me, Adam?\u201d Joe asked, ignoring his father\u2019s objection to his presence there in the room. <\/p>\n \u201cTell me!\u201d Joe demanded, his eyes burning with anger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead\u2014tell him,\u201d Ben sighed, giving up on trying to get Joe back to his sick bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDru told Hoss that you came into her room and held her down on the bed. She also said that you kept saying you had something to prove. Hoss said that she mentioned you saying something about Cade too.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow the hell did she find out about him?\u201d Joe asked, his mind searching for an answer to the question he had posed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI have no idea\u2014but Hoss said that it was one of the things that helped him to believe her story,\u201d Adam confessed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI never ever said a thing about that bastard to her!\u201d Joe shouted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben moved to sit next to his youngest and put his arm around the boy\u2019s shoulder. \u201cCalm down, Joseph\u2014you shouldn\u2019t even be down here\u2014let alone be dealing with this right now.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow could he believe this stuff? I just don\u2019t understand, Pa. He knows how much I hated that man\u2014how much I fought to bury the past! Why would I try to attack someone to prove something? Why would I bring up that man\u2019s filthy name again?!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t,\u201d Ben replied adamantly. \u201cThat\u2019s the whole point isn\u2019t it? Joseph, she evidently heard something about what had happened to you\u2014and then decided to use that information in an attempt to make her story sound more plausible.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s my take on it too, Joe,\u201d Adam nodded. \u201cAnd it\u2019s why I sent a telegraph off this afternoon to someone I know in Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben and Joe turned towards Adam, a question in their stare.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou remember Jeff Perkins don\u2019t you, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014that friend of yours who works at the brokerage firm, right?\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014I sent him a wire before I came back here. I told him the name of that saloon and some of the other information and asked him to check out Dru\u2019s story.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cSettle down, Joseph\u2014let your brother tell us what he\u2019s thinking before dismissing the idea,\u201d Ben urged, still trying to calm the boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI hope that he can find something that will prove the kind of woman that we all think she is, Joe. It\u2019s a given to the three of us that she\u2019s lying. If we can discredit her we stand a better chance of getting through to Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe touched at the cut underneath his eye and replied, \u201cI don\u2019t know if anything will make Hoss change his opinion, Adam. He beat the hell out of me last night, and all because she lied and he chose to believe her over me!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s sorry about that, Joe. You didn\u2019t see how forlorn he looked when I saw him this morning. And\u2014he did ask about you by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI bet,\u201d Joe frowned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014he did! He said he felt bad about hurting you, but that he still expects an apology. Pa, Hoss also said that if you want to talk to him that you\u2019ve got to come to him. He says that unless we accept Dru he won\u2019t ever come back home.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThen maybe he should just stay there!\u201d Joe fumed, and stood back up. He walked over to the study, found the brandy, and poured a drink. The more he thought on what Dru had said, the more angered he was at his brother for believing it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam and Ben exchanged worried glances. They thought back to a time when alcohol was Joe\u2019s only solace. He didn\u2019t need to get too accustomed in finding consolation there again. Ben approached his youngest and put his hand on his shoulder.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be all right, Son. Let\u2019s see what Adam\u2019s friend comes up with, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss should know me better, Pa,\u201d Joe whispered and had to push back a few tears from his eyes. \u201cHe\u2019s known me my whole life. He\u2019s only known her for a few months. Hoss should know I wouldn\u2019t hurt anyone like that\u2014especially not after what Cade did to me. He believes the worst about me because he wants to.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI bet you he\u2019s starting to have some real doubts now, Joe. But, he\u2019s in love\u2014or at least he thinks he is! Once he learns what a conniving witch Dru is\u2014well\u2014he will come around.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf I have to prove myself to him\u2014then forget it!\u201d Joe insisted, the anger coming back to replace the hurt he felt inside. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have to prove that I\u2019m not a louse! He should just know, Pa.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cWhat happens if Adam\u2019s friend doesn\u2019t come up with anything on her?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam moved over to join his family in the study. \u201cCome on, Joe\u2014a woman like that? I\u2019m sure that somebody will talk. If Jeff doesn\u2019t come up with anything I will personally go there myself!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe set the empty glass back on the table and looked up at his brother. \u201cThanks,\u201d he whispered and turned towards the stairs. \u201cThink I\u2019ll go lay down awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben and Adam watched the forlorn figure ascend the staircase. Joe looked even more distraught than he did prior to the conversation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt was bringing up that name again,\u201d Adam answered the questioning look that his father sent his way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Ben sighed. \u201cThat woman sure isn\u2019t playing fairly is she?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s okay, Pa,\u201d Adam replied and forced a smile. \u201cShe has no idea what us Cartwrights are capable of\u2014but she\u2019s sure gonna find out!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben had decided<\/strong> to let the situation settle down a little while before confronting his middle son about his choice for a bride. He and Adam kept busy the next day performing various chores while Joe stayed in the house and recuperated from the injuries he had sustained at the hands of his brother Hoss. Only venturing as far as the dining table, Joe spent most of the time up in his bedroom deep in thought. He was having a tough time trying to reason the whole situation out in his mind and heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There had never been a time that he had fought with his brother Hoss. As kids, they most often ganged up on brother Adam when he was put in the position as surrogate father during Ben\u2019s business trips. Then, as they all grew older, the three young men rarely fought at all. Of course, just as with any family, there were times that they had differences of opinions, but most of those arguments were short lived. Joe couldn\u2019t remember a time when a disagreement had lasted longer than a day or two. Now, it seemed as though there was an invisible wall built up between him and Hoss. Joe wished he could go into town and have it out with the big man, but he knew that his brother wasn\u2019t in the mood for listening to reason. Hoss was thinking as a love struck man, one who refused to believe anything bad about his bride to be.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe knew that his father and oldest brother were going to be away until dinnertime, up at the newly constructed railroad trestle. Deciding to wait in the living room for their return, Joe grabbed one of Adam\u2019s books and sank down on the settee. Hop Sing came in now and again to check on his young charge, to make sure he had everything he needed. The Oriental man\u2019s heart broke for the family at that time. He, too, hated the thought that there was dissension in what was normally a loving and caring family environment. Hop Sing wished that there was something else he could do, other than seeing to the cooking and cleaning. Unfortunately, Ben had informed him that there was nothing anyone could do until they had the information back from Sacramento. Once it arrived, he had told the cook, they would confront both Hoss and Dru with whatever facts Jeff Perkins had ascertained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hearing the sound of an approaching rider, Joe waved Hop Sing off and decided to see who it was himself. Slowly he made his way over to the front door and drew it open. He was surprised that instead of his father or brother Adam, Steve Colter was heading up the porch.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSteve? What brings you out here?\u201d Joe asked, and reached out to shake the other man\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHelping Pete out at the telegraph office, Joe. He said I should bring this out to your pa right away,\u201d Steve explained. He shook Joe\u2019s outstretched hand and then handed him the piece of paper.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe looked at the paper and decided to wait to read it after Steve had left the house. He moved over to the credenza, reached into his jacket, and drew out a silver dollar.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2014thanks a lot for coming out here so fast. I know my pa will want this as soon as he gets back.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo problem\u2014thanks, Joe!\u201d Steve smiled, glad to have received a tip on top of the money that Pete had given him to take the telegraph out to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou want to come in for some coffee?\u201d Joe offered, but hoped Steve would decline. His heart beat rapidly, wondering what information he held in his hand at the time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo thanks\u2014want to get back to town before dark. Take it easy, Joe!\u201d Steve waved and turned for the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSee you, Steve,\u201d Joe called to the departing figure and headed back over to the settee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Quickly scanning the letter, Joe\u2019s mouth formed a sinister smile. They had gotten what they hoped for. Adam\u2019s friend had provided enough information to sway even the biggest skeptic.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat that?\u201d Hop Sing asked, coming in from the kitchen. <\/p>\n \u201cWhere you go?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cInto town,\u201d Joe replied and put on his hat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMister Ben want you to stay here!\u201d Hop Sing protested.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust tell Pa that I\u2019ve gone to Virginia City to tell Hoss all about Dru. If he wants to come into town\u2014he can meet me at the International House,\u201d Joe ignored the cook\u2019s objection and pulled open the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou stay here. Mister Ben and Mister Adam be home soon!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis is something that I\u2019ve got to do, Hop Sing. Don\u2019t worry\u2014I\u2019ll be fine!\u201d Joe insisted as he headed for the barn to retrieve his pinto.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hop Sing stood in the doorway and watched Joe exit the front yard a few minutes later. He didn\u2019t like it, but from past history, the cook knew that once Joe set his mind on something few people could stop him. Hoping that the confrontation between both Hoss and Joe would go better than it had a few days prior, he turned back towards the kitchen. Hop Sing knew that Ben Cartwright would be very mad that his youngest son had gone to see Hoss without him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe was half way into Virginia City<\/strong> by the time his father and brother arrived back home. They didn\u2019t even have enough time to dismount before Hop Sing was in the front yard shouting at them in his native tongue.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHold on\u2014hold on!\u201d Ben called as he eased down from his saddle. \u201cIn English, Hop Sing!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe\u2014he no listen. Boy all the time in trouble!\u201d Hop Sing ranted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh no\u2014what\u2019s he done this time?\u201d Adam interjected and moved next to the family caretaker.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe ride to town\u2014he going to talk to Mister Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHE WHAT?!\u201d Ben\u2019s voice bellowed out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMan from town come\u2014he give Little Joe paper with information\u2014then boy leave to see Hoss. Hop Sing try to stop\u2014but no listen! Little Joe never listen!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben shot his son a bewildered look, which quickly changed to frightened concern. \u201cMust\u2019ve been that telegraph we\u2019ve been waiting on.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go, Pa!\u201d Adam yelled and sprang back up on his horse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou stop him Mister Ben. He go to International House to see Mister Hoss. You go quick!\u201d Hop Sing shouted and watched as the two men rode out of the yard.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe tied the reins to his horse<\/strong> out on the hitching post in front of the Silver Dollar Saloon. Darkness had fallen over the mining town and rowdy cowboys were starting to pile into the bar. He fought the desire to join them, and perhaps down a few beers before going through with his mission. Joe wanted to be the one who uncovered the goods on Dru and wondered which way would provide more satisfaction. His gaze tracked down the street to where the International House Hotel and Dining Room stood. Joe figured he would probably find his brother Hoss there. Looking in the other direction, and across the street was Mrs. O\u2019Malley\u2019s Boarding House. Smiling smugly, Joe decided to drop the news on Dru first. As far as he was concerned, it was about time that the woman had a good talking to. Joe patted his pinto and then crossed the street.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mrs. O\u2019Malley had just set aside the dinner plates. There was a strict rule that the evening meal was promptly at five p.m., and she had several boarders joining her that evening. Dru had helped the older lady set the table and then they ate a good home cooked meal before the young lady had excused herself and returned to her room. Mrs. O\u2019Malley stopped putting the dishes away when she heard the knock on the front door. Wiping her hands on her apron she made it into the foyer and went to see who her visitor was.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell Little Joe Cartwright!\u201d the lady smiled. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen you in a month of Sundays. Come on in.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe removed his hat and nodded towards the woman. She was decent enough, but Joe knew that she was also well known as one of the town\u2019s main source of gossip. He wondered if perhaps she had helped Dru with some facts along the way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHello Mrs. O\u2019Malley, how are you?\u201d Joe said, trying to be polite enough to get his way in to see Hoss\u2019 fianc\u00e9.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFine, Little Joe. My look at your face!\u201d she exclaimed, seeing the cut and bruises underneath the young man\u2019s eye. \u201cWho did that to you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Joe paused and touched at his eye, \u201cit\u2019s nothing. Just had a fall.\u201d He didn\u2019t want to give the old woman any more fodder in the gossip department that she would carry out of the house and throughout the town.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, it looks like fist marks to me,\u201d Mrs. O\u2019Malley replied suspiciously.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI was just wondering if I could speak with Drucilla for a moment?\u201d Joe changed the subject fast.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe\u2014it is a bit late for callers. I think she has retired for the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt won\u2019t take long. Could I please?\u201d Joe asked, and tried to look sincere in his request.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014I suppose so. Her being your brother\u2019s fianc\u00e9\u2014I\u2019m sure she won\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Joe smiled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The landlady waved for Joe to follow her down the hallway to Drucilla\u2019s room. She knocked on the door and said, \u201cDrucilla honey\u2014you have a caller.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dru heard the woman\u2019s voice and wondered who would be visiting her. She had seen Hoss earlier and he told her he would see her at breakfast over at the hotel. Joe had caught her unaware and it showed on Dru\u2019s face when she pulled open the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI told Little Joe that you wouldn\u2019t mind seeing your future brother-in-law,\u201d Mrs. O\u2019Malley explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOf course not\u2014come on in, Joe,\u201d Dru replied. Truth being told, she didn\u2019t want to see Joe at all, but she also didn\u2019t want to cause a big scene in front of her landlady.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Joe nodded and sent a wickedly evil smile over to her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Soon the two enemies were standing in Drucilla\u2019s bedroom staring each other down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow that she\u2019s gone\u2014what do you want?\u201d Dru got right to the point after she heard the landlady\u2019s footsteps retreating down the hall.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat do I want?\u201d Joe asked and chuckled. \u201cLet\u2019s see\u2014I think what I want most of all is for you to go to my brother Hoss and tell him what a big fat liar you are. Yep\u2014come to think of it\u2014that is what I want first of all.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIn your dreams!\u201d Dru fired back. \u201cSee this ring? It means that Hoss and I are going to be wed. And there\u2019s nothing that can stop us now. He doesn\u2019t care about you anymore, Joe. Just look at your face! I know he did that to you. Oh how I laughed under my breath when he confessed what he had done. Sure he was upset\u2014but he will get over it once we are husband and wife!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou are pathetic\u2014you know that?\u201d Joe laughed and leaned up against one of the walls. \u201cYou are also a liar\u2014but your time\u2019s coming. And real soon too!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh? What are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI have something here that\u2019s going to change the whole picture,\u201d Joe announced and pulled the telegraph out of his jacket pocket. \u201cYeah\u2014as soon as Hoss sees this\u2014well\u2014you will go back to the gutter again!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dru tried to hide her worry as she stared over at the piece of paper in Joe\u2019s hand. \u201cWhat is that?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a telegraph we got\u2014and boy have you been a bad girl! This here will spell out exactly what type of a woman you are. Then\u2014when my brother reads it\u2014well, he will know I was telling the truth all along.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat truth? The truth that women aren\u2019t your choice for sleeping partners?\u201d Dru laughed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe moved over to the woman and there was fire in his eyes. He grabbed her by the wrist and held it tightly. \u201cYou know I\u2019ve never struck a woman in my life. But\u2014if you say anything else about me\u2014well\u2014I might have to change my perspective and give you what you deserve!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t threaten me!\u201d Dru shouted, not being the type who backed down from any man.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe let go of Dru\u2019s wrist and forced her gaze. \u201cI don\u2019t have to threaten you. Hoss can do that for me when he reads this. It\u2019s time he sees it\u2014if you are wise you\u2019ll hide\u2014and catch the next stage out of here. Go back to the brothel!\u201d Joe said vehemently and then turned for the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dru had been backed into the corner and knew she had little time to stop Joe from telling his brother some things from her past that she\u2019d rather forget. Acting out of instinct, much like a cornered snake, she reached out and pulled Joe\u2019s six gun from his holster. Joe spun around, having been caught totally unaware of the woman\u2019s move.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t going anywhere!\u201d Dru said and then, without even aiming, she pulled the trigger of the gun.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe fell to the ground like a sack of grain, his blood spilling from just above his belt. He had known the woman was evil, but never thought she would do such a thing to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWatch this,\u201d Dru smiled and then ripped the top of her dress. She then gave a blood curdling scream. \u201cHelp!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2014Joe Cartwright\u2014he tried to rape me\u2014help!\u201d Dru called to the woman and then let loose her tears.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh you poor child! You poor poor child!\u201d Mrs. O\u2019Malley replied and walked over to Dru and held her close.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI had to do it\u2014I had to\u2014he wouldn\u2019t let go of me!\u201d Dru sobbed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mrs. O\u2019Malley moved over to the fallen man and knelt down. \u201cHe\u2019s still alive\u2014we\u2019ve got to get help. I\u2019ll be right back!\u201d she said breathlessly and ran out of the room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDie fast,\u201d Dru whispered as she stood over Joe\u2019s body. She reached inside his jacket and pulled out the telegraph. Running across the room she stashed it underneath her mattress and then returned to the doorway to wait for Mrs. O\u2019Malley.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben and Adam had arrived in Virginia City<\/strong> just as Joe was going to see Dru. They thought that Joe had gone directly to see Hoss, and decided to intercept him to prevent another fight. Knocking on Hoss\u2019 hotel room door, Ben braced himself for the worst.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa? Adam? What do you want?\u201d Hoss answered curtly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIs Joseph here?\u201d Ben asked and peered inside the room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014haven\u2019t seen him. Why?\u201d Hoss replied, confused that his father would think Joe had come to him after the fight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe was coming here\u2014that\u2019s what he told Hop Sing,\u201d Ben said, wondering where the boy had gone off to. They had seen Cochise tied in front of the saloon and figured he had walked down to the hotel from there.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhy would he come here? I ain\u2019t got nothing to say to him\u2014unless he wants to apologize,\u201d Hoss announced, still holding his ground as far as his little brother was concerned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before Ben had the chance to reply, he could hear a loud commotion coming from the lobby. Within minutes the desk clerk ran up the stairs. He knew where he would find Ben Cartwright, and knew he would be needed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMr. Cartwright\u2014Mr. Cartwright!\u201d the man shouted. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Ben asked the man.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe\u2014he\u2019s been shot\u2014over at Mrs. O\u2019Malley\u2019s Boarding House. You\u2019d better come quick\u2014it don\u2019t sound good!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The blood drained from all three of the Cartwrights\u2019 faces as they hurriedly followed the desk clerk down the winding staircase. Ben knew now that Joe had decided to confront Drucilla instead of Hoss. His heart raced from the images playing out in his mind over the consequences of that meeting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The door to the boarding house was wide open when Ben, Adam, and Hoss filed inside. A small crowd had gathered in the hallway and they had to push their way down to Dru\u2019s bedroom. The young woman stood next to the threshold wiping her tears away on a handkerchief. Mrs. O\u2019Malley was standing next to her holding the young woman in her arms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With his knees shaking, Ben moved to where Joe still lay covered in his own blood. He almost didn\u2019t see Doctor Paul Martin as the man pushed bystanders out of the way and hurried towards the injured boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet me have a look, Ben,\u201d Paul called over to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben was fighting back tears when he moved aside enough to let Paul examine Joe. He looked out in the hallway and saw Dru standing there and his blood began to boil with anger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat have you done!\u201d Ben demanded, staring directly at Hoss\u2019 fianc\u00e9e.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I\u2014couldn\u2019t help it\u2014Joe tried to rape me! I had to\u2014I had to. Oh Hoss!\u201d Dru sobbed and fell into the big man\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss felt trapped between two opposing worlds. The woman he loved was standing there shaking and with tears running down her pale face. He could see that her dress had been torn almost off, and he couldn\u2019t help wondering if Joe had gone after her again. But, there on the floor lay the boy he had grown up with, and his fear for Joe\u2019s life grew as the doctor began to feel for a pulse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss? Hoss I\u2019m sorry\u2014but I didn\u2019t know what to do\u2014he wouldn\u2019t let me off the bed\u2014 then he tore my dress. I reached for his gun\u2014I just wanted to scare him away\u2014but it went off!\u201d Dru explained with panic in her voice. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not good, Ben,\u201d Paul muttered. \u201cWe need to get him over to the hospital before we lose him. Somebody bring a carriage!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There were a few men, who even though they wanted to stay and hear what Ben Cartwright was going to do to the woman who had shot his son, left the scene and rushed to get a carriage for the doctor and Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGet the sheriff,\u201d Ben demanded as he gathered Joe up into his arms and followed Paul out to the foyer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dru continued to play it up held in Hoss\u2019 arms. She knew that as long as Joe died that she would be able to call her deed self defense. She prayed that he would die soon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLook what she\u2019s done now. I hope you\u2019re satisfied,\u201d Adam said to Hoss and headed out after their father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss clung onto his fianc\u00e9e, but his heart wasn\u2019t in it. \u201cI\u2019ll stay with you until the sheriff gets here,\u201d Hoss told her as he wiped away his own tears.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Doctor Martin began to bark orders<\/strong> the moment he stepped into the main corridor of the Sisters of Mercy Hospital. He called for a stretcher to be brought out and soon they had Joe spread out upon it. Before Ben or Adam could ask any questions, Paul disappeared with the injured young man inside the operating room. All the two Cartwrights could do was to wait and worry. Fifteen minutes later, Paul re-emerged from the room and waved for Ben to come over to the doorway.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2019s Joe\u2019s clothes,\u201d Paul began, and handed Ben the stack of clothing. \u201cWe\u2019ve got him prepped and ready to begin but he\u2019s insisting on talking to you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph is awake?\u201d Ben asked, surprised that his son had come back around after passing out from loss of blood and shock.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014but not for much longer. Go on and speak with him for a minute. The sedative I just gave him is going to work fast so I can get to that bullet,\u201d Paul explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHere, Adam. You hold these\u2014I\u2019ll be right back,\u201d Ben called to his son and relinquished the clothes to the boy\u2019s brother. He then made his way into the operating room. <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph? It\u2019s your pa\u2014you still with us?\u201d Ben whispered as he grabbed on to the boy\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2014Pa,\u201d Joe murmured and tried fruitlessly to focus in on the man standing next to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou need to settle down, Son. Let Doc have at that bullet\u2014then we can talk all about what happened,\u201d Ben tried to calm the boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGotta tell you\u2014tell you\u2014the telegraph\u2014\u201d Joe mumbled and then stopped speaking abruptly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the telegraph, Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cShot me\u2014Dru\u2014shot me\u2014hurts\u2014hurts\u2014Pa,\u201d Joe continued talking out in a delirious manner.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know\u2014it\u2019s going to be okay\u2014don\u2019t you worry none.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTelegraph\u2014came\u2014took it to her\u2014shot me\u2014shot me\u2014then ripped her dress.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDid she rip her dress, Joseph? Is that what you\u2019re trying to tell me?\u201d Ben asked, though he had assumed that fact to be true earlier.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRipped her own dress\u2014Pa\u2014I didn\u2019t hurt her\u2014never hit a lady\u2014she shot me\u2014hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben stared over at Paul and saw him point to the clock on the wall. He assumed the doctor was making note of the fact that they had to get right to the operation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know you didn\u2019t hit her\u2014don\u2019t worry about that, Joseph. You just lay still now and let Paul get that bullet out, okay?\u201d Ben said and ran his hand gently through the boy\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTelegraph\u2014proves it\u2014find telegraph\u2014she shot me\u2014hurts\u2014hurts bad, Pa,\u201d Joe whispered and then fell off into a drug induced slumber.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that about a telegraph, Ben?\u201d Paul asked as he moved closer to his patient.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll fill you in later. Get that bullet out before he loses any more blood,\u201d Ben sighed and stepped out of the way. <\/p>\n \u201cTake good care of him,\u201d Ben replied, though it wasn\u2019t needed. He knew that Paul cared about Joe very much and would do his utmost to keep the boy alive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI will,\u201d Paul nodded and watched as Ben mournfully moved out of the operating room. \u201cLet\u2019s get this done,\u201d Doc said to his nurse and reached for his scalpel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam waited for his father,<\/strong> the whole time wondering what was going on in the next room. By the time Ben joined him in the hallway he could see the worry etched all over his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s the kid?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t know for awhile\u2014Doc\u2019s just starting now.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat did Joe say to you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe kept muttering something about that damn telegraph. I wish to God that he never got that thing!\u201d Ben replied, angered at the whole situation, and how Joe had come to town to show it to Dru and Hoss.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhere is it anyway? I\u2019d like to see what Jeff had to say.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben stared at the clothes in Adam\u2019s hands and his eyebrows narrowed. \u201cI would assume it\u2019s somewhere in his pants or jacket.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam set his brother\u2019s garb down onto a chair and painstakingly went through them. Coming up without anything, he turned back towards his father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not here,\u201d Adam announced flatly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben was surprised by his son\u2019s statement. He assumed that Joe had been delirious, but now he was starting to have some doubts. Perhaps the boy was trying to give his family the evidence they needed all along?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph\u2014he kept saying something about Dru shooting him\u2014and he kept repeating that we needed to get the telegraph. If it\u2019s not in his clothes\u2014and if he never made it to see Hoss\u2014\u201d Ben was cut off in mid-sentence by his son.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThen Dru has it! It also shows that she had motive to kill Joe!\u201d Adam exclaimed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI heard him saying something about staying with Dru until Roy gets there.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI want you to get over there right away, Adam. Make sure no one leaves Dru alone in her room. If it\u2019s not on her person, then she\u2019s got it stashed somewhere! Tell Roy what Joe said\u2014and be sure he knows that Joseph saw her tear her own dress too!\u201d Ben insisted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cKinda takes away that whole self defense issue now doesn\u2019t it?\u201d Adam smiled and turned to leave. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about any of this, Pa\u2014I\u2019ll handle it\u2014you stay and do what you do best.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd what would that be?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPray,\u201d Adam announced and patted his father\u2019s arm before leaving.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben sank into a chair and did as he was told; he prayed that God would, once again, spare Joe\u2019s life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam pushed his way<\/strong> through the nosey spectators and stopped just outside of Dru\u2019s room at the boarding house. He watched and listened to Roy Coffee, who had just begun his investigation. The man was a seasoned lawman and knew how to seek the truth, even from strangers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2014Mrs. O\u2019Malley-you\u2019re saying that you never heard nothing until that gun went off?\u201d Roy questioned, staring hard at the woman.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sheriff\u2014like I told you\u2014I was in the kitchen putting away the supper dishes when I heard the shot\u2014then I heard Dru scream for help. That poor girl was standing there with her dress torn in half!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd none of your other boarders heard or saw anything?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I only have two others\u2014both gentlemen\u2014who were at the saloon at the time. They left right after I served dessert.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy scrubbed at his stubble of beard and moved over to Hoss and Dru, who were seated on the bottom of her bed at the time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAny bad blood between you and Little Joe?\u201d Roy asked the young lady, suspicion framing his face. <\/p>\n \u201cApologize? For what?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a long story,\u201d Dru replied quietly and stared over at her fiancee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell I got a long time\u2014so go ahead,\u201d Roy nodded, growing quite frustrated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI met Joe Cartwright a year ago\u2014well not exactly met\u2014he barged into the room I had over the bar at the Black Hawk Saloon in Sacramento. He was very drunk\u2014and he\u2014well\u2014he,\u201d Dru stopped all of a sudden and broke down crying.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss put his arm around the young lady and tried to console her, \u201cCome on, Honey\u2014tell Roy what happened so we can get it all out in the open.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe Cartwright accosted me\u2014in my bed\u2014I had to fight him to get him to leave the room. I never saw him again\u2014until the night of our engagement party at the Ponderosa. I had to tell Hoss what happened\u2014I didn\u2019t want to\u2014but I didn\u2019t want to have it over our heads once we got married.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy shook his head in disbelief and countered her statement, \u201cI\u2019ve known Little Joe since he was in diapers. I find it hard to believe that he would do such a thing!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe did! And\u2014he tried to finish it tonight, Sheriff!\u201d Dru protested. \u201cI thought he just wanted to talk\u2014or I wouldn\u2019t have let him in here in the first place! Once Mrs. O\u2019Malley left us\u2014well he forced me over to the bed\u2014ripped my dress when he tried to take advantage of me. I reached for his gun\u2014I only wanted to scare him off. But\u2014it went off somehow\u2014and he fell to the floor. Now that\u2019s what happened\u2014the whole truth!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you have to say about this, Hoss?\u201d Roy asked somberly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou know everything I do now, Roy. I got over here after Joe was shot.\u2014and found Dru hysterical. Her dress was ripped\u2014but I can\u2019t see Joe doing it\u2014but I can\u2019t believe Dru would lie to me neither!\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy looked around the room and saw the puddle of blood by the door. He eyed the distance between the bed and the spot where the boy had fallen. Something didn\u2019t appear to be right.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRoy,\u201d Adam said, coming into the room after listening to Dru\u2019s explanation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam\u2014how\u2019s Joe doing?\u201d Hoss asked. <\/p>\n \u201cYour Pa with him?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014hey Roy\u2014can I see you out here for a minute?\u201d Adam motioned towards the hallway.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou two stay there\u2014I\u2019ve got some more questions for you,\u201d Roy addressed Hoss and Dru. He then moved out in the hallway with Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got some good information for you, Roy,\u201d Adam whispered. Quietly he related to the sheriff all of the facts as he knew them to be. He made it a point to tell Roy that Joe had been awake and alert enough to say that Dru had torn her own dress and that the telegraph with the goods on her had to be in her room somewhere, or perhaps on her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy took in everything that Adam confided. It made a whole lot more sense that Dru was lying than the other version that had painted Joe Cartwright as a rapist. Roy nodded to Adam after he had his say and turned back into the bedroom.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The whole time that Roy was talking with Hoss\u2019 brother Dru worried that Joe had come to long enough to say something about what really had happened in the bedroom. She had prayed that the young man would die, but now she wasn\u2019t sure. Dru hoped that the sheriff and the rest of the spectators would leave long enough for her to destroy the telegraph. But, that didn\u2019t look like it was going to happen any time soon, so she kept her position on the bed to protect the piece of paper which sat just underneath her at the moment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss\u2014I believe we can clear all this up pretty easy now,\u201d Roy began as he stood next to where Joe had fallen. \u201cFirst of all, I did notice that your bed sits a good piece from this spot where Little Joe fell after being shot. Drucilla\u2014do you know how that is?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean,\u201d Dru replied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014you said that Joe was on top of you and you pulled out his gun, right?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThen you accidently pulled the trigger, right?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI told you that already\u2014what are you getting at?\u201d Dru asked, starting to get angry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy walked from the spot where Joe had fallen over to the bed, pacing it out as he did. <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014he kinda staggered over there before falling\u2014like he was trying for the door,\u201d Dru countered.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo blood stains anywhere near that bed\u2014and he was gut shot from what I heard. When he fell he was already bleeding bad.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss stared hard at Roy and then at his fianc\u00e9e. For the first time it was starting to seem like the woman was lying about what she had done. He swallowed hard and stood from the bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDru\u2014you didn\u2019t say anything earlier about Joe staggering,\u201d Hoss stated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss\u2014I was upset\u2014your brother had attacked me\u2014my mind isn\u2019t all that clear about every single detail. You\u2019ve just got to believe me,\u201d Dru answered, tears forming in her eyes once more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam here told me something mighty interesting about why your little brother came to see Dru,\u201d Roy indicated Hoss.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe said that Joe had with him a telegraph\u2014one that he had received at the ranch this afternoon. Joe wanted to confront Dru with some information that had been sent from Sacramento. That telegraph happens to be missing. Where do you suppose it is, Dru?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI never saw any telegraph, Sheriff. Adam must be mistaken,\u201d Dru replied, holding her place on the bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you talking about, Adam?\u201d Hoss asked, turning towards his brother who still stood in the doorway. \u201cWho sent the telegraph?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cA good friend of mine\u2014who happens to live in Sacramento, Hoss. He dug up some facts about your girlfriend and Joe decided to bring it here first. That\u2019s why Pa and I showed up at your hotel this evening\u2014we knew why Joe had come to town.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss turned back towards the woman on the bed and said, \u201cIf you know anything about that telegraph you\u2019d better speak up now.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHonest\u2014Hoss\u2014I don\u2019t know what he\u2019s talking about! Your brother came here\u2014he said to finish what he started in Sacramento. He never said anything about a telegraph\u2014never showed me one\u2014I haven\u2019t seen it!\u201d Dru protested. <\/p>\n Dru shrugged her shoulders and tried her best to look calm. She continued to sit on the bed, hoping that no one checked under the mattress. \u201cGo ahead and look\u2014there\u2019s nothing to find!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam\u2014Hoss\u2014you boys help me will you?\u201d Roy asked and saw them nod.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Soon the two Cartwright brothers and the sheriff were searching the entire room from top to bottom. They went through bureaus and clothing, and came up without a clue. Finally Adam turned to look at Dru and he got a hunch as to why she had never stood from her bed the whole time the search was going on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSee I told you,\u201d Dru said as the men gathered back by the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s one place we haven\u2019t looked,\u201d Adam commented and pointed towards the bed. \u201cHoss\u2014she\u2019s your fianc\u00e9e\u2014you go look that bed over. Tell her to get out of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss walked over to Dru, a look of total despair on his face. He motioned for her to stand, and reluctantly she moved across the room. Hoss searched the bedding and then lifted the mattress. He saw the piece of paper, and his heart dropped in his chest.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead\u2014read it,\u201d Adam instructed, when he saw his brother had found the piece of paper.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss sat down heavily on the bed. Slowly he read the telegraph and all the incriminating evidence that Adam\u2019s friend had come up with on Dru. It hit the big man like a ton of bricks. The woman had been picked up for lewd and lascivious conduct numerous times in Sacramento and had even served some jail time for rolling customers. Dru had been run out of the town by the sheriff there. There it was, before Hoss\u2019 very eyes, the true facts concerning the person he had loved and trusted. Now he knew that he had judged his brother wrong; the same brother who now was in the hospital fighting for his life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss\u2014Hoss don\u2019t believe any of the lies your brother says about me! He probably manufactured that telegraph! They were all out to get me\u2014Joe\u2014Adam\u2014even your father! You\u2019ve got to believe me,\u201d Dru pleaded, moving over to Hoss and grabbing his arm.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI never knew you\u2014never knew what you were capable of,\u201d Hoss whispered sadly. \u201cWhy did you shoot Joe? Because of this?!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cJoe was still conscious before he went for surgery, Hoss. He told Pa that Dru ripped that dress after she shot him,\u201d Adam added.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou do love me\u2014Hoss\u2014you do!\u201d Dru insisted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss wearily arose from the bed and looked down at the young woman. \u201cLove you? I hate you\u2014hate what you\u2019ve done to me\u2014and my family. Roy\u2014get her out of my sight!\u201d Hoss yelled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMiss Carrington\u2014I\u2019m arresting you for attempted murder. I only pray that the charge stays that way\u2014or it will be cold blooded murder!\u201d Roy addressed his prisoner and grabbed her wrists. He handcuffed the woman and dragged her off to the Virginia City Jail.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat have I done, Adam?\u201d Hoss asked his brother, his voice shaken. \u201cWhat have I done to Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam felt sorry for the big man, even though he had let Dru twist him around her finger. He felt that Hoss would punish himself enough, he didn\u2019t need to add to his despair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCome on\u2014let\u2019s go see how the kid is doing,\u201d Adam whispered, and put his arm around his brother\u2019s shoulder for comfort. The two men hurried over to the hospital, each of them silently praying that Joe had survived his surgery.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben had paced the corridors of the hospital for over an hour waiting for his son to come out of surgery. His thoughts were on so many things, especially the boy who was being operated on. He also was wondering what was going on over at the boarding house. Ben prayed that Roy, with Adam\u2019s help, would bring Dru to justice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa? How\u2019s Joe doing?\u201d Adam asked, somewhat out of breath from the brisk walk into the hospital.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben turned around after hearing his name called, and was surprised to see both Adam and Hoss coming towards him. There was something different in Hoss\u2019 carriage, his shoulders were slumped and his face was directed towards the floor to avoid his father\u2019s stare. Ben took that as a sign that Dru had been arrested.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe boy\u2019s still in surgery,\u201d Ben commented and tried to think of something to say to Hoss. <\/p>\n Ben shot a look over to Adam, and then redirected his gaze at his middle son. He could see Hoss was heartbroken on a couple of levels. Hoss had just lost someone he thought he would marry, and his father knew how hard that would be on him. But, to know that Dru had not only lied, but also had viciously shot his younger brother had to be a whole lot worse. Ben hoped that Joseph would forgive his brother\u2019s lack of trust in him. Knowing the boy well, he believed that his son would, should he survive his injuries. The facts were still out on that one at the moment and Ben\u2019s heart filled with sorrow over the situation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss\u2014Joe loves you\u2014that\u2019s one thing that I do know,\u201d Ben began, \u201cI only pray that he will live to tell you that he forgives you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As if on cue, Doctor Paul Martin emerged from the operating room and walked towards the waiting family.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow is he?\u201d Ben asked, frightened by the glum look on Paul\u2019s face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt was a tough surgery, Ben. The only good thing was that the bullet went on a diagonal pattern instead of straight through Joe\u2019s abdomen. He\u2019s lost a whole lot of blood\u2014as you know.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s gonna be all right isn\u2019t he?!\u201d Hoss jumped in to the conversation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Paul stared over at Hoss and Adam and read the worry on their faces. \u201cWe\u2019ll just have to wait and see, Hoss. I\u2019ve done all that I could. He\u2019s still unconscious.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWere any organs hit?\u201d Ben questioned, worried about the fact that the bullet had struck Joe\u2019s stomach.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFortunately only one.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The three Cartwrights each looked bewildered at the doctor\u2019s statement. How could hitting any organ be fortunate?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt was his appendix. Knowing Joe\u2019s luck\u2014he\u2019d probably end up having it taken out some time in the future anyway. If we had to lose something\u2014it\u2019s the one organ I would have chosen him to lose,\u201d Paul explained, and patted Ben\u2019s shoulder to comfort his old friend.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2014it\u2019s the blood loss that you are mainly worried about?\u201d Ben tried for some clarification of his son\u2019s prognosis.<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014that and the possibility for infection to start up are what I\u2019m most afraid of. Of course we all know that boy of yours, Ben. He\u2019s surprised us so often we\u2019ve come to expect him to change all the rules as far as the practice of medicine is concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCan I see him?\u201d Hoss broke in. He had so much he wanted to get off his chest that the weight of it was killing him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNot just yet. We will be moving him into his room in just a little while. I\u2019d like to watch him in recovery for awhile just to make sure those sutures are holding. Ben\u2014you can come in for a few minutes if you\u2019d like. But, that\u2019s about all the commotion that my patient will be able to handle tonight. Why don\u2019t you send Hoss and Adam over to the hotel for some rest?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben turned and looked at his sons and smiled, in spite of the horrible situation. He knew they would never leave the hospital until they had at least seen Joe once with their own eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPaul\u2014how about letting them each go in and see Joseph for just a minute\u2014then I\u2019ll send them on their way?\u201d Ben countered the Doc\u2019s suggestion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAll right\u2014but make it brief\u2014your brother isn\u2019t out of the woods yet. Adam\u2014you can go in first.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam looked at Hoss\u2019 face and knew that the big man needed to see the boy for his own good. He opted to let his brother see Joe first.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou go on in there, Hoss. But, don\u2019t take more than a minute or two,\u201d Adam whispered.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Hoss nodded, and followed Paul into the recovery room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss stared down at the shockingly pale face of his brother. The boy looked like death warmed over, and his brother\u2019s heart broke from the sight. He knelt down alongside of Joe\u2019s bed and cried.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe\u2014I don\u2019t know if you can hear me, boy, but I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m so dad gum sorry I can\u2019t hardly breathe! Please get better\u2014please don\u2019t leave us. I\u2019ve got so much to say to you\u2014so many things to take back. I only hope you\u2019ll forgive me for being such a dumb lummox. I love you, Joe,\u201d Hoss whispered, pushing back his tears.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Paul stood next to where Hoss was making his heartfelt confession to his little brother. The doctor felt bad for the entire Cartwright family, but at that moment, especially for Hoss. He hoped that Joe would pull through, because if not, Hoss wouldn\u2019t be able to go on with his life. Paul knew the family well, and with that knowledge came understanding. He knew how close all three brothers had always been. Paul knew how much they loved each other, and if there had been bad feelings between Joe and Hoss prior to the boy\u2019s injury, then he knew why Hoss was prostrate with grief.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s going to have to be enough for now, Hoss. You can visit with your brother a little later when he\u2019s in his room, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Doc,\u201d Hoss nodded and slowly stood back up. \u201cYou\u2019ll fix him all up\u2014I know you will.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not up to me from this point on, Hoss. It\u2019s up to the man upstairs. Maybe you ought to say a couple of prayers for your little brother? There\u2019s a small room used as a chapel at the end of the hall.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Doc,\u201d Hoss replied and walked out of the room. As Adam left with Paul to go see Joe, his brother moved past Pa and headed down the corridor to pray.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam dropped his hand down onto Joe\u2019s shoulder and whispered in his ear. \u201cHey kid\u2014if you can hear me\u2014how about waking up long enough to get Hoss off the hook? You know he\u2019s beating himself up\u2014he hates that he chose to believe Dru over his baby brother. You\u2019ve just got to get better\u2014or Hoss never will be the same. So\u2014I know you can beat the odds\u2014I\u2019ve got five bucks here that says you\u2019ll open your eyes before dawn. You wake up\u2014you get the money. Deal?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Paul heard Adam\u2019s words and moved over to him. \u201cCan I have part of that bet?\u201d Paul smiled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014we all know it would be a sucker bet anyhow, Doc. Joe does things his own way in his own time.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the truth!\u201d Paul exclaimed and clapped Adam on the back. \u201cHow about you go and see to your brother Hoss? I sent him down to the chapel\u2014and I think he could use a friend right about now. I\u2019m going to bring your dad in here before he crawls through the window trying to see Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI will, Paul. Thanks,\u201d Adam said and turned out of the room in search of his brother. The hospital room was quiet<\/strong> and there wasn\u2019t a sound coming from the hallway. The nurses had already made their two a.m. rounds and even Doctor Martin had retired to a small private room to grab a few hours of sleep. Joe had been brought into his room a little after eleven that night and his father sat keeping a silent vigil next to his bed. He had told both of his other sons to get some rest over at the hotel and had insisted that he would stay with the injured boy until he awoke. Before long, Ben succumbed to the stillness that had fallen over the hospital room and leaned in towards the bed. He rested his weary brow on the side of the mattress, hoping to feel Joe\u2019s movements, should he awaken. The events of the past few days had worn him out, and now his body had decided to take over. Exhausted, he fell into a deep slumber.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe slowly began to feel his surroundings as his mind fought to register in on all that had happened. It didn\u2019t take him long to figure out that he was in the hospital. The lamp next to his bed had been turned down, but it gave off just enough light for him to see around the room. Groggily focusing on his surroundings, he first noticed his father. Ben was half in the chair and half leaning in on the side of the bed. Joe gave a weak smile when he saw the abundance of white hair on his father\u2019s head, which was laying just at the end of his right hand. Poor Pa, <\/em>Joe thought to himself and gently placed the palm of his hand on the top of the man\u2019s head. Kept you awake and worrying too long\u2014but I sure am glad to see you.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben became aware of the fingers, which were softly stroking the top of his head. Thinking at first that it was a wishful dream, he blinked his eyes open. The touch was still very evident; it was Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph?\u201d Ben whispered as he pulled himself upright in the chair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHi Pa,\u201d Joe responded weakly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben took his son\u2019s hand into his own and smiled broadly. \u201cHow are you feeling, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLike I got gut shot,\u201d Joe quipped, biting back his pain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben chuckled and squeezed the boy\u2019s hand. \u201cThat you did. You hurting bad?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBad enough,\u201d Joe nodded, and watched his pa reach for the water pitcher.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHere drink a little of this\u2014then I will get the nurse to bring you in something for pain. Doc didn\u2019t want to give you anything until you came around,\u201d Ben explained, and then handed his son a glass of water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe drank what he could and then waved the glass away. \u201cWhere is Doc anyhow?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid that too many nights spent up doctoring his favorite patient has worn poor Paul out. He\u2019ll be in after awhile\u2014just getting a little shut eye.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFeels like he got a little scalpel happy,\u201d Joe said as his hand drifted to his bandaged incision.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben pulled the boy\u2019s hand away from his injury and scolded him, \u201cJoseph\u2014don\u2019t touch! You\u2019ve got a whole lot of sutures\u2014and I\u2019m quite sure that Doc doesn\u2019t want to have to redo them.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been so worried about you, Joseph,\u201d Ben confessed as he eased back in his chair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe? You mean you and Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe as in\u2014your family\u2014Hop Sing\u2014Doc.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss?\u201d Joe questioned, surprised by the thought.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course Hoss. He\u2019s been in here half the night. I sent both him and Adam back to the hotel for some sleep. Hop Sing came on into town when we didn\u2019t make it back. He made sure that the nurses were told what you liked to eat, by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Dru? Does Hoss believe me now?\u201d Joe asked, worry in his voice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben rubbed his son\u2019s arm gently to calm him down some. \u201cEasy there, Joe\u2014I will tell you all about it later\u2014you need your rest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t be able to rest until you tell me what happened, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben sighed and shook his head. He was tired and he knew that Joe should be even more so after having incurred such a life threatening injury. But, he also knew that the boy would never settle down until he heard the facts. Reluctantly Ben decided to tell him what he wanted to know.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell. To answer your first question\u2014yes Dru has been charged with attempted murder. To answer your second question\u2014yes Hoss believes you now. I just wish it hadn\u2019t taken you getting shot for him to realize what kind of a woman he was set on marrying.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe telegraph\u2014w-what happened to it?\u201d Joe asked impatiently. The movement he made to try to sit up was met with a hand to his shoulder. Ben kept the boy against the propped up pillows and warned him with his stern gaze. \u201cOkay\u2014I won\u2019t move,\u201d Joe began and winced up his face. \u201cI just want to know what happened\u2014I will stay put\u2014promise.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, I swear you will be the death of me one day,\u201d Ben replied, frustrated with the boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry Pa,\u201d Joe said, and gave his best puppy dog look to garner his father\u2019s compliance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd don\u2019t turn those eyes on me either!\u201d Ben grinned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust tell me the short version of what happened, Pa\u2014then I promise I will shut up for awhile.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2014what happened to the telegraph?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou mean the one that you NEVER should have taken into town in the first place?\u201d Ben asked, raising his eyebrows in a characteristic fashion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014that one,\u201d Joe answered sheepishly, and chose not to mention why he had done such a foolish thing as to face Dru on her own turf.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, Drucilla was far more experienced with hiding lies than she was with hiding telegraphs. After I told Adam what you told me in the operating room, he took that information over to Roy. The sheriff had already figured out that something wasn\u2019t right about the facts as Dru had told them\u2014\u201d Ben\u2019s explanation was cut off by his son.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat means Roy believed me\u2014that I would never do something like that! Funny how he believed me but my own brother didn\u2019t,\u201d Joe responded with hurt in his words.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben brushed back the bangs, which had fallen, into his son\u2019s eyes. He knew the boy was still upset over the fight he had had with Hoss a few days back, and worse than any physical injury was the knowledge that his own brother would think badly of him. He gave Joe a very sympathetic look and said, \u201cJoseph\u2014I can\u2019t even try to tell you how sorry Hoss is for all that happened. I know he wants to see you\u2014to apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes glistened with unspent tears, as he tried to gather himself a bit before going on with his questions. \u201cGo on with what you were telling me, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRoy had noticed that things weren\u2019t adding up\u2014and then\u2014well\u2014with Adam\u2019s revelations into what you said had happened\u2014he figured out that the telegraph had to be somewhere in that room. Hoss even asked Dru about it\u2014but she lied and said she never saw any telegraph\u2014and that you, Adam, and I were trying to poison Hoss against her.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cEvil witch,\u201d Joe muttered, but he was thinking of far worse things to say about her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014she is that\u2014and a whole lot more,\u201d Ben nodded. \u201cAnyway\u2014they found it\u2014after she said she knew NOTHING about it\u2014right underneath her mattress. Then her whole story dissolved and Roy booked her on attempted murder. Hoss told Roy to get her out of his sight\u2014and he told Dru that he hated her\u2014and hated everything she had done to his family.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014if that telegraph had gotten thrown away\u2014you think he would\u2019ve believed us, Pa? I don\u2019t think so! I betcha he would\u2019ve married her\u2014even though she had shot me,\u201d Joe insisted angrily.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell I DON\u2019T,\u201d Ben countered. He watched as the glow in his son\u2019s eyes began to fade, and he could tell that Joe was hurting. \u201cI knew we shouldn\u2019t have gone into all this. Let me get you that medicine to help ease that pain.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014not yet\u2014don\u2019t want to sleep yet. Tell me the rest first.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNot much more to tell actually. Roy took Dru to the jail and Hoss came over to the hospital. He wanted so badly to see you, Joseph. If you could\u2019ve seen his face\u2014well\u2014you would realize exactly how much he regretted his actions. Doc let him see you for a few minutes after your surgery was over. He came out of the recovery room in tears. Then he spent hours down at the chapel praying for you. It\u2019s never easy to admit you are wrong, Son\u2014especially when you\u2019ve hurt someone that you love. If the shoe was on the other foot don\u2019t you think Hoss would forgive you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe frowned and pulled the covers up around his shoulders before replying. \u201cI would never think Hoss was as evil as he thought I was, Pa. That\u2019s the truth. I know there was a girl involved\u2014and like you said before\u2014he was planning on getting married and all\u2014but I don\u2019t see how that changes the fact that you either believe in someone or you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe let his love for Drucilla\u2014or what he perceived as his love for her\u2014 cloud his judgment, Joseph. I am not defending his actions. You know I was very upset with him for hitting you the other night! But, I also feel that if you love someone\u2014truly love someone\u2014you try to forgive their mistakes. You love your brother\u2014don\u2019t you?\u201d Ben asked quietly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2014guess so,\u201d Joe answered the question reluctantly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThen\u2014do you think you\u2019ve got it in you to forgive him?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNot yet,\u201d Joe stated adamantly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014I figure there has to be a whole lot of groveling done for a while, you know? And, I betcha I can make him jump through a few hoops before I let him off the hook. You know\u2014kinda do all my chores\u2014even when I am all better\u2014just to let him work off this miscarriage of justice?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben stared at his son hard and then watched as the boy\u2019s lips changed from a scowl to a smile. He knew that Joe had forgiven his brother in his own way. Ben also knew that Joe wasn\u2019t altogether joking about his own form of payback. Hoss would have to do some serious toting and fetching before Joe would ease up on his indignant attitude.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou are really something, Joseph,\u201d Ben chuckled and ruffled the boy\u2019s head of curls. <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014yes you did. I hope you do as well when you talk to Hoss tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry\u2014I\u2019ll practice on Adam before I \u201callow\u201d Hoss to see me. I wanna play this up a bit\u2014so don\u2019t give me away, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI guess so\u2014since it will\u2014in the long run\u2014tickle your brother to hear that you\u2019re still up to your old tricks. I\u2019ll keep your secret.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Pa. Now\u2014will you do me one more favor?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTell me what they did to me in that surgery? My belly feels like Doc carved me like a Thanksgiving\u2019s turkey.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014Paul just removed your appendix. And, he said it\u2019s just as well\u2014one day you were sure to come down with appendicitis anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s probably right about that. So? Other than that\u2014I\u2019m fine?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAs fine as you ever were,\u201d Ben joked and stood from the chair. He was so pleased to see that Joseph was well on the way to healing, and had gotten over his ordeal with his brother. \u201cYou never cease to amaze me and everyone else with your healing abilities!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGuess it\u2019s \u2018cause I come from good stock, huh?\u201d Joe quipped.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014that you do. Now\u2014I\u2019m going to go get the nurse. She\u2019ll bring you something for pain\u2014and then your poor old father will be able to sleep awhile,\u201d Ben said, as he headed for the door. \u201cOh\u2014and Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt takes a real man to be able to forgive someone like you did your brother Hoss. I\u2019m very proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe smiled proudly and replied, \u201cThanks, Pa. That was almost worth getting shot to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben shook his head, well amused by Joe\u2019s antics. He headed down the corridor in search of the head nurse. <\/p>\n Joe did exactly what he told his father he would. He forgave his brother. Of course that was after putting him through a bit of emotional upheaval. Hoss was elated that Joe loved him enough to let go of all that had happened between the two of them. It was Hoss, who two weeks later, drove his little brother back to the ranch via buckboard. It was also Hoss who ran various errands for the boy up and down the long staircase into the wee hours of the morning that first night back home. He didn\u2019t mind, as it eased his conscience to be able to prove to Joe that he was truly sorry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe\u2019s recovery was as swift as always, but he did linger in his bed a day or two longer than was needed. It was all part of his ploy to keep his brother doing his chores. Finally Pa put his foot down and instructed his youngest son to get out of bed and to start pulling his own weight around the ranch. Joe reluctantly went back to his chores, though he was happy to be out with his brother Hoss working on a fencing project which had been postponed due to the trial of Dru Carrington.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Cartwrights were all very pleased when the young woman received a sentence of ten years at the Territorial Prison for the attempted murder of Joe Cartwright. Hoss was the only member of the family who did not testify. He couldn\u2019t. Though he no longer loved the woman, the trial was too emotionally charged for him to sit there and listen to the proceedings. The day that the prison wagon had come into Virginia City to take Dru away, Hoss had watched from a distance. His heart still hurt for what could have been. Though he would always remember her, he would also remember how close she had come to killing his little brother. Hoss loved his brother all the more for what he had done in forgiving him the way he had. Feelings of remorse, regret, and even a touch of hatred filled the big man\u2019s mind as he watched the wagon pull away from Roy Coffee\u2019s jailhouse and move towards the end of town. It was a chapter in his life he wanted to close forever.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dru Carrington watched from her seat inside the prison wagon, her face pressed up against the steel bars which surrounded her. She spotted the ten gallon hat just as Hoss disappeared around the corner to the Silver Dollar Saloon. Her face formed a sinister scowl as she vowed internally to seek her revenge on the Cartwright family. Somehow, somewhere, she swore to herself that they would all pay for what they had done to her, especially Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The End<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ( Some characters mentioned in this story can also be found in Every Purpose Unto Heaven and Another Season<\/strong>)<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Disclaimer:\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:<\/strong> Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n
\nAnother Season<\/a>
\nDru<\/a>
\nAll Our Yesterdays<\/a><\/p>\n
\nJoe\u2019s contagious laughter twittered out and he climbed down from the buckboard and put his arm around his father. \u201cIt\u2019s good to be home, Pa. I sure have missed the subtle way you talk to me. Now tell me all about my welcome home party!\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cNot just \u201csome gal\u201d Joseph!\u201d Hoss objected. \u201cDru is the most beautiful girl in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cDad burn you Adam!\u201d Joe shouted and threw his hairbrush at the closing door.<\/p>\n
\nBefore long,<\/strong> the entire living room was filled with the buzz of commotion from numerous friends of the Cartwrights. While Joe and Adam mingled with the guests, Ben made a point to thank Hop Sing for all he had done to make the house look spectacular. The Oriental man was very happy with the praise, but then hurried back into his kitchen to further prepare the food needed to feed the multitudes.<\/p>\n
\nThe dance was over and Hoss hurried over towards his little brother with his fianc\u00e9. \u201cHere she is, Joe! Dru this is my younger brother Joe,\u201d Hoss made the introductions.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell, you\u2019ve had a long day\u2014many in fact\u2014coming back from St. Louis. Then, we kinda dumped this big party on you\u2014and you found out that your brother is getting married. Perhaps it\u2019s just all the excitement?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou know you can tell me anything, right?\u201d Ben reassured.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cDid you see Dru there, Joe?\u201d Ben guessed.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOf course I do\u2014I just don\u2019t want you to tell you brother. Let me do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHoss walked inside the house<\/strong> a short time later and appeared to be glowing with happiness. He made his way over to his father and said, \u201cPa? Didn\u2019t think you\u2019d still be up!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nJoe waited<\/strong> until he saw Hoss leaving the next morning. He had a good view of the barn from his bedroom window, and just as soon as he saw Chub being led out by his brother, Joe pulled on his boots and headed down for breakfast. He didn\u2019t have an appetite, but wanted to check with his father about what he was going to do about Dru. Walking down the stairs Joe caught a glimpse of the dining room table where his father and oldest brother were in the midst of a conversation. Joe figured that Pa was telling Adam the bad news.<\/p>\n
\nMrs. O\u2019Malley, Dru\u2019s landlady,<\/strong> was all too willing to answer her many questions early that afternoon as they met over tea. Dru had already surmised that Joe had yet to tell Hoss about her that morning, as he had acted fine over breakfast. She sent him off on errands so she could regroup and talk to Mrs. O\u2019Malley in the hopes that she could come up with some dirt on the youngest member of the Cartwright family. The woman talked in length with the young lady, and had gone all the way back to the time when she first arrived in the small mining town and had heard first hand about the death of Joe\u2019s mother. Mrs. O\u2019Malley had even attended Marie Cartwright\u2019s funeral that first fall in Nevada.<\/p>\n
\nBen nodded gratefully and took the glass from the cook\u2019s hands. \u201cTake a sip of this, Son, it\u2019ll help with the pain,\u201d Ben instructed and placed the brandy in Joe\u2019s left hand.<\/p>\n
\nBen pulled his son towards his chest and held him close. He tried to come up with some words of consolation, but it was hard to think of any at the time. Ben couldn\u2019t understand Hoss attacking the young man he had always taken care of in the past. That just wasn\u2019t the young man who he had raised. Ben sighed; he knew that it was a difficult time in the big hearted man\u2019s life, a time of total confusion. But, that didn\u2019t give him the right to attack the much smaller Joe.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThanks\u2014but I think I could use something a tad stronger,\u201d Ben replied and moved over to his chair by the fireplace. He sank down hard onto the cushions and gazed over at Adam.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cShe told me that she was robbed at gunpoint right when she started her trip back east. She only made it as far as Sacramento. Dru said that she took the job at the Black Hawk Saloon there \u2014but that all she did was serve drinks to the customers,\u201d Hoss stopped and stared hard at his brother to make sure he wasn\u2019t judging his girl by what she had done in the past.<\/p>\n
\nAdam sat quietly processing the additional information. So far all the woman had confirmed was that Joe had been drinking and he had mentioned the name of someone who had hurt him. It made no sense at all. Not only had Joe stopped drinking whiskey before his trip to Sacramento, he also had stopped mentioning Cade and his brother Luke. Joe had made it a point to inform his family that he never wanted anyone to bring up the two brothers ever again around him.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cMistakes? It\u2019s more than a mistake to deliberately go into a young lady\u2019s room late at night and attack her, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAdam looked back and forth between Ben and Joe and gauged what he should say in response to his brother\u2019s question.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat good\u2019s that gonna do? I mean we all know she worked there, Adam. No one knows what happened in that room above the bar but Dru and me!\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYes\u2014I know\u2014but you have to look at it from his point of view for a minute. Hoss was planning his wedding, you know? He had Adam draw up the plans for a house and everything. Your brother has never come this close to being married before\u2014I think he\u2019s just temporarily lost his sense of reason,\u201d Ben tried to console Joe again with his words.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s some information we were waiting on,\u201d Joe stated and moved back to the credenza. He pulled on his jacket and strapped on his six-gun.<\/p>\n
\nJoe\u2019s eyes rolled back in his head and his body slumped over just as the landlady returned down the hall and pushed open the door.<\/p>\n
\nBen and his sons turned out of the doorway and looked at the panic on Bill Jefferies\u2019 face.<\/p>\n
\nAdam eased over next to his father and saw the uncontrollable anger that was very apparent in his eyes. He knew what Ben wanted to do, because he wanted to do the very same thing at the time. They both had to let the law handle Dru, though they wanted to shoot her down like she had shot Little Joe.<\/p>\n
\nPaul washed his hands and pulled on his operating gown, assisted by the head nurse. Pulling up the surgical mask he approached the operating table and said to Ben, \u201cGo ahead start talking\u2014he\u2019ll hear you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou go on outside. I promise to let you know Joe\u2019s prognosis as soon as I\u2019m finished, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell\u2014we did have\u2014I guess. But\u2014I thought he had come here tonight to apologize,\u201d Dru explained, dabbing the tears from her eyes. She had already donned a robe to cover her ripped clothes.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHe\u2019s being operated on now,\u201d Adam answered, still upset with his brother for not joining them over at the hospital. But, he reasoned, it was a good thing Hoss had stayed with Dru to prevent her from getting rid of the evidence.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWay I figure that\u2019s a good ten to twelve feet there\u2014so if you shot him\u2014he would\u2019ve fallen closer to the bed, wouldn\u2019t he?\u201d Roy questioned, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell, no need for everyone to get all riled up,\u201d Roy grinned and turned towards Adam. \u201cLet\u2019s just have us a look around here to rule out any question about that piece of paper, shall we?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI told you\u2014it was self defense\u2014look at what he did to my dress!\u201d Dru yelled and opened up her robe.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s all my fault\u2014Pa\u2014I never should have believed what Dru told me about Joe,\u201d Hoss said solemnly, trying to fight back his tears of regret.<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou don\u2019t have to tell me that, Pa. I can feel each one of them,\u201d Joe frowned.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOh I know you will\u2014\u2019cause I am going to get the nurse to give you something to knock you out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHad you going there for awhile though\u2014didn\u2019t I, Pa?\u201d Joe grinned.<\/p>\n
\nEpilogue:<\/strong><\/p>\n