Summary: Adam left home to pursue a dream but it didn’t work out. Returning wasn’t an option so he chose a different course that eventually brought him home during a crisis. Adam and Candy are the most prominently featured characters.
\nRating: PG\u00a0 Word count: 15,594<\/p>\n
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Who Would Miss Me?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n They came together as men traveling in the west often did. Two men going in the same direction, a little suspicious of each other at first, but then grudging acceptance that there was nothing sinister about the other. It was safer to have a companion than to be alone even if both often traveled alone. After several nights on the dry prairie, they began to talk more than about the tasks they had to complete. The darkness and the anonymity gave both the chance to unload what they wouldn’t if they thought the other had any connection to former family or current friends. The thinner man introduced himself as Candy. The other man was a U.S. Marshal so Candy referred to him as Marshal. It was enough for both. As he ate from a can of beans one evening, Candy shared some of his history as an Army brat and his failed love life. He saw the Marshal nod at that and guessed he had some similar history.<\/p>\n “I wasn’t an Army brat, but I’ve had my share of romantic disasters. I also never had a home until I was about seven or eight years old. It was a struggle. I had three mothers. They all died. I loved my father, but we butted heads like mountain goats over my big ideas for change. My family tended to take his side until I left. I had ideas of using my education in the east.”<\/p>\n “What happened?”<\/p>\n “What were big ideas in the west weren’t seen that way in the east. There, I was a ‘cowboy’ out of touch with how things were done and with education that was years behind their way of thinking or at least they assumed it was.”<\/p>\n “Why not come back to your family then? Find a way to get them to see the value in what you wanted to do?”<\/p>\n “My ideas had never seemed right when I was there. Coming back a failure wasn’t going to help. I felt like I never fit in. There was no reason to think that had changed. My brothers could do what needed to be done. I wasn’t needed.”<\/p>\n “Why did you become a marshal?”<\/p>\n Staring into glow on the horizon where the sun had set, the Marshal was quiet. Candy guessed he didn’t want to answer or he was thinking of how to answer the question. He waited to see which it would be. The Marshal wasn’t sure how to answer. In some ways, he thought he had already answered the question. Candy began to think he had pushed too hard or maybe had missed something in their conversation.<\/p>\n “I’m sorry.”<\/p>\n “It’s not your fault. I can be rather circumspect in my statements.”<\/p>\n Candy had to laugh then. He got a small smile in response that he could see in the light from their small campfire.<\/p>\n “Marshal, I know it might seem kind of obvious, but I can tell how smart you are, and you have a lot of skills. It just seems you could do so many other things.”<\/p>\n “Yes, and it makes me a good marshal. I can fit in anywhere, and I often do. I can be any kind of person. I can go to cities or travel into the most remote areas and fit in like I belong. No one questions me. If I had told you I was a cowhand and not worn my badge, you would have believed me.”<\/p>\n Candy nodded.<\/p>\n “It was the last thing I was so until I get to my next assignment, it’s what I am.”<\/p>\n “Isn’t that kind of dangerous work? You could get killed.”<\/p>\n “It can be, and it could happen. It’s not like any would miss me if I was gone.”<\/p>\n Candy thought about that for a time. The Marshal appreciated that this man was logical in his conversation and thoughtful in his replies. The Marshal wasn’t so sure though in how Candy next turned the conversation.<\/p>\n “You’ve been gone a long time based on the things you’ve said. Your family may think differently now. Time and some space apart can make things take on a new look because a man has time to look at things separate from recent, let’s say, more emotional events.”<\/p>\n When the Marshal didn’t respond, Candy told him a little more of his story.<\/p>\n “And I’m heading back to the family that took me in when I had no home. I want to see if I still have a place there. I want to see if the trust I gave them was deserved. I plan to offer my help too.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, trust and character are always there. Arguments and harsh words do fade in time.”<\/p>\n Candy agreed. They rolled up in their bedrolls and went to sleep. In the morning, they rode to the next town but found chaos soon after they arrived. It was a small town with no telegraph. There was a general store, a small bank, a large saloon, a busy livery stable, and a few other shops. As soon as the Marshal stopped at the sheriff’s office, Candy and the Marshal headed to the saloon that advertised it sold food. The Marshal had been going to report that he was in the jurisdiction as he was required to do, but the office had been vacant. In the saloon, the bartender told them the sheriff was part-time and might be home having lunch or he might be at his other job.<\/p>\n After getting beers and sandwiches, they settled at a table. They were almost done eating when shots erupted outside. They rushed to the door, but the Marshal put a hand on Candy’s shoulder cautioning him to wait a second until they could tell what was happening. It was a bank robbery and five outlaws rushed out of that building preparing to mount up to ride out of town.<\/p>\n “Cover me while I get my rifle.”<\/p>\n It was a command, but Candy was used to taking orders from men who were competent. He trusted the Marshal. The two men moved out quickly as the sheriff came running from the other direction. He fired a shotgun at the outlaws turning them toward him. The sheriff took cover and the outlaws opened fire at his position. It gave the Marshal more time to get his rifle. Candy got into position to open fire. When he saw the Marshal pull his rifle, he opened fire on the outlaws which saved the sheriff. The outlaws fired some shots at Candy but realized their position was vulnerable. The Marshal took aim as the outlaws began to flee. He got one immediately, and took aim again as they rode further. He fired again and another one fell. Three escaped. A woman’s screams cut through the air.<\/p>\n “My boy! They killed my boy!”<\/p>\n A stray shot from the outlaws had killed a young boy. His mother was running her fingers through his curls as she held his body in her lap. Tears streamed down her face. The boys eyes were vacant and his chest was not moving. There was a bloody hole in his chest, but no blood came from the wound. He was gone. The sheriff stood in the street and turned to the crowd that was gathering.<\/p>\n “Get your horses. Anyone riding with me in five minutes is considered deputized.”<\/p>\n The Marshal identified himself and the sheriff welcomed his help.<\/p>\n “You the one took those rifle shots?”<\/p>\n The Marshal nodded.<\/p>\n “Wondered who it was. Ain’t nobody in town here can shoot like that. Glad to have you on the posse. Any ideas as we go, I’d appreciate it. I don’t have experience with this kind of thing, and I’d like any help you can give me.”<\/p>\n The Marshal nodded again.<\/p>\n “Let’s ride out fast as a posse. Some men can follow us with supplies. If they’re an hour or more behind, it doesn’t matter.”<\/p>\n “That’s good thinking. We’ll be right on their tails then.”<\/p>\n They left town in less than five minutes after the sheriff gave appropriate orders. The outlaws sought refuge when they realized the posse was right behind them the rest of the day. By late afternoon, the three outlaws had retreated to the top of a ridge. Behind them was a sheer drop-off and to either side was a steep wall. The only approach was up a steep grade to the ridge. There was no way for the posse to attack them because going straight up that grade to that ridge was suicide. It was a standoff. The sheriff was worried.<\/p>\n “If they have a rope, they could sneak out of there in the dark.”<\/p>\n Candy pointed out that they couldn’t do it with their horses.<\/p>\n “But we don’t have enough men to cover every path they might follow going out on foot if they do it in the dark. The terrain is so rough, we wouldn’t likely be able to find them if they have a night’s head start.”<\/p>\n The posse was quiet until the Marshal spoke up.<\/p>\n “Then we need to make it hell up there before it gets dark.”<\/p>\n The posse was quiet again wondering how they could do that. Candy had to ask.<\/p>\n “They’ve got great cover behind all those boulders. How can be possibly make it a “hell” for them?”<\/p>\n “Have you ever played billiards? We need to bank shots off those sheer walls. We make ricochets on purpose.”<\/p>\n Candy was still skeptical. “From down here, those ricochets will go straight up into the sky not into where they’re hiding.”<\/p>\n “That’s why you need to climb one of these trees so you can fire at a better angle.” The Marshal smirked as he said it.<\/p>\n As Candy considered it, he knew it would work. Then it was his turn to smirk. “It would work better to have two firing so they don’t shoot me out of the tree when I start shooting. Since you were so generous to nominate me as one who should climb, I nominate you as the other one.”<\/p>\n Despite the seriousness of the situation, men in the posse had to chuckle, and the Marshall could hardly decline. Candy had made a logical point. He couldn’t be quiet though.<\/p>\n “I haven’t climbed a tree in over twenty-five years. I usually left that to my youngest brother who was much smaller and skinnier than me especially years ago.”<\/p>\n Candy acted as if he was going to say something, and the Marshal held up a finger. It was all too clear he wouldn’t accept any comment on his weight at that point. Candy simply grinned and grabbed a rope to tie around his waist before asking to be hoisted up to the first branch of the tree next to him.<\/p>\n Nodding in acknowledgement of the implied authority he had over the younger man, the Marshal stepped to another tree. Wrapping a rope around his waist to use to pull a rifle up once he got in position, the Marshal asked for a boost to the lowest branch. He got it. Candy did the same. It took about fifteen minutes for the two men to get into position and then pull the rifles up. The Marshal told Candy to tell him when he was ready. He did.<\/p>\n “Watch for a shadow or better yet for a hint of man near the rocks. When I fire, wait five seconds, and then fire. I will then do the same. If we can keep up that level of fire, they won’t have a chance to open fire on us.”<\/p>\n “We hope.”<\/p>\n “Five seconds is enough time for them to offer a target but not enough to sight in on either of us. They’ll figure that out soon enough.”<\/p>\n The Marshal waited as Candy moved a bit to get a better angle.<\/p>\n “I’m ready.”<\/p>\n When the Marshal fired, Candy began firing according to the plan, and they soon heard a yell. They fired more and soon heard another yell and a bunch of swearing including some references to the devils shooting at them and a few other vile names. Then there were yells to stop.<\/p>\n “All right. We give up. Just stop.”<\/p>\n The sheriff called on the outlaws to throw out their weapons. Only one rifle and one pistol were thrown out. The sheriff began a conversation with one of the outlaws.<\/p>\n “Throw out the rest of your weapons.”<\/p>\n “The others are wounded.”<\/p>\n “Then you throw out their weapons.”<\/p>\n “One’s shot real bad.”<\/p>\n “You want help for him, throw out the weapons. Soon, or the shooting starts again.”<\/p>\n Nothing happened. Candy asked the Marshal what they should do. The Marshal fired one more shot.<\/p>\n “All right, all right. I’ll throw them all out.”<\/p>\n Candy smirked. “I think he was thinking that maybe he should take the money and try sneaking out.”<\/p>\n After more weapons were thrown out, two members of the posse tested the route to the top. Candy and the Marshal had reloaded and kept their rifles aimed at the outlaws’ refuge. If there had been any resistance, they would have unleashed a barrage into the camp. There was no more resistance. The outlaws didn’t know they were going back to what was likely a trial for murder and execution by hanging. The three were brought down and were tied to trees. About that time, three men rode in with supplies for the posse. They had not expected to catch up to them in daylight. The sheriff greeted them.<\/p>\n “We got them. Two are wounded, but not too bad. If you got bandages, we’ll do what we can for them. In the morning, we’ll take them to town. Meanwhile, we’ll make camp here. No need for anyone to get hurt or lose a horse by riding back in the dark. Sun will be down soon.”<\/p>\n In the morning, the outlaws were tied onto their horses. The posse took them to town where they thought they were facing charges of robbery. It was there they found out about the boy’s death. No one had talked to them since they had been apprehended because the Marshal had advised them they would be more cooperative if they didn’t know what they were actually facing.<\/p>\n “But it was an accident!”<\/p>\n “A death during a bank robbery is a murder. The penalty, if found guilty, is death.” The Marshal was cold when he told them the law.<\/p>\n Candy said he needed to get going. The Marshal said he would stay until the trial was completed to help if necessary. A small town like this lacked experience with something so serious. They shook hands.<\/p>\n “Good luck, Marshal. I’ve got to ask you a question about what we did. Did you invent that out there or had you done it before?”<\/p>\n “Did it once before to get me and my brothers out of some trouble or actually to get some time until help could arrive. I adjusted the method to the new situation.”<\/p>\n “Well, I hope you find your way back to your family someday. Sounds like you got a good connection to those brothers of yours.”<\/p>\n “Maybe. I made a promise to my middle brother that I would come home so someday I will have to at least visit.”<\/p>\n Candy noticed the Marshal was limping.<\/p>\n “Did you get hurt somehow?”<\/p>\n “Just my hip aching. It’s an old injury. Bothers me now and then.”<\/p>\n “I suppose climbing a tree and then jumping down from that last branch when everybody was busy rounding up the outlaws wasn’t a good idea.”<\/p>\n The Marshal nodded but said nothing.<\/p>\n “Well, I do have to go.”<\/p>\n “You don’t want to stay and see how this plays out?”<\/p>\n “I’m pretty damn sure you’re going to make sure it plays out right, and I have a family that needs my help. They took me in and treated me like one of their own. Now, they’re some men who planned to kill the sons and force the father to sell the ranch.”<\/p>\n “I suppose they thought the father would be devastated and with no one to bequeath the property to, he would sell.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, and they tried to kill one of the sons, but then they found out there was another son who was gone for years but could come back and ruin their plans.”<\/p>\n The Marshal showed interest. “How many sons are you talking about?”<\/p>\n “They tried to kill the oldest one there, Hoss. Now he always treated me real well. He always treated everybody well. Then there’s Joe and an adopted son, Jamie. The missing one is called Adam. Never met him. No idea why he left the ranch. No idea where he is now either. I guess the family is trying to locate him, but so are these other men probably. I want to help them, and I can’t do it from here. Helping with the posse was something I needed to do, but now I need to go help the family. I need to offer protection against these killers and help them keep their ranch. You know, this is the kind of thing a marshal could help with.”<\/p>\n “You’re right. It is something I should probably take a look into. Give me a moment.”<\/p>\n The Marshal got some paper and wrote a quick note. He sealed it in an envelope and handed it to Candy.<\/p>\n “Give that to Ben Cartwright when you get to the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n “You’ll look into it.”<\/p>\n “I will.”<\/p>\n “I’ll give him your note. I’m sure they will be grateful for any help they can get. I hope all goes well here.”<\/p>\n “It will. You can trust me on that.”<\/p>\n “I know.”<\/p>\n Candy rode out thinking that there was something about the Marshal he should know. Ever since they had camped on the trail, something had been nagging at him, but he couldn’t place what it was. The man was a set of puzzle pieces, and Candy had not been able to put them together. It wasn’t until he was almost to the Ponderosa that he stopped his horse and swore. He had never mentioned Ben’s name nor the Ponderosa when he was talking to the Marshal. Yet, when he wrote that note, the Marshal told him to give it to Ben Cartwright when he got to the Ponderosa. That Marshal either knew a hell of a lot of information about western Nevada or he might be Adam Cartwright. Candy was a poker player and pretty good at chess too. He knew which of those answers the odds favored.<\/p>\n The next problem Candy had was how he was going to explain all of this to the family who was searching for Adam. At least Candy had warned him he was in danger, but he didn’t know if that made any difference to a man who had openly stated that he didn’t think anyone would miss him if he was killed. That might be the hardest thing he would have to tell the Adam’s family.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Riding into the yard of the Ponderosa was like stirring up a hornet’s nest when the hornets were already angry. It took a few moments before Candy was able to make some men with rifles trained on him aware of who he was and why he was there. Then he was ushered to the house although still with an armed guard at his side. No one apparently was trusted even with a history with the family. Once he was inside and saw Hoss and Joe though, things warmed up but not as much as he hoped.<\/p>\n “I’m afraid you’ve walked back into a hell of a mess, Candy. We can’t get much done around here with the constant threats to all of us.”<\/p>\n “I’ve got some news and a note that might help.”<\/p>\n Candy pulled out the envelope the Marshal had given him and handed it to Ben Cartwright. If he was right, the note was going to confirm that he had met the eldest Cartwright son. The way Ben swayed and then dropped into the leather chair behind him seemed to confirm what he had suspected. Hoss and Joe were concerned for their father.<\/p>\n “Pa, what’s wrong.”<\/p>\n Joe knelt by his father’s side and threw a suspicious glance at Candy before returning a worried look at his father. Hoss put a hand on Candy’s shoulder.<\/p>\n “Ya mind telling us what you gave our Pa to make him like that?”<\/p>\n “I think your father is going to tell you if you give him a minute. I’ll add more when he has had a chance to talk.”<\/p>\n Ben held the note out to Joe.<\/p>\n “It’s your brother.”<\/p>\n Jamie had been at the dining table working on some papers and came over to see what was wrong. He read the note over Joe’s shoulder and nearly shouted what he read.<\/p>\n “Adam’s alive and he’s going to help?”<\/p>\n Then he got a quizzical look.<\/p>\n “What does he mean when he says if you recognize him, don’t let on?”<\/p>\n All eyes turned to Candy then.<\/p>\n “I guess I have a story to tell. I didn’t know it was Adam when I met him. I was coming back here because I heard about the trouble you were in. On the trail, I met up with a man who looked like a cowboy, and we traveled together. Only he wasn’t a cowboy, he was a U.S. Marshal. The Marshal didn’t talk much, but he was agreeable, and it’s better to be two than one out there. We got into a little town and there was a bank robbery. He turned out to be a hell of a rifle shot taking out two of the outlaws with long shots. We joined the posse, but the outlaws took refuge up in some rocks. There was no way to approach them. He said we should fire shots into their area like banking shots off sheer walls like billiard shots. He said he had done it once to buy time with his family until a rescue could happen. It worked. Then when I told him why I wouldn’t stay for the trial and had to get back here, I told him about this family. He wrote that note and said give it to Ben Cartwright when you get to the Ponderosa. I was well on my way here before I realized I had never mentioned the name Cartwright or the Ponderosa. He knew it because I had talked about Hoss and Joe and an adopted son named Jamie. It was only then that I realized I had met the oldest Cartwright son.”<\/p>\n The family was quiet for a minute until Ben asked a question.<\/p>\n “How did he seem? I mean, is he all right?”<\/p>\n Candy wasn’t sure how much to say.<\/p>\n “He’s healthy enough. He seems to like his job, and he’s damn good at it from what I could tell.”<\/p>\n Hoss suspected there was something important he was leaving out.<\/p>\n “My brother sometimes could be kind of down, if you know what I mean. How was his spirit? It must be hard on him being alone and all.”<\/p>\n Candy didn’t want to say too much, but he guessed they could handle the basics.<\/p>\n “When we talked about his job and the dangers of it, and I said he could get killed, he said no one would miss him. I guess that says what needs to be said about his spirit.”<\/p>\n Joe was worried.<\/p>\n “What’s Adam going to do? If he comes back here, they will kill us all and take the Ponderosa. The safest place for him is to stay away.”<\/p>\n “He wants to help. From what he told me, he’s gone undercover against a lot of dangerous people. I think he’s going to do the same thing here.”<\/p>\n “Dadburnit, he’s gonna get himself killed.”<\/p>\n Candy frowned, surprised they had so little confidence in their brother. He began to understand why Adam had left.<\/p>\n “Did you all forget the part where I said I think he’s damn good at what he does? You need help, and I was the one who suggested he might be somebody who ought to help. That was before I knew who he was. I was basing it on what I already knew about him as a man. It seems you should know him better than I do and what he’s capable of doing. Don’t you trust him?”<\/p>\n “Of course we trust him!”<\/p>\n Ben was indignant at Candy’s question. Then he made the qualifier that clarified a lot.<\/p>\n “It’s just that he does things in unusual ways, unexpected ways. We never know what he will do. He doesn’t do things the way we would.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I think that’s why he left. It seemed we were always at odds. The two of us didn’t see things the same way, and Hoss tried to be the peacemaker, but that didn’t work out either.”<\/p>\n “Really?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, we didn’t argue or nothing. But when he left, he said it was Pa and sometimes Joe lining up against him in arguments and then me trying to make it all smooth so he was always left on the outside alone. He didn’t like arguing but said it was the only way his voice was usually heard. He said he was tired of it. They got to win, and I got the praise, and he got nothing except criticism a bunch of the time or at least that was the way he saw it. When things went well, it was the Cartwrights really knew how to do it right. But if a contract or some such went bad, then too often it was like Adam had messed up. He felt like he was being pushed to the side too much and being treated like an employee not a son. He wasn’t one who liked to take orders neither. And he hated being called ‘boy’ no matter how nice it was said.”<\/p>\n Jamie had never heard the story of Adam leaving put this way, and Ben and Joe had never heard it summarized this way. Jamie had a question.<\/p>\n “I always heard Pa say he had gone to seek new opportunities in the east.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, he told me that too. He said in the east, he was a cowboy with education that was out of date, and in the west, he was someone with ideas too new for people to accept. So he didn’t fit in anywhere.”<\/p>\n “But why would he become a marshal?”<\/p>\n Joe asked but they were all probably wondering it.<\/p>\n “I asked too, but I guess the answer is obvious. It suits his talents.”<\/p>\n Joe had to admit something then that made Ben and Hoss nod.<\/p>\n “He was always good at planning.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, little brother, so, I reckon we have to wait and see what happens next.”<\/p>\n “I have an idea.”<\/p>\n They all looked to Jamie.<\/p>\n “I have never met Adam or seen him, but I have seen a couple of photographs Pa has. It seems to me that Candy looks a little bit like him only thinner. But Adam’s been gone a long time. Maybe we could draw our enemy out if they thought Adam was back if we told people that Candy was Adam.”<\/p>\n Before Ben could object, and by his look, it certainly appeared he was ready to do so, Joe jumped in.<\/p>\n “That might help Adam too because if they think Adam is on the Ponderosa, they won’t be looking quite as closely at somebody who resembles him and is trying to go undercover against them. It could help Adam regardless of what his plan is. As long as we stick close to the house and keep Candy inside where no one can get a close look, then who’s to say it isn’t Adam. Everyone would know we would do our very best to protect him if he came back. If he does leave the house, he could ride Sport at least for a little. He won’t let anyone else but me ride him, but I think if Candy is wearing Adam’s clothes, he’ll let him ride him.”<\/p>\n Again there were nods, but Hoss had a caution.<\/p>\n “Those are all good thoughts, but Candy, what do you think about putting a target on your back because we know our enemies want us all dead, and we don’t even know who they are? There might even be some here on the Ponderosa helping them.”<\/p>\n “I came back to help. If that’s what you need, that’s what I’ll do, and it does seem like a good plan too.”<\/p>\n “Let’s have dinner then, and you can tell us more about being on that posse with Adam.”<\/p>\n Candy noted when they sat down to eat that the shutters were closed tight. In fact, he noted that all the first-floor windows were shuttered despite the mild weather. He knew why, and it made him a little nervous. He realized he was going to have to watch his back constantly now never knowing when a bullet might find him.<\/p>\n In Carson City, Adam was wearing nondescript clothing and entering a saloon. He wore a pistol rig low like he knew how to use it, a sheathed knife on the belt. He had another pistol in a shoulder rig that was visible to those who knew how to check with another pistol in a boot and another knife in the other boot. He planned to get into a fight in that saloon with someone who deserved to get hurt. From what he had learned, the enemies of the Cartwrights were close. If so, they were going to be hiring killers. He wanted to get hired so he had to basically register his credentials. Although he didn’t plan to kill anyone, he had to appear willing to do so. It might cost him a night in jail, but he could do it. People like this would hire expendable anonymous killers so he needed to appear to be that and in need of money too.<\/p>\n Standing at the end of the bar, he ordered a beer. Taking it in his left hand, he kept his right hand free and loose by his side as he kept his back to a wall. Some men at a table across the room noticed him and how he acted. They observed to see what might happen. After a few whispered comments to a man who walked by, they sat back to wait. Their man went to the bar to edge in a few customers down from where Adam stood. It caused a couple of other men to move closer to Adam. One of them was loud and boisterous. In the midst of one of his stories, he swung his arm and knocked Adam’s beer from his hand.<\/p>\n “Hey, mister, you ought to be careful where you hold your beer. You spilled some of that on my boots. Move over some and give me more room. I don’t like your smell anyway.”<\/p>\n His friends laughed.<\/p>\n “You owe me for a beer.”<\/p>\n Talking in a low serious tone, Adam had been direct and not insulting. However the loudmouth took it as an insult.<\/p>\n “You’re telling me I was the clumsy one when you’re the one who spilled the beer? Me and my friends are gonna teach you some manners right now.”<\/p>\n He swung at Adam who grabbed the man’s forearm and slammed it against the bar. There was an audible crack heard across the saloon. The man cradled his arm.<\/p>\n “Damn you.”<\/p>\n His two friends surged forward. One was met by a knife up under his chin and the other had a pistol jammed into his belly.<\/p>\n “I suggest you back up before you need more medical treatment than your friend, but drop your pistols on the floor before you go.”<\/p>\n The two did as ordered and backed up. One moved to take the pistol from the injured man and found Adam’s pistol aimed between his eyes.<\/p>\n “I don’t think that would be wise. Use your other hand and drop it to the floor or things are going to get very messy in here.”<\/p>\n A deputy arrived at that point. The three rowdies were told to go to the doctor’s office to get help for the injured man. Their pistols were collected by the deputy. He asked Adam to come with him.<\/p>\n “It was self-defense.”<\/p>\n “You used a fire-arm and a knife to defend against a fist. We’ll let the sheriff decide what to do about that.”<\/p>\n As it turned out, it was twenty dollars for disturbing the peace or a week in jail. Adam thought it was excessive, but chose jail.<\/p>\n “If I give you my last twenty, I can’t get my horse from the stable and can’t buy supplies. I’ll take the damn week.”<\/p>\n On his rounds, the deputy told the contact who paid him twenty dollars what Adam had said. The information was passed on to the observers from the saloon. The next morning, a lawyer came into the jail to talk to Adam.<\/p>\n “I have a job for you. No questions asked or answered. We’ll pay your fine. You get one hundred dollars up front and two hundred when the job is done.”<\/p>\n Adam thought for a minute.<\/p>\n “No questions asked or answered. Three hundred dollars. I think I got the picture. All right but six hundred total with three hundred up front and three hundred more when it’s done.”<\/p>\n The lawyer nodded. He walked out and paid twenty dollars to the sheriff who got Adam’s pistols and knives out. The lawyer watched as Adam put his weapons on himself, and then the two left together to go to the lawyer’s office. There Adam was given three hundred dollars, minimal instructions of where to go, and who he was to meet. He still didn’t know what his job was to be, but he had guessed. For this kind of money, he was being hired to kill, and the only contract killing he knew about in this area was his family. They didn’t ask his name. He was a dangerous bearded nobody who could kill. It was all they needed to know or so they thought.<\/p>\n Getting his horse from the stable, Adam rode to where he had been told to go. It was dusk when he got there. He saw the campfire. The men he was working with were not skilled at being in the west. They didn’t know how to shield the fire. He walked his horse in close and then tied him off approaching the campsite on foot. When he walked in, he could have killed both men there easily. He had his pistol out and covered them until he could talk.<\/p>\n “The lawyer sent me. You should shield the fire. I could see it from almost a mile away.”<\/p>\n “Damn. I never heard you.”<\/p>\n “How do we know the lawyer sent you?”<\/p>\n “How else would I know to say the lawyer sent me?”<\/p>\n “Oh, yeah, well how do you shield a fire?”<\/p>\n With some wood that they had gathered, Adam shielded the fire which also sent more heat to where they were sitting.<\/p>\n “Hey, that’s nice. You do know what you’re doing.”<\/p>\n “I’m going to get my horse. Don’t eat all the food.”<\/p>\n By his tone, the two knew they needed to listen to what he said. They had killed, but they had a feeling this new man was perhaps more ruthless than they were. Their methods usually involved things like fire, poison, or in one case, smallpox infested blankets. They had even tied up a man once in his basement and left him there to starve to death. He looked pretty good when they left. They didn’t think about what it was like for him in the days after they rode away.<\/p>\n When Adam returned, he took care of his horse and then brought his gear to the campsite noting that they had saved food for him. He accepted a plate and picked a place keeping his back to a large boulder and his eyes on his two companions and on the area where anyone coming to the camp would have to approach.<\/p>\n “You’re pretty careful, ain’t ya?”<\/p>\n “I’m still alive.”<\/p>\n “Yeah. In a town, we’d be careful too. We aren’t used to being out on the land like this. We don’t know how to be careful out here.”<\/p>\n Adam raised an eyebrow as the only recognition that those things were obvious.<\/p>\n “We’ll do what you tell us to do. It’s clear you know what to do to stay safe out here. Nobody told us anything. They gave us a lot of supplies and told us to wait here for orders.”<\/p>\n “Any idea what the plan is?”<\/p>\n “We’re thinking that they brought us in to fire a place. It’s one of the things we do. But we can’t do it the way we usually do it because they said they need some papers that are in a safe in the house where the family is. I’m guessing we need to burn the whole thing down afterwards to cover the evidence of what happened.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, we’re guessing you’re probably part of the plan to get those papers. Then we’ll do our part. You’ll probably be part of the plan to keep them in that house while it burns too.”<\/p>\n “You’ll have a better chance of getting away than I do then.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, that’s how we figure it too. They’re not going to want any witnesses. We wish we would have figured that out before we took this job.” There was a pause while the three of them thought about their situation. “With three of us here, we’re going to need more supplies.”<\/p>\n “I’ll go back to town and get some.”<\/p>\n “Didn’t they tell you not to do that?”<\/p>\n “Nope.”<\/p>\n “Told us we couldn’t show our faces.”<\/p>\n “You wanted?”<\/p>\n “Uh, why do you want to know that?”<\/p>\n “Cause it’s probably why they don’t want you showing your faces. I’m not wanted. Never been caught or even suspected. I can show my face.”<\/p>\n “All right. That makes sense.” Their suspicions of him were less then.<\/p>\n “I’ll go tomorrow.”<\/p>\n In Carson City the next day, Adam was approached and told to report to a hotel room. There he was met by the men who had hired him and asked why he was in town.<\/p>\n “There were only enough supplies for two. I came to get more.”<\/p>\n “That won’t be necessary.”<\/p>\n Adam raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n “You’re still on the job, but we don’t need the other two anymore. You can take care of them for us.”<\/p>\n “An additional fee?”<\/p>\n “You can keep their gear and sell it.”<\/p>\n Appearing to think about that for a time as if adding up the value of what they had, Adam nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n “I’ll have to bring some supplies back with me to make it look good when I get back. I can stuff the bottom of the sacks with straw and put a few items on top. They won’t know it until too late.”<\/p>\n “You plan well.”<\/p>\n “I’m still alive.”<\/p>\n “Make sure they’re not found. There should be plenty of places out there to make that happen.”<\/p>\n Nodding in agreement, Adam turned and went out the door. When he closed the door, one man wondered aloud if he might be too smart. The other replied.<\/p>\n “He’s a tough one. I’ll give him that, but he’s just a hard case cowhand and drifter. He’s no match for us.”<\/p>\n Hours later, Adam rode back to the camp that was near Paiute land if not on it. He had known that from the first time he had been given directions to it. That had been good news because it meant he might have help nearby if he needed it. He had a plan now or at least more of one than he had had. In this one, the Paiute would play a minor role but it was a linchpin. Their assistance was based on the idea that they could help each other. Based on the instructions he had been given and the job he had to do, he had the authority to make the promises needed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n Within about ten minutes of returning with supplies, Adam was able to draw his pistol on the two professional arsonist killers. They were not as shocked as he expected. That made him wary which saved his life. They had guns hidden in unexpected places. When he pulled his pistol on them and gave them an order, they made their move.<\/p>\n “Pack up all your stuff.”<\/p>\n The two men moved as if to comply, and then both soon had weapons in their hands, but as they turned to aim at Adam, he wasn’t where he had been. He was behind a boulder and had a second pistol. With one in each hand and a boulder for cover, the odds weren’t favorable to the two men. They had thought two against one would work. They had failed. Dropping their weapons, they raised their hands hoping for a reprieve. He hadn’t shot them earlier but had told them to pack.<\/p>\n “You gonna kill us now or send us away?”<\/p>\n “Neither.”<\/p>\n “It’s gotta be one or the other.”<\/p>\n “Nope. I’ve got something else in mind.”<\/p>\n Only a half hour later, Adam was talking with the leaders of the local Paiute camp.<\/p>\n “If you hold them here for me, you can keep all their gear including their weapons. All I need is them back when I come for them or when any marshal comes for them. They are wanted for murder. If they try to escape, and you have to kill them, there will be no penalty. However, I would prefer that you do your best to keep them alive. Is that an acceptable deal?”<\/p>\n “We cannot be in trouble for holding two white men here?”<\/p>\n “I have written a letter giving you authority to hold them for me. If you wonder at its meaning, Sarah Winnemucca can read it for you and tell you that it says what I have said. I will leave a deputy marshal badge with the letter showing the authority of my office behind the letter. There will be payment too for two things I would like you to do for me and for feeding these two prisoners.”<\/p>\n The Paiute leaders looked at each other and agreed. Then they asked what the other requests were.<\/p>\n “There is a man named Candy on the Ponderosa. I would like you to contact him and get him up here to talk with me.”<\/p>\n “Yes, we know him. He is the one they are saying is you, but anyone who knows, knows it is not you. It is a trick for the enemies of the family. We can get him to come up here.”<\/p>\n Surprised by Candy impersonating him, Adam had to smile a little. It was a good addition to his plan. If his employers had any suspicion that he might be Adam, it would be negated by the story that Adam was back on the Ponderosa. He guessed Joe was probably the one who had come up with an idea like that. He was good as scheming.<\/p>\n “What is the other thing you want us to do?”<\/p>\n “I have a letter I want you to deliver to one of my brothers. They can read it but then must burn it. It cannot fall into the wrong hands. No one can see any of this happen.”<\/p>\n “That can be done. We have seen the watchers. We will avoid them.”<\/p>\n Adam had a sudden hope.<\/p>\n “Have you seen any of these watchers contact anyone on the Ponderosa?”<\/p>\n “Yes. They talk often with two of the men who work with your family.”<\/p>\n Getting a small notebook and pencil, Adam first got as complete a description of the two men as possible. Then he sketched the two men based on those descriptions and had the Paiute offer suggestions on how to alter the sketches until they said his drawings were fair representations of the two riders they had seen.<\/p>\n “Thank you. You have been a great help. I will tell my brother in the letter I write to him. It won’t matter which brother. I think there will be a Ponderosa reward too.”<\/p>\n After concluding business with the Paiute, Adam headed back to his camp and moved it a short distance to a more sheltered location with a more defensive position. Then he wrote a long letter that one of his brothers would read. It had a little of his history in it, but mostly it was about what he needed them to do on the Ponderosa to be safe. He did say that soon Candy would have information that would help them identify the traitors in their midst. However he warned them not to act quickly to eliminate the traitors because they would be replaced and they wouldn’t necessarily know by whom. It could be new hires or it could be someone on the payroll turned by a deal too good to pass up or someone blackmailed into cooperation. Finally he waited for Candy to arrive so he could finish putting together a plan. He hoped that Candy knew he had to come in like a spy. If anyone checked on Adam, it would be a disaster if they saw him meeting with Candy.<\/p>\n Two days passed before Adam heard someone doing their best to slip up behind him quietly. He sipped his coffee until he guessed the man was about fifteen feet away.<\/p>\n “You better be Candy or I’m going to have kill you.”<\/p>\n “Damn, how did you know?”<\/p>\n “You’re good, but I have a lot of years of practice at staying alive. Now, how close can you get without being seen?”<\/p>\n “Right behind you. The Paiute said they haven’t seen a watcher near here in two days. Yes, our enemies been keeping a eye on you, but have eased up now that it appears you’re only waiting around like you’re supposed to be. Joe got your letter. He’s anxious for me to bring back the information on the ‘traitors’. The Paiute tell you who they were?”<\/p>\n “Good guess. Not their names, but I’ve got a description.”<\/p>\n Adam stood and passed the descriptions and sketches across the boulder he had been leaning against. Candy had slid down to sit leaning against the other side. When he turned to look up at Adam, Adam was surprised to see the foreman dressed in his old clothing. It was a little large, but the colors looked good on him. Pouring another cup of coffee, Adam put that on top of the boulder too. After reading the descriptions and looking at the sketches, Candy whistled.<\/p>\n “I know these two. Never would have thought they were the traitors. Damn. You never know who will turn for money.”<\/p>\n “You can bring the sketches and descriptions back with you. You’ll need them to convince my family who the traitors are. But then burn them. We can’t have anyone know there are those on the outside helping the family, and they cannot know that their two men on the Ponderosa have been uncovered.”<\/p>\n “Or they’ll replace them.”<\/p>\n Candy took the coffee then.<\/p>\n “What is it you want from me?”<\/p>\n “Pretty much what we’re doing now. I need a connection to what’s going on. I can tell you what I’m doing. You tell me what they’re doing. We all work together and try to get these men to make a fatal error. I think they will.”<\/p>\n “You’re the fatal error. If they find out who you are, your family loses everything.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I know. So, you have to be very careful. The Paiute are helping now. Make sure my father and brothers know how much. They deserve a reward.”<\/p>\n Candy agreed, and then he told him what he knew of what the Cartwrights were doing. Adam told him about the men he had met and that he had given all of that information to the authorities already.<\/p>\n “How did you do that?”<\/p>\n “Wasn’t that difficult. When I went back to town, the sheriff made sure to warn me about not getting in trouble again. It was we had arranged to meet. When I was in jail, we had a short talk and we set it up. He grabbed my arm in a threatening way to pull me close to warn me, and I used the opportunity to slip a letter in his jacket. All the information was there about who I had met, where, when, and how much I had been paid and by whom.”<\/p>\n “So they could already be arrested.”<\/p>\n “Yes, but it would be my word against theirs, and although the job was implied, it wasn’t stated. You don’t pay someone six hundred dollars to camp out. Any hard case knows that’s a payment to kill someone, but it’s not enough proof to go to trial. No, we have the start of a case, but we need more evidence against them. I have two men in the custody of the Paiute who can be witnesses against them too for some leniency in their cases. Our enemies think they’re dead.”<\/p>\n “And the two traitors will be two more witnesses.”<\/p>\n “Yes, but it won’t be enough. We need more evidence to have a solid case.”<\/p>\n “That’s what has me worried.”<\/p>\n “It should because we need an overt act, and because they want to murder the whole family, the overt act will be when they try to do that to one or more members of the family. We need to be there to stop it, and then use it to put them away forever.”<\/p>\n “Or on the gallows.”<\/p>\n “If we get the proof we need.”<\/p>\n “Maybe you should think about being a lawyer as your next career.”<\/p>\n Adam smirked.<\/p>\n “Have to survive this one first.”<\/p>\n Nodding, Candy looked worried.<\/p>\n “It’s not easy being you. Riding around with your clothes on, with a target on my back for being a Cartwright not for anything I’ve done, it makes me understand some of what it’s like being part of this family. Now I’ve got to go back and tell them all this stuff. I don’t think they’re going to want to believe who the two traitors are, but the evidence is irrefutable.”<\/p>\n “Now you’re even sounding like me.”<\/p>\n They both smirked and it was time to leave. Adam cleaned up the second cup and stored it away. There was no need to anyone to think a second person had been in his camp. As dusk arrived later, he brushed out the prints from Candy too and spread pine needles and brush around so that it wouldn’t be obvious except to a trained tracker.<\/p>\n On the Ponderosa about the same time, Candy was showing the sketches and descriptions to the Cartwrights who were shocked to find who the two traitors in their midst were. Joe especially was upset.<\/p>\n “They helped me bring Hoss back here after he was shot, and they might be the ones who did it. All they did was say how lucky he was. They were probably upset that he was lucky. If I hadn’t been only a short distance behind him on the road, they might have finished the job.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, if you hadn’t given me that silver flask you won in that poker game, that bullet would have gone right into my gut. I would have died a long painful death. As it was, it was a bloody wound cause that flask split open but it just ripped up my hide a bit much.”<\/p>\n It was the first time Candy had heard much about that story and wanted more details.<\/p>\n “Yeah, I won this real pretty silver flask in a poker game. It was engraved and all and was in an engraved leather holder too. It was really kind of heavy for a flask but real nice to look at. I thought Pa might like it. I was afraid if I set it by my chair, someone might pick it up or kick it or something, so I gave it to Hoss to take with him when he left. Then the cards turned on me and I decided to leave too. Good thing because I heard shots ahead and rode hard to find him on the ground bleeding. These two men, Zach and Pete, rode up too saying they had been in town. They helped me get Hoss home.”<\/p>\n “You know, Joe, we never questioned them about being in town, but I don’t recall seeing them in town.”<\/p>\n “Me neither. I bet they were the ones who shot you and were coming down to the road to finish the job when I got there.”<\/p>\n Fuming, Joe was ready to go take care of the two right then. Candy put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down onto the settee again.<\/p>\n “Joe, you can’t. Adam said they’ll replace them, and we won’t know who’s helping them if they do that.”<\/p>\n “Damn.”<\/p>\n “I know it’s hard, but they’ll be witnesses when this all goes to trial when it’s over and our enemies are in jail.”<\/p>\n Hoss gave Candy a look and then grinned.<\/p>\n “Wearing his clothes, you’re even beginning to sound like him. Maybe Adam don’t need to come home. You can be Adam and Candy all at the same time.”<\/p>\n “No, thank you. I’d like to get this target off my back as soon as I can.”<\/p>\n In Carson City, their enemies were getting ready to move. The watchers and the traitors had reported that Adam was back on the Ponderosa. There was some confusion about a former foreman who had supposedly returned but apparently had not remained because they couldn’t get any further information. Without a spy in the main house, information on the immediate family was limited.<\/p>\n “What kind of wealthy family are they that they don’t have household servants? They don’t even have a stable boy. They’ve got one damn cook who lives right in the same house.”<\/p>\n “It certainly would be a lot easier to know what’s going on if we could get someone in that house.”<\/p>\n “What if somebody got wounded or maybe injured so they needed a nurse? Would that work? Do we have someone we could send?”<\/p>\n “We would find someone or find a way to get to anybody who was sent.”<\/p>\n “What’s the plan?”<\/p>\n “We send them after our man up there. Have one of our men on their ranch say he’s spotted a trespasser in that vicinity. They’ll go after him, and he’s bound to hurt at least one of them.”<\/p>\n “What if he gets killed?”<\/p>\n “We would have to hire someone else.”<\/p>\n “From what we’ve learned, these Cartwrights like to take care of things like this by themselves. They might take our man Zach with them. He would work with our other man and get rid of the Cartwrights who are heading out there to take care of the ‘trespasser’ and take care of a couple of problems for us instead.”<\/p>\n “Send a man up to let our hired help know what might be coming his way.”<\/p>\n After insisting that Candy wear Adam’s old mustard colored barn coat, Joe led him and the man who had informed them of a trespasser toward a confrontation. With that yellow coat, Joe was sure Adam would know not to shoot. If anyone saw them, they would also be sure it was Joe and Adam riding together. It would help the narrative they were trying to get people to believe.<\/p>\n At his camp, Adam had been informed of the likelihood of a couple of Cartwrights coming to apprehend him and was told that he would likely have an ally coming with them.\u00a0 When asked if he needed any additional help, he declined saying he would set up an ambush, and there would likely be two less Cartwrights by the time they finished their ride. They smiled. He smiled but not for the same reason. This was working out very well for his plan. He didn’t know yet how well it was going to work out. In town, the conspirators got the news from their man and secretly hoped they would all kill each other and resolve some sticky problems for them.<\/p>\n When it happened, it worked out mostly as expected. Dressed in Adam’s mustard colored barn coat and riding on Sport, Candy rode out with Joe and the man who said he had spotted a trespasser. Joe casually mentioned that maybe one of the hands would be joining them later if they needed some help. The traitor in their midst didn’t think too much of that. The element of surprise still put the odds in their favor as far as he could ascertain. As they neared the area where the traitor claimed the trespasser was camped, the traitor began to lag back. He wanted to be behind Joe and the man he thought was Adam when the shooting started.<\/p>\n “Hey, friend, come on up here and show us exactly where we’re going.”<\/p>\n “Joe, not so loud. We don’t want him to hear us and shoot before we even know where his camp is.”<\/p>\n “Sorry, Adam. It’s that most trespassers are miners passing through. He’s not likely to shoot. He’ll complain and move on.”<\/p>\n “Probably, but I don’t like taking chances.”<\/p>\n They were putting on a good show, and the traitor edged a bit closer putting his hand on his pistol. He was ready to draw as soon as the man he thought was his partner fired a shot. Instead, they were hailed by the man in the camp and rode forward. The traitor frowned and rode with them not sure what was happening. In the camp, his confusion gradually passed, but by then there were two pistols aimed at him.<\/p>\n Joe and Candy had greeted the man in the camp as Adam even as they were pointing pistols at the traitor named Zach. Adam grinned. It was all a gigantic setup and the traitor had fallen for it. Not only that, his bosses and everyone else was fooled too. But Zach was the one responsible, and he knew they would kill him for it. Zach drew his pistol against the impossible odds and tried to kill the one he blamed the most. He managed one shot before he was hit twice.<\/p>\n “Damn! I wanted him for another witness.”<\/p>\n “You’re hit.”<\/p>\n “Just a nasty crease in my arm.”<\/p>\n As Candy verified that the man was dead, Joe helped Adam with the wound in his arm. He insisted that it needed to be cleaned up, but then agreed with Adam to bind it only with his bandana.<\/p>\n “If it looks too good, they won’t believe I took care of it myself.”<\/p>\n “You’re going to stay undercover?”<\/p>\n “We got them where we want them now. They’re going to be desperate, and desperate men will make mistakes. You need to be ready. They’re going to think you’re dead and that Adam is dead. You can hide and be ready for them. Candy can reappear as himself. He can also ride out to communicate with me, through the Paiute if necessary. I’m working with them.”<\/p>\n “You’ve got quite a complicated plan going. I don’t think I ever had a scheme like the one you’re running.”<\/p>\n “Probably not. I need your help though. Do you have a hand you can trust, I mean really trust, to get drunk and disorderly enough to get thrown in jail for a night so he can pass this information to the authorities?”<\/p>\n Handing over a small notebook, Adam waited for an answer.<\/p>\n “We do. We’ll get him there tomorrow. Is that soon enough?”<\/p>\n “It is. I’ll be going to town to report tonight. They won’t be acting before another day or two passes. Watch the other man on the Ponderosa. He may give you a clue if something is about to happen.”<\/p>\n Candy wondered what they were going to do to let people know that two of the Cartwrights had been killed. Joe didn’t like the plan.<\/p>\n “Put the dead man in my coat and put him on Sport. Joe, you’re going to have ride over the saddle on Cochise. Candy can lead both horses. I have an extra horse here he can use.”<\/p>\n “You’re damn right I don’t like it.”<\/p>\n “It’s to save Pa, the family, and the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n “Damn, you know the right words to say all the time.”<\/p>\n Candy grinned. He liked his part. He liked the next part even more. Joe hugged Adam who looked surprised at first, but then hugged back. They didn’t let go for at least a full minute.<\/p>\n “Ah, if we want to get back while there’s still some sunlight, we should get going.”<\/p>\n Looking a little embarrassed, Adam released his younger brother. There were tears in his eyes. He didn’t wipe them away but helped them get the dead man into his mustard-colored coat and loaded onto his horse. His eyes were still glistening as he raised his hand as Candy led two horses back to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/strong><\/p>\n There was no way to soften the shock for the family of seeing Candy riding to the Ponderosa leading two horses with bodies slung over the saddles. The blanket wrapped body of Joe on Cochise and the body that appeared to be Adam in the mustard-colored coat with blood smeared on it sent the news ahead to the ranch house by ranch hands who knew they had to let the boss and his other sons know.<\/p>\n “Mister Cartwright, it looks like that man Candy is bringing your two boys back. It looks pretty bad.”<\/p>\n “What do you mean it looks bad?”<\/p>\n “He’s got both of them slung over their saddles, and there ain’t no sign of Zach.”<\/p>\n When the hands left and Jamie closed the door, Hoss put his hand on his father’s shoulder to reassure him even as Ben’s face turned nearly gray and he stumbled. Hoss grabbed him to steady him and guided him to a chair.<\/p>\n “They’re gone. They’re both gone.”<\/p>\n “Pa, you know Candy would have let us know if that was really what happened. He wouldn’t ride back here like this and give us all a shock. He knows better. Let’s go outside and play along. Watch Candy. I’m sure he’s going to let us know as soon as he can what’s really going on.”<\/p>\n Jamie, who had been as shocked as Ben at first, understood what Hoss was saying and agreed. “Pa, he’s right. This has got to be part of a plan. Candy wouldn’t ride in here like that especially with Adam slung over the saddle and not even wrapped in a blanket. I bet that’s not Adam. He wants everyone to think it is. That’s why no blanket.”<\/p>\n Hoss nodded. “I bet it’s Zach. And Joe’s alive so that’s why he’s in the blanket. Bet he’s gonna be ornery as heck.”<\/p>\n That got a slight smile from Ben who wondered if it could be true.<\/p>\n “You think so?”<\/p>\n It didn’t take long when Candy got there for them to understand that was what was actually going on. Candy was brusque in ordering the hands to leave the bodies for the family to take care. He spit out that Zach had turned on them and that’s why the two brothers were dead. By then, Ben and Jamie had pulled Joe from his horse and realized he was warm, very warm. Playing along, they carefully carried the ‘body’ into the house careful not to bump him in any way. Hoss and Candy did the same with ‘Adam’s body’ shielding the face so no one could see who it actually was. As they neared the house, Candy barked that the hands could take care of the horses though. Inside, ‘Adam’s body’ was rather unceremoniously dumped into the guest bedroom and covered with a blanket. Joe was allowed to strip off the hot blanket that had nearly smothered him and drink some cool lemonade Hop Sing brought with a smile.<\/p>\n “Sorry for the charade, Pa. It’s part of the plan. Our enemies now think they have killed two of the sons including the long-missing one. We think that means they’ll act directly against us soon. We’ll be ready for them.”<\/p>\n “Is Adam all right?”<\/p>\n “Got a little scratch on the arm. Actually worked out well because it will look like he did get in a real fight. Zach is dead of course. We can put him in a coffin. Now we only have to watch Pete.”<\/p>\n “And set up for an assault.”<\/p>\n “Well, yeah, but they won’t know I will be here too, and they don’t know Adam is on our side not theirs.”<\/p>\n “You seem confident.”<\/p>\n “Adam says we have to get them acting so they will make mistakes. Letting them sit and plan and pick us off one by one is never going to work. If we force them into action, they will make mistakes. They already have.”<\/p>\n “I hope he is not underestimating them.”<\/p>\n “I don’t think so. He told me and Candy that this is the most dangerous organization he has ever faced. He’s called for reinforcements, but he doesn’t know when they’ll get here.”<\/p>\n “That is not reassuring.”<\/p>\n “He said it’s that way in undercover work. They can’t let him know because it would compromise his position. They have to come in like they’re not part of this. They could be here already or still on the way.”<\/p>\n “So we won’t know either way?”<\/p>\n “Not until it matters.”<\/p>\n “And if they’re not here?”<\/p>\n Joe and Candy did barely imperceptible shrugs that said everything that needed to be said.<\/p>\n “Did Adam have any idea when we should expect the assault?”<\/p>\n “He said it would likely happen when we would least expect it.”<\/p>\n Ben, Hoss, and Jamie had nearly identical frowns as they thought about it. Joe and Candy had already discussed the idea on the ride home. They waited for the others to draw the same conclusion. Jamie was the first to say it.<\/p>\n “Sunday morning.”<\/p>\n Hoss and then Ben nodded. Joe explained more.<\/p>\n “Yeah, we all agree. Some of the hands will still be in town. Others will be sleeping it off. Hop Sing won’t be here. It’s the only time he’s gone these days, and by our orders, he takes two of the hands with him to make sure he doesn’t get kidnapped. We’re at our weakest point on Sunday morning. Anyone who’s been watching the ranch would know that or Pete would likely have told them.”<\/p>\n Ben asked if there was anything more they could do to prepare. Joe explained more of the plan.<\/p>\n “Ask two of the most loyal hands to head to town but return early. They can use any excuse they want. Then we also check to make sure Pete doesn’t bring back reinforcements dressed in the clothing of some of the regular hands. We need to get word to Clem to make sure that doesn’t happen. Some of our hands could be in danger.”<\/p>\n Then Joe thought up one more idea. “If Pete tries that, maybe we should have someone dress up as Pete and ride back with a couple of the hands. It would look like the plan worked then. They could hang out in the bunkhouse and be more help if we needed them. Clem could hold the others someplace out of sight in town until this is over.”<\/p>\n Ben was starting to feel more confidence. “This is starting to sound like a plan that could work with all my boys working together.”<\/p>\n Joe explained more of the plan.<\/p>\n “We need to prepare the house too. First, we have to stash weapons in all sorts of places. We don’t know when the attack will come and we need to be ready no matter what. Keep weapons on yourself at all times too but not in an obvious way.”<\/p>\n Preparations took their time, but they had to go ahead with a fake funeral too for the two sons who had supposedly been lost. Ben didn’t like burying a villain near Marie, but out of necessity, it had to be done. It was only temporary. One final detail was letting Adam know about all the plans that Joe was putting in motion. Joe nominated Candy for that duty.<\/p>\n “You’re the logical one. I’m supposed to be dead. We can’t risk Hoss or Jamie, and as a former scout, you know how to get close to him without getting yourself seen or killed.”<\/p>\n “I hope so. I’ve heard you say how much your brother learned from the Paiute.”<\/p>\n “The Paiute might be the best way to approach him.”<\/p>\n It took a moment for Candy to understand what Joe meant but then he smiled. The next day in the late afternoon, a small party of Paiute rode near Adam’s camp. He walked out and smiled.<\/p>\n “You have one rider who looks like he is going to fall off his horse. I think he may be used to riding with a saddle.”<\/p>\n Candy slipped from the Paiute pony and walked over to Adam.<\/p>\n “I think I may have bruises in places I never had bruises before. They think this is funny, and I brought up five cows to pay for the privilege which makes it even more funny for them.”<\/p>\n “You’re lucky that there are a few tall men in this band so the clothing fits. Now, I suppose you came to tell me the plans.”<\/p>\n After giving Adam a quick synopsis of everything Joe had set up, Candy got back on the Paiute pony with a grimace. Before he left though, he told Adam he ought to get his arm checked out.<\/p>\n “The way you’re favoring it tells me there’s probably some infection in there. You don’t want to let that get serious.”<\/p>\n “You’re getting to know me too well.”<\/p>\n Candy grinned and Adam agreed it was time to go to town.<\/p>\n In Carson City, Adam went to get supplies including something for the infection that had developed in his arm from the slight wound he had received. It was a chance for his employers to interrogate him. The wound in his arm was enough to alleviate any worries they had about him. He gave a rendition of the shootout that he thought they wanted to hear. They did.<\/p>\n “It worked out pretty well except they must have been suspicious of your man. As soon as I shot the one on the spotted horse, the other one turned on your man and shot him. Then he got into cover and it took some time before I was able to get him. He was darn good at sneaking around. He must have had some experience at that kind of fighting. I was better though. The foreman that was with him was good too. When I got the second brother, I told him to take the bodies and I wouldn’t shoot him. He did. I buried your man, Zach. That’s it except for me getting this little crease in my arm during the shooting. Did my best with it, but it got infected. It’s not too bad according to the doc. He cleaned it up and said to be more careful from now on.”<\/p>\n “You going to be ready to help if we come for you?”<\/p>\n “I will. This little scratch won’t stop me. I got money to earn.”<\/p>\n “Good. Then you can get your supplies and be on your way. I’ve got one question for you before you go. How did you know it was our man and how did you know his name.”<\/p>\n “The one in the yellow coat yelled as he shot him. He called him Zach and said he was a ‘damn snake’ while he did it. I figured shooting him and calling him that pretty much summed it up.”<\/p>\n When Adam left the office, the men stared at each for almost a minute before anyone spoke.<\/p>\n “I had a difficult time not reacting when he named Zach. But then he explained it all matter of factly like it was just like that.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, he’s either the best liar in the world or he’s telling the truth and it happened like he said it did.”<\/p>\n “Gentlemen, really, do you think a man like that could walk in here and lie successfully to the three of us.”<\/p>\n The three laughed then at the absurdity of a drifter no matter how hard pulling off any kind of subterfuge on them with their education, wealth, and experience in the world. Then they made their plans to take over the Ponderosa before they took the surrounding ranches, mines, and timber to create a vast empire.<\/p>\n “All right, two sons are dead. We have to convince Ben Cartwright that he can save at least one of the remaining two by cooperating with us and opening that safe. How do we do that?”<\/p>\n “I say we offer to adopt the adopted one. It wouldn’t be that bad. He’s young. We could train him to be one of us.”<\/p>\n “And if that doesn’t work?”<\/p>\n “We do what we always do with people who don’t work with us. But if he knows that, I’m betting he would work with us. He’s still young enough to mold one way or another into the kind of man we want.”<\/p>\n “And the other one?”<\/p>\n “The big one we kill right off. We tried once already. He’s too moral, too righteous. We need to get him out of the way. Then we bargain with Ben to save the younger one, the only one he’s got left.”<\/p>\n “All right, we have a plan. We’ve got the time. Now we only need to get the men together and storm the house at the right time. I figure we send our drifter in through the upstairs windows. My guess is he’s done things like that already. Pete and his men can sneak in through the kitchen and we’ll walk right up to the front door and knock. When they’re busy looking at the front door, our men come in and take out the big man and get the drop on the others. Then we get to work.”<\/p>\n Their plan didn’t work as expected because of alterations that Joe coordinated. Pete was held in town by Clem. Two men he had recruited were held with him in a house on the edge of town by special deputies paid for by the marshals service. Two deputy marshals and a town deputy dressed in the men’s clothing and rode their horses to the Ponderosa waiting in the bunkhouse until the carriage with the three ‘businessmen’ arrived. They stepped out then and made their way to the kitchen door entering quietly. Pete had told them the whole plan after a little ‘persuasion’ and to avoid any more of the same.<\/p>\n The businessmen had noted Adam going in the window up above the porch not knowing he’d done that a number of times a couple of decades earlier. Then they proceeded to the front door expecting to execute their plan. What they faced when the door opened was not what they expected. Pistols were in their faces, and Joe Cartwright was alive. Something had gone very wrong. From the kitchen, it wasn’t Pete who emerged but three men who had pinned on badges.<\/p>\n “What’s going on here? We’re here to discuss business, and we’re accosted like criminals.”<\/p>\n “You are criminals.”<\/p>\n The voice from the top of the stairs made them whirl. It was their man or what they had thought was their ace in the hole, but now he wasn’t. He stood on the stair landing and was also wearing a badge.<\/p>\n “Oh, I should probably introduce myself. I’m Adam Cartwright. This little reception was orchestrated by my younger brother, Joe Cartwright, whom you can see is not dead.”<\/p>\n Furious and realizing all hope was lost, the three men drew weapons even though they didn’t stand much of a chance against the forces they faced. They all knew that even a little chance was better than the sure thing of going to the gallows which was what faced them if they were arrested. The man they blamed the most was on that stairs and he had the least chance of hiding anywhere. As everyone else ducked for cover, he was exposed and the one targeted. Hit in the arm and spun around, Adam fell against the railing with force and broke through. The wood splintered and raked against his leg drawing blood and then against his side doing the same. He hit the floor hard driving the air from his chest. When the shooting was over and the three villains were dead, the others rushed to Adam.<\/p>\n “Damn, he looks awful.”<\/p>\n “I’m fine, but I think someone needs to stop the bleeding.”<\/p>\n That line almost made them laugh except he was bleeding so much they had to rush for bandages and try to do what he said. The doctor was summoned and hours later delivered the verdict that Adam hated to hear.<\/p>\n “Nothing too serious, but he’ll need those dressings changed at least once a day and twice a day or more if there’s a lot of drainage. He needs to stay in that bed until all the wounds are closed and stop draining or weeping. I’m guessing about three weeks or more with all the flesh that was torn up. I’ve splinted the leg only to reduce movement. It shouldn’t interfere with changing the dressings.”<\/p>\n As expected, Adam was a good patient for about two days and a mostly reasonable patient for about three more. Then he became difficult. The doctor didn’t want him out of bed for the first week and the inactivity and the humiliation of having to rely on others was more than he could bear. The biggest problem though was all the difficult conversations about his past and the questions his father and brothers wanted answered, and he couldn’t escape. He was captive. They wanted to know if he was going to stay, why he had been gone so long, why he had not told them what he had been doing, and so on. He didn’t have answers for some, and didn’t have answers they wanted to hear for others. There were some he didn’t want to face either.<\/p>\n It was Candy who put it to him bluntly. Adam tried to object several times as he talked, but Candy waved him off and kept talking.<\/p>\n “Be honest. You’re grateful for the care you’re getting and you don’t want to hurt them, but this attitude and holding it all in is doing that anyway. You think the truth will hurt, but they know it already. When you tell them you never felt like you fit in, that they didn’t like your ideas, and so on, they’ll deny it, but they know. When you say they can do all the jobs here and there’s no need for you to stay, they’ll object and claim they can find a place for you, but everyone knows it’s not really true. When you say you worked undercover much of the time so an open relationship would have been dangerous, they’ll know it’s half true and an excuse too, but it’s what it was. There was no right or wrong to it. It’s in the past. You made a call and it worked out. They’ll have to admit it worked out pretty well for them too. They can dwell on the past and ask all sorts of questions but it won’t change anything. Now what have you got to say to all that?”<\/p>\n “You practice that speech for a long time?”<\/p>\n “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”<\/p>\n Adam smirked.<\/p>\n Then Candy smiled too.<\/p>\n “I guess I really laid it on you there.”<\/p>\n “One of the best lectures I ever got.”<\/p>\n The two men were quiet for a time.<\/p>\n “Thank you. I need to say something like that to my family to get the pressure off. It’s driving me crazy.”<\/p>\n “That and being stuck in bed for a week?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, that made it much worse.” Adam paused then as if he had an unpleasant feeling.<\/p>\n “I hate to ask, but do you have any more wisdom to impart?”<\/p>\n “I have noticed that for someone who’s supposed to be so smart, you’re pretty stupid about some things or maybe just blind.”<\/p>\n Bristling at the additional criticism, Adam was powerless to stop it. With one leg splinted, one arm in a sling, and a wound in his side that wasn’t serious but damn painful, he couldn’t get out of bed even with help. Candy knew it and had to fight the urge to grin a little at the situation. He considered Adam a friend and wanted to help him. The only way at this point was more brutal honesty.<\/p>\n “You don’t think of the Ponderosa as home. You don’t like taking orders. You resent that here and elsewhere people don’t like the new ideas you come up with and want to stick with tried-and-true things even when they don’t work very well. You like setting your own agenda. Being a marshal gives you a lot of independence to do what you want to do, but I think you’re getting tired of putting your life on the line for very little reward or recognition. There’s an obvious solution as far as I can see. I don’t know why you never saw it.”<\/p>\n Candy thought that he had gotten Adam’s attention. The injured man was frowning as he tried to come up with whatever idea Candy was thinking was so obvious. His thought process was making him forget about his pain. Candy decided to lay it all out and make him face it.<\/p>\n “Get your own ranch. Do the things you want to do. Make your own family. Think about it. It’s the logical solution. Build what you want to build. Put in your own ideas. Try it your way. No one could say no. Succeed or fail. It’s all on your shoulders and no father to sit in judgment. You’re hard enough on yourself. You don’t need anyone else to tell you what you’re doing right or wrong.”<\/p>\n Watching Adam, Candy could see that he was trying to come up with reasons why it wouldn’t work.<\/p>\n “What’s the worst that could happen? I’ve heard stories about you. I’ve seen the marks on you. You’ve been beaten, stabbed, shot, tortured, starved, poisoned, and who knows what else. You’ve faced Indians, vicious criminals, rustlers, drunks, crooked gamblers, corrupt officials, cheating businessmen, and every other rotten kind of person there probably is. You’re still here.”<\/p>\n “Well, when you put it like that.”<\/p>\n Unable to suppress a grin at all that had been said, Adam still had one objection left.<\/p>\n “My father and brothers wouldn’t want me in competition with them.”<\/p>\n “With hundreds of ranches out here, one more is going to be a big deal? Besides, you’re not going to be next door, are you?”<\/p>\n “No, this really isn’t the best country for ranching.”<\/p>\n “There you go. You’ve already been thinking about it. So, where would you go? You’ve been all over. What’s the best place for the kind of ranch you want?”<\/p>\n “Probably Kansas or Nebraska, but I don’t think I can give up the mountains so Colorado or Wyoming would be better. If not there, Idaho or Montana are possibilities but I don’t like winter and it gets even worse there. Land is much cheaper in Wyoming.”<\/p>\n “Damn! You’ve been thinking about this. Why did you let me go on and on about it when you were already thinking of doing it?”<\/p>\n “It was entertaining.” He grinned but then was serious. “It helped though to have some reinforcement of my ideas and spell it out without all the self-doubt. Thank you. And I do mean that.”<\/p>\n Candy shook Adam’s hand gently. They understood each other well. There was no history that interfered with honest communication. They had shared dangerous situations and trusted each other because they respected each other’s skills and intelligence. Adam was glad his brothers had found this friend.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Epilogue<\/strong><\/p>\n Over the next few weeks, Adam had conversations with his family members that closely resembled the conversation he had had with Candy. It had brought the predictable reactions. As a result, there were many times that Adam had to stifle grins that threatened in the midst of serious discussions. He managed. By the time his wounds healed, much of the emotional turmoil in the family was healed too.<\/p>\n One issue remained. While his brothers were excited and even a little intrigued by Adam’s plan to buy a ranch, Ben didn’t like the idea clinging to the hope that his eldest son would remain close. Ben didn’t have a say though. Adam left two months later for Wyoming and the ranch he had purchased. He didn’t share much of what he planned to do with it because he didn’t want to hear criticism of his ideas. He would let success or failure speak.<\/p>\n It was over two years before his family visited the Cross A ranch in Wyoming. It wasn’t the kind of ranch they expected. Adam had established a horse breeding and training facility. That they expected. He had a small herd of cattle which was also something expected. There were big surprises though. Adam had recruited a family from Wisconsin to move there to run a small dairy and vegetable garden. He had a small store selling products from those operations as well as offering beef by consignment to the locals.<\/p>\n The biggest surprise though was the small hotel and restaurant on the ranch. There was the usual bunkhouse for the working cowboys, but there were guests on the ranch, and there were older cowboys, many with decades of work who shepherded these guests through days on the ranch depending on what they wanted to experience. Some only wanted sightseeing. Others wanted to try some ‘real’ cowboy activities while others wanted to try their hand at hunting which was carefully directed by their guides to keep everyone safe. Then in the evening, everyone ate in the large restaurant.<\/p>\n Ben scoffed while Hoss and Joe laughed about Adam having a ‘dude ranch’ instead of a real one.<\/p>\n “That part of the ranch brings in more money than all of the other income producing parts of the ranch combined. It funds my horse breeding operation. The beef operation, and the dairy, and the vegetable plots keep my food costs at a minimum. There’s very little I have to buy. Therefore, I can purchase some of the highest quality horse stock. Within a few years, I should have some of the best breeding stock in this state if not in the west.”<\/p>\n Hoss asked if he was going to expand the beef operation.<\/p>\n “I’m not planning to do that. I don’t have a lot of range, and frankly, it would increase my expenses too much. I would have to worry about winter more too and taking losses. Now we can keep them in close during the worst of the winter months and put out hay when it gets bad. If the herd was much larger, we couldn’t manage that.”<\/p>\n They thought the surprises were done, but the next biggest surprise arrived at dinner. Adam had given them rooms in the hotel. He said his house only had one extra bedroom and the hotel had a number of rooms available. It made sense, but the more important reason for the room assignments was the lady on his arm when he came to dinner.<\/p>\n “Everyone, this is Ina Catherine Cartwright, my wife. We used to work together at times.”<\/p>\n “Actually, what he means, is that I patched him up several times when he got overzealous in cases he was working. I’m a doctor. Or I was a doctor. I’ve developed some problems with my hands and can’t do the work I used to do. I came west because they said it would be better for my condition. I heard about this hotel, stayed here, and well, things happened.”<\/p>\n With Adam’s arm gently wrapped around Ina’s waist, and with a smile as he gazed at her, there was no doubt that he was in love and happy. Her look at him communicated the same.<\/p>\n “Lordy, Adam, you got any more surprises? I got to say each one is better than the last.”<\/p>\n “No, this is the last one.”<\/p>\n Joe was smoother. “Older brother, you do look happy. Ina, I am pleased to meet you. My brother is very blessed to have such a beautiful and talented wife.”<\/p>\n As always, Ben was gracious. “Welcome to the family, my dear. I would be most pleased if you would visit the Ponderosa with Adam and meet the rest of the family too.”<\/p>\n “I would like that.”<\/p>\n All the inevitable questions followed about when they had met and how. Adam and Ina remembered but didn’t share that story. It was a good anecdote but only for them.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Awakening to the smell of coffee and then the touch of a soft hand on his cheek and forehead was reassuring. The pain in his gut and at the back of his head though reminded him to be cautious. Waiting until he heard footsteps moving away, he opened his eyes to check out his environment. It was a doctor’s office or clinic. Feeling safe, he addressed the woman across the room.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “Miss?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “Oh, so you trust me now, do you?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “You knew I was awake?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “I am not new at my job. Your colleagues brought you here because you needed a doctor who could be discreet. Would you like some coffee and a muffin? I have some bacon too but I overcooked it.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “Yes, to all. Thank you.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Once he had his coffee and some food, he got the questions he expected and answered. Toughs had been sent to beat him because he had been careless. One last blow knocked him down leaving him to lay alone in the dark. He was lucky they had not been sent to kill him.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “I’m Adam and stupid enough to blow my cover but smart enough that I didn’t do it so much that they actually know who I am or they would have killed me. Thank you for patching me up.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “I’m Ina.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “May I be so bold as to ask if you are married?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “You are bold, and no. You?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “I am bold sometimes, and no, never married. But strong coffee and crispy bacon. I think I’m in love.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “You fall in love so easily?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “Love is in the air, and it smells like coffee. I think I’m overdue too.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “For coffee?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “No.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Neither Adam nor Ina explained the little smiles they had after the looks they gave each other and the pause they had before continuing the conversation. There was some good-natured teasing about Jamie being the last bachelor in the family.<\/em><\/p>\n The family spent several more days enjoying the hospitality of the ranch before they knew they had to head home. It was so comfortable on Adam’s ranch that they were all reluctant to leave. For the first time, Ben thought Adam had made all the right decisions and told him so. He didn’t quite know why that made his son’s eyes glisten, but everyone else did.<\/p>\n