{"id":5608,"date":"2003-07-30T01:02:38","date_gmt":"2003-07-30T05:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5608"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:07:48","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:07:48","slug":"toil-and-trouble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5608","title":{"rendered":"Toil and Trouble (by Rona)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>Joe becomes the victim of a series of attempts on his life. Why does everyone insist they have seen Adam around, when he is visiting a friend back east?<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 R \u00a0 \u00a0(11,060 words)<\/p>\n

Only Skin Deep Series:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Only Skin Deep<\/a>
\nToil and Trouble<\/a>
\nWolf in the Fold<\/a>
\nA Fresh Start<\/a><\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Toil and Trouble<\/strong><\/p>\n

The front door of the Ponderosa ranch house shut quietly and Ben Cartwright exchanged a glance with his middle son, Hoss. Supper had been on the table for over half an hour, and Joe, the youngest Cartwright son, was late again. However, this did not sound like one of Joe\u2019s entrances, but it couldn\u2019t be Adam, the oldest son, because he was away visiting friends back east. \u201cIs that you, Joe?\u201d Ben asked, for the front door was hidden from his view by the wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it\u2019s me, Pa,\u201d Joe replied, and he sounded so subdued that Ben was instantly worried. Subdued was not the state Ben had expected Joe to be in, for he had been in town collecting the mail, and usually when he arrived back, having had a drink or two and a laugh with his friends, he would be in high spirits.<\/p>\n

When Joe didn\u2019t come into view immediately, Ben and Hoss exchanged another glance and Ben rose to his feet. Hoss wasn\u2019t far behind. Rounding the wall, Ben stopped dead, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. After that horrified second, he was moving forward to put his hands out to Joe, as though to catch him. \u201cAre you all right, son?\u201d he asked, taking in the dirt that caked Joe from head to foot. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a rockslide as I was coming home,\u201d Joe explained. He dropped his hat onto the credenza and bent down to untie the thong that kept his holster strapped to his leg.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre ya hurt bad, Joe?\u201d Hoss asked, seeing a streak of blood along one cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not really hurt at all,\u201d Joe assured him. \u201cMost of the rocks missed me, but Cooch threw me and ran off.\u201d He sighed. \u201cI\u2019m just tired and dirty, that\u2019s all.\u201d He summoned a smile for them both. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with me that a hot bath and a good meal won\u2019t fix, honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t dirt,\u201d Ben persisted, running his finger gently along the blood on his son\u2019s face. \u201cOr this,\u201d he added, touching Joe\u2019s cut and bruised hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need a doctor,\u201d Joe insisted. \u201cPa, really, I\u2019m fine. Just let me get cleaned up and have some supper. I walked part of the way home and I\u2019m tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Ben capitulated. He eyed Joe worriedly for a moment before asking Hop Sing, the factotum of the ranch, to heat some water for a bath for Joe.<\/p>\n

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

The meal Hop Sing put in front of Joe was simple but filling. The ham and eggs were cooked to perfection and the plate was heaped. Ben hid a smile. If anyone else had been late, Hop Sing would have grumbled loudly as he reheated the meal on the table, but for Joe, his favorite son, he\u2019d made something fresh. Joe ate slowly, but he managed to clear the plate, which Ben found reassuring.<\/p>\n

Joining his father and brother in front of the fire for coffee, Joe stretched. He felt much better now that he was clean and fed. He didn\u2019t want to admit to his family just how close he had come to serious injury in that rockslide. The sudden clatter had spooked his horse, and despite Joe\u2019s best efforts, he\u2019d been thrown.<\/p>\n

Winded, Joe had barely managed to avoid being struck by several of the larger rocks. He\u2019d finally scrambled to his feet, and safety. After a short pause to catch his breath, Joe had begun to walk home. Luckily, he\u2019d found Cochise, his horse, grazing further down the road, so hadn\u2019t had to walk that far. All the same, after the fall he\u2019d taken, it had been far enough. Joe knew from experience that the ache in his backside would get worse before it got better. With a lot of wriggling, he\u2019d been able to see the embryonic bruise on his butt in the wash-house mirror. It was going to be a cracker that was for sure!<\/p>\n

Glancing up, Joe caught Ben looking at him assessingly. \u201cPa, I\u2019m fine,\u201d he said, and smiled his heart-breaking smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I see,\u201d Ben agreed. The scratch on Joe\u2019s cheek was just that; a scratch. The cuts on his hands were a little more serious, but still came under the term \u2018minor\u2019. Rocks were notoriously sharp and as Joe had explained, he had had to move a few to get free. He didn\u2019t tell his father how bruised and scratched his legs were.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll need to get a crew out and clear that road tomorrow,\u201d Ben said. \u201cNow is a bad time for this to happen, when we\u2019re so busy and Adam is away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, we\u2019ll manage, Pa,\u201d Hoss put in. \u201cWe ain\u2019t so run off our feet as all that. Joe\u2019s done with them horses, an\u2019 we can spare the men from watching the calving. Ain\u2019t too likely we\u2019ll run into too many difficult births this early in the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019re right,\u201d Ben admitted. \u201cIt would be helpful to have Adam here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can mange without him, Pa,\u201d Joe assured his father. \u201cBesides, you told Adam to go and we can manage. And this is the first time his friend has been back in the country for a long time. If Adam hadn\u2019t gone now, he might not have seen his friend for many more years.\u201d He grinned. \u201cBesides, there\u2019s nothing wrong with me, so I\u2019ll be out there working as usual tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Joe,\u201d Ben started to object, but Joe interrupted him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019m fine. I wasn\u2019t knocked out, and I\u2019m just bruised. I\u2019m fine and I can supervise the clearing up of a rockslide just as well as my big brother!\u201d He kept his tone light, knowing that Ben was missing Adam, but determined that he wasn\u2019t going to spend the next day sitting around the house when there was work to be done.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, all right, I\u2019m convinced,\u201d Ben joked, putting his hands up in surrender. \u201cSupervise the rockslide, son. It\u2019s all yours!\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe\u2019s bedroom door opened next morning just as Joe got himself into a position where he could see his butt in the mirror on his dresser, so he could check on the bruise. It felt enormous and was very sore. Embarrassed to be caught peering at his naked butt, Joe cried, \u201cHoss! Don\u2019t you ever knock?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Hoss returned, leaning on the door handle and laughing. \u201cAin\u2019t never knocked afore. None o\u2019 us ever knocks, \u2018ceptin\u2019 Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s about time you started!\u201d Joe squeaked. His face was burning with color.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen ya in the all-together afore, little brother,\u201d Hoss reminded him. \u201cYou ain\u2019t suddenly becomin\u2019 modest, are ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not!\u201d Joe retorted, \u201cI just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJist what?\u201d Hoss asked, innocently.<\/p>\n

Sighing, knowing he\u2019d never hear the end of this, Joe said, \u201cI\u2019m just coming down to breakfast.\u201d He pulled up his pants, tucking his shirt in as he went, his back firmly to his older brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee ya at breakfast,\u201d Hoss agreed. As he shut the door, he added, \u201cJoe, ya got the biggest bruise I ever seed on your butt. Did ya know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Groaning, Joe wondered if it would be worth going back to bed and starting the day again.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cGood morning, Joseph,\u201d Ben said, as Joe perched gingerly on his seat. \u201cHow are you this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust fine, Pa thanks,\u201d Joe replied, shooting a glance at Hoss, who was eating with great concentration. But the suggestion of a grin on his big brother\u2019s face told Joe that Hoss was relishing the memory of their encounter upstairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs your backside a little tender?\u201d Ben persisted, seeing the way Joe was trying to sit on only one butt cheek.<\/p>\n

Giving Ben a twisted smile, Joe admitted, \u201cJust a little.\u201d He glared at Hoss as the other boy choked.<\/p>\n

Looking curiously at Hoss, Ben could see that there was something between these two. Whenever Ben looked at Joe, he stopped pulling hideous faces at Hoss, who was blandly keeping his gaze on his plate. Deciding that it would be better to ignore whatever it was, Ben went on, \u201cAnd how are your hands?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust fine, Pa,\u201d Joe answered. \u201cJust fine.\u201d He started eating his breakfast, still eyeing Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben said, sternly, and Joe flicked his eyes to his father at once. \u201cDo you think we could have our breakfast without all this face pulling, please?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sure, sorry, Pa,\u201d Joe responded, and gave Hoss one last glare that promised retribution at a later date.<\/p>\n

Sighing, Ben shook his head. There was never a dull moment with Joe around that was for sure. He wondered if he would ever find out what was going on, then decided that perhaps he didn\u2019t want to know.<\/p>\n

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

Most of the hands that went with Joe to clear the rockslide were quite new to the ranch. They were just coming into the busiest time of year, and had been hiring men on. When Joe had protested at the number of new men he had working with him, Hoss had pointed out that the more experienced men were better off watching the herd, as they knew more about cows and calving than the new ones. Admitting the logic in that statement, Joe had said no more.<\/p>\n

It was going to take several days for the rocks to be cleared, and Joe, after examining the slide more closely, knew that they would have to use dynamite to clear some of the bigger rocks. Climbing up to the top of the hill, Joe looked to see if he could see what had started the slide, but there was nothing obvious. In one place, he thought he saw boot marks, but the ground was quite messed up and he couldn\u2019t be sure.<\/p>\n

Slowly the backbreaking work began. The rocks were lifted into wagons, and driven away to be dumped where they wouldn\u2019t cause another slide. Stopping to wipe sweat from his brow, Joe watched the men for a moment. They were all working well, but he wondered if any of them knew that once they had finished moving the rocks, they would have to do something to repair the road.<\/p>\n

When he arrived home that evening, Joe was almost as filthy as he had been the previous evening. He knew that this time, there would be a bath waiting for him and he sank into the warm water with a groan of relief. For a while, he just lay there, letting the warmth of the water unlock his stiff muscles, then he sat up and scrubbed the dirt away. By the time he climbed out and got dressed, Joe felt almost human again.<\/p>\n

This time checking to making sure Hoss wasn\u2019t around, Joe checked on the progress of his bruised butt and winced anew when he saw the deep black and blue area on his butt. Small wonder that it hurt most of the time! Well, he\u2019d just have to grin and bear it. Joe winced at the thought, for he\u2019d unintentionally\u00a0bared<\/em>\u00a0it to Hoss that morning.<\/p>\n

Supper was a quiet meal that evening. Hoss and Ben had been out at the calving pens all day, and Hoss was planning on going back that night. So far, they hadn\u2019t lost a single cow or calf, although it was early days yet. There had never been a year when they didn\u2019t lose at least a few animals, but thanks to the care that Ben lavished on his herd, there were usually enough men around to spot when a cow was having problems, and that meant his mortality rate during calving was lower than that of his neighbors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think I\u2019ll go to bed,\u201d Joe said, as Hoss prepared to go back to the pens. \u201cI\u2019m bushed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou be careful at them rocks tomorrow, Joe,\u201d Hoss told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Joe assured him. He began to climb the stairs, having bid Ben good night.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 Joe, be careful climbin\u2019 on that there dresser of yours.” You could have a nasty fall off of it.\u201d So saying, Hoss vanished out of the door at high speed, while Joe let out a yelp of protest, turned around, pelted down stairs, across the room, yanked open the front door and dashed into the yard.<\/p>\n

Ben could hear Hoss\u2019 laughter above the sound of hoof beats as Joe shouted, \u201cGet back here, you big lug! Hoss!\u201d<\/p>\n

As Joe trudged back inside and closed the door, Ben put down his book and looked at Joe. \u201cAnd just what was all that about, young man?\u201d he asked. \u201cClimbing on your dresser? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

Blushing furiously and heaping curses upon Hoss\u2019 head, Joe told the story of that morning. Finally glancing up, he was instantly livid as he saw the grin on Ben\u2019s face. Caught, Ben didn\u2019t try to hold in his mirth any longer, and let go, guffawing heartily, his laughter fuelled by in indignation he saw on his youngest son\u2019s expressive face. But Joe could seldom resist laughter for long, and he was soon sniggering away as he pictured himself perched on the dresser, trying to examine his butt.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Joe,\u201d Ben chortled, wiping away tears of glee. \u201cI wish I\u2019d seen that!\u201d He laughed again. \u201cAnd is the bruise that big?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBigger,\u201d Joe replied, ruefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could only happen to you!\u201d Ben sniggered.<\/p>\n

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

By the morning of the third day, Joe could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. He knew they could begin blasting the bigger rocks that afternoon, and when they broke for lunch, he rode back to the house to get the dynamite.<\/p>\n

On his return, he was pleased to see that the men had had the sense to move the horses and wagons away from the blast area. Tethering Cochise securely, Joe walked over to the rocks to visually pin-point the areas where he was going to plant the explosives. He had already done that earlier in the day, but when working with dynamite, it didn\u2019t hurt to be extra careful.<\/p>\n

One of the new hands, Terry, walked over to greet Joe. \u201cAll ready to go,\u201d he announced. \u201cShould be goin\u2019 up any minute, Mr. Cartwright. Better move away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cGoing up any minute? But I haven\u2019t set the charges yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking puzzled, Terry began to back away. He\u2019d heard stories about Joe\u2019s notorious temper and didn\u2019t fancy getting on the wrong side of it. \u201cBut your brother tol\u2019 me it was all ready to go. He was jist waitin\u2019 for you to get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother?\u201d Joe repeated. \u201cBut Hoss is in bed asleep. He was up all night at the calving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot him,\u201d Terry insisted. \u201cYour other brother; Mr. Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Joe shook his head. \u201cAdam\u2019s back east, Terry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it was him,\u201d Terry stated. \u201cSure did look like him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alarmed, Joe said, \u201cGet out of here, Terry. There\u2019s something not right about this.\u201d He turned to glance at the rock pile once more, backing slowly away, his mind racing. Who had Terry seen? It couldn\u2019t have been Adam, because Adam wasn\u2019t home. But who\u2026?<\/p>\n

Joe never finished the thought. There was a huge explosion and bits of rock peppered the earth as the remains of the slide were blasted into nothingness. Joe was blown off his feet by the force of the blast, landing flat on his back several feet away. Terry, too, was knocked flat.<\/p>\n

Far away on the hillside above, a man in black looked down with a pleased smile on his face.<\/p>\n

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

A frantic hammering on the front door roused Hoss from his slumber. He was slipping his robe on when Hop Sing burst into his room without knocking, and Hoss knew from that one thing that there was something seriously wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cLil Joe brought home, hurt,\u201d the Chinaman reported. \u201cCome quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss didn\u2019t need any urging. He raced downstairs to see the hands laying Joe carefully down on the sofa. Joe was unconscious, his face streaked with dirt and a bleeding gash along his forehead. His clothes were torn and Hoss could see blood on the skin underneath.<\/p>\n

Kneeling by Joe, Hoss touched his face gently, but there was no response. \u201cOne of you go git my Pa,\u201d he ordered, looking up. \u201cAnother git the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe already sent for the doc,\u201d Terry told Hoss. He was as white as a sheet, and had Hoss had eyes for anyone but Joe, he\u2019d have made the young man sit down. Hoss was preoccupied with his brother, but luckily, Hop Sing had noticed and steered Terry to a chair. \u201cIs he gonna be all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019 know,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cHop Sing, git some water.\u201d Hoss stroked Joe\u2019s hair gently. \u201cYou\u2019ll be all right, Joe,\u201d he told him. \u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Hurrying into the house, Ben went straight to Joe\u2019s side. \u201cHow is he?\u201d he asked Hoss, who had been gently wiping the dirt from Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno, Pa,\u201d Hoss replied, worriedly. \u201cHe ain\u2019t stirred since he were brought in.\u201d He yielded his place to his father.<\/p>\n

Sitting down on the table, Ben put his hand on Joe\u2019s arm. The gash on his son\u2019s head still bled sluggishly. \u201cJoe, can you hear me?\u201d he asked. \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued to repeat that question over and over as they waited for the doctor to come. Joe finally stirred as Paul Martin came in the door. He\u2019d been unconscious almost three hours and Ben\u2019s anxiety was spiraling out of sight.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh,\u201d Joe groaned as he tried to open his eyes. He began to move, but Paul stopped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust stay still until I\u2019ve checked you over, Joe,\u201d Paul told him. \u201cWhat happened, exactly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d Ben admitted. He glanced at Hoss, who had got dressed after his father came in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno either,\u201d Hoss shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can tell you,\u201d Terry admitted, wretchedly. With many stops and prompts, he told his story, ending with Joe telling him that Adam couldn\u2019t have set the charges. \u201cI was sure it was Mr. Adam,\u201d he concluded. \u201cI only met him but once, but he sure did look like him.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Paul bent over Joe again, Ben and Hoss exchanged glances. Someone who looked like Adam? Who on earth could it be? As Joe groaned once more, Ben suddenly remembered the previous autumn and the man who had broken into the house and held Joe captive as he had robbed the place. In the end, he had escaped empty-handed. Could it have been him? Ben screwed up his face, trying to remember the man\u2019s name. It came to him as he started to turn back to Joe. \u201cTom,\u201d Ben said, quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cJist what I was thinkin\u2019, Pa,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cIt could be him. But what\u2019s he doin\u2019 back here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben admitted. He shelved the subject for the moment, turning back to Joe. \u201cHow is he, Paul?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to have a headache he won\u2019t forget for a while,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cHe\u2019s covered in cuts and bruises. I\u2019d like to get him into bed, and check to make sure there are no broken bones. I haven\u2019t found any so far, and I don\u2019t really expect to, but I\u2019d like to be sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Ben and Hoss helped the dazed Joe to his feet, Paul had a quick look at Terry, and advised a good night\u2019s rest, with an easy day the next day. He wasn\u2019t hurt, just shaken by the accident.<\/p>\n

Some accident, Paul reflected as he went upstairs to tend his other patient. Someone had deliberately set explosives and waited for Joe\u2019s arrival before setting them off. That sounded like attempted murder to Paul, although he admitted he wasn\u2019t a law man.<\/p>\n

Going into the bedroom, Paul found Joe sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning heavily against Ben, while his father helped him off with his shirt, and Hoss tugged off his boots. Before allowing Joe to lie down, Paul felt his ribs carefully, and dabbed alcohol on each cut and abrasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing broken,\u201d he concluded and Ben heaved a sigh of relief. \u201cKeep him in bed tomorrow and keep him awake for a while yet. He was out a long time. Then, just keep him quiet until that headache goes. If there are any problems, don\u2019t hesitate to send for me.\u201d He patted Ben\u2019s shoulder. \u201cHe was lucky, Ben. I\u2019ll see myself out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting down by the bed, Ben smiled at Joe. \u201cYou were lucky, Joe,\u201d he commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Joe agreed. Although he was more alert than he had been downstairs, Joe\u2019s eyes still looked slightly unfocused to Ben\u2019s parental eye. \u201cTerry said he thought he saw Adam, but it couldn\u2019t have been.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, do you think it could have been Tom?\u201d Ben asked, gently<\/p>\n

\u201cTom?\u201d Joe echoed. \u201cWho\u2019s T\u2026?\u201d He trailed off and looked at Ben. \u201cI never thought of that,\u201d he muttered. \u201cTerry doesn\u2019t know Adam, so he might have mistaken Tom for Adam.\u201d He frowned, the movement making him wince. \u201cI didn\u2019t know Tom had been seen around here since last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe hasn\u2019t – so far as we know,\u201d Ben told him. \u201cIt was just speculation on our part. I\u2019ll talk to Roy tomorrow and see if he\u2019s heard anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would he come back here?\u201d Joe asked, plaintively. Neither Ben nor Hoss had an answer.<\/p>\n

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

Keeping Joe in bed the next day was easier than Ben had anticipated. Joe\u2019s headache was severe enough to make even sitting up a trial, and Joe slept the day away, while Ben and Hoss got on with the running of the ranch. None of them mentioned the possibility of Tom\u2019s return, but Ben couldn\u2019t get the idea out of his head. Late in the afternoon, he finally rode into town and went to see Roy Coffee, the sheriff.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now, Ben, I ain\u2019t had any word \u2018bout anyone seein\u2019 this Tom fella around again,\u201d Roy said, slowly. \u201cYou sure it was him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019re not sure,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cThe only person who saw him was Terry, who thought it was Adam. He\u2019s only met Adam once, briefly, more than a month ago. The only person who saw Tom close to was Joe, last year. None of us got more than a fleeting glimpse of him. This is all speculation on our part, Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll keep my eyes open, Ben,\u201d Roy promised. \u201cBut there ain\u2019t much I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI realize that,\u201d Ben replied, getting to his feet. \u201cWell, I\u2019d better get back and see how Joe\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive him my best,\u201d Roy said, as Ben left. \u201cAn\u2019 I\u2019ll let you know if I learn anythin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhat are you doing up?\u201d Ben demanded as Joe came down the next morning for breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hungry,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve got to get that road mended and it won\u2019t get done with me lying in bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d Ben began, but Joe over-rode him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019m all right, really and I\u2019m sure the fresh air will help the headache. Besides, the job needs doing and you have enough else to do without adding that. And if it is Tom, I\u2019m not going to let him scare me off!\u201d Joe\u2019s jaw jutted in a manner that was all too familiar to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d he agreed, reluctantly. With Joe in that kind of mood, he wouldn\u2019t get much work done around the house.<\/p>\n

There was silence for a few minutes, then Hoss cleared his throat. \u201cHow\u2019s yer butt this mornin\u2019?\u201d he asked, his tone one of brotherly concern. \u201cYou didn\u2019t hurt yourself none climbin\u2019 on the dresser, did ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust wait, big brother,\u201d Joe threatened. His eyes flashed as he glared at his sibling. \u201cI\u2019ll get you, see if I don\u2019t!\u201d Pushing his chair back, Joe threw his napkin down on his half-eaten meal and stormed away. The front door banged shut a moment later.<\/p>\n

Meeting Ben\u2019s eyes, Hoss blushed like a child and spread his big hands in a supplicant\u2019s pose. \u201cI jist asked,\u201d he said, innocently.<\/p>\n

Rolling his eyes, Ben didn\u2019t know if he wanted to laugh or cry.<\/p>\n

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

The road was mended by the end of the week and Joe had come through unscathed. No more attempts had been made on his life. His killer headache had finally loosened its grip and he was beginning to feel more like himself again. The bruise on his backside had toned down to a muted greeny-yellow and Joe was no longer charting its course with such interest as the pain involved in sitting down lessened. Hoss wasn\u2019t twitting him about climbing on the dresser any more, but Joe was still awaiting his chance for revenge.<\/p>\n

At breakfast, Ben usually gave his orders for the day. This day was no exception. \u201cJoe, I\u2019d like you to ride out and check the timber on the west ridge,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter that fire a year or two back, I\u2019d like to know how the saplings we planted are growing, and if the area is re-growing. If it isn\u2019t, I\u2019d like you to take some men and re-plant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, Pa,\u201d Joe agreed. It sounded like a nice easy job, after all his backbreaking work on the rocks and the road. He glanced at Hoss. \u201cDo you want me to go down to the calving pens tonight, Hoss?\u201d he asked. He didn\u2019t have the touch with the cattle that Hoss did, but calving had begun in earnest, and every hand was welcomed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cI could do with a night in ma bed.\u201d He had been up all night the night before, and was planning on going back for a while that morning, against Ben\u2019s wishes, who feared that Hoss would become so tired that he would get sick.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get going then,\u201d Joe offered. \u201cThat way, I can get back in time to have a sleep before I go out. See you later, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful,\u201d Ben cautioned him, as he always did.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will be, sir,\u201d Joe assured him and left the table.<\/p>\n

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

The sun was shining brightly, but there was a cold edge to the wind when Joe was in the shadows. Spring was a capricious season, but one that Joe loved. In fact, there wasn\u2019t a season that Joe didn\u2019t love, and he proclaimed each one as his favorite. He was looking forward to the long, hot days of summer, even though it was their busiest time of year.<\/p>\n

The ride to the west ridge took a little over an hour. On his arrival, Joe tethered Cochise to a tree and set off on foot to inspect the saplings. He hadn\u2019t been up to the ridge since they had planted after the fire, and then the ground had still been black and ashy, with almost no greenery visible.<\/p>\n

That wasn\u2019t the case now. Nature had softened the edges and the ground was a riot of spring flowers and budding bushes. The burnt out trunks of trees still lay at crazy angles here and there, but moss was now growing over them, making them green once more.<\/p>\n

The replanted area was quite big and Joe covered a lot of ground. There weren\u2019t many areas where the saplings had failed and Joe thought that a couple of days ought to see it all replanted once again. He stopped and had a drink from the river that ran down the ridge before heading back.<\/p>\n

After a few minutes, he stopped, listening hard. His eyes grew wide with alarm and anger as he heard the unmistakable sounds of someone chopping down a tree. It seemed to be coming from ahead of him. Joe hurried his pace, but didn\u2019t break into a run. He didn\u2019t want to alert whoever it was that he was coming. He drew his gun in readiness.<\/p>\n

But when Joe finally broke through to the edge of the trees, he couldn\u2019t see anyone and the chopping had stopped. Cochise, grazing a little distance away, whickered a greeting when he saw his master. Frowning, Joe holstered his gun and began to walk towards his horse.<\/p>\n

There was a sudden, ominous creaking from behind him and Joe glanced back over his shoulder to see one of the half-grown pines now toppling silently towards him. Joe took to his heels, but he was too late. The tree crashed to the ground, its topmost branches carrying Joe with it.<\/p>\n

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

It was well into the afternoon before Ben realised that Joe hadn\u2019t yet returned home. Initially, he wasn\u2019t too concerned, for Joe had been working hard over the last week or so, despite the accident and was entitled to dawdle a little. But as time moved on, Ben began to grow concerned. Joe had intended to be home long before then, so he could catch some sleep before taking the night shift down at the calving pens. If there was one thing Joe was never late for, it was extra sleep.<\/p>\n

Deciding against waking Hoss, Ben went out and saddled his horse.<\/p>\n

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

The further he rode, the deeper his concern became. When the west ridge came in sight, Ben\u2019s heart felt like it was beating at twice its usual speed. As he came closer, he could see Cochise, and it became apparent very quickly that there was something seriously wrong with the pinto. It put its head up and neighed when Buck came into sight, but made no attempt to join its stablemate.<\/p>\n

Alarmed, Ben dismounted, and saw a huge gash running down the pinto\u2019s flank. It had been bleeding and the animal was clearly very lame. Ben frowned as he gently smoothed the horse\u2019s neck. Cochise had been sweating, but the sweat was dried, leaving the silky hair matted. Where was Joe?<\/p>\n

Leaving the horse for the moment, Ben began to walk towards the trees. A half-grown pine had come down and Ben skirted around it, heading for the area Joe had been due to examine. He had barely gone any distance when he heard a groan. Whirling, Ben looked around frantically, for he had recognized Joe\u2019s voice. The groan came again, and this time, he located his son, trapped under the branches of the tree.<\/p>\n

Kneeling, Ben tried to move the tree from Joe, but it was too heavy. Joe was unconscious, but beginning to rouse. Ben hurried back to his horse to see if he had any tools, but he hadn\u2019t. However, he found a small axe in Joe\u2019s saddlebags and hastened back to Joe\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

Cutting the branches away while Joe lay beneath was hideously difficult. As Joe began to stir and struggle, Ben put aside the tool, terrified that he would injure his son. \u201cTake it easy, Joe,\u201d Ben soothed. \u201cLie still, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe murmured. He tried to rise, letting out a cry of pain and frustration when he found he couldn\u2019t move. \u201cPa?\u201d he repeated, sounding panicky.<\/p>\n

\u201cLie still, Joe,\u201d Ben urged. \u201cIf you can lie still I can get you out. Can you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe gasped. He lay as still as he could, but he couldn\u2019t repress a shudder as he saw the axe in his father\u2019s hand. But he trusted Ben implicitly. As Ben began to chop at the branches, Joe closed his eyes. It didn\u2019t help; in his mind\u2019s eye, he could see his father working over him and could sense how close the axe blade sometimes came. He knew Ben would never hurt him and that knowledge allowed him to lie still until the job was done.<\/p>\n

Ripping the last branch away, Ben knelt by Joe again, panting from the effort. He thought he\u2019d been working for over an hour and he was exhausted. But his task wasn\u2019t finished yet. He still had to get Joe home, and he had had no way of telling if Joe was injured or not. \u201cJoe, can you move, son?\u201d he asked, gently, stroking back his son\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so,\u201d Joe replied and gathered his strength. With Ben\u2019s help, he pushed his upper body away from the ground. His right wrist buckled under his weight. Ben moved so he could hook his hands under Joe\u2019s arms, and pulled his son\u2019s legs free from the tree. Free at last, Joe slumped down with relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere does it hurt?\u201d Ben asked, still panting. He was feeling Joe\u2019s wrist gently, and Joe winced.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wrist,\u201d he cried. He snatched the offending limb from Ben\u2019s grasp. Tears stood in his eyes and he panted hard, trying to control the pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe,\u201d Ben apologized. \u201cDoes anything else hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy head,\u201d Joe muttered, miserably. \u201cAnd my back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fear clutched at Ben\u2019s heart, but he deliberately kept his voice calm as he asked, \u201cCan you feel your legs?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe answered. \u201cMy back hurts between my shoulders.\u201d He rolled over onto his side and groaned. \u201cAnd my ribs hurt,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Carefully, Ben felt down Joe\u2019s back, but there didn\u2019t appear to be any sore spots apart from between his shoulder blades. Easing Joe\u2019s jacket and shirt back, Ben saw a huge welt rising on his back. \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything broken there,\u201d he assured his son. \u201cCan you sit up?\u201d He helped Joe upright, and supported him until Joe had regained his equilibrium. \u201cLet\u2019s get you home, Joe,\u201d he suggested. It would be dark soon. \u201cYou\u2019ll have to ride with me, because Cochise is lame. Looks like he got hit by that tree, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning his head, Joe looked across at his horse and winced when he saw the jagged cut. \u201cPoor Cooch,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d Ben said, and rose. He bent down and helped Joe to his feet, seeing how green he went for the first few seconds. There was a large bump on the back of Joe\u2019s head, which had been bleeding. Retrieving Joe\u2019s hat, he set it carefully on his son\u2019s head and assisted him across to the horses.<\/p>\n

Before long, they were heading for home, with Ben leading the injured pinto. It would be a slow journey home, Ben knew, but at least Joe was safe now.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThat dad-blamed Little Joe,\u201d Hoss muttered to himself as he bundled on his warm coat. \u201cPromised he\u2019d be back to do t\u2019night an\u2019 then ain\u2019t! I\u2019ll teach that boy what a sore butt is!\u201d he went on. \u201cI\u2019ll give him the tannin\u2019 o\u2019 his life, jist see if\u2019n I don\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

Yanking open the front door, Hoss was in time to see Ben\u2019s horse coming round the side of the barn. Squinting, he realized that Ben had someone on the saddle in front of him and when Cochise limped into sight, Hoss realized who it was. His irritation forgotten in a rush of worry, Hoss hurried across to help Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Pa?\u201d he asked, looking up at them. Joe was sagging against Ben\u2019s encircling arm and appeared to be either unconscious of sleeping.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe got caught under a falling tree,\u201d Ben explained, easing his youngest son into his middle son\u2019s arms. \u201cHe\u2019s had a knock on the head and his wrist and back are hurt. Cochise must have been struck, too. He\u2019s got a bad cut on his flank.\u201d Ben swung down with relief. His arms were aching from holding Joe upright.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Hoss,\u201d Joe murmured. Hoss looked down into his brother\u2019s face, and tried a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cDadburnit, little brother,\u201d he responded. \u201cAin\u2019t you never able ta stay outa trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t look like it,\u201d Joe agreed. \u201cPut me down, I can walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho says?\u201d Hoss demanded, heading over to the house. Behind him, Hoss could hear Ben talking to the hands who had come to take the horses. A few minutes later, as he laid Joe carefully on his bed, he heard hooves heading out of the yard and knew that Ben had sent for the doctor.<\/p>\n

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

It was some time before Doc Martin arrived and Joe was dozing. Ben had had something to eat, but Joe had gone green at the very mention of food and nobody had pressed him. However, he had told them about hearing someone chopping down a tree, and Ben and Hoss both came to the same conclusion as Joe; the tree that had been felled had been the one that had hit Joe. The question was who had felled it? Rather, corrected Ben silently, that was the first question. The second question was why was that person targeting Joe? Was it Tom? And if so, why?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it this time?\u201d Paul asked, as he was ushered into Joe\u2019s room for the second time in 10 days. He listened intently as Ben described the situation he\u2019d found Joe in, and then began his examination. Looking up, he smiled at Ben and Hoss, then at his patient in the bed. \u201cWell, broken ribs, a sprained wrist and a bumped head. That welt on his back will turn into a bruise in the next few days. Joe, you were incredibly lucky. You\u2019re going to have a headache again, but I won\u2019t take any stitches. Just let me bind up your wrist and ribs and then you can have a proper sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness,\u201d Ben sighed. Joe had been so drowsy on the ride home that Ben had feared that he had a skull fracture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d Paul asked, as he helped Joe sit up so he could bandage his ribs. \u201cI thought sure he\u2019d be here, what with Joe being hurt, and him newly back. Or is he asleep from the journey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Ben repeated blankly. \u201cAdam\u2019s back east, Paul, you know that. He\u2019s not due back for another two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pausing, Paul glanced over at Ben. \u201cWell, I was a bit surprised when I saw him,\u201d he admitted. \u201cBut I thought perhaps he\u2019d come back early. I was sure it was Adam. A man dressed all in black, riding along the road at the other side of town late this afternoon. I assumed he\u2019d hired a horse and was heading for home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTom!\u201d Hoss exclaimed, bitterly. \u201cIt has ta be Tom!\u201d<\/p>\n

His hands never stopping their work, Paul raised an eyebrow. \u201cAnd who\u2019s Tom?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Ben explained about Tom while Paul moved on to bandaging Joe\u2019s wrist. Paul nodded. \u201cI remember you telling me about him last year when I patched Joe up. You think he\u2019s behind this? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben admitted. He leant over the bed, looking down at Joe, who had remained very quiet throughout the whole examination. \u201cJoe? Are you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe replied, meeting Ben\u2019s gaze with sleep-shadowed green eyes. \u201cI was just remembering that day when Tom was here.\u201d He dropped his eyes and kept his thoughts to himself, but Ben was sure he was remembering the pain and the fear. \u201cI\u2019m tired,\u201d he complained and Ben took heart from that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you can get some sleep now,\u201d Paul told him. \u201cHere, Joe, drink this.\u201d He gave the boy some doctored water and they waited for a few minutes for the painkiller to take effect. Joe drifted off to sleep and they left him in peace.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to tell Roy,\u201d Paul commented, as they went downstairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI already have,\u201d Ben told him. \u201cAfter Fred fetched you, he went over to tell Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Ben, you know the drill,\u201d Paul said, as he left. \u201cCall me if you\u2019re worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben watched Paul until he was out of sight. He was worried, deeply worried, but this wasn\u2019t something the doctor could fix.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

\u201cHow do you feel this morning, son?\u201d Ben asked, helping Joe sit up so he could eat his breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d Joe replied. He smiled at Ben, but the smile lacked its usual wattage. \u201cI\u2019m hungry, which is more than I was last night.\u201d His face suddenly clouded. \u201cI forgot; I was meant to be down at the calving pens last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t worry about it, Joe,\u201d Ben reassured him. \u201cHoss had had a long sleep yesterday, and he went down a little while after you went to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe apologized wretchedly. \u201cI seem to be getting into all sorts of trouble just when you need me most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hardly your fault,\u201d Ben protested. \u201cJoe, don\u2019t you know that all that matters to me is that you boys are all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Pa,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cBut I still feel like this is all my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you work that one out?\u201d Ben asked, pointing to Joe\u2019s breakfast, as a hint that he should start eating.<\/p>\n

Chewing the first mouthful, Joe thought about what he was going to say. \u201cI think it\u2019s my fault because I think its Tom behind this.\u201d He took another mouthful.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on,\u201d Ben encouraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Joe said, round a mouthful of bacon, \u201cif I hadn\u2019t annoyed Tom last year, he would never have come back and started trying to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t follow you,\u201d Ben admitted. \u201cAnd don\u2019t talk with your mouth full.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sighing, Joe finished what was in his mouth before going on. \u201cWhen Tom was here last year, Pa, I think I made him feel guilty about robbing us. I think that might have been why he was so hard on me. I tried to get him to turn himself in, but he wouldn\u2019t. I don\u2019t know, but I kind of got the impression that I\u2019d annoyed him. If he\u2019s drifted back to this area, then he might well think that it\u2019s worth trying to kill me. After all, I\u2019m really the only person round here who can identify him. Neither you, Adam nor Hoss could reliably pick him out of a crowd, could you?\u201d Joe took a sip of coffee. \u201cAfter all, even Paul thought he was Adam from a distance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I see where you\u2019re coming from,\u201d Ben nodded. \u201cBut, Joe, we still don\u2019t know that it is Tom behind your troubles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not for 100% sure,\u201d Joe agreed. \u201cBut let\u2019s be honest here, Pa. How many Adam look-alikes are wondering around this area with a reason to kill me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you put it like that\u2026\u201d Ben agreed, uncomfortably. \u201cJoe, until this is sorted out, I don\u2019t want you going around alone.\u201d As Joe opened his mouth to protest, Ben simply raised his voice and carried on talking. \u201cI know you don\u2019t like the idea and neither do I, but I don\u2019t want anything else happening to you, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeing the worry in his father\u2019s dark brown eyes, Joe subsided and agreed. He forked the last of his breakfast into his mouth as his bedroom door opened and Hoss came in. \u201cMornin\u2019, Joe,\u201d he greeted cheerfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi,\u201d Joe responded. He wriggled uncomfortably as Ben removed the tray and Hoss looked at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d he asked. \u201cAin\u2019t that bruise on your butt all better yet? I thought it\u2019d be long gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

He ducked hastily out of the door as Joe fired a pillow at him.<\/p>\n

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

Almost a week passed before Joe was going about almost as normal. His wrist was still in a bandage, and his ribs were strapped up, but he felt well in himself. In deference to Ben\u2019s wishes, he took things easy, his only trip out was to church on the Sunday morning and it passed peacefully.<\/p>\n

By now, the family was looking forward to Adam\u2019s return from his trip. He\u2019d been gone now for 5 weeks, and although none of them begrudged him his break, they were all anticipating his return home. Ben was sitting with a book open on his lap, smoking his pipe, Joe and Hoss were playing checkers once more, and Ben smiled. He\u2019d missed Adam, but they had managed admirably well without him. By and large, things had run smoothly, apart from the accidents that had befallen Joe. Calving was going very well and they looked like having one of their biggest crops of calves ever. Joe had broken the last lot of horses in record time and the work he\u2019d done on repairing the road had been first class. In fact, Ben smiled to himself; Joe appeared to have done some more maturing since Adam left.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhat do you say you and I get the supplies and mail this morning, Joe?\u201d Ben suggested as they ate the next morning. Joe had looked rather down in the mouth when Ben told him he still wasn\u2019t fit to go back to work. Even allowing for Joe\u2019s fast recuperative powers, he still had broken ribs.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good to me, Pa,\u201d Joe agreed, brightening up. He couldn\u2019t bear the thought of being stuck in the house all day. He had spent a part of every day tending to Cochise, who was now sound again, but the gash on his thigh still needed some healing time and even gentle riding was out of the question.<\/p>\n

They set off a while later. The weather was still warm and dry and they reminisced about previous springs when it had been either so wet or so cold or both, that they had thought summer would never come!<\/p>\n

The journey passed quickly and Ben pulled the team to a halt outside the general store. \u201cI\u2019ll start loading the supplies,\u201d Ben offered, \u201cand you go and get the mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a deal,\u201d Joe agreed. He got down from the buckboard with more care than usual and began to stroll down the street. Ben watched him for a minute and shook his head as Joe stopped to talk to a young lady. It never failed, he thought. Bring Joe to town and within minutes he was talking to a pretty girl. He went inside the store, still smiling.<\/p>\n

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

Joe met several people he knew on the way to the mail office, so it took him a while to get there. Collecting the mail, Joe leafed through it idly before turning back to meet Ben at the store. \u201cJoe!\u201d a voice called and he lifted his head to see Rudy, the telegraph clerk, waving to him from the telegraph office. Crossing the road, Joe went over.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Rudy,\u201d he called as he drew near. \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot a wire for you from Adam,\u201d Rudy replied. \u201cGlad I seen ya; its saved me a trip gettin\u2019 it delivered to ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Joe replied and spent a few minutes chatting to the clerk. Someone came over wanting to send a wire, so Joe moved on, opening the wire and reading the message.<\/p>\n

COMING HOME FRIDAY STOP<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NOON STAGE STOP<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ADAM STOP<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, little Joe,\u201d said Roy Coffee\u2019s gruff voice in his ear. \u201cWhat cha lookin\u2019 so happy about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Roy,\u201d Joe replied, looking up. \u201cI just got a wire from Adam. He\u2019ll be home Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frowning, Roy protested, \u201cFriday? That wire musta got lost, Joe. I seen Adam this mornin\u2019 wi\u2019 my own eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t have,\u201d Joe stated, a frowning growing between his eyes. \u201cRoy, Adam\u2019s back east, you know he is! This wire was sent this morning, look!\u201d He thrust the flimsy paper at Roy, who peered at the small print on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s mighty queer,\u201d Roy declared. \u201cI\u2019d swear it was Adam I seed. He was ridin\u2019 out to your place.\u201d Roy felt a pang of disquiet in his gut as he looked at Joe\u2019s white, strained face. \u201cYou think it\u2019s that Tom feller?\u201d he asked and Joe nodded unhappily.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do.\u201d Sighing, Joe tried to smile at Roy. \u201cI\u2019d better go and show this to Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Little Joe,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cI\u2019ll have a look round an\u2019 see if I can\u2019t see this feller again. You be careful, hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Roy,\u201d Joe responded and walked away, his head down, not hearing the greeting one of his friends called from across the street.<\/p>\n

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

There wasn\u2019t much Ben could say about Roy\u2019s news. His face was grave as he stowed the last of the supplies onto the buckboard. He bid the storekeeper goodbye as cheerfully as he could, but it was a strain. \u201cReady to go?\u201d he asked Joe quietly, as his son stood gazing into space beside the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess,\u201d Joe replied. He climbed onto the seat in silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s troubling you, Joe?\u201d Ben asked, as they left the outskirts of the town.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth Paul and Roy thought that Tom was Adam,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cWhat if word of this gets out and other people start believing Adam is trying to kill me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody would believe that,\u201d Ben asserted stoutly. \u201cEveryone knows that Adam wouldn\u2019t hurt you.\u201d He glanced at Joe and could read his thoughts, so nakedly did they show on his face.\u00a0But when Adam shot<\/em>\u00a0me accidentally, people believed then that he had tried to kill me<\/em>. \u201cJoe, everyone knows Adam went east last month. He talked about nothing else for weeks before hand.\u201d That stubborn look didn\u2019t move from Joe\u2019s face. \u201cEnough people heard your story last fall to convince them that Adam is not behind this. But the point is this, Joe.\u201d Ben waited until Joe looked at him. \u201cWe<\/em>\u00a0know that it\u2019s not Adam, and that\u2019s all that matters, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa,\u201d Joe acknowledged, his face clearing.<\/p>\n

Patting Joe\u2019s knee, Ben chucked the reins to keep the team moving. He was especially proud of Joe at that moment, for his son had not been thinking about himself in connection to all this unpleasantness; he had been worrying about his brother. Joe was indeed becoming a man that Ben was very proud of.<\/p>\n

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

As they drove beside the lake, Joe\u2019s attention was drawn to something moving in the water. \u201cWhat\u2019s that, Pa?\u201d he asked, pointing. He stood slightly to see better and gasped. \u201cIts someone in the water,\u201d he cried. \u201cAnd it looks like they\u2019re in trouble!\u201d He began to rip off his jacket, but Ben put up his hand and stopped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in no condition to go in there!\u201d he scolded, handing the reins to Joe. \u201cI\u2019ll get them. You stay here.\u201d He jumped down from the seat and took off his boots and hat before plunging into the lake.<\/p>\n

The water was still bitingly cold, fed, as it was, with the snow melt from the mountains. Ben was a strong swimmer and he made swift progress towards the struggling person. He could just see their head as they bobbed up and down and he spared a moment to wonder how on earth they came to be in this predicament.<\/p>\n

When Ben was within about 6 feet of the person \u2013 he was sure it was a man \u2013 he disappeared under the water. Dragging in a deep breath, Ben dived under, too, opening his eyes in the hope of seeing him nearby.<\/p>\n

Lungs burning, Ben was making for the surface for air when a hand grabbed his ankle and pulled!<\/p>\n

Shock almost made Ben take a breath, but he fought the urge and tried to bend over to help the man. But his groping hand was yanked hard, and Ben sank a little deeper into the lake. He tried to shake free from the hands that were dragging him down, but failed. Through the murky water, he caught a glimpse of a dark-haired man, and fear shot through his gut.<\/p>\n

Frantic now, for his breath was long gone, Ben fought off Tom. He managed to break free and shot upwards, breaking the surface of the water and gulping in a much-needed breath. Then Tom grabbed him again and Ben went under.<\/p>\n

From his seat on the buckboard, Joe watched with horror as Ben broke the surface only to disappear again at once. He knew something was wrong. Ben was a very good swimmer. Joe jumped from the seat and ripped off his jacket, boots, hat and gun belt. Running to the water\u2019s edge, he dived in and began to swim.<\/p>\n

The cold and the pain hit him all at once. Joe gasped and spluttered, but kept on doggedly swimming towards the churning water a short distance away. \u201cPa!\u201d he cried, as a head broke the surface for a moment. He swallowed a mouthful of water and choked.<\/p>\n

Diving beneath the water, Joe looked around frantically before spotting Ben floating a few feet away. He swam over, grabbed his father and propelled him to the surface. Ben took a great breath of air and coughed out some water, but he didn\u2019t open his eyes.<\/p>\n

Rolling onto his side, Joe prepared to swim for the side, towing Ben with him. His every breath, every movement caused stabbing pains in his chest. But he kept going, knowing that if he didn\u2019t, both he and his father would die.<\/p>\n

By the time they reached the shore, Ben was conscious again and making an effort to help Joe along. Joe\u2019s feet hit bottom, but he couldn\u2019t stand. On his knees, he dragged Ben away from the water line before collapsing to the sandy ground, totally spent, and gasping for breath. He coughed up several mouthfuls of water, each cough causing untold misery. It took a few minutes before he noticed that loving arms were supporting him though each spasm.<\/p>\n

Raising his head, Joe peered through his soaked hair into his father\u2019s concerned eyes. \u201cPa?\u201d he gasped. \u201cAre you\u2026all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to you,\u201d Ben panted. He had vomited up a great deal of water and was consequently feeling much better. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d Ben was recovering much faster than Joe.<\/p>\n

Too exhausted to lie, Joe simply shook his head. His ribs screamed in agony and he knew he had strained them anew.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get out of here,\u201d Ben told him. \u201cLie still, I\u2019ll get the buckboard.\u201d Joe put his head on the ground and closed his eyes. He began to shiver.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Ben shook him. \u201cJoe!\u201d As his son opened his eyes, Ben wished he didn\u2019t have to say this. \u201cJoe, the wagon\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The green eyes that stared back at him were wide with disbelief and alarm. \u201cI found your jacket,\u201d Ben told him, and helped Joe to sit up and slip it on. It wouldn\u2019t do much to warm Joe up, but it was better than nothing. \u201cJoe, we\u2019ve got to walk back. Come on, I\u2019ll help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was going to be a struggle, Ben realized as they set off. Joe couldn\u2019t stand upright and walked with both arms wrapped around his aching body. Neither of them had boots, and their soaking socks did little to protect their feet. The only thing in their favor, Ben reflected, was that the sun was still shining.<\/p>\n

They had barely gone half a mile when Joe needed to rest. Ben sat beside him, with his arm round him, so they could share what body heat they had. But Ben wouldn\u2019t let Joe rest for as long as he wanted, and urged his son on, knowing that if Joe stopped for too long, he wouldn\u2019t get going again.<\/p>\n

Glancing up, Ben saw something along the road that made his heart beat a little quicker. \u201cLook, Joe!\u201d he cried. \u201cLook! The buckboard!\u201d<\/p>\n

For whatever reasons, Tom had abandoned it. Ben looked around, trying to see if he could see anyone near by, but the landscape seemed to be deserted. Urging Joe on a little faster, Ben practically dragged him up to their salvation.<\/p>\n

The supplies hadn\u2019t escaped unlooted, he noticed, but that was of minor consideration at this point. Sitting Joe carefully against the wheel, Ben checked that the team and the traces were all right and moved some of the supplies around so that Joe could stretch out on top of them. Once that was done, he practically had to lift Joe onto the back of the buckboard. Hurrying to the seat, he lifted the reins and set the team to a fast trot.<\/p>\n

Behind him, Joe groaned as the buckboard\u2019s motion added to his misery, but although Ben was sorry to cause Joe more pain, he wanted him home as fast as possible.<\/p>\n

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

Back at the house, Hop Sing ordered Ben into bed as soon as Joe was settled. Ben refused. Joe was coughing steadily now and his breathing sounded strained. It didn\u2019t matter to Ben that he himself wasn\u2019t feeling too good by then. Joe needed him and he was determined to be by his son\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

It took the arrival of the doctor \u2013 yet again \u2013 and Hoss to make Ben go and lie down for some much needed sleep. Paul dosed Ben with a disgusting tasting syrup, which he assured the disgruntled patient would cure almost anything he might decide to incubate. What it did do was make Ben vomit up the last of the water in his stomach. Paul nodded in satisfaction before ordering Ben to get some sleep.<\/p>\n

As for Joe, he had strained the muscles round his ribs, and one of the fractures had moved slightly. Paul soon had it back in place and Joe\u2019s ribs bandaged up again. Joe got a sweet, thick syrup, which soothed his cough and eased his throat. The last thing Paul wanted was Joe vomiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should be all right in a few days,\u201d Paul told Hoss. \u201cDon\u2019t let Joe get up until all the pain is gone. So I\u2019d say at least a week in bed. As for Ben, well, keep an eye on him over night. He swallowed a lot of water and was knocked out. That must have been quite some fight he had. But don\u2019t worry, they are both basically fine.\u201d He patted Hoss arm. \u201cAnd you make sure you don\u2019t run yourself ragged looking after them,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019ll let Roy know about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, doc,\u201d Hoss replied. He saw Paul out, then went back upstairs. Joe was asleep, his exhaustion clear on his face. Ben, too, was sleeping. Nodding, Hoss went downstairs to have a quick nap before supper.<\/p>\n

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

By morning, Ben had a raging head cold. He spent that day in bed, but insisted on getting up the day after to allow Hoss to get back to work. Joe had had a restless night and Ben knew that Hoss had spent a good bit of the night with Joe. He took on the nursing duties, although Joe improved over the course of the day, his cough dying back, thanks to the syrup Paul had left.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Pa,\u201d Joe whispered, as he opened his eyes. \u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a cold,\u201d Ben assured him. \u201cAnd how do you feel this morning, young man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSore and stiff,\u201d Joe admitted. He made no attempt to sit up, instead remaining snuggled down beneath the blankets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not surprised,\u201d Ben commented. \u201cJoe, thank you. Thank you for saving my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re all right,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI couldn\u2019t bear it if something happened to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blinking back tears, Ben ruffled Joe\u2019s curls. \u201cI\u2019m sure you could, Joe,\u201d he chided, gently, \u201cbut it\u2019s nice to hear just the same.\u201d He smiled. \u201cI love you, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, too, Pa.\u201d Joe gave Ben that dazzling smile; the smile that soothed away his father\u2019s anxieties and told him that Joe would be all right, given a little time.<\/p>\n

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

Two days later, Hoss met Adam from the stage. \u201cHello,\u201d Adam said, peering round for the rest of his family. \u201cWhere are Pa and Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThereby hangs a tale,\u201d Hoss told him and as they drove home in the buggy, he told the tale. Adam listened in horror and amazement as Hoss went into detail about everything that had happened since Adam had left home.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you think its Tom?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYup,\u201d Hoss agreed, heavily. \u201cEnough folks saw him an\u2019 thought it was you to convince us. Pa even fought with him in the lake. It were Tom all right.\u201d Hoss\u2019 tone told Adam exactly what his brother would do if he ever got his hands on Tom. Adam felt exactly the same way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to find him,\u201d Adam declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy\u2019s bin out every day this week wi\u2019 a posse,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cHe ain\u2019t had much luck.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been out with him?\u201d Adam asked, for he knew how good Hoss was at tracking.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d his brother answered. \u201cI bin busy with calvin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Adam responded. \u201cWell, if you want to go out, I\u2019ll deal with the calving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon Pa\u2019ll still want us to stick close ta home,\u201d Hoss remarked. \u201cHe weren\u2019t none too pleased that I come inta town on my lonesome ta meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose I can\u2019t blame him,\u201d Adam muttered. \u201cWith all that\u2019s been going on.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cAnd how is Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s all right,\u201d Hoss assured him. \u201cFed up of bein\u2019 in bed, but that\u2019s Joe for ya. But he\u2019s been so danged worried about Pa that he\u2019s done everythin\u2019 he\u2019s bin told without arguin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa\u2019s all right?\u201d Adam asked, anxiously and Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s fine. Even the doc says so. Joe jist got a fright out there in the water an\u2019 who can blame him? \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cNot me,\u201d Adam agreed.<\/p>\n

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

He was off the buggy seat and into the house in record time. Ben was sitting by the fire, reading a book and wiping his nose regularly. His nose looked red and sore. He glanced up as the door opened and a welcoming smile split his face. \u201cAdam!\u201d he exclaimed and hurried across the room to take his son into his arms.<\/p>\n

For once, Adam clung to Ben for a moment longer than usual. \u201cAre you truly all right, Pa?\u201d he asked, breaking free.<\/p>\n

\u201cApart from this cold, I\u2019m fine,\u201d Ben assured him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d he asked, putting down his valise and taking off his hat and coat.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking forward to seeing you,\u201d Ben told him. \u201cHe\u2019s still quite sore, but he\u2019s going to be just fine, too.\u201d He smiled. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s go up and see him.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the door to his room opened, Joe glanced up from the novel he was reading. \u201cAdam!\u201d he cried, dropping the book, and grinning broadly. \u201cWelcome home! How was the trip?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trip was good, Joe,\u201d Adam told him, sitting carefully on the side of the bed so as not to jostle the still-sore ribs. \u201cAnd what\u2019s this I hear about you? \u2018Double, double, toil and trouble\u2019<\/em>, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolling his eyes expressively, Joe groaned. \u201cNot Shakespeare!\u201d he moaned. \u201cPlease! I can\u2019t bear it! You\u2019re just back and you\u2019re trying to civilize me already! Spare me! Spare me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIts good to be back,\u201d Adam commented and they all laughed.<\/p>\n

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

On Sunday morning, they all made the trip into town to church. Joe had perked up a lot with Adam\u2019s return and complained less about the pain. He had got up on Saturday and sat around the house all day and assured Ben he felt well enough to go to church with everyone else the next morning.<\/p>\n

During Saturday evening, Adam had told them all about his trip east and his friend. It was only too easy to diagnose the faint yearning he couldn\u2019t keep from his voice as he told them about the restaurants and theatres they had been to and Ben feared that the lure of the east might reclaim his oldest son. Not that he would ever stop any of his sons from leaving. The Ponderosa was their home, not their prison, and if they wanted to leave, Ben would not stop any of them going. But if Adam did leave, he knew he would miss him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds like you had a great time, Adam,\u201d Joe commented. He had heard the yearning in Adam\u2019s voice too, but he wasn\u2019t ready to deal with it just then and buried the thought deep.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did,\u201d Adam replied, smiling quietly. He glanced at Joe in time to catch him yawning. \u201cLook, buddy, if you\u2019re serious about church tomorrow, I think you ought to go to bed.\u201d As Joe began to protest, he said, \u201cI\u2019m still pretty whacked myself and I\u2019m going up. Come on, you old crock, I\u2019ll help you up the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYa don\u2019t need to worry none about him, Adam,\u201d Hoss commented as they began to mount the stairs. \u201cJoe managed to climb on his dresser to admire his butt the other week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d Joe squeaked, blushing furiously. He had totally forgotten about his revenge for Hoss embarrassing him like that, but he decided then and there that he would have to do something. He didn\u2019t know what, but one of these days\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cDo tell me all about it,\u201d Adam invited, as he all but dragged Joe upstairs.<\/p>\n

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

The church service the next morning was pleasant, and it felt good to them all to be out as a complete family again. Many people came up to Adam to ask about his trip and a number enquired after Joe\u2019s health. Joe was tired after his first trip out and soon retired to the buggy for a rest.<\/p>\n

They were waiting impatiently for Adam to join them when Paul Martin\u2019s buggy came into sight and pulled up alongside the Ponderosa buggy. Seeing Paul, Adam excused himself and went over to greet the doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cFancy seeing you here, Adam,\u201d Paul commented after the initial greetings had been exchanged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Adam asked, frowning. \u201cI\u2019ve had a couple of days to rest up from my trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what I mean,\u201d Paul said. He eyed them all significantly. \u201cYou see, I just saw you riding along the Carson City road not three hours ago. You looked like you were leaving the territory in a big hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking up his horse, he left the Cartwrights standing frozen. They all shared one thought. Could it be over, as simply as that?<\/p>\n

Only time would give them the answer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Next Story in the Only Skin Deep Series:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wolf in the Fold<\/a>
\nA Fresh Start<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Quote from Shakespeare\u2019s Macbeth<\/em><\/p>\n

Thanks to my dear sister Claire for the title suggestion. You are the best, sis!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 Joe becomes the victim of a series of attempts on his life. Why does everyone insist they have seen Adam around, when he is visiting a friend back east?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 R \u00a0 \u00a0(11,060 words)<\/p>\n

Only Skin Deep Series, links to all the stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":13100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,41,690],"tags":[14,16],"class_list":["post-5608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-ma-rated","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-690-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":3244,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Promises-to-Keeep.png?fit=759%2C568&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12133,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12133","url_meta":{"origin":5608,"position":0},"title":"Frightened Beyond Reason (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"June 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12147,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12147","url_meta":{"origin":5608,"position":1},"title":"He Said Not To Tell (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"May 1, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"The author requests those who wish to read this series contact her via eMail: DLB1234@aol.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/1-joe.jpg?fit=238%2C226&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13631,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13631","url_meta":{"origin":5608,"position":2},"title":"Freedom from Fear (by JennieA)","author":"JennieA","date":"January 14, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 The aftermath of Joe's kidnapping and subsequent rescue. Rating:\u00a0 R\u00a0 (33,760) Due to the subject matter contained in this series, the stories are only available via e:mail from the author -- ryjennie@comcast.net","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/4Cs.jpg?fit=400%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13630,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13630","url_meta":{"origin":5608,"position":3},"title":"A Cry for Freedom (by JennieA)","author":"JennieA","date":"January 7, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 It started with Ben giving Little Joe more responsibility for the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Little did the family realize the course Ben was setting in motion. Rating:\u00a0 R\u00a0 (65,725 words) Due to subject matter contained in this series, the stories are only available via e:mail from the author -- ryjennie@comcast.net","rel":"","context":"In "Action\/Adventure"","block_context":{"text":"Action\/Adventure","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/4Cs.jpg?fit=400%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12132,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12132","url_meta":{"origin":5608,"position":4},"title":"Chinese Molasses (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"January 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12136,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12136","url_meta":{"origin":5608,"position":5},"title":"The Rebirth of Joe Cartwright (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"August 1, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this story should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/feature-2.jpg?fit=338%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}