Summary: Adam is ambushed, and everyone thinks they know who did it …<\/p>\n
Rated: K+ (20,280 words)<\/p>\n
The final page contains reviews\/comments from the Old BonanzaBrand Library.<\/p>\n
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Dead Easy<\/strong><\/p>\n Never was a sight more pleasant to his eyes. A clich\u00e9, perhaps. A truism, certainly. As Adam looked down upon the lake he felt the tension lift from his shoulders. He held himself less rigid than he had been doing for the past few hours.<\/p>\n He sighed, leaned forward to look more intently at the lake and the reflections that played upon its smooth surface. It had been right to come, he told himself, today of all days. There was no other place he would rather be than here at this moment of time. Clouds that lazily drifted in a blue sky swam just as lazily upon the blue waters. He sighed again, this time with a slight smile upon the well shaped lips that softened the dark eyes as the anxiety of the morning gradually slipped away.<\/p>\n With a nudge of his heels and turn of his wrist he moved Sport slowly down towards the shoreline until he had reached the area where the grass swayed gently in the breeze and was scattered white with daisies. He was still smiling as he swung his leg over the saddle to dismount. He was still smiling when the sound of a rifle cracked open the silence, sending previously contented birds soaring in protest into the sky, geese rose from the waters with wings wide, squalling their annoyance and Sport, just settling into an ambient mood was startled into a movement that was to have serious consequences for his rider.<\/p>\n He reared up, his front legs kicked out into the air before he came down heavily upon the ground, with a snort and toss of the head, he lunged forward into an immediate gallop. By God\u2019s grace Adam had already got his foot from the stirrup but had yet to release the reins and the hold he had on the saddle horn. The power of the horse\u2019s action, the immediacy and thrust of the animal\u2019s body cast Adam aside as though he were nothing more than an irritating gnat.<\/p>\n As Adam reeled backwards, caught so totally unaware of the horse\u2019s response to the gun shot, his hands initially gripped the reins more tightly so that for an instant of time he was dragged along by the momentum of the animal\u2019s movement, by the time he released his hands he had lost his foothold on the ground and had been dragged some distance before falling totally and rolling some way down the grass covered slope.<\/p>\n It had happened so swiftly, so unexpectedly, that his eyes were still open when he saw the rock ahead of him. Unable to prevent his descent he raised a hand in a hoped for attempt to shield his head from contact with the rock. It was the last action he could remember before everything was brought to a totally black conclusion.<\/p>\n The daisies nodded about his body, and the grasses swayed too and fro around him. The birds settled back onto their branches and the geese returned to the lake, creating slight ripples in the smooth mirror like surface.<\/p>\n Nothing seemed different to the view, apart from the body sprawled upon the grass and obscured by the tall grass and the daisies. Anyone riding along the trail upon glancing down to the lake would not have noticed him. It was still a beautiful view, quiet, peaceful, even serene. A view that Adam Cartwright had looked down upon moments earlier and had relished in the fact that there was no where he knew more pleasant to his eyes.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Pa.\u201d Joe gave his father a wide grin upon entering the main room of the ranch house. He quickly tossed his hat upon the peg and his gun belt was placed on the bureau just as Hoss entered the room,<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Pa, how\u2019d you make out with old man Murphy? Everything get sorted out?\u201d Hoss raised his eye brows and gave his father an enquiring look, as he unbuckled his own gun belt to place alongside that of his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh, Amos Murphy is a stubborn old man.\u201d Ben grunted, his black brows beetled across his brow above the dark eyes and his generous mouth thinned into a bad tempered tight lipped line.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, not far removed from yourself then\u201d Joe chuckled, and sat down upon the settee, \u201cMust have been fun, two stubborn old men both wanting the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot the same thing at all -\u201d Ben snapped, \u201cAnd you can stop finding it so amusing. Amos won\u2019t sell that land unless I agree to his decisions on the water rights on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe water there would be invaluable to us, but to be fair, Pa, he has to think of his own livestock too. The Murphy cattle would have to range pretty far and wide to find water if we held back on it -\u201d Hoss ventured cautiously.<\/p>\n \u201cI know and appreciate that, Hoss, but Amos is one thing, I can handle him, he\u2019s reasonable to a degree, but his sons -\u201d again Ben scowled and his lips thinned, \u201chis sons are a different matter. If anything happened to Amos, then Patrick and Danny will use those rights and probably stop the stream, re-divert it and leave us with nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I know what you mean.\u201d Hoss sighed and sat down heavily, \u201cWe ran into them in town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI tell you, Pa,\u201d Joe interjected here, leaned forward, his young face was serious as he continued \u201cIt was all we could do to keep from swinging a few punches. They were goading us on to a fight and no mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey knew their Pa was here discussing the land deal with you, but it seems to me that they have no intention of selling, leastways, they don\u2019t agree with Amos\u2019 selling the land to you, as far as they are concerned we\u2019re just about the biggest land grabbers in the territory anyway and don\u2018t want their land adding to it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a couple of knuckle headed young men alright,\u201d Ben sighed and rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully, then he glanced at them both, frowned, \u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, he got into such a temper with them Murphy brothers that he decided to go take a ride out on his own to cool off.\u201d Hoss picked up an apple and bit into it, \u201cI tell you, if it hadn\u2019t been for the fact that you were having that thar talk with Amos I\u2019d have just lammed Danny Murphy flat the things he was calling us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot only that, they were insulting us loud enough for everyone to hear and we just stood there at the bar and took it, until we couldn\u2019t take it no more and had to walk out or break a few heads.\u201d Joe shrugged, \u201cWasn\u2019t any fun walking out, I can tell you. I don\u2019t like being insulted, and I particularly don\u2019t like being laughed at.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded, and then leaned over his desk to resume his observation of the map he had unrolled upon it. Amos Murphy was desperate for money, the land was of little value to him and in all honesty not of that great value to the Ponderosa, it was the water on it that made it such an important acreage and would have been an enormous asset to the Cartwright\u2019s.<\/p>\n Hoss chomped on his apple and Joe stretched out his long legs, folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes – perhaps he daydreamed of clunking a couple of knuckle heads together.<\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/p>\n Hasty rough hands grabbed at Adam\u2019s body and turned him over onto his back. They fumbled over his jacket, into the pockets, emptied them out and examined their contents.<\/p>\n \u201cWell now, isn\u2019t this just my day.\u201d There came the sound of paper rustling, dollar notes flicked through and then replaced into a leather wallet, \u201cEnough here to keep a simple lad like me on the road for some months yet. Easy pickings and no mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n He leaned forward, his face only inches from that of his victim, he smiled and nodded in satisfaction,<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019d have thought it would be so easy, and the best thing is that folk will think you just fell from your horse, a little accident – tchah – such a shame. Probably a good thing that bullet missed you, that would have called for explanations, but this way – no explanation is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n He stepped away from the man on the ground and nudged the heavy body with the toe of his boot, then he looked around him and frowned,<\/p>\n \u201cDoubt if anyone will be coming this way for some time. Well, High and Mighty Adam Cartwright, you won\u2019t be looking so good by the time they find you.\u201d He stuffed the wallet into his back pocket and straightened his hat so that it shaded his eyes. After another quick glance around he walked to where his horse was waiting, swung himself into the saddle and galloped away.<\/p>\n Adam Cartwright didn\u2019t move. He was incapable of doing so. Blood formed a scarlet mask over his face, and a light breeze played with the dark hair so that it lifted from his brow, to fall back again in black strands.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n The clutter of cutlery, plates rattling and pleasant smells all signified that food was ready. Hoss was the first to get to his feet, glance at the clock and then at the table, then rather anxiously at the door. Joe, interpreting the look correctly, slapped his brother on the back and grinned,<\/p>\n \u201cAdam\u2019s a big boy now, Hoss, he can make his own way home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but it ain\u2019t like him to take this long when he has such a wad of money on him.\u201d Hoss frowned and glanced once again uneasily at the clock.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat money are you talking about?\u201d Ben asked as he passed them on the way to the table.<\/p>\n \u201cTucker paid him back the money he owed Adam from about six months ago. Seems he finally struck a seam and he always promised Adam that as soon as he made pay dirt he would refund the loan Adam made out to him.\u201d Joe sat down and pulled his plate nearer.<\/p>\n \u201cMmmm, yeah, old Tucker\u2019s an honest fellow.\u201d Ben agreed, and looked at the food thoughtfully, \u201cNo one saw Tucker give him the money, did they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one but a saloon full of folk,\u201d Hoss grumbled as he took his seat, \u201cThat\u2019s what got the Murphy\u2019s shooting off their mouths. Tucker said he just wanted to square up with Adam before he was tempted to lose it on a poker game but the Murphy\u2019s made it seem as though Adam had twisted his arm.\u201d<\/p>\n Beef steaks, onion gravy, a mound of creamed potatoes were placed in front of them along with a stack of fresh bread, greens. Hoss sighed and as he stabbed into the first of his beef steaks he glanced once again at the clock.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Adam released his breath as though he had forgotten how to breathe. He gasped, struggled a while and then coughed. From somewhere in the cotton wool existence he found himself in he succeeded in rearing up into a sitting position, then gasping for breath again, he leaned forward, his stomach knotting as the pain thudded through his skull. His face felt stiff and he raised a hand to it and his fingers touched the dried caked on blood, he explored a little further to find the mass of blood that had congealed around the cut in his head, the gash on his brow that just missed the eye socket. He closed his eyes again and groaned, before very slowly lowering himself back onto the ground.<\/p>\n After some moments he forced himself to open his eyes again and to observe around him, the sky was darkening, night was approaching. His hands were like putty so he didn\u2019t bother to fumble for his watch, although had he done so he would not have found it. He looked at the sky, the first star suddenly appeared and twinkled at him. He realised that from the time he had first noticed the sky darkening and the star appearing some time had elapsed, he deduced from that fact that he must have drifted back into unconsciousness, before coming to again.<\/p>\n The air was warm and pleasant. He could feel no reason, no motivation to leave where he was, even if he could. He closed his eyes again and raised his arm to shield his face but he didn\u2019t know from what, it just seemed the sensible thing to do. His body felt heavy, everything was heavy, his arm, his eyelids, even the hair that fell across his brow, felt heavy. He wondered if this was what death was really like, and decided that if it was then it was a pity to be dying alone.<\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/p>\n \u201cHe should be here by now.\u201d Hoss kicked at a log in the grate and frowned, \u201cI don\u2019t like the idea of him racketing about out there on his own. He said he wouldn\u2019t be long, just enough time to cool down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMay be he went back into town once we were gone, decided to tackle the Murphy brothers on his own.\u201d Joe surmised thoughtfully, and picked at his teeth with a thumb nail.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, he wouldn\u2019t do that, not without knowing how Pa had got on with Amos.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, stop being such an old woman, Hoss. Adam won\u2019t thank you for it when he gets back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to go see where he is -\u201d Hoss got to his feet and turned to the door, \u201cYou coming along?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell -\u201d Joe frowned, paused a moment to think about it and then nodded, grinned at Hoss and looked over at Ben who was jotting down some figures on some papers, \u201cWe\u2019re going out for a short ride, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben glanced up, nodded, and as Joe closed the door the young man wondered if his father had even heard what he had said.<\/p>\n The night was not of a black intensity, rather it had that purple tinge to blue that came with a pleasant summers night. The stars shone and the moon was bright. Hoss could think of no better night to go riding in, even if it were to locate an errant brother.<\/p>\n They had reached the stable door when there came the sound of hoof beats, Joe and Hoss stopped in their tracks, Hoss\u2019 hand actually on the latch to the door.<\/p>\n \u201cTold you -\u201d Joe began as Sport came into view.<\/p>\n \u201cTold me what, little brother? That Sport would come home without his master?\u201d Hoss replied grimly and hurried to the horse, grabbing at the reins and bringing him to a halt. \u201cEasy now, boy.\u201d he placed a hand on the horse\u2019s reins and then looked over at Joe, \u201cYou had better get Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n They cast around looking for indications as to Adam\u2019s whereabouts without success for some hours. Despite the pleasing warmth of the night air, all three men were becoming increasingly chilled by weariness and anxiety, and it took Ben a considerable amount of determination to muster up the conviction that they should abandon the search until the morning, when, with daylight and more men available to assist, they could resume looking.<\/p>\n They returned home in silence, dejected and thoroughly miserable. Hoss felt a gnawing ache in his stomach from the tension, and rather than falling into bed for a few hours sleep he paced the floor worrying at the problem, trying to figure out where his brother could have gone and what could have happened to him.<\/p>\n In his room Ben lay on the bed and stared up at the darkness that hid the ceiling from view. He kept thinking about the Murphy brothers, two young men who had been nothing but trouble from the moment the family had moved onto the ranch bordering onto the Ponderosa several years earlier. He recalled a time nearly 18 months previous when Danny had got drunk, picked a fight with Adam and had threatened to kill him. Adam had laughed it off, nothing had come of the threat and Danny had avoided Adam ever since. Obviously the fact that negotiations with their father about the land sale was now current had given Danny and Patrick the gumption to needle the other men but it all seemed rather nebulous to Ben\u2019s way of thinking. He fell asleep in the early hours of morning with the matter going round in circles in his head.<\/p>\n Joe had sat on the edge of his bed with his elbows on his knees and his chin cupped in his hands. With a concentrated frown on his brow he went over in his mind all that had happened between the Murphy\u2019s and themselves in the saloon that afternoon. Had there been any particular hint of a threat against Adam that they had not noticed earlier? There was that instant when Tucker handed over the money, Danny had been the one shouting the odds about that, and he hadn\u2019t minded who had heard either. The more he thought about it, the more convinced Joe became that the Murphy\u2019s must have followed them out of town and when Adam had branched off on his own – Joe emitted a long drawn out shudder of a sigh – could they possibly have committed murder?<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Adam rolled over onto his stomach and hauled himself along the ground by the use of his arms and elbows. He needed some water and the sound of its calm lapping against the banks upon which he was sprawled was so tantalising that he felt it would drive him mad if he just lay there listening to it any longer. At least he was not dead, nor dying. He clenched his teeth together, clamped his mouth shut and concentrated on inching his way to the lake.<\/p>\n He must have drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the night. It had passed too quickly for a man to have lain out in the open fully conscious throughout the whole time, and he had regained some strength as the time had passed. Now he needed some water, to drink, and to wash the mess from his face.<\/p>\n By the time he had reached his destination he was exhausted and just lay there among the mud and reeds with his hands dangling in the water. Finally he garnered up the strength to cup his hands and fill them, to drink deep and then splash it over his face. The shock of the cold water upon his feverish flesh made him gasp and catch his breath, but he persisted until he felt his skin clean. Then he sunk his head upon his arms, the water soaking into the jacket and shirt, soaking his flesh, lapping through his hair.<\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/p>\n The next time Adam opened his eyes it was to find himself in his own room, the curtains drawn across the window, the bed covers warm and comforting to his aching body and by the side of the bed, his father, patiently waiting with the lamp flame low, just flickering steady.<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t have to ask himself if he had been dreaming, the pain he was experiencing was too real. His father had fallen asleep, his head had dropped forward upon his chest, the book in his lap was about to fall onto the floor. Even as Adam watched it did just so, the soft thud as it landed enough to startle the sleeper awake and in bending to retrieve the book to find himself looking into his sons anxious dark eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cWelcome back to the land of the living, son.\u201d Ben said softly.<\/p>\n \u201cHow long -\u201d he couldn\u2019t get the words framed right, but Ben understood, raised his hand gently and placed it on his son\u2019s cheek, very gently, knowing that Adam was not one to want too much attention,<\/p>\n \u201cWe found you this morning. You\u2019ve slept through the day.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam heard water being poured into a glass, and when it was offered to his lips he drank it eagerly, sighed and managed a smile. Ben replaced the glass on the table and then looked at his son anxiously once again,<\/p>\n \u201cPaul stitched you up earlier in the day, he\u2019s left some stuff here for you to take if the pain gets too much for you.\u201d He leaned forward, closer to the injured man, \u201cAny idea who did this, Adam? Did you see anyone at all?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWas it just an accident then? Paul was under the impression that the injuries were the result of a fall, there was blood on the rocks -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, that\u2019s right,\u201d Adam\u2019s eyes widened, the pupils dilated as memory returned, \u201cI was getting off – off my horse.\u201d he paused, narrowed his eyes, the memory had shifted, moved into another direction, \u201cThere was a gun shot. Sport reared up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho fired the gun? Was it deliberate?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam closed his eyes, tried to remember, he sighed and attempted to shake his head. Someone had come, he could feel again the rough handling of his body as someone looked through his pockets, a kick in the ribs, and he involuntarily winced at the memory.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone came -\u201d he whispered, \u201cSomeone -\u201d then his eyes closed again and he was drifting back to the comfort of sleep.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the Murphy\u2019s, Pa. I swear it -\u201d Joe thumped the table with a clenched fist, \u201cWho else would do that to Adam? They saw Adam take that money and put it in his wallet – and where\u2019s Adam\u2019s wallet now? Where\u2019s the money?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold on, Joe. That\u2019s a serious accusation to make with very little proof.\u201d Ben cautioned in an anxious tone of voice, \u201cYou said yourself that there were other people in the saloon who saw Adam take the money.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere wasn\u2019t anyone there who had a grudge against Adam, Danny Murphy did.\u201d Hoss interjected his opinion, and rubbed his chin before looking at his father, \u201cI\u2019m thinking we should tell Roy about this, Pa. It ain\u2019t right that Adam was nearly killed yesterday and left for dead while they took his money and rode off like that -\u201d he looked at Joe who nodded in agreement, but Ben still shook his head and urged them to be cautious. \u201cI\u2019m going to check the place out tomorrow, Pa. If there\u2019s any proof that those Murphy\u2019s were involved in this, I\u2019m taking it to the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n Adam was neither looking nor feeling in the best of health but had insisted on making his way downstairs rather than spend another day cocooned in his bed. The day was warm and pleasant, sun streamed into the room from the open door through which the very lightest of breezes wafted. He had begun to read a new book, but now set it to one side as he thought over what had taken place during the past few days.<\/p>\n The Murphy brothers were in jail, protesting their innocence volubly and driving Roy to distraction as a result. Hoss and Joe had scouted around the area where Adam had been more or less ambushed, and had found sufficient proof of two horsemen being there at the time. Witnesses had come out in force to declare that they had seen Danny and Patrick leaving the saloon not five minutes after the Cartwrights had left; other witnesses testified seeing them leaving town in the same direction as the Cartwrights only a short while after them. Had they been more likeable characters perhaps the list of witnesses against them would have been far fewer, but then, as Roy said, it only needed one or two to have strengthened the case against them anyway.<\/p>\n Adam leaned forward to pick up his book and restart the story and had just found the page he was looking for when there was a light tap on the open door. He turned and saw Amos Murphy standing in the door frame, the brightness of the day shining behind him as he stood there fumbling with his hat.<\/p>\n \u201cMr Murphy? Come in -\u201d Adam frowned; the man looked a somewhat shambolic figure, twisting his hat round in his hands and with several days stubble on his face.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam.\u201d Amos acknowledged the younger man with a nod of the head and stepped into the room, \u201cAre you alone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am.\u201d Adam replied with just the slightest frown indicative of the unease such a question would give any man in such a situation.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m right sorry to see the sight of you looking as you do now, Adam.\u201d Amos came in, and stood awkwardly by the table looking thoughtfully over at the other man, \u201cThe thing is, Adam, I come to say -\u201d he paused, frowned, unable to find the words.<\/p>\n \u201cSay what\u2019s on your mind, Amos.\u201d Adam encouraged him kindly and leaned forward with his head to one side, his eyes on the man\u2019s face and a slight smile on his lips.<\/p>\n \u201cDanny and Patrick. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve come about – it\u2019s just that, they didn\u2019t do it. They didn\u2019t harm you, Adam. I know what folks are saying in town, but it ain\u2019t so. I know my sons, I know when they\u2019re lying to me and when they\u2019re speaking the truth, but they didn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey admit to following us out of town -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, they did, but then they took the left fork at the junction because Patrick wanted to see a girl in Genoa he\u2019s smitten with jest now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why doesn\u2019t she come forward and testify that he was with her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they didn\u2019t get to Genoa.\u201d Amos threw an anguished look at Adam, the look of a father desperate for some help for his sons, \u201cAdam, I swear they didn\u2019t follow you. They turned off to Genoa, then Patrick decided that he was flat broke and wasn\u2019t any point in going there anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo they went home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, fact is, they didn\u2019t. They didn\u2019t get back home until late the next morning. Said they camped out and did some hunting. It was a fine evening, after all, and -\u201d he licked dry lips, \u201cI wish you\u2019d believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam turned his head away and sighed, he stared at the logs in the grate and pursed his lips before looking back at the older man,<\/p>\n \u201cEverything points against them, you know?\u201d he said very kindly.<\/p>\n \u201cI know. But I\u2019m their father, I know they\u2019re innocent.\u201d<\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/p>\n \u201cYou what?\u201d Roy dropped his spectacles on the desk and then shook his head, \u201cSay it agin, Adam, slowly?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think the Murphy brothers attacked me, Roy. I want to drop charges against them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t do that, Adam. There are witnesses enough to testify against them -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgainst their leaving town and seemingly following us – yes, I know – I heard all about that, but the thing is, Roy, I can\u2019t see how it could be them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMost other folk would disagree with you there, Adam. Including, may I say, your brothers and father.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmmm,\u201d Adam frowned, he shook his head and raised his eyebrows. \u201cRoy, didn\u2019t Danny Murphy say in his statement that he and his brother were going to Genoa to see his girl?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what they said, but they didn\u2019t get there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the reason was?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey had no money.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut if they had taken the money from my wallet -\u201d he paused and looked at Roy hoping that he had said enough to provide the sheriff with sufficient food for thought.<\/p>\n It had taken a lot to ride into town feeling so battered and bruised as he was, even now as he sat in the chair opposite the older man he felt drained of energy. He wanted to close his eyes and drift back to sleep. Good thing Pa was away on business, he mused, and let a small smile drift over his lips at the thought.<\/p>\n \u201cI get your meaning.\u201d Roy picked up his spectacles and placed them on his nose, \u201cIf they\u2019d got the money they would have had plenty to spend on the girl.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore than enough, I\u2019d say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf they didn\u2019t do it, then who did? Who else has got a beef against you just now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoes it have to be someone I know? There were strangers in the saloon as well as folk we knew. They all saw me take the money, heard the Murphy\u2019s shouting their mouths off. Perhaps someone followed us out of town with the aim of getting rich quick and knowing who would get the blame.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t like the idea of letting them two rough necks loose right now, Adam. Can\u2019t you just leave the matter with me for a day or two? I\u2019ll check around and make some enquiries.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnother thing, Roy,\u201d Adam paused and cleared his throat, \u201cWhoever took the money, took my wallet as well. It has the Ponderosa brand on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think anyone who took it would be stupid enough to keep it?\u201d Roy\u2019s blue eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cStranger things have happened.\u201d Adam smiled slowly and then painfully eased himself out of the chair, picked up his hat and left the office. \u201cYou what?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy allowed a long sigh to slip through his lips and pulled off the spectacles which he placed carefully on the desk.<\/p>\n \u201cNow then, Hoss, before you git yourself all riled up I\u2019m only telling you what Adam said himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked at Joe who raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes back at him before they both turned to stare at the sheriff<\/p>\n \u201cHE reckons that THEM Murphy\u2019s are innocent? Is HE crazy or what?\u201d Hoss expostulated, flinging his arms out in a gesture of amazement at the fallibility of his eldest brother.<\/p>\n \u201cHe said -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook here, Roy, I KNOW them thar Murphy brothers did it. I saw their tracks, I saw their horses tracks right thar on the spot where they attacked my brother. I saw them with my own two eyeballs. Didn\u2019t I, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, he did, Roy. Not only that we checked the horses for ourselves to make sure that the prints tallied. We wouldn\u2019t make up a thing like that just for the sake of an arrest. If someone other than the Murphy\u2019s harmed Adam, we\u2019d want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2019Ceptin\u2019 that they did it. They was thar. I know they was because all the signs are that they were there. Shucks, I even checked out their boots.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded, recalling the occasion when Hoss had carefully examined the Murphy brothers boots much to their annoyance and chagrin, and eventual threats. When Hoss had handed the boots back and declared the prints matched those found at the area where Adam had been bushwhacked it just seemed to confirm their suspicions a hundredfold.<\/p>\n \u201cI want a word with them two.\u201d Hoss growled and turned towards the cell, but Roy rose from his chair and stepped in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cI promised your brother that I would give these two a few more days in the cells while I checked out on his theory. Now if you go in there and start causing a ruckus, Hoss Cartwright, I might have to let them loose and put you in there instead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t going to go in causing a ruckus. I jest want an explanation.\u201d Hoss replied, the colour rising in his face and his blue eyes looking earnestly at the older man.<\/p>\n Roy nodded and stepped back, then fell in behind the two brothers as they entered the cell block. The Murphy brothers immediately rose to their feet and approached the bars.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen are you letting us out, Roy?\u201d Danny asked, ignoring Hoss and Joe as best he could, although they were standing right in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cSoon. I want to hear what you have to say to Hoss and Joe here, then I\u2019ll consider what to do next.\u201d<\/p>\n The two men turned to regard Hoss and Joe before stepping back a pace or two. Hoss placed his hands on his hips, put his head to one side and narrowed his eyes,<\/p>\n \u201cGuess Roy here has told you my brother Adam ain\u2019t pressing charges against you two murdering back shooters.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, he told us.\u201d Patrick replied, and narrowed his eyes in an attempt to look tougher than he felt.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he\u2019s right, we shouldn\u2019t be locked up here on charges of things we didn\u2019t do.\u201d Danny added.<\/p>\n \u201cFact of the matter is that we know a bit more about what happened that day, a bit more than our brother Adam does.\u201d Joe said very quietly, his voice was deep, very level and emotionless.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d you mean?\u201d Danny glanced anxiously from one to the other of three men standing on the other side of the bars.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know you were there on that river bank when Adam was injured. We\u2019ve proof that you were there, both of you.\u201d Joe\u2019s eyes now flicked from one brother to the other, and he saw Danny gulp and Patrick lick his lips nervously, \u201cWhy not just tell us how it was-\u201d<\/p>\n The Murphy\u2019s stepped back from the bars, looked at one another. Danny shook his head and Patrick sat down on the bunk.<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case,\u201d Hoss shrugged, \u201cWhatever idea my brother Adam has in his head, we\u2019ll just ignore it. We\u2019ll sign the charges against you ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t do that -\u201d Danny said, grabbing at the bars and looking at Roy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can.\u201d Joe said very coldly.<\/p>\n Danny and Patrick looked at one another, then Hoss signed to Roy to open the cell door. As soon as the door swung open Hoss grabbed at Danny\u2019s shirt and pulled him through, ignoring the protests, the arms and legs that gyrated in an attempt to prevent being taken from where he wished to remain. Hoss dragged Danny along to another cell, threw him inside and then slowly began to roll up his sleeves. He spat into his hands and rubbed them together and formed two large ominous fists.<\/p>\n \u201cRight, if you don\u2019t tell me when we ask nice, then I\u2019ll have to beat it out of you.\u201d Hoss growled and stepped forward.<\/p>\n For some reason Roy didn\u2019t move, he just watched with his head to one side as though curious as to what would happen next. Thankfully for him, and Hoss, Danny did just what Hoss had hoped he would, he crumpled.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, alright – we were there. I swear we didn\u2019t do it, I swear it.\u201d he fell on his knees and grabbed at Hoss\u2019s legs, \u201cWe did follow you out of town. We saw your brother ride off on his own and we followed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t say no more, you idiot -\u201d Patrick yelled from his cell but Danny couldn\u2019t stop now, he was nearly in tears with fear.<\/p>\n \u201cWe heard a gun shot. Saw your brother get dragged along by the horse before falling down in the rocks. A man rode out and – and went to him. We thought he would be helping but -\u201d<\/p>\n Patrick groaned loudly and clutched at his head in despair. He shook his head before taking up the story.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he rode off we went down to see what happened. Your brother looked like he was dead already. The horse had taken off. Danny said that we\u2019d be blamed for sure, so we decided to go to Genoa and fix ourselves up with an alibi. We knew plenty of folk had seen us in the saloon, and leaving town close after you. Guess the good folk of this here town are pretty predictable, couldn\u2019t wait to tell the sheriff what they\u2019d seen and put two and two together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJest that it weren\u2019t us that did it, we didn\u2019t, Hoss, we didn\u2019t touch him.\u201d Danny pleaded.<\/p>\n Hoss said nothing for a while, he just stared down at Dan Murphy with contempt on his face before pushing the clutching hands away, pushing so hard that the wretched man fell back onto the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right, you didn\u2019t touch him, did you? You didn\u2019t think to help him, make sure he was safe, bring him home or take him to the Doctors. You just left him there to die ..\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but he didn\u2019t die, did he?\u201d Patrick yelled.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, he didn\u2019t.\u201d Hoss replied, and his words were uttered in such a cold manner that Roy knew exactly what he was thinking.<\/p>\n It was with the greatest strength of will power that Hoss Cartwright didn\u2019t bring his fists down upon the hapless Dan Murphy. Instead he heaved in a deep breath and stalked out of the sheriff\u2019s office, closely followed by his brother who had to content himself with casting the two men the most contemptuous look he could muster.<\/p>\n Outside they stood together on the sidewalk, Hoss gulped down deep draughts of air to cool himself down,<\/p>\n \u201cShucks, Joe, how could they do it? How could they have looked down at our brother and just ride on out of there, and leave him like that?\u201d<\/p>\n It was a question Joe found impossible to answer.<\/p>\n Chapter 6<\/p>\n When the door slammed sending everything that wasn\u2019t nailed down trembling and several pictures skewing at an odd angle on the wall Adam braced himself for his brothers return. He rubbed his chin and closed his book which he set down upon the table before standing up to face Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cYou got a good explanation for what you did, brother? Because it had better be good otherwise \u2026\u201d Hoss clamped his mouth shut as the ability to say anything else had left him.<\/p>\n Joe flung his hat onto its peg \u201cLook, whatever reason you got for not pressing charges against the Murphy brothers, Adam, just don\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shrugged and placed his hands on his hips \u201cMay be not to you, but they do to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss slowly unbuckled his gun belt and set it down on the bureau before walking towards his eldest brother \u201cLook at the state of you, Adam, you kin barely stand on your two legs and yet you went into town -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing took me\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen he shoulda known better than to do that\u2026 what were you thinking, Adam? Those two murdering -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Hoss, they aren\u2019t guilty, they didn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe perched himself on the edge of the settee and raised his eyebrows \u201cThen what did they do? You know all the answers, brother, so you tell us what did they do?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam cleared his throat, sniffed and then rubbed the side of his nose before sitting down. He frowned \u201cAmos came here and begged me to think about what had happened. He insisted that his sons hadn\u2019t set out to kill me or rob me. So I got to thinking and realised that they couldn\u2019t have done it, otherwise they would have been able to go and see that girl in Genoa.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss sat down slowly on their father\u2019s chair and leaned forward, he rested his chin in his hands while his elbows were on his knees and for a moment he just stared at Adam before he shook his head, \u201cYou know, for a thinking man you sure are stupid at times, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, and what brought about such a compliment from you or did you just decide it was the right time to throw in a few insults?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t insulting you, brother. Look, you bin back to where it happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe glanced at Hoss and then at Adam, he nodded \u201cYou ain\u2019t have you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow am I supposed to get there? As you already pointed out I can barely walk.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss nodded \u201cYeah, well, me an\u2019 Joe, we went there, we scoured around and found all we needed to know about them Murphy boys. They was there alright, and sure, maybe they weren\u2019t the ones who shot at you, or stole from you, but they came and walked around where you lay and looked down at you bleeding there, and do you know what they did?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam licked his bottom lip which was still swollen and sore, he shook his head \u201cYou going to tell me or do I have to guess?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss leaned back and raised his eyes to heaven while Joe leaned forward to take an apple from the dish, he rubbed it on his shirt and then looked at Adam, \u201cThey didn\u2019t do nothing, they looked at you, speculated on whether or not you\u2019d be dead by morning, maybe even checked your pockets to see if there was anything left to steal, and then they rode away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe you.\u201d Adam replied, his eyes shifted from one brother to the other, \u201cWho would do anything like that? No one leaves a man to die, not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m telling you that they did.\u201d Hoss looked at Joe, \u201cYou tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell me what?\u201d Adam glanced now at Joe, \u201cTell me what, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey admitted it when we saw \u2019em just now. Roy couldn\u2019t believe his ears when he heard \u2019em, to be honest, niether could we, but we knew those prints didn\u2019t lie. The only prints that indicated anyone knelt beside you was the man who came and knelt down to steal your money. The man who kicked you in the ribs as you lay there and then walked away, but the other prints showed two men who came, walked around you and stood awhile and then walked back to their horses and rode away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps they thought I was dead already.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDadburn it, Adam, why\u2019d you have to be so stubborn. Can\u2019t you get it through that granite head of your\u2019n what we\u2019re telling you. The Murphy brothers left you to die, so far as I\u2019m concerned they\u2019re as guilty as the man who shot at you and stole from you. How many times do I have to spell it out to ya?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam didn\u2019t answer but leaned back against his chair and stared into the fire his lips pursed and his fingers tapping his chin, then he shook his head, \u201cWhy? Why would they do that?\u201d he looked from one to the other of them \u201cDid they say why?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss sighed and scratched his head \u201cThey thought they\u2019d get the blame for it and so they rode off to Genoa to fix themselves an alibi, except they couldn\u2019t even get that right.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded, and then leaned forward with his brow creased \u201cWhat did Roy say about it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA lot.\u201d Joe said with a laugh in his voice, \u201cHe called them all the names under the sun and some.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, he\u2019s keeping \u2018em locked up for what he calls – what is it, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe called it culpable manslaughter\u2026it means that they could have killed you unintentionally by leaving you to die. Is that right, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI reckon\u2026\u201d Hoss screwed his face up to think about it a bit and then nodded \u201cYeah, sounds about right.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam stood up and looked at the clock, then he looked at his brothers and shook his head, \u201cExcept I\u2019m not dead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but if it hadn\u2019t been for your thick skull and being so dad burned stubborn you would have been. Then they would have been guilty of that what Joe said.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe chomped on his apple and nodded \u201cYeah, so Roys keeping \u2018em in jail until he decides the right times for them to be released.\u201d<\/p>\n Again Joe and Hoss looked at one another and then at Adam who was staring at the fire as though seeing right through it, \u201cYou alright, Adam?\u201d Joe asked after a while.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I guess so. I didn\u2019t realise they hated me so much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWeren\u2019t a case of hating you, brother, more a case of thinking of their own hides more\u2019n anything else, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded \u201cThat\u2019s all?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe and Hoss looked at one another and nodded, \u201cYeah.\u201d Joe said and bit into his apple.<\/p>\n \u201cS\u2019right.\u201d Hoss cleared his throat and stood up, he walked over and gave Adam\u2019s shoulder a gentle slap \u201cC\u2019mon, why not come and get some supper, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n But Adam just shook his head and excused himself in order to return to his bed.<\/p>\n Chapter 7<\/p>\n Roy Coffee removed his spectacles thoughtfully as Amos Murphy entered the office and closed the door quietly behind him. \u201cWhat can I do for you, Amos?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, I come to get the boys, we have to get home, there\u2019s work to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy frowned \u201cNow why in tarnation would you be thinking you can come here and ride on home with your boys? What put that fool notion into your head, Amos?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t no fool notion, Sheriff. I done saw Adam Cartwright and he said he would be coming in here and going to tell you that there were no charges to be put against my boys. That means they are free to come back home with me.\u201d he stepped closer to the desk, removed his hat and looked anxiously at the man sitting there, watching him, \u201cWhy\u2019d you ask them questions fer? You telling me that Adam Cartwright broke his promise to me? He ain\u2018t been here, has he?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded \u201cHe\u2019s been here, despite the fact he was barely able to walk, but he came here like he promised you and he said he wasn\u2019t pressing no charges.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell then?\u201d Amos looked puzzled and confused, he looked at Roy and then at the deputy, \u201cSo why ain\u2019t you releasing them and letting me take \u2018em back?\u201d he forced a grin, \u201cOr do you mean that they\u2019ve already been released and are in the saloon waiting for me to pay for their drinks? Is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, that ain\u2019t it, Amos. As it happens Adam was pretty convincing, and he didn\u2019t press charges but then he didn\u2019t know all the facts, did he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat facts? What are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t tell Adam that your sons had watched what had happened, and then gone down and looked at him, dying there perhaps, dead maybe, and did nothing to help him. They just looked and then rode on, leaving him to die, to fend for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos shook his head, shrugged again, \u201cI didn\u2019t know nothing about that\u2026\u201d he rubbed his chin with the back of the hand that held his hat, \u201cAnyhows, hardly matters does it? I mean he didn\u2019t die, did he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you care?\u201d Roy\u2019s voice rose an octave, \u201cDoesn\u2019t it bother you that your two sons could look down on a man, someone they knew pretty well, and then just walk away and leave him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I guess, putting it that way, it does sound rather callous on their part. But I guess they were skeered. They probably thought they\u2019d be blamed for the murder and rode off, quick\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey sure did ride off quick\u2026so quick they didn\u2019t bother to find out if he were alive or dead. They didn\u2019t bother to check him out and put him on a horse and bring him into town for the doctor or the undertaker to take care of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos shook his head \u201cI don\u2019t understand what all the fuss is about, sheriff. My boys didn\u2019t kill him, \u2018cos he ain\u2019t dead.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy shook his head in disbelief and looked over at his deputy who merely rolled his eyes. Amos shrugged again \u201cWell? Can I go and see my boys?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead, you know where the cells are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, you ain\u2019t releasing them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmos, you start up agin and I swear I\u2019ll be locking you up in the cell next door to them. Then you can see them for as long as you like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Adam Cartwright said he weren\u2019t going to make no statement against them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMay be so, but his brothers did, and they are being held on charges of contemplative culpable manslaughter.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos looked from one to the other of them and shook his head \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n Adam looked at his breakfast and pushed the food around the plate until Hoss asked him to stop, and if he wasn\u2019t intending to eat the good food that had been provided him, then he\u2019d eat it for him. \u201cGo ahead,\u201d Adam replied and pushed the plate towards him.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, Adam, you got to get your head around what happened.\u201d Joe said pointing his knife at his brother and narrowing his eyes so that he looked like an enraged little bull, \u201cNo point dwelling on it. Hoss and me, we agreed on charging them and Roy\u2019s arranging a trial.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, probably by the time the circuit judge gets here they\u2019ll have served their term of jail anyhow.\u201d Hoss grinned and sliced through the bacon with ease.<\/p>\n Adam poured out more coffee \u201cI promised Amos that I wouldn\u2019t press charges.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss shrugged \u201cThat\u2019s alright, you didn\u2019t.\u201d he swallowed the bacon, \u201cWe did.\u201d<\/p>\n Chapter 8<\/p>\n Adam drank his coffee slowly, refusing to rise to the bait of his brother\u2019s teasing as they continued to enjoy, in every sense of the word, their breakfast. As he rose to his feet the sound of several horses galloping into the yard heralded some new event, and all three of them had the sudden fear of bad news concerning Ben, who was away on some business in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n Hoss opened the door just as Roy had his hand raised to thud upon it, so that both stepped back as though surprised to see the other. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Roy?\u201d<\/p>\n It seemed the obvious thing to ask seeing that Roy was looking decidedly annoyed and there were six men on horseback waiting in the yard, all looking equally annoyed and for various differing reasons, being hauled out for posse work being among them.<\/p>\n \u201cIs Adam in?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, he ain\u2019t likely to be going no place yet.\u201d Hoss replied as he stepped back to allow the sheriff entry.<\/p>\n Roy swept off his hat and looked at the three of them, then drew in his breath and cleared his throat, \u201cThe Murphy brothers have skipped jail.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam sat down on the arm of the settee while Joe got up from the table to join them, \u201cWhat happened, Roy?\u201d Adam asked, folding his arms across his chest and wondering if he was going to be arrested for not pressing charges as Roy had wanted.<\/p>\n Roy dashed his hat against his thigh and his moustache bristled \u201cThem fool jackasses\u2026fact is Amos came demanding for them to be released because you had told him you weren\u2019t going to press charges.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, actually I -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when I told him they were staying put because they had left you to die and that amounts to a criminal charge Amos stormed outa the building swearing and cussing and then the next thing is he came back with a buffalo rifle and threatened to shoot me.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019 eyes nearly popped out of his head \u201cAmos did what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course his boys heard him and started yelling for him to get them outa there, Amos swung round, I pulled a gun from the drawer and dang me if he didn\u2019t fire at me, thankfully the shot missed, made a hole in the desk though. My deputy drew his gun on him and told him to stop fooling around, to which Amos said he weren\u2019t fooling and shot him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShot him!\u201d Hoss explained his mouth now falling open as wide as his eyes ever were\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cShot him. Not dead though, but bad enough. I had no choice but to hand over the keys while I went to help Dodds. The three of \u2018em, they went off laughing and congratulating themselves, no more thought for Dodds than they had give to you, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam frowned and stared down at Roys boots \u201cHow is Dodds?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDr Martin operated on him, he\u2019s going to be alright. So anyway, I come here to get you boys to join up with me and my posse to hunt them boys down. I always thought they were bad, when they left you for dead made me even more convinced and now I\u2019m more than sure.\u201d he glared at Hoss and Joe \u201cYou two coming?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Roy.\u201d Hoss rushed for his hat and gun belt, followed by Joe. Adam stood up,<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about me?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss paused in buckling his gun belt and stared at his brother as if he were mad, \u201cYou can\u2019t come, Adam. You\u2019re still too knocked about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, likely to fall off your horse soon as you get on it.\u201d Joe replied, \u201cYou know what the Doc said, no excitement for at least a week.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat fool Amos – didn\u2019t he realise he was doing more harm than good?\u201d Adam protested.<\/p>\n \u201cToo late to argue that point now, Adam. The man did what he did and that\u2019s all there is to it.\u201d Hoss slapped his hat onto his head and nodded over to Roy \u201cWe\u2019ll be with you as soon as the horses are saddled.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded and turned to leave, then looked at Adam, \u201cThey\u2019re right, Adam. Don\u2019t try and be a hero by following us, that trip into town yesterday took a lot out of you, so just do as you\u2019re told. Stay put.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded, grinned and winked as he passed his brother, \u201cYou heard the sheriff, brother, you just stay put.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam growled something beneath his breath and watched them as they crossed the yard to get their horses, Roy mounted his horse and the posse turned their horses round to leave when Adam called out from the doorway \u201cWhere were they headed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t know for sure,\u201d Roy said, \u201cThe tracks kind of petered out and got mixed with lots of other tracks which is why we need Hoss\u2019 help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm,\u201d Adam snorted and slammed the door shut. He walked back to the table and sat down to pour himself more coffee, Hop Sing was clearing away the table and frowned \u201cYou no eat? How you get better if you not eat food. Good food, take time to cook, all time I cook, you not eat, food waste.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, Hop Sing, just leave it here, I\u2019ll try and eat something.\u201d with a sigh and almost in slow motion he dragged the plate towards him.<\/p>\n \u201cBetter. You eat good. Then you get fit and go on posse hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shrugged and stirred sugar into his coffee as Hop Sing removed Hoss and Joe\u2019s plates. \u201cThey\u2019ll probably be caught and strung up before I get fit enough to go on a posse hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou no grumble. Grumble too much get belly ache. Now – you eat.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam stared down at the congealing egg and bacon on the plate and sighed again. From a distance the sound of horsemen leaving the Ponderosa echoed mockingly in his ears.<\/p>\n Chapter 9<\/p>\n Adam sat for some moments feeling more than a little sorry for himself and when Hop Sing finally came to remove the plate and its congealed contents he got to his feet and walked to wards the door, paused, and then reached out for his gun belt. Immediately Ponderosa\u2019s Mini Tyrant appeared at his elbow \u201cWhat you do? What you do? You stay put. I hear what sheriff say, he say, stay put, so – you – stay put.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, I\u2019ve got a feeling about this and I think the posse are looking in the wrong direction. Trust me on this one, will you?\u201d he reached out to pick up the gun belt only to have it snatched from him. \u201cWhat are you doing!!? Give me my gun belt back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. You have injury. You have bad back. You go now you have worse injury \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n A sound from behind them caused them both to turn round to see Amos and his boys standing behind them with their weapons aimed directly at them, Amos grinned \u201cYeah, Adam, you behave now or you may have a worse injury than the ones you already got.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere?\u201d Adam snapped at Hop Sing, \u201cDidn\u2019t I tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny stopped nibbling at a slice of bread and bacon that he had helped himself to as they had passed through the kitchen, \u201cOver there -\u201d he jerked his head towards the hearth, \u201cPut the gun belt down, old man.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing bristled, he glared at Adam as though it was all his fault and put the gun belt down carefully on the bureau. Together he and Adam made their way towards the study area, Amos stroked his chin \u201cNow, if I recall rightly, your Pa always had a stash of money in a box in his desk, ain\u2019t that right?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head \u201cAmos, you\u2019re making a big mistake. What on earth did you think you were doing letting your boys out of prison? Didn\u2019t I tell you I wasn\u2019t going to press charges?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know that, but then I got to thinking that sometimes the law takes matters into their own hands anyway. My boys – the idiots – should never have left you like they did. Out of common decency they should have brought you home or taken you to the doctors but facts are as they are – they didn\u2019t, and that fool sheriff was going to put them on trial.\u201d<\/p>\n Danny nodded \u201cYeah, and even you wouldn\u2019t have been able to stop them coming up with a guilty verdict because – well – because we are guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked from one to the other then shook his head again \u201cYou\u2019re only making matters worse for yourselves. Why did you shoot the deputy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFer Pete\u2019s sake, Adam, he was gonna shoot us.\u201d Patrick whined, \u201cWhat were we supposed to do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust go back into the cells may have been a good idea.\u201d Adam snapped.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d it was Danny\u2019s turn to shake his head \u201cNo, I\u2019d had enough of being locked up, couldn\u2019t stand another night of that, especially if your brother were to come back and start shaking us about like he did.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam groaned in exasperation and reached out for the rifle Amos held \u201cCome on, Amos, just hand it over.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Adam. Our minds are made up. We set down a false trail for the posse to follow, and circled round here to get the money your Pa has in the house. That way at least we git paid for the inconvenience you put us through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you delusional?\u201d Adam growled which caused Danny and Patrick to look doubtfully at one another as they wondered what he meant by that, Amos shook his head,<\/p>\n \u201cNo, cold stone sober in fact, never more so. Ain\u2019t no point in fooling ourselves any longer, we ain\u2019t going to make it here in Virginia City, but with some money behind us as a stake we could start out better elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know very well that your boys will drink the money away or you\u2019ll gamble it all before you ever reach the next town, Amos.\u201d<\/p>\n Danny lost his patience now and stepped forward, prodding Hop Sing with the rifle \u201cIf you don\u2019t quit yapping I swear I\u2019m going to put a hole right through this old man right here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos looked at his son and if Adam were hoping the father was going to set Danny straight he was in for a disappointment as Amos just chuckled and nodded \u201cGood thinking, boy. Now, Adam, just go and open the drawer and get the box.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cListen to me, Amos, my Pa took all the money from the box to Jacksonville with him. There\u2019s nothing there, believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy should we believe you?\u201d Patrick said and pushed Adam to one side, \u201cI\u2019ll go and git it for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam staggered slightly as Patrick was quite on the large side and as he fell his foot went from under him. In order to save himself from landing on the floor he reached out and grabbed the first thing that came close to hand which was the barrel of Amos\u2019 rifle. The explosion sent Amos falling backwards but the bullet winged its way into Patricks leg so that the man collapsed with a howl onto the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cDang blast it, Pa, you done shot me.\u201d he yelled clutching at the wound from which blood was spurting liberally.<\/p>\n \u201cYou done made me shoot ma boy.\u201d Amos bellowed at Adam while Patrick waved his gun back and forth as he tried to make sense of what and how it had happened.<\/p>\n Adam knelt down beside Patrick and checked the wound with the other two Murphys peering down over his shoulder, \u201cHmmn, you shot him alright, Amos. Hop Sing you had better get something to clean this up and bandage it up so he can get back on his horse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe can\u2019t go riding with a leg wound like that.\u201d Amos protested.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t go riding with my leg hurt so bad.\u201d Patrick whined.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you can\u2019t stay here, the posse isn\u2019t that far off, they\u2019ll have heard that gun shot and will figure out that you\u2019re here. Won\u2019t be long before they head right back here.\u201d Adam replied, as he tore the material of Patricks pants in order to expose the wound more. Danny turned his head and sat down, \u201cThat looks bad, that looks real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShucks, you reckon I\u2019m going to die?\u201d Patrick whimpered.<\/p>\n Hop Sing bustled up and elbowed the others out of the way and knelt down to take over the care of the wounded man. He shook his head \u201cNeed doctor, bullet still in leg.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShucks!\u201d Patrick hissed and went rather green looking while his father and brother looked at one another. Amos raised his rifle and pointed it at Adam \u201cAlright, we can\u2019t hang around here if the posse is on its way. You -\u201d he nodded to Adam, \u201cGet the money from the cashbox and come with us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, you ain\u2019t leaving me here, are ya?\u201d Patrick looked fearfully at the other two men, but Amos still had the rifle pointed at Adam and Danny had the gun levelled at Hop Sing.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll have to leave you here, son. You need the doc, you heard what the old man said. Can\u2019t take you bleeding, you\u2019ll end up dead. We\u2019ll come back for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa, when?\u201d Danny echoed and Amos shrugged \u201cSoon as we can, we got to lose the posse first, you need patching up proper, so – Adam, what are you hanging around for?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam walked to the desk and pulled out the drawer, he drew out the cash box and opened it, glanced over at the Murphys, both of whom were paying more attention to Patrick than to himself, so that he was able to palm the money in the box and slip it under a ledger, then he slammed it on the desk \u201cHere – you can see for yourself -\u201d<\/p>\n Amos eagerly hurried over and then stepped back in dismay, looked at Adam and then at Danny \u201cAin\u2019t more than $50 there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s better than nothing, Pa.\u201d Danny replied.<\/p>\n Amos once again stared at Adam and scratched the back of his head, looked down at Patrick, \u201cAlright, son, we\u2019ll see you soon. Adam, you come with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Chapter 10<\/p>\n The wind was blowing in the wrong direction for the sound of a gunshot to be heard too well but Hoss rose in his stirrups and raised a hand \u201cDid anyone hear that?\u201d he asked no one in particular and no one in particular answered \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeemed to be it sounded like a gunshot, coming from the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy and Joe looked at one another and shook their heads \u201cAre you trying to get out of this?\u201d Joe snapped.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, of course not, jest thet I thought I heard a gun shot, is all.\u201d Hoss replied rather crestfallen in having his willingness to assist the law questioned in such a way by his little brother.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, no one else did, Hoss Cartwright. Next think you know you\u2019ll be saying your horse has thrown a shoe!\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss tossed his head in defiance, and turned Chubb back into a gentle lope while he himself kept his eyes cast down to the track, behind him the men followed some looking anywhere but at the track, some gossiping among themselves about how much money they\u2019ll be losing while not at their stores or place of business and a few staring at the track and wondering what they should be looking for anyway.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Amos waited impatiently for Adam to mount Patricks horse, the fact that his hostage was still suffering intense pain made no difference to him at all and several times he yelled at him to move faster. Danny was examining the money he had and shook his head \u201cPa, you reckoned on there being a whole heap of cash here and all we got is this here measly $50.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam, finally in the saddle, explained yet again that his father had taken most of the cash with him to finalise a deal in Jacksonville. Danny shook his head \u201cThat don\u2019t figger \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEnough of this here, Daniel. We got to git moving out of here jest in case the posse did hear that gun go off. We don\u2019t want to find ourselves in worse trouble than we already are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are anyway!\u201d Adam retorted sharply as he nudged the horse to follow the others, \u201cFirst you shoot a deputy and break out of jail, and now you take me hostage. Things can\u2019t get any worse.\u201d he stopped then before he actually put an idea into their heads and clamped his mouth into a tight line of protest.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you ain\u2019t gonna jaw all the way to where we\u2019re going,\u201d Danny said as he pushed the money into his pocket, \u201cI can\u2019t stand folk who keep on jawing for no good reason, it makes me itch, and then I start wanting to shoot \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n He glared at Adam at that and then turned to his Pa, \u201cYou reckon we doing right by Patrick leaving him there? He could bleed to death.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be alright,\u201d Amos assured him \u201cOne thing you can guarantee with the Cartwrights they take care of folk, not like some \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Danny nodded \u201cYeah but it ain\u2019t a Cartwright with him is it? It\u2019s that old Chinese cook they got.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing will look after your brother,\u201d Adam snapped, \u201cHe\u2019ll be better off than you two at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut your mouth, Cartwright.\u201d Danny snarled and again looked at his father, \u201cPa, what we supposed to be doing with him anyhow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI got me an idea, now shut up and keep on riding.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam held onto the reins as tightly as he possibly could, every so often his head felt as though it was swimming off his shoulders and he had to hunch over slightly to steady up. If his captors noticed they said nothing but continued to ride on in silence, with Amos in the lead.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Hop Sing bandaged Patrick up as well as he could and dosed him with a fair amount of laudanum as well which had the effect of knocking him out cold which suited the cook much better than having him yelling and rolling around as though he were in agony and about to die. Within another half hour he had Patrick Murphy wrapped in a blanket in the back of the wagon heading towards town where a doctor would be able to dig out the bullet and he could return to the comforts of the town jail.<\/p>\n Riding back towards the Ponderosa were Hoss, Joe and half of the posse, the remainder going with Roy in the fanciful notion that they would be able to track the Murphys down without Hoss\u2019 help. Tight lipped and fuming Joe dismounted \u201cDon\u2019t you look at me like that, Hoss Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho? Me? I ain\u2019t looking at you in no way, Little Joe. Ain\u2019t my fault your horse lost a shoe on the trail now, is it? I\u2019m coming back with you outa the kindness of my heart when I know I should really be with Roy helping him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, and I wish you had -\u201d Joe snapped as he stroked Cochise gently and led him into the stable. \u201cWait here while I get another mount.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss grinned and shook his head, \u201cAlright, boys, dismount and rest awhile. Best fill your canteens while you\u2019re here.\u201d he jerked his thumb in the direction of the horse trough and sluice \u201cI\u2019ll just go tell Adam we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n He pushed the door of the house open and sauntered in, then looked around him. Some sixth sense told him something was wrong, or perhaps the mass of blood on the floor where someone must have lain for some while bleeding, and then being dragged along by the look of the steaks that marked the floor. He yelled his brothers name but received no reply, then shouted for Hop Sing, ran into the kitchen, spun around like a headless chicken and then ran back out again \u201cJoe, Joe – quick – somethings happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah – like what?\u201d Joe strolled out with another horse on a lead rein, \u201cI suppose you\u2019re going to tell me that Adam and Hop Sing have been shot and kidnapped huh?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019 mouth gaped open \u201cHow\u2019d you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook, Hoss, if you want to stay home that\u2019s alright by me, I\u2019ll – what did you say? What did you say\u2019s happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t say nothing, you said it. There\u2019s blood everywhere in there, and no sign of Adam nor Hop Sing. Adam\u2019s gun belt is on the floor -.\u201d he paused to think then nodded \u201cWith the gun still in it.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded as though he had to take time to think about what was being said, then he mounted his horse \u201cRight, let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere? Go where, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe rolled his eyes then fixed Hoss with a grim stare \u201cYou can read the sign, you tell us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n Ben Cartwright was a tired man. He had concluded his business in Jacksonville and would soon be making the journey home. He ran a hand over his jaw and felt stubble prickle his fingers. Well, perhaps a relaxing hour in the barber shop would be a pleasant indulgence. He took off his hat and entered the building, smiled at the little man who was attending to a younger man and who indicated a chair for Ben to sit upon while he waited.<\/p>\n It was warm and pleasant in the barbershop. The man in the chair had been having a shave and Ben watched as the barber swept the cut throat razor up and over the mans skin, swift and expert twists of the wrist, a flick of the blade and soap and stubble was smoothed away. The young man smiled at his reflection in the mirror, then lifting his eyes he smiled at Ben who returned the smile.<\/p>\n A good looking young man, obviously out to please some young lady the way he was taking care of himself. New clothes, shiny new boots too. Ben hoped the woman would be impressed. He watched as the other man got out of the barbers chair, glanced at his reflection in the mirror again and pulled out his wallet to pay the man.<\/p>\n Just for an instant of time Ben wondered why a complete stranger would have a wallet with the Ponderosa pine stamped in the leather. He only knew of one person who had a wallet like that one, and he had been the purchaser of it for his son, a gift for him some years ago.<\/p>\n He stood up and barred the way to the door.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a moment, young man.\u201d he said in his deep voice, and he put out a hand to prevent the wallet being slipped back into the man\u2019s jacket pocket, \u201cWhere did you get that wallet?\u201d<\/p>\n Afterwards the barber could only say how glad he was that the young man had paid him for services rendered before he had resorted to the abrupt measures that brought about the end of his life.<\/p>\n He had underestimated just how quickly Ben Cartwright could draw a gun, and when threatened, was not a man to back down, or be afraid to use it. He may have thought leaving Adam Cartwright to die dead easy but in the end he found it not so easy after all.<\/p>\n Chapter 11<\/p>\n The sheriff in Jacksonville took a dim view of the son of one of its leading citizens being shot in the local barbers. Ben took an equally dim view of the amount of time being wasted as the sheriff laboured over the questions he asked and the answers that he was given. The arrival of the grieving father took some time as well, he was the desk thumping ear splitting demanding shouting kind of man who wanted vengeance before he even understood what was going on but when he did calm down and listened he was like a deflated balloon.<\/p>\n He took the wallet and examined it, listened as Ben described how he had purchased it for his son Adam and that the pine tree was the Ponderosa brand. Further incriminating his son was a letter addressed to Adam from a lady called Ann who had seemed to have problems identifying him from someone called Tom. The addressee was however, obvious and clear. Harrington, the name of the deceased, had been away from home several days and had returned with more money than he had left after having had a dispute with his father.<\/p>\n Harrington Senior agreed not to press charges, especially when the barber\u2019s statement swore to the fact that the young man had drawn first after Ben had asked about the wallet. When Ben told him how Harrington Jnr had left his son to die the older man almost crumpled into tears.<\/p>\n Ben rode out of town without having had his hair trimmed or his chin shaved and later than he had intended. His main thought as he left was that he would return home to find his son healthy and well again.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Adam stretched his legs and took a swig of water before Amos snatched the canteen away from him, \u201cYou feeling better now?\u201d Amos snapped.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen get back up on that horse, landsakes, you\u2019re losing us time.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam dragged himself up into the saddle and hugged his ribs. He shook his head to clear it a little and looked at the four men in front of him. Two of each man, that boded ill. He sighed again and clung to the saddle horn. Danny looked at him scornfully \u201cYou know what he is, Pa,, he\u2019s a waste of a bullet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d you reckon on that?\u201d Amos said and looked at Adam again.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s half dead. That\u2019s twice he\u2019s thrown up in the distance we\u2019ve travelled. If he does it again I reckon we should just leave him for the buzzards.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be a fool. If he\u2019s dead how can we hold him to ransom?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny thought about it, so did Adam. He glanced over his shoulder and looked back the way they had come and wondered how long it would take Hoss to pick up their trail. His stomach feel empty, as though it were cleaving to his back bone. He hugged the saddle horn and held the reins tightly and hoped that eventually they would suggest a camp as the night was now drawing in<\/p>\n \u201cTell you what we could do.\u201d Danny said loudly enough for Adam to hear, \u201cWe\u2019ll see how he is in the morning. If he\u2019s still alive we\u2019ll leave him behind but we\u2019ll take some things that would prove we have him \u2026 like a finger or an ear.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam grimaced and his fingers tightened around the reins, he was rather fond of each of them ,and his thumbs too come to that. Amos disagreed as well, saying that it wasn\u2019t very \u2018nice\u2019 to do things like that\u2026 but Danny snorted in derision \u201cShucks, wouldn\u2019t be any different from doing it if he were dead, would it? He\u2019d be nearly dead, wouldn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n Amos shook his head \u201cLook, how\u2019d they know it was his finger or ear anyhow? It could be anyone\u2019s, they may not believe us. Anyway, let\u2019s get someplace where we can camp and discuss it further.\u201d<\/p>\n Danny grumbled but eventually grew quiet. Within the hour they had halted outside a rough looking cabin where Adam was helped from his horse and inside while Danny took the horses into a shelter nearby. Amos looked at Adam and shook his head \u201cDon\u2019t mind Danny, he\u2019s always been a bit short tempered. Takes after his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam said nothing but was grateful to fall flat upon the dusty covers of the truckle bed tucked into the corner of the hovel. He closed his eyes and tried to think of some way to escape but knew in his weakened state that his only means to get free of the Murphy\u2019s was to be rescued.<\/p>\n He could hear Amos rattling pans, Danny came and dropped wood onto the floor for the stove, the strike of a match and more pans rattled. The next thing he knew he was being offered a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cEmpty your pockets.\u201d Danny demanded as he put the coffee down on the stool by the bed.<\/p>\n Adam did so and then gratefully took the cup and drank it slowly. Danny looked through what he had put down and nodded then went over to the stove to show Amos. They talked in low voices and seemed, at last, to be in agreement for there were chuckles and some back slapping. Adam finished his drink and lay back upon the bed.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Joe tugged at Hoss\u2019 sleeve \u201cThere\u2019s a camp fire ahead, I reckon it\u2019s them.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss nodded \u201cYeah, seems likely.\u201d they tiptoed over to where Roy and the posse were waiting, there was some obvious disagreement going on between those who wanted to return home rather than waste another day and those who felt they should make a camp of their own. Roy stopped them from making any further complaints by saying the men they were after were just ahead of them. To dismount and follow him, while he followed Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n The camp fire flickered odd shadows in the shallow hollow where the camp had been set up. Hoss jabbed Joe in the ribs \u201cOnly one man -.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe other man must be guarding Adam somewhere out of sight.\u201d Joe whispered. \u201cI\u2019ll go and have a look.\u201d<\/p>\n He and several other men quietly stole around the perimeter of the camp in search of the other Murphy and Adam. Roy sidled up to Hoss \u201cBest to attack now, while they ain\u2019t suspecting us to be this close.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss nodded, more than anything else he longed to get his brother home safely, it was obvious from the sign left along the trail that he was really still very ill. He wondered whereabouts he had been wounded and the thought of the blood on the floor back home gave him the shivers.<\/p>\n \u201cNow?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cNow!\u201d Roy said and stepped out into the clearing with his gun in his hand.<\/p>\n As Hoss and several others stepped forward Joe cried out \u201cHoss \u2026psssst\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright – get up – keep your hands where I can see them and don\u2019t make a sound.\u201d Roy said loudly and he clicked the hammer of his gun back.<\/p>\n Chapter 12<\/p>\n The man huddled in his blankets rolled over and gained his feet, glared around him and seemed to swell in size as he confronted his ambushers \u201cRoy! What the blue blazes is going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe tugged at Hoss\u2019 sleeve \u201cI tried to warn you.\u201d he whispered<\/p>\n Hoss growled in an undertone \u201cLike when?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe hissed \u201cLike as soon as I recognised Buck\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph. Hoss. Do you mind telling me exactly what is going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s voice, loud and spitting out the words in that slow machine gun rattle of a way made his two sons cringe and while Roy and the posse put their weapons away and grumbled amongst themselves the two brothers stepped forward \u201cHi, Pa.\u201d Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Pa.\u201d Joe echoed.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t realise it was you, Pa.\u201d Hoss groaned, \u201cYou know, it wasn\u2019t easy to tell exactly who was bundled up in that thar blanket.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoss Cartwright, if you don\u2019t explain to me what\u2019s going on right this moment \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Roy stepped forward rather than the altercation become too toxic, he raised a hand \u201cBen it\u2019s alright, nothing to fret over, it\u2019s just that the Murphy brothers broke jail, shot Dodds, got to the Ponderosa and took Adam hostage.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben leaned forward as though to absorb this information more easily and then stared at the three of them \u201cAdams been kidnapped?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like it.\u201d Roy glanced at Hoss who nodded \u201cWell, he weren\u2019t home and there was a whole lot of blood about the place and -.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is supposed to make me feel better?\u201d Ben roared.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re tracking the Murphy\u2019s right now \u2026 I mean \u2026we were, but since it was getting dark, we happened to stumble on your camp instead, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben rolled his eyes and looked at Roy \u201cYou\u2019re sure it is the Murphy\u2019s who have Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAin\u2019t no one else we can think it could be, Ben.\u201d Roy replied matter of factly. \u201cWe were following their tracks and when we went back to the Ponderosa picked them up from there.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben sighed then glanced up at the sky, \u201cWell, it\u2019s too dark to do any more tracking tonight. The next camper you disturb may not be as kindly disposed to being interrupted as I\u2019ve been.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll set off first thing in the morning and pick up their trail again.\u201d Roy nodded and then paused looked around and sighed \u201cBe alright if we share your camp with you, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n Adam opened his eyes and carefully turned his head in the direction of the two men whose snores alone would have led the posse to them. He raised himself on one elbow and eased himself from the bed. Despite the pain of his ribs and the ache in his stomach he moved slowly to the table, collected the possessions that had been taken from him and began to make his way to the door.<\/p>\n Being physically weak he stumbled slightly and reached out to regain his balance only to knock over one of the rifles which began to fall, he caught it with one hand, breathed a sigh of relief and set it carefully back down again. It seemed that the door had moved several more feet away from him, but he blinked to get his eyes back in focus and succeeded in getting to the door.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that you, Mary Lou?\u201d Danny mumbled and Adam froze, turned to look back and saw the man move into a more comfortable position, smack his lips and start to snore again.<\/p>\n Amos Murphy yawned, opened his eyes and stared around him but then closed his eyes again so that Adam was able to continue his slow progress to the door.<\/p>\n It opened grudgingly for it had not been used regularly for some years and the hinges were rusted. He had to yank hard to get it wide open enough to enable him to get out and then he hurried, stumbling and staggering across the yard towards the run down shelter where the three horses were stabled.<\/p>\n The Murphys were too slovenly and too lazy to bother with unsaddling and caring for the animals, which for once proved to be a blessing for it meant Adam had no need to worry about doing it himself. He untethered the reins and carefully mounted one of them and then took the reins of the others in his hands and led them out, then he dug his heels into his mount and the horse leapt forward with the two other horses following close behind.<\/p>\n The sound of the galloping horses slowly permeated into the sleeping mens brains, but only caused Danny to dream that he was in the cavalry riding a charge against some Indians and Amos to open one eye, see his son snoring across the table opposite and close it again.<\/p>\n As the sounds of the horses faded away the snores grew louder until Amos finally woke up with a start \u201cDadburn it, Daniel, can\u2019t a body get a decent sleep with you snoring like that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t been snoring, Pa. I don\u2019t snore, you know that\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know that you do, now shut up and get yourself busy.\u201d Amos stood up and stretched, the bones in his spine went pop-pop-pop and then he relaxed and rubbed his face \u201cNow, then, let\u2019s get some coffee and then we can think about what to write to the Cartwrights if they want Adam back in one piece.\u201d he glared at his son \u201cI mean, one piece which means altogether and nothing missing, you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, I understand. I didn\u2019t mean it about cutting off his fingers, I was jest joshing.\u201d Danny fished in his pocket and brought out a stub of a pencil. \u201cWal, you got some paper?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Ain\u2019t you got any?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny rummaged in his pockets and then shook his head \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou idiot. What kind of kidnapper are you to come all this way without any paper?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny shrugged and stood up \u201cLet\u2019s get some coffee boiling first, Pa. I\u2019m mighty thirsty.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos growled in agreement and sat down again, he rubbed his chin \u201cI wonder how your brother is now, do you reckon we did right in leaving him there at the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWeren\u2019t nothing more we could do, Pa. He was bleeding like a stuck pig.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCould be dead by now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, could well be \u2026 dang, this match \u2026 Pa, the stove done gone out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRelight it then \u2026 did you leave the door open last night?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny shook his head as he relit a match and stooped to get the ash covered embers relit. Amos walked to the door and stood there staring out at the horizon, dawn was rising promising a beautiful and for a moment he looked at the sky before turning to regard their prisoner. He then looked around the cabin, scratched his head \u201cYou let Cartwright go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo? Go where?\u201d Danny dropped the match as it burned his fingers and fell upon some paper on the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cGo – just go – where\u2019d he go?\u201d<\/p>\n Amos was flapping his arms about like a demented chicken now and Daniel just stared for a moment at him before looking at the bed, \u201cYou mean he\u2019s gone?\u201d<\/p>\n The paper and dried bits and pieces of grass and rubbish were slowly being burned away by the flame of the match, hungrier and hungrier were the flames as the Murhpy\u2019s looked around the cabin for their prisoner. Danny eventually shook his head \u201cI reckon he\u2019s gone, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos walked to the door and stared out at the dawn bright sky but its beauty was totally wasted on him as he cursed long and hard at the horizon.<\/p>\n Chapter 13<\/p>\n The horses were too much for Adam, the reins slipped from his fingers as he turned his attention to concentrating on staying on just the one horse. Determination alone kept him firmly in the saddle, at times clinging onto the horse\u2019s mane as the weakness trickled over him and threatened to swallow him up.<\/p>\n After some time and he assumed enough distance had been put between himself and the cabin he drew the horse to a halt and glanced up at the sky. A mournful breeze was blowing now which made him shiver, lack of proper sleep and food, combined with the shock to his system from the injuries was intensifying the irritations caused by the least thing. He glanced around and saw, to the left of him, the dark shadows of trees to which he led his horse.<\/p>\n The trees had grown thickly here and the duff upon the ground was springy and dry. Dismounting before he would fall down Adam found himself a pleasant place where he could sleep so after securing the horse and managing to get it unsaddled, he pulled off the bedroll and spread it out and within minutes was asleep on what was the softest bed he had slept upon for days.<\/p>\n Amos Murphy strode over to the stable and stared around him before running frantically back to the cabin \u201cHe done stole our horses, the low down thief.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe done what? Our horses?\u201d Danny Murphy hurried out and as he did so he fell foul of the rifle, just as Adam had done earlier, but instead of stopping it as it fell Danny ran on and only stopped when the rifle went off, the bullet ricocheted off the stove and hit Danny full force in the shoulder sending him sprawling against his father who was running towards him at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cDang!\u201d Danny exclaimed as he fell down entangled by his father\u2019s arms and legs.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat have you done now, you idjit?\u201d Amos yelled as he hit the ground hard with Danny atop of him.<\/p>\n Groaning loudly Danny put his hand to his shoulder and felt the hot blood as it was pumping through his fingers \u201cShucks, Pa, I bin shot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you have been, son.\u201d Amos drew out his revolver, and placed his hand upon his son\u2019s back, \u201cGit under cover. That darn Cartwright was jest foolin\u2019 us, he\u2019s inside that shack after all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGuess he was too weak to git out, Pa.\u201d Danny groaned as he pulled himself along towards the decrepit horse trough.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, sure fooled us, neat trick turning the horses loose, making us think he\u2019d ridden off.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos got to his feet and crept, doubled over and keeping to the shadows towards the cabin \u201cAlright, Cartwright, I know you\u2019re in there. Come on out and keep your hands where I can see \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n Behind the horse trough Danny groaned and moaned until he eventually passed out altogether. In side the cabin the tiny flames caused by the match continued to grow, they spread out and gathered momentum, licking up the debris of many years of dust and dried grass and old papers.<\/p>\n A box of live ammunition that Danny had brought to the cabin so that he could replenish his gun belt had fallen to the floor when Danny had jostled the table, several bullets had rolled here and there over the floor. The flames grew hungrier by the minute.<\/p>\n Under the protection of the trees not so many miles away Adam slept the sleep of the weak and exhausted. The horse grazed and gradually settled to sleep itself.<\/p>\n A few further miles along Hoss Cartwright woke up and sniffed the air. The cool breeze brought along with it something else but as he was too tired to think out what it could be he lowered his head and settled back to sleep.<\/p>\n Amos crept closer to the door of the cabin which was now hanging by one rusted screw \u201cAdam, now you come on out right now. Danny didn\u2019t mean it when he said he\u2019d cut off your fingers but dad burn it, if you don\u2019t come out right now I promise you I\u2019ll cut \u2018em all off, and your thumbs as well.\u201d<\/p>\n The heat from the fire caressed the bullets and the flames danced around them. Amos shook his head \u201cIf you ain\u2019t the orneriest low down thief I\u2019ve ever known, you let our horses loose, shot Danny and now pretending you ain\u2019t there – huh? C\u2019mon on, d\u2019you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n A bullet exploded and whizzed pass Amos\u2019 ear which sent him flat on his back involuntarily his finger pulled on the trigger of his pistol. His gunshot was the prelude to several other shots being fired back almost immediately as the bullets in the cabin went off. By now the flames had enveloped the back half of the cabin but it was a sight that Amos\u2019 dying eyes caught only a glimpse off, his hand fell back loosely into the dust and the gun dropped from his fingers.<\/p>\n Roy woke up and reached for his gun, he listened intently for what he had thought were gun shots. The night was still despite the cool breeze and he rose from his bedroll and stretched. Noticing that the fire was dying out he put on some more wood and then walked around the perimeter of the camp. One of the posse who was supposed to be on guard was snoring and Roy shook his head, with a yawn he returned to his bed and lay down. He sniffed the air, and smiled drowsily, there was nothing like the smell of wood burning \u2026<\/p>\n Chapter 14<\/p>\n Ben woke up with a sense of apprehension creating a tension within him that caused him to reach for his pistol immediately. He snuffed the air and slowly stood up, eased his bones and looked around him. He could smell fire not the sort around which they were sleeping and was slowing dying out, but the kind that contained things other than wood burning.<\/p>\n He stooped down to shake Hoss by the shoulder and then Joe and finally Roy \u201cSomethings happening.\u201d he said quietly, \u201cSmells like somethings burning -.\u201d<\/p>\n The other three men glanced immediately at their fire and just as quickly dismissed that as the cause of the strong stench that was drifting their way with the breeze. Roy nodded, \u201cCan\u2019t think what it could be unless someone else is camping out hereabouts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike the Murphys for instance?\u201d Hoss suggested as he fastened on his gun belt, \u201cWe\u2019d best be getting going and find out exactly what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy shook the other men awake most of whom complained that it had taken hours to get to sleep and now they have to wake up and for what? When Roy said he believed they had located the Murphys there were still some groans among them although they all began to roll up their beds and get their horses saddled ready to ride out.<\/p>\n Danny hauled himself along with the help of his one arm while the other dragged uselessly by his side. The cabin was burning quite fiercely now but he wanted to get to his Pa and save him from being burned alive – or dead.<\/p>\n \u201cPa? Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n He shook the inert man roughly, slapped his face a few times and then gave a groan of despair \u201cPa, you can\u2019t be dead, you can\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n A joist from the cabin roof collapsed within itself sending up a shower of sparks and flames that were hungrier than ever as the air fed them. The heat was getting too much for Danny, he could feel it beginning to singe his hair. Grabbing a handful of his father\u2019s shirt in his fist he began to haul his father along in the dust, digging his heels into the ground and pulling until he had succeeded in getting himself and the old man to safely.<\/p>\n \u201cDoggone I ain\u2019t got no water, Pa. The canteens were in the cabin.\u201d he looked at the old water trough and managed to haul himself towards it, then pump furiously at the old sluice handle. After a while water splurged out with a huge hic cough of a sound before it splattered everywhere and then became a steady stream which prompted Danny to bury his head in it so that the water cooled down his skin considerably.<\/p>\n He tore off his sleeve and soaked it in the water that was now filling the trough and hurried back to his father, and washed around Amos\u2019 face and then he returned for more until Amos reared up and pushed Danny\u2019s hand away \u201cWhat you doing to me, boy? Trying to drown me now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Pa, I was trying to bring you back to life \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBack to life? What fool thing was that for you to do I wasn\u2019t even dead.\u201d Amos staggered upright and felt his scalp that felt as though it were on fire \u201cA bullet must have winged me, here, give me that cloth.\u201d<\/p>\n He soaked the material and then carefully bathed his wound with it, before looking at his son, \u201cYou going to stand there for the rest of the night, how about trying to put that fire out?\u201d<\/p>\n At which point the whole structure of the cabin collapsed within itself. Amos shook his head \u201cToo late I guess \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa – what we going to do now, we ain\u2019t got no horses and Cartwrights done gone burned himself to a crisp in that thar cabin.\u201d he pulled the wet cloth from Amos and placed it upon his own wound \u201cYou know they\u2019ll blame us for that, don\u2019t\u2019cha?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw, an old cabin like that? Won\u2019t take two shakes of dogs tail to rebuild that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I meant Adam Cartwright, him being dead an\u2019 all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh that – well – is he dead?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny groaned and tried to find somewhere he could lean against as he was feeling giddy from loss of blood \u201cI thought he was \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t mean he is though. Who\u2019s to say he is, can you prove it?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny frowned and thought about it, \u201cWal, someone was firing them bullets at us.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos opened his mouth and closed it again, he scratched his head and agreed that that was a indication that someone had been in the cabin. \u201cDidn\u2019t have to be Adam Cartwright though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWeren\u2019t no one else thar, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d we know that? Anyone could have come on in while we were sleeping, Danny.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn which case we git the blame for killing him instead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of Adam Cartwright.\u201d Danny looked around him and reached out to grab his father\u2019s arm \u201cCan you hear horses?\u201d<\/p>\n Amos did and with a speed that belied the fact that he was nearly dead not so long ago he hurried towards the old shed where the horses had been kept. \u201cHide low, son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, Pa -\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHurry.\u201d<\/p>\n Nearly passing out now Danny managed to crawl to the shed and hide under some foul smelling rank straw. Near by him Amos had burrowed beneath some old tarpaulins. Both strained their ears to hear, afraid of exposing themselves.<\/p>\n Roy held up his arm to bring the posse to a stop and then all the men stared around them and at the burning furnace of a shack. Hoss shook his head \u201cIf there was anyone in there they would be dead by now.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Weems the banker dismounted and peered into the shack and then came out, \u201cNo one here, although there were some horses here recently.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss dismounted and followed Weems example, he could see the recently dropped horse dung and nodded \u201cYou\u2019re right, Mr. Weems. By the look of it two or three horses I\u2019d say.\u201d<\/p>\n He walked back to the other men followed by Weems, \u201cNo horses there, must have left after they\u2019d set fire to the cabin for some reason or other.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one lives here do they?\u201d Joe asked staring at the flames as they roared hungrily skywards, \u201cI\u2019d hate to think anyone was burning to death in there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBurned to death, Joe.\u201d Ben sighed, \u201cI should think some while back too.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded agreement with Ben and then beckoned Hoss over \u201cWhat happened here, can you tell?\u201d<\/p>\n The sun was well up now and Hoss pushed his hat to the back of his head and squatted down, he looked around him, up and down and then stood up \u201cQuite a few foot prints here, looks like someones dragged himself along the ground a mite\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAdam – that must be Adam.\u201d Joe said immediately.<\/p>\n Ben sighed and thought of his injured son with regret, he bowed his head and waited for the feeling to pass before he listened to what Hoss was saying. \u201cThree horsemen, going in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n They all turned to look in the direction of the woods ahead, Joe frowned \u201cJust three horses?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut if Adam is with them there should be four horses.\u201d Joe pointed out and counted them out on his fingers \u201cDanny. Patrick. Amos and Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Adam was injured, remember?\u201d Hoss said with his hands on his hip and looking aggrieved.<\/p>\n \u201cStill makes for three horses and four horsemen.\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s right,\u201d Weems said nodding and as he was the banker everyone realised Joe was right so nodded and murmured among themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cWait a darned minute -\u201d Roy said and put up a hand, \u201cWe\u2019ve been following three horses all along, haven\u2018t we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cS\u2018right,\u201d Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cSo where\u2018s this fourth horseman come from?\u201d<\/p>\n They looked at one another while Ben took the chance to think a little more about his injured son and how ill he had looked when they had left him. He was getting a trifle maudlin when Roy suggested that because Adam was wounded he no doubt rode double up with one of the Murphys, being too weak to ride a horse alone.<\/p>\n Joe was growing impatient he returned to his horse, having dismounted to check the signs that Hoss was trampling all over, \u201cWell, let\u2019s just follow the tracks and see where it leads us.\u201d he suggested swinging himself into the saddle in the masterful way that made the ladies sigh and swoon and young men go green with envy.<\/p>\n The posse swung their horses round and with Hoss in the lead followed the trail of the three horses.<\/p>\n Gasping for air the two Murphy\u2019s emerged from the shed and hurried to the trough where they buried their faces into the cool refreshing water that still remained in it. Danny was in acute pain now and becoming feverish, and when Amos said they would have to walk the younger man simply refused, stating the obvious fact that he was beyond being able to do so.<\/p>\n This brought Amos into checking over the wound which he assured his son was not serious. Using the ripped off sleeve as a makeshift sling, he said once again that they needed to walk before the posse returned and found them there.<\/p>\n \u201cThey won\u2019t return, Pa. They won\u2019t have no need to come back. The horses only went in one direction.\u201d<\/p>\n Amos made a clicking sound with his teeth (false) and scratched his head \u201cCan\u2019t stay here all day. We\u2019ve no food, and very little water \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut at least we do have water.\u201d Danny said before collapsing in a heap at his father\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n Amos hurried to his son\u2019s side and kneeled down, taking Danny\u2019s hand in his and urging him to open his eyes and get back his senses. He was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn\u2019t hear the sound of horses approaching but he did hear the click of a trigger being pulled back …<\/p>\n Chapter 15<\/p>\n The man sitting astride his mule looked just the kind one could imagine living in a hovel like the one that was still burning. Beneath his hat, which looked like it was chewed on regularly by his mules, his narrow eyes shifted back and forth, from the injured man and the older man hugging the ground to the flames that were consuming his home.<\/p>\n He sat there some time until Amos found the courage to stand upright \u201cSorry about your – er – shack. The man inside caused it, not sure how, probably never will now.\u201d he tried a smile but somehow it wasn\u2019t very convincing as the other man\u2019s face became grimmer than ever.<\/p>\n He swung a leg over the back of the mule and took a step towards the two men, then waved the gun at Danny who crouched down a little as though expecting a bullet to wind its way to end his life. He squeaked a little and raised his one good arm while he batted his eyelids frantically to prevent the sweat getting into them.<\/p>\n \u201cEr – my son – he\u2019s wounded. The – the man inside shot him. Shot me too matter of fact.\u201d Amos pointed to the wound that furrowed his scalp. \u201cEr – he took our horses as well.\u201d<\/p>\n The silent man\u2019s eyes widened, narrowed and his face scrunched up into a scowl, Amos cleared his throat \u201cHe took our horses and then came back -.\u201d he paused himself then and frowned, mumbled beneath his breath a repetition of what he had just said and shook his head, \u201cI know it don\u2019t make sense but that\u2019s how it happened, and then he went inside and – and -\u201d he shrugged, waved his hands about and then looked at Danny who had passed out.<\/p>\n The homesteader put his gun back in its holster and wiped his hands down the front of his already dirty shirt. He scratched under his armpit and spat into the ground and then led the two mules into the shed. When he came out he was carrying a chinaware flagon from which he was pulling out the cork with his teeth, he hauled it up on his shoulder and took a swig then handed it to Amos.<\/p>\n The cider was strong, strong enough to burn Amos\u2019 insides and his eyes did a bit of spinning so he sat down by the water trough beside Danny\u2019s body and took another sip, just to make sure it really was that strong and not his imagination.<\/p>\n After several more sips he passed out as well. The homesteader shrugged, drank some more and wiped his mouth before settling back himself for some sleep. Adam woke up and stared up at the sky that he could see dappled through the foliage of the trees. He felt stronger, but was in no hurry to move so lay there thinking. His horse was grazing close by, he could hear the sound of grass being pulled and chomped on. He could smell \u2026burning.<\/p>\n He sat up then and looked around him. Everything in the woodland was as it should be, birds sang to one another and flew from branch to branch, the horse moved slowly from one crop of grass to another, and a rabbit peered curiously at him before doing an abrupt about turn as though suddenly remembering that these two legged creatures were partial to bunnies, particularly when roasting over a fire.<\/p>\n Adam got to his feet, stretched, winced and felt his ribs, then he rubbed his face and walked over to the horse. The canteen of water was still full, and he drank from it, then poured some over his head and face. His stomach was empty but that was not a new experience for him, he had often been hungry in his life time and could handle that easily. He drank more of the water and after removing all signs of his meagre camp he saddled the horse and mounted it, carefully.<\/p>\n The smell of fire was strong as it blew on the breeze through the trees. He wondered whether or not he should investigate but then decided that he wasn\u2019t well enough to get involved in yet another misadventure. Somehow he had an inkling that whatever the cause of the fire, the Murphys would have had a hand in it.<\/p>\n He turned the horse towards the track that would lead home. Sunlight swathed the way ahead dappling it with shadows that swayed with the motion of the trees and like a shadow, he began his journey.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n Joe urged Cochise ahead in order to meet up with his brother Hoss who was concentrating hard on the prints ahead of him. \u201cHoss, I\u2019ve just remembered something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnything important?\u201d Hoss said without looking up from examining the dusty soil.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, not really important, just something I remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss stopped and sighed, his shoulders sagged \u201cDang, Joe, if that don\u2019t beat all, I don\u2019t know what this guy is doing of but \u2026\u201d he scratched his head and looked around him, \u201cFact is they split up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSplit up?\u201d Roy\u2019s voice came from behind them as he rode up alongside them \u201cHow\u2019d you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re being mighty clever, that\u2019s what I mean. They gone done split three ways.\u201d Hoss replied, and pointed in the three directions the horses had gone.<\/p>\n Roy looked over at the men who were bunched together and beginning to look mutinous. He sighed \u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so clear you can see for yourself.\u201d Hoss replied removing his hat and scratching his head.<\/p>\n \u201cGuess we\u2019ll have to split up.\u201d Roy said slowly and turned in the saddle \u201cGuess they\u2019ll want to head back to town.\u201d he chewed on nothing for a moment and then reached for his canteen in order to refresh himself, \u201cI should go and see how Dodds is, then, if he\u2019s dead, Ben cleared his throat and shook his head \u201cYou forgetting that they may have killed my son?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Ben, I ain\u2019t, but I also ain\u2019t forgetting that maybe he ain\u2019t dead, he could be on one of them horses.\u201d Roy rubbed his chin and shook his head, \u201cThose Murphys are proving craftier than a barrel load of monkeys.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou go back if you have a mind to, Roy, the boys and me, we\u2019ll just carry on looking.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded and rode up to the posse, and from the expressions on their faces they were all looking very pleased at the prospect of returning to town. Hoss sighed \u201cWell, so much for loyalty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I\u2019ve a good mind to cancel my account at Weems bank and go elsewhere.\u201d Joe muttered.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t know you still had any money in your account,\u201d Hoss grinned and looked at his father, \u201cWell, Pa, what do you suggest.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben looked around him, the sun was hot and the woods looked as though they would provide some cool shade, he pointed towards them \u201cWe\u2019ll follow the horse that went that away.\u201d<\/p>\n They parted from the rest of the posse and rode slowly towards the woods, the sun was getting hotter now and riding was becoming uncomfortable. Joe nudged Hoss\u2019 knee with his own, \u201cHoss, remember what I was saying before?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Before what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBefore Roy interrupted us\u2026I was going to tell you about that cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe one that was burning down?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the one. I just remembered who it belonged to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRecall that sad incident when there was nearly a bank run in town and we got accused of stealing all that money when we were really in fact trying to get it and protect the bank from running out of funds?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d Hoss glowered, \u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRemember we borrowed some mules?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss winced and rubbed his jaw, \u201cYeah I remember, the owner weren\u2019t too happy about it either, a wiry little man, weren\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded and waited for Hoss to think it out to the obvious conclusion \u2026by the time they had reached the shade of the woods Hoss was guffawing loudly at the thought that the homesteader had been the owner of the mules they had borrowed and returned..painfully.<\/p>\n Chapter 16<\/p>\n Adam was more than grateful to slide from the saddle and make his way to the house. His legs felt as though they were about to give way every step he took but he clamped his mouth shut and stared at the door as though daring it to move away from him. By the time he had the door open he was about to collapse and did so as soon as the settee was there to provide a soft landing.<\/p>\n Hop Sing shuffled into the room as soon as the door had opened and hovered over the injured man as Adam lay there, covered in dust and sweat while his face had a strange pallor about it that indicated grave problems. Consequently Hop Sing hurried outside to find one of the hands to direct him to town for the doctor, while another two were hustled inside to carry the unconscious man to his room.<\/p>\n By the time Paul Martin reached Adam\u2019s bedside he had been washed and patched up as best as Hop Sing could do, which always annoyed Paul because sometimes he wondered why they bothered to call him out at all. He nodded and swallowed his pride while he paid some attention to the injuries his patient had sustained.<\/p>\n \u201cHow is other young man I bring you?\u201d Hop Sing asked as he hovered by the door.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll survive. Lost a lot of blood but he\u2019ll be alright once he\u2019s had a few weeks to rest up, which he\u2019s guarantee\u2019d to get seeing as he\u2019s in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Deputy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot so good. Now – if you don\u2019t mind, Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing now swallowed his pride and left the room. He wondered if the doctor would ever get round to accepting that he, Hop Sing, knew enough about medical matters to be respected by a fellow practioner. With a sigh as he padded downstairs to prepare coffee he accepted the fact that it probably would never be so.<\/p>\n Hoss walked over to his father and brother with a nod of the head \u201cWell, someone camped here. Didn\u2019t make up a fire either. Definitely the rider of one of the horses anyway, and travelling light, very light.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think it could be Adam?\u201d Ben asked hopefully.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, how would I know? It ain\u2019t like he left a sign here saying \u2018Adam Cartwright slept here\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no need to be sarcastic, Hoss. I need something to take the image of that cabin and the fact that my son could have died in there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, sir, I should have realised.\u201d Hoss frowned and returned to where signs of a man and horse having been in the area were most obvious, he got down on his haunches and stared so hard, willing the earth to provide some clues and then with a nod of the head he rose to his feet and returned to where Ben and Joe were patiently waiting, \u201cWell, seems to me whoever was here was limping, dragging his feet kinda. The tracks leading to his horse seem to indicate he had trouble getting the energy to mount it, it could be Adam, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Could be?\u2019 Ben\u2019s mind repeated the phrase, \u2018It just has to be, has to be -\u2019 he nodded at his sons, \u201cThen he\u2019ll be headed for home.\u201d<\/p>\n With a jerk of the reins Buck was turned towards the Ponderosa and with some hope now bolstering his thoughts, Ben set the horse into a steady canter. The silent man had stood and stared at the smoking ruins of what had been his house for some time, his hands on his hips and his eyes narrowed. He had listened to the two men babbling on some ridiculous story about a man being burned to death inside, but he knew that was untrue, there was a distinct different in the smell of a cabin burning compared to one burning with a body inside it. The sickly stench of human flesh roasting was one he would never forget, just like he would never forget the time he saw his family dying at the hand of some murderous Commanche who then decided to add to their enjoyment of the day by cutting out his tongue.<\/p>\n He turned to the town men and indicated that they should go, quickly, which wasn\u2019t quite as easy as he hoped because Danny Murphy was injured and in losing a lot of blood was considerably weaker than he had been the previous day. Amos waved his arms about and begged for help \u201cYou kin see my boy\u2019s hurt, can\u2019t ya? You can\u2019t be so dad burned cold hearted as to expect him to walk anywhere are ya?\u201d<\/p>\n He stared at them and then put out his hand, rustled his fingers together and narrowed his eyes. The meaning was clear, he\u2019d provide help, but at a cost. With a begrudging groan Amos put his hand in his pocket and drew out the money that Adam had taken from his fathers desk. \u201cHere, take it, there\u2019s $50 there, more\u2019n you\u2019d earn in a year.\u201d<\/p>\n He slowly counted out the money and then jerked his thumb in the direction of the shed where the mules were tethered. Amos shook his head in disbelief, how could things have turned so upside down as to leave them without funds and on mules! He glared at his son \u201cYou and your stupid brother, if\u2019n you\u2019d acted with any kind of decency at the beginning this would never have happened.\u201d<\/p>\n His son said nothing. He just wanted the day to end. In fact, he\u2019d have been happy being in Roy\u2019s cell, eating some breakfast with his brother chomping there right beside him. He didn\u2019t dare mention that to Amos though, knowing that his father was on a short fuse and injured or not, he\u2019d be the one bearing the brunt of it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere we headed, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Amos shrugged as he pulled the stubborn mules from the shed, cursing and swearing that he\u2019d have their hide if they didn\u2019t move faster Amos eventually reached his son and managed to get him on the mule\u2019s back. \u201cYou need a doctor, and I need to know how Patrick is \u2026doggone it, Daniel Murphy!\u201d<\/p>\n The homesteader watched them go and then pulled his hat lower over his eyes and shook his head. He had things to think about himself now and as he stared at the smouldering ruins of his cabin he wondered if this was a sign for a new start in life.<\/p>\n One just never knew where such decisions could lead and he flicked through the $50 dollars with a smile and a satisfied nod of the head. The posse had dispersed quickly as soon as they had reached town. Weems legs were more or less going in two different directions but he managed to reach his home just as his domestic help was preparing breakfast. He longed for his bed but knew that a long day at work stretched ahead of him, as it did for all the men who had ridden with him on that ill fated nonsense of a journey.<\/p>\n Roy threw his hat onto its customary peg and nodded over as Deputy Clem Foster stood up \u201cHi, Roy. You\u2019ll be pleased to know one of your prisoners in back where he belongs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Which one?\u201d Roy picked up his spectacles and rubbed their lenses clean as though he needed to be able to see clearly this wonder of wonders.<\/p>\n \u201cPatrick Murphy.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy stood in awe for a moment \u201cHow come?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing brought him in, seems he was shot during some altercation at the Ponderosa. The other two Murphys rode off with Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded and hitching his thumbs in the loops of his pants he strolled to the cells and stared down at Patrick who was snoring loudly enough to rattle the bars. He grinned at Clem, \u201cOne down, two to go.\u201d<\/p>\n By the end of the day he had his wish as the other two Murhpy\u2019s rode into town and asked to be taken into custody where, so Amos said, they felt safer. When Adam opened his eyes it was to see his father sitting by the bedside with his face a mask of concern and misery, which brightened as soon as he realised that Adam was awake. He leaned forward and grabbed Adam\u2019s hand \u201cFeeling alright, son?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded, smiled and gripped his father\u2019s hand tight, just to make sure it was real flesh and bone. \u201cI\u2019m alright, Pa. I think I had a strange dream \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ben sighed and shook his head \u201cIt was no dream, son, not unless we all had the same one.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a twinkle in his dark eyes and the ghost of a smile played about his lips. Some people had the mistaken idea that riding in a posse was just dead easy, but Ben knew that in some cases, it certainly was not.<\/p>\n The End<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reviewer: Anonymous Anonymous When it comes to Pa Murphy and his two sons, all I can say is they must have come straight from Hee Haw!\u00a0 “Gloom, despair, and agony on me.\u00a0 Deep, dark depression, excessive misery.\u00a0 If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.\u00a0 Gloom, despair, and agony on me.”\u00a0 Oh, and I guess I shouldn’t forget the “OOhhh!”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Author’s Response: Oh I think you just about hit the nail on the head there alright, LOL. What a fun review, thank you so much … Krystyna<\/em><\/p>\n **********<\/p>\n
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\nI\u2019ll have to organise another posse.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nDate: 16 Sep 2012 11:36 am Title: DEAD EASY<\/p>\n