Summary:\u00a0 The bond between brothers is strong, but is it as strong as Hoss believes?
\nRating:\u00a0 G (8,500 words)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Through the Mist<\/strong><\/p>\n By Vicki Christian<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I sat bolt upright in bed and took a deep breath.\u00a0 It was still dark but somethin\u2019 had woken me.\u00a0 Pa and my brothers would say it was my own snoring, but I know\u2019d it was the dream again; the dream I\u2019ve bin havin\u2019 for nigh on two weeks now.\u00a0 First I could only remember the fear but slowly as it repeated each night more of it came back to me when I woke up. I know\u2019d I wouldn\u2019t get back to sleep again tonight so I started dressing in the half-light from the moon.\u00a0 I peered outta my window at the yard, nothing was moving and the night was clear, not like in my dream.\u00a0 In my dream I was riding through a thick mist and it was cold.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know why I was out in such weather, or what I was searching for but I knew I had to find something.\u00a0 Each night the search grew longer and my panic got worse.<\/p>\n I headed downstairs to the kitchen and quietly stirred the fire in the cook stove to life and put on water for coffee.\u00a0 I was about to raid the pantry for a snack when soft footfalls behind me made me turn around.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat you do in my kitchen?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing, our cook, could make me feel like a guilty kid even if I was over six feet tall and weighed in at more than three hundred pounds.<\/p>\n \u201cNuthin\u2019 Hop Sing.\u00a0 Just couldn\u2019t sleep, wanted coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh, coffee on stove, not in pantry.\u201d He padded over to the pantry door and shooed me away.\u00a0 \u201cI make breakfast after you do chores.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw, it\u2019s too early for chores.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t ya got just a bit of pie.\u201d<\/p>\n He took pity on me, as I know\u2019d he would, and cut me a slice of apple pie to go with the coffee.\u00a0 I wandered into the big room and sat myself in the blue velvet chair.\u00a0 Don\u2019t know why I sat there.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s chair was how I always thought of it, just as the red leather one was Pa\u2019s.\u00a0 Joe and me, we sat on the sofa or where ever there was space.\u00a0 Sometimes if Pa was in a good mood, Joe would sit on the table, cross-legged like a pixie.<\/p>\n I sure wish I could figure out that dream.\u00a0 I ain\u2019t getting much sleep and I know I ain\u2019t doing my share of the work.\u00a0 Adam was being smart about it yesterday and I\u2019m in such a bad temper that Joe\u2019s avoiding me.\u00a0 I hear a door shut quietly upstairs and footsteps along the hallway.\u00a0 I looked upwards and Pa was coming around the bend in the stairs fastening his shirt cuffs.<\/p>\n \u201cMorning, son.\u00a0 Couldn\u2019t you sleep again?<\/p>\n I shook my head and sipped my coffee.\u00a0 \u201cMight as well get ahead on the day.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa always treats us like kids and today was no different. He came over and put a hand to my forehead, which I pushed away.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fine, Pa. Don\u2019t fuss.\u201d<\/p>\n Shoulda known he wouldn\u2019t take that. He frowned at me and continued to try to check if I was hot.<\/p>\n \u201cI am your father and I\u2019ll fuss, as you put it, if I choose. If you don\u2019t get some sleep soon then you\u2019re heading in to see Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n I pushed to my feet and headed for the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cI ain\u2019t sick.\u201d<\/p>\n I was paying attention to Pa and almost bumped into my older brother who was coming down the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s good to hear, since you are supposed to be coming to Nevada City with me next week to pick up those mares.\u201d<\/p>\n I snapped back at him, \u201cI\u2019ll be there, don\u2019t fret,\u201d and pushed past him to go and dress.\u00a0 I felt rather than saw the look that passed between him and Pa.<\/p>\n I did my work okay, but I knew I was touchy and that my brothers were avoiding me.\u00a0 Little Joe had tried several times earlier in the week find out what was wrong but I had brushed him aside and now he was wary of saying anything.\u00a0 I hated it when I was at odds with either brother, because it didn\u2019t happened often.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Friday night came and things weren\u2019t no better.\u00a0 I know\u2019d my brothers were going in to town to a social but neither had asked if I was going.\u00a0 I guess they figured that I was gonna be poor company and they didn\u2019t want me along. \u00a0Well that suited me just fine.\u00a0 I\u2019d go alone and have a few drinks.\u00a0 Maybe a whisky or two would help me sleep. Though I\u2019d been nipping at Pa\u2019s brandy and that hadn\u2019t done much except give me a headache come morning.\u00a0 My dream had moved on a little, I now saw a cliff the way you\u2019d see it if\u2019n you was on a ship. I heard a noise that sounded like the cry of a seagull but it didn\u2019t mean anything. We was hundreds of miles from the sea and the nearest gulls were over Lake Tahoe and there sure weren\u2019t no cliff there like the one I saw in my dream.\u00a0 The thing that scared me most was the cold clammy mist and the fear in my belly as I rode.\u00a0 The dream was so regular and so real that I couldn\u2019t forget it even during the day.<\/p>\n I waited until my brothers had left for town then took the back stairs and made my way out to the barn. I didn\u2019t want Pa to question me.\u00a0 It made me feel like a kid sneaking out when I had no business to.\u00a0 I saddle Chubby and took comfort in the closeness we had.\u00a0 He was solid and reliable and wouldn\u2019t let me down, we\u2019d been through too much together.\u00a0 I left him with Lafe at the livery stable.\u00a0 He\u2019d have Cochise to keep him company but Sport was nowhere to be seen. For a moment I wondered who big brother was visiting tonight, but soon forgot him as I drowned my sorrows in a whisky bottle.\u00a0 I ain\u2019t usually much on whisky but tonight I hoped it would blot out that dadblasted dream.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I could hear voices but they sounded far away and I felt real sick.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t see nobody, just the mist, that goldarn mist again.\u00a0 Slowly my senses came back to me and I wished they hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cC\u2019mon Hoss you gotta help yourself a bit.\u00a0 You\u2019re too heavy for us to carry.\u00a0 You gotta get on Chubby by yourself.\u201d\u00a0 Joe\u2019s voice seemed to be inside my head.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re gonna have to get Adam.\u00a0 I can\u2019t lift him and anyways I need to get home before my Pa comes lookin\u2019 for me.\u00a0 Its almost dawn.\u201d\u00a0 Mitch Devlin\u2019s voice sounded anxious and a mite frustrated.<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t going nowhere near Adam.\u00a0 He\u2019d kill me if I fetched him from\u2026 well from where he is.\u201d\u00a0 I heard Joe finish.<\/p>\n I tended to agree with my little brother.\u00a0 Hauling Adam out of bed in the early hours of the morning wasn\u2019t a good idea under any circumstances.\u00a0 Hauling him out of the particularl bed where I suspected he\u2019d spent last night was likely to get us both killed. I made a supreme effort and managed to grab a hold of Chubby\u2019s saddle horn.\u00a0 It took several attempts and a lot of pushing and shoving by Joe and Mitch but finally made it into the saddle.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t recall too much of the ride home but I do remember Pa yellin\u2019 somethin\u2019 awful when we got there.\u00a0 He musta bin pacing the floor all night, \u2018cos he was fully dressed.\u00a0 I\u2019d stayed out all night before so I guess it was Joe he was worried about. He sure went on a lot about me and Adam being responsible for our little brother.\u00a0 My head was pounding and I was pleased when he shook his head in exasperation and pointed to the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cGo sleep it off.\u201d He growled.\u00a0 \u201cBut don\u2019t think you\u2019re missing out on your chores.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe helped me to my room and then let me collapse on the bed.\u00a0 He pulled off my boots but left me fully dressed and didn\u2019t even put the quilt over me.\u00a0 I don\u2019t remember anything else until I woke up feeling cold and with a sore head.\u00a0 The sun was high in the sky so I guessed I\u2019d slept for maybe seven or eight hours.\u00a0 My head might be hurting but at least I hadn\u2019t dreamed that dadblasted dream again.<\/p>\n I staggered out to the barn, not even stopping by the kitchen.\u00a0 I was feelin\u2019 real sick and didn\u2019t want to see food, let alone eat anything. Now anyone as knows me will tell ya that if I ain\u2019t eatin\u2019 them I\u2019m sick.<\/p>\n Adam was working at the forge and he looked up as I came up to him.\u00a0 \u201cYou feeling any better?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 \u201cJoe told me what happened and Pa sure let me know. I wish you two would stay out of trouble, puts Pa in such a bad mood and we had to do the account books this morning.\u00a0 I got my head chewed off more than once.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t ask\u2019d ya to look out for me.\u00a0 You bin messin\u2019 in my life since I was a kid.\u201d\u00a0 I snarled at him.<\/p>\n I glanced at him and saw that his eyes had narrowed and his lips thinned in anger. I guess it was uncalled for and I was a mite short with him, but I felt trapped.\u00a0 As always when he was trying to control his temper Adam went quieter and his words were carefully chosen and spoken with controlled fury.\u00a0 Pa did the same when he was real angry, I guess Adam had gotten it from him.<\/p>\n \u201cPardon me for breathing.\u00a0 You might thank Joe though.\u00a0 He got a lecture too and he was only helping.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam turned away from me and headed for the door almost colliding with Joe.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d stay outside in the clean air, if I was you.\u00a0 It\u2019s kinda chilly in there.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe frowned and turned his head to watch our older brother stride across the yard to the house.<\/p>\n \u201cYou two have a fight?\u201d\u00a0 he queried.<\/p>\n I shook my head but didn\u2019t offer any explanation.\u00a0 My little brother shrugged and went about his chores in silence.\u00a0 It felt uncomfortable to be at odds with both brothers but somehow I felt a need to be alone.\u00a0 I quietly saddled Chub and rode out to the lake.\u00a0 It usually helped but today there was no peace anywhere.<\/p>\n For the next couple of days things only got worse.\u00a0 I slept very little and when I did the dream came back.\u00a0 My temper didn\u2019t improve and both brothers avoided me, even Pa tried to leave the room when I appeared.\u00a0 Finally, Pa took me to task.\u00a0 He cornered me in the barn as I was talking to Chubby.<\/p>\n \u201cYou get any answers from him?\u201d\u00a0 he asked, quietly.<\/p>\n I was so far away that Pa\u2019s voice made me jump.\u00a0 \u201cUh\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI asked if you got any answers to your problem from Chub, here,\u201d Pa repeated as he laid a hand on Chub\u2019s mane and patted him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat problem?\u201d\u00a0 I asked, trying to avoid looking at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one that\u2019s making you sleepless and bad tempered,\u201d\u00a0 Pa replied.<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t nuthin\u2019, Pa.\u00a0 Just leave me be.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa nodded and drew a thoughtful breath then turned away.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sending Joe with Adam to Nevada City.\u00a0 I want you to stay here and tend to the chores.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh\u2026\u201d\u00a0 I grunted in surprise.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u00a0 There ain\u2019t nuthin\u2019 wrong with me. I dun told ya that.\u00a0 Told Adam too but he don\u2019t listen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNevertheless, that\u2019s what I\u2019ve decided.\u00a0 I\u2019ll not have you and Adam at odds on the trail. Winter\u2019s coming on and it\u2019s a long ride.\u00a0 If you\u2019re arguing or ignoring one another you won\u2019t be watching out for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n I started to argue with him, but he gave me that look of his and I knew he wasn\u2019t about to change his mind.\u00a0 So now I had another thing to blacken my mood.\u00a0 Instead of a quiet ride in the mountains I was going to be stuck here doing my brothers\u2019 yard chores.\u00a0 I was certain sure that Adam had put Pa up to this and I was angrier than ever at my older brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In a way I was relieved when my brothers rode out on Monday morning.\u00a0 Now I could concentrate on doing chores and not feel that I was being watched all the time.\u00a0 It would take them two days to made Nevada City and probably three or four coming back with the stock.\u00a0 Pa saw them off with a long list of warnings and instructions. If I hadn\u2019t been so doggone tired I would have laughed at the way Adam only half listened and Joe paid no attention at all.\u00a0 A week on my own sure looked good.<\/p>\n As the week wore on I relaxed.\u00a0 The dream seemed to have gone away and my sleep improved. Pa and I played a few games of checkers after supper and things got back to normal.\u00a0 Friday night Pa asked if I was going into town but I told him it weren\u2019t much fun on my own.\u00a0 It was the first time that week that I had admitted to missing my brothers and Pa smiled.\u00a0 I guess he figured all would be well when they got back.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll be back Monday, I\u2019ll be bound and you\u2019ll have to put up with Joe bragging about the new mares and what a good judge of horseflesh he is.\u201d<\/p>\n I nodded and got up to poke at the fire.\u00a0 The flames danced in front of me and for a moment I was drifting away.\u00a0 Then Pa spoke again.<\/p>\n \u201cWant another game of checkers then?\u00a0 I ought to let you get your revenge for last night.\u201d<\/p>\n The wind had been increasing all day and I shivered in spite of the warmth from the fire.\u00a0 \u201cNo thanks, Pa.\u00a0 I think I\u2019ll have an early night, I got a bit of a headache.\u201d\u00a0 Funny I hadn\u2019t noticed it until I said it.<\/p>\n I headed upstairs and settled into bed.\u00a0 Outside the wind howled and the window rattled.\u00a0 I glanced at the night sky but it was clear, maybe too clear.\u00a0 It was gonna be real cold up in those mountains and for the first time I was glad that Adam had taken Joe \u2018stead of me. Despite the wind I soon drifted off to sleep.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how long I slept before it started. I was in a cold swirling mist again and that cry was there.\u00a0 I woke up with sweat pouring off me and I threw back the covers.\u00a0 I walked to the window and stared out, usually this made the dream begin to fade, but tonight it was still there in my head; the cold mist, the seagull cry and something else, a nagging fear.<\/p>\n It was still dark outside but I dressed and made my way downstairs.\u00a0 I was packing supplies into a bag when Hop Sing found me.\u00a0 I had obviously woken him from a deep sleep but he was no less noisy than usual.<\/p>\n \u201cYou get out my kitchen.\u00a0 You bad boy, steal food.\u201d\u00a0 He started carrying things back to his storeroom.<\/p>\n I was in no mood to deal with an angry cook but I stopped what I was doing and caught his arm.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not stealing nuthin\u2019, Hop Sing.\u00a0 I\u2019m packing for a trip.\u201d<\/p>\n His eyes narrowed, \u201cWhere you go?\u201d<\/p>\n His words surprised me.\u00a0 Until that minute I hadn\u2019t thought about where or why I was doing this.\u00a0 I just knew I had to go somewhere.\u00a0 Pa must have heard the noise because he poked his head around the door.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>\u201cJust because you can\u2019t sleep that\u2019s no reason to wake the whole house.\u201d\u00a0 He grumbled.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s this about a trip?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going after Adam and Little Joe.\u201d\u00a0 I replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m worried about \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa looked up in surprise, \u201cWhy?\u00a0 They aren\u2019t due back for another day at least maybe two.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI jus\u2019 got this feelin\u2019 Pa.\u00a0 It ain\u2019t nuthin\u2019 I can show ya.\u00a0 Me and Adam well we kinda know when t\u2019other one is in trouble.\u00a0 Kinda like when we was kids.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa smiled,\u00a0 \u201cYes, I remember.\u00a0 When Adam was in trouble you used to try to make excuses for him and he used to chase off after you when he thought you might be.\u201d<\/p>\n I nodded, grinning, \u201cAn\u2019 we both know when Little Joe\u2019s up to somethin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n This time Pa laughed, \u201cYou mean because he usually is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, I jus\u2019 wanna ride up in the mountains, maybe its nuthin\u2019 but I need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa sighed.\u00a0 \u201cAlright, but if you meet up with them and there is no problem, you\u2019d better hightail it back here fast.\u00a0 Your chores will be waiting.\u201d\u00a0 He was tryin\u2019 to look stern but I could tell he wanted me to go now as much as I did.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll meet up with \u2018em\u00a0 and we\u2019ll get right back, Pa.\u00a0 Be home before you know it.\u201d\u00a0 I was already half way out the door as I spoke.<\/p>\n Once on the trail I don\u2019t think Chubby and I have ever rode so fast.\u00a0 We covered the trail up to Truckee in record time and put up overnight at the trading post.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want to stop at all but at this time of year it\u2019s too risky to travel far at night in the mountains.\u00a0 If Pa\u2019s estimate was right Adam and Joe should be coming down that trail tomorrow.\u00a0 In fact I had half expected them to be at the trading post drinking and having a hand of poker, but they wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t have no nightmare but I was still restless and on my way as dawn broke.\u00a0 It sure is a pretty sight over the mountains.\u00a0 I was so busy watching the sun come up to the east that it weren\u2019t until I turned to start to climb up to the pass that I\u00a0 really looked to the west at all.\u00a0 The sky over that way was grey and there weren\u2019t no mountains.\u00a0 That\u2019s right they just wasn\u2019t there.\u00a0 The clouds was real low and I could see nuthin\u2019 beyond the next turn in the trail. I climbed higher and higher expectin\u2019 to meet those darn brothers of mine at every turn but the trail was deserted.<\/p>\n I stopped to rest Chubby about halfway up to the pass and looked back expectin\u2019 to see Donner Lake below but it was gone shrouded in mist. I looked back up at the mountain.\u00a0 No it wasn\u2019t mist it was snow, fast falling, fine snow, blown on the wind until it was almost horizontal and it was sweeping down the mountain to swallow me up.\u00a0 Before I could re-mount I was in the middle of a blizzard, the temperature had dropped in minutes.<\/p>\n I decided not to re-mount and began walking slowly forward leading Chubby.\u00a0 We had gone maybe half a mile when I looked up and there it was, my nightmare.\u00a0 A cliff shrouded in mist; only know I knew it was snow.\u00a0 The dream had been so vivid that this place looked familiar.\u00a0 I could make out the same ledges and gullies, even the sparse shrubs were the same.\u00a0 This was the place I had dreamed about all them nights.\u00a0\u00a0 I listened, at first there was nothing then I heard it; the cry of a gull or was it the wind in a crevice?\u00a0 It sure was eerie.<\/p>\n I put my cupped hands to my mouth and called\u00a0 \u201cHallooo\u2026 is anyone there?\u201d\u00a0 Chubby looked at me as if I was loco. We understood each other, me and old Chub and he musta thought I\u2019d done lost my mind calling out when there weren\u2019t no one there.\u00a0 I waited but there was no answer, just the wind and that cry again.\u00a0 I looked in the direction of the cry.\u00a0 It was below me and away to my left.\u00a0 I stared into the driving snow until I was like to blind myself.\u00a0 Then I saw it, a faint dark shape moving on a ledge, maybe ten feet below me.\u00a0 I moved closer to the edge above where I had seen the movement and my stomach heaved.\u00a0 It was a horse, dark against the snow and barely moving.\u00a0 I dropped to the ground and leaned over, a sorrel, that much I could tell.\u00a0 Was it Sport, my brother\u2019s gelding?\u00a0 It had no saddle but that didn\u2019t mean much, he could\u2019ve unsaddled him to camp or he could\u2019ve been riding one of the mares that he and Joe had gone to collect.<\/p>\n I explored the terrain with my eyes as best I could but there was no way I could reach the animal without a rope and the only way to tether a rope was to Chubby\u2019s saddle.\u00a0 That was far too risky for both Chub and me just to check out a horse.\u00a0 I moved back to the trail and drew my rifle from its scabbard.\u00a0 I levered a shell into the chamber and took aim.\u00a0 If it was poor old Sport then at least I could end his pain and if it wasn\u2019t then I was helping another animal.\u00a0 The shot echoed around the mountain, throwing itself against the cliff and coming back at me.\u00a0\u00a0 In the silence that followed I thought I heard a different cry.\u00a0 This one was no gull, this was a human being and one in trouble.\u00a0 I listened hard and the cry came again.\u00a0\u00a0 Not far from the now dead horse, but lower down into the canyon.\u00a0 I leaned over again but I could see nothing the snow made it impossible to make out anything more than ten or twelve feet from where I stood. All I knew was that down there somewhere below me was another person in trouble and I was sure that it was one of my brothers.<\/p>\n I wouldn\u2019t have risked my life or Chubby\u2019s for a horse but a man and a brother was different.\u00a0 I moved my horse to the far side of the trail where it was sheltered and told him to stand. I took my lariat and tied it to the saddle horn, checking everything very careful.\u00a0 Then I took a second rope, I\u2019d brought it with me without thinking, and tied it to a pine growing close to the edge.\u00a0 With the one rope tied around my middle and the other in my hands I slowly began to lower myself over the edge.\u00a0 Painstakingly, I inched my way toward the dead horse on the ledge below and I was relieved when I reached secure footing without a problem.\u00a0 I quickly examined the poor animal to make sure it was dead and was further relieved to find that it wasn\u2019t Sport, but a pretty sorrel mare with a white blaze.\u00a0 Two other mares were lying dead not far from her.<\/p>\n Standing firm on the ledge I called again and my spirits lifted when not only was there an answer but the voice was one I knew and loved.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that you, big brother?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe\u2019s voice sounded shaky and its echo faded quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cWho else would come lookin\u2019 for ya in this weather.\u201d I yelled back trying to make my voice steady and comforting.\u00a0 \u201cWhere are you?\u201d\u00a0 I yelled again and then more quietly,\u00a0 \u201cIs Adam with ya?\u201d<\/p>\n The answering shout was stronger.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, he\u2019s here but he\u2019s hurt.\u00a0 We\u2019re about twenty feet down on a ledge but its crumbling away.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t stop to ask more.\u00a0 I started to climb toward his voice, calling out every few minutes to check that I was still headed for them.\u00a0 It could only have been maybe fifteen minutes but it seemed like a lifetime as I worked my way toward my brothers.\u00a0 I wanted to hurry but I knew that out here in this weather I was their only hope and if I got myself hurt or killed then they would die too.\u00a0 I worried about how bad Adam was hurt but didn\u2019t waste breath asking.\u00a0 I would need all my strength to get them back to the trail. The ledge was about three feet wide at its narrowest point and widened to about five feet in places.\u00a0 It ran along the side of the ravine for maybe a hundred feet.\u00a0 Joe was crouched beside Adam about thirty feet from where I had landed.\u00a0 I had to undo both ropes to reach them.\u00a0 To have left them tied to me would have scraped them across rocks and risked cutting the rope that meant safety for all of us.<\/p>\n I inched along the ledge.\u00a0 I\u2019m a big guy and it wasn\u2019t easy as at every step I feared the ground would go from under my boots and I\u2019d be hundreds of feet down before I could stop my fall.<\/p>\n Joe motioned to the ropes hanging over the edge. \u201cGuess we\u2019re in this together now big brother. Sure is good to see you, though.\u201d<\/p>\n I nodded and knelt beside Adam.\u00a0 He had a nasty gash on his forehead and his left arm was twisted and I suspected broken.\u00a0 He was barely conscious and didn\u2019t seem to notice I was there.\u00a0 I felt his face and it was like ice.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t move his arm, Hoss.\u00a0 I had nothin\u2019 to splint it with so I figured it was best to leave it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long you bin here?\u201d\u00a0 I asked, rubbing Adam\u2019s cheeks to try to warm them.\u00a0 I needed him conscious if we were going to get him out of here.<\/p>\n Joe seemed to gain confidence from my presence though Lord knows why.\u00a0 I was not at all sure we were going to get out of this alive.\u00a0 \u201cHappened last night.\u00a0 The snow started and I talked Adam into pushing on to try to make Truckee.\u00a0 The light was fading and the snow got worse.\u00a0 We were walking and leading the horses.\u00a0 The mares were on a string and one went over the edge and took two others with her.\u00a0 Adam managed to cut the rest free but he got pulled over too when the rope caught him.\u00a0 Then I let go of Cooch\u2019s reins.\u201d\u00a0 He stared at the ground.\u00a0 \u201cI guess my yelling scared her and she and Sport and the other three mares made off.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t have a rope or anything to reach Adam so I just climbed down.\u201d\u00a0 He shook his head, \u201cI know it was a stupid thing to do but I needed to know if he was okay and I didn\u2019t think about getting back up.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked up and gave him what I hoped was an encouraging smile,\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019da done the same shortshanks.\u00a0 Let\u2019s not worry about it now, just help me get him outta here and back to a warm bed.\u201d<\/p>\n Together we worked on Adam until his eyes flickered and he let out a moan.\u00a0 \u201cHey, that\u2019s better.\u00a0 C\u2019mon older brother, we need to get out of here.\u201d\u00a0 There was nothing to make a splint for his arm, so I took off my belt and his own and strapped his arm to his side. It weren\u2019t the best way but it would have to do until we got up to the trail.<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t speak while I worked but I could see him gritting his teeth against the pain.\u00a0 \u201cYell iffn you want, there ain\u2019t no one to hear ya but us,\u201d\u00a0 I told him.<\/p>\n Bein\u2019 Adam he ignored me and made no sound other than a slight groan as I tightened the belts.\u00a0 \u201cCan ya manage to stand?\u201d\u00a0 I asked him.<\/p>\n He nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll manage.\u201d\u00a0 He grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe you lead the way back to the ropes.\u00a0 I\u2019m gonna need to steady him.\u201d<\/p>\n I supported Adam on his good side and gradually we made it back along the ledge.\u00a0 There weren\u2019t much room for me and with Adam alongside me I could hear the stones rattling down into the canyon as the edge gave way a bit more at each step.\u00a0\u00a0 We finally got to where the ropes were hanging and I looked up.\u00a0 \u201cJoe there ain\u2019t no way you can hold him.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have ta go up and work with Chub.\u00a0 He\u2019ll back up for ya and I\u2019ll bring Adam up.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam glanced at me and through the pain I saw a little of his dry sense of humor surface.\u00a0 \u201cDo I get a say in this?\u201d<\/p>\n I grinned at him, \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n The snow hadn\u2019t eased much and the climb back to the top was dangerous.\u00a0 Not only was Joe the lightest but he was the most agile.\u00a0 I knew Chub wouldn\u2019t move and that tree was holding the second rope real firm.\u00a0 With a rope tied to his middle and another to haul on he\u2019d be as safe as I could make him.<\/p>\n The first part was done real easy \u2018ceptin\u2019when Joe disappeared from view and we had to wait for his shout to say he had reached the top.\u00a0 Then the hard work began.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t figured out how to haul Adam up yet.\u00a0 Two of us tied to a rope would be too heavy for even Chub to haul on and if I tied one around each of us then Joe would have to take the weight of one of us if we slipped.\u00a0 I made a decision and but kept it to myself.\u00a0 Adam would surely argue and he was drifting in and out of consciousness, he didn\u2019t need no more worry.\u00a0 I tied Chubby\u2019s rope to Adam, that way I was sure Joe could haul him up if anything happened.\u00a0 The other I tied around my waist, it might save me if I fell but it was doubtful, the rocks were sharp and slipping would mean I would be banged against \u2018em until the rope held.<\/p>\n I careful lifted Adam until he was pretty much over my right shoulder and then I wrapped my arm around him and grasped the rope that held me to the tree above.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe \u2026\u201d I yelled.\u00a0 \u201cTake up the slack on Chub\u2019s rope as we come up but don\u2019t pull on it.\u201d<\/p>\n An answering yell came back.\u00a0 Joe musta figured we were both tied to Chub\u2019s rope or he would have fought me.\u00a0 I began to climb using my left hand to haul myself up on any handholds I found and steadied myself with my right hand on my rope when I could or when I needed to rest.\u00a0 Slowly but surely we made the first ten feet and then a bit further and we were back to the ledge where the dead horse lay.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2026\u201d\u00a0 I called again and then saw his face shrouded in snow staring at me from above.\u00a0 I grinned encouragingly although my arms ached and my head was swimming.\u00a0 \u201cTake up the slack on both ropes and re-tie \u2018em.\u00a0 I\u2019m gonna rest a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked worried but went out of sight to do as I asked. I felt both ropes pull taut again and felt a bit better.\u00a0 I knelt down beside my older brother, his skin felt ice cold to the touch and his lips were blue.\u00a0 I rubbed his face and hands again to restore the circulation and wrapped my own scarf around his face covering it as best I could.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rested a little, I started to climb again.\u00a0 I was within maybe three or four feet of the ledge when my foot slipped and I lost my hold.\u00a0 Joe had been hauling in the slack on Chubby\u2019s rope so Adam was left hanging just below the ledge but my rope had maybe ten feet of slack and I felt every foot as I fell and banged against the rocks.\u00a0 I felt the tremendous jerk as the rope went taut and thank God it held, but I was left dangling in mid air with no way of gaining the cliff again.<\/p>\n I heard Joe shout but I didn\u2019t have the breath to yell back straightaway.\u00a0 His shouts became frantic and I hauled in a painful breath and replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m okay, Joe.\u00a0 Back up Chubby and haul Adam up first.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019d said \u2018first\u2019 but I had no idea how he was going to get me out of here.\u00a0 My rope was tied to the tree it would probably hold me but there was no way my little brother could haul my weight up alone and he\u2019d have to untie the rope to fasten it to Chub\u2019s saddle.\u00a0 Was I going to hang here in space until I froze to death or would it be better to ask Joe tocut the rope. I wish I was like Adam, he\u2019d a thought it all out before he got hisself in this mess.<\/p>\n Above me Adam\u2019s dark shape slowly disappeared but I heard him cry out a couple of times before Joe\u2019s reassuring shout.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got him Hoss, he\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n I yelled back that I\u2019d heard and concentrated on trying to swing myself closer to the cliff face in the hope that I could grab on to something and get a foothold, but it was impossible.<\/p>\n The snow cleared a little and Joe\u2019s anxious face appeared above me.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t move Hoss, the rope\u2019s fraying.\u201d\u00a0 His voice was high pitched and I could tell it must be bad from his expression.<\/p>\n I stopped moving and considered my position, it sure wasn\u2019t a good one. Above me I heard Adam call out to Joe.\u00a0 Little brother was torn between us and didn\u2019t know which to listen to, so I waved him away from the edge, \u201cGo see to Adam first.\u201d<\/p>\n Moments later a second rope snaked over the edge, it had a noose around the end and fell near enough for me to catch it.<\/p>\n \u201cPut it under your arms and tighten it if you can.\u201d\u00a0 Joe yelled.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s tied around Chub\u2019s saddle and to a tree.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam says to get it all set first then I\u2019ll untie it so Chub can back up.\u201d<\/p>\n I did as he said and thanked God for my quick thinking older brother; but could Chub haul my weight when there was no way I could help myself.\u00a0 I signaled that I was as ready as I was ever gonna be and felt the rope yanked from above before I fell, maybe, another three feet then it held me with another rough jerk.\u00a0 Slowly I was pulled up the cliff face and as I got closer to the top I was able to grab hold of some scrub and help myself the last few feet.\u00a0 I scrambled exhausted on to the trail and just lay there gasping for breath.<\/p>\n Out of the corner of my eye I could see Joe tending to our older brother.\u00a0 He had wrapped him in my blanket, ground sheet and slicker, it was all we had until we could get him down to Truckee.\u00a0 I recovered fairly quickly and cut some branches to make a splint for his arm and then we got him on to Chubby.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe you get up behind him and steady him.\u201d\u00a0 I ordered in my best older brother manner.\u00a0 I ain\u2019t so good at givin\u2019orders as Adam.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat you gonna do, walk?\u201d\u00a0 he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I ain\u2019t bin out here as long as you, I\u2019m rested.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me scornfully and was about to argue.\u00a0 \u201c We ain\u2019t got time for fussin\u2019 Joe, we gotta get Adam back someplace where we can warm him up or he\u2019s gonna lose fingers and toes.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, but if you get tired you gotta change places with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d I agreed, knowing that it would be a bad day before I\u2019d risk my little brother\u2019s life for mine.<\/p>\n We made our way slowly down the trail as the snow continued to blind us at each turn.\u00a0 After an hour or so my legs felt like lead and I was hanging on to Chub\u2019s bridle more for my own sake than to lead the horse.\u00a0 In some places the snow was now deep enough to make Chub founder and once or twice Joe nearly lost his hold on Adam.<\/p>\n \u201cStop for a minute, Joe.\u00a0 I want to check on older brother.\u201d\u00a0 Truth be told I needed to catch my breath too, but there was no sense worrying Joe.<\/p>\n Joe brought Chub to a halt and swung down.\u00a0 Together we rubbed Adam\u2019s hands. I didn\u2019t like the way the fingers of his left hand were turning white.\u00a0 It hurt him for me to touch that arm but we had to restore the circulation or he\u2019d lose his fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cYell out, iff\u2019n you want brother, but stay awake and keep talking to us,\u201d\u00a0 I urged him.<\/p>\n He gave a low moan.\u00a0 \u201cIt isn\u2019t that bad or wouldn\u2019t be if you\u2019d just stop pummeling me,\u201d\u00a0 he accused, pushing me away with his good arm.\u00a0 \u201cI can move the fingers, but they feel numb.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced at me. \u201cNot good, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n There weren\u2019t no point in lying to him, he knew what frostbite could do as well as I did.\u00a0 \u201cNo, it ain\u2019t good, but we\u2019ll be in Truckee in an hour or so.\u00a0 We\u2019ll get you warm then.\u201d<\/p>\n He gave me a small wry smile, \u201cAlways the optimist.\u00a0 You know it\u2019s going to take longer than that.\u201d<\/p>\n I returned the smile, \u201cAlways the gloomy one, ain\u2019t ya.\u00a0 This is my horse you\u2019re riding, not your old nag.\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed softly.\u201cBet my old fella, is in a warm barn somewhere out of this weather.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe joined in our laughter, \u201cCooch too, I\u2019m gonna have a few words to say to that horse, goin\u2019 off and leavin\u2019 me afoot.\u201d\u00a0 He suddenly became serious.\u00a0 \u201cYou get up behind him, Hoss, I\u2019ll walk\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDang it, Joe.\u00a0 I dun toldya that I was fitter\u2019n you for walking.\u201d\u00a0 I protested.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well maybe you were, but you aren\u2019t now.\u00a0 Anyhow, it will help me keep warm for a while and maybe I\u2019ve had enough of looking at older brother\u2019s back.\u201d<\/p>\n I was about to refuse when Adam\u2019s soft voice agreed with him, \u201cHe\u2019s right Hoss, you are about all in and it would help his circulation to walk.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to need you to get me off this horse.\u201d\u00a0 He patted Chub\u2019s neck, \u201cThink you can manage two heavyweights, boy?\u00a0\u00a0 Besides you\u2019re bigger you\u2019ll keep the wind off better.\u201d<\/p>\n I reluctantly agreed and climbed up behind him, trying to cover him as much as I could with my arms as I took the reins.<\/p>\n He pushed back at me grumbling. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to squeeze me to death.\u201d<\/p>\n He couldn\u2019t see my grin, at least if he was complaining he wasn\u2019t feeling too bad.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As usual older brother was right, it did take much longer than my hour.\u00a0 Joe and I changed places twice more before we finally saw the lights outside the trading post shining through the gloom.\u00a0 It was still snowing and the light had fade into twilight a mile or more back on the trail.\u00a0 We helped Adam from Chub and all but fell into the Post.\u00a0 Almost immediately hands reached out to help us.\u00a0 I roused myself enough to make sure someone had gone to my horse and then gratefully allowed others to tend to me and my brothers.<\/p>\n Within the hour we were feeling warmer. The owner\u2019s wife, Mrs Dickson, knew us well and she took care of all our needs including making a very good job of splinting Adam\u2019s arm.\u00a0 I was still worried about his hands but after I saw him wince, I guessed that the feeling was returning.<\/p>\n \u201cHurting?\u201d\u00a0 I asked.<\/p>\n He nodded. \u201cLike hell, but I guess that\u2019s a good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is.\u201d\u00a0 Mrs Dickson agreed as she bustled in from her kitchen with hot broth,\u00a0 \u201cAnd I\u2019ll thank you not to use that language.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry Ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t realize you were there,\u201d\u00a0 Adam apologized.<\/p>\n \u201cMakes no never mind whether I heard, you shouldn\u2019t be sayin\u2019 it, \u2018specially after all you have to be thankful for.\u00a0 The good Lord was watching over you out there.\u00a0 There\u2019s no call for that sort of word.\u00a0 What would your Pa say?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam raised an eyebrow in my direction.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019d say plenty Ma\u2019am, you\u2019re quite right.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe pulled his chair nearer to the fire and poked at the logs.\u00a0 It was something he often did when he was thinking about a difficult problem.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re gonna have to get you to a doctor tomorrow, older brother.\u00a0 I guess Reno is the closest.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs Dickson set the bowls on the table. \u201cYou can borrow a couple of horses from here and leave them at the livery stable.\u00a0 George can pick them up next week, can\u2019t you George.\u201d<\/p>\n Her husband grinned at her assumption that he would agree.\u00a0 \u201cSure, I can.\u00a0 The weather\u2019s clearing so you should have a fairly easy ride.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mr Dickson was right about the weather.\u00a0 By the time we rode out the next morning the sun had come through and the snow glistened white.\u00a0 It looked beautiful and not menacing as it had the previous day.\u00a0 I looked at my brothers riding just ahead of me and said a prayer.\u00a0 We hadn\u2019t been expecting them home until tomorrow; if I had waited until they were overdue then they would have died up there on the mountain.\u00a0 Now we\u2019d be back before Pa had time to worry, all safe and sound.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t take long for the doctor in Reno to set Adam\u2019s arm properly and he praised the job Joe had done on the trail and Mrs Dickson\u2019s care.\u00a0 Said it would set just fine and he wouldn\u2019t even know it had been broken \u2018ceptin\u2019 for maybe a twinge in bad weather.\u00a0 It was too late to set off for home by the time he was finished so we took rooms at the hotel.\u00a0 We hadn\u2019t been there but a few minutes when Joe started on about gettin\u2019 somethin\u2019 to eat.\u00a0 Now usually its me that is hungry but since I started havin\u2019 them dreams, I ain\u2019t felt hungry at all.\u00a0 Joe sayin\u2019 it made me think about food and for the first time in a long while I could face a nice juicy steak or two.<\/p>\n \u201cYou okay to go out to eat?\u201d\u00a0 I asked Adam, he still looked very pale.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll manage.\u201d\u00a0 He grunted.\u00a0 \u201cA few whiskies and I\u2019ll feel just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe led us to a saloon off the main street where he said they had good food, decent whisky and beautiful girls.\u00a0 Trust Joe to know where to find the girls.<\/p>\n He was right about the food.\u00a0 I had me three steaks before I began to feel that I had made up for the trip into the mountains.\u00a0 Joe and Adam had just one apiece and Adam got real embarrassed when I had to cut up his meat for him. He soon changed his mind though when one of them pretty girls came over and sat on his knee and offered to feed him. Joe found himself a girl too and soon both of them forgot I was there.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t bother me none, it was just like an evening in Virginia City.\u00a0 I found myself a poker game and set a large beer at my elbow and I was fine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Next morning it was hard rousing my brothers so we could head home.\u00a0 Seems Adam\u2019s broken arm hadn\u2019t slowed his drinking any and Joe didn\u2019t need much for him to be the worse for wear next day.\u00a0 They moaned and groaned but I got them moving. We had only one horse between us again so I used Pa\u2019s credit to buy two more.\u00a0 They were tired and old but they would get us home.\u00a0 Not for the first time I thanked the Lord that Pa was so well known and respected around here.<\/p>\n It was well into afternoon when we rode up to the front of the ranch house and as I\u2019d guessed, Pa was on the porch before we even pulled up our mounts.\u00a0 Pa don\u2019t miss much and he spotted Adam\u2019s sling right off.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d\u00a0 he asked, his tone of voice showing his concerns and his demand for answers.<\/p>\n Adam answered in typical big brother fashion.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t fuss, Pa.\u00a0 It\u2019s not a bad break.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n It was like lighting a fuse.\u00a0 Pa blew up all at once. \u201cDon\u2019t fuss\u2026 don\u2019t fuss.\u00a0 Your horses come home without you and then you\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCooch made it home, is she okay?\u201d\u00a0 Joe interrupted.<\/p>\n Pa shook his head in annoyance. \u201cYes, Joseph, she is fine and so is Sport.\u00a0 As I was saying, you turn up here as if nothing has happened.\u201d\u00a0 He moved in to take a closer look at Adam.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve been drinking!\u201d he accused.<\/p>\n \u201cPurely medicinal, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Adam responded quietly.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know how he can do that when Pa is in this sort o\u2019 mood.\u00a0 He faces him down real calm like.\u00a0 I always get flustered and say the wrong things and make him even more mad.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe and I had an accident just below the summit.\u00a0 One of the horses went over the edge and caused the others to bolt.\u201d\u00a0 Adam was still cool and almost disinterested.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, that\u2019s right and Hoss rescued us.\u00a0 Turned up right on time,\u201d\u00a0 Joe added eagerly.<\/p>\n This earned him a frown from older brother.<\/p>\n \u201cRescued you from what?\u201d\u00a0 Pa asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, see when the horse went over, Adam was walking holding the string and he got pulled over too and then I went down to rescue him and couldn\u2019t get back up.\u201d<\/p>\n I could see Pa\u2019s expression changing between concern and anger as Joe spoke. \u201cCouldn\u2019t get up from where?<\/p>\n \u201cUh\u2026 oh, up the cliff, Pa\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe cliff?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut there\u2019s no need to worry now Pa, we stopped off in Reno and Adam saw the Doc.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa was nodding the way he does when he\u2019s found out something we didn\u2019t want him to know.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you stopped off in Reno did you.\u00a0 All three of you?\u201d<\/p>\n I saw Adam bite his lip and start to pull on his ear the way he does when Pa gets started.<\/p>\n \u201cSure Pa, we couldn\u2019t let Adam go to the Doc\u2019s alone\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd no doubt you stayed over for a meal and a few drinks and then found a hotel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yeah, Pa.\u00a0 It was late see and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be worried.\u00a0 Your horses come back saddled without you and I sit here worrying while you\u2019re off enjoying yourselves.\u00a0 One of you could have ridden back to tell me\u2026 but oh no, you\u2019ve got to go drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n I caught Adam\u2019s eye and he was half smiling.\u00a0 I understood.\u00a0 Pa was covering his concern with anger.\u00a0 How often had we seen that before when we were kids.\u00a0 We\u2019d do something stupid and get hurt and once he\u2019d checked that we were okay, he\u2019d start lecturing us real good.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry we worried you, Pa.\u00a0 We\u2019re fine.\u00a0 Arm hardly hurts at all.\u201d\u00a0 Adam put on his best apologetic expression.\u00a0 \u201c I guess you\u2019re mad about the horses though. It\u2019s a lot of money to pay out for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam knew Pa would change the moment money was mentioned, that was why he\u2019d said it.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Adam you know its not the money.\u00a0 Just so long as you boys are all right. Now come inside and tell me about it. \u201d\u00a0 Pa put an arm around Joe and shook his head and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cIts kinda a long story, Pa,\u201d\u00a0 I said as I followed them inside.<\/p>\n Pa shook his head, \u201cNo wonder I\u2019m gray.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We were all tuckered out and Adam and Joe headed for bed real early.\u00a0 I was slower \u2018cos I like a little snack before bedtime so I was by the fire with some roast beef sandwiches when Pa came in from settling the stock for the night.<\/p>\n \u201cNot gone to bed yet, son?\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head. \u201cSoon as I finish this.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa sat down across from me in his leather chair and I could tell he wanted to say something but was trying to find the words.\u00a0 I know that feelin\u2019 real well. Adam always knows what to say and Joe don\u2019t bother about the right words he just comes straight out with it, but me I have to think about what I\u2019m gonna say, \u2018specially when its important like.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m grateful you went after your brothers, from what Joe and Adam told me earlier they wouldn\u2019t be here if you hadn\u2019t had that premonition.\u201d\u00a0 He stopped talking and looked right at me then looked away.\u00a0 \u201cIt was a premonition wasn\u2019t it, that\u2019s why you were so difficult to live with\u2026\u00a0 What was it, nightmares?\u201d<\/p>\n I took another bite of sandwich and chewed on it before I answered.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, nightmares,\u201d\u00a0 I agreed.\u00a0 \u201cI dunno Pa, I just knew Adam was in trouble, I could feel it.\u00a0 I mean the dreams didn\u2019t make sense, least not until I was on the mountain, but I just knew.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou two always have been close.\u00a0 And I thank God for it.\u201d He paused and stared into the fire for a minute.\u00a0 Then he pushed to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cWhatever it was, thank you.\u00a0 They wouldn\u2019t be alive if you hadn\u2019t followed that instinct and gone after them.\u201d\u00a0 He touched my shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cGoodnight, son.\u201d<\/p>\n I finished my sandwich and sat pondering the events of the past few days.\u00a0 It all seemed unreal now, here by the warmth of the fire with my family around me.\u00a0 Finally, I headed up the stairs and I couldn\u2019t resist peeking into my brothers\u2019 bedrooms.\u00a0 Little Joe was curled up almost in a ball with only his hair showing above the quilt, nothing would disturb him now. I smiled at those unruly curls and closed the door softly.\u00a0 Adam was lying on his back propped against his pillows, his quilt across his middle with his broken arm resting on another pillow at his side. I reached over to cover him properly then decided against it, the slightest thing could wake Adam and he looked relaxed and some how much younger when sleeping. The cares of being the eldest weighed heavily on him, I knew that, but for once I had been able to help him and take care of him, something he rarely let me do.\u00a0 I backed away and as I did so I heard him whisper.\u00a0 \u201cThanks brother, goodnight, sleep well.\u201d<\/p>\n I whispered, \u201cGoodnight.\u201d And made my way to my room.\u00a0 It felt good to be safe in my own bed and for the first time for several weeks, I did sleep well.<\/p>\n The End<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary:\u00a0 The bond between brothers is strong, but is it as strong as Hoss believes?
\nRating:\u00a0 G (8,500 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":41001,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,1006],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hoss-cartwright","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1006-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=62758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=62758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=62758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=62758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}