{"id":5812,"date":"2005-02-09T00:13:45","date_gmt":"2005-02-09T05:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5812"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:09:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:09:08","slug":"the-rattlesnake-brigade-the-way-it-should-have-been","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5812","title":{"rendered":"The Rattlesnake Brigade (The Way it Should Have Been) (by Rona)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>The alternative version of the episode.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T \u00a0 (7,330 words)<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

The Rattlesnake Brigade (The Way it Should Have Been)<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Frowning, Joe saw the young woman nearing the prison wagon. He didn\u2019t know what she was going to do, but whatever she had in mind, she shouldn\u2019t be trying it. \u201cWait!\u201d he cried, but too late.<\/p>\n

A hand shot out of the wagon and grabbed the woman\u2019s arm. Joe didn\u2019t hesitate. He raced across the street and struck the grimy hand, which opened reflexively. The woman stumbled back. Joe\u2019s initial relief turned to sudden foreboding as an arm snaked around his neck. The hold tightened immediately and Joe was slammed against the back of the wagon. He choked, raising his arms to break the hold that threatened him. Hands came from either side and caught his arms, and Joe knew that he was trapped.<\/p>\n

Despite all his struggles, he couldn\u2019t break free. He panted as he struggled, vaguely aware that the woman he\u2019d saved was screaming and crying, drawing people out into the street. Joe made another attempt to break free, but only got another nasty jolt as he was pulled roughly back against the wagon, his head bouncing off the iron bars.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d demanded a rough voice that Joe didn\u2019t recognise. He squinted sideways to see the prison guard standing on the boardwalk, his rifle in his hands. Beside him were Clem Foster, the sheriff, and Joe\u2019s own father, Ben Cartwright. Ben\u2019s eyes were wide with apprehension.<\/p>\n

\u201cThings have changed,\u201d shouted one of the men from behind Joe. \u201cIf ya don\u2019t want this guy to die, ya better get yerself over here an\u2019 open this wagon!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo it!\u201d Clem ordered, his voice tense.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d The guard turned to look at Clem and Clem repressed a shudder. The other man couldn\u2019t help his unfortunate appearance, but he surely could bathe more often. \u201cI ain\u2019t gonna do that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my son!\u201d Ben grated.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we go over now, then they\u2019ve won!\u201d Tallman, the guard rolled his eyes. \u201cThey kill him an\u2019 they\u2019ve got nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Infuriated at the man\u2019s callousness, and also at the truth in his words, Clem rounded on him. \u201cDo what they say!\u201d he growled.<\/p>\n

Shaken by the sheriff\u2019s anger, Tallman laid his rifle down and did as he was told. Ben put his hand anxiously on Clem\u2019s arm. \u201cWill they let Joe go?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Clem replied. \u201cBen, I\u2019ve got to take the chance to bring them down if I can.\u201d He met Ben\u2019s eyes and saw that the older man understood what he was trying to say. If he shot the prisoners down, there was the chance that Joe would be injured, or even killed. Fear shortened Ben\u2019s breath, but he forced himself to nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo what you can,\u201d he mumbled and turned his gaze back to the tableau on the street.<\/p>\n

Tallman had the back of the wagon open and Doyle and his gang were stepping carefully down into the street, never letting go of Joe at all. Ben could see his youngest son\u2019s eyes were wide with fear, yet his face would seem impassive to those who didn\u2019t know him well.<\/p>\n

At that moment, it occurred to all of them that Joe still wore his sidearm. Before Tallman could make any kind of move, Doyle had grabbed the pistol, his hand caressing the pearl handle. Things had suddenly taken a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, I\u2019m gonna tell ya all what\u2019s gonna happen,\u201d Doyle declared. He had the undivided attention of everyone on the street \u2013 and there were a lot of people there. \u201cWe ain\u2019t goin\u2019 back ta prison.\u201d Doyle started walking towards the crowd, who back away apprehensively. \u201cYou.\u201d Doyle pointed to a youth of about 17. \u201cCome here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d the father protested. \u201cNo, please, he\u2019s my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up!\u201d Doyle snarled. He gestured with his gun and the terrified youth stepped forward, his eyes glued on Joe, who still stood captive in the grip of the other men. Doyle gave a tight, cold smile. \u201cGoatman,\u201d he called to one of the other men. \u201cGo and get all the horses and guns ya can find.\u201d The man ran off.<\/p>\n

Still smiling, Doyle walked over to the crowd and beckoned to another youngster. \u201cCome out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRicardo,\u201d his father breathed, and the youth looked at his father fleetingly and tried to smile. He failed and kept walking, joining the other young man in the street.<\/p>\n

The tension in the street was palpable. Doyle was enjoying his feeling of power. \u201cAnd you,\u201d he concluded, beckoning to the young girl.<\/p>\n

There was an audible gasp from the on-lookers. \u201cNo!\u201d Judith\u2019s mother cried. \u201cNo, please!\u201d Her pleas were ignored and Judith walked to the street to join the others.<\/p>\n

At that moment, Goatman returned with horses in tow and Joe recognised his own pinto, Cochise and his father\u2019s mount, Buck. Desperately, Joe sought his father\u2019s face, both seeking reassurance and trying to give reassurance.<\/p>\n

Ben stepped forward. \u201cWhat are you going to do with them?\u201d he asked, gesturing to the hostages. \u201cPlease, let them go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d Doyle replied. \u201cI\u2019m not letting them go jist yet. Ya\u2019ll git yer kids back when I\u2019m ready to give them. \u00a0But if ya follow us, ya know what we\u2019ll do.\u201d Doyle cocked the gun and placed it against Joe\u2019s head. \u201cUnnerstand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d Ben growled. His eyes once more sought Joe\u2019s face and for a moment their eyes met, father and son communing silently before Joe was turned away and thrust into the back of the prison wagon. Ben could only close his eyes and pray that his son would be safe.<\/p>\n

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

The hubbub in the street was quite incredible, given how silent it had been only a few minutes before. Ben stood still, watching with false detachment as the other worried parents rushed to Clem\u2019s side and began to demand to know what the sheriff was going to do to get their children back alive. Clem had no real answer for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, they hold all the cards,\u201d he sighed. \u201cWe can\u2019t chance going after them in case they hurt the hostages.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think they will?\u201d asked Judith\u2019s father. He looked furious and was pacing the jail house office restlessly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want to take the chance?\u201d Clem demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you all come out to the Ponderosa with me?\u201d Ben suggested. \u201cI have to tell Hoss what is going on and he\u2019s a good tracker. And we can decide what we\u2019re going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reluctantly, the other men agreed. Clem looked relieved. Ben would keep an eye on them and not let them go off half-cocked and he would do what he could from town. Clem watched them riding off and sighed. What was he going to do?<\/p>\n

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

The back of the prison wagon was stuffy in the heat from the sun. Joe Cartwright lay face down on the dusty floor, his left arm twisted uncomfortably up his back and the gun resting on the back of his neck. All he could see were the dusty boots of their captor. The other hostages were silent.<\/p>\n

It seemed to take forever before the wagon jolted to a stop. Joe could hear voices outside, but he couldn\u2019t make out the words. However, a few minutes later, the back of the wagon opened and Joe heard Doyle\u2019s voice. \u201cGet out!\u201d<\/p>\n

Slowly, the three young people climbed out. Lester gave Judith a hand down and then gallantly stepped between her and Doyle. Doyle sneered when he saw the youth\u2019s actions. \u201cYa really think that ya could stop me doin\u2019 somethin\u2019 ta her?\u201d he asked and was gratified to see Lester pale.<\/p>\n

At that moment, Joe emerged from the wagon and stepped in front of all the young people. He rotated his shoulder to work the stiffness out of it. \u201cWhat are you going to do with us?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I choose,\u201d Doyle snarled back. He gestured with the gun. \u201cGet yourselves in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking round at his fellow hostages, Joe knew he had no choice. All the men were armed now. He nodded reassurance to the others and led the way up the short track to the rickety shack that was to be their new prison. Joe knew where they were and he was unhappy. There was no cover around to allow anyone to sneak up from the front and the mountains at the back were difficult to traverse. Joe didn\u2019t know what was going to happen, but he vowed to do his best to keep the young people with him safe.<\/p>\n

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

The initial shaking from the slight release of tension was over. Joe could see that the odd tremor still shuddered its way through Judith\u2019s body, but that was quite understandable and the girl wasn\u2019t hysterical, which had been Joe\u2019s biggest fear. Ricardo and Lester just looked stunned now.<\/p>\n

The shack was dim, the remaining evening light filtering through the grimy window. The floor was dirt, but it was at least dry. Joe eyed the wooden walls, wondering how sturdy they were. Would he be able to get them all out of there without being seen or heard? It was too late to try that night, but he knew they would have to make a break for it in the morning. He had no doubt that Doyle would kill them all.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should try and get some sleep,\u201d he suggested to the youngsters. \u201cYou need your rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if they come in?\u201d Judith quavered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t stop them,\u201d Joe pointed out gently. \u201cBut I\u2019ll do my best to protect you.\u201d He smiled. \u201cIf they do come, it\u2019ll just be to make sure we\u2019re still here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill we still be here?\u201d Lester asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts too late tonight to try and get free,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI know how you feel; I want out of here, too. But I don\u2019t know this area too well and it\u2019s more difficult to find a trail in the dark. But tomorrow, we\u2019ll think of something. Now, why don\u2019t you get some rest?\u201d<\/p>\n

Slowly, reluctantly, the others settled themselves down. Joe crossed over and sat down with his back to the door. He knew that he would need to sleep if he was going to successfully mastermind their getaway the next day, but he also wanted to know if the men came in. He didn\u2019t want anything happening to Judith if he could help it.<\/p>\n

The darkness grew apace, but Joe\u2019s eyes were slow to close. His mind was fixed on what might be happening at his home. Gradually, the calming thoughts of the Ponderosa lulled him into a restless slumber.<\/p>\n

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

There was nothing calm about the Ponderosa that night. Judith\u2019s father was pacing the great room, ranting and raving about what he intended to do to the outlaws when he got his hands on them. Ben was trying his best to calm the man, but he wasn\u2019t having much luck. Nor could he get Mr Keefer to put down the rifle. Ben thought that if his hair wasn\u2019t already grey, it would have been turned that night. The dark humour didn\u2019t raise the faintest glimmer of amusement in the worried man.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen!\u201d Chavez cried. \u201cHorses!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes met Hoss, and the big man nodded. He positioned himself by Keefer and kept an eye on him. Hoss was as worried as everyone else, imagining all the things that could happen to Joe. But he knew they had to keep their heads. Rushing off half-cocked would only get someone killed. He would later shudder at the prophetic nature of his thoughts.<\/p>\n

Squinting into the darkness, Ben made out two riders drawing close. His mouth pursed as he recognised Doyle\u2019s mount \u2013 his own horse, Buck. Ben fought down a flare of anger. It wouldn\u2019t help anyone if he let his temper escape his control.<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright!\u201d Doyle smiled grimly as he saw the men emerge. \u201cYa\u2019ve done real well so far. Here\u2019s what\u2019s gonna happen next; I\u2019ll let yer kids go if\u2019n ya each pay me $10,000. I want the money by noon tomorrow, or I\u2019ll have myself some fun with them.\u201d He sniggered unpleasantly before telling them where to find him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever!\u201d Keefer yelled and Hoss lunged \u2013 too late \u2013 to stop him. The rifle roared and Doyle\u2019s henchman fell to the ground.<\/p>\n

By then, Hoss had Keefer under control, the gun wrested from his hands, but they all knew that it was too late. The next move was once again in Doyle\u2019s hands and somehow, Ben didn\u2019t think they were going to like it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYer gonna pay for that!\u201d Doyle swore. He glared at them. \u201cNoon. An\u2019 if\u2019n yer late, one of those kids is gonna buy it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait!\u201d Ben cried, but Doyle didn\u2019t stop. He rode off into the darkness.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Hoss was kneeling by the outlaw. His face was grim as he looked up. \u201cHe\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have you done?\u201d Lester\u2019s father gasped. Keefer had no answer for him.<\/p>\n

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

Joe had no idea what had wakened him, but somehow, he sensed the atmosphere of the camp had changed. When the door banged open, Joe was already on his feet, facing the outlaw, his chin jutting in a defiant gesture that Ben would have recognised instantly. Not a word was said, but the coldness in the outlaw\u2019s eyes made Joe shudder. He had to get the others out of there; there was no time to lose. He was relieved when the outlaw left without saying a word.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d Ricardo looked over at him. \u201cThis board is loose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crossing the shack in a single stride, Joe felt the loose board for himself. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t take much to break this free,\u201d he agreed. He tried out his strength against it and the board gave easily, but the screeching noise it made would alert the guard outside. Joe dropped it at once and turned towards the door. He wasn\u2019t surprised when the door opened almost immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d the guard demanded roughly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just wondering the same thing,\u201d Joe replied calmly. \u201cIt seemed to come from outside. An injured animal?\u201d<\/p>\n

Not deigning to reply, the guard just looked at them for a long moment, but he couldn\u2019t see anything out of place, so he just closed the door with a bang. Joe let out a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we were done for,\u201d Judith whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all right,\u201d Joe soothed. \u201cBut we\u2019ve got to get out of here.\u201d He looked at the loose board again, trying to think of a way to break it without making any noise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dirt is pretty loose here,\u201d Lester noticed. He was crouching by the back wall. \u201cMaybe we could dig our way out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thinking!\u201d Joe exclaimed. \u201cLet\u2019s get to it. Judith, you keep watch!\u201d<\/p>\n

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

They were all filthy, but it didn\u2019t matter. Joe slid out beneath the board walls of the shack and crouched down to help Judith through next. All the youngsters were excited, sure they were going to get away. Joe was calmer, more worried; not sure if the move they were making was wise or not. But it was too late now; they couldn\u2019t turn back.<\/p>\n

\u201cUp there!\u201d he ordered, and pointed to the steep slope of the mountains above and behind them. Judith paled \u2013 her pink ensemble wasn\u2019t designed for mountain climbing and Joe doubted that she had ever been a tomboy type of girl in the first place. He would have to help her. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, its not as difficult as it seems. Come on.\u201d<\/p>\n

It seemed to Joe that they made an inordinate amount of noise as they tried to be quiet. He glanced over his shoulder frequently, while still trying to help Judith along. Her long skirts hampered her drastically, but Joe knew that there was nothing he could do about it.<\/p>\n

Reaching the base of the cliff they were going to climb, Lester glanced back. \u201cI\u2019ll go first!\u201d he called in a voice that carried much further than he realised. Joe winced, but it was too late to change anything. He waited impatiently at the bottom as Lester started upwards, closely followed by Ricardo, with Judith gamely following.<\/p>\n

Lester was only half way up when there was a shout from behind them. \u201cHurry!\u201d Joe urged, the need for secrecy long gone. Speed was of the essence now.<\/p>\n

But it was already too late. Shots were fired, and rock dust flew into Joe\u2019s eyes, blinding him. He wiped desperately at his tearing eyes, struggling to see what was happening. He heard Judith scream and there was a thud from near by. The next moment, something collided hard with Joe\u2019s head and he was sinking down into darkness.<\/p>\n

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

The men were gathering in the yard of the Ponderosa after a sleepless night. Ben knew it was going to be very difficult, if not outright impossible, to get the $40,000 they would need to free their children. It would mean emptying all the banks in town, and even then, they might come up short. Ben didn\u2019t know if the other men actually had that kind of money, but he vowed to beggar himself, should the need arise, so that the others had the necessary cash.<\/p>\n

There was a snort and the sound of hooves and Ben looked around to see Buck meandering into the yard. Across his back was slung a person wrapped in a tarpaulin. For an instant, they all stood frozen and then Ben forced his leaden legs to cross the yard and he lifted the tarp up to view the person underneath.<\/p>\n

He instantly wished he hadn\u2019t. There was no doubting that Lester was dead, a youth cut down on the brink of manhood. It was a waste of a young life and Ben wanted to rail against the fates. Beside him, Lester\u2019s father let out a cry of unbearable anguish and put his hand over his face as he started to sob.<\/p>\n

With unfeeling fingers, Ben let the tarp drop as he put his other hand on the grieving father\u2019s shoulder in a futile gesture of support. There was nothing he could say that would make this any better; nothing. And one phrase was beating through his head;<\/p>\n

There, but for the grace of God, go I.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

When Joe regained his senses, the world had changed dramatically. For a start, he was lying face down on the dirt floor of the shack, his hands bound behind him and his feet tied together. Somewhere on his left, Judith was sobbing, the sound heartbreaking in its intensity. Joe tried to move, tried to say something, but his head was throbbing so hard that he could barely see and he thought he might vomit. What had happened? He groaned as he tried to move and a boot caught him in the side, driving the breath from his body.<\/p>\n

A hand suddenly entwined itself in his hair and yanked his head up. Joe gasped and opened his eyes, squinting wildly as he tried to focus on the face above him; Doyle! The outlaw\u2019s face was dark with anger. \u201cDid ya really think ya\u2019d get away?\u201d he sneered. \u201cIt was dumb of ya ta try, Cartwright. An\u2019 all it cost was a boy\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gasping once more, Joe felt a worm of guilt move in his belly. Who had died \u2013 Lester or Ricardo? He couldn\u2019t bear the thought of either youngster losing his life. Whichever of them had died, it was all his fault. He was the oldest; he was in charge.<\/p>\n

As Doyle dropped Joe\u2019s head back to the ground, Joe allowed himself to sink into the darkness once more.<\/p>\n

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

There was no more blustering. Judith\u2019s father had lost his arrogance completely and was now following Ben\u2019s instructions to the letter. Fear ate at each father\u2019s heart. Yes, Lester\u2019s body had been returned to them, but they had no way of knowing if the other hostages were alive and well.<\/p>\n

It was with relief that Ben saw Clem Foster riding into the yard, bringing with him the necessary money. Ben didn\u2019t ask how he\u2019d got it \u2013 that didn\u2019t matter. All that did matter was that the money was there and they could go and give it to Doyle and get back their children. Ben didn\u2019t allow himself to think that anything could go wrong.<\/p>\n

Handing Ben the saddlebags, Clem eyed him closely. He could see the strain of Joe\u2019s captivity in the lines in Ben\u2019s face and the dark circles under his eyes told of the sleepless night he had had. \u201cHoss told me what happened,\u201d Clem mentioned in a quiet voice. \u201cHe\u2019s going to go in over the mountains. He should be in place by the time you get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Ben nodded. Hoss had been a tower of strength during this crisis and Ben didn\u2019t know how he would have coped without him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, be careful,\u201d Clem warned him. \u201cWe\u2019ll be waiting as agreed.\u201d He had rounded up a posse and they would wait as close as they could to Doyle\u2019s hideout so as to be on hand when the hostages were freed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will be,\u201d Ben agreed. He glanced at the other two men. \u201cLet\u2019s ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The next time the outlaws entered the shack, Joe was dragged roughly up and propped against the wall. It was a marked improvement over lying on his belly on the dusty dirt, even if his head did swim wildly for the first few moments. He drew in a couple of deep breaths and the world steadied down. He glanced at Ricardo and Judith, realising that they were also bound and that the men were checking their bonds.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you don\u2019t have to be so rough with her!\u201d he objected as Judith was pushed over.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up!\u201d the man growled and backhanded Joe smartly across the mouth. He left the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, are you all right?\u201d Ricardo asked. Both he and Judith had been very subdued since their abortive escape attempt and Lester\u2019s death. Joe\u2019s long period of unconsciousness and the dried blood that marked his face and clothing scared them even further.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Joe mumbled, his split and swollen lip making talking difficult. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ricardo replied, but his tone was anything but convincing.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, they heard horses outside and all three of them looked expectantly at the door. \u201cDo you think it\u2019s our folks?\u201d Judith asked hopefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cBut let\u2019s be prepared in case there\u2019s anything we can do.\u201d Joe tried not to allow himself to hope that it was Ben out there, but he couldn\u2019t help it. He was sure that his father would have some sort of plan to free them. He was ready to do whatever he could to help.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThere it is,\u201d Ben reported softly as he and the other men approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Hoss?\u201d Chavez queried.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be here somewhere,\u201d Ben replied, hoping that he was right. Hoss had set off earlier to make his way carefully through the mountains.<\/p>\n

Slowing, they pulled their horses to a stop a few feet away from the campfire. Doyle was waiting for them, a wolfish expression on his face. \u201cGlad ta see ya got here in time,\u201d he sneered. \u201cDrop yer guns.\u201d He watched as the three men did as they were told. \u201cYa got the money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIts here,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cI want to see the hostages.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst the money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to see the hostages,\u201d Ben repeated. \u201cThen, when we know they\u2019re all right, you can have the money.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a horrible, seemingly-endless moment, Ben thought he had pushed too far. He held his breath until Doyle grinned and waved at someone behind him. \u201cBring \u2018em out!\u201d he called.<\/p>\n

Two of the men went into the shack and a few moments later, the three hostages were pushed into the light. Ben\u2019s breath caught in his throat as he saw the blood on Joe\u2019s face, but Joe\u2019s head was up and he was looking at Ben, his green eyes as clear and expressive as always.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow the money,\u201d Doyle demanded. His eyes still fixed on his son, Ben took the saddlebags from his horse and threw them at Doyle\u2019s feet. The other man picked them up and started to rifle through them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts all there,\u201d Ben remarked, contempt creeping unconsciously into his tone. \u201cNow, let them go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh not yet,\u201d Doyle sniggered. \u201cI figure that without them, we won\u2019t get very far. So I\u2019ll keep them, release them one by one and the last one when we\u2019ve got over the border. Ya won\u2019t miss yer son that much, will ya, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a deal!\u201d Ben cried anxiously, as Doyle indicated to his men to put the hostages back in the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t now,\u201d Doyle returned. He started to half-turn away and Ben started moving towards him.<\/p>\n

That was when all hell broke loose. Joe, seeing Ben\u2019s anguish and hearing the raised voices, knew that he had to do something. He turned sharply and drove his shoulder into the ribs of the man guarding them. \u201cRun!\u201d he cried to the others, even as the second guard dove into Joe, bearing him to the ground.<\/p>\n

From somewhere above Joe, there came the sound of an enraged grizzly, but Joe had no time to wonder about it. He was being pummelled from both sides and was unable to fight back, his hands still bound tightly behind him. Nonetheless, he fought as hard as he could, writhing and twisting, kicking viciously.<\/p>\n

A shot from further down the hill made them all flinch and Joe took the opportunity to knee one of his attackers in the groin. The man went down with a groan, but the other man wasn\u2019t easily deterred and set about kicking Joe with an unbecoming vigour.<\/p>\n

The pain was becoming too much; Joe couldn\u2019t catch his breath. He felt himself pulled to a semi-upright position. A fist was buried in his gut, not once, but twice. Joe doubled over as far as he could, coughing as he fought to catch his breath. Then, the fist ploughed into his face and his captor let go. Joe started to topple backwards as the grizzly came closer. Joe realised, through his rapidly swelling and closing eyes, that the grizzly was actually his brother Hoss, who grabbed Joe\u2019s hapless captor in one hand and punched his lights out with the other.<\/p>\n

And then, Joe hit the ground and he knew no more. Merciful darkness came and took him.<\/p>\n

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

As Joe made his move, Ben reacted instantly. He threw a fist at Doyle and although fighting had never really been one of Ben\u2019s strong suits, he had big, powerful hands and when his punches were on target, they were devastating. This punch, whether by luck or design, was bang on target and Doyle staggered back for a pace or two before his legs gave out and he crumpled to the ground in an undignified heap.<\/p>\n

From above, Hoss appeared. He had already silently taken out the two guards further up the mountain and as the guards lunged for Joe, Hoss took out the third man before turning to help his younger brother. He grabbed the guard beating Joe before he could throw another punch into Joe\u2019s face. However, Hoss wasn\u2019t fast enough to get his man down and catch Joe before he blacked out. Nobody would have been quick enough. That didn\u2019t stop Hoss berating himself though.<\/p>\n

As soon as Ben moved, Chavez stepped forward and snatched his gun from the ground, pointing it at the two men by Doyle. \u201cHold it!\u201d he ordered. Keefer grabbed up his weapon to back Chavez up. Slowly, the outlaws dropped their rifles and put their hands up.<\/p>\n

Seeing that things were under control, Ben fired off the agreed signal to get Clem and the posse there and hurried up the short path to the shack, where Judith was still huddled against the rough wood, crying, and Ricardo was gazing in open mouthed wonder at the sudden change in fortunes. Both still had their hands tied.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Ben cried, seeing his youngest son slumped on the ground, blood streaming from his nose and mouth.<\/p>\n

Much as he wanted to kneel by Joe and check him out for himself, Hoss forced himself to go over to the young people and cut through the rope that bound them. They both looked to be unhurt. \u201cYa all right?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not hurt,\u201d Ricardo replied, which Hoss thought was very telling. No, they weren\u2019t physically hurt, but Hoss knew that it would be difficult for them to come to terms with Lester\u2019s death. And the person who would have the hardest time of all was lying unconscious on the ground at his feet.<\/p>\n

The posse arrived and Keefer and Chavez left the guarding of the prisoners to them, hurrying to clasp their lost children in warm embraces. Released from his self-imposed vigil, Hoss knelt by Joe and sliced through the rope that had kept him prisoner. \u201cHow is he, Pa?\u201d he asked, worrying crinkling his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s too badly hurt,\u201d Ben replied, but he didn\u2019t sound convinced. \u201cWe need to get him home and get a doctor to see to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his arms, Joe stirred.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHe\u2019s got a concussion, Ben,\u201d Paul Martin announced gravely. \u201cQuite a bad one. Those two knocks on the head so close together have caused all the vomiting. And of course, that hasn\u2019t helped those broken ribs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s going to be all right?\u201d Ben persisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith rest, he should be all right in a few weeks,\u201d Paul agreed. \u201cKeep him in bed all this week and then just keep him quiet. Build up his strength and let him start to do things gradually.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am here,\u201d Joe grumbled, but his complaint lacked genuine rancour. He couldn\u2019t summon the strength to complain too much. \u201cDoc, are you sure my nose isn\u2019t broken?\u201d Joe started to feel his tender nose once more, but Ben caught his hand and forced it gently back down to his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d Paul chuckled. \u201cNow, get some sleep young man. I\u2019ll be wakening you a few times during the night. With a concussion like this, you can\u2019t be too careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the others?\u201d Joe asked. His eyelids \u2013 black and blue and swollen \u2013 were already drooping.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are fine,\u201d Paul repeated. \u201cAs usual, you bore the worst of it, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was my fault,\u201d Joe muttered and Ben glanced sharply at the doctor. Paul nodded back to show that he had heard, but he didn\u2019t want to discuss the situation within Joe\u2019s hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep,\u201d Paul instructed, and it wasn\u2019t long before Joe drifted off.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can I convince him that Lester\u2019s death wasn\u2019t his fault?\u201d Ben asked as they slumped in front of the fire. Hop Sing silently brought them coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cWe still don\u2019t know the full background as to what happened. Tomorrow, I\u2019ll go into town and see what I can find out. That might give us more ideas. But meantime, keep telling Joe it wasn\u2019t his fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n

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

It was a long night for the Cartwrights. Joe had to be wakened every couple of hours to make sure that his head injury hadn\u2019t worsened and his temper got shorter every time he was disturbed. But at length, dawn brightened the sky and Paul decreed that as Joe had stopped vomiting and was coherent and oriented, he could be allowed to sleep.<\/p>\n

Everyone had a well-earned rest that morning, except poor Paul, who had to go back to town to run his usual morning surgery. Fortunately, it was a quiet morning and he was finished much sooner than he had expected. Even though he longed for sleep, Paul took the opportunity to go and see Judith and Ricardo.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t surprised to find that they were still shaken by the incident. He had known they would be. \u201cCan you tell me what happened to Lester?\u201d he asked Judith, who he visited first.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had dug our way out of the shack,\u201d Judith said slowly. Her pale blue eyes clouded with the unpleasant memories. \u201cWe started climbing and Lester shouted something, I don\u2019t remember what. I guess the men must have heard us, because the next minute, the shooting started.\u201d Judith looked troubled but kept her composure. \u201cLester was hit. He fell a long way. A bullet hit real close to Joe and for a minute, we all thought he\u2019d been hit, cos he was rubbing at his eyes and didn\u2019t seem to be able to see. Then, Doyle hit him on the head with the butt of his rifle.\u201d Judith swallowed and gulped some water from a glass her father had brought her. \u201cJoe was unconscious for a long time. They tied us up, but they were especially nasty to Joe.\u201d She drank deeply again. \u201cSheriff Foster asked me these questions this morning. Are we in trouble? Is Joe in trouble? It wasn\u2019t his fault that Lester shouted and was shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you aren\u2019t in trouble,\u201d Paul soothed. \u201cWe just wanted to know, because Joe can\u2019t remember what happened and is blaming himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t his fault!\u201d Judith cried. \u201cHe did everything he could to protect us.\u201d Judith had had enough by then, her composure shredding. She burst into tears. \u201cTell him,\u201d she sobbed. \u201cTell him he has nothing to blame himself for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell him,\u201d Paul assured her and stayed until she had calmed down.<\/p>\n

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

The visit to Ricardo netted the same results. The Mexican youth was also stalwart in his defence of Joe. \u201cHe stood between us and those men,\u201d Ricardo explained. \u201cLiterally between us sometimes. And later, when we were tied up, he asked them to let Judith go and they hit him on the face.\u201d He met Paul\u2019s gaze steadily. \u201cJoe did nothing wrong. Lester\u2019s death was not his fault.\u201d He straightened proudly. \u201cI would like to be a man like him when I grow up,\u201d he added. \u201cI will tell him all this, if it is your wish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, not right now,\u201d Paul smiled. \u201cBut thank you, Ricardo. If I think Joe needs to hear it, I will get you to tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

For the next few days, Joe slept quite a lot as his healing body sapped his energy. When he was awake, he was monosyllabic and unresponsive. Ben was worried about him, but couldn\u2019t get Joe to talk to him. All Joe would say was that he was \u201call right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Convincing himself that all would be well when Joe shook off his persistent headache and was up out of bed, Ben soldiered on, but Hoss could see that Joe\u2019s silence was worrying Ben and took matters into his own hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s worried about ya,\u201d he told Joe bluntly one afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe needn\u2019t be,\u201d Joe replied. \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo fine that ya ain\u2019t speakin\u2019 ta him,\u201d Hoss retorted. \u201cJoe, ya ain\u2019t hardly said one word! Ya ain\u2019t eatin\u2019 right an\u2019 if there\u2019s one thing I know, it\u2019s that ya don\u2019 eat right when yer upset. Now tell me what\u2019s wrong!\u201d Hoss was practically shouting.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing\u2019s wrong!\u201d Joe shouted back. \u201cWhy should something be wrong? I\u2019m not eating because I\u2019m lying here, not allowed to do anything for myself!\u201d Joe glared at Hoss.<\/p>\n

At last!<\/em>\u00a0Hoss exulted. He had got a response from Joe \u2013 a genuine response and if it was anger, that didn\u2019t matter. Joe was at least reacting instead of sitting there sunk in apathy.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019 try an\u2019 weasel out o\u2019 it,\u201d Hoss snapped back. \u201cYa feel guilty because Lester died, don\u2019 ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Hoss thought that Joe was going to hit him. His younger brother\u2019s fist clenched and fury blazed forth from those green eyes. And then the moment passed and Joe\u2019s shoulders slumped. \u201cIt\u2019s my fault he died,\u201d Joe whispered, and he swallowed back tears. \u201cI took them out of there and Lester died because of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid ya shoot him?\u201d Hoss asked, his voice soft and gentle.<\/p>\n

At once, Joe\u2019s head came up. \u201cNo,\u201d he replied, sounding shocked. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid ya tell Doyle an\u2019 his men ta aim at Lester?\u201d Hoss was relentless.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d By now, Joe was sitting up in bed getting angrier and angrier. \u201cWhat do you think I am?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think yer someone who was put in a horrid position that ya had no control over an\u2019 is now takin\u2019 the blame fer somethin\u2019 that wasn\u2019t yer fault,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cJudith an\u2019 Ricardo don\u2019 blame ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know?\u201d Joe asked. He suddenly felt utterly defeated.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Martin spoke to \u2018em,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cThey said ya stood between them an\u2019 the men a few times. Lester was careless, Joe. He shouted out when ya were escapin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t Lester\u2019s fault!\u201d Joe shouted. \u201cThey shot him and he fell!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 what could ya have done, Joe?\u201d Hoss asked, his tone reasonable. \u201cCould ya have caught the bullet in yer hand? Could ya have caught Lester when he fell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe replied, but his tone was uncertain.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cJoe ya were blinded by rock dust in yer eyes, weren\u2019t ya?\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 then Doyle hit ya on the head,\u201d the gentle voice went on. \u201cAn\u2019 when next ya were awake, ya were tied up hand an\u2019 foot. Ya couldn\u2019t do nothin\u2019, Joe. Lester died from that fall, not from somethin\u2019 that ya did.\u201d Hoss searched his brother\u2019s face. \u201cDo ya believe me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe admitted slowly. \u201cIf we hadn\u2019t tried to escape, Lester wouldn\u2019t have died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYa don\u2019 know that,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cDid ya know Doyle wasn\u2019 gonna let ya go? That he was gonna keep ya until he was over the border? What do ya think he could a done ta Judith durin\u2019 that time? He could a killed ya all at any moment, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so scared,\u201d Joe confessed and the next moment, he found himself in Hoss\u2019 arms, safe and secure. More familiar hands were on his head, petting his hair, soothing him. It seemed quite natural to both Hoss and Joe that Joe should slip easily from his brother\u2019s loving embrace into his father\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Later, Joe had no idea how long Ben held him. He just revelled in the feeling of security, enjoying it properly for the first time since he had returned home. Hoss\u2019 words had gone a long way towards making him feel better about himself and Joe now felt that he could relax and let his guard down a bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you\u2019re up to a couple of visitors tomorrow?\u201d Ben asked, when he had Joe settled back against his pillows once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess,\u201d Joe replied. He felt a certain reluctance to face anyone. \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Ben evaded the question. \u201cYou\u2019ll see,\u201d he responded and with that, Joe had to be content.<\/p>\n

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

That night, Joe had a nightmare, but he managed to keep his screams under strict control and didn\u2019t waken the rest of the household. Come morning, he felt out of sorts and his head was aching again, but by the time he had had breakfast and was allowed to get up and dressed \u2013 albeit with a bit of help \u2013 he was feeling much more like himself.<\/p>\n

Negotiating the stairs showed Joe how weak he still was and he was quick to drift off to sleep on the sofa for a time before lunch was ready. He was sitting gazing dreamily into the fire after lunch was over when there was a knock on the door. Ben answered it and ushered the visitors into the house.<\/p>\n

From his seat in Ben\u2019s red leather chair, Joe had a clear view of them. \u201cJudith! Ricardo!\u201d He could feel the colour draining from his face. He didn\u2019t know if he was glad to see them, or wished they hadn\u2019t come.<\/p>\n

Before Joe could attempt to rise, Keefer and Chavez were by his side. \u201cI just wanted to thank you, Joe,\u201d Keefer said, his voice hoarse. \u201cYou kept Judith safe.\u201d He was wringing Joe\u2019s hand by this point.\u00a0 \u201cThank you doesn\u2019t seem to be enough somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank you, too,\u201d Chavez added quietly.<\/p>\n

Overwhelmed, Joe stammered out some kind of reply before Judith and Ricardo could add their praise. But add it they did, telling Joe in no uncertain terms how grateful they were to him for the protection he had afforded them while they were hostages. His actions, which to Joe seemed pitifully inadequate, seemed heroic to his fellow prisoners. Joe began to think that perhaps he had done the best he could in difficult circumstances.<\/p>\n

There was another knock on the door. There stood Lester\u2019s father. He came in quietly and went straight to Joe. \u201cI have to thank you for trying to save my son,\u201d he said. His voice cracked and tears fell on to his cheeks, but he didn\u2019t seem to notice. \u201cI know that you did everything possible to get him away from those terrible men. Doyle has confessed that he didn\u2019t mean to kill Lester. The bullet ricocheted off the rocks and then Lester fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was news to them all. Joe tried to find something to say, but failed. He looked helplessly at Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we all sit down and have some coffee?\u201d he suggested smoothly.<\/p>\n

After a few moments of awkwardness, they all relaxed and small talk sprang up. Gradually, Ben worked the conversation around to the incident and once more, Joe found himself being praised for his actions.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t do anything,\u201d he protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did!\u201d Judith flared. \u201cYou deliberately stood between us and those men. When that board made so much noise, you lied quite calmly to make them think that the noise had come from outside. They believed you! Joe, we would never have managed to carry that off!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone would have done the same thing,\u201d Joe objected.<\/p>\n

\u201cI disagree,\u201d Chavez replied. The handsome Mexican man was softly spoken and generally kept quiet, so that when he did speak, everyone listened. \u201cNot everyone would have put their life on the line for a Mexican boy. Not everyone would have stood between gunmen and their hostages, let alone lied to them. Everything you did was extraordinary and I think you should have some kind of reward. I don\u2019t know what, but something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blushing, Joe shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t need a reward,\u201d he replied. \u201cThe fact that you are here and safe is enough. I just wish Lester was here too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all wish that,\u201d Lester\u2019s father replied. \u201cBut it was not to be and he didn\u2019t die through something you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n

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

Later, Ben helped Joe get ready for bed, turning down the covers, steadying his son as Joe eased awkwardly between the cool sheets. \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cTired,\u201d Joe admitted. \u201cBut it\u2019s a good tired, Pa. You were right; I needed to see those people today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad it helped,\u201d Ben smiled. \u201cGood night, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cG\u2019night, Pa,\u201d Joe replied, snuggling down beneath the covers.<\/p>\n

Going through to his own room, Ben knelt for a moment by the side of the bed to give thanks to the Almighty that Joe had not only survived his ordeal physically, but that he had been able to shed the burden of crippling guilt that he had been carrying. He gave thanks for Hoss\u2019 steadfast common sense that had set Joe on the path to recovery.<\/p>\n

Rising, Ben knew that the future in front of them was bright.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 The alternative version of the episode.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T \u00a0 (7,330 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":13990,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_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":""},"categories":[23,41,27],"tags":[15,16],"class_list":["post-5812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-whi","tag-ben","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-27-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2275,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-Divided.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39438,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=39438","url_meta":{"origin":5812,"position":0},"title":"The Art Contest (by fanofoldtvshows)","author":"Fanofoldtvshows","date":"August 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Hop Sing enters an art contest to benefit a family in\u00a0 need. 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